Food & Drink
Use the Money Mantras
Before spending, use Martin’s Mantras. If you answer 'NO' to any, then don't buy!
Then ask:
- Do I need it?
- Can I afford it?
- Have you checked prices elsewhere?
Then ask:
- Will I use it?
- Is it worth it?
Free protection for all shopping!
There's a little-known piece of legislation that turns any credit card into a financial self-defence superhero. 'Section 75' of the Consumer Credit Act means your plastic must protect anything you buy for more than £100 for free, so if there's a problem or the company goes bust, you can still get your money back.
And although Section 75 doesn't apply to debit cards, there is something else to fall back on if you've paid using a debit card, or used a credit card for a purchase under £100. Known as Chargeback, this is part of banks' and card companies' internal rules and not a legal requirement. Read full details of Section 75 or Chargeback, plus how to claim, in our guides.
What the * means above
If a link has an * by it, that means it is an affiliated link and therefore it helps MoneySavingExpert stay free to use, as it is tracked to us. If you go through it, it can sometimes result in a payment or benefit to the site. It's worth noting this means the third party used may be named on any credit agreements.
You shouldn’t notice any difference and the link will never negatively impact the product. Plus the editorial line (the things we write) is NEVER impacted by these links. We aim to look at all available products. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the top deal, it is still included in exactly the same way, just with a non-paying link. For more details, read How this site is financed.
Duplicate links of the * links above for the sake of transparency, but this version doesn't help MoneySavingExpert.com:
20 October 2021
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Martin's mortgage heads-up
'Can you lock in cheaply now to save £1,000s?'
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Urgent. Shift debt to 27mths 0%
Effectively fee-free
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Breakdown cover for TWO £54/yr
Full service
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Beware Klarna's new 'pay now' service
You may lose vital protections
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17 Netflix hacks
Watch Squid Games etc for less
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Martin's scam ads broadside
'It's a ludicrous plan'
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Ciate £148 of nail polish for £35
Via Advent calendar code
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Read the full email
For all the latest deals, guides and loopholes - join the 12m who get it. Don’t miss out
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Virgin Media and O2 launch Volt, their first joint product which offers to boost mobile data and broadband speeds for customers of both firms – how it works
20 October 2021![]()
Newly-merged O2 and Virgin Media have launched a new product called Volt, allowing eligible customers to get their mobile data allowances doubled and their broadband speeds boosted to the next level at no extra charge. -
Lloyds to shut 41 branches and Halifax to close seven - here's a full list of the impacted sites
20 October 2021![]()
Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Lloyds and Halifax, is to shut 48 branches next year, citing a fall in customer demand for the closures. We have full details below on which banks are being closed and what to do if your local branch is affected. -
State pension to increase by 3.1% next April giving some retirees an extra £5.55/wk
20 October 2021![]()
More than 10 million pensioners could see their state pension rise by £5.55/wk from April 2022 after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed that inflation stood at 3.1% in the year to September - a figure that is typically used to calculate the following year's state pension increase. -
Millions of BT landline customers could be in line for up to £500 if a new class action case is successful
20 October 2021![]()
BT is facing a £600 million class action case after it's been claimed some 2.3 million customers have been overcharged for their landline since October 2015. -
Households in England and Wales to be offered new £5,000 Government grant from April 2022 to help replace gas boilers with heat pumps
19 October 2021![]()
Brits wanting to fit a low-carbon heat pump in their homes in England and Wales could receive a £5,000 grant from the Government to help replace less efficient gas boilers from April 2022. The initiative is part of a £3.9 billion project to make all heating systems low carbon by 2035.
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Five things EVERYONE should know about student finance
21 September 2021![]()
There are more myths and misunderstandings about student finance than any other subject. So in this blog is my updated 2021/22 version of the must knows, with links to far more info. -
Is it time to ban Christmas presents?
14 September 2021![]()
Update September 2017: It’s eight years since I first braved this subject, expecting a snowstorm of protest. Instead, year after year more join in, like Julia who recently tweeted me, “@MartinSLewis, finally took your advice and told my family I can’t afford Christmas presents. What a weight off my mind. Thank you.” One year even the Archbishop of...
Clever ways to calculate your finances
