Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

Best Balance Transfers.... massive change around of best cards.... New Article
As predicted in last week's email, there's been sizeable change in the balance transfer card world this week. Many of the best buys have changed, and more cards are now charging fees for shifting debt, so much so card-picking logic has changed. Thus I've rewritten the article and all best buys from scratch. Included is a 0% card for 15 months, but you need to pay a fee. Full details of how to choose and top buys in the New Article: Best Balance Transfers (mini-mutterings) Related Articles: Best Lend For Spend, Credit Card Shuffle

New Cheapest 118 Number 118226 is 23.5p/call; or do it free online or via your mobile's WAP Updated Article

What Shops Don't Want Us To Know (e.g, watch for prices ending 97p or 98p) New Article
A while ago I asked MoneySavers who worked in shops to dig the dirt and turn fifth columnists; the tips were so good they're now an article. It includes such gems as "prices ending in 97p are likely to be clearance stock and 98p's are likely discontinued". New Article: What Shops Don't Want Us To Know Related Articles: Consumer Rights, What's Hot & What's Not at Aldi, Lidl & Netto

Free fiver for Bingo No deposit or credit details needed. House!

New cheapest way to call mobiles: 3p/min without changing phone provider
There's a new kid on the block offering calls to mobiles at a leading 3p/min anytime (BT is 13-26p/min daytime, 8-19p/min evenings); simply dial its access number followed by the number and its billed via your normal phone provider for just 3p/minute. This heavily discounted price is unlikely to stay for long, so simply use it until the price goes up. Full details: Cheap Chat (mini-mutterings) Related Articles: Mobile Phones Cost Cutting, Free International Calls From Your Mobile

Save 20% on station grub Grab a free discount card

Have you started/are you paying for childcare? There's a tax break to save you £1000s! Updated Article
Childcare vouchers are a little known Government scheme run via employers which allow you to pay for childcare out of pre-tax income. E.g. If you're a basic rate taxpayer, for every £1,000 earned you'll actually receive less than £700 after tax and national insurance, yet through this scheme you can pay out the whole £1,000 for childcare - a £300 gain per £1,000. As this time of year means many are paying for childcare for the first time, I thought it well worth a reminder. Full details in the Updated Article: Childcare Vouchers (mini-mutterings) Related Articles: Nappy MoneySaving, Child Trust Funds

STOP YOUR FRIENDS WASTING CASH! PLS SUGGEST THEY GET THIS EMAIL

Improved car insurance cost cutting system. Now £30 cheaper than your renewal is almost guaranteed
My standard car insurance cost cutting plan is based around screenscraping websites, Insuresupermarket.com* & Confused.com* (use both); where your details are whizzed to scores of brokers and direct insurers to find the cheapest. Yet there's a new final step; for a while Barclays* has promised to beat your renewal quote or match it and give you £50, so if the screenscrapers' best aren't £50 cheaper than Barclays, use it instead, unfortunately it has some rigid terms, so thankfully First Direct now also promises to beat renewal quotes by £30 too. Updated Article: Car Insurance Cost Cutting Related Insurance Articles: Home, Travel, Pet, Medical, Dental, Boiler/Heater Cover

Willaid warning! Get a will for free. Book now
November is Willaid month when solicitors do wills for free in exchange for a charity donation. It's often oversubscribed so Book an appointment now Related Article: Inheritance Tax

Get the cheapest flight possible and offset environmental damage
Flying cheap is great for the pocket, but not so good for the environment. This has been a quandary for me for a long time; I want to encourage MoneySavers to pay less, but not necessarily fly more. So now I've added to the main article a section on websites where you can cheaply offset your carbon emissions if you're flying, after all hopefully you're getting such a cheap deal, you can afford it. Updated Article: Cheap Flight Finding Related Articles: Travel Insurance Cost Cutting, Cheapest Way To Spend Overseas

Fart TV! Listen to or watch the video, audio or podcast of this e-mail to see why
Each week I record a 'muttering' commentary on the top tips in this email - watch this week and you'll see the farty ending! You can watch a video podcast or listen to an audio version on Itunes sites. There's also a PSPcast or you can download a Windows Media Player version. Read an explanation and feel free to discuss it

Get 3% cashback on all spending! Maximise this for Christmas by applying now
If you spend in cash, on a debit card or pay off your credit card in full each month there's a way to get 3% cashback every time you spend (i.e. £3 per £100 spent). Two cashback cards, Morgan Stanley Platinum* and Amex Platinum* offer new customers 3% for the first 3 months. Ensure you spend on the card where possible and set up a Direct Debit to pay it off in full each month or you'll be charged. Full details in the Updated Article Best Cashback Cards (mini-mutterings) change mini mutterings Related Articles: Best Lend For Spend, Best Balance Transfers, Credit Card Rewards

Have you ever been made redundant? Great 'What to do in the event of redundancy' Hunt
This is a special plea. Recently in the 'suggestions for major articles' discussion someone asked what to do in the event of redundancy. I think it's a great question and plan to write an article on it. However, beforehand I want to hear personal experiences and tips from people who've been through it - to help those who may have it to come. Add redundancy suggestions/read others Past Great Hunts: What I wish I'd known before I retired, Gap year and Recycle it for cash

Great "Free Audience Tickets" Hunt Result
Last week I asked MoneySavers to bring together a list of free audience ticket sources into one easy-to-follow source.  Great "Free Audience Tickets" Hunt Suggestions you had included Applause Store, LostinTV & Clappers Tickets

Have you started unwittingly being charged a current account fee? Check now!
Recent reports suggest banks have 'upgraded' many to fee charging current accounts without their permission. These often cost over £100 a year. Almost all of these accounts are pants, there's really little need to pay a fee when the best free accounts are so strong. Currently Alliance & Leicester* offers 6.1% interest if you're in-credit, a 0% overdraft for a year if you're overdrawn, and there's a way to get a £50 sign up bonus. For full details read the Article: Top Current Accounts Related Articles: Personal Loans, Best Balance Transfers

Beyond Baked Beans Book Did you ask for one? Last chance reminder

FLIGHTCHECKER SALES WATCH  Ryanair £10 Flight Sale Extended!
Budget airline Ryanair is offering flights to a raft of European destinations from a bunch of British airports for £10 each way; unusually and importantly this price includes all taxes and charges yet there are baggage fees. Read More, How To Find a Cheap Flight article or go straight to the special free FlightChecker to find the seats in seconds

In My Home: Board of the Week
Whether you're a financial genius or a DIY virgin, there's a wealth of information available. MoneySavers share tips on anything and everything to do In My Home Board Discussions include Loft advice, How easy is it to replace a kitchen yourself? and Urinal or second loo? Don't forget to read the Home MoneySaving articles too

On the box this week: Jeremy Vine: Jeremy Vine, Fri 6 Oct, Radio 2, 1pm Keep updated on appearances

This week's Martin's Musings: The Devil Wears Primark
'Me and my minder' and 'The Hoff wants m'woman! Read m'blogs (or RSS users access)

CHILD BENEFIT POLL: Should child benefit be means tested? Vote and Discuss. Last week's vote result: I asked how much interest you'd be willing to pay on £100 borrowed for just a week; your average tolerable interest was £5.18 See poll results

MoneySavers need serious reflexes... . that's it for this week, but before I go, if you want to grab the top deal, slam the lid on banks before they grab your cash.... think hardcore reflexes, this is no life for wimps - get some reflex training in... don't be a sheep be a lion!

I hope you save some money

Martin

*links: Any links with a * by them are affiliated. That means go via this link and a contribution may be made to MoneySavingExpert.com, which helps it stay ad-free and free to use. You shouldn't notice any difference, the links don't impact the product at all and the editorial line (the things I write) is NEVER impacted by it. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the best product, nothing changes, it's still included in exactly the same way. As I believe transparency is important, I'm including the following 'un-affiliated' web-addresses for the same things: insuresupermarket.com, confused.com, barclays.co.uk, energyhelpline.com, uswitch.com, american-express.co.uk, morganstanley.com, talktalk.co.uk, alliance-leicester.co.uk, northernrock.co.uk, mbloan.co.uk, icicibank.co.uk, amazon.co.uk. Read more about this site and how it's financed.

Referring people to insurers or insurance intermediaries can in some circumstances require FSA authorisation. For this reason, Martin Lewis of Shepherd's Studios, Rockley Road, Shepherd's Bush, London W14 0DA is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.