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Welcome To The Globus Family Of Brands!

Traveling the world is incredible … Don’t you agree? It opens us up to new cultures and experiences. Venturing across the globe invites us to wonder and wander … To marvel and be moved.

A Little Bit About Us

With over 95 years in travel, the Globus family of brands has delivered remarkable and memorable vacation moments and experiences for millions worldwide, while handling all of the details, allowing travelers to relax and enjoy sights, more insight, and more fun.

The Globus family of brands began in 1928 as a small, family-operated company with one man and a rowboat. Antonio Mantegazza, the company’s founder, used his rowboat to transport commercial goods across Lake Lugano in Switzerland. While taking frequent trips across the scenic lake, Antonio began dreaming of a different opportunity … tourism. Learn more about the history of Globus family of brands.

Nine decades later, the entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity that created this family-owned institution lives on…as well as our commitment to sustainability through supporting initiatives like ‘The Lighthouse Project’. The Lighthouse Project’s mission is to nurture a culture of care and sustainability that extends to guests and operations partners by investing in and raising awareness of projects, causes and experiences that support a better tomorrow. 

More Than Just A Job

Here, we care about our associates … We want them to succeed … To live a balanced life. And we want to support them in their passions, empowering them to truly make a difference. Some of the ways we do this are by providing benefits that give back:

Company Benefits*

• • Pension Plan
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• • 16 to 26 days of vacation
• • Health, vision, dental, and life insurance
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*Some company benefits may vary slightly for associates based outside of the US

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• • 70% to 90% off tours and cruises (plus discounts for friends and family)
• • Free Avalon cruise after 2 years
• • Familiarization (FAM) time: 5 paid days off to experience our travel products
• • Special deals with travel partners like Marriott, Expedia, IATA/IATAN, Norwegian Cruise Line, Hertz, and Thrifty Car Rentals

Ready To Join The Team?

We’re always on the hunt for exciting, team associates passionate about life and work: People who are easily inspired and excited about what they do.  We offer incredible career opportunities in a variety of roles including, but not limited to:

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SERVICE: We are proactive, anticipate the needs of others and are always ready to listen.

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If you have any questions, feel free to contact our talent acquisition team at  [email protected]

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©2021 Globus

Headquartered in Toronto, Ont., TravelBrands, a division of H.I.S.-Red Label Vacations Inc., is one of Canada’s leading travel groups. Its multi-channel distribution network is comprised of multiple brands and subsidiaries.

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Make your mark: How to build a personal brand for the job hunt

Apr 22, 2024

Senior Editor at Welcome to the Jungle

“It’s not what you know, but who you know.” This cliché phrase traditionally used to describe navigating the job market is being rivaled by a new maxim: “It’s not who you know, but who knows you.” The shift comes as personal branding is taking over today’s professional realm—the golden ticket for those wanting to stand out on the job hunt and make themselves seen. Personal branding, as explained by Lab expert Brianna Doe , isn’t just about having an online profile or a catchy tagline; it’s the strategic crafting of your personal credibility and digital presence. From amplifying your expertise to establishing yourself as a thought leader in your field, personal branding can help you make your name and capabilities known and respected even in circles you’ve yet to enter.

Job hunters today are faced with a challenging reality: in a market teeming with talent, a robust resume and impressive achievements are no longer enough. The real game-changer? A distinctive personal brand that acts as your ambassador, speaking volumes about your expertise and ethos. This approach not only breaks down barriers to entry but also opens up a realm of opportunities that traditional job-hunting methods might miss. In a world where visibility and credibility are currencies, building a personal brand has transitioned from a nice-to-have to a must-have—a powerful tool when navigating the complexities of the job market and carving out a niche for yourself.

So, how can a strong personal brand help you land a job and craft a career that resonates with your personal vision and values ?

The power of personal branding: More than just a resume

It’s no secret to job hunters today that with every job posting comes hundreds of applications, meaning that standing out from the crowd becomes a crucial part of the job search. This is where the power of a strong personal brand becomes undeniable. Beyond a sheet of paper listing your accomplishments, your personal brand is a vibrant, living testament to who you are, what you stand for, and what you bring to the table. According to Doe, it’s your ticket being seen and being remembered.

Here are the key advantages of cultivating a strong personal brand:

• Differentiation from other candidates: Imagine a room full of people wearing grey; the one in vibrant red is bound to catch your eye. Similarly, in a pool of candidates, your personal brand is your unique color in a monochrome world. It articulates the special value you bring to the table—be it your original problem-solving skills, your knack for digital innovation, or your commitment to sustainability —and sets you apart from the sea of applicants. According to Doe, it’s about “what you do how you do it.”
• Increased visibility and opportunities: A well-established personal brand does more than elevate your profile; it magnetizes opportunities towards you. With a compelling digital presence , you’re not just another name in the applicant list but a known entity in your industry. This visibility can lead to recruiters reaching out directly, invitations to attend or speak at industry events, or collaborations that can propel your career forward. A successful personal brand will “do the work with you or for you even as you sleep,” Doe shares.
• Building trust and credibility: Trust is currency in the professional world, and a personal brand built on authenticity and expertise is a vault of it. When potential employers or collaborators can see your thought leadership in action—be it through insightful LinkedIn posts, a compelling personal blog, or engaging talks—they begin to trust your expertise before they’ve even met you. This pre-established trust can streamline hiring decisions, opening doors to roles that demand high levels of responsibility and autonomy.

Incorporating these elements into your job hunt strategy transforms the process from a passive submission of applications to an active campaign of self-promotion . It’s about making yourself not just a candidate, but the candidate, by spotlighting your strengths and value. “Building a digital presence allows you to expand your reach [and] amplify your own voice, your expertise,” says Doe.

A step-by-step blueprint for crafting your personal brand

The journey to constructing a robust personal brand comes down to articulating who you are, what makes you distinct, and how your unique blend of skills, experiences, and values aligns with the professional world you aim to thrive in. Let’s walk through the essential steps to build and communicate a killer personal brand.

Step 1: Set clear goals

Why do you want to build a personal brand? When job hunting, Doe advises setting goals to better navigate the creation of your personal brand. “What are key performance indicators or KPIs that you’ll be looking for? is it more networking calls, more interviews, more connections with hiring managers and open roles? Understand what your goals are and how you’ll gauge if you’re on the right track,” she explains. By setting goals at the beginning of your personal branding journey, you’ll be able to both keep yourself accountable and measure if and where you’ve been successful.

Step 2: Identify your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

You may be familiar with this term if you work in marketing , but identifying your unique value proposition is the cornerstone of your personal brand. Your UVP is a clear statement that describes the benefit you provide, how you solve your audience’s needs, and what distinguishes you from the competition. To uncover your UVP, Doe suggests a deep dive into your professional journey: “What sets you apart? Is it a non-traditional background [meaning] you bring a really diverse and fresh perspective? Is it really specific experience in this specific industry that you’re interviewing?” This introspection will guide you to a UVP that resonates with your target audience and positions you as a key player in your field.

Step 3: Ensure consistency across platforms

Your online presence is often the first point of contact with potential employers, collaborators, and your broader network . Therefore, consistency across your digital platforms—be it your resume, LinkedIn profile , or personal website—is crucial. Doe advises that your personal brand should tell a cohesive story, one that aligns your professional narrative across every touchpoint. This coherence ensures that your brand is easily recognizable and memorable, reinforcing your professional identity at every opportunity.

Step 4: Showcase your expertise through content creation

Content is the currency of personal branding. It’s how you demonstrate your expertise, share your insights, and contribute to conversations in your industry. Starting a blog, building a portfolio , or even sharing thoughtful posts on LinkedIn are effective ways to showcase your knowledge and skills. Doe explains that by leveraging your voice to display your proficiency, you can simultaneously engage with and add value to your community.

Building a personal brand is a dynamic and ongoing process. It demands authenticity, consistency, and a commitment to showcasing your professional self in the best possible light. By following these steps, you can create a stellar personal brand and set the stage for a career that’s both successful and deeply aligned with who you are.

Navigating the hazards: What to dodge in personal branding

With reward comes risk, and with the success of a great personal brand comes several pitfalls worth bearing in mind. These common missteps can undermine your efforts and tarnish your professional image, so it’s important to be aware of what could go wrong—anticipation is the best way to avoid these traps. Here are a few things Doe recommends keeping an eye out for as you build your personal brand.

Overpromising and underdelivering

A cardinal sin in the realm of personal branding is the disconnect between what you claim to offer and what you actually deliver. This misalignment not only erodes trust but can also severely damage your professional reputation. Doe highlights the importance of maintaining authenticity in your representations: “You don’t have to try and be somebody that you’re not. For example, if you’re really introverted and you try to act very extroverted online … you’ll try and come across as really outgoing and really bubbly, and then you get into the role and that’s just not how you work.” Ensuring that your online claims are backed by real competence is key to building long-lasting professional relationships.

To avoid this pitfall:

• Conduct regular self-audits to ensure your claims accurately reflect your current skills and achievements.
• Embrace continuous learning and development to genuinely enhance your expertise.

Inauthenticity

Inauthenticity can emerge when individuals attempt to present an idealized version of themselves that does not align with their true nature. This can disconnect potential employers or collaborators who value authenticity. Doe addresses this concern directly, saying, “Authenticity really boils down to what you’re comfortable sharing that’s real about you. So if you keep that lens on it, it’s okay if you don’t want to share everything about your personal life or everything about the ups and downs of your career journey.” Being genuine fosters stronger connections and builds trust with your audience. To maintain authenticity, make sure to:

• Share genuine experiences and lessons learned, including challenges and how you overcame them.
• Let your true personality shine through your content, allowing your audience to connect with the real you.

Neglecting offline networking

While online platforms offer great avenues for personal branding, ignoring face-to-face interactions can be a significant oversight. Doe emphasizes the importance of offline networking as part of a comprehensive branding strategy: “Networking is the most important part of building a personal brand—more important than the content that you create and share.” She suggests leveraging in-person interactions to deepen connections made online and to build new ones that are strengthened by the personal touch only face-to-face interactions can offer. To integrate offline networking into your job search strategy:

• Attend industry conferences, workshops, and meetups to connect with peers and leaders in your field.
• Volunteer for professional organizations or events, showcasing your skills and commitment to your industry.

Doe concludes that while building a personal brand, it’s crucial to maintain a balance between online activities and real-world interactions. This approach ensures your personal brand is not only visible but also genuine and deeply connected to your professional goals. By avoiding these pitfalls, you ensure your personal brand remains a true and effective representation of your professional identity.

Mastering your personal brand

Elevating and sustaining a personal brand is indeed an ongoing journey, emphasizing adaptability, continuous improvement, and strategic communication. It’s particularly crucial during pivotal moments like job interviews and career switches. Here, Doe shares her insights on how to manage your personal brand effectively.

Maintaining and evolving your brand

As your career progresses, your personal brand should dynamically evolve to reflect your developing skills, experiences, and professional goals. Doe advises on the importance of staying relevant and adaptable: “Even if you have to cut back on your time spent building it now, you should still maintain it and you should still be networking,” she suggests. This indicates the necessity of keeping your brand active and engaged, regardless of your current employment status. To keep your brand vibrant and relevant:

• Schedule quarterly reviews of your digital profiles and portfolio to ensure they align with your current professional path.
• Engage with emerging trends and conversations in your industry to keep your content fresh and insightful.

Communicating your brand in job interviews

A job interview is a critical opportunity to verbalize and personalize your personal brand. It’s about more than just conveying your qualifications; it’s about storytelling and showing how your unique experiences and skills align with the needs and culture of the potential employer. Doe emphasizes the strategic use of personal branding in interviews: “Your content and your personal brand should be enough to get you in the door and get you those conversations,” pointing out that the groundwork laid by your personal brand can significantly ease the interview process by establishing familiarity and credibility before you even speak. Effective strategies include:

• Articulating your unique value proposition clearly, demonstrating how it aligns with the company’s needs and culture.
• Sharing stories that exemplify your skills and achievements, making your brand memorable and engaging.

Utilizing feedback to refine your brand

Feedback is an invaluable resource for refining and strengthening your personal brand. It offers perspectives on how others perceive you and highlights potential areas for improvement. “It’s a pitfall that I’ve seen [when] people treat it like a career journal, which is fine if you’ve come to terms with that, but it’s important to make that decision before you start posting. How honest do I want to be and what do I want to portray online when it comes to my job search?” Doe notes. This reflection on feedback helps to ensure your brand remains authentic and aligned with your professional persona. To effectively utilize feedback:

• Seek out feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, and your online audience.
• Reflect on recurring themes in feedback to identify areas for enhancement.

Embracing these strategies—continuous adaptation, effective communication during interviews, and proactive use of feedback—will allow you to maintain the vitality of your personal brand and enhance its impact, making you a more compelling candidate and a recognized thought leader in your field.

Personal branding on the job hunt: Key takeaways

When mastered, personal branding can significantly impact your experience on the job hunt. Whether you’re exploring this tool for the first time or looking to improve your personal branding strategy, here are four key things to keep in mind:

• Your personal brand can set you apart: A strong personal brand increases your visibility to potential employers, making landing that first interview easier than ever. It defines you in a sea of candidates, highlighting your unique skills and values in vivid color.
• Build trust and establish credibility effortlessly: By showcasing your expertise and consistency, your personal brand acts as a beacon of trust, often securing confidence from prospective employers before you even meet. This credibility can open doors to opportunities that once seemed beyond reach.
• Embrace the evolution of your brand: As your career advances, so should your personal brand. Regularly refine your brand based on constructive feedback and shifting career goals to keep it as dynamic and vibrant as your professional journey.
• Balance your online presence with real-world interactions: The synergy between your digital persona and your in-person engagements enriches your brand. This holistic approach deepens connections and solidifies your standing as a genuine, approachable professional.

Think of personal branding as your own professional epic. It’s your tool to actively shape how the world perceives you and understands your unique experiences. By building and refining a powerful personal brand, you can transform your job search like never before!

Photo: Welcome to the Jungle

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• RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
• 25 April 2024

Air-travel climate-change emissions detailed for nearly 200 nations

An inventory lists the aviation emissions of all 197 nations that are signatories to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Credit: Getty

Scientists have compiled the first estimate of the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by air travel in each of the 197 countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 1 .

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01148-8

Klenner, J., Muri, H. & Strømman, A. H. Environ. Res. Lett. 19 , 054019 (2024).

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Money latest: The 'German classic' that's a healthier and cheaper alternative to crisps

Crisps are on the menu as we see where you can make healthier choices for the best value. Elsewhere, the boss of Sainsbury's has insisted customers like self-checkouts - do you agree? Leave your thoughts in the box below.

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The family home where Captain Sir Tom Moore walked 100 laps to raise nearly £40m for the NHS during the first COVID lockdown is up for sale for £2.25m.

The Grade II-listed Old Rectory is described as a "magnificent seven-bedroom property" by estate agents Fine & Country.

In a video tour of the house, a sculpture of Captain Tom with his walking frame can be seen in the hallway, while a photo of the fundraising hero being knighted by the Queen is on a wall in the separate coach house building.

Introducing the property, an estate agent says in the tour video: "I'm sure you'll recognise this iconic and very famous driveway behind me as it was home to the late Captain Sir Tom Moore who walked 100 laps of his garden, raising over £37m for NHS charities."

It comes less than three months after the demolition of an unauthorised spa pool block in the grounds of the property in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire.

Speaking at an appeal hearing over that spa, Scott Stemp, representing Captain Tom's daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband, said the foundation named after the fundraising hero "is to be closed down" following a Charity Commission probe launched amid concerns about its management.

For the full story, click here ...

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That comes after a government-backed code of conduct was withdrawn in June 2022, after a legal challenges by parking companies.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: "We're flabbergasted that the BPA and the IPC have suddenly announced plans to introduce their own private parking code after doing all they can over the last five years to prevent the official government code created by an act of Parliament coming into force.

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BPA chief executive Andrew Pester said: "This is a crucial milestone as we work closely with government, consumer bodies and others to deliver fairer and more consistent parking standards for motorists."

IPC chief executive Will Hurley said: "The single code will benefit all compliant motorists and will present clear consequences for those who decide to break the rules."

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An unexplained flow of British luxury cars into states neighbouring Russia continued into February, new data shows.

About £26m worth of British cars were exported to Azerbaijan, making the former Soviet country the 17th biggest destination for UK cars - bigger than long-established export markets such as Ireland, Portugal and Qatar.

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Read the rest of economics and data editor Ed Conway 's analysis here...

Rishi Sunak has hailed the arrival of pay day with a reminder his government's additional National Insurance tax cut kicks in this month for the first time.

At last month's budget, the chancellor announced NI will be cut by a further 2p - so some workers will pay 8% of their earnings instead of the 12% if was before autumn.

The prime minister has repeated his claim this will be worth £900 for someone on the average UK salary.

While this additional cut - on top of the previous 2p cut in January - does equate to £900 for those on average full-time earnings of £35,000, there are two key issues with Mr Sunak's claim:

• Once the effect of all income tax changes since 2021 are taken into account, the Institute for Fiscal Studies reports an average earner will benefit from a tax cut of £340 - far less than £900;
• Moreover, anyone earning less than £26,000 or between £55,000-£131,000 will ultimately be worse off.

In short, this is because NI cuts are more than offset by other tax rises.

We explain below how this is the case...

Tax thresholds

This is partly down to tax thresholds - the amount you are allowed to earn before you start paying tax (and national insurance) and before you start paying the higher rate of tax - will remain frozen. 

This means people end up paying more tax than they otherwise would, when their pay rises with inflation but the thresholds don't keep up. 

This phenomenon is known as "fiscal drag" and it's often called a stealth tax because it's not as noticeable immediately in your pay packet.

That low threshold of £12,570 has been in place since April 2021. 

The Office for Budget Responsibility says if it had increased with inflation it would be set at £15,220 for 2024/25.

If that were the case, workers could earn an extra £2,650 tax-free each year.

Less give, more take

Sky News analysis shows someone on £16,000 a year will pay £607 more in total - equivalent to more than three months of average household spending on food. 

Their income level means national insurance savings are limited but they are paying 20% in income tax on an additional £2,650 of earnings.

In its analysis , the IFS states: "In aggregate the NICs cuts just serve to give back a portion of the money that is being taken away through other income tax and NICs changes - in particular, multi-year freezes to tax thresholds at a time of high inflation."

Overall, according to the institute, for every £1 given back to workers by the National Insurance cuts, £1.30 will have been taken away due to threshold changes between 2021 and 2024.

This rises to £1.90 in 2027.

The UK could face a shortage of cava due to a drought in the sparkling wine's Spanish heartlands.

The Penedes area of Catalonia is dealing with its worst drought on record, with vineyards across the region so parched the roots of 30-year-old vines have died.

It's left shrivelled red and green grapes languishing under intense sun, fuelled by fossil-fuel driven climate change.

Cava is an increasingly popular drink in the UK, with 17.8 million bottles sold in 2023 - an increase of 5% from the previous year, when Britons stocked up on 16.8 million bottles, according to the Cava Regulatory Board.

That makes the UK the fourth-biggest buyer, behind only the US, Belgium and Germany.

Workforce slashed

The problems have been compounded after Catalonia-based cava producer Freixenet announced it will temporarily lay off 615 workers, almost 80% of its workforce.

Under Spanish law, companies facing exceptional circumstances can lay off staff or reduce working hours.

This measure is expected to take effect from May and it is not known how long it will last.

Price rises

One industry source told retail publication The Grocer  that cava shortages would push up prices "certainly for next year" if there isn't enough supply.

This could last for years if the drought persists, they added.

Consumer expert Helen Dewdney told MailOnline the staff cuts at Freixenet can only mean one thing - price rises.

However, she added, supermarkets say they are not experiencing any issues right now.

Parents are being hammered by rising childcare costs, according to a new study that suggests they may spend more than £160,000 raising their child to the age of 18.

Research by Hargreaves Lansdown has found that parents with children pay £6,969 a year more than couples without.

Over 18 years and assuming an annual inflation rate of 3%, that amounts to a whopping £163,175, the investment platform said.

Its study also found that parents were less likely to have money left at the end of the month.

Single parents carry the biggest burden, with the research suggesting they have just £85 left on average compared to £365 for couples with children.

Hargreaves Lansdown also found just 23% of single parents reported having enough emergency savings to cover at least three months' worth of essential expenses, compared to 63% of couples with children.

Parents are also at a slight disadvantage when it comes to pensions, the research found, with only 43% of couples with children on track for a moderate retirement income, compared to 47% without. Only 17% of single parents have a decent projected pension fund.

Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at the firm, said "having children is one of the most expensive decisions a person can make".

She adds that as a result of having a child, "financial resilience suffers across the board", and added: "For single parents, life is even tougher, and they face far lower resilience on almost every measure.

"It means we need all the help we can get."

By Daniel Binns, business reporter

One of the top stories shaking up the markets this morning is that UK-based mining company Anglo American has rejected a major $38.8bn (£31bn) takeover bid.

Details of the attempted buyout by Australian rival BHP emerged yesterday  - sending Anglo American shares soaring.

The deal would have created the world's biggest copper mining company - with the news coming as the price of the metal hit record highs this week.

However, Anglo American has now dismissed the proposal as "opportunistic" and said BHP had undervalued the company.

Anglo's shares are slightly down by 0.8% this morning - suggesting investors may not have given up hopes that a deal could eventually be agreed.

However, overall the FTSE 100 is up around 0.4% this morning, buoyed by strong reported earnings from US tech giants Microsoft and Google owner Alphabet.

It's helped the index, of the London Stock Exchange's 100 most valuable companies, hit yet another intraday (during the day) record of 8,136 points this morning.

The winning streak comes after a week of all-time highs on the index - including a record close of 8,078 points yesterday. The score is based on a calculation of the total value of the shares on the index.

Among the companies doing well this morning is NatWest - despite the bank reporting a fall in pre-tax profits of nearly 28% for the first quarter of the year.

Shares in the lender are up more than 3% after its results were better than expected by analysts.

On the currency markets, £1 buys $1.25 US or €1.16, almost on a par with yesterday.

Meanwhile, the price of a barrel of Brent crude oil has crept up slightly to $89 (£71).

Self-checkouts - they're like marmite, people seem to either love them or hate them.

But the boss of Sainsbury's has claimed that his customers do  enjoy using self-checkouts, despite criticism that that machines don't always provide the convenience promised.

Simon Roberts told The Telegraph that there are more of them in Sainsbury's stores "than a number of years ago" as shoppers like the "speedy checkout".

But despite this, he said there won't be a time when they'll replace cashiers completely.

"Over the last year, where we've put more self-checkouts in, we're always making sure that the traditional kind of belted checkout is there," he said.

His comments come after northern supermarket Booths ditched self-checkouts at all but two of its sites after customer feedback. 

Walmart and Costco in the US have also scaled back on the systems.

Let us know in the comments - do you love or hate self-checkouts?

We've all heard consumer advice that's repeated so often it almost becomes cliché. So, every Friday the Money team will get to the bottom of a different "fact" and decide whether it's a myth or must.

This week it is...

'Smart meters save you money'

For this one, we've enlisted the help of Dr Steve Buckley, also known as the Energy Doctor and head of data science at Loop...

So do smart meters help you save? 

"The short answer is both yes and no," Steve says.

"Installing a smart meter by itself won't magically reduce your energy consumption. But, by giving you easy access to your energy usage data, smart meters pave the way for savings that you couldn't achieve otherwise."

Before smart meters, most households only found out how much energy they had used when the bill arrived. 

By that stage it's too late to address wasteful usage, leading to what's known as "bill shock". 

"With a smart meter, you can see your usage and costs in real-time through an in-home display or an app provided by your supplier," Steve says. 

"This immediate feedback encourages you to use less energy. If you measure it, you can control it."

In 2022, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero found that homes with smart meters used about 3.4% less electricity and 3% less gas. 

"This might not seem like a lot, but it adds up to a saving of over £50 per household annually," Steve says.  

If all homes in the UK made similar cuts, that would amount to savings of around £1.5bn and a potential reduction in CO2 emissions by about 2.7m tonnes each year. 

"Good for individual households but also great for the planet," Steve says. 

Smart meters are often installed at no extra cost to the consumer - it's effectively free data for households. 

Limitations

Smart meters are more or less what you make of them - a simple, free tool that allows you to see headline figures. 

However, "without detailed analysis, it's tough to identify and eliminate" where you could be wasting money, Steve says. 

Apps like Utrack, Loop and Hugo Energy can help you work out where you might be losing money by offering a more detailed breakdown if connected to your smart meter. 

Those tools are often free, but you may need to register your card details as proof of address. 

The tools give a number of useful insights, including looking at consumption in other households of similar size or monitoring where chunks of your money are going, such as to a faulty boiler or the "phantom load" (energy wasted by devices left on unnecessarily).

Myth or must?

Although smart meters alone don't reduce energy bills, they are a vital tool to help energy efficiency and cost savings. 

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