Would you charge your five-year-old RENT to teach them about money?

Here at MoneySavingExpert.com we’re all about the importance of financial education. But one American parent’s approach has prompted fierce debate… A Facebook post by Essence Evans, from Atlanta in Georgia, is currently going viral. Written on Sunday, it now has more than 300,000 shares and counting – and it’s all because of her novel approach when it...

Does your Pensioner Bond mature this Sunday? What should you do with the cash?

Pensioner Bonds are simply fixed-rate savings accounts, launched in January 2015, paying a massive 4% interest for the three-year version (and 2.8% on the one-year version which matured in 2016) – though, as the name suggests, they were only available to those 65+. In total, just under 900,000 people took one out between January and May that...

Three customer? You can get FREE cinema tickets, coffee, pizza and more via this free app

Free stuff. Unless it’s a cold or a bin bag full of half-eaten Jaffa Cakes, free stuff is awesome. And if you’re a Three customer, you can now use the mobile network’s new rewards app to get lots of it. The Wuntu app (‘Wun’, ‘tu’, Three, geddit?) is available for iOS and Android. It’s free to download,...

Get up to 5% interest with the app that makes saving automatic

Welcome to the new world of app-based banking. There’s been an explosion in recent months of new companies offering a challenge to traditional financial services. From prepaid cards to current accounts and mortgages, there’s little that this modern generation of providers isn’t tackling. And now there’s a ‘chatbot’ app that’ll automatically work out what you can afford...

Handbags? Luxury toilet roll? What are your guilty – but still MoneySaving – pleasures?

When it comes to MoneySaving, here at MSE Towers we know what we’re talking about. I’ve been here over five years, and the lengths some people go to bag a bargain still astound me. That’s not to say I don’t like to save money. It’s just a common preconception that because of where I work, I should...

Designer retail outlets – are they worth the schlep?

If you live near Bicester, Gretna, York or any of the UK’s other outlet villages and have a penchant for designer goods, it’s likely I’m preaching to the choir. If you can’t resist a bargain, maybe it’s time you planned a trip to one. Designer brands are by definition not MoneySaving. But if you’re a slave to...

Skewer your spuds, and 15 more common-sense ways to cut energy use

Winter, as every Game of Thrones fan knows, is coming. And as temperatures fall and energy consumption climbs, now’s the time to start thinking about how to tackle your unnecessary energy usage. We were inspired to put together this list, somewhat randomly, by MSE Jenny’s electrician Steve. He compiles and sends round a list of simple energy-saving...

Toys R Us’s Xmas layaway scheme – is it all it’s cracked up to be?

Toys R Us’s layaway scheme is hugely popular on Facebook and in the papers as a way to spread the cost of Christmas presents. With Take Time to Pay, you choose your toys in store, pay a 20% deposit and then make payments in store every four weeks, over a period of four, eight or 12 weeks. (For...

App-based banking – is this the future?

“The future of banking, available today.” That’s the bold message adorning the homepage of newly-formed Atom Bank. ‘Challenger’ banks such as Atom have sprung to life in recent years, thanks in part to the Financial Conduct Authority lowering the amount of capital required to form a new bank, in 2013. We regularly feature a number of challenger banks in our...

Mourinho savings – double interest if Utd win title

Last week, an email popped up in my inbox: “Virgin Money launches the ‘Manchester United Champions Bond’ for savers”. It offers fixed 1.25% interest for a year, but comes with a twist – the rate is doubled to 2.5% if Man Utd win the Premier League in 2016/17. So I immediately forwarded it to Martin and new...