BT price hikes, M&S advent, 0% crackdown, hidden Brit Gas tariff, Lloyds help, Asda trick, 2% savings, benefits alert, Harvey Nicks code, renters’ tips

Hi - here are your latest deals, freebies, tricks and messages to help you save.

                                                           

08 November 2017 Email not looking great? View online

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CARDS RECLAIM UTILITIES BANKING DEALS TRAVEL INSURANCE MORTGAGES SHOPPING INCOME

 

THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL After your feedback, links directly below now go to the online version of this email. Credit card 0% lengths shrinking - sort NOW if you've debts Savers, stop getting screwed - earn up to 2% Get PAID to slash overdraft costs 56 renters' tips, incl free furniture BT price hikes - how to beat 'em £250 of M&S beauty for £35 Hidden £130 British Gas saving Two pairs of specs £15 Cheapest iPhone X Will Lloyds/Halifax overdraft changes cost you £100s? Urgent. Check if due benefits now Ending. Up to 4% boost at Asda Harvey Nichols rare 25% off Ending. 4GB Sim, unltd mins & texts '£8/mth' Starbucks 2for1 festive drinks £45 Ted Baker beauty set £22.50 BEST BUYS & TOOLS Credit Club incl free credit report 0% Balance Transfers Compare Broadband deals Cheap Car Insurance Best Bank Accounts Top Savings Accounts Credit Cards for Bad Credit Cheap Energy Club Credit Card Eligibility Calc Loans Eligibility Calc Mortgage Comparison Free online complaints tool - Resolver

Credit card crackdown: 0% lengths shrinking - if you've debts, sort them NOW  Last week's base rate rise was the death knell for record balance transfer cards. Six months ago you could shift debt from a credit or store card to 0% for up to 43mths. A week ago it was 39mths, and only yesterday this dropped to 38mths. Meanwhile, millions who pay interest will pay even more as card giants including Barclaycard, Lloyds and Halifax are increasing APRs following the base rate rise. So everyone with existing debts on credit cards should try to cut costs NOW, while the current deals last. Here's how... A balance transfer cuts the costs of existing card debt. You get a new card that pays off existing store/credit card debt, so you owe it instead but at 0%, making you debt-free quicker, as repayments cover debt, not interest. So unless you've a special deal on your card, you'll almost certainly be able to save.   Check which cards YOU'LL get. For most with ongoing debt, the challenge is being accepted for a new card. Our Balance Transfer 0% Eligibility Calculator lets you home in on the right one, by showing which 0% deals you're most likely to get. As Kelly told us: "Legend. Used the eligibility calc, got 35mths 0% and shifted £11,000 from 29.9%. Shocked by the savings."  The best-buy balance transfers. Here are today's chart toppers... TOP-PICK 0% NEW-CARDHOLDER BALANCE TRANSFER CARDS CARD 0% LENGTH (APR AFTER 0% ENDS) TRANSFER FEE (1) + CASHBACK Longest 0% balance transfers Barclaycard (eligibility calc / apply*) - Joint-longest with the lowest fee  Up to 38mths (19.9%) 1.4% (2) Virgin Money (eligibility calc / apply*) - Slightly higher fee but not an 'up to' 38mths (20.9%) 1.5% Long low-fee cards Lloyds (eligibility calc / apply*) -Longest low fee + cashback  Up to 33mths (18.9%) 0.57% + £20 on £100+ shifts (2) (3) Sainsbury's Bank (eligibility calc / apply*) - Same length but not an 'up to'  33mths (18.9%) 0.59% (2) M&S Bank (eligibility calc / apply*) - Slightly shorter but with cashback  32mths (18.9%) 0.99% (min £5) + £20 on £100+ shifts  Cards with NO FEE Sainsbury's Bank (eligibility calc / apply*) - Longest NO FEE 28mths (18.9%) None (2) Halifax (eligibility calc / apply*) - 2nd longest NO FEE  Up to 26mths (19.9%) None (3) (1) % of debt shifted. (2) You pay a higher fee and are refunded to this level. (3) You could get a deal where you pay a higher fee if you've a poorer credit score. Full info: Best Balance Transfers (APR Examples). Top tips for picking the right card - Go for the lowest fee in the time you're sure you can repay. Most charge a one-off fee on the amount of debt transferred (so 1.4% is £14 per £1,000). Calculate how long you think you'll take to clear the debt, add a bit for safety, then pick the lowest fee within that time. Unsure? Play safe and go long. - Some are 'up to' so you may get a shorter deal. That's why we include the best non 'up-to' options - where you know for sure what you get if accepted (our eligibility calc shows if you've good odds). - Transferring less than £3,500? Lloyds may win over no-fee cards. Even though it has a fee, the £20 cashback will cancel it out and put you in profit.   Should I apply with just a 60% eligibility calculator chance? It's a common query, and 60% is decent odds as over half get accepted. A story may help... Martin sat with a MoneySaver who had large, costly credit card debts and a poor credit history. The eligibility calc showed zero chance of all balance transfers, except a 20% chance with Halifax. She asked: "Is there any point?" He explained as it was the only thing she needed credit for, 20% was better than nowt and the worst that could happen was she wouldn't get it. She applied and got a 26mths 0% card - £1,500 limit.  Equally, even a 95% score means 1 in 20 gets rejected. You can shift store card debts to 0% as well. These are just credit cards you can only use in one store (or group of stores), but with far costlier interest. Eg, New Look's is 28.9% rep APR, the Argos card is 29.9%. But you can also balance-transfer store card debt, so follow the tips above. You can sometimes use existing cards to move debt where it's cheapest. This is the Credit Card Shuffle. In a nutshell, if you've two or more cards, check their rates, then aim to move debt to where it's cheapest. Eg, if card A is 18.9% and B is 34.9%, ask if you've any credit limit left on card A, then ask to shift debt to it from B, up to the limit. If you ask, some providers (eg, Barclaycard and MBNA) may offer existing cardholders special cheap rates to do this. The Balance Transfer GOLDEN RULES. Getting the right card's only half the job... a) Clear the card or transfer again before the 0% ends or you pay the high APR. b) Never miss the min monthly repayment or you can lose the 0%. c) Don't spend/withdraw cash. It usually isn't at the cheap rate. d) You must usually do the transfer within 60/90 days.  Common balance transfer questions (& the answers too, obvs)... - How does the balance transfer happen? Put your old card details on the application form and the new card provider does the rest. - Can it clear multiple cards? Yes, if the new credit limit's big enough. - How big will the credit limit be? That's a toughie: so far we've no way to know what the limit will be for each card, and it can vary. - My credit limit is not big enough. What should I do? Balance-transfer as much of the most expensive debt you can. When done, apply for another card for the rest; fingers crossed you're accepted. Note, each subsequent application can get more difficult as each marks your credit file. - Can I transfer the whole credit limit? Usually not. Most let you do 90%-95%, as they want to leave room for you to spend (avoid that). - Should I use savings to clear the debt instead? If it's costly debt this is usually the best plan. See our Repay Debt With Savings? guide. Can't sleep because of your debts? This isn't for you. Forget the above and get free, one-on-one debt-counselling help from Citizens Advice, CAP, StepChange or National Debtline. They are there to help, not judge. The most common thing we hear after is: "I finally got a good night's sleep." Read some inspiring stories in our Debt-Free Wannabe forum and see our Mental Health & Debt guide. Full info: Debt Help.

 

 

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Savers, you're still being screwed - shift to earn up to 2% The base rate rose last week but most savings rates have moved about as much as Santa on Boxing Day Be warned. Last week's base rate rise - from 0.25% to 0.5% - doesn't mean YOUR savings rate will follow. In fact, only seven of the 31 banks and building societies we've contacted have confirmed they will up rates, and even then most are from pitifully low levels. Yet there are still decent deals to be had. So if you've a pants account paying less than 1%, ditch it. Here are the current top deals... All accounts below have £85,000 per person UK savings protection. Get 1.3% easy access. The top payer is Lloyds-owned Birmingham Midshires at 1.3% AER variable for deposits from £1. It hasn't gone up yet, but if it does you'll still benefit, and because it's easy access, if better rates come along you can shift to them. It only lasts a year though, so diarise to switch.  New. Get 1.95% fixed if you lock your cash away for a year. The top 1yr fixed rates have moved since the base rate rise. App-only Atom Bank now pays 1.95% (min £50), up from 1.8% last week. If you don't want to use an app, Paragon Bank pays 1.86% (min £1k). You can get more in a sharia-compliant account. As Islam bars interest you get an 'expected profit rate'. BLME (Bank of London and the Middle East) gives 2% for 1yr (min £25k). This 'expected profit rate' has always been paid out by the banks we feature, though by definition isn't certain, and don't worry, BLME has the full UK savings protection.   PS: You can get more fixing for longer. But if rates rise again you'd be locked in, and wouldn't benefit. See 2yr+ fixes Get up to 5% easy access on smaller sums. Some current accounts offer high interest on lower amounts, though there may be strict criteria to qualify. Nationwide FlexDirect offers 5% AER fixed for 1yr on up to £2,500. Tesco Bank is 3% AER variable on up to £3k until at least Apr 2019.  There are other options. If you can save small amounts regularly you can get up to 5% in a regular savings account. And if you pay tax on savings (eg, you're a basic-rate taxpayer earning over £1k/yr interest, £500 if higher rate), consider cash ISAs. If saving for a first home, see Help to Buy and Lifetime ISAs.

 

Stop press. BT hikes prices for 10m - how to beat it. Incl broadband, BT Sport and calls. BT hikes M&S beauty advent calendar (worth £250) for £35, incl Ren & Eyeko. It's a knock-down price but only if you spend £35 on clothing and homeware too. Not just any advent calendar British Gas customers - there's a hidden way to cut £130 off your bill. All customers of the energy giant should read Martin's new British Gas saving blog. TWO pairs of specs for £15 code. MSE Blagged. Incl lenses and delivery. Ends Sun. Spec-tacular Cheapest iPhone X. Not MoneySaving, and early adopters often pay more, but if you're going to do it (do you really need to?), here's the cheapest way. iPhone X Warning: Will Lloyds/Halifax overdraft changes cost you £100s? Banking giant Lloyds Banking Group, which includes Halifax and Bank of Scotland, just changed its charges. We analyse winners and losers and what you should do to keep your costs down. Lloyds overdraft changes

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - 4GB data, unltd mins & texts '£8/mth' Ends Fri - Two pairs of specs for £15 code Ends Sun - Earn £15 M&S/Amazon vchs doing surveys Ends Sun 17 Dec	DID YOU MISS? - What the base rate rise means for savings & mortgages - Time to ditch Santander 123? Now it's YES for most - Free KFC, doughnuts, coffee or even get PAID to eat - £186 of beauty products for £50

 

 

4 ways to cut your overdraft costs to 0% (and earn £125 doing it) Many banks are hiking overdraft fees for some, so see it as a debt and like all debts, cut costs and clear it There are many bad or indifferent overdrafts (Lloyds/Halifax customers see above). Some charge a fortune, for instance, a constant £200 overdraft could cost you £365 A YEAR, and if you bust the limit they can be worse than payday loans. Yet there are some goodies, which let you borrow at 0%, and even give free cash which can help to clear the debt. Full info in Cut Overdraft Costs but here are the best options... All accounts below require a credit check and the new overdraft limit isn't guaranteed. Option 1: Overdraft under £375? Get PAID £125 towards clearing it at 0%. New switchers applying via this First Direct* link can get an ongoing £250 0% overdraft (15.9% EAR above that) + a FREE £125 (£100 if you apply direct). Use the cash to reduce your existing overdraft and then pay the rest down at 0%. How to get it: Pay in £1,000/mth - equiv to £13k/yr salary - or there's a £10/mth fee. In our last poll, 90% of people rated First Direct 'great'. Option 2: Can you clear in 6mths? Get PAID £150 and a (potentially) larger 0% overdraft. Switchers to HSBC Advance* can get a 0% overdraft for 6mths (17.9% EAR after) + a FREE £150 (+ another £50 if still with it after a year). There's no set limit to the overdraft as it depends on your credit score, but HSBC says the standard minimum offer is £1,000. Just use the free cash to reduce your overdraft. How to get it: Apply online, then call or go to a branch within 30 days to start the switch. You must pay in £1,750+/mth (equiv £26,100 salary), switch 2+ direct debits/standing orders and register for online banking within 60 days. Option 3: Need longer? Get a 0% overdraft for 12mths. New customers to Nationwide's FlexDirect get a 0% overdraft for a year (50p/day after). There's no set limit as it depends on your credit score. Plus if you've a friend who's already got a Nationwide account, you both get £100 if you switch via Nationwide's recommend a friend scheme. Option 4: SHIFT your overdraft to a special 0% money transfer card. A money transfer card works like a balance transfer, but instead of paying off another card it puts money into your bank, so the overdraft debt is cleared, and you owe the money transfer card instead. They're useful for big overdrafts, but come with a fee. Our overall top pick is this Virgin Money card (eligibility calc incl pre-approval / apply*) which gives accepted customers 36mths 0% for a one-off fee of 2.9% of the amount shifted. Never use for spending or cash withdrawals and clear by the end of the 0% period or it's 20.9% rep APR. There are other cards, so use our Money Transfer Eligibility Calc to see what's best for you. Full info and golden rules in Money Transfer Cards. Can't get a better deal or struggling? Ask for help. Regulator the Financial Conduct Authority says firms must ensure customers are treated fairly. So if you've a big overdraft and can't switch, try calling your bank. Full info in Cut Overdraft Costs.

 

Urgent. Check NOW if you're entitled to benefits - the system's changing & you may get MUCH less if you wait. See our Universal Credit help. Asda Xmas shopping trick - get an up-to-4% spending boost. Top up Asda's savings card by 5pm on Sun and on Mon you'll get up to an extra £6. Iceland and Co-op have schemes too - see Supermarket Xmas Savings Schemes. Harvey Nichols rare up-to-25% off. Not MoneySaving but if you'll buy anyway, get it when cheaper. Valid Wed-Fri (only Thu in store). Harvey Nicks Ends Fri. 4GB Sim, unltd mins & texts for '£8/mth'. MSE Blagged. This 12mth Three* Sim for new customers costs £13/mth and you're sent a £60 Amazon vch automatically within 90 days. If you'd have spent that anyway, factor it in and the cost is equiv to £8/mth. You also get 'free' roaming in places such as the US and Oz, and Europe. Full info and more options in Top Sims. Starbucks 2for1 'festive' drinks. Thu-Sun but only for a few hours each day. See Starbucks 2for1. £45 Ted Baker beauty set £22.50. Boots 'Star Gift' from Friday, incl lipstick, nail polish, eyeshadow. Ted Baker

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: Barclaycard* up to 38mths 0%, 1.4% fee (19.9% rep APR) No-fee 0%: Sainsbury's Bank* 28mths 0%, no fee (18.9% rep APR) Car insurance Get comparison site quotes in this order: MoneySupermarket.com* Confused.com* Gocompare* CompareTheMarket* Then check insurers they miss:  Direct Line* Aviva* Cheap loans Cheapest for £5,000-£7,499: Clydesdale* / Yorkshire* 3.3% rep APR Cheapest £7.5k-£15k: Sainsbury's Bank* 2.7% rep APR (Nectar custs, 1-3 yrs) Broadband top picks Standard b'band & line rent: Plusnet equiv £13.33/mth Fibre b'band & line rent: EE equiv £22.06/mth Best bank accounts £130 to switch + £10/mth until Jun 18 + 3% interest: TSB 5% interest fixed for a year: Nationwide FlexDirect Top savings accounts Top easy-access: Birmingham Midshires 1.3%, min £1 Top one-year fix:  Atom Bank 1.95%, min £50

 

Renters' rights boost, FREE furniture & 54 more tips for tenants Incl save 60%+ on rent 'baby-sitting' properties, free app to split bills, save £100s switching energy & more Letting agents in England and Wales CAN currently charge fees but the Government's proposing to ban 'em in England - which could save you £100s if you rent. It could still take months to come into force though - see the latest on the possible lettings fees ban. Plus we've 56 Tips for Renters to help you rent cheaply and safely. Here are five to get you started... Furnish your home for FREE - sofas, TVs, coffee machines & more. Online community giveaway sites can help you furnish your pad for nowt, with top-quality goodies available. Forumite EdwardB says: "Today I got a brand-new espresso machine from Freecycle. It goes well with the juicer and bread maker I got." For sites to use and full help, see our how to use giveaway sites tips. Alternatively, get items cheap on eBay with our 40 eBay buying tips. Check your deposit's protected. More than a third of private renters in England and Wales don't know about the tenancy deposit protection scheme or don't know if their deposit is protected, according to housing charity Shelter. If this is you, check NOW. Got housemates? Use a free app to track & split bills. Keeping track of bills and who's not paying their share in a house of four or five can be a nightmare. Fortunately, a free app makes it less stressful - working for utility bills, council tax and even helping you split the cost of household items (eg, toilet paper). See split bills help Save 60%+ on rent by becoming a property guardian. For those who can be flexible, in exchange for cheap rent, you can baby-sit empty properties to deter squatters - these can be private homes, fire stations, churches or schools. For inspiration, check out forumite MissFox1973's story: "My boyfriend and I were guardians for a huge country estate for eight months. Cheap rent and incredible location, but limited security."  Full info in Property guardians. Switch & save on energy bills. If you rent, you could save £100s/yr by switching. You don't need to own the property to do it, so don't just stick with the previous tenant's gas or electricity firm - save £100s switching energy. See the full guide with 50+ tips for renters.

 

Earn £15 M&S/Amazon vchs doing quick online surveys. MSE Blagged. Popular with MoneySavers - you fill in surveys and search online for pts. We've a link for you to earn £5 worth and get a bonus £10. Newbies only. Swagbucks SUCCESS OF THE WEEK: (Send us yours on this or any topic) "I was a PPI cynic (I thought surely I hadn't been mis-sold), but thanks to your PPI guide I've just reclaimed £1,264 with no real difficulty." Free managing money course for 16 to 18-year-olds. Martin's worked with the Open University on this course, which helps young people understand debt, savings, tax, budgeting and more. Financial education

 

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK Help stop hunger at Christmas. December is the busiest month for foodbanks, with 45% more referrals from Citizens Advice and other organisations. To help, the UK Money Bloggers organisation is urging people to take part in a 'reverse advent calendar' by donating to a foodbank every day in the run-up to Christmas. Find out what's needed and where your local food bank is and then share pics of what you've donated on social media using #foodbankadvent.

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL Do you use banking apps - and which are the best? There were 159 banking app logins per second last year. And now there are even app-only banks. So we want to know what you think of them, considering ease of use, customer service and range of features. Which banking apps are best? Cheques aren't bouncing back... Last week we asked if you still use cheques. Despite the fact people wrote 275 million  in the UK last year, our poll showed that 47% of you use 'em about once a year or less, and 55% of under-25s have never paid with one. Though they're still popular with those 65+, with 77% using them a few times a year or more. See who still uses cheques.

 

 

MONEYSAVING NEWS - Top story: MSE tells MPs of need for urgent reform to ombudsman 'farce' - Got an Equifax letter saying you were hacked? The helpline's struggling - here's what to do - Banks may have to refund victims of cash transfer scams from next year - Greater Anglia launches rail discount card for over-50s - SSE & Npower energy firms in talks over merger

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should I keep my free shoes? I ordered some shoes online, but realised they wouldn't arrive in time for my holiday. I decided to buy another pair in store and cancelled my online order - I got a refund but the delivery still turned up. Should I ask the company if it wants the shoes back? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I keep my free shoes? | Suggest an MMD | View past MMDs THE QUICKIES - Debt-Free Wannabe chat of the week: Had my light bulb moment - Competitions thread of the week: £1,000 cash - Old-Style board thread of the week: Looking after jewellery and storing charms - Family, marriage, relationships chat: Childcare is bloody expensive - Discussion of the week: Is a pension worth having?

 

Quick deals Carnaby Street, London - 20% off shops, food & drinks (Thu) Railcards - how to get a £10 railcard (norm £20-£30) Foot Locker - 25% off online and in stores Iceland - £4 off £40 student discount Walkers - free £1.20ish 'Max' crisps at WHSmith via O2 app Restaurant deals Mystery dining - Carluccio's, Wagamama & more KFC - free fries, no purchase necessary Frankie & Benny's - 50% off mains, Sun-Fri Prezzo - 40% off mains, Sun-Fri Café Rouge - 40% off mains, Sun-Fri Advent calendar deals incl wine & beauty Virgin Wines - £80 wine advent calendar + 'free' £10 fizz Latest in Beauty - £186 of products for £50 incl Bare Minerals Beer Hawk - 24 craft beers for £55 code incl Brew Dog Aldi - £9 wooden advent calendars with LED lights Peppa Pig - £25 at Asda, incl toy characters and accessories Quick Forum Tips Free printable colouring pages incl Disney. Take the Mickey The Entertainer £20 kids' duvet sets £6 code. Cheap sleep M&S £10 dine-in meal deal for two. What's the big meal?

 

 

MARTIN'S BLOG - Is cash dead? 4 reasons you shouldn't use it...	DEALS HUNTER BLOG - Holidays are coming... How to pick up a free can of Coke and see the Coca-Cola truck this Christmas

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 8 NOV ONWARD) Thu 9 Nov - Good Morning Britain, ITV, Deals of the Week, 7.40am. See previous Fri 10 Nov - This Morning, ITV, Martin's Quick Deals, time TBC Mon 13 Nov - This Morning, ITV, time TBC Mon 13 Nov - BBC Radio 5 Live, Lunch Money Martin, noon. Subscribe MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (MOST SUBJECTS TBC) Wed 8 Nov - BBC Cumbria, Money Talks with Ben Maeder, from 6pm Fri 10 Nov - BBC South West stations, Good Morning with Joe Lemer, from 5am Tue 14 Nov - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire with Jeremy Sallis, 2.20pm

 

QUESTION OF THE WEEK Q: If I switch energy supplier and have a smart meter, will it still work with my new supplier? Terry, by email.  MSE Andrew's A: It'll still work like an old-fashioned meter by recording your energy use but in most cases it'll go 'dumb' after switching, so it'll lose many of its smart benefits. These include sending meter readings to your supplier automatically and showing your use in pounds and pence. There are plans to upgrade the software in these meters so in future when you switch you'll keep all the smart elements. But this is unlikely to happen until the end of next year at the earliest. See our Smart Meters guide for full info on how they work and the planned upgrade. If saving money is your priority, don't let this put you off switching - as many can save about £300/yr via our Cheap Energy Club.

 

HAVE YOU TURNED YOUR HEATING ON YET?  That's it for this week, but before we go... there were gasps at MSE Towers when one of the team said he hadn't turned his heating on yet, but he's not alone, judging by your comments on social media. Let us know if the cold has got bitter enough to make you turn your heating on and what tips you have to cut your energy usage in our 'Is your heating ON or OFF?' Twitter discussion. We hope you save some money, The MSE team

 

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Urgent briefing: First base rate rise in a decade

Hi, here's what the rise from 0.25% to 0.5% means for your mortgage, savings, cards and loans

                                                           

02 November 2017 Email not looking great? View online

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CARDS RECLAIM UTILITIES BANKING DEALS TRAVEL INSURANCE MORTGAGES SHOPPING INCOME

 

Urgent briefing: First UK base rate rise in a decade - Many MORTGAGE holders to pay £100s/yr more - Interest on SAVINGS will increase but not for all - 0% deals on CREDIT CARDS likely to get shorter At midday today (Thu) the Bank of England announced an increase in the base rate from its historic low of 0.25% to 0.5%. This is the first rise in over a decade and likely to signal the beginning of the end of ultra-low interest rates. For many under 30 it's likely to be the first time in your economically active life you've experienced a rise. Even if older, you may have forgotten the drill. So before worry, panic and misinformation gets out, we wanted to send you a special briefing, as a rare addition to the normal MSE weekly email, on what and what not to do. 1. MORTGAGE HOLDERS Urgently check if you can save £1,000s by remortgaging before the best deals disappear Those on fixes won't see any change, though if your deal ends soon, the one you move to may cost more. If you're on a variable or tracker your payments will rise, probably, but not definitely, by 0.25 percentage points. Such a jump could cost £200/yr more per £100,000 of mortgage. To help, as soon as each major lender announces its rise, we'll add the details to our...  Hourly-updated list of lenders' mortgage rate changes - On your lender's standard variable rate? You're likely massively overpaying. About a third are. The average SVR is 4.5%, yet the top two-year fixed mortgage is at 1.09% - the difference in cost is more than £3,000 per year on a typical £150,000 repayment mortgage with 25 years remaining. Even with switching fees you'd likely make a massive saving.  - If you need a new remortgage, this could be a unique window of opportunity. If you're looking to get a better deal for your existing mortgage, it's worth looking ASAP - as rates may be about to rise. The rate at which new fixed deals is set has already started to creep up - as lenders set them based on City swap rates (long-term predictions of interest rate trends), and these have been pointing upwards. But most lenders set aside a tranche - say £30m worth - that they're willing to loan at the current rate, so those deals stay till that tranche is gone. While we don't know for certain that rates will keep rising, on the balance of probability it's likely. So this may be the last chance to get a super-cheap mortgage, though no promises. So everyone check ASAP if you can save. Here's why, as @MatthewOgram tweeted: "Used your remortgage guide to swap. 5.49% down to 2.1% 5yr fixed. £230/mth saving. Thanks." That's nearly £14,000 saved over five years. Mortgage-saving checklist There's full help in Martin's Free Remortgage Booklet, here's a quick action plan... a) Dig out your current mortgage details: Find the rate, if it's fixed or variable, when the intro deal ends, what the term is, if there are early exit penalties, and crucially work out your CURRENT loan to value - the proportion of your property's value you're borrowing. b) Take 2 mins to benchmark the best deal: Our Mortgage Best-Buy Comparison includes all deals available to brokers, and direct-only deals. And we've designed a clever extra where it factors the fees into the overall cost to give a true comparison. c) See your likely saving: Once you know prospective new deals, use our Ultimate Mortgage Calc which has lots of tools to show your saving. d) Finding a cheap deal isn't enough - you need to get accepted: The days when lenders would fling out deals to all and sundry are long gone. Here's what matters... Is your credit score good? It's a huge part of whether you'll be accepted for credit. Our free Credit Club shows your credit report, your score, and has tips on how to boost it. Are repayments affordable? Lenders won't just check if you can afford repayments at current rates, they'll also stress-test if monthly rates are affordable at 6% or 7%. Do you meet the criteria? Details of each lender's eligibility criteria aren't always easily available to the public, but they are to mortgage brokers, so they can help match you to the top deal you're most likely to be accepted for. See Top mortgage brokers for info. 2. SAVERS  Rate rises are good news. Ditch anything sub-1% now Savings rates have been creeping up in the last few months in anticipation of a base rate rise. The best-buy easy-access deal now is Birmingham Midshires' 1.3%, nine months ago it was just 1.01%. It's good news for savers, but fixed savings won't change, and those with variable rates may find it's weeks before rises happen - if at all (see our bank-by-bank list of savings changes).  You need a crystal ball to predict what'll happen to easy-access rates, so we asked Martin to get his ball out... "If your money is in a savings account already paying a pitiful rate such as 0.1%, it's unlikely to rise. If it's in a middling account paying about 0.5% you may see an increase in the next few weeks, though not necessarily the full 0.25 percentage points. If you're earning less than 1%, it's a pants account anyway so you should switch. "However, while today's best buy is 1.3%, I doubt we'll see that rise by 0.25 percentage points over the next few weeks, as it'd probably already factored a possible rate rise in. So I'd be looking more for a top rate of 1.4%-1.5% soon. In a nutshell, if you're in a pants account, sort it now - don't wait. If you're a savings tart, in a good account, who moves money all the time, hold off a week or two before doing anything. We'll bring you best buys in our regular Wednesday email." Savings-boosting checklist - earn up to 5% These top picks could change at any time - for updates see our Top Savings guide - Up to 1.3% easy access: Here you can withdraw cash when you want. The current best is Lloyds-owned Birmingham Midshires. It offers 1.3% variable for deposits from £1. Next best is Bank of Cyprus UK, paying 1.28% variable (min £1). As is the nature of the best deals, the rates on both will likely plummet after 1yr so remember to switch again. - Top fixes up to 2.2%: If you're prepared to lock cash away you can earn more. App-based Atom Bank pays 1.8% for 1yr, though if you want a big name, Yorkshire Bank pays 1.5%. For 2 yrs, Atom pays 2.05%. Note, as there's less flexibility to move, if rates rise again these would be less competitive, so fixing for a shorter period may be best. - Up to 5% on smaller amounts: Some current accounts offer high interest if you meet certain criteria. Tesco Bank offers 3% variable on up to £3,000 until at least Apr 2019, while some current accounts also offer regular savings accounts where you can save up to £200-£300/mth for 1yr (as well as paying up to £200 to switch to them). Top 5% payers are First Direct, HSBC, M&S Bank & Nationwide. 3. GOT EXISTING CREDIT OR STORE CARD DEBT?  The top debt-shifting 0% deals are weakening. If you pay interest, check NOW if you can slash it After years of 'best ever' 0% deals, things are moving the other way and an interest rate rise compounds this. The Bank of England has warned about irresponsible lending and this rate rise is likely to add to that mood music.  To show the impact, six months ago you could shift at 0% for 43mths. Now it's a max 39mths, so if you're paying interest, sort it ASAP, as it's possible deals will continue to shrink. As Kelly told us: "Legend. Used your eligibility calc, got 35mths 0% and shifted £11,000 from 29.9%. Shocked by the savings."  Debt-shifting checklist - up to 39mths 0% Top tip: Go for the lowest fee in the time you're sure you can repay We urge anyone paying credit or store card interest to urgently check if they can shift the balance to a new 0% card, especially as APRs may now nudge up. For most with ongoing debt the challenge is being accepted, so use our Balance Transfer 0% Eligibility Calc which shows which 0% deal you're most likely to get. Here are our top picks: - Longest 0%: Tesco Bank* up to 39mths, 2.69% fee (20.6% rep APR after). - Longest 'non up to' 0%: Virgin Money* 38mths, 1.5% fee (20.9% rep APR after). - Longest NO FEE 0%: Sainsbury's Bank* 28mths 0%. It charges a 1.5% fee, which is refunded within 60 days (18.9% rep APR after). For full info and lots more options, see our Best Balance Transfers guide (APR Examples). Always follow the balance transfer golden rules: a) Clear the card or transfer again before the 0% ends or you pay the APR. b) Never miss the min monthly repayment or you can lose the 0%. c) Don't spend/withdraw cash. It usually isn't at the cheap rate. d) You need to ask the new provider to do the transfer; you then owe it instead. e) You must usually do the balance transfer within 60/90 days of opening. 4. PERSONAL LOANS Rates likely to rise soon - but there is probably a SHORT window to get them at record rates If you've a loan, it's almost certainly a fixed rate, so there's no impact. Though for those hoping to get one, rates are likely to rise from all-time lows, due to the base rate rise and pressure on lenders to reduce borrowing. Yet when lenders launch loan rates, they sometimes set how much they'll lend at that rate, and until that deal is 'sold out', those rates won't rise. So there may be a window of days, or if lucky, weeks, before we see moves. So if you NEED to borrow it's sensible to do it soon - but only if it's planned, budgeted and affordable, or the pain will likely outweigh the gain. Cheap loans checklist - from a record low 2.7% With loans it's all about whether you'll be accepted, so to check, use our Loans Eligibility Calc which shows which you've best odds of getting, without hitting your creditworthiness. For quick best buys, though, Sainsbury's Bank* is 2.7% rep APR for £7.5k-£15k loans (1-3 yrs, needs Nectar card), Clydesdale* / Yorkshire* Banks are 3.3% rep APR for £5k-£7,499. For under £5,000 you can pay from 5%, though also check credit card loans. Always follow the loan golden rules (full help and more best buys in Cheap Loans): a) Minimise the amount and repay as quickly as you can. b) Pay on time or you may get a charge and a credit black-mark. c) If you apply to pay off credit cards, a balance transfer may be cheaper. PS: If you've got any questions let us know at news@moneysavingexpert.com and we'll try to answer the key ones in next Wednesday's weekly email.

 

 

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Plus, invaluable note writing tips. View this email in your browser.   Hey Ayodele - Well, Halloween is over for this year, and that means three things, 1. reduced spooky sweets, 2. it's time to get Christmassy, and 3. you should probably start doing some work now.  We've got deals for the first two, but on the last one why not check out our guide to how to write useful lecture notes that will actually help you revise.    Top 20 student deals 1. Free beauty boxes inc. Marc Jacobs, Rimmel etc  These boxes look incred.  2. 2 night Venice holiday - £59pp This price (amazingly) includes flights, hotels AND breakfast. YUM! 🇮🇹 3. Coca Cola truck tour - plus free drink To be fair, we did warn you in the intro that Christmas is now officially upon us 🎅 4. Win a Beko kettle & toaster set STS exclusive competition - ends on Friday! 5. Free Clinique Take the Day Off balm This is an easy peasy freebie.  6. Free 6" Subway We've told you about this before, but it's imminent.  7. Free Sanctuary products Choose from body wash or body butter.  8. Free burritos, pizza, pasta & burgers This offer is available to Three customers, but we've got a trick so anyone can get it.  9. 2 free* bags of Candy Kittens Meow 🐱 10. Brand new STS Deals Facebook group Not getting enough deals already? Get bonus offers in our new group. 11. Superdry secret eBay clearance These offers are direct from Superdry. 12. Free Prince's tuna There's nothing fishy about this offer. 13. Qmee - Get paid for searching the web We're aware, this sounds really fake, but it isn't, it pays out instantly too.  14. 50 photo prints for 99p delivered Time to immortalise those beautiful Freshers week "memories" 📷 15. Free hot drink from Tesco cafe It's chilly out there! 16. 40 piece cutlery/crockery set for £13.87 Everything you need to ensure you never eat cereal from a plastic cup again.  17. Get paid to review websites Do this in front of the new series of Stranger Things (if you haven't binge watched in one go already).  18. £15 all-in-one printer at Tesco Stop queuing at the library.  19. 7 pairs of knickers for £25 at Victoria's Secret You could save up to £120 with this deal! 20. £1 Pringles Once you pop, you just can't stop.  This week's must read 82 ways to save money as a student →   The best paid online survey sites → Ayodele, how's our emailing? If you like what we do, please tell your friends about us! And if not, drop Jake an email telling us how we can improve. Forward   Share   Tweet As seen on...

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