But this is unlikely to be cheap, given their age.MortgageMr Breton is concerned about how the mortgage will be covered during the sabbatical. She suggests the couple consider putting money into a mini cash ISA instead or, if they are happy with some stock market exposure, into the Artemis Multi-manager Ethical fund.For ethical investment, Mr McDermott recommends Isis Stewardship Income fund.ProtectionThe mortgage is well protected and the Norwich Union plan "very competitive", says Kevin Carr, senior adviser at IFA Lifesearch He recommends Andrew consider income protection. The money could be found by releasing equity from their home or from greater investment, he adds.SavingsTheir NatWest account is "not one of the top payers", says Nick Breton at IFA The MarketPlace at Bradford & Bingley Better rates include ING Direct's 4.5 per cent. Mr McDermott suggests Egg's 4.75 per cent if the Clarks are happy with an internet account. He also proposes a different mini cash ISA: Intelligent Finance offers 4.6 and M&S 4.5 per cent.InvestmentsPhilippa Gee, investments director at IFA Torquil Clark, recommends persevering with the Prudential bond but urges contact with Credit Suisse for an update since, according to her calculations, this investment shouldn't have lost so much money. They have also been putting £100 per month in a Prudential Savings 10-year bond (global growth) since 1999; at the last valuation, the £4,800 invested had turned into just £4,900. The repayments cost £390 a month, discounted at 1.83 per cent below the lender's base rate until August 2005.The mortgage includes £25,000 on a repayment basis, covered by a Norwich Union "decreasing" term protection policy.

The remaining £52,000 is interest-only, covered by an AXA endowment that costs £107 each month but has a projected £10,000 shortfall.As for investments, some £12,000 worth of endowments that matured last December lie in a NatWest Savings Direct account earning 3.2 per cent.The Clarks also have two endowments due to mature in December 2006, projected to be worth £10,000 each. They know they may have to use this to cover the mortgage shortfall but would prefer not to.Both put £100 a month into NatWest mini cash individual savings accounts (ISAs) paying 4 per cent interest Andrew has so far invested £3,000, and Mary £2,000. "We also want to carry on supporting two of our children, who will be at university until 2009."Andrew and his wife, Mary, are planning to take a two-year VSO sabbatical when Mary retires in three years' time. After this, Andrew, who is now 54, will probably return to work in the UK and continue until he is 65.Their Norwich home is worth £250,000 with an outstanding £77,000 NatWest mortgage running until 2015. But he expresses concern that there is too great a focus on the basic price of a car service.The OFT recommends that, when buying a new car, you ask about restrictions on where it can be serviced. You should also get details of average servicing costs and check these with your local garage.Find out, too, how frequently you need to get the car serviced. If you don't do this as often as the warranty terms demand, this could affect the validity of the agreement.Finally, ask about the impact of any accident on the warranty, and double check to see how long the agreement lasts.It's also a good idea to compare different dealerships' individual warranty terms and conditions.

Some will prove more flexible than others, for example on mileage restrictions.. The problem The problem "We want to cover the expense of going abroad with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) and have enough to pay the mortgage and other outgoings while we're away," says Andrew Clark. Two-thirds of car owners believe their warranty will be made invalid if they use an independent garage, according to the OFT.But this is not always the case. Following changes to competition rules on such deals, and a threatened OFT investigation, more manufacturers and franchised dealerships are now lifting restrictions on their policies."Some car manufacturers have been quicker than others to change terms and conditions," admits Nigel Wonnacott, a spokesman for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the UK car industry's trade body. The watchdog's research shows that servicing at franchised dealer garages is generally more expensive than at independent operators.

With no apparent difference in quality, the average cost at an independent garage is £116, against £199 at a warranty tie-in garage.Franchised dealers carry out around 90 per cent of services on cars up to three years old, a situation that is in part down to consumer confusion. All carry manufacturers' warranties that cover the cost of repairing faults for at least a year. Many car manufacturers also offer, at no extra cost, a dealer-based extended warranty, giving you the same service for up to three years or more.However, restrictions may apply to these; for example, the terms of the warranty may specify that routine services must take place at approved garages. Few car buyers keen to put a brake on costs have been given a helping hand by the Office of Fair Trading.