Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

The following is the text of Martins Money Tips Email sent on 12 January 2005

Hiya.  Thanks so much to all who've recommended the site recently.  Please don't stop telling people that they should sign up for this free Money Tips e-mail.  Remember unlike pretenders MoneySavingExpert is free to use, free of ads and non-profit driven.  It's about Consumer Revenge, taking on big companies. The more of us, the more they tremble.

NEW LOOPHOLE EARN 14% INTEREST SAVING FOR XMAS '05.  Don't groan but now's the perfect time to start saving for Christmas.  To help, I've spotted a loophole allowing you to effectively earn 14% interest.  New Article. Double Save for Xmas.

ORANGE USERS £5 FREE CALLS TO/FROM ABROAD.  Orange stockists are giving both contract and PAYG customers free overseas calls.  While I'm at it, a heads up that next week's deal will be how to permanently call overseas from your mobile for free.

A FLOCK OF FLIGHT SALES.   Ryanair has seats at £1 plus tax and you can sneakily find the cheapest with m'Ryanair flight checker.  BMI Baby and Flybe also have sales on (we've almost finished developing flight checkers for them) and BA has a sale on long haul at the moment. Flight Sale Details.

FURTHER £1,180 TO TSUNAMI APPEAL.  Another 3,340 people joined this email's distribution list, so last week's '50p donated for each new person' pledge added £1,180 to the £9,500 already donated from the Charity Fund.  Thanks to all who recommended the site.  To donate go to www.dec.org.uk. For other Tsunami related links see last week's tip.  Also there's the how much did you donate? poll Results/ Discussion

DON'T APPLY FOR NEW CREDIT CARDS YET!  My 'don't apply unless necessary' call as better deals may be launched in the last half of Jan still applies.  If you do need new cards view all credit card articles.

Update. 5.8% loan from AA (UK's cheapest) offer extended. Apply/View* Article
Reminder. MoneySaving New Year Resolutions Article or the Money Diet for a full make-over
Reminder.  Find eBay products with less bids thanks to typos.  Fatfingers

PLAY WITH A TOOL.  A quick intro to the site's tools (as opposed to articles) for newbie MoneySavers (all free to use and ad-free, of course). The Overseas Call Checker updates the cheapest instantly accessible phone provider to each country; the Ryanair Flight Checker finds all flights under £5; the Budget Planner is a fully automated budgeting technique and the Tart Alert is a free text/e-mail reminder before your credit card 0% rate ends.

EARN MONEY WHEN YOU SPEND.  Cashback credit cards pay you each time you spend.  If you always pay off the card in full each month you can profit. Currently there's much hype surrounding Morgan Stanley's 'double cashback intro offer', but forget it, it's pants; there are much better cards out there.  Updated Article: Best Cashback Cards.

GULP! 18 DAYS 'TILL TAX DEADLINE.  Remember it's a £100 fine if you don't submit self assessment returns by Jan 31. Do it now

WARNING! Egg and Barclaycard Customers.  Both are heavily promoting existing customer debt-shiftng offers, yet these have a catch (but solutions too). Articles: Egg Loophole, Barclaycard Loophole

•     Get a £40 hair cut for under £3
•     Permanent 12% discount code off all "As Seen on Screen" purchases
•     £2 off technique for CD-Wow grab it while you can
•     BOGOF at TGI Fridays
•    January Sales best bargain spots.
  
•     Leapad interactive books under £5
•     USB 12-in-1 card reader Under £6 delivered
  
•     Daniele Ryman face mask (worth £16) for the cost of a mag
•     Cooking for one Cut your costs
•     Nominate Post of the Month winner for January

TIE THE KNOT, NOT YOUR FINANCES.  Weddings cost a fortune, but costs can be cut without spoiling the big day.  A year ago MoneySaver MsThrift (now Mrs Thrift) asked for tips - so many replied, I've collected the wisdom together: How to have a MoneySaving Wedding

LONDON ELECTRICITY AND SEEBOARD RAISING PRICES. SWITCH NOW!  For the majority of EDF customers (parent company of London Energy, Seeboard Energy and SWEB Energy) gas prices will go up by 8.1% and electricity by at least 5.4% from 17 Jan.  To find your new cheapest, use Energyhelpline* which won my study of comparison services.  If you've more time read Cheapest Gas & Elec plus Cashback.

RANT OF THE WEEK. NAME AND SHAME NATIONWIDE. Reader's of m'book will know I'm no fan of 'price promises' - false security blankets making people think they've a good deal.  Nationwide's new car insurance ad says "find it cheaper within 28 days and we'll refund the difference". What a scam! How many people check quotes AFTER signing up? And all it's offering is insurance at the same price as competitors. Avoid. Related Articles: Cost-cutting plans Car Insurance and Home Insurance. Name and shame discussion.

WHAT TYPE OF CONTACT PLEASES YOU?  Currently, at the end of each article there's a contacts section to ensure transparency about which links help the site and which don't (see About Us section).  Many've asked I put contact links within the text.  I'm happy either way, but as it's a substantial change I thought I'd ask you.  Vote here, Discuss

RADIO 2 JEREMY VINE NOTE. This Friday I'm doing m'phone in on Money New Year Resolutions 1-1.40pm

EST-CE QU'IL VRAIS? Il n'est pas l'economiser de l'argent mais il est trés drol!

That's it for another weeks folks.  The MoneySaving Techies are hastily working on the new version of the flight checker and a big upgrade of the Chat Forum so lots of good changes to come.  Before I do my traditional reminder, i know it's not MoneySaving-related but I spotted this and thought it's too spooky to keep to myself!  As always please do tell friends and family about the site and especially this e-mail.
 
I hope you save some money


Martin





*Affiliated link:  Click via this link and a contribution is made to MoneySavingExpert.com, which helps it stay ad-free, sponsorship-free and free to use.  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.energyhelpline.com/cashback, www.theaa.com.  For more on how it works and the site's non-profit driven ethical and financial policy read this.

Was this free e-mail forwarded to you? To receive it directly go to www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips

 Past Money Tips | Ask a Question | Contacts | Technical Help |
Martin's Broadcast Appearance List |  Martin's Book ‘The Money Diet'