This week | MARTIN'S QUICK BRIEFING: For more tips, alerts & awful puns, follow Martin on Twitter Save £1,000 in a day
Cut bills WITHOUT cutting back - likely to be the year's best-paid day What do you earn a day? Typically, it's £100. Yet by taking a day to sort your finances, many can be a grand a year better off - but people still say they're "too busy". So it's my annual clarion call - this is often the year's best-paid day... | 07:30. Save £100s with a water meter. While brushing your teeth, ask: "Has my home got more or the same no of bedrooms as people?" If more, check our Water Meter guide, as Helen Bevington did: "Thanks to MSE, we've water-metered. Monthly DD down from £80 to £25." That's £660/yr less. | | | | 08:15. Can you get a uniform tax rebate? While dressing, ask if any of your family wear (or wore) a work uniform. If so, see our Uniform Rebates guide. If you wash and repair it, you may be due £100s. Michael King emails: "Thanks. Just received £409 for cleaning my work uniform over the last few years." | | |  08:45. Missing £1,000s of childcare help? During the school run, consider how much you spend on childcare, including after-school clubs. Earn under £41,000 (both must work 16hrs+ if a couple), and you may be entitled to Childcare Tax Credits, worth an average £3,000/yr. If not, look at Childcare Vouchers which save some £1,000s. | | | 09:20. Save £200+ on gas & electricity in 10 mins. Easy one, this. As Leah says: "You've just saved me £400 per year for my gas & electric, plus [as she was in credit] I now have an unexpected refund of £327." To find your cheapest and get cashback, compare via these links...
Top comparison: Energyhelpline* £15 cashback per switch. Dual fuel: MoneySup* £30 cashback | uSwitch* crate of wine. Want a fix? For LONG fixes with no exit penalties, watch for the cheaper EDF Blue* & longer Scottish Power*. Full help: Cheap Gas & Electricity, Cheap Prepaid Energy. | | | | | 09:30. Analyse your finances. OK, time to get serious. You need to know if you spend more than you earn. If so, you risk dangerously building up debt. Use the Budget Analyser to ensure you're on track. | | | | 11:15. Bite £100s off food bills. Elevenses time. During which, rummage through your fridge, cupboards or even larder - to check how many Finest or manufacturers' brands there are. Lots? The Downshift Challenge Tool could chop £850 a year off a £100 weekly shop. Plus see 30 Food Shopping Tricks. | | | | 11:55. Spend a penny. No way to save there. (Maybe try crossing your legs.) | | | | 12:10. Haggle £100s off Sky, broadband, the AA and more. This tweet last year from Stumpyian says it all: "Threatened to leave Sky, said I couldn't afford it and it halved bill". See Top 10 Companies To Haggle With (includes tips). | | | 12:45. Tool up for cheap holiday spend. Yay, time to think holidays. Abroad, most plastic adds a hidden 3% load, so spending £100 in euros costs £103. Sort a specialist load-free worldwide credit card now, these give perfect rates everywhere (and smash bureaux de change rates): Halifax Clarity*, Post Office*, Saga* (50s+) and for its account holders ONLY, Nationwide*.
Yet only do this if you ALWAYS repay in full each month or the gain's lost, as you'll pay 11.9%-16.9% rep APRs. Full info: Top Overseas Cards (APR Examples) | | | | 13.00. Owed £10,000s in PPI? (Lunch is for wimps.) If you've had a loan or credit card in the past 10 years, check if you were mis-sold PPI. Don't worry if you don't have paperwork, see FAQs in Reclaim PPI for Free. Proof from Steverandall1965: "You inspired me to claim. Put it off for ages, then downloaded the template, sent it off and got £12,225, no fuss or bother." | | | | 13.30 Can you cut your mortgage cost? With record low rates, some with decent deposits may save. MSE Remortgage Booklet: Instant PDF | Printed | | | 14.00. Boost savings or slash credit card costs. Got high-APR debt & savings? You're wasting cash, Repay Costly Debts With Savings, then:
Boost your savings rates: Rates are pitifully low, but every penny counts. The top easy-access is Coventry BS's 2.25% AER, yet if you've £3,000 - £20k, you can get 3% in Santander's 123 bank account. Top Savings, 2.75% Cash ISAs
Slash credit card costs: See lower in this email for a full how-to. | | | | 14.30. Cut broadband AND phone to £10/mth. Many pay £15 for line rent and £15 for broadband. This Primus Deal is equiv to £10.24/mth for both. | | | 15:00. Slash car insurance by £100s in 30 mins. As comparison sites search different firms, for max quotes in min time, combine them for a wide spread.
1. Try MoneySupermarket*, Tesco Compare and Confused.com*.
2. Add those they miss: Aviva*, Direct Line* and if 2+ cars, Admiral MultiCar*
3. Try all the Cheap Car Insurance Tricks, eg, add an extra driver to lower risk.
Proof from RedMikeKite on the forum: "Followed steps after a slight mishap put renewal up to £594. Got it down to £193 - can't believe you saved me £401." | | | | 15:30. Get paid £125 to switch bank account. See full info below. | | 16:00. Slash £100s off petrol/diesel costs. Time for some fresh air.
1. Dejunk your trunk (lighter cars save fuel) and ensure tyre pressure's correct.
2. Not over-accelerating saves 10% with little time lost. Fuel-Efficient Driving
3. Use Petrolprices.com to find the cheapest forecourts.
4. Sign up for a petrol cashback card to get up to 3% back each time you buy. | | | 16:30. Council tax. Are you in the wrong council tax band? You could be due a rebate of £1,000s and a bill reduction. See Council Tax Check & Challenge.
| | | 17:00. Cut all spending by up to 5%. Capital One* and Amex Everyday* fees-free cashback credit cards pay you when you use them to spend. Provided you ALWAYS fully repay to avoid the 19.9% rep APRs, you can make £100s. Both pay 5% for 3mths, then up to 1.25% - see Top Cashback Cards.
Proof from Nursey22: "I love this. I got one in December, booked a holiday on it, got £60 back on my Jan statement & paid it off in full = no interest." | | | | 17:30 Want more? This is the tip of the iceberg, see Give Yourself A Money Makeover. For more inspiration, check out last year's save £1,000 in a day Radio 2 Jeremy Vine special, including the slightly worrying: "My hubby Rob reduced outgoings by £2,400 - water meter, uniform tax rebate, etc. Though I was fed up of him sitting in front of the PC every night with Martin Lewis." | |
Blagged for MoneySavers |
Did you miss? |
Reclaim PPI for FREE Claims handlers aren't more successful.
Free help & templates: Reclaim PPI |
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| The Ones Not To Miss | Wed 9 Jan 2013 |
Value mobiles for free
Some handsets are worth over £200 - find who gives the most for every phone (working or not) If you've just upgraded, old mobiles can be a treasure trove, so check your drawers. If you're considering a new handset (see Cheap iPhones, Samsungs or Mobiles), knowing what you can flog the old one for helps you budget. - Instant valuation. Tell MobileValuer your make & mobile and it compares 18 mobile-buying sites. Once you've got a price, they send a freepost envelope to put your phone in. Yet there are huge price differences, so don't just jump for ones on TV. Envirofone your winner? We've blagged code MOBILE5EXTRA so you get 5% more.
- Can it be broken? Yes (working means it turns on, has only mild cosmetic damage and original battery). Just tell it, but you'll get less. Some can be picky, meaning once it's sent, they offer less. If so, ask for it back. Also ensure there are no PIN or security locks on, wipe personal data, and if possible, restore factory settings.
- You usually get MORE on eBay. Mobile-buying sites should be no-hassle, but if you're prepared to sell on eBay*, you often get more (see eBay Sellers' Guide). Also check trade-in prices from networks when upgrading.
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| £15 Opodo code incl off Virgin & BA flight sales. Eg, Belfast-NYC £267 & Lon-LA £425. See Opodo Code & Flight Sale. Related: Cheap Travel Insurance | Hotel Discounts | Package Holiday Haggling 'Free' fish & chips & Ikea brekkie, BK 2for1s, PizzaExp 40% off VOUCHERS
Free £5.50 BHS fish & chips w/£1.50 hot drink, every Fri | Free Ikea breakfast till Fri | Burger King 2for1s | Carluccio's 2for1
PizzaExp 40% Mon-Thu | Ask 50% | Zizzi 50% (Sun-Thu) | Yo Sushi 40% Tue-Fri | La Tasca 2for1. All vouchers 6for1 Boots sun cream trick. Combine two in-store offers to get six Soltan mini sun sprays for £5.49. Soltan Deals |
Top 0% balance transfers - now even if you're normally rejected
A new card lets you shift debts to 6 mths 0% even if you've poor credit, or get 2 YEARS 0% with a decent score If you've existing credit card debts, a balance transfer is where you get a new card that pays off the debts on old card(s) for you, so you now owe it the money, but at a cheaper rate. Full info in Best Balance Transfers, here's a taster...  New. Shift to 0%, even with poor credit. Capital One's Balance+* card offers 0% on shifted debt until July, for a one-off 3% fee. You still must pass a credit score, yet unusually, it doesn't auto-exclude those with past CCJs / defaults.
After July, it's a HUGE 34.9% rep APR, so repay by then or shift (even to your original card, if cheaper). You must get this right, read our Cap One Balance Help. - Longest 0% debt shift - 2 YEARS. If you've decent credit, Barclaycard offers 24 mths 0%* for a one-off 3.2% fee (17.9% rep APR after), but not from other Barclaycards. If you'll repay quicker, Lloyds' 21 mths 0%* for a low 1.5% fee (17.9% rep APR after). Need longer? MBNA Rate for Life's* 5.9% till shifted debt's repaid for a 1.5% fee. See APR Examples.
- Balance transfer golden rules. a) Repay at least the set monthly min, or you can lose special rates. b) Always plan to fully repay before the 0% ends, or rates rocket. c) Don't spend on these cards. That isn't usually at the same cheap rate. d) Try to use existing cards efficiently first - see Credit Card Shuffle.
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| 'Free' £17 A4 photo calendar (pay £4 p&p). MSE Blagged. New Photobox customers only. See Photo Deals. Free books - 1,000s for mobiles, Kindles, tablets & PCs. If you don't have an e-reader, free Kindle, Kobo & other apps for mobiles, tablets & PCs give full access. These tend to be classics, new author, or old books in a series to promote new launches. See e-books. PS. Sci-fantasy lovers, Shadowmagic*, now free on Amazon, is great fun - Martin. Quickies... £9 Toy Story 1,2 & 3 Blu-ray | Cheap tablets (incl £100 BlackBerry Playbook) | £24 for 6 Booker Prize books BOG-ON. 18 Nouvelle loo rolls £2.50 (RRP £10). Can you find them? Nouvelle Deals & Cut loo roll use tips |
'FREE home insurance and £2 profit'
Be inspired to slash your home insurance cost - save £100s, or as one MoneySaver shows, PROFIT by taking it out Our Cheap Home Insurance system can seriously slash bills, as Zimpaz tweeted: "Used comparison tools, cheapest was £49.58. Bought it via cashback site, got £51.50. So free home insurance and £1.92 profit - wahoo." A summary: -
 Combine comparison sites, then add ones missed. To speedily find cheap quotes...
Combine comparison sites: Confused.com* & MoneySup* give a good spread.
Add ones they miss: Aviva* & Direct Line* aren't on comparisons, so add 'em. L&G* gives a £70 M&S voucher on combined cover (use code MSJAN1). See how these stack up against the comparisons' best.
High-value (£75k) contents? Try Hiscox*, John Lewis Specialist*, Home & Legacy. - ALL-TIME record - £67 PROFIT. Can you beat it? Once you've found your cheapest, try for Home Insurance Cashback. Zimpaz's 2012 success is a triumph, but (some would say appropriately) Saving4Jesus is our all-time winner. That was done with £120 cashback on a £52.50 policy. Report your successes.
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| £122 of Plain Lazy clothes & more £39. MSE Blagged. Men & women lucky dip incl T-shirts & undies. Plain Lazy Important - please tell friends about this e-mail. Help 'em avoid bank twaddle. Suggest they get this free email 32-inch full HD LED TV £200 (or HD ready £175). Cheapest big name brands too. See Cheap HD TVs.
Check your credit files for FREE (actually, get paid £17). Important to do, better if paid. Credit Rating Get paid to join Weight Watchers, £10 off Slimming World and more
Free 3mth Weight Watchers online + earn £3 | Free 6wk Tesco diets + earn £7 | 'Free' £10 Slimming World vouch |
Gym membership £10/mth (or £1,250 a workout)
Save pounds while losing them. Don't be a gym turkey - free passes, pay-as-you-go, short contracts & more Many January gym starters don't last as long as the Christmas turkey, yet their money's still gobbled. One tweeter told us: "Paid for gym for 3 years at £69/mth. Think I went twice for the odd swim." That's £1,250 a workout. Our Free & Cheap Gyms guide helps cut costs and explains what to beware in long contracts. Here's a warm-up... -
 Free 7-day gym passes. To see if the gym fits, we've blagged 7-day British Military Fitness, 5 days at LA Fitness and Harpers, and more. See the full Gym Passes list. - Pay as you go. If you've used up free passes, try pay-as-you-go before committing.
- No-frills £10/mth gyms. If you can forego saunas, jacuzzis and toned instructors, there's been an explosion in no-frills gyms, both private and at leisure centres, for £10-£20/mth. Often there's no contract - MoneySavers' feedback is positive.
- Posh gym short contracts. Not usually available direct, try special 2-wk to 3-mth contracts sites.
- Work out at home. Running shoes & weights go far. Our Amazon Discount Finder can find 75%+ off running gear*, gym equipment 55%+ off* & sportswear 75%+ off*. Check Local eBay Deals too. Related: 40 eBay tips.
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| Jan sales watch: Asos, Debenhams, Habitat & Monsoon boosted to 70% off. Updated A-Z of 50+ Sales. Ocado £45 gets £50 groceries + 6mths free del + 10% off for 12 mths. Newbies only. See Ocado Deals. |
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Now FREE £125 to switch to 'best' bank
They want YOU and they're willing to pay. Get £125 just for switching to the no.1 customer rated bank account Start the new year with a new bank account - especially as they'll pay you, but you must pass a credit check. Full info in Best Bank Accounts, here's the latest...  £125 on top customer service account. First Direct* now gives new switchers £125 (normally £100) if you've £1,500/mth income - great as it's smashed every customer service poll we've ever done. It gives a small £250 0% overdraft and pays no in-credit interest, but offers access to a huge 8% regular savings account.- 3% on savings and 3% cashback on bills. Santander 123* pays 1% cashback when you pay water, council tax and Santander mortgages with it; 2% gas & electric; 3% phone, b'band & TV. For typical bills, it pays around £115/yr, easily offsetting the £2/mth fee, plus if you keep £3k-£20k in, it pays 3% AER on the balance - smashing best buy savings. Avoid its costly overdraft, though.
- 12mth 0% overdraft & £100 bonus. Halifax Reward offers a 12-month 0% overdraft, letting you shift costly overdrafts. New switchers get £100 plus £5 every month they pay in £1,000+/mth (from May, £5 reward only if in credit). Warning: After a year, overdraft charges jump to a huge £1-£3/day. If still overdrawn, switch.
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| Uni applications 2013 closing. The deadline for most 6th formers' course applications is on 15 Jan. If you find costs confusing or are worried it's not for you, see Student Loan 2013 Mythbusting. Free Murad 30min facial voucher in £3 mag. Can cost over £25 - available in 70 salons. See Murad Deals.
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Restaurant vouchers | Discount vouchers | Top deals |
| The Moneysaving community |
| WEEKLY CAMPAIGN | Stop mobile firms' mid-contract hikes?
Ofcom is consulting on what rights consumers should have if mobile, landline or broadband providers increase prices mid-contract. Have your say - complete the Ofcom survey or leave views on the Which? conversation. See MSE News: Mid-term phone hikes. Spotted a campaign? This space is for MSE to support work by other organisations. Send us a campaign of the week suggestion. BOOK GIVEAWAY | Rome Travel Guide. 25 blagged. Want one? MONEY MORAL DILEMMA | Should I confront indebted sister?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... I recently read a letter from HMRC to my sister and discovered she's in a lot of debt. I've raised suspicions before, and she denied being in financial straits, though I remained worried. I know it's not really my business, but she lives with my widowed and retired mum, so is involving her and taking advantage of her generosity. Should I confront her about her debt, or wait until she faces up to it? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I confront my sister? | Suggest an MMD | View past MMDs THE GREAT HUNT REVISITED | Cheap internet dating sites
We first did this hunt in 2007, when dating websites were relatively new. Since then, a host of new sites and techniques have sprung up. So we want to tap MoneySavers' collective knowledge of which sites are the best value for money, and other ways to meet people cheaply. Share yours/read others': Cheap dating websites Past topics: View all CHEAP FLIGHT SALES ALERT | Airline: Jet2 Offer: 10% off code Ends: Mon 4 Feb 2013
Our pick this week is Jet2's 10% off code. It's on till 11.59pm Mon 4 Feb and is valid on ALL return flights, except discovery weekends to Reykjavik and Marrakech. Enter promo code SALE10 at the checkout to get the discount. To find flights, use the FlightChecker. 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 Insurance THE GREAT HUNT... REVEALED | How to stop fruit and veg rotting
We received LOADS of great tips and tricks to prolong the life of fruit and veg in response to last week's hunt, including all manner of pickling and preserving ideas along with a comprehensive list of how to store 60+ fruits and veggies. An obvious solution that's easy to forget is to only buy what you can eat. back to top ↑ |
Quick forum tips | Freebies |
Martin's blogs | Martin's appearances Thur - Daybreak
Deals of Week ITV1, 7.35-7.45am.
Thur - Radio 5 Consumer Panel
Radio 5, 12-1pm. Listen to past shows.
All next week - Countdown
C4, 2.40-3.30pm. Dictionary Corner.
Mon - This Morning
ITV1, 11.30am - 12.00pm.
MSE team appearances:
Dan Plant - BBC Asian Network, Fri 3.30pm. All Martin's appearances | Cheap travel money | UK's Best Currency Rates | | £100 will buy you: | | Best | Worst |  | € | 122.01 | 110.77 |  | $ | 160.00 | 145.25 |  | TL | 278.25 | 256.00 | | Rates correct at 4pm Tue | Find all top currency rates
Compare travel cash | |
This week's poll: Parcel delivery firms: who are best and worst? Please rate your overall experiences with these major firms (don't rate if you haven't used them). | Poll resultsWhen did you last switch energy provider?
We are pleased our nagging has hit home for many.
- 61% who pay by direct debit/cheque switched within the last year or are on a cheap fix.
- It's only 33% for those who pay by prepay meter.
- In fact, 38% on prepay have never switched.
9,825 voted. See Full Results. |
Question of the week Q. I earn £53,000 a year. Will I get reduced child benefit, or will I get the full amount then pay some back? Jennifer, via Twitter MSE Guy's A: From this week, if the highest earner in your household earns £60,000+, they're not eligible for child benefit. If it's between £50,000 and £60,000, they're only due it partially. Full help in our Child Benefit Q&A.
As our Q&A explains, in your case, assuming you're the highest earner in the household, you will continue to get full child benefit but will have to sign up for tax self-assessment and pay some back that way. The net effect is you'll keep 70% of the full amount. For more questions, read our Q&A (and send to anyone confused). Please suggest a question of the week (we can't reply to individual emails). | Board of the week The Employment, Jobseeking & Training Board Ask questions and share advice on jobs and careers. Discussions include Want to buy/start a pet shop - where do I begin?, Tattoos, Piercings and Employment and Baking from home - Food Hygiene certification?. |
 Archna's free game of the week: Bloons 5 |
Strange things for sale on eBay We all know the saying 'one man's trash is another man's treasure'. But some of these items on eBay really put that maxim to the test - including a postcard of the M6 motorway, a selection of shrunken heads and a zombie candle holder... Strange things for sale on eBay. We hope you save some money, Martin & the MSE team |
| Important. Please read how MoneySavingExpert.com works We think it's important you understand the strengths and limitations of this email and the site. We're a journalistic website, and aim to provide the best MoneySaving guides, tips, tools and techniques - but can't promise to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong.
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:
Unaffiliated web-addresses for links in this email energyhelpline.com, moneysupermarket.com, uswitch.com, my.edfenergy.com, scottishpower.co.uk, halifax.co.uk, postoffice.co.uk, saga.co.uk, nationwide.co.uk, confused.com, admiral.com, legalandgeneral.com, aviva.co.uk, directline.co, hiscox.co.uk, johnlewis-insurance.com, barclaycard.co.uk, natwest.com, tescobank.com, amazon.co.uk, firstdirect.com, santander.co.uk, primussaver.co.uk, productsandservices.bt.com.
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