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Ends Wed. O2 launches its cheapest ever 50GB Sim - if you value a big-name network & need big data, it's just '£5/mth'  

Or get 100GB for '£6.50/mth' - if you're out of contract, check, ditch and switch

This time last year we were kicking up a huge fuss about O2, after it hiked prices by more than it said it would when customers first signed up. Martin went ballistic at the time, saying it "made a mockery of regulator Ofcom's rules" - which say you must be told at sign-up about any planned price hikes. Many O2 customers told us they switched away or haggled a lower price.

O2 now appears to be trying to entice customers back with the cheapest 50GB Sim deal we've ever seen from it. And while it can be beaten by some of the smaller piggybacking networks, it's currently the cheapest 50GB Sim on the O2 network - something you don't see all that often. If that's important to you, and you're one of the 14 million people out of contract and free to switch, now's a good time to compare deals to see if you can save...

Step 1: Can you switch & save? Check by dialling just five digits. Just text 'INFO' for free to 85075 (some providers will ask for your date of birth to help confirm your identity). The service will then tell you if there are any early termination/cancellation charges - if there aren't, you're free to move. It won't work for some on 'multiple phone' contracts, in which case if you've been with the same provider for more than two years, you're likely out of contract, though do check.

As Janet emailed: "I was paying £79/mth to EE for myself and two grandchildren. Last month, I followed your advice and switched all three to Lebara monthly sims. I now pay less than £8/mth for all three [saving £852/yr]. Many thanks - what a huge saving."

Step 2: Switch to the best new Sim to save. There are actually only four mobile network operators (MNOs) in the UK - EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. All others are mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which piggyback on their signals and tend to be a lot cheaper. Our Cheap Sim Finder lets you filter for deals using your current network's signal if you choose. Here's an example of what's available right now on each network's signal using piggybacking.

Step 3: To keep your number when switching, text 'PAC' for free to 65075. You'll then get a code to give your new provider, which will transfer your number - usually within one working day. (Do note: some providers may ask for your date of birth to confirm your identity, and this won't work if you're on a contract with more than one phone.)

In fact, sometimes when you do this, they fight to try to keep you by offering a much better deal. You could shortcut the process and try this first to see if they do (if you'd rather stick with your current provider). For more help, see Mobile phone haggling.

Seven tips to declutter for max cash (incl new Ikea help)! 
"I challenged myself to sell enough for a little Christmas weekend break by decluttering. I've made £821!"

At this time of year, we always suggest a home stocktake. Walk round the house and find everything you haven't used since last Christmas, and for each one, ask yourself: 'Do I need it? Is it worth keeping?'. If not, flog it (or give it to charity)! This is a great time to tackle that pile of doom and sell winter coats, festive jumpers, LEGO, consoles and much more. The trick is using the right site for the right job (though committed sellers often list on a few sites and delete them from the others if they sell). So below we'll take you through how to get the best buck for your stuff - but first...

1. Do you pay tax if you sell your old items? Martin explains this in detail in his new pod: 'Do I pay tax if I sell on eBay?. In a nutshell, no - you don't if you're just selling your old stuff. Yet if you're buying or making things to sell you're classed as a trader, and if you make £1,000yr+ from that, your income is taxable. Full help in our Do I pay tax on online earnings? guide.

2. Vinted: For selling clothes and other cheaper bits fast. 70% of 424 MoneySavers said Vinted was the quickest place to sell clothes, shoes and accessories in our recent poll (though after making a sale it often takes 10 days to actually get the cash). It's quick to upload, and you can tempt buyers by offering bulk-buy discounts. Though the customer service is AI-run, so think twice before selling owt pricey. See How to earn £100s via Vinted, including algorithm tricks, making use of reverse image search and how DMs can boost sales. Forumite Milliemoohippo says: "I challenged myself to sell enough for a little Christmas weekend break by decluttering our house in the summer and selling on Vinted. I am blown away with what I have achieved, I made £821!!"

3. eBay: For tech, collectables & pricier items. Customer service is more established than Vinted's, so it's good for selling higher-value things. Use our 40+ eBay-selling secrets guide, which includes the best time to list, how to check the going rate using your phone's camera, and how you could be sitting on a hidden goldmine of retro goods such as digicams. Forumite GadgetGuru says: "I've sold around 90 items on eBay over the year, probably over £10k - my gaming computer, external SSD drives and my action camera collection, plus small bits and pieces as well."

4. Facebook Marketplace: Shift bulky furniture for free. With no fees for buyers and fast sales, Facebook Marketplace should be your first port of call for selling bulky and/or breakable collection-only items. While you need to be prepared for the odd no-show, you'll get cash in hand if the buyer's happy with your item - meaning same-day payouts. Our Facebook selling tips include what sells best and how to price your wares.

5. Can't face the faff of listing items? Try trade-in sites for tech (mobiles, CDs, DVDs, games, books, etc). While eBay often nets max cash, for speed and ease - especially if you're selling lots of items - plug 'em into trade-in sites to see how much you'd get. Eg, we found one site paying £184 for a 128GB iPhone 14. See Sell Old Mobiles and how to sell old games, CDs, DVDs and books.

6. New. IKEA launches second-hand marketplace for unwanted furniture. The Swedish flat-pack retailer's new collection-only reselling site could be worth a look. Launched this month, right now it has no fees, and you get 15% extra if you take your payout as an IKEA gift card rather than cash. For our full comparison of how it compares to other platforms, see Get cash for your Kallax.

7. From wine corks to pine cones, your junk may be others' treasure. A surprising range of items that many would normally throw out can actually be sold online, sometimes for big money. As forumite sidewayssyd says: "I had 12 copies of Autocourse magazine from the 60s/70s. One was really rare and made almost £970. The rest made £100 to £150 each." But even more basic items can be flogged too. Eg, we found empty jam jars fetching an average 35p each, wine corks 8p and pine cones 13p. There have even been dozens of sales of old loo roll tubes in the past 3mths too. See our Flog your rubbish guide for the full list of what we've seen sell and how to do it.

PS: We've focused on ways to make money from stuff you don't use. But if you'd prefer to support a worthy cause, donate to a charity shop instead (it's best to call first, to see what they are and aren't accepting).