Wednesday, August 6, 2014

LOADSA freebies, beat unfair parking tix, huge B&Q sale, £104 wine £42, BIG Sky Sports deal, 50% Snapfish code, Thorpe Pk 50% vch

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Martin Lewis

MoneySavingExpert.com weekly email

Cutting your costs, fighting your corner Martin's Money Tips wed 6 aug 2014
Cards Reclaim Shopping Deals Utilities Banking Travel Insurance Mortgages Income

This week

We won't bow to threats - DON'T PAY UNFAIR PRIVATE PARKING TIX
Big Sky Sports deal + 20 footie tips
Boost new and old ISA rates
Flight upgrades: boost your chances
Quick: Huge B&Q sub-£10 clearance
Asda £5 off £40 code
Boost your travel money rates
£104 wine £43 LivingSocial code
50% off theme parks (incl Alton T)
The eBay Deals Mapper is back
"Used your flight delay template, got £1,000 back"
2 for 1 Sanctuary spa gift sets
50% off code at Snapfish
SALES CODES: Extra 30% off Urban Outfitters, 20% off £50 F&F Clothing
FREE cinema ticket per £4 of sweets
£13 per YEAR travel insurance
Six Heuchera plants £10
Free £10 A Place in the Sun Live tix
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

Freebies, freebies, freebies
From £30 M&S wine vch, to loft insulation or perfume, here's our top 10

They say there's no such thing as a free lunch, but they also said the earth was flat. I've been sending this free email for over a decade, and each week it contains a raft of freebies. Yes, of course, some have catches like they want you on their mailing list, or to spend on plastic. But work it and YOU win...

1. New. £30 M&S wine voucher credit card freebie. Get an M&S 15mths 0%* card before 31 August, (for new custs, ONLY via this link), spend even just 1p on it by the end of Sept, and by 7 Oct (in time for Christmas), you'll be emailed a £30 M&S voucher valid on wine, champers & soft drinks - though do please be Drinkaware.

So you could just buy an apple/crisps, then fully repay it so there's no interest, grab the freebie & cancel. Keep spending and you get 1 point (worth a penny) per £1 spent in M&S, and per £2 elsewhere; which are converted into M&S vouchers quarterly - a decent rewards scheme.

Is it a good card?
It gives 15mths interest-free on new borrowing, not much shorter than the longest, Tesco's 19mths 0%*, so if you NEED to borrow, it's decent for that too. Though as always, be careful. Budget, never miss monthly repayments and fully clear the card before the 0% ends or it jumps to 16.9% rep APR (Tesco's 18.9%). FULL help: 0% Cards (APR Examples)

Will I get it? Will it hit my credit score?
Every card application leaves a minor mark on your credit file, so use our 0% Card 'Will I Get It?' Tool. It shows your chances of passing the credit check to hone your applications.
2. Free tea & cake and more grub. Lots of free food if you know where to look. Sign up to get free tea & cake at John Lewis each month, or get a free Krispy Kreme doughnut or free Diet Coke and free Danio yoghurt.
3. FreebiesFREE loft/cavity wall insulation + special £50 gift card. Energy firms get fined if they don't meet Eco quotas, so to avoid that, some give free insulation. Unusually, British Gas currently allows ANYONE with a suitable home (not NI), not just its customers or those with low incomes, to get it.

Plus, until 30 Aug, go via our special Free Insulation + £50 gift card link and you get a £50 Compliments gift card, valid at Argos, John Lewis & more. The Energy Saving Trust estimates some can save up to £500/yr fitting both.

Anji tweeted me last week after getting the deal: "Just got my free loft insulation installed today - feeling toasty already."
4. Free £20ish eye test vouchers. Know where to look and some opticians give you a voucher to waive their charges. There's a free Optical Express* voucher (usually £20), a free Specsavers voucher (usually £20-25) and Tesco Opticians is always free. So find one near you. This is for those in Eng, Wales and NI; in bonnie Scotland eye tests are always free. See Free Eye Tests.
5. Free £100 Amazon/M&S gift card in time for Christmas shopping. This is a charge, not credit, card freebie. With charge cards, you've no choice but to repay the card IN FULL each month so thankfully there's no interest.

Accepted new Amex Gold* cardholders get a bonus 20,000 reward points if you spend £2,000+ on it in the first 3 months. Just use it for all your normal daily spending to hit that trigger (needs avg spend c.£700/mth), providing you can afford to repay. You need a £20k min family income to get it.

These points can then be converted into a £100 gift card for the likes of Amazon, M&S and more (it depends at the time, but it's always a big range of high street stores) or flights, eg, 2x BA Paris returns (here you pay taxes).

The card normally has a £125 annual fee, but this is waived in the first year. So if you don't want to pay it, cancel before it hits. For more freebie options, see the Credit & Charge Card Freebies guide.
6. "I got a free Citroen." Sofas, beds, TVs, bikes, cars, boats (yes, really) and more - you've sent reports of huge successes from giveaway sites. Instead of providing landfill fodder or eBaying unwanted goods, people offer them to local communities. See 30 Freecycle & Freegle Tips.

Some get amazing finds, some of course are disappointed, one of our forumites' past successes comes from Mary_Hartnell: "That would be a Citroen Picasso car - probably not one from Picasso's 'blue period'."
7. Free £100 for switching to no.1 bank account (and others). Challenger banks are salivating over the idea of bringing in new customers, and they're willing to bribe you £100 to switch. No bad thing as these are usually best buy accounts anyway, and switching now takes just a week. All require a credit check though. FULL info in Top Bank Accounts including...

- First Direct* has won every bank service poll we've ever done, 92% rate it great. It currently gives accepted new switchers £100, a £250 0% overdraft and a linked 6% regular savings account. You need to pay in £1,000/mth (equiv to a salary of £13,300/yr going in).

- Halifax Reward* gives accepted new switchers £100, then £5 each month as long as you're in credit, pay in £750 a month and pay at least two direct debits. Just avoid its overdraft.

- Marks & Spencer* gives accepted new switchers a £100 M&S gift card plus 1 reward point for every £1 spent at M&S - good for die-hard M&Sers. Unusually, there's no minimum pay-in.
8. Free microchipping for dogs. You can get your pooch microchipped for nowt at Dogs Trust charity events in England and Wales - it helps reunite you if it runs away. Find out where in Dog Microchipping and they can also snack for nowt with free doggy treats.
9. Beauty freebies, eg, YSL foundation. Beauty freebies tend to be commonplace; trials, samples or 'magazine freebies' (not quite free but often the cosmetics would cost far more than the mag does so you're up).

- YSL foundation. Just go to a counter and get £4ish sample, see YSL Deal.
- Free £10 perfume at The Fragrance Shop for O2 users. See O2 Deals.
- Free Origins mini-facial - simply book ahead at the counter. Origins Deals
- 'Free' £6ish Clinique mini-products in £2 mag. Clinique Deals

For all the current deals, see our daily updated Beauty Freebies page.
10. Spin the freebie roulette. From downloadable wedding invites and online product manuals to MP3 downloads and dress patterns, we've a compendium of fantastic deals. If you don't want to scroll, we've a Freebies Roulette tool with over 50 random picks of the best - just spin the reels.

PS. And I've saved the best until last. Why not get a Free MSE Car Sticker too?

Blagged for MoneySavers

Did you miss?

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Our club ensures you're always on the cheapest tariff.
Join free: Cheap Energy Club
Reclaim PPI for FREE
Claims handlers aren't more successful.
Free help & templates: Reclaim PPI

MSE News

Top story: BT to refund customers after Fon wi-fi blunder
Got an HSBC personal loan? You could be due a share of £218m
Had RAC or Budget insurance? Check you're not paying for unwanted cover
'Halifax, Lloyds TSB and NatWest's fake letters as bad as Wonga's'
Current account switching: Early figures show Halifax as big winner
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Use the Money Mantras If you're skint If you're not skint
The Ones Not To Miss Wed 6 Aug 2014
We don't bow to threats - DON'T PAY UNFAIR PRIVATE PARKING TICKETS
Private parking firms' lawyers are trying to shut us up, to stop us helping you. So we're shouting even louder

For 14mths a collective of parking firms - CP Plus, Debt Recovery Plus, Eurocarparks, Excel Parking, Parking Control, Parking Eye, PCN Parking, Ranger Service & Roxburghe - have had lawyers threatening us to try to make us soften, weaken & shush our guide, including stopping calling this COWBOY INDUSTRY a cowboy industry. We've refused, and today we're outing them (see MSE News), and updating our Fight Unfair Private Parking Tickets guide with even more tips. In summary...

  • parking victoryPrivate parking firms CAN'T fine you. Parking tickets from supermarkets, housing estates or other private car parks do better impressions than Rory Bremner. Some are dressed up like fines. They can even be called Parking Charge Notices to mimic council Penalty Charge Notices. Don't be fooled. THEY'RE NOT FINES, JUST INVOICES.

    If a ticket's slapped on your windscreen that you think is unfair (eg, no signage, disproportionate charge), like any invoice, reply explaining why and that you won't pay (sometimes you can appeal to a trade body, there's a 45% success rate with the BPA). It may huff and puff about "hitting your credit record" or "sending bailiffs", but for that it needs the time and expense of court action. If it does push to court, if the ticket's unfair, the court will wipe it. Plus it must follow correct processes (many don't).

    Here's a success story to inspire you: "I've just had a success against Parking Eye. My wife received a £100/£60 demand from them for an 18-min overstay in their free-for-two-hours car park" - TheBlade. Full help in Fight Unfair Private Parking Tickets. Our Parking Tickets Forum has many parking campaigners helping too.

    PS. Private landowners DO have a right to charge for improper parking. If you get a fair ticket as you wrongly used a space, we say pay it - our guide's about helping those whose ticket is unfair or unjust, not unfairly blocking spaces.
  • Unfair COUNCIL Penalty Charge Notice? You've a right to appeal. Of those appeals already turned down by the council, 50% win if they keep going to the final stage. See our full Fight Unfair Council Parking Tickets guide.
  • FREE Glovebox Parking Emergency Guide. If you get an unfair parking ticket, acting correctly at the scene can hugely improve your chances of winning an appeal. So print our Free Glovebox Parking Emergency Guide.

Huge B&Q clearance, eg, £45 wheelbarrow £5, £15 wellies £1, £98 drill £23. B&Q's launched 20,000 sub-£10 items in its clearance (already in some stores, starts today officially). Full info in our Deals Hunter B&Q clearance blog.

RARE Asda £5 off £40 code. First time in 2014 we know of - newbie online grocery shoppers only. See Asda Codes

Changing money? Aim for 1.24 euros or 1.66 US dollars - FLASH currency sales. Only a few can get these rates, but aim high, do a Travel Money Comparison, from Wed 8am it'll update with the Post Office's 24hr and Asda 48hr rate boosts. Not going yet? The Halifax Clarity* credit card (check if you'll get it) gives near-perfect spending rates everywhere, but pay it off IN FULL each month or it's 12.9% rep APR. Full info: Cheap Travel Cards (APR Examples)

£104 wine £43 via LivingSocial 15% off code. MSE Blagged. LivingSocial's a huge daily deals site (it sends beauty, restaurant offers daily, depending on where you live). Till Thu, we've a code to get you 15% off ALL its deals, incl a £104 Laithwaites case it's selling for £49 - you get it for £43. Other deals incl £33 Android tablet and more. LivingSocial Code

HUGE Sky Sports deal + 20 more tips to cut TV footie costs
The Premier League kicks off in 10 days (Football League on Friday). So how do you watch footie at home for less?

This is the battle of the platforms. Pricing's more art than science, but Sky has the majority of live Premier League matches, 116 compared to BT Sport's 38. Full help in our 20 Football On TV Cost-Cutting Tips - here are five highlights.

  1. sky sportsSpecial newbies link gets Sky Sports & TV 25% off, £75 credit, 'free' b'band, £50 M&S vch. MSE Blagged. This is only for those new to Sky (or that haven't had it for 12 months) who get the full Sky Sports package. To get the broadband (there's a fibre optic option too), you also need its £15.40/mth phone line rent. Full info: Sky Sports Newbies Code
  2. Got Sky TV? Special add Sky Sports, get £125 M&S vch + 2yrs 'free' b'band link. MSE Blagged. We've pushed it hard for an existing customer deal. Add the full Sky Sports package plus its 'free' b'band (you need its £15.40/mth line rent) & you get £125 M&S. Already got b'band? You get £50 M&S (paid after 3 mths). This works even if you cancelled Sky Sports as the last footie season ended. Full info: Sky Sports Upgrade

    Got Sky Sports too? Add its 2-yr 'free' b'band to your package and we've a link to get you a £75 M&S vch. FULL info: Sky Upgrade. PS. If you've already got both, call and haggle to re-contract to see what it gives you.
  3. Get BT Sport 'free' plus £125 Sainsbury's vch. BT broadband customers get it free as an app. To get it free via TV you need BT line rental, its fibre optic Infinity broadband and a basic BT TV subscription. The cheapest all-in deal to get BT Sport is c.£37/mth, only £8/mth more than the cheapest fibre optic deal - and you get a £125 Sainsbury's vch as well.
  4. Football glutton? Want ALL matches? You'll need BT Sport and Sky Sports. Generally the cheapest route is via the Sky platform using the deals above, and adding BT Sport for £12/mth, rising to £13.50/mth from 1 Oct (£3/mth more for HD). Though both Virgin & BT Sport have routes to get it all - see Football Gluttons Top Deals.
  5. £10 Sky Sports PAYG day pass. Buy a Sky Sports web streaming day pass through Now TV* for the big games, though last season there were some outages at key moments.

More info: 20 TV Football Cost-Cutting Tips Related: Cheapest Broadband, Haggle Down Your Digital TV Bill

Instant 50% off 25 theme parks with £1ish crisps. Incl Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Sea Life, Tussauds, can save you up to £25 a ticket. Or 2x 'free' Thorpe Park tix with newspaper coupons. See Merlin Vouchers or Theme Park A-Z.

The eBay Hidden Local Deals Mapper is back. Sorry, we had a glitch for a few days with our tool that finds hot eBay pick-up only local bargains. It's working again. eBay Local Deals App: Web, iPhone app, Android app, Mobile web

Success of the week: (Send us yours)
"We were delayed 18 mths ago for 5 hours on a BA return from Orlando. I contacted BA about compensation and was told we didn't qualify. Then saw your flight delay info and using your template, wrote to BA again. 15 days later I received a cheque for £1,009. Many, many thanks."
- see Flight Delays Reclaiming for how to do it if your flight's been delayed.

2 for 1 Sanctuary spa gift sets. MSE Blagged. 6 gift sets from £10-£30. Great for Xmas stockpiling. Sanctuary

Boost new and old ISA rates ASAP
ISAs may have become NISA, but it hasn't stopped rates on many accounts being slashed. Check, ditch & transfer

A month ago, all ISAs turned into new ISAs (NISAs) with some minor rule changes. Crucially, you can now add £15,000 of savings or investments to it per tax year. Don't overcomplicate it though, a cash NISA is just a savings account where you don't pay tax on the interest. Like all savings, the aim is to get the highest rate. Yet many have cash earning crap rates.

  • Boost old NISAs Top easy-access NISA 1.55% accepts new money AND transfers. BM Savings*, part of the Lloyds group, pays 1.55% AER variable (min £1) and lets you withdraw whenever you want. 1.05% of the rate is an intro bonus lasting 12mths, effectively giving you short-term certainty it won't drop below that, but it'll plummet after so diarise to transfer. See Top Cash NISAs for more help (and yes, we know 1.55% doesn't sound great, but compared to others...).
  • Lock cash away at up to 2.75% fixed. For new money ONLY, Coventry BS (min £1) is fixed at 2.75% AER until May 2018. It allows you to close the account for a 120-day interest penalty, which means as long as you keep it open for at least 11mths, it beats easy access. For new money & transfers, Kent Reliance's 2yr fix is 2.1% AER (min £1,000). More options & full info in Top Fixed Cash NISAs.
  • NISA transfer golden rules: a) Don't withdraw the cash, it'd no longer be in the tax-free wrapper. Instead, fill out your new provider's transfer forms to ask it to shift the money for you. b) You can do a transfer even without new money - they're separate. So you can open a new NISA for new money, and a different new NISA for transfers. For full information about how to transfer, see Top Cash NISA Transfers.
Click the titles for full info and all our top picks
Balance Transfers Car Insurance Cheap Loans Top Cash NISAs
Longest 0%: Barclaycard*
33mths 0%, 2.79% fee

(18.9% rep APR)

Low fee 0%: Lloyds
28mths 0%, 1.5% fee

(18.9% 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)
4% 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

50% off code at Snapfish. MSE Blagged. Includes photos, canvases, cards and calendars. Snapfish Deals

SALES CODES: Urban Outfitters EXTRA 30% off, F&F Clothing 20% off £50
Sales codes: U. Outfitters extra 30% off up to 50% sale (ends Fri) | F&F Clothing 20% off £50 full-price & sale (ends Sun)
Full-price codes: Asos 10% off | Matalan 15% off £40 | Links of London 17% off | Body Shop 40% off | See All Codes

'Free' £10 Sunday cinema tickets per £4 of sweets. Buy 4 big bags of sweets (eg, M&Ms) currently on sale for a pound and you get a voucher for Cineworld, Showcase, Apollo and Movie House. Full info in Cinema Deals.

£13 a YEAR travel insurance. Cheapest meeting our min cover levels for singles/families under 65 are Holidaysafe Lite* and Coverwise* (exact price and which wins depends on age). See full Cheap Travel Insurance.

20 tips to boost your flight upgrade chances
16% of people get upgraded without paying - so here are our 10 tricks to try to move you up the cabin

The only way to definitely get an upgrade is to pay. Yet in our poll, 16% of people bagged one for free in the last 2 yrs - the most common reason: "They just gave it me, no questions." So if upgrades are there, what can you do to make it you? Tips from flight staff & successful upgradees in our 20+ Flight Upgrades tips guide, here are 10 to get you on board...

Flight Upgrades1. Join the frequent flyer programme and build up miles. This is a huge boost to chances.
2. If owt's gone wrong (broken TV, checked in under wrong name) they often feel "we need to make them happy". This can result in an upgrade. See Upgrade Complaining, but stay polite.
3. Genuine newlyweds? Big birthday? Make sure the airline staff know it's a special trip.
4. Smile. Staff are more likely to upgrade if they like you. See Tips To Charm.
5. Doctor, professor, vicar or lord? Use your title when booking.
6. Travel alone. You've much less chance in a big group, as it's easier to move singles.
7. Be flexible. If it's overbooked and you agree to get "bumped" to another flight, the airline should throw in a sweetener.
8. Dress the part. You need to look like someone who'd fit in biz or first class. Dress To Impress Suggestions.
9. Know a pilot, cabin crew member or check-in staff? Pull strings with friends & family - they often have contacts/rights.
10. Don't order a special meal, eg, vegan, kosher, halal, as upgraded versions of these cost airlines large.

When it works, it's great. Fruitbatfran's tale: "I'm an Emirates loyalty member. Flying from Mauritius to Dubai, smartly dressed, I asked the biz desk for an upgrade. I was told no, but on checking in, we'd been upgraded. I was gobsmacked."

Related Guides: Cheap Flights, Cheap Hotels, Cheap Travel Money, Cheap Travel Insurance, 50 Overseas Travel Tips

Six Heuchera plants £10 incl del (norm £20). MSE Blagged. Ends Fri. Grows to be large colourful plant. Plant Deals

10,000 FREE £10 A Place in the Sun Live tix. On at the NEC in Birmingham, 3-5 Oct. See A Place in the Sun.


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 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)



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

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA
Should we have kept quiet about bureau de change blunder?

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... My wife went to the high street to get £400 of US dollars for our forthcoming trip. The exchange rate worked out to 660 dollars - not great. But when she returned home, my wife realised the travel agent had given her euros, €660 to be precise, which works out as about £510. My wife felt bad, and went four miles back to the shop where the assistant made her feel like it was her error. Should we have kept quiet? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should we have kept quiet about bureau de change blunder? | Suggest an MMD | View Past MMDs

THE GREAT HUNT
Getting ready for retirement
It's one of the biggest changes you'll make in your life - so what tips would you offer for those looking at stopping work? From getting set up with pensions, tax, and just what to do with your spare time, we're looking to tap into retired MoneySavers' experiences. Share yours/read others': Getting ready for retirement Past topics: View all

CHEAP FLIGHT SALES ALERT
Airline: Thomas Cook Offer: Flights from £39.99 to Balearics Ends: Ongoing
Our pick this week is Thomas Cook*. The sale's ongoing and it includes taxes & most charges (hold luggage will be charged extra). It's for flights till 31 Oct 2014 to Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca from 11 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
MoneySaving microwaved meals

Stuck without an oven or hob? If you're stuck with just a microwave, MoneySavers suggest anything in a sauce,
a recipe for lemon curd, white fish, and an "easy-peasy" risotto.

Quick forum tips

Freebie of the week

Martin's blogs

Martin's appearances

7 Aug
Good Morning Britain, ITV, 7.40am.
Deals of the Week.
7 Aug
Shelagh Fogarty, Radio 5 Live, 12pm-1pm.
Consumer Panel.
Subscribe to podcast.
11 Aug
This Morning, ITV, 11am-12pm.
Subject tbc.

MSE team corner

Discussion of the week

Assets seized without consent

What can you do you've been left out of pocket because a loved one's kept their debts secret? Read one forumite's story in the Assets seized without consent thread.

Cheap travel money

UK's Best Currency Rates
£100 will buy you:
Best Worst
Euro Flag 124.76 112.19
US Flag $ 167.01 150.30
Turkish Flag TL 346.50 311.63
Rates correct at 4pm Tue
Find all top currency rates
Compare travel cash

This week's poll: Is your energy company's service any good?

There have been more horrid reports of energy billing errors. We regularly ask for your feedback on firms, and have brought this poll forward to see how big the issues are.

Atlantic (part of SSE) iSupplyEnergy
Better Energy Supply Loco2 Energy
British Gas M&S Energy
Co-operative Energy Npower
E.on Ovo Energy
Ebico Sainsbury's Energy
Ecotricity Scottish Hydro (part of SSE)
EDF Scottish Power
Extra Energy Spark Energy
First Utility SSE
Flow Energy Swalec (part of SSE)
Good Energy Telecom Plus/Utility Warehouse
Green Energy Utilita
Green Star Energy  

Poll results

Are you allowed to buy cheap school uniforms?
80% of voters with children at state primary schools can buy all or most uniform items cheaply without having to go to specific suppliers.

But only 35% secondary school parents have the same freedom, a figure that drops to 19% for private schools.

4,413 voted. See the full results.

Question of the week

Q: First Utility quoted a price we were happy to accept. Six months later, it wants to up the direct debit by £25. I feel it got our custom by giving a low quote. I feel duped. Can they do this? Joanne, via email.

MSE Archna's A: Confusingly, direct debits are based on your estimated usage, not cost. If you start using more energy, or there are price rises, your firm may increase your direct debit. But suppliers must take reasonable steps to ensure your direct debit levels are fair and are based on the best available information.

If a salesman told you you'll pay less and you end up paying more, this could be deemed as mis-selling by the Ombudsman - energy firms have been known to do this. It should have provided you with a comparison based on your current usage and costs, though you need to factor in any price rises that have taken place.

If you don't think the increase is fair, first complain to the firm. If you don't get a satisfactory resolution within eight weeks, you can then take it to the free-to-use and impartial Ombudsman, who will adjudicate.

In future, regular meter readings will help make estimates more accurate and keep direct debits in check. For more help, see the Energy Direct Debits and Energy Mis-selling guides.

 Charlotte's free game of the week: Popstar Dentist

How middle class are you?

That's it for this week, but before you go, do you have a bottle of balsamic vinegar in your cupboard? And can you tell the difference between focaccia and ciabatta? Answer these (and other wholly unscientific questions) to find out how middle class you are.

We hope you save some money,

Martin & the MSE team

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Unaffiliated web-addresses for links in this email

bank.marksandspencer.com, tescobank.com, opticalexpress.co.uk, specsavers.co.uk, americanexpress.com, firstdirect.com, halifax.co.uk, nowtv.com, bmsavings.co.uk, gocompare.com, directline.com, aviva.co.uk, admiral.com, sainsburysbank.co.uk, holidaysafe.co.uk, coverwise.co.uk, santander-products.co.uk, confused.com, comparethemarket.com, talktalk.co.uk, postoffice.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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1 comment:

  1. Illegal parking is not allow anywhere. If you're planning to travel UK on a budget then try cheap park and ride Birmingham and stay hassle-free.

    ReplyDelete