Ayodele Oyewole

It's taken me a while, but finally I've come to believe longer isn't always better. For years when listing balance transfer cards, which cut the cost of existing debt, I've always led on the longest 0% deals.

Yet they charge a one-off fee, which has been as high as £40 per £1,000 shifted. And after years of 0% deals getting ever longer, now they're shrinking. Today's best is 36mths, a year ago it was 43mths.

The longest NO-FEE deals however have stayed stable at 28mths 0% - so for most, now, the extra length hardly justifies the fee. And as the direction of travel seems to be shorter 0%s, sorting sooner is safer. Here's what you need to know...

With balance transfers the new card pays off existing credit and store card debts for you. So you owe it instead, but at 0%. This means your repayments clear the actual debt rather than just cover the interest, so you're debt-free quicker. Usually you can shift up to 90% or 95% of the credit limit you get.
YOUR best-buy balance transfer cards. I've listed best buys below, but what counts is what you'll be accepted for. Our Balance Transfer Eligibility Calculator lets you home in on cards you're most likely to get, minimising applications thus protecting your credit score.

And shifting debt can save you large, as Adele tweeted: "Just saved over £1,200 in interest switching my card thanks to @MartinSLewis."

TOP NEW-CARDHOLDER 0% BALANCE TRANSFERS
CARD	0% LENGTH (APR AFTER 0% ENDS)	TRANSFER FEE (1)
Sainsbury's Bank (eligibility calc / apply*)	28mths (18.9%)	NONE (2)
Santander (eligibility calc / apply*)	27mths (18.9%)	NONE
MBNA (eligibility calc / apply*)	'Up to' 32mths (21.9%)	1.15% but £25 cashback on £1,000+ transfer (3) (shift up to £2,170 & you're up)
Ends today (Wed). HSBC (eligibility calc / apply*)	32mths (19.9%)	1.4% (min £5) but £25 cashback on £100+ transfer (3) (shift up to £1,785 & you're up)
MBNA (eligibility calc / apply*)	'Up to' 36mths (21.9%)	2.49%
Virgin Money (eligibility calc / apply*)	35mths (20.9%)	2.8%
(1) % of debt shifted. (2) You pay a fee but it's refunded. (3) Must transfer within 60 days from account opening to get cashback. Full info: Best Balance Transfers (APR Examples).

How to pick the right card for you. Assuming you've got the eligibility calc results, and have a choice of cards...

- Go for the lowest fee in the time you're SURE you can repay. Before getting a card with a fee, work out if you could clear the debt quicker to avoid it. Calculate the monthly repayment needed by dividing the debt by the 0% months.

If you're uncertain, length can still be comforting; play safe and go long - a fee's better than paying higher interest later.

- Even cheaper than no fee is to get paid to shift debt. Two best-buy cards above give cashback. For some transfers this can be more than the fee. Eg, shift £1,000 to the MBNA card and you get £25 cashback with an £11.50 fee, so you're £13.50 up.

- If it's an 'up to' you may get a shorter deal. Card firms often don't make a song and dance about this, but we do. Apply for an 'up to' card and you can get a shorter 0% than advertised. So if you've a good chance of getting a non 'up to' deal, it's worth considering.
Is it worth applying if the eligibility calc only gives me a low chance? I once sat with a MoneySaver who had large, costly credit card debts and a poor credit history. The eligibility calc showed zero chance for all cards except 20% odds with Halifax. She asked: "Is there any point?"

I explained that 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.

So if cutting your card debt is your priority, do it. Hayley tweeted: "I finally got off my lazy backside and did a balance transfer. Thanks to @MartinSLewis and @MoneySavingExp for making it a lot easier than I was expecting. Here's to saving £300 a year interest."
The Balance Transfer GOLDEN RULES. Getting the right card's only half the job - how you use it is crucial too.

a) Clear the card or shift again before the 0% ends or the rate jumps.
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.
Credit limit not big enough? Sadly there's no real way to know what the credit limit will be for each card. If you apply for a card and it isn't enough to shift all your debt, the application will be on your credit file, so at least balance-transfer as much as you can.

When done, apply for another card for the rest; and fingers crossed you're accepted. Each subsequent application can get more difficult as applications leave a mark on your credit report. Check it and your credit score for free in MSE Credit Club.
Tried this, can't cut your interest, can't pay it or not sleeping due to debt? In that case the best thing to do is to get free one-on-one debt-counselling help from Citizens Advice, StepChange or National Debtline or emotional and debt help from CAP.

All are there to help, not judge. The most common feedback I get after is: "I finally got a good night's sleep." Full help in our Debt Crisis guide, and for inspiration see our Debt-Free Wannabe forum and my Mental Health & Debt guide.

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Ending. Two broadband scorchers, incl CHEAPEST FIBRE SINCE AUG

1. 'Sky' fast fibre & line '£16/mth' - and existing Sky custs can get it

2. Standard speed & line '£10/mth' - cheapest b'band deal available

The secret to top broadband deals is grabbing short-lived promos - and now's a great time with two standouts ending this Easter. To break into the market Sky-owned Now TV has launched the cheapest fibre deal we've seen since Aug. Fibre's best for downloaders, streamers, gamers or if you've many online at once but if standard speed meets your needs, Sky's got a scorcher. Deals are postcode-dependent - for ease, use our Broadband Unbundled tool to see which you can get.

Ends Sat. 'Sky' fibre & line, '£16.67/mth'. Now is Sky's streaming service but it does b'band too. Use this Now Broadband* link (via comparison site Broadband Genie), to get up-to-38Mb fibre (twice standard speed) & line on a 12mth contract. Anyone who's never had a Now b'band or TV account is eligible, although only 83% of the UK can get it - our Broadband Unbundled tool checks if you can. You get...

- Unlimited fibre b'band & line: Discounted to £20/mth for 1yr, from the usual £35.99.
- Pay £9.99 for router deliv & activation: Choose the 'saver' option on sign-up, or it's £50 more.
- You're emailed a £50 M&S vch: If you enter your email after clicking the link, it's sent within 90 days of sign-up.

MSE price analysis. It's £249.99 over 1yr before calls. Use the vch and it's £199.99, equiv to £16.67/mth. Existing Now TV or former b'band custs won't get the vch, but at £20.84/mth it's still a good deal.

Anything else? No calls are included - see Now's call costs. Now Broadband could hike prices, but you can then leave penalty-free. And you can sometimes get more cashback via a top cashback site - but prices and contract lengths vary.
Ends Mon. Sky standard-speed b'band & line '£10.40/mth'. This deal from Sky itself which we featured last week is still on for newbies. You need to claim a vch and prepaid Mastercard to get the low price. Check if you can get it via Broadband Unbundled.
Don't qualify for these deals? Get fibre from £21/mth. Vodafone has up-to-38Mb fibre & line for £21/mth, Now has standard speed & line for '£11.67/mth'. Broadband Unbundled shows your cheapest deals.

Martin's warning to EVERY UK worker aged 22+. You're about to get a pay rise, but it may cost you. Read Martin's warning blog.

Find the cheapest travel cash in seconds - more euros, dollars or dirhams for your pound. Get it wrong and you could lose £30 for every €200 changed. Our TravelMoneyMax tool compares 30+ bureaux to show the best rates.

Ends Sat. 15mths' full breakdown cover for £43. We've blagged 15mths' AutoAid* cover for the price of 12, for £43.31, if you apply by Sat. Already a top pick, it covers you, your spouse, civil or common-law partner, in any car you drive. Similar AA/RAC cover can cost £100+ for 1yr. Full info in Cheap Breakdown Cover.

After Facebook, how to check Instagram & Twitter privacy settings too - is your data being shared? Last week we showed how to protect your Facebook privacy given the data scandal it's embroiled in. This week, we've added Instagram and Twitter privacy help.

It's back. £1.50 prosecco trick. Stack offers for this massively popular Sainsbury's deal. Min 6 bottles. How to get £1.50 prosecco. Pls be Drinkaware.

FREE Pizza Express pizza, pasta or salad - but can you get it? No purchase necessary, and it's one per person, so a whole table can eat for free. Be warned as it's struggling with demand. How to grab a free Pizza Express

BLAGGED FOR MSE

- 15mths' full breakdown cover for £43 Ends Sat
- 170 plug plants bundle £10 all-in (norm £18) 4,000 available
- 10% off Poundshop.com code Ends Tue

DID YOU MISS?

- Airline secrets - how to sit together for FREE
- Council tax to rise - can you save £1,000s?
- If the state helps pay your mortgage, act now
- Airport parking savers
- 20% off one-year Family & Friends Railcard

Urgent. Just 9 days to pay in to a 2017/18 cash ISA - but should you?

Don't use your cash ISA allowance & it's gone, yet savings pay more. Which wins? One way to find out... FIGHT

We used to shout at this time of year to use your cash ISA allowance - which for this tax year is £20,000 - as it's a normal savings account where you don't pay tax on the interest. But as virtually everyone can earn tax-free interest on normal savings now, the choice between this and ISAs isn't as clear-cut...

The cash ISA advantage is there's no tax - but 95% pay no tax anyway. That's because the personal savings allowance lets basic-rate taxpayers earn £1k in interest tax-free (higher rate it's £500; top-rate payers get no allowance). That means they'll need £77k in savings (£38k for higher) before paying tax at current rates. So the tax advantage of cash ISAs only matters for big earners and those with large savings.

Cash ISAs vs normal savings - which wins? For most, it's the best payer, regardless of ISA status. And as the table below shows, normal savings generally beat cash ISA rates hands down. The exception is in easy access, where Nationwide recently launched a deal equal to or better than top standard savings...

type of account	Top NORMAL SAVINGS	top CASH ISA
Easy Access (1)	Tesco Bank 1.3%	Nationwide 1.3% or 1.4% existing custs (2)
1 year fix (3)	OakNorth 1.82%	OakNorth 1.47%
2 year fix	Paragon 2.09% (3)	Paragon 1.67% (4)
(1) Min £1, all rates variable. (2) You can freely withdraw once, any more & it drops to 0.5%. (3) Min £1k. (4) Min £500.

Full info and options including big name rates in Top Savings and Top Cash ISAs.

You can earn up to 5% on smaller, regular savings. Some current accounts (which can pay up to £125 to switch to) have linked regular savers where you can put up to £300/mth for a fixed 5% interest for a year, though min pay-in and direct debit criteria apply. Full info and all best buys in Top Bank Accounts.
Potential first-time buyer? Get a 25% boost to your savings. This is a no-brainer for anyone who may one day want to buy their first home. In the Lifetime ISA and Help to Buy ISA, the state will add £250 per £1,000 saved. Click the links to find which is best for you.

McDonald's Monopoly - how to max the popular promotion as it returns. Incl free McNuggets, Big Macs, ice creams and cash. MSE's Coupon Kid Jordon Cox takes you through how to max your chances of a win.

£1 small Easter eggs, three large eggs for £10. Supermarket round-up of cheep eggs.

170 plug plants bundle £10 all-in (norm £18). MSE Blagged. Or 680 for £20, eg, petunia, begonia. 4-8cm plants, 4,000 bundles avail. Jersey Plants

Got a Help to Buy equity loan? Are you about to get charged interest on it? We explain how to cut costs in Help to Buy mortgage help.

10% off Poundshop, incl 90p for EIGHT posh Andrex 'quilted' loo rolls. MSE Blagged. Valid on everything at online pound store, incl 100 Typhoo tea bags. Delivery is £5 so only worth it for bulk buys. No bum deal

Jobseeker? You could get a FREE railcard giving 50% off many fares. See railcard eligibility.

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS

Longest 0%: MBNA* up to 36mths 0%, 2.49% fee (19.9% rep APR)
No-fee 0%: Sainsbury's Bank* 28mths 0%, no fee (18.9% rep APR)

Get comparison site quotes in this order:

Then check insurers they miss:
Direct Line*
Aviva*
Admiral MultiCar

Cheapest for £5,000-£7,499: Admiral* 3.3% rep APR
Cheapest £7.5k-£15k: M&S Bank* 2.8% rep APR (1-7 yrs)

Standard b'band & line rent: Sky equiv £10.42/mth
Fibre b'band & line rent: Now equiv £16.67/mth

£125 to switch + top service: First Direct
5% interest fixed for a year: Nationwide FlexDirect

Top easy-access: Tesco Bank 1.3%, min £1
Top one-year fix: OakNorth Bank 1.82%, min £1,000

Freebies galore - No7, Soap & Glory, doughnuts & more

We uncover the hidden methods to bag completely free beauty products, food, electricals etc

They say there's no such thing as a free lunch, but they also said the Earth was flat. You really can get free grub (at all hours), and lots more for nothing, so we've updated our guides with the hottest freebies around...

New. Get free products if you test them - No7, Soap & Glory, electric toothbrushes & more. We've long explained how product-testing sites give freebies for your thoughts, incl meat, mascara, lotion and electric toothbrushes. But Boots now wants more testers for No7, Soap & Glory and more (which you'll get to keep). We think this'll be mega popular - though you're not certain to be included. See Top Product-Testing Sites.
New. Free app searches multiple Freecycle & Freegle groups at the same time. People put unwanted items including unwanted electricals and furniture on these sites for you to grab for free. Joining several groups can yield the best freebies (especially if you've well-to-do neighbouring areas), but checking them all can be a faff. So we've found a handy Freecycle & Freegle combo app that lets you search lots of groups at once. Toni tweeted us about her haul: "Have had an ice-cream maker and a bread maker - I love me a bit of Freecycle."
Can you get PAID to eat by going undercover as a mystery diner? No need for secret cameras. Restaurants such as Giraffe, Wagamama and Leon need guinea pigs to test their service. You usually get back what you spent and sometimes a little more - though spaces are limited. MoneySaver Nicola had great success: "In just a couple of months, I've had lunch and two £35 dinners for free - I love it." How to become a mystery diner
Free KFC, coffee etc via loyalty schemes and apps. You really can get a free lunch. So fill your boots - and stomach - at fast food joints, cafés, restaurants, supermarkets and more in our How to get free (or cheap) food guide.
Get easy, short-lived freebies incl doughnuts, dog microchipping and, er, mackerel. We include the best each week in this email - current corkers incl free Krispy Kreme doughnut, dog microchipping, tin of mackerel and, on your birthday, £5 at Body Shop. And the forum's Freebies (no spend) board has thousands of fans swapping tip-offs.

100+ free or cheap things to do with the kids this Easter. Egg hunts, free museums, 2for1 theme parks and loads more cracking Easter treats.

Halifax mortgage blunder hits customers' credit files - but we've seen £500 compensation. It's wrongly claimed some homeowners missed payments for FIVE YEARS. Full info and help in Halifax blunder.

DON'T AUTO-RENEW YOUR INSURANCE - SUCCESS OF THE WEEK
"On the back of endless tweets from Martin about not auto-renewing, I've got my building and contents insurance down from £465 to £152 a year."
(Send us yours on this or any topic.)

2for1 Alton Towers, Legoland, Thorpe Park, Sea Life etc. Via £3ish Kellogg's cereal. Theme parks

THIS WEEK'S POLL

How far have you climbed up the property ladder? UK house prices have risen seven times faster than the average young worker's salary since the 1990s, making homes far less affordable than they used to be, especially for young people. How far have you climbed up the property ladder?

Almost HALF of those aged 65+ haven't financially prepared for their funeral. Unfortunately death is inevitable, so last week we asked if you've planned how to finance your funeral (which can cost upwards of £5,000). Over 8,700 responded, and perhaps shockingly, 43% of women and 46% of men aged 65+ have done NOTHING to financially prepare. Unsurprisingly, almost 70% of those under 25 consider themselves 'too young to think about it'. See full funeral planning poll results.

MONEYSAVING NEWS

- Top story: Energy company Iresa banned from taking on new customers
- Admiral double-charges 100s of insurance customers
- Barclays to refund some loan and credit card customers £100s
- 70,000 ESA claimants to be repaid £1,000s
- Studying in Scotland and struggling with money? This fund gives £900+ to most applicants

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

Should I stop donating to disgraced charities? I've always tried to give as much as I can to charity, but since the recent scandals I've been wondering whether I should boycott organisations that have admitted wrongdoing - or should I just carry on donating as the money will help people overall? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I stop donating to disgraced charities? | Suggest an MMD | View past MMDs

THE QUICKIES

- Debt-Free Wannabe chat of the week: Emergency fund vs debt payoff
- Competitions thread of the week: Three nights in Spain with flights
- Old-Style board thread of the week: A month of slow cooking
- Family, marriage, relationships chat: Can I use a family member's card for her?
- Discussion of the week: Food or drink that you miss

Sainsbury's Tu - 25% off everything
Family & Friends Railcard - 20% off a one-year card
Ideal Home Show - £10 for two London tickets
Ikea hacks - eg, free coffee, beat queues & 'try before you buy'
Outdoor fitness - eg, free yoga, Zumba, bootcamp, timed 5k run

Burger King - meal deals incl burger and fries £2
Domino's - 25% off a £20 spend
Prezzo - 40% off mains
Café Rouge - 25% off food
Harvester - two chicken dishes & drinks for £20

Tesco - 25% off 6 bottles of wine, prosecco & champagne
Baileys - £12 one-litre bottles (norm £20)
Heartier - £30 free-range meat hamper (£40ish at supermarkets)
Amazon - free £6 code for some with £30 gift card spend
Wilko - 50% off pick & mix sweets

Schuh sale, eg, £7 flats, £10 heels. Suits Schuh
Up to 75% off at Regatta outlet. Don't get fleeced
Selected veg 3 for £1 at Tesco. Plantastic

MARTIN'S BLOG

- Martin Lewis: A warning to every UK worker aged 22+, you're likely about to get a pay rise, but it may cost you...

DEALS HUNTER BLOG

- £1.50 prosecco trick (min six bottles, normally £6 each)
- How you can bag a FREE Carluccio's breakfast on Saturday (31 Mar)

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 28 MAR ONWARDS)

Thu 29 Mar - Good Morning Britain, ITV, Deals of the Week, 7.40am

MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (MOST SUBJECTS TBC)

Wed 28 Mar - BBC Cumbria, Money Talks with Ben Maeder, from 6pm
Fri 30 Mar - BBC South West stations, Good Morning with Joe Lemer, from 5am, ISAs vs normal savings
Tue 3 Apr - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire with Jeremy Sallis, 2.20pm

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Q: Three years ago I was wrongly billed by my broadband provider so I didn't pay it. I eventually got a credit for the full amount billed, but in the meantime it issued a default notice that is still showing on my credit report. Can I get rid of it? Damien, via email.

MSE Steve B's A: You can - and should - fight it as the default can harm your chances of getting future credit. First complain to the broadband company to ask for it to be removed, explaining why.

If it refuses, you can refer the complaint to the Communications Ombudsman for it to adjudicate. This process can take months so if you need to apply for credit soon it's worth also writing to the credit agencies on whose files the default appears for them to apply what's called a 'notice of correction'.

This doesn't remove the default but it allows you to put your side across so any lender you apply to can see it - note that this will slow credit applications down, however. See our Credit Scores guide for lots more help.

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

ONE BAR IS SELLING COGNAC FOR £10K... A SHOT. SO WHAT'S YOUR WORST BOOZE RIP-OFF STORY?

That's all for this week, but before we go... we came across a shot of cognac that cost £10,014 that we just had to share on Facebook - we hope it was tasty for such a price. We've had loads of replies about £15 pints and £22 for two cognac hot chocolates. Tell us your beverage rip-offs in our overpriced booze Facebook post.

We hope you save some money,
The MSE team

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