| | Winter hols coming up? Slash the cost
Or get a head start on next summer's trip. The 10 things to sort NOW Whether you've a ski trip or winter sun just around the corner, or are dreaming of next summer's getaway, our top holiday saving tips can help. | 1. | UNBEATABLE rates via the best plastic. Whether euros, dollars or owt else, the cheapest way to spend in a foreign currency is with specialist overseas credit cards Halifax Clarity*, Capital One*, Post Office*, Saga* (over-50s) or, if you've a Nationwide current account, its Select* card.
Most plastic adds a 3% load, so spend £100 of euros and it costs £103. But those above are load-free worldwide with no annual fees, and therefore smash bureaux de change with near-perfect rates.
If you've a decent credit score, grab one just for use abroad. Yet ALWAYS set up a monthly direct debit to fully repay it, to avoid 11.9-34.9% rep APRs. Full help, 'will I get it?' tool & reviews: Top Cards Abroad (APR Examples) | | | | 2. | Is your EHIC still valid? Urgently check. The free European Health Insurance Card gives you access to EU (plus a few other) state-run hospitals or GPs like a local. In other words, if it's free for them, it's free for you. Full help and links in Free EHICs, but three key rules...
a) Check your family's cards. 3.5m expire in 2013, renew or they're invalid.
b) Keep it with you. Each person needs to show their own to use it.
c) EHICs are free. Don't Google it, you may get shyster sites charging £20. | | | | 3. | £15 cheapest annual travel insurance or £7 single trip. Go away just 2+ times a year (incl weekends) and annual policies usually win; fewer, and single trip cover's often cheaper. These are FCA-regulated and meet our minimum cover levels for medical bills, cancellation and baggage.
| | | | 4. | Driving abroad? Urgent checks required...
Driving licence: Outside EU, see if you need an International Driving Permit.
Car insurance: You should already have 3rd party cover in the EU but may need to pay for comprehensive.
Breakdown cover: Unless you've a European policy, you'll need to pay extra. Also check the AA's list of international driving laws before you go. | | | | 5. |  Off on the piste? £22 annual cover. You'll need travel insurance with winter sports cover for medical costs, lost/stolen kit and cancelled slope passes. Ask your current provider if it covers you - if not, it needn't cost the earth.
The cheapest with basic winter sports cover for Europe is Coverwise* from £22/year for singles or £35 couples. Or it's £50 for families with Protect Your Bubble*. Yet for one-off single trips, cover can be much cheaper (eg, £12 for a week in the Alps).
For off-piste, extreme sports such as tobogganing, or entering competitions, try BMC and Snowcard (though not cheap). See full Winter Sports Insurance top picks. | | | | | 6. | Beat car hire hidden nasties. Car hire booked ahead can be as cheap as £5/day, but waiting till you land can cost £100s more. Use comparisons Kayak* and Carrentals* but...
Beware fuel policy stealth charges. Many cheap firms charge upfront for a full £100+ tank and say "return it empty". Help in Fuel Policy Tips.
Ignore costly excess insurance. You can get standalone excess cover for less than £2 a day. We've blagged 20% off Questor using the code MSE2066CAR, or 15% off Direct Car Excess Insurance*, then compare with Moneymaxim's* cheapest. Full how-to in Cheap Car Hire. | | | | 7. | Going to the US? ESTAs only cost $14 - don't Google to get 'em. If tripping to New York, Florida or elsewhere in the States, remember - everyone going from UK to US must fill out an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) in advance. It's $14 via the official site, yet Google it and shyster sites appear, charging extra fees for nowt. See full ESTA Help. | | | | 8. | Free tool bags you the most holiday cash. If you don't have time to get new plastic or want cash instead, find the best rates (incl airport pick-up), with our Cheap Travel Money Comparison. Always pay by debit card, not credit, to avoid fees. | | | | 9. | Slash flight costs using the RIGHT comparison. For scheduled flights, early booking usually wins. To fine-tune exactly when's cheapest, search comparison Momondo*, then click the 'Flight Insight' tab (if available) to see stats on how far ahead to book, the cheapest day to travel and more. Then...
Find the cheapest price: Try Skyscanner* (for ease), Kayak* (for gizmos) & TravelSup* (for breadth).
Charter flights: Grab cheap spare package holiday flight seats to traditional destinations with Avro* & Flights Direct*.
Booking hotels too? Booking them together via Expedia* and Opodo* can mean discounts. See Cheap Flights for full help. | | | | 10. | Uncover hidden hotel discounts. Lots of tricks in Cheap Hotels, including...
a) Found a hotel? Use Trivago and TravelSup* to see if you can book the same room cheaper, plus check the hotel's own website for any deals.
b) Don't trust the hotel star system. It isn't standardised worldwide and is often based on facilities, not quality. Check independent reviews on TripAdvisor* to see if it really is a winner.
c) For bargains on up to five-star hotels worldwide, try Lastminute.com's* Top Secret Hotels. They include secret deals where you don't know the hotel's name until booking. Yet we've tricks to uncover 'em.
| |
PS. I'm off work today, so this email is in the MSE team's more than capable hands. - Martin
PPS. Did you miss The Martin Lewis Money Show Christmas Special last week? Catch up on ITV Player. |
Blagged for MoneySavers |
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 Get permanently cheap energy Our club ensures you're always on the cheapest tariff.
Join free: Cheap Energy Club |
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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 | |
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| Wed 20 Nov 2013 |
| Should I fix my mortgage?
UK interest rates were predicted to rise in 2017. Now it's 2015 (some say late 2014). Should you act now?
The Bank of England boss says economic recovery could mean a rise in mortgage rates sooner than anticipated. So if you're on a variable rate, consider if you could save by fixing. Picking the exact moment's tough, but it's worth a look... - A 1% rise could mean you pay £1,000 more per year. On a £150,000, 25-yr mortgage, repayments would jump around £80 per month with just a 1% rise (it could be more). Broker L&C says: “Don't panic, but rates are very low and if you switch now, you're locking in at the low in the cycle.” Watch for fees - the smaller your mortgage, the bigger the impact. Our Mortgage Calc works it out.
| Top mortgage fixes (via L&C Mortgages*) | | Lender | LTV (% of home value borrowable) | Rate | Fix | Admin fee | Cost on £150k over fix (i) | SVR (ii)
(rate after fix ends) | Overall APR
(if you never switch) | | HSBC* | 60% | 1.49% | 2yrs | £1,999 | £16,570 | 3.94% | 3.7% | | N&P | 65% | 1.99% | 2yrs | £295 | £15,560 | 4.99% | 4.6% | | Skipton | 90% | 3.99% | 2yrs | £0 | £18,980 | 5.49% | 5.5% | | Yorkshire BS* | 65% | 2.69% | 5yrs | £1,475 | £43,120 | 4.99% | 4.1% | | N&P | 65% | 2.84% | 5yrs | £295 | £42,300 | 4.99% | 4.2% | | First Direct | 90% | 4.59% | 5yrs | £0 | £50,460 | 3.69% | 4.1% | | Ensure you budget so it's affordable - or as they say: "Your home may be repossessed if you don't keep up repayments." (i) 25-year mortgage, fee paid upfront. (ii) Variable. | - Should I fix? Judging the market is tough. Unusually, right now fixing for the certainty of a guaranteed rate can be cheaper than a 'discount' deal, which could rise when base rates do. If your variable rate is around 3%+, then check fixes now. Plus, look at your own finances. If any increase in your mortgage rate would put you close to the financial brink, focus on certainty. Full help in our Should I Fix My Mortgage? guide.
- FREE MSE mortgage and remortgage booklets. It's one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make, so get fully tooled up first. Get our Free Remortgage Booklet: Instant PDF or Order Printed. Free Mortgage Booklet: Instant PDF or Order Printed.
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| Free 4G mobile broadband Sim with 5GB. ENDS THU. MSE Blagged. Great for tablet/mobile data. 1. Month 1 free, then you can cancel. Use code EESIM10 at this EE* link (standard or micro sims) or this EE* link (nano sims). You get 5GB/mth data (usually £21/mth) free for a month - you can use, then cancel. 2. Then £11/mth plus £11 vch. Keep going & it's £11/mth for a year - the cheapest 4G for this much GB - plus you get £11 Amazon voucher. See: EE Sims Urgent. British Gas hiking prices avg 9% THIS SAT. If you haven't, urgently compare cheap fixes to see if you can save and beat hikes. Photo deals... 75% off 2014 calendars, £8 XL poster, 3for1 photo cards & more
75% off photo calendars (from £9 all-in) code | 70% off photo canvas (from £14.50 all-in) code (Photobox newbies)
£8 XL poster all-in (RRP £28) code | 3for1 Xmas card packs code | 2for1 calendars code | See all Photo Deals Eurostar £54 rtn - sale starts Thurs. Rare discount (usually £69+) for Paris, Lille, Brussels in Jan/Feb. Eurostar Deals FREE tea & cake at John Lewis every month - NOW WORKING. Worth c.£5/mth, just register. John Lewis |
The top 10 call centres to haggle with. New 'winners' revealed
Take the haggle challenge to see what you can save on broadband, TV, insurance, breakdown... Mature service businesses, where the market can't grow much more, must win customers off others, and keep their own. So at renewal, you can haggle for powerful discounts. Full help in Haggle With Sky, AA & More. A taster... - The top 10 service firms to haggle with. We polled 2,600 MoneySavers to see where hagglers had most success.
| Company | Success rate (1) | Company | Success rate (1) | | 1. | AA Breakdown | 90% | 6. | Aviva | 74% | | 2. | TalkTalk | 82% | 7. | Virgin Mobile | 73% | | 3. | Sky | 82% | 8. | Virgin Media | 73% | | 4. | RAC | 78% | 9. | Direct Line | 70% | | 5. | Admiral | 78% | 10. | EE | 67% | | (1) Success rate is of those who tried to haggle, adding both 'small success' and 'big success' categories (see full results). 2,605 people were polled in Nov. Only firms with 100+ votes included. | - How much can you save? Forumite 19donna82 said: "Phoned Sky to cancel and they offered me the same package for £15 less a month, saving me £180 a year. Happy days - thanks for the tips." Report your successes.
- The best way to haggle. For FULL help, sector-by-sector tips, and when (and when not) to haggle, see our comprehensive guide: Haggling With Call Centres. And remember, smile - charm & chutzpah beat aggression.
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| £99 Kindle Fire HD 16GB. The cheapest we've seen this tablet. Or £179 Nexus 7 with £20-off code. Cheap Tablets £10 Lastminute FLASH spa sale. Starts Thu at 20 locations for treatments worth up to £70, limited avail. Lastminute |
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| Free £20 Ikea voucher with £25 full-size Xmas tree. Heads up, starts 6 Dec. Voucher's redeemable in the new year (as predicted in our Christmas Deals Predictor). See Ikea Deals. £10 Xmas champers (RRP £24). £10 Pierre Darcys at Asda - fits our deals prediction to the day. Champagne Deals |
Need fast cash for Christmas? Flog it
Make £100s from old mobiles, cameras, CDs, games, DVDs and books, plus 30+ eBay selling tricks If a few quid more in the Xmas coffers would help, act NOW. Companies stock-check to value their assets - you can do the same. Walk through your home to find items of value you no longer need, then flog 'em. Full info in Flog Unused Stuff.  £200+ for old mobiles. Regular upgrades leave old handsets gathering dust. Don't just flog to the first site you see on TV. Our MobileValuer compares mobile buying sites for max cash, eg, get £247 for an iPhone 5 16GB rather than £125. It'll check what you can get for unneeded iPods, cameras, and consoles too.
- Declutter old CDs, DVDs & computer games. Plug info into Music Magpie*, WeBuyBooks.co.uk (bizarrely) and CeX. They give you a freepost label to download and cash should arrive in a few weeks (though forumites report it can take longer). It varies massively, at up to roughly £1 per CD, £1.50 per DVD and £15 per game.
- Clear your bookshelf for cash. Unless rare or collectable (if so, consider specialists) try Amazon* Marketplace as well as its Trade-In*, WeBuyBooks.co.uk & Green Metropolis. You could get from 25p up to £7 for a paperback - it depends on the book & condition.
- If you've time & inclination, flog on eBay to MAX cash. eBay sellers with good histories can often make more. Our 30+ eBay Selling Tricks guide is a crash course, from cutting eBay fees by tweaking start prices and using no-charge listings weekends, to special tools for bulk-uploading listings and more.
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Ramada 30% off (2 nights) | £29 Days Inn. Nov-Feb at 90 Ramada UK, Europe & Middle East hotels when you book two nights (starts Tues). Plus £29 rooms at 60 Days Inns in the UK and Germany. Hotel Sales £19 The Sanctuary gift set (RRP £40). Starts Fri. Nine-item set incl body lotion, body polisher, foot butter, scrub and more. Super-hot with forumites last year. Sanctuary Deals Codes... Body Shop 40% off + free del, French Connection 20% off & more...
Clarks 20% off code/in-store | Body Shop 40% off + free del code | Debenhams 10% off £50 code for sale items
Figleaves 20% off code | French Connection 20% code | Ruby + Ed 15% off & free del code | Full list: Discount Vouchers Double your Nectar points stash. This Fri-Sun, 1pt's worth 1p (normally 0.5p) on depts incl champers, beauty & electricals. Max redemption - 2,000 pts per category. Full details in Double Nectar. |
Save £100s switching energy even if you RENT
Lock in now to prevent price hikes. Plus NEW renters' guide - you don't need your landlord's permission to switch Five of the big 6 energy providers have announced increases, one's hiked already and the last (E.on) is almost certain to follow. So everyone, INCL renters, check now if you can save by locking in on a cheap fix that promises no price hikes.
 Get a cheap fix, save £100s & beat hikes. Fixes lock you into a set price for up to 4 winters. Many on standard tariffs with typical bills can save £200+/yr. Our Cheap Energy Club Top Pick Fixes Comparison finds top no-exit penalty deals & gives £30 cashback (£15 per fuel) if it can switch you. More cashback options in Gas & Elec.- Renters - you've a RIGHT to switch. Even if your tenancy agreement says you can't switch, the energy regulator Ofgem says you shouldn't be unreasonably prevented. The exception is if you pay via your landlord for any bills (ie, as part of the rent). See Renters: You Can Switch Too.
- FREE factsheet to persuade your landlord. If you're worried as your landlord says you can't switch, we've designed a factsheet to give to landlords to help explain the situation to them. Please tell us if it helps you switch.
- Got prepaid meter? You can switch too. Prepay customers can switch to save too, see Cheap Prepaid Tariffs. The only exception is if you rent and want to move to a normal meter. Here, you may need your landlord's permission.
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| 5% off 1st/2nd class stamps (must buy £20+). Plus free del. They say '1st' not the price, so don't expire. Stamps Near Southampton? Come to Martin's free Reclaim Store. All day, this Fri ONLY at WestQuay shopping centre. Whether it's PPI, flight reclaims or owt else, do pop along. More info (incl how to book a 1on1): ML Reclaim Store £5 Coca Cola/Diet Coke 24pk (21p a can). Starts today - half price coke. Tesco Deals MSE job opp - Utilities Writer/Analyst. We're looking for someone to head up the utilities (energy, broadband, mobiles) part of our editorial team (London). MSE Job Opps
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Restaurant vouchers | Discount vouchers | Top deals |
 CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK
Give your views on new payday loan rules
The Financial Conduct Authority will regulate consumer credit - including payday loans - from April 2014. It wants you to share your concerns and comments, particularly on payday loans as these expensive products cause huge problems for many. Tell the regulator what you think - see our Consumer Credit Consultation guide for details. BOOK GIVEAWAY
Gardening For Profit. 25 blagged for MoneySavers. Find out if you got one. MONEY MORAL DILEMMA
Neighbour changed mind about freebie I damaged. Who pays?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... Six months ago a brand new kitchen unit appeared in the area between my house and my neighbour's, but with nothing written on the package. My neighbours said it definitely wasn't theirs, so I put it in the attic. While moving it, it got damaged. Yesterday, my neighbours told me it is theirs after all and they now want it back. Should I buy them a replacement? Or is it not necessary as they had previously said it wasn't theirs? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I pay for damage to unit? | Suggest an MMD | View Past MMDs THE GREAT HUNT
Cheap/free storage lockers
Baggage lockers at stations and the like can be super-handy when you've a late journey home, but have already checked out of your accommodation, for example. We want to tap MoneySavers' knowledge to find out where free or cheap lockers can be found around the UK. Share yours/read others': Cheap/free storage lockers Past topics: View all CHEAP FLIGHT SALES ALERT
Airline: Thomson Offer: £30 off Ends: 30 Apr 2014
This week's pick is Thomson's £30 off returns. It's valid on selected flights until 30 Apr 2014 and includes some taxes and charges. The discount's automatically applied. We found East Mids-Menorca flights for £48.98. To find flights quickly, use FlightChecker on a max £60 return 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 Insurance THE GREAT HUNT... REVEALED
Christmas jobs - who's recruiting?
Boots and M&S both get thumbs-ups from forumites, though their temp jobs have reportedly been harder to come by this year. Royal Mail also takes on temps, and has been contacting people who've done Christmas jobs for it in the past. back to top ↑ |
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Martin's blogs | Martin's appearances 21 November
Daybreak, ITV, 7.35am-7.45am.
Deals of the Week. | 21 November
Shelagh Fogarty, Radio 5 Live, 12pm-1pm.
Consumer Panel.
Listen to past shows.
| 22 November
This Morning, ITV, 10.30am-12.30pm.
Money Talks with Martin Lewis.
A celebrity faces Martin in the vault. | 25 November
This Morning, ITV, 11am-12pm.
Subject tbc.
PS. Missed The Martin Lewis Money Show Christmas Special? Catch up on ITV Player. | |
MSE team corner - Team blogs:
- No blogs this week.
- Team appearances:
- No team appearances this week.
| Discussion of the week Shut the door Winter's definitely arrived. Family battles over saving money on heating are forumite Rummer's bug bears. Whether it's layering up or keeping the doors closed, join the forum and share your pet energy MoneySaving peeves. | Cheap travel money |
This week's poll: When did you last go into a bank branch? Barclays has just announced more bank closures. These days, many access banking online, via an app or by phone. So is the bank branch a dying need?
How often do you typically use a branch - other than just to use an ATM/machine in there - for PERSONAL (non-business) banking? | Poll resultsHave you put your heating on?
Most people have turned their heating on within the past month, but a hardy 4% of Welsh voters are waiting until they can see their breath before switching theirs on, the most anywhere.
- 53% of voters in Scotland have switched it on the past month.
- 49% of voters in southern England have done the same.
22,177 voted. See the full results. |
| Q: As a new grandparent, I want to save £25 per month in a new long-term savings account for my granddaughter. Do I put the account in her name or mine? Olly, by email. MSE Andy's A: Accounts are generally held in the child's name but are managed by a trustee. Under-sevens require anyone over 18 - usually a parent, guardian or grandparent - to set up an account and act as signatory, though some accounts let older children manage their accounts. However this varies, so check the specifics with the bank. It's also worth remembering that if money is held in your grandchild's name, it's their cash. However, most accounts give grown-ups control over its use until age 16.
Our top pick children's account is the Halifax Kids Regular Saver which pays 6% AER for a year on monthly deposits of £10-£100. For full info and more options, see Top Children's Savings. Please suggest a question of the week (we can't reply to individual emails). |
 Debs' free game of the week: Phit |
How many germs live on your mobile phone? That's it for this week. But before you go, take this quiz (if you dare) to see how many germs live on your mobile and how this compares to the average toilet seat. Be warned, the results can be pretty grim... 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 halifax.co.uk, capitalone.co.uk, postoffice.co.uk, saga.co.uk, nationwide.co.uk, coverwise.co.uk, holidaysafe.co.uk, americanexpress.co.uk, travel-guard.co.uk, uk.protectyourbubble.com, moneysupermarket.com, kayak.co.uk, carrentals.co.uk, direct-carexcess.co.uk, moneymaxim.co.uk, momondo.co.uk, skyscanner.net, travelsupermarket.com, avro.co.uk, flightsdirect.com, expedia.co.uk, opodo.co.uk, tripadvisor.co.uk, lastminute.com, lcplc.co.uk, hsbc.co.uk, ybs.co.uk, ee.co.uk, musicmagpie.co.uk, amazon.co.uk, barclaycard.co.uk, lloydsbank.com, gocompare.com, google.co.uk, directline.com, aviva.co.uk, admiral.com, sainsburysbank.co.uk, energyhelpline.com, uswitch.com, firstdirect.com, santander.co.uk, confused.com, comparethemarket.com, productsandservices.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 |
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