Weekend Consumer News Short Stack
Just a few short points for the weekend.
- ECB Bonus Money – Following our comments last week regarding what you could do with your ECB interest rate windfall, the Irish Times Business blog proposes that you should really be thinking about putting the extra cash against your mortgage and thereby reducing the term. Given an Irish Independent story on Friday that says the cost of lending on credit cards on personal loans will be increasing as banks scramble to keep making money, we’d actually suggest that you reduce higher cost borrowings first (such as credit cards and loans) before paying off the cheaper borrowing that is your mortgage.
- Clocked Cars – Earlier this week, the Irish Independent provided some coverage on the AA research that found that upwards of 10000 imported 2nd hand cars may have been clocked before being sold to Irish customers. We’ve covered car clocking here a few times before, and have criticised the National Consumer Agency policy of not prosecuting those caught doing so. Check out our Top Tips on how to check if the car you’re thinking of buying may be clocked. This subsequent Independent article indicates though that like everything else in the world, clocking cars is becoming more technically advanced – but most of our Top Tips will still help you identify other tell-tale signs that a car might be clocked.
- A Short Rant - Why do so few people have the courtesy to respond to phone and e-mail queries these days. If I were to stand in front of you to ask you the same question, would you still ignore me? I’m talking about sales inquiries to businesses, queries to customer service departments, calls and e-mails to work colleagues, contacts and acquaintances, or just general responses to e-mails, phone calls or written communications. I may just work to a different standard, but as much as possible, I respond to anything I get within the day, and if I can’t I will still respond saying I can’t respond, and confirming when I will. Is that so hard? Am I asking too much?
- Price of Petrol – I noticed this morning that petrol in Tesco in Clearwater in Finglas was 105.6c per litre. Just think – if the government hadn’t added 8c per litre to the cost of petrol in the budget, we’d now be back down below the €1 per litre for the first time in a few of years – April or May 2005. The NCA are investigating petrol prices at the moment because we’re told that Irish petrol prices are 20% higher than the rest of Europe. The budget increase of 8c at the moment represents 8% of the price, or nearly half of the 20%. Will the government appointed National Consumer Agency rightly associate most of the price difference reason to government taxation, or will we get some other reasons? Or will they shy away from criticising their masters?
- And Finally – No Frills Shouldn’t mean no standards? An interesting article from the Cork Southern Star newspaper detailing a range of issues with Ryanair.
Have a great weekend!
2 Comments
Oops! I’d better respond to your e-mail to me, so and quick!!!!
Instead of reducing your mortgage term, start a regular savings acount with the extra money, getting much better interest rate even after dirt. This especially is true if you are getting first time buys tax relief at source. Also if you house burns down you can take you nest egg and bugger off.