Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

Recycle your old mobile phone and easily make some serious dosh. New Article
If your old mobile is sitting at the back of your drawer, dust it off and turn it into cash.  A range of ‘old-phone buying’ web companies means with a couple of no-hassle clicks on the internet you can earn £20-£150 per phone.  It's even possible to make some dosh on non-working phones. This is a fully re-researched and rewritten article, including a survey of the best payers. New Article: Sell Old Mobiles Related Articles: Batter Down Your Contract, Unlocking For Free

Ends Sunday. £10 off every £30+ spend at 40 web retailers loophole. Eg allows 4GB iPod sub £100

New top 0% card for new spending lasts 12 months. Updated Article
The Halifax's One Credit Card* has increased its interest free introductory deal for purchases back to the 12 months it used to offer. This makes it again the top 0% deal for new spending (don't confuse this with the Best Balance Transfers for shifting existing debts).  This card allows you to spread the repayments for any short term borrowing across a year at no cost. Yet after that Halifax’s rate jumps to a massive 15.9% APR, so ensure you either pay it off, or at worst 'balance transfer' the debt to another cheap card. Full info in the Updated Article: Best Purchases Card Related Articles: Balance Transfers, Cashback Cards, Tart Alert, Credit Cards Newbie Guide

10,000 free copies of Moneywise magazine blagged for MoneySavers. Get One

Reclaim Bank Charges Strategy Update: Consider the Financial Ombudsman.  Updated Article
If you're reclaiming bank charges, the likelihood is you'll get paid out without going near a Court; it's estimated 10,000s already have. Yet for those needing to push it further, I've always advocated the small claims court system and only 2 people following it correctly have failed to get a payout.  Yet even this small failure, coupled with some developments in Hull, makes it worth thinking hard about tactics. While the enormous majority of court cases have judges awarding against the banks, a couple of maverick judges are sadly going the other way, so there's a tiny risk of a judicial lottery. Thus, I've redrafted the article to include an additional strategy of going to the Ombudsman instead of Court. Updated Article: Bank Charges Reclaiming Related Articles: Mortgage Fee Reclaiming, Council Tax Reclaiming

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

Cheap food & booze voucher bonanza: Tapas for a tenner, £10 off Bar HaHa & more. Cheap posh nosh

New Top Savings Account 6.1% if you've got £1,000, but there's a catch. Updated Article
ICICI’s HiSave* at 6.05% is the top paying clean savings account ie it has no tricks.  This week Alliance & Leicester increased the rate of its Direct Saver to a higher 6.1% AER, but you need to have over £1,000 to use it, and you lose the interest in any month you make a withdrawal. Therefore as it's only a smidgeon higher than ICICI, it's only best for those who never dip into their savings. For full pros and cons read the Updated Article: Top Savings Related Articles: Best Cash ISAs, Starting Saving

REMINDER: Top Balance Transfers. 0% for 13 mnths with 2% fee Natwest* & RBS*. Read Article

The Great 'How do insurers decide whether to pay out?' Hunt. If you know, help!
When you make an insurance claim, whether home, travel, health or anything else, someone at the insurance company decides whether to pay it or not. Is it done by charts? Are there targets? How's it decided? If you've worked in the industry, why not dish the details to help MoneySavers? Add your response/read others Past Great Hunts: Free Online Courses, Student Discounts and How Much To Tip Overseas Related Articles: Cheapest Car Insurance, Cheapest Home Insurance

Mortgage help for low credit scorers.  Get free advice as major broker drops its fee
There are many nasty companies charging huge fees if you're looking to get or switch your home loan and have had prior debt problems. This week one of the UK's big, reputable, brokers Charcol joined London & Country in offering fees free phone-based advice to the 'sub-prime' market (London & Country is always free), though it still charges up to 1% for everyone else. Updated Article: Sneakily Get The Best Mortgage Advice For Free  Remortgage Guide: PDF or printed Mortgage Guide: PDF or printed Related Article: Credit Scoring Guide

Old Bank Terms & Conditions Needed!
Do you have any old (3,4,5,6 or more years ago) bank terms and conditions sitting around your house?  If so, they're great for evidence in the Bank Charges Reclaiming battle.  If you have, it'd be fantastic if you could scan them and e-mail to evidence@consumeractiongroup (our fellow campaigners are collating them).

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA. What should Homer and Marge do about the loss of Sky?
Homer and Marge recently completed an extension to the back of their house to accommodate Marge’s homeless sisters, Selma and Patty.  Unfortunately as the extension was built, their neighbours Apu, Barney, Ned and Moe lost the signals for their Satellite TV as it blocked it.  Enter the Money Moral Maze: What should Homer and Marge do about the loss of Sky? Previous MMDs: Should Darth take money from his kids' accounts? and Grant's been overpaid, should he keep it?