Election Special: The "What do they spend your money on?" Quiz
For most, tax is the biggest single expenditure - but do you know where it goes?
On 6 May we all need go to the polls. It's a consumer decision: Your choice of vote potentially has a huge impact on the pound in our pockets - not just the economy and what you'll be charged in tax, but the level and quality of services like health, education, the environment, policing & more. The "What's it spent on" quiz: Before making your decision it's worth knowing where the £620 billion spent in our name goes. Do we pay more for debt interest or defence? What single area does over a quarter of all our tax cash get spent on? To see how your knowledge matches up against other MoneySavers, try our quick, ten question 'What do they spend your money on?' quiz. Related: Full MoneySaving IQ test, All MSE Quizzes What's MSE's election stance? As a website we're not legally obliged to stay neutral, but we're aiming to anyway. However we will try and update you on what the parties say on key issues like bank charges, mortgages, savings & more. |
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Fly £299 all-in return to New York - good availability.
American Airlines Easter Flight Sale, book until 22 April. Also, Boston £313, Dallas £385, LA £393 & more.
These days under £300 is v. competitive & crucially availability is good. Full info in the Forum Note: American Airlines Sale
Urgent! 25% off New Look, Wallis, Mango, & Esprit (in £1.95 mag)
Plus INSTANT discount codes BHS.co.uk £5 off and Woolworths.co.uk £10 off £30
These
and many more magazine and instant vouchers in the Daily Deals List: Discount
Vouchers
6.3% Loan Equivalents: New MSE Tool Calculates The Cost
Special credit cards let you borrow at HALF the cheapest loan's cost... new Calc to show when it works
Borrowing's best avoided, but if you need it, the aim's keep it cheap and minimise the amount - though for smaller loans even the cheapest costs 18% APR. Yet a few cheap credit cards have a facility allowing you to replicate a loan - letting you shift a lump sum into a bank account, so you now owe the card the cash. Pass the credit score & do it right and it can cost half as much. Top Plastic Loans: Short Term: The Virgin* card allows it at 0% for 14 mths with a 4% fee, the winner if you can repay in that time (it's 20.9% after). Medium Term: The MBNA Rate for Life deal lets you shift debt to it at 5.9% for life (ie until fully repaid) with a 1.5% fee. New Calculator: The difficulty is comparing costs incorporating fees, so we've built an APR calculator to do it for you. It shows APRs can be as low as 6.3% for £3,000 compared with 13.9% for the cheapest normal personal loans. Warnings: While normal loans are fixed length, with credit cards you repay what you like (above the min). To truly replicate a loan's enforced discipline, repay fixed amounts by direct debit repayment to clear debts in a set time, e.g. 3 years. Plus NEVER use these cards for spending or the costs rocket. Cheapest Bigger (£5k+) Loans: For over £5,000 borrowing the winning standard loans are Alliance & Leicester* & Tesco* at 8.9% APR up to £7,500 and 7.9% above. Alternatively Sainsbury is 8.8% for £5k-£7.5k if you've a Nectar card. Sadly all these are 'typical' rates, meaning some will be charged more. New Tool & Guides: Half Price Plastic Loan, Cheap Loans
Mega 50% off LeapFrog electronic learning sale at M&S online
Inc. LeapFrog Cat in the Hat book & pink electronic reader pen £15 (next cheapest £25)
Free delivery to stores. Offer is while stocks last. Full info in the Daily Deals List: Sales Diary
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Totally free 5-day gym/spa pass
Five-day pass to use all facilities at any of the 160 Fitness Firsts.
Also 3-day LA Fitness pass, 3-day Nuffield Health pass and more in the Deals List: Cheap Gym Deals
Travelodge £19 Apr-Jul UK 150,000 room sale
Now on. Available for stays between 28 Apr and 31 Jul, usual cost £29-£59
But you must book at least 21 days in advance. See the Deals Note: Travelodge Sales Related: Cheap Hotels, Hotel Sales
NEW top card for spending overseas. Prepare for Summer now
Cut on-holiday spending costs by £100s as Saga's relaunched card matches Santander's existing top deal.
The very cheapest way to spend abroad is on the right credit card provided you ALWAYS repay in full (otherwise avoid). So if you go abroad, grab one now just for that. What makes some cards good? Most credit AND debit cards 'load' exchange rates by roughly 3%, meaning buy £100 worth of Euros and you pay £103. Many debit cards also add up to £1.50 ontop every time you spend. The specialist cards don't do either. New Top Deal: The over 50s only Saga* (11.9% APR if you don't repay in full) card is now load free worldwide & interest free on ATM withdrawals, though there is a 2% (min. £2) fee. Alternatively Santander Zero (18.9% APR) is also load-free, has no withdrawal fee, but charges 27.9% APR on cash withdrawals even if repaid in full. After number crunching Saga wins for one big cash withdrawal, Santander for multiple uses (assuming repaid in full). Alternative Top 'With Perks': Nationwide's* (16.9% APR) is load-free Europe-only, but with the perk of a year's extra extended warranty & purchase protection on UK-bought electricals. Want cash? While the right plastic's cheaper, if you want cash use MSE's Cheapest Travel Money comparison tool. FULL info, more options & explanation in the Updated Guide: Cheap Travel Money
New! 2for1ish restaurant vouchers - La Tasca, ASK and Pizza Hut
Plus Zizzi's 2for1-ish, Strada 2 mains for £12, GBK £10 meal deal for two and Cafe Giardino 2for1
Joins Prezzo £10 starter, main & drink & Cafe Rouge kids eat free in the Daily Deals List: Restaurant Vouchers
Now 75 album download £4.99 (cheapest CD c £12). Until Sun get new 43 track Now 75 MP3 album for £4.99. Related: MP3 & CD price comparison site
Fight for your rights... "I got £8,219 back via the Ombudsman"
You've a right to be treated fairly by financial companies; even just for mispayment.
An e-mail we've just received is an eloquent reminder that under financial regulations you've an enforceable right to fair treatment by insurers, banks, mortgage companies and more.... £8,219 back: "My pension provider wrongly posted a payment to my old address in 2000. Someone else banked it, and they didn't know who, so I complained to the Financial Ombudsman - the company settled in full 3 weeks later with 10 years interest, a total of £8,219. Getting the FOS involved made a big difference." How to complain: If you don't think you've been dealt with properly, whatever the situation, first make an official complaint to the company involved. Yet expect it to fob you off, if it does, you can then complain to the free Financial Ombudsman Service which has a legal right to rule and award compensation. Full info on how to complain & form-filling template in the Full Guide: Your Financial Rights Related: Bank Charges, PPI Reclaiming, Consumer Rights, Setting Off |
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O2's "Joggler" gizmo's £50 until 15 April (norm £100).
It's a smorgasbord of a gadget: internet radio, 7-inch digital picture frame/media player, news reader & more.
Short term price cut to celebrate the launch of its app shop - full info in the Forum Note: Joggle On
£13 PAYG handset inc. £10 credit, 200 Tesco points & 2for1 cinema
Super cheap Samsung PAYG Orange mobile at Tesco - points convertible to roughly £8 of Rewards
Good bog-standard handset, also usable for Orange 2for1 Wednesdays. See the Forum Note: Cheap Orange PAYG mobile
New Boiler Cover with £60 no-claim cashback for some
New £10.50/mth cover pays 50% back if you don't claim. Alternatively cheapest basic cover is £7/mth
Some people are overpaying by £100 a year for boiler cover - there's a competitive market out there and often you can get more & pay less. New nPower Deal: Today (Wed) nPower's launching hometeam 50* for its dual fuel customers which for £10.50/mth gives an annual boiler service & safety check, unlimited call outs and repairs (£50 excess/call which is relatively standard). Yet the kicker here is, if you don't use the call out service (service & safety check are fine) at the end of 12 months, it'll refund you 50%, making it £5.25/mth. This makes it an interesting option for those with newish, unlikely to break down boilers, who want peace of mind. Though not worth switching to nPower energy for (unless it's already cheapest). Compare to find the cheapest: While nPower's new tariff isn't in comparison services, for most other tariffs they're the quick way to see what's cheapest, prices are as low as £7/mth and you don't normally need stick with your energy company's policy. Comparison sites include Uswitch*, Energyhelpline* or MoneySupermarket* - they also miss Direct Line which is worth checking separately. Updated Guide: Cheap Boiler Cover Related: Cheap Gas & Electricity
Easter
holiday deals! 1p am bowling, 2for1s at Birdworld & Camelot
Book
9-9.30am bowling online or click 'n' print vouchers
for Pleasure Island, M&D's Scot theme park & more
Join York Castle Museum kids go free, free tennis coaching
& free sports for kids in the Daily Deals
List: Cheap
Days Out
Cash ISAs inc. transfers delays to be investigated by the OFT
We're going to meet them about it - please help by providing evidence of problems including lack of info
Consumer Focus has put a super complaint to the OFT about Cash ISAs issues including slow transfers and hidden interest rates (see ISA news) following MoneySavers' complaints, to have your say please Feedback: ISA issues
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