| Plus... reclaim Childcare Vchs, Ted Baker 30%off  THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL
| | Take the MSE Credit Card Challenge 5 quick questions to find the perfect plastic to save you £1,000s or make you £100s
Even if you don't have a card already  One of the most difficult questions we're asked is: "What's the best credit card?" The issue is that the question wrongly assumes all credit cards are the same type and do the same job. Yet if you strip off your clothes and step into a bath of plastic (forgive the inappropriate visuals, they're Martin's words), you'll come to the realisation that each card has its own fit. Some are best for spending on, others for borrowing, travelling abroad, protecting purchases, giving rewards and more. So today we're stepping out of the bath (again, sorry - Martin's the boss) to give you our credit card challenge (phew, back on safe territory again) to ensure you have the right card for the right purpose. So simply answer each of the questions below to find out if you can save. And if you have two or more cards and already use them for different purposes, don't worry, you can have more than one foot in each camp (or bath). Q1. Do you avoid having a credit card? If so, you may be giving up extra protection, giving away money, and possibly forgoing a boost to your credit score
Credit cards are often, rightly, demonised. Used wrong, they're debt cards that cause nightmares. Yet equally debit cards (ie, bank cards) are debt cards too for those who are overdrawn and use them wrong. Plus these days, with 40% APR overdrafts, debit cards can be far costlier than credit cards. If you don't have a credit card because you've been burnt in the past, or don't trust yourself with one, then don't touch 'em. Don't read on. Stop here. Yet if you don't have one because you just think they're all bad, think again. Firstly, you only get Section 75 protection with credit, not debit cards. That means if you buy something costing £100 to £30,000 on a credit card, and pay for any of it (even 1p) on the card, then the card firm's jointly liable with the retailer for the ENTIRE amount. This get-out-of-jail-free card is hugely powerful if the retailer goes bust or won't play fair. Also, some cards pay you to spend on them, and as long as you don't use them for borrowing, you can earn £100s/yr (see Q3 below). And finally, if you're new to credit, then getting a credit card and spending say £50 a month on it each month, ensuring you pay it off IN FULL each month, can start to improve your creditworthiness. See credit (re)build cards for more. Q2. Do you already have credit or store card(s) you pay interest on? If yes, you can't afford not to check out a 0% balance transfer
 A balance transfer is where you get a new card which pays off debt on old cards for you, so you owe the new card, but at 0%. The savings can be huge as Gary said: "A big thank you. I'll go from £85/mth [£1,020/yr] interest to £0. What a saving." The longest 0% card is from TSB* at up to 29mths 0% with a one-off 2.95% fee. As it's an 'up to' length, some accepted custs get a shorter 0% (26 or 23mths) depending on their credit score. Alternatively, all accepted M&S Bank custs get 28mths 0% for a slightly lower 2.85% fee. Note the M&S link goes to our balance transfer eligibility calculator on its request (to prevent calls from those rejected from clogging lines for vulnerable custs). It shows your chances of getting this card without impacting your credit file. If you can pay off quicker, Santander* is 18mths 0% with NO FEE, so there's no cost at all if you clear within that time, and it too is in our eligibility calc. For many more cards, see our Best Balance Transfers guide. If you get these cards, ALWAYS FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULES: - Clear the card or transfer again before the 0% ends, or the rate soars - TSB & M&S go to 19.9% rep APR, Santander to 18.9% (see APR Examples.)
- Never miss the min monthly repayment, or you may lose the 0%, get hit with a £10-ish late fee and get a credit report black mark.
- Don't spend/withdraw cash - it usually isn't at the cheap rate.
- You must usually transfer within 60 or 90 days to get the 0%.
- You can't balance-transfer between two cards from the same banking group with any of the cards above.
- Important. Balance transfers are for those who can meet repayments. If you're struggling, check out Covid-19 credit card payment holidays and our Debt Help guide for alternative options.
Q3. Do you spend on a card and always repay it IN FULL? If so, make it pay you £100s a year  When you use a card to pay, the card firm charges a retailer. However, there is a way to get some of that money back into your pocket. Rewards cards give you cash or loyalty points when you spend on them. So as long as you repay them IN FULL each month (preferably by direct debit so you never forget) and don't bust your credit limit, you neuter the 'debt element' of the card, and just have plastic that pays you to spend on it. Jo told us she uses two reward cards to buy most things on: "Made over £350 on each of them this year." To max it, do all your normal spending on the card, though it's not an excuse to overspend. But if you don't always repay in full (or can't), then don't bother as the interest will dwarf the rewards. The top fee-free card is the Amex Platinum Everyday*, which pays 5% for the first 3mths (max £100 reward) then up to 1% - though you have to spend £3,000+ on it in a year to get any cashback. Better still, it's in our cashback and reward cards eligibility calculator , so you can see your chances of getting it without impacting your credit file. There's also the similar Amex Platinum* card, which pays slightly more generous cashback but has a £25/yr fee - it's generally better for those who spend more than £10,000/yr. It too is in our cashback and reward cards eligibility calculator. These cards also include £2,500 purchase protection, which means you get a refund (minus £50 excess) if the item you've bought is stolen or accidentally damaged within 90 days of purchase. This makes them very powerful cards for protection and rewards. For lots more options, including airline reward points or supermarket-linked vouchers and non-Amex cards, see our full Cashback and Rewards Credit Cards guide. If you get these cards, ALWAYS FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULES: - Clear IN FULL each month or these are 22.2% and 27.3% rep APR (see APR Examples).
- You're not eligible for the 5% intro bonus if you've had a personal Amex in the last 2yrs.
- Never miss the min monthly repayment, or you'll pay a £10ish late fee and get a credit report black mark. But as we say above, if you don't repay IN FULL each month, don't bother getting these cards.
- Don't withdraw cash - it's expensive & there's no reward.
- Never go over your credit limit or you'll pay a £10ish fee.
Q4. Do you spend on a card, but can't always repay in full? If so, you need a 0% spending card
 Credit cards are like fire, as used right they're a useful tool, but used wrong they burn. Ultimately, credit card firms want you to use them to borrow on. And done right there's no cheaper borrowing, as you can do it interest-free. However, most people get it wrong. We'd only suggest using a credit card to borrow for a needed, planned, affordable, one-off purchase (eg, replacing a broken fridge). The real danger is using them willy-nilly to supplement your income, and that can result in a vicious cycle. Yet if you are going to borrow, 0% is cheapest, though they're not an excuse to overspend. The top 0% card for spending is from M&S Bank , as all accepted get the full 20mths 0%, plus it pays M&S pts on purchases. The M&S link goes to our eligibility calculator on its request (to prevent calls from those rejected from clogging lines for vulnerable custs). It shows your chances of getting this card without impacting your credit score. The next best option is from Sainsbury's Bank*, which gives up to 20mths at 0% - it too is in our 0% spending eligibility calculator. However, to be eligible - before any other criteria are considered - you need to have had a Nectar card for 6mths+ and, sadly, can't be self-employed. As it's an 'up to', you could be accepted and offered 16 or 12mths at 0%. With it, you also get Nectar pts on spending at Sainsbury's. Full help and more deals in 0% Spending Cards. If you get these cards, ALWAYS FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULES: - Clear the debt or balance-transfer before the 0% ends, or costs soar - M&S to 19.9% & Sainsbury's Bank to 20.9% rep APRs (see APR Examples).
- Always pay at least the monthly min and stick within your limit or you can lose the 0% and get hit with £10ish fees.
- They're usually only cheap for spending, not cash/balance transfers.
Q5. Do you travel abroad or pay online in overseas currency? If so, specialist travel cards offer near-perfect exchange rates
 Clearly most holiday plans are off for the moment, but if you normally travel regularly or pay for things in other currencies while in the UK, then specialist travel cards are a winner. Usually if you pay on plastic, the card firm adds a 3%-ish 'non-sterling transaction fee'. So £100 of euros costs you £103. Yet the fee is waived by specialist cards, so you get the rate at the same near-perfect rate the bank does, smashing bureaux de change. The top overseas credit card is from Barclaycard, which has no fees on overseas spending or withdrawals, plus you'll pay no interest on either if you repay IN FULL each month. It also pays a small 0.25% cashback on spending. As ever if you get one of these cards, ALWAYS FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULES: - Clear in IN FULL month or Barclaycard is 22.9% rep APR (see APR Examples).
- Never miss the min monthly repayment or you'll get a £10ish late fee and a credit report black mark.
- Never go over your credit limit or there's a £10ish fee.
Or you can open a current account with Starling Bank* (don't worry, you don't need to switch banks) and you get a debit card which has no overseas fees or interest on spending or withdrawals (max £300/day cash). We're cheating slightly here as this isn't a credit card, but it's nevertheless a good option. Full info and more deals in Travel Credit Cards. PS: Need to borrow for a purchase but can't pay on card, or want to get respite from an expensive overdraft? There is a way to shift cash from a card to your bank at 0%, but to do it, you need a specialist 0% Money Transfer credit card. It's not quite as cheap as a 0% spending card, as you need to pay a fee, and the 0% periods are shorter at up to 18mths, but it's a decent option. | | 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. | Martin's briefing of the week... New. Up to £10,000 FREE Green Homes Grants are live. Every homeowner in England should check it out, but prepare for teeth-gnashing frustration
 The Green Homes Grant scheme, first promised in July, is now live. It can provide serious amounts of cash for home improvements such as insulation, double glazing and heating controls, which should improve a home's energy efficiency, and its value. That's the good news. The bad news is that the scheme has, in my view, systemic design flaws that will frustrate many. Our Green Homes Grant guide (incl my video briefing) will take you through it in detail, but here's a quick summary... - How the Green Home Grants Scheme works. Any homeowner or residential landlord in England can apply, apart from owners of as-yet-unoccupied new builds. There's no easy parity in other UK nations, where most existing systems are mainly for those on benefits or with low incomes (for those see Scot, Wales & NI energy efficiency grants.)
- The max standard grant is £5,000, but some benefit recipients get double. For most people the state offers it as vouchers to pay as much as two-thirds of energy improvement costs, up to a max £5,000 for most. So if it costs £4,000, you pay about £1,320 and get the rest in vouchers. Some on benefits get 100% of costs, up to £10,000, covered. See green grants eligibility.
- It's a Mick Jagger scheme... you can't always get what you want. The first stage is to get vouchers to install a primary improvement, which includes new or top-up (not replacement) insulation and low-carbon heating systems.
If, and only if, you get that, you can then apply for secondary improvement vouchers up to the same value. This is where much of the good stuff many people want is, including draught proofing, double/triple/secondary glazing (to replace single glazing), replacement doors and heating controls. Use the links to see the full list for each improvement type.
- You need quotes before you apply for the vouchers. You'll first need to use the Govt eligibility calculator, then get quotes from installers, and only then can you apply. Full info & links in check eligibility and apply, which also includes how to find registered installers. All work needs to be completed by 31 Mar 2021 (ie, 6mths from now).
- My view: there aren't enough installers, making it a postcode lottery. The Govt must fix this urgently. While some people tell me of their frustrations about the 'primary' and 'secondary' system, that's a deliberate Govt prioritisation - so while it may annoy some, it's by design, not by error.
The real fault I keep hearing of is that many just can't find approved local installers - I've heard of people being told on the Govt website their nearest is 250 miles away (a bit reminiscent of the Covid-19 testing troubles) - and some who find an installer are then told no, as the work can't be completed in time to meet the 6mth deadline. The Govt tells us there are 900 firms signed up to the scheme and more are added daily, yet it's clearly not enough.
Worse still, as there's only £2bn funding available, time is of the essence or the funds may dry up, making it a vicious cycle. Don't be put off checking it out though. However as a bare minimum I've two asks of the Govt to improve it: 1) Release the £2bn in tranches - this would stop a postcode lottery, where only those in areas with installers available now can access it. 2) That it extends the 6mth time limit. | The beauty Advent calendar season is starting... get £165ish of Boots No7 for £45. We love beauty Advent calendars, not so much to open the doors, but more as they're a canny way to get beauty products seriously reduced. One of the big ones launches next week, but as it's normally so popular it's best to sign up to the waiting list now to stand a better chance. Full info, analysis and a sneak peek of what's inside in our No7 beauty calendar review. Can you reclaim £100s or £1,000s of expired Childcare Vouchers, just like MSE Jenny did? Find out in expired Childcare Vouchers help. Diane: 'Autoswitch is brilliant. I'm 82 yrs old, and the hassle of trawling through energy providers will be over.' Her email was short, sweet and to the point. She's one of 1,000s who've joined our free MSE Autoswitch - our new tool that auto-compares-and-switches for you, likely to save you £200+ YEAR AFTER YEAR with ease. TO FIND OUT MORE, HAVE A 2-MIN PLAY TO SEE HOW IT WORKS. Amazon 'Prime Day' starts next Tue - our predictions, incl up to 50% off Echo speakers, up to 30% off a Fitbit? 'Prime Day' actually last two days, and rather than the usual Jul event, this year it's in Oct. While deals can often be a bit meh, you can pick up some corkers. Full analysis & tips in our Amazon Prime Day predictions. Free Mental Health & Debt booklet 2020. Saturday is World Mental Health Day, and as half of those in problem debt also have a mental health problem, read our Mental Heath & Debt 2020 PDF guide for lots of help. And remember, no debt problems are unsolvable, as MSE Kelvin's story from last year shows: 'I dug myself into £1,000s of debt while suffering from depression... now I'm digging myself out'. Ted Baker 30% off full-price items. MSE Blagged. We've early access to one of its rare codes. Ends Mon. Ted Baker | New. Two FREE or cheap solicitor-drafted will schemes now on Everyone with assets needs to consider this to keep control of who gets what (esp if cohabiting but not married) Anyone with assets should have a will. Without one, it's the intestate rules that dictate who gets what, rather than you. So if you don't have one, consider it whatever your age, especially if you're a cohabiting couple who aren't married or in a civil partnership. Don't assume the fact you've lived together for 20 years and have kids means anything in the eyes of the law. The gold standard for drafting a will is to get a solicitor to do it. Typically this will cost you at least £150, but right now there are two schemes where solicitors give their time in aid of charity, that can make this far more affordable. Full info in Free and Cheap Wills , but here's the lowdown... -
 Free Wills Month is on NOW, min age 55. The Free Wills Month event happens in Oct and Mar. It allows anyone aged 55 or older to get a solicitor-drafted (or updated) will for free, in the hope you will leave a bequest (something in your will) to one of their partner charities, which include Mind, the NSPCC and more. The suggested bequest is £300, but it isn't compulsory (though if you can, do). Regardless, there's no upfront cost.
The scheme is widely available, but some areas operate it in Mar, some in Oct. Those included this month are most of the Midlands, northern and south-west England, mid Wales and Northern Ireland. See all areas included in Oct and how to book. GO QUICK as places tend to be booked up fast.
- Nov is Will Aid month, a bigger scheme with no age limit, but BOOK NOW as it fills up quickly. With the Will Aid scheme, more than 400 solicitor firms across the UK can draft a will for you in the hope that you will make a charitable donation. The suggested amount is £100 for a single will, £180 for a "mirror" will (ie, where it's the same will for you and your spouse), though if you can't afford it you can give less.
For a range of other options, including half-price Which? wills codes, see our Free and Cheap Wills guide. PS: For many people, a Power of Attorney is just as important as a will. This means that if (and only if) you lose your faculties, someone can take over your finances to, for example, help pay for your care. | Are you one of the UK's EXTREME MoneySavers? Martin's got a new ITV series, due next year. If you're an extreme MoneySaver, email savers@multistory.tv to tell 'em your successes. For example, do you never waste a drop of water (flushing the loo from your water butt)? Do you never spend a penny except reward points? Are you a champion haggler, or do you have any other specific MoneySaving skill? Earn £30 Amazon vchs via quick online surveys, searches, games & more. MSE Blagged. It's a popular site with MoneySavers, and newbies can bag the biggest bonus it offers. Swagbucks 48 craft beers for £48 delivered (norm £116ish). MSE Blagged. 3,000 boxes avail for newbies to Flavourly. (Please be Drinkaware.) Told to self-isolate & unable to work? Those on low incomes in Eng are now due a £500 payment. 4m on universal credit or other benefits may be eligible - though you can only claim (& backdate) once local authorities set up their systems, which should be by next Mon. Similar schemes planned in Scot, Wales & NI. £500 self-isolation help Tonik Energy stops trading - what you need to know. If you're one of its 130,000 customers, see full Tonik help. | Tell your friends about us They can get this email free every week | There's still a way to earn 4% on SAVINGS. The catch? You need to be a kid to do it... top children's savings
The recent tale of savings rates is not one to read to children at bedtime - it's enough to give grown-ups nightmares. Yet the sad, sorry tale of continued rate cuts hasn't affected most children's savings accounts. That's likely because the amounts are pretty small - so the cost to banks of offering higher interest isn't huge. Couple this with the fact that banks love children, not just because they're cute, but because millions of people stick for life with the bank they saved in as a child. We're against loyalty that doesn't pay, but since banks are offering high rates, your kids may as well grab 'em now then move elsewhere if the rate drops. Full info in Kids' Savings - here are the top deals... -
 Savings of up to £100 each month - earn 4%. The Halifax Kids' Monthly Saver pays 4% AER and can be opened online or in branch (max age 15), while branch-only Barclays Children's Regular Saver pays 3.5% AER (up to age 16). Both allow up to £100 deposits a month, and the rates are fixed for a year. These accounts are designed so you don't withdraw money from them within the year, though it is possible. With Barclays, you just get reduced interest if you withdraw; with Halifax, you need to close the account to get access. Full info in kids' regular savings accounts.
- Want to just add a lump sum of cash? Earn 2.5%. If your child is aged 7-17, HSBC's MySavings pays 2.5% AER variable on up to £3,000, and it needs to be opened in branch. Alternatively, for larger amounts, Virgin Money's Young Saver is for any child up to age 15, and pays 1.75% AER variable on up to £25,000. It can be opened by phone or post. Both allow unlimited withdrawals.
- Top children's bank accounts (with debit or cash cards) - earn 3%. The Santander 123 Mini* pays 3% AER variable on the whole amount if you've £1,500-£2,000 in it (you get reduced interest if you've less, while there's no interest on anything above £2k) and children aged 11+ can get a debit or cash card. To open the account, if a child is under 13, their parents must have a Santander current account and open it for them in branch. Any child aged 13 or over can open it themselves online. If you've less, HSBC's MySavings (above) pays 2.5% AER and offers a debit card for those aged 11+, as does the TSB Under 19s account, also at 2.5% AER variable (up to £2,500). Both can only be opened in branch.
For those looking for more control, prepaid accounts such as Rooster, Nimbl and GoHenry are popular, but you pay for them - see our Children's Prepaid Cards guide.
- Are junior ISAs (JISAs) worth it? The benefit of a JISA is that the interest is tax-free. For most children this isn't a big deal, as they don't earn enough to pay tax anyway. The real benefit - on paper at least - is that if money is given to a child from a parent, and it generates £100+ interest a year, in a non-ISA it'd be taxed at the parent's rate. Yet since the launch of the personal savings allowance in 2016, most parents don't pay tax on savings either.
So JISAs are best for parents who have a shed load of savings, or those who like the idea of locking their child's cash away until they're 18. Our Top JISAs guide goes into this in more detail. The top payer is Coventry BS's 2.95% AER variable (max £9,000/yr), which can be opened by phone, post or in branch. It works for new money and also allows you to transfer existing JISAs and Child Trust Funds in to up the rate. PS: If you've older kids, don't do this for them, do this with them so they learn about personal finance. For more help, download the free financial education textbook. | SUCCESS OF THE WEEK:
"Wow - I've just followed your cost-cutting method and got a year's motorbike insurance for £138. It was about £500 last year. And it only took 15 mins. Thank you."
(Send us yours on this or any topic.) | CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK Should the Government act NOW to reform leasehold? The leasehold scandal's raged for years, but in 2017 the Government agreed to reform the system by banning the sale of new leasehold houses, restricting ground rents and making it easier to extend leases and buy freeholds. However, so far it hasn't acted to bring in legislation. The Government says it's waiting for parliamentary time - the National Leasehold Campaign says that's not good enough and is demanding reform is pushed through now. If you agree and want to show your support, you can sign its petition. See more on your rights in our What is a leasehold? guide. | THIS WEEK'S POLL How do you prefer to contact customer services? Many firms' phone lines have been overwhelmed during the pandemic. Faced with long waits on the phone, some are trying different contact methods for the first time. But which method do you like best? One in three MoneySavers has NEVER switched their main bank account. In last week's poll, we asked when you last switched bank - and more than 6,000 people responded. Despite the potential perks, 36% said they'd never switched their main account, while 27% last switched more than five years ago. Younger MoneySavers were more likely to have switched recently - 27% of under-35s have switched in the last year, compared to just 10% of over-50s. See full bank-switching poll results. | No7 - £165ish of beauty for £45 in Advent calendar
Amazon - Prime Day predictions, eg, up to 50% off Echo
Swagbucks - Earn £30 Amazon vchs via online surveys etc
Flavourly - 48 craft beers for £48 delivered
Ted Baker - 30% off full-price items | Asos - Boosted 'up to 70% off' sale
Kindle - Two free e-books for Prime members
Office - 'Up to 50% off' sale
Carluccio's - 20% off online collection orders
Vodafone - Free Greggs hot drink via VeryMe app (ends Thu) Using fruit to flavour supermarket gin and vodka. Gin-credible
Tips to soothe eczema using oats in the bath. N-oat bad
Oct challenge: No buying unnecessary toiletries. Clean up | | MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 7 OCT ONWARDS) Thu 8 Oct - This Morning, phone-in, ITV, 10.55am
Mon 12 Oct - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 12.20pm. Listen again MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (MOST SUBJECTS TBC) Thu 8 Oct - BBC Three Counties Radio, Mid-morning with Jonathan Vernon-Smith, from 11.45am, Helen Saxon on home insurance
Mon 12 Oct - BBC Radio Manchester, Drive with Phil Trow, from 2.25pm
Tue 13 Oct - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 12.25pm | HOW DO YOU MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR LEFTOVERS? That's all for this week, but before we go... last Tuesday marked the first International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, which got MoneySavers sharing the culinary delights they whip up from their leftovers. Whether turning stale bread into croutons, whipping up a pasta bake with leftover chicken or simply stir-frying any veg going spare, when it comes to limiting food waste you lot clearly know your onions. For inspiration - or to trade tips of your own - see our Leftover food Facebook post. We hope you save some money,
The MSE team | |
