Incahoot offers mobile and broadband deals

Incahoot is a website with one primary aim: To save you money. It’s a group buying organisation, meaning that Incahoot users get together and use their group buying power to leverage the best deals on mobile phones, broadband, landline phones, insurance, and energy tariffs. You could save over £1,000 with group buying energy deals coupled with mobile and broadband savings.

If you’re looking for a good deal on a mobile phone, then look no further than Incahoot. The site boasts a range of mobile phone contract offers, including some stand-out offers on iPhones, the Samsung Galaxy S3, and BlackBerry Curve 9320 (many with cashback or £100 bill credit). Check out Incahoot's mobile phone offers.

Incahoot also specialises in ferreting out the best home broadband deals. Some of the cheapest deals in the UK are put up on the website, such as half price broadband for a full year with Plusnet. For more information, check out the company's cheap broadband plans.

Money can also be saved in the world of insurance with Incahoot – but the service also takes into account results, too. In other words, these aren’t just the lowest charging insurance firms available, but the trustworthy ones too, so you can breathe easier if you do have to make a claim. Read more about Incahoot's insurance services. More: http://www.sportscouncil-ni.org.uk/Incahoot.htm

ISA deadline looms early in 2010

It’s that time of year again - when the deadline for last year’s ISA’s allowance comes up and is gone forever.

To be part of this year’s allowance, the transaction will need to be completed by 6 April 2010.

However, due to the Easter Bank Holiday, savers and investors only have until Saturday 3 April to do this.

Therefore if you haven’t already put your ISA money away, you have only days to get the situation addressed.

According to CityWire, the following are the best ISA’s currently on the market:

Leeds Building Society ISA - five-year fixed rate paying 4.6%
Nationwide Building Society ISA - five year fixed paying 4.25%
Saga at 3.9%
Coventry Building Society - one-year fixed rate at 3.25%
Santander Flexible ISA - 3.2%
Barclays Golden ISA - 3.10%.
Cheltenham & Gloucester - two year fix at 3.5%
Post Office - one-year fixed-rate at 3%

How savings are changing

The way people save has undergone a fundamental shift, but not a lot of people have noticed the change.

Traditionally, savers would put their money away into a savings account, where the interest rate would be reasonably competitive, could vary from time to time, with higher rate accounts offering higher returns the less you touched your money (ie, notice accounts).

Those people with a lot of money to save would often look to save their money in multiple accounts with multiple savings providers, and those in the higher income bracket saving into an offshore bank account.

While there were additional savings options for tax-free interest, such as TESSA's, PEP's, then ISA's, and variations on savings such as the premium bonds, that was as complicated as it got.

Those who did not want to invest in stocks and shares, mutual funds or index funds, futures, bonds, or other investment vehicles as part of a portfolio, remained just savers.

What has happened since the financial crisis impacted is now those savers have become investors, without realising it.

Most current accounts now pay 0% interest, and savings accounts rarely offer more than 1.5% .

However, many savings providers are now offering higher rate savings through fixed rate bond accounts, where interest rates can be 4% or more above the Bank of England's base rate, so long as you lock you money in to the account for two, three, or five years.

The result is a major change in the savings landscape that few have even noticed, as savers are now finding themselves forced into putting their money into bonds for a fixed term. In effect, they are now investing in investment products, rather than saving in savings products.

The surprise is that only a few savings and investment brokers have noticed this change

While some commentators have suggested that 2009 saw the growth of green shoots in the economy, others remain adamant that we are looking at a W shaped recession.

Either way, it looks like the savings landscape is not going to change any time soon, and that fixed term plans will continue to force savers to become investors in all but name.