MAKE MONEY ONLINE POSTS: 05/25/18

الجمعة، 25 مايو 2018

FDA Says Claims About Sunscreen Pills Could Burn Sun Worshippers

Bathing suit? Check. Beach towel? Got it. Sunscreen? Absolutely — but you may want to heed this new warning first.

The Food and Drug Administration is cautioning sun worshipers that a pill marketed to keep them safe from damaging rays actually could put them at risk.

Not to mention waste their money.

The agency this week warned four companies to stop advertising sunscreen pills and capsules as effective in preventing sunburn. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says the companies are misleading consumers and putting people at risk of harmful sun exposure.

“The FDA has not approved any pill for the claims these companies are making, so that should be a red flag,” said Theresa Eisenman, an FDA spokeswoman. “There’s no pill or capsule that can replace your sunscreen.”

At $25 to $50 a bottle, the pills are also pricy — especially if they don’t work.

The warning comes just in time for “Don’t Fry Day,” the Friday before the unofficial start of the summer vacation season — Memorial Day. The National Council on Skin Care Prevention designated the day to encourage people to cover up and use sunscreen to protect against skin cancer, the most common cancer in the U.S.

The FDA on Tuesday sent warning letters to Advanced Skin Brightening Formula, Sunsafe Rx, Solaricar and Sunergetic. The agency says the companies are illegally marketing dietary supplements and making unproven drug claims — namely, that their pills and capsules protect people from sun damage and, in some cases, even skin cancer.

On Friday, one of the companies was still advertising its product on its website as a method “backed by science” to protect eyes and skin from ultraviolet rays.

According to the warning letters, the companies claim their pills are useful in preventing or mitigating disease — an assertion the FDA says illegally establishes them as a drug. The FDA must approve all drugs sold for human consumption in the U.S.

These four companies aren’t the only ones advertising such products on popular sites such as Amazon, eBay and Walmart.com, so consumers have to be vigilant.

The only legitimate sunscreens are sold over the counter as creams, sprays, lotions or sticks, Eisenman said.

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Thomas Rohrer advises his patients to apply sunscreen liberally, stay in the shade when possible, wear a hat with a wide brim and protect their eyes with sunglasses when they’re outside. And never sunbathe.

An SPF — sun protection factor — of more than 50 isn’t necessary, he said, although he uses sunscreen with an SPF of 85 or 100. Sunscreens with a higher SPF tend to cost a little more, but Rohrer, whose practice is in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, said they do no harm and may provide extra protection.

Effective ingredients are critical, but it’s also important to choose a sunscreen that feels good on the skin.

“Find one that is cosmetically appealing,” he said. “You have to find a sunscreen that you’ll use.”

It’s never too early to start protecting against skin cancer, according to new guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The group advises doctors to counsel their patients about the importance of sunscreen for babies as young as 6 months old.

Rohrer says an annual screening for skin cancer is a good idea, especially for people who have had the disease or have a history of it in their family. May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

Finally, don’t ignore moles that change in size, shape or color or pimples in a sun-exposed area that linger, crust over, bleed or get larger. They could be signs of cancer or pre-cancer, he said.

One in five Americans will get skin cancer by the time they reach age 70, according to a 2010 study published in the Archives of Dermatology.

Susan Jacobson is an editor at The Penny Hoarder. She always wears sunscreen.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

source The Penny Hoarder https://ift.tt/2s6pv7I

How to Improve the Profitability of Your Small Business Mobile App

If you have been following the latest marketing developments, you know everything is trending in a mobile direction.

Consumers are seemingly glued to their phones and tablets. In fact, 77% of adults in the United States own a smartphone. That number is up from 35% in 2011.

That’s why it’s so important for you to optimize your web design for mobile users. While this is a necessary approach, it’s not enough if you really want to enhance your mobile marketing strategy.

The way people use their phones has changed. People don’t consume information the way they did five or ten years ago.

With the rise in smartphone usage, it makes sense that there is also a growing popularity in mobile app usage.

In fact, 90% of mobile usage time is spent on applications.

If you are one of the small business owners who recognized this trend and built a mobile app, congratulations.

Developing an app is no easy task, and it’s definitely not the least expensive investment you’ll make in your lifetime. But now that your app has launched, you might be having some concerns about your return on investment.

You expected to see massive profits right off the bat, and that’s not always the case.

Some of you may have had your small business mobile app out for a while now. At first, it was performing well, but over time sales have become stagnant or even declined.

Even if your mobile app is successful, there is always room for improvement. That’s the inspiration for this guide.

I’ll explain everything you need to know about optimizing your small business mobile app to maximize sales and increase profitability. Here’s what you need to know.

Don’t charge users to download your app

I know what you’re thinking. How can you make money with a free mobile app?

Charging an upfront fee for downloads may seem like an appealing way to get some fast cash. It could be the way you forecasted getting your initial investment back. But I advise against this strategy.

As a small business owner, you know how important it is to prioritize customer service. You also know how cost-sensitive your customers are.

The investment to download your app will turn people away. Even if you’re only charging a few bucks, it’s just not worth it to people.

Why?

Well, for starters, your customers are not used to paying for their apps. Research shows the vast majority of mobile app downloads are free.

Is your app really that much more valuable to the user than all the other free apps on their device? I doubt it.

Removing the cost to download an app will ultimately result in more downloads. Now people won’t have a reason to hesitate when installing your app on their devices.

The more people download your mobile app to their smartphones and tablets, the greater the chances of them spending money.

Here’s another way to think of it. If you’re using this app as a platform to sell your products, what’s the cheapest item offered on your app?

Now, compare that to the cost you were considering charging for a one-time download. It’s just not worth it to collect an insignificant fee when you can cover these user acquisition costs with actual purchases instead.

Focus on app store optimization (ASO)

Since you’ve already developed a mobile app for your business, I’ll assume you’re somewhat tech-savvy.

Even if you didn’t build it yourself, you at least have your finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest technology. You probably have a website and understand the basic principles of search engine optimization (SEO).

Well, app store optimization is basically the same concept. But it’s in reference to the app store as opposed to an Internet search engine.

There are certain elements based on how you set your app up that will affect your ranking in the app store.

However, there’s a catch. These algorithms and factors will differ depending on where your app is available. The two biggest app stores are the Google Play Store for Android devices and the Apple App Store for iOS devices.

Those of you who have your app available on both platforms, which I definitely recommend, need to understand how these elements affect your ranking.

Here is a look at some of the main differences between these two app stores:

As you can see, there are definitely some similarities between the two stores that have implications for your ASO strategy. The app title in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store has the most significant impact on your search rankings.

The way user reviews and ratings impact your search ranking is also similar on both platforms.

However, some of the key differences here include:

description
keywords field
app listing links

You’ll need to make changes to your listing in each store so that it’s appropriately optimized for ASO.

If you have your app available only in one store, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity here. Alienating a large percentage of your customers is costing you money.

Once you have your app offered in both app stores and prioritize your ASO, you will see more downloads.

As I have previously stated, increased downloads will improve profitability.

Personalize the user experience

What happens when someone downloads your app?

Think about what everyone sees on your homepage and interface. Is it the same?

If the answer to that question is yes, you’re making a mistake. You should encourage app users to create a customer profile when they launch your app.

Often, people are turned off and discouraged by the time-consuming and tedious process of creating a profile. You can make it easier for your customers by integrating your app with their Facebook profile or Google accounts. This simplifies the login process.

Here’s an example from the Quora app that illustrates exatly what I’m referring to.

This is much easier for your users than having to type in all of their information to set up a profile.

But now that they have an account with your app, every action they make can be tracked to enhance their personalized experience.

Based on things such as their search history and previous transactions, you’ll be able to recommend appropriate products and services to each customer.

You can also recommend items based on age, location, gender, etc. Tracking previous purchases makes it easy for customers to complete repeat orders.

All of these factors will help you drive sales and boost profits through your app.

Personalized offers encourage customers to spend more money. In fact, 39% of customers are willing to spend more after receiving personalized mobile promotions.

Use your app to enhance the in-store experience

I know that some small businesses operate exclusively online. So this tactic may not apply to you at the moment.

But I still encourage you to review this section in case you expand your company to physical locations in the future.

But if you have brick and mortar retail locations, your app can help complement the in-store buying process for your customers. How well have you been tracking your customers’ shopping habits?

If you watch them closely, you may have realized they are already using their smartphones while they are shopping in your store.

You might as well integrate your mobile app with your physical store to make shopping even easier for your customers. These are the top ways that customers use their phones while shopping in stores:

Your app should be able to do all the things on this list.

Make it easy for customers to scan a barcode of an item in your store directly from your mobile app platform. Now they’ll have access to a detailed product description and be able to read user reviews.

Give them an option to save items in a list of their favorites so they can buy it later, even if they don’t want to buy it right now.

This will make it easier and more appealing for them to complete the transaction.

On the flip side, they can browse for an item on your app and save it in their favorites list before they get to your store. When they arrive, your app can tell them exactly where the product is located in the store.

Now they can check it out in person to make sure it’s exactly what they had expected before buying it. This really enhances the customer experience.

As we previously discussed, you want to personalize the customer experience.

Your mobile app can also act as a customer identification card for each user. This will be linked to their account and loyalty rewards program. We’ll discuss this concept in greater detail shortly.

Send push notifications

Your mobile website is a great asset to your small business. But one thing it can’t do is contact your customers at will.

Since you have a mobile app, you need to use push notifications to your advantage and reach out to your customers.

You just need to be cautious when it comes to the type of message you’re sending with each push notification.

We know that 48% of app users want to receive push notifications about special offers based on their preferences. This relates back to one of my earlier points about personalization.

Just don’t send push notifications too frequently. That’s because 52% of users believe that push notifications are an annoying distraction. You don’t want your company to be perceived as annoying. Sending too many notifications can cause damage beyond your brand’s tarnished reputation.

For example, 32% of app users will stop using an app altogether if they get too many notifications.

You should also consider the word count of your push notifications.

If you have too many words, they may not fit on the screen. This will obviously have a negative impact on your open rates.

That’s why push notifications with ten or fewer words have the highest click rates.

When it comes to your push notification strategy, your best bet is to only send messages that add value to the recipient. I’d recommend discounts or promotions to get started.

Timely notifications are helpful as well. If your company is delivering something to the customer, such as food, a notification “your food has arrived” would definitely be appropriate.

Just don’t go overboard with these, or users can turn off notifications. If that happens, it won’t help you generate more profits.

Set up a loyalty program

You don’t always need to turn to new downloads and user acquisition to make more money. Instead, look at your most loyal customers as a way to increase profits.

As I mentioned earlier, your mobile app can act as a digital customer loyalty rewards card. We’ve all seen these before. Your small business may even have one of these systems already in place.

I’m talking about things such as a simple punch card. For example, if you have a sandwich shop, you may offer a free sandwich on the customer’s 10th visit.

The problem with this system is that cards get misplaced, and it’s not easy to track the purchases. But a mobile customer loyalty program is much more effective.

You can set it up based on the number of visits, but I’d recommend taking your strategy to the next level. If two customers each make ten purchases, does that mean they are equal?

Not if one spends $100 total and the other spends $1,000 total. Setting up your rewards program based on a spending threshold system rewards your top customers.

Here’s a look at how Sephora implemented this strategy based on a customer’s annual spending:

Adding this feature to your mobile app will help increase the buying frequency and average purchase order for each user.

That’s because customers are encouraged to spend more money so that they can reach the next level. Once they get to a new threshold, their benefits will increase.

As a result, you’ll see higher profits and improve your customer retention strategy at the same time.

Encourage user referrals

As I just finished saying, you don’t always need new customers to improve your profits. That said, it certainly helps.

A great way to get new downloads is by leveraging your relationships with your current customers. Encourage them to refer their friends and family to your app.

However, this is easier said than done. Simply asking your existing users to refer others probably won’t be enough to get the job done.

Sure, your app may be great, but it’s not enough for someone to help you just out of the kindness of their heart. They’ll be expecting something in return.

Reward customers for their referrals. Give them an incentive, such as a discount off their next purchase.

You can reward the referred user as well. It may seem as if you’re giving away too much, but it’s worth it in the long run since you’ll be getting new customers.

Here’s a look at how this feature looks on the Airbnb app:

Research shows that this referral tactic helped boost their app download rates by 300%.

It’s safe to say it’s a winning strategy. It can also create an exponential download effect.

That’s because each time a new user downloads the app, they’ll also be encouraged to invite their friends to join.

This is one of my favorite ways to get your customers to recommend your brand to others.

Optimize the checkout process

Let’s continue our discussion of customer profiles. You want to take full advantage of this feature.

Once the customer makes an initial purchase through the app, you can save all of their information to their account.

Now you have their shipping address and billing information. Unlike on a desktop or mobile site, they don’t have to enter this information each time they want to buy something.

All they have to do is click on what they want and finalize the transaction. The entire checkout process can be completed in a couple of clicks.

That’s why mobile apps have higher conversion rates than mobile websites:

Do everything possible to make your app’s checkout as smooth as possible.

Fewer steps and less friction to complete a purchase will help drive sales. Plus, your app makes it easy to accept alternative payment options, such as Apple Pay.

Constantly monitor the performance

Nobody’s app is perfect.

Sure, you spent the time to make sure it was good enough before you released it, but there is always room for improvement.

Prioritize speed. Avoid glitches. Fix crashes and errors as soon as possible. It will help improve the user experience.

Research found 48% of app users are less likely to use an app if they have a poor experience. And 31% of people say they are less likely to buy something from a company based on a poor app experience. You can’t afford to overlook that.

Read through your user reviews to see the feedback and what needs to be changed.

Use beta testers to help you get valuable insights before releasing new versions and updates.

Conclusion

If your small business has a mobile app, you are already on the right path to success. But if your app isn’t generating high profits, it can feel as if there is a hole burning in your pocket.

One of the best ways to improve your app’s profitability is by finding ways to get more downloads. Ultimately, downloads will translate to dollars.

Make sure you offer your app as a free download. Focus on app store optimization to improve your search rankings in both stores. Encourage users to invite their friends through a referral program.

Personalize the user experience. Use your app to improve the way they shop in your physical stores. Set up a mobile loyalty program, and send promotions through push notifications.

Simplify your checkout process so it’s easy for app users to make a purchase.

If you follow these tips, your small business mobile app will turn into a money-making machine.

How are you using your small business mobile app to drive sales and increase profits?

Source Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/2xfagyk

Meeting an Old Friend: Strategies for Low Cost Meetups

Yesterday, an old friend of mine, one that I’ve known for more than twenty years and talk to online regularly but rarely get to see face to face, came through my area in the midst of a long road trip with his family. We were both excited that our paths were going to cross and we made plans to meet up.

Ordinarily, one might expect that we’d just identify a restaurant somewhere and meet for lunch there. It’d be convenient, right? Well, after some back and forth, we came up with a different plan.

First of all, we decided to meet at a park instead of a restaurant. There were several reasons for this. One, it settled the issue of figuring out a restaurant that everyone would like and that would meet all dietary requirements. Two, it put us in a position where we’d arrive with food already in hand so that we wouldn’t waste our window of time together ordering food and reading menus.

For me, however, the biggest advantage here was that I could just bring a meal made at home. I assembled a sack lunch meal in the morning with stuff I already had on hand and just took that with me. I just made a simple sandwich, took some sliced vegetables and fruit out of the fridge, and grabbed a full water bottle. It was simple, tasty, and incredibly cheap.

That’s really the other advantage of not eating at a restaurant: by not choosing a restaurant, it allowed everyone to choose how expensive they wanted lunch to be beyond the mere choice of what kind of food to eat. I wanted a cheap lunch. Another friend in the area who joined us brought a rather expensive takeout meal, one that probably cost ten times what my lunch did. Our mutual friends had a meal that was likely somewhere in the middle.

It also allowed individual people to consider their own dietary needs and food allergy concerns. This can sometimes be an issue if someone’s on a particular diet and can only eat certain foods or only eat at certain places. This wasn’t a real issue yesterday, but it certainly has been in the past.

Second, it provided a setting to move around. After eating, we went on a short walk together while their child played on the playground. Since they were in the midst of a road trip, it gave everyone in their family a chance to stretch their legs and move around, which felt good.

This was particularly useful for their young child. He seemed to truly enjoy being able to run around in the fresh air for a while and he took full advantage of the playground. (He even convinced the adults to join him on the playground for a while.)

This was the exact reason that we would often stop at parks when our children were younger. It gave them a chance to run around and burn off excess energy from being in the car. They’d run to the playground and wear themselves out with vigorous play while Sarah and I would usually clean up lunch and then take a walk around the park. It gave all of us an excuse to stretch out our bodies after a long car ride and get ready for another leg of the trip.

Third, we could linger for as long as we wanted. At a restaurant, you’re often nudged out the door after a certain length of time, especially if the restaurant is busy at all. At the park, we were free to stay all day if we wished. My sole restriction was needing to get home before my children got off the bus; their restriction was to get back on the road so they could make it to their destination by dark. We were free to hang out on our terms and free to depart on our terms.

We ended up talking for far longer than I expected; I figured they’d want to get on the road quickly, but instead they lingered for quite a while, enjoying the conversation and the nice weather. That probably wouldn’t have happened at a restaurant.

Another big advantage of being in a park is that we could spread out as much as we liked. With a restaurant, you might have a large group jammed into a small booth together or at a small table. At a park, there was no such issue. We spread out a giant blanket near a tree and spread out, with everyone having plenty of elbow room and space.

Finally, stopping at a park gives one an opportunity to enjoy local flavor and roadside curiosities. While this particular meeting didn’t really allow for such events, I have often stopped at great points of interest on road trips, often meeting friends at such places. It can be a great way to add to someone’s road trip while also giving them the freedom to get out and exercise.

Consider what free points of interest are in your area that out-of-towners who are just driving through might enjoy seeing, then plan to meet friends who are stopping by at those places. They get the joy of seeing you and visiting for a while and also enjoying a low cost meal along with the added attraction of seeing something interesting on their trip for free.

In the past, I’ve done this with things like the world’s largest twine ball in Arthur, MN and the statue of Superman in Metropolis, IL. Both of those involved stops in the middle of road trips that added something special to the trip. In both cases, I enjoyed a picnic lunch there, along with time with friends and loved ones. It really added to the trip.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many such places of interest near me, but there are certainly some parks and stops that are more interesting than others. Taking the time to identify a few can be worthwhile for people passing near you, and researching areas where you might stop to visit friends might give you a very interesting place to stop for such a meetup.

So, what can you take out of all of this?

If you’re on a road trip and thinking of stopping for a break at meal time, consider stopping at a park rather than a restaurant. It gives you the opportunity to get some fresh air and go for a walk as well, and if you have children, they can burn off some of that pent-up energy on the playground. You’ll also be far less restricted on the time for the stop – if you want to make it quick, you can just eat and run rather than having to wait for your food and for the waitstaff, but if you want to linger, you can linger for as long as you want to.

If you have friends stopping by as they go through town, consider suggesting a meetup at a park rather than at a restaurant. Again, this eliminates the need to negotiate what restaurant to choose and saves everyone involved money if they so choose. If people prefer food from a restaurant, they can get takeout from any number of fast food and fast casual restaurants. If people prefer food from home, they can bring food from home. You can even bring food for your friends if you so wish.

Look for interesting parks or free roadside attractions as part of the meetup plans. When considering where to meet, consider things in your area that might be interesting for the out-of-towner to see as part of a quick stop and meet there. If you’re going to meet someone as part of a road trip (or just need a place to stop for lunch), research a good stopping point and look for things of interest in that area. Sites like Roadside America and Atlas Obscura are great tools for this type of planning.

If parks are your game plan, come prepared with food in a cooler. Prepare some meals and beverages the night before your departure and stock up your cooler before you leave. Yes, you can always stop at a fast casual restaurant for takeout or a fast food restaurant or even call for something to be delivered, but that adds a lot of expense to the stop. Instead, aim to include the elements of an inexpensive meal or two in your packing and fill up a cooler with cold items just before you leave.

Together, these strategies will save you some money on your road trip while also giving you ample opportunity to stretch your legs and refresh yourself after part of a day of driving (and potentially get ready for another partial day of driving).

The post Meeting an Old Friend: Strategies for Low Cost Meetups appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar https://ift.tt/2s60dXk

To Bee or Not to Bee: Here’s How This Kid Earns $100/Hr as a Spelling Coach

'I'm worried about my credit score after my bank's missed payments'

Moneywise helps a reader tackle a payment error

I have had a Tesco credit card for more than a year. I have a direct debit set up to pay the amount owed in full every month. In February, the payment wasn’t taken. I rang Tesco and it said the payment date had been changed and advised me not to worry and that it would be taken out in March as usual. The adviser said it was all sorted, there would be no late fee and it wouldn’t affect my credit rating.

Then the payment was not taken in March. I rang again and was reassured by the adviser that it would be taken in April. I was told not to worry as there would be no late payment fee and no effect on my credit score.

But then it wasn’t taken in April either. I rang up in tears. Again, the adviser told me it would be sorted, which I didn’t believe. So I decided to transfer the money and pay off the balance myself. I’m really worried that this has affected my credit score. What can I do?

NJ/Anglesey, Wales

Left in the lurch after BSM driving lessons

I contacted Tesco Bank on your behalf to seek some reassurance that things will be put right and your credit score won’t be hit.

The bank responded promptly and positively. It said: “We apologise that NJ’s direct debit payment was stopped in error, which resulted in the payments between February and April not being collected. We have confirmed that no fees have been applied as a result, and that the customer’s credit file will not be affected. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

“My payment wasn’t taken. I rang up in tears”

I pointed out that you suffered some distress because of the situation and asked if it could give you a gesture of goodwill by way of apology. Tesco Bank told me it has offered you £250 as compensation.

I asked you if you were happy with the outcome. You told me: “I’ve asked Tesco Bank to close my credit card account as I no longer want anything to do with the company.”

Hermes won’t pay up over lost TV

I don’t blame you. Despite calling every month, the error wasn’t dealt with, leaving you concerned about your finances. But I’m confident that your credit score won’t have been hit and hope that the compensation goes some way to easing your anger.

OUTCOME: Reader gets £250 compensation for payment error

Section

Free Tag

Fight for your rights

Twitter

Source Moneywise https://ift.tt/2s8fQxi

Water bills: don’t splash the cash

If you pay for your water supply, then you may want to consider having a meter installed. It could boost your household finances

Water bills are on the up, following increases at the start of April which saw the average water and sewerage bill rise by £9 to £405.

In England and Wales, where a household’s water supplier depends on where you live, the average increase for this tax year was 2%. However, some customers – such as those of United Utilities – faced a bigger increase of 4%.

15 ways to make your garden – and savings – grow

In Scotland, where water and sewerage prices depend on your council tax band for your home – and are covered by a ‘combined service charge’ – bills will rise by 1.7% on average. This means that those in tax band D, for example, will pay £437 a year.

In Northern Ireland, there are no domestic water charges.

Water is just one of a number of bills that have gone up in recent months for many households, piling increasing pressure on people’s finances.

Tim Robertson, chief executive of Save Water Save Money, says: “With consumers already navigating a year of consistent price increases, high inflation and low wage growth, it is well worth taking steps to mitigate the annual rise in water bills.”

Andy White, charges expert at water watchdog the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), adds: “There are lots of ways you can save money, including trialling a water meter, taking advantage of free water-saving devices, and checking to see if you’re eligible for a cut-price tariff.”

Moneywise takes a closer look.

Install a water meter

While you can’t switch water companies – as you can with gas and electricity suppliers – you may be able to save money by having a water meter fitted.

Mr White says: “For many households, this can be the most effective way to cut water bills, and you can get a meter installed free of charge.” With a meter, the size of your bill depends on your consumption rather than the rateable value of your property.

water-meter.jpg

As a rule of thumb, if your home has more bedrooms than people living in it there’s a good chance you may be able to save money. Mr White adds: “Water meters won’t benefit everyone, but some people can save more than £100 a year.”

In most cases, you’ll have up to two years to switch back to unmeasured charges if you change your mind.

That said, some water companies in the south-east of England are rolling out universal metering programmes, where customers do not have the option to switch back to unmeasured charges. Always check your options with your water company before switching.

To find out if you might be better off switching to a meter, make use of an online calculator – the Consumer Council for Water has a handy calculator (Ccwater.org.uk/watermetercalculator).

Note that in Scotland, it’s not free to have a water meter installed, so you are probably best sticking with what you have. Also, be aware that as there are no domestic water charges in Northern Ireland, there is no need for a meter.

Water bills to rise by 2%

Get help with your water bills

In England and Wales, there are additional ways to save on your water bills – such as via social tariffs and through the WaterSure scheme.

"To find out if you’d be better off with a meter, check online"

Every water company now offers a reduced social tariff for eligible low-income customers. Some of these tariffs can slash bills by as much as 90%. You can find out if you’re likely to qualify for help, and how to apply, by using CCW’s social tariff guide. Visit Ccwater.org.uk/households/help-with-my-bills.

If you’re already a metered customer, meanwhile, but have high usage due to a medical condition or because you have a large family, and also receive income-related benefits, the WaterSure scheme could help. It limits the amount you’re charged and in most cases will be capped at the average household bill for your water company region.

In Scotland, households can find more information about the help available at the Water Industry Commission for Scotland at Watercommission.co.uk/view_HouseholdCustomers.aspx. Also visit Citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/consumer/water/water-and-sewerage-s/paying-for-water-and-sewerage-in-scotland-s/. For example, if you are entitled to a single person’s discount on your council tax, it will also be applied automatically to the water and sewerage charges on your council tax bill.

People in Northern Ireland can find out about the help available by visiting The Consumer Council at Consumercouncil.org.uk/water/additional-help-for-energy-and-water-customers/. Help with adapted equipment like tap handles and control knobs is available to people on the Customer Care Register, such as pensioners and those with a disability or chronic medical condition.

Eddie and Jill Joesbury-Clarke.jpg

“We are making big savings now”

Eddie and Jill Joesbury-Clarke (pictured above)from Worcester in the Midlands managed to cut their water bill from £750 a year to less than £400 by switching to a water meter.

The couple, who live in a three-bedroom bungalow, opted to trial a meter with Severn Trent Water back in 2013 to see if that would reduce their costly bills.

Eddie, 84, says: “I went online and put our details into the water meter calculator on the Consumer Council for Water website. The site told me that we could potentially make a pretty substantial saving, so we were keen to give it a go.”

After moving to metered charges, the couple managed to almost halve their bill.

“We now pay less than £400 a year for our water,” says Eddie. “This has made a real difference to our household finances. My only regret is that we didn’t trial a water meter all those years ago when our children left home. But at least we are making big savings now.”

The couple say they have always been conscious of using water sparingly so as not to waste this finite resource. Eddie adds: “We take all sorts of water-saving measures, such as having a dual-flush system in the toilet, and using a water butt to collect rainwater in the garden. I have also only ever used a sponge, bucket and watering can to wash the car – never a hosepipe.”

Are you owed a £121 refund from your energy provider?