Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

• Do you need winter sports cover? If your policy ain't got it, you won't usually be covered for ski/snowboard accidents, which can cost £1,000s, or lost/stolen gear & cancelled passes (check T&Cs carefully, even if you've cover). Going off-piste or extreme, such as luging or stunt skiing? Try BMC or Snowcard (but they're not cheap).
  
• Annual or single trip? Go away more than once a year and an annual policy could be cheapest, starting at £13 or £22 incl winter sports. If this is your only break, single-trip starts at £7, £12 incl winter sports - use MoneySupermarket* to find your best. If travelling in the EU, always carry an EHIC for emergencies.
• £22/year winter sports cover. If you've time to compare, MoneySup* sometimes has these cheaper.

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Call a mobile in Australia on BT in the day and it's £36/hour, Virgin's £49/hr. If reading this you're almost certainly online, so use web tools to smash these costs, or even get calls free. Even offline, you can use your phone to call for 0.5p/min.

• Calling someone online? Do it free. If you're both online - whether on a mobile, computer or tablet - and have the same app such as Skype, Vtok, Viber or FaceTime (for Apple devices) you can call (sometimes by video) free. Use wi-fi though, as using mobile internet data can cost. FULL top apps help: Free Web Calls
• Calling someone offline? Instantly find cheapest USA, Oz, India, etc prices. Our free International CallChecker finds the cheapest way to make a traditional phone call to each country from landlines or mobiles. Once found, dial the prefix, then the normal number, and it's billed to your home phone. They're no-frills, so don't expect quality service, just low prices.
  
  Don't believe the Skype hype - it's not always the cheapest for paid-for calls. If you call the US, the cheapest providers charge just 0.5p/min (45p/hour incl connection charge) whereas Skype costs 1.7p/min.

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It's the final countdown (der-der-der-derrr). Yet don't let go of the MoneySaving - here's a sackful of last minute tips:

1. Slash perfume costs. Compare now, don't wait for Xmas Eve. Top deals in Cheap Perfume.
2. Don't give tat. See our Charity Gifts list, incl the Gift of Sight, where £8 buys an eye op.
3. Beware gift cards. If the retailer goes bust, you'll likely lose cash. See Gift Card Warning.
4. Delay Xmas. If you're buying a big-ticket item (LCD TV, Xbox), use our Xmas IOU Certificate Generator to tell your family you're waiting for the sales.
5. 30 sub-£5 gifts for grown-ups. Lots of fab ideas in Festive Fivers, including 12 Dates of Xmas.
6. Give time, not money. Use our Free Xmas Cheques to promise your partner an, ahem, massage or babysit for a pal.
7. Downshift your turkey. 'Finest' isn't always best at the supermarket. For Martin's TV show, he held a blind Xmas taste-test. They preferred cheaper brands or couldn't tell the difference 62% of the time. Try the Downshift Challenge.
8. Don't spend Tesco vouchers on food. See Boost Tesco Vouchers to get up to 4x value on rewards, or double-up at Tesco.
9. 15 festive £5 ideas for kids. Young kids care how fun it is, not how much it costs. Our 15 Festive Fivers for Kids can help.
10. Free personalised Santa video. Enter a few details & Santa gives bespoke words of wisdom. See Free Santa Vid.

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A new era for bank switching, launched in September, means all your direct debits & standing orders move within seven working days, while payments made to your old account will auto-forward, meaning less hassle. Here are the top deals.

• £100 bribe to switch to top bank account. Some banks currently bribe you to join them. A few top deals below, full options in Bank Accounts. All do a credit check.
  
  Free £100, top customer service & 6% linked savings. First Direct's* smashed every service poll we've done, 93% rate it 'great'. New switchers get £100, a £250 0% overdraft and a linked 6% regular saver account. Minimum pay-in £1,000/mth.
  
  Cashback on bills and 3% savings. Santander 123* pays a huge 3% AER variable on £3,000 to £20,000, plus up to 3% cashback on phone, energy, council tax and its mortgages, dwarfing its £2/mth fee. Min pay-in £500/mth.
  
  0% overdraft for a YEAR: Nationwide* FlexDirect gives 0% for 12mths. See that as respite to sort your finances and clear it, or there's a 50p/day overdraft fee after. No minimum pay-in for overdraft.
• Is the 7-day switch really no hassle? Overall, feedback's been good. Forum user sar050680 was happy: "Switched from Lloyds to First Direct. Was a little worried payments would be missed but all my expectations have been met."
  
  However, it's not all been plain sailing. Some told us direct debits haven't gone through and problems have been reported on switching joint accounts. Full help: 7-Day Switching Q&A

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