Savoo.co.uk Blog - Loose Change

Cash-saving current accounts

SavooStaff — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:21:00 GMT

Whilst we constantly monitor and fret over the outgoings of our current accounts, we rarely spare a thought for the extra cash that is being added to our account balances. Whenever we think of interest rates we automatically think of them from the point of view of a borrower rather than an investor, so how can you find a cash-saving current account to increase your bank balance?

The multitude of current accounts available means there is an endless supply of choice for anyone reviewing the state of their banking. New deals, such as Santander's £100 incentive to switch to their preferred current account, are constantly coming into fruition. The current account itself features an attractive 5% interest rate on balances up to £2,500 as well as getting a free overdraft for the first 12 months.

Current accounts are important when it comes to saving as they can help to determine the state of your everyday finances. Current accounts house our finances for the vast majority of the time and are our central hub for financial transactions, so making sure you get the best deal is essential.

Looking for the best interest rate is a good place to start but in order to make sure you get the best deal there are certain measures and considerations you should always take:

• Conditions for the Interest: many high interest rate accounts will be subject to certain conditions –such as paying a specific amount of money in each month. Before you switch to a new account make sure you consider the restrictions and are sure your financial situation can cope with these.

• Length of Incentive: there will be a number of incentives offered by providers to try and get you to switch. These will typically have a fairly short access period which increases the likelihood of you rushing into an account without reading the small print. Instead of grabbing the first incentive that comes along, take your time and establish if the deal is right for you.

•Length of Deal: the interest rate quoted for the account will always be subject to time restrictions, so try to make sure you find one with the best longevity. Be sure you are aware of any restrictions to your account as well as any fees which you may have to pay.

• Compare: it is always good to compare deals and prices before committing to switching accounts. Using an online comparison tool is a great way to do this in as little time as possible.

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Say It With Flowers: Tips for Giving Flowers For Less

SavooStaff — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:29:00 GMT

Summer is a season characterised by brightness and colour, vivacity and vibrancy. Everywhere we look there is colour and charm giving us that warm, summer-glow feeling. The problem is, unfortunately, that increasingly tight finances mean that few of us are taking the time to stop and smell (or at least buy) the flowers.
It may seem like a luxury that can be relinquished, but nothing brightens up a day more than fresh flowers. People love receiving flowers, and, if we admit it, it does feel nice to give flowers as a gift, too.

A little treat is sometimes just what is needed and the gift of flowers is one that is sure to bring a smile to anyone's face. If the intention is to give the flowers as a gift to a friend then there are number of flower offers available. These can range from as much as 30% off selected bouquets at Flowers Direct to 10% savings on all flowers with Eflorist.

Amazingly, nature has a magical way of making us feel relaxed and many people find themselves relieved of stress after a day in their garden – whether it was spent planting flower beds or simply relaxing in the sun. Gardening remains one of the most popular activities in the UK.

Not only are flowers and plants a great way to bring joy to your own home but they are an ideal gift for friends and loved-ones, too, showing them that despite the financial situation you still care. Of course, this does not mean that you should start splashing the cash with a vengeance but merely that, providing you shop savvy, there is no reason why you can't give yourself, or another, the odd flowery treat.

Alternatively, looking for deals on plants and seeds is a great way to make the gift of flowers more permanent. Giving you or a friend a garden fit for summer relaxation. Add a Comment

20 Awesome Receipts

kenny4 — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:30:00 GMT

There's a good reason why I carefully read through my receipts upon returning home from a shopping trip, and it's not because I'm afraid of being overcharged (although that would be a perfectly reasonable and, more importantly, sensible explanation). No. I excitedly check my receipts on the off-chance that either a typo, clumsily abbreviated item description, or bored employee has transformed what is usually a depressing reminder of my predictable overspending into an unlikely source of amusement. So far I'm yet to strike gold but I have it on good authority that it happens quite regularly; after all, how many millions of receipts are produced on a daily basis?

To whet my appetite (and yours), here are some glorious examples.

1. Employee of the month

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2. Geek Salad

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3. The young boys are in Aisle 3

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4. Are you baking the p**s?

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5. Male company costs extra

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6. Steaming fresh salad

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7. Grab a what now?

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8. Best served cold

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9. Hold the cannabis

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10. A definite rarity

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11. Cheaper than nachos?

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12. What about the front?

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13. Nice to meet you too

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14. But I asked for a straight vodka...

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15. I don't remember ordering that last item

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16. And you only tell me after the meal?

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17. Hardly a feature

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18. YOU SHALL NOT PASS (without paying)

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19. I've got this in coins...

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20. Um...okay...

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You can occasionally find good deals on your receipt for the next time you visit your favourite restaurant. Savoo.co.uk is dedicated to helping save you money with money saving tips and advice and by offering deals and voucher codes from top retailers.

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Post-Valentine's Day Poetry Fun

kenny4 — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:45:00 GMT

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day! I'm going to be completely honest with you: I have nothing to write about today. So, in lieu of actual content, I will instead share these post-Valentine poems that I wrote to shamelessly promote the various deals and offers we have here on Savoo, your favourite voucher code site.

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Enter to win
A balloon flight for two (Graciously sponsored by Virgin Balloon Flights)

Roses are red
Just like Man. U shirts
Buy one from KitBag
And your wallet won't hurt!

Savoo.co.uk is red
Slytherin House is green
Buy the Harry Potter series from Waterstones
Or Malfoy will be mean

I like to watch movies
I'm sure you do too
But let's stay home tonight
And use this LOVEFiLM voucher code in lieu (of going out to the cinema)

And one last one:

Just so you know
It's never too late
To Like Savoo on Facebook
Because it would be really awesome if we could get to 2000 likes and I mean, we're just here to help you save money and it doesn't cost you anything so why not? Also late rhymes with great, just like Savoo is great.Add a Comment

Save Big On Your Christmas Shopping With "Free Delivery Day"

alantheirishman — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 22:17:00 GMT

Friday December 10th may not mean that much to you at the moment but it's taken on a very valuable persona for all us online bargain shopping magnates. Lots of your favourite merchants have teamed up to make it "Free Delivery Day". Get your order delivered absolutely free from stores like Benefit, Browns, Brora, Cath Kidston, Dorothy Perkins, Eve Lom, Fortnum & Mason, House of Fraser, Isabella Oliver, Kickers, Liberty, Lipsy, Mango, Miss Selfridge, Myla, Oasis, Radley, Schuh, SPACE.NK, Superdry, Ted Baker, The White Company, T.M.Lewin, Topman, Uniqlo and many more. Mark it in your diaries!

Remember, it's December 10th only!Add a Comment

1000 Customers To Get 50% Refund at Hostelbookers

Clodagh Foelster — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:57:00 GMT

HostelBookers is today launching a great promotion, offering customers of Hostelworld the chance to receive a 50% deposit refund when they make their first booking with HostelBookers*. But to show appreciation to their current customers, they are also offering the same deal to 1,000 randomly selected HostelBookers' customers too. For more details visit here

HostelBookers don't apply a service charge or booking fee and offer a lowest price guarantee, which will pay customers double the difference if they find the same deal cheaper elsewhere ***.

*Terms and conditions apply booking eligibility must be verified and customers must book using the same email address
*** Terms and Conditions apply

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Orlando Bloom The Gorgeous New Face of Uniqlo

Clodagh Foelster — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:20:00 GMT

Hundreds of female fans were enchanted by his portrayal of the elfin Legolas in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, thousands more swooned when he played the swashbuckling Will Turner alongside Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow and still more will, no doubt, be won over in the forthcoming Three Musketeers which is currently filming. However, fans of Orlando Bloom will be seeing a lot more of him as he has just been named as one of the global ambassadors for clothing chain Uniqlo.

Having just finished posing for a series of publicity pictures, the English heartthrob certainly makes the clothes wearable which is good as he says of the brand, 'They are the kind of unpretentious clothes that anyone can wear.'

Why not check out their new range and save with great offers like £20 off men and ladies wool outerwear just in time for the chilly season.

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The Gorillaz are All Played Out

kenny4 — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 10:45:00 GMT

The first time I heard a song by Death Cab for Cutie, my initial thought was, "Wow, the singer sounds EXACTLY like the singer of The Postal Service." So, imagine my surprise when I discovered that they were in fact the same person. I mention this because I had a somewhat similar problem with the Gorillaz. I'd always thought that the voice of 2d, the lead vocalist of the virtual band, sounded vaguely familiar. However, the fact that the band was a cartoon kind of threw me off the scent and I never bothered looking further into it. It was only years later, in the midst of a Wikipedia procrastination session, that I learned his vocals were provided by Damon Albarn of Blur. In any case, the Gorillaz have released a new single entitled Doncamatic (All Played Out), which just recently received its first play on the radio. Have a listen here:

And, instead of illegally downloading their songs (It's okay. We know you do. We're not judging.), look around The Hut for an offer on some Gorillaz music.Add a Comment

Never Knowingly Undersold Even Online

Clodagh Foelster — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 19:56:00 GMT

We've all heard the famous slogan from John Lewis, "Never knowingly undersold" and today the retail giant announced it was extending its price promise to its ever growing online store. The price match will apply to products sold by online competitors with real bricks and mortar premises found in High Streets and shopping precincts throughout the UK. However, it won't extend to online-only companies like Amazon who obviously don't have the same overheads.

So how will it work? A spokesman explained, "We will match a price before a customer purchases, or refund the difference for up to 28-days post-purchase against any high street competitor in the UK."

Will this new policy make you more likely to shop online at John Lewis or did you assume it was already in place? Let us know below.
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Interested in Saving Money?

Clodagh Foelster — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:58:00 GMT

Do you like to write around consumer interest stories, discounts and savings? Have you got a knack for finding and sharing great money-saving ideas? Then why not write for the Savoo blog? We'll link to your own site or blog in return and introduce you to our deals community.

Whether you've got loads to say or just a little, if you're interested, or for more information, please email clodagh@savoo.co.ukAdd a Comment

This is Surely the Ultimate Gift for Geeky Retro Fans

Clodagh Foelster — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:55:00 GMT

If the iPad was the ultimate must-have for geeks then this latest retro offering must be in the running for best accessory. The official Etch-a-Sketch case, endorsed and licensed by Ohio Art, the company that first introduced the iconic toy 50 years ago, is certain to add some retro cool functionality to your iPad.

The rubber case slips over the iPad to protect it from knocks and bangs and, while the white knobs won't draw lines all over the screen (how cool would that be, though?), the drop-down legs at the back will allow you to stand it at an angle just like the original toy.

You can however download an Etch-a-Sketch application which allows you to clear the screen by shaking you iPad!

Will this be a top Christmas seller? Well, Generations X and Y are going to love this and, at just £25, I'm placing bets it probably will be.Add a Comment

Plans to Send your Wages to the Taxman Before you get Paid

Clodagh Foelster — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:18:00 GMT

Employers could be forced to send all your pay directly to the government so it can be taxed before it gets sent to your bank account. The move to replace the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxing system, which has been in effect for over 66 years, is aimed at reducing the current problem where nearly 10% of cash owed goes unpaid due mainly to blunders by HMRC.

Currently, employers withhold tax from your wages and pay the government, providing information at the end of the year. The new system would mean the government would have access to your bank accounts so that, once they've deducted the taxes themselves, they can place the money in your account.

While there's no doubting the current PAYE system is in desperate need of modernising, to introduce this new system will cost billions of pounds and could leave us all vulnerable to having our banking details hacked. The HMRC has had several high profile security breaches and system errors and the centralised storage of so much data would leave it a sitting duck for cyber crime.

As of yet no decisions have been finalised, so what do you think?Add a Comment