GBPMillions Being Wasted Every Day by British Consumers Says New YouGov Survey

Double tipping, Accepting Hefty Credit Charges, Throwing Away Money Off Vouchers and Refusing to Haggle - Despite Money Being Tight British Consumers are Throwing Away Money Every Day

LONDON, September 28, 2010 -

    - Almost 1 in 3 (29%) tip in restaurants even when the food or
      service is poor
    - 78% have thrown away or failed to use money off vouchers
    - 67% of women have bought clothes or shoes and never worn them
    - 40% haven't bothered to take faulty goods back
    - 1 in 10 (10%) say they would never negotiate over price
    - Only around one third of consumers are comparing bank (31%) and
      credit card (35%) interest rates before purchasing

British consumers are potentially throwing away millions of
GBPs every day, with a new YouGov survey finding that double tipping in
restaurants, accepting hefty credit charges, and throwing away money off
vouchers are common, despite money being tight in the current economic
climate.

Over 2,000 respondents from across Great Britain took part in
the online research for money saving website DiscountVouchers.co.uk, with 78%
stating they have thrown away money off vouchers without using them; almost 1
in 3 (29%) admitting they have tipped in restaurants even when the food or
service is poor; and 43% having accepted bank charges.

1 in 7 (14%) men said they had told someone to 'keep the
change' just to impress friends or colleagues, while 67% of women have bought
clothes or shoes and never worn them. Despite the growth of comparison
websites the survey found that still only around one third of consumers are
comparing bank and credit card interest rates before purchasing (31% and 35%
respectively).

Simon Terry of DiscountVouchers.co.uk says: "The survey shows
just how much money we are wasting every day, simply by not making the most
of discounts, failing to negotiate, or giving away money for nothing. If you
look at what and where you spend each day, the majority of the time it is
possible to make savings or cut back. With money tight for many people at the
moment, it's important to change your approach to expenditure - haggling is
now more widely accepted in the UK, and making the most of discounts is a
common sense approach to managing your finances."

Restaurant Tipping

Restaurants were highlighted as one of the top places where
money is being wasted. Nearly 1 in 6 men (15%) said they had left an extra
large tip because they fancied the waitress, while 7% said they did it to
impress a partner or new date, and 3% did it to impress a business colleague.

38% of Londoners said they had tipped in restaurants even when
the food or service was poor, while 30% of Scots said they had double tipped
in restaurants. Diners in Wales (14%), London (10%) and the South West (10%)
are the most likely to leave an extra large tip because they fancy the
waitress/waiter; while those in the East Midlands are most likely to tip high
to impress a partner or new date (7%).

Happy Hagglers

Men are happier to haggle over prices than women - 12% of
women said they would never negotiate over price compared to 8% of men -
despite many businesses cutting prices to win sales. Respondents were most
likely to try haggling in a car show room (55%), followed by shopping in an
electrical goods store (9%) and in a travel agency over a holiday (8%). Just
1% of respondents said they would try to negotiate over the price in a
restaurant, high street clothes or shoe shop or supermarket.

Regionally people in the South East, South West and Wales are
the most likely to negotiate over price (with just 7% in each region saying
they would never try to negotiate over price), while those in the North East
and East Midlands the least likely to haggle (14% in both regions would
refuse to haggle).

Sales Don't Always Mean Savings

Shopping in a sale and failing to use the purchase is also
potentially wasting millions of pounds. For women, the most common waste of
money is buying new clothes (60%) or shoes (38%) in a sale and not wearing
them. Men are likely to buy CDs/DVDs (19%) or computer (8%) and sports
equipment (7%) in a sale and not use them. People in London (67%) are the
most likely to buy sale items and not use them, while the Welsh are the most
likely to use their sale bargains (43%).

Simon adds: "The message for anyone looking to save money
should be stop and think before you spend - do you need it and can you get it
cheaper? Most of the time you'll find a discount or be able to negotiate a
better deal."

For more information visit www.discountvouchers.co.uk

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample
size was 2189 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 28th - 30th July 2010.
The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are
representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

About DiscountVouchers.co.uk

DiscountVouchers.co.uk features the latest money saving offers from a
growing range of retailers, all updated in real time. Designed to help
consumers save money with both leading high street brands and specialist
retailers, DiscountVouchers.co.uk offers one of the widest choices of
discounts available.

Part of ASAP Ventures Ltd, the company behind the award winning
Carrentals.co.uk price comparison site, DiscountVouchers.co.uk is committed
to offering a growing range of the best savings available online.

For more information visit www.discountvouchers.co.uk

Media contact: Rachel Builder & Jenny White, Context, rachel.builder at contextpr.co.uk, jenny.white at contextpr.co.uk, T: +44(0)1625-511966