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Nerdy Note! What the Govt spends your money on?
A fortnight ago, only one in five people of the over 7,000 who voted for the correct answer in the quiz on what the biggest area of govt. spending was (see vote result). So here’s the real answer. 1. Social Protection (pensions & benefits) £169 bn. 2. Health £111 bn. 3. Education £82 bn. 4. Public order & safety (inc…
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The “What does the government spend our money on?” quiz results/discussion
Poll between 22-28 July 2008. The "What does the government spend our money on?" quiz. Below are the main sections of the government's £618 billion (a thousand million) annual expenditure. Which of these do you think the government currently spends the most money (£169bn) on? You answered: A. Debt Interest - 38% (2783…
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Do you ask for a doggy bag? Poll results/discussion
Poll ran 28 July - 04 August 2008. In the USA, even in some quite upmarket restaurants, it's common to be offered a doggy bag so you can take the remainder of the food home with you. Is our culture different? Do you ask for a doggy bag in the UK if you’ve food left? A. Always – we always want to take the food home. - 11%…
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Would you steal someone else’s post? Poll Results/Discussion
Poll between 4-11 Mar 08. Would you steal someone elses post? Imagine a magazine you love arrives in a transparent envelope addressed to someone who used to live at your address. You have no forwarding address and no way to get in touch with them. Which of these is closest to what you’d do. A. Return it to sender. It's not…
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Money Moral Dilemma: Would you pick herbs from a stranger's hedge?
Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on: Would you pick herbs from a stranger's hedge? You’re off to the grocers, to pick up, amongst other things, a bunch of rosemary to go in tonight’s tea. Yet lo and behold, on the way, you pass a house with an overgrown front hedge, and lovely fresh rosemary is…
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'How much would you ask for back?' poll results/discussion
Poll Between 01-08 July 2008. How much would you ask for back? If you had lent a friend some money, beneath what amount wouldn’t you bother to ask for it back? Which is closest to your typical answer? I never ask for money back - 7% (584 votes) £100 and over - 9% (731 votes) £20 and over - 16% (1368 votes) £10 and over -…
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Nerdy note! Don’t confuse Megabits (Mb) and MegaBytes (MB)
While they sound similar, don’t confuse Megabits (Mb) and MegaBytes (MB). An MByte is a measure of storage, for things like memory sticks, and means just over a million bytes of information. Mbits also measure storage, but are commonly used for data transfer speeds for things like broadband. To really complicate it, an…
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MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Should Arkwright give Granville his money back?
Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on: Should Arkwright give Granville his money back? Granville walks into a computer shop and is assisted by the shop owner, Arkwright. He chooses a £399 laptop and takes it to the till, where he’s served by one of Arkwright’s junior shop assistants. He’s reading…
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How low would you stoop for cash? poll results/discussion
Poll started 18 Feb 2008: How low would you stoop for cash? You’re walking down the street minding your own business when you spot a coin on the ground. How much would it have to be worth for you to pick it up (assuming it’s not stuck down as a joke)? What's the least you'd stoop down for? A. 1p. 34% (4664 votes) B. 2p. 2%…
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MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Should you still help your kids get on the housing ladder?
Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on: Should you still help your kids get on the housing ladder? Your daughter and her husband have spotted their dream house, but they’ve no deposit and there are no 100% mortgages anymore. You’d always promised to give her the money and be a guarantor, but you…
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MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Should you foot the bridesmaid bill?
Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on: Should you foot the bridesmaid bill? Your daughter has been asked to be bridesmaid and is very excited about getting to look like a princess for the day. Yet, since you agreed the couple have told you they're expecting you to pay for a specific outfit which…
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'House Prices: Would you prefer them to rise or fall?' poll results/discussion
Poll between 6-12 May 2008 House Prices: Would you prefer them to rise or fall? For the first time in many years it's been reported there's been an annual fall in house prices (by 1%). For most things, falling prices benefit consumers. In house prices it helps first time buyers and upgraders, but it's worrying for those…
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'Pick this site’s charities for the next year.' Poll results/discussion
Poll between 15-22 July 2008. Pick this site’s official charities for the next year. Here’s the shortlist for the site’s charities, those that are selected could get up to £20,000 each, so please vote carefully. How they were picked… Any site user could nominate and over 600 charities were suggested. The tough shortlisting…
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MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Should Alan give the laptop back?
Thanks to MoneySaver Ben Clay for this idea and here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on: Should Alan give the laptop back? Alan went into a shop to buy a laptop, and instead of it ringing up at £399 it was just £3.99. He spotted this at the check-out and was aware of the error but keep schtum.…
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Would you buy cheap child-sweatshop made clothes? Poll results/discussion
Poll between 23 June - 01 July 2008. Would you buy cheap child-sweatshop made clothes? There’ve been reports this week that some Primark clothes have been finished off using child labour. If this is confirmed, will it change the way you shop there? Which of the following is closest to your view? A. Who cares. It’s a…
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Are you eating out less because of the big squeeze?
Hi everyone Just doing a bit of research for a project I'm working on and it'd be great if you could help with this very quick poll! Are you more likely to eat lunch/dinner at home rather than grabbing something while you're out shopping / before the cinema and so on? I'm thinking about cheap meals out / fast food so under…
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Coverplans
I am new so if this is not the right place to ask this question please bear with me after completing the budget planner I am now saving nearly £100 a month> but I have discovered that an old coverplan that I bought years ago has still been kept running. The company increased the charge in April 2004 without notifying me,…
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What's your favourite biscuit? Poll results/discussion
Poll between 08-15 July 2008: What's your favourite biscuit? With gloomy weather and inflation rising, for a bit of fun we thought we’d poll something crunchy, which doesn't involve credit. Following the hotly contested top crisp flavour vote a few months ago, now the question is what’s your favourite biscuit? Sorry if…
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Nerdy Note: The easy way to be a millionaire
The easy way to be a millionaire Just because you’re a miilionaire, it doesn’t mean you’re rich. The easy way is convert £55 into 1,000,000 Iranian Rials or Indonesian Rupiahs, or just £31 to get a million Vietnamese Dong. Sadly the turmoil in Zimbabwe and its hyperinflation, means it’d take only 0.012p to get a million…
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Salt & Vinegar v Cheese & Onion! Which are the ultimate crisps?
Whilst it's nothing to do with MoneySaving, I'm a major crisp fan but only Salt & Vinegar, Worcester Sauce and Pickled Onion count. To settle a serious discourse between myself and philistine Cheese & Onion and Ready Salted fans, I need your votes. If you were marooned on a desert island with only one crate of crisps,…
