Utility Warehouse Resource

Gas Bills Could Rise by up to 70%!!

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:10:00 +0000

The Telegraph reports today that gas bills could rise by 70 per cent to hit more than £1,000 over the next few years because of soaring global oil prices, according to a report produced by analysts on behalf of British Gas.

The report, written by Eclipse, a well-respected group of Norwegian energy experts, makes clear that Britain faces an acute shortage of cheap energy. Consumers, who have already seen their energy bills shoot up by 15 per cent this year, will have to get used to permanently high prices, the report warns.

Oil has risen from below $100 a barrel to touch an all time high of $147 a barrel last week, as demand from China and India combined with fears of a new conflict in the Middle East sent the price upwards. It is estimated that Britain will import 40 per cent of all the gas it needs this year. The report calculates, based on oil staying at roughly $140 a barrel, the cost of gas in the UK would increase by 70 per cent, "over the next few years".

The report adds: "This would raise annual gas bills for a typical domestic customer from around £600 to over £1,000 per annum – if oil prices rise to above this level then this would lead to further increases in gas bills." The six major energy firms have already increased both their gas and electricity tarrifs this year, by an average of 15 per cent. Experts forecast that bills will have to rise at least once more this year and could go up on two separate occasions.

For almost five years the Utility Warehouse Discount Club have consistently supplied their customers with the cheapest domestic energy in the UK. If you you're fed up with changing suppliers every few months, and are looking for guaranteed long-term value, then you should join me as a customer of the Utility Warehouse Discount Club and benefit from huge savings which are offered.

To ensure their prices remain competetive, they compare them every month against British Gas, our regional electricity supplier and the average of the cheapest direct debit tariffs available from each of the "Big 6"suppliers, on a like for like basis.

Its easy to switch, you keep the same pipes and meters, there is no interupption to your supply, you received exactly the same gas and electricity and their is no minimum contract.

If you would like to join me and become a customer of the Utility Warehouse Discount Club then please visit my Utility Warehouse Discount Club customer website or call me on Freephone 0800 496 8111.

I look forward to helping you save money!

Confidence High at Telecom Plus - Mail on Sunday 13/07/08

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:17:00 +0000

Telecom Plus received a fantastic write up in the Mail on Sunday this weekend. For those who missed the article please see the copy below...

"Life has become much more costly in recent months and nowhere is the change more pronounced than in basic household expenses. Bills have shot through the roof and most people are feeling the pinch. Against this backdrop, any firm promising to make life cheaper is on to a winner, so it is perhaps not surprising that Telecom Plus is doing well.

The company operates under the Utility Warehouse brand and supplies consumers and businesses with a range of services, such as electricity, gas, phone and broadband. It is the only group in the UK supplying both energy and communication services and it guarantees to be one of the cheapest providers. Telecom Plus does not own any of these products itself, but it buys in bulk from firms such as npower or phone companies and passes on savings it makes to customers. As it owns none of the paraphernalia associated with utility businesses, its costs are low. The group also prides itself on customer service and has a UK-based call centre, which is in the same building as the management team.

The business is run by Charles Wigoder, who made a name for himself in the Nineties when he founded the Peoples Phone Company and sold it to Vodafone for £77m just a few years later. So far, he also seems to be doing well at Telecom Plus. The company released a trading statement last week saying it was extremely confident about the next 12 months and promising a 25% increase in the dividend to at least 17.5p for the year to March 2009.

The most recent results showed a 45% rise in pre-tax profits to £16.8m and brokers believe this figure will climb to more than £20m next year. The group has about 200,000 customers, which equates to just one% of the markets it serves.

Wigoder believes there is scope to expand to about am customers, delivering turnover of at least £1bn. He may well be right. The company promises to cut utility and phone bills by up to 40%, particularly for customers who take all their utility and phone services from Utility Warehouse. This is a tempting prospect in today's environment and recent numbers indicate that the group is acquiring more customers and that each one is buying more from it.

Further information regards the Telecom Plus business opportunity and becoming a Customer of the Utilty Warehouse Discount Club can be found by clicking on the respective links.

Telecom plus PLC Interim Management Statement

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:56:00 +0000

Telecom plus PLC yesterday released their Interim Management Statement for its first quarter to 30 June 2008, which is detailed below.

Telecom plus PLC (trading as the Utility Warehouse), which supplies a wide range of utility services (gas, electricity, fixed line telephony, mobile telephony and broadband internet) to both residential and business customers, today issues its Interim Management Statement for its first quarter to 30 June 2008 to coincide with its Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) being held later today.

Highlights
• Continuing strong organic growth
• Number of services up by over 26,000 to 618,320 (30 June 2007: 545,831)
• Cash balance at end of quarter £32.9m (31 March 2008: £30.3m)
• Extremely comfortable with market expectations for the current financial year
• Projected total dividend not less than 17.5p for the full year (2008: 14p)

Trading during the first quarter was exceptionally good reflecting a continuation of the positive trends which have developed since our sales conference in October 2007. Turnover, profits, customer numbers, new services and new distributor recruitment have all been running substantially ahead of the comparable figures at this time last year. Customer numbers increased by 7,160 to 225,017 during the quarter, and the number of services provided rose by over 26,000 to 618,320 (30 June 2007: 545,831). These figures clearly demonstrate the increasing rate of organic growth being achieved since the beginning of last year.

Quarterly net growth in number of services provided
Q1; 2008 3,792
Q2: 2008 6,658
Q3: 2008 16,253
Q4: 2008 23,239
Q1: 2009 26,339

We remain committed to providing our customers with excellent customer service and consistently good value on all the services we are supplying to them, and were delighted recently to be nominated by Which? magazine as “Best Broadband Supplier” at their 2008 Consumer Awards.

Cash flow remains strong with our cash balance increasing to £32.9 million over the period (31 March 2008: £30.3m).

We anticipate further improvement in our growth rate during the coming months. This is expected to be driven by three principal factors:
• the record numbers of new distributors (who have been signing up recently in search of a reliable part-time income);
• greater activity by existing distributors (reflecting their increasing confidence in the value we provide and the quality of the customer service experience we deliver): and
• the tendency of consumers during more difficult economic conditions to be more receptive to a suggestion of switching to a better value supplier.

Our future results will reflect the increase in the number of services we are now supplying, our growing customer base, and higher retail energy prices which are anticipated later this year. We are extremely comfortable with market expectations for the out-turn of our financial performance in the current year to 31 March 2009, and with the dividend guidance we provided in our recently published annual report and accounts. The final dividend of 10p per share in respect of last year (making a total dividend of 14p for the full year) will be paid to shareholders on 8 August 2008, subject to approval at the AGM being held later today.

Interim results for the six months ending 30 September 2008 are expected to be announced on Wednesday 26 November 2008.

Charles Wigoder, Chief Executive said “I am delighted to report an excellent trading performance during the first quarter, reflecting a continuation of the positive trends which have been developing since our sales conference in October 2007. “We have seen turnover, profits, customer numbers, new services and new distributor recruitment all running substantially ahead of the comparable figures at this time last year, leaving us extremely comfortable with market expectations for the current financial year.”

For more information regards joining Telecom plus PLC as an Independent Distributor please visit Telecom plus or call me on Freephone 0800 496 8111

Would You Like a Free BMW Mini?

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:46:00 +0000

Friday 4th July saw me collect my Free BMW Mini from Telecom plus PLC Head Office. The sun was shining and it was all smiles at HQ as I collected my keys from Finance Director Richard Hateley.

Following a champagne lunch at the new St Pancras International 90 meter long Champagne Bar I headed straight to north London where my BMW Mini convertible with full personalized insignia awaited me.

What did I have to do to receive this fantastic marketing tool? I introduced just 75 customers to the fantastic savings offered by the Utility Warehouse Discount Club and I helped three other team members achieve the first level of leadership within the business. How easy is that!

If you would like to know more about how you too could own your own BMW Mini without spending a penny! then please contact me on Freephone 0800 496 8111 or visit my website where you can read more about this fantastic business opportunity.

Mortgage Groups Increase Rates

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:17:00 +0000

Two of the UK's biggest mortgage groups have increased their rates as lenders continue to pass on higher borrowing costs to homeowners the Press Association reported today. Halifax, which writes one in every five new mortgages, has raised the cost of half of its fixed rate products by up to 0.5%, while five of its trackers have been increased by 0.3%. Lloyds TSB has also increased its fixed rate deals, raising them by 0.3%, to give a two-year fixed rate mortgage of 6.44% for people borrowing 75% of their home's value, rising to 6.75% for people borrowing 90%.

The group's new rates, which came into effect on Saturday, leave a two-year fixed rate mortgage for someone with at least a 25% deposit who is paying a £1,499 arrangement fee at 6.99%, compared with 5.59% at the beginning of the year, despite the Bank of England base rate being cut twice since then.

For people borrowing up to 90% of the value of their home the rate is even higher at 7.29%.
The move by the two lenders is part of the latest round of price increases, which saw Nationwide increase its fixed rate loans and some of its trackers by up to 0.5% at the beginning of last week, while Bristol & West hiked its rates by up to 0.75% and the Woolwich increased its lifetime tracker by 0.25%.

If you are concerned by the rising cost of living then please click here to find a way of dealing with the credit crunch or call me, Esther on Freephone 0800 496 8111.

Energy Bills Could Go Up By 40%

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:35:00 +0000

Energy bills could rise from £1,050 on average to almost £1,500. Household energy bills could increase by as much as 40% this winter, the BBC has learned, as oil and wholesale gas prices hit record highs.

The increases could mean households paying £400 more a year on average for their gas and electricity, senior industry sources have said. The increase is far more than analysts have predicted in recent months.

It would put more pressure on homeowners already struggling with higher food and fuel costs. Announcements are most likely to come in August, when energy bills are not at the forefront of people's minds, says BBC business correspondent Nils Blythe. There is a great reluctance in the industry to be the first to reveal a big rise, so the rises may be unveiled in stages, our correspondent adds. The prediction from senior sources in the energy industry is the highest yet. However, some analysts forecast the increases will be nearer 25%.
'Massive effect'

The news comes on the same day that Chancellor Alistair Darling called for restraint in pay settlements to prevent the UK falling into an "inflationary spiral". However, Dave Prentis, general secretary of the public sector union Unison, warned that a large rise in energy bills would have a "massive effect" on his workers and could lead to some pay negotiations being reopened. "We reached a three-year agreement in health at Easter when the retail prices index [measure of inflation] was much lower than it is now," he said. "If prices continue to spiral, that health agreement will be opened and if the government says we are not going to, then we will take industrial action," Mr Prentis said.

According to Capital Economics, a 40% jump in gas and electricity bills would add 1% to the Retail Prices Index measure of inflation, which currently stands at 4.3%.

Wholesale rises - Last month, Centrica - which owns the UK's biggest energy provider, British Gas - signalled that gas prices for customers could increase again in 2008, as it was being squeezed by rising wholesale prices. According to industry watchers Platts, the wholesale price of gas has risen 74% since the start of the year, with gas to be supplied in winter 2008 hitting a record high last week. The wholesale gas price is closely linked to the price of oil, which itself hit a record high of just under $140 a barrel this month. In January, a barrel of oil cost $100.

For information on an opportunity that could prevent these price increases affecting your future outgoings please visit my business opportunity website or call me on Freephone 0800 496 8111.

£90m Electricity Bill Shocker

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:48:00 +0000

MSN reported today of a barmaid who spoke of her disbelief after receiving a £90 million electricity bill!

Alison Turner, 50, of Cambridge, was stunned when the demand from npower arrived through the post. The mother-of-two, who lives alone in a one-bedroom flat, normally spends about £20 every two weeks to top up her pre-payment electric meter. An npower spokesman said it was "a human error"!!

Special Event To Help You Gather Customers

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:52:00 +0000

Released today...

"Special host Esther Callis is building a huge business and has just reached GD in 18 months. She also has the fastest ever SE Gold and 50+ record breaker in her team. If you would like to hear how she did this come and attend this special pre-COP where she will share her customer gathering secrets!! Attend if you are serious about gathering customers faster than you thought possible!

If you are a Distributor already or are interested in joining the business then this event is for you! Iw ill be sharing top tips on how to gather customers and how to keep customers! I look forward to seeing you there.

Venue: The Country Park Inn, Hessle
Date: Wednesday 18th June 2008
Time: 6.30-7.15pm
Contact: 07892 717654 / 08004968111
Web: Utility Warehouse

Congratulations

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 07:23:00 +0000

Congratulations to Andrew who has just broken a Telecom plus record for the fastest time taken to gather his first 50 customers - in just 22 days! A cheque for £1000 was presented to Andrew last night at the Doncaster Career Opportunity Presentation for his acheivement. During the month of May Andrew also broke the record for the fastest Distributor to acheive Senior Executive Gold - attaining the title within just 21 days of joining the business. Further bonuses of over £1000 are on the way to Andrew for this second and equally as impressive acheivement. WELL DONE Andrew. A real flying start!!

For more information about joining the Telecom plus Business Opportunity then please visit http://www.bills2big.com/ or call Esther free on 0800 496 8111.

Exclusive Membership Benefits

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:19:00 +0000

As a member of the Utility Warehouse Discount Club I receive fantastic membership benefits including: -

Free UK Calls
Triple Value Guarantee
Freephone Customer Service Support
Freephone Internet Technical Support
£20,000 Accidental Death Cover
Redundancy Protection

In addition I also benefit from a range of exclusive membership discount rates that have been negotiated with a wide range of companies to help save me even more money. Examples include...

£30 off glasses at Vision Express
A saving of up to £45 on membership at Cannons Health Clubs
10% Discount at Thorntons
Half Price Case of Wine from Virgin Wines
25% off weekend leisure breaks with Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Express by Holiday Inn
Up to 60% off HotelStay UK Short Break discounts
5% discount off P&O Ferries
6% discount off Virgin Holidays
Save 25% on RAC membership

If you would like to become a member and benefit from these same discounts then please contact me on 0800 496 8111 or email me at esther@bills2big.com

Telecom plus PLC Announce Year End Results

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Fri, 23 May 2008 13:16:00 +0000

Telecom plus PLC, the UK's leading low-cost multi-utility supplier (gas, electricity, telephony, broadband), yesterday announced their final results for the year ended 31 March 2008.

Financial Highlights:

· Profit before tax up 45% to £16.8m (2007: £11.6m)
· EPS up 42% to 17.7p (2007: 12.5p)
· Cash generation of £17.0m before share buy-backs of £5.7m and dividend payments of £6.8m
· Year-end netcash balance increased by £4.5m to £30.3m (2007: £25.8m)
· Final dividend of 10p per share (2007: 6p) making a total for the year of 14p(2007: 8p) per share; this represents an increase in the total payment of 75% compared with last year

Operating Highlights included: -

· Annualised growth in services provided of 15% during Q4
· 49% increase in Business Club membership
· Average services per member of 3.11 (2007: 2.95)
· Significant growth in the number of distributors promoting their services
· Successful launch of new “Community Fundraiser” position

Big Mobile Phone Caller?

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:28:00 +0000

For an extra £1.50 per month as a Home Phone customer of the Utilty Warehouse Discount Club you can receive a 25% discount on all your calls to UK mobile numbers. Home Phone line rental costs just £9.99 per month - how fantastically low!

If you would like more information regards becoming a customer of the Utility Warehouse Discount Club or the Mobile Saver option, then please call me on 0800 496 8111 or visit www.bills2big.com for more information.

One Simple Bill!

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:50:00 +0000

The Utility Warehouse Discount Club offers its members the convenience of just one monthly bill regardless of how many services you sign up for. Furthermore, you pay just one monthly direct debit making the stress of paying bills something of the past. On one simple bill you could have your gas, electricity, home phone, internet and mobile al listed. As a customer you also only pay one direct debit making life much easier all round.

If you would like to become a customer of the Utility Warehouse please click here or alternatively telephone Esther on Freephone 0800 496 8111.

Are You A Member Of The Club?

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:37:00 +0000

As a member of the Utility Warehouse Discount Club you get:

All your utilities
All at great value
All on one monthly bill

The Utilty Warehouse provide a wide range of utilities services: home phone, mobile phone, internet, gas and electricity. They guarantee low prices, and offer the simplicity of all your services together on one monthly bill.

You may not have heard of them before - they don't advertise, and have no shops. Instead they rely on satisfied customers telling their friends and family about the great savings and services that they offer.

They are so confident in what they do that there is a no minimum contract term on most of the services they offer. If you want to leave, you can cancel at any time simply by giving 30 days notice and returning any equipment.

There are 3 levels of membership of the Utility Warehouse Discount Club, Standard, Silver and Gold.

Club members receive unlimited free calls at any time of the day, to any fixed telephone number in the UK. When you can make these calls depends on the number of different services you take.

2 Services = Free Calls at Weekends
3 Services = Free Calls at Evenings and weekends
4 or more = Free Calls at any time

To benefit from free calls, you must be using the Utility Warehouse to provide your fixed line telephone calls. For the purpose of the 'FREE UK Calls' offer, BroadCall counts as 2 services. 'FREE UK Calls' does not include calls to mobile, non-geographic (e.g. 0845 / 0870) or premium rate numbers.

If you would like to join the Club, please visit www.bills2big.com to sign up online, or alternatively call me on Freephone 0800 496 8111.

HOW TO AVOID THE HUGE JUMP IN ENERGY BILLS AND REDUCE YOUR BILL TO ZERO!

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:20:00 +0000

The Daily Express this morning reported a Huge Jump In Energy Prices but with the Utilty Warehouse Discount Club you can reduce your utilty bill to zero.

"FAMILIES face another crippling rise in energy prices with bills set to soar by 46 per cent – £415 a household. The latest increase is likely within weeks and will take average domestic gas and electricity bills to £1,327 after a 15 per cent hike in January. It will be another blow to households already reeling from higher food, mortgage and motoring bills coupled with an ever-increasing tax burden. The price rises are being forecast on the back of a pessimistic report yesterday on profits from British Gas’s parent company, Centrica. As market leader, increases by British Gas would spark a chain reaction across the entire energy industry and hit all 27 million domestic customers.

The forecast of unprecedented increases issued by consumer group uSwitch means that average domestic gas and electricity prices will be double what they were in 2005. “Including the 15 per cent rise in January, the worst case scenario suggests bills could rise by as much as £415 in one year,” said uSwitch director Tim Wolfenden. “We believe there could be a bunch of rises by the end of the year. We foresee increases in August and September, but then a real killer rise at the end of the year.”

The consumer group said that the best hope for households would be a 10 per cent, or £105, rise this summer, followed by a further 15 per cent, or £173, in January 2009. That would take the average energy bill to £1,153 by late summer, and £1,327 at the beginning of next year – a £415 increase since the start of this year. Britain’s biggest energy supplier is warning consumers very clearly that massive price rises are on the way, and they are going to hit very hard indeed.

To read the full Daily Express article please view here...

The Utility Warehouse Discount Club offer customers the opportunity to become Customer Gathering Associates (CGA) for a one off fee of £25. As a Telecom plus Customer Gathering Associate you will receive a discount on your own utility bill from The Utility Warehouse. The more customers you introduce, and the more they spend, the larger your discount will become. Typically you will need to introduce around 30 UWDC customers to reduce your own utility bill to zero. Your utility bill can include gas, electricity, home phone, broadband and mobile - all on one bill! Think about it - just a few months of part-time effort and you could never have to pay a utility bill again! You will start receiving discounts with just three customers (which can include yourself).

If you would like to reduce your utility bill to zero and avoid the soaring energy prices then please contact Esther on Freephone 0800 496 8111 to sign up now! Alternatively you can join online at www.bills2big.net

Looking For A New Home Phone Line?

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 06 May 2008 08:05:00 +0000

The Utilty Warehouse Discount Club are now able to provide new line installations for customers. These will be charged at £99.99 if you need an engineer to visit, or just £25 if it is possible to restart the existing line. A massive saving compared to BT!

For more information please visit www.bills2big.com or alternatively call Esther on 0800 496 8111.

Explode your cheque with CGA's

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:10:00 +0000

Thanks to Jeremy Tromans for this useful article...

Are you missing a trick with the CGA opportunity? A small number of people regularly add new Customer Gathering Associates to their ranks and in the majority of cases, have been able to to turn one customer into LOTS of customers. With the launch of the customer referral scheme, the whole process of customer gathering for CGA's has become much easier.

You can download the CGA manual via the Extranet - it's worth a read. CGA's can qualify for discounts of between 2% and 4% off their own Utility Warehouse Bill. These discounts are calculated as a percentage of referred customer bills and can result in a CGA qualifying for a complete 100% rebate of their own bill...free gas, free electricity, free telephone, free broadband, free mobile etc. No other Company or offer comes close. If you can get your head around the CGA position - it's awesome.

We are making it easier for CGA’s to introduce new customers to our services by eliminating the need for them to attend training or keep updated stocks of our latest literature and application forms. They simply need to tell people about the great value and service we offer, perhaps show them their own bill as an example, and persuade their prospects to call our Freephone sales line. As long as the prospect quotes the CGA’s Executive ID when they call, then the customer will be added to their Genie in exactly the same way as if they had used a paper application form. Please note that CGA’s will not be entitled to receive the customer introduction bonus of £1 per service in respect of prospects who have used our Freephone sales line.

New Phone Line Installation

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:46:00 +0000

The Utility Warehouse Discount Club are now able to provide new line installations for customers. These will be charged at £99.99 if you need an engineer to visit, or just £25 if it is possible to restart the existing line. For more information please visit www.bills2big.com or alternatively call Esther on 0800 496 8111.

Credit Crunch

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:45:00 +0000

Thanks to Tony for forwarding on this article...

This is an article from yesterday's Daily Telegraph. Its just one of many carrying the same message.

MORTGAGE payments now account for a record £1 in every £4 of take-home pay, forcing households to cut their spending on “big ticket” items such as home improvements and holidays, according to a report.

Almost three in five adults have had to cancel planned purchases because of higher mortgage costs and the rapidly increasing cost of basic necessities such as petrol and groceries, Mintel, the market research company found. Mortgage payments now take up 25 per cent of the average household’s post-tax income — almost double the 14 per cent they absorbed just a decade ago and more than triple the eight per cent peak outlay at the height of the last housing boom in 1991, according to the research.

The study provided the latest illustration of how the credit crisis was hitting families’ finances.

The latest edition of its annual British Lifestyles survey found that one in five households (20 per cent) had delayed a family holiday, while one in six (16 per cent) had deferred home improvements and one in nine (11 per cent) had chosen not to increase their savings.

Financial experts said the survey provided further evidence of a wider slowdown in the economy. One said sales of large “discretionary” household items such as sofas and high-end electronics goods had “virtually fallen off a cliff”.

They blamed falling house prices and the credit crunch for stopping consumer spending in its tracks. Peter Ayton, the chief statistician at Mintel, said: “People are clearly starting to get a sense that things are not as easy financially as they once were.

“In light of the credit crunch, borrowing has now become harder and we are likely to see even more people having to make sacrifices when it comes to their spending in the future.”

Mintel’s report also highlighted that National Insurance contributions now take a 22 per cent bigger slice of the average household’s pre-tax pay than 10 years ago.

Mr Ayton continued: “While people are clearly aware of the rise in house prices, utility bills and the cost of food and petrol individually, many may not have thought about the combined impact these rises have had on their income. But this, along with the gradual increase in direct tax, has seriously dented people’s spending power and it is now more obvious than ever that incomes don’t stretch as far as they once did.”

David Bush, the head of retail at Grant Thornton, the accountants, said there was “no shadow of a doubt” that retailers selling discretionary products were now suffering. He said: “At places such as Land of Leather the trading has virtually fallen off a cliff in a very, very short period of time — we are talking three to six months.”

The Mintel survey comes just a day after the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors reported that Britain was experiencing its most widespread fall in house prices since records began 30 years ago.

A spokesman for the British Retail Consortium said: “It’s the big ticket items — the DIY and gardening retailers, electronics and also clothing — that have been doing the worst. People are cutting back on non-essentials.”

----------------

So here you are able to offer your friends, family, workmates and neighbours savings of around £450+ per annum AND the opportunity to earn money too. Don't be one of the people who the article is talking about and don't let anyone you know become a victim of the "credit crunch"!

People are waiting to hear from you today... don't disappoint them!

If you would like to know how to save £450+ per annum on your utility bills then contact me today on Freephone 0800 496 8111 or visit http://www.bills2big.com/ NOW!

Passionate or Play It Safe?

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:41:00 +0000

I received this in my inbox today...

If I lined up ten of your friends and associates, would they all report that you are passionate, even fanatical about the work you do and the difference you make? My observation is quite the opposite. Most business owners may love what they do, but more often than not, they come across as tepid, hesitant, and uncommitted. When they talk about their business they are about as inspiring as a wet sponge. Look, I'm not out to insult you, but to challenge you.

If you are not passionate about what you do, excited by the difference you make, eager to share with others, inspired by your clients and moved by the abundance of opportunities and possibilities afforded by your business, you are missing the boat. And what's perplexing to me is that this is the very last thing that business owners focus on. Many people will do very little to nothing. Others will study everything they can about marketing. Still others will work hard to make external changes to their marketing. But very few will do the thing that makes the biggest difference of all: Expressing Authentic Excitement About Their Business!

Excitement, enthusiasm and passion are contagious. Certainly more contagious than "knowing it all" or having a perfect marketing message or even a beautiful web site. Those things (and many more) will emerge naturally out of your enthusiasm and passion. You don't do all of that stuff and hope that it adds up to excitement. You come from excitement and all your marketing will come together effortlessly.

But you say: "But I can't act excited, Robert, if I don't feel excited! You might be enthusiastic and passionate about your business. That's great, but my business is not inherently exciting. And besides, that's not my style. When you talk about having marketing breakthroughs, I just can't relate." I hear this kind of thing a lot. And it sounds very reasonable. In fact, most people would nod in agreement: "Yes, don't get too excited, you might be disappointed and you'll probably turn people off. Better to be low-key and play it safe." Ah yes, the mantra of the mediocre: "Play it Safe." What you may not realize is that playing it safe is killing your business, eliminating your future, suffocating your soul. Playing it safe has become more important than being fully alive. When you are fully alive, you don't think about yourself much or how good you look. You think of those you can serve, those you can make a difference with, those whom you can contribute to. And what more natural outlet to do this than through your business?

Ask yourself, "What is the deadly cost of playing it safe?"

And then ask, "What's really the worst thing that could happen if I let myself be excited, enthusiastic and passionate about my business?"

Finally, ask, "What breakthroughs might happen in my business if I allowed myself to express this excitement, enthusiasm and passion?"

Are you ready for this kind of breakthrough?

The More Clients Bottom Line: Marketing breakthroughs come from expressing your natural excitement, enthusiasm, and passion about your business. They do not come from playing it safe. Honestly answer those questions above. They are the gateway for the breakthrough you are looking for.

Caught in the Crunch - 4,000 Estate Agents Could Be Forced to Close

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:35:00 +0000

As reported in The Times newspaper yesterday by Philip Webster, Political Editor, Christine Seib and Judith Heywood...

Mortgage lenders are to be told to pass on interest-rate cuts to their customers in return for easier and longer loans from the Bank of England as it tries to restore order to the housing market, The Times has learnt. In a radical move to pour liquidity into the blocked lending markets, the Bank is preparing to tell banks and building societies that they will be able to use a wider range of assets as security for loans, and no longer have to rely on top-rated mortgage securities. The move comes amid fears that a third of British estate agents could close their doors within 12 months because of the downturn. The Bank will also follow the US Federal Reserve in offering more three-month loans to banks rather than concentrating on shorter terms.

The moves are being proposed as a way of encouraging banks to start lending to each other again. Their failure to do so has been a key factor in the worldwide credit crunch, and in Britain means that the lenders do not have enough money to finance loans. But at a summit with Alistair Darling next week the mortgage lenders will be told that in return for the Bank helping to free up the market, they will be expected to pass on rate cuts, which many failed to do again last week after the latest Bank reduction. They will also be told they will be expected to help householders who hit difficulties. They will be reminded of their duties to do all they can to avoid repossessions by reworking mortgages, offering people lower monthly payments while extending the term.

The deal has the full backing of Gordon Brown and Mr Darling. Mr Brown will meet bank chiefs in Downing Street tomorrow and in New York on Wednesday as they discuss ways of combatting global financial turmoil. Mr Brown is urging banks to be more open about potential bad debts.
The intervention of Mr Brown and the Bank’s move underlined the fears about a collapse in the market. The Times has learnt of a huge slump of confidence among estate agents. Of the estimated 12,000 agents, at least 4,000 will close by next year, according to predictions by the biggest network of independent estate agencies.

Robin King, director of Movewithus, who described the closures as “massive”, said that sales made within his network had dropped by between 30 and 50 per cent since last year.
One estate agency, the Property Shop, based in Norfolk, shut nine of its ten offices this month, with the loss of about 30 jobs, just before its parent company, the Alexander Partnership went into administration.

Writing in the News of the World, the Prime Minister said yesterday that Mr Darling would discuss “measures to ensure those lower interest rates are passed on to mortgage holders”.
He called on the biggest financial institutions to ensure potential problems were not kept secret.
“Although the Bank of England has cut rates in recent months, the banks have not always been passing those reductions to their customers,” he wrote. He went on: “If the world’s largest banks could come together quickly and agree as a group to come clean about the potential bad debts they face, we could reduce the uncertainty and risk they face and restore confidence back into the markets.” Mr Darling said yesterday that the present turbulence was “the biggest economic shock since the Great Depression”. Calling for reform of bodies such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, he said they risked becoming “marginalised and ineffective” unless they adapted to modern issues.

Recent figures from the National Association of Estate Agents showed that the number of housebuyers on agents’ books dropped to the lowest yet recorded in February, from an average of 276 per agent in January to 243. The number of properties for sale fell from 83 to 74 between January and February this year. At the same time, Justitia, a credit management agency, said that the number of cases it handled from borrowers struggling with debt had increased by 30 per cent in the last six months.

Experts said the forecast was a clear sign of attrition as a result of the credit crunch. Mr King said: “People may not like estate agents, but if they are doing well, everyone else is too. If no one is buying and selling, it is a sign that no one is making any money.” Angela Knight, chief executive of the British Bankers’ Association said: “The question of liquidity is one thing that the banks have wanted to see addressed for some time, issues such as broader collateral and greater liquidity for the sorts of longer terms similar to how the Federal Reserve operates. The UK, US and Eurozone are closely linked so it’s important that we have the same conditions.”

The Bank of England currently accepts so called “triple A” mortgage-backed securities as loan collateral. But the European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve take a much wider and lower-rated range of securities. The UK banks insist they do not want to “dump” their poorer assets on to the central bank but add that it is not fair if the European and US can use lower rated assets to get loans.

On Friday Steven Crawshaw, the chairman of the Council of Mortgage Lenders and chief executive of Bradford & Bingley, said that mortgage lending in the UK would be cut in half this year, from £108 billion last year, if the Bank of England doesn’t pump more money into the market.

The rate at which banks lend to each other closed up on Friday at 5.9275 per cent, from 5.9238 on Thursday. That means that despite last week’s base-rate cut and existing promises by the Bank of England to consider a wider range of collateral, banks are again becoming increasingly reluctant to lend to each other.

The big numbers
45,000 Estimated repossessions likely this year – up 50 per cent
20,000 Job losses in the City of London as a result of the credit crunch
£150 Average monthly mortgage rise because of banks increasing interest rates
3 million Estimated number of households that will see their mortgage payments increase this year
1.4 million Borrowers will come to the end of their fixed-rate mortgage this year and face steep payment increases
£7,500 The average deposit now required for first-time buyers to get on to the housing ladder
$1 trillion IMF estimate of the total cost of the credit crunch
$40 billon Credit crunch banking losses so far
Sources: S&P, CEBR, IMF and Times archives

Seize The Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:22:00 +0000

I was just sent this email from a friend as part of National Friendship Week - its worth taking a moment to read and reflect upon.

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Who wants to be a millionaire' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain.' And my personal favourite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because we cram so much into our lives, we tend to even schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college. Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process The other day , I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy. Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask 'How are you?' Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.' And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift...Thrown away...
Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

Career Opportunity Presentation - Doncaster

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:24:00 +0000

This evening sees the launch of the Doncaster COP which will be held at the home of Doncaster Knights Rugby Club, Castle Park Armthorpe Road, Armthorpe, Doncaster, DN2 5QB. The evening will start at 6.30pm when a presentation will be hosted by top a top Group Director regards improving your Customer Gathering skills. This will then be followed a Career Opportunity Presentation (COP) which will start at 8pm prompt. For anyone interested in the Telecom Plus business opportunity this is the perfect event for them to attend as they will hear about the fantastic residual income available along with other incentives and promotions offered by the company.

These events are held at venues across the country throughout the year. Bring along existing team members too (especially if they bring interested friends!). COPs provide an excellent introduction to the business, given by some of the company’s most experienced and Senior Executives. These are real people, building their teams just like you, and you can learn a lot from their experience. It’s a great opportunity to share successful ideas. When you invite a prospective Executive to a COP, travel together if possible. If not, make sure that you arrive early so that they don’t have to walk into a room full of strangers. Dress well (as for your appointments). Introduce your new and prospective Executives to as many other successful Executives as possible; and be prepared to meet others who are introduced to you. Show your enthusiasm for the business and company. Throughout the presentation sit with whoever you have invited. Be quiet and attentive; listen enthusiastically; engage with the speakers; and DO NOT LEAVE the room during the presentation. At the end, be sure to ask your invitees whether they think this is an opportunity for them. Hang around for a while, so they’ll feel comfortable to stay too.

Words of Wisdom courtesy of Nigel Risner

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:27:00 +0000

Some of the mistakes we all make in our daily lives, that if we start addressing now, will give us a better chance to have a fantastic 2008!

1) Waking up and then trying to figure out what you are going to do that day based on what you feel like doing. High performing men and women know days, weeks and sometimes even months or years in advance what their tasks and timelines are. At the very least until you get the hang of it, plan your next day in advance, at least the night before.

2) Not having your tasks prioritized. When planning your day and mapping out your projects, figure out which activities should be done and in the precise order based upon importance. Create a written list and on the list, number which items are to be completed and in which sequence. 1 is most important, 2 is next most important, etc.

3) Doing it all yourself AKA Not using professionals because you think you can't afford it. It takes you at least 10 times longer to learn how to clumsily carry out a task that a specialist can do in a few minutes. You can't be outstanding at your specialty if you’re trying to be everyone, and do everything yourself, i.e. webmaster, accountant, publicist, grass cutter, etc. (Because you try to do it all yourself is precisely the reason you can't afford it.) You will never reach optimum efficiency with this approach. It’s like driving a car with one foot on the break. Hire professionals and let them do what they do best.

4) Not having a role model. A model is someone you can emulate. A model who will show you the ropes, saving you valuable time, energy and money. Your model will probably have been there and done that and can spare you from making a multitude of unnecessary mistakes.

5) Not having a Coach. A Coach is different from a model, as a coach can zero in on helping you advance specific Goals and stay focused on the tasks necessary to achieve them.

6) Spending time on things that are unnecessary, spending valuable hours disinfecting your desk, reorganizing your file cabinets and dusting your keyboard with a Qtip in the middle of the workday is the ultimate procrastination. If those things must be done, do them before your workday begins or after the workday ends. You won’t waste the hours when it's taking away from your fun time.

7) Not working on you. My mentor taught me to work harder on myself than I do on my business. I still practice reading and listening to motivational tapes first thing in the morning every morning and all throughout the day. Doing this equips me with the mindset needed to go confidently into the day with a positive mindset.

8) Spending large amounts of time and energy with others who do not work on themselves. Getting around other focused, motivated people with Goals, dreams of their own will inspire you. Their positive energy is contagious. Ask your friends, what they are reading, what they are working on, what their Goals are. You become like the people you hang around. Hang around a crowd that challenges you to grow and be your best.

9) Not taking time to celebrate when you reach a Goal. Give yourself the gift of reveling in your achievement. You will habitually learn to tap deeper into your own internal reservoir of motivation when you know there's a pot of Gold of your own design waiting for you.

10) Not having a long term vision to empower you. If all you are doing is racking up a bunch of meaningless tasks, you are merely killing time. Know your purpose for each activity and know how that purpose relates and contributes to the bigger picture of your life, which ultimately gives your time and life greater meaning.

Change Begins with Choice by Jim Rohn

noreply@blogger.com (Esther) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:16:00 +0000

Any day we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish; we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish; we can start a new activity. Any day we wish; we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.

We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives. And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life - If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life - and it all begins with your very own power of choice.