3. You might be better off single

Whenever I interview people, I start by getting their marital status. They always look at me funny--usually because they don't want the job or feel that they are already overqualified. I get that, but I do this just to put them at ease.  I tell them "I'm not vetting you for your spouse - if it was up to me, all of my employees would be married (preferably with kids)". But then I go on to say that in these difficult economic times, lots of people have to make hard choices and a good way to start is by doing some financial planning.

Everybody wants to save money, so what do you do when traveling by air with a buddy? You decide to purchase a return ticket instead of two one-way tickets, right? Unless you were born yesterday, Mad About Brighton (madaboutbrighton.co.uk). We’ve all heard the saying “the return is always cheaper than two singles. ” There are various reasons why this makes sense and why it doesn’t . In our example of traveling by air, it makes great financial sense to purchase a single round-trip flight.

What’s worse than single? A return. If you are in a relationship with someone who decides to go abroad for the year, chances are you aren’t going to find a return ticket at the same price as your single ticket. This is especially true if you have class-based tickets that are restricted by when you can travel. Single tickets, on the other hand, can be used anytime. I've often said that you are more likely to be single if you fly on discount airlines.

The theory is simple: singles tend to fly on no-frills carriers, but married folks and families often fly on full service carriers, which means booking a single ticket is cheaper . What I did not realize is that this might apply to car rental as well. I’m not saying you should break up with your significant other, but maybe you are better off single. The conversation seems to be picking up pace these days as singles become a larger percentage of the population.

5. Get a Railcard

Are you in the market for an annual railcard? Just like a bus or coach pass, the railcard will only work on certain times and days during the week. Also, check to see if you qualify for other discounts as well. For example, I regularly use my 16-25 railcard (which gives 1/3 off) as I am within this age range. I also have a student railcard which I sometimes use when travelling out of London to save money.

With over 1. 2m railcard holders, railcards have become one of the most popular and sought after rail promotions. With a railcard holders can enjoy a third off all train tickets, except for certain peak time travel (rush hour). The railcard offer is available for groups of three to five and individuals, and those who are eligible can apply for a “family & friends” card too. If you are a frequent traveller or commute to work by train this may be something you would like to look into further.

Find out if you can save money with your railcard and how much you could save by visiting madaboutbrighton.co.uk You could be saving yourself lots of money every year with one, so what are you waiting for?. Railcards offer up to 1/3 off fares in the UK for different groups of people. There are a number of them available and some people find they can save quite a bit of money on their train tickets when they use them.

As an example, I use two rail cards to save me up to £240 a year. If you’re a student, over 60, disabled, young person or one of the other certain groups, you might be eligible for reduced off-peak rail fares. Railcards usually discount people by either 1/3rd (for 16-25 year-olds) or 1/2 (for other groups). There are a number of railcards that can offer you money off train tickets and an overall reduction in day-to-day expenditure.