15 life hacks fight to be your ultimate MoneySaver

This content originally appeared in the MSE weekly email on 27 May 2015.

What's the ultimate life hack? We map the traffic from each link in this email, and while big hitters such as mortgages, savings, PPI and flight delays are perennial winners, often the quirky, unexpected savings are most-read.

So I've compiled 15 of them and propose to let 'em duke it out (Queensberry rules of course). Here they are, in a random order. And I'm going to monitor which gets the most traffic and let you know the winners next week.

Update 3 June 2015: See the What is the number one MoneySaving life hack? news story to find out the winner.

1. Beat Sky TV's price hikes. 

It's hiking TV customers' prices next week by up to £54 a year. Our How to Beat Sky's Hikes guide a few weeks ago was read by 310,400 people in the first week alone; my Twitter feed was swamped with successes such as @gilesta's: "Just saved £315 a year with Sky, cheers Martin." 

2. A YEAR'S 2for1 cinema by manipulating Meerkat movies. 

Our Meerkat Movies trick has been read by an Oscar-worthy 271,400 people since we launched it in April, and the audience has given it a standing ovation, with copious tweets similar to Darcy: "Loving it, £26.70 saved so far over 3weeks. Thanks," and Suzi: "thanks for the Meerkat Movies tip. I'd be saving over £400 a year for a cost of £3."

3. Easyjet flight refund trick – has your flight dropped in price? 

The Easyjet refund trick we discovered in April shows how to get the difference back if you've booked an Easyjet flight and the price falls later (excluding sales). Many, including Joan, have gained: "After reading this on MSE, I got a £199 voucher for 4 of us from Turkey."

4. Join the complaining revolution – free tool to help millions fix gripes.

Last month we told you we were going to work with free automated complaints system Resolver* which tells you your rights, drafts a letter, monitors replies and escalates to ombudsmen if needed. It works with 3,500+ firms including shops, banks, energy firms and more.

Over 9,200 people have used it to complain since, with great results such as this from Jamie, who tweeted: "Thanks to the tool, Barclays gave me £250 compo for poor mobile insurance policy this morning." Full info on how it works and our relationship with it in our Resolver guide.

5. Watch TV and (legally) not pay the licence fee. 

See Do I qualify?. By far the most popular thing in last week's email, read 422,300 times from Wednesday-Friday.

6. Amazon shopper? You're entitled to music going back 16yrs. 

If you've bought CDs/vinyls since 1999, our Amazon music reclaim shows how to get them as downloads for free. Great for some, including JHL1959: "Crikey, 182 albums, that's 2,367 tracks. Amazingly, I still like a lot of em – cheered me up."

Be warned, it can go wrong. GingerJuice...: "thought it was brilliant then found I'd bought the mother-in-law Susan Boyle's CD last year. Ugh."

7. If you earn less than £15,600, get your savings interest tax-free NOW.

From next April, basic-rate taxpayers will be able to earn £1,000 of savings interest tax-free (higher rate £500), but as our tax free savings 2015 guide shows, it's started already for some on low incomes.

15 hot tips fight to be your ultimate MoneySaver

8. Zara shopper? The must-know trick for summer. 

How to get a serious discount on every item, see my Zara on the cheap tricks. Janine tweeted me a few days ago: "I bought a £99 lace jacket for £58."

9. Beware Michael Parkinson – nice fella, but his insurance is pants. 

Axa SunLife's over-50s plan seem simple, yet for most it's a seriously bad bet. See my Michael Parkinson warning for winners, losers, best buys and more.

10. Should I buy euros now, as £1 = €1.41? 

I first wrote my buy euros once £1= €1.40? analysis back in Mar after being swamped with questions as the pound crashed through that landmark. Then it dropped, and now it's back even higher, the analysis still stands.

11. 'I got my Amazon Prime £79 subscription back'. 

Many've been charged for unwanted membership. Our Amazon Prime Refund gets it back. Forumite Tianna is just one of the successes: "I followed instructions from your weekly email and got £79, thanks."

12. FIGHT: Cash ISAs vs Santander 123? 

In the red corner, Santander's 3% bank account best buy, in the blue tax-free savings. Which is best for your savings? See who wins in my Cash ISAs vs Santander 123 analysis.

13. Beware smileys in texts – they could cost you £100s. 

Last December we broke the Beware a £200+ emoji bill story, then it was all over the news. Read by 375,800 people so far, it warns of a smiley or wink trap and shows how to avoid it.

14. Reclaim lost Tesco points, then QUADRUPLE them. 

Check if you've lost, forgotten or just have unused Clubcard vouchers via our reclaim Tesco points guide. Alison tweeted: "£132 reclaimed in lost vouchers. New bikes for our boys maybe..." The guide also shows how to get 2x or 4x their value.

15. Free £48/yr for Barclays bank customers. 

If you've got an account, there's an easy way to bag extra cash, see free £48 from Barclays.