Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

Urgent! Cheap Xmas train tickets just launched
Eg, London-Manc £11 one way. Grab super-cheap advance fares asap
Everyone knows booking early means cheaper fares, yet Network Rail sets the timetable 12 weeks in advance, so that's the moment most super-cheap advance deals begin to be released - yet they sell out quickly. What Xmas tickets are available? We're at the crucial 12 wk point for Christmas now. Pre-Xmas day advance fares are out there for most companies, eg, Lon-Manc singles £11 on 23/24 Dec, or York-Glasgow £11.50. Yet tickets for after Xmas day will be released during the next week (it varies per operator). How to find them? TheTrainline* tools section has an advanced ticket alert system and both it and East Coast Rail (works for all UK rail lines) have cheap fare finders. Yet The Trainline has a £1 booking fee, which you can avoid by then buying at a station or via rail companies' own sites (eg, East Coast). Hidden tricks for huge savings: To really slice down train costs, throw the logic out the window. Split ticketing is the no. 1 example; a Leeds to Bristol return costs £230, yet the train stops in Derby. One MoneySaver bought 4 separate tickets (Leeds-Derby, Derby-Bristol & vice-versa) for the SAME train at the SAME time for £80. Masses more help in the Updated Guide: Cheap Train Tricks Related: Train & Coach Deals

New! Free Flybe Europe returns for you & friend
Credit card flight freebies! BA Europe avail too - just get card & repay in full
There are some cracking free flights currently available (decent credit score needed). Just grab the card, use it for day-to-day spending until you hit the required amount to unlock the freebie, then ensure you repay IN FULL so the APR's irrelevant as there's no interest, though all have minor catches. New! 2x free Flybe returns: The Flybe card's (18.9% APR) relaunched its two free Europe returns deal for accepted new cardholders. Apply now and spend anything on it (eg, gum / apple) before 31 Dec 2010 to qualify though you must pay the flight taxes & charges c. £50. Free BA Europe return INC taxes: Spend £10 on a new Lloyds Airmile Duo* (15.9% APR) and you get a voucher with 1,500 AirMiles, enough for a free BA Europe zone 2 return (eg, Ibiza/Budapest). Yet you must fly by next August (availability can be limited) and book one night in a hotel via AirMiles website (not always cheap, if so stay elsewhere other nights). Free BMI Europe BIZ class return: With BMI Amex* (16.9% APR) newbies spending £250 on it within 90 days get enough points for a business class return to Spain, Turkey etc; though you pay taxes & charges. Full info and the credit score impact in the Updated Guide: Credit Card Freebies Related: 5% Cashback, Cheap Flights, Cheap Hotels, Travel MoneySaving

Protect your kids if you die
New cheapest life ins policies save £1,000s - guaranteed cash if you die
It's thought 1 in 20 children lose a parent before they hit adulthood - anyone with dependents needs to consider the financial consequences if the worst happened (see Martin's parents do die blog). It's about level term insurance. This is a cheap way to provide money to clear debts and/or support your dependents - it pays out a fixed amount, eg, £200,000 if you die within a set time. Finding it cheaply: The key is to use a broker who'll find the cheapest price, either by giving advice or for rock-bottom prices a non-advisory 'discount broker' where you keep the often huge commission. We've just fully re-surveyed 20 of these to find the cheapest. Cut £1,000s off the cost: On a 20 year term for £200,000, a 45 year old male smoker could pay their bank £66/mth, but a discount broker found similar for £43 - a saving of over £5,000 over the policy term. FULL info, pros and cons in the Updated Guide: Cheap Life Insurance Related: Cheap Car Insurance, Cheap Home Insurance

FREE anti-virus software & more
Protect PCs or Macs for free. No cost professional anti-malware, firewalls etc

With the festive season approaching, and online shopping & banking on the up, viruses are hitting the news regularly so it's crucial you're protected. No anti-virus means you could be liable: If you're cyber-defrauded and have no up to date anti-virus software, there's a chance banks will argue you're negligible and liable. Therefore always ensure you have the software, an active firewall, download regular updates and scan once a week. Free antivirus software: Many professional anti-virus companies have free versions of their software in the hope you'll upgrade for added features (yet you're still fully protected). Microsoft Security Essentials retains the 'ease-of-use' PC crown, with Avira AntiVir good for advanced functions. For Macs, iAntiVirus is top contender. Our fully re-researched and rewritten help guide includes top firewalls, ad/spyware-removers, anti-spam tools and more in the Updated Guide: Free Anti-Virus Software Related: Free Office Software, Stop Junk Mail

New! 16 mth 0% BT card OR 12 mth 0% on everything
Credit card best-buy explosion! MBNA launches new deals to take on market

There's a credit card price war happening, so if your credit score's fit, you can slash debt costs. New top balance transfer: Accepted new MBNA* Platinum Plus cardholders can shift existing debts to it at 0% for 16 mths, for a one-off 2.9% fee, matching current longest Barclaycard's* Platinum deal (min. 20k income). But ALWAYS clear the debt before the 0% ends (or shift again) or you'll be hit by up to 18.9% APR (16.9% on B'ycard). New 12 mth 0% 'all-rounder' card: If you need to shift debts AND borrow afresh (do you really need to?) making only one application's better for your score. The top new cardholder 'all-rounder' deal is also a Barclaycard* at a year's 0% on both (2.9% fee on shifted debts) then 16.9% APR (min. 20k income). Yet for existing BC customers another new MBNA* card, Plat Dual, has a similar deal except a slightly higher 2.98% balance transfer fee and 21.9% & 18.9% APRs. 13mths 0% spending: If you just need 0% on new borrowing then Tesco's* is still the longest at 0% for 13 mths, but it's 16.9% APR after so ensure it's cleared by then. FULL info, pros, cons & more options in the Updated Guides: 0% for 16mth Balance Transfers, Top All Rounders, 0% for 13 mths Spending

New! Running the marathon? Best fundraising site
Ensure the max. amount of your friends' donations goes to the charity

You might be forgiven for thinking a £10 online donation means £10 straight to charity - but several fundraising sites charge admin fees, card charges, and even make charities pay just for signing up. Our new guide to coincide with the results of the London Marathon ballot helps you see who charges and who doesn't.The biggest giver: Bmycharity pays the most of your donations, though it has a hefty joining fee, so only 320 charities have signed up so far - yet if they've already paid it's a winner. Free for charities: If you're doing it for a small charity that hasn't signed up, sites like Mission Fish, Global Giving and the The Big Give don't charge them anything to sign up. Remember Gift Aid: Always ensure you tick the gift aid box if you're a UK taxpayer, as it means the charity can reclaim your tax, making a £10 donation worth £12.83. FULL site-by-site info in the New Guide: Cheapest Fundraising Sites Related: Charity Giving Guide