Consumer Hacks: Ways to save money in 2024

1. Ways to save money in 2024?

Looking for more ways to save money in 2024? Here are some things to consider ditching, according to Budget Insurance: 
1. Your old gas guzzler - if your car is heavy on fuel or costs you a small fortune to maintain or repair, consider swapping it for a more practical, reliable, and fuel-efficient vehicle. 
2. Micro charges – small fees for using your bank card at another bank’s ATM  or doing immediate EFTs can add up to hundreds of Rand every month.
3. Old geysers and fridges, inefficient bulbs or outdated taps - yes, it costs to replace them, but more efficient appliances will save you a lot of money in the long run.

2. No, you don’t always have the right to a refund

Remember you have no legal right to return something you bought in a physical store if there’s nothing wrong with it. So do try on that clothing or make sure the couch will fit before you make payment. Some retailers will do an exchange or credit as a customer service, but they don’t have to.

3. Here’s a way to dodge fraudulent travel operators

Not one travel-related scam or fraud incident over the past decade has involved a member of Asata - the Association of Southern African Travel Agents - says its CEO, Otto de Vries. "With members accounting for approximately 99% of the travel industry market share, this fact demonstrates the effectiveness of self-regulation through our membership requirements, which serve as industry accreditation,” he says. To avoid potential fraud, ASATA advises travellers to verify that agencies display the official ASATA logo, request and verify the membership certificate, and look up the agency online on the ASATA website directory before booking. 

4. New product; old warranty? 

Errol asked: I had an electric gate installed 7 months ago, with a 12-month warranty. The motor now needs replacing, and I’ve been told the original warranty applies to the new motor, which means it only has a 5-month warranty.

“Is this the norm? Doesn't seem right to me.”

I’m afraid that’s correct.  All the company has to do is ensure that you get full use of a product for the full warranty period. No more. 

5. Did you know that tyres expire?

I just saw a WhatsApp group advert for a set of tyres which were removed from a woman’s new car seven years ago and stored ever since. Bad deal. Tyres generally come with a life span of four or five years from date of manufacture. The AA warns: “Don’t use expired tyres. They are likely to burst (especially when running in hot weather) because the rubber component may have hardened and cracked.” So how do you date a tyre?  Via a series of four numbers imprinted on the tyre. The first two are the week of the year, and the second two, are the year. So a tyre manufactured in the first week of February would have the numbers 0524 on it.

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