In the current economic climate it comes as no surprise to learn that many of us, in an effort to save money, are cutting down on our trips to the beauty salon in favour of DIY pampering.

One in three of us are spending more time and money on home products with which to preen ourselves, with one in five of us spending over three hours a week on the process. This comes at a cost, however, (and I’m not talking about streaky fake tans or alarming hues in our hair) and it may surprise you to learn, courtesy of research from Sheila’s Wheels, that in doing so we risk causing all sorts of damage to the fabric of our homes. Insurance companies are reported as noticing a corresponding increase in the number of claims arising from spillages and burns.

Almost one in three of us has damaged something whilst indulging in the DIY beauty process with the biggest casualty being carpets, the damage usually arising from curling tongs being left on, with nail varnish and hair dye following closely behind. Fake tan also poses a menace to beds and bed linen with over half pleading guilty to this particular blunder.

Trying to disguise the damage can often make it worse so it is well worth having accidental damage cover added to your home contents policy in case disaster strikes, especially when one considers that the claims received by insurance companies often run into hundreds of pounds.

Beware of house guests too – one in ten of us has made the guilty confession that we have caused damage in someone else’s house but not owned up to it!

Direct Line is now offering home insurance to new customers with a massive 50% discount. The move is seen as a way to increase its ability to compete in an incredibly competitive market.

The offer is available from now until the end of September, and only applies to new customers of Direct Line who want to purchase either just contents insurance, or both contents and buildings insurance. The reason behind this is to allow both property owners and tenants to take advantage of the discount while it lasts. It has also stated that the 50% cut is not the only deal, and that customers can make even bigger savings when they purchase more than one policy or when the cover is bought online.

Andrew Lowe, the head of home insurance at Direct Line, highlighted the need for a cheaper deal over the summer months as a result of the “unexpected costs” that we all face, such as holidays or children’s entertainment while they are off school. He said that “we want to help people cut costs where we can” and the new deal has been designed for exactly that reason.

Interestingly, Direct Line, which was established in 1985 and is part of RBS Insurance, does not appear on any of the comparison websites that have sprung up recently. For this reason it is perhaps more compelled to make cuts to its insurance packages to make up for the decreased visibility that it has as a result of not being on the comparison sites.

With news emerging that home insurance is less popular than ever now in the middle of the recession, anything that gets people to take out a home-insurance policy has to be a good thing.

At the very first signs of summer sun, Brits tend to jump at the chance of making the most of the relatively nice weather. Shorts and sunglasses are unearthed from the depths of the wardrobe, sun cream is dug out from the bathroom cupboard, and rusty barbecues are wheeled out of the garage… along with the trusty bicycle.

As the weather improves, many commuters choose to ditch the car in favour of the bike and this trend is set to continue in earnest this year with many workers keen to offset the effects of the recession by saving cash on petrol.

However, before you go searching through the house for your cycling shorts, bear in mind the advice provided by the head of insurance at Confused.com following the theft of David Cameron’s bicycle last week. Darren Black stated that “bikes are easy pickings for thieves as people often leave them unlocked”.

As well as taking proper precautions against bike theft, such as locking it up securely in busy city centre areas and making sure it is marked with an ultraviolet pen, it is important to double-check your insurance policy to ensure that it covers your bicycle.

Proper cover can minimise the pain of personal property theft but many insurance policies do not offer bicycle cover as standard. Furthermore, several of those companies which do offer cover as standard may not include thefts which occur away from the home.

In addition to checking your policy, make sure you take a few good photographs of your bicycle from all angles, just in case you do need to make a claim.