Looking to cut costs at home...

Mark_Dj

Right since my work has took 10% off my wages a week I am now looking into cutting costs at home. First thing to go will be my cable tv, I am happy enough just to have freeview but can I get something to record programes when I am not at home on freeview? notsure.gif . Next to go will be my land line as I don't use it much anyway. The next thing I am stuck on getting rid of is my pet insurance, do I need it? I am paying £62 a month for it. It's for one Rottweiler and he is aged 3 and a half years old. I have had him insured since a puppy. I was even thinking about putting some money away for my dog that I can fall back on for when he needs it, say put £40 away in a savings account for my dog as back up. What do you think?

Matt

£62 a month is expensive for pet insurance, but a lot of factors affect the premium. Ours is only £12 for our jack russell/patterdale cross. Who is the insurance provided by? We are with MoreThan.

You can get a freeview recorder box, with a HDD for recording on (basically Sky+ without the Sky!)

Mark_Dj

Our pet insurance is with Pet Plan. Just been looking at some of those Freeview boxes on Ebay, some are over £200 lol. Once you have it thats it though. Cheers

Matt

I'd get a quote from elsewhere for the pet insurance Mark, we found the prices vary quite a bit. Direct Line were a lot more than MoreThan.

Mark_Dj

I will try the same one you have mate, as I have my home insurance by them. I took on a few more bills this year with having issues at work. I joined a trade union so I have to pay for that each month, I then also joined the AA so thats another bill I have on the list. I have a few other outgoings, they are all getting a bit much at the moment and with my 10% wage reduction coming up soon. Some things will have to go to save money

MikeS

if you got a sky dish mark just get an old sky box and watch freeview off that

alternatively buy a kryptview off ebay and get free channels for a year [cable]

as for pet insurance try healthy pets

since cable went N3 i moved over to sky and just used a multi linb upstairs for my freesat - i got full sky hd+ with free install and box for 25 quid a month

also use quidco in the new year as you find some great cashback offers for broadband, fone, internet, insurance, mobile, utility

Mark_Dj

I have two tv's that have freeview built into them both, my girlfriend wants something that will record them. Will defo look into cheaper pet insurance.

MikeS

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/humax-p ... a-r/836963

blue_se2

Mark Dj said:
I will try the same one you have mate, as I have my home insurance by them. I took on a few more bills this year with having issues at work. I joined a trade union so I have to pay for that each month, I then also joined the AA so thats another bill I have on the list. I have a few other outgoings, they are all getting a bit much at the moment and with my 10% wage reduction coming up soon. Some things will have to go to save money

My mrs is a vet nurse and she would recommend pet plan all day long as they pay out the best and they are a life long policy so will pay out if they brake the same leg throughout out the whole policy where as when you try to renew other policies they will refuse to reinsure that limb if that makes sence.. So stick with them Mark

actionman

bloody hell £62 for pet insurance!! we don't even pay half that for 2 dogs!! ours is through E & L insurance. 1 is a 4yr old miniature pinscher & the other is a 9yr old cross. I'd def keep some kind of cover but i'd def shop around if I was you!!

We've had to claim twice for ours so far & the lowest claim was £250 which was due to some mindless moron smashing bottles on the fields where people walk their dogs. Our min pin stood on some & cos of the size of it's paws it almost literally cut it in half :thumbdown:

My old Bullmastif had to have a £1500 operation on it's cruciate ligaments. Luckily it was insured!! :thumbup:

Oh & as for buying 1 of those Ebay cable boxes. I bought a starview when we moved to Barnsley cos we get cable here but didn't get in when I lived in Huddersfield. Anyways. The encryption was upgraded to nagra 3 last year & now no matter what i do with the box it doesn'tpick up channels!! This was quite a few months ago now. At the time I don't think all areas were affected. Best thing to do befor spending money is go onto 1 of the forums like digital-kaos or avforum :wink:

Craig 8)

blue_se2

Mark Dj said:
I am happy enough just to have freeview but can I get something to record programes when I am not at home on freeview? notsure.gif .

Get playtv for ya playstation great bit of kit i think it is about £40 for the tunner i bought it b4 i got my tv with it built in.

astra22bertoneauto

I installed my own home distribution system so whenever i want i can choose between sky/cable/freeview/freesat/internet/telephone in any room. I have got sky but we cut that down to just 1 subscription and move the card between boxes. Even without a skycard the box will still receive some freeview channels. Cable is getting very expensive but as i live miles away from a BT exchange its better for me to have cable internet.

We also have a cat and we use petplan too. Ive heard its best to get a plan for the life of the dog otherwise when they turn 8 years old its harder to get insurance.

actionman

astra22bertoneauto said:
Ive heard its best to get a plan for the life of the dog otherwise when they turn 8 years old its harder to get insurance.

1 of our dogs is 9, 10 very soon & we've had no bother with insurance!! :thumbup:

blue_se2

the mrs says problems maily arrise if your pet needs long term medication. when your policy expires and you come to renew they refuse it?? just telling you what i have been told so watch out she has been working as a nurse for a few years now and has seen the results of cheap policys!!!