Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

5 Aug 2004: Graduate Accounts, Cheapest Laptop Hunt, Maxim, Supermarket Comparisons, Martin's Rant, 100,000 Subscribers plus plenty more......

This info may be out of date. Read this week's emails

The following is the text of Martin's Money Tips e-mail on 5 August 2004

No schpeil to start, as I've a long schpeil at the end…

DID YOU (OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW) GRADUATE IN THE LAST 3 YEARS? If so, there's a cash prize many leave unclaimed. Graduate bank accounts mightn't sound sexy, but they have interest free overdrafts, which can mean £400 extra cash. Even those who had a now-ended graduate account may still be able to shift and reclaim graduate status. New Article: best graduate account (updated student account article coming soon)

THE GREAT ‘Cheapest New Laptop' HUNT (lowest so far £499): This week's Hunt taps MoneySavers' huge collective research power. While PC prices have plummeted, laptop costs have been static for years, with the consistent low price point regardless of power usually around £800. Finally LCD & other display prices dropping means £500 for a new, decently performing laptop is possible. Make suggestions or read others.

Past Great Hunts include: 'Cheap but Romantic Gifts' 'How to get a flight upgrade', ‘Posh Nosh No Dosh', ‘Cheap Places to take a Date' & ‘Kids' Summer Holidays Days Out'.

EGG! DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE. Egg is heavily advertising its credit card, pushing its 0% for 5 months, every year, offer. It sounds good and can be, both for new and existing customers, but there's a massive catch. So I thought I'd remind you there is a way round it in my Egg Loophole article also see ‘Credit Cards - which one is right for me?' article.

For the lads! MAXIM £9.99 for 2 YEARS (£70 saving). A great Chat Forum spot, Maxim has a top notch quiet promotion, not a bad prezzie idea too. Maxim-ised saving

eBay TYPO BONANZA (UPDATE): Oops I broke it! Two weeks ago I noted a cracking new hobbyist website created by a MoneySaver which locates eBay products listed with spelling mistakes. These have less bidders and thus cheaper prices. My tip sent so many people it couldn't cope – it's all fixed now eBay spelling bargains, eBay Chat Forum board

FIND THE CHEAPEST COKE, SHAMPOO OR CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA: There's a new supermarket comparison site with a difference, rather than finding just offers, it lists all supermarkets individual goods' prices, so if you want 30 bottles of Coke for a party…. Shopping comparison sites. (duplicated in Best Buys)

Reminder: Credit Cards. A year's 0%, last month to apply. Barclaycard Article

Reminder: Budgeting. New MoneySaving Spreadsheet. Budgeting Article

Reminder: Flexible Loans. Cheapest Flexible loan 5.8% Loans Article

LATEST QUICK CHAT TIPS (also see Chat Tips GOLD)

Mini electronic personal organiser £3.95 (plus P+P) Sort it out!

Game offers very cheap, but very quick Gamesters Bargains
More Bonkers Boots Points (following toe separator madness) Boots Bonanza

BOGOF meals at Wagamama Wagamama 2for1

Dump unwatched DVDs for quick cash & 5 DVDs for £25 Blockbuster deal

BT Dect cordless phone/ answer machine £39.99 BOGOF

L'Oreal Contest – guaranteed prize Comptastic

July's Post of the Month £50 award winner July's winner

Nominate a Post of the month winner for August Post of the month

Most Popular Chat Tips Ever (with links) Popular Tips

CHAT FORUM CHANGES: To post a message, ask a question or reply, you'll now need to quickly register (it's free of course). However everything can still be read without registering. There's nothing sinister about this, it's purely an anti-spam measure. Your e-mail will never be sent or sold on, or revealed. Any technical problems with this or anything else email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com

Andrea's Freebies: Free Frother!, Fruitstock festival this weekend, Tresemme shampoo and conditioner, various cosmetics, 26-piece toolkit, T-shirt, Try Me Free Summary, Freebies GOLD

A RANT! IF I HEAR, “I GOT IT FROM MY BANK” ONE MORE TIME…. I'm currently filming a programme about banks & each time I question people's choice of loans, credit cards or even mortgages, I hear, “I just went to my bank”. Noooo! STOP!. Banks salivate over current account customers, it's a superb gateway to cross sell a range of pitiful products. Loyalty NEVER pays, don't let them take you for granted. Choose every product on its own merits. This e-mail always includes links at the end (duplicated here) to help stop the *?*XX?s (self-censored) getting your cash! Rant over!

[ Credit Cards | Shopping | Personal Loans & Current Accounts | Savings, ISAs & Toisas | Mortgages & Remortgaging

MONEYSAVERS GATHERINGS. MANCHESTER, LONDON & SOUTH WALES: A few unofficial gatherings are being arranged. Click Manchester, London or South Wales.

MARTIN'S MONEY POSER: See Smirnoff Differently. A different type of poser this week. Put Smirnoff into predictive text and see what happens. OK it's not strictly money, but it is fun, can you come up with any more? For more or to answer See Smirnoff Differently. As for last week's Poser, you were just too good. Someone cracked my champagne code contest after two days (see crack the code).

Other past Money Posers: A question of risk, A non-notable note, Billy the Cad, what are X & Y?, stick or switch and where's the other pound?

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU x 100,000: Last Friday the 100,000^th person signed up to this e-mail, I'm gobsmacked, extremely thankful, and very proud - this was always a dream not a target. The website is less than 18 months old, and now has nearly 500,000 visitors a month. As I've never done adverts or marketing, special thanks are more than due to the many who have told, convinced and cajoled friends and family into signing up. I hope you'll continue to do so. Remember, every new member powers up a consumer revolution, nailing the coffin of pitiful products, and making providers tremble. Cheers MoneySavers.

I hope you save some money

Martin

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