SAVING: €0 GUESTHOUSE

BRITAIN may be in a financial mess, no thanks to ousted leader Lizz Truss, pictured, but they still look after their pensioners.

Their state pension will rise by 10.1 % from April, after the UK government said it would honour its triple-lock promise.

This will increase pensions yearly by the highest of 2%, wage increases or inflation.

Our lot gave us a fiver on social welfare and pension rates – it should have been €20 to keep up with inflation.

Next year, we’ll get €12, which will also see us fall short of inflation again.

VERDICT:

Don’t haggle in a taxi because the prices are fixed.

A hackney cab is more negotiable, especially for a long journey. But in the current climate of pricey diesel, don’t expect much joy if you do.

After collecting my car from Cork, it was 10pm and I was far too tired to drive back to Dublin that night. I found a guesthouse for €60 per night.

But when I arrived, quite late, the landlady wanted cash. I had a €50 note and after searching the car, came up with another fiver in coins. She seemed happy to accept €55 in cash.

SAVING: €5

VERDICT:

Booking-prices are not written in stone. And when a trader wants to be paid in cash, there’s always leeway on price. It also shows that it’s worth carrying cash around.

TOTAL SAVING: €1,486