Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Free... pint, house price tools, parcel delivery, Clinique, 1.55% NISA, £12 specs, 3.9% loan, travel must-dos, prepay energy fix

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Cutting your costs, fighting your corner Martin's Money Tips wed 9 jul 2014
Cards Reclaim Shopping Deals Utilities Banking Travel Insurance Mortgages Income

This week

Lock in prepay energy prices
UK's cheapest balance transfers
30+ FREE house price val tools
Flash currency sales
Free parcel delivery under £10 code
£8 Clinique minis 'free' in £2 mag
Top 1.55% easy access cash NISA
99p A Game of Thrones audiobook
Extra 10% off Tesco F&F sale code
New. First ever sub-4% APR loans
50% off Thorntons hamper code
50% off code gets £12 specs
The Martin Lewis Money Show Roadshow hits Manc & Sheffield
10,000 free Doncaster races tix
Boosted sales: 70% off Habitat/Asos & 60% off M&S/House of Fraser
£1 kids' book sale (£10 min spend)
FREE £8 cocktail and £4 pint
90 legit hayfever tablets for £5
New TicketySplit advance fares tool
Work with us: MSE is hiring
Vouchers Index: Restaurants / Shopping
Best Buys: 0% cards | Car insurance
Best Buys: Gas & Elec | Bank Accs

10 'I'm off abroad' need-to-knows. Olé.
Jetting off this summer? Here's our last-second MoneySaving checklist

If you're in full holiday countdown mode, while suncream and clothes may top the list, do spend a few minutes perusing our factor 50 pocket protection too...

1. Urgently check if yours is one of 4m EHIC cards expiring this year. The free European Health Insurance Card gives you access to EU (plus a few other) state-run hospitals or GPs like a local. If it's no cost for them, it's the same for you. Even if you've travel insurance, if going to Europe, get one and...

- Check the expiry date.
4m expire in 2014, renew or they're invalid.
- Keep it on you. Everyone (incl kids) needs one. It helps if you can show it.
- Do NOT pay. Beware Google. Many shyster sites disguise themselves as the real thing and charge c.£20 for bogus "fast track" applications. EHICs are always free. See how to Get/Renew an EHIC.

Extra tip: going Stateside? You need an ESTA. These are commonly hawked by shysters who can charge 100 dollars+ for one. Yet it ONLY costs 14 dollars & lasts 2yrs. See our full step-by-step ESTA guide for help.
2. holiday checklistSlash the cost of airport parking, "from '£115 to £40". Public transport usually wins, but not always, especially for families/groups. As forumite Bigdaddy1210 says: "Got a brilliant deal using your links for a 4-day break - it's costing just over £40 instead of £115."

He booked very early, but now, sooner is cheaper. To help, we've special discounted links to comparison sites: Holiday Extras 10-30% off*, SkyParkSecure 13-25% off*, FHR 12-18% off* and Airparks 12% off*.

For far more tips, such as hotels that give a week's parking for one night's stay, and far more, see the full Cheap Airport Parking guide.
   
3. UNBEATABLE travel money rates. When you go abroad, the aim is just  to pay for what you get, but many people pay to pay too. Just look at how much €1,000 costs you:

- Spend using top no-load specialist credit card: £793
- Cheapest bureau de change (London collection): £801
- Typical high street bureau de change: £824
- Change at airport: £880
- Spend on debit card from hell (40 transactions): £881

The best rates come from spending on specialist (no annual fee) credit cards. Here you get the same rates the banks themselves do, smashing bureaux de change every time. Do repay IN FULL every month though to minimise 12.9%, 11.9%, 17.8% and 15.9% rep APRs.

- Top card for using abroad: Halifax Clarity*, due to lower ATM charges.
- Also good: Saga* (over-50s), Post Office* & Select* (Nat'wide custs ONLY).
- Will I be accepted? Use our Which Card Am I Most Likely To Get? tool.

With these cards, it's always cheaper to spend on them rather than withdraw foreign cash & spend that (if they ask you to pay in pounds or euros, pay in euros). Full info & card comparison in Cheap Travel Cards (APR Examples).

- Top prepaid cards: If you can't get one of those cards, a prepaid card lets you load it with cash in advance (if you lose it, your cash is safe) then spend. Our current top pick is Ukash*. Full help, pros & cons: Cheap Prepaid Cards

- Cheap travel cash. Use our travel money comparison tool and see below for a full list of FLASH sales on this week.
4. Free holiday sat-nav and other quick tricks. OK, let's get clever.

- No-cost sat-nav: The NavFree iPhone/Android app turns your phone into a sat-nav. You can download maps for about 50 countries - do it before you go so you aren't charged data roaming costs once there.
- Menu translations: The WordLens app's now free for iPhone & Android. Hold your phone over text and it auto-translates within the image (v cool).
- Don't needlessly buy new suncream. Open ones can still work for up to two years - check how long yours lasts.
- Charge mobiles/laptops before flying. New security checks mean if you can't power them up, you could have to leave them at the airport.
- If you're going to Spain, don't buy in Zara first. Prices there are a fraction of the cost in the UK. See my Zara on the cheap blog for how to work this.
- Check pound stores for accessories. Avoid inflated airport prices. Pound stores often have adaptors, neck cushions, and eye masks. For more, see 50+ Overseas Tips.
5. Sort travel insurance NOW (it can be as little as £6). Apparently, almost 1 in 4 Brits jet off without cover, risking £1,000s in medical bills. If you've booked a trip but not insurance, do it ASAP, or you're not covered if you cancel now. See Cheap Travel Insurance for help, but in brief...

All policies below meet our minimum cover levels and are FCA-regulated.

- Single trip policies from £6: Prices vary with age, destination & trip length. Two providers battle it out for cheapness: Protect Your Bubble Economy*, & HolidaySafe*. Cover for a week in Europe aged under 45 is as little as £6; for 2 wks in US for a family (max age 55) it's £54.

For bespoke prices, you can use the MoneySupermarket* comparison, but do check the cover levels. Read our single trip policy help for more.

- Cover all a year's trips from £13. If you go away 2+ times a year, an annual policy is usually cheapest. HolidaySafe (Lite)* cover is an age-based £13-£19 in Europe (£23-£28 world) and £27-£38 for a family (£46-£56 world). For more choice, including top value picks which have strong feedback and payout record, see Cheap Annual Travel Insurance.

- Over 65, or pre-existing conditions: It's all about the right specialist. Full help in Over-65s Travel Insurance & Pre-Existing Conditions.
6. Warning. Drinking can invalidate travel insurance. Losing something or having an accident after drinking - sometimes even just being merry - could kibosh medical and possessions cover. Don't take unnecessary valuables out and be careful. See Cheap Travel Insurance.
7. Book car hire ASAP and save £100s. If you've left it late, a couple of days in advance rather than doing it once there, can still save you large. Full help in Cheap Holiday Car Hire, but at speed...

- Find cheapest via comparison sites: Use Kayak*, Carrentals* & TravelSup*.
- Check stealth fuel charges. Hire for 3+ days and some make you pay for a full tank & return it empty, that can be £100 extra if you don't drive far. Both AutoEurope* & TravelSupermarket* let you filter by fuel policy.
- Get cheap excess insurance before you go. The hire firm will want you to get up to £20/day excess cover on top of the included insurance. Instead, get Cheap Excess Insurance for as little as £2 before you go.
- Outside Europe? Need an international permit? See Driving Abroad.
8. Stop your card getting blocked while away. Pay overseas and some banks block cards in case it's fraud. We've a list of banks you need to tell before going away to avoid pricey calls & embarrassing shopping trips.
9. Don't wait until touchdown to turn off smartphone data roaming. Voice & data roaming costs have plummeted in the EU, yet go further afield and you can still pay over £1/min or, eg, in Turkey on Orange, £8/MB (that's around £1,400 for watching a 30min TV programme).

Even if you don't use the web, apps can download data in the background, racking up bills of £100s. So turn off data roaming before you go (it's in 'settings' on most phones) and only turn it on if you specifically need it.

And never watch videos on 3G abroad as a 30 min TV programme could cost £1,400+. Full help, incl cheap overseas Sim deals, in Cheapest Data Roaming and Cheap Mobile Roaming.
10. Can you get a flight upgrade?. Sweet-talking check-in staff for a first class ticket is the stuff of urban legend. You can only ensure upgrades if you pay (though last-min upgrades can be cheaper than booking a higher class), yet upgrades can happen. Full tips & tricks, incl booking the best economy seats: Flight Upgrades

POCKET LIFESAVER TRAVEL GUIDE: And before we go, grab our Lifesaver Travel Guide, containing essential travel tips to keep costs down and help if things go wrong. Pack it in your luggage in case you need it.

PS. Come back next week for a full rundown of the top MoneySaving days out for children this summer, including theme parks, museums and more.

Blagged for MoneySavers

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Our club ensures you're always on the cheapest tariff.
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Claims handlers aren't more successful.
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MSE News

Top story: SLC must stop "misleading" debt collection tactics
Five arrested in copycat website crackdown
Banking trio used dubious tactics to pressure indebted customers
British Gas pays out after mis-selling Sainsbury's Energy deals
No more cash on London buses
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Use the Money Mantras If you're skint If you're not skint
The Ones Not To Miss Wed 9 Jul 2014
New. Fix your PREPAY energy
Finally, choice and competition for key/card meter gas & electricity users. Switch, save & lock in prices until 2016

A fixed tariff locks you in at a set rate, ensuring no price hikes. For key/card prepayment meter users, they've been rare and costly. Yet finally we're seeing some developments, allowing some to switch, cut costs & prevent price hikes...

TOP PREPAY FIX TARIFFS AT TYPICAL USAGE
Full comparison to find YOUR actual price
Fixed until Exit fees Cost/yr
Big 6 tariffs - - £1,240 - £1,280
Ovo* 1 yr £30/fuel £1,220
EDF* 31 Oct 2016 None £1,240
All based on Ofgem typical usage, dual fuel varies by region. Source: MoneySupermarket.com.
  • Fix no price hikes for TWO winters. Of the two cheap fixes, we like EDF's new Blue+ Fix Prepay 2016*. It's only a little costlier than Ovo* (links to home page, select 'Energy Plans'/'Pay As You Go Energy'), but lasts over a year longer and has no exit penalties. So if things change (eg, prices elsewhere drop) you can leave with no charge.

    Yet ALWAYS use our Cheap Prepay Fixes Comparison to get bespoke prices to see your exact results - and £30 dual fuel cashback too (if you switch to these).

    What if fixing costs more? If you can fix and cut costs, it's a win. If fixing costs a little more, you decide which counts for you more - short-term savings or the peace of mind of no hikes for longer.

    Can I switch if I owe supplier cash? Yes, if under £500 per fuel. More help & cashback options: Prepaid Energy.
  • Can you change to a 'billed' meter? Here your usage is measured, then you're billed afterwards. It's MUCH cheaper, eg, on the same usage as the table above, the cheapest direct debit billed fix is £990/yr. Not everyone will be allowed to change, and some suppliers charge, but see our Shift To A Billed Meter For Free? info.

More MoneySaving: MSE Cheap Energy Club, Free Insulation, Cheap Gas & Elec guide, £7,600 Home Insulation Grants.

Free parcel delivery code. Via delivery comparison site Parcel2Go. Newbies code gives you £10 off, so if your parcel costs £10 or under to deliver, you'll get it for nowt. Includes Parcelforce, UPS, TNT, FedEx & more. Parcel2Go

'Free' Clinique minis in £2 mag. Includes mascara, moisturiser and lip balm. Worth £5-£8ish each. Clinique Deals

New top 1.55% easy access cash NISA. All ISAs are now New ISAs (NISAs), so you can save up to £15,000 tax-free this year. BM Savings* is paying 1.55% AER (min £1) on new money & transfers. 1.05% of this is a 12mth bonus, which acts as a min rate promise, but diarise to ditch & transfer after. More options (incl higher fixed rates) in Top Cash NISAs.

3 audiobooks £3, incl Game of Thrones & The Fault in Our Stars. MSE Blagged. Newbies only. Audible gives you a book each month, this is a 99p/mth 3-month trial, £8/mth after. You can cancel after 3mths & keep books. Audible

Revealed. The UK's cheapest balance transfer cards
Cut existing debt costs by shifting debt to a 0% card. Yet should you go long or for a low fee? New MSE analysis

A balance transfer is when you get a new card that repays the debts on other cards, so you owe it instead at a lower rate. This will save some £100s or £1,000s. As more of your money goes on clearing the actual debt, not servicing the interest, you should have no debt sooner. Now, the market's super-competitive, so we've a new analysis to help you choose.

  • The UK's cheapest debt-shifting cards. All 0% balance transfer cards charge a one-off fee of the amount transferred, eg, 3% on £3,000 = £90 to your balance. Usually the longer the 0%, the higher the fee, but a few buck the trend. We've analysed scores to rank them by the fee per 0% month - showing which give best value...
THE TOP CHEAPEST NEW CARDHOLDER 0% BALANCE TRANSFER DEALS
Can you get these cards? Use our Balance Transfer Eligibility Checker to find your chances for each
  Card Intro 0% One-off fee Rep APR after Fee per 0% mth
Longest 0% card (for comparison) Barclaycard* 33mths (1) 2.99% 18.9% 0.091%
Winners:
2+ yrs 0%
Lloyds* 24mths (1) 1.5% 17.9% 0.063%
Halifax* 30mths (1) 2.5% 18.9% 0.083%
Winners:
1 - 2 yrs 0%
Post Office* - overall cheapest 18mths 0.7% 17.8% 0.039%
Nationwide (2) 15mths 0.65% 17.9% 0.043%
Winners:
Under a yrs 0%
Fluid* 12mths 0.5% 18.9% 0.042%
Sainsbury's* 12mths 0.5% 18.9% 0.042%
FULL INFO & MORE BEST BUYS: Best Balance Transfers (APR Examples) (1) Some get a shorter 0%. (2) We can't eligibility check you for the Nationwide card
  • How to pick a card from the table. As a general rule, aim for the LOWEST FEE possible, provided you can clear the debt before the 0% ends. If you're unsure, just go long for safety, as then you've more time to repay. Yet the new ranking really powers through for card tarts or those with multiple cards who won't/can't clear them during the 0% period, but will shift the debt when it ends. If so, focus on the cards with the lowest ongoing costs.
  • The balance transfer golden rules. a) Repay at least the set monthly minimum, or you may lose the 0%. b) Aim to clear the debt or shift again before the 0% ends, or rates rocket. c) Don't spend on these, it isn't usually at the cheap rate. d) To help decide, see our Which Card's Cheapest? tool. e) FULL info & FAQs in Best Balance Transfers.

Extra 10% code off Tesco F&F up to 50% sale. MSE Blagged. Ends Mon. Discount off sale items. F&F Clothing

New. First ever sub-4% APR loans. If you need to borrow, rates are at an all-time low. For £7.5k-£15k: Sainsbury's* is 3.9% rep APR for 1-3yrs (4% rep APR for 4-5yr loans*) - you need to have/get a Nectar card. Need to borrow less? £5k-£7.5k: Sainsbury's* is 5.3% rep APR over 1-3yrs (5.4% rep APR over 4-5yrs*). Need £2k-£5k? Hitachi's* at 8% rep APR to £3k and 7.8% rep APR above. Always budget to ensure affordable repayments. More sub-4% deals in Loan Best Buys.

50% off Thorntons chocs hamper code. £60 hampers for £30. 600 available, so go quick. See Thorntons.

50% off code gets £12 specs. MSE Blagged Incl frames, lenses and del. See Glasses Deals. Related free £20 eye test*.

Near Manchester or Sheffield? Come to the ITV Martin Lewis Money Show Roadshow. Want to ask Martin a question, tell him how much you've saved, or just say hi? We'll be at Sheffield's Meadowhall next Mon (14th) & Tue (15th) and Manchester's Arndale Centre Thu (17th) & Fri (18th) from 11am to 7pm. Full Roadshow info.

30+ FREE house price valuation tools
How to investigate a property - track price cuts, crime hotspots, flood risks, grab a mortgage guide & more

With UK house prices at record highs, up an average 11% in a year (much due to London's 25% rise), the press & TV are full of it (meant both ways). In reality, prices spikes & troughs across the country, so what's the real value of your home?

  • home valuationHouse price valuation tools. We've 30 House Price Tools to match up sold prices with detailed old property ads, monitor house price drops and track when sellers put particular properties on the market.
  • Find properties where the seller drops the price. An ingenious web browser add-on shows buyers which sellers have altered listings - see Property-Bee. Plus check out property heat maps to scan for where prices may be overheated.
  • Check for floods, noise, crime, schools & more. Police crime-mapping sites show recorded street crime levels, plus a 10-second search could save years of hassle by analysing flooding & subsidence risks. Elsewhere, there's info on school league tables and even a road traffic noise check.
  • MSE 'get the best mortgage & remortgage' booklets. For many, it's the biggest financial decision you'll ever make, so you need to know exactly what you're doing. To help, we've 'sit down & read' guides to take you through step-by-step. Booklets: First-Time Buyers 2014, Remortgaging 2014, Buy-To-Let Mortgages

10,000 free tix to Doncaster race night with code. For Thu 17 Jul. Normally £7.50. Doncaster Racecourse

Sales BOOSTED this week, incl M&S, Asos and more
M&S up to 60% off | Asos up to 70% off | Habitat up to 70% off | House of Fraser up to 60% off | All High Street Sales

£1-£2 kids' book sale (and £2-£3 teachers' books), incl Spongebob and Horrible Histories. These sales tend to be very popular, with a big selection. Though do note there's a min spend of £10 and delivery's £3. Scholastic

Free £8 cocktail / £4 pint at Pitcher & Piano. Available to all over-18s. See Pitcher & Piano. Be Drinkaware.

Click the titles for full info and all our top picks
Balance Transfers Car Insurance Cheap Loans Top Cash ISAs
Longest 0%: Barclaycard*
33mths 0%, 2.99% fee

(18.9% rep APR)

Low fee 0%: Post Office*
18mths 0%, 0.7% fee

(17.8% rep APR)
Get quotes in this order...

MoneySupermarket*
Gocompare*
Direct Line*
Aviva*
Admiral MultiCar*

Sainsbury's* (£5k - £7.5k)
5.3% rep APR



Sainsbury's* (£7.5k - £15k)
3.9% rep APR



BM Savings* 1.55% AER
Min £1, incl bonus
Postal. Transfers allowed


Coventry BS 2.75% AER
Min £1. No transfers
Loophole: Fixed till May 2018


See Card APR Examples & Loan APR Examples
Urgent. Flash currency sales - euros, dollars and more
If you're heading away, the bureaux are battling hard for your custom - though special credit cards beat 'em

Your money should stretch further if you're heading abroad this summer. We told you a couple of weeks ago the pound was at a five-year high against the US dollar. Now it's even better, as you get 1.71 dollar to the pound. It's also 10% up on the euro last summer, at €1.26. Max the gain with the best rate...

  • flash saleFLASH currency sales. Three bureaux are temporarily boosting their rates online (on top of usual currency fluctuations). Yet always use our TravelMoneyMax travel money comparison, which updates during sales so you can find top deals.

    - Post Office: euro & US. Starts 8am Wed 9 Jul, ends 8am Thu 10 Jul.
    - Asda: euro, US, Mexican, Egyptian & Bulgarian currencies. Now till 8am Fri 11 Jul.
    - ICICI Bank: all currencies. Starts 10am Thu 10 Jul, ends 10am Fri 11 Jul.

    When big firms such as these run rate boosts, as many people go via TravelMoneyMax at that time, the other small bureaux there tend to respond, boosting their rates temporarily, so the 'sales' don't look as good. But, as many rates are boosted, you win.
  • SMASH bureau rates, every time in every country. If you're not going just yet, a few specialist credit cards offer near-perfect rates for spending abroad. For these blockbuster deals, see the full breakdown above.

Achoo — 90 hayfever tablets £5 (incl del). Don't pay big bucks for allergy tablets. Cheap Legit Hayfever Tablets

New TicketySplit ADVANCE fares tool - slash train costs. Please help us test it. We'd love you to try our new TicketySplit tool, which aims to save you cash on early-booked fares. It's still in testing, so please feed back. What is split ticketing? An example spells it out best. A ticket from B'ham to Newquay costs £150, but the train stops at Cheltenham. So, buy a ticket from B'ham to Cheltenham and Cheltenham to Newquay, and it's just £60 for the same train & journey.

MSE job opportunities. We're looking for a full-time sub-editor & we've developer roles, based in London. MSE Jobs


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

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

Join: Cheap Energy Club

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

First Direct*
£125 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)



TalkTalk Value Line Rental*
£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

BOOK GIVEAWAY RESULT
The IntoTrim Plan.
25 blagged for MoneySavers. Find out if you got one.

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA
Should I increase my housemates' rent?

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... I live in a houseshare, and I've recently taken responsibility for the rent to our landlord - giving me a significant risk. The rent is quite low for the area. Would it be moral for me to charge my housemates more, now I've taken on more risk? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I increase my housemates' rent? | Suggest an MMD | View Past MMDs

THE GREAT HUNT... REVISITED
Your tips for hosting a MoneySaving summer party
It's summer, so it's time for outdoor parties. Whether it's tips on good value BBQ food, drink or ways to keep kids amused, we'd like to tap MoneySavers' collective knowledge on hosting a summer party. Share yours/read others': MoneySaving summer party tips Past topics: View all

CHEAP FLIGHT SALES ALERT
Airline: Monarch Offer: 50,000 seats at £49.99 or under Ends: Fri 11 Jul
Our pick this week is Monarch's* 50,000 seats at £49.99 or under sale. It's on till midday Fri 11 Jul and includes taxes and charges. It's for flights until 31 Oct 2014 to 30 destinations from six UK airports. 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
What's on your get-before-you-go holiday checklist?

MoneySavers recommend
picking up sun cream and good books, as well as ear plugs, luggage scales and medicines before travelling. There's one tip for what not to take, too - any white powder...

Quick forum tips

Freebie of the Week

Martin's blogs

Martin's appearances

10 July
Good Morning Britain, ITV, 6am-8.30am.
Deals of the week.
10 July
Shelagh Fogarty, Radio 5 Live, 12pm-1pm.
Consumer Panel.
Subscribe to podcast.
11 July
Money Talks with Martin Lewis, ITV, 11am-12pm.
Adam Rickitt faces Martin in the vault.
11 July
Jeremy Vine, Radio 2, 1pm-2pm.
Five unpleasant truths.

MSE team corner

Discussion of the week

What supermarkets are close by?

There are lots of supermarket deals, but how many are near enough for you to take advantage of? Let us know in our What supermarkets are close by? poll and discussion.

Cheap travel money

UK's Best Currency Rates
£100 will buy you:
Best Worst
Euro Flag 124.86 112.37
US Flag $ 169.86 152.87
Turkish Flag TL 346.00 310.50
Rates correct at 4pm Tue
Find all top currency rates
Compare travel cash

This week's poll: Do you travel with or without travel insurance?

We believe travel insurance is a necessity for holiday travel abroad. Do you risk going without it?

For more help, see our Cheap Travel Insurance guide.

Poll results

The MoneySavingExpert.com Annual Census
OK, so according to our census, the typical MoneySaver is a woman aged 34-55, who earns £20k - £30k and lives in the south east of England, went to university, has kids and likes cheese and onion crisps.

While there's certainly nothing wrong with that (apart from the crisp bit - surely salt & vinegar rules - ML) we're pretty glad there's still a great deal of variety among the 17,541 who voted. See the full results.

Question of the week

Q: I'm going to the US, where I'm a citizen, as well as being British. Do I need travel insurance? Philip, via email.

MSE Tony's A: Travel insurance is as important as your passport or currency. Wherever you go, even if you're a citizen of the country you're visiting, it would be a mistake not to buy it. It doesn't just cover emergency medical treatment, it also covers repatriation back to the UK, cancellation of your trip, baggage and other possessions.

Healthcare in the US is costly, but insurer Holidaysafe, for instance, tells us you can claim for the cost of medical emergencies there, regardless of your citizenship, on its policies. The important factor is where you live. As a permanent UK resident, if you have travel insurance, you're covered for healthcare. You can't claim for medical care if you're a US resident.

As always, read the T&Cs carefully for what's included before you buy. For full help and prices, see our Cheap Travel Insurance guide.

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

Charlotte's free game of the week: 100 Percent Complete

The 50 happiest animals in the world

That's it for this week, but before you go, why not cheer yourself up with this collection of the 50 happiest animals in the world? Enjoy.

We hope you save some money,

Martin & the MSE team

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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

holidayextras.co.uk, skyparksecure.com, bookfhr.com, airparks.co.uk, halifax.co.uk, saga.co.uk, postoffice.co.uk, nationwide.co.uk, ukash.com, protectyourbubble.com, holidaysafe.co.uk, moneysupermarket.com, holidaysafe.co.uk, kayak.co.uk, carrentals.co.uk, travelsupermarket.com, auto-europe.co.uk, bmsavings.co.uk, lloydsbank.com, halifax.co.uk, fluid.co.uk, sainsburysbank.co.uk, paybyfinance.co.uk, barclaycard.co.uk, moneysupermarket.com, gocompare.com, directline.com, aviva.co.uk, admiral.com, opticalexpress.co.uk, ovoenergy.com, edfenergy.com, confused.com, santander-products.co.uk, firstdirect.com, comparethemarket.com, directline.com, talktalk.co.uk.

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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