Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

19 August 2004: 6% savings, free digital cordless phone, overseas calls, mobile charger, clubbers note and much much (much) more MoneySaving

This info may be out of date.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 19 August 2004

Hiya, loads of new MoneySavers this week, welcome on board. If you are one, there's a special note for you at the end.

EARN 6% ON YOUR SAVINGS. Smashing all best buys. Regular Savings Accounts are little-known products which are excluded from most ‘savings' Best Buy tables, but use them cleverly and they beat all. New Article: Regularly get the Best Buy Savings

CALL OVERSEAS FROM 1p/MIN: (India 5p, Pakistan 7p): For a phone-in on BBC Asian Network I updated the cheapest way to call India & Pakistan yet savings are possible whatever country you call, with about 30 countries available for 1p/min. Read Cheapest Way To Call Abroad (includes India/Pakistan update).

FREE DIGITAL CORDLESS PHONE: New customers applying for an MBNA Platinum card (only via a variety of price comparison sites though) will get a free digital cordless phone. The card also offers 0% on balance transfers for 9 months (market's second best). View the phone/apply* (after clicking the link see ‘digital phone offer' at the top of the page). One warning, to qualify for the phone you must spend on the card, this isn 't at 0% so spend as little as possible (e.g. £1) or there's a catch. For full pros and cons read the Credit Card Freebies article.

CREDIT CARD MARKET CHANGES: Barclaycard's market-leading new customer offer has changed and worsened. I've fully updated the Best Credit Card for Spending article, but have just added a note in the Best Balance Transfer (transferring debt from other cards) article, as I'm working on a fully re-written version to be on the site Sunday. The Barclaycard existing customer loophole is unchanged.

CHEAPER MOBILE CHARGER: Those using computers at work can connect a special little wire into the USB slot (back of the PC) to charge a mobile phone. At around £8 it's much cheaper than buying a new charger (and work pays for the power) More info & discuss.

QUICK CAR INSURANCE COST CUTTING (plus company car drivers' new note): As having quick and expanded versions of the Home Insurance Cost Cutting article seemed to work, I've added a car insurance cost cutting quick read to the existing expanded feature. Also new, within the expanded feature's ‘extra tips & tactics' section, is a note to protect company car drivers' no-claims bonuses when switching to private veh icles (a friend asked me, so I thought I'd tell all the answer).

Reminder Shopping Discount: 20% discount code off LaRedoute catalogue ends 10 days

Reminder Wedding Tips: Brides & Grooms, discuss Wedding MoneySaving

Reminder Personal Loans Cheapest Personal Loans 5.8%, likely to rise soon

SITE POLL – TV CHANNEL IDOL & GORDON BROWN TOP POLITICAL IFA. This week's site poll is TV Channel Idol, last week Gordon Brown was overwhelmingly voted the politician you'd most trust as your financial adviser – result.

FIRST DIRECT FREE £25 LOOPHOLE CLOSED: On Monday First Direct ended the £25 promotion due to massive demand following my explanation of the loophole to listeners of Radio 2's Jeremy Vine programme. Great fun, hope you got it while it lasted. Original Loophole Article (for reference only).

LATEST QUICK CHAT TIPS (also see Chat Tips GOLD)

· DVD player, rucksack and 72 cans of coke £37 Viking bargain

· Lots of free days out & entertainment vouchers See the sights!

· Cheapest Portable DVD & Screen discussion (£99 min) Films on the move

· Cut hotel bills – compare prices Hotel price comparison sites

· Tourist's guide to cheaper transport in London London transport for less

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

· Most Popular Chat Tips Ever (with links)

BAR-GOERS, EATERS AND CLUBBERS NOTE: Nope, sorry, not cheap booze, just a security note. Pay by credit card & annoyingly many receipts print the full credit card number. Leaving these receipts hanging around makes fraud easier. Always check to see if the number is there, if it is, rip the right hand edge off the receipt, getting rid of the last few numbers, stuff that bit in your pocket (so there's only a little rubbish) and leave the rest on the bar.

Discuss security hints & tips.

Andrea's Freebies: Glowing dog lead!, mini radio, garden equipment tagging system (Northumbria area only), JoHansford sample,

cinema tickets (various – check dates – all on page 3 of the Chat discussion) Try Me Free Summary, Freebies GOLD

CHAT FORUM NOTE: The Chat Forum is now so busy neither I nor the Moderators can read every post. We now regulate it with a ‘report a problem' system, so if you spot something distasteful, dangerous or spam please e-mail abuse@moneysavingexpert.com.

WELCOME MARTIN'S MONEY TIPS NEWCOMERS: Welcome to the over 4,000 new MoneySavers joining the e-mail this week. The site & email are completely free to use and completely free of advertising (read the site's non-profit driven ethical and financial policy). The more of us there are the more power MoneySavers have. Please tell everyone about the site, and suggest they sign up to this e-mail. Also check out the ‘finding what you want on the site' article.

TRIATHLON-TASTIC: Regular Chat Forum MoneySaver Laminki completed his triathlon & wants to thank to those who sponsored him, helping raise over £1,000 (donations still possible) Triathlon details

That's it for this week. I hope you enjoyed the tips. Thank you so much for all the kind notes following the Tonight with Trevor MacDonald programme. It's really nice to have your support.

I hope you save some money

Martin

*Affiliated link: This link invisibly takes you via price comparison site Moneysupermarket, which then makes a contribution to MoneySavingExpert.com. This in no way impacts any editorial decisions (what I write), costs you anything or changes the product. For an identical link which doesn't help the site go to www.barclaycard.co.uk. For more on how it works and the site's non-profit driven ethical and financial policy read this

Guide to finding info on MoneySavingExpert.com.

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What is MoneySavingExpert.com? It's a website focused on the very best ways to save money on everything and anything. It is owned and run by journalist Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert on ITV1s This Morning, Sunday Express columnist, BBC Radio 2, 4 & 5 amongst others. To read about how the site is funded click here

Disclaimer: This e-mail is based on journalistic research. It does not constitute financial advice. Any information should be considered in regard to your own specific circumstances. All tips are followed at your own risk and should be followed up with your own research Full Terms & Conditions.

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