Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

Urgent! Get £100+ cashback switching to CHEAP energy
IT'S WINTER. THERE ARE PRICE HIKES. SWITCH ASAP. DON'T DELAY
Forgive our shouting again, but everyone on a standard tariff needs to sort it NOW! Not only will you typically save £300 a year switching to a cheap online tariff, but you can grab over £100 cashback on top. Why do it now? The country's frozen by a devastating snow-spell, with heaters at full blast as 3 of the big 6 energy companies - SSE, Scottish Power & Brit Gas - hike prices by nearly 10%. The sooner you switch the sooner you save. Urgent £100 Cashback. Sign up to EDF's cheap online saver 7* tariff and 90 days after you've switched you get £100 credit. Due to end yesterday, it has been extended, yet insiders say it may be pulled any moment. Yet DON'T just switch to it, whether it's cheapest depends on your usage and postcode, always do a comparison to see how it stacks up (gets you extra cashback too, apart from Londoners who should go direct). Compare, switch & get cashback: (only via these MSE links) Top Pick: Energyhelpline* pays £15 cashback per switch. Dual Fuel: MoneySupermarket* £30 in cash, Uswitch* offers a crate of wine, SimplySwitch* £35 Amazon vouchers. FULL info on all this, latest news & poss more cashback in the Guide: Switch Gas & Elec Related: Boiler Cover, Grant Grabbing

Free! Wallet-sized Xmas Consumer Rights mini-guide
Nifty fold-out shopping armour - print & pop this 2010 version in your purse

If a shop ever tries to fob you off, this is a way to stand your ground firm in the knowledge of your legal rights. Credit card sized guide: We've redone our free Christmas mini-guide for 2010. It's designed to be printed, folded and to fit in the credit card section of purses or wallets. Then simply pull it out in stores when you need it to turn yourself into an instant expert. What's in it? Whether it's 'can I return things for being the wrong size?', 'what are the rules with gifts?', or 'how do I make 'em listen?', the guide condenses the correct laws and rules, enabling you to quote and even SHOW IT to the shop, to prove you're in the right. Free Mini-Guide: Consumer Rights Wallet Weapon Related: Consumer Rights, Section 75

Last chance! Beat Tesco voucher DEVALUATION
Values drop Mon. So exchange points and RECLAIM old vouchers ASAP

Next Mon a major devaluation hits Tesco's Clubcard points so you need to ACT NOW to ensure your points make the biggest prizes. Reclaim old vouchers: We're drowning in success stories, many of £100+ in the month since we explained how to check whether you've any unused/lost vouchers over the years to get them reissued, see Tesco Vouchers Reissue. 'Rewards' value drops 25%: Trade in Tesco vouchers for 'Clubcard Rewards' on things such as days out, jewellery and gifts, and until Sun you get 4x the value of redeeming them in store (so £10 becomes £40). This drops to 3x (£30) on Mon. 'Big Exchange' Ends: Alternatively, until Sun you can trade-in £5 vouchers in store (and some online) for a £10 one on certain goods eg, toys, clothes, some electricals, beauty, Christmas decorations, Finest wine & champagne. FULL info in Updated Guide: Get Back Tesco Vouchers Related: Cheap Supermarket Shopping, Boost Loyalty Points

It's an innovative way to bust to the top of the easy access, variable rate savings best-buy tables... 3% if you've kids: The Coventry BS Family Saver pays 3% AER (inc 1% bonus for a year, so ditch after that) provided you have your child benefit paid in - after that you can top it up with extra cash (max £250k) and it allows unlimited withdrawals whenever you want. 2.99% easy access - for all: Nationwide's* MySave Online Plus (min £1,000) pays 2.99% AER, but only allows one annual penalty free withdrawal. For unlimited withdrawals the Post Office's* Online Saver (min. £1) pays 2.9% AER. Both include a year's interest rate boost, so ditch 'n' switch when that drops. 2.75% instant access: Most online accounts require a few days to get your cash out, but Santander's* eSaver (iss 2) pays 2.75% (inc 2.25% bonus) and gives instant access via ATMs, a useful boon. All these accounts have full £50k UK protection. More info inc the top fixed rates in the Updated Guide: Top Savings Accounts Related: 8% Regular Savings, 2.85% Cash ISAs

We've all heard nightmares about 'sell your gold' sites, so earlier this year MSE Jenny started a detailed investigation into how to do it right. We it published in the summer, and since successes have flooded in. What can you sell? Old gold you've no use for: broken chains, odd earrings, old crowns etc. What not to sell? Avoid jewellery with gemstones, designer jewellery or medals; you only get the raw gold price so are throwing away the massive added value - you can get more elsewhere. Successes so far: Lots reported in the forum, including Churchmouse:"I had jewellery I'd not worn in 15 years, sent it in and got £435 in my bank account" and Trix: "I sent an assortment of 9ct gold odd earrings, broken chains and bracelets - just cheap in the first place so not worth the fixing cost - and got £168". Who to sell to: Postal gold websites seem great. Accept their price and they send a jiffy bag for you to post back. Yet while their headline prices are great, send shiny stuff in and they say it's worth a fraction of this. So we've sorted the gold from the glitter, finding sites that usually honour prices, with strong feedback. See the Step-by-Step Guide: Top Gold Selling Sites Related Guides: Boost Your Income, Survey Sites, Comping For Cash

It's the price war of 1,000 tiny cuts.  MBNA's shaved its rates down again to regain top spot for 0% credit card debt shifting.  Frankly we know it does it in the hope we'll tell you about it - yet if it cuts your costs, why not?  0% for 16mth deals: MBNA Plat Plus* is still 0% for 16mths, yet the one-off fee's been cut to 2.88% and the APR to 16.7% (that's the rate you pay after the 0% so always repay in full or shift again to avoid this).  Just behind is Virgin* with a smidgeon higher 2.89% fee (18.9% APR) and Barclaycard Platinum* at 2.9% fee (16.9% APR).  Who's this for? It's for new cardholders only, plus you must pass a credit check to get cards. While Virgin & MBNA are sister companies, they may allow you to have both cards, but you can't balance transfer from one to the other. 6.8% long-term: Need longer to repay or worry you won't be bothered to switch again? Use a card with a low standard APR such as Barclaycard Simplicity's* 6.8%.  The rate isn't fixed, but the regulations let you refuse any rate rise, provided you don't borrow more after. Don't miss repayments: Always make at least the min. monthly repayments or you can lose promo rates and your rights. FULL info & more best-buys in the Updated Guide: Best Balance Transfers Related: 0% for 13mths on New Spending, Credit Ratings, Fight Rate Hikes