Passwords, pocket money & power tools – this week's MSE Forum highlights
Outside the sun may be blaring, but the MSE Forum hasn't slowed down for a moment. Here are a few highlights from this week.
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A few of this week's top threads
We're always scouring for useful, interesting or cheering threads. A few that caught our eye this week:
- I’m obsessed with step tracking. I’m nowhere near Martin Lewis’s stats but I’ve been doing 10k every day for two years. I have a new Apple Watch and iPhone – what's the best way to get an accurate count?
- How much do you keep in your current account?
- I visited a hair loss specialist and now all my hair has fallen out. What can I do?
- What do you pay for on your kid's behalf, and what should they pay for themselves?
- I’m going through the Right to Acquire process with my housing association. Should I put this on hold till the Government’s new Right to Buy policy is fully fleshed out?
- First-time buyer here – what’s a ‘normal’ number of issues for an old house?
Do you pay your kid's mobile phone bills? What about music/TV subscriptions?
- For the last five years on and off, someone’s been keying my car, and my car only. What’s the best gadget to buy to catch the culprit in the act?
- My excessively big thumb means I’m forever making ‘fat finger’ errors when entering my password on a mobile screen. I had to abandon attempts to open a Leeds Building Society because of it. Why are banks so hard to access via mobile?
- I want to live with and start caring for my elderly dad but I also have a husband and two kids. Should we move Dad into our two-bed flat, all move into his four-bed house, or both sell up and move to a new property with an annexe?
- I’m still paying for my three-year-old sofa with built-in USB charging but one of the ports is now broken. What are my rights?
Meet one of our Ambassadors
The MSE Forum owes a heap of gratitude to its stellar volunteer Ambassadors, who help keep things running smoothly. They're experienced, knowledgeable members of the community, and each of them takes particular care of a select few boards.
This week, the spotlight's on BlueJ94, who focuses on everything within Spending & Discounts, as well as the Debt-free Wannabe board.
The reason I become an Ambassador is to help and support others in the way that I was supported on my debt-free journey. It's nice to know you're not alone and there's always someone to listen to you.
~ BlueJ94
Money Moral Dilemma
Every week, the Money Tips email features a real-life Money Moral Dilemma (MMD for short). They're intended to encourage debate and, as such, they're usually among the most discussed threads each week.
Should I give my brother a better power tool after I broke his?
I borrowed my brother's power tool, which broke while I was using it. I went to buy a replacement, but the same model wasn't available, so I bought a more expensive one as I needed to finish the job. It was much easier to use, so I've decided to keep it. I've told my brother I'll buy him the original tool when it's available, or give him the cash equivalent, but he says I should give him the more expensive tool to compensate for the one I broke.
You can find out what our MSE Forumites think and add your own two cents on the Money Moral Dilemma discussion thread. Remember the MSE Forum rules: keep it kind and keep it clean. Remember, there's a real person behind every Money Moral Dilemma.
Got a Money Moral Dilemma of your own? Email us at MMD@moneysavingexpert.com and it could be featured.
Latest comping wins
One of the most frequented boards, Competitions Time, is where compers come to find and share competitions. There are countless success stories, but here are picture of some of the most recent. MSE Forumite redfox5 won a set of children's books, which they'll be giving to their little niece, and Ms_Dee bagged a copy of Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister.
Your two cents
Gardens everywhere are beginning to show off again. If you have any tips, photos or questions about gardening (and that includes allotments, houseplants and window boxes) join one of the many conversations on the Greenfingered MoneySaving board. If you can't find a relevant existing thread, start your own by clicking 'Create post'.
If you're not a member yet, it's easy to register for the MSE Forum.