Archive: MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email
Over 50 ways to save, incl... £5 flights?, urgent diesel claims, top 0% debt shift, Martin's Winter Fuel plea, 268 bulbs £15. Fix energy?, keep bananas in fridge?, 2x specs £25, 5.25% savings, back to school help.
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DON'T believe the fake 'Martin Lewis' or 'MSE' ads |
Martin's Clarion Call... For years, on TV, radio and here, I've shouted about Pension Credit (terrible name - it should be called 'the State Pension Top-Up'), a key payment for low-income state pensioners. Now it's even more urgent, as the up to £300 Winter Fuel Payment, which all pensioners got, will now primarily only go to those CLAIMING Pension Credit. Yet of the up to 2.2 million eligible for Pension Credit, it's thought 880,000 don't claim. This week is the Govt's 'Pension Credit Week of Action' to raise awareness, so I'm playing my part, but frankly I've done similar for years, and I doubt the dial will shift substantially. Still, even if only 10,000 extra sign up, it's worth it, as Pension Credit is worth an average £3,900/yr, to some of society's most vulnerable.
2. Checked before? Check again. If you were just over the margin before (primarily due to a small private pension) you might be newly eligible, as in April the Pension Credit threshold was increased by 8.5%. For a few, it's worth checking again. Also, if you've got new responsibilities as a carer, it's vital to recheck. 3. Pension Credit has a superpower... While many on Pension Credit get £1,000s a year paid to them, even if it's only worth thruppence for you, it's worth claiming, as it's often a gateway to other state help. It may trigger...
There's also free dental care, vouchers for glasses and more - see full Pension Credit gateway benefits.
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Can you fly for under a fiver? £10 off discount means we've found one-way tickets to Faro, Split & Corfu for £5 or less. A flight booking app is giving £10 off per passenger for each of your first three app bookings. Having factored this in, we spotted a range of flights in Sept to Oct this year for £5 or less (and some for the returns too). It's trial and error, and of course there's all the usual luggage and other extras, but it's worth a look. See £10 off cheap flights trick. Nissan, Renault or Vauxhall diesel driver - decide now whether to join emissions lawsuits. This month sees the deadlines for new claims against these manufacturers. See our Should I do a diesel claim? guide. Ends Mon 11.59pm. Sky Stream + Netflix '£18/mth' (usually £31). Newbies who sign up for Sky Stream*, which plugs into your TV and works via your broadband, can stream all the basic Sky channels for £20/mth (usually £31/mth), plus via this link you can also CLAIM a £50 prepaid Mastercard (don't forget) - factored in, it's equivalent to £17.92/mth over the 2yr contract. It also includes Netflix with ads (normally £4.99/mth). See Sky Stream deal. McMonopoly tricks - boost your chances of free food or cash. McDonald's relaunches its famous McMonopoly tomorrow (Wed) - we show you how to McMax it. See McDonald's Monopoly tricks (please eat responsibly). TWO branded prescription specs £25. MSE Blagged. Aspire, Scout, Hart £25 & Puma, Levi's etc £55. Glasses Direct Top 5.25% savings - but you need give 90 days' notice to withdraw. Not easy-access, not a fix, but somewhere in between. Investec's 90-day account* (min £5,000) pays monthly interest. Its rate beats the top easy-access savings, and it's more flexible than a fix, as you can ask to withdraw whenever you want, but it takes 90 days - an option for those who may need money but won't be in a rush. See this and full options in Top savings.
268 spring bulbs for £15. MSE Blagged. 12,000 available, excludes NI/parts of Scot. Thompson & Morgan Don't put bananas in the fridge... It's Zero Waste Week, so see 13 ways to stop wasting food. |
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If you're not sure what tariff you're on, you're almost certainly on one where the price is dictated by the Energy Price Cap, like 85% of homes in England, Scotland & Wales. The Price Cap sets the rates of firms' standard (non-fixed) tariffs, and last week, we told you that the regulator Ofgem had announced that it would rise by an average 10% for the three months from 1 October. Plus, it's predicted to go up AGAIN by 3% in January. One option we told you to beat this is to get a cheap fix, but even since then, some of the cheapest have been pulled from the market...
Shouldn't I wait and fix in October then? That's the problem. Many cheap fixes are disappearing, so waiting may mean you lock in at a higher rate. Of course, if world energy rates drop, prices could be cheaper by then, but there's no way of knowing. Plus, in competition terms, firms know that once October hits, more expensive fixes will look relatively better compared with the new higher Price Cap. So our best guess is if you're doing this for peace of mind, sooner is likely safer.
3. Got an EV? Consider a dedicated tariff. Several suppliers have launched specific two-rate tariffs which offer cheaper electricity overnight for charging your electric vehicle (EV). See what's available in our EV tariffs guide. 4. Struggling to pay your bills or want to cut usage? If you're struggling, it's always worth talking to your energy firm. Be polite and straight with it, and make sure you explain if you're vulnerable. There can be hardship & debt grants from energy suppliers. For far more guidance, see our full What to do if you're struggling to pay energy bills guide and our Energy saving tips and Energy mythbusting guides. |
Sat only. £15 off £50 at Ikea and FREE £3 cooked breakfast, yet there's a big but... You have to turn up in your PJs (not your birthday suit, or it'd be a big butt). See Ikea PJ day. Got currency left over from your summer holiday? If you know you won't use it for a future trip, see if you can sell it to a friend/family member - look up the 'spot rate' (perfect rate), then you both win. Failing that, use the buyback tab in our TravelMoneyMax tool, which shows where to get the most bang for your bucks, euros etc. Pay for Barclays' Blue Rewards? Today it axes a key perk - most should now ditch. You'll no longer get £5/mth cashback for having 2+ Direct Debits, which in effect covered the fee. Full info in Barclays update. NOW SOLD OUT. 'I made £100 using your car boot sale tips and tricks.' Our success of the week comes from Lorna, who said: "Long-term Martin Lewis groupie. Recently I followed the car boot tips when selling items from my mother-in-law's house and made £100, which is double my usual earnings. This was down to sorting all the costume jewellery and pricing it beforehand, which I had not done before. Thanks." If we've helped you save or make cash (on this, or owt else), send us your successes. FREE £16 Cake & Bake Show tickets for London, 27 Nov to 1 Dec. 15,000 available. Cake & Bake |
AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS
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THIS WEEK'S POLL Do you have a will? If not, why not? If you want to dictate where your assets go when you die, you need a will - a legal document telling everyone what should happen to your money, possessions and property. So this week, we'd like to know whether you have a will, and if not, why? Vote in this week's poll. Pet owners spend more on dogs than cats. In last week's poll, we asked how much you spend each year on your pets. More than 3,400 people responded, with 91% of dog owners spending more than £500/yr, compared with 76% of cat owners. Other pets were more budget-friendly - 57% of fish owners and 50% of hamster owners spend under £100/yr. See full poll results. |
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MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should I split my job referral bonus with the friend I referred? My employer recently advertised a job vacancy, and I posted it on social media in case anyone I knew was interested. A friend got in touch about it, so I referred him, and he got the job. I'm now due a referral bonus in the £1,000s. I could use the money as I'm about to move house, but it's only thanks to my friend's efforts in his application and interview that I'll be better off. Should I split the bonus with him? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I split my job referral bonus with my friend? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs |
MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 3 SEPT ONWARDS) Tue 10 Sept - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10.30am |
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