MSE's weekly round-up

In 2024, Mastercard settled out of court for £200 million after a landmark legal case on behalf of UK consumers. It was alleged that Mastercard's fees made it more expensive for retailers to accept card payments, which led to higher prices for everyone. So the case also affects those who have never had a Mastercard.

Now, an online form allowing you to make a claim is expected to go live in the coming months, with payouts due to start in 2027. If you're eligible, you may get up to £70 compensation, though it could be a lot less. To check whether you might be eligible, see our full guide.

Despite it still being summer and many of us sweltering in a heatwave, this year's Boots No7 Advent calendars are about to go on sale.

Sign up to the waiting list by 11.59pm on Monday 17 August and you can get £10 off one calendar by buying it online on Tuesday 18 August, or £5 off if you buy it on Wednesday 19 August.

• The '25 Days of Beauty Calendar' costs £65 and has £243 of products.

• The 'Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar' costs £180, with £411 of products.

You can also watch MSE Liv unbox the two calendars via the link below.

MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis has warned to watch out for three big ways your mortgage application could be scuppered.

Martin explains why your affordability is so important and how to potentially improve it, what types of properties lenders don't like, and how your ability to get credit can affect your application.

The school holidays can be a busy and expensive time for families, but with September fast approaching, it's worth checking whether you can get up to £200 towards school uniform costs to help with your finances.

You may qualify for a non-repayable grant if you're on certain benefits, such as Universal Credit.

However, not all local authorities in England offer this support – we found that about 15% do, and list these in our news story. In contrast, school uniform grants are more widely available across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, for families who meet the eligibility criteria.

Coffee-lovers take note: Starbucks' rewards scheme is changing. From Thursday 3 September, you'll need to use more loyalty points, or 'stars', to earn the same rewards.

In our social post we've detailed how the changes will affect the number of stars you'll need – and how much you'll need to spend to earn them – to claim certain Starbucks items for 'free'.

So if you've a stash of stars, use them quick to get more bean for your buck.

• How do you keep track of your money? One user is asking for tried-and-tested money management methods...
  
  

• Car vs train – which wins? There's only one way to find out... ffffff-orumites help another user to decide the better way to commute.
  
  

• What's the best way to label kids' school stuff? With back-to-school looming, forumites share their tips for keeping uniform and kit out of lost property...