| | 10 HOT Amazon cost-cutting tools & tips
Uncover 75%+ discounts, reclaim lost music, free delivery tricks & more It's the giant e-tailer's 20th birthday. Many will celebrate as it's the go-to one-stop online shop. Others who think it's avoiding paying its fair share of UK tax will gnash their teeth. If you use it, we say as it pays less, you should pay less. We've 16 Amazon tricks and here are 10 ways to save on your shopping - not your tax - to start. | 1. | Reveal 75%+ off bargains, smashing Amazon's own outlet. The Amazon Outlet Store* collates up-to-70%-off offers on branded clothes, shoes, jewellery & more. Yet our long-running Amazon Discount Finder can find you even bigger deals, with huge flexibility.
It manipulates Amazon links to build bespoke pages, eg, fragrances 75% off*, TVs 25% off* and handbags 75% off*. We've even added the brands outlet as a category, to pinpoint the best bargains within it. | | | | 2. | Reclaim 15 YEARS of lost music for free. Buy CDs/vinyl from Amazon and you get the MP3s for nothing. This also works for 350,000 titles bought through Amazon all the way back to 1999, which may even include that year's Mambo No5 or Britney's Baby One More Time. (Remember that? We do, for our sins...)
Just do a quick check for lost music, like MoneySaver catnatlady did: "I got back 58 albums I never knew I bought." | | | | 3. |  Beat Amazon's delivery charges. A £10 min spend gets you free delivery on most items. For anything less, beat it with free delivery tricks...
a) £7-£10 items: Delivery's usually £3+ (varies), so buy small items to hit £10.
b) Grab a free 1mth Amazon Prime trial* (newbies only) for unlimited free one-day delivery (don't forget to cancel).
c) Amazon automatically selects first class (from £1.19), even if you qualify for free delivery. If you can wait 3-5 working days, choose free delivery.
d) Most uni students can get unlimited free one-day delivery for 6 months via a free 6-month trial of the Amazon Student scheme (normally £39). | | | | 4. | £100 Amazon voucher for FREE. The Amex Gold* charge card gives you 20,000 reward points if you spend £2,000+ in the first 3 months, enough for a £100 Amazon gift card. Don't spend unnecessarily, but if your normal spend covers this, it's a huge bonus. The £125 annual fee is waived in year 1 so cancel before year 2 to avoid it.
IMPORTANT: This is a charge card, so you must repay IN FULL every month, or face a £12 penalty and a credit file default. You need to pass a credit check. Full details: Credit Card Freebies. | | | | 5. | Get 80%+ off M&S, Asos, Argos, etc. It's not just Amazon. A host of big-name retailers flog unsold stock with 80%+ off via online outlets. Our Outlet Store Discount Finder searches 50+ outlets for huge clothes, furniture and toy discounts.
Current hotties we found incl £3.50 Mothercare baby pyjamas (were £12), £15 Kurt Geiger shoes (£120) and a £16 Firetrap men's jacket (£123.99). (Clearance stock goes quick, so these may go once we send this email.) | | | | 6. | Free tool checks if stuff's ever been cheaper. Just because it's discounted doesn't mean it's a bargain. You can use a website to snoop on a product's Amazon history and see if it's ever sold for less. Prepared to wait? Name a price you're willing to pay and it'll send you price-drop emails. | | | | 7. | Students get 10% off clothing for a YEAR, 5% off music, books etc. If you've a National Union of Students Extra card, log onto the NUS website for a unique, reusable code giving year-long discounts such as 10% off fashion or 5% off books, music, DVDs, beauty and more.
Extra tip: For £39 instead of the usual £79, the new Amazon Student scheme gives most in higher education access to its TV & film streaming service, its Kindle lending library and free one-day delivery. There's also a free 6-month trial which only gives the free delivery from the list above. | | | | 8. | Free local eBay deals tool & apps. Amazon's huge rival eBay is ripe for bargain-hunting too. One biggie is sellers often specify items - from designer sofas to PS4s - as 'collection only', which means fewer bids so serious deals. You can't search for 'em on eBay, so we built a Local eBay Deals tool & phone app (iPhone and Android) to find 'em quick. See 40 eBay buying tricks. | | | | 9. | Don't assume Amazon's cheapest. To ensure you get the best price, never go straight to Amazon. In the same time it takes to check one site, our MegaShopBot tool uncovers the best shopping comparison site for each item you're after, to see if you can buy stuff cheaper elsewhere. | | | | 10. | Sign up to Amazon's fashion email and get 20% off clothes and shoes. If you're a first-time subscriber to Amazon's clothing and shoe store emails, it'll send you a 20% off code on sign up. The discount is valid for 30 days and can be used on up to five items. It's only valid on items sold by Amazon and not on anything bought from third-party retailers though. | | |
PS From Martin. I'm taking a break this week, so this email is in the more than capable hands of MSE Guy and the MSE team.
PPS. Rumours I've eloped with a talking dog are both inappropriate and untrue. |
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| Wed 20 Aug 2014 |
New longest 0% no-fee balance transfer deal
The debt-shifting war is raging. Take full advantage to slash your costs Another week, another salvo. This time it's a fight for the longest 0% balance transfer offer with no fee, with Tesco now giving 10 months, blowing previous front-runner Barclaycard's six months (which has now gone) out of the water. Last time Tesco had a similar deal it flew off the shelves, so you'll need to move fast... - Get the lowest fee within the 0% time you're certain you can clear the card in. Fail to repay within the 0% period and the interest dwarfs a lower fee. If you're certain you can clear it, or will shift again after 10mths, go for Tesco. If not, scan down the list for the first card that definitely gives you enough time...
TOP PICK NEW CARDHOLDER 0% BALANCE TRANSFER DEALS
Aim for the LOWEST FEE possible, provided you're sure you can repay in that time | | Card | Intro offer | One-off fee (1) | Rep APR after | | Barclaycard* Longest 0% card. | 33mths 0% (2) | 2.99% | 18.9% | | Halifax* Longest if transferring from Barclaycard. | 32mths 0% (2) | 2.7% | 18.9% | | MBNA* Allows you to shift overdrafts to 0% too. | 31mths 0% | 2.88%/4% (3) | 20.9%/22.9% (4) | | Lloyds Long 0%, much lower fee. | 28mths 0% | 1.5% | 18.9% | | Barclaycard Platinum* Good for credit (re)building. | 14mths 0% | 2.9% | 24.9% | | New. Tesco* No fee on balance transfers. | 10mths 0% | 0% | 18.9% | | FULL INFO & MORE BEST BUYS: Best Balance Transfers (APR Examples) 1) % of the amount transferred. 2) Some get a shorter 0%. 3) 2.88% standard, 4% on money transfers to bank account. 4) 22.9% rep APR for a money transfer. | - FREE tool shows your odds of being accepted. All cards credit score you to help decide acceptance. Perversely, the only way to know what you'll get is to apply, but applications can hit your score. Our Balance Transfer Eligibility Checker shows your odds so you can minimise applications (though we can't check you for Tesco).
- Always obey the 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.
Ad Watch - NatWest's 0%uch ad is dangerously misleading. Martin argues the case for 0% cards. See his blog. back to top ↑ |
| DIY & homeware deals for bank hol, incl Homebase 15% off almost everything. Online code (Sat-Tue) & in-store (Sat-Mon). Plus Habitat 15% off & MSE Blagged Morphy Richards 15% code incl sale. See DIY & homeware. 15% off Tesco school uniform code. MSE Blagged. 5,000 F&F online codes, valid till Sun. Plus poss FREE embroidery. Sainsbury's Tu has 25% off incl uniform, but our analysis shows the Tesco offer usually wins. Uniform Still to go away? Sort insurance now & get the best deal for your travel cash. Always get travel ins when you book a hol - if you haven't yet, buy now. Cheapest individual cover's £13/yr with Holidaysafe* or single trip £5.60 with PYB*. See Cheap travel insurance. Holiday cash: Compare rates at TravelMoneyMax. Not going yet? The Halifax Clarity* card (check if you'll get it) gives near-perfect spending rates worldwide. Pay IN FULL each month or it's 12.9% rep APR. Cheap Overseas Cards (APR Examples) Get £88 M&S beauty box with £50 women's undies spend. Beauty box includes mascara, body butter, nail varnish, hand cream and more. Thu-Mon, online and in-store. M&S |
URGENT: Last chance to claim mis-sold CPP - worth £100s
£1.3bn's being dished out. We've seen countless successes, and only one rejection. So fill the form in NOW Welcome to the last-chance saloon. Up to 7m people may have been mis-sold CPP card and identity protection policies since 2005, either directly or via their bank. The regulator, the FCA, has ordered a formal payback system, but you've only till 30 Aug to use it (we've asked the FCA to extend the deadline, but it may not, so act now). Here's our clarion call...  This is serious money. We're swamped with successes, such as forumite Cornishmum: "Thank you for all your advice and sample forms - have just received 2 cheques totalling just over £600." JonD says: "I have just received £1,015 from the CPP pot." In fact, we've seen loads of successes, though some are due just £30 or so.- If you get a letter, JUST FILL IT IN. If you get a letter, you had a policy and were probably mis-sold it, so send it back. The bit everyone's finding difficult is explaining how you were mis-sold (section B). To help, cut and paste from our CPP form filling templates.
- Lost your letter, or binned it? Many tell us they binned their letters thinking they were junk. If so, or you didn't get one but think you've had CPP since 2005, you'll need to be quick - see No CPP Letter? Help.
- What about reclaiming from before 2005? This is possible, but you can't do it through the formal redress scheme. We're hearing of a few wins this way, though. Full help in Claiming For Before 2005.
- CPP isn't the same as PPI. CPP schemes promised to insure you against card or ID fraud, while PPI covers loan, credit card or mortgage repayments if you can't repay due to accident, sickness or unemployment. You may have been mis-sold both, and could reclaim both (over £15bn of PPI's been claimed back). See Reclaim PPI For Free.
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| FitFlop 15% off code (incl up to 60% off sale). MSE Blagged. Till Sun, on ALL Shoetique items, incl FitFlop. Shoes Get up to 1.55% AER on your NISA cash. This week HSBC followed Barclays by dropping cash NISA rates - so it's absolutely crucial to check you've got the best deal. The top pick easy access NISA from BM Savings* pays 1.55% AER variable. You can save from £1, plus transfer in old NISA cash. Part of the rate's a 1.05% bonus for 12mths (effectively ensuring that rate for a year), so you'll need to diarise to ditch & transfer. For a 'clean' rate, Nationwide* pays 1.5% AER variable (min £1), and allows transfers. Full info & other top picks, incl fixed NISAs: Top Cash NISAs. London-B'ham sub-£10 train rtrn, book Weds ONLY. Each day this week, London Midland has up to 75% off a route to/from B’ham. Must book on sale day, do outbound leg in Aug, return in a month. Thu & Fri routes TBC. Train Sale |
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| Sainsbury's Tu 25% off EVERYTHING, incl sale. In-store discount on all clothes, incl school uniform. Sains Tu Voting registration changes: don't ignore your letter. Most in Eng & Wales (Scotland from Sept) have had a letter by now detailing key changes which could affect your ability to get credit. Full info: Electoral Roll Changes. |
The pension 'hokey-cokey' loophole - make up to £3,000 profit?
You put cash in, you take cash out, in out, in out, then shake the tax out. Get £1,000s more out than you put in In his March budget, the Chancellor announced huge pension changes. Most start in April 2015, but until then, interim measures are in place, creating a loophole. Some basic-rate taxpayers aged 60+ and in work can speedily MAKE up to £1,000+ more than they put in, higher-rate up to £3,000. It's tricky, so see our new Pension Hokey-Cokey Loophole guide.  The big picture. Money saved into pensions comes from ‘gross’ income, ie, BEFORE tax. With a personal pension, you put money in then tax originally charged is added to top up your pot. To save £10,000 in reality only costs a basic-rate taxpayer £8,000.
The loophole applies in some circumstances (see when this works), as when you withdraw cash you only pay tax on 75% of the amount. So you'd be up because you pay less tax than you initially gained (which was on the whole lot). To max this, some can put the money in, out, in, out, gaining each time. That's why we call it the Pension Hokey-Cokey Loophole - click for full guide.- A message from Martin - is it legal? Moral? Legal, yes. As for moral? As long as it lasts, you'd be cashing in on something you were never intended to, making profit from the general tax pot, so it's questionable. You need to think it through. I did wrestle with whether to cover it, in the end I was swayed by two main reasons...
1) I'm a nerd, and the sheer pleasure of the mathematical puzzle is just too appealing.
2) I've seen it discussed elsewhere, often in too-complex-to-understand tones, only for those with big bucks. So if there's a loophole, I thought MSE should democratise it and give everyone who it suits the details. back to top ↑ |
| Paaarty. 20 FREE UK summer festivals & carnivals. A big free party - what's not to love? Plenty of no-cost festivals left this year, incl this weekend's Notting Hill Carnival, Liverpool Int'l Music Fest & Cardiff Festival. Free Festivals Success of the week: (Send us yours on this or any topic)
"Mum finally took your advice on PPI. We've been offered £17k from three lenders. Beyond happy."
- see Reclaim PPI for Free for help on how to claim for mis-sold insurance, including free template letters. REVEALED: It can cost more to call & text UK mobiles here than from Europe. We've found EU caps mean it can be cheaper on the Continent than at home if you're on PAYG (or over your monthly allowance). Vodafone PAYG costs 14p/text from the UK, 5p in the EU. Full details: MSE's Mobile Roaming Report. Show Best Buys
Burt's Bees 10% off EVERYTHING code. MSE Blagged. Ends Mon, plus get 'free' £6 lotion on £25+ spend. Beauty CODES AND VOUCHERS: Topman extra 15% off sale, Debenhams 10% off etc...
Topman extra 15% code | D'hams 10% code | Matalan 15% off £40 code | Office 25% (in £2 mag) vch | Discount Vouchers 2for1 pizza code at Papa John's. For collection & delivery, online only, ends Sun. Excludes small pizzas. Pizza |
Ending. FREE loft/cavity insulation + FREE £50 J Lewis/Argos voucher
MSE Blagged. Totally free deal to get up to £700 of home insulation - plus get 'paid' to have a warmer home To hit eco targets, British Gas is installing free loft and/or cavity wall insulation for ANYONE - incl non-BG customers - with a suitable, uninsulated home (not NI). On top, we've blagged a £50 high street gift card for you until Sat 30 Aug - these offers tend to come and go but apply by then to be safe. You can get...  Free insulation - what do you get? British Gas's free insulation deal is open to anyone and includes installing a variety of elements. You pay zero, though extras, (eg, scaffolding), aren't always included.
- Loft insulation worth up to £300, save £150/yr. According to the Energy Saving Trust (EST), a quarter of your home's heat escapes through the loft. Insulate it, and a typical 3-bed home could save around £150/yr. The insulation usually costs £300 all-in.
- Cavity wall insulation worth up to £400, save £140/yr. Most homes built since 1920 have a gap between internal and external walls - filling it keeps cold air out. The EST says insulation usually costs c.£400 all-in, efficiency savings £140/yr.
- Free £50 Compliments gift card. We've blagged a £50 gift card to be used in John Lewis, Argos, Topshop, Mothercare, Debenhams, PizzaExpress & more for those who qualify - you'll get it 60 days after installation.- How do I get it? BG needs to check eligibility on the phone first, so either use this callback form, or call from 8am-8pm weekdays, 8-4pm Sat, freephone 0800 294 9126 (mobile-friendly on 0330 100 3640). Use these details, don't go to BG direct or you won't get the gift card. For full info, see Cavity and Loft Insulation.
- Who can get it? Anyone (ie, not just those on benefits) in England, Scotland & Wales with a suitable, uninsulated, privately-owned home. There are a few exclusions, eg, if you have solid rather than cavity walls.
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| FREE Wedding Show tix codes (Manc & N'castle). 3,500 for Manchester, Sun 12 Oct (usually £16.50), 1,500 for Newcastle, Sat 13 or Sun 14 Sep (usually £8). Wedding Shows
Show Best Buys |
| Show Vouchers and Top Deals |
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 CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK
What do you think of the Money Advice Service?
The Government is looking into what role the Money Advice Service should play in providing help to consumers. Have you used its website or called? Did you get what you needed? Email your feedback by Tue 2 Sep or share your thoughts in the MSE Forum. MONEY MORAL DILEMMA
I've been asked to be a bridesmaid for my friend's wedding. Should I have to pay for the dress?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... My best friend has asked me to be a bridesmaid at her wedding but wants me to pay for my dress, to match the rest of the bridal party. I'm thrilled to be bridesmaid, but I'm worried about the cost. Should I be expected to pay? If so, should I get a say over the design? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I pay for the dress? | Suggest an MMD | View Past MMDs The Great Hunt
What tips would you give your 18-year-old self?
A-level results are out and students UK-wide are making big decisions about their future, be it carrying on studying, travelling or jumping on the career ladder. We're looking for your words of wisdom - what you would do if you could turn back the clock to 18? Share yours/read others': Wisdom for your 18-year-old self Past topics: View all CHEAP FLIGHT SALES ALERT
Airline: Monarch Offer: East Midlands & Manchester outward flight sale: Thousands of seats reduced to £32.99 or less Ends: Midday Thu 21 Aug
Our pick this week is Monarch's* East Midlands & Manchester sale which has thousands of seats reduced to £32.99 or less. It's on till midday Thu 21 Aug and includes taxes and most charges - credit card fees apply. It's on selected outward flights from 25 Aug until 31 Oct 2014 from East Midlands and Manchester airports to seven destinations. 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
Your best summer holiday tips
Still waiting to go on holiday? MoneySavers' top tips for those about to jet off include downloading a free satnav, avoiding pricey airport transfers, using own-brand suncreams and taking your own food along. back to top ↑ |
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Martin's blogs | Martin's appearances No appearances this week.
But if you missed Martin on CBBC's Hacker Time with Hacker T Dog last week, you can see it on the BBC's iPlayer here. | |
MSE team corner - Team appearances:
- No team appearances this week.
| Discussion of the week How would you spend a mega-lottery win? The odds may be minuscule, but we can all dream about winning big. What would you do with a large windfall? Share your ideas (and dreams) in the Mega Lottery Win thread. | Cheap travel money |
This week's poll: How do you rate your bank account's service? Please vote based on CUSTOMER SERVICE for your main CURRENT account over the last SIX MONTHS. Please ignore rates or any other products, or service from before six months ago. | Poll resultsWhat have you taken from a hotel room?
Many see hotel rooms as a free-for-all but if you're taking more than what's complimentary, such as bathrobes, towels or bed linen, you may get an extra bill when you leave.
- 82% have taken bath products
- 72% complimentary biscuits/chocolates
- 66% coffee/tea/sugar sachets
- 53% pens/other stationary
- 15% slippers
- 7% towels
- 2% bathrobes
14,677 voted. See the full results. |
Question of the week Q. I've been paying interest for years on an overdraft. My bank keeps increasing my limit without me asking. Can it do this? Cheryl, via email. MSE Eesha's A: Banks don't need to ask for your permission to increase your overdraft - although they'll usually let you know. It's cheaper for you to go into your arranged overdraft than it is to go into an unarranged one, so if your bank has increased your allowance it will mean cheaper fees. But a MASSIVE warning - constantly living in your overdraft isn't good and you need to manage your finances to get out of the red. Read our top tips to reduce overdraft costs. If you can't clear it immediately, and you've got a decent credit history, consider switching to a bank account that gives some wiggle room to manage your overdraft. Nationwide gives a 12-month fee-free overdraft, or if you switch to First Direct you can get a £250 overdraft fee-free. See bank accounts with overdrafts for more options. Please suggest a question of the week (we can't reply to individual emails). |
 Charlotte's free game of the week: Calculate |
| Edible Lego bricks That's it for this week, but before you go, check out these edible Lego pieces created by Japanese artist and designer Akihiro Mizuuchi. Don't get too excited, they've been made for a design project so you can't actually get your hands on them - but we still think they're pretty neat. 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 9 million people getting this email and nearly 13m 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 Good Morning Britain, 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 amazon.co.uk, americanexpress.com, barclaycard.co.uk, halifax.co.uk, mbna.co.uk, barclaycard.co.uk, tescobank.com, holidaysafe.co.uk, protectyourbubble.com, halifax.co.uk, bmsavings.co.uk, nationwide.co.uk, moneysupermarket.com, gocompare.com, directline.com, aviva.co.uk, admiral.com, sainsburysbank.co.uk, bmsavings.co.uk, firstdirect.com, confused.com, santander-products.co.uk, comparethemarket.com, postoffice.co.uk, monarch.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. To change your E-mail or stop receiving the weekly tips (unsubscribe): Go to: www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips |
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