It’s good to save. You know this, I know this and yet…so few of us do this. We recall our parents telling us as children that it’s good to save for a rainy day. Lately however we have been encouraged more and more by banks to borrow, whether it’s personal loans or credit cards with 0% APR offerings we have somehow forgotten to put a little of what we have aside. The end result is, as we have noticed world-wide, a disastrous state of affairs.

That said, now, more than ever, is a great time to start saving.  If you look at your current account, if you are lucky you’ll be earning something under 1% an average rate is about 0.10% that’s not much is it?  however banks and building societies are keen to have your money, no matter how little and they are willing to offer good returns for it.  Take the Nationwide for instance.  If you open an E-Savings Plus account with them today you’ll earn an attractive 2% interest for the first year and you can make 3 withdrawals without it affecting the rate you earn.  Whilst this might not seem like a lot when compared to 0.10% it’s a veritable fortune!

Another advantage of the E-Savings Plus account is that you need to open a Nationwide Flex Account to get it.  Now, this doesn’t mean you have to switch banks, you merely need this account to withdraw money from the savings account.  So no 3 days to wait for it to transfer between banks, your money is available instantly to withdraw from an ATM.  What makes this so good is the fact that the Nationwide are currently the only financial institution that do not charge you a fee when you use your card abroad.  Banks like NatWest and Barclays currently charge around 2.5% as a handling fee every time you use your card outside the UK.

So why not open an E-Savings Plus account today to save for next years holiday?  Not only will you earn a decent rate of interest on your savings, come next year you’ll be able to spend it overseas without paying more on bank charges than you usually would?  You know it makes sense and you know your parents would finally approve of you doing something sensible with your cash!

Like it or not, insurance has it’s place in the world.  For many people it’s treated as an optional luxury, usually until it is needed.  Home owners are required to have buildings insurance as a condition of their mortgage but whether you own your home or you are a tenant you really should have Home Contents Insurance.  It is a luxury that you really can’t afford to do without.  As you read this, have a look around the room you are in and think how much it would cost to replace the contents should the worst happen and you are either burgled or an accident happens, be it a spilt glass of red wine on a cream sofa or a champagne cork hitting the new flat screen HD tv.  Count up your CD’s, even at a median price of £10 each could you afford to replace even half of them?  And your computer, digital camera, MP3 player not to mention jewellery?

Suddenly that small monthly premium is not so luxurious after all.  The most important thing to do when considering Home Contents or Building Insurance is to shop around, get a few quotes before signing up and check the policy wording carefully to ensure you get the cover you expect.  The following providers are worthy of consideration, so whether you are seeking your first policy or shopping around at renewal get a free quote now.

Nationwide Home Insurance
Check out the offerings from Nationwide who are offering not only a 25% discount if you take out combined Buildings and Contents insurance but also a 5% discount if you arrange your policy on-line.

eHome Insurance
As a pure on-line provider you’ll find both the cover and price of home insurance from eHome Insurance very competitive which makes them one of Britain’s most popular providers. You really should get a quote from them as it could save you £100’s over the course of a year.

Norwich Union Home Insurance

Get a Norwich Union happy quote, for a wide range of cover for your home and your possessions. It’s not just the price which will make you happy as the benefits of Norwich Union Home Insurance include:-

• 24 hour, 7 days a week home insurance claims line
• A network of approved trades people to carry out repairs to your home
• New for old replacements on your home contents (claims for clothing and linen take wear and tear into account)
• Home computer and home entertainment equipment is automatically covered for accidental damage with our contents insurance.
• Optional protected No Claims Discount if you’ve been claim-free for 5 years.
• Replacement locks if you lose your house keys (up to £500 maximum).
• Manage your home insurance policy or notify us of a claim on-line, any time