Credit cards that offer cashback pay shoppers when they spend on their plastic

Many households could help themselves to substantial savings

Owners and buyers of overseas properties should look to specialist currency transfer services, rather than banks, for competitive exchange rates and savings on a range of other charges

Household water bills in the capital will generally rise by a few pounds from 1 April 2010, with Thames Water's 2010/11 charges up an average of 1.3 per cent to £303

Home insurance premiums have risen 10 per cent in a year, so it’s more important than ever to shop around when renewing policies

Foreign banks, which have already shaken up the UK savings market, are offering mortgage rates as low as 2.5 per cent to British homeowners

Despite the base rate dropping to a historic low of 0.5 per cent, credit card rates remain stubbornly high at 18 per cent on average, so it pays to find ways of cutting their cost

A domestic boiler breaks down every 20 seconds in the UK, often leaving their owners stressed and facing a big unexpected bill

Households and landlords looking to save money on white goods and home appliances may be able to find bargains on retailers’ clearance websites