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DON'T believe the fake 'Martin Lewis' or 'MSE' ads |
This year's new top ways to spend abroad We're heading for summer, and if you're planning to go abroad, there are a host of hidden costs to avoid - however you pay. Yet a set of specialist overseas cards give you the same near-perfect exchange rates the banks get, EVERY TIME YOU TRAVEL (so sort it now, and you needn't do it again). And recently there's been a shake-up as to which is the overall winner, so we want to take you through the current best buys... Prefer cash? Eg, for budgeting, or if you prefer to have some handy on arrival. While the best plastic gives better rates, our TravelMoneyMax comparison finds the best cash rates from over 18 bureaux.
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FREE Star Wars Lego: May the 4th be with you. At Lego & Smyths stores this weekend, limited stock. Free Lego £120 Shark SpeedStyle hairdryer/styler for £80 with code. MSE Blagged. You've heard of hot handsets - we're told this is a hot hairdryer (shouldn't they all be hot? - Martin) that many have on their buy lists. So as this is the cheapest we've ever seen it (code also gives 15% off any accessories) we're including it. Yet the aim's to save money for those buying it anyway, not to tempt others in. Shark hair tool Martin video: 'Is the £20,000 cash ISA limit about to be killed off? If so, what should savers be doing now?' For a full explanation, watch Martin's ISA warning. Related: Top cash ISAs | Top savings. Ends 11.59pm Wed. Sky Stream (with Netflix) just '£13/mth'. Not had Sky TV for at least 12mths (or ever)? Use this specific link to apply for Sky Stream* to get all the basic Sky channels for £15/mth (it also includes Netflix with ads, normally £5.99/mth). Plus, apply by tomorrow (Wed) and you'll be emailed a choice of a £40 prepaid Mastercard or shopping voucher within 4mths (do check your junk folder). Factor that in as a discount, and it's equivalent to £13.33/mth over the 2yr contract. What is Sky Stream? It allows you to stream TV using your broadband (so no dish required). 'Free' National Trust family day pass (normally £35ish). Via papers. Excludes Scotland & bank hols. Family pass Revealed: Holland & Barrett's supposedly cheaper 'Subscribe & Save' often costs more - it's promised a review after our investigation. See our Holland & Barrett news and how to get the best price there. Ends Thu. 264Mb Virgin broadband '£21/mth'. This 264Mb Virgin broadband-only deal is available to 60% of homes. You pay £25/mth till Apr 2026, when it rises to £28.49/mth. Yet it gives an automatic £100 bill credit - factor that in and it's equivalent to £20.80/mth over the 18mth contract. Want more options? Use our broadband comparison. £72 summer plant bundle £12. MSE Blagged. Excludes Northern Ireland/parts of Scotland. Thompson & Morgan Must-listen pod. Why now's the perfect time to get £100s or £1,000s of your energy credit back | Shrinkflation Nation - what's not as big as it was? Are you due £100s of energy credit back? If so, how do you get it? Is your Direct Debit set at the right level? What are the cheapest alternatives to monthly Direct Debit? All these questions and more answered. Plus, what products have gone up in price and down in size, in our Shrinkflation Nation, and lots more, all in the new The Martin Lewis Podcast. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify or wherever you get your Martin fix. |
'After 30 yrs living together, we tied the knot in 15 mins, after listening to Martin' If my recent mailbag is owt to go by, I may be inadvertently responsible for more people tying the knot than some vicars. Yet it's more about financial feelings than romantic ones. A few months ago, I cemented a hodgepodge of issues into the 9 big financial benefits of marriage & how to take advantage blog. It's a must-read for those in long-term partnerships - including if you're already married, in case you're missing out on any of the benefits. Now, many people are telling me they acted on it...
PS: Not marrying DOESN'T protect you from disadvantages of being a couple. Eg, for benefits, living together counts. Of course, there are some who don't like the idea of marriage, or see it as a hangover from religion or a patriarchal society that they're uncomfortable with. That's personal choice. If so, look at a civil partnership, which confers exactly the same legal and financial rights as marriage, without the baggage. We've had people do that too...
So, I want to wish all the 'happy couples' joyous and fiscally fantastic lives together. Thanks so much to everyone who got in touch, I'm sorry we can't publish them all. If you're in the same boat, or perhaps even decide it's time for nuptials on the back of this, do let us know via email. And why not, let's have one last (begrudging) success to finish...
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BT broadband customer on benefits? Urgently check whether you can get its social tariff before Friday. BT, like many providers, offers a social tariff - which gives those on Universal Credit, Pension Credit & Income Support etc long-term cheap broadband. Prices start from £15/mth (plus £12 postage) for 30Mb, but they rise by £1/mth on Fri. Apply NOW to lock in the current price for a year. See BT broadband tariff info. Related: All broadband social tariffs. Got car finance? Test our trial guide & tool to see whether you can refinance & save £100s or £1,000s. Our new guide allows you to check whether you can save on PCP or Hire Purchase deals by car refinancing. It's brand new territory for us, so do have a read, see whether you understand the topic, whether the guide and tool make sense, and whether the savings materialise. In return for this early access we'd love you to feed back on it. Keep potatoes in the fridge?! Since it's Stop Food Waste Day (Wed), we've lots more a-peel-ing tips to reduce waste. Chase customer? Check whether you can get boosted 4.8% easy-access saver. Chase says 2m+ customers can get the rate (made up of a 1.8% AER fixed 6mth bonus + its standard 3% AER variable rate). It'd top our best-buy easy-access savings table if all could get it (yet it's beaten by top easy-access cash ISAs). See Chase rate boost check. Don't get your passport by post - 360,000 people paid more than needed last year. See cut passport costs. Do you save or have a loan or credit card with Sainsbury's? Important update on NatWest's takeover of its banking arm and what it means for you... New. 3mths' FREE Spotify Premium for newbies OR oldies get 2mths for £6. £12/mth after trial ends. Spotify |
AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS
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MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should we return the furniture we thought we'd been given for free? My mum's neighbour gave us some furniture, which we believed to be a generous offer to help us furnish our first home. To show our appreciation, we donated £100 to his son, who ran the London Marathon for charity last weekend. The neighbour has now said he could have sold the furniture for much more than £100 and believes we should have made a larger donation. What should we do: return the furniture to him, increase the donation, or stick with our original understanding of the offer? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should we return 'free' furniture? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs |
MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 29 APR ONWARDS) Wed 30 Apr - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 4pm (listen to previous podcasts) |
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