23 January 2024: Booking your holiday? Our speedy MoneySaving checklist

January may be cold, but it's the hottest month for holiday bookings, with many people sorting their summer right now. Yet while it's easy to focus on the flight or hotel, there are many other things to do now to save time and hassle later or, in some cases, to ensure you can actually go...

1. The most important rule... booked a holiday or about to? Get travel insurance ASAB (As Soon As you... Book). So if you've booked your holiday and not got insurance, do it today. If you're about to book, get it straight afterwards. Here's Martin on why:

"Each year, heartbreakingly, someone diagnosed with cancer or another serious long-term condition tells me they won't be able to go on their summer holiday, but the airline/hotel won't refund them (as the ticket's not faulty). I say, 'that's what travel insurance is for', yet they tell me they haven't got it yet. My heart sinks. Half the point is to protect you if things happen before, which stop you going, so please get it ASAB."

Cheap single-trip policies start from £9. But if you go away more than once a year, even just for weekends, annual policies that cover virtually all trips away (with duration limits) are usually cheaper.

Our travel insurance picks are the cheapest bog-standard, no-frills policies we can find for under-65s that meet our minimum cover levels. Though if you want more belt 'n' braces cover, see our Cheap travel insurance guide for the cheapest higher-end policies too. The exact prices depend on age & circumstance so check a couple...

- Under-65s' single-trip policies: Cover for a one-off trip. For a week, from £9 for singles in Europe, or from £58 for a family worldwide. Check Coverwise (Bronze)*, Leisure Guard Flexi (Bronze) and A to Z Insurance (Standard).

- Under-65s' annual policies: From £10 for singles in Europe, from £78 for a family worldwide. Check Coverwise (Bronze)*, Leisure Guard Flexi (Bronze), Admiral* and Sainsbury's (Silver)*. Full info: Cheap travel insurance.

- Over-65s' travel insurance: There are too many to put here, so please go to our step-by-step Over-65s' travel insurance guide.

- Pre-existing conditions: See our full guide for detailed help.

2. Going to Europe? Ensure you've a free GHIC or in-date EHIC. Free Global Health Insurance Cards (and their predecessor EHICs) give you access to state-run hospitals or GPs at the same price as a local. So if it's free for them, it's free for you. To get them, use our links below, DO NOT GOOGLE - often shyster sites try to charge you for something that is free.

- Never had one? Get a GHIC for FREE.
- Already got a GHIC? As they were introduced in 2021 and last five years, it should still be in-date, but it's worth double-checking.
- Still got an EHIC? Check the expiry date on it (pictured below). If yours is one of four million expiring this year, replace it with a GHIC.3. Is your passport over 10yrs old or does it have less than 6mths left on the date you travel? Check now when your passport expires. If it's too old or doesn't have long left, check our list of passport rules for common destinations to see whether you'll need to renew before you go. If you do, get on with it - there can be delays. See cheapest way to renew passports.

Not booked yet? Cut cost of flights, hotels and more, plus boost protection

4. Book two of a flight/travel, accommodation or car hire online and you can get ATOL/ABTA protection. Essentially if you book two or more elements of your holiday on the same booking site at the same time, you'll be protected if a company goes bust, or you don't get the holiday you paid for (due to weather disruption etc). You of course get this protection and possibly extra guidance too via travel agents. See package holiday protection.

So below, when we show how to find the cheapest, if you're booking two things (eg, flight and hotel), find the best price for your flight and see what it charges for your hotel, and the best price for your hotel and see what it charges for your flight. And then go for the winner to get protected.

5. For flights, always check a comparison site. Our top picks are Kayak*, Skyscanner*, Google Flights and Momondo*. Yet to really cut flight costs, see our full booking cheap flights guide.

6. The same hotel room is often sold at vastly different prices. Never book at the first site you find. Again, specialist comparison sites can search a range of the main booking sites to find the cheapest. Our top picks are Trivago*, Kayak*, Skyscanner*, TripAdvisor* and TravelSupermarket*. See full help in top hotel comparisons.

7. Try for free cancellation as it may mean a big saving. If you can cancel for free, regularly check if the price of the room drops, then you can rebook at a cheaper price and cancel, like Heidi, who tweeted in June last year: "@MoneySavingExp, Mum booked us a hotel for £220, plus £30 for two breakfasts, so £250 total. I rebooked it last week for £180 with breakfast included, so a total £70 saving! So glad I looked." For far more help, see our 23 hotel booking tricks.

8. Don't forget tour operator packages, especially trips to traditional holiday destinations for up to 14 days. They're generally the cheapest for those types of holidays - even compared with booking DIY - plus you get the free protection. See Cheap package hols.

9. Whichever way you're booking, pay on plastic, especially a credit card, for extra peace of mind. Buy something costing £100.01 to £30,000 and pay for any of it on a credit card (even 1p or, more practically, the deposit) and Section 75 laws mean your card provider's jointly liable with the retailer, so if things go wrong you can go to it. Just pay the card off in full so there's no interest.

Unfortunately this doesn't usually apply if booking with a travel agent as the fact it's an intermediary breaks the Section 75 relationship. Even then though, paying on any plastic, debit or credit, still gives you useful chargeback protection which means a better chance of getting money back if things go wrong.

10. Grab near-perfect exchange rates plus 1% cashback in every country. Normally when you pay on plastic abroad, your card provider gets near-perfect exchange rates but charges you a 'non-sterling exchange rate' fee of around 3% - so £100 of foreign currency costs you £103.

HOWEVER, a few top specialist cards don't add that fee so you get the same near-perfect exchange rate in every country that the card provider does. Even among them, though, there are small differences, so our top picks are...

- Chase: Easy to get, top exchange rates & 1% cashback. While it's a debit card, you don't need to switch bank to get it - just grab the Chase Bank* app (there's no hard credit check either). Not only do you get near-perfect exchange rates, no ATM withdrawal charges or interest, it gives 1% cashback on spending in the UK and abroad for at least a year (max £15/mth) - so you get an unbeatable near-perfect rate AND cashback.

- Barclaycard Reward: Top credit card, so extra protection (though do pay off IN FULL). As above, buy something on a credit card costing £100.01 to £30,000 and you get Section 75 protection. So buy something abroad and if owt goes wrong once you get home, you don't need to go back to the far-flung shop. Our top-pick credit card is Barclaycard's Reward Visa, which gives an ongoing 0.25% cashback, as well as no ATM or overseas spending fees or interest as long as you pay off IN FULL each month. More in Top cards for travelling abroad.

11. Get a FREE £175 towards your holiday, and near-perfect debit card exchange rates, if you'll switch banks. Switch an existing current account to the First Direct 1st Account* and you'll get £175 free cash within 28 days of the switch completing - in time to spend on your summer holiday. It has no exchange rate or ATM withdrawal fees and is top rated for service. Full info in First Direct review.

12. Want to load currency at today's rate? The cheapest debit and credit cards (see above) give you the best exchange rates ON THE DAY you spend. But if you want to bag today's best rates NOW, just in case things get worse before you travel (and you've budgeted at this rate), an easy way to do that is on a top prepaid travel card. Or you could go half and half to hedge the risk.

Our top pick is Revolut*, as on its standard plan it doesn't charge for exchanging currencies on weekdays (1% fee on weekends). It covers 30 currencies, though there's a 1% fee for exchanging £1,000+ in a 30-day period. Full info and more options in Prepaid travel cards.

13. Just want travel cash? If you don't like plastic, or want some cash with you just in case, find top rates through our TravelMoneyMax comparison.

How to beat the school holiday price hikes

14. Find cheap hidden booking dates (if your term differs from others). Most schools in Eng/Wales break up around 19 July. So book for before then if your school finishes sooner. Eg, many in Leicestershire break up a week early this summer. We found a week's two-star self-catering in Costa Dorada for £669pp leaving 13 July, but £852pp the week after.

15. The Scottish trick: Fly from Scotland in the last two weeks of August - even if you don't live there. As Scottish schools generally return around 14 Aug, you can make big savings by flying the family out from Scotland instead. We saw the same Tenerife holiday flying from Edinburgh for £270pp less than flying from Manchester. It works in reverse too...

16. The English trick: Fly from England in late June/early July - even if you don't live there. Eg, on 29 Jun when most Scottish schools break up, a three-star all-inclusive week in Turkey was £626pp flying from Edinburgh, but just £357pp from Liverpool.

17. Check other countries' holiday dates. Even if you're not competing with locals for hotels, you may be for expensive excursions, so it pays to check. For example, book Disney World when many US kids are back at school in late August - a week's family Disney stay was £120 cheaper than in late July. (It varies by region, but many US kids are back in class early to mid Aug.)

18. The last two weeks of summer are usually cheaper. If you can, jet off in the last two weeks of summer as prices drop rapidly at the end of August - likely because most people want to go as soon as possible. Eg, we saw a week's two-star all-inclusive in Majorca was £742pp leaving 3 Aug, but £602pp leaving 24 Aug.

19. Have your 'summer' holiday in Oct half-term. Grab shoulder-season prices to ram down costs - the weather's often more bearable for littl 'uns then anyway. We found a week's three-star all-inclusive in the Costa del Sol for £586pp in Oct half term, but £934pp in early Aug.

For more tips, see our How to beat school holiday price hikes blog.

20. French, German, Belgian or Dutch Center Parcs can be half the UK price - especially in school hols. That's even after the cost of flights/ferries. Nick tweeted: "@MoneySavingExp, Went to Center Parcs in Belgium, £100ish to get the ferry over in half term and £300 for the week, beach a mile down the road." For more, see Center Parcs tricks.

21. Booking car hire early tends to be cheapest, but if you've free cancellation, check again closer to your trip. Early booking is almost always the cheapest route - compare prices using Skyscanner*, Kayak*, TravelSupermarket* and Carrentals*. Some offer free cancellation, so you can check prices again later and, if they've dipped, cancel and rebook for less. But if unsure, booking sooner than later is likely safer. Our Cheap car hire guide takes you through it, then...

22. Avoid the car hire excess insurance trap - many get caught out. Basic car insurance is included in the hire, yet at the pick-up desk, firms often try to fear-sell you excess insurance as an add-on, claiming without it an accident - even a scratch - could cost £1,000+ extra.

These policies can cost an extra £150+ a week, but you can get a standalone policy for just £13.56/wk via Moneymaxim's comparison site*, and also check our 20% off excess insurance codes. Then when you arrive, tell the car hire firm you don't want its add-on.

It may make you jump through hoops even then, asking for usually a £500 to £1,000 deposit on a credit (NOT debit) card in the booker's name. If you've an issue, it'll take money from that, then you reclaim it from your standalone insurer. See more in car hire insurance help.

23. A few quickies to finish... Also check out our guides on how to slash the cost of airport parking, find how to avoid seat reservation charges, grab free airport lounge access and avoid hidden roaming charges.

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 plea: Even if this doesn't directly affect you, pls read & spread word to anyone it may touch - it's HUGE money and urgent.

Unmarried, got kids, and partner died since 2001?
Last chance: You can possibly claim up to £40,000 of backdated bereavement support - but ONLY till 8 Feb
Eg, 'Yesterday, a letter confirmed payments of almost £10,000 - such a massive quality-of-life difference'

This affects maybe 10,000s and the cut-off for many is rock-hard. If those eligible don't claim by 8 Feb, they may lose out on £1,000s, and all those hit have already suffered loss. Please help me reach them. If you know someone who was unmarried, had children and lost their partner young, then politely, sensitively, contact them to check they've heard about this...

In Feb 2023, the law changed following a Supreme Court ruling that unmarried couples with children were due bereavement support, like married couples and those in civil partnerships already were. Yet a short deadline, 8 Feb 2024, was put in place to get most backdated claims paid in full, so DON'T DELAY. Watch my bereavement support video briefing and read our detailed Bereavement support guide. In brief...

Who is eligible for UNMARRIED couples' backdated support? It's not means-tested. The key criteria are:

1) Under state pension age on 30 Aug 2018 (so those born after 30 Aug 1953).
2) Living 'as married' at the time your partner died, which basically means a cohabiting couple.
3) Had a child eligible for Child Benefit at the time your partner died, ie, under 16, or under 20 in full-time education. If they were eligible but you weren't claiming (eg, as one of you was a higher-rate taxpayer), that DOES still count.

When did partner die?	Unmarried, cohabiting couple WITH children
Before 9 Apr 2001	No backdated support
9 Apr 2001 to 5 Apr 2017	Urgent: Possible backdated widowed parent's allowance if claimed by 8 Feb 2024
6 Apr 2017 to 8 Feb 2023	Urgent: Possible backdated bereavement support if claimed by 8 Feb 2024
From 9 Feb 2023	Claim bereavement support, max £9,800
Unsure if you qualify? Just DO IT! The deadline's so close, cross fingers & apply. The Govt promises me there's no negative if you apply when not due - you just won't get it.

The amounts can be life-changing. Some have received £40,000. Here are two of the many moving examples...

Louise: "My stepdaughter's partner died in Oct 2021 from motor neurone disease. When he was diagnosed, she was pregnant and we now have a wonderful grandson. We saw your show and noticed the unmarried couples change. We told our daughter to apply. Yesterday, a letter confirmed payments totalling almost £10,000. This has made such a massive difference to her quality of life. For many years she struggled being his main carer, working full time as a teacher and bringing up her son pretty much as a single parent. You are an absolute legend, thank you."

Wendy: "I lost my partner in April 2020. There was no support as we were not married, even though we lived together for 22 years, owned our own home and had our son who was 13yrs old when he lost his dad. I was reading MSE and noticed the law change. I was awarded £9,500. I would like to thank Martin and his team."
What about MARRIED couples (including those in civil partnerships)? Married couples could always claim, so there's no extra backdating. If your spouse died within the last 21 months, and you were under state pension age, whether you've children or not, you can claim bereavement support. The quicker you claim, the more you get, so if they passed away in April to July 2022 and you haven't claimed, apply quickly and expect less.
WIDOWED PARENT'S ALLOWANCE: This is a taxable benefit. If your unmarried partner died before April 2017, you may qualify for a backdated payout (see above for eligibility criteria).

- The max is £139 a week (£7,233/yr), yet this all depends on how much national insurance your partner paid.
- It's PAID FROM: the later of Aug 2018 or when your partner died.
- It's PAID UNTIL: the soonest of your youngest child no longer being eligible for Child Benefit OR you reach state pension age OR you marry/cohabit with a new partner.
- The lump sum won't usually affect benefits entitlement for 12mths (any weekly amount may).
- How to claim: Just post the filled-in form to them. Time's tight, so right now consider using Royal Mail 48-hour tracked delivery to try to ensure it arrives by 8 February.
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT PAYMENTS: These are tax-free. If your spouse / partner has passed away since April 2017, you may be eligible for a backdated payout (see above for eligibility criteria) for some or all of the following:

- Lower rate (married couples, no kids): £2,500 lump sum followed by up to 18mths of £100/mth.
- Higher rate (all cohabiting couples with kids): £3,500 lump sum followed by up to 18mths of £350/mth.
- Monthly payment never affects benefits entitlement. Lump sum won't for 12mths (after that, any remaining may).
- How to claim: You can fill in an online form or call.

Urgent. Free cash bank-switching to end? Grab up to £175 NOW. Last week, three banks paid for your custom - now it's two and the others could go at any moment. First Direct's FREE £175* is top pick, as it's rated 90% 'great' for service in our last poll, plus it offers a linked 7% regular saver (max £300/mth), a 0% overdraft and fee-free overseas spending. TSB Spend & Save's free £125 switcher* pays an extra £10/mth for six months if you use its debit card 20x/mth. Full info and crucial eligibility criteria in Best bank accounts.

Free National Trust family day pass (normally £30ish). Excludes Scotland sites. Family days out

Martin tells Chancellor 'here's what you need to do in the 6 March Budget'. When Martin interviewed Jeremy Hunt a fortnight ago, in four areas the Chancellor answered "pls write to me on that". Now Martin has, on... 1) Unfair Child Benefit rules penalising single-income families 2) Ending Lifetime ISA penalties hitting first-time buyers 3) Banning above-inflation mid-contract broadband & mobile hikes 4) Stopping cuts to student living loans.

New. Cheapest loan 5.9%. The previous cheapest loan for £7,500 to £25,000 was 6.1% - now it's TSB's 5.9% rep APR (1-5yrs)* though its credit scoring is tight, so it's best to use our eligibility calc to see if it'll likely accept you. Full best buys for all amounts in cheap personal loans. ONLY borrow if it's NEEDED, budgeted & affordable. Budget to ensure you can afford the repayments, borrow as little as you can, and repay as quickly as you can. Overall, if in doubt, don't.

BT, EE, Plusnet, Shell, TalkTalk, Three & Vodafone announce April price hikes. Find what you'll pay in our firm-by-firm round-up.

Martin: The Energy Price Cap cost is now predicted to fall 16% in April. Predictions from Cornwall Insight analysts for the Price Cap (which dictates what pretty much everyone in Eng, Scot and Wales who isn't on a fix pays) are now out. It's better news and if true means it's not worth fixing now, though you can still save with a cheap variable deal.

- APR - DOWN 16% (so each £100 would be £84 then). A firm prediction as we're 2/3rds through the assessment period.
- JULY - DOWN 7.6% (so that £100 down to £78). This is crystal-ball gazing.
- OCT - UP 3% (taking the £100 to £80). This is just a finger in the air and could radically change.

New Martin vids: 'Are you one of 100,000s in too high a council tax band due backdated £1,000s?' TWO new council tax video briefings: 1) Are you in the wrong band? 2) Are you missing out on a discount?, including students, singles, single parents, and those with dementia, disabilities or low incomes.

Hot Diamonds 40% off EVERYTHING code - eg, £80 ring £24. MSE Blagged. Also applies to already reduced items. Hot Diamonds

Grab 'up to 50% off' advance train tickets (plus how to get an extra 5% off). The Government-backed Great British Rail Sale has begun, for travel between 30 Jan and 15 Mar. Great British Rail Sale

Join the 1m who have now downloaded our MSE App. MSE but appified. Via Apple App Store & Google Play Store.

MORTGAGES, RENTS, HOUSE PRICES & INTEREST RATES. ITV 8pm tonight (Tue) - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live. Over to Martin: "Mortgage rates are dropping, rents still rocketing, house prices are falling, interest rates are stable. So what do you do? I'll be joined by specialists to help answer your questions, whether you're buying, remortgaging, got rental worries, or just want peace of mind. Got a question? Tweet using #MartinLewis or email the team at martinlewis@itv.com. Plus all the news you can use on other things too. Do watch, or set the Betamax (and catch up via ITVX)."

BLAGGED FOR MSE

- Hot Diamonds 40% off everything Ends Tue 30 Jan
- iPhone 15 (128GB) for '£35/mth' Ends Wed 31 Jan

DID YOU MISS?

- Important. Had car finance pre-2021? You may be due £1,000s
- Free 0% beer, free jackfruit burgers & more January coupons
- Premium Bond prize rate to fall to 4.4% - are they worth it?
- Ends Thu. TWO branded prescription specs from £25
- Grüum face, lip & nail-care trio £4 delivered (normally £41)

Cheap mobiles in two parts - first Sims, then handsets...
Part I. Do you pay over £7/mth for your mobile tariff?
You're likely being ripped off...

The mobile market is split. Existing customers saw 14% to 17% hikes last year, and now EE, Three, Vodafone and more have just confirmed 8% hikes this April. Yet prices for new tariffs have plummeted, so it's time to stop getting ripped off. A few days ago DJ Andy B tweeted: "@MartinSLewis, I watched your TV show about mobiles. I was paying £74/mth for my daughter's phone - I called EE as I'd found a Sim for £12/mth. Had my PAC off EE 10 mins later - then EE retention offered me £12/mth - saving me £744/yr. Thanks Martin." Here are 3 simple Sim-switching steps...

Step 1: Text 'INFO' for free to 85075 to see if you're out of contract (not changed in last 2yrs? You probably are).
Step 2: Paying over £7/mth and happy with your handset? Switch Sim - you're likely being ripped off. The Sim is the chip that gives your phone its identity and dictates what you're charged. As our cheap Sim finder shows, almost all these days are unlimited UK calls & texts, so what counts is the data. Right now you can get 100GB/mth for the equivalent of £7 - that's more than enough for almost everyone, so if you're out of contract, ask yourself why you pay more.

Top-pick cheap Sims (all unlimited minutes & texts) For far more choice, use our Cheap Mobile Finder tool.
6GB/mth equiv £3.45/mth	TalkMobile (on Vodafone network)
12GB/mth equiv £3.57/mth	Lebara (on Vodafone)
50GB/mth equiv £5.50/mth	iD Mobile (on Three)
100GB/mth equiv £7.09/mth	iD Mobile

The reason you pay more may be that you like your network's signal. But there are only four networks in the UK: Vodafone, Three, EE and O2. All the others use one of those four networks' signals (see who piggybacks on who). So our cheap Sim tool lets you filter by network to find the cheapest deal on that signal, or you could just haggle with your existing provider. The other reason is if you roam abroad a lot and roaming is not included. The tool allows you to filter for those piggybackers who include free EU roaming - many do.

Step 3: Want to keep your number? Text 'PAC' to 65075 - then you get a code to send to your new provider, which'll transfer your number over, usually in one working day.

Part II. Hot iPhone & Samsung handset deals, eg...
The new Samsung S24 on a 2yr contract cheaper than buying the phone outright & you get 100GB data, free smartwatch & 1yr's Disney+

Usually we say early adopters overpay, but right now we're seeing some of the cheapest deals on the latest handsets, including a Samsung stonker. Clearly only do this if you need to, but if you do, here's the info...

Cheapest new model handsets (all deals include unlimited minutes & texts) For more choice, use our cheap handset finder or best handset on my budget tools.
Deal	Info	Handset only?
Ends Thu. Samsung S24 (256GB) + Galaxy Watch 6 on iD Mobile (Three) via Carphone Warehouse - 100GB data on a 2yr contract equiv £33/mth	This stunning Samsung S24 deal on its new handset (marketed as the AI one) with 100GB of data costs about the same as the handset only, but comes with far more. You pay £99 upfront, then £29.99/mth (will increase on 1 Apr by Feb's inflation figure + 3.9% - we've not factored that in), but you can claim a £35 Amazon / Currys / Uber Eats voucher. Factor that in over the 2yr contract and it's a total of £784, equiv £33/mth. Plus, take it out by 11.59pm this Thu, and you can claim a Galaxy Watch 6 (worth £219) & 1yr's Disney+ (worth £79.90) from Samsung.	£799 from Samsung
Cheapest ever iPhone 15 (128GB) on Three - 300GB data on a 2yr contract equiv £35/mth MSE Blagged	This iPhone 15 deal with 300GB of data is £189 upfront then £27/mth, equiv £35/mth or £837 over the 2yr contract. Note that Three will hike prices by 7.9% on 1 Apr, taking it to £29.13/mth (we've not factored that in to the costs above).	£799 from Apple
Google Pixel 8 (128GB) on iD Mobile (Three) - 250GB data on a 2yr contract £26.99/mth	This Google Pixel 8 deal with 250GB of data is a straight £26.99/mth, so £648 over the 2yr contract. Note that iD Mobile will hike prices on 1 Apr by Feb's inflation figure + 3.9% - we've not factored that in to the costs.	£699 from Google

Quick tips to further cut handset costs
- Can you get cashback on top? Cashback sites may undercut deals elsewhere. Do check it's like for like though.
- Refurbs are often far cheaper. Top-grade refurbished models are often returned from customers who have changed their mind. For example, a "pristine" refurbished iPhone 15 (128GB) is £624 vs £799 new. Compare via our refurb handset tool.

New podcast jammed with info on: car finance - reclaim £1,000s?, married MoneySaving, cutting water bills, how to haggle & more... All in the new The Martin Lewis Podcast. Listen via BBC Sounds, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to get your Martin fix.

Have you struggled with your mortgage payments in the last year? If so, you'd help our campaigning work if you filled in, anonymously, our mortgage experience survey.

FREE gym passes, tennis lessons, workout classes & more. MSE Georgia-May explains how to get fit for free.

One-week warning. Need to file a tax return? Do it ASAP or risk a £100 fine & whopping 7.75% interest. If you've a self-assessment tax return to file, you've got until 11.59pm on 31 Jan, or you'll be fined £100. Yet even more important, even if you're not ready to file, pay the tax you're likely to owe. If not, you'll pay a huge 7.75% annual interest on any outstanding tax, accruing daily. Paying what you may owe now will at least stop most of that. Full help in tax return deadline.

Ends Sun. 5p/litre off fuel at Morrisons with £35+ spends. Cheapest in most places we checked. 5p/L off fuel

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS

Longest 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility / apply*) - up to 29mths 0% + possible £25 cashback, 3.45% fee (24.9% rep APR interest)
No-fee 0%: NatWest (check eligibility / apply*) - 13mths 0% (24.9% rep APR)

£175 to switch + TOP service: First Direct
£125 to switch + up to £60 cashback: TSB

Top easy access: Charter Savings Bank 5.13%, min £5,000
Top one-year fix: SmartSave 5.16%, min £10,000

Try our Compare+ Car Insurance tool

Cheapest for £5,000 to £7,499: Santander (check eligibility / apply*), 7.3% rep APR
Cheapest for £7,500 to £15,000: TSB (check eligibility / apply*), 5.9% rep APR

Fast fibre (55Mb+): Vodafone '£21.71/mth'
Superfast fibre (100Mb+): Vodafone '£21.84/mth'

On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs

Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.70/mth' for 3GB
4GB to 9GB data: TalkMobile, '£3.45/mth' for 6GB
10GB to 30GB data: Lebara, '£3.57/mth' for 12GB
31GB+ data: iD Mobile, '£7.09/mth' for 100GB

THIS WEEK'S POLL

How do you rate your bank account's service? Every six months, we ask for your help to track the quality of customer service provided by banks. By comparing your answers with last time, we can see which have got better or worse. Please vote based on CUSTOMER SERVICE for your main CURRENT ACCOUNT over the last SIX MONTHS. Ignore rates or any other products, and service if it's more than six months old. Vote in this week's poll.

DPD tops MSE's annual parcel delivery poll. Last week, we asked you to rate parcel delivery services, and over 8,000 of you voted. DPD took the crown, with 55% of those with experience of it rating it 'great', while Evri was bottom of the pile (48% rated it 'poor'). See full parcel delivery poll results.

MSE NEWS

- Top story: Millions need to DOUBLE incomes to escape poverty, says charity - as Martin urges action
- Sainsbury's Bank to stop offering loans, credit cards, savings accounts and more

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

Should I have bought my wife a second Christmas present, as her first one was free? I got my wife a reasonably expensive coat for Christmas, from a well-known department store. I submitted my loyalty card when paying, and was told that I had nothing to pay - the loyalty scheme gives one customer their purchase for free every week in each store. But as I got my wife's present for free, should I have bought her a second one? And should she feel entitled to another present? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I have got my wife another Christmas present? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma | Related: Top 10 Money Moral Dilemmas of 2023.

MARTIN'S BLOG

- Letter to the Chancellor about Lifetime ISAs, Child Benefit, student loans & telecoms price rises

MSE TEAM BLOG

- The top 10 Money Moral Dilemmas of 2023

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 23 JAN ONWARDS)

Tue 23 Jan - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, ITV1, 8pm (watch previous episodes)
Wed 24 Jan - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm
Tue 30 Jan - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10.15am

MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECT TBC)

Wed 24 Jan - BBC Radio Gloucestershire, Mid-morning with Nicky Price and MSE's Helen Saxon, from 11am

BREAD (CRUST) PUDDING & BUCKET FLUSHING - MONEYSAVING HACKS YOU'RE SHOCKED OTHERS DON'T USE

That's all for this week, but before we go... what's one thing you do to save money that's SO easy, it shocks you that others don't do it? While MoneySaving staples such as batch cooking, bank switching and cashback sites were all popular, more unusual tricks include freezing kids' leftover bread crusts and using them to make bread pudding, and getting free haircuts from a local hairdressing college. One MoneySaver even uses a bucket to collect cold water while the shower's warming up that they then use to flush the toilet, while another swears bulk-buying birthday cards in January is 50% cheaper. Finally, one person suggested 'forgetting' your wallet for all social occasions, which guarantees you save money as you'll stop getting invited out! Let us know your under-utilised MoneySaving hacks in our Facebook, Twitter, Threads or Instagram conversations.

We hope you save some money,
The MSE team

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