North Dublins All-New Recession Beating Monthly!
the
A Guide To
BOOSTING
Your Income
Issue 1 - Vol 1 - May 2009
Pick m e I’m FR up EE!
Recession Beating
Tips & Tricks Inside This Months Issue
Recession Beating News Lower your tax bill! Bargain
Alert
How to haggle With a Recession comes the value and low prices, find it all here!
Money Saving Websites
2 Recession Beating News
the Letter from the Editor Welcome to Beat The Recession, Issue one! You’ve just picked up Irelands newest (and most useful) publication. Here at Beat The Recession, we’re sick of all the moaning, whining and bad news that has been coming from the media over the last few months. So we’ve come up with a solution, and you’re holding it your hands right now! Beat The Recession is a monthly publication aimed beating North Dublin’s recession blues and helping everyone realise that its really not all that bad. Inside this first issue we have recession beating news articles about newly created jobs, healing world economies and endless silver linings to this much publicised cloud. We also have ten great tips on slashing your energy bills in half, five great websites that will save you money, a list of places currently offering amazing bargains and discounts, an article on how to boost your income through eBay, the essential guide to haggling… and loads more! The time for moaning is over, lets Beat The Recession instead…
Beat the Recession May 2009
Ireland Immune To Global Warming IRELAND WILL be one of the few countries left that will be habitable when global warming leads to a planet-wide catastrophe, one of the world’s best known scientists has predicted. James Lovelock, the originator of the Gaia theory, has forecast that rapidly rising temperatures will turn most of the world into a desert by the middle of the century and that its population will be about a billion people by the end of the century. He also believes that the damage has already been done; he disagrees with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which maintains that the process of climate change will be halted if humanity can reduce CO2 emissions by 60 per cent by 2050.
Mr Lovelock (89), who was recently named by Fortune magazine as one of the world’s top 100 global public intellectuals, will take part in a public conversation this evening with Prof Frank Convery, director of the UCD Earth Institute, at O’Reilly Hall in University College Dublin. Mr Lovelock is best known for his Gaia theory, which states that the world is a living organism and that life helps to moderate the climate and conditions to allow it to continue flourishing. He forecasts a rapid rise in temperatures within 30 years which will cause widespread famine, but he said Ireland, along with New Zealand, will be spared the worst effects because of its maritime climate, relatively high latitude and underpopulation. Ireland will be a “lifeboat for humanity” that might be able to sustain a population of about 10 million people with modern farming methods, but he warned that the country would be overwhelmed with immigrants if it operated an opendoor policy.
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A new way of fighting MRSA and other hospital-acquired infections that are resistant to antibiotics has been developed by Irish scientists. The researchers from Queen’s University in Belfast developed fluids that both kill colonies of these dangerous bacteria and prevent their growth. Many types of bacteria, such as MRSA, exist in colonies that adhere to the surfaces of materials. The colonies often form coatings, known as biofilms, which protect them from antiseptics, disinfectants, and antibiotics. The fluids are a class of ionic liquids whose physical and chemical properties can be tailored.
The goal of the scientists is to design ionic liquids with the lowest possible toxicity to humans while wiping out colonies of bacteria that cause hospital-acquired infections. According to lead researcher Brendan Gilmore, a lecturer in pharmaceutics at Queen’s, such ionic liquids could potentially be applied to a multitude of medical and industrial uses. “For example, they could be used to improve infection control and reduce patient morbidity in hospitals, and therefore lighten the financial burden to healthcare providers,” he said. More Good news!
Beat the Recession May 2009
Dow Jones Has Its Best Six Weeks Since… 1938! Recession Who? Since so much of our confidence seems to be linked to the stock market, I think this is a nice story to be able to run. The Dow Jones scored its biggest six-week gain since July 1938 last month, helped by a reassuring report on the mood of consumers and the stabilization in some of its key players.
the economy than they have had since the sudden collapse of Lehman Brothers in September, the latest in a spate of data suggesting the economic slump may be easing. Remember, this is a global recession. The more countries that start to pull themselves out of the downturn, the better off we’ll be.
The Dow was up 22.7 percent over the six weeks, making this the largest sixweek gain since July 29, 1938. A Reuters/University of Michigan survey showed that U.S. consumers also have more confidence in
Good News! Ireland Is Getting Cheaper….
Recession Beating News 3
Global Recession Easing. China back on the up… Wen Jiabao, China’s prime minister, has said the country’s economy has shown some “positive signs” amid the global financial crisis. Wen made the comment in Thailand on Saturday, where he was due to attend a summit of south Asian leaders that eventually was cancelled due to antigovernment protests. Wen’s comments came shortly after data from the Chinese central bank showed the country’s banks lent a record amount of
PRICES ARE falling at the quickest rate since 1933, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The cost of a typical basket of goods and services was 2.6 per cent lower in March than it was a year ago, according to the consumer price index (CPI). Sharp reductions in mortgage interest rates are largely responsible for the decline; however, the drops in prices are becoming more widespread right across the board. Food prices have
new local currency loans. The development is the latest sign that the Chinese economy is improving after a sharp slowdown at the end of 2008. As mentioned in the story above…. what’s good
for them, is good for us! The global recession may have come as far as it can go.
fallen 0.5 per cent on an annual basis. Clothes are almost 9 per cent cheaper than last year and petrol prices are down 14 per cent. Exactly what we’ve all been asking for over the last few years.
on most items. “This will alleviate some of the pain being felt by those who are suffering from income cuts, not to mention the harsh taxation rises in the budget,” said Ulster Bank economist Pat McArdle.
Economists (those boring people doing all the moaning for the last six months) also predicted yesterday that the tax hikes in the supplementary Budget would deepen Ireland’s deflation rate in the months ahead, and that prices would fall
Ireland now has the lowest rate of inflation in the EU, a trend that the Government hopes will improve the weakened competitive position of Irish exporters. Lowest rate of inflation = good news!
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4 Recession Beating News IKEA Dublin Now Filling Up Job Slots
OUT of work Dubliners can now start applying for work in the new IKEA store in Ballymun. Sharon Moran, IKEA’s HR Manager has said ‘We are looking to fill 280 full and part-time positions across a number of different areas - sales, food services, checkouts, customer services and logistics. We are looking for people who are really passionate about home furnishing and would like to develop a career with IKEA,’ she added.
Beat the Recession May 2009
The new Dublin store will open on Monday, July 27th, creating a total of 500 direct new jobs and 50 additional indirect jobs in outsourced services such as home delivery, kitchen installation and crèche facilities.
Home insulation company to create 150 Jobs
At 31,500 sq. metres, the Dublin store will be one of IKEA’s flagship stores and will stock 9,500 products which can be viewed in over 55 fully furnished room settings and homes.
A construction company is creating 150 jobs as a result of the Government’s home insulation scheme, it was announced today. Dublin-based Durkan Residential said it was
The store will also include a number of ancillary facilities for customers including a 550 seater restaurant, a bistro, and a Swedish Food Hall as well as a crèche to cater for young people while their parents are shopping. Log on to www.ikea.ie for more information
to create 35 jobs in Dublin Ebay subsidiary company PayPal is set to create 35 highly skilled jobs at part of a new multimillion euro investment in their Blanchardstown headquarters in North Dublin. The online payment processing firm has said today it plans to invest €15 million Euro in a new European Centre for Operational Excellence,
setting up a new subsidiary, Durkan EcoFix, to make homes more energy efficient with the help of Home Energy Saving Scheme (HES) grants. Director Patrick Durkan said the scheme will cut costs for homeowners, help the economy and the environment. “Right now home insulation presents the country with a great opportunity to make savings in our living expenses while investing in our homes, economy helped along with support from IDA Ireland. PayPal currently employs in the region of 900 people at its Ballycoolin Headquarters, which opened in 2003. “We’ve grown significantly since we first opened our doors in Ireland in 2003, supporting our growing European business and the millions of customers who live in this region. This growth is testament to the wonderful collaboration we’ve received from the Irish government
and environment at the same time,” he said. The company estimates the home insulation market is worth €9 billion. There are around 900,000 households around the country that are eligible for funding through the HES scheme, introduced by Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan. Grants range between €500 and €5,150. It is believed home energy bills can be cut by as much as 60 per cent through insulation.
and the talent of our employees here in Ireland, both of which have been critical to our past success and our future growth plans,” said Scott Thompson, president of PayPal. The new centre was officially opened by An Taoiseach Brian Cowen who has said that the investment illustrated that Ireland has the capability and indeed the capacity to continue to attract overseas investment during the current global economic climate.
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Beat the Recession May 2009
Recession Beating News 5
ESB set to create 3,700 jobs in new Green technologies
The ESB has announced it is set to create up to 3,700 contract jobs as part of a stimulus plan based around renewable and green energies. New staff are to be hired on a contract basis for specific projects and will not become direct ESB employees. As part of the scheme over 800 apprentices will be trained over the next five years,
which includes 400 FÁS apprentices who lost their jobs due to the downturn. ESB chief executive Pádraig McManus has said that the new investment plans would have no price impact for domestic or commerical customers. Good news! He said that the new developments would be creating 3,700 new jobs and would sustain a further 1,300
exisiting staff posts and also involve hiring apprentices and engineers. “Overall the package involves around 6,000 jobs”, he commented. He also said that by 2013 the company would have created an infrastructure that would allow for the industry to grow even further. The ESB is also looking at totally rebuilding its head office, he added.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen welcomed today’s announcement describing it as “a very welcome development in difficult times.” Among the new jobs are 750 jobs smart networks, smart meters (750), electric vehicles (600), wind energy (300), construction, including the redevelopment of the Dublin headquarters (550) and an eco fund (350). Some 250 engineers and 50 other professionals will be among the new roles. Another 250 jobs are set to be created in the home insulation scheme while another 150 people will be recruited in other projects which include telecoms and the biomass technology.
the future. These plans bring with them thousands of jobs we need at this time.” ESB have said that a further 1,300 jobs outside the company would now be secured through its investment in power generation and in its networks infrastructure. Padraig McManus, ESB chief executive, said jobcreation needed to be a priority for companies that actually had the resources to invest. “Energy, and particularly the emergence of new technologies in the renewables area, presents us with the potential for really substantial jobcreation in Ireland,”
ESB said it will finance 50 apprentices each year for the next four years to allow them complete a third level engineering degree. Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan has said: “Based on Government policy, one of Ireland’s finest semi-state companies is stepping up to the plate and helping provide the jobs of
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6 tips & tricks
Beat the Recession May 2009
Recession Beating Tips & Tricks :
ne O t
Now more than ever is the time to be watching the pennies and making sure the bills are as low as they can be. There are loads of ways to get your energy bills lower each month so with that in mind here’s the first ten of our great recession beating tips and tricks, all aimed at lowering your energy costs…..
r gy Pa er g En vin Sa
Shop around ESB aren’t the only providers on the market these days, there are loads more now including Bord Gais, Airtricity and more. They all offer saving on ESB’s rates so it’s a great time to switch.
Insulate Up to 30% of the heat in your home can be lost through the. An easy way to fix this and save yourself a bundle at the same time would be to insulate your roof by around 200mm. Sustainable Energy Ireland say that insulating the attic space of a typical home costs around €254 and you could save over €76 a year (up to 20% of your fuel bill), so it would easily pay for itself in three years.
Thermostat You may have heard it before, but if you turn down your thermostat by just 1°C you stand to save as much as 10% on your home heating bill. Setting your thermostat anywhere around 20°C is recommended.
Sort your bulbs The average ESB bill is apparently around €600 annually (I wish I was that lucky! - Editor), but if you switch to Energy Saving Bulbs (CFLs) you could cut down on that dramatically. Even though they are around three times the price of an average bulb, CFLs last up to 15 times longer than the average bulb and can save you up to 20% on lighting bills. Just don’t let the kids carry them home…
Washing When it comes to washing machines and dishwashers, if you can select the lowest temperature where possible as recommended by the manufacturer you can cut down on bills. The average family laundry load at 60°C will set you back almost €30 over 12 months, whereas the same amount of washing at 40°C will cost just over €20 in a year, which is an approximate saving of
Beat the Recession May 2009
about one-third. Also, if you are buying a new washing machine or dishwasher, watch out for the Energy Rating it carries. Buying an ‘A’ rated appliance will in the long run be rewarding and efficient in using 33% less energy than an older machine. Always fill your washing machine and dishwasher before using them, rather than washing half-loads, because it wastes less water and electricity.
Dimmer Switches Installing dimmer switches in your home can save on energy and also add an extra bit of atmosphere.
tips & tricks 7 Lagging Jacket If you haven’t got a lagging jacket already, get one fitted. It will pay for itself in around 3 months! On top of that, you’ll probably save around €70 a year.
Standby Always turn everything fully off. Standby is no use at all. If an electrical item is on standby it is using 20% of the energy it would be using if it was turned on. So always remember to turn off televisions, radios, phone chargers etc at the switch.
Heating Water A small change you can make around the home is to only fill the kettle up with the amount of water you need. A bad habit is to fill the kettle up every time, heating un-needed water.
Get the kids to pay! They use all the hot water, have about seven things plugged in at once and they always leave the lights on. Give them the bill each month and don’t worry about it! J Use the money to treat yourself instead. (Warning – Risky tactic!) Don’t miss out on Part Two of our 100 Recession Busting Tips and Tricks in next months’ issue.
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Groc Two: erie s
8 websites
Beat the Recession May 2009
Money Saving Websites 5 Websites guaranteed to save you money, every time!
www.cheapeats.ie
www.eBay.ie
www.thriftypages.ie
www.Condom.ie
CouponMaster.ie
Cheapeats is an Irish food blog aimed to help the Irish consumer eat well and save money at the same time. Here you will find everything from wellpriced restaurant reviews, all the latest bargains and deals from supermarkets, tips on food shopping, recession beating ways to eat, cookbook reviews, recipes, tips and lots lots more! They regularly scan all the tescos, superquinn, dunnes etc for the best deals over a the forthcoming days so its extremely handy. They also have competitions an dlinks to loads of other Irish food related sites. Highly recommended.
I think every man, women and child in the universe knows about eBay, it’s the 2nd busiest website in the world. Are you using it to find those bargain though? If not, you should be. There are so many saving to be made from eBay, even more so now with the popularity of the Irish version, eBay.ie. Next time you’re planning on buying something expensive, log onto eBay and have a quick search for it. You’re guaranteed to say money, even after shipping costs (which can be quite cheap these day with so many European sellers). Also a great website to help make you money, rather than just saving you money as you can see in our “Boost Your Income” section on page 10.
Set up by Dublin husband and wife team Seamus Brady and Ann D’Arcy, this website is all about learning how to thrive during the Irish recession. They say on their website “You do not have to be a victim of circumstance. A recession can be a time to thrive”. This website brings loads of excellent tips on how to save cash when buying pretty much anything in Ireland from food and drink, to property and holidays, to groceries to insurance! Check out their “Bargain Watch” section for all the latest offers in your area.
Ireland is officially the dearest country in the world to buy contraception! Sound about right, doesn’t it? One North Dublin company decided the Irish public were paying too much and stepped in with their money-saving website, www.condom.ie! Here you can log on and buy any type of Condom from within their wide range (including Durex) for the ultra-low price of €25 for 50 condoms! That’s compared to around €18 for 12 condoms in the shops or €5 for 2 condoms in bars etc. They have loads of other offers but we think that’s the best on offer. Log on and check the out for yourself….
Coupon Master is a really nice idea for a website. Here you can log on and print out loads of vouchers and coupons for loads of different things, from normal shops to online stores, from freebies to discounts. If you’re looking to save money, Coupon Master is your man!
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Beat the Recession May 2009
BARGAIN WATCH 9
Bargain Watch All the latest bargains, discounts, sales and offers in your area…. Food & Drink Four Star Pizza are currently offering any large pizza for only €10.95 delivered! Mon-Thur 24 Packs of Cobra 33cl bottles are currently reduced from €46.80 to only €17.99 in O’Briens Wines – Limited to one per customer. 24 Packs of bottled Miller are currently only €18.99 in Dunnes Stores 2 Litre bottles of Coca-Cola are only €1.09 in Dunnes Stores at the minute. M&S Free Cookbook Offer - Buy 3 items from their “Ingredients” range, and get a cookbook free
Electronics Harvey Norman are currently offering interest free payments spread over 18 months on all items over €200.
DID Electrical are currently offering €9 back on every €99 spent. Xbox 360 premium console with 60gb Hard Drive + Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box + Trivial Pursuit + Connect 4 (download from Xbox Live) + Extra wireless controller currently only €199 in HMV Pixmania have 22” TFT LCD Screen for only €149. It’s a great site for the lowest prices on the net most of the time too. Amazon.com have more that 50% off all PS3 Games for their spring sale
Health & Beauty Condom.ie are offering 50 Durex for only €25 or 100 Durex for only €45. The Nordic Treadmill from Elverys is currently Reduced from €1200 to only €799
Boots have loads of great offers on this month. Save 1/3 on Hayfever Products eg. Clarityn, Piriton etc, also get a Free bottle of water with any Anadin, Panadol, Paraplus or Boots Paracetamol purchase. They’re also offering Buy 1 get 2nd Half Price on the SONA range of vitamins and 3 for 2 on selected Vitamins
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Waxperts on Georges Street, Dun Laoghaire, offer a free eyebrow wax with other treatments.
Abacus Security systems have 10% off all alarms fitted during May - 01 8395116
Other The Wedding Collection Carlow have reduced wedding dress samples to €600 on the Sonia Cholette range. www. theweddingcollection.ie Ladybird Childrens shop in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre are offering 25% off all stock and the kids can get their
The Golf Warehouse in Cherry Orchard Industrial Estate and their other shop in Sandyford are doing Wilson DI7 irons for €249 and they have three for two on all clothing. Drumcondra Hardware currently have 10% off all garden sheds – 01 8841797
Cash & Carry Kitchens currently have up to 50% off selected products – cashandcarrykitchens.com New Ireland Service & Repairs are offering up to 50% off the price of servicing your car when compare to dealers rates. Dink Design Jewellery are offering a ‘Recessionista Range’ all items in this
range cost less than €50 (most necklaces are only €40) dinkdesign.ie - click on ‘Artisan Jewellery’ on the top left of the page and then on ‘Recessionista Range’. Specsavers are offering free varifocal lenses with any complete glasses from €99 range or above Westwood Windows currently have 20% all windows – westwoodwindows.ie Do you know of any bargains or would you like to offer our readers a discount from your business? Send them to info@influxmediaworld.ie and we’ll print them here!
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10 boost your income
Beat the Recession May 2009
This Month:
Store
With a little research and planning, you can make a great second income by selling items on the worlds largest internet auction, eBay. It’s a fantastic way to bring in extra cash and at the same time build an online business for practically no start-up cost.
The first and most important step is to set up an eBay seller’s account, it’s really quick and easy. Then set up a Paypal account which is
what you will use to accept payments. You can then withdraw funds from your Paypal account directly into your bank account. You will need a credit card for
both of these but don’t worry if you don’t have one, simply go to www.3V.ie and get a disposable credit card, which you top up the same way as a mobile phone (available to anyone).
Then its time to get your feet wet selling unwanted items that you have around the house that aren’t being used anymore. Believe it or not, but right now you have at least €300-€600 waiting to be cashed in from things that you don’t
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use or forgot that you own. And with the cash that you make on eBay can be re-invested to purchase more items to sell on eBay, from bootsales, on-line wholesalers or liquidators, markets and
thrift stores. Take the online courses that eBay has to offer and read a couple books on how to sell on eBay. If you log on to our website (INSERT WEBSITE HERE) you can download several eBooks on how to sell on eBay, free of charge. The more knowledge you have the better equipped you’ll be.
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Beat the Recession May 2009
Once you have bought and sold a few items start thinking of a particular item or items that you’ll like to specialize in. Research it well. Go to you tube and watch a few videos on selling on eBay. Again, we have posted a few videos on our website for you to watch to get you started, along with a list of places you can go online to buy wholesale items.
Research hot selling items on eBay and the price that they sold for, and locate wholesalers where you can purchase these items in wholesale lots. The key is to buy cheap in packaged wholesale lots, then sell the items individually on eBay, friends and family, coworkers, or even at the local flea market. The wholesale lots needn’t cost the earth, start small and work your way up. Remember, you should have some funds from selling off those unwanted household items.
boost your income 11
Stick at it! At first, you may not make a killing on eBay, in some instances you may only break even on some sales, but keep in mind that you are building a business and a customer base. eBay is all about feedback, so sales may be slow at the start until you get a few feedback points under your belt.
Excellent customer service is the name of the game while selling on eBay. Treat every customer as if they were the most important person on earth. Always add little bonuses or thank you cards with items you sell, and I guarantee you that they’ll look you up on their next purchase, as well as leaving good feedback for you.
Millions of people around the world make a second income quite easily on eBay. Its easy to learn, easy to use and you don’t have to know a lot about computers to succeed. So give it a go. You’ve nothing to lose except your eBay virginity! Log onto www.beattherecession. com for more info, videos, wholesale lists and more.
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12 tax-back
Beat the Recession April 2009
Lower the TAX you pay!
year. Depending on your circumstances, you will be entitled to the single, married or widowed tax credit. Tax credit 2008
2009
Single
€1,830 €1,830
Married
€3,660 €3,660
Widowed, qualifying for One Parent Family Tax Credit €1,830 €1,830 Widowed (without dependent children) €2,430 €2,430 Widowed Parent tax credit in year of bereavement €3,660 €3,660
Tax reliefs are brilliant. They reduce the amount of tax that you have to pay each year. The tax reliefs to which you are entitled depend on your personal circumstances. Here is a small list of some of the different tax reliefs that are available and how you can save money on your tax bill each year.
Tax is calculated as a percentage of your yearly income. Your tax credits are deducted from this to give the amount of tax that you have to pay from your salary. A tax credit has the effect of reducing your tax by the amount of the credit. For more information about how tax credits work, log onto www.revenue.ie
example, medical expenses or interest on your mortgage. In these cases your refund is based on the amount that you have actually paid out. In some cases, such as mortgage interest, there is a limit on the maximum amount that you can claim. The value of a tax relief will always depend on whether it is allowed at the highest rate of income tax that you pay or is restricted
Tax reliefs
Personal tax credits
In some cases you can get a tax refund for specific expenses you have paid, for
Here is list of the tax credits you are allowed claim each
Tax credits
Employment If you are in employment and your income tax is deducted from your salary by your employer, you can claim the PAYE Credit. If you are a member of a trade union, you may claim a tax credit for the membership subscription fees you have paid. Contributions to a pension are also eligible for tax relief at your highest rate of tax. There are also reliefs for workers at sea and workers who commute from a different country.
Housing If you rent your home you may also claim a Rental Tax Relief on whatever rent you have paid. Alternatively, if you pay a mortgage, you may also claim tax relief
on your mortgage interest. If you rent a room in your home to a private tenant you may claim rent a room relief on that. If you pay for refuse collection, sewage disposal or domestic water supplies, you may also claim tax relief on the service charges you’ve paid
Marriage If you are married, you have the option of sharing tax credits and tax bands between the two of you. Now could be a time to put that ring on her finger (don’t do it!!!). If a married couple divorce or separate, this has important implications for the way that they are taxed. Contact the revenue commissioners for more information
Single-parent families If you have a dependent child and you are unmarried, widowed, separated, divorced or deserted you can claim the One-Parent Family Tax Credit in addition to your personal tax credit. There is also an increase in your standard rate tax band. This means that you can earn more before you start to pay the higher rate of tax.
Older people A number of tax credits and reliefs are increased in value for people aged 65 and over. The rent tax credit
is increased for people aged 55 and over. There are also a number of tax reliefs available for the care of a person who is unable to maintain himself/herself.
Education Tax relief is available on all fees paid for approved third-level courses which will be even more beneficial now with the latest announcement of the introduction of third level fees
Medical expenses You may claim tax relief on medical expenses that you incur for yourself or for a relative. This tax allowance applies at the marginal rate.
Income tax reliefs following a death The treatment of tax reliefs following a death depends on the marital status of the deceased person and on the way in which he/ she was taxed if married. There are additional tax credits available to widowed persons. All in all, it’s an extremely beneficial thing to contact the revenue commissioners and find out what you can claim back. If you don’t ask, you won’t get. Simple as that. Beat The Recession, Contact the revenue today! www.revenue.ie
New Summer Opening Hours Dinner Monday – Saturday from 6pm – late Lunch Thursday – Saturday 12.45pm – 2.45pm Our outstanding Early Evening offer of a FREE starter or dessert with any Main course ordered from the a la carte menu by 7pm will continue!!
Tel: (01) 839 6264 Email: info@ellawinebar.com Website: www.ellawinebar.com Address: 7 Main street, Howth, Co. Dublin
Beat the Recession April 2009
The Art Of Haggling
you in particular. Employees may be willing to let the item go for less. Don’t be unreasonable though, if its not broken, don’t knock it. They wont take you as seriously if you’re just making stuff up and overly complaining about an item you obviously want to buy.
With the economy in recession, apparently there isn’t much for consumers to celebrate these days. Wrong, wrong, wrong and…. Did we say wrong? Like all clouds, this one has a very large silver lining. That’s because when it comes to many discretionary items, it’s a buyer’s market. Still, that doesn’t mean retailers are giving things away. You need to know how to negotiate to get the best price. Here are some some tips on the art of haggling. First, think about the worst-case scenario. Everyone from big-box retailers to flea market sellers build extra profit into their prices to account for price drops, usually, sales. You have the right to ask for a better price. The worst they can say is “no.” So, don’t be afraid to ask. Do keep in mind however, with the current recession, a lot of
Broombridge Business Centre
retailers will have dropped their prices already and may be just turning a profit. In these slower times, he wants you to buy the item and wont refuse a genuine sale, so if he says he honestly cant go lower, then he probably cant! Also, bring cash. When you use plastic, the issuer charges the seller a processing fee. So many stores and companies are
And finally, ask to speak to management. Whether you’re negotiating a lower credit card rate or a better price on a sweater, ask politely to speak with a manager. They have more leeway to offer a discount. Try to catch them during offpeak hours, when they won’t be too busy to help. willing to offer a discount of up to 20% if you pay with cash. Keep small bills on hand so you can say, “I’m willing to give you €45 for this” and flash the cash. Be a smart shopper and check out competitors. Businesses would rather give a discount than lose you to a competitor. Most major retail stores have pricematching policies in place
Broombridge Business Centre offers a range of fully furnished offices and workspace units for 2 to 30 people with additional storage space if required. With easy monthly billing and no hidden costs you are always totally in control. In paying for only what you use, with no hidden costs, you can reduce your administration and keep control of your overheads with just one invoice per month.
to meet or even beat others prices. Print out a few prices you find online, or simply say you’ve seen similar items cheaper elsewhere. Don’t hesitate to point out the flaws in items. Don’t expect to pay full price for a lime green car, last season’s sweater or a scratched table. Point out anything that makes the item less desirable to buyers, and
• Rent, rates and service charges. • Lighting, heating, maintenance, and site facilities. • Broadband Internet connection. • Fully furnished office fitted with contemporary desking, ergonomically designed seating and flexible storage and filing units. • Direct dial telephone handsets with your own private number.
• Personalised telephone answering in your company name. • Voice Mail Service • Reception services 8.00am – 6.00pm Monday - Friday. 10.00 am to 4.00pm on Saturday • Fully secure site with Monitored CCTV 24 / 7. • Sort and delivery of mail.
to you each month on an itemised list. • There is no monthly line rental. • Secure parking is available onsite. • Easy in, Easy out Terms, i.e. No Hidden entry or exit costs. 288 Bannow Road, Dublin 7, Ireland
• Message management ensuring all messages are received and delivered promptly.
Right on the Main Dublin-Maynooth Train Line and 120 Bus Route
• Telephone and fax calls (outgoing) are recharged
www.easybusinesscentres.ie
Call 01 8245700 or log onto for more information…
Finally, always take a chilled approach. Getting aggressive or snipey with a salesperson never works. If they like you, they’ll be more inclined to help. So that’s it. Out you go and give it a shot, you’ll be surprised how much you can save on most day-to-day purchases….
Easyselfstorage Easyselfstorage provides a wide range of storage options for you whether you are moving house, redecorating, simply short of space at home. Remove all your clutter from your home before putting it on the market and help add value to the sale price of your home. You can vacate your unit as soon as your new home is ready.
The monthly charge is fully inclusive covering:-
haggling 13
If you are a student don’t take it with you, store it with us and it will be ready when you get back. We have specially designed extra-large locker units that will easily hold all your belongings while you head off travelling for the summer.
If you are in business and need some temporary storage space for excess stock, marketing material or to make room back at the office, then consider a self storage unit, with flexible terms and different sizes, we are sure to have the right unit for your enterprise. Remember, YOU store it and YOU keep the key. Our site if fully secured with our extensive Intruder Alarm and CCTV system including 24 Hour monitoring and immediate alarm activation ensuring that your goods are kept safe at all times. Call 01 8245700 or log onto www.easybusinesscentres.ie for more information…
14 services
Beat the Recession May 2009
Flower-Tots Preschool Contact Sandra PH: 01 8139783 / 086 2120544 sandratynan@onlineni.net
SAVE on DENTAL CARE Save at least half of normal price! Can be claimed against tax. To save ring Stephen, 086-6019376
• • • • • • • •
Open all year - 9.10am to 2 pm. Children must be potty trained. Breakfast supplied. Fully insured member of the I.P.P.A. Structured daily activities. Immediate places available. Large outdoor play area. Full use of all schools amenities.
Flower-Tots Pre school, Mary Queen of Ireland N/S, Rivermeade, Toberburr, St. Margaret’s, Co. Dublin We are less then 10 mins from Finglas & Swords
Job�Hunting? We�can�help�you�stand�out! Take�a�Half-day�seminar focused�on: -�Job�Hunting -�Preparing�a�CV -�Interview�Skills
We manufacture, made to order side entrance gates & shed doors as well as double side gates for the larger entrance
Just�€145 Give�us�a�call and�book�your�place
1890�454�454 OPEN: 7 DAYS 8.30am - 8.00pm
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www.thesidegateman.com
sales@thesidegateman.com
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