Jul

2021

Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

Over 50 ways to save, incl... Cheapest b’band in 18mths, free £100 ends, cinema savers, diesel claims, Martin on cash help if pinged, £40 PCR tests, Tesco Bank closing accounts, 0.55% savings, £9/wk travel ins

This info may be out of date.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

THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL

New. Broadband price war, incl cheapest deal in 18mths - '£13/mth'

Travel insurance from £9/week, incl some Covid cover

'I reclaimed £3,500 in packaged bank fees going back to 1990'

Ends 5pm today (Wed). First Direct's £100 bank switch bribe

Updated. Should you join diesel compensation claims against Audi, BMW, Ford etc?

Slash PCR travel test costs to £40

15 summer cinema savers incl £2.50 entry & free O2 Monday tickets

New. Martin's video explainer on help if you're 'pinged' or told to isolate

Tesco Bank to close ALL current accounts - full help

New. Top easy-access savings 0.55%

Extra 35% off code for 'past best-before' health food, teabags etc

Ends Mon. 3GB Sim '£4.38/mth'

22 FREE (or very cheap) ways to create summer magic for kids

Cheapest ever 5yr fixed-rate mortgage, 0.99% - but with catches

Urgent. Tax credit renewal deadline THIS SATURDAY

Wee Tea Company - 8 boxes for £20 (norm £40)

This week's best buys, incl 29mths' 0% debt shift. 2.8% loans, top car ins comparisons

Do I give a gift when it's a 'pretend' wedding?

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

New. Hot broadband deals return

Cheapest broadband & line in 18mths, just '£13/mth' from BT-owned Plusnet + super-hot faster fibre deals from '£16/mth'

The broadband market has been in the doldrums in recent months - firms weren't aggressively seeking new customers meaning fewer deals, and unsurprisingly in that time fewer people switched. But now providers are looking at sales targets and getting worried. The result? A mini price war as firms roll out a range of hot deals.

That means we've been able to blag you the cheapest broadband and line deal we've seen since before the pandemic hit the UK, and the cheapest fibre & line deal for six months.

So if you're one of 9m who are out of contract, paying up to £45/mth, now's the perfect time to check if you can pounce on one of these deals and save £100s. Our Broadband Unbundled comparison tool can show you further options, but we've the cheapest at each speed level here...

Top newbies' broadband & line deals Links go to our broadband comparison, which lets you check if you can get the deal in your area
DEAL	EQUIV COST (1)	HOW GOOD IS IT?
New. BT-owned Plusnet 10Mb (basic) b'band & line	'£12.70/mth' MSE Blagged	Cheapest broadband & line deal in 18mths + GOOD service. Apply via this Plusnet link by Wed 4 Aug and you pay £18.95/mth over the 12mth contract. You're also AUTOMATICALLY sent a £75 prepaid Mastercard (almost as good as cash) within 45 days - factor that in, and it's equiv to £12.70/mth. Customer service score: 6.5/10 (Good)
New. Shell Energy 35Mb fibre (fast) b'band & line	'£15.74/mth' MSE Blagged	Cheapest fibre broadband & line deal since Feb. Apply via this Shell link and it's £21.99/mth, and you get an AUTOMATIC £75 bill credit within 3mths. So in total you pay £188.88 over the 1yr contract, equiv to £15.74/mth. Customer service score: 4.1/10 (OK)
Ends 11.59pm today (Wed). TalkTalk 67Mb fibre (superfast) b'band & line	'£17.84/mth'	Cheapest superfast broadband & line deal. Apply via this TalkTalk link by 11.59pm today (Wed) and it's £22/mth over the 18mth contract. You can also CLAIM a £75 prepaid Mastercard (almost as good as cash) after 90 days. If you factor that in, the cost's equiv to £17.84/mth. Customer service score: 5.1/10 (OK)
Virgin Media 108Mb fibre (megafast) b'band & line	£26/mth	No special deals here, but it's the cheapest megafast broadband & line deal. Apply via this Virgin Media link and it's a straight £26/mth over the 18mth contract. Customer service score: 4.2/10 (OK)
Deals are for new customers - those who've not been with that provider for 12+ mths. (1) To compare, we use 'equivalent costs' - adding all costs, deducting promo credits and averaging over the contract.

1) Consider if you really NEED fast broadband. Standard 10/11Mb broadband is usually fine for browsing or light streaming for one person, so don't pay more if you don't need to. Yet if multiple people use the broadband at the same time, or you're a gamer, it's likely worth shelling out for faster speeds.

2) More than 50% of customers must get the advertised speed at peak times. You'll also be told your estimated maximum speed before you apply by all the providers above. TalkTalk, Plusnet and Virgin let you cancel penalty-free if your speed doesn't meet the minimum it told you when you signed up for three consecutive days (and it can't fix it within 30 days). See how to check your current speed, then improve it with our eight speed-boosters.

3) Switching usually means only 2hrs-ish of downtime - and for most the switch is done remotely. You're told the switch time in advance and it's often quick. Most won't need an engineer to visit though with Virgin there's more chance of needing one: for new customers, about 60% don't need a visit, and if that's you, you'll be told before applying, but others may do. Some leaving Virgin may need an Openreach engineer to come.

4) Be warned, many firms hike prices a little during your contract. In general, firms will increase prices in line with inflation each year. If your contract pre-warns you (Plusnet, Shell and TalkTalk do), you're stuck with the rise. If not, most (incl Virgin) let you leave penalty-free within 30 days. However, such rises tend to be fairly small, often £1-£2/mth, so it doesn't mean you'll suddenly be lumped with an expensive deal.

5) Happy with your current set-up? Haggle. If out of contract, use the prices above as a benchmark. Broadband providers are easier than most to haggle with - in our last poll, 86% of Sky customers said they succeeded. For BT, it was 78% and for Virgin and TalkTalk, it was 77%. Yet you may need patience, as some providers are short-staffed due to the pandemic. See Broadband Haggling help.

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.

Heading overseas? Get travel insurance from £9/week, incl cover if you get Covid or get 'pinged' before you go

It's more important than ever to buy it ASAB (that's As Soon As... you Book)

Summer holidays abroad are back on for many, and that means sun, sea, sand and... sorting your travel insurance. For years we've highlighted the importance of buying a policy as soon as you book, so you're covered if you need to cancel before you go. That message still stands, though this year it's also crucial to know what Covid cover is included. We've full help on all that, plus the top deals, in Cheap Travel Insurance - here's a quick briefing...

The BIG question: does travel insurance cover Covid? In a nutshell... quite possibly if it's personal, unlikely if it's due to lockdown. Although DON'T LET THIS STOP YOU GETTING COVER - Covid is just one risk. This is what coronavirus cover you can expect (though always check the policy as there's no universal rule):

- You/your family can't travel as you have Covid? Usually covered.
- You/your family can't travel after NHS app ping or contact tracing? Some cover this.
- You/your family catches Covid abroad? Some policies cover treatment and costs if you can't return as planned.
- Can't travel due to lockdown or change of travel advice? Very few policies cover this.
- You won't go as you'd need to quarantine on return? NO policies cover this.
- Won't travel as you don't feel safe going? NO policies cover this.
Cheap travel insurance if you're 65 or under - from £9 for a week in Europe. Our top picks are the cheapest we've found that meet our minimum cover levels - though we can't vouch for their service. They also all include cover if anyone on your policy gets Covid overseas and requires treatment and/or needs to stay longer, or gets Covid or is told to self-isolate by the NHS before travelling so can't go. Which pick wins for you depends on your age and destination, so try a few:

- Single trips: Leisure Guard*, Coverwise (Bronze)* and CoverForYou (Silver)* tend to be cheapest - from £9 a week for an individual in Europe. Or, for extra peace of mind, we've high-end single trip top picks, which also cover risks such as your airline or hotel going bust (but they don't offer extra Covid cover). Full info in single trip cover.

- Annual policies: These cover virtually all trips in a year (incl booked UK accommodation), and are best if you go away 2+ times a year. Try Coverwise (Bronze)*, Leisure Guard* and Axa (Silver). Prices range from £13 for young singles to about £70 for a family worldwide. Or, again, we've higher-end annual cover for extra protection. Full info in annual travel insurance.
Over 65 or had a past medical issue? Cover can get pricier. So check our Over-65s' Travel Insurance or Pre-Existing Conditions Travel Insurance guides for full help.
Is there a Foreign Office warning against travel to your destination? These policies won't cover you. There are still warnings in place even for some popular destinations such as Italy. If you go, say for emergency family reasons, you'll need specialist cover.
What if my travel insurer has unfairly turned my claim down? You can make a formal complaint to the insurer. If that's rejected, you've a right to go to the free Financial Ombudsman to adjudicate.

PS: Holidaying in the UK instead? See Cheap UK Travel Insurance.

Ends 5pm today (Wed). First Direct's £100 bank switch bribe to be pulled. After HSBC axed its £125 switch bribe on Mon, sister bank First Direct* ends its £100 offer on Wed afternoon, meaning no free cash bribes will be available... at least for a bit, as deals often come and go. As well as the £100, First Direct has top service (rated 85% 'great' in our latest poll), offers a 1% regular saver and gives many a £250 0% overdraft. To get it, you must be a newbie and apply before 5pm on Wed, then switch & pay in £1,000 within 3mths. Full info and more options in Best Bank Accounts.

Updated. Should you join diesel car compensation claims against Audi, BMW, Ford etc? Our guide explains the key issues, risks and how to claim - plus we've updated it to answer more of your questions. Diesel Claims

Slash PCR travel test costs to £40. We scoured the market to help you avoid £100+ fees. Cheap Covid tests

15 cinema savers for summer, incl £2.50 entry when kids and grown-ups go together, free O2 Monday tickets and a year's 2for1 films for £1. With blockbusters such as Black Widow, Space Jam, Jungle Cruise and Suicide Squad out now or coming soon, we've 15 cinema savers.

New. Martin's video explainer on financial help if you're 'pinged' or told to self-isolate. Incl sick pay and self-isolation payments - watch Martin's 2min briefing.

Tesco Bank to close ALL 200,000+ current accounts - full help. Customers should switch or withdraw funds by 30 Nov. See Tesco current account help.

New. Top easy-access savings at 0.55%, but with restrictions. Coventry Building Society now pays 0.55% AER variable (min £1), though it only allows six penalty-free withdrawals a year. For unlimited withdrawals, Saga* and sister brand Marcus* (backed by investment giant Goldman Sachs) both offer only a slightly lower 0.5% AER variable (min £1). More deals in Top Savings. Existing Saga / Marcus customer? Many can up their rate in a few clicks.

BLAGGED FOR MSE

- Extra 35% off 'past best-before' health food Ends Sun
- Lebara 3GB Sim for '£4.38/mth' for newbies Ends Mon
- Eight boxes of posh tea for £20 del (norm £40) 500 avail

DID YOU MISS?

- WFH as you've been pinged? You're eligible for a tax rebate
- Earn £30 Amazon voucher for doing quick online surveys
- Got an unused Oyster card? You could be due a share of £550m
- Petrol prices at eight-year high - 21 ways to cut costs
- 40+ beauty lookalikes, eg, £6 Aldi vs £37 Urban Decay

'I reclaimed £3,500 in packaged account fees back to 1990'

Ever paid a monthly fee for a bank account? You may be due £100s or even £1,000s

Packaged bank accounts are where you pay a monthly fee for extras such as travel, mobile and breakdown insurance. We often say they're the Marmite of banking - while they can be good value for some, they were mis-sold on a mass scale to others. If you think you've been a victim, our Packaged Bank Account Reclaims guide shows how to check and how to claim. We've the key points here, but as inspiration first read our success of the week from Martin (no, not our Martin).

To: successes@moneysavingexpert.com
Sent: 21 July 2021 09:16
Subject: Bank charge refund.

Dear Martin,

I've just received £3,550ish after reclaiming charges from a packaged bank account with NatWest - thanks to the help of your reclaim tool. I opened the packaged bank account back in 1990 when I needed a bank loan for a car (typical me). I believe I was told that the loan application would only succeed if I took out the packaged account.

I've had to take out early retirement because of an accident whilst driving my service van. I'm severely out of pocket because I lost about five years' salary. I also lost out on my pension contributions for that time, so my pension is significantly reduced. So anyway, back to the point, this payout has helped me cope with the finances.

Thank you, Martin

Martin

First check if you actually NEED your packaged bank account. Ask yourself if you need the insurance and, if so, if you can get it cheaper elsewhere. Think of the costs yearly, eg, £15/mth is £180/yr, making it easy to compare against standalone policies.

- Cancel NOW if the account isn't worth it. Then switch to a fee-free deal and bag up to £150 in cash or vouchers in the process. Important: cancelling the account doesn't affect mis-selling claims. See Top Standard Bank Accounts.
Unless you're CERTAIN the account was suitable, check now if you were mis-sold. Being mis-sold could have happened in a variety of ways - such as wrongly being told you had to have the account to get a mortgage, overdraft or loan (as Martin was told), or if you wouldn't have been able to claim on the insurance (eg, you were too old for the travel insurance). In some cases, people were even 'upgraded' to these accounts without being asked. Yet this isn't an exhaustive list, so see our full What counts as mis-selling? checklist.
If you were mis-sold, it's easy to reclaim for FREE - you don't need to use a claims firm. Use our quick Packaged Bank Account Reclaims tool, which is part of our collaboration with complaints site Resolver. Simply enter your details and it helps draft the complaint, sends it, keeps track of it, and - if needed - helps you escalate it to the Financial Ombudsman. Plus it's free - unlike using a claims firm which can take a third of any payout.

Extra 35% off code for 'past best-before' health food, teabags, protein powder etc. MSE Blagged. Save on already-reduced prices, eg, 12 Kind dark choc nut bars for £4ish (norm £12). Ends Sun. Love Health Hate Waste

Ends Mon. Cheapest 3GB Sim, from Lebara (uses Vodafone) for just '£4.38/mth'. MSE Blagged. With it, Lebara* newbies get 3GB/mth plus unlimited minutes & texts for £2.50/mth for 3mths, then £5/mth, so it's equivalent to £4.38/mth over a year. As it's a 1mth contract, you can cancel anytime. Want a different network / a handset / more data? Use our powerful Cheap Mobile Finder tool.

22 FREE (or very cheap) ways to create summer magic for kids, eg, fruit picking and beaming a T-Rex into your home. Often it's the little things that make memories, and our guide is packed with ideas to wow little 'uns. Kids' summer magic

Cheapest ever 5yr fixed-rate mortgage at 0.99% - but with catches. The mortgage price war has intensified with this mega-low Nationwide rate, but it has a high fee and you need lots of equity to get it. See mortgage help.

Urgent. Tax credit renewal deadline THIS SATURDAY - check now if you need to reply. The 800,000 who got a declaration form (with a RED line under their address) must respond or payments could stop. If you got a review notice (BLACK line under the address) you don't need to respond, but you should check it and tell HMRC if the info is wrong. See tax credit help.

Wee Tea Company posh teabag sets - 8 boxes for £20 delivered (norm £40). MSE Blagged. Makes 120 cups, incl breakfast tea, peppermint, rhubarb rooibos and wild berry. 500 sets avail. The Wee Tea Company

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS

Longest 0%: M&S Bank (check eligibility / apply*) 29mths 0%, 2.75% fee (min £5) + £25 cashback if shifting £100+ in first 90 days (21.9% rep APR interest after)
No-fee 0%: Santander (check eligibility / apply*) 18mths 0% (20.9% rep APR)

Cheapest top-service deal: Green variable, save £132/yr
Cheapest good-service fix: Avro Energy 12mth fix, save £102/yr
Want us to help you pick a tariff and switch you yearly? Try MSE Pick Me A Tariff Every Year

Assumes typical use vs current price cap (but it's predicted to rise £100+/yr in Oct). Links go via Cheap Energy Club.

Top standard easy access: Coventry BS 0.55%, min £1 deposit
Top one-year fix: OakNorth Bank 1.01%, min £1

Get comparison site quotes in this order:

Cheapest for £5k-£7.5k: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*) (3.3% rep APR interest, must have had a Nectar card for 6mths+) or Virgin Money (check eligibility / apply*) (3.4% rep APR)
Cheapest for £7.5k-£15k: M&S Bank (check eligibility / apply*) (2.8% rep APR)

Standard (10Mb+): Plusnet, equiv £12.70/mth
Fibre (30Mb+): Shell Energy, equiv £15.74/mth
Superfast fibre (55Mb+): TalkTalk, equiv £17.84/mth

Ends 5pm Wed. Free £100 + GREAT service: First Direct
Free £150 Virgin Experience Day gift card: Virgin Money
Up to 3% cashback on bills: Santander 123 Lite

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 £6.67/mth for 12GB, unltd mins & txts

THIS WEEK'S POLL

At what age should kids be given their own mobile phone? Are they a tool that allow kids more freedom, or just another digital distraction? This week, we're asking what age you think a child should have their first mobile. Vote in this week's poll.

Most MoneySavers say they're better off now than at the start of the pandemic. Last week, we asked how you felt your personal finances have fared since March 2020 - and more than 12,000 people responded. A majority, 58%, said they thought they were better off. But it varied a lot by employment status - 44% of the self-employed said they were substantially worse off now, compared with just 11% of employees. See full pandemic finances poll results.

MONEYSAVING NEWS

- Top story: Mortgage prisoner review launched amid fears more homeowners could be trapped on expensive rates
- Plans for bailiffs to be self-regulated revealed but Martin Lewis warns compulsory regulation is needed
- Energy price cap could be extended beyond 2023 and households given personalised switching advice
- Plans revealed to modernise Lasting Power of Attorneys making the system faster and more accessible
- Royal Mail warns of delivery delays as workforce hit by Covid-19 absences

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

Do I give a gift when it's a 'pretend' wedding? I'm going to a family 'wedding' that has been years in the planning while the groom waited for his divorce to come through from his previous marriage. The couple have told the family he's now divorced and the wedding is going ahead, and they've asked for money as a wedding present. But I've found out he's not actually divorced yet, so it won't be a legal ceremony and in reality is maybe little more than a party. Enter the Money Moral Maze: Do I give a gift when it's a 'pretend' wedding? | Suggest an MMD | View past MMDs

MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECTS TBC)

Sat 31 Jul - BBC Radio Leicester, Mid-morning with Summaya Mughal, from 11am
Mon 2 Aug - BBC Radio Manchester, Drive with Phil Trow, from 2.20pm
Tue 3 Aug - BBC Radio Berkshire, Mid-morning with Sarah Walker, with Guy Anker, from 11.30am
Tue 3 Aug - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 12.40pm

'HAPPY PURR-THDAY'... DO YOUR PETS GET BIRTHDAY PRESENTS?

That's all for this week, but before we go... pet owners on the MSE Forum are discussing how they celebrate their pets' birthdays. For some an edible treat does the job, while others splash out on toys (only to find the box it came in is of far more interest to their furry friend). One Forumite even recalls pulling out all the stops with a party with other dogs at puppy playschool, complete with party hats and 'doggie lollies'. Read about more spoiled fur babies in the Do your pets get birthday presents? MSE Forum discussion.

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

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Martin Lewis OBE is the founder and executive chair of MSE, as well as the founder of the MMHPI charity. He's an ultra-focused MoneySaving journalist and consumer campaigner with his own prime-time ITV programme The Martin Lewis Money Show, Radio 5 Live Wednesday show Ask Martin Lewis and weekly slot on This Morning, among others. More info: See Martin Lewis' biography.

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