How I bagged a last-minute flight to the Philippines for £375 return – and what you need to know about smaller online flight brokers

When it comes to finding cheap flights, our usual rule is to book as early as possible. But it’s as much about how you book as when you book – and I’ve been lucky enough to bag some real bargains. Take my recent trip to the Philippines. It cost me just £367 return from London Gatwick (+ a £7.35...

The credit cards that won’t remove your intro offer for making a mistake

When it comes to credit cards, managing them well is pretty simple: always pay at least the minimum monthly payment (preferably more), on time, and don’t bust your credit limit. These mantras are important. Not following them usually means any promotional 0% interest periods (such as on purchases or balance transfers) are removed, and you get whacked...

My Sky TV customer service horror show

I’m going to tell you about the worst customer service experience I’ve ever encountered, with huge errors and then an inability – and in some cases unwillingness – to fix the cock-up. Step forward, Sky. I’ve written previously about appalling service from Sky, but here’s a horror show with my Sky Q TV service on another level....

Getting a mortgage? Don’t assume your bank knows best

My fiancé and I are lucky to be in a position to buy an actual house, and even luckier to have had an offer accepted. We’re now quite a way through the process but we weren’t quite lucky enough to buy without a mortgage, so securing one was naturally the next step. Now we’d already spoken to a...