Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

Dear Martin, I got £23,000 back... don't expect a cut! A man who reclaimed, and reclaimed... and reclaimed. We go on about it time and again, yet sometimes it takes a real story to drill the MoneySaving point home. Read this unedited note I received. "Dear Martin, I know you'll probably never see this email, but I'm going to write it anyway! Since receiving your excellent newsletter last year my finances have improved dramatically. Twelve months ago I was in serious debt, I had a suspended possession order on my house, numerous court cases pending and had even considered suicide. Since then because of your excellent info and web links I have:- Got £5,500 bank charges refunded from Nationwide (ML - see Bank Charges Reclaiming) Got £5,000 PPI on a secured loan refunded (ML - see PPI Reclaiming) Fought three court cases (instead of just giving up as I would have before) getting £8,500 off the cost of a badly installed conservatory, £3,500 from Welcome financial as they did not answer my defence for them to justify their charges, ok I lost the other one! Only on Tuesday my wife phoned C&G and got a refund of £180 MEAF. Just for a phone call! We wouldn't even have known about this if it was not for you. (ML - see Mortgage Exit Fee Reclaiming) I am still pursuing Lloyds and NatWest £2000 each. Lloyds is with the ombudsman, Natwest will be soon! The greatest thing about the website is it takes away the feeling one gets of isolation when in debt. (ML - see Debt-free Wannabe) So please keep up the good work! With tongue firmly in cheek I would say (just in case you want a percentage of what you helped me to get!) that my financial turnaround was nothing to do with you, and was entirely coincidental with my receipt of your newsletter! Kind Regards Don (name changed) Well done Don, it's a credit how you've turned things around. Hopefully it will inspire others... it certainly gave a lift to everyone at MSE Towers.

Week of Tue 7 - Mon 13 Jul '09 (Last week's position) 1. Cheap Beauty Deals (New) 2. Travel Money Maximiser (New) 3. Cheap LCD TVs (New) 4. Savings Accounts (3) 5. Freebies, Freebies, Freebies (4) 6. Cheap Travel Money (10) 7. Cheap & Free Flights (6) 8. Reclaim Bank Charges (9) 9. Top Cash ISAs (New) 10. Cheap Car Insurance (8) Beauty bargains are always popular in the weekly email and unsurprisingly the lure of a free £17 shampoo and £13 moisturiser launched the beauty deals note into top spot. After that, with Summer holidays around the corner it's travel all the way headed by our new Travel Money Maximiser website. The above excludes daily deals notes

Please suggest friends/family/colleagues get this free weekly e-mail from moneysavingexpert.com/tips

[[tip_box_in_tip]]

The Ones Not To Miss MSE

Urgent! Get guaranteed 5% savings & cash ISA with 90 days' notice to withdraw. Ends by 5pm Wed.
A hidden term in a Building Society's products means you can save at a guaranteed 5% AER in what's effectively a 90 day notice account, nearly 2% higher than the next best. But go quick, it closes to newbies any minute. How it works: Newcastle BS's 5 yr Savings Bond (min £5,000) and 5 yr fixed Cash ISA (min £1) permit withdrawals, with 90 days' notice, without losing interest. This is virtually unheard of as fixed rate bonds usually force you to lock your cash away. Yet we've checked with it & it works. Top Easy Access: If 90 days is too long, Alliance & Leicester* online and B'ham Midshires phone based savings accounts pay 3.15% AER (min £1) though both include a 1 yr 2.65% bonus, and the Intelligent Finance Cash ISA pays 2.75%. FULL info inc. safety details & more Best Buys in the Updated Guides: Top Savings, Cash ISAs Related: Safe Savings

URGENT! £1(ish) European flights. Ends midnight Thurs 16 July. Ryanair has a million £1 (inc. some taxes & charges) flights from various UK airports to nearly 90 European destinations, for July - March. To speedily find them see the Updated Guide: £1 Flights Related: Cheap Flights, Cheap Hotels

Rumoured! Next 50% off sale starts Sat inc £2 t-shirts, £5 cutlery, £275 Sanyo 37" LCD TV. It seems a major Next sale will start Sat (18 July). Full info & updates in the Deals Note: High Street Sales Diary

Package Holidays Summer Late Deals are now on. To undercut them by 15%... HAGGLE.
The late deals market starts roughly 10 weeks before a holiday's due date, so it's now on for summer e.g. Turkey 7 days £102 B&B. The later you wait the cheaper it gets, but choice reduces too. Are packages worth it? Providing you want specifically 7, 10 or 14 days away in a traditional holiday destination, packages often undercut DIY web flight & hotel combos. The key fact: Tour operators make holidays and travel agents sell them, so identical packages are on sale in many agents. Thus pick the package you want, then call a few agents to haggle 10%-15% off even the cheapest prices. FULL step-by-step details & '09 sales deals in the Updated Guide: Package Holiday Haggling Related: Cheap Flights, Cheap Travel Money, Cheap Travel Insurance

Tesco Margarine Loophole. Make 76p PROFIT each time. It costs £1.24, you get £2 of rewards. Until Tues 21 July every Tesco's 500g enriched olive spread bought gives 50 Tesco points, which you can convert into £2 worth of Rewards. This & MORE bonus point products in the Forum Post: Tesco Points Loophole

New! First flat 1% cashback card available for eight months. Egg Money relaunched.
Cashback reward cards pay you every time you spend on them, but payouts have been dropping, the only stalwart being the Amex Platinum* with a massive 5% for the first 3 mths, then up to 1.5% after. Yet it isn't universally accepted and you need a family income of £30,000 to get it. New 1% card (with a catch): Yesterday the Egg Money Mastercard restarted taking applications, it pays 1% cashback (up to £200), yet new customers pay a £1 monthly fee. Is it worth it? The next best non-Amex pays 0.5% cashback so spend over £2,400 a year and even with the fee Egg Money's the winner. ALWAYS repay in full: Never go for cashback unless you always repay in full every month, so there's no interest, otherwise focus on reducing interest not earning cashback. FULL info & more options in the Updated Guide: Cashback Cards Related: Credit Card Rewards, 0% Cards

2for1s inc. the weekend. Pizza Express, ASK, GBK and Slug & Lettuce. It's the last chance to use these current vouchers, though we hope they'll soon issue new ones. These & more in the Daily Deals List: Restaurant Vouchers

Got friends who'd like to save? Please tell them about this email

Download 5 albums worth up to £35 for a tenner (& get a broadband dongle thrown in!) A promo by 3 network means get its pay-as-you-go mobile broadband laptop dongle for £10 & you get a 5 album download voucher. So it's worth it for the music even if you don't want the dongle. Forum Note: 3 Music! Related: Mobile Broadband

Urgent! Debenhams £5 off £25 spend. Get the voucher in Wed's Daily Express (40p), valid until 19 July. This plus 15% off Ocado & £10 off Tesco in the the Daily Deals List: Discount Vouchers

£1,000s free help with Childcare. New Audio Guide. Listen for five mins to see if you're entitled... Too many people miss out on £1,000s in free cash thinking "I won't get it". Actually lots of working parents of up to 16s are eligible, even if you only pay for childcare in the summer. There are tax credits, special vouchers, summer school places, and free care for 3 to 4 years olds. New Audio Guide: To make it easier, Martin's done a five minute audio guide which'll zip you through whether you're entitled to the cash, so take the time, it could be worth serious money. Full Guide & 5 min Audio: Childcare Help Related: Childcare Vouchers, Child Trust Funds

Passport price rises from £72 to £77.50 in Sept. Renew now if needed. If you're within 9 mths of your passport ending renew now to beat the hike. See the MSE News Story: Passport fees

Cheap Van Insurance system. Save £100s at speed. Fully Updated Guide
Although it's a less popular market for insurers, a number of new comparison sites now include van insurance. The key is to maximise your results by combining these for as many quotes as possible in the shortest time and we've just done our full review to analyse the right combination. Comparison Site Order: Use GoCompare*, CompareTM* then Insurance.co.uk. Check as many as you've time for. Grab Cashback: Once you know your top insurers, see if hidden cashback is available to cut costs further. FULL info in the Updated Guide: Cheap Van Insurance Related: Car Insurance, Home Insurance, Motorbike Insurance

Do you get pension credit? Get MORE if your savings/investments have plummeted. You need to inform the Govt if your investments have dropped. More info in the Updated Guide: Pension Boosting Related: Benefits Check-Up

How much's in your bank account? 20% have too much, 29% not enough.
A stonking 22,000 voted in our poll last week, but many could improve how they bank. Boost in-credit interest: The twenty percent over £2,500 in-credit are massively under-earning on interest, instead sweep it into a top easy access savings account like A&L's online saver* at 3.15% or, if you've £5,000-£7,000, switch to Lloyds Classic Vantage, which pays 4%. Get a 0% overdraft: The 24% who are overdrawn should consider switching to Alliance & Leicester's* Premier account which gives a 0% overdraft for the first year and free travel insurance (u65s). Danger signs: One in twenty are worryingly beyond their overdraft limits and urgently need to do a budget and overhaul finances (see Free Budget Planner) and should try and Reclaim Bank Charges. For FULL info read the Updated Guide: Best Bank Accounts Related: Top Savings

Kid-adult 2for1s for Wicked, The Lion King, Sister Act & more West End shows. These big shows don't usually do deals, so a free kid's ticket with a full-paying adult's for 14-28 Aug, plus 50% off for any extra kids' tickets, is a cracker. See the Daily Deals List: Cheap Days Out

New top mobile recycling provider. Earn £100s from old mobile phones
The Royal Mail has launched a new mobile recycling scheme, Simply Drop, which for some phones is offering top prices. How mobile recycling works. Tell it the handset's make, it gives a price, if you accept you get sent a jiffy bag to send in your phone, and, providing it's in good condition, once it's got it the cash is paid. Instantly find the highest price: Use our speedy Mobile Selling Checker to find which company gives you the most money for your handset - Simply Drop has been added in. Full info in the Updated Guide: Mobile Selling Related: Call Mobiles Cheaply, Free Texts

Free BT line installation (usually £123) now until September. It was due to end in June, but BT's now saying you can get new lines, second lines or reconnection free until 30 Sept 09. FULL info on how in the Deals Note: Free BT Line Installation Related: Cheap Home Phones

[[tip_box_in_tip]]

The Big & Easy Ways to Save Checklist

Quick links or click the titles for full pros, cons, alternatives & more savings

0% Balance Transfers: Top pick: Virgin* 16 mths 0%, 2.98% fee (APR 18.6% for BTs) Car Insurance: Use both MoneySupermarket* & GoCompare* Also see: Van, Motorbike Cheap Broadband: Plusnet* £6/mth up to 10 Gb download.  Cheap Gas & Elec + Cashback! Top comparison site: Energyhelpline* Cheap Travel Ins: Annual policies from £15, worldwide £21. See Cheap Travel Ins Top Uninsured Loans: £7.5k-15k: A&L*, Sainsburys 7.9%, Tesco* 8% (can be 7.8%) Free New-Mortgage Guide: Order a copy now for free! Also see: Remortgage Guide Teen Cash Guide: Free 40 page PDF guide to teach your kids about money MoneySaving Books: The Money Diet, Thrifty Ways, Three Lessons

More MoneySaving MSE

Natwest and RBS to charge for branch withdrawals. The pair's debit card holders will soon face a nasty stealth fee for over-the-counter cash withdrawals at rival branches, including those within the Royal Bank of Scotland group. See the MSE News Story: Cash fees Got an unknown £48 on your statement for a "Prime Member Fee"? Don't panic, it's probably not fraud, it's Amazon! Many MoneySavers are reporting £48 taken from their accounts for something they haven't bought, some even cancelling cards in case it's fraud. It's not! If you recently bought something from Amazon and picked the "free delivery" option then you took up its Prime free trial. Don't worry though, if you've not used it since the trial finished then Amazon still lets you cancel and get a full refund. More details and How-to in the Forum Note: Amazon Prime refunded Related: Internet Shopping, Cashback Websites 250 FREE 'Drive Smart' courses, worth £60. If you passed your test in the last 12 mths the AA Charitable Trust's 2hr course incs safe & fuel-efficient driving tips. Full details in the Forum Note: Drive Smart Warning! Don't believe imposters working for "Martin Lewis" at Spanish airports! We've had reports of people saying they're working for me doing surveys about PPI Misselling. This is a lie and a fraud. See my Blog: Don't believe the imposters Potential boost for savings protection is revealed. UK savers could eventually be spared having to claim compensation from abroad, if money is held in a failed foreign bank. Full info & more proposals in the MSE News Story: Savings safety Great 'Holiday at Home' Hunt: How to have a staycation without leaving home It's possible to have a happy holiday staying at home and visiting local attractions, saving the bulky cost of hotels. While Cheap Days Out and Restaurant Vouchers are a great place to start we'd like to tap MoneySavers' collective knowledge for the best stay at home ideas for singles, couples and families. Add your ideas/read other peoples': Great 'Holiday at Home' Hunt Past Great Hunts: View all

Q. I've seen adverts offering to let you sell your debts. Is it worth it? Martin's A.  No! There's a growth in companies offering to let you sell your debts to them where you pay a fee of around 10%. They say they'll sell it to a third party which will then argue it doesn't have to pay them. Yet you CAN'T sell debts without the lender's permission. So usually go through the transaction and you'll be left with the debts PLUS you'll have shelled out a 10% fee. If you're struggling, the best thing to do is try to cut interest costs, and repay as quickly as possible or seek non-profit free debt counselling agency, there's a full detailed guide & video at Debt Help. A common related question is about companies promising to help you write debts off. Read the Credit Wiping mini briefing for more on that. Discuss: Ads offering to sell your debts Suggest: A question of the week (big general issues not personal q's pls)

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA. Should Napoleon wait till after the holiday to ditch Josephine?
Napoleon's decided to break up with girlfriend Josephine. Yet the couple have an expensive holiday to the Maldives booked for two weeks' time. If he told Josephine it's over now, it would mean losing £900, as he would never go away with an ex. They're not quarrelling, Napoleon's just decided he wants to be single again. Should he dump her now, or keep up the act until they get back? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should Napoleon tell Josephine it's over? Previous MMDs: View All

Quick Forum Tips Warning! Bargains listed here tend to sell out quickly Daily Bargains Update Tips, Tricks & Treats

Top Deal! 8ft trampoline & enclosure £79 (but £54 poss). In B&Q stores Boing Boing Half-price Aussie hair products at Morrisons. A few available. Clean Savings Pampers Active Fit 28-34 packs £2.50. Ends Sun 19 July Bum Deal! £6 In The Night Garden shape-sorting toy. Was £15. Xmas Pressie? AA/AAA Panasonic Battery recharger. £3 all in. Usually £12 Free reusable bag for ING Direct Savers. Move to paperless statements Go Green Cheap footie shirts for men & boys. Not this season but bargains from £10 London Colney only. 50% off at Borders. Inc books, CDs & DVDs. Closing Down Sale Debt Free Wannabe chat of the week: Using someone else's card to pay a debt Competitions thread of the week: Win a Mini Old Style (Thrift) Board thread of the week: Old Style games for young children

 

Board of the Week: Restaurants & Eating Out: Local knowledge, top tips & tricks
Requests for cheap restaurant and eating out tips abound across the MoneySavingExpert Forum so they're now all in one easy to find place. The Restaurants & Eating Out board's filled with your ideas and suggestions. Discussions include Best value-for-money restaurants, Portion size; when do you complain? and Takeaways re-using food? Related: Latest Restaurant Deals

Great 'Courier Flights' Hunt Result
Last week I tapped the knowledge of MoneySavers who've saved on travel by arranging themselves flights as couriers in the Great "Courier Flights" Hunt. There were some great suggestions including What it involves, London to Tokyo £290 and London to Bangkok £260

[[tip_box_in_tip]]

Andrea's Freebies Freebies, Freebies, Freebies

Bat for Lashes Download, Condoms, Game Cheats, Bepanthen Nappy Cream, Lunchtime Concerts (Royal Albert Hall)

Odds and Ends MSE

Martin's Appearances...Weds 15 - Tues 21 July
These are scheduled appearances, though other ad hocs may happen. See the appearances list for updates.

• Weds & Thurs, GMTV, ITV1, sometime between 7:20 & 9:30am. Holiday MoneySaving.
• Fri, Jeremy Vine, Radio 2, between 1-2pm. The subject's undecided.
• Tues, GMTV, ITV1, sometime between 7:20 & 9:30am. The topic's news reactive.

This week's Martin's Blog: Yo! All you can eat sushi
"The first new MoneySavingExpert.com website in 6 years" , "Oh what a tool I am!" and "Don't believe imposters in Spain". Read m'blogs (or RSS users access)

The Good Debt, Bad Debt Game...? This week's poll. Vote and Good & Bad Debts discussion.

Archna's Free Game of the Week! Use your ingenuity to save your blobs! Water Werks

Cat's the way to do it! If your computer monitor's looking a bit grubby, give it a quick clean with this unique, free screener. Purr-fect!

We hope you save some money

Martin & the MSE team

Explanation of * Links

FSA NOTE: 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 0EH is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

How this site is financed.  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, 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: alliance-leicester.co.uk, americanexpress.com, gocompare.com, comparethemarket.com, uk.virginmoney.com, moneysupermarket.com, plus.net, energyhelpline.com, tescofinance.com. Read more about this in how this site is financed.

MoneySavingExpert.com is the free to use Consumer Revenge website focused on how to save you cash. It's owned, and run by ultra-specialised journalist and bestselling author Martin Lewis. On TV amongst other things Martin is GMTV's Money SavingExpert and presents money programmes for ITV1 Tonight. On Radio Martin has regular slots on Radio 2 Vine and Radio 1 Whiley. He's also a columnist for the News of The World, Moneywise and the Sunday Post. Find out 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 (unsubscribe): Go to: www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips

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