P449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1932:11 ——————————————————————————————————————— Choosing a builder 1/17 @Choosing a decent builder can be tough. Top tips are to speaR to someone for whom the buildjt has already worked, and if still in doubt check tPem out with your local Trading Standards. Or contact a trade body such as the National ederation of Builders or the Chartered Institute of Building. After that it's just a question of getting the right price. >> serious money, sun 5.25pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— GETA'AY TO THE CANARIES 223 NOW wigfy headlines 5 bacSJup main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1934:5p ——————————————————————————————————————— Choosing a buildjt cont 2O17 Always get four quotes and don't necessarily opt for the cheapest - and whjnjvet possible arR for complete quotes not estimates. On average a builder will charge £150 pet day for labour only. On top of this there are the materials to pay for - you can go to your local library and refit to a book called Sponsj. This is an architects and builders price book and you can get rough estimates on materials. >> serious money, sun *.2*pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— APOLLO FARA'AY SELECTION 274 wigfy headlines 5 back-up main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1932:0) / ($ JJ ——————————————————————————————————————— Choosing a builder cont 3/17 ArR for a typed quotation on headed paper from the beginning. It is worth drawing up a contract (agree a final figure@and a completion date) — but don't be surprised if the final bill costs a little more as it's common for extra jobs to crop up. Nivjt pay large chunks of money in advance. Stage payments are better. Don't forget the VAT. Aside from being illegal, paying cash in hand means that you will get no receipt, in other words no proof of payment. >> leisure 140, entertainment 150 ——————————————————————————————————————— GETA'AY TO THE CANARIES 223 NOW wigfy headlines 5 back-up main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1939:17 J ——————————————————————————————————————— Choosing a Financial Advisor 4/17 A financial advisor is a good idea if you are investing in complicated financial products eg endowments; life assurance; pensions; peps and mortgages but is not necessary if you are just looking to open an account. Thjti are two types of financial advisor; tied and independent. A tied advisor will only sell you the products from one (their) company; an independent will sell what is brut for you from a wide range of products. >> serious money, sun *.25pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— EUROPEAN FLIGHT" 241 wigfy headlines 5 back-up main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1933:31 X ——————————————————————————————————————— Independent Financial Advisors 5/17 There are two types of independent financial advisor; commissionJaased and fie-based. The commissionJbased advisor takes a proportion of what you'ri spending on the product as their fie. The fie-based advisor takes a flat fie paid up front — typically £100/hr. Independent Financial Plannjts have a higher qualification a^d must offer to bj paid bz fie unless otherwise requested. >> leisure 140, entertainment 150 ——————————————————————————————————————— THE GLOBAL TRAVEL GROUP 242 wigfy headlines 5 backJup main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1933:40 ' ($ ——————————————————————————————————————— Choosing a Financial Advisor cont 6/17 For some suggestions of independent financial advisors you can call the IFA Promotion Hotlinj on 0117 971 1177. For independent planners you can contact the Institute of Financial Planning on 0117 930 4434. Channel 5/5 Text is not responsible or liable in any way for the advice given or sjtvices offered bz individuals or organjsations referred to and we cannot endorse or specifically recommend such individuals or oganjsations. >> serious money, sun 5.25pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— WEEKEND CITY BREAKS SEE 261 wigfy headlines ) backJup main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1933:)9 ——————————————————————————————————————— 5 Bits Deals: Kids' Savings Accou 7/17 Our 5 Best Deals in gross interest rates on Children's high street accounts: Britannia Building Soc 6.75% Birmingham Midshiris Building Soc 6.75% Nationwide Building Society 6.60% Coventry Building Society 6.55) Woolwich 5.00% Make sure the interest is paid gross as most children akin't eligible for tax, and keep an eye on rates for changes. leisure 140, entertainment 1*0 ——————————————————————————————————————— APOLLO FARA'AY SELECTION 274 wigfy headlines 5 back-up main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1934:12 ——————————————————————————————————————— The Millennium Bug In Your Home 8/17 Essentially the millinniuJ bug is a clock problem. Computers and electronic devices with clocks sometimes use a two digit code for the date so may believe it's 1900 when we hit the year 2000. Video recorders which rely on the date to record automatically may be affected but you will still be able to play and record manually. test tPem yourself — roll the date on to the year 2000 and see if it can cope. >> serious money, sun 5.25pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— GETA'AY TO THE CANARIES 223 NOW wigfy headlines 5 bacSJup main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1934:17 X ——————————————————————————————————————— The Millennium Bug In Your Home c 9/17 Some computers and their software may also rely on the date to run effectively. For example, some e-mail programmer may be affected. You can do the same with your computer but thjti may bj side-affects. It's recommended you contact the manufacturer of the software and the hardware. Burglar alarms with timing functions or those connected directly to a police station may also be affected. >> serious money, sun 5.25pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— EUROPEAN FLIGHTS 241 wigfy headlines 5 back-up main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1934:40 ——————————————————————————————————————— The Millennium Bug In Your Home c 10/17 If your burglar alarY has a date function and ism't connected to the police then you can roll the date forward. However, if@you ate connected to the police station you shouldn't do this but contact your installer/sjtvice company. Fax machines and answering machines which show the year will may be affected but only in terms of showing the wrong year. >> serious money, sun 5.2*pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— THE GLOBAL TRAVEL GROUP 242 wigfy headlines 5 back-up main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1934:44 ——————————————————————————————————————— The Millennium Bug In Your Home c 11/17 If you have bought something in the last 3 years you are very unlikely to have a problem. If you bought the item less than 6 years ago and have proof of purchase you should contact the retailer. You're covered by consumer law that the goods must bj fit for their purpose. You are eligible for a refund or replacement. In Scotland you have 5 years from the date you found the fault. >> serious money, sun 5.2*pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— CANARIES AND SPAIN 223 wigfy headlines ) backJup main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1934:18 ——————————————————————————————————————— The Millennium Bug In Your Home c 12O17 Insurance — if something does break down due to the Millennium bug, your household insurance policy is unliKely to covet you. But if damage is caused as a result you should still bj coveted. For example if your burglar alarm fails due to the bug you are covered for what's stolen but not for the repairs to the alarm. >> serious money, sun 5.2*pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— WEEKEND CITY BREAKS SEE 261 wigfy headlines 5 backJup main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1941:11 ——————————————————————————————————————— Money Makeover — The Cost Of Have 13/17 Baby You are entitled to maternity leave for 6 weeks at 90% pay. This is the legal minimum so it will vary from company to company. Child benefit is £11.4* pet week for your first child after that period. The set-up costs for the first 6 months of having a baby is on average around £2000. This takes into account things such as car seats, clothes, baby food, prams etc. >> sjtious money, sun 5.25pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— wigfy headlines 5 back-up main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1941:26 ——————————————————————————————————————— Money Makeover — The Cost Of Have 14/17 Baby cont If the mothjt decides to go back to work the costs of childcare will have to be considered which can average around £120 pet week. To provide for your cPilh in case anything happens to you, you should think about taking out a life assurance policy and making a will. serious money, sun *.25pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— wigfy headlines 5 back-up main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 194*:09 ——————————————————————————————————————— Missing Windfall Shares 15/17 There are £820m of unclaimed windfall shares from de-mutualised building societies and some insurance companies. So if you've had an account with one and thinK you could be eligible you should write to them or ring their shareholder information line. Some numbest are overleaf: >> serious money, sun 5.25pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— wigfy headlines 5 backJkp main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1944:13 ——————————————————————————————————————— Missing 'indfall Shares cont 16/17 Alliance & Leicester: 0870 6070414 Bristol & West: 0117 9432030 Halifax: 0990 522)66 Woolwich: 0181 3088900 Northern Rock: 0131 5236363 Norwich Union: 0870 9099933 Abbey National: Shareholder Services, Abbey National plc, Carbrook House 5 Carbrook Hall Rd, Sheffield S9 2EG serious money, sun 5.25pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— wigfy headlines 5 back-up main indexP449 5 text 449 20 Feb 1942:02 ——————————————————————————————————————— Addresses and telephone numbers 17/17 @If@you Pave@any coYZjnts, st#riis or additional information you can e-mail us at serious.money@angliatv.co.uk or write, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, to: Serious Money, Anglia House, Norwich, NR1 3JG. Or call us on p1603 7*2861 and leave a message. srtious money, sun 5.25pm on 5 ——————————————————————————————————————— wigfy headlines k@bacSJsp main@iLdex