This week | MARTIN'S QUICK BRIEFING: For more tips, alerts & awful puns, follow Martin on Twitter 10 ways to reclaim lost cash
Are you due a hidden windfall from up to £15bn of forgotten assets? There's up to £15 billion sat in lost bank accounts, pensions and investments. It may be yours, or a deceased relative's, and can be claimed. Don't lose it, use it. This is our top 10 list to reclaim all types of lost cash. (Please report successes.) | 1. | Trace old Premium Bonds. It's just been revealed there's £44m in unclaimed Premium Bond prizes, owed to 900,000 people. It's easy to check online if you're owed, or if you've lost them entirely, see Find Old Premium Bonds. PS. As many ask if they're worth it, see our cannily-named Are Premium Bonds Worth It? guide. | | | | | | | | 2. | Bank accounts reunited. If you think some of the £500m dormant in forgotten bank accounts or savings is yours, there's a one-stop shop to get the money back. See the Reclaim Lost Accounts Service to find out.
| | | | | 3. |  "I found a pension for £21,000." Pensions are almost always big money. Yet with many frequently moving jobs and pension confusion, it's not surprising schemes are commonly forgotten. So Track Down Old Pensions.
Forumite Murphymycat used this to great effect: "Worked there ages ago & only paid in for a few years, so wasn't expecting much. I heard in about 4 weeks & there was a pension for £21,000." | | | | | 4. | Find old investments. There's also a £25 service you can use to search 85 financial services companies for pensions, unit trusts, insurance policies and other investments. If you think you've lost one, it's worth the cash, though try the free alternatives in our Lost Assets guide first. | | | | | | 5. | Find deceased relatives' lost assets too. If a family member has died and you're responsible for the estate, or you're the beneficiary, then you may be able to reclaim all the above for that person too.
You'll need to put their name (as the account holder) on the search forms. To get the cash you'll need the will to prove who the right person to get the money is. More help in Deceased Relatives' Assets. | | | | | 6. | Save £1,000s on forgotten direct debits. Sounds cuckoo, but many have regular payments dripping out of accounts for things they neither use nor need. Follow our Direct Debit Audit for how to check out ALL standing orders, direct debits, & hidden continuous payment authorities.
Forumite Bushey helped his sister-in-law check, finding "3 mobile insurance contracts she'd forgotten about, 3 home maintenance contracts she never knew she had, and paying her OLD gym - cutting these saved over £1,000". | | | | 7. | Reunite yourself with lost Tesco vouchers. Some find £100s, like forumite alanrus: "I found £159 worth of vouchers that I had lost. Excellent result." See Reclaim Tesco Vouchers for the full how-to. | | | | 8. | Not used it in a year? Flog it. Shops and business do stock control, considering their assets as cash, ensuring they're utilised. We need to adopt a similar system. If you've things in your house you've not used or worn in a year, ask if it's worth keeping. If not, flog it and release the assets.
If it's old mobiles or gadgets, use Compare Mobile Buying Sites to find top prices. For other things, see our eBay Selling and Flog What You've Got tips. | | | | 9. | Don't lose out on cash every time you pay. When you pay on a credit card, even if it makes no interest from you, the retailer pays the card a fee. There's a way to get this type of cash in your pocket instead.
Switch to a cashback credit card with a direct debit to repay IN FULL each month so there's no interest, and effectively this money becomes yours. Amex Platinum* pays a huge 5% back on all spending for 3mths, max £100 - great for big one-offs, though there's a £25 annual fee (rep APR of 18.7%).
The top fee-free card is the Capital One Classic Extra* which pays 0.5% cashback, and a £10 bonus annually (rep 34.9% APR). Full step-by-step help in the Top Cashback Cards guide (Official APRs). | | | | 10. | Check down the back of the sofa (and jackets and bags). Over £40m of this form of 'lost cash' is allegedly in cars, sofas and wardrobes. Last time we prompted you to check, one person found £40 in an old jacket, and another found £160 in old bags and purses. Tell us what you find. | | |
Blagged for MoneySavers |
Did you miss? |
 Get permanently cheap energy Our new club ensures you're always on the cheapest tariff.
Join free: Cheap Energy Club |
Reclaim PPI for FREE Claims handlers aren't more successful.
Free help & templates: Reclaim PPI |
MSE News |
 | Saved cash? Shout it from the rooftops. |  | | If this email's ever helped you, please forward it to friends and suggest they get it via moneysavingexpert.com/tips | |
 |  |  |
| The Ones Not To Miss | Wed 12 Jun 2013 |
Finally, a NO-FEE balance transfer - 12 months 0%
Shift existing card debts at NO COST with the first totally-free decent balance transfer for years Another week, another salvo in the balance transfer price war. Now Tesco's rolled back to t'golden fee-free days. A balance transfer's where you get a new card which repays existing cards for you, so you owe it instead. Latest top picks... - Get the lowest fee within the 0% time you're certain you can clear the card in. Fail to repay the card within the 0% period, and big interest dwarfs a lower fee. If you're certain you can clear, or will shift again after 12mths, go for Tesco. If not, scan further down the list until the first card that definitely gives you enough time.
| TOP 0% BALANCE TRANSFER CREDIT CARDS | The golden rules a) Repay at least the set monthly minimum, or you may lose the 0% rate.
b) Aim to clear the debt or shift again before the 0% ends, or rates rocket.
c) Don't spend on these cards, it isn't usually at the cheap rate.
d) To help you decide, see our Which Card's Cheapest? tool. | | | Provider | Fee | 0% length | Rep APR after | | | Tesco* | None | 12mths | 18.3% - 24.2% | | | Halifax* | 1% | 15mths | 17.9% | | | Lloyds* | 1.5% | 21mths | 17.9% | | | NatWest* | 2.65% | 26mths | 18.9% | | | Barclaycard* | 2.98% | 27mths | 18.9% | | | Rates for accepted new cardholders (usually can't balance transfer from the same card company). FULL info in Best Balance Transfers & APR Examples. | - Find which cards you're MOST likely to get. Apply for a card and it hits your credit file, whether you're accepted or not. So first use our Balance Transfer Eligibility Checker, which does a soft search (so no credit file impact) to assess which cards you'll most likely pass the credit score for (of those that let us do it - sadly, we can't for Tesco).
back to top ↑ |
| Free cinema ticket if you buy 4 x £1 M&Ms or other chocs. Grab 4 codes from special big packs of M&Ms, Maltesers, etc for a free Sunday ticket at Cineworld. Some shops are selling packs for £1. Full info: Sweet Deal Vax up to 80% off code. MSE Blagged. Ends Thurs, eg. AirPet vacuum cleaner £61 from £240. Full info: Vax Deals Father's Day (this Sun) restaurant and days out vouchers, incl...
Iron Man 3 2for1 | 'Free' fishing | Chiquito dads eat 'free' | Beefeater 'free' steak for dads | Frankie & Benny's dads 'free'
Bristol Zoo dads go 'free' | Banham Zoo dads go 'free' | Longleat dads go 'free' | Full list: Father's Day Offers FREE Pringles & two bottles of Coke (2L). Worth £5. Use vch via phone app (newbies). Full info: Shop Scan Save |
Ignore Lloyds/Halifax PPI rejections
It's tactically rejecting people to put them off - if you've been rejected, take it to the free Ombudsman service Over £9bn of PPI money's now been paid out. There's billions more to come, but some banks are playing hardball again. If you've had a loan or credit card, check NOW if you were mis-sold. See our full Reclaim PPI for FREE guide. Quick tips...  Ignore Lloyds rejections. A Times sting's (£) crystallised what we already knew. Lloyds rejects too many complaints, likely because it knows most won't take it further. As it's tactically rejecting, the only way to get fairness is to ALWAYS appeal to the free Ombudsman.
You can only do this within 6mths of a rejection from the bank (if yours is longer ago, you can restart the case). This is one of many similar reports we've had: "Lloyds rejected my claim. Took it to the Ombudsman, who judged in my favour. Just had £1,800 back." - 60 frequently-asked PPI questions answered. You don't need to pay a company if you were mis-sold. Our Reclaim PPI for FREE & Reclaim Credit Card PPI Free guides have full templates & extensive FAQs, including...
Q. What is mis-selling? The policy needed to be right for you when it was sold. See full Mis-selling Checklist.
Q. How far back can I go? There's no time limit, though the difficulty is in getting paperwork on very old loans.
Q. Can I claim if the loan's been repaid? Yes. If you were mis-sold, it's irrelevant that the loan has been paid off.
Q. What if I've no paperwork? If you can't remember your old lenders, check your credit file - it lists six years' worth. If you know but don't have the paperwork, you've a right to get it. Use our Request PPI Paperwork template letter. For this and more incl reclaiming deceased relatives' PPI, or if the firm's closed, see the full 60 PPI Questions Answered. back to top ↑ |
| £10 Starbucks gift card for £5. Daily deals offer. A not too taxing affair. Starbucks Deals Free fake tan & other magazine beauty freebies (in £2-4ish mags)
£13.50 Rodial fake tan | £14ish ModelCo make-up | £12 Neal's Yard moisturiser | £11 nail polish | £10 Elemis moisturiser Full list: Beauty Deals Ends today. Free £100 means line rent & b'band £5/mth. MSE Blagged. Until Wed 11.59pm, newbies get: 1) Unlimited broadband. Via this TalkTalk* link 85% of UK can get it at £3.25/mth for 9mths, then £6.50 for 3mths (12-mth contract). 2) You need line rent. Usually £14.95/mth, as you apply, opt to pay £114 for a year upfront. 3) Free Love2Shop £100 vch. Valid in Argos, B&Q, Boots, etc. Factor as cash & it's £63 for the year (equiv £5/mth). Full info: TalkTalk Deal |
|
| | | |
| Urgently check Tesco Clubcard accounts for stolen vouchers. Clubcard holders are still reporting voucher thefts as police investigations continue. Check yours & change the password NOW. See Tesco Clubcard fraud news. Rumour. Pandora up to 50%-off sale. Rare online sale likely to start Thurs at posh jewellery brand. Jewel Hut 90 hayfever tablets (3mths worth) £5 delivered. Nab generic equivalents of big brands. Cheap Hayfever Tablets |
Cheapest travel insurance - £7 for a week
Don't wait to get travel insurance. Get it ASAP once you've booked, or you give up valuable cancellation cover Travel insurance is a holiday must, but it needn't be costly. However, ensure you get it as soon as you can after you book, or if you need to cancel, you won't be covered. Full best buys in our updated Cheap Travel Insurance guide, but briefly... - A week's Europe travel ins £7. If you'll ONLY go abroad once in the next 12mths, just get a single trip policy. You can get one for £7 for an individual, £10 for a couple (£14 and £28 USA). To find the cheapest, as there are so many variables, use the MoneySupermarket* comparison. Then, if time, add Confused.com* for belt and braces.
- A YEAR'S cover £16 single/£30 family. Go away 2+ times/yr (incl wknds) & annual policies can win. Pick the cheapest if you just want a minimum safety net, or top value if you've more concerns about cover/valuables, etc.
| ANNUAL TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICIES FOR UNDER-65s (prices vary with age) | | CHEAPEST Europe | CHEAPEST worldwide | TOP VALUE pick | | Individual | Age 18-40 Travel Guard* £16-£20
41-65 HolidaySafe* £23-£26 | 18-40 Travel Guard* £27-£33
41-65 HolidaySafe* £37-£40 | Top pick: Direct Travel* Europe £42-£66
World £64-£101 (+£20 for catastrophe cover) | | Family / couple | 18-40 Travel Guard* £30-£38
41-65 HolidaySafe* £42-£46 | 18-44 Protect YB* £50-£60
45-64 Diamond £64 | Top pick: Direct Travel* Europe £79-£125
World £120-£191 (+£40 for catastrophe cover) | | CHEAPEST = The lowest cost FCA-regulated policies which hit our min cover levels. TOP VALUE = Subjective, incl feedback and past payout record, eg, on volcanoes. Though as insurance is about the unexpected, we can't predict everything. | | FULL INFO: Cheap Travel Insurance. Slightly cheaper deals may be possible doing a full MoneySup* comparison. | - Free travel insurance with bank accounts. These can be very good, especially for older travellers. Nationwide's* no-fee account gives quality FREE Europe cover up to age 75 (max start age 73). Family & worldwide upgrades are fairly cheap. Plus some top fee-paying accounts cover up to age 79. See Over-65s Travel Insurance.
- Pre-existing conditions. Here, insurance can be a nightmare, so see our special Pre-Existing Conditions help.
back to top ↑ |
'Free' £9.50 train credit. Grab five 40-50p newspaper tokens from Sat. 30,000 available. RedSpottedHanky Deals Harvey Nicks, M&S, H of Fraser and more 50%-off summer sales
H of Fraser up to 50% | Clarks up to 50% | Phase Eight up to 50% | Brantano up to 70% | Body Shop up to 50%
Wallis up to 50% | Office up to 50% | Harvey Nichols up to 50% | M&S up to 50% | Full list: High Street Sales WHSmith 60%+ off kids' books, incl Peppa Pig & Where's Wally. Online sale, 400+ titles. Book 'em. Extra energy switching cashback. Just in - a few boosted hot tariffs. Full rundown in Cheap Gas & Elec. |
Kids off school this summer? Cut childcare costs
Whether they're a cute 5 or hairy 15, act now. From summer clubs to stay-away camp, help may be available Don't assume childcare help's only for babies in swaddling cloth. If your kids will be off school and you need to shell out to get them looked after, funds may be available. Yet apply quickly, places for these things are often limited. Quick tips... -
 Step 1: Check out free/subsidised summer clubs. Some schools, community centres and youth groups offer clubs, eg, motor quads or archery. See Summer School info. - Step 2: Are you entitled to childcare tax credits? If you're shelling out, whether just for summer clubs (or nursery or childminders), if it's Ofsted-registered you may be entitled to up to 70% back. It's worth checking out if you work 16+hrs/week (both of you must if a couple) and have household income under £41,000. See Childcare Tax Credits for full help.
- Step 3: Can you get childcare vouchers? If tax credits aren't for you, see if your employer offers this Govt scheme. It lets you pay for childcare from PRE-tax earnings, eg, you swap £1,000 of salary (worth only £700 in your pocket) for £1,000 of vouchers. Though first check your child carer accepts them. Full help in Childcare Vouchers.
- Two weeks away for 16/17-yr-olds for £50. England's National Citizen Service has 2-wk residential courses for 16/17 year-olds with costs capped at £50 (some go free). For more, see the Cheap Days Out, Theme Parks and Free Museums guides.
back to top ↑ |
| Gap Outlet 30% off. In-store voucher for items already cheaper than regular Gap prices. Gap vouchers £10 tickets to see Card Shark Show (RRP £35). MSE Blagged. Top London magic show. Abracadabra Help - we need your energy bills. Please help us build a new tool to cut bill confusion. To do it, we need to collate as many bills as poss (so we can point people to crucial info). Pls email any bills (strike out personal info) to Energy Bills.
|
Restaurant vouchers | Discount vouchers | Top deals |
| The Moneysaving community |
 THE GREAT HUNT... REVEALED
Dads, what would you like for Father's Day?
Beer, smellies and steak seem safe choices, along with golf balls, gear and/or a round at the local club. A number of dads said they'd like time with their children rather than anything material. You big softies. BOOK GIVEAWAY
The Official Dambusters Experience. 25 blagged for MoneySavers. Want one? THE GREAT HUNT
Your tips for financially surviving divorce and separation
Sadly the costs of breaking up aren't just emotional. If you've been through it, or know others who have, we want to tap MoneySavers' experience on separating finances, dealing with the costs, sorting out starting life on your own and more. Great Hunt: Financially surviving divorce Past topics: View all MONEY MORAL DILEMMA
Should I shop my brother over his scratchcard win?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... My brother borrowed £300 from our sister a year ago. He's just won £500 on a scratchcard and has asked me not to tell her as she'll ask for the money back and he wants to splash out. He's unemployed, so £300 would mean more to him than her, but I feel he should learn to pay his debts, especially as he didn't actually earn it. Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I shop my brother over his scratchcard win? | Suggest an MMD | View Past MMDs CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK
Get support if you're a hidden carer
One in every eight grown-ups in the UK cares for a family member, friend or partner, often giving up their own health and wealth in the process. If this is, or could be you, find out about the advice and support available at one of the events organised by a range of charities during Carers Week. Suggest a campaign: This is for MSE to support work by other charities, groups and campaigners. Send your campaign of the week suggestion. CHEAP FLIGHT SALES ALERT
Airline: Monarch Price: From £37 Ends: Sun 30 Jun
Our pick this week is Monarch's Midlands flight sale. It's for flights from Birmingham and East Midlands airports to destinations such as Spain, the Canaries and Egypt until the end of June. Prices start from £37 and include some taxes and charges. We found flights from Birmingham to Barcelona for £42.99. To find 'em quickly, use FlightChecker on a £50 one-way max search. Extra charges warning: Avoid payment and check-in charges - see Budget Airline Fee Fighting. Related: Cheap Flights, Cheap Hotels, Spending Abroad, Cheap Currency, Travel Insurance back to top ↑ |
Quick forum tips | Freebies |
Martin's blogs | Martin's appearances 13 June
Daybreak, ITV, 7.35am-7.45am.
Deals of the Week. | 13 June
Shelagh Fogarty, Radio 5, 12pm-1pm.
Consumer Panel.
Listen to past shows. | 17 June
This Morning, ITV, 11am-12pm.
Subject tbc. | PS. Missed the latest The Martin Lewis Money Show series? Watch episodes here. | |
MSE team corner - Team appearances:
- No team appearances this week
| Board of the week The MoneySaving Mums Board Mums - ask questions and share your MoneySaving advice. Discussions include Budget for teenage son, Best way to stop breastfeeding and Mums - how do you make it work?. | Cheap travel money |
This week's poll: How much meat do you eat? There's talk the world's resources are being drained because of too much meat production. It's argued a field growing crops can feed many more people than one which grows crops to feed animals destined for our kitchens.
Which of these is closest to your situation? | Poll results How do you view TV/films at home?
Well over half of voters use Freeview & catch-up services, eg, BBC iPlayer, while nearly 40% pay for Sky.
- 62% use Freeview.
- 60% use catch-up services.
- 24% use Sky (no movie channels).
- 14% use Sky (with movie channels).
12,243 voted. See the full results. |
Question of the week Q: I lost my husband's wallet this weekend (he handed it to me while driving and it dropped out of the car as I got out). We know this was our (my) fault. We've cancelled all the cards, but do we also have to report it to the police if it was lost, not stolen? Laura. MSE Helen S's A: You don't need to report it if the wallet is just lost, rather than stolen. Your best ports of call are your bank and credit card providers to cancel all the cards. They'll put a block on your accounts, and issue replacement cards. As most people have several cards from different providers, we've set up CardsGone.com, which has all the helpline numbers for the UK's credit and loyalty card providers, plus the DVLA, Passport Office and more. The only reason you might need to report a loss to the police is if you plan to make an insurance claim (consider if it's worth it - is the money lost less than your excess?), as many policies require a loss reference number. If so, call 101, the police's non-emergency number - or if not available, your force's non-emergency number. |
 Archna's free game of the week: Achievement Unlocked |
36 parenting hacks... That's it for this week, except we thought you may enjoy this list of parenting short-cuts. Check out Parenting hacks. 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. 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 americanexpress.com, capitalone.co.uk, tescobank.com, halifax.co.uk, lloydstsb.com, natwest.com, barclaycard.co.uk, talktalk.co.uk, moneysupermarket.com, confused.com, travel-guard.co.uk, holidaysafe.co.uk, direct-travel.co.uk, protectyourbubble.com, nationwide.co.uk, directline.com, aviva.co.uk, admiral.com, energyhelpline.com, uswitch.com, firstdirect.com, santander-products.co.uk, comparethemarket.com, postoffice.co.uk, bt.com.
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Note Referring people to insurers or insurance intermediaries can in some circumstances constitute an FCA regulated activity. For this reason, pages with links which take you to the sites of insurers or insurance intermediaries are hosted by MoneySavingExpert.com Limited on behalf of MoneySupermarket.com Group PLC. MoneySupermarket.com Financial Group Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 303190). The registered office address of both MoneySupermarket.com Group PLC and MoneySupermarket.com Financial Group Limited is MoneySupermarket House, St. David’s Park, Ewloe, Chester, CH5 3UZ. To change your E-mail or stop receiving the weekly tips (unsubscribe): Go to: www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips |
No comments:
Post a Comment