By Howard Brady
The World Cup dream ended all too soon for England: but at least that means you no longer need to plan your summer around watching the games. In fact, England’s early exit means you can now tackle the jobs you had been putting off until the end of the tournament.
So what are this summer’s new top 10 priorities?
1. Book a holiday
Now you are free to travel sooner than you thought, so get online and look up the cheapest holiday deals. But as well as packing your European Health Insurance Card (which gives you access to medical treatment within the EU for the same cost as the locals) you will need travel insurance. If you are going away twice or more within the year, it will probably make sense to buy annual cover. Compare travel insurance here.
2. Get on with the DIY
If you are staying put this summer, use your newly freed-up time to crack on with some DIY. You don’t have to spend a fortune. Read our article on how you can make significant home improvements for little more than a few pounds.
3. Tidy up the garden
Recent sunshine means the garden grows quicker than ever – but it also makes tackling the garden a lot more pleasant, so get out there and make the most of it. If you have bought expensive plants, shrubs or garden furniture, make sure the full value is covered under your existing contents insurance, or switch to a better home insurance deal.
4. Check your home insurance is robust enough
Over the years you may have made significant improvements to your home – perhaps a new kitchen, bathroom, or even an extension or loft conversion. In this case your buildings cover may no longer be adequate. You can compare alternative home insurance deals here, and there's a handy tool for checking the level of buildings cover you need built in.
5. Switch energy providers while the sun is out
Thankfully energy bills are a lot lower during the summer – which gives you the perfect opportunity to find the cheapest provider in your area. Make this coming winter a lot less expensive by switching gas and electricity providers now.
6. Review your car cover
Shopping around for the cheapest car insurance deal on Confused.com saved 10 per cent of customers up to £206 each last year. Now you have more time on your hands, get in on the act yourself and see how much you can save.
7. Shop for better communication
Since 1 April, customers with BT had the start of their free evening phone calls pushed back from 6pm to 7pm. And from 1 June TalkTalk and Sky customers were met with the same fate. But rather than grumble at your phone and broadband provider, search out a better deal and switch. It is usually cheaper to get a bundled TV, broadband and home phone deal - so check out the link see what deals are available in your area.
8. Tackle your tax return
Theoretically, you have until 31 October to submit your paper tax return to HMRC. If you do it online, you can file any time before the end of next January. But why not get in early have the dreaded job over and done with? After all, it’s still likely to be preferable to watching England lose 4-1 to the Germans.
9. Ensure you pocket the right credit card
If you are looking for the right plastic to take abroad, some credit cards are better than others. The Post Office Credit Card, The Santander Zero card and the Saga credit card for example do not charge fees for spending anywhere in the world. Nationwide credit card is fee-free for European travel, though charges 1 per cent for worldwide purchases. If you have an existing balance on a credit card, you may just want to transfer the balance to an interest-free deal. Shop around for the credit card for you here.
10. Shift your savings
Interest rates have remained record lows for well over a year now, presenting an uphill struggle for the nation’s savers. It’s especially important then to ensure you are making the best of your cash by shifting it to a well-paying savings account. And, of course, you can also be thankful you opted against spending it on a trip to South Africa…
