Tuesday, 24 April 2018

Why Martin's suing Facebook, TSB help, big energy switch ends, free eye test, cheap Easyjet, baby freebies, £700 ins for £156, hot Samsung S9, Fortnite warning

Hi - here are your latest deals, freebies, tricks and messages to help you save.
                                                           
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 ENDS 10pm SUN. MSE Big Energy Switch Event 10
Martin: "Don't whinge about energy price hikes. Hit 'em where it hurts - get off your backside, ditch, switch & save £330+."  

 Martin here... Last week Scottish Power announced 5.5% price hikes to hit in June, making it the fourth of the big six energy firms to announce price rises - following Brit Gas, E.on and EDF. The rest will likely follow.

Whinging does nothing though. We live in a world where the do-somethings get far cheaper prices than the do-nothings. The way to protest with a real effect, is to ditch them, move elsewhere and likely save yourself large in the process. 

Yet many people tell me they're scared, confused or worried about moving to new, unknown firms with no track record. So for our Big Switch event, the team have been out there securing a dirt-cheap price, from reliable firms, with great service or a big name.

We've got two. One from top service provider Bulb and the other a long fix from big name EDF, yet they END THIS SUNDAY. So don't put it off, it may be warmer outside but these will cut costs now and next winter. Now over to the team to explain them in detail..

Big Switch 10 Winner I: 
Bulb - typical saving £330+/yr, 95% 'great' service, no early exit fees and it's renewable electricity

This new Bulb Vari-Fair deal, available via our Cheap Energy Club, is the market's cheapest from a top-service rated supplier - one that's built up more than 300,000 customers in 3yrs due to huge word-of-mouth recommendation. And in our last customer service poll, it got an outrageous 95% 'great' rating (from 295 votes).

How its price compares on typical usage
On regulator Ofgem's typical dual-fuel direct-debit average use (varies by region)

- Avg big six standard tariff, after planned hikes: £1,159/yr
- Big Switch 10: Bulb £823/yr (incl £25 cashback + £30 bill credit)
- Market cheapest: £767/yr - EverSmart Energy - a new, tiddler firm

Which is your cheapest varies with region and usage so...  
Get YOUR EXACT PRICE & saving via a full market comparison
 


To explain further... this is Bulb's normal tariff, with an extra £55 off. You get £30 dual-fuel bill credit within 3mths of switching (half for elec-only) from Bulb, and our usual MSE £25 dual-fuel cashback (£12.50 elec-only) that we give on any tariff we can switch you to. 

The tariff is variable, so Bulb can move prices. Last year it actually cut 'em twice, before a modest 2.8% rise this year - still leaving it very cheap. If prices do change, you'll get two months' notice, and can leave any time without exit penalties.

Bulb also has a popular refer-a-friend scheme, where the referrer and newbie each get £50. Though with our deal you get a tad more without needing to know an existing customer. Here are key facts:

- It's available for dual fuel & elec-only, incl Economy 7.
- Bulb will pay any exit fees from your current supplier, up to £60 per fuel.
- You must pay by monthly direct debit and get paperless billing.
- It's not available on prepay or in Northern Ireland.
- Ends 10pm Sun 29 Apr, but there's no cap.
- As it's variable, you can move home with it, though you'll need to sign up again at your new property.
- 100% of electricity and 10% of gas is from renewable energy sources.


Big Switch 10 Winner II - Cheapest TWO-winter fix: 
EDF - typical saving nearly £250/yr (£500 over fix). Good if you want a big name, price surety and won't often switch. 
Only 2,500 switches left

A two-year fix is great for those who want longer-term peace of mind, and it means you don't have to bother to switch as regularly. Our winner here is the special EDF Simply Fix Apr20, available for new and existing EDF customers (for many of whom it's a no-brainer). It's fixed until 30 April 2020, so the rates won't change until then.

How its price compares on typical usage
On Ofgem typical dual-fuel direct-debit average use (varies by region)

- Avg big six standard tariff, after planned hikes: £1,159/yr
- Big Switch 10: Cheapest 2-YEAR fix: EDF £911/yr (incl £25 cashback)
- Next cheapest 2-year fix: £927/yr (incl £25 cashback)

Which is your cheapest varies with region & usage so...
Get YOUR EXACT PRICE & saving via our long-fix comparison (to see all tariffs, just untick the long-fix filter in results)


As you can see, it's the cheapest two-winter fix, plus it's from a big six provider. Here are the key facts: 

- Only those who were recipients of this email or existing Cheap Energy Club members before 10am Tue 10 Apr can get this tariff.
- Available for dual fuel and elec-only, incl Eco 7.
- Not available for prepay or in Northern Ireland.
- Pay by monthly direct debit or quarterly cheque/DD.
- There are 2,500 switches left, and it ends Sun at 10pm.
- It's portable, so you can take it with you if you move home.
- There are £70 dual-fuel exit fees (£35 single fuel) if you leave early.
- Some existing EDF custs will be charged early exit penalties if they switch to it, depending on their current deal.

Prepay or live in Northern Ireland?

No deals here, we're afraid. But you can still switch and save...

- Prepay customers: Try our prepay comparison - savings are smaller, typically £100/yr, but it could still be worth doing. For bigger savings, see if you can switch to a credit meter. See Cut Prepay Energy Costs.

- Northern Ireland: No UK comparisons include NI, but see Cheap NI Electricity or the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland's tool.

Your common energy-switching questions answered... 
For more, see the full Cheap Energy Club FAQs

Q. What info do I need to switch? It's best if you have a bill, and input kilowatt hours (kWh) into Cheap Energy Club, rather than cost. But don't worry if you don't know your usage; the tool can guesstimate for you. While the answer won't be perfect, it's usually far better than doing nowt.

Q. Does MSE make money from this? Yes. Like all energy comparison sites, we're paid each time you switch through us, yet we give you about half in cashback (money you don't get if you go direct), so it's a win-win. The rest helps cover our costs and hopefully makes us some profit.

Q. How does Cheap Energy Club work? It does three things:
1) We compare ALL market tariffs to show your price and saving.
2) You get £25 dual-fuel cashback (£12.50 single fuel) if we can switch you. It's paid roughly 90 days later.
3) We monitor for better deals. You set a 'trigger saving', eg, £150/yr, then we alert you if you can save this by switching again.

And some quickies...

Q. Can I switch if I've a smart meter? Yes, but you may lose functionality. See Smart switch.
Q. How come it's put my price up when I'm fixed? 
The rate's fixed, but your bill depends on your usage. See Unfair direct debits.
Q. How do I find the standing charge and kWh cost? 
They vary by region, so we display yours in the comparison result.
Q. Can I pick a date for the switch? 
No. Providers don't allow this.
Q. I'm in credit. Will I get it back?
Yes. See Reclaim credit.
Q. I'm in energy debt. Can I switch? Usually, see Switching in debt.
Q. I've solar panels. Can I still switch? Yes. See Solar info.
Q. Is monthly direct debit cheapest?
Yes, but do regular meter readings.
Q. Why do you show a different cost from my supplier's? Enter kWh and we show the avg each month, yet your direct debit's an estimate so can differ. Direct debit help.
Q. I've an independent gas transporter - can I switch? 
Yes. See IGT help.

 
 

DON'T believe the fake ads on Facebook 

Lots of scam ads that litter social media lie that we or Martin promote Bitcoin, binary trading etc. See Fake ads warning

 

 
 

New. 30mth interest-free credit card for new spending

It's our new top pick, as all accepted get the FULL 0% length, joining hot £25 Sains/M&S deals in best buys

If you've budgeted, planned, affordable borrowing that you NEED to do (ie, replacing a worn-out sofa or old fridge), 0% credit cards are the cheapest way if used right. Though NEVER borrow willy-nilly to fill income gaps. Now there's a new top pick from Virgin Money which gives 30mths interest free, and unlike similar 0% cards, you definitely get the full length if accepted.

We've the pick of the bunch below, but don't just apply. First use our 0% Eligibility Calculator to find which you've the best chance of getting without hitting your credit score.

TOP NEW-CARDHOLDER 0% SPENDING CARDS 
CARD
0% LENGTH (REP APR AFTER)
KEY PERK
New. Virgin Money (eligibility calc / apply*) - joint-longest 0%
30mths (18.9%) N/A
Halifax (apply) - joint-longest but it's an 'up to' Up to 30mths (18.9%) N/A
MBNA (eligibility calc / apply*) - joint-longest 0% but also an 'up to'
Up to 30mths (19.9%) (1)
N/A
Sainsbury's Bank (eligibility calc / apply*) - long 0% + £25 Nectar
28mths (18.9%) Up to £25 Nectar pts (2)
M&S Bank (eligibility calc / apply*) - slightly shorter 0% + £25 vchs
25mths (18.9%)
Up to £25 M&S vchs (3)
(1) Only purchases in the first 60 days from account opening get the 0%. (2) 500 bonus Nectar pts worth £2.50 each time you spend £20+ in Sains in first 2mths (max £25). (3) £20 voucher if you spend £100 by 30 Jun + vch for £5 in pts when you spend at M&S - it's fiddly, see M&S vch rules.


  • Tip 1 - Some cards are 'up to' a certain 0% length, so you may get a shorter 0% even if accepted. If not an 'up to', you get the full length if accepted, as you do with Virgin, Sainsbury's and M&S.

  • Tip 2 - Fix payments to clear within the 0% time to avoid interest. Divide what you owe by the number of 0% months and repay by direct debit or standing order. Eg, spend £3k and over 30mths it's £100/mth to clear.

  • Follow the 0% Card Golden Rules. Full info in 0% Spending Cards (APR Examples), but in brief...
    a) Always pay at least the set monthly minimum and stick within the limit or you can lose the 0%.
    b) Plan to clear the card (or balance-transfer away) before the 0% ends or rates jump to the rep APR.
    c) These cards are usually ONLY cheap for spending, so avoid cash withdrawals or shifting debt to them.
    d) As £3k-£5k limits are typical, if you need to borrow more, see Cheap Loans from 2.7%.

 

Read why Martin's suing Facebook for defamation: in his own words. It's been everywhere. MSE founder Martin Lewis (in a personal capacity) is launching a groundbreaking law suit against Facebook scam ads using his pic - to help protect vulnerable people. Any proceeds to go to anti-scam charities. Read why Martin's suing: in his own words

Ends Mon. Fast fibre broadband from '£18.23/mth'Last chance to get Vodafone up-to-38Mb b'band for '£18.23/mth or even faster Vodafone up-to-76Mb for '£23.23/mth'. Both are 18mth deals & you must claim a £50 Amzn vch to nail those prices. PS: Vodafone's site was down after we featured the deals last week but it says it's now fine. 

Hit by TSB's IT meltdown? You could be owed money. Particularly if you've been unable to make payments. TSB help 

FREE £20 eye test at Optical Express. MSE Blagged. Plus 10% off £110 glasses & lenses voucher. Spec-tacular

Fortnite bill shock: '7-yr-old spent £80', 'my son spent £150' - how to prevent it. It's the latest gaming craze, but kids are racking up huge spends. How to stop spending on Fortnite

Super-cheap Easyjet flights for Feb/March 2019. But you'll need to be quick. Incl Feb half-term. Cheap Easyjet 

Obligatory Will & Kate baby story: Free nappies, £100+ of Argos/Mothercare coupons & much more. Congrats to our royals, and if you've a new little prince or princess, it can cost a fortune. For the right royal MoneySaving treatment, see our 58 baby savers

 
 

£700 of FAMILY mobile, travel and breakdown insurance for £156 

All included in Nationwide's 'packaged' bank account. It's now a clear winner, as its nearest rival is raising fees

For a monthly fee, packaged bank accounts give insurance such as travel, mobile and breakdown cover. In recent times, Nationwide and Halifax have been vying for top spot, but now Halifax is hiking its feesThe key is to work out which of these policies you would normally buy separately and add up how much they cost per year, then compare to simply paying the account's annual fee. Full info in Top Packaged Accounts, in brief...

  • Get up to £700/yr of insurance for £156/yr. The Nationwide FlexPlus* account is a cracking option, especially for families IF you'll use the perks. It charges £13/mth and gives the following:
    - Mobile cover for your family's smartphones, incl latest iPhones and Samsungs. The cheapest similar single phone cover elsewhere is £70/yr for up to the iPhone 8 & Samsung S9 and £100/yr for the iPhone X.
    - World family travel insurance. Incl business, winter sports & golf cover up to age 74. It also covers children travelling independently if they are under 19 and live with you, or under 22 if in full-time education. The cheapest comparable policies we found elsewhere are from £60 (solo) to £242 (family with at least one aged 65+).
    - UK & European breakdown cover. Covers all account holders in any car, and anyone you allow to drive your car. This can cost over £90/yr elsewhere.
    - 3% AER variable interest on up to £2,500. So you could earn £74/yr interest.

  • Get £75 to switch but higher fees. The Halifax Ultimate Reward account has run Nationwide close previously, but its £15/mth fee rises to £17/mth on 1 July (you can reduce the fee by £3/mth by jumping through some hoops). While Halifax pays £75 to switch, Nationwide charges less per month, offers stronger insurance and pays interest. Full info and more options in Packaged Bank Accounts.

  • Mis-sold your packaged account? You could reclaim £1,000s. If you were sold one, check if it's worth it. If so, great. If not, cancel, and check our Packaged Bank Account Reclaim Guide to see if you were mis-sold as the practice has been rife over recent years. Some get £1,000s back, such as Muriel: "I had a packaged account for 11 years that I was mis-sold - ended up getting a refund of £1,990."
 

VICTORY. You've stopped people who are suicidal being harassed by creditors. Last week in this email Martin asked you to sign his Money & Mental Health Policy Institute charity's petition to temporarily stop heavy-handed creditors pursuing people hospitalised due to severe anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. 10,000 of you did. Last night, the Govt agreed to change the law. Full info in 'Breathing space' victory.

Free £6 Amazon spend... for some. Get bonus when you buy £30 of Amazon gift cards. Check if you're eligible. Reminder: Amazon free £5 off £25... for most (must sort by Mon), see Amazon £5

Season passes at Thorpe Park & Alton Towers for less than/same as a day ticket? Passes can be cheapest way to visit Chessington and Legoland too if you go regularly. See Merlin deals.

72 lavender plant bundle £5.45 all-in (norm £20). MSE Blagged. Or 48 for £5. Now's a good time with spring springing. Van Meuwen 

Hot Samsung Galaxy S9 contract, save £200+. We often say early adopters overpay, and guess what, a month after the flagship handset launched a hot deal has appeared. Now Vodafone newbies can get unltd mins & texts on a 2yr contract with 4GB data* for £190 upfront, then £23/mth. Over the 2yrs, that's around £200 less than buying outright and pairing with a cheap Sim. The S9 is not Moneysaving, but if you'll get it at least buy it cheap. Full info: Samsung S9 Deals

Over 10,000 holidaymakers needed medical treatment abroad last year and had no EHIC. An MSE investigation's found many who needed sudden medical help didn't have the essential card which gets free or discounted medical care if ill in Europe. Make sure you get a free EHIC (or check yours is valid)

 
 

Tell your friends about us

They can get this email free every week

 
 

AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS

Longest 0%: MBNA* up to 36mths 0%, 1.99% fee (19.9% rep APR)
No-fee 0%: Santander* 27mths 0%, no fee (18.9% rep APR) 

Get comparison site quotes in this order:

  1. MoneySupermarket*
  2. Confused.com*
  3. Gocompare*
  4. Compare The Market*

Then check insurers they miss: 
Direct Line*
Aviva*

Cheapest for £5,000-£7,499: Admiral* 3.3% rep APR
Cheapest £7.5k-£15k: Sainsbury's Bank* 2.7% rep APR (1-3yrs, needs a Nectar card)   

Standard b'band & line rent: EE equiv £16.50/mth
Fibre b'band & line rent: 
Vodafone equiv £18.23/mth

£125 M&S gift card to switch + £5/mth for a year: M&S Bank
5% interest fixed for a year: 
Nationwide FlexDirect

 

Are you owed up to £520 per person for a flight delay?

More can now claim after a European court ruling - check if you're owed from past 6 years

Flight delays are nothing but painful when you're stuck in an airport or on the tarmac, but claiming compensation can be easy as Paul discovered: "I used your Resolver tool for a delay. Within days we received full compensation of £1,058." Check in with our Flight Delay guide and free reclaim tool for your full rights. Here's a quick pre-flight checklist: 

  • The key flight delay compensation rules. This is all about EU regulation 261/2004. While it's still unknown if it will be in force after we leave the EU, it very much still counts now...
    - You can claim for delays dating back to 2012. See full claims timeline.
    - You must have arrived 3hrs+ late (see how to check past delay lengths).
    - Any flights from an EU airport count, or to an EU airport if on an EU airline. Which flights count?
    - Compensation's fixed, based on delay and journey length. How much am I owed?
    - It must be the airline's fault, eg, crew were late or there was a technical fault. What counts as fault?
    - Airlines may offer vouchers, but you're entitled to cash, so go back to 'em.
    - Is it fair to airlines? Not always, eg, a delay on a £20 flight can net £100s back. See Legal vs moral concerns.

  • Use our FREE online reclaim tool - don't pay anyone to claim. The Flight Delay Reclaim Tool (in collaboration with complaints site Resolver) uses our template letters to draft your complaint, send it, keep track of it and help escalate it to the relevant regulator or ombudsman-style scheme if rejected – plus you keep ALL the compensation. See our Resolver guide for how we work with it.

  • New. You can now claim for 'wildcat' strikes. You can't claim for a delay caused by an air traffic control or airport staff strike, as it's not the airline's fault. Yet the European Court of Justice last week ruled airlines MUST pay out for unofficial strikes called by their staff - they're illegal in the UK but can happen elsewhere. If you were delayed due to one in the past six years or if your claim following such a strike has been rejected, check if you can get £100s back

  • Not on a flight covered by EU law? Sadly, you can't claim under these rules. There are some avenues to try. See non-EU flight delay help. 

 

Magazine beauty freebies, eg, £24ish Elemis face cream. Also full-size £11 Nails Inc polish, £24 Rodial mascara. Via £5ish mags

Free outdoor fitness incl yoga, bootcamps, gyms, timed 5K runs, etc. Now winter's gone, combine (hopefully) better weather with better fitness. Free outdoor fitness

NEARLY £600 RECLAIMED FOR STUDENT LOAN OVERPAYMENTS - SUCCESS OF THE WEEK: 
"Thanks for the info about student loan overpayments. I had payments deducted even though I didn't earn enough over the year, so reclaimed £184 and £394 in the last two years."
(Send us yours on this or any topic)

We've updated our privacy policy & T&Cs. No surprise, you've probably had 100s of similar 'we're updating our terms' emails because of new EU 'GDPR' rules which give you more control over your data from 25 May, and we've gotta do it too. See our Privacy Policy & Terms

 

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK

Have you used doorstep loans or shops such as BrightHouse? Citizens Advice wants to understand this area of high-cost credit better - how these products are used, how customers are treated and the impact on personal finances. Take its quick survey to share your experiences and shed some light on the sector. 

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL

What do you buy second hand? It's cheap, and environmentally friendly, yet some people think only new will do. Let us know what you'd be happy to buy second hand, if it was decent quality and cheaper. What do you buy second hand?

Men more likely than women to ask for a pay rise. Last week, we asked if you'd ever asked for a pay rise and received 6,152 votes. Encouragingly, roughly a third of respondents successfully asked for a raise, with men slightly more likely to pluck up the courage to ask for a bigger salary. Of those who haven't asked, being too nervous or not knowing how to bring up the subject of pay were reported to be the biggest obstacles, affecting 13% of men and 19% of women. See what else puts people off asking for a pay rise.

 
 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

Should I cut my sons out of my will? I have two sons who have been in a feud for 10 years. I've been caught in the middle and received foul-mouthed text messages from both of them. I now feel I want to make my will out in favour of my daughter only. Would that be wrong, after all they've put me through? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I cut my sons out of my will? | Suggest an MMD | View past MMDs

THE QUICKIES

- Debt-Free Wannabe chat of the week: Tackling historic debt
- Competitions thread of the week: Win £250 daily 
- Old-Style board thread of the week: Homemade v store-bought
- Family, marriage, relationships chat: Work wives and husbands
- Discussion of the week: Where have all the 20-somethings gone?

 

Bic - 32-piece writing set £6 (norm £18)
Krispy Kreme - free chocolate glazed doughnut
Ecover - 'pay' with recyclable plastic to get free food or coffee
Greggs - free Coca-Cola Zero Sugar for some
Free tennis - weekend sessions and coaching

Subway - Sub of the Day £2.50
Pizza Express - free pizza via app
Zizzi - 30% off mains
Burger King - meal deals incl burger and fries £2
Domino's - 30% off a £20 spend

Nails Inc - £90ish of Nails Inc polish for £25 delivered
Adidas - 15% off code
Reebok - 25% off code. Ends today (Wed)
Virgin Wines - 12 bottles of wine £58 delivered (norm £134)
Approved Food - extra 10% off clearance groceries

Quick Forum Tips

'Free' Gillette Fusion razor, pay £2 P&P. Shaving money
£6 Sharpie pens set of 30. Look Sharpie
Sun cream from £1 plus cheap brands. A-peel-ing

 
 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 25 APR ONWARD)

Thu 26 Apr – Good Morning Britain, ITV, Deals of the Week, 7.40am
Fri 27 Apr – This Morning, ITV, Martin's Quick Deals, from 10.30am
Mon 30 Apr – This Morning, ITV, from 10.30am. See previous
Mon 30 Apr – BBC Radio 5 live, Lunch Money Martin, noon. Listen again

MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECTS TBC)

Wed 25 Apr – BBC Cumbria, Money Talks with Ben Maeder, from 6pm
Mon 30 Apr  TalkRadio, Breakfast with Julia Hartley-Brewer, 9.45am
Tue 1 May – BBC Radio Cambridgeshire with Jeremy Sallis, 2.20pm

 

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Q: My flat's just been connected to gas and I need to find a supplier. I've been told I need to set up a British Gas account, so it can install the meter. I don't want to pay BG prices – is there another way to do this? Kirsty, via email

MSE Steve B's A: Once your property is safely connected to the main grid, you'll be provided with a Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN). When you have this, you'll need to get an energy provider to install a meter, so you can be billed for your usage.

It doesn't have to be British Gas though. All the big six firms have to offer this service (few, if any, others do), and they are not allowed to charge you. Whichever provider you go with will also require you to sign up to one of its energy tariffs at the same time. 

Your best bet is to do a comparison first with our Cheap Energy Club to find the cheapest deal. If that firm installs meters, go with it. If not, you could sign up to a firm which does install meters, opt for a tariff with no exit fees and then switch straight away to your favoured provider - though you'll need to weigh up if the savings are worth the extra hassle. 

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

 

'THE CARD MACHINE SAID £300,000 FOR A KEBAB - LUCKY I CHECKED IT'

That's all for this week, but before we go... when the news of an online shopper being mistakenly charged £900 for a banana hit the headlines, MoneySavers were quick to share their tales. A £5,000 direct debit for a month's gas, a £9.50 charge for a 65p packet of rolls and a near-miss on a £300,000 kebab all show the importance of checking your bills. Share your overcharged mishaps in our overpriced banana Facebook post or on Twitter.

We hope you save some money,
The MSE team

 

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