Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

This new deal is possibly the best of both worlds: like fixed savings, you get higher interest for locking cash away, but it's also guaranteed to rise with interest rates. New top 3% AER deal: The Santander* Tracker Bond (min. £10k) guarantees to be 2.5% above base rate until it ends in Oct 2011, so it's currently 3%; some existing Santander customers get 0.25% more. No withdrawals are allowed. Top fixes up to 4.9% AER: The 1-year fixed savings from Bank of Baroda* (only via Moneysupermarket) at 3.15% (min. £500) just beats it on pure rate; it's also top for 2, 3 & 5 years at 3.8%, 4.3% & 4.9% respectively. Yet the longer you lock in, the bigger the risk UK rates could rise, so the fixed rate won't seem as competitive. Top 2.8% AER easy access variable: The AA is 2.8% AER (min. £1) though it's a variable rate, so could change, plus 2.3% is a bonus only lasting a year. Alternatively, Halifax* Websaver Extra at 2.6% variable is the top clean (no bonus) rate, though it has minor withdrawal interest penalties. All accounts have the full £50,000 savings guarantee. FULL info in the Updated Guide: Top Savings Related: Safe Savings, 3.2% Cash ISAs

As the new academic year starts, millions of pupils, students & parents are unnecessarily shelling out big bucks. Know where to look and ALL can grab top quality legal programs without spending a penny. Our fully re-researched guide includes... Free office suites: The latest, mammoth free OpenOffice suite includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation package & more and can read, edit and create documents that'll work on Microsoft's latest Office 2010 suite. Alternatively, students can get MS Office 2010 itself, supercheap though a new special offer. Free graphics, Speed boosts, photo editors: There are also free speed-boosting utilities to give your computer a new lease of life, communication tools, graphics and video editing and much much more. In short, there's more than you can shake a big, erm, memory stick at. FULL list and help in the Updated Guide: Free Office Software Related: Free Anti Virus Software

If you need to borrow, ensure it's planned, budgeted for and that you borrow as little as possible. Sadly these days all loans are 'typical' rate, meaning 1/3 of accepted applicants pay MORE. Over £5k: Tesco's* is 8.7% APR followed at 8.8% APR by Santander*, Bank of Ireland & Sainsbury's (the latter needs an active Nectar card). Over £7.5k - 7.7% APR: Tesco* is 7.7% (though for some borrowing lengths it's 7.5%) as is Nationwide* (via moneysupermarket - link takes you there), plus its Flexaccount customers can get a 7.6% loan*. Over £15K - 8.7%: Tesco* and Santander* are both 8.7%. Under £5,000? Use a card. Even the cheapest loans can cost 18% for smaller amounts, so instead use a credit card such as Tesco* which is 0% on spending for 13mths or Barclaycard* or Virgin*, both 12 months. Ensure you clear it IN-FULL before the 0% period ends or they shoot to 16.9% - 18.9% APR. If you're buying something where cards aren't accepted, see the short term plastic loans guide. Don't take out their PPI. Payment protection insurance sold alongside loans can add £1,000s and isn't included in the APR. If you need it, it's much cheaper with standalone specialist PPI insurers. FULL info and more best-buys in the Updated Guide: Cheap Loans Related: 0% cards, 0% for 16mth Balance Transfers

The cheapest broadband deal's back under a fiver due to a new promo, though like most broadband offers, beware: only 80% of UK homes get it at this price. £4.33/mth broadband: This month only, new customers at highly rated BT-owned Plusnet get 4 months free, plus free activation (usually £25) on its £6.49/mth Value package, provided you sign up via Consumer Choices*. Factoring in the free months it's an average £4.33/mth over the year's contract, with a 10GB monthly download and upload limit. 60GB limit £7.66/mth: With a big 60GB download limit Plusnet Extra is £11.49 a mth, but again 4 mths free via Consumer Choices* makes it an avg £7.66 over the contract length. Unlimited downloads: For existing mobile customers both O2* and Orange work out an average £9/mth (O2 only because it's currently giving 3 mths free). Otherwise, Orange is overall cheapest at £12/mth, but you need an 18 mth contract. FULL info, plus how to 'artificially qualify' as an existing customer, get added cashback and more best-buys in the Updated Guide: Cheap Broadband Related: Cheap Home Phones, 3G Broadband

The Educational Maintenance Allowance means up to £30/week in term time is available to older teens for attending school. Who gets what? The exact amount depends on parental income and where you live, though, as a rough rule of thumb, any teen from households with combined income less than £33,100 should check to see if they're eligible for something, and everyone from households with under £20,300, no matter where in the UK, should get the full whack. Apply ASAP: You can apply at any time but do it by the end of Sept and you'll be given backdated payouts to the start the year. Money for over-19s too: Depending on where you live, adults who haven't entered full time education before may qualify for free cash to learn too. Full info in the Updated Guide: Educational Maintenance Allowance Related: Teen Cash Class, Top Student Accounts

Post-credit crunch, even for mortgage applications, credit scoring counts. An easy way for those usually rejected to (re)build history and prove you're a good risk is get a credit card, even at a hideous rate, spend a little each month, but always REPAY IN-FULL ON-TIME to avoid interest & credit negatives. Top reject card (mild issues): If you've neither defaulted nor had CCJs, but regularly get turned down, perhaps due to a few missed payments, the Capital One* Progress card just reduced its opening rate to 29.9% APR (not cheap but better than previous 34.9%) and promises to reduce the rate by 2% every six mths, provided you don't miss repayments. The lowest it'll go is 17.9% which would take 3 years - which if you still can't get other credit, at least you may be able to shift other costlier debts to it. Poor credit history? The Capital One* Classic (34.9% APR) may accept some CCJs and defaults, and Barclaycard* Initial (29.9% APR) accepts some providing no CCJs in past five years. Don't apply willy-nilly though as that adds an unnecessary search to your file. Last resort card: The £5 Cashplus Creditbuilder* prepaid card doesn't need a credit check, as you load cash on in advance, but cunningly opt for the £5/mth (£60 a year) fee and technically it counts as a loan, so can help rebuild your score. FULL pros, cons and more options in the New Guide: Top Credit Rebuild Cards Related: Free Credit File Check