ANGLING FOR A DISCOUNT

 

First Direct bank and the Future Foundation claim Scottish bargain-hunters get back £884 million per year from UK businesses - mainly by being polite. research found seven out of 10 consumers have at some point threatened to walk away from a service provider or a deal if they are unhappy with it, but "usually the best deals are nabbed by polite and mild-mannered customers".

The report says: "It really does pay to be nice, with ­customers who mind their Ps and Qs when negotiating with companies securing an average saving of £200 a year. Scots are among the UK's cannier negotiators, with an average saved well in excess of the national average of £156. Scots also edge it over Londoners, who average £196."

Biggest savings are to be had in negotiating an ongoing reduction in fees or tariffs - one in six people saved £250 by doing this in 2014.

One-off deals are easier to achieve, with two in five striking one, but they were less lucrative with an average saving of £104.

The most frequent deal-givers are internet and TV companies, with 30% of customers getting some kind of discount. One in five mobile-phone customers negotiated a reduced bill or handset upgrade, while 16% successfully haggled with their electricity supplier rather than making a switch.

If you are buying online, try cash-back sites like Quidco or Topcashback - which boasts that its users bag a 7% discount on purchases - and voucher sites such as Vouchercodes.co.uk.

THE SAVINGS HABIT

More than two in five people have raided their savings ­unexpectedly in the past year, according to a Prudential survey, with many blaming the poor rates of return in savings accounts.

Needing to cover everyday costs such as food shopping was the main reason for withdrawals (27%). Funds to cover the cost of holidays (21%), unexpected bills such as emergency home repairs (21%), cars (18%) and home improvements (18%) were the other pressing needs.

Half of the savers said they would have thought twice about raiding savings if interest rates had not been so depressed, while 41% said they had regrets about it.

Andy Brown, investments expert at Prudential, says: "Household budgets are under a lot of pressure so some unplanned withdrawals from savings or investments are inevitable, but raiding these hard-earned savings to fund one-off or impulse luxury purchases, such as holidays, should ideally be avoided.

"Establishing a regular savings habit that's sustainable and having a clear understanding of your long-term savings goals is the best way to maximise returns and help reduce the need to make unplanned withdrawals."

Brown cites the PruFund range, which he says has helped protect investors against market fluctuations but offered returns of up to 60% over 10 years.

But choosing a regular savings plan with an investment trust manager such as Edinburgh's Baillie Gifford, Aberdeen Asset Management or the Witan Trust, is a low-cost and transparent alternative. Dripping cash in regularly each month enables you to smooth out the ups and downs of the stock market over five to 10 years, ­allowing returns that should easily outpace savings accounts.

CHECK YOUR ENERGY BILL

Recent research by Gocompare.com revealed that 61% of Brits have an overpaid gas or electricity bill. The average overpayment is £96, but 15% of customers surveyed had paid their energy supplier over £100 more than they needed to. Only 22% said that their energy supplier had refunded the overpayment without being asked to.

MIND THE ADD-ONS

When buying a big-ticket item such as a TV, don't sign up for an extended warranty in the shop - go away and think about it. Remember that you get a year (or more) of free guarantee anyway and with technology moving so fast, you might be replacing the product before it has time to go wrong. If you do want protection, several ­providers offer warranties online, though they may not necessarily be cheaper than in-store.

LOYALTY RARELY PAYS

Remember to scan the market for your car insurance renewal, even if your policy is only one year old. You can almost always find another insurer willing to undercut your quote in order to win a new customer in the hope they stay a bit longer. The same applies to car breakdown insurance. It may or may not apply to your savings in an Isa. If you are always on a ­temporary bonus you will probably have to keep moving - check the likes of RBS and Nationwide, which have scrapped temporary bonuses.

CHECK YOUR TRAINS

If your train journey is 30 minutes late you are entitled to get 50% of your fare back, whatever you paid (with a couple of exceptions in southern England). Train operators will not usually remind you unless it has been a nightmare journey. Keep your ticket, go online to the train company website, find "Delay Repay" and scan in your ticket or use your phone to take a photo of it. You should get rail vouchers back within two to three weeks, and they are valid for 12 months.