Life's new short cuts / Know how

Cut out and keep these easy fixes to big and small problems that hold up your day and slow life down

Fix those household jobs
Instead of ignoring that broken shelf or leaky tap – or worse, trying to fix it yourself – a professional handyman service could be the answer to your prayers. For people in the south, www.0800handyman.com (call 0800-426396) charges around £20 plus VAT per half hour, with a nominal call-out fee (as well as doing odd jobs, Handyman will assemble flat-pack furniture). The handymen aren't registered with any industry bodies, but they all undergo a rigorous interview process and the service will tell you if a specialist tradesman would be better suited for the job.
To find help in other areas, use the online search facility on www.handymanhome.co.uk. If your query is quite specific, you can call Rated Tradesmen on 0870-2208810 or visit www.ratedtradesmen.com. All jobs carried out by tradesmen listed on this site are rated by previous customers, reducing the odds of hiring a bungling cowboy.

Book the best holiday deal – fast
With so many different deals and websites available, it's increasingly difficult to know whether you're getting a good deal or not. www.sidestep.com searches through multiple travel sites, including over 600 airlines, hotel chains and other well-known travel brokers, to find you the best on flights, accommodation and car hire. Unlike sites like Expedia and Last Minute, you don't actually book through the site; it simply provides the latest information and allows you to compare prices. This means that all the benefits you get from booking directly with a particular airline – like frequent flyer programmes – will still apply.

Tame your garden
If your garden is more like a jungle and you don't have green fingers, call 0845-2607676 or visit www.nicenstripy.com. This company has agents throughout most of the UK, prices start from around £10 for mowing a 10ft x 10ft lawn. If your area isn't covered, visit www.gardeners-quotes.co.uk to receive a free quote from gardeners near you.

Get rid of unwanted items
Computers
With more than a million PCs decommissioned every year, it's important to make sure they're disposed of responsibly and that your personal identity is totally wiped. www.wasteonline.org.uk has a list of local companies that do exactly that. Alternatively, you can donate your computer to Computer Aid International, a registered UK charity that refurbishes computers for reuse in schools, hospitals and other organisations in developing countries. Drop your computer off at the London offices or have it picked up and delivered to the charity from £9.75. (020) 7281 0091; www.computeraid.org.
Fridges and Freezers
Many councils provide a free collection for fridges and freezers, which contain harmful CFC gases and so have to be disposed of properly, but you may have to book the collection several weeks in advance. Visit www.direct.gov.uk.
If you want to get rid of it quicker, you can pay around £75 for a local registered waste carrier to remove it. Ensure that the company employed is properly registered with the local Environment Agency. Call 08708-506506 or visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk.

Kill junk mail and spam
If you're bogged down with unwanted mail, it's free to register with the Mailing Preference Service, which will remove your name from up to 95 per cent of Direct Mail lists. (020) 7291 3310; www.mpsonline.org.uk.
You can stop unwanted mobile, landline calls and faxes by registering with the Telephone Preference Service (0845-0700707; www.tpsonline.org.uk) and Fax Preference Service (0845-0700702; www.fpsonline.org.uk), both of which are free. It's illegal to send unsolicited direct marketing text messages, so if you receive these without permission, complain direct to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Never reply to spam e-mails, even to send a “remove” request, which validates your e-mail address. To filter out unwanted e-mail, install an anti-spam programme, such as Symantec's Norton AntiSpam (£24.99). www.spamcop.net is a free service that determines the origin of spam e-mail and reports it to the relevant Internet service providers. To prevent pop-ups, you can download free software from most Internet service providers.

Help your move run smoothly
Take the hassle out of moving house with I Am Moving, the UK's free change of address service. Instead of having to contact your bank, council, electricity and water board individually, this website will notify companies of your new address and moving date. It also lets you stop services at your old address and start them at the new one. Visit www.iammoving.com.

Find a doctor – fast
First port of call to find the right consultant should be Dr. Foster (www.drfoster.co.uk), which allows you to search online for specialists in all areas and compare waiting times for consultant's clinics in different NHS hospitals (excluding private treatment). There's also information on key questions to ask when choosing a consultant.
If you want to check whether your chosen medic is legally able to practise in the UK, contact the General Medical Council. 0845-3573456; www.gmc-uk.org. And if you urgently need to talk to a doctor but are unable to get an appointment at your local surgery, you can have a 20-minute phone consultation for £29.95 at Talk To A Doctor. All doctors are fully qualified, GMC registered and UK based. 0906-1221225; www.talktoadoctor.co.uk.

Bag the best table in the house
If you're sick of leaving messages with restaurants that never phone back, try www.toptable.co.uk. This free online restaurant booking service enables you to book a table at the UK's top eateries, plus venues in Europe and New York. And you can search through restaurants according to cuisine, ambience and price range. Be aware, however, that restaurants pay Top Table to be featured.
You can also book restaurants through www.squaremeal.co.uk, which features independent reviews.

Don't get mad – complain!
“General principles apply across the board,” says Steve Wiseman, author of Leaves on the Line: How to Complain Effectively (Lawpack, £7.99). Make sure your demands are reasonable, stay calm and go through the correct complaints procedures. Finally, keep a record of all contact, including phone calls. Call 08454-040506 or visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk for more information. Contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for details on your rights. (020) 7833 2181; www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

Be first in line for your favourite show
To make sure you see the show you've been waiting for, call 0870-8401111 or visit www.keithprowse.com. This online facility notes when tickets go on sale for events in 162 cities across 22 countries, including London, Paris, Verona and New York. You can also book art exhibitions, opera, concerts, sports events and ballet. Signing up for its newsletter ensures you receive all the latest entertainment information direct to your inbox.
Another good website is www.tkts.co.uk. As well as selling full-price tickets, this site has online information on discounted tickets in London's West End for performances the same day. To book, visit the ticket booth in Leicester Square or Canary Wharf.

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