MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email
THIS WEEK: Over 50 ways to save, incl... beat bill hikes in Apr (BT, BG, 3, Sky, council tax etc), free £200 Nectar, NO-FEE 21mth 0%, NHS freebies, 75p Easter eggs, £39 Calvin Klein specs, free books, energy Big Switch
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DON'T believe the fake 'Martin Lewis' or 'MSE' ads |
MSE Big Energy Switch 17 - save £200+/yr All big energy firms - Brit Gas, EDF, E.on, Npower, Scot Power & SSE - have now announced price hikes for those on their standard tariffs (ie, most customers) to the max allowed under the new 1 April price cap. That's a 9% rise, up £96/yr for a typical home. To help, last week we launched our 17th Big Energy Switch where we use this email's huge reach to negotiate special deals. They've gone like hot cakes, so some may run out before the switch event closes on Fri 12 Mar. Here's the latest...
Find choosing confusing? Most people actually prefer to let us help them through it. The
MSE Pick Me A Tariff tools are perfect for those unsure or nervous about switching or choosing. And don't worry - we include all tariffs across the market, including the deals below.
As your exact winner depends on where you live and what you'll use, all links go via Cheap Energy Club so you can compare. |
It's the most important Budget for years, so join us on Wed at 12.30pm. Normally Budgets are dry affairs focused on the wider economy. But this one is likely to fall slap bang into our consumer finance territory. So follow Martin's live Twitter explanations and MSE Twitter for formal updates. After it's over, MSE News will investigate what the Chancellor did (and didn't) say. Then on Thu, watch 'Martin meets Rishi' (ITV, 8.30pm) on his Budget special. Martin: 'How to get £200's worth of free Nectar points.' Watch Martin's full Nectar boost explainer. Two million employees have now claimed the working-from-home tax rebate. Have you? If you've been required to work from home for even a day since 6 April 2020, you can claim a year's tax rebate worth up to £125. It only takes a couple of minutes. For full info, incl who can claim, see Martin's WFH tax back blog. Freebies for NHS workers - coffee, £15 car check, mobile data & more. Many, including us, want to thank the wonderful NHS staff. So we've updated our compendium of NHS and care worker freebies & discounts. Ends Thu: £20 off top-service broadband & line. Zen's topped every service poll we've done since 2015, but it's pricier than the cheapest promos. Until 11.59pm on Thu, we've got it to waive the usual £20 set-up fee, so there's 35Mb fibre for £29.99/mth or 66Mb fibre for £34.99/mth. Or use our broadband comparison to find your cheapest. Calvin Klein specs £39 delivered (norm £160). MSE Blagged. Via code at Low Cost Glasses. Martin reveals the psychology behind 'a month's free trial' subscriptions (and it's NOT hoping you forget to cancel). Watch Martin's full explanation. |
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The top NO-FEE debt shift is now 21mths 0% Balance transfers are the first thing anyone paying interest on credit or store cards should try. They save some £1,000s. It's where you get a new card that repays debts on old cards for you, so you owe it instead, but at 0% - so your repayments clear the actual debt rather than just the interest. Choose the card with the lowest fee within the right 0% length. Take enough 0% time to ensure you can clear the debt. If you're unsure, go long. This week, we're highlighting the strong current range of (effectively) no-fee deals. Will you be accepted? Don't just apply. It's better to use our 0% Balance Transfer Eligibility Calc to find which cards you've the best chance of getting without hitting your credit score. It includes the best buys below...
a) Never miss the min monthly repayment, or you could lose the 0% deal and it'll cost far more. Full help and info, incl options for poorer credit scorers, in Best Balance Transfers (and see APR Examples). |
AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS
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THIS WEEK'S POLL Will you be better off in a year's time? It's Budget week, when the Chancellor reviews the nation's finances and presents forecasts for the economy. So this week, we want to know your forecasts for your own finances over the coming year. Have the plans to emerge from lockdown given you confidence you'll be better off or do you think things will get worse? Most MoneySavers want a higher contactless spending limit. Last week, we asked whether you thought the current contactless spending limit of £45 should be increased. More than 5,700 of you responded and 62% said you want a higher limit, while 35% said it should stay the same or be lowered. Since the last time we asked, the proportion of you who don't use contactless at all has fallen - from 8% in Sep 2019 to 3% today. See full contactless poll results. |
MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should I tell my cousin I can't afford to attend the hen weekend she's asked me to plan? My cousin had to cancel her hen weekend and her wedding because of the pandemic. We're now re-planning the hen-do but she wants to stay somewhere more expensive and invite more people. The whole thing's now out of my price range, but I'm racked with guilt about telling her I can't come, as she was so crushed when she had to cancel everything. What should I do? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I tell my cousin I can't afford her hen weekend? | Suggest an MMD | View past MMDs |
MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 3 MAR ONWARDS) Wed 3 Mar - Budget reaction with Shelagh Fogarty, LBC, 2.20pm MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECTS TBC) Thu 4 Mar - BBC Radio Leicester, Mid-morning with Ben Jackson, from 11.35am |
'LOOKING FORWARD MOST TO SEEING MY DAUGHTER. HAVEN'T HUGGED HER IN OVER A YEAR...' That's all for this week, but before we go... now tentative routes out of lockdown have been proposed, lots of us at MSE are feeling excited about pencilling in real-life plans to our calendars. So we asked on social media whether you'd made any plans yet. Unsurprisingly, many people's first thought is to go and see family and friends. Others have yearned for the skilled hands of their hairdresser, and some have taken a punt on a summer holiday in the sun. But a decent chunk of you are taking a wait-and-see approach and not booking anything in yet. Let us know if you've made any plans in our Post-lockdown activities Facebook post. We hope you save some money, stay safe, |
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