Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

28 Oct 2004: Super Savings, Smelly Stuff, Fix or Discount, Get Loaded for Free, £165 Return to New York, How Big Will It Be By New Year and much much more MoneySaving....

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The following is the text of Martins Money Tips Email sent on 28 October 2004

Anyone can receive this email (it's free): www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips

Hiya. Quick note of a fun programme on this Thurs 28^th BBC1 7pm (well I hope so, I've not seen the edit). It is called ‘Should we be worried about spending?' I got to design & market the UK's best worst credit card – scary how many people signed up!

TOP INSTANT ACCESS SAVINGS ACCOUNTS: New Article A range of new savings accounts are paying 5.5% interest, with instant access and minimal conditions. This full new article details this easy way to increase the cash in your pocket. New Article: Maximise your interest, Other Savings Articles

BUY PERFUMES & AFTERSHAVE HALF PRICE (plus tip for blokes). With the festive season closing in I'm resurrecting the discount perfume retailers thread - smelly stuff is cheaper, usually because they're grey imports or tester bottles. And a special tip for gift-buying blokes, if it's £20 cheaper unboxed, spend £2-3 on a gift box, and it looks like you've made more effort not less.

Chat Tip: discount perfume retailers

SHOULD I FIX MY MORTGAGE RATE? New Special Briefing. On Monday one of my best friends asked me this question. While there's no right or wrong answer, there is a straightforward route to decide so having talked it through with her I wrote it down. New Article: Fixed or Discount Mortgages (see all mortgage articles) Other Special Briefings: ‘Should I cancel old credit cards?' and Danger: Minimum Payments

Easier way to tell people about this e-mail, plus FAQ! There's a new page for signing-up to receive this free email, including a ‘Frequently Asked Questions' about technical problems. Please recommend your friends and family join up. Just send them a link to www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips.

THREE FREE ISSUES OF LOADED: Even publishers have caught on to the MoneySaving 'free magazine' system. Sign up for free mags, and you can legitimately cancel your direct debit at the end of the trial with no cost. Chat Tips: Loaded trial, Mags cost-cutting.

Reminder: Shift debts to 0% for a year Best Balance Transfers Article

Reminder: Some top suggestions now in The Great ‘Virtually Free Stocking Fillers' Hunt.

Reminder: Four step Home Insurance cost cutting article

RECIPE CHAMPAGNE CONTEST RESULT. Last week's contest was to feed 6 for £1.62. Our resident food gourmet (the Webmaster) has chosen a winner. See what won the champagne?.

WHAT 5 THINGS SHOULD TEENS KNOW ABOUT MONEY? Sky News woke me up this week to ask this. I sleep talked five suggestions and later on decided…. interesting idea. So I've written down my five… what are yours? Read or contribute to wisdom from an older generation.

A SHAMEFUL PIECE OF REGULATION. Forgive a quick spleen vent. Finally mortgage brokers are now regulated, but there's an anomaly. London & Country compares mortgages across the whole of the market but as unlike other big mortgage companies it doesn't charge a fee, just takes cash from the lender, it can't call itself independent. What a load of nonsense! Discuss mortgage mayhem.

GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT CONVERTING CURRENCY? New quick Q&A links note

LATEST QUICK CHAT TIPS (also see Chat Tips GOLD)

URGENT! Fly to the Big Apple for £165 return including taxes Take a bite
Cheap online designer fashions Chic and cheerful
M&S online sale prices reduced again Bargain bonanza
USB hub under a tenner and other Lidl IT Bargains
Another digital camera £13 stocking filler
Nominate a Post of the month winner for October Post of the month
Most Popular Chat Tips Ever (with links)

STORES CHARGING 2.5% TO PAY WITH PLASTIC? Don't worry, it's just a tax thing. I'm often being asked about high street stores e.g. Debenhams with little signs saying ‘2.5% debit or credit card charge'. Actually it's just a clever ruse for them to cut their tax. You're charged 2.5% for using the card, but given a 2.5% reduction, so the price you pay is unaffected (unless they're pulling a fast one). Instore Card Charge Info

CHEAPEST INTERNATIONAL CALLS PROVIDER. Recommendation change. A week is a long time in the international calls market. While the general info hasn't changed, due to price tweeks by call18866 I'm switching my ‘one provider' pick to call1899. Updated Article: ‘cheapest international calls article'

Andrea's Freebies

Eat Natural bar, Free tax-filing software, Washing-up liquid, Arts Professional magazine (4 issues), Free TV on your PC, Freebies GOLD

Coming soon.. TART ALERT: Fingers crossed, soon I'm launching a ‘tart alert' system so you can get a free text or email ‘change now alert' six weeks before your 0% promo rate ends. The aim is to hit credit card companies where it hurts, their pockets. Watch this space. I'll send a special email when it launches. If you've interested friends tell them to sign up to www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips for details.

POLLS. Switch and Ditch? & House price crash poll press release: How often do you compare energy provider? Vote. Article: Cheapest Gas & Elec.

See last week's flutter or gutter poll results. Also see the House price crash poll press release.

HOW BIG WILL IT BE BY NEW YEAR? Champagne Contest. The number of people receiving this e-mail has grown astoundingly. Launched 16 Feb 2003, by 12.01 am Jan 2004 there were 44,502 receiving it. As I write there are 136,700 (27/10 at 4.30pm). So how many will there be at 12.01am Jan 2005? Predict here. A bottle of champagne to the closest.

That's it for another week. Don't forget there are just a few days left to donate 50p to Breast Cancer Research without any cost to you. If you save money this week please forward this email to everyone you know, so they can donate for free too.

I hope you save some money

Martin

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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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