Dating experts great idea top news.

Christine Ross of SG Hambros has a tip concerning Isas.

“If you have cash in an instant access account for a rainy day, why not transfer it to a cash mini-Isa?

“Then your interest will be tax-free. If you have 3,000 in a cash account earning interest of 4% a year, then, as a basic rate taxpayer you will pay tax on your interest of 24. If you transfer to a cash Isa with the same interest rate you will pay no tax on your interest.”

“Small businesses need to plan ahead for Christmas or they could face major cash flow problems,” warns Lisa Edmonds of credit insurer and management specialist Gerling NCM.

“Companies should talk to their customers so they can invoice early or get guaranteed payment dates. With the holidays coming up, cheque runs might change or accounts staff might be on holiday, causing delays to invoices being settled.”

This one’s from the boss, Greg Dyke.

“Watch Working Lunch and listen to their tips,” insists the free online dating tip.

“That way you’ll do very well.”

Can’t say fairer than that, Greg.

It can pay to be a bit of a Scrooge at Christmas, says Rob Pittam. You can save money and be kinder to the planet.

Dating and relationship tip PITTAM Click here to see Rob’s top tips.

For a start, your local council will recycle your Christmas tree when you’ve finished with it. You can also send your wrapping paper for recycling.

“If you open your presents very carefully, you can use the wrapping paper again next year,” Rob says.

“Similarly, Christmas cards. If you cut out the middle, you get a nice little Christmas tag you can stick on next year’s presents.”

And if you’ve got children, get them to make presents. It saves money, they’ll enjoy it and asian dating advices link suggest
love getting handmade gifts from the little ones.

Beware of premium dating divorced man tip prices, says Simon Gompertz.

“I bet you get annoyed, like me, if you’ve shelled out good money for something before Christmas then you find in the January sales that the price has been discounted. There is a way round that

“If you’ve bought it at the Gap chain, for instance, and you take your receipt back within two weeks they’ll refund you the difference between the original price and the sale price.

“Also if you use a Barclaycard for your purchases, they have a scheme where if you take it back or show them the receipt within 60 days they’ll also refund you the difference.

“The same applies to some storecards like Burton and Dorothy Perkins, as long as you’ve been paying a certain insurance premium into your card account.”

All elderly people should look at their entitlement to benefits, says Mervyn Kohler of Help the Aged.

It’s yours - you might as well make a claim for it. Mervyn Kohler

“Half our older population are now entitled to claim the Pension Credit, which could bring in valuable income on a week by week basis.

“So ask the various relevant authorities about your benefits and entitlements and make a claim.

“It’s yours - you might as well make a claim for it.”

Get haggling, says Working Lunch’s Gillian Lacey-Solymar.

“I know it doesn’t come particularly naturally to us and it’s not in the culture of this country but do do it and don’t be ashamed because you can get away with quite a lot.

“Only the other day a couple went into a very posh West End jewellers and spent 2,000 and managed to get 500 off the price.

“Obviously in smaller shops you’ll do better on haggling than in larger shops but it’s even worth doing in department stores.”

“You can contribute up to 3,600 per year to a personal pension, even if you are not working,” says adviser Christine Ross of SG Hambros.

“You’ll gain tax relief at your highest rate. If you don’t pay tax, you can still receive basic rate tax relief - 22% - on your pension payments.

“Therefore, the maximum contribution of 3,600 will actually cost you only 2,808 after tax relief - you just pay the net amount and the insurance company or pension provider will claim the tax for you.

“If you can afford 50 a month, after tax relief your pension will gain a total of 64 a month - an extra 14.”

Here’s one for travellers from the Association of British Travel Agents.

“Buying an annual travel insurance policy can be very good value for money,” they say.

“But make sure that all the holidays you book under the one policy are properly covered - for example, snow holidays and adventure activities require different levels of premium than just your black dating advices personals
holidays.”

“I’d like to recommend Premium Bonds, a very good, sound long-term investment,” says stockbroker Elissa Bayer of Gerrards.

“But go for the blocks rather than the individual shares. Go for 100 or 1,000 and you could get a very good return in 2004.”

A couple of tips from the Consumer Credit Counselling Service to make sure the only red you see this Christmas is on Santa’s outfit.

Take care if you buy presents online. It’s easier to get carried away on a computer than it is on the High Street so keep a check on how much you’re spending.

And don’t over-cater. Remember that food shops are closed for only two days at most so don’t panic and buy a load of stuff you’ll only end up throwing away.

The National Union of Students says you should make the most of your time at college or university.

Make sure you get an NUS card and make sure you use it. With discounts offered at many High Street shops, cinemas and restaurants there are some handy savings to be made.

When you get to the till ask if they offer an NUS discount - if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

The National Consumer Council points out that expensive presents aren’t always the best.

Consider a “no-present pact” for adults in your immediate family - giving what you can, instead, to your favourite charity.

Alternatively, why not give your loved one a Christmas promise, in the form of a “voucher” promising to help with chores such as doing the shopping or ironing, washing the car or babysitting.

Do some planning, says Justin Urquhart Stewart of Seven Investment Management.

“Work out what you want to achieve,” he advises.

“Add up all your liabilities, add up all your assets, take one from the other and you find out what you’re worth. Then do it on a family basis.

“So next year, don’t invest - do some planning first. Then you can invest.”

Graham Hooper of Charcol Holden Meehan has a number of tips.

Make sure your life policies are in trust as this saves Inheritance Tax at 40%.

If you’re uncertain about the markets, phase your money into markets - perhaps on a monthly basis - rather than investing in one lump sum.

Most of us are eligible for a stakeholder pension - tax relief means you can get back 22p or 40p in the free (depending on your income).

Buy a hands-free phone kit for the car (not necessarily financial, but could save you money in fines in the long run!).

And make a will!

“Work out a realistic budget for all your Christmas spending, from presents and new clothes to going out and entertaining, then stick to it,” says Citizen’s Advice.

“And don’t spend more than you can afford.”

A tip for small companies from Stephen Alambritis of the Federation of Small Businesses.

“Don’t allow yourself to be buried in a quagmire of invoices and tax demands,” he says.

“Discover a system for organising records that is suitable for your business. Adjust your own system to benefit your own experience and develop one to fit your own needs.”

Moving your mortgage around can save you big money, says Patrick Bunton of London & Country Mortgages.

If you have a 100,000 mortgage with a standard variable rate of 5.75%, you could easily knock about 2% off that rate.

There are some good deals around which mean you don’t have to pay any fees. All in all, you could end up saving yourself 2,000 a year, says Patrick.

You need to find time to give your portfolio some tender loving care, according to Morven Whyte of stockbrokers Redmayne Bentley.

“Stockbroking and gardening are very similar. They both need lots of time, lots of energy and lots of attention,” she says.

“What you have to regularly do - and not just at Christmas - is pull out the weeds, allowing the roses to blossom and to bloom.

“You’ve got to cultivate your garden and you’ve got to cultivate your share portfolio for the long term.”

Start saving for your retirement now, urges Malcolm McLean, chief executive of the Pensions Advisory Service.

The sooner you start paying into a pension plan the easier it is. Malcolm McLean

“It makes sense for everybody to have a retirement plan,” he says. “Not necessarily a pension but some form of saving so that when you retire from work you have a good standard of living.

“The younger you start preparing for this, the sooner you start paying into a pension plan, the easier it is and the less it will cost you.

“So give it some thought - go ahead, get a plan!”

Don’t give thieves a bonus this Christmas, warns the Financial Services Authority.

It says you should protect yourself from identity theft by keeping all the receipts from your credit and debit card purchases and checking them against your statements. Make sure no-one else is running up bills on your account.

When you’ve finished with receipts dispose of them sensibly in case someone’s rummaging through your rubbish.

And be careful where you leave your credit card. For instance, don’t put it behind the bar at the pub! It could be easy for someone to clone your card.

Christine Ross of SG Hambros has a tip concerning Isas.

“If you have cash in an instant access account for a rainy day, why not transfer it to a cash mini-Isa?

“Then your interest will be tax-free. If you have 3,000 in a cash account earning interest of 4% a year, then, as a basic rate taxpayer you will pay tax on your interest of 24. If you transfer to a cash Isa with the same interest rate you will pay no tax on your interest.”

“Small businesses need to plan ahead for Christmas or they could face major cash flow problems,” warns Lisa Edmonds of credit insurer and management specialist Gerling NCM.

“Companies should talk to their customers so they can invoice early or get guaranteed payment dates. With the holidays coming up, cheque runs might change or accounts staff might be on holiday, causing delays to invoices being settled.”

This one’s from the boss, Greg Dyke.

“Watch Working Lunch and listen to their tips,” insists the director-general.

“That way you’ll do very well.”

Can’t say fairer than that, Greg.

It can pay to be a bit of a Scrooge at Christmas, says Rob Pittam. You can save money and be kinder to the planet.

PENNYPINCHING PITTAM Click here to see Rob’s top tips.

For a start, your local council will recycle your Christmas tree when you’ve finished with it. You can also send your wrapping paper for recycling.

“If you open your presents very carefully, you can use the wrapping paper again next year,” Rob says.

“Similarly, Christmas cards. If you cut out the middle, you get a nice little Christmas tag you can stick on next year’s presents.”

And if you’ve got children, get them to make presents. It saves money, they’ll enjoy it and grandparents love getting handmade gifts from the little ones.

Beware of premium pre-Christmas prices, says Simon Gompertz.

“I bet you get annoyed, like me, if you’ve shelled out good money for something before Christmas then you find in the January sales that the price has been discounted. There is a way round that

“If you’ve bought it at the Gap chain, for instance, and you take your receipt back within two weeks they’ll refund you the difference between the original price and the sale price.

“Also if you use a Barclaycard for your purchases, they have a scheme where if you take it back or show them the receipt within 60 days they’ll also refund you the difference.

“The same applies to some storecards like Burton and Dorothy Perkins, as long as you’ve been paying a certain insurance premium into your card account.”

All elderly people should look at their entitlement to benefits, says Mervyn Kohler of Help the Aged.

It’s yours - you might as well make a claim for it. Mervyn Kohler

“Half our older population are now entitled to claim the Pension Credit, which could bring in valuable income on a week by week basis.

“So ask the various relevant authorities about your benefits and entitlements and make a claim.

“It’s yours - you might as well make a claim for it.”

Get haggling, says Working Lunch’s Gillian Long distance dating tip.

“I know it doesn’t come particularly naturally to us and it’s not in the culture of this country but do do it and don’t be ashamed because you can get away with quite a lot.

“Only the other day a couple went into a very posh West End jewellers and spent 2,000 and managed to get 500 off the price.

“Obviously in smaller shops you’ll do better on haggling than in larger shops but it’s even worth doing in department stores.”

“You can contribute up to 3,600 per year to a personal pension, even if you are not working,” says adviser Christine Ross of SG Hambros.

“You’ll gain tax relief at your highest rate. If you don’t pay tax, you can still receive basic rate tax relief - 22% - on your pension payments.

“Therefore, the maximum contribution of 3,600 will actually cost you only 2,808 after tax relief - you just pay the net amount and the insurance company or pension provider will claim the tax for you.

“If you can afford 50 a month, after tax relief your pension will gain a total of 64 a month - an extra 14.”

Here’s one for travellers from the Association of British Travel Agents.

“Buying an annual travel insurance policy can be very good value for money,” they say.

“But make sure that all the holidays you book under the one policy are properly covered - for example, snow holidays and adventure activities require different levels of premium than just your sun-and-flop holidays.”

“I’d like to recommend Premium Bonds, a very good, sound long-term investment,” says stockbroker Elissa Bayer of Gerrards.

“But go for the blocks rather than the individual shares. Go for 100 or 1,000 and you could get a very good return in 2004.”

A couple of tips from the Consumer Credit Counselling Service to make sure the only red you see this Christmas is on Santa’s outfit.

Take care if you buy presents online. It’s easier to get carried away on a computer than it is on the High Street so keep a check on how much you’re spending.

And don’t over-cater. Remember that food shops are closed for only two days at most so don’t panic and buy a load of stuff you’ll only end up throwing away.

The National Union of Students says you should make the most of your time at college or university.

Make sure you get an NUS card and make sure you use it. With discounts offered at many High Street shops, cinemas and restaurants there are some handy savings to be made.

When you get to the till ask if they offer an NUS discount - if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

The National Consumer Council points out that expensive presents aren’t always the best.

Consider a “no-present pact” for adults in your immediate family - giving what you can, instead, to your favourite charity.

Dating advices tg
, why not give your loved one a Christmas promise, in the form of a “voucher” promising to help with chores such as doing the shopping or ironing, washing the car or babysitting.

Do some planning, says Justin Urquhart Stewart of Seven Investment Management.

“Work out what you want to achieve,” he advises.

“Add up all your liabilities, add up all your assets, take one from the other and you find out what you’re worth. Then do it on a family basis.

“So next year, don’t invest - do some planning first. Then you can invest.”

Graham Hooper of Charcol Holden Meehan has a number of tips.

Make sure your life policies are in trust as this saves Inheritance Tax at 40%.

If you’re uncertain about the markets, phase your money into markets - perhaps on a monthly basis - rather than investing in one lump sum.

Most of us are eligible for a teen dating tip pension - tax relief means you can get back 22p or 40p in the free (depending on your income).

Buy a hands-free phone kit for the car (not necessarily financial, but could save you money in fines in the long run!).

And make a will!

“Work out a realistic budget for all your Christmas spending, from presents and new clothes to going out and entertaining, then stick to it,” says Citizen’s Advice.

“And don’t spend more than you can afford.”

A tip for small companies from Stephen Alambritis of the Federation of Small Businesses.

“Don’t allow yourself to be buried in a quagmire of invoices and tax demands,” he says.

“Discover a system for organising records that is suitable for your business. Adjust your own system to benefit your own experience and develop one to fit your own needs.”

Moving your mortgage around can save you big money, says Patrick Bunton of London & Country Mortgages.

If you have a 100,000 mortgage with a standard variable rate of 5.75%, you could easily knock about 2% off that rate.

There are some good deals around which mean you don’t have to pay any fees. All in all, you could end up saving yourself 2,000 a year, says Patrick.

You need to find time to give your portfolio some tender loving care, according to Morven Whyte of stockbrokers Redmayne Bentley.

“Dating online profile tip and gardening are very similar. They both need lots of time, lots of energy and lots of attention,” she says.

“What you have to regularly do - and not just at Christmas - is pull out the weeds, allowing the roses to blossom and to bloom.

“You’ve got to cultivate your garden and you’ve got to cultivate your share portfolio for the long term.”

Start saving for your retirement now, urges Malcolm McLean, chief executive of the Pensions Advisory Service.

The sooner you start paying into a pension plan the easier it is. Malcolm McLean

“It makes sense for everybody to have a retirement plan,” he says. “Not necessarily a pension but some form of saving so that when you retire from work you have a good standard of living.

“The younger you start preparing for this, the sooner you start paying into a pension plan, the easier it is and the less it will cost you.

“So give it some thought - go ahead, get a plan!”

Don’t give thieves a bonus this Christmas, warns the Financial Services Authority.

It says you should protect yourself from identity theft by keeping all the receipts from your credit and debit card purchases and checking them against your statements. Make sure no-one else is running up bills on your account.

When you’ve finished with receipts dispose of them sensibly in case someone’s rummaging through your rubbish.

And be careful where you leave your credit card. For instance, don’t put it behind the bar at the pub! It could be easy for someone to clone your card.