VAT 20 Percent In 2011 – Practical Ways To Save Money

Jun 24 2010

VAT 20 Percent In 2011 – Practical Ways To Save Money

Category: Business,VAT 20% — Mark Lawton @ 11:25 PM

UK VAT 20 Percent In 2011 – Practical Ways To Save Money

vat-20-percent-rise

What are we to do? VAT is going up to 20% in 2011!

This comes as no surprise really, as the government has to find the money from somewhere; OK, so what can we do to help to counteract this and save elsewhere?…

Maybe some money saving ideas are in order here to help.

For a start it will affect the car market…

VAT Affects Car Sales

Practical ways to help

This does not mean that you have to be a miserable boring person, as you can combine some of the things below, and not necessarily all of them!

Move house to a smaller property if practical, it will be cheaper to heat, be less work, and the Council Tax will be lower
Lower your room thermostat by one degree and save 5-10% on heating per year
Ensure that your house is lagged and energy efficient
Buy “A” rated appliances when you need to replace them
If you smoke, then cut down, change brands, or better still give up smoking altogether; you’ll save a mint, and feel better too!
If you drink alcohol, shop around the cheaper pubs, such as “Wetherspoons” and similar, or cut down on your drinking habits
Buy in bulk if you can and prefer to drink at home, and save money that way if you insist on having an alcoholic drink
Cut down on eating out in pubs and restaurants, and having take aways delivered
Shop around for food and provisions
Look for two for one offers
Cook your own meals more often
Use charity shops for things that in your opinion look OK second hand if you want to
Downsize your car, and/or buy a diesel for economy; also below 119g of CO2 and your road tax will plummet to £35 per year!
Shop around for petrol/diesel
Buy a second-hand car about three years old if you need a “new car”, and save a mint, but you’ll still get a good model quite new looking with nearly the latest mod-cons on it. Cars aren’t new for long, so is it really worth it?
Use a sat-nav (GPS) if you travel a lot to save on time and fuel
Do your own car repairs if you can, or shop around, use MOT money-off vouchers
Walk more and get some exercise instead of using the car when practical
Use a bicycle if practical, but be safe and seen!
Use comparison websites for lower house and car insurance, as well as your household utilities, and Internet service provider, telephone etc.
Combine Internet with your telephone in one fixed monthly payment, especially if you use the phone a lot
Don’t make peak rate calls!
Avoid telephoning call centres if you can, and use email instead… no queues, and it is free! You still get a result eventually, and they have written proof you have contacted them!
Don’t have expensive home deliveries, buy in bulk at a good supermarket things like milk, bread etc.
Don’t buy brand name clothes, when others similar non-branded will do just fine; you pay for advertising, and shop front displays, as well as the name
Do you really need a contract mobile ‘phone? Buy a basic pay-as-you-go phone, and finish that contract once it has expired
Use coupons and vouchers for buying products and get a discount
Haggle for bargains when buying large items, such as cars, or furniture, always haggle on private deals. Haggle on bulk purchases too, or car and house repairs if you can. (Negotiate an agreeable price)
Recycle or repair items that can be reused
Do not waste energy by running hot taps straight down the sink – think and use the water you need only
Get energy saving lamps for where you don’t mind the different light they give off, and use a dimmer switch on “old fashioned” filament, or GLS light bulbs
Sack the maid, housekeeper, gardener, and child-minder if possible! Get relatives and friends to help with the kids (obey the law about looking after other people’s children or having yours looked after, as there are clauses to protect children from abuse)
Teach your children to be thrifty at an early age, but do not bash them with it, have a balance, and still give them their moments of enjoyment and treats
Do not buy things “on a whim”, weigh up if you really need them, or if they are just a “fad”
Do no be misled by sales pitch, and glossy adverts; do your research online!
Only buy things in a “sale” because you really need them, and not because it is a “bargain”
Clear out that clutter of unused and unwanted items, and have a car boot sale, or sell the items on eBay!
If you are self-employed, do your accounts on time, and avoid the fines!

Now do some or all of these make sense? There are probably more ways to save money, but if you want to save £500 to £2000 a year, it will certainly make a difference, and the 20 percent VAT won’t be a worry!