Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

25 Aug 2004: Best Balance Transfers, Cheapest Loan, Blockbuster Vouchers, Great Shredder Hunt, Don't Switch energy Provider, Amex cuts cashback and many more MoneySavers....

This info may be out of date.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 25 August 2004

NEW: CREDIT CARD DEBT COST CUTTING: Best Balance Transfers. Anyone paying interest on their credit cards should read this, there are huge savings to be made. I've completely rewritten & updated my best balance transfers article (bizarrely Man U & Liverpool FC cards are amongst the best buys). There are two article choices Quick Read or Extended Feature.

New MoneySavers may want to read Credit Cards: Which type is right for me first

NEW CHEAPEST. CALL LANDLINES FOR 0p/MIN. Company 1899 now charges 0p/min for calling landlines with a 3p connection charge. The prior cheapest for daytimes, 18866, is 0.5p/min + 1p connection (still cheapest for calls under 4mins). These two are also joint cheapest for calling mobiles (10p midweek, 2p weekends). To operate it just set up an account online and then just dial 1899 before the number you're calling.

More info & Discuss it. Also see the cheapest home phone guide

RENT ONE, GET ONE FREE BLOCKBUSTER VOUCHER: Last week's tip noted Coca-Cola Entertainment's website had a raft of ‘free days out vouchers'. Just to say it also includes these free movie or game rental vouchers to print out. ROGOF voucher tip

DON'T SWITCH ENERGY PROVIDER! I can hear the jaws dropping. I normally shout “switch energy provider - its easy MoneySaving,” plus British Gas's just announced 12% gas & 9% elec price hikes from September. Worst still, the next six weeks should see price hikes from almost all providers hence “don't switch yet!” Today's cheapest may well be tomorrow's most expensive; it's happened before. Wait until the playing field is level, I'll remind you when its time. Meanwhile my energy switching article also includes a few general ‘bill-cutting' tips.

JEREMY VINE NOTE: If you joined after last Friday's Jeremy Vine programme, here are links to the MoneySaving topics covered. Where to start with savings, Spending abroad, cheapest level term insurance, Save on your MOT bills, Fatfingers, premium bonds

PLAYSTATION 2 £24.99 (if you're lucky): A MoneySaver spotted a Playstation 2 in their local WHSmiths for £24.99. Smiths say these are deleted lines and many stores no longer have them in stock at that price. Still, with Dixons selling them at £104, keep your eyes peeled. PS2 hunt

UPDATED CREDIT CARD CASHBACK ARTICLE: Amex cuts cashback. American Express, previously undisputed cashback King is dropping its cashback rates from 1 October. Fully Updated Article: Best Cashback Card.

FREE £110 (so they say) GENTS & LADIES WATCH SET: Last week it was a cordless phone, this week it's a watch set for new customers applying for an MBNA Platinum card (via certain price comparison sites). It also offers 0% on balance transfers for 9 months (market's second best). See the watch/apply* (click on the link then see ‘watch offer' at the top). 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.

LATEST QUICK CHAT TIPS (also see Chat Tips GOLD)

· Royal Opera House tickets for £10 Culture Vulture

· Sneaky way to cut your bill from Sky Bye bye Sky

· Free eye test Thanks Tesco!

· £50 Samsung mono laser printer Print and save

· 32” Toshiba widescreen TV – can you beat it? Television

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

GREAT ‘CHEAPEST SHREDDER' HUNT Last week's security hints & tips when paying by plastic in bars & clubs, sparked discussion on the virtues of bill shredding for security. For non-Edward Scissorhands, this week's Hunt calls upon MoneySavers to seek out the UK's cheapest shredder. Make a suggestion or read others. Other Current Great Hunts: Cheapest Laptop Hunt, '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'.

THE MONEY DIET: Well it's been unplugged for months so forgive this indulgence. The Money Diet is my (first & only) book on how to save money. It works both independently and complements the site going into much more depth on how to live life but pay less, and how to do a full personal money makeover. More info: The Money Diet (includes where it's available cheapest), read Amazon customer reviews, discuss the book.

SITE POLL: Oil, Oil, Tax & Trouble petrol tax poll. Last week's BBC1 won TV Channel Idol.

CAHOOT SAVINGS ACCOUNT CLOSES TO NEW BIZ ON 2 SEPT: At 5.5% guaranteed for a year web bank Cahoot has the market-leading no-notice savings account but it's closing to new customers on 2 Sept. It's worth grabbing but not panic-worthy, as its rate didn't increase after the recent base rate rise so others are catching up. Best Savings Account or Where to start with savings.

Reminder: Cheaper Web Shopping cutting-edge techniques

Reminder: Cheapest personal loans flexible & fixed still at 5.8%

Reminder: Top current account 0% overdraft, 5.5% interest, cash bonus & freebies.

MONEYSAVERS FANTASY FOOTIE CHAMPAGNE CONTEST. The MoneySavers' free fantasy football league is starting; champagne to the season's winner Fantasy Footie info

AUTO £450 PAYRISE FOR POST 2002 GRADUATES: From next April, anyone repaying their student loan via the income tax system (payroll) will only repay 9% above £15,000, not the current £10,000 meaning £15k+ earners get an extra £450 a year in their pocket. Discuss this. Related Article: 2004-2005 student funding (next week - best student account article).

Andrea's Freebies: Wedding stationery samples, Mini bookstart pack, Bodyform, child's bedtime book, sample testing, £150 travel vouchers, Baby freebies Try Me Free Summary, Freebies GOLD

MONEYSAVING CHARITY T-SHIRT SLOGAN CONTEST. I was mulling the idea of having some made and then auctioning them for charity at Christmas time. The winning slogan will get one free if I do it. Slogan Contest

The ‘Please Tell Your Friends' Bit: Guess what I'm going to say now? Please do tell everyone you know about the website, and especially this e-mail, tell them to sign up. The more of us there are the more MoneySaving power we have. I shall keep it short and sweet this week.

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.moneysupermarket.com. For more on how it works and the site's non-profit driven ethical and financial policy click here.

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Find out more about Martin's Book ‘The Money Diet'

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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