Appeal Your Council Tax Band
One of the biggest costs for any household (after a mortgage or rent) is council tax. And, unfortunately, the way in which it was set up means that a relatively large number of people may be paying more than they should be doing each month.
Thats because the differing council tax bands are based on the value of properties all the way back in 1991, which means that if you live in a house less than 24 years old, your council tax band is little more than a guesstimate. And, even if your house was built before 1991, it could be in the wrong band because the decisions were apparently made in haste and with a quick drive past properties to assign a banding.
A sensible way to find out if your council tax band is incorrect is to compare it to similar properties in your area by checking out the Gov.UK website. If yours is in a higher band than your neighbours then you could save money by contacting your local council and appealing against your band, with any reimbursement being retrospective.
Fix Your Energy Prices
With the price of oil and other commodities falling heavily in recent months, there has never been a better time to fix your energy prices. And, better still, doing so has never been easier thanks to the multitude of online price comparison sites that will take care of all the hard work for you.
In fact, all you need to do is enter a few details about your property and usage, select the deal that best suits your situation and provide your old and new suppliers with final/starting meter readings.
Certainly, the price of oil and gas could come under pressure during the rest of 2015, but with the current level being economically unviable for a great number of producers, it seems likely that in the long run such low prices are not here to stay.
Take Advantage Of Quad Play
Quad play is a very simple idea: it is merely the combination of your landline, broadband, pay-tv and mobile contracts with one supplier. So, instead of having four different ones, you deal with just one and, in doing so, could save money each month and also make life easier for yourself.
Admittedly, there are currently only a small number of quad play operators, with Virgin and TalkTalk perhaps being the most prominent examples. However, with BT, Sky and Vodafone all moving into the space during the course of the next couple of years, the choices for combining your media contracts in one place look set to take off.
And, with such a high level of competition, there could be some great deals on offer. So, with that in mind, it could be worth thinking about when your current contracts expire and planning a quad play move of your own when there are no exit fees to pay. Doing so could make a real difference to your monthly disposable income over the medium to long term.
Of course, if you’re looking for more tips on how to increase your disposable income then a great place to start is a free and without obligation guide from The Motley Fool called 7 Simple Steps For Seeking Serious Wealth.
It’s a step-by-step guide that could help you to maximise your income and boost your spending power in 2015 and beyond. And, in time, it could help you to retire early, pay off your mortgage, or simply live a more abundant lifestyle.
Click here to get your copy of the guide – it’s completely free and comes without any obligation.
Get FREE Issues of The Motley Fool Collective
Get straightforward advice on whats really happening with the stock markets, direct to your inbox. Help yourself with our FREE email newsletter designed to help you protect and grow your portfolio wealth.
By providing your email address, you consent to receiving further information on our goods and services and those of our business partners. To opt-out of receiving this information click here. All information provided is governed by our Privacy Statement.
Peter Stephens has no position in any shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Sky. We Fools don’t all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.