Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

The following is the text of Martin's Money Tip E-mail sent 09.06.04

Wow, a real no flannel week. New best buys in loans, cards, phones, and current accounts. Without further ado….

SAY NO TO 0870 – THE ARTICLE! Did you know you pay to complain?  Many household name companies commonly use numbers starting 0870 as customer service lines - calling these off a home phone can cost a massive 8p/min, and isn't part of any free minutes allocation.  The reason why? The companies can get a cut of this revenue.  Read my first ever full article on this, including a loophole to save up to £120 a year (and watch this space, I'm considering a national campaign against this),

CHEAPEST EVER PERSONAL LOAN 5.8% & IT'S FLEXIBLE! (short term offer)  Cahoot's ‘flexible' loan has undercut the previous historic low at a 5.8% interest, it is a short term limited offer.  I'll admit surprise, as prices should be starting to rise now.  This is a top deal as you can overpay or underpay the loan – giving as the name suggests ‘flexibility'.  Yet there are a couple of things to watch for with it. Pros & cons and contact details

FREE LONDON OLYMPIC TORCH GIG (BE QUICK): Ozzy Osbourne, Rod Stewart & James Brown.  Put your name on the list (by noon 11 June)  & hope you're picked. Chat Tip

DO YOU HAGGLE (URGENT)? On Fri 11 June on Radio 2's Jeremy Vine lunchtime show, I'm doing a 'haggling phone-in'.  If you've a story and want to take part e-mail phil.maguire@bbc.co.uk and put "HAGGLING" in the subject line.

NOW MBNA DOING 12 MONTH 0% CARD TOO:  To compete with Barclaycard's new deal, MBNA is offering new customers 0% on balance transfers (debt shifted from other card) for 12 months. More info and contacts.  (Unintended Benefits:  As this card has Super Balance transfer properties it's of top use for the REVENGE: Make free cash from credit cards and Stop paying overdraft interest articles - just click them for a full explanation.)

NEW CHEAPEST HOME PHONE PROVIDER:  It's almost getting ridiculous now.  Call18866 has dropped its prices for calling landlines to 0.5p per minute plus a 1p connection charge.  It also charges 10p to call mobiles midweek and 2p at weekends.  This makes it pretty close to being unbeatable for all but the heaviest of landline users. This is such a substantive change, I've done a complete change of my recommendation structure in my home phone article.  Click here.

NEW TOP CURRENT ACCOUNT: 5% INTEREST, 0% OVERDRAFT & £30 FOR JOINING. Lloyds has increased its new customer top current account rate to 5%. There are also rate changes for existing customers. Read updated article

CHAT FORUM TIPS

Premier Lodge rooms £22 per night Click here

The Cheapest DVD recorder? Click here

Vtech baby toys BOGOF Click here

Free Gents Watch for £15 spend at Boots Click here

Find Cheap Camera Film/Batteries/Digital Cards Discussion Click here

Beat petrol price rises Click here

How to mend it not pay for it to be fixed Click here

Free NTL one-month upgrade Click here

May's post of the month £50 award winner Click here

Nominate a post of the month winner for June Click here

Andrea's Freebies: Lindt chocolate, Sacla pesto sachet,
Felix Kitten pack, Vitalin pet food,
Tilda basmati rice, Birthday prezzie from Sainsburys,
Try Me Free Summary,  Freebies GOLD

UPDATE NOTE: BARCLAYCARD EXISTING CUSTOMER OFFER.  I've been asked many ‘where is it' questions about this.  Just to confirm it's currently available only via branches and direct mailshots, it should be available online on 11 June and on the phone 14 June (I'll remind you).  Read full article.

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DID YOU KNOW? Baliffs can't force their way into your home.  I admit I'm sitting here writing this with Eastenders on in the background.   The bailiffs are demanding entry – yet the general law is they cannot force their way into your home (with some specific exceptions).  They may gain peaceful entry, which means either you let them in or they go through an open/unlocked window or door. They can however take stuff from outside your home e.g. your car.  More info or to discuss

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MONEYSAVINGEXPERT.COM ANNUAL CHARITY VOTE RESULT:  Thanks to all the people who voted.  The top five will receive donations in direct proportion to the vote - Breakthrough Breast Cancer gets 26%, Alzheimers 20%, Whizz-Kidz 20%, Re-Cycle 17%, Kidscape 17%.  Read more about these charities and the site's fund.  Do remember the more people who use the site, the more money can go to charity – so please tell people!

That's it for this week.  I'm exhausted from the changes above. There's a lot here and it's almost a bit much – but the savings available are huge.  It's worth remembering, sometimes you have to accept you don't have the time to save money, providing sometimes you accept you don't have the money to save time.

I hope you save some money

Martin

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