| | | For more tips, alerts & inevitable awful puns follow Martin: |  |  |  | | It may be summer, but act now and due to a raft of new deals it's possible to sort your energy bills for the next two winters. Here are the 10 must-knows... | 1. | Do nothing and you'll pay massively over the odds. Millions overpay for energy. A typical home on a standard tariff pays £1,310, yet switch to a cheap tariff and it can drop to £1,040 for the SAME gas, SAME electricity and SAME safety. Only customer service and price changes. | | | | | 2. | New. Fix prices cheaply for TWO winters. The new version of EDF's Blue* tariff is almost cheapest but it has three killer features it's important not to miss when using comparisons:
A. It's fixed until April 2014, so no price hikes for a long time.
B. Unusually, it has no exit penalties, so if things change you can leave.
C. It promises to email if anyone launches a tariff £52/yr cheaper. | | | | | 3. | | | Avg cost/yr | Exit fees | | Standard Tariff (1) | £1,310 | N/A | | EDF Blue | £1,058 | None | | Scottish Power Fix | £1,050 | None | | First Utility Fix | £1,040 | £60 | For med user dual fuel mthly direct debit. Varies by region. (1) Avg of big 6 tariffs. Source: Energyhelpline | Urgent: £70 cashback on cheap fix. Alternatively, Scottish Power's Nov '13 fix is 2nd cheapest. But sign up via this link to MoneySup's* comparison by midnight Sunday and you get the usual £30 dual fuel cashback plus an extra £40, paid after 3mths. All-in, it's by far the cheapest and again has no early exit penalties. | | | | | 4. | First Utility's cheapest, WITH exit penalties. On tariff price, for most, First Utility* slightly undercuts those above. It's fixed until Dec 2013, but if things change and you want to leave, it has £30 gas & £30 elec exit penalties. | | | | | 5. | Compare (and get cashback) to find your cheapest. Your winner depends on your region and usage. So use a comparison site to check the deals above actually save you money. Plus, use the special links below & if they switch you, after 3mths, you get cashback or rewards. See Cheap Gas & Elec.
Top comparison: Energyhelpline* pays £15 per gas, elec or dual switch
Dual fuel: MoneySupermarket* pays £30 cash
Want wine? uSwitch* gives a mixed crate of 6 bottles on dual fuel
| | | | | 6. | Worth fixing now? Unusually, these cheap fixes don't cost more than the cheapest variable deals, and as neither EDF nor Scottish Power have exit penalties, if things change, you can ditch. So why wouldn't you fix?
As for price predictions, industry insiders are split: some say up, some down, some no change. If you can't afford a hike, fix. See energy predictions. | | | | | | | | 7. | Got electricity only or moving house? You can still save. If you don't have gas, don't think the rules are different, you can still compare, switch & save (use links above) although cashback's lower. If moving home, you'll first need to connect to the past occupier's supplier. After, you can switch. uSwitch* can estimate your home's usage if you don't know. | | | | | 8. | Prepay meter users can save too. Step 1: A credit meter (where you get bills) is cheaper, so try to convert. Some don't charge. Step 2: If unaffordable, compare & switch prepay provider. MoneySup*, Energyhelpline* and uSwitch* have prepay comparisons. Step 3: When switching, favour companies that convert to bills for nowt. See Cheap Prepay Energy. | | | | | 9. | Direct debit saves 5%-10% more. If possible, pay by fixed monthly direct debit to get a discount. Do regular meter readings to keep it accurate. | | | | | 10. | FREE £300 insulation (some even get paid). Installing loft & cavity wall insulation can reduce bills by £300/yr (along with being energy efficient). Each normally costs about £150, but right now some energy firms give it away to fulfil efficiency obligations. Some on benefits even get paid to take it, see Free £300 Insulation. | | | | If this site or email has ever helped you, spread the word, pls forward this to friends and suggest they get it via moneysavingexpert.com/tips. | | | |  Last chance 22-mth 0% LOW FEE balance transfer card
Ends Mon: Go quick to shift costly debts to the longest 0% deal, with half the usual fee If you've credit card debt, now's the time to sort it. A balance transfer means you get a new card that pays off other card(s), so you owe it instead. Some of the best deals we've ever seen close in the next week. All require a credit check. - Top 0% deal ending. Accepted new customers shifting debt to Barclaycard 22mth 0%* pay a fee of 2.9% of the amount transferred, but apply by midnight Mon and it refunds half after a month, so it's just 1.45%, saving £45 on a £3,000 transfer. If you can repay quicker, the fee on its 21mth 0% card* halves to 1.3% until Mon. Repay before the 0% ends or the representative APR jumps to 17.9%. If you need longer, see the 5.9% MBNA card below:
Card | Deal | Fee | Representative APR once deal ends |  | | Barclaycard* | 22 mths 0% | 1.45% | 17.9% | | NatWest* / RBS* | 22 mths 0% | 3.2% | 17.9% | | Barclaycard* | 21 mths 0% | 1.3% | 17.9% | | MBNA | 20 mths 0% | 2.5% | 18.9% | | MBNA* | 5.9% for life | 1.5% | Lasts until shifted debt repaid |
- Important must-knows. 1. Balance transfer deals usually only apply to debt shifted in first 60/90 days. 2. Repay at least the monthly minimum or you can lose the 0% rate. 3. Avoid spending on cards, it isn't usually at the cheap rate. 4. With 0% deals, always try to repay in full before the 0% ends. 5. For help deciding, use our Which Card Is Cheapest? tool. 5. For step-by-step help, see Best Balance Transfers & Official APRs.
| | £1 posh Stila cosmetics. In-store, incl moisturiser, foundation, powder and dry shampoo. See Stila Deals
50p/L off petrol - extreme couponing. Until Sun at Tesco, buying Tetley tea, certain cereals (eg, Alpen, Weetabix), Andrex, Whiskas or Finish tabs may get you a 10p/L off coupon. You can combine up to five for 50p/L off. Does it add up? Yes, bulk buy, they're non-perishables & a £30 Tesco spend can save £30 on fuel for a 60L tank. Step-by-step in Cheap Petrol
£56 of plants for £15, including delivery. 17 autumn plants till Thursday. See Garden Deals | What'd happen to family finances if you die?
New Cheap Life Insurance guide, save £1,000s | Women act soon - prices set to rise Around 1 in 20 lose a parent before growing up. The grief can be compounded by financial crisis or lack of income, even if the deceased is not the main earner. We've updated our cheap life insurance guide, read that in detail, here's a taster...  Cover what you can. While covering 10x the main breadwinner's income is typically suggested, if you need, just say: "I can afford £10 a month, what will that buy me?"- Level term assurance is cheapest & certain. Here you pay an amount each month and it pays out when you die. As it's 'level' the payout is fixed, such as £200,000. 'Term' means it only pays out if you die within a set time, such as 18 years.
- Women's prices set to rise. From Dec, EU laws mean gender can't play a part in insurance pricing. As women get term assurance cheaper (they're less likely to die in the time), equalisation means women's costs will probably rise. Yet get it now, with fixed costs, to beat that.
- Quit smoking? Get a new quote. Non-smokers pay less, as they're a lot less likely to die during the term. If you quit over a year ago, you're a non-smoker and prices drop. Requoting may save you, worth a check.
- Save £1,000s with 'execution-only' brokers. Brokers find you the cheapest life insurance, but take commission. If you don't need advice, there are ways to pay a fee (about £35) and get commission rebated. On one £200,000 20-year policy this cut costs from £26/mth to £15, saving £2,500 over the policy life. Best-buys in Cheap Life Ins.
| Top student accounts 2012/13
The best deals for new & existing students | Up to £2,000 0% overdrafts + cash Banks salivate over new students, desperate to bag custom for life. Their new academic year packages are now out, in time for this week's Scottish Higher & next week's A Level results. Full help in the Student Bank Accounts guide. For now...  It's all about the 'guaranteed' overdraft. Sadly, most students need an overdraft (these allow you to spend more than you've got). For safety, the biggest & longest 0% overdraft wins. Banks such as Halifax promise up to £3,000 but usually give far less, so our picks focus on where accepted, whether you get the amount stated.- Top student bank accounts. It's close between the Co-op Bank (with a 0%, £1,400 yr-1 overdraft, £1,700 yr-2 and £2,000 yr-3) and Santander (which gives £50 cash, a 0% £1,500 overdraft each year and 1% in-credit interest on up to £500).
- Need-to-knows. 1. A UCAS offer letter's enough to open an account. 2. Existing students can often switch and gain. 2. An overdraft is a loan, it needs repaying on graduation. 3. Never bust the agreed overdraft limit, it costs up to £25 a pop and can cripple your finances. 4. Forget loyalty. At graduation, switch to the new best deal.
Key student resources: 20 key facts on student finance 2012 | 50+ Student MoneySaving tips | Parents' Student Fin Guide | Hotel booking magic - absurd savings
Tricks to help you beat the system. Eg, NYC listed at £302/night for £75 It ain't where you stay, it's the way you book. Whether for trips now or later, hidden tricks can get you 5-star rooms at 2-star prices (but the magic doesn't always work). Full help in Cheap Hotels, but for starters...  The basics. Never assume one room, one price. If you've found a nice hotel, use comparison sites Trivago and TravelSup* to see where you can book it cheapest (though check taxes are included in final price). Savings can be huge, eg, we found Barcelona's Alimara hotel ranged from £52 to £179 for the same room, same night.
- Turn detective to uncover secret 3-5 star discounts. For big cities worldwide, Lastminute* and Hotwire* sell secret hotels, where you only learn the name after paying. Use our tricks to uncover secret hotels to find their identity to see if it's a bargain worth staying at. One MoneySaver got the 4-star Millennium Hotel, London, for £35/night instead of its £143 list price.
- BIG savings, complex trick, the Priceline US hotel loopholes. Giant US site Priceline lets you bid daily to set your price. If it's accepted, you get it. If not, you must wait a day. Our Priceline Bidding tricks guide has legal, multiple-bid techniques, so you can finesse the perfect price. One MoneySaver got the 3.5-star Helmsley Hotel, New York, for £75/night, not the £302 list price.
| | |  | Donate clothes to charity and get £5 shopping voucher
Until 30 Sep each large bag of clothes, shoes, belts and bags donated via the NSPCC's partner Clothes Aid (call 08450 722 780 to arrange collection) will earn you a £5 BHS voucher (min £25 spend). Oxfam and M&S also offer a £5 voucher, with a £35 min spend, for M&S-branded clothes and soft furnishings. Spotted a campaign? This space is for MSE to support the work of other charities, community groups and campaigners. Send us a campaign of the week suggestion. | | | | | | | | | | | | | Thursday, 9 August
Daybreak, ITV1, between 7am & 8.30am. Credit Crunch Special. Thursday, 9 August
Lorraine, ITV1, between 8.30am & 9.30am. Real Deals. Monday, 13 August:
This Morning, ITV1, 10.30am & 12.30pm. Subject TBC. Tuesday, 14 August
Daybreak, ITV1, between 7am & 8.30am. Subject TBC | | All Martin's Appearances | | | | | | UK's Best Currency Rates | | £100 will buy you: | | Best | Worst |  | € | 125.16 | 113.95 |  | $ | 155.36 | 141.54 |  | TL | 271.50 | 244.54 | | Rates correct at 4pm Tue | Find all top currency rates
Compare travel cash | | | | | | | We asked this two weeks ago, and want to know if minds have changed.
Would you press a magic button to cancel the Olympics from happening in the UK, as if we'd never got them? | | I live in London/SE | I live in Wales | | | I live in the rest of England | I live in Northern Ireland | | | I live in Scotland | | | | | | | | | Q: If you've a perfect credit score, but your partner's is bad, should you avoid a joint account in case the bad affects the good? Mike, by email MSE Dan's A: This depends on the account you're after. Having a joint current account can lead to the account holders becoming 'financially linked', but having two names on a savings account or a second credit cardholder does not. So the former is a problem, the latter is OK. Once linked, a poor history can impinge (though there are no hard rules) on the other's ability to get a loan, mortgage, credit card and more. So if you are mismatched, it's worth avoiding. If you split up with someone you've joint finances with, once the accounts are separated and no longer active, write to the credit reference agencies and ask for a notice of 'disassociation'. Please suggest a Question of the Week (we can't reply to individual emails). | | | | How much better is Bolt than the 1896 100m winner? It's a bit American - 'gee whiz look at them go' - but after Usain Bolt's 9.63 Olympic record, this cool New York Times infographic shows just how far ahead of the gold, silver and bronze winners from history he is: One race, every medalist, ever. We hope you save some money, Martin & the MSE team | | |
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