HIDEOUS £4,300/yr energy bill help, free burgers & pies, £20 Harry Potter tix?, beat Amazon Prime hike, 12GB Sim £3.50/month, FREE £160...

Plus...£152 beauty £30, 108Mb bband £17/mth, rate rise help, 2yrs' 0% spending, urgent pension claim

                                                           

10 August 2022 | View in browser

Banking & Savings Household Bills Deals Insurance Cards & Loans Mortgages Income Reclaim

 

THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL Bank-switch bonanza - five pay to win you, including: - £160 + cashback on bills - £150 + top service - £100 + 0% overdraft... and more URGENT mortgage & saving tips as base rate hits 1.75% New. 2 years' 0% spending + £20 cash Updated. Energy bills up to HORRIFIC £4,300/year - fix now? FREE £4 Higgidy pie, FREE £3 plant burgers & more coupons Ends. Megafast Virgin broadband £17/mth ACT NOW to beat Amazon Prime hike Going abroad? Beware mobile roaming shock £152 of Rituals, Elemis etc beauty £30 Urgent. Check now if you're due pension credit + £650 help Big 2022 MoneySaving successes New. 12GB Sim '£3.50/mth' 200+ FREE museums & galleries Hamilton tix £10, Harry Potter tix £20? 'Got £100+ back for leftover currency' 3mths' Disney+ for £6 Clubcard vouchers This week's best buys, including 34mths' 0% debt shift, 2.7% loans, MSE Car Insurance Compare+ tool Is it wrong to make money from clothing I'm morally opposed to wearing? BEST BUYS & TOOLS MSE Cheap Mobile Finder Credit Club including free credit report 0% balance transfers Compare broadband deals MSE Car Insurance Compare+ Best bank accounts Top savings accounts Credit cards for bad credit Credit Card Eligibility Calculator Loans Eligibility Calculator Mortgage comparison Compare travel money Cheap Energy Club, with Pick Me A Tariff Best Sim-only Deals

Bank-switching bonanza - five now pay big to win you over, including... - £160 + cashback on bills - £150 + top service - £100 + 0% overdraft for 12 months Or bag 'em all WITHOUT closing your existing account Switching banks is an easy way to earn extra cash - and with the pressure on incomes rapidly increasing and a glut of three-figure bank-switching bribes floating around, now's the time to take action. It's quick too, taking just seven working days to complete a switch. Yet many still haven't taken advantage - in our most recent bank-switch poll, almost 70% told us they'd never switched, many because they were happy with their existing bank. Play the game correctly, however, and you can make £100s from bank switching... without having to say goodbye to your main account.  Just look at how much MoneySaver Jason has made: "I started my first switch in March 2019 and have since switched six more times, netting over £820 in cash and £180 worth of wine. The time limits excluding previous customers are now beginning to expire, so I'll soon be able to do it all again." The FIVE banks that pay you to switch To get the cash or other perks, you must usually be a new customer, pass a not-too-harsh credit check, and use the bank's official switching service (it'll close your old account and move all your direct debits, standing orders and payments automatically, all within seven working days). New 1. Santander pays the biggest cash bribe of £160, plus 1-3% cashback on household bills. MSE customer service poll rating: 45% 'great'. Switch to the Santander 123 Lite* and you'll get £160 free cash, plus 1-3% cashback on bills paid by direct debit, for a £2/month fee. You get up to £5/month in each of the tiers - 3% back on water, 2% on energy (boosted to 4% for September and October only, with a £10/month max) and 1% on Santander mortgages, council tax, mobile, home phone, broadband and paid-for TV. All this could be worth £40 to £80/year for those with mid to large bills, though you'll need to pay in a minimum of £500/month and log in to online banking regularly to keep getting the cashback. - To qualify for the £160 bonus: Switch an account that's not with Santander, Cahoot or Cater Allen to a new or existing Santander account (existing must be done in branch) and then within 60 days: set up 2+ direct debits, pay in £1,000+ and log in to mobile/online banking. The bonus is paid within 30 days. This must be your first switch bonus from Santander. - Not interested in the bills cashback? If you just want the free £160, you can instead switch to the fee-free Everyday current account* (the qualifying criteria are the same as above). 2. First Direct gives a free £150, 0% £250 overdraft for many - and has a cracking service rating. MSE customer service poll rating: 88% 'great'. Switch to the First Direct 1st Account* and you can bag a free £150, plus access to a linked regular saver which pays 3.5% interest on up to £300/month, and many get an ongoing £250 0% overdraft.  First Direct's been at or near the top of all customer service polls we've ever done - it's currently rated 88% 'great'. - How do I qualify for the cash? Switch an account that's not with First Direct (nor HSBC if it was opened since Jan 2019), and pay in £1,000+ within three months. The bonus is paid within 28 days. You can't have ever had any First Direct account before, or opened an account with its sister bank HSBC since Jan 2019. 3. Halifax also gives £150, plus you can get freebies such as cinema tickets. MSE customer service poll rating: 49% 'great'. The Halifax Reward pays £150 to switchers and is fee-free as long as you pay in at least £1,500/month (equivalent to a salary of £21,100/year) - there's a £3/month fee for the account if you don't. You also get to pick one of these four perks for the year: - Six free cinema tickets (worth £35-£65, depending on location) - OR 12 digital movie rentals (worth about £55) - OR a magazine subscription (worth £30-£50) - OR a Gourmet Society membership (worth about £40) - How do I qualify for the cash? Apply and start a switch from a non-Halifax account that has 2+ active direct debits before Mon 5 Sept. The bonus is paid within 10 working days of the switch starting. You won't get the bonus if you've had switch cash from Halifax since Apr 2020. 4. Nationwide pays a free £100 (£125 for existing customers) and is especially strong for those who are overdrawn. MSE customer service poll rating: 71% 'great'. Nationwide pays £100 across the range of its accounts, but the standout is the Nationwide FlexDirect account. It's fee-free and offers a 12-month 0% overdraft (though the limit you get will depend on your credit record). If you're overdrawn, this can help you pay it off - use your switching bonus to reduce your overdraft and then work on getting rid of the rest over the course of the year. Make sure you do pay it off, as after 12 months it jumps to the same horrid 39.9% EAR variable that most banks charge. In credit? You also get 5% fixed interest on up to £1,500 for a year (worth up to £75). Existing Nationwide members (you already have a current account, mortgage or savings with it) get a boosted £125 to switch, and we've a trick for non-members to get the higher amount too. This bit's complex, so see our full Nationwide review for a how-to. - How do I qualify for the cash? Apply, then within 30 days switch in a non-Nationwide account that has 2+ direct debits. The bonus is paid within 10 days of the switch completing. 5. Virgin Money doesn't give cash, but offers 20,000 points (swappable for experiences, wine, flights) + top savings rates + fee-free overseas spending. MSE customer service poll rating: 37% 'great'. OK, it's not cash, but the fee-free Virgin Money M Plus* account's incentive is 20,000 points, which you can spend on rewards - whether that's 12 bottles of wine, afternoon tea for two, quad biking, or even 100 Greggs sausage rolls. The account pays 2.02% interest on up to £1,000 held in the account, and comes with a linked savings account which pays one of the top easy-access savings rates of 1.71% on up to £25,000. Plus its debit card is a top pick for spending abroad, meaning you get the same near-perfect exchange rate banks do, in every country. - To qualify for the 20,000 points: Apply online, then within 45 days: switch a non-Virgin Money account, pay in £1,000+ to its linked savings account, use the mobile app and set up 2+ direct debits. You'll be emailed a code to claim your Virgin points within 14 days. You won't get the bonus if you've an existing Virgin Money current account (or have closed one since Jan 2022), or if you've previously received any of its switch bonuses.  Bank-switching FAQs Full details on all of the accounts above and more are in Best bank accounts, but to answer some of the key questions... Q. What if something goes wrong with the switch? If you're hit with charges due to a switch error that leads to a missed payment, these will be refunded by the new bank. Q. Can I switch if I'm overdrawn? Yes, though there's no guarantee the new bank will match your existing overdraft - or even offer you an overdraft at all. However, all banks have overdraft eligibility checkers - so use these before applying to get an indication of whether you'll likely qualify. Full info in Top accounts if you're overdrawn. Q. I don't qualify for one of these accounts - what can I do? Sadly, over a million people don't have a bank account. Yet if you've ID, you can get an account where there's no overdraft called a basic bank account. Become a 'super-switcher' - how to make £100s switching banks multiple times With multiple banks lining up to pay for your business with FREE cash and other perks, why stop at just one switch? The concept is simple. Move an existing current account to a bank that pays you to switch, wait until you receive the freebie, then move it again to another bank that pays. Full details are in our new Make £100s switching banks guide, but in brief... 1. Choose the account you're going to switch from. The simplest way is to repeatedly switch your main account, as you'll likely be able to meet the income criteria and have direct debits set up ready to switch over. Yet if you want to leave your main account and day-to-day banking untouched, you can instead set up a second 'burner' account, which you can then use solely for switching to banks offering freebies. Go for a bog-standard one from a bank that rarely offers switch incentives and is signed up to the Current Account Switch Service. 2. Target your switching bribes. If there are lots of offers around, you can be clever about the order in which you switch. - See if there's an end date to each offer & pounce on those ending soon. - Check how quickly each bank pays so you can time switches. - Check if you could qualify for another switch incentive from each bank at a later date (for example, Halifax will pay to anyone who hasn't had switching cash from it since April 2020). 3. Get your payment strategy right. Study the eligibility criteria carefully so you don't accidentally miss out on any freebies. There are two main things to watch out for: - You'll need to switch enough direct debits or standing orders. This is usually two or more regular payments. If you don't have enough, set up small direct debits to charities to meet the criteria (and give a little back too). - You'll need to meet minimum monthly pay-ins. Some accounts require you to pay in a set amount each month in an attempt to make you pay in your salary - for example, Halifax Reward requires £1,500/month or you'll pay a £3/month fee. Here's how you can manage it: You get paid £1,500/month and have two accounts with £1,000 minimum pay-ins. Get your salary paid into one, then a couple of days later use a standing order to move it to the other, then another standing order to move it back. If you don't earn enough to hit the pay-in, just move a lesser amount in twice. 4. Wait for the freebie to arrive, then switch again. You've done all the hard work by this point, so you can just sit back and wait for the freebie to be paid - which is typically just credited to your new account, though some do send codes to redeem via email. Once you have the cash, you're good to start a new switch and repeat this process - though many serial switchers do this over years rather than weeks or months, so go at your own pace. 5. IMPORTANT: If you've a big credit application coming up (such as a mortgage), hold off. A single application for a new current account can have a slightly negative effect on your ability to get new credit for a few months, though it'll be minor. But some lenders don't like to see several applications in a short space of time, or to see short-lived accounts. So don't do multiple switches if you've, say, an important mortgage or credit card application due. See Credit scores for full help.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

UK base rate hits 1.75% following 6th increase since Dec - we've your mortgage, saving & borrowing need-to-knows The Bank of England raised the base rate for the sixth successive time on Thursday, hiking it from 1.25% to 1.75%, in a bid to tackle soaring inflation. It's the biggest increase to the rate - which affects what borrowers pay and what savers earn - since 1995. But it's not likely to stop here - economists predict rates could go as high as 3% next year. Here's what you need to know, whether you've a mortgage, savings, borrowing, or all three: Everyone with a MORTGAGE should check their deal now - some can still save £1,000s. Whether your payments will go up following the base rate hike depends on the deal you're on: - On a fixed rate? There's NO rate change till your fix ends. About 75% of mortgages are fixes, so many are protected. Yet if your fix ends within the next year or two, you're likely to have to pay more on a new deal. - On a variable rate? Costs are likely to rise within weeks. If it's a tracker, it'll jump by 0.5 percentage points, which adds a hefty £25 or so per £100,000 of debt to a monthly payment. If it's a standard variable rate (SVR) - or linked to one - it's not certain to rise by the same amount, but it's likely to. See lender-by-lender rate plans (though many are yet to confirm). So check your mortgage type now and when the deal ends. If either a) you're on an SVR, b) you can leave your deal penalty-free, or c) your fix or tracker ends within the next six months, then see if you could save with a new deal (many lenders let you lock in a deal three to six months ahead). Benchmark a cheap deal with our Mortgage Best Buys comparison, then speak to a good mortgage broker - they'll help match you with the best deal you're likely to be accepted for. Our Remortgage guide takes you through it step by step. Top SAVINGS rates boosted - but waiting a week or two may bag you a better deal. Banks aren't usually as keen to pass interest rate hikes on in savings accounts as they are with mortgages - though a few have upped rates this week. But further rises are likely, so it may pay to wait a week or two, especially if you plan to fix. We update Top savings accounts and Top cash ISAs daily with the latest rates, so bookmark 'em for later. Today's top payers include... Top savings Top cash ISAs Easy access Zopa 1.81% AER interest (min £1 deposit, app only) Marcus* 1.5% AER interest (min £1 deposit, online) 1 year fix Union Bank of India 3.2% AER (min £5,000, online) Virgin Money 2.27% AER (min £1, online) 2 year fix Union Bank of India 3.3% AER (min £5,000, online) Aldermore* 2.7% AER (min £1,000, online) - Is a cash ISA worth it? As the table shows, cash ISAs tend to pay less than normal savings. And as the vast majority of savers likely won't pay tax on interest due to the personal savings allowance, most should just seek the best rate - from normal savings. However, if you pay, or you're close to paying, tax on savings interest (in a 3.3% fix, a basic-rate taxpayer would pay tax with around £30,000 saved, a higher rate £15,000), a top cash ISA is likely worth it. Existing LOAN rates won't move - but don't delay if you're looking for new borrowing. The cheapest loan deals remain at 2.7% for now, but other lenders are starting to put rates up. So if you NEED to borrow it's sensible to do it soon - though as ever, only do it if it's planned, budgeted and affordable. See Cheap loans for help and today's best buys. Able to buy what you need on a credit card? See if the new top 0% spending card's right for you. Expensive CREDIT CARD and OVERDRAFT interest rates won't move - but check if you can cut costs. A few credit card APRs track base rate, but most lenders charge about 20% and don't change this amount when base rate moves. If you're paying credit card interest, check if you can balance-transfer to cut rates to 0%. Also, banks' horrid 40% overdraft rates likely won't move - but if you're in the red, read our tips to cut overdraft costs.

 

Updated. New prediction puts energy price cap up a HIDEOUS 82% in October - so should you fix? Energy analyst firm Cornwall Insight has revised its price cap prediction and now estimates October's cap is likely to rise by a devastating 82%, to a typical £3,582/year, before a further (!) 19% hike (to a typical £4,266/year) in January. Martin has - again - called for the Government to ACT NOW to increase the amount of financial support on offer. Plus we've updated his Time to fix? analysis with the new figures. FREE £4 Higgidy pie, FREE £3 plant-based burgers, Sainsbury's £15 off £60 - it's our August coupons update. See our latest list of 40+ supermarket coupons. Ends 11.59pm Thu. 108Mb fibre (MEGAFAST) Virgin broadband and line '£17.40/month'. MSE Blagged. Newbies to Virgin Media can get this 108Mb deal for £22.95/month, plus a £100 bill credit - effectively getting you four months free. It's equivalent to £17.40/month over the 18-month contract. Can't get it in your area? See other deals in our Broadband Unbundled comparison. Last chance to beat Amazon Prime price hikes. It involves switching from a monthly to an annual subscription, but do it by Sunday to ensure you get pre-hike prices. See Martin's tip to avoid Prime hikes. Are you paying for a day of mobile roaming... but only getting a minute? A new MSE investigation has highlighted the way different networks treat roaming - we found some travellers could pay for a day's roaming and only get a minute's use. See what your provider charges & how to beat roaming costs. £30 skincare & haircare set, including Rituals, Elemis, Burt's Bees and more (worth £152). MSE Blagged. 10 items, including moisturiser, lip balm and shower gel. 2,000 sets available. Latest in Beauty Urgent. Over 66 and income under £185/week? Check if you can claim pension credit & £650 cost of living help. If you're on a low income and you hit state pension age by 25 May 2022, apply for pension credit by NEXT THURSDAY (18 August) and you can get an extra one-time £650 'cost of living payment' on top of any pension credit you qualify for. Martin's pension credit blog explains who qualifies and how to apply.

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - 108Mb fibre Virgin broadband & line '£17.40/month' Ends Thu - £30 skincare & haircare set (worth £152) 2,000 available	DID YOU MISS? - Boots trick to get £37 of No7 cosmetics for £13.50 - Decluttering? We've tips to get more bucks for your books - Save water AND money with FREE £20 shower heads and more - How much are you expected to give your kids for university? - Funerals cost £1,000s - but you could save with a prepaid plan

 

 

New. Get £20 cashback with the longest 0% spending card we've seen since 2020 - up to 25 months interest-free Barclaycard already had the longest 0% spending credit card offer, and this week it's added a freebie, so it's now even better. And while danger can lurk with these types of credit cards if you use 'em wrong, used right there's no cheaper way to borrow. Full details in Top 0% for spending credit cards, but in brief... Only use these cards for planned, affordable, budgeted-for, one-off, needed purchases. Don't use them to fill in gaps in your day-to-day spending, as that will add to your future costs, and make life more difficult (though we know many are doing it right now anyway, in which case 0% is better than paying interest - but again, it's far, far better to avoid). New. Barclaycard 'up to' 25 months 0% on spending PLUS £20 cashback. This Barclaycard* (best to check your eligibility odds for it before applying) is the longest 0% spending card we've seen since 2020, but the 'up to' means that poorer credit scorers could get just 12 months at 0% (it's 22.9% rep APR after the 0% ends). There's also £20 cashback for newbies (that haven't had a Barclaycard in the last year) who apply by 9 Sept and spend at least £250 in the first 90 days - though don't use this as a reason to overspend. So even if you don't need to borrow, you can grab the card, spend the trigger amount, then pay off IN FULL and get the cashback (comes within five days).   How does it compare to other top cards? A couple of cards run it close... - This M&S card* is slightly shorter at 24 months 0%, but here all accepted will get the full two years at 0% (so do check your eligibility odds). You'll also rack up M&S points on spending. It's 21.9% rep APR after the 0%. - Or this Sainsbury's card* offers 'up to' 24 months at 0% (best to check your eligibility odds first). If the eligibility calculator shows you as pre-approved, you'll get the full two years at 0%, though if not you may be accepted and offered just 16 months at 0% (21.9% rep APR after). There's up to £25 in Nectar points as an intro bonus, on top of ongoing points. Follow the 0% Card Golden Rules. Full info in 0% credit cards, but in brief... a) Never try to borrow your way out of debt - if you're struggling, see our Debt help guide. b) Always pay at least the set monthly minimum and stick within the credit limit, or you can lose the 0% offer. c) These cards are usually only top picks for spending - avoid cash withdrawals or shifting debt to them. d) Plan to clear the card (or balance-transfer away) before the 0% period ends, or the rates jump to the rep APR.

 

£9,400 tax code check & reclaim, £1,000 water meter saving, £740 Sky haggle and more. In case you missed it last week, get inspired by our top 15 MoneySaving successes of 2022 (so far). New. 12GB data + roam-like-home in Europe with '£3.50/month' Sim - we've never seen cheaper. Newbies to Lebara (uses Vodafone's network) can get a 12GB/month Sim with unlimited minutes and texts for just 1p/month for the first six months, then £6.90/month. Over a year, it's equivalent to £3.46/month, but it's a one-month contract, so you can cancel at any time. Plus Lebara doesn't currently charge extra for using your allowances in Europe - useful if you're headed overseas. Need more/less data? Use our powerful Cheap Mobile Finder. 200+ FREE museums and galleries. If you're struggling to keep the kids entertained, our bumper list of the UK's free museums & galleries can help. How to see Hamilton for £10, Harry Potter for £20, Cabaret for £25 and more. It takes a little effort... and a lot of luck. See cheap theatre lotteries. 'I exchanged ALL my leftover currency and got over £100.' Our success of the week comes from 'avid MoneySaver' Maria, who used our tips to get paid for old UK & foreign currency to exchange leftover notes and coins: "I had leftover currency from countries I was unlikely to return to, so I went to the sites I found on MSE and managed to exchange ALL my currencies, including coins, and got over £100. Thank you so much." Used our tips to save? Send us your MoneySaving successes on this or anything else. Swap £6 in Clubcard vouchers for three months of Disney+. Usually £8 of vouchers (or £24 if you pay cash), it's currently even better value. Cheap Disney+

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*) - up to 34 months 0%, 2.88% or 3.88% fee (21.9% rep APR interest) No-fee 0%: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*) - up to 22 months 0% (21.9% rep APR) or NatWest - 22 months 0% if you're a NatWest/RBS customer (21.9% rep APR) Broadband top picks Standard (10Mb+): Shell Energy '£13.83/month' Fibre (30Mb+): Shell Energy '£15.58/month' Superfast fibre (55Mb+): Shell Energy '£16.77/month' Megafast fibre (100Mb+): Virgin Media '£17.40/month' On universal credit or similar? Check discounted social tariffs Top savings accounts Top easy-access: Zopa 1.81%, min £1 (app only) Top one-year fix: Union Bank of India 3.2%, min £5,000 Cheap loans Cheapest for £5,000 to £7,499: M&S Bank* 3.7% rep APR interest Cheapest for £7,500 to £15,000: Finble 2.7% rep APR (1 to 7 years, by eligibility calculator only) Car insurance Try our new MSE Car Insurance Compare+ tool   Best bank accounts £160 to switch + 1-3% bills cashback (£2/month fee): Santander £150 to switch + TOP service: First Direct Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.46/month' for 3GB, unlimited mins & texts 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£2.96/month' for 5GB, unlimited mins & texts 10GB+ data: Lebara, '£3.46/month' for 12GB, unlimited mins & texts

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL How often do you use cash? It seems more people are turning back to cash as a way to keep tighter control of their spending in the wake of the cost of living crisis, according to the Post Office. We want to find out how cashless our society is now, and whether people are using cash more or less than they were six months ago. Vote in this week's poll. A large majority of MoneySavers have NOT faced delays or cancellations while travelling on holiday this year. Last week, we asked about your summer holiday plans. Almost 6,000 people responded, and of the 40% of people who said they were either currently away or had already been abroad, 71% said that - despite the ongoing problems with travel globally - they had not faced any delays or cancellations while travelling. See full summer holiday poll results.

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: RAC hikes breakdown cover prices by more than 30% in some cases - Missed a Eurotunnel or Dover ferry crossing? Your refund rights explained - Coventry Building Society customers hit by payment delays - Six months left to use first and second class stamps without barcodes - English councils cut back on school holiday food vouchers - alternatives available

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Is it wrong to make money from clothing I'm morally opposed to wearing? I bought a cute top from a charity shop for £1.50, but when I got home I realised it's partly made from silk - a material I don't wear because of the way it's made. I've looked the top up online and found I could sell it for £15ish. I'm struggling for cash with the cost of living going up, so selling it would help, but is it wrong to make money from it given I'm morally opposed to the way it was made? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Is it wrong to make money from clothing I'm morally opposed to wearing? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - Homes, hornets & high heels - last week's MSE Forum highlights

 

 

MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECT TBC) Tue 16 Aug - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 10.45am

 

'NEVER WEAR YOUR NICEST CLOTHES IN THE HOUSE' - YOUR TOP TIPS FOR MAKING CLOTHES LAST LONGER That's all for this week, but before we go... MoneySavers on our social channels have been sharing the ways they keep their clothes in good condition and lasting longer. Many agreed that not using a tumble dryer and washing on low temperatures for the shortest cycle would help, while others suggested never wearing your best clothes at home and not washing things every time you wear them. And another says she stays true to the old 'a stitch in time saves nine' saying by darning when necessary. Read others' tips for making your clothes last, and add your own, on the MSE Forum or on Facebook. We hope you save some money, stay safe, The MSE team

 

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