It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

Auntycaz

boultdj said:

I had my breakdown renewal come through, they wanted £220 for the year, looked online, same firm is having an online special till 4th July, I looked trough that and got it down to £140 with 2 extra services included, I phoned up to cancel it and told them why and they have price matched the online price, so a nice saving of £80 to help towards the winter bills.

Its very wrong when people are penalised for being loyal customers. Well done for being able to make such a saving and get a couple of extra services thrown in.

Florenceem

Mr F has gone into town to post some letters. He will pop in Saver. on the way home to buy some toilet rolls - wonder how much they are now.

EssexHebridean

I refuse point bank to play that game any more. When I get an extortionate renewal quote, I will then be leaving that company. I then call them to tell them why, and when they say "Oh let's see what we can do" I'll simply politely say no thanks - I'd assumed that the renewal price was the best they could do for an existing customer, so there would be no point in wasting their (and my) time further...and if in fact that quote was NOT the best they could do, then I didn't want to give an organisation that treated its customers like that any further business. I then ask them to be sure they pass on my reasons to their customer service team, and if I then get any sort of "why did you leave" feedback survey, I'll always be very clear on my reasons on that, too. Strangely enough, I seem to get far more reasonable renewal quotes these days! 

Brambling

There was a change in regulations see below link to Finance Conduct Authority 

Insurers will be required to offer renewing customers a price that is no higher than they would pay as a new customer. It is likely that firms will no longer offer unsustainably low-priced deals to some customers. However, the FCA estimates that these measures will save consumers £4.2 billion over 10 years, by removing the loyalty penalty and making the market work better.

https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/fca-confirms-measures-protect-customers-loyalty-penalty-home-motor-insurance-markets

linz

EssexHebridean said:

I refuse point bank to play that game any more. When I get an extortionate renewal quote, I will then be leaving that company. I then call them to tell them why, and when they say "Oh let's see what we can do" I'll simply politely say no thanks - I'd assumed that the renewal price was the best they could do for an existing customer, so there would be no point in wasting their (and my) time further...and if in fact that quote was NOT the best they could do, then I didn't want to give an organisation that treated its customers like that any further business. I then ask them to be sure they pass on my reasons to their customer service team, and if I then get any sort of "why did you leave" feedback survey, I'll always be very clear on my reasons on that, too. Strangely enough, I seem to get far more reasonable renewal quotes these days! 

I do this too. Lost count of the amount of times, mainly car insurance, they miraculously pull a better price out of thin air when I call to cancel and tell them i've already taken out a new policy with a different insurer!

Woolsery

I've just come off the phone from my wife's insurer (I'm a named driver on her policy) who were unable to match my insurer's renewal quote forthe car. (£391 against £321) I wrongly assumed they'd insure the car for about the same amount as her 3.5 tonne van, especially as they're worth roughly the same amount and we'd then have 2 vehicles with them.

euronorris

I've been on a moth assault in our house. Too many appeared, and DD is terrified of any flying insect. So deep cleaning, moth balls and getting rid of existing ones.

Sorry to hear of Covid for a few of you
 Lots of it about atm. 2 of my team members down with it. Different infection points (one from his child, and the other from a plane - she's just returned from Cyprus).

I'm being super cautious around it all, as much as possible, as DD's birthday on Monday and her party this Friday.

Re discounts, just reminding people to check for any perks/discounts that people may have linked to their work/professional subscription etc. I did this today, and got cinema tickets for DD and I at a discount for Sunday morning (birthday treat). 

in_my_wellies

I received my home insurance renewal today, building & contents. I was surprised that it's gone down for the second year in a row. I suspect it's due to the new rules

This year's total price	Last year's total price
£152.78	£168.15

DuranGirl

in_my_wellies said:

I received my home insurance renewal today, building & contents. I was surprised that it's gone down for the second year in a row. I suspect it's due to the new rules

This year's total price	Last year's total price
£152.78	£168.15

Home insurance renewal is the one I always seem to miss and auto renewal slips through. Not this year though! A big circle in the diary to remind me to get quotes and haggle as I do for my car insurance. Having a water meter installed next week, as it's finally got to the point where the usage quotes come out cheaper than my water rates. I will pare everything right back now I'm back on the MSE wagon.

sammy_kaye18

YorksLass said:

My previous post: I've just done an online order for Tuesday delivery and noticed four items I need are going to cost a total of 90p more than previously (teabags, bread flour. dripping and tomato puree).

The online order was delivered today and I received everything I ordered.     However, I couldn't order the dripping (out of stock - sigh) and I decided against the teabags and bread flour as I have enough in my store cupboard for now.  That leaves me with £5 in June's grocery budget - not much I know, but it will still go in my Winter Squirrel Fund.  And I've got £2 bagged up in 2p and 1p coins to add as well.  I'm happy with any savings I can make, however small they might be.

@YorksLass
I am the same. Whenever I go through husbands work trousers etc I put any small change - 1p,2p,5p,10p - into a small jar in the cupboard and then we have a hiding space for any bigger coins and notes. Husband never takes small change with him so it goes into a small change jar and it slowly adds up. I do need to get one of those unopen able tins to just keep adding to over the year and then Ill open it at Christmas and see what's in there. It will probably go towards gas / electric but every little bit helps.