Small Steps Out Of Massive Debt!

GeorgianaCavendish

Plush wrote: »

On the antivirus software check both AVG and Avast - I use both (on different devices) and both are free and recommended by my work mates (IT security experts).

Brilliant, thank you Plush!

GeorgianaCavendish

I did a very quick search on a price comparison site for contents insurance, feeling positive at the results of my search - looks like we could get our insurance much cheaper.

I need to dig the policy docs out this weekend to see exactly what is covered and where we can make savings (we definitely have too much coverage and could happily reduce this by half if not further). I'll shop around for the cheapest deal and then see if my current insurer will match it - not sure if this is how it works but will have a go!

Will also see if we can pay in advance and save some money that way, if we do qualify for one of the cheaper quotes then we should be able to stretch the January budget to cover this.

Seasidegal58

Hi Georgiana - I would use the comparison sites for contents insurance and also check them to make sure they have some of the extras you want, i.e. new for old, emergency cover. Then definitely go back to your current insurer and ask to match. They usually do and it saves you mucking about applying with a new provider. Funnily enough I renewed mine recently and my current provider (Post Office) was the cheapest even taking into account Cashback, etc!

System

With the wound once its dry pop some E45 on daily if you can it'll help with the tightness and reduce scarring x
Glad you've got a plan and it's so good to see you back, I always look forward to your entries x:j

Hiddenidenity

Have a lovely weekend x

db2016

hi,

on the anti virus front, paying for it is crazy to me!

often the paid ones everyone knows are norton and mcafee, and this is only because they have a kinda monopoly in bundled with new devices etc, and no wonder they charge because they have big ad budgets to pay for! and they are usually slow, buggy and generally rubbish (i keep upto date with geeky tests etc and they usually preform rubbish)

anyway, rant over, AVG and avast products have been used by my for 15 years plus i'd say. work fine for free versions, and even the bits that you'd pay for you can get another program (for free) to do that "bit", im a great beliver in one thing should do it and do it well rather than combo things (i'd never have a printer/ scanner combo for eg, and have 2 good seperates).

as a minimum you want avg or avast, and then a malware scanner, of which spybot search and destroy is the best, and free. and obvs goes without saying, prevention is better than cure, so backup! either to disks / usb or even to online "cloud"

HTH

EssexHebridean

Great advice there - and another vote from here for Avast too - been using it for a few years now and it's always impressed.

On the insurance, personally in light of how little time it takes once you have all the details input in the comparison sites I refuse point blank to go back to a current insurer who is trying to have me over. I find the replacement cheaper product that suits me, put that in place, and then call the old insurer to cancel and make a point of explaining why. When they say "Oh let's see if we can beat that for you" I generally point out that nothing has changed at my end, so I simply assumed that the renewal quote was the cheapest they could offer me, so I've now gone elsewhere as they were too expensive. If everyone did that rather than humouring them by playing the "dutch auction" game then they'd pretty rapidly start behaving with a degree more honesty I suspect!

We've found AXA to be one of the better ones on behaving ethically about renewal quotes.

GeorgianaCavendish

Just checking in as I know I've been quiet for a little while. Still here and still plodding on although not much has been happening since my last update. I've got the flu so I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself at the moment ... hopefully this shall pass soon!

redofromstart

Hope you feel better soon

WannabeFree

Hope you're feeling better soon x