Get a better price on car insurance

When you buy a car and you need to take out a loan to do so, make sure that you’re aware of all the running costs attached to the car beyond the actual purchase price. It’s impossible to own and use a car without insurance and road tax for example, so you should check out how much these are going to cost and decide whether you need the loan increased to cover these extras.

In the UK, all cars and vehicles fall into different insurance groups – depending on the make and model. If your car is a basic model that doesn’t have a high replacement value, then it will be in a lower – and cheaper – insurance group than one that is capable of high speeds and has a high replacement cost attached.

It’s not just about replacement value – a hybrid car may be more expensive to insure because it requires specialist parts, for example.

As well as checking which insurance group your prospective new car is in, you should also remember that other factors affect the cost of your insurance premium.

No claims bonuses can help lower the amount. One year of no claims bonus can lower the premium by about a third.

A younger driver can take the pass plus driving test to reduce their insurance premium. Although taking the test costs about £100, you could save much more on your premium by passing it.

Different levels of cover have different price tags – obviously fully comprehensive is the most expensive, and third party, fire and theft the cheapest.

Some insurance companies specialise in certain types of vehicle, and offer better rates for that kind of cover. For example, new eco cars are sometimes covered with specialist policies by insurers who recognise that their owners tend to be safer drivers who are more mature, and therefore less of a risk factor behind the wheel.

Before agreeing on a car purchase, or the loan amount you’ll need, check out all the running costs associated with it, otherwise you could be in for an unwelcome surprise.

Use a loan to give your home a spring makeover

As the end of the winter draws closer, it’s a great time to make some changes at home. You might want to think about taking out a loan to finance some home improvements. As the days get brighter and warmer, you can look forward to summer evenings and barbeques, but we’re not quite there yet and that makes it a perfect time to do a little decorating and give your home a bit of a lift.

First, you need to decide what you’re going to change – are you going to paint and decorate, or are you going to buy new furniture. Generally one change sparks another and you find once you’ve decorated a room that you’ll want to change at least some of the furniture.

Often the thing people want to replace most in the living room is the sofa and chairs. Most of today’s furniture is cheaper than it used to be, but it doesn’t last as long as it used to, either. The positive in this is that you can make changes more often without feeling too guilty about it.

Recliners have enjoyed a bit of a renaissance in the last couple of years, and they do make for great places to relax in the evenings. You can get recliner sofas as well as chairs, and in the recline position your back and legs are fully supported as you lie back in front of the TV. Just make sure you don’t drift off or you won’t be able to sleep at night.

When you’ve paid out on furniture for the living room, your budget for other rooms in the house may have shrunk. However, you can still get new stuff, just limit what you spend. If you only have enough money to buy a cheap dining table, you can still make the room look great. Much of the cheap dining furniture available in the shops at the moment is actually really good quality – you don’t have to spend a fortune on it.

Once you’ve spent time and money improving your home, you’ll deserve a well-earned rest on your new sofa, and eating in will be much more fun in a new look dining room.