Jun

2021

Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

Over 50 ways to save, incl... 1mth free Pret, £110/yr energy price hike, renting isn't a dirty word, 0.45% big name savings, free £125, free BK Whopper, 2.8% loan + £30 Amazon, 2for1 films, 108Mb b'band £18/mth

This info may be out of date. Read this week's emails

THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL

17 renters' must-knows, incl how to slash £100s off bills & free furniture

Martin's energy bills crisis update as millions face £110/yr hikes

New. Cheapest 2.8% loan now gives a £30 Amazon vch

Today we launch the improved MSE Forum - why not give it a try?

Get a month's free Pret coffees

Nationwide launches near best-buy 0.45% easy-access savings

Today. FREE Burger King Whopper

'I've saved £1,200 on my existing mortgage with little effort - thank you'

FREE Open Farm Sunday events at 90+ farms

New. Free SCOTTISH financial ed textbook (funded by Martin)

Free £125 when you switch to top service bank First Direct

£36 nail polish collection £18

Ending. 108Mb megafast Virgin fibre '£18.40/mth'

14 cinema tips & tricks, incl a year's 2for1 for £1

2for1 at Alton Towers etc

Want to join us working at MSE?

This week's best buys, incl 29mths' 0% debt shift, '£6.34/mth' 12GB Sim, top car insurance comparisons

Should I ask my husband to contribute more to our joint account?

BEST BUYS & TOOLS

Cheap Energy Club, incl Pick Me A Tariff

MSE Cheap Mobile Finder

Credit Club incl free credit report

0% Balance Transfers

Compare Broadband deals

Cheap Car Insurance

Best Bank Accounts

Top Savings Accounts

Credit Cards for Bad Credit

Credit Card Eligibility Calculator

Loans Eligibility Calculator

Mortgage Comparison

Free online complaints tool - Resolver

Compare Travel Money

Best Sim Only Deals

Renting is NOT a dirty word
17 must-knows for renters: incl how to slash £100s off monthly bills, FREE furniture, eviction rights and more

TV property-porn shows combined with a political push towards home ownership make it feel like renting is a dirty word. It's time that attitude changed, especially as for the first time since 2014 it's on average cheaper each month to rent than buy (source: Hamptons estate agents).

Renting is the right choice for some, while others have no choice. Renting offers flexibility and freedom, and if the property market were to drop (a possibility, not a prediction), renters would likely be the ones sitting pretty.

In the pandemic we've seen politicians feed mortgage-holders by forcing payment holidays, while renters have been fed the dregs - having to negotiate with landlords for any help. We need to better support the nation's renters. We've compiled 50+ tips for renters - here are the most important need-to-knows:

If your deposit's not protected, you could get it back... plus THREE TIMES the value. With most tenancies, your landlord/letting agent MUST put your deposit into a Government-backed protection scheme by law. If they don't, you've rights to redress. See deposit protection.
Make the most of where you live - easily & cheaply boost storage & spruce your space. From sticking up temporary wallpaper to using the backs of doors or under beds for storage, we've 25 tricks to make the most of where you live.

Renters can slash monthly household bills by £100s too

The rule is simple: if you pay the bill, then you are usually allowed to choose suppliers, and can therefore switch and save money - as long as you're not altering the property. So unless you pay an 'everything included' rent, don't sit on your laurels, do some saving. Though for courtesy it's worth letting the landlord know.

Save £100s/yr on your energy bill - you don't need permission to switch. It's good practice to do an annual energy comparison. Even if you're moving into a new place, and don't know your usage, our comparison will estimate for you, and the sin of inaction is far greater than the sin of inaccuracy.

In the rare event you'll need a new meter, you'd need to check with the landlord. Otherwise if you pay the bill, you've every right to change tariff - if the landlord or your contract disagrees, print out our Renters' energy-switching factsheet, which explains your rights, and politely show it to them.
You can usually switch broadband & home phone deal - and often save £100s/yr. Millions are being fleeced, having to pay up to £45/mth for slow broadband and line rent, when faster speeds are available for as little as a third of that.

Unless your tenancy explicitly prohibits switching, you should be fine to do it without your landlord's permission, unless you require a new line fitted (eg, you're switching to cable). As most homes already use BT Openreach - the system used by most providers including Plusnet, Sky and TalkTalk - it's often nice and simple.

To find all the latest deals for where you live, use our Broadband Unbundled comparison which includes the following deals, all for broadband AND line rental...

- Ends 11.59pm TODAY (Wed). Plusnet 10Mb '£13/mth'
- Fibre (faster): Shell 35Mb '£17.30/mth'
- Faster still. Ends THU. Virgin Media 108Mb '£18.40/mth'
Can switching to a water meter save you £100s? (If it can, you're allowed.) Martin's water-meter rule of thumb for those in England & Wales is: if there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check if a meter (they're free) will save you money. If that's you, use a water meter calculator.

Amanda emailed: "After watching one of Martin's programmes, I decided to look into getting a water meter. My water bill was previously just under £500/yr and now it's looking to be about £200/yr - a £300/yr saving. Thanks."

As for whether you're allowed, the Water Industry Act 1991 says if you've a fixed-term tenancy agreement of 6mths or more, you DON'T need your landlord's permission - though again courtesy says it's worth discussing with them.

In Scotland / Northern Ireland? Meters aren't free in Scotland, and NI has a different system. So this is mainly an Eng/Wal tip.
You own more than you think you do - half of renters don't have contents insurance. It can cost less than £10/mth. Your landlord is responsible for buildings insurance, but that only covers the stuff that wouldn't fall if you turned the home upside down.

Everything else - ie, all your possessions - is covered by contents insurance. It's worth thinking about what they'd cost to replace, in the (hopefully theoretical) event all your possessions were stolen or destroyed. If it's a worrying figure, it's worth considering cheap contents insurance for tenants. That link takes you through it, but in brief...

- Combine comparison sites. Bag max quotes in the min time: MoneySup*, Confused*, CompareTM* and Goco* (see how we order them).

- In a house/flat-share? Getting cover can be tricky - a lock on your personal room helps. Double-check policies meet the cover you need. If struggling, try specialists Home Protect* and Intelligent Insurance*, or use BIBA to find a broker.

- Check if deals not on comparisons can win. Try Direct Line*, which isn't on any of them. Or if you buy a contents-only policy via this Urban Jungle* link, using the code MSE30, newbies are sent a £30 Amazon voucher within 7mths - factor that in and see if it beats other options.

- Use a cashback website. Once you've found the cheapest/best policy, check if a cashback website will pay you for getting the insurance through it - though always double-check the price is the same.
Live alone or with under-18s, or are you a student or on a low income? You may be due a council tax discount worth £100s. Depending on who lives inside your rented property, you could be due a reduction on your council tax bill - anywhere from 25% off to being entirely 'disregarded for council tax purposes'. You can be eligible if:

- You're a single person or live only with under-18s.
- You're a student household or non-student living with students.
- You're on a low income / get pension credit.

See council tax discounts for the full list of potential reductions and how much you can save. Plus use our check & challenge system to see if you're in the wrong council tax band and are subsequently overpaying.
In house / flat-share? There's a free app to split the bills. Keeping track of bills and who's not keeping up with their share of the costs in a house of four or five can be a complete nightmare. Fortunately, you can download a free app to make it all less stressful.

The eviction ban may be ending, but you still have rights. Evictions were banned during the pandemic, but that's no longer the case in Eng, NI and (effectively) Scot, and it's due to end next Wed (30 Jun) in Wales.

Yet if you're struggling to make payments, don't panic. Landlords must follow strict processes if you're facing eviction, including giving you notice to allow time to find a new property. If you're falling behind on rent, see help if you're struggling.
You can furnish your home for FREE with sofas, beds, TVs & more. If you've rented unfurnished or part-furnished, online community giveaway sites can help you out - for nowt. For sites to use and full help, see our how to use giveaway sites tips. Alternatively, get stuff cheap on eBay with our 41 eBay Buying Tips.

Matt tweeted: "@MoneySavingExp I got a dishwasher on giveaway site Freegle eight years ago - still running like a charm."
Letting fees are BANNED - beware bogus charges. Some landlords and letting agents charge £100s for credit checks, photocopying etc, but since 2019 many such fees have been banned across Britain (though some are still allowed in NI). See our full guide to what they can and CAN'T charge and what to do if you're wrongly charged.
Paying rent on time can boost your credit score. Private renters and social housing tenants can opt in to free schemes that record rental payments on their Experian and Equifax credit reports.

If you pay on time, it could boost your score - and therefore your ability to get a mortgage, credit card etc. If you don't pay rent on time it'll hurt your score, so think carefully about joining if worried you may be late. See make rent boost your credit score for full info, including how to join.
Save 60%+ on rent by becoming a 'property guardian'. For those who can be flexible in exchange for cheap rent, you can baby-sit empty properties to deter squatters - these can be private homes, office blocks, fire stations, churches, schools and more. We found a room in an old bank in Bournemouth from £250/mth, and one in London's West Hampstead for £350/mth. Full info in property guardians.

Here's MSE Becky's story: "I lived in guardian properties for 3yrs+ and paid a third of normal London rent. Places can be huge but you often don't know how long you've got, and facilities can be basic."

If you're in dispute with your landlord, help's available - and they have responsibilities too. If you think you've been unfairly treated during your tenancy - or your landlord hasn't kept the home safe and in good working order - there are official bodies to help you complain, though they have limited powers. See landlord responsibilities and your rights.

A word from Martin: Forbearance

"Unlike most of our commercial relationships where it's us and a big company, renting is often between two individuals. The property in between is crucial to both people's finances. That's why rental disputes can often be difficult and personal.

"Forbearance is therefore important. Both in its plain sense of meaning to be patient or forgiving, and its technical meaning not to enforce legal rights including debt repayments.

"This is key right now, as the pandemic's financial scars are still deeply cut into many. So if you need it, don't feel afraid to ask your landlord for some forbearance - I hope they'll help. Equally if your landlord is struggling, they're just a person with their own issues - try to offer them forbearance. Meeting in the middle rather than fighting on principle will likely leave all less stressed."

Sharing a joint account with a flatmate can be financially risky. Apply for a loan, credit card, mortgage, mobile phone contract or other debt and the lender will use your past actions to predict future behaviour.

It's important to know that what links your credit file to someone else's isn't marriage or relationships, it's having a joint account. It means their history can affect yours. So while joint accounts can be easy and convenient, consider that first.

And if you've moved out and are no longer financially linked with flatmates, write to the credit reference agencies asking for a notice of 'disassociation'. More info in our Credit Scores guide.
Is your London rental properly licensed? If not, you could be owed money. Tenants in London can check whether their landlords need to license their homes - if not, you could be owed £1,000s. Use the property licence checker.
Saving to buy? Get a FREE £1,000/yr boost towards a deposit on your first home. Not everyone who rents wants to buy. But if you do, it can be challenging to build up a big deposit while simultaneously paying lots in rent.

One option for first-time buyers aged between 18 and 39 is to open a top Lifetime ISA where you get a 25% bonus on anything you save, up to a max contribution £4,000/yr. So a LISA can get you a bonus of £1,000/yr. Also see our much-feted First-Time Buyers' Guide for all the info you'll need before stepping on to the property ladder.

There's more help in 50+ tips for renters.

DON'T believe the fake 'Martin Lewis' or 'MSE' ads
Lots of scam ads litter social media and even newspaper websites - some of these lie that we or Martin promote Bitcoin, binary trading etc. See Fake ads warning.

Martin's energy bills crisis update
Revealed: Energy price cap due to rise £110/yr - millions face bill hikes
To help, we've blagged the cheapest good-service FIX - save £200/yr

Yet beware: do a comparison (even with us) and most savings are UNDERESTIMATED

I can't remember the energy market being like this before. Wholesale prices (those energy firms pay) have rocketed. The cheapest fixed deals are around £100/yr more than they were just three months ago, and well over £200/yr more than a year ago. Yet many (not all) can still save by switching. If you haven't checked, get on and do an energy comparison or use our Pick Me A Tariff tools. Though beware all comparisons (incl ours) will hugely underestimate savings. Let me try to unpick this...

Big firms would hike prices now, but have to wait until Oct - when rises will be HUGE. Firms would've already upped prices by now, but can't, as they're already at the energy price cap. This sets a max rate for standard tariffs (which over half of UK homes are on). The next half-yearly change is on 1 Oct, and as the rate is based on wholesale rates in the 6mths run up to 31 July, we've a good idea what'll happen.

We predicted hikes will be big before, but now we've a firmed-up prediction from Cornwall Insight analysts. For someone with typical use, at the current run rate, the PRICE CAP WILL RISE FROM £1,138/YR TO ABOUT £1,250/YR. This won't just hit traditional firms such as Brit Gas, SSE, E.on, Npower, Scot Power and EDF. Others, including Bulb, Avro and Pure Planet, have increased their standard tariffs closer to the cap, so they may rise again in October too.
TOP SWITCHERS' PICKS, but beware, comparison sites may underestimate savings. When you compare, until a firm actually announces a price rise, the comparison site effectively has to display results against current rates. That applies even though right now it's almost certain the price cap will rise and standard tariff rates will jump hugely. I've put two of our current top picks in the table to explain (with links to check your info).

TOP-PICK SWITCHERS' TARIFFS (and how price comparisons underestimate savings)
	Cheapest (1) FIXED deal - 1yr Green 'Baille' tariff - 100% renewable elec - Service: 4.1/5 (v good) - Exclusive tariff, at lower rate via MSE than direct	Cheapest (1) deal but VARIABLE Igloo Energy 'Pioneer' tariff - 100% renewable elec - Service: 4.4/5 (v good)
Price (based on typical use)	£1,024/yr (incl £25 MSE cashback)	£942/yr (incl £25 MSE cashback)
Saving shown (vs big 6 direct-debit standard tariff on typical use)	£114/yr	£196/yr
Saving if price cap rises (on current price till Oct, then predicted new higher price cap)	£200/yr. As this is a FIX, the rate paid is locked in for 12mths, so if the predicted price cap rate is correct, this saving should be locked in.	£280/yr. As this is a VARIABLE tariff, I'm almost certain it'll soon raise its price, so the actual saving will likely be less than this. Yet even if the rate rises 10% (bigger than most), it'd still rank among the cheapest.
(1) We exclude small providers that we have no customer service feedback rating on from our top picks. But where there are cheaper deals, they will appear in your whole-of-market comparison results (all links go via a comparison).

REMEMBER WHEN COMPARING, FOR MANY, SAVINGS WILL BE FAR BIGGER THAN SHOWN

To help those who find choosing confusing, I've tweaked my Pick Me A Tariff preferences. Our Pick Me A Tariff tools are designed to make choosing new deals easier. You either tell us how important you feel price, service, green etc is to you, and we select a tariff for you, or you just select 'Martin's Preferences', where I aim to give a nice broad average. With so few cheap deals out there, I've done a minor adjustment of my preferences to focus a little more on price. Though, of course, you're totally free to select your own.
Don't fret about switching - little changes apart from the service and cost. Switch firm and it's the same gas, elec and safety. Only the customer service and who bills you changes. Your supply isn't cut off as part of the process, and no one visits your home unless you want or need smart meters. See our Switching FAQs for more help.

Loophole: Get a month's free Pret coffees, smoothies, frappes etc. If you're willing to, there's a way to get a month's free drinks from Pret via a loophole in its subscription service. See Free Pret?

Nationwide launches near best-buy 0.45% easy-access savings. If you want to save, with the ability to take money out when needed, app-only Atom Bank is the top payer at 0.5% AER (no min). Yet even though all our top picks have the full £85,000 UK savings protection, as we know many of you prefer a big name, the new Nationwide Triple Access Saver* pays only a little less - 0.45% AER (no min) - though it only allows up to three penalty-free withdrawals a year. The top easy-access cash ISA is Cynergy Bank, paying 0.54% AER (min £1). All rates are variable, so keep an eye and ditch if they drop. Full info in Top Savings.

Today (Wed) only. Easy, FREE Whopper at Burger King (norm £4.50). Find out how in 11 Burger King hacks.

'I saved £1,200 on my existing mortgage with little effort after your email - thank you.' Success of the week. Last week we led with Martin's cheapest ever mortgages alert. Susan emailed to say she'd read it and saved: "I managed to get a product transfer deal with my existing lender and saved £53 a month over the next two years. This is a great saving for me, with virtually no effort. Thank you so much." Please send your MoneySaving successes on this or anything else.

FREE Open Farm Sunday events at 90+ farms. After 2020's event was cancelled, it's back on from this Sun, with guided tours, machinery displays and more. This year though there are fewer activities (no welly wanging, sadly) and you have to book ahead. See Open Farm Sunday for full info.

New. Free SCOTTISH financial ed textbook (funded by Martin) joins Eng & NI ones. 27,000 copies of Your Money Matters, the first-ever Scottish curriculum-mapped financial-education textbook, have been delivered to 350+ schools. It's funded jointly by Martin and the Govt's Money and Pensions Service. Download a free copy: Scotland / England / Northern Ireland editions (Welsh edition avail this autumn).

Free £125 when you switch to top service bank First Direct. A reminder that First Direct* newbies can now get a FREE £125 - just switch and pay in £1,000+ within 3mths (you can't have opened an HSBC current account since Jan 2018). A huge 91% rated it 'great' in our latest customer service poll. Plus if needed, most get a £250 0% overdraft. For more options, incl HSBC's free £125 and Virgin Money's experience day vch ('worth £150'), see Best Bank Accounts.

BLAGGED FOR MSE

- £36 nail polish set for £18 delivered 1,500 available
- 108Mb fibre broadband & line from Virgin '£18.40/mth' Ends Thu

DID YOU MISS?

- 12 Spotify tips to pay less and play more
- 600,000+ water-saving FREEBIES, eg, £20 shower heads
- Martin: 'Don't worry about your credit score - it's not a real thing'
- Get £40 cashback for investing £400
- 'I'm saving £600/yr in interest thanks to your credit card tool'

New. Cheapest 2.8% loan now also gives a £30 Amazon voucher

If you NEED to borrow (only ever do so if you really need to), this is a cheap time to do it

Loans are cheap right now. And as the mood music has changed - with more people discussing if the UK will raise interest rates than if it'll cut them - in hindsight this may turn out to be perfect timing if you need to borrow. Only ever borrow for a planned, one-off purchase (eg, your car's a wreck), with affordable repayments. If in doubt, don't. Even if it is right for you, still borrow as little as possible, and repay as quickly as you can. See our Cheap Loans Guide for full details, but in brief here's how to minimise costs...

How to find the cheapest loan YOU will be accepted for. The best-buy table is below, but that's far from the be-all and end-all, so here's more info before you start:

- Always use our Cheap Loan Finder first. This shows which of the cheapest loans you're most likely to be eligible for (it does a 'soft search' of your credit report so doesn't affect your ability to get credit in future).
- Acceptance is also about being able to afford repayments. The bigger the loan, the more income you need. So if you've a great credit history but average income, you may have a good chance at £3,000, but not at £10,000.
- Normally we're not fans of incentives on loans, as they skew priorities, but the Cahoot 2.8%* rep APR loan is already joint-cheapest for larger amounts, so if you can get its cheapest rate (see point 2), the £30 Amazon voucher is a bonus.

The UK's cheapest personal loans (by amount borrowed over 1-5yrs)
£7,500 - £15,000	Cahoot* is 2.8% rep APR + CLAIM £30 Amazon vch (must apply by Sun 4 Jul then be accepted to be eligible). MBNA* and Ratesetter* are also 2.8% rep APR. Or use our £7,500 - £15,000 Cheap Loan Finder.
£5,000 - £7,499	Ratesetter* is 2.8% rep APR; Virgin Money* and Tesco Bank* (1-3yrs) are 3.4% rep APR. Or use our £5,000 - £7,499 Cheap Loan Finder.
£3,000 - £4,999	Ratesetter* is 7.8% rep APR; AA* is 8.2% rep APR for members (8.3% non-members). Or use our £3,000 - £4,999 Cheap Loan Finder.
Under £3,000	A money transfer credit card 'loan' is likely cheaper. It pays cash into your bank, so you owe it instead, but at 0% interest for up to 18mths, for a 3%-ish fee. Though if you prefer the structured repayments of a loan, use our sub-£3,000 Cheap Loan Finder to find your cheapest.

The fly in the ointment... not everyone gets the advertised rates. Personal loan rates are advertised as 'representative' APR, which means that only 51% of accepted applicants need to be offered this rate. The rest can be offered a higher rate, and you usually only find out after applying, which marks your credit file.

Sadly there's no way around this. In a few cases (though not with Cahoot), our Cheap Loan Finder gives a 'guaranteed rate' pre-application - but that's not enough, so we're working on persuading more lenders to offer it.
If you borrow, follow the Loan Golden Rules. Full info and options in Cheap Personal Loans (APR Examples).
a) Minimise the amount you borrow and repay as quickly as possible.
b) Pay on time (preferably by direct debit) or you may be charged and get a missed payment on your credit report.
c) If you're getting a loan to pay off credit cards, a balance transfer may be cheaper.
d) If you're struggling with debt, more borrowing won't help - see our Debt Help guide instead.

£36 nail polish collection £18 delivered. MSE Blagged. Three full-size UV or sunlight colour-changing polishes. 1,500 avail from Ciate.

Ends Thu. 108Mb fibre (ie, MEGAFAST) b'band AND line from Virgin - '£18.40/mth'. MSE Blagged. This deal for Virgin Media newbies is £23.95/mth, but as you get a £100 automatic credit on your first bill, you pay nothing for 4mths, making it equiv £18.40/mth over the 18mth contract. Only 52% of homes can get Virgin, so the link takes you via our broadband comparison tool to check your eligibility, and from it you can find other deals.

14 cinema tips and tricks, incl a year's 2for1 films for £1 & two Vue tix £7 for some. With major releases making their way back to cinemas, eg, Fast & Furious 9 and Black Widow, we've big screen savers.

2for1 at Alton Towers if you buy £1 crisps (or half-price entry with £1ish handwash). Vouchers valid until May 2022. We're starting to see more offers for the summer now, incl half-price Sea Life and Chessington - see theme park deals.

Want to join us working at MSE? We've SEVEN new jobs available. We're recruiting two news reporters, two money writers, a content writer, a deals & features editorial assistant AND a research & policy officer. Based in our London office (when we can go back). See MSE jobs.

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS

Longest 0%: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*) up to 29mths 0%, 2% or 3% fee - min £3 (21.9% rep APR)
No-fee 0%: Santander (check eligibility / apply*) 18mths 0% (20.9% rep APR)

Cheapest top-service deal: Igloo variable, save £196/yr
Cheapest top-service fix: Green 12mth fix, save £114/yr
Cheapest big-name fix: E.on 12mth fix, save £66/yr
Want us to help you pick a tariff and switch you yearly? Try MSE Pick Me A Tariff Every Year

Savings include £25 MSE cashback (where paid). Assumes typical use vs current price cap. Links go via Cheap Energy Club.

Top standard easy access: Atom Bank 0.5%, no min deposit
Top easy-access cash ISA: Cynergy Bank 0.54%, min £1
Top one-year fix: SmartSave 1.01%, min £10,000

Get comparison site quotes in this order:

Cheapest for £5,000-£7,499: Ratesetter (check eligibility / apply*) - 2.8% rep APR interest
Cheapest for £7.5k-£15k: Cahoot 2.8% rep APR interest + claim a £30 Amazon vch (check eligibility / apply*), Ratesetter (check eligibility / apply*) or MBNA (check eligibility / apply*) - both 2.8% rep APR

Standard b'band & line rent (10Mb+): Plusnet equiv £13.03/mth
Fibre b'band & line rent (30Mb+): Shell Energy equiv £17.27/mth
Megafast fibre b'band & line rent (100Mb+): Virgin Media equiv £18.40/mth

Free £125 to switch + top service: First Direct
Free £125 to switch + 1% regular saver: HSBC

Up to 3GB data: Lebara, equiv £4.38/mth for 3GB, unltd mins & txts
4GB-9GB data: Lebara, equiv £5.24/mth for 5GB, unltd mins & txts
10GB+ data: Three, equiv £6.34/mth for 12GB, unltd mins & txts

Today we launch the improved MSE Forum - why not give it a try?

It's one of the UK's biggest online communities. Most love it, but some haven't had the best experience. We've been working hard to make it a friendlier, safer & better place to be. Let us know what you think

The MSE Forum has been at the heart of what we do ever since Martin first launched the site in 2003. As well as being the UK's core community of people wanting to share tips and get support on all things MoneySaving - with over 2 million accounts set up - back in the early days we even had several forum marriages. Yet it's not been without issues. Like any social media platform, when you put huge numbers of people together there can be and is conflict, and resolving that isn't easy.

So we invited an independent team to audit how we run it, and provide ideas for how we could make it friendlier, safer and more accessible, as well as future-proof compliance with the coming Online Safety Bill. For full info, read our How the forum's changed announcement and watch our 2min video tour. We'll be offering up some of what we've learned to other UK forums (or fora - let's not get into a grammar spat). Here's a summary:

The new forum has a clearer look and clearer rules. The key points now are to 'keep it kind and clean', 'stay on track' and 'protect yourself'. And when posts don't follow the rules, we've new straightforward processes to deal with them and keep users safe. See how the new forum rules work.
There's a shiny new forum homepage and it's easier to use. We've created nine top-level categories, with lots of boards underneath, to make it easier to start. See how to navigate the new forum homepage. Why not try one...

Covid Support | Banking & Borrowing | Reduce Debt & Boost Income | Spending & Discounts | Work, Benefits & Business | Mortgages & Homes | Life & Family | Travel & Transport | Hobbies & Leisure

We've also made it easier to use it on mobiles, easier to save draft posts, and 'sticky tabs' are always visible on-screen, no matter where you scroll. Do report suggestions and bugs via our dedicated feedback form so we can go on improving.
Never used the forum before? It's a MoneySaving treasure trove, so give it a go. Years ago, we once calculated that roughly 30 paperback books' worth of posts were written in the forum each day. Whether Forumites are sharing comping tips, challenging each other to 'no spend' days, spotting freebies or patiently, expertly supporting those struggling on the Debt-Free Wannabe board, there's a wealth of information. It's a community we hope will go from strength to strength for years to come.

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK

Should over-50s get free, automatic pension guidance? Government service Pension Wise can give over-50s free guidance regarding personal or workplace pension pots if you book an appointment - but many don't take advantage, leaving them vulnerable to poor financial decisions. A coalition of four organisations has set up a campaign called Good Guidance Now (the four are retirement financial services provider Just Group plus charities Age UK, Independent Age and Macmillan Cancer Support). They're calling for Pension Wise to give free appointments to over-50s automatically, to encourage take-up. Good Guidance Now has a short video for you to find out more, then can help you send a template email to the Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates pensions, to express your support (if you want to).

THIS WEEK'S POLL

Should the smoking ban be extended? Smoking in enclosed public spaces has been banned since 2007 (2006 in Scotland). Now, as five councils in England have reportedly banned smoking outside pubs, cafes and restaurants, how far do you think the smoking ban should go?

MoneySavers rate Monzo and Starling as the best banking apps. Last week, we asked how you rate your bank's app and more than 4,000 people responded. App-only bank Monzo once again came out top for features with 92% rating it 'great', followed by digital banking rival Starling at 83%. But Starling pipped Monzo on usability this time around, with 84% rating it 'great', compared with 83% for Monzo. Barclays did best of the traditional banks - 68% said it's 'great' for features, 77% for usability. See full banking app poll results.

MONEYSAVING NEWS

- Top story: Warning - cat food recalled over fears it could be linked to fatal disease
- Tesco Bank trials new debit card giving extra Clubcard points
- Triodos savers to be moved to online-only banking - but some can challenge the shake-up
- Waitrose changes loyalty card terms to prevent shoppers 'stacking' newspaper offers
- JPMorgan Chase strikes deal to buy robo-adviser Nutmeg

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

Should I ask my husband to contribute more to our joint account? My husband and I keep separate bank accounts, but we each pay the same amount every month into a joint account to cover bills. We usually share childcare time equally, but recently he's had to work a lot of overtime, meaning I've had to juggle my job with caring for our five-year-old. I feel like we're both doing overtime, but he's the only one getting paid for it. Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I ask my husband to contribute more? | Suggest an MMD | View past MMDs

DEALS HUNTER BLOG

- How to get a month's worth of smoothies, frappes, coffee etc at Pret for free

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 23 JUN ONWARDS)

Wed 23 Jun - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm. Listen again
Thu 24 Jun - This Morning, ITV, 10.55am, then phone-in from 11.30am
Mon 28 Jun - Good Morning Britain, ITV, from 6am
Tue 29 Jun - Good Morning Britain, ITV, from 6am

MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (MOST SUBJECTS TBC)

Thu 24 Jun - TalkRadio, Early Breakfast with James Max, personal finance news review with Steve Nowottny, from 5.35am
Sat 26 Jun - BBC Radio Leicester, Mid-morning with Summaya Mughal, from 11am
Mon 28 Jun - BBC Radio Manchester, Drive with Phil Trow, from 2.20pm
Tue 29 Jun - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 12.40pm

'£20 A MONTH PLUS PHONE CONTRACT' - HOW MUCH POCKET MONEY SHOULD A TEENAGER GET?

That's all for this week, but before we go... prompted by an old thread on the MSE Forum, we asked on social media how much pocket money a teenager 'should' get. Interestingly, mobile contracts are now front and centre of the pocket money discussion, with many parents saying they pay for the phone contract and give up to £30 a month on top. Yet other parents only give money if chores are completed, saying teens need to learn you don't get something for nothing. Where do you sit in this debate? Let us know in our 'How much pocket money should a teenager get?' Facebook post.

We hope you save some money, stay safe,
The MSE team

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