Giving a voice to consumers in Jersey since 1995

With the warm October weather we’ve been experiencing, Christmas is likely to be the last thing on your mind. But there are now around 11 weeks to go – and if you'd like to avoid one big bill in December, now is the time to start planning. Spreading the cost over several pay packets can make the festive season far more manageable. Whether you buy a little at a time or simply set money aside, starting early gives you more control, more time to find genuine bargains, and will make January less of a struggle.

We were recently contacted by a consumer who was trying to establish whether Jersey residents are covered by Saga travel insurance policies.  The issue arose after the consumer received conflicting information from different sources within Saga. During a phone conversation with a Saga representative, they were told that Jersey residents who have a Jersey GP would not be covered under the policy.

Amazon's ‘Prime Big Deal Days’ sale runs on Tuesday, 6 and Wednesday, 7 October, offering two days of discounts for Prime members. The sale comes seven weeks before Black Friday on 27 November, and with countdown timers on every page, it's easy to feel you need to act fast. However, while there are genuine bargains to be had, not every deal is necessarily what it seems. Here’s our advice, before you part with your money on an Amazon sale day:

We’ve been contacted by several Islanders in recent weeks who are still unable to obtain credit cards, despite credit reference agencies now having secure access to Islanders’ data through new data-sharing arrangements. Since our last update in July, where we answered consumers’ questions about the new credit data-sharing arrangements, we’ve been told that Islanders are still being refused access to credit cards from providers such as American Express, John Lewis and Barclaycard.

You can come and meet representatives of the Jersey Consumer Council next week and talk to us about any consumer issues you may be facing. For our second ‘Jersey Consumer Fair... On the road’, we’ll be at St Brelade Parish Hall at St Aubin on Thursday, 8 October, from 10.30am to 1.30pm.

As the evenings become cooler and Christmas items begin to appear in the shops, autumn is a good time to take a fresh look at your household spending. Winter can bring additional costs, from higher energy use and fuel to seasonal shopping and household expenses. So, taking a little time now to check what you’re currently paying for could help you avoid unnecessary costs and unpleasant surprises later in the year.