Why tell burglars you are going on holiday? Insurers have warned people not to advertise their holiday plans on social networking sites. Legal & General claims burglars are getting “tech-savy and ‘farming’ such sites for information”, says Ali Hussain in The Sunday Times.
A worrying number of people list their address on social networking websites, such as Facebook, then post updates saying that they are going on holiday. This is madness. Insurers are considering penalising customers if they regularly post details of their whereabouts on public forums. It could be regarded “as a breach of your duty of care and would be seriously considered by an insurer”, warns the AA.
• Learner drivers can now get pay-per-month car insurance. Halfords has launched a new insurance policy for L-plated drivers. The policy is great news for young learners who want to be able to practice in someone else’s car.
According to The Guardian it can cost around £3,000 to add a learner driver to another driver’s insurance policy. And if they crash, that car owner’s no-claims bonus is then at risk. But if a learner takes out the Halfords policy, any accidents are settled using its insurance and shouldn’t affect the car owner’s policy.
• A six-month fixed-rate bond has hit the market. Norwich & Peterborough Building Society has launched a market-leading six-month bond paying 3.05%. You can invest between £1,000 and £1m – although bear in mind that only the first £50,000 will be guaranteed under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. However, given that the best rate you can get on a one-year bond is currently 3.3%, this is a pretty competitive offering if you just need a short-term home for some spare cash.
• With petrol prices set to hit £1.20 a litre, cutting the cost of motoring is more important than ever. You could try decluttering your car (by removing the roof rack and emptying the boot of winter snow shovels) to make it lighter – this can save a surprising amount of fuel. Also check Petrolprices.com to find the cheapest petrol in your area.
For a really effective way of cutting your costs, make a note of your mileage. A key factor used by car insurers to work out your premiums is how far you drive each year. Most people only give a vague estimate of their mileage and can end up paying more than they need to. So make a note of your mileage and use it to give an accurate estimate. Even if you only remember to note how much you drive in a week, you can then multiply the figure by 52 as a guide.
• Fancy bowling for a penny? The Easter holidays are just around the corner. So entertain the children on the cheap with an early morning bowling session. Hollywood Bowl is offering 1p bowling per person if you bowl between 9am and 9:30am. Book your game now for any day between 2 and 18 April at Hollywoodbowl.co.uk.