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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL Martin: 19 must-dos before tax year-end! - Beat hikes: B'band | Water | Council Tax - Savers use/lose: ISAs | LISAs | JISAs - Tax claims: Marriage | Income | Uniform Easy-to-get 0% debt shift for poor credit £2/mth Sim | Cheapest ever iPhone 17 Stop press: Energy fixes 7% cheaper Make money buying lost luggage? 1wk only. FREE £225 bank switch Martin: 'Why should you have to tell firm after firm you're vulnerable?' Warning. New 'Making Tax Digital' rules Easter deals: 99p eggs & lots more Car finance redress announcement Mon FREE quick £50 Amazon voucher Martin Video: How to use 30% less petrol Ends. 300Mb b'band + Sky TV £40/mth Martin pod. ISA ISA baby... time to stop, collaborate & listen Question pod. Car finance payback? 9 y/o learns about interest! £135 prescription specs/sunnies £37 Martin vs Miliband on heating oil & LPG Ikea 'up to 50% off' sale £18bn pothole backlog... due £100s? Winter Fuel: Last chance to opt back in Urgent. Banking app 'Zero' stops trading Ends. 3mths' free Spotify/Amazon Music This week's best buys: 4.45% 1yr fixed savings, 14mth no-fee debt shift & more Money Moral Dilemma: Should I pay builder's VAT bill months after the work? BEST BUYS & TOOLS Top savings accounts Credit Card Eligibility Calculator Loans Eligibility Calculator

Martin: Steal a March on April... Urgent checklist: 19 do-nows to beat April's price hikes & the tax year-end! Beat April hikes incl: B'band | Mobile | Water | Council Tax | Stamps ISA use-it-or-lose-it: ISAs | Lifetime ISAs | Junior ISAs Urgent tax claims incl: Marriage Tax | Overpaid tax? | Work uniform? | PPI Yet again, April doesn't just shower, it pees down on the nation. Even before the Middle East conflict hit the pumps and home heating oil, we were expecting the usual raft of annual essential service price hikes, plus the stealth tax of 'fiscal drag' - where earnings rise but tax thresholds don't. And, as the tax year ends on 5 April, there are a host of urgent deadlines too, from using your ISA to claiming back overpaid tax. There are uplifts too, on benefits and pension payments - but I'm focused on the need-do-nows, I'll leave the rest till it happens... Beat April's hikes Stop 'em making a fool of you...  If only April Fool's Day was the month's most frustrating tradition - sadly each year there are a raft of public service & utility price hikes too. 1. BROADBAND: Beat the £50ish/yr rises by halving costs & doubling speeds. c.1 April. Most firms are upping costs by £3 to £4/mth, even for those mid-contract. That's far higher for some than before the new (flaccid, in my view) Ofcom 'transparency' rules were put in place. Yet as 7m of you are out of contract, and therefore free to switch, you can bring costs down to well under £25/mth via short-lived broadband promo deals. Our speedy broadband comparison will take you through what's available. 2. WATER BILLS: They're rising roughly 5% in Eng & Wales (9% in Scotland), but many can cut costs. 1 April. This is on top of last year's 26% rises (Eng & Wales), though it varies by region - see firm-by-firm Water bill rises. Yet there are ways many in England & Wales can cut costs (Scotland's a different system)... More or the same number of bedrooms in your home than people (eg, three bedrooms, two people)? A water meter is likely to save you cash. As Mike emailed us: "Just done our second meter reading and the bill shows that our usage is 40-50% lower than what's used for standard billing. So looks like we're going to save £250/yr. Definitely should have done this before, but at least we're going to see the money in our account. Thanks for the useful emails and advice they offer." If they say you can't have a water meter, ask for an 'assessed charge'. Lots more tips, help and some freebies in our Slash water costs guide. 3. MOBILE COSTS: They're rising by up to £2.50/mth, but some can cut costs down to just £2/mth overall! c.1 April. Like broadband, many will see above-inflation mid-contract rises - even if mid-contract. We've a full note below, see Slash mobile costs to £2/mth or new cheapest handsets. 4. COUNCIL TAX: Rising a typical 5% in Eng & Wal and 7-8% in Scot. Can you slash what you pay? 1 April. Most English & Welsh councils are expected to up costs by 5% (exact English amounts confirmed tomorrow), adding a typical £115/yr for a band D property. Little can be done about the rises, but there are two important checks to see whether you can cut costs... - Are you one of up to 400,000 in the wrong band? If yours is too high, you could be due a backdated payout of £1,000s plus a lower bill. Try my step-by-step 10-min Council Tax check 'n' challenge to see if you may be able to get your band lowered. Michaela emailed us: "After using your guide I submitted evidence. After a wait of nearly 12mths, I was successful and my band was lowered to band A. A few days later I was delighted to receive a £3,200 overpayment refund from my local council. Many thanks for your support and help as I was totally unaware that I had the wrong Council Tax banding and subsequently had overpaid for 30 years." - Are you due a discount? Do you live alone (or with just children), or are you a student, on a low income, have a disability or a 'Severe Mental Impairment' - eg, serious dementia or stroke? You may be missing out, see our full Are you due a Council Tax discount? guide.  5. ENERGY BILLS: These will FALL (but big rises due later). 1 April. Bizarrely, with the talk of potential energy bill shocks, the time lag between wholesale price rises and that hitting most domestic bills means that, on 1 April, prices are actually falling. The Price Cap will drop 6.7% and unprecedentedly there will even be 7% to 9% drops for existing fixed-rate energy tariffs. Yet the predictions are of a huge, possibly 20%+ hike in the Price Cap on 1 July (depending on whether and when wholesale rates drop if the Middle East conflict ends). If you want to get off the Price Cap and fix, then just as we were about to press send on this email, the situation improved slightly - see new cheap fix options. 6. STAMPS: Stomp down on the up to 6% price rise. 7 April. Stamp prices are rising, eg, a 1st class standard letter stamp will cost £1.80 (from £1.70). Yet as I say every time this happens, it's easy to beat the rises just by buying the right stamps in advance as they then stay valid in perpetuity. So stock up on what you need now. And boy has James done that, he emailed last week: "Following Martin's comment on stamps going up... we bought £10,000 of 1st class stamps for our business in 2022. We have used 80% of them and only have 1,900 left. However, their value now is still over £5,300 - with all the price rises - our most profitable investment in the last five years. Many thanks." 7. PASSPORT FEES: Rising by up to £17.50. 8 April. Check NOW if yours is due for renewal, there's still time to get the lower rate. See cheapest Passport renewal. The ISA deadline is just 12 days away If you don't use your ISA allowance you lose it Prepare to pop the champagne corks and light the fireworks, 6 April is the New Year for tax, when all ISA and tax allowances reset. That means you've not long left to use this year's allowances.  Let's start with a quick glossary... - Cash ISA: a savings account where the interest isn't taxable.  - Shares ISA: an investment account which isn't taxable, so there's no Capital Gains Tax to pay on profits, nor Dividend Tax on income. - Lifetime ISA (LISA): a special ISA allowance where you get a 25% boost from the state (max £1,000 per tax year) to use towards your first property, or to take out once you're age 60. - Junior ISA (JISA): cash & shares ISAs for under 18s. For more help, listen to my new ISA ISA baby podcast, which takes you through everything you need to know step-by-step. 8. Adults, have you used your 2025/26 allowance? Each tax year, every one aged 18 or older can put £20,000 in total in ISAs. This is about new money you put in, any money already in ISAs doesn't count towards the £20,000. The £20,000 is the total limit on the combined amount you put in a top cash (savings) ISA, or a shares (investment) ISA, or a LISA (max £4,000). You can put all £20,000 in one, or split it across a combination of the three.  Use it or lose it. You can't carry over your ISA allowance, so 5 April is the last date you can fill this year's ISA. After that, it's gone. You get a new ISA allowance on 6 April. So for someone who hasn't used their ISA this tax year, and has the money, they could put £20,000 in now, and another £20,000 in on 6 April (using next tax year's allowance). Even if you don't have enough to use next year's, if it's right for you, get the money in an ISA now, just in case you have more to put away next year. Once money's in an ISA it stays tax-free year after year. The limit is on how much new money you can put in within each tax year. There's no total limit on what you can have in ISAs. Some now have £100,000s in cash ISAs, having used many years' allowances, and there are apparently over 5,000 shares ISA millionaires! From Apr 27, it's planned that the annual cash ISA limit will fall to £12,000 for under-65s. The shares ISA will remain at £20,000. The Chancellor argues this is to 'encourage young people to invest.' More help in frequently asked ISA questions from our ISA special a couple of weeks ago. 9. Putting money away for a long time? Consider a Shares ISA. I wrote about this in detail a couple of weeks ago, see my shares ISAs vs cash ISAs explanation, but in brief... If you're putting money away for the long term (over 5+ years) that you don't need in the meantime, on the balance of probability a shares ISA (in a very broad spread of investments, such as global or big country tracker funds) will hopefully substantially outperform saving (watch my audience surprise when I reveal investing v savings video for more). And the fact you're doing it over the long term, means short-term market volatility, like we're seeing right now, should hopefully be smoothed out. Far more help in our shares ISA guide. Plus there's a good shares ISA starter deal right now... Free £50 of shares when you invest £100 with Trading 212 (you can invest in a wide choice of funds). Cash ISAs are best for money you may need to access sooner, though it's worth remembering with cash you have savings interest tax-free allowances, which means many may not pay tax on interest anyway. 10. If you're saving anyway, the top easy-access cash ISAs beat normal savings. Even if you won't pay tax on savings, currently cash ISAs pay higher rates, so you may as well put your money there first anyway.  And if you have used up all your other savings allowances, then cash ISAs smack the pants off normal savings which'll have 20% or 40% interest taken off as tax (for basic or higher-rate taxpayers). Here's the best buys from the team - these change all the time though during ISA season (which is right now), so click the article links for the latest updates.  The current top easy-access savings (AERs) Variable rate, so it can change once you save, check regularly Top (variable) cash ISAs Top (variable) normal savings - Top 'new customers only'. Trading 212's 4.68%* including a year's 1.08% newbie bonus. Plum 4.66% and Tembo 4.55% have similar structures. No or lower-rate transfers. - Top rate for ISA transfers. Moneybox 4.26% (min £500, max 3/yr withdrawals, newbies only), Vida savings 4.16% (min £500, max 2/yr withdrawals) and Virgin Money 4.15% (min £1, max 2/yr withdrawals). - Top no bonus. Atom bank 4.25%, no transfers. And without any caveats at all: Kent Reliance 4.05% (min £1,000), allows transfers, unlimited withdrawals. - Top 'new customers only'. Chase 4.5%* including a year's 2.25% newbie bonus (min £1, max £3m). App only, via its no-hard-credit check current account, you don't need to switch. - Top standard rate: LHV Bank 4.25% (min £1), need its free current account, unlimited withdrawals. - Top no current account. Cynergy Bank 4.22% including a year's 2% bonus (min £1). All accounts listed have the full UK £120,000 savings safety protection. 11. Cash ISA fixes have a special power. The big benefit of fixed-rate savings is, unlike the easy-access accounts above, the rate is guaranteed - it can't move, so you know exactly what it'll pay.  Yet while normal fixes lock your money away for the term of the fix, cash ISA fixes can't do that. They must allow you access, normally by closing the account and charging you an access fee of 90 to 360 days' interest (depending on the fix length).  So while on pre-tax rate alone normal savings pay more (though of course for those who'd pay tax on the interest, cash ISA fixes are far better), if there's a chance you'll need to access the money during the term, cash ISA fixes offer a get-out-of-jail-free card. Top fixed-rate savings AERs The rate is locked in, it won't drop Top fixed cash ISAs  Top fixed savings 1-year fixes Hodge Bank 4.36% (min £1k) Castle Trust Bank 4.35% (min £1k) Big Name: Skipton 4.25% for 15mths (min £500) Union Bank of India UK 4.45% (min £1k) Hodge Bank 4.42% (min £1k) Big Name: MBNA 4.36% (min £1k) 2-year fixes West Brom BS 4.45% for 18mths (min £1) Hodge Bank 4.36% (min £1k) Big Name: NatWest 4.3%* (min £25k OR 4.05% on £1k-£24,999) Market Harborough BS 4.65% (matures July 2028, min £5k) Charter Savings Bank 4.45% (min £5k) Big Name: Leeds BS 4.1% (min £100) 12. JUNIOR ISAs: Put away up to £9,000 a year tax-free for under-18s. JISAs let under-18s save or invest up to £9,000/yr tax-free, so if needed, use the allowance by 5 April or you lose it. Though be aware the money is locked away till their 18th birthday, then it's theirs to do with as they please. Here's three quick need-to-knows: Must children pay tax? Yes, mostly just like adults, yet most don't earn enough to, except due to special rules on money given by parents. Investing's likely to win for JISAs. As you're putting money away that can't be touched for a long time, there's a strong argument that a shares JISA (in a broad spread of investments, such as global or big country tracker funds) will outperform a cash JISA. You can transfer cash JISAs to increase the interest. Don't assume once you've money in a cash JISA it's a done deal, you have a right to transfer it to up the interest (or switch to shares). Just open a new JISA and fill in the transfer section on the application. See top cash JISAs for best rates.  13. LIFETIME ISAs: Saving for your first home? Get up to £1,000/yr on top. A LISA allows first-time buyers' (even if you're buying with someone who's owned before) to save up to £4,000 each tax year and the state adds 25%, so a max £1,000 free cash every tax year.  Alternatively it can be used to save and take out when you're 60. Our full Top Lifetime ISAs guide for a detailed step-by-step, but in brief... Openable when age 18 to 39. Once you have one the bonus can be paid each year until you're 50 You can only get the 25% bonus if it's been open a year. So if you don't have one, put £1 in one now just in case, to get the clock started.  It's only for residential mortgages on properties under £450,000. It's not for buy-to-let. Sadly, the £450,000 hasn't moved since LISAs launched in 2017. So think carefully - if there's a chance you'll buy somewhere that costs more, be very careful as... There's an effective 6.25% fine if you withdraw for the wrong reason. Withdraw for any reason other than to buy a qualifying home (ie, one under £450,000), or once aged 60, and you pay a withdrawal fee effectively of 6.25% of your money to access it. The Chancellor says she wants to replace the LISA. Mainly to remove the 'save till you're 60' element. If you're a 1st-time buyer and a LISA suits you now, it's likely still worth doing. For saving till you're 60+, I'd be more cautious, though if you don't already have one, it may be worth putting in £1 just in case LISAs are closed to new entrants and you may want the over 60s option to use later (if that remains allowed) For full help and best-buys, see our full Top Lifetime ISAs guide.  Don't lose your chance to reclaim tax Fail to claim now and a year is gone...  With many tax allowances you can claim back four tax years before the current one, so when this tax year closes on 5 April... ... you lose the chance to back-claim the 2021/22 tax year. Specifically, that means for anything that happened 6 April 2021 to 5 April 2022, so to claim anything from that, you must do it NOW. Including...  14. Married or in a civil partnership? Are you one of 2m couples missing out on an up to £1,260 tax break? This is all about the Marriage Tax Allowance. I've four checks to see whether you're eligible, then read on for why it's urgent... You must be married or in a civil partnership. Just living together, even if you've kids, doesn't count. Both of you must've been born AFTER 5 April 1935. If you're older, there's the Married Couple's Allowance instead. One must be a non Income-Tax payer. Eg, usually earning under £12,570/yr. People always ask me: "Does it count if I volunteer? Or work part-time?" etc. Yet this is simple - if you don't earn enough to pay Income Tax in a tax year, you're a non-Income-Tax-payer, regardless. The other must be a basic 20% rate Income-Tax payer. Eg, usually earning £12,570 to £50,270/yr (£43,662/yr in Scotland). Higher 40% rate taxpayers can't do this. How it works... The non-taxpayer can apply to move exactly 10% of their £12,570 Personal Allowance to their tax-paying spouse. So the taxpayer has an extra £1,260/yr income free of 20% tax, saving £252/yr. The graphic below shows it, or watch my Marriage Tax video briefing. You can backdate a claim, assuming you were eligible, currently to 2021/22 (worth up to £1,260) - but go quick to apply for backdating before 5 April or you'll miss the 2021/22 tax year's £252. Full pros, cons & Q&A in our Marriage Tax guide. As Jeannie emailed earlier this month: "Hi Martin, I saw your programme on claiming for Marriage Tax Allowance. I thought I would give it a try, so filled in the form online but I had to send it off through the post, due to claiming for previous years. This morning we received a cheque for £1,046. Thank you. This will help us a great deal as we are pensioners." 15. Is/was your tax code wrong? MILLIONS are, so check. Your tax code is a series of letters & numbers, which tells your employer/pension provider what tax to deduct. Our Free Tax Code Calc will help you decipher it and check if it's right.  For example, the standard one is 1257L. Add a 0 to the number and it shows you how much you can earn before paying tax - in this case, £12,570. To decipher the letter, use the calc.  Crucially, it's YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, not HMRC's, nor your employer's, to check whether it's wrong. If it is, it can mean you're overpaying and are due cash back. Last tax year, HMRC paid around £3bn back to 4.2m people who overpaid income tax (according to our FOI request). And if you did in the 2021/22 tax year, you've only got till 5 April to claim back the money. Alan emailed last month: "I recently saw a video in which Martin recommended we check our tax codes. Thankfully, I did. I found that the predicted sum on which my code was calculated was out by £20k. I had overpaid by in excess of £4k, which has now been returned to me. A big thank you to Martin for putting out the prompt. I am really grateful as financially the timing was perfect." PS: You may also have underpaid, but funnily enough, then HM Revenue & Customs may be able to go back far longer. 16. Can you boost your State Pension? You can buy back the last six years' worth, so until 5 April that's back to 2019/20. Our full Buying National Insurance Years guide will take you through the details.  17. Do you wear a recognisable uniform to work? Even if it's just a branded T-shirt, if you wash or repair it yourself, you can likely claim a small tax rebate. The minimum allowance is £60/yr (so worth £12/yr for a basic 20% taxpayer, £24 for a higher 40% payer). Go quick to backdate to the 2021/22 tax year via uniform tax rebate free help. 18. Did you get a PPI payout 6 April 2021 to 5 April 2022 - you may be owed tax back. It's the year you were paid that counts, and while most PPI payouts were done and dusted by then, there were a few that paid out in the 2021/22 tax year (the year you're about to lose the ability to claim tax back for). If that's you, see my reclaim PPI tax blog to check if you're owed money. 19. Salary increasing in April? Find your new take home pay. Some people get an annual uplift at the start of the new tax year. If that's you, our Income Tax & National Insurance calc will be able to give you an idea of your new take home pay. Of course, yet again no tax thresholds are rising, due to the freeze on them called 'fiscal drag', so if your pay is rising, a bigger proportion of your earnings will be taken as tax.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Rejected when you try to get 0% deals to balance transfer existing debt? 0% card that accepts likely twice as many applicants as other poor-credit cards is now in our eligibility calc - shift debt to interest-free till year-end It's long been said a bank is the type of organisation that'll lend you an umbrella when the sun shines, only to ask for it back when it rains. In other words, those most in need of cheaper credit are the least likely to be accepted. If you've existing debt and usually get rejected when you try to cut the cost, it's worth trying again. This is all about 0% balance transfers - where you get a new card that pays off existing card debt(s) for you. So now you owe the new card instead, but interest-free. That means more of your money clears the debt itself rather than just servicing the interest. ALWAYS do an eligibility check before applying - protect your credit score. When you apply for credit, even if you're rejected, it puts a mark on your credit file. Too many of those are negative. Instead, use our 0% Balance Transfer Eligibility Calculator, which shows your odds of getting top cards, as well as the specialist cards below for those with poorer credit histories. And unlike an application, it does this without impacting your creditworthiness. So you can home in on the card you're most likely to be accepted for, minimising applications... PS: Usually rejected when you apply for credit? Our free Credit Club (available via the MSE App on Apple | Android) will analyse your credit set-up and show you how to improve it. You can also access the eligibility calc through it. Poorer-credit 0% balance transfer cards (all links go via our eligibility calc) None of these exclude those with past history of defaults, County Court Judgements (CCJs) & bankruptcies unless stated Accepts some with poorer histories, but tighter criteria than its other card below. Capital One DEFINITE 20mths 0% for a one-off 2.9% fee (26.9% rep APR after the 0% ends). Note: This card only appears in the eligibility results if you've a chance of getting it. For poorer credit histories, but not those who are currently bankrupt or have an active Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA). Vanquis 'up to' 19mths 0% for a one-off 3.48% fee (29.9% rep APR after the 0% ends). Some accepted get 16mths 0% (3.48% fee) or 10/8mths 0% (3.9% fee), but you'll be told which before you apply. Bankruptcies, CCJs and IVAs must be over 3yrs old. Min income requirement: £5,000/yr. Fluid 'up to' 15mths 0% for a one-off 3% fee (49.9% rep APR after the 0% ends). The exact 0% length is dynamic and could be as low as one month but you'll be told what it is before you hit apply. Likely highest approval chances (but nothing is certain). Capital One DEFINITE 8mths 0% for a one-off 3% fee (34.9% rep APR after the 0% ends). Note: This card only appears in the eligibility results if you've a chance of getting it. One big check to make with poorer-credit cards... The interest rate after the 0% ends is higher than with normal balance transfers - it can be over 30%. So before you shift the debt, compare it with your current interest rate. If your current card APR is lower, ONLY shift debt you're certain you can clear within the 0% period, so you're not stuck at the higher rate after. If your current card's the same or higher, shift as much as possible within the credit limit. ALWAYS follow the Balance Transfer Golden Rules: a) Never miss the min monthly repayment (pay it by Direct Debit), or you could lose the 0% deal & it'll cost far more. b) Aim to clear the card (or balance-transfer again) before the 0% ends, or the rate rockets to the higher APR. c) Don't spend or withdraw cash. It usually isn't at the cheap rate & withdrawals may hit your ability to access credit. d) If you don't do the transfer at application, you've often only 60 to 90 days to get the 0%. Check your card's terms. e) See full help and info in Best balance transfers. Frequently Asked Questions... links to Martin's answers. Q. What should I do if I've only got a low eligibility chance of getting a card, eg, 20%? Q. What if the eligibility calculator says I've "no chance" for all cards? Q. Which debt do I prioritise paying off first? Q. What if the credit limit isn't big enough?

 

STOP PRESS: New energy fixes launched 7% cheaper than yesterday. This happened just before we sent the email, so if you're on the Price Cap and want to fix to avoid potentially big future hikes due to the Middle East crisis, it's worth a look. They're nowhere near as cheap as pre-conflict, the cheapest is still around 2% more than the current Price Cap - but unprecedentedly, on 1 April existing fixes get cheaper (due to a change in policy costs) by more than the Cap does. So after that, they'll be similar, and the key is that with fixes the rate is then locked in until at least March next year. Use our full market comparison to see what you can get (things are changing rapidly, though). Can you make money buying unclaimed mystery lost luggage? MSE Jenny bought six in an auction, find out if she hit gold or mould. See Lost Luggage Auctions. 1wk only. Grab newly-boosted FREE £225 to switch to top bills (or joint bills) current account. Until next Tue, Santander Edge* gives newbies switching to it £200 cash, plus via this link there's now a £25 Amazon voucher on top. For a £3/mth fee, the account gives 1% cashback on bills paid by Direct Debit (max £10/mth), which puts most homes easily in profit. It also has a linked 6% saver on up to £4,000. Full review, eligibility & more options in top free-cash bank accounts. Martin Video: 'Why should you have to tell firm after firm that you're vulnerable? It needs to change.' Watch Martin's 2min video on MMHPI's call for a 'tell us once' service for those with mental (or physical) health conditions. Warning. Sole trader or landlord with £50,000+/yr income? New 'Making Tax Digital' rules. We don't usually cover small biz finance, but Martin was so concerned that many will be caught out by the huge shake-up to Self Assessment tax rules, he asked us to do a guide. If this is you, from 6 April you'll need to keep digital records and submit 'Quarterly Updates' as well as a final Tax Return. For full help, including free software, see our new Making Tax Digital guide. Easter deals: 99p eggs, save 70% on Creme Egg cookies, free kids' activities & lots more. NEWS: Car finance redress scheme to be announced Mon (30 Mar) 5pm-ish. 'I traced old car finance agreements in mins using reclaim tools.' The regulator, the FCA, will announce details of its car finance mass redress scheme after 4.30pm Monday. If you haven't complained, sooner is best, so go to our free car finance reclaim guide, as Colleen did: "Thanks so much for the brilliant reclaim tools, especially the Equifax tracing tool. I knew I had at least one car finance agreement from way back I couldn't find, but after downloading the tool, up popped the two agreements I wanted. Then I used your free car finance reclaim tool - again, VERY easy. Within mins, I had replies from both companies. All in, took about 15mins." This THURSDAY 9PM - The Martin Lewis Money Show LIVE (or watch back on ITVX) Car finance reclaim NEWS & help | Beat April hikes and tax deadlines Martin: 'As the big car finance announcement is due on Monday, I'll take your questions & guide you through how to max your payout chances, whether you've complained yet or not, in an HOUR LONG show Thur. Plus an extended News You Can Use on how to beat April price hikes and tax-year deadline. Got questions? Email the show team at MartinLewis@Itv.com.. Free £50 Amazon voucher - just sign up to a credit card (then you can cancel). Accepted applicants opening the fee-free Amazon Barclaycard credit card get a £40 voucher, then a further £10 when you activate it in the app, so it should be quick. So that's £50 without any spending, meaning at that point you could just cancel. It does give a decent 1yr 0.5% cashback on most spending (1% at Amazon) though that's beatable by the top 1%+ cashback cards. With all cashback cards, ensure you pay off IN FULL each month, preferably by Direct Debit, otherwise the interest dwarfs the cashback. Will it impact my credit score? One application may have a short term minor impact. It's not usually an issue, just avoid it within a few months of a key debt application, such as a mortgage. Martin Video: 'Simple ways to use 10% to 30% less petrol or diesel.' As well as quickly finding cheapest petrol prices, watch Martin's 2min video on YouTube (do subscribe). Or watch his full Middle East crisis help show (ITVX). Ends Thu. 300Mb broadband + Sky Ultimate (incl Netflix, Disney+, Discovery+ & HBO Max) £40/mth'. As well as fast broadband, with this Sky deal you get Sky Stream Ultimate, which includes basic Sky channels, Sky Max, Comedy & Documentaries plus Netflix, Discovery+, Disney+ and, in the next week, HBO Max (all ad versions). It's £39/mth, rising £3/mth THIS Apr, and you'll be emailed a choice of a £50 prepaid Mastercard or shopping voucher within 4mths of your first bill (check your junk). Factored in, it's £39.92/mth over the 2yr contract. While the price could rise, likely in April 2027, if it does, you'll be able to leave the contract penalty-free. Want other options? Use our full broadband comparison. New Martin pod. ISA ISA baby... time to stop, collaborate & listen... to all you've ever wanted to know about cash & shares ISAs but were afraid to ask. The ISA deadline is coming, so in this pod Martin talks you through everything you need to know, starting at beginner level then moving up to investments. All this & more in Martin's main podcast this week. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify etc. Question Time pod. Am I due car finance payback? 9-year-old learns about interest! If my bank overpays me, can I keep it? It's a fun one this week, these are just some of the questions you asked in Martin's Question Time podcast. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify etc.

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - £37 Ted Baker specs or sunnies (normally £135) Ends 12 Apr	DID YOU MISS? - FREE cat food, FREE wipes & more supermarket coupons - Cinema deals: 5 Vue tix £22, £1 Odeon family films & more - Middle East conflict travel help - Easy FREE £15 (& get 7.1% savings) - 'I upgraded my phone and barely noticed any difference'

 

 

Is your mobile bill about to be hiked in April? Many pay FOUR TIMES over the odds for their mobile & it may be about to worsen. It's easy to beat though, either...  New. Keep your handset and pay £2/mth for all calls + 10GB data (£4 for 100GB) New. Or get the cheapest ever iPhone 16 or 17, Samsung S25 FE or S26 deals Millions overpay because they sit on their existing mobile deal without switching. And now, annual price hikes are coming - with many, even mid-contract, seeing costs rise by up to £2.50/mth. Ironically, that's more than you'd pay for one of the top deals via our Cheap Sim Finder, as new customers get all the hot deals. So below, we'll help you save. First the top deals if you want to keep your phone, then the best new handset deals... Three steps to cut costs without changing phone Can you switch & save? Text 'INFO' for free to 85075. Check if you're one of the 14 MILLION people that are out of contract and free to move to a far cheaper deal. Ofcom forces firms to tell you this via a free text (those with Three, Smarty or iD Mobile may need to reply with their date of birth to prove identity). You're looking for something like '£0 early termination/cancellation charge' - that means you're free to move. If you're on a multi-phone contract, this won't work for you, but if you've been with the same provider for more than two years, you're likely out of contract (though do contact your provider to check). Switch Sim to save. A Sim is the chip (or sometimes it's virtual) that gives your phone its identity and cost structure - and it's easy to switch. Our Cheap Sim comparison tool has all the deals, and the savings can be huge. As Vilma emailed Martin a few weeks ago: "I recently switched, and I am very pleased. I was previously paying £21/mth with Vodafone, which was set to increase to £24 in April. Now, I am paying only £2.50/mth [saving £220/yr] for the same bundle, which also includes roaming. I would like to express my gratitude for this excellent offer." Cheapest Sim only deals via our Cheap Sims Comparison All have unltd UK calls & texts. 'Equiv' price averages all discounts & vouchers over a year. Links have full info  10GB: Lebara equiv '£1.95/mth' (on Vodafone's signal). 1mth rolling contract. 4.1/5 ("good") customer service 35GB: Lebara equiv '£2.53/mth' (on Vodafone's signal). 1mth rolling contract. 4.1/5 ("good") customer service 100GB: iD Mobile equiv '£4.17/mth' (on Three's signal). 1yr contract. 2.9 / 5 ("OK") customer service Don't want to change signal? There are only four networks in the UK, all others piggyback on their signals. Our Cheap Sim tool lets you find the cheapest Sim using your existing signal (though other terms, eg, 4G calling, may differ, so check). To keep your number when switching, text 'PAC' for free to 65075. You'll get a code to send to your new provider, which will transfer your number over, usually within one working day. (Do note, some providers may ask for your date of birth to confirm your identity, and this won't work if you're on a contract with more than one phone.) Cost-cutting cheat code! Following all three steps is definitely the best route, but if you want a shortcut, just try step 3 - texting for your PAC. Sometimes this makes your existing provider think you're about to leave, and it may offer you a deal to stay. As Sarah emailed us last year: "I was about to see my EE Sim-only cost increase to £20, I'd seen Martin on TV saying to text 'PAC' to 65075, so I did. Two hours later I had a call and was offered the same deal with extra data for £6! [Saving £168] Thank you." Cheapest ever handset deals: Apple and Samsung Of course, by far the cheapest thing to do is to stick with your current phone and just switch Sim. But if your handset's near the end of its usable life (or you just can't cope and need - and can afford - new tech), a raft of handset contract deals has just launched. Our Cheap Mobile Handset Finder shows a far wider range, but the ones below are the cheapest we've ever seen for that model. For full details on each deal's structure, click the link.  Cheapest handset deals via our Cheap Mobile Handset Finder All have unltd UK calls & texts. 'Equiv' price averages all discounts, vouchers and price rises over contract. Links have full info  iPhone 17 (256GB) on 200GB/mth iD Mobile Sim, equiv '£34.81/mth' over 2yr contract  iPhone 16 (128GB) on 100GB/mth iD Mobile Sim, equiv '£28.60/mth' over 2yr contract  Samsung Galaxy S26 (256GB) on 50GB/mth iD Mobile Sim, equiv '£30.94/mth' over 2yr contract Samsung Galaxy S25 (128GB) on 30GB/mth TalkMobile Sim, equiv '£24.83/mth' over 2yr contract Samsung Galaxy S25 FE (128GB) on 30GB/mth TalkMobile Sim, equiv '£21.99/mth' over 2yr contract These deals are mostly from resellers, not the networks direct, which are generally cheaper. But as always, once the contract ends, you'll likely be overpaying - so diarise the end date and plan to switch Sim then. And remember, to keep your current number when switching, just text 'PAC' to 65075. - Refurbs are often far cheaper. Top-grade refurbished models are often returns from customers who changed their mind. For example, a "pristine" refurbished iPhone 16 (released 2024) is £559 vs £699 new. Compare via our Refurb Handset tool. And a couple more tips to cut your mobile costs... Can you get cashback on top? Cashback sites may undercut deals elsewhere. Do check it's like for like though. Protect your device. Thieves don't just sell the handset - they want to access your banking apps and personal data to steal £1,000s. See how to set up your biometrics, note your IMEI number, disable preview notifications and more in our 16 tips to protect your phone from thieves guide.

 

£37 Ted Baker prescription specs or sunnies (normally £135). MSE Blagged. £37 for the basic set-up - you can pay to upgrade lenses etc. Via SpeckyFourEyes code. Video: Martin puts your questions to Ed Miliband about the £52m home heating oil & LPG help. Watch Martin ask the Energy Secretary: 'How will the home heating oil scheme work?' and read our news story. Or watch Martin's full Middle East crisis help show (ITVX). Ikea 'up to 50% off' sale, eg, £20 duvet set £10. In stores & online. See full Ikea sale analysis. Are you due £100s after pothole damage? There's an £18bn pothole repair backlog. See pothole claims. Opted out of Winter Fuel Payment? Last chance to opt back in. If your circumstances have changed and you now earn under £35,000, to get this winter's up to £300 help for pensioners, opt back in by next Tue (31 Mar). Urgent. Ethical banking app 'Zero' stops trading - get your money out now. See our Zero help. Ending. Three months' free (ad-free) music for Spotify and/or Amazon Music newbies. Spotify or Amazon.

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest definite 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) 36mths 0%, 3.15% fee, 24.9% rep APR No-fee 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) up to 14mths 0%, 24.9% rep APR Best bank accounts Boosted. Free £225 + cashback: Santander Edge Free £200 + perks: Club Lloyds Free £200: Barclays Bank Account Broadband top picks Fast fibre (100Mb+): Vodafone '£18.71/mth' Superfast fibre (500Mb+): Vodafone '£20.30/mth' On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Insurance Car: Use our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Home: Use our Compare+ Home Insurance tool Cheap loans £5,000 to £7,499: M&S Bank (check eligibility), 6.9% rep APR £7,500 to £15,000: TSB (check eligibility), 5.6% rep APR Top savings accounts Top easy-access savings: Chase 4.5%, min £1 Top easy-access ISA: Trading 212 4.68%, min £1 Top one-year fix: Union Bank of India UK 4.45%, min £1k Top energy deals Use our whole-of-market Cheap Energy Club Cheap Sims 10GB to 30GB data: Lebara, '£1.95/mth' for 10GB 31GB+ data: iD Mobile, '£4.17/mth' for 100GB

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Vet prescription fees to be capped as regulator cracks down on sector - Banks and payment firms can now scrap the £100 contactless limit - Car parking firm NCP falls into administration

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should I pay a builder's VAT bill months after the work was done? I've been sent a £1,584 VAT bill by a contractor who did work in my garden over a year ago, and more drainage/building work in August. At the time, he didn't charge VAT for either job as he wasn't VAT-registered. He now says he had to register from 1 May and needs to charge VAT, so is billing me for the later work. I don't doubt it's true, and he did a good job, but surely this is his mistake? Can he really charge me retrospectively? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I pay a VAT bill for building work done months ago? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

 

Some Easter competitions... - Win an Easter hamper of baked goods - Win a spring and Easter bundle of children's books - Win a bundle of Easter games - Win an Easter food and drink gift box ...from the MSE Forum comping board - Win an Easter lunch and London hotel stay - Win an Easter egg hunt gift box - Win a giant Easter egg of dog treats - Win a bundle of vegan goodies

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: cars, competitions & compost

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 25 MAR ONWARDS) Thu 26 Mar - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC R5 Live, midday Thu 26 Mar - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, ITV1, 9pm

 

 

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