Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

9 Feb 2005: Even Cheaper Calls, Best Lend for Spend, 17" TFT, Valentine Roses, Child Trust Fund Note, Cash ISAs, Free Computer Protection and much (much) more MoneySaving....

This info may be out of date.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

The following is the text of Martins Money Tips Email sent on 9 February 2005

Hiya. A MoneySaver e-mailed me this week about a parliamentary motion specifically to commend this site. It was the first I'd heard so I was surprised and moved. Thanks to the MPs supporting it. Plus a technical note. The Chat Forum server's been upgraded. It should better deal with the huge post-tip demand yet it's a trial so apologies if it slows. The Main site (the articles) will be fast as ever.

URGENT & NEW: CHEAPER UK CALLS PLUS £32.50 FREE! Sign up for One.Tel's 'free evening and weekend calls' package during Feb and it's free for a year (normally £3.99/month) plus it'll give you a £20 call credit. So use One.Tel for those calls, but call18866 (UK's cheapest home calls provider) for everything else. One.Tel Apply/View* or better still read a full briefing (including how to increase the gain to £32.50).

MUST READ FOR THOSE SPENDING ON CREDIT CARDS. New Best Credit Card for Purchases article. Specifically for people who spend on cards and don't repay in full each month, read the best lending for spending (if you do repay in full read Best Cashback Cards). For experienced credit card nerds the longest 0% purchases cards are Sainsburys (Apply/View) then Tesco (Apply/View*) and Capital One's No Hassle Plat.card's (Apply/View*) 6.9% is the lowest non special offer rate (and includes free identity theft protection).

17" TFT MONITOR £130ish (and other gadget bargains). One site seems to have hoards of bargains at the moment. I ordered two monitors for the MoneySaving office and they arrived in two days. To paraphrase Victor Kiam, "I liked it so much.... I put it in the tip". TFTs, MP3s and others.

Reminder. Best balance transfers article. (Winners Virgin* for 0%, Texaco* for long term).
Reminder. Be nosy. See what your neighbour's house sold for. Free house price info
Reminder. Cutting the cost of insurance: Car and Home

♥♥VALENTINES SPECIAL♥♥ Need roses or owt else...? Roses delivered from £19, can you find cheaper? Those who are struggling for cash, how about a Jar of Promises? Also remember last week's gift ideas, Balloons By Post and Charity gifts. And finally... if Valentines Day goes really well this freebie may come in handy (adults only!)

TOP MONEYSAVING FREEBIE. OK, forgive my wee attention-grabbing headline, but please do forward this free e-mail to friends and family and recommend they get it too (After all, they'll gain and more MoneySavers means more MoneySaving for us too).

WARNING!!!! GOT SAVINGS BUT NOT A CASH ISA? This is a 'till I go blue in the face' thing, but let me say it again. Cash ISAs are just savings accounts you don't pay tax on. Every adult gets a £3,000 allowance each tax year and that ends soon (April 5) so dosh cash in quick or the taxman'll eat it. Articles: Best Cash ISAs. ISA basics. Where to start with savings?

CHILD TRUST FUND VOUCHERS. Heads up. My in-box has been jammed with questions about this, so I wanted to let you know I'm currently researching the best. I'll publish in two weeks. Meanwhile read the basics (no product details).

LATEST QUICK CHAT TIPS (Warning! Things listed here often sell out quickly)
Also see (Chat Tips GOLD)

MoneySavers do it free on their computers Fran's techie freebies fantastic FAQ
Nokia 3510i PAYG colour phone £20
Broadband for existing broadband users £12/month (updated article due soon)
Hire DVDs free for over a year Be a DVD rental tart
Soaps, balms and mens' grooming products going cheap
Starsky & Hutch PC game Just pay £3 postage
Big savings on deodorant
Nominate Post of the Month winner for February

HOW TO PRINT ARTICLES. Try and print an article off the site and it cuts the right hand side off. We're working on a fix, but meanwhile, simply cut and paste the text into word and print it there.

USE YOUR CHILD FOR A SNEAKY TAX FREE ALLOWANCE. Updated best childrens' savings article. You can get a better savings' rate using your childrens' accounts than an adult one and after all what helps you helps your children. Article Best Child Savings.

Andrea's Freebies (also see Freebies GOLD)
Batchelors Cup-a-soup, Organic Baby Food, Clinique moisturiser,
ITV Celebrity Wrestling tickets, L'Oreal hair dye

GREAT DISGUISED OWN BRAND HUNT REVISITED. This was messed up when we changed the Chat Forum software, so now it's relaunched. Is there any real difference between Weetabix and Asda's own brand, or a Sony DVD player and an unbranded box? The aim is to gather MoneySavers' collective knowledge to find out. Do you/did you work in a factory making any product? Tell us or read other tip-offs. Other past Great Hunts: Factory Shops Hunt, Cheap but Romantic Gift Hunt, Cheap Date Hunt.

BOARD OF THE WEEK! MONEYSAVING OLD STYLE. A new part of the tip, each week I'll feature a different chat forum board. While MoneySaving is about cutting bills without cutting back, thrift can also be a virtue and that's what Old Style's about. Some threads there include save zillions on cleaning products, what to use instead of shaving foam and getting rid of smoke smells in washing.

FANCY MEETING OTHER MONEYSAVERS? Several unofficial meets are being arranged. The next one's in Bournemouth. More details.

MARTINS 'NOW CHAMPAGNE' MONEY POSER. Crack the Code II. No one answered correctly last week, so I'll now offer a bottle of champagne for the first correct answer. What is the missing number and why? 50, 40, 50, 50, ?, 50. Newbies to my posers may find these past ones indicate how it works I think.... Crack the code, Triple-x-special, A non-notable note.

That's it for this week. Nothing else to tell you so I'm off to have a coffee (actually a peppermint tea - yuch - cos I'm trying to cut down).

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.onetel.co.uk, www.tesco.com, www.capitalone.co.uk, www.virginmoney.com, www.texacocard.co.uk 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’

Money Tip | Tart Alert | Budgeting | Ryanair Flight Checker | Call Checker

MoneySavingExpert.com is focused on the very best ways to save money on everything and anything, owned and run by journalist Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert on ITV1s Tonight with Trevor McDonald, Radio 2 Jeremy Vine show and the Sunday Express amongst others. More about the site and its funding

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.

To change your E-mail or stop receiving Tips: Go to: www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips