This week | MARTIN'S QUICK BRIEFING: For more tips, alerts & awful puns, follow Martin on Twitter The winter checklist. Don't leave autumn without it
Winter means chills & bills, but these 10 need-to-knows help save £100s | 1. | Myth-busting - is it cheaper to leave the heating on all day? This is a common urban myth, according to the Energy Saving Trust. It's better to use a timer, so your heating only comes on when needed. There's also little point painting radiators black. See our new Energy Mythbusters. | | | | | | 2. | Urgent. New 'lock-in no price hikes for TWO winters'. Save £200+/yr. Good news if you thought you'd missed the gas & electricity boat. The new EDF June 2014 fix* is by far the cheapest long fix, locking rates in for two winters with no early exit fees, so you're free to leave if other prices drop. Those on standard tariffs paying £1,390/yr will pay £1,190 on this.
To check your specific savings, select 'fixed tariffs' in comparison site results. For added cashback after the switch activates, use these links. Top comparison: Energyhelpline* £15 per switch. Dual fuel: MoneySup* pays £30 cash. Want wine? uSwitch* gives six bottles on dual fuel.
Why urgent? Jan & Feb are the coldest months and switching takes 4-6 weeks. Full 'is fixing right for me?' info in the Cheap Gas & Electricity guide. | | | | 3. |  Can you find your stop 'male chicken'? If I used the correct term, this'd be in your spam box. Winter frozen pipe bursts can create an average £10,000 worth of damage, often worsened as many scrabble round searching for their stop-uh-hmm (the mains water off switch) for ages as their home floods. Don't wait for an emergency, ensure you know How To Turn Your Water Off. | | | | | | 4. | Prepay (key or card) energy meter? Still switch & save. Prepaid comparisons are possible at Energyhelpline*, MoneySupermarket* and uSwitch*, with £200/yr savings for some. Better still, it's worth checking if you can move off prepay to a normal billed meter. Full help on this & more in our Cheap Prepaid Gas & Electricity guide. | | | | 5. | Are you due winter fuel / cold weather payments? If anyone in your home was born before 6 Jan 1951, you're due up to £300 in tax-free winter fuel payments. If you've never had it before, you may need to register. Those on pension credit and some on income support or jobseekers' allowance get £25 for every 7 days the temp's below 0°C. See Winter Fuel & Cold Weather. | | | | 6. | Slash £100/yr off boiler cover costs. Don't mistakenly think you need to stick with your energy provider. Use uSwitch's* comparison to cut costs. There are a few it misses, but it's worth checking. For full info on the others and whether you even need a policy, see our Cheap Boiler Cover guide. | | | | 7. | Got a car? Do you need breakdown assistance? The consequences of winter breakdowns are much worse than the rest of the year, but modern cars are pretty reliable. For peace of mind, you can get £12 Breakdown Cover (via a cashback site) - it may be worth it if you drive a lot. | | | | 8. | Free £150 insulation for ANYONE (quick). While most big providers have now closed schemes, go quick and everyone can still take advantage of totally Free Loft & Cavity Wall Insulation. Plus, for those on low incomes, there are £100s of millions of free Energy Efficient Home Grants available. | | | | 9. | Don't walk around in your boxers. It's amazing how many sit at home barely dressed, then chunk up the thermostat. Change your instincts. If it's cold, chuck on a jumper. Adding one degree can cost £60/yr. Plus a sausage dog excluder or Canadian quilt can really slash bills. | | | | 10. | Don't pay energy bills the wrong way. Paying by MONTHLY direct debit (not quarterly, be careful) is 5%-10% cheaper, but your monthly bills are estimated. Do regular meter readings to keep them accurate. Overpay and you can ask for the excess back. This doesn't work for prepay customers. | | | |
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PS. The Martin Lewis Money Show Christmas Special. Next Tue 11 Dec 7.30pm ITV1. Including Christmas downshift, my quiz and... how will 6 year olds react to me giving them empty presents? |
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| The Ones Not To Miss | Wed 5 Dec 2012 |
50% off Sky TV codes incl upgrades
Blagged for MSE. Up to £400/year savings possible for those getting Sky TV, plus codes for existing customers too
Last time we had codes, they went fast. So we managed to get some more. For the first time, they include upgrades...  2,000 Sky TV 50% off codes + £25 M&S vch. New Sky customers (or those who last had it 12+mths ago) can use these codes for a year's 50% off broadband and ALL TV packages - including Movies, Sport & World (not HD), plus a £25 M&S voucher. This can mean savings of £36/mth. See Sky 50% off code.
- 2,000 Sky 50% off HD upgrade codes. Already got Sky? For a year, this Sky 50% upgrade code halves the usual £10.25/mth for HD TV (obviously you need an HD telly).
- TalkTalk TV free £50 high st vch (& Lovefilm). Sign up via this special TalkTalk* link to get a £50 Love2Shop voucher (valid at Argos, Boots & more) and a year's free Lovefilm (RRP £58). Full info: TalkTalk £50 Voucher
- Paying too much already? Haggle. Sky came 2nd (Virgin 8th) in our 'best firms to haggle with' poll, with 83% of those trying succeeding, eg:"Half price for 6 mths, then half price for another 6 mths, because I suggested I'd move to Virgin." For a full how-to, see Digital TV Haggling Tips and report successes/failures.
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| £26 Body Shop beauty gift set, incl del (RRP £84 separately). MSE Blagged. It's already selling this new pack of 10 products discounted at £40, but we've a code for a further 40% off. See Body Shop Deals. Codes incl Warehouse, toys, Asos & more
Warehouse 25% off vch & code | ELC 25% off toys vch & code | Argos £5 off £50, £10 off £100 in-store & online | Asos 15% off code | All Saints 25% off code | Monsoon/Accessorize 25% off vch & code with mag
All: Discount Vouchers 5 free photo Xmas cards (RRP £7.45) | 'Free' £10 photo book (£3 p&p). Photo cards a bit fiddly tho, full info: Christmas Goodies 50% off Benefit FLASH sale incl gift sets. Online only - provided you know where and when to go. Benefit Deals |
Warning. Beware home insurance auto-renewal
The shocking tale of saving £900 a year on the same policy, simply by signing up as a new customer
For many, allowing their home insurance to auto-renew is akin to rolling up tenners into a cigar and lighting it. It often leads to huge and unnecessary price hikes. Check yours NOW & fight back with our Cheap Home Insurance guide. Quick tips...
 A shocking waste. One MoneySaver reports: "We paid the same bank for 7 yrs. The latest quote was £1,270, but after cancelling, I could take out the same policy as a new customer for £390. How can it charge £900 more for the same product?" Sadly, we're not surprised. We hear this time and time again. At every renewal, follow these steps...- Step 1: How much to cover? Buildings: Don't cover what your home's worth, but the usually-much lower cost of rebuilding. Contents: Don't under-insure thinking, "I'll never claim that much", as when you claim, they may reduce your payout in proportion. Luckily at Xmas time, many automatically increase contents cover by 10% - check yours.
- Step 2: Find the cheapest in minutes. Combine MoneySupermarket* & Confused.com* comparisons for max quotes in min time. For those in 1-bed homes or with past claims, see Cheap Home Insurance for best companies.
- Step 3: Add those they miss. Neither Aviva* nor Direct Line* are covered by comparison sites, so add them in. Plus, if you've lots of contents, (eg, £75,000+) add Hiscox*, John Lewis Specialist* and Home & Legacy.
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| 2 specs £29 delivered. Or Bench & Pineapple specs for £23. More deals in Cheap Glasses, Sunnies & Ski Goggles. Web shopping wizardry... 1) MegaShopBot.com combines the top shopping comparisons for best prices. 2) eBay Local Deals Mapper finds pick-up only bargains. 3) Amazon Discount Finder builds hidden 75%+ off bargain basements. Xmas quickies - incl £10 Lego calendar
£10 Lego advent calendars ❆ 3for1 Choc Oranges ❆ £25 Lastminute.com spa sale More: Christmas Gifts New '0% LOAN'. Two new cards let you 'transfer cash' to your bank account, so you then owe them that amount. It's effectively a loan, but FAR cheaper than the best buys. Accepted new MBNA Plat* cardholders get 22mths 0% for a one-off 4% fee - after, it's 20.9% respresentative APR. Need longer? AA Transfer Plus* lets you shift at 6.9% APR for life for a 2% fee. Important: This technique's powerful, but tricky. If you're new to it, please read the Cheap Plastic Loans guide first. |
50 Festive Fiver gift ideas
We reveal the winners of our contest for the best 'make or buy' sub-£5 presents for grown-ups & kids
Thanks to the 250+ MoneySavers who made our judging so difficult. The winner gets £500, then 2x £100 for runners-up, and signed books for the next nine. See 50 Festive Fivers for winners and Christmas inspiration. They include...  The Paint Sample Calendar. Needs to be seen (right). Superb idea, and an easy way to make a reuseable calendar from a cheap photo frame and paint sample cards.- The 12 Dates of Christmas. An inspirational date night package for someone you love (or lust) - from a picnic in the park to a candlelit bubble bath. See 12 Dates of Christmas.
- Santa's Sleigh Bell (for kids - SPOILER ALERT). Plant a fallen bell from Santa's sleigh in your garden on Christmas morning to make the kids' eyes as wide as their smiles.
- Many more inspirational ideas... Our 50 Festive Fivers include a homemade vinyl wall clocks, a personalised e-reader case, a paint-your-own bird box and 50 Sheds of Grey. More info in Past Festive Fivers, 40 Christmas Savings and the MSE forum big Christmas index.
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| M&S Outlet 15% extra off code. MSE Blagged. Until Thurs. On items up to 50% off already. See M&S Deals. 20% off 8,000 local takeaways, Domino's 50%, etc - X Factor wknd deals
Hungry House 20% off local takeaway directory | Domino's 50% off £15 | Papa John's 2for1 | Pizza Hut Deliv 2for1 Xmas/NY hotel sale. Posh £50 UK rooms, Days Inn £29. Plus Tune London in Jan £19-£29. See Hotel Sales. H&M up to 50% off sale + extra 25% off code. 100s of items reduced & how to cut 'em further. H&M Deals Small biz £50 wine vch energy comparison. MSE Blagged. Compare & switch via Make It Cheaper*. See Small biz MoneySaving. Can't afford to donate to charity this Christmas? Instead, consider giving blood (Eng & Wales), Scot, NI. Thanks to Amanda Holden for suggesting this idea |
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| Want to watch today's mini-budget with Martin? He'll live-tweet at @MartinSLewis + full reports in MSE News. |
Send parcels 75% cheaper
Save a packet (sorry) on cheap UK & overseas delivery via big name courier firms incl DHL and UPS
Special web firms buy big couriers' spare capacity then flog it at cheap prices. So you get the same delivery, the same service, but pay less for it. Full help and best buys in Cheap Parcel Delivery - here are some quick Christmas pointers.  How cheap is it? To be frank (sorry), the savings are huge. Eg, you can send a 5kg package across the UK for £6 rather than £19, or a 30kg parcel for £8, not £26.
- Sending overseas? You can stamp (last one, promise) down the cost here, too. Get a 10kg package to Germany for £19 (rather than £81), or New York for £36 (rather than £92).
- Pack it right. Nab free cardboard boxes from supermarkets and pad with screwed-up newspaper or even homemade popcorn. Always weigh & measure accurately, or you could be hit by excess charges. FULL help, safety tips and more in our Cheap Parcel Delivery guide.
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| Cheapest S3 Mini deals. The new handset's joined our Samsung Galaxy Comparison Tool. Related: Cheapest iPhones Free Upper Crust roll and more - O2 customers-only deals
Ocado £25 off £75 (new & existing custs till Wed 19 Dec) | Upper Crust free roll & hot drink (till Sun 9 Dec)
Halfords free de-icer & ice-scraper (till Thu 6 Dec) Can you find 'em? 98p Xbox and PS3 games. In-store, stock's limited, go quick. Full info in Cheap Games. |
Restaurant vouchers | Discount vouchers | Top deals |
| The Moneysaving community |
 Join the MSE forum via Facebook. You can now create or log into the MSE forum via your Facebook account, meaning no password to remember. Plus instantly post forum comments on your FB wall. See Forum Facebook Info. ADVENT CALENDAR COMPETITIONS | Maybe yule win? Many retailers have Advent competitions with different prizes each day. Wonderful forum stalwart bargainhuntergal's tirelessly compiling them in Advent Comps. CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK | Feed people in your area in need
The Trussell Trust, a poverty charity, works with churches and community groups to run over 250 food banks around the UK. Find your nearest to donate a few items and help a family who can't afford food this Christmas. Spotted a campaign? This space is for MSE to support money-based work by other organisations. Send us a campaign of the week suggestion. SPILL THE BEANS... REVEALED | Your happiest childhood Christmas memory
It's clear from the heartwarming responses to last week's topic (including this true joy of Christmas - tissues at the ready) that what makes Christmas special for most people is spending time with loved ones. Unexpected presents accounted for a number of happy memories, as did signs - from jingling bells to sleigh tracks in the snow - that Santa had been. MONEY MORAL DILEMMA | Term-time truancy for a cheap hol
This week, one MoneySaver wants your view... My parents want to take our six-year-old son on holiday during term-time, because it's loads cheaper than during the school holidays. It's a bit of a "now or never" opportunity for him to go away with his grandparents, but the school will fine me if I take him then. Should I make up an excuse so he can go? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Term-time truancy | Suggest an MMD | View Past MMDs THE GREAT HUNT | What 'big brand alternatives' make do-able gifts?
Whether it's Mega Bloks instead of Lego or Rocket Dog for Uggs, what decent cheaper alternatives do you think are acceptable substitutes for Christmas gifts? Share yours/read others': Big brand gift alternatives Past topics: View all CHEAP FLIGHT SALES ALERT | Airline: Wizz Air Price: From £10 each way Ends: Ongoing
Our pick this week is Wizz Air. The prices are ongoing and include some taxes & charges. It's for flights from London to Poland and eastern Europe. We found flights from London Luton to Warsaw Modlin for £10.45. To find flights quickly, use the FlightChecker on a £20 one-way max search. Extra charges warning: Avoid payment and check-in charges - see the Budget Airline Fee Fighting guide. Related: Cheap Flights, Cheap Hotels, Spending Abroad, Cheap Currency, Travel Ins back to top ↑ |
Quick forum tips | Andrea's freebies |
Martin's blogs | Martin's appearances Thursday 6 December
Shelagh Fogarty, Radio 5, 12-1pm.
Consumer Panel.
Listen to past shows. Friday 7 December
Jeremy Vine, Radio 2, 1-2pm.
Subject tbc. Tuesday 11 November
Daybreak, ITV1, between 7am & 8.30am. Subject tbc. The Martin Lewis Money Show, ITV1, 7.30-8pm. Christmas special. PS. Missed The Martin Lewis Money Show? Watch past episodes. | Cheap travel money | UK's Best Currency Rates | | £100 will buy you: | | Best | Worst |  | € | 122.51 | 111.72 |  | $ | 160.06 | 146.07 |  | TL | 279.50 | 257.25 | | Rates correct at 4pm Tue | Find all top currency rates
Compare travel cash | |
This week's poll: Should the UK be a part of the European Union? How would you vote, in an in/out and 'renegotiation' vote? - Should the UK be part of the EU?
- Yes
- No
- Should the UK renegotiate, so it is less integrated within the EU?
- Yes
- No
| Poll resultsWould you ask for a doggy bag?
Almost half of MoneySavers who voted get doggy bags.
- 22% always ask for one.
- 43% occasionally ask for one.
- 21% wouldn't do it.
- 12% are too embarrassed to ask.
12,487 voted. See Full Results |
Question of the week Q: What's code stacking and how do I use it? Darran, by email. MSE Paloma's A: Code stacking's a clever way to whittle down the cost of your online shop by combining discount codes and/or sales in one go. Not all retailers allow stacking, and it can sometimes be a glitch.
When it works, savings can be huge. Vertbaudet recently ran a new customer code for £15 off £20+ spends. This could be stacked with an extra 10% off items in an up to 50% off sale. So MoneySavers got £50 goods for £7.50.
We aim to put the best, legit code stacking offers in this weekly email and on our Discount Codes page. If you're doing it yourself, always double-check terms to ensure you're not defrauding the company. Please suggest a question of the week (we can't reply to individual emails). | Board of the week The Charities Board Share ideas and tips for charity MoneySaving. Discussions include Fundraising for school, help with volunteer age please and Donating used bedding . |
 Archna's free game of the week: Sprouty Farts |
Live feed - Santa's reindeer It's hard work pulling a sleigh around the world in one night, so Rudolph and friends are limbering up (which includes a fair bit of carrot-munching and general grazing) in preparation. Watch the live feed on Santa's official reindeer cam. We hope you save some money, Martin & the MSE team |
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What you need to know This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances - and remember we focus on rates not service. We don't as a general policy investigate the solvency of companies mentioned, how likely they are to go bust, but there is a risk any company can struggle and it's rarely made public until it's too late (see the section 75 guide for protection tips). We often link to other websites, but we can't be responsible for their content. Always remember anyone can post on the MSE forums, so it can be very different from our opinion. Please read the Full Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, how this site is financed and Editorial Code. Martin Lewis is a registered trade mark belonging to Martin S Lewis. MSE, Money Saving Expert, MoneySavingExpert and Moneysavingexpert.com are registered trade marks belonging to MoneySavingExpert.com Limited. More about MoneySaving Expert and Martin Lewis What is MoneySavingExpert.com?
Founded in February 2003, it's now the UK's biggest consumer help website with over 6 million people getting this email and nearly 10m using the site. In September 2012 it became part of the MoneySupermarket Group PLC. Its focus is simple: how to save cash and fight for financial justice on anything and everything. The site has over 30 full time staff about half of whom are editorial researching, analysing and writing to continually find ways to save money. More info: See About MSE Who is Martin Lewis? Martin set up and runs MSE, he's an ultra-focused money saving journalist and consumer campaigner. He has regular slots on Daybreak, Lorraine, Radio 2 Vine, BBC1 Watchdog, Radio 5 Consumer panel and presents ITV Tonight. He is a columnist for amongst others the Sunday Post as well as an author. More info: See Martin Lewis' biog What do the links with a * mean? Any links with a * by them are affiliated, which means get a product via this link and a contribution may be made to MoneySavingExpert.com, which helps it stay free to use. You shouldn't notice any difference; the links don't impact the product at all and the editorial line (the things we write) isn't changed due to it. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the best product, it's still included in the same way. More info: See how this site is financed. As we believe transparency is important, we're including the following 'un-affiliated' web-addresses for content too:
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