Zero-rated for VAT

In the UK there are three VAT (Value Added Tax) rates. The standard rate is currently 20% and applies to most goods and services. A reduced rate of 5% is payable on items such as children's car seats and gas and electricity for your home, and there is a zero rate too.

I've look at the products and services that are VAT-free in the UK and here what I found out:

Items that are zero-rated for VAT

Baby wear, children’s clothing and children’s footwear

Books, newspapers and magazines

Printed or copied music

Caravans (depending on their size)

Water supplied to homes

Donated goods sold in charity shops

Goods and services that are exempt from VAT

Betting and gaming

Bingo and lotteries

Physical education and sports activities

Burial or cremation of dead people, or burial at sea

Funeral plans written under contract of insurance

Medical treatment and health care

Postage stamps (UK and Isle of Man)

Financial services such as loans and other forms of credit

Insurance services 

(Courtesy of Which?)

When looking for deals and offers, I've realised that I should start checking my usual grocery shopping list which I might find an alternative items that are zero-rated VAT. Though I still have to pay for some products with VAT, at least I'll still make savings on some of it.

I found this shopping list comparison (Courtesy of The Telegraph) that might be useful when doing your grocery shopping.

VAT Shopping List

- Takeaway hot food £1.09

- Cereal bars £1.98

- Partly or wholly chocolate-covered shortbread £1.59

- Crystallised ginger £2.04

- Raisins packaged for snacks 70p

- Squash £1.09

- Potato crisps £1.69

- Ready-made popcorn £2.60

- Prawn crackers made from cereals £1.48

- Shelled roasted or salted nuts £1.15 for 100g

- Ice cream and ice lollies £3.99

- Chocolate-coated biscuits £1.25

- Gingerbread men with chocolate decorations 99p

Total: £21.64

Non-VAT shopping list

- Freshly baked food £1

- Flapjacks 73p

- Millionaires Shortbread (with caramel layer) £1.19

- Ginger in syrup £1.85

- Raisins packaged for baking 18p

- Milkshake and flavoured milk drinks 85p

- Crisps made of other vegetables and wheat-based snacks such as tortilla chips 89p

- Microwave popcorn £1.99

- Prawn crackers made from tapioca £1.62

- Roasted or salted nuts still in shells or packaged for home baking 65p for £100g

- Frozen ready meals and baked Alaska £2.97

- Chocolate chip biscuits 49p

- Gingerbread men with a few dots of chocolate for eyes 65p

Total: £15.06

I hope you find this topic useful and interesting. Feel free to share your thoughts with us and you can always share this with your friends.

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Paid Surveys

I can't remember how many times I have registered to do a paid survey. I've been doing this since for more than a year now. I reckon the survey website didn't allow me to redeem my points when I reached the minimum requirement that is why I stopped doing it. From then on I've lost interest in doing any paid surveys thinking that I'm just wasting my time till I found this website with a better offers and options on redeeming points.

MySurveyUK

         Basically, you can earn points by completing most surveys. Some surveys does not carry so make sure to check first, the website will clearly state it though. You can do surveys in any device that you preferred to use. I preferred using my mobile so I can always do the survey wherever I am and If I have a spare time. I am receiving emails in a regular basis inviting me to do the survey and it will suggest what device is needed for a particular survey. So far I've collected 80 points and 90 prize entries. I have to reach a minimum of 345 points before I can redeem MySurvey Points.

If you want to gain more prize entries points, watch for the mini poll for short surveys. Usually it's one question only that once completed and additional 5 points will be added into your account just what I did. 

CamSurvey

CamSurvey is another way to boost your points, it's a survey that requires a webcam. I'am still waiting for my invitation to do this one but I remember doing a similar thing on my previous subscription which I have to watch a video clip and answer the questions based on what I have observed in the video.

Refer a Friend 

You can also refer a friend to get more points, MySurveyUK offers +110 points per referral. 

Redeem Online

The points can only be redeemed online. There are different ways to shop using your points depending on the amount you've collected. For less than 1000 points, below are the shops where you can spend or exchange your points.

There is a better offer for you if you decide to keep earning points up to 2000 and spend it on the following shops. Most of them offers a voucher or gift card. Remember, you can redeem your points once you reached the minimum of 345 and there's no limit on how much you wanted to earn.

Below are the other websites that offers paid surveys, you're more than welcome to try them and recommend if you're already using any of it. Feel free to like and recommend this post to your friends. Thank you. 

YouGov

Top Paid Surveys

Valued Opinions

Survey Compare

Opinion Outpost

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Product Tester and Mystery Shopper

Have you been a product tester or mystery shopper at some point? I am receiving a lot of emails about becoming a mystery shopper or product tester. I did register in some of them but never heard back, not even once. I was thinking that I might not be lucky to be selected but the other side of my head is telling me that this is another tactic of getting my personal information that will then be used to contact and offer me different products or services.

I've looked up for real people who've been offered to be a mystery shopper or product tester which I found few and it's very interesting that they've actually done it. The first video is of Claire who's been given a £100 Boots gift card to spend and buy whatever she likes.

Part of this mystery shopping idea is for Claire to say something about Boots store layout, the over all quality of the product and service, value for money as well as the staff friendliness.

            

Claire seems to enjoy all her stuff from Boots, who wouldn't if it's for free!!! How easy it is to spend £100 on something that you like and just say few words about your experience? I want to be a Boots mystery shopper so I've looked up on how to do it and I've found this link Product Testing UK just after the video description uploaded in YouTube.

Actually the website is more about product testing, all you need to do is to select a product that you want to test and keep, then sign up. Below are the examples that you could test and keep. 

You need to sign after up by providing your details like name, email and phone number. The last bit is a bit tricky because you'll be asked to answer around 15 to 20 survey questions before you can actually get your chance of getting the product for testing. 

There is another website which is the UK Mystery Shopper with similar approach as Product Testing UK, but this time you have to select the shop that you're interested to be a mystery shopper. Some of the shops are shown in the photo below.

There's no harm in trying, there are people who've done it and might be worth doing if you fancy a £100 free gift card or £100 worth of voucher. Tell us your experience and you can always share this blog with your friends.

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