Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Free Ideal Home, 0% borrowing, £29 Kurt Geiger, free house valuations, car ins DOWN 14%, Sky haggling, 10p mascara, £20 De Vere hotels

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Martin Lewis

MoneySavingExpert.com weekly email

Cutting your costs, fighting your corner Martin's Money Tips Wed 29 Jan 2014
Cards Reclaim Shopping Deals Utilities Banking Travel Insurance Mortgages Income

This week

Car insurance DOWN 14% but predicted to rise. Sort it ASAP
Have you got a plan B?
"I called Sky, said I'm leaving, and it cut my bills by £180 a year"
30 free house valuation tools
10,000+ FREE Ideal Home tickets
Family Railcard £10 off code
Kurt Geiger outlet £29 sale till Sun
Brantano 30% off shoes (incl Clarks)
Free £100 for switching bank
Free £8 L'Occitane hand cream set
Knickers coming down...
10p mascara, bronzer, etc
FLASH 48hr De Vere £20 hotel sale
£23 Hauck buggy (pram)
2 specs £23 | £40 contacts £19
60% off photo canvases code
CODES: BHS 25%, Topman 10%, Urban Outfitters 20%, D'hams 20%
Fragrance Shop 20% off everything
Free 50p to Prostate Cancer UK
O2 hikes prices before deadline
Buy £70 Nespresso, get £40 giftcard
Cancer Research up to 75% sale
Vouchers Index: Restaurants / Shopping
Best Buys: 0% cards | Car insurance
Best Buys: Gas & Elec | Bank Accs

MARTIN'S QUICK BRIEFING: For more tips, alerts & awful puns, follow Martin on Twitter

How to borrow completely INTEREST-FREE
The 10 need-to-knows that'll slash your borrowing costs to the bone

Debt is like fire. It can be a useful tool, but get it wrong and you get burnt. Last week we showed you 10 ways to slash existing debt costs - this week, for those who need new borrowing, it's all you need to know to keep costs down.

1. Do you need to borrow? Debt isn't bad, bad debt is bad. So think carefully whether you really need it. Could you save up instead? Use existing savings?

Never borrow just to fill ongoing gaps in your income. If that's you, STOP. Use the Free Budget Planner, restrict spending & if needed, get Debt Help.

Yet if you're making a planned purchase (eg, you need a car to get to a new job), minimise the loan and the interest, plan and budget for the repayments, then it can be a legitimate choice.

And remember.... loan costs aren't just about the interest rate, if you borrow longer, the interest is added year, after year, after year, so repay ASAP.
   
2. Get 18mths' INTEREST-FREE borrowing (5mths for poor credit). If you've a big purchase that can be paid by credit card, and can repay within 18 mths, you can borrow totally interest-free. Just ensure you plan repayments to clear it before the 0% deal ends. Full info: Top 0% Cards (APR Examples).

TOP 0% SPENDING NEW CARDHOLDER CREDIT CARDS
Card Intro offer Rep APR after
Tesco* Longest + Tesco Clubcard points 18mths 0% 18.9%
Santander* Joint longest 18mths 0% 18.9%
M&S* Shorter but gives M&S points 15mths 0% 16.9%
Barclaycard Initial* Poor credit scorers 5mths 0% 34.9%
MBNA* Long-term low rate 6.9% until repaid (1) 16.9%
(1) Only purchases in the first 90 days get this rate.

Which cards will accept you? FREE tool. All cards credit score. Usually, the only way to know if you'll get one is to apply, which marks your file. Instead, use our 0% Spending Eligibility Checker, it shows acceptance chances.

The Golden Rules: 1) Budget to repay (or balance transfer) before the 0% ends or rate jumps. 2) Pay at least the monthly min, or you can lose the 0%.
   
3. Cheapest EVER loans 4.5% APR. If you can't pay on a credit card, need longer, need more or prefer the disciplined structure of fixed repayments, then the straightforward option is a personal loan.

- Loans £7.5k-£15k: Until Fri Sainsbury's* 4.5% rep APR for 1-3yr loans (needs a Nectar card, but they're free). Next is Clydesdale* 4.6% rep APR.
- Loans £5k-£7.5k Clydesdale* is 5.8% representative APR.
- Loans £3k-£5k: Santander's* 6% rep APR (huge best buy at this amount).
- Under £3k: There are no cheap loans, so see points 4 and 5 below.

Remember, though, these 'rep APR' loans mean only 51% of accepted applicants must get the advertised rate, others with poorer credit scores can pay more. For full help and best buys, see Cheap Loans.
   
4. cut borrowingGet a 29mth 0% 'loan' for a 4% fee. If you're buying something that can't be paid for on a card, or want a cheaper loan for smaller amounts, there is another way.

A few specialist credit cards allow accepted new customers cheap 'money transfers'. This means the card pays money directly to your bank account (that you can then spend), so you owe it instead. MBNA* is 29mths 0% for a 4% fee and Fluid* is 28mths, 4% fee.

Do ensure you schedule your repayments to clear the card by the time the 0% ends, or they're both 22.9% rep APR after. And never miss the min monthly repayments, or you can lose the 0%. Full help in Plastic Loans.

Will you get one?
Use our free Money Transfer Eligibility Checker to check.
   
5. Peer-to-peer loans: Flexible & cheap, especially for smaller amounts. Try to repay most loans early and you'll be charged penalties, but there is a penalty-free alternative. Peer-to-peer lending sites act as money Cupids, matching people who want to borrow with those who have cash to lend.

The rate you get depends on your credit score, but unlike normal loans, you can check without it marking your file. The two biggies are Zopa* and Ratesetter*, which can be around 9% APR for some good credit scorers compared to a cheapest standard loan at 14.9% rep APR. Full info: Peer-To-Peer Loans (Related: 6% Peer-to-Peer Savings)
   
6.

Consolidation loans are far costlier than (30mths 0%) balance transfers. Many who've lots of debts look to consolidate. Yet all it means is they're all in one place. Focus on cutting the interest rate. Some do it to reduce repayments, but then it takes longer to clear and costs more.

If you've credit card debt, do a balance transfer, where you get a new card that repays debts on old card(s) for you. Ensure you repay or shift again before the 0% ends. Choose the lowest fee provided you can repay in time...

- Barclaycard* is 30mths 0% for a one-off 2.89% fee (18.9% rep APR after).
- MBNA* is 29mths 0% for a 2.89% fee (20.9% rep APR after).
- Barclaycard* is 25mths 0% for a 1.5% fee (18.9% rep APR after).
- Lloyds* is 24mths 0% for a 1.5% fee (17.9% rep APR after).

To check which cards'll likely accept you, use the Balance Transfer Eligibility Checker. Plus read the Credit Card Shuffle to see if your existing cards will give you better deals too. Full help: Best Balance Transfers (APR Examples)
   
7. In hardship? Are you eligible for a Government 0% loan? If you're desperate, these are far better than payday loans, as they're interest-free. There's no credit check, but they will check you can repay. Full info on these loans in our Debt Help guide. In a nutshell...

- Local council support schemes: These used to be called 'crisis loans', but are now administered locally, so sadly it's a postcode lottery as to whether you can get one. They're usually for those with no savings in emergencies.

- Budgeting loans: If you're on some income-based benefits, you could be eligible for a loan of up to £1,500 to help you meet essential living costs. You can apply online or through local Jobcentres.
   
8. Try your local credit union, especially if you've a poor credit history. If you're looking for smaller loans, why not see if there's a credit union near you? These are small savings and loan mutuals, helping local communities. They usually lend from £50 to £3,000, with APRs usually around 13%, but can be higher. To find yours, see our Credit Unions guide.
   
9. Set up a direct debit to protect your credit score. Forget or make late repayments and you risk a fine, losing your 0% deal, and a black mark on your credit file. An easy tip is to set up a direct debit to cover at least the monthly minimum, so this never happens, then pay more on top manually.
   
10. Borrowing to avoid. While we're never gung-ho about borrowing, some debt is better than others. Particularly dangerous types include:

High cost credit (incl payday loans): With APRs of up to 6,000%, these are the Mac Daddy of loans to avoid. Use our Best Buy Payday Loans? guide to see alternatives. There are now some longer-term 100%+ loans too (ouch).

Store cards: The devil's debt. These are just credit cards locked to one store, but with usually much higher 25%+ APRs. If there's a decent discount, use it, but always, always pay off IN FULL. See Store Cards for help.
   

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MSE News

Top story: - Facebook pulls HotCrazyDeal ads after some lose money
Speedy Cash 'preying on kids' by offering 'photos with Santa'
Car insurance premiums fall at record rate
Amazon closes free p&p loophole
Energy prices haven't fallen this year - watch the figures when switching
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Use the Money Mantras If you're skint If you're not skint
Jan Money Makeover Special Wed 29 Jan 2014
Car insurance costs down 14%, but predicted to rise again
SORT NOW. Even if you're not at renewal, use these hot tips (incl £60 M&S e-gift card) to drive costs down £100s

A record fall in car insurance costs, due to a crackdown on whiplash claims, has left the average at £533, according to the AA index. Yet the index's director told the Telegraph: "My fear is the falls are too great, premiums will bounce sharply up again later in the year." As a precaution, check now to secure the cheapest deal, full help in Cheap Car Insurance. A taster...

  • car insuranceCheck, even if not at renewal. Provided you haven't claimed, you can usually cancel existing policies and get a refund for the rest of the year. Yet balance savings against a c.£50 cancellation fee, and that you won't earn this year's no-claims. Forumite Tenuissent says: "I cancelled my £685 Saga cover & got similar £327 AA cover."
  • STEP 1: Combine comparisons. The sites search different insurers. Combine them to max your spread. Our current order: a) Gocompare*, b) Google*, c) MoneySup*.
  • STEP 2: Check the big deals they miss. Some competitive deals aren't on comparison sites, so check them too...

    - Direct Line £60 M&S e-gift card:
    Two big insurers are missed by all sites. 1) Direct Line, plus we've blagged this special Direct Line* link which gets you a £60 M&S e-gift card when you get a policy. 2) Also check Aviva*.
    - Swinton £40 code: Use code PMWTDR663 when you buy from Swinton* to grab £40 cashback.
    - Got 2+ cars in the home? Comparison sites can't do multi-car. Check Admiral MultiCar* & Aviva*.
  • Counter-logical tips that work. Not every car insurance saving makes sense at first glance. a) Try adding a responsible 2nd driver, eg, Mum or Dad. It doesn't always work, so use trial and error. Of course, it needs to be someone who may actually drive the car. b) Don't assume 3rd party's cheapest. Bizarrely, select comprehensive and some insurers see you as lower risk. Check both. c) Check your job description. Small, legit changes can mean big savings. Full help on this & getting cashback in Cheap Car Insurance & Cheap Under-25s' Car Insurance.
  • Watch Martin put this into practice. Prefer to watch than read? See The Martin Lewis Money Show, Fri, ITV, 8pm.

10,000+ FREE pairs of Ideal Home show tix (worth up to £28). MSE Blagged. Code gets free day tix at the 14-30 Mar London Earl's Court show. How to get them: Free Ideal Home Show Tickets

Family Railcard £10 off code (usually £30). Great if you've kids. You and up to 3 others with you get 1/3 off rail tickets, provided you're travelling with between 1 to 4 children who get 60% off. Family & Friends Railcard Discount

Kurt Geiger outlet sale: all men's & women's shoes £29 or less. Ends Sun. £5 p&p, limited stock. Shoeaholics

Brantano 30% off shoes code, incl Clarks, Nike & more. MSE Blagged. Plus free p&p. Incl sale items. Brantano

Have you got a plan B?
Prevent bank IT fail hell: 'I filled my car up, but my card failed. So embarrassing, I didn't know what to do.'

After huge previous IT meltdowns at RBS/NatWest, this weekend it hit Lloyds Group (incl TSB, BofS, Halifax) - (see Lloyds fail rights) leaving many stuck trying to pay or get cash. Keeping an emergency £20 hidden in your wallet helps, but it won't solve hotel check-out or petrol paying problems. As glitches seem to be more common, we all need a plan B...

  • plan b cards Option 1: Use a 5% cashback card, as they're NOT from bank acc providers. Your bank's credit card isn't a safety net, as it'll go down too if systems go kaput. Grab a Cashback Card - these pay you to spend on them. REPAY IN FULL each month (and don't withdraw cash) and there's no interest. You could then use it as your prime card.

    Top pick: Amex Everyday* gives 5% cashback (max £100) for 3mths and up to 1.25% after, though some stores/restaurants don't accept Amex. Poor credit score: Cap One Classic Extra* pays 0.5% cashback. Fail to fully repay and these are 19.9% rep APR and a big 34.9% rep APR. Can you get one? Use our Cashback Card Eligibility Checker to find your odds. Also see APR Examples.
  • Option 2: Get cheap spending overseas, and use for UK emergencies. Normally, we suggest these specialist credit cards that give perfect exchange rates in every country are only for use when abroad. Yet, again, provided you REPAY IN FULL each month so there's no interest, holding one in your UK wallet is helpful.

    Top pick: Halifax Clarity* is load-free in every country & has low ATM charges. But if you bank with Lloyds Group, go for the next top, Post Office*. Poor credit score: Capital One Classic Extra* is also load-free abroad, though has high ATM fees. Fail to fully repay and these are 12.9%, 17.8% and a big 34.9% rep APR, respectively. Can you get one? Use our Overseas Card Eligibility Checker. Full info & best buys in Travel Money Cards (APR Examples).
  • Struggling to get these or don't want a credit card? See our Credit Cards for Bad Credit and Boost Your Credit Score guides for help. If you don't want a credit card, you can pre-load a cheap prepaid card for emergencies, but be aware cash often 'expires' if left untouched, which may be expensive.

Don't whinge about your bank, DITCH IT & get £100. While no bank can ensure 100% no-fails, some at least fight for your custom. Top service & free £100: First Direct's* won every cust service poll we've done, gives new switchers £100, a £250 0% overdraft and linked 6% regular savings. 3% savings & cashback: Santander 123* has a £2/mth fee, but gives 3% savings interest on £3k-£20k & up to 3% cashback on bills. Full eligibility info & best buys in Best Bank Accounts.

FREE £8 L'Occitane hand cream set. 3 minis in a gift pack. Print email, take to store. Limited stock. L'Occitane Deals

Knickers coming down...
Ann Summers 20% off + 10% off on sale items codes | Figleaves 15% off code | La Senza 20% off code/vch

Superdrug 10p mascara, bronzer & more clearance. In-store, incl Maybelline mascara (was £7), Rimmel bronzer (£7) and Maybelline eyeshadow (£7). It's a bit of a treasure hunt. Full info: Can you find them?

FLASH 48hr De Vere £20 UK hotel sale. 7,000 rooms across 23 De Vere Venues (starts Thu). Hotel Sales

£23 for Hauck Sport buggy with good reviews. Suitable from newborn - a pram-azing price. Aldi Deals

"I called Sky, said I'm leaving, it cut my bills by £180/yr"
Whether Sky, Virgin, BT, TalkTalk or others, customers who want to stay should HAGGLE, HAGGLE, HAGGLE

If you're nearing contract renewal, don't just accept digital TV or broadband price hikes. If you want to stay, get on the phone & make them work to keep you. Full tips in Haggle with Sky, Virgin, TalkTalk, but we'll throw these in for free...

How many who tried to haggle succeeded?
Company (responses) Success rate (1)
Sky (915) 82%
TalkTalk (198) 82%
Virgin Media (395) 73%
BT (451) 62%
Polled in Nov 2013 (see full results).
  • 82% of Sky customers who haggled succeeded. Haggling is just a call to say: "I'm paying too much, can you do me a deal?" Those with the chutzpah tend to succeed. Don't just take our word for it...

    Virgin customer Phil emailed: "After reading your haggling article I reduced my monthly charge from £65 to £35." That's £360/yr saved.

    TalkTalk customer & forumite Deano: "A little haggling wasn't hard. Retentions offered 1/2 price Essentials for 12mths." £100/yr saved.

    Sky customer & forumite Seekingabargain: "Called Sky, told them I was leaving and was put through to retentions. They kept me on the same package but reduced it to £30/mth." An £180/yr saving.

  • Top haggling tips. It's more of an art than a science, so see Haggling with service providers for full help. Here are a few key titbits...

    - Benchmark the best buys.
    Then quote 'em & ask for a price match. See Cheap Broadband & Digital TV guides.
    - Be polite & charming. Don't be aggressive, you've no right to a discount (just to leave). Think of it like financial flirting. Rumours are some firms have quotas on the discounts they can give. Make 'em want to give you one.
    - Get put through to 'retentions'. If you don't get the deal you want, tell 'em you might leave. Then you get put through to 'disconnections' which is really 'retentions'. Its job's to keep you & it has more deals power to do it.
    - Don't be forced to disconnect: If your bluff's called, just say "I need to check with the wife/boyfriend/budgie first".
    - If you fail, try again.
    Don't assume one setback means a no. Wait a few days and try again.
Click the titles for full info and all our top picks
Balance Transfers Car Insurance Cheap Loans Top Cash ISAs
Longest 0%: Barclaycard*
30mths 0%, 2.89% fee

(18.9% rep APR)

Low fee 0%: Barclaycard*
25mths 0%, 1.5% fee

(18.9% rep APR)
Get quotes in this order...

Gocompare*
Google*
Direct Line*
Aviva*
Admiral MultiCar*

Santander* (£5k - £7.5k)
6% rep APR



Sainsbury's* (£7.5k - £15k)
4.5% rep APR

Britannia 1.75% AER
Min £500, limited withdrawals
Post/branch. Transfers allowed

Stafford Railway BS 1.75% AER
Min £1, no bonus
Post/branch. No transfers


See Card APR Examples & Loan APR Examples

2 x specs £23 | £40 contact lenses vch £19. Here's a site for sore eyes. See specs appeal & LensChecker.

60% off photo canvases code. MSE Blagged. Includes A3-ish for £25.50 delivered (was £52.50). Photo Deals

CODES... BHS 25%, Topman 10%, Deb'hams 20%, Urban Outfitters 20% & more...
BHS 25% off code & vch | Urban Outfitters 20% off code | Topman 10% incl sale items code | The Works 30% off code
Deb'hams 20% off in-store, 15% online code & vch | Dorothy Perkins 20% off code (Wed only) | Full list: Discount Vouchers

The Fragrance Shop 20% off EVERYTHING. 12-2pm daily. Useful for Valentine's smellies. Full info: Fragrance Shop

30 FREE house price valuation tools
Get a free bespoke valuation, track price cuts, crime hotspots, flood risks, free mortgage guide and more

The web's a goldmine of info to interrogate any property for free, whether you're a buyer, seller or just buy-curious. Our updated Free House Price Valuations guide lists over 30 secret web weapons... all on the house. Here's a taster:

  • house valuationsFree home valuations. These tools snoop on what neighbours paid and match up sold prices with detailed old property ads. You can even get a bespoke estimate for your gaff (fun, but they can be wildly out). See Free Valuations.
  • Find properties where the seller drops the price. An ingenious web browser add-on shows sellers who've altered listings, incl price cuts. See Property Bee.
  • Boost your chances of getting a mortgage & slash rates. Whether you're a first-time buyer, or have a mortgage and are worried about the increased likelihood of interest rate rises: 1) Get Martin's free 50-page printed First-Time Buyers' Mortgage Booklet or Remortgage Booklet. 2) Watch last Fri's ITV Martin Lewis Money Show mortgage special.
  • Check for floods, noise, crime, schools & more. Police crime-mapping websites show recorded street crime levels, plus a 10-second search could save years of hassle by analysing flooding and subsidence risks. Elsewhere, there's free info on school league tables & even a road traffic noise check. Full 30 House Valuation Tools.

Forum Hottie. Free 50p donation to Prostate Cancer UK. Just answer 5 questions & enter details. Hot Bargains

O2 gets its price hike in before the deadline. It's upping costs by 2.7% from March. See O2 Price Rise Help.

Buy £70 Nespresso, get £40 gift card for capsules. Ends Friday (£70 card for more expensive ones). Nespresso

Forum Hottie. Cancer Research up to 75% off sale. Incl £4 kids' clock, 79p harmonica. Forumites love it. Sales


Click the titles for full info and all our top picks
Gas & Electricity Bank Accounts Home Insurance Landlines
Get permanently cheap energy.

Our club ensures you're always on the cheapest tariff.

Join free: Cheap Energy Club

Up to £30 cashback for dual fuel, £15 for single switches.

First Direct*
£100 bonus and top cust service


Santander 123*
Up to 3% cashback on bills

(£2 per month fee)
Get quotes in this order...

Confused.com*
Compare The Market*
Direct Line*
Aviva*

Post Office*
with weekend calls
£10/mth (pay a yr upfront)



BT Line Rental Saver*
£11.75/mth (pay a yr upfront)
Do a Money Makeover Budget Planner MSE car sticker £13 Travel Insurance

Restaurant vouchers

Discount vouchers

Top deals

The Moneysaving community
The MoneySaving Community

Last chance: Apply for community grants from the MSE Charity. Friday's the deadline for this round of funding for charities and groups for financial & consumer education projects. Full info at The MSE Charity. Related: MSE's Charity Fund, How This Site's Financed

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA
My neighbour's chopped my tree - and has now billed me

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... During the recent storm, one of our trees fell into our neighbour's garden. The first we knew about it was the sound of chainsaws at 9am the next day - he'd already got a tree company (a friend of his, apparently) in to remove it. Three weeks later, he gave us a bill for £700. While I accept it's our responsibility to pay, this seems very expensive and he gave us no option to sort it out ourselves. Should I dispute the amount? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I dispute tree bill? | Suggest an MMD | View Past MMDs

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK
Big Energy Saving week. Need help? Struggling? Find events

It's Citizens Advice & others' Big Energy Saving Week, so if you're struggling with bills or saving energy around the home, find out what's happening near you. Of course, you can also join our free Cheap Energy Club and let us know your energy-saving stories in the MSE Forum.

THE GREAT HUNT
Je t'aime... how to have a romantic Valentine's on a budget
Let's not over-commercialise Valentine's Day. Roses, chocolates and candlelit dinners might earn brownie points, but they can come with an unromantic price tag. How do you treat your loved one without breaking the bank? Share yours/read others': Valentine's Day on a budget Past topics: View all

CHEAP FLIGHT SALES ALERT
Airline: Thomson Price: £30 off return flights Ends: Ongoing
Our pick this week is Thomson's ongoing sale, which includes taxes & charges. It's for flights between May and October to 66 international destinations from 20 UK airports. To find flights quickly, use FlightChecker on a return search. There's no code to enter, the discount appears automatically. 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

THE GREAT HUNT... REVEALED
Your tips for MoneySaving summer getaways

The Algarve, Greece and Cyprus are popular choices for bargain holidays abroad, while The Caravan Club is recommended for cheap UK getaways.
Forumite DomRavioli reckons you should always go abroad when you can (to avoid the rain) but suggests cross-checking package holiday deals with TripAdvisor before you book.

Quick forum tips

Freebies

Martin's blogs

Martin's appearances

30 January
Daybreak, ITV, 7.35am-7.45am.
Deals of the Week.
Watch last week's show
30 January
Shelagh Fogarty, Radio 5 Live, 12pm-1pm.
Consumer Panel.
Listen to past shows
31 January
This Morning, ITV, 10.30am-12.30pm.
The Money Vault with John McCririck.
Watch last week's show with Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards
31 January
The Martin Lewis Money Show, ITV, 8pm-8.30pm.
Insurance.
Watch last week's mortgage special
3 February
This Morning, ITV, 11am-12pm.
Subject tbc.
Watch this week's show on cutting holiday costs

MSE team corner

Discussion of the week

What products do you miss?

Several forumites say Kunzle cake, others remember Pacers and there are happy memories of Superwhip. Join the forum to join in.

Cheap travel money

UK's Best Currency Rates
£100 will buy you:
Best Worst
Euro Flag 120.65 108.59
US Flag $ 165.05 148.55
Turkish Flag TL 381.57 331.41
Rates correct at 4pm Tue
Find all top currency rates
Compare travel cash

This week's poll: Would you support a 50% tax rate if it didn't raise extra cash?

The Labour Party says if it returns to power, it'll reintroduce the 50% income tax rate for higher earners (over £150,000) 'they should bear a bigger burden'.

Yet it's not clear whether this will bring in extra revenue, as it could be a disincentive while some will take wealth overseas. So...

Assume increasing tax rate won't up the amount the Govt receives in tax. (We're not saying it won't, we're just testing the hypothetical question.)

Which of these is closest to your view?

Poll results

Should parents be allowed to take kids out of school for a holiday?
MoneySavers think kids should be allowed a holiday during term time - with most preferring limits on how long the break is for, and others backing age limits.

- 87% of voters who have a school-aged child said yes.
- 74% of voters who don't have a school-aged child said yes.

26,784 voted. See the full results.

Question of the week

With flight delay compensation, if the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) only helps with flights leaving from UK airports, what can you do if it's your return flight to the UK that's delayed? Jenny, by email.

MSE Helen K's A: Firstly, you can only claim compensation of £210-£500 per person if your return flight to the UK (or to any other EU airport for that matter) was with an EU airline. You can also claim compensation where the flight departed from an EU airport, regardless of the airline.

Secondly, you can only claim if your flight has been delayed by three or more hours. Compensation also depends on the distance flown and the cause of the delay.

To make a claim, first complain to the airline. If you don't get a satisfactory response, or you don't hear back at all, you can take your complaint to the CAA, the European Consumer Centre, or the regulator in the country you flew from.

- If your flight left the UK, or it was a UK airline arriving in the UK from a non-EU country, you can complain to the CAA.
- With all other flights, you need to complain to the relevant aviation regulator (find a regulator).

For full flight delay info, including free template letters, see our Flight Delay Compensation guide.

Please suggest a question of the week (we can't reply to individual emails).

 Debs' free game of the week: Dino Run

The Doppleganger effect...

That's it for this week, but before we go, some people have strange hobbies. One photographer spent 12 years scouring the world for strangers who look identical, then took photos. Check out these strangers who look like twins.

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.

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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, and still writes this email each week (unless it says so). He's an ultra-focused money-saving journalist and consumer campaigner with his own ITV prime-time The Martin Lewis Money Show, weekly slots on Radio 5 Live, This Morning and Daybreak, amongst others. He’s a columnist for publications including the Telegraph and Woman magazine. More info: See Martin Lewis' biography

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

tescobank.com, santander-products.co.uk, barclaycard.co.uk, mbna.co.uk, sainsburysbank.co.uk, cbonline.co.uk, fluid.co.uk, bank.marksandspencer.com, zopa.com, ratesetter.com, lloydsbank.com, gocompare.com, google.co.uk, moneysupermarket.com, aviva.co.uk, swinton.co.uk, admiral.com, americanexpress.com, capitalone.co.uk, halifax.co.uk, firstdirect.com, postoffice.co.uk, gocompare.com, 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.

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