The results show that over 9 out of 10 consumers who switched car and home insurance had saved money. The average amount saved for car insurance was €102 and €84 for home insurance. 7 out of 10 consumers saved money by switching electricity providers. The research also found that 84% of those who switched found the process easy.  50% of those who switched found the new service they receive to be better, with just 2% stating that it was worse.

Want to see if you can switch and save?

Check out our managing your money section for information on switching providers and money saving tips. If you want to save money on your insurance, our insurance cost comparisons will help you see if you can save on the cost of your premiums. Use our shopping around checklists (PDFs) for motor insurance and home insurance to help you keep track of quotes and benefits when comparing different insurers.

You can also use our Economiser tool to compare your spending against other consumers across a range of household spending areas including groceries, petrol, mobile phones, energy, TV and telecoms.

And remember, prices for many services change all the time, so if it’s a while since you switched providers, shop around and see if you can save money by switching again. 

Remember, if you only pay the minimum amount each month it could take you many years to pay off your balance. Our credit card ready reckoner will help you work out how long it will take to pay off your balance based on your current repayments (assuming you stop using your card today!)  For example, if you owe €5,000 on your card, with an interest rate of 17.9% and you pay back €250 a month, it will take you 2 years to pay off your balance. Our budget planner  can help you work out how much more you could afford to pay back on your credit card.

You can also use our credit card cost comparison to see if you could switch to a card with a lower interest rate or a zero percent interest rate on balance transfers. This will save you money on the interest you pay on your balance and could help you clear your debt faster.

If you are worried that your debt is getting out of control, our debt action plan can help you.

• A typical conveyancing transaction
• Making a will
• Taking out a grant of probate

The survey found that consumers could potentially make big savings by shopping around and comparing quotes for solicitor’s services:

• The national average fee for a typical conveyancing transaction was €1,302, ranging from a low of €750 to a high of €4,000 - a difference of €3,250.
• The average fee for making a will was €119, ranging from €50 to €300.
• The national average fee for taking out a grant of probate was €2,767. The lowest price quoted €950 and the highest was €6,150, a difference of €5,200.

We are also calling for greater price transparency for consumers when getting quotes for routine legal services. We hope to work with the legal professional to make this happen. 

Looking for a solicitor?

• Put together a detailed list of your requirements and send this to a number of solicitors in your local area. Get a couple of quotes before you engage the services of a solicitor. Be persistent and don’t be afraid to haggle on costs. 
• Make sure that you get a quote for the total fee, including any additional charges and then compare the full costs from each solicitor. Don’t forget that VAT is also applicable at 23% on professional services.
• It may be possible to get legal services at reduced rates from some solicitors if you are a member of a trade union or trade organisation.

For more information on solicitors fees, log on to www.citizensinformation.ie.

Mr Tabachuk was fined €1,200 and a compensation order was secured on behalf of the consumer to the value of €4,000. The offences related to providing false information in relation to a vehicle's mileage and also providing an NCT certificate with the false mileage reading on it.

Read more about the court action and car clocking. 

Thinking about buying a car?

Check out our second-hand car toolkit and our guide to buying a car

With so many offers available from online deal sites, it can be difficult to know whether you’ve got yourself a real bargain or bagged a bad deal.  To make sure you get the most from online deal sites, follow our top tips.

Not happy with your deal?

When you buy online you are given a cooling off period of at least seven working days starting from the date you received your purchase even if the goods are not faulty. If a provider simply refuses to honour the voucher, contact the online deal site to request a refund, as they are the company promoting the offer.  If you’ve paid for the goods by credit or debit card, your card provider may agree to chargeback the amount you paid to your card. You also have the option to use the Small Claims process.

Fuel prices at the pump can vary by up to 5 cent a litre, which can really make a difference to the cost of filling your tank. Be price aware and shop around in your area to make sure you get the most for your money. 

Consider getting a fuel card which offers a fixed price over a period of time or other discounted offers. Check out websites that list fuel prices nationwide, so you can see the cost locally as well as on the route of your journey, but remember to always check when the price was last updated. Don’t forget that small changes such as getting your car regularly serviced, not carrying heavy loads and not using air conditioning can all reduce the amount of fuel you use. 

If you are thinking about changing your car, your day-to-day costs will vary depending on the type of car you buy. Always consider the fuel efficiency of a car before you buy. Not only will this determine how much motor tax you will pay, but it will also affect how much you will have to spend on fuel. Check out www.seai.ie for more information. 

For loads more tips and advice, check out our money saving tips for using your car and steer your way to saving money today. 

 And if your motor insurance is coming up for renewal, there are lots of ways you can save money.

The Judge applied the Probation Act on the basis that Associated Newspapers (Ireland) Limited make a payment of €15,000 to charity. Full costs to the order of €25,000 were also awarded to the NCA.

Get more information.

See how much it costs with the Euro 2012 Budget Planner

Our budget planner sets out the main expenses such as the cost of tickets and  flights and also includes some of the less obvious costs that you might forget to budget for, for example, the cost of using your phone abroad. Going to see the three matches could work out as much as €2,800,  so it is worth having a think about how you are going to pay for it. You still have time to save up– use our regular savings cost comparison to see how much interest you could earn if you put a bit of money away for the next six months.

You may be able to take out a loan from your credit union or bank if you have some savings with them already and have a good credit history. Don’t make the mistake of paying off your trip over more than one to two years and always be honest with your credit union or bank for the purpose of the loan. 

If you are using a savings club to save for your trip, remember that this is not covered under the Deposit Guarantee Scheme, if something goes wrong.

Understand what travel insurance cover you have

If you have booked your trip through a travel agent you may already have purchased travel insurance as part of a package. If not, or if you are booking yourself, then you can buy a single or multi-trip policy from an insurance company. Always check the terms and conditions of any policy before you sign up to it to ensure you have the level of cover you need.

You should also get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before you travel which entitles you to free or reduced-cost, state-provided healthcare when visiting a European Union country, including Poland.  

Research the different travel options

There are a number of different ways you can get to Euro 2012, depending on your budget. Some travel agents are offering a package for the three matches, including tickets, accommodation and flights, which can cost up to €2,000. The advantage of booking with a travel agent is that you have certain protections if things go wrong. 

Other options include hiring a camper van, which can cost up to €2,000 for ten nights, but might be a good option if you are going with a group and you can share the cost.  There are also one-day packages available, which can cost in the region of €600 for return flights and a match ticket. Other affordable options include staying in cheaper accommodation such as hostels or camping.

Value for money

We have pulled together some money saving tips to help you save on the cost of your trip and keep your costs under control once you arrive in Poland.

Investigate roaming charges

You will probably be making calls and sending texts back home when you are away. The good news is that there are increased protections available to consumers since July of last year that put a cap on the amount you pay for making calls, texts and using data roaming services within the EU.  There are also certain things you should do before you go and while you are away to reduce the cost of your phone bill.

Verify any charges for using your cards abroad

Poland is not in the Eurozone so you will be paying for goods and services in the local currency, Zloty once you arrive.  If you use your cards abroad to take out Zloty, you will pay extra charges, such as a foreign-exchange fee and a transaction fee. You can get information on the cost of using your cards abroad on our current account cost comparison and credit card cost comparison.  As it can cost €3 per transaction to withdraw money in non-Eurozone countries, it can be expensive if you are using your cards to withdraw small amounts on a regular basis, so check out the charges for your card before you go.

Awareness of potential scams

Unfortunately Euro 2012 is an opportunity for scammers. Tickets for the Championships are in high demand and are for sale through the official UEFA site via a lottery system. You can also buy tickets as part of a package through FAI appointed travel agents. If you don't get a ticket in the UEFA Lottery, UEFA offer a ticket portal on their website for those who are reselling their tickets. According to UEFA, their ticket portal is the only authorised way to buy tickets from people offering their tickets for resale.   However, there may be other unofficial reselling sites, which have tickets but may be reselling them for a huge markup.   You could end up paying a large sum of money for a ticket, that doesn’t exist or isn't accepted when you try to enter the stadium. Watch out for fake websites offering tickets simply to get access to your credit card details.  We have some tips to stay safe and avoid being scammed when shopping online.

Lastly, remember the contingency fund for when we qualify for the next round - come on Ireland! Have a great trip.

• Always shop around for a new policy
• Review your level of cover to make sure its suitable for your needs
• Check to see if you are eligible for discounts
• Check for duplicate cover under some of your insurance policies such as private health insurance and travel insurance

If you are worried about rising health insurance premiums, see if you can either switch provider or temporarily reduce your level of cover. The Health Insurance Authority has a health insurance product comparison  to help you compare the cost and benefits of different policies available.

Check out our tips and review your home insurance, motor insurance, and life and protection policies. Our insurance cost comparisons are also worth a look to see the range of quotes available from different insurance providers.

While you must have car insurance or buildings insurance (if you have a mortgage), you may be considering cancelling some of your other optional insurance cover. Before you do, consider reducing your level of cover instead and think carefully about the cost of spending a small amount on the premium compared to the risk of paying out much more if something goes wrong.

Pay attention to this notice and pass the information to family, friends and colleagues if you think they have one of these appliances. If you are unsure if your product is affected, call BEKO’s free phone number 1800 25 29 25.

If you regularly review your finances this can help ease some of those money worries which many of us experience after Christmas. It puts you in control of your finances and helps you avoid debt problems, prepare for unexpected expenses and work towards building a nest egg for the future, no matter how much money you have.

Our four-step guide to managing your money has all the information you need to review your finances. By completing the financial health check you can get a clear picture of your finances. You should then think about your goals for 2012 and work out how much you would need to save to achieve them. The budget planner helps you to keep your spending on track and finally we have lots of money savings tips, the banking cost comparisons and the Economiser to help you cut down on your costs.

Check the terms and conditions and the expiry date

Our latest research found that 36% of consumers surveyed plan to buy vouchers this festive season. However, almost a third of people don’t check the expiry date and only half check the terms and conditions. Many gift vouchers or cards issued with an expiry date will lose their value after the deadline. Make sure you don’t miss out. If you get a gift voucher this Christmas, check the expiry date, keep it somewhere safe and use it as soon as you can.

Check out our gift voucher section for more tips and advice.

Get more information to help you be a stronger shopper this Christmas.

What cover is provided?

Many insurance companies provide an automatic increase in your home insurance contents cover of between 10% and 20% for a few weeks over the festive season. This is to cover gifts and extra food bought for the Christmas celebrations. Not every insurer provides this increase automatically and the amount and period of cover will vary, so always check the terms on your policy and if you’re not sure, contact your provider. Any automatic increase provided is for a certain period only, before and after Christmas, so if you receive any expensive gifts at Christmas, remember to check if they will be covered all year round. It’s also a good idea to be familiar with the exclusions and excess on your policy so you know what might not be covered.

You may also have all risks cover on your policy, which includes an option to choose cover for an overall value of ‘unspecified items’ without having to list each one. If you are not sure if you have all risks cover, check with your insurer.

Shopping around for home insurance?

If you are looking for home insurance, our last home insurance survey from February 2011 revealed savings of up to €442 between different providers so it really pays to shop around. You can also use our home insurance shopping around checklist to help you make note of costs, benefits and discounts when getting quotes

The survey also discovered that the interest rates charged to customers who pay by instalments ranged from 16.8% to 23.2% across the different providers. This can therefore really make a difference to the total cost of your insurance if you choose to spread your payments over the year.

The excesses quoted as part of the survey ranged from €200 to €600 for fully comprehensive cover and between no excess and €450 for third party fire and theft. Two insurance companies have increased their excess amounts for comprehensive cover compared to our last motor insurance survey, one by 50% and the other by 100%.

Approved Repairers

The survey also looked at each insurance provider’s policy in relation to using “approved repairers” versus a repairer of the customer’s choice. While all insurers advised that consumers have a choice of whether to use their own repairer or a business from the insurer’s “approved list”, they did confirm that in some cases limits are applied to the amounts repaid where the repairer is not on the “approved” panel. Full details of these limits are usually set out in the terms and conditions of your policy.

Looking for motor Insurance?

Whether your are renewing your motor insurance cover or taking out your first policy, make sure you check out our motor insurance section for more information and tips on cutting your motor insurance costs. You can also download our motor insurance shop around checklist to help you compare prices and benefits before choosing a motor insurance policy.

• New World
• Flavel
• Leisure
• Beko

What you should do:

• Check if your cooker is one of the makes/models affected, see list of model numbers below
• Contact the relevant manufacturer helpline numbers listed below, if you have one of the affected models, to arrange for a FREE modification
• Do not under any circumstances operate the grill with the grill door closed - it must always be in the open position
• Use the cookers in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and do not use them for any purpose other than cooking

Consumers can arrange for a free safety inspection and modification by calling the following numbers:

• For Beko, Flavel and Leisure cookers, freephone 1800 25 29 25 (9am-8pm Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm Saturday-Sunday)
• For New World cookers, freephone 1800 569 569 (9am-5pm Monday-Friday)

The following models may be affected:

Beko models:

• DCG8511WLPG
• DCG8511PLW
• DG581LWP

Flavel models:

• DCGAP5LS
• AP5LDWP
• AP5LDW
• AP5LDSP

Leisure models:

• CM10NRK
• CM10NRC

New World models:

• 50TWLM SV LPG
• 50WLM WH LPG
• 50WLM SV LPG
• 50TWLM WH LPG

We previously issued three safety alerts on gas cookers in 2009 and 2010 on the following dates:

6 October 2009 - NCA issues urgent gas cooker alert

6 December 2009 - 3,000 affected gas cookers still not located 

16 August 2010 - Over 3,000 potentially lethal cookers remain untraced 

So, what might this decrease mean for you?

If you have a tracker mortgage, the interest rate on your mortgage should reduce by .25%. However, this change may not be immediate. The terms and conditions of your mortgage will show how quickly your lender will pass on the cut to you. Use our mortgage rate change calculator to work out the reduction in your mortgage repayments. For example, if your mortgage balance is €250,000, with 25 years remaining on the term and with an interest rate of the ECB rate + 1%, your monthly repayment should fall by about €30 per month.

If you are on a variable rate, your lender can decide whether they will pass on the decrease to you. You should check with your lender directly, to find out if they plan to pass on some or all of the rate cut and when it will come into effect.

If you are on a fixed rate, your repayments will not change.

The offences related to providing false information in relation to a vehicle's mileage and also providing an NCT certificate with the false mileage reading on it. A consumer purchased the vehicle, a second-hand car, for €4,000 after being misled as to its true mileage.

We sought and were granted an adjournment to enable Mr Tabachuk to repay €4,000 to the consumer, in return for which the consumer has undertaken to return the car. This matter will be before the Court again on 7 February 2012.

Read more about the conviction or find out more about car clocking.  

• If you use your card and the transaction does not go through successfully the first time, make sure the shop assistant voids the transaction and gives you a void receipt. Do not put in your PIN again if the first transaction has not been cancelled as you could be charged twice for the same transaction.
• If you find out later that the transaction has gone through twice, you should return to the retailer and ask them to reverse it. If the issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should ask your bank to carry out a chargeback on the transaction.
• If you are using an ATM machine during Christmas, be alert and put your personal safety first. If you spot anything unusual about the cash machine, or if there are signs of tampering, do not use it. You should report your suspicions to the bank concerned immediately.
• Stand close to the ATM or card terminal and always shield the keypad with your free hand and your body to avoid anyone seeing you enter your PIN.
• If the cash machine does not return your card or does not give you the correct amount of money, report it immediately to your own card company or bank rather than the bank operating the ATM machine. You have a relationship with your own bank so ask them to sort it out for you.
• If you use online banking, check your transactions every few days. Or, check your credit card and bank statements as soon as they arrive and contact your bank or card provider if you notice anything you are not sure off.

We have more safety tips and information on using your cards at Christmas and throughout the year.

• Get tips on buying toys and play equipment
• Download our Guide to toy safety (PDF, 1.84MB)

The European Commission has also launched a Europe-wide toy safety campaign, which includes a video, a toy safety booklet and postcards that will be distributed in some toy shops in Ireland.

If you come across a toy that seems unsafe or if it doesn't have a CE Mark, don't buy it. Instead, contact us with the details of the toy and where you bought it.