The really useful column

I have just discovered a fascinating new service offered by electrical retailer Comet, in which it auctions off ex-display models, starting from £1 bids. The service can be found at www.comet.co.uk by selecting the auction tab along the top of the website.

On the subject of saving money, Comet is also offering a new telephone service called 2Talk4Less, requiring no minimum contract, special equipment or sign-up fee, which enables the consumer to save up to £100 a year on his or her home telephone bill. Further details are available from Comet branches.

Stress-free moving

Moving home can be a logistical nightmare, and anything that relieves the stress and saves time has to be worth considering. Moving Angels picks up where the removal men leave off. They unpack boxes, position furniture, fill cupboards, hang pictures, connect electrical items, make up beds, put a bottle of champagne in the fridge and even leave a chocolate on the pillow for the first night in your new home.

A godsend for anyone traumatised by the thought of moving or for those who simply cannot be there to unpack themselves. Moving Angels charges £280 per day to provide two people. Call 01767 626399 or see www.movingangels.co.uk.

Cold comfort

With the recent bout of good weather there have been opportunities to entertain outside, but one of the problems of eating al fresco is keeping drinks and food cold.

Enter the Picazzo, a fridgefreezer mounted on lockable castors, which you plug into an extension lead and roll into position outside. It is available in cream and priced at £915. For a brochure, call 0115 970 3553.

Summer saviour

If you're going on holiday and need your plants watered, post collected, cats put into kennels or a redecoration in your absence, consider companies such as Plum UK, one of a new breed of lifestyle firms.

It offers a flexible package of services, ranging from one-off membership for people with a particular project to annual membership for those wanting help on tap, either because they are busy or live abroad and want someone to look after their property in their absence. Call 020 7386 8106 or see www.plumuk.com.

Bazaar copies

For something a little out of the ordinary, pay a visit to Bazaar Trading in King's Road. Specialising in furniture and artefacts from Peru and the Far East, owner John Kingsford can also draw on his contacts with stone masons and cabinet makers in Indonesia to produce copies of any piece of carving in wood or stone desired by the customer.

An unusual bespoke service at affordable rates. Bazaar Trading, 568 King's Road, SW6 (020 7731 5556; www.bazaartrading.com).

Home help

If you work from home and need assistance but cannot afford a full-time PA, consider the services of Ursula Shepherd. She will come in as and when needed, sort out filing, do the typing, pay bills, tidy up computer files and even show you how to use various software packages. She charges from £10 per hour. Call 07971 214676.

Pure and simple

Known mainly for its self-assembly radiator cabinets, Jali has brought out a range of madeto-measure cupboards, bookcases and drawer units. Still displaying its trademark simplicity and reasonable prices (a drawer unit starts at £42), these are pieces that can slip into contemporary or traditional interiors. It also stocks a small but elegant range of cupboard handles. Call 0800 197 3333 for a catalogue.