Council Tax Reclaiming Calc. New Tool!
Speedily check if you're in the wrong band - you could get £1,000s back
If you're in too high a band, whether you rent or own, you can get a backdated rebate from when you moved in. Over 100,000 homes in England & Scotland have benefited since we first launched the 'check 'n' challenge' system, now to make it easier we've built a special calculator. Here's a summary. Check 1. Neighbours test. First use the web to see if you're in a higher band than neighbours in equivalent properties. Check 2. New 'valuation' calculator. Then calculate what band your house should be in - which involves valuing it, then converting that to 1991 prices - people have always struggled with this, so our new calc does it for you, using house price data from Nationwide. Why are so many misbanded? The first valuation was nearly 20 years ago, a rush job of 'drive-by' assessments, and in England & Scotland they've NOT been revalued since. To try the new calculator and FULL 'check 'n' challenge' info in the Full Guide & New Calculator: Council Tax Rebanding Related Reclaims: Free House Price Valuations, Bank Charges, PPI Misselling, Mortgage Fees |
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Loan war escalates! 7.6% APR for £7.5k+
Rates drop AGAIN as best buy battle intensifies in lending market
Since we mentioned the loan price war a fortnight ago, more salvos have boomed. Yet don't borrow unless you really need to. Ensure it's planned, budgeted for, you borrow as little as possible and repay quickly. Best buys: All loans these days are 'typical' rate, meaning sadly 1/3 of accepted applicants pay more. Over £5k: Santander* and Tesco* are both 8.7% APR. Over £7.5k - 7.6% APR: Via Moneysup (link takes you there) Santander* is 7.6% APR, Tesco* is 7.7% APR (though for some borrowing lengths it's 7.5%) and people with flexaccounts at Nationwide* can get 7.6%. 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 consider a credit card; Tesco* is 0% on spending for 13mths, Barclaycard* and Virgin* both 12 months. Ensure you clear IN FULL before the 0% period ends or they shoot to 16.9% - 18.9% APR. If you can't use these cards, see the smaller plastic loans guide. FULL info and more best-buys in the Updated Guide: Cheap Loans Related: 0% cards, 0% for 16mth Balance Transfers
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Free & cheap wills - Will Aid, book asap
Solicitor-drafted wills at low or no cost this autumn
Die without a will and those left behind's grief could be compounded by a host of practical & financial issues, as severe as banks locking access to money. Who needs a will? Regardless of age, consider a will if you've assets (eg, a home, savings or business), and people you'd like to look after. Yet help is at hand. Will Aid month: Every Nov. over 1,000 solicitors UK-wide take part, yet it gets heavily booked up so best to arrange it now. Alternatively, in Oct, a smaller number of solicitors take part in Free Wills Month. Will Relief Scotland: There are over 80 solicitors taking part in this Sept event right now. Is it really free? Bizarrely coming from us, we hope not. Most of these are charity based schemes where solicitors give their time in return for a donation. While you don't have to pay, the suggested donation of £75 is still far cheaper than normal. FULL info & more options inc. totally free charity drafted wills and a discount code for Which?'s online service in the Full Guide: Free & Cheap Wills Related: Inheritance Tax, Cheap Life Insurance
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Got friends who'd like to save? Please tell them about this email |
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Urgent! Lock-in 40% off Direct Line home insurance
Its deal's ending but get a quote & it's valid 90 days. New Tesco deal too
A raft of insurance deals are changing, so it's the perfect moment to check prices. 40% ish off: Competitive insurer Direct Line* isn't included on comparison sites so it's always important to check it separately. Until next week it's offering combined '12 mths for the price of 9' plus 'up to 25% off online' deals, so grab a quote, even if you don't need it now as it's valid for 3mths. If it later launches a new, even better deal, this doesn't prevent you getting that. 35% off: Tesco's* just launched 35% off joint buildings & contents policies bought by 15 Oct. ALWAYS do a comparison: Never assume because something's discounted it's cheapest. Always ensure you get as many quotes as possible by combining the comparison sites - our suggested order for max quotes in min. time is GoCompare*, CompareTM*, MSP*, Confused*. After that look for extra cashback deals. FULL info in the Updated Guide: Cheap Home Insurance Related Insurance Guides: Car, Van, Motorbike, Travel, Boiler
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| Grab up to £40 free extra Xmas cash at Debenhams
Savings stamp trick. Plus up to 5% at Wilkinson, Asda, Tesco etc
There's an easy trick to boost your Christmas spending budget by using in-store savings stamps. How does it work? You're supposed to use them to save during the year in return for a Christmas bonus. Yet for admin ease they tend to just pay the bonus depending on how much cash you've collected on a specific day - so dosh it in at the last qualifying chance (often the day before) and you still get it. Urgent! Debenhams 10%: Grab its 'Christmas Savings' card in-store and register online this month, then credit by 31 Oct to get up to a 10% boost (max £40) on a gift card, usable even on sale goods (and lasts 2 years). Supermarket schemes: These include Wilkinson 5% boost anytime, Asda up to 4% boost on 21 Nov, Iceland up to 4% boost and Tesco up to 2% boost during Dec. FULL info on these and more in the New Guide: Savings Stamps Boost Related: Amazon Hidden Discounts, Supermarket Shopping, Grocery Coupons
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New Student MoneySaving guide & video
Loans, grants, scholarships, discounts, budgeting, living and more...
Sadly, we're still a nation that educates its youth into debt when they go to uni, never about debt. To help, our newly rewritten student MoneySaving guide is a must read for the new academic year. It includes... Good debt, bad debt: 'Don't borrow' isn't an option for most students, so the real key's knowing when, what & how. In a nutshell, student loan debt is good, 0% overdrafts ok (bad once you graduate) and don't look at, touch, sniff or go near store or credit cards and loans. Don't spend more than...? For working people 'don't spend more than you earn' is an easy motto, but if we tell students to budget, we need to tell them what not to spend more than and that's where many get stuck. The answer is add up 'your student loan, grant, any income from family, any income from work' and that's it. Note, this doesn't include 0% overdraft cash or credit card money. These tips are just the beginning, FULL info in the New Guide: Student MoneySaving Related: Student Bank Accounts, Free Budget Planner, Food Shopping, Repay My Student Loan?
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