Consumer Advice February 2010
Post comments, questions and answers in the Consumer advice section of Candis Chat
Speed up your
computer
If your computer is running really slowly, it's usually because you've simply got too much on it. There also may be a virus or two, which could have crept on. Technology expert Dermot Nolan, Director of consultancy TBS, gives us his tips on how to clean them off. If it's really slow you may need to leave your computer to get on with the clean-up operations he's suggested below:
- Problems are caused by cookies, caches, temporary files and so on clogging up the system as well as possible viruses and infections so you need to clear them off. In Windows XP, try the Disk Cleanup - click Start>Control Panel>Performance and maintenance>Free space on your hard disk. This will start the Disk Cleanup application, which may take a few minutes. When it's finished it will show you a list of files it suggests you remove. Have a look through and untick any you know you still need or use - it's unlikely you'll see any you recognise - then click Okay. It's slightly different in other versions of Windows so search Disk Cleanup on your PC.
- Use a download from www.ccleaner.com - it's free though you are asked to make a £15 donation. Choose the 'alternative download' option and follow the instructions to install and run it.
- Rid your machine of malicious software or 'malware', use the free scan download at www.malwarebytes.org. This one can take quite a while so you might want to leave it running at the end of the day.
- When you've finished, restart the machine for all the changes to take place and repeat the scans at least onece a month.
- Once you've done all this good work, install a good security program to keep nasties at bay - Dermot recommneds Kaspersky or AVG . The latter has a free anti-virus program at www.free-avg.com.
- If you still need a professional to give your PC the once over, we recommend how to find a good one in the February issue of Candis magazine.
Q & A's
Recycling
dilema
Q: What should I do with my low-energy light bulbs when I've finished them? And what about batteries; I know my local 'tip' takes them but it's a bit of a journey over there.
A: You should be okay with batteries now - from February 2010, any retailer selling more than 32kg of batteries a year (that's around 345 packs of four AAs) has to provide battery recycling facilities. That should save you one journey at least but why not go greener and use for rechargeable batteries wherever you can. Add a solar-powered charger and you'll keep waste to a minimum.
As for light bulbs, the old-style sort are not recyclable and should be thrown in the bin but low-energy bulbs contain a tiny amount of mercury so must be kept out of landfill. Unfortunately, in most areas you'll need to take them to the main household recycling site or 'tip' but as they last up to 10 years, you shouldn't have to go that often! Pop your postcode into the box at www.recyclemore.com to find out what you can recycle and where in your area.
Gas takes the credit
Q:
I've noticed that my gas bill says I'm over £300 in
credit, can I get this back? If so, how?
A: Just phone Customer Services and ask; they will need a good reason for not refunding you. The most likely is that when you pay by Direct Debit credit stacks up during the summer and autumn months when you don't use that much gas. As you head into winter the credit is used against your much heavier usage and you'll find that after the winter quarter the balance will be a lot less - but do check that your meter reading corresponds to that from the supplier. If your balance is still substantial then's the time to ask for a refund.
While you're thinking about fuel suppliers, you'll find much better deals if you go for an online account, saving around 10% over standard tariffs. Take a look at what's on offer at Npower - www.npower.co.uk - and E.On - www.eonenergy.com.
Post Your Comment
You must be logged in to submit a comment.
If you are not yet a Candis member and want to find out more about the benefits of joining Candis Magazine...
We're confident that our travel insurance will provide you with peace of mind, allowing you the freedom to sit back, relax and get the most out of your holiday. Whether you're off on a short break or venturing further afield, our policies will keep you covered. Save up to £22.58 with Candis Travel Insurance More
Comments:
There are currently no comments for this article, be the first by using the box below.