| Plus... top student accounts, get PAID to recycle, 6 wines £30  THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL
| | Grrrr - summer is over Back to work, back to school and BACK TO SAVING MONEY... 18 key savers to ease you into autumn, including beat energy hikes, train calculator, 1.67% savings, cheap school uniforms & (ahem) how to save for Christmas
With leaves starting to fall, nights drawing in, and kids heading back to school, there's no hiding it - summer's fading and autumn is on its way. September is a time when many people's focus switches from time-off and holidays to getting back to the normal routines (well, normal for a pandemic) of work and school. So why not also make sorting your finances part of that shift? If it saves you £100s, you'll be able to relax more on that next break. Here are some ideas to get you and your finances ready for the weeks and months ahead... -
 Huge £140/year energy hikes due in a month - yet you can save £190+/year by switching. As the process can take 3 weeks, sort it NOW. The price cap on standard energy tariffs paid by 11 million customers will jump on 1 Oct due to the soaring price suppliers pay for the gas and electricity they sell us. While the cost of the cheapest deals has also risen over recent weeks for the same reason, they will still save a typical £191 over the next year compared with staying on a standard rate.
If you find choosing confusing, we can help. With our MSE Pick Me A Tariff tools, tell us your preferences and we'll find your winner from the whole market - perfect if you're nervous about switching. Or you can do a full market comparison.
Switching worked for Sue, who emailed: "As I heard prices are rising from Oct, I switched and saved £315 a year, and fixed for years. This has really helped me."
On certain benefits? Some can also apply for £140 towards bills via the 2021/22 warm home discount.
- Just a few weeks left to apply for a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant worth up to £7,500. Don't forget. The deadline for the fifth and final Covid grant is 30 Sep. Full info on eligibility criteria, how much you can get and how to apply in self-employed grant help.
- Heading back to the office? Use our commuter tool to find your cheapest train season ticket. If you're not going back full time, our Train Season Ticket Calculator lets you compare normal annual season tickets with daily fares and new flexi season tickets.
- Last-minute cheap school uniform from £3 an item - though stock's limited. While some schools are already back, many kids return this week, and if you've spotted last-minute gaps or just want some spares, see our cheap school uniform round-up.
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 Get £125+ to switch bank - now is a good time. This is a staple MoneySaving tip in any month, but there are a couple of good deals at present. And as we always say, switching is easy.
- Switch to Nationwide to bag £100, or £125 if you're an existing savings, mortgage or current account customer (plus we've a trick to make anyone eligible for the £125). If accepted for Nationwide's FlexDirect account*, you can get the cash plus a 1yr 0% overdraft and 2% AER fixed savings interest on up to £1,500 in year 1.
If you're a newbie or you've a savings or mortgage with it, use the link above to apply. If you already have a FlexAccount, FlexDirect or FlexPlus account you can switch in a current account from a rival via online banking. See our Nationwide FlexDirect review for full info and eligibility criteria, and how to make yourself eligible for the £125 if you don't qualify.
- Switch to Virgin for a free £150 experience voucher + 2% savings. The Virgin Money M Plus account* gives newbies who switch to it £150 towards Virgin Experience Days (for example, a track day or sushi making).
It pays 2.02% AER variable interest on up to £1,000 and comes with a linked easy-access savings account paying 0.35% AER variable. Its debit card is also a top pick for overseas use. See our Virgin Money review for full info and eligibility criteria.
Full switching help and more deals in Best bank accounts.
- Planning on a holiday now travel is (slightly) easier? Save £100s booking the right way. Many missed out on a summer trip so if you're planning a last-minute September getaway or a half-term or Christmas trip instead, use our tips to slash costs. Just remember it's best to book with flexibility given the uncertainty.
- Cheap package holidays - they give extra protection and can be cheap if you're heading to resorts.
- Cheap flights - including free seat selection and cancelled flight rights.
- Cheap hotels - also includes cheap holiday rentals.
- Cheap travel insurance - get it as soon as you've booked.
- Used the summer to get a new job? Find your NEW take-home pay. Check out our Income Tax Calculator.
- Get TWO YEARS' tax relief worth up to £280 if you've had to work from home for just ONE DAY in each of the last two tax years. This isn't a must-do now but this 'back to normal' period is a good time to sort it, especially as it's easy for many.
If your employer required you to work from home for at least a day between 6 April 2020 and 5 April 2021, you can claim a whole year's tax relief on your working-from-home (WFH) expenses. Plus if you've had to work a day at home since 6 April 2021, you can claim another year - in total it can be worth up to £280. See Martin's WFH tax back blog.
As Daniel tweeted: "Thanks @MartinSLewis, I just claimed two years. £250 on its way to me off my tax."
- New petrol on forecourts from TODAY. Check if your car is compatible. New rules in England, Scotland and Wales mean most forecourts now need to sell greener 'E10' petrol as standard, yet 600,000 older vehicles aren't compatible and require pricier fuel. Those cars that can handle it may also need to be filled up more often as it's less efficient. See full new greener petrol help, including how to check your car's compatibility.
- Putting on your uniform ready for work again? Are you due a tax rebate? Claiming is easy - see Uniform tax refunds. Cole tweeted: "@MartinSLewis. Put in for uniform tax rebate, calculated they owe me £60 for the last three years. New tax code now with uniform allowance included. Def worth it."
- About to pay for childcare or after-school clubs now you're back at work? Save 20%. If you're a single parent who works, or a couple where both parents work, check out the Government's Tax-Free Childcare scheme. It's worth up to £2,000/yr per child aged 11 or under, yet only about one in five eligible families claim it.
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 Savings rates are rising (slowly) - get up to 1.67%. Check NOW to up your return. While it's hardly time to crack open the champagne, rates have been inching up over the last few weeks from what were depressingly low figures. So if you've not checked recently, you may be able to get a boost:
- Get 0.65% easy access. Here, you can add and withdraw money when you want, though rates are variable so can fall (or rise). The top payer is app-only Tandem at 0.65% AER interest, but if a big name is important to you, Nationwide's 0.45%* AER deal is the top easy-access savings rate from a high-street firm (but you're limited to three penalty-free withdrawals a year).
- Get 1.67% fixed, if you can lock cash away for the term. Here, you get rate protection as returns are set in stone though it means you won't benefit if rates rise. Tandem pays the top 1yr fix at 1.41% AER and the top 2yr fix at 1.67% AER.
Full info and more options in Top savings.
- FREE financial education textbook - vital term-time reading for you or your kids. Partly funded by Martin, it's the first ever curriculum-mapped textbook in schools, available as a free 150-page PDF download for anyone, with tailored versions for those in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland (Wales to come in autumn). Many grown-ups learn from it too.
- Don't get back into costly habits, especially if going back to the office. Check how much that morning latte really costs. Use our Demotivator to see the true cost over the year for anything where you need to kick the habit to save pounds - and how long you'd need to work to pay for it. The answer can be eye-watering.
- Got holiday currency left over? Use our buyback tool. If you were lucky enough to get away, our TravelMoneyMax buyback tool shows where to get the most bang for your bucks, euros etc.
- Don't automatically throw leftover sun cream away. It may last up to two years. You may have some from a holiday overseas or that you planned to use at home (before the summer clouds came). See why you should always turn sun cream around before throwing it away.
- £15bn worth of benefits are unclaimed - are you missing out on £1,000s, with Covid support measures ending? Ensure you get what you're entitled to with our 10-minute benefits checker. For instance, an estimated half a million people could claim universal credit but don't.
- Time to start saving for Christmas (yes, really) if you haven't already. While we wouldn't normally use the C-word in September, it can cost families dearly - especially with worries about supply shortages this year which may make deals harder to find. So don't try to pay for it out of December's salary (and you could consider banning unnecessary presents too). See saving for Christmas tips.
| | DON'T believe the fake 'Martin Lewis' or 'MSE' ads
Lots of scam ads litter social media and even newspaper websites - some of these lie that we or Martin promote Bitcoin, binary trading etc. See Fake ads warning. | New. The cheapest broadband & line deals, whether you value price or service - from £13/mth - Want standard speed? The cheapest also comes with decent service - hurrah
- Want faster fibre? You'll pay a premium for top service We normally focus on the cheapest deals, as price is key for many, and as few broadband firms have really top service. But for some, broadband frustrations can leave them tearing their hair out, so this week we're adding service to the mix, using our new twice-yearly broadband service poll results. And while gold-standard service costs more than the cheapest promos, there are deals that get it for less than many pay for poorer service (and slow speeds).
- Who's the service champ? Cuckoo, which launched in 2020, scored the top 9.9/10, yet it only got 102 votes so we'll monitor feedback before shouting about it. Zen was second at 9.3/10. It had topped every MSE poll since its 2015 launch as many rave that it's quick to solve problems, and that its router is very reliable. BT-owned Plusnet (6.2/10) was best of the biggies... TOP NEWBIES' HOME BROADBAND & LINE DEALS
All postcode-dependent, with links going via our broadband comparison to check your eligibility.
| | DEAL + EQUIVALENT COST (1) | HOW GOOD IS IT? | | BENCHMARK: Many pay £30-£45/month for basic speeds | Terrible. Even if you don't want to switch, use the prices below to haggle. | | TOP STANDARD-SPEED DEAL | Ends 11.59pm today (Wed)
BT-owned Plusnet
- 10Mb (basic) broadband & line '£12.74/mth'
Customer service: 6.2/10 | Best of both worlds - CHEAPEST broadband & line + BEST-RATED BIG NAME. Apply via this Plusnet link and you pay £18.99/mth over the 1yr contract. You can also CLAIM a £75 prepaid Mastercard (almost as good as cash) within 2mths of activation - factor that in, and the equivalent cost is £12.74/mth. Note that top service firms Cuckoo and Zen don't offer basic speeds. | | TOP FASTER FIBRE DEALS | New, but ends 11.59pm Fri
Vodafone
- 35Mb (fast) broadband & line '£15.34/mth'
- 63Mb (superfast) broadband & line '£17.34/mth
Customer service: 4.7/10 | CHEAPEST fast & superfast speeds, but average service. If price is your priority these are cracking deals. Apply via this Vodafone 35Mb link and it's £19.50/mth, plus you can CLAIM (don't forget) a £100 Amazon, Tesco or M&S voucher. If you'd spend that anyway, factor it in and the cost is equivalent to £15.34/mth over the 2yr contract.
For faster speeds, Vodafone's 63Mb deal is structured the same, though it's £21.50/mth, making it equivalent £17.34/mth. | New, but ends 11.59pm Thu
Zen
MSE Blagged
- 35Mb (fast) broadband & line '£28.33/mth'
- 66Mb (superfast) broadband & line '£33.33/mth'
Customer service: 9.3/10
| CHEAPEST TOP SERVICE - while pricier than the cheapest, it's still less than most non-promo rates. Via this Zen 35Mb link, while you pay the standard £29.99/mth, we've blagged free set-up (normally £20) and an AUTO £20 Amazon voucher. If you'd spend it anyway, factor it in and the cost is equivalent to £28.33/mth over the 1yr contract.
For faster speeds, Zen's 66Mb deal works the same but costs £34.99/mth so is equivalent to £33.33/mth. Cuckoo offers a similar deal at that speed range and you'll find it in a comparison if it serves your area. | | Customer service ratings are from our latest August 2021 poll. (1) To compare, we use 'equivalent costs' - adding all costs, deducting promo credits and averaging over the contract. | - At least 50% of customers must get advertised speeds at peak times. All above also tell you the estimated max speed you're likely to get before you sign up. Do check your current speed and see our 8 speed-boosting tips.
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Switching usually only means about 2hrs' downtime. You're told the switch time in advance and it's often quick. Most won't need an engineer to visit, though some leaving Virgin may do. -
Most firms hike prices a little during your contract. In general, firms will increase prices in line with inflation each year. If the contract warns you (Plusnet and Vodafone do), you're stuck with the rise. If not, most let you leave penalty-free within 30 days. However, these rises tend to be small, often £1-£2/mth, so you shouldn't suddenly be lumped with an expensive deal. Zen says its prices won't increase for as long as you remain with it. -
Do note when your promo ends. Then switch again at this point or try to haggle down the price. | 30% off Amazon's 'hidden' Warehouse. The giant has a section where it sells returned (often unused) items or those with minor defects at knockdown prices, and it's slicing them further on 10,000 products. For example, we found a £21 George Foreman grill (normally £40). There's also an 'end of summer sale' on its main, non-Warehouse site, including a £30 Echo Dot. Amazon sales analysis New. Top 0% balance transfer credit card for many - shift debt to 29mths at 0%, 2.7% fee. If you pay credit or store card interest, a balance transfer helps slash costs, though always use our eligibility calculator to check which cards you're most likely to get. In it you'll see this Virgin Money* deal which has had the joint-longest 0% period at 29mths for a while (and, unlike some cards, all accepted get the headline length), but it's just cut the fee to 2.7%, making it the lowest among similar cards. Golden rules: 1) Pay at least the monthly min. 2) Pay it off in the 0% period or transfer again, or pay 21.9% rep APR. 3) Don't spend/withdraw cash. More help and deals in Top balance transfers ( APR examples). 2,000 left. Up to £230 off Shark cordless vacuums, including basic model £170 (normally £200), high-end £250 (£480). MSE Blagged. If you need one, there are still some to sink your teeth into. Shark codes 'Your PCR travel test guide saved us £105 - thanks'. Our Cheap Covid travel tests guide has been mega-popular over the summer, and it worked for John, whose story is our success of the week. He emailed: "Many thanks for your valuable PCR tests info. It saved around £100 for the two of us plus another £5 by using an airline discount code." Please send your MoneySaving successes on this or anything else. Green MoneySaving - 25 quick tips, including get paid to recycle, sell old mobiles & cut food waste. It's such a key issue, so we make no excuses for rerunning our tips to help you do your bit (and we'll be publishing the next in a series of green guides we're working on in the coming weeks). Green MoneySaving FREE visits to 3,000+ historic buildings & heritage sites. In September, many places that are usually closed or that usually charge are now open for free, including Bletchley Park and Tibbermore Church (from TV's Outlander). Heritage Open Days Six bottles of wine for £30 delivered (normally £70). MSE Blagged. For newbies to Virgin Wines. Choose from red, white or a mix. Virgin Wines. Please be Drinkaware. | Top student bank accounts 2021/22: Get a £1,500 0% overdraft & free £100ish 4yr railcard (plus more deals)
An army of new students will soon head to university, so there's no better time for our rundown of the best student bank accounts. They're one of the most important aspects of student life as they come with vital 0% overdrafts that protect against ghastly standard interest rates. There's full help in our Student bank account guide, but here's our university (banking) challenge starter for 10 - whether you're about to head off or you know someone who is (if so, tell them about this)... -
 Don't be swayed by freebies - get the biggest 0% overdraft. Many accounts come with attractive bonuses, and while they're part of the equation for picking your best option, it's more important to grab a big 0% overdraft, as for every £1,000 overdrawn at standard 40% rates, you pay a huge £400/year, assuming a steady balance. Although as we explain below, some banks only give headline limits to top credit-scoring students, so be on the look out.
- Top accounts, including a DEFINITE £1,500 0% overdraft + 4yr railcard. There is one standout and two alternatives...
- TOP PICK: Highest definite 0% overdraft, plus free 4yr railcard. The Santander 123 student account* gives everyone accepted a £1,500 0% overdraft in years 1-3, £1,800 in year 4 and £2,000 in year 5. Plus you're sent a code to claim a free 4yr 16-25 Railcard (worth £100ish) which gets a third off many fares (not in Northern Ireland) - you must claim it within 60 days, so don't forget. To get all that, pay in £500+ each term and register for online banking.
- Bigger 0% overdraft limit for some, plus £100 in perks (but not in Northern Ireland). HSBC's student account offers a possibly bigger 0% overdraft in later years, but it's a lottery as limits are credit score-dependent and many students hardly have a credit history. You get up to £1,000 in year 1, up to £2,000 in year 2 and up to £3,000 in year 3 and beyond, though you need to ask for the increases. Plus, if you use your debit card at least five times in the first month, you get a free £80 and the choice of a £20 Uber Eats voucher or 1yr Asos Premier membership (giving unlimited next-day delivery).
PS: HSBC has admitted it wrongly gave standard bank accounts to some who applied for its student account in Jun-Aug. It insists it's now fixed the issue and is moving them to student accounts.
- Same overdraft terms as HSBC above, but no extra freebie. To qualify for Nationwide's FlexStudent account*, you must pay in £500+ a term.
- These accounts are available to freshers, but others may also qualify. New university students can apply for all the deals above. Those in later years or doing certain apprenticeships or BTEC courses may sometimes qualify too. See Student bank accounts for full eligibility info.
| 11 motoring MoneySavers, with petrol prices UP, car prices UP and car hire prices UP. Including cheap fuel tool, 2.8% car loans and insurance cost-cutters. See 11 motoring MoneySavers, in case you missed 'em last week. Urgent. Lost your tax credits as you didn't renew in time? Act fast to get them reinstated. Letters are being sent to those who missed the 31 July deadline - if you get in touch with HM Revenue & Customs within 30 days of the date on your letter, your tax credits might be restored. See tax credit reinstatement. Big British Airways credit card changes (for the worse) take effect - what it means for you. The fee on its premium card is rising and the 'companion voucher' on its free card is less attractive for many. See BA Amex shake-up. Barbour prescription specs £39 delivered (normally £145). MSE Blagged. Or sunnies for £44 (normally £155). Via code at SpeckyFourEyes. Now open. Want an MSE Charity grant of up to £7,500 to help people get through tough times? Our charity opens its latest round of donations TODAY (Wed) and this time it's giving grants to non-profit groups that guide people through big life changes, such as redundancy, bereavement or relationship breakdown. If you're interested, you can check if your project qualifies and apply online. Go quick - the round closes once the charity accepts 40 applications, or on Thu 30 Sep at the latest. Bobbi Brown 21% off full price items code. MSE Blagged. Ends Sun. Bobbi Brown cosmetics | Tell your friends about us They can get this email free every week | | AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS | | £100 to switch (or £125 for existing customers): Nationwide
£150 experience day gift card to switch: Virgin Money | | THIS WEEK'S POLL How much are you worth (or do you owe)? We asked this last summer, but with restrictions continuing to ease and life for many returning to 'normal', this week we want to get another snapshot of the nation's finances. Vote in this week's poll. Most MoneySavers WON'T risk going on holiday abroad without travel insurance. Last week, we asked if you thought travel insurance was a must-buy, and nearly 3,000 people responded. Of those with holidays abroad booked, 87% already had a policy in place or were planning to get one - only 5% said they wouldn't insure their trip. But it was a different picture for those who'd booked UK holidays, with 58% saying they wouldn't be insuring them. See full travel insurance poll results. | MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (MOST SUBJECTS TBC) Thu 2 Sep - BBC Radio Leicester, Mid-morning with Ady Dayman, from 11.35am
Fri 3 Sep - BBC Radio Shropshire, Mid-morning with Mark Elliott, MSE deals editor Deborah Shanahan on planning for Christmas, from 10.45am
Mon 6 Sep - BBC Radio Manchester, Drive with Phil Trow, from 2.20pm
Tue 7 Sep - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 12.40pm | WHAT MONEYSAVING IS TOO EXTREME FOR YOU? EG, IF YELLOW, WILL YOU LET IT MELLOW? That's all for this week but before we go... we're here to save you money, but which tips from us or our Forumites would you never try? We asked on social media and some users said they wouldn't reuse teabags, buy cheap loo roll, follow the 'If it's yellow, let it mellow' rule or attempt to make a bar of soap out of multiple congealed bits of soap (hmm, that last one really does take things to a new level). Let us know your views in our 'I'd never do it' MoneySaving Facebook post.
We hope you save some money, stay safe,
The MSE team | |
