Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

Possible £1000s of council tax savings. Reduce your band and grab any discounts. New Article
We're obliged to pay taxes, yet no one checks whether we're paying too much. Start by seeing if you're eligible for a discount (students, those living alone, with disabilities, or those on benefits). Then as council tax bandings haven't been revalued since 1993 (except in Wales) it's possible your band's too high. There's an easy online way to compare your band to your neighbours' and then challenge it. New Article: Council Tax Cashback (Mini-mutterings) Related Articles: Benefits Check-up, Mortgage Guide, Remortgage Guide

Free Eye Test At Asda Just print a voucher and make an appointment before 30 Nov. Voucher

Let's fight the Devil's Debt together & make money doing it! Storecards New Article
Storecards are the devil's debt. They've hideous, 25% plus interest rates, and target debt-naive youngsters. This is a two pronged attack. Those with existing storecard debts should shift them to a cheap credit card balance transfer offer (see Best Balance Transfers) and save a fortune. For everyone else, as many storecards offer initial 10% discounts as a bribe to borrow; grab a card, spend on it, pay it off in full so there's no interest and you win. Even better, it's possible to team up with friends for multiple discounts. This should help stop them flogging their nasty debts. For full pros and cons and the impact on your credit score read the New Article: Store Cards. (mini-mutterings) Related Articles: Credit Card Freebies, Best Lend For Spend

Free copy of Martina Cole's Novel 'Faceless' Just print out a voucher and take it to Woolworths

MrBadExample's Old-Style Cooking Index
Regulars will know the Old-Style (thrift) Board is famous for its cheap and cheerful recipes (see the full Recipe Index), and now there's a new section. MoneySaver 'MrBadExample' is learning to cook, with the guidance of other Old-Stylers, and as it's quite useful and very funny to go through the process with him, it now has its own index. Mr BadExample's Cooking Index

It's back until 31 Oct! Huge Holmes Place/Cannons gym membership loophole. £400 saving

Calling all MPs: "Of course there's a debt crisis! We only help people once they're screwed!"
The House Magazine (political trade mag read by 70% of MPs) asked me to write an opinion piece for a personal finance special. So what to tell MPs about debt in 500 words? The mag's published this week, you can read my article first in my blog!

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

New mortgage broker pays you half its commission
While not a fan of advisers; my tone changes with mortgage brokers. Use a whole of market broker and you've got someone to search for your top deal who must legally give you impartial advice. Ensure it's fees-free (meaning it makes its money from the lender's commission) and you won't pay a penny. Now a new company's launched saying, 'use our web tool rather than getting advice and we'll pay you half our commission'. For the mortgage savvy, it's a great deal, for everyone else, I'd stick with a broker's info and support as it's worth more than the cashback. Updated Article: Sneakily Get Advice. Free MoneySavingExpert.com Mortgage/Remortgage Guides: Mortgage Guide: Instantly Download PDF, Order Free Printed Guide, More Info Remortgage Guide: PDF, Printed, More Info

Half Term Reminder. Get 2 for 1 on London attractions with a train ticket

Call mobiles for 4p/min anytime. Don't use 'CheapChatUK' from last week
Last week I mentioned a new cheap calls provider offering 3p/min calls to mobiles anytime, noting it wasn't likely to be around for long. Sadly it only lasted a week and is now charging a disgusting 20p/min, I simply wouldn't touch this company again (I'm removing it from the callchecker). Instead the old stalwarts Phonecheap & 0844calls are still 4p/min as they have been for a good while. Call mobiles from 4p/min Related Articles: Mobile Phones Cost Cutting, Free International Calls From Your Mobile

New cheapest personal loan, 5.6%, but don't get the insurance
Moneyback*, an offshoot of Alliance & Leicester, has reduced its rate to 5.6% on all borrowing above £3k making it the market's cheapest. For lower amounts, Northern Rock* is top at 5.7%. If you need to borrow, then now's a good time to do it. Be careful though, these rates rely on a credit score plus their payment protection insurances are costly. For full 'how to choose' details and the cheapest uninsured loans, read the Updated Article: Cheapest Personal Loan Related Articles: Best Balance Transfers, Cut Price Plastic Loans

Podcast! Listen to or watch a video, audio or podcast commentary of this e-mail
Each week I record a 'muttering' commentary on the top tips in this email. 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

Great "Cheap Halloween Costume" Hunt
The pressure on parents to spend never seems to end. October means Halloween, and costume price tags can be scary, so I thought I'd tap MoneySavers' knowledge to find the cheapest ways to kit out your little monsters Add your ideas/read others Past Great Hunts: Car Seat/Booster, Feed, House & Treat Your Pets For Less and What Kids Should Know About Money

What do to in the event of redundancy Hunt Result
Last week I asked MoneySavers to let us know about What to do in the event of redundancy Suggestions you had included Next step, Company going into liquidation? and Sign on

Do you have TalkTalk's 'free broadband' package? Feedback needed, good or bad
The media has (rightly) been ripping into TalkTalk as many customers report terrible problems, a huge shame as on paper this product is a massive MoneySaver. My aim is to judge the real state of play with TalkTalk customers. So if you've got the package please take 30 seconds to answer a one question poll. TalkTalk Feedback Poll

Asda shoppers get a 4% boast to your Christmas spending
Asda's announced the 'bonus day' for its savings stamp scheme is 20 Nov. There's a trick you can play to get 4% added to your cash, its deadline for putting money in to its savings stamp scheme is 20 Nov, so have yours credited by the 19th and you'll be quids in. Updated Article: Supermarket Savings Stamps

FLIGHTCHECKER SALES WATCH Coventry to Paris, Amsterdam & Salzburg c. £20 each way
Budget airline Thomsonfly currently has a range of destinations at 1p each way. When you add in its taxes and charges this becomes roughly £20. For a full briefing read the How To Find a Cheap Flight article or go straight to the special free FlightChecker to find the seats in seconds

Reminder: Primus Evening & Weekend Calls - Did you get your rebate?
A few months ago call provider Primus offered a £5/mth rebate when you signed up to its free evening and weekend calls package. Most of you have had the first quarters rebate credited directly to your bill but some have reported problems. So if you signed up, check your bank statement and, if necessary, get on the blower. Original Discussion

Are you a TOG? Get the Radio 2 Children in Need Calendar (but ignore September!)
The new Terry's Old Geezers (and Gals) calendar is for Children in Need. I'm on the September page looking a little bare (sorry, I meant looking at a little bear thankfully; it's not a naked calendar), but luckily there are some far better people in it. If you want one (it costs £10.50 incl. delivery and at least £5 goes to the charity) go to www.togscalendar.org

House Buying, Renting, Selling & Property Prices: Board of the Week
Whether you're a renter, first time buyer or seller, this board is a mine of information to take you through the trials and tribulations that can come with all things house related. MoneySavers share tips on anything and everything to do with property as well as discussing the latest trends and rumours. House Buying, Renting, Selling & Property Prices Discussions include Help with late rent charges, Renting with a bad history, Should I sell or can I budget? and What's the difference between guide and asking price? Don't forget to read all the mortgages and home articles as well

On the box next week: On Monday night there's a Tonight with Trevor special on "are we overstretching ourselves buying houses?" which I was interviewed for (ITV1 8pm), plus I'll be doing my regular weekly slot on LK Today (Wed between 8.45am and 9.15am) Tonight With Trevor, Monday ITV1, 8pm Keep updated on appearances

This week's Martin's Musings: "Oops, red faces all round at MSE Towers"
'Celebrity Mastermind in two days.. gulp', and 'a 500 word message to MP's about debt' Read m'blogs (or RSS users access)

HIGHEST REASONABLE APR POLL: What would you consider extortionate? Vote and Discuss. Child benefit should be means tested: last week's vote result was a tight one; I asked you whether child benefit should be means tested or not. 54% of you said yes while 46% of you thought all kids should be treated equally. See poll results

That's it for this week, however take a look at this. Magic eye pictures were all the rage a few years ago and this nifty tool converts your works of art into 3-D pictures. Magic Eye! P.S. Don't do this at work - all your colleagues will wonder why you look so funny!

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: energyhelpline.com, northernrock.co.uk, uswitch.com, american-express.co.uk, morganstanley.com, alliance-leicester.co.uk, mbloan.co.uk. Read more about this site and how it's financed.