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The car rental market is saturated with providers, most of them above board and operating an ethical service but as with any industry there are some unethical firms out there looking to rip off their customers. We all hate additional charges, particularly if they are hidden from us and sprung on us at the last minute…so we’re giving you a heads up. Even if you use only the most reputable companies with the highest level of trust you can still be subject – legally – to these charges. View some examples you may not automatically think of below:

Drivers licence

Many providers have limitations with regards to the type of licence you can use with substantial extra charges in place for customers without these specific pre-requisites. The number of points on your licence can be a factor (generally the rental companies want no more than 6), the duration for which you have had the licence is another factor with a year minimum seeming to be the requirement for an number of firms. Age is also a factor with service providers listing a minimum and maximum that they will accept – this is usually around a 21 year old minimum with a 75 year old maximum. Finally, the type of licence you hold is a factor with most providers only accepting full licences before they hand over the keys.

Amendments to booking

It’s common to incur charges for amending your booking at a later date – given that hiring a car is not a small cost though, if through carelessness or ignorance you do fall subject to some of these charges the cost to you can be significant compared with say, losing a restaurant reservation deposit, particularly if the hire is planned for a longer duration. Obviously in some situations things happen last minute which mean that you could not have cancelled the booking any sooner but as soon as you know you’re going to need to cancel, do it! Upon booking too it’s vital to check the time restrictions for cancellations as these can vary from firm to firm.

Out of hours

This is an understandable charge given that an out of hours service will incur significant additional costs to the provider, however it can be beneficial to be aware of any out of hours charges prior to booking. Perhaps it might not be that inconvenient to return the car those few hours earlier after all…

Other Extras

Travelling with children? Opting for a diesel car? Need a sat nav? These can all cost more depending on the provider you go with. Although these are all standard add-ons with many vehicles these days when renting, anything more than the norm (especially with the budget firms) will add on to that final price. In particular booster seats, baby seats and child seats all appear to be optional and require additional payment.

Area charges

As our final point let’s look at location-based charges. The congestion charge applicable to those vehicles driving into London is a good example of these – perhaps you could look at a hotel just outside of the charging zone if you are thinking about visiting and hiring a car in the capital! Also, one way rentals and renting in premium locations can hike up the price too.

Nothing in life is free. This old adage applies not only to earning an education, but landing a job in the workforce. There is a price to be paid at every level to earn an education whether it is property taxes to pay for public elementary and secondary schools, or tuition to pay for a post-secondary education. Beyond a Bachelor’s degree it is up to the individual to invest further in their education in order to increase their earning potential.

Many individuals with a Bachelor’s from a business program or currently employed in the business sector choose to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration. Pursuing any Master’s degree, an MBA included, is an added expense for an individual’s education. Earning an additional degree needs to pay off in the end by giving graduates the leg up they need to land higher paying jobs.

So, after a student graduates from an MBA program, what are some of highest paying careers for Master’s of Business Administration graduates? According to Monster.com there are a number of sectors in the business industry that offer six figure salaries to graduates with an MBA.

Finance

According to Monster.com, the field of finance is one of the few in business where an MBA is almost a must-have in the eyes of an employer. An MBA is seen not only as important for advancement in finance careers, but also for junior and entry-level positions as well. The median mid-career salary for many MBA holders in finance is $121,000 annually. The following are some of the highest paying careers for Master’s of Business Administration graduates:
– Chief Financial Officer: $168,000
– Finance Director: $151,000
– Senior Financial Analyst: $85,600

Marketing

Marketing is a different animal when it comes to the need for an MBA, especially compared to the field of finance. While it is possible for entry and junior-level employees to land and hold jobs in marketing without an MBA, the current economic situation has made holding an MBA an advantage when it comes to advancement. According to Monster.com, the median mid-career salary for MBA holders in marketing is $113,000 annually. The following are some of the highest paying careers for Master’s of Business Administration graduates:

– Marketing Director: $133,000
– Business Development Manager: $105,000
– Marketing Manager: $102,000

Information Systems

Similar to the field of marketing, individuals working in the field of information systems do not necessarily need an MBA degree to be successful. Possessing relevant experience in the field of information systems and the proven ability to solve real world problems is as important to employers as an MBA. Those hoping to reach higher executive level positions will eventually need an MBA however. Monster.com reports that the median mid-career salary is $106,000. The following are some of the highest paying careers for Master’s of Business Administration graduates:

– IT Director: $120,000
– IT Project Manager: $103,000
– IT Manager: $99,800

No two individuals will have the same experience upon graduating from an MBA program. The degree itself will not qualify any two people for high paying positions on merit alone. Individuals will need to pursue additional certification in some fields and have proven on-the-job experience with real world success. According to Katie Bardaro of PayScale.com, it is important to remember that simply earning an MBA isn’t a recipe for success. Bardaro reminds students that it is important to remember which MBA focuses are common in business and which ones are desired.

Signs of a Shopping Addiction

Like any other addiction, it can be difficult to recognize when you’ve truly crossed the line into the dangerous territory of “shopaholic.” It’s one thing to recreationally shop at the mall on a Friday night and do a bit of end-of-week splurging, and another to make it a weekly – or worse, daily – habit. This habit, as has been seen in financially devastated households across the country, can culminate to cripple not just your budget, but your entire family’s budget.

Below are five tell-tale signs you may belong to the 6 percent of Americans who have developed addiction to shopping:

1. Impulse shopping. Perhaps the most common sign of being a shopping addict is the tendency to purchase items you didn’t intend to buy, instead acting on a general whim. When the sales clerk approaches you and tries to sell you a product, are you more likely to say “no thanks” and walk away, or find a justification to buy the item against your better judgment? You may notice that you especially have this tendency with a particular group of products you’ve taken a liking to – clothing, electronics, etc.
2. The “rush.”The next time you find yourself out and about at a shopping center, stop to consider why you’re there to begin with. Have you set out on an agenda to meet a specific need, or are you wandering about in search of something to do – the “rush” of purchasing a product? Shopping is attributed with increases in dopamine levels of the brain upon buying a product, providing a science to what some may incorrectly see as a fickle disease. This dopamine rush can, more often than not, form a real addiction that makes you crave a new purchase much like you would a cigarette.
3. Stress shopping. Shopping addiction forms when other aspects of life begin to go awry. If you find that you shop the most when your stress levels are high or you flee to the mall post-argument, re-evaluate your shopping habits. You may be particularly prone to this habit if you already suffer from other disorders such as depression, anorexia, or bi-polar disorder.
4. Your closet is already filled with tagged items. Perhaps the most obvious looking-glass sign that a person suffers from a shopping addiction is the stockpiling of unused items. If your closet is loaded with clothing items that have had their tags attached to them for a long period of time and have begun gathering dust, it’s an obvious sign that a person’s shopping habits are beyond irregular and need attention called to them.
5. Anxiety. Though not the easiest feeling to pinpoint with the million other stressors in your life, it is likely that your anxiety is a result of shopping (or a lack thereof) if you feel it most overwhelmingly during the days you haven’t gone shopping. Consider it a withdrawal that can drastically alter your mood and ability to concentrate.

This addiction, referred to by psychologists as Compulsive Buying Disorder, can lead to a frenzy of financial distress, as you find yourself signing up for credit cards you can’t afford (especially retailer-specific cards) and re-allocating funds meant for essentials so you can purchase that “must-have” cardigan carefully placed in the shop window for your eager eyes to ogle. To help prevent your addiction from moving any farther along its trajectory, consider taking small steps to changing your habits: carry a set amount of cash everywhere you go, change daily routes to avoid stores, exercise, and more. The proactive steps just may save you a bundle in the long run.

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Energy prices have risen rapidly recently, and as a result, many households and businesses have looked at their monthly gas and electricity bills with a look of astonishment over how much they’ve been charged by their supplier. As a result, many energy companies are trying to persuade unhappy customers that, by switching to them, they can get a better deal, but is this actually true? It might sound tempting, but some energy suppliers contact people either door-to-door or via telephone without actually giving them a better deal after switching, which can be misleading.

Energy regulator Ofgem, which oversees energy companies in the UK including the so-called ‘Big Six’, says that if businesses and households are unhappy with their current energy supplier because they’re paying too much, they could switch in order to save money. Ofgem state that by failing to switch supplier, businesses could be spending at least £100 a year more than is necessary on their energy bills, which for smaller companies can be a significant amount of money that’s wasted.

To make sure that consumers are aware that they can find a cheaper deal elsewhere, Ofgem and Citizens’ Advice are launching a switching campaign called Energy Best Deal. The campaign claims that, by switching to a different energy supplier, businesses and households could save up to 40% on the cost of energy. The campaign states that, by making enquiries to several energy companies, trying to take advantage of special offers and visiting price comparison websites such as Make It Cheaper energy saving, it’s possible to cut energy costs without too much hassle.

However, switching supplier usually takes between six to eight weeks, so to get it done businesses need to allocate themselves time for it to happen, and they should remain patient. Also, businesses are advised to look at different companies, including smaller energy suppliers, to see what they have to offer. An increasing number of businesses are making the decision to switch to a smaller energy supplier from one of the ‘Big Six’ energy companies for several reasons. A spokesperson from makeitcheaper.com explained why:

“A number of our customers said that they trusted smaller energy suppliers more than the Big Six, especially because of their more reasonable prices and customer service. On top of that, 55% of those we spoke to said that billing issues were problematic, with 40% talking about poor customer service provision. Make It Cheaper was set up so that anyone who came to us would find the best possible deal for energy prices and customer service.”

or any businesses who may be interested in saving money on energy costs, they are hosting a two-hour free event in Twickenham, where Liberal Democrat MP and Business Secretary Vince Cable will be doing a Q&A session on small business issues. Anyone who attends can also network while receiving advice on how to save money for their company. It takes place at The Albany, 1 Queen’s Road, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham TW1 4EZ, and is on from 6pm-8pm.

Saving money on your car isn’t all about travelling less and using other means to get about, it’s also about how you drive and reaping the rewards from converting your driving style to combat the rising fuel costs.

Buying an economical car is also a great first step, one that offers a great return on miles per gallon, whether it be a hybrid, a modern diesel or EV vehicle. However, they won’t be any good to you if you’re driving them in the incorrect fashion.

The general idea of economical driving is to do everything smoothly and gently, accelerating without excessive force and reading the road ahead to avoid unnecessary heavy braking. Slowing the car down smoothly is also imperative, whilst also leaving the car in gear.

Reading the road also gives you enough time to slow down without the need to stop, as stop-starting will use up more fuel and instead it’s advisable to keep the car rolling for as long as possible.

Some modern cars will allow you to make use of an indicator of when to change gear, another important factor in driving economically. Changing gear at the correct time is vital when saving fuel, as over revving a car’s engine will use up more petrol or diesel and the general rule is to keep the revs below 2,500 in most vehicles.

Gadgets in the car are also powered by the car’s fuel reserves when the engine is turned on and turning off things like air conditioning, rear window heaters, demisters and headlights when it’s not necessary to have them in use will help bring down fuel costs.

Additional elements to saving fuel can come from making sure you’re maintaining the car in the proper manner and frequently. Getting the vehicle serviced, checking/changing the oil and making sure tyres are inflated to their required amount are very important.

Cars tend to be getting lighter each time they’re redesigned, but making sure you’re not carrying any unnecessary weight will also help you cut down costs, as will having the car streamlined as much as possible, so removing roof-racks when not in use will reduce resistance and drag.