10 FREEBIES, secret shoe deals, renters tips, Tesco alert, 100GB Sim £9/mth, Ninja air-fryer code

Plus... cheapest way to spend abroad, £9 travel insure, £23/mth BT broadband, warning if aged 66+

                                                           

16 May 2023 | View in browser

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

 

THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL 21 renters' rights & tips, including: - Use rent to boost credit - Help if struggling to pay - Martin's tips if you want to buy Top 10 FREEBIES: Free £200, free Burger King, free £25 for £5 £9 travel insurance - get it ASAB Special 'MSE at 20' video Martin's urgent warning if you're 66+ EXTRA 25% off 'secret' shoe outlet - for example, £90 Adidas £19  The cheapest way to spend abroad? New. 100GB Sim '£8.62/mth' £15m in Clubcard vouchers expiring Ninja air fryer £175 with code  What does Bank of England's rate rise mean for your mortgage & savings? Free Mental Health & Debt booklet 2023 Martin's podcast: Will energy prices drop? And are 100% mortgages good? Ends Thu. BT broadband '£23/mth' 5p a litre off Morrisons fuel until Sunday 'We got £800 back in marriage tax allowance' Ends Fri. Starting uni in Sept? Apply NOW to get living costs loan on time FREE museums & galleries This week's best buys, including 5% savings, 4.8% loan, £200 bank bribe Should I report my colleague for not telling payroll he's been overpaid?  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

As UK rents soar - 21 renters' rights & tips Use rent to boost your credit. Cheaper broadband, council tax, water & energy. Help if you're struggling to pay And... Martin's tips for renters who want to buy Rents are rising at an eye-watering rate, with renters hit hard by a decrease in available properties and some landlords having to pass on increased mortgage costs. Average rent is now £1,200/mth in the UK (£2,000/mth in London). Add to that the huge inflationary hits to food, energy bills, utilities, insurance and it's a perfect storm for many. We can't lower your rent, but our 50+ MoneySaving tips for renters can help you save elsewhere. Here are our top 21 tips, right now, as a deposit... There are ways to ensure that paying rent on time boosts your ability to get credit in the future. It's long been a bugbear of many renters: that paying on time, diligently, doesn't help their finances. Things are starting (but only starting) to change. See rent on your credit filefor full info, but in brief... - Rental Exchange Initiative (Experian)*. Here, bigger private landlords (500+ properties), council and social housing landlords sign up. It's free for them and you. Their incentive is it helps encourage on-time rental payments. - Canopy. Here, the tenant signs up, and it's free to get Canopy to report to Experian (or £4/mth for all three credit reference agencies). - CreditLadder. Another tenant sign-up, then you can choose which of Experian, Equifax or TransUnion that it reports to for free (so use Canopy for Experian and this for one of the others). Broadband is your choice - so can you switch and save £100s? Millions pay £40+/mth (£500/yr) for slow broadband, when faster speeds are available for under half that. Unless your tenancy agreement explicitly bans switching broadband, or you don't pay the bill, you can do it without a landlord's permission as most homes are already connected to Openreach - the system used by most providers. Switching's normally very simple (though if switching to or from cable - usually Virgin - you will tend to need permission). Our broadband comparison uses your postcode to find the full range of deals available in your area, including Shell's 38Mb, equivalent to £19.38/mth and Vodafone's 67Mb, equivalent to £20.63/mth. On Universal Credit or other benefits? Our comparison includes special social broadband tariffs that may be cheaper. Struggling to pay rent? Help, worth £1,000s, may be available. If you're finding it hard to pay your rent, first talk to your landlord to let them know you're struggling, and see if you can agree a payment plan to ease pressure. Then look at the three main avenues of help... - Always check if you qualify for Universal Credit. If you've total income below £40,000, do a 10-min benefit check-up. Jane tried it and emailed: "We completed the 10-min checker and have been amazed at the support. The rent help and council tax reduction saved us an incredible £3,400/yr. It means so much to us - thank you so much." - Apply for a discretionary housing payment. If you receive the housing element of Universal Credit, or Housing Benefit, you may be due help from your council. See Shelter's info for England | Wales | Scotland or info for N Ireland. - Apply for a charity grant. Some charities may offer help - search for grants available in your area via Turn2us. - Facing eviction? There's still hope - see eviction help. In a house- / flat-share? Use a free app to split the bills. Keeping track of bills can be a complete nightmare, especially if there are a few of you. The Splitwise app can help. Furnish your home for FREE & spruce up your space. If you've rented unfurnished or part-furnished, online giveaway sites can help you find what you need for nowt. eBay's also worth checking for cheap stuff too - see our 40 eBay buying tips. Plus while you can't usually make permanent changes to the decor or layout if you're renting, we've 25 tips and tricks to boost storage and make the most of where you live. Renting privately in London? Check your home's properly licensed, if not you could be owed £1,000s... if your landlord hasn't followed the rules. Use the property licence checker to find out.  You don't need buildings insurance but should consider contents insurance (from £5/mth). Your landlord is responsible for buildings insurance, but you need to consider insurance for your contents (an easy way to think of it is the stuff that'd fall if you turned your home upside down). Our Cheap contents insurance for tenants guide takes you through it, but in short: - Speedily get quotes from comparison sites. Try Compare The Market*, MoneySupermarket* and Confused.com* to bag a decent number of quotes. Carefully check the cover offered before you buy - for example, if you're in a house-share, the policy may specify you need a lock on the door to your room to be covered. - Check if deals not on comparisons can win. Use this Urban Jungle* link and the code MSE_OFFER, and you'll be sent a £15 Amazon voucher within 7mths for contents-only cover. Factor that in and see if it beats other options. And if you've time, try Direct Line, which isn't on any comparison sites, and offers good cover levels, but isn't likely to be your cheapest quote. - Check cashback websites before buying. Once you've found the right policy, check if a cashback website will pay you. First-time buyer (or wannabe one day)?  Martin's top tips I've always railed against property-porn shows that imply renting is a dirty word and everyone should pump every penny into urgently buying. Renting can give flexibility, ease-of-movement, and in periods of house-price decline, can be financially safer too. We shouldn't demonise it. Yet many do want to get on the housing ladder, and if it's a place for long-term security, and it's budgeted for and affordable (for a few it can be cheaper than renting) - do it. Things have got tougher recently though, with mortgage rates rocketing while house prices are still very expensive. However, good preparation can get you closer... 8. Put at least £1 in a LISA asap for a big savings boost. I love this trick. Those aged 18 to 39 can open a top Lifetime ISA and the state adds 25% on top of up to £4,000/yr saving (so £1,000/yr free) to a first-time buyer deposit, on a home costing under £450,000. As it has to be open a year to get this, pop a quid in now to start the clock ticking, then when you're ready to save, put cash in so you're eligible for bonuses quicker. Full pros & cons via the link. As Olly emailed: "My girlfriend and I have just completed on our first house. I'd maxed out the LISA allowance every year for 6 years and my girlfriend 5, so we received an extra £11,000 towards our deposit! Without this we wouldn't be able to afford it! Thanks Martin & team." 9. Tool yourself up with mortgage knowledge. Ensuring you understand what you're getting into and how to cut costs is crucial.  - My free 1st-time buyers' mortgage PDF booklet takes you through it. - When you're close, use our mortgage comparison to find the cheapest. - See How much can I borrow? so you've realistic expectations. - Find a top mortgage broker when you're ready, to guide you through. 10. Never had credit? Good for you, bad for getting a mortgage. Lenders try to predict your future behaviour by looking at your past, so perversely as they've no credit history those who have never had credit can be rejected as there's nowt to go on. So to get a mortgage, prior credit helps. The easiest way is to get a credit card, yet I need you to be careful - this is a tactic not encouragement to get into debt. If you don't trust yourself don't do it. Our Credit Builder Card Eligibility Calc shows which easier-to-get cards can start you off. Then follow my strict credit-boost checklist...   - Do £50 to £100/mth of normal spending on it. - ALWAYS repay IN FULL each month, preferably by direct debit. That way there's no interest (as if you clear the balance, you're not charged). - After up to a year or so, provided you never miss a payment (and don't have issues elsewhere), you should've built a decent track record. More help in Credit rebuild cards & 38 tips to boost your credit. 11. Save as much as you can, and go frugal in the run-up to a mortgage application. The more you can save, the bigger your deposit, the cheaper the mortgage deal (if you've filled up a LISA or Help to Buy ISA, see our Top savings guide). Plus, as lenders do affordability checks, in the six months or so in the run-up to applying, go frugal so your accounts will look better when they inspect. 12. Avoid unnecessary credit applications in the mortgage run-up. A poor credit history can torpedo a new mortgage application, so check your credit file (for free) to ensure there are no errors. Then in the immediate few months' run-up to a mortgage application, don't apply for any credit (including mobile phone contracts, credit cards etc), unless really needed, so it doesn't look like you're desperate to borrow. 13. No-deposit 100% mortgages and other innovations. We're starting to see some mortgages working different ways. - Renters can get a no-deposit mortgage as long as repayments aren't higher than their rent. I explain my view on this alongside pros & cons in Skipton's no-deposit 100% mortgage. - Regular payments for Netflix and council tax can help prove you can pay with Leeds BS's 'boost' mortgage. 14. Did you have joint bills accounts with old housemates? If so, delink them. If you had joint bills accounts with flatmates, then your credit files may be linked meaning their file can be looked at when you apply for a mortgage. Best to delink your credit files if you can.   More bedrooms in your home than people (or the same number)? Switching to a water meter can save you £100s. If you've a six-month or more fixed-term tenancy agreement and pay the water bills yourself, you DON'T need your landlord's permission to get a water meter (though courtesy says it's worth discussing with them). Savings for some in England & Wales (Scotland & N Ireland have a different system) can be huge. Angela emailed us: "We switched to a water meter and our bills have gone from around £1,360/yr to around £325/yr - saving over £1,000/yr. Thanks for your advice." Yet for those in busy house-shares with one or two in every room, it's unlikely to save you. Martin's water-meter rule of thumb is: More bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number (so two rooms, two people)? If so, a water meter is likely to save you cash Use the water meter calculator to see if you'll save Struggling with energy bills? Renters are eligible for help too. There are still no deals to switch and save, but... - Check if your energy provider can help. If you're falling behind, talk to your supplier about payment plans or payment breaks if you're on a standard credit meter, or emergency credit or additional support credit if you're on prepay. Plus, many firms offer help through hardship funds. - Rented homes should have an 'EPC' rating of at least E. In England & Wales, landlords can't let properties with an energy performance certificate (EPC) below E, while in Scotland this was increased to below D for new tenancies from 1 April 2022. While there are a few exemptions, if you find that your home does not have an EPC, or the rating is lower than it should be, you can make a complaint to Trading Standards. - Free insulation. If you're on certain benefits and you rent, you may be able to get free insulation, which should cut your energy costs, though you will need landlord permission. Full information in Free insulation. - Switch to a smart meter to help keep track of usage. These have in-home displays to show near real-time energy costs, so you can see where to cut back. Unless your tenancy explicitly states you shouldn't change the meter or they need to be moved, you can switch - though as a courtesy discuss it with your landlord first. See our Smart meter guide. PS: If you pay your landlord for energy and they pay through a commercial contract (more common in blocks of flats), check if you can apply for a £400 energy help payment - you can only apply until 31 May, so go quick. If your deposit's not protected, you could get it back... plus THREE TIMES the value. With most tenancies, your landlord/letting agent MUST put your deposit into a government-backed protection scheme by law. If they don't (or haven't), you've rights to redress. See deposit protection. Are you due a council tax discount worth £100s? You could be eligible to have your council tax bill reduced - by anything from 25% to 100%. So if... - You live alone or with under-18s (or only others on the list below) - You're a full-time student - You're on a low income - You get Pension Credit or other benefits - You have a disability - You or someone you live with has a 'severe mental impairment' - You're a live-in carer or live with one ... check our Council tax discounts list to see if you can pay less (and if you're renting you can also use our check & challenge system to see if your home's in the wrong council tax band). Beware bogus charges - letting fees are BANNED. As our guide to what they can and CAN'T charge explains, since 2019 charges for credit checks, photocopying and so on have been banned across England, Scotland & Wales (some are still allowed in N Ireland). Save 60%+ on rent by becoming a 'property guardian'. If you can be flexible about where you live and are happy to move frequently, you can baby-sit empty properties to deter squatters. These can be private homes, office blocks, fire stations, churches, pubs, schools and more. Rent's usually a fraction of what you'd normally pay - for example, this week we found a room in Hull for £165 a month and a room (in a former school) in Hunstanton for £285 a month. Full info in property guardians. If you're in a dispute with your landlord, help's available - and they have responsibilities, too. If you think you've been unfairly treated during your tenancy - or your landlord hasn't kept the home safe and in good working order - there are official bodies to help you complain (though they have limited powers). See landlord responsibilities and your rights.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

TOP 10 FREEBIES... Free £25 for £5, free Burger King, free £200 bank switch, FREE £30 Amazon & more There's no such thing as a free lunch... unless it's in our MSE weekly email, that is. So this week, we've pulled together this top 10 list of current freebies (in no particular order), whether they're click & grab or need a bit more work.  Free £200ish for switching bank account. Competition's hotting up. Four banks currently pay you to switch to them - there's NatWest's FREE £200 plus £3/mth cashback* | HSBC's FREE £200 + 5% regular saver* | First Direct's FREE £175, top service & 7% linked saver* | Lloyds' £150 + monthly rewards. Do read full info and reviews, including crucial eligibility info, in Best bank accounts. Free Lindt choc, 24-pack nappies & more via supermarket coupons. If you're grossed out by grocery prices, our regularly updated list of 40+ supermarket coupons gives reductions & occasional freebies too. New. Free £25 when you spend £5+ online. Quidco newbies - 5,000 available. MSE Blagged. Sign up to cashback site Quidco via our link and buy something through it costing £5 or more (such as a pack of batteries from B&Q, or kids' sunnies from ShopDisney) and you get an extra £25 cashback. Full info in Top cashback sites. Free £20 cashback if you grab a top travel credit card. The Halifax Clarity* (check your eligibility) is one of our long-term top-pick travel cards as it offers no-fee overseas spending & low ATM interest, plus you currently get £20 cashback on your first purchase (even 1p) within 90 days. And, yes, that does mean you could just grab one, spend on it once and bag the cashback. Always pay off IN FULL every month or it's 22.9% rep APR interest. See more in Top travel cards. Freebies for feedback - a free iron, make-up, crisps and more. These sites give goodies when you test products or give reviews. What you get varies: Forumites have grabbed everything from irons to make-up, crisps to cat litter. Our Top product-testing freebie sites guide shows how. It's not a dead cert, but can be fun to try. Free £30 Amazon voucher for doing quick online activities. Ever popular with MoneySavers, Swagbucks is free to join and rewards you for online activities such as surveys, gaming and more. Newbies who go via our MSE Blagged link can get a free £20 Amazon voucher when they earn their first £10. Free Burger King cheeseburger or fries. Sign up to Burger King's app loyalty scheme and get 200 points - you can then use these immediately for a free £2ish cheeseburger, hamburger, regular fries or drink. Free postcode lotto with a £200+ daily prize, which rolls over too... one MoneySaver even won £2,500. It sounds too good to be true, but it's legit and costs nothing as it's funded by ads. See free Pick My Postcode lotto. Can you grab a free coffee machine, sofa, or... a boat? 1,000s of unwanted items are offered on giveaway sites, and MoneySavers have bagged all manner of goodies. Liz told us via Facebook: "We've 'rehomed' (taken and given) lots with Freecycle. Our best find was a Siemens fridge freezer we've had for 15 years which is still going strong." See MSE Jenny's Freecycle & Freegle tips. Plus, there's a 'Freecycle for food' app where you can find yourself some nosh for nowt. Get paid £5 to autosave. Autosave apps use tech to figure out what you can afford to save, then automatically move money from your current account to savings or investments. Many people find them an easy way to get into the savings habit. Currently via this Plum link*, newbies get £5 if they save at least 1p by day 30. See our Plum review. Want more? See quick tips to bag free TV show tickets, free water-saving gadgets and birthday freebies.

 

How did MSE grow from Martin in his living room spending £80 on it to one of the UK's biggest websites? To celebrate our 20th year, we hope you enjoy this special 'MSE at 20' film (including some cringe archive shots). Martin's urgent warning to those aged 66+. If you're over 66, please read this BEFORE FRIDAY. EXTRA 25% off 'secret' Office shoe outlet - for example, £19 Adidas (were £90). MSE Blagged. Our code makes this already discounted, slightly scuffed/ex-display footwear even cheaper, but stock's limited. Office What's the cheapest way to spend abroad? Three specialist overseas cards are vying for the number one spot - here's a reminder of last week's top overseas cards rundown. New. Cheapest 100GB Sim we've ever seen: '£8.62/mth'. 100GB data, unlimited mins & texts on this TalkMobile Sim (via Vodafone's network) for £11.95/mth, but you can CLAIM (don't forget) a £40 Amazon voucher within 4mths. Factor that in over the 12mth contract and it's equivalent to £8.62/mth. Want a different network/less data? Cheap Mobile Finder. £15m in Clubcard vouchers expire in two weeks. Use 'em by 31 May, or extend with our trick. Tesco alert Ninja air fryer & grill £175 with code (normally £270). MSE Blagged. Or multi-cooker £180 (normally £300). The brand's not MoneySaving, but these deals offer a decent discount. 6,000 available, excluding N Ireland. Ninja What does the Bank of England's rate rise to 4.5% mean for your mortgage & savings? See base rate rise (including firm-by-firm data on when they'll increase mortgage rates and by how much). Free Mental Health & Debt booklet 2023. It's Mental Health Awareness Week, so a good time to remind you of our 44-page Mental Health & Debt PDF guide, which has helped so many. Please share with anyone you think may benefit. Will energy prices finally drop? Plus, check NOW if you're due £100s in energy credit, and are 100% mortgages good? This and more in this week's episode of The Martin Lewis Podcast - listen via BBC Sounds, Spotify, Apple and more.

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - Quidco newbies get £25 back on £5+ spend 5,000 available - Free £30 Amazon voucher for doing online activities Ongoing - Extra 25% off 'secret' Office shoe outlet Ends Friday  - Up to £120 off Ninja air fryer / multi-cooker 6,000 available	DID YOU MISS? - Are solar panels worth it? - Martin: Student loan costs to DOUBLE for many from Sept 2023 - Asda 10% off plus £2.50 bonus for NHS, care & emergency staff - Ends tomorrow (Wed). £20 off trainers for recycling old ones

 

 

Martin's WARNING for anyone with summer holidays booked abroad Get travel insurance ASAB - As Soon As you Book - it costs as little as £9 (get it now if already booked) Every year I hear 'I need chemo, they won't refund my holiday, I've not got insurance yet, help' Martin: "Summer is nearing. If you've booked a holiday abroad, and don't have travel insurance, do it now, today, do not delay. I admit I say this with a hint of desperation. EVERY summer, my heart sinks after someone asks me a question who'd had 'getting travel insurance' on their to-do list, but didn't prioritise it. "Usually they've had a serious diagnosis (too often cancer), injury, redundancy or bereavement, can't go on holiday, and are shocked the airline or hotel won't let them cancel. So let me be blunt. Unless you booked with free cancellation, being ill doesn't give you rights. It's like arguing you can return a tennis racket as faulty because you have a broken arm. "That's why you need to get travel insurance ASAB. It's not just there to cover you in case things go wrong while you're on holiday. Half the value is protection BEFORE travelling, in case something happens to stop you from going. There's full info in our Cheap travel insurance, Over-65s' travel insurance and Pre-existing conditions travel insurance guides. Yet for speed I've asked the team to briefly run through the options below..." Cheap 'no-frills' policies for those aged under 65. Annual policies cover virtually all trips under 17 days - some go up to 30 days. These are usually cheaper if you will go abroad more than once a year (even just for weekends). If you're just going away once, stick with single trip. - Cheapest ANNUAL policies from £12 for individuals for Europe-only travel, £71 family worldwide: Prices depend on age, though these four meet our minimum cover levels, and are vying for cheapest, so check 'em all: Coverwise (Bronze)*, Leisure Guard*, Admiral, CoverForYou (Silver)* and Staysure (Comp)*. - Cheapest SINGLE TRIP policies from £9 for individuals in Europe, £47 family worldwide: Again, prices depend on age - try Leisure Guard*, Coverwise (Bronze)*, Admiral and CoverForYou (Silver)*, which all meet our minimum cover levels. Important: We pick these NO-FRILLS policies on price and minimum cover, NOT feedback or payout rates. So they're for those not too fussed, who just see them as a backstop. If you're unhappy or don't feel you've been treated fairly, then make a formal complaint. If the provider rejects it, you've a right to go to the free Financial Ombudsman Service. Want a higher-end policy with decent feedback, cover for airline failure and more? If you want belt 'n' braces cover, you will pay more, for example £60 for an annual individual Europe policy - use our Cheap Travel Insurance Finder tool for full options. Cheapest policies for those aged over 65. Prices can rocket for those who are older. So we've put a lot of work into our Over-65s' travel insurance guide, which shows how to try and keep prices low - eg, £42/yr if aged 66, from £119/yr if aged 76 and from £208/yr if aged 80. Going to Europe? Ensure you've a FREE valid GHIC/EHIC with you so you can get treatment at state-run hospitals or GPs at the same cost as a local. But it's not a substitute for travel insurance - get both. Cheapest policies for those who have had/got medical issues. You should always declare pre-existing conditions, or cover can be invalidated. Generally this is conditions you've seen a doctor about or got medication for. Cover can get very pricey, though there are usually (not always) routes to cut costs right down. Our Pre-existing medical conditions travel insurance guide will take you through the options. Grab family travel, mobile and breakdown cover for £150/yr. For those needing lots of different cover then packaged bank accounts can save £100s a year (especially if you normally pay for mobile phone insurance). Top pick at the moment is Virgin Money's Club M at £12.50/mth (£150/yr)... it gives worldwide annual family travel insurance up to age 74, family mobile and gadget insurance, and UK breakdown cover. Plus, some with pre-existing conditions can still be covered, usually for an additional fee (always declare them).

 

Ends Thu. Cheap BT broadband deal '£23/mth'. We know many like BT, even though its prices aren't the cheapest. If you're not currently with it, you can switch to BT's 67Mb broadband (no phone line) deal for £29.99/mth and CLAIM (don't forget) a £110 prepaid Mastercard and a £50 Amazon, Tesco or Currys voucher. Claim and spend both, and it's equivalent to £23.33/mth over the 24mth contract. Just want the cheapest deals? Use our broadband comparison. Ends Sun. 5p a litre off fuel at Morrisons when you spend £35 in store or online. See cheaper fuel. 'We got back £800 via the marriage tax allowance as my wife doesn't pay tax.' Our success of the week comes from Lawrence: "I heard Martin talking about the marriage tax allowance on TV. As my wife only has a small NHS pension and works two days a week, she doesn't earn enough to pay tax. I do, and I heard Martin say if my wife gave me some of her tax allowance, I'd pay less tax and could backdate my claim. We went online and got back £800, so a massive thank you." If we've helped you save money (on this, or owt else), please send us your MoneySaving successes. Starting uni or higher education in September? Apply NOW to get your living costs loan on time. Prospective students from England starting this year will be on a brand-new student loan system and need to apply by FRIDAY - see our 2023 student loans guide for info. Related: Application deadlines in other UK nations. FREE museums & galleries. It's International Museum Day on Thursday, so why not plan a weekend trip to one of 200+ free museums & galleries across the UK?

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: NatWest - 30 months 0%, 2.99% fee (23.9% rep APR interest) No-fee 0%: NatWest - 19 months 0% (23.9% rep APR)  Best bank accounts £200 to switch + £36/yr cashback: NatWest / RBS £200 to switch + 5% regular saver: HSBC  Top savings accounts Top easy access: Chip 3.71%, min £1 Top one-year fix: Allica Bank 5%, min £10,000  Car insurance Try our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Cheap loans Cheapest for £5,000 to £7,499: AIB (NI) (apply), 5.6% rep APR Cheapest for £7,500 to £15,000: HSBC (check eligibility - existing customers only / apply*), 4.8% rep APR Broadband top picks Standard (10Mb+): Shell Energy '£16.88/mth' Fibre (30Mb+): Shell Energy '£19.38/mth' Fast fibre (55Mb+): Vodafone '£20.63/mth' On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lycamobile, '£2.38/mth' for 3GB  4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£3.45/mth' for 5GB 10GB+ data: TalkMobile, '£8.62/mth' for 100GB

 

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK It's National Numeracy Day on Wed 17 May - how are your maths skills? Brushing up on your everyday maths skills can make you more confident in managing money. To help, the National Numeracy charity has a free 10-minute challenge to check your current level, then offers you tailored support to improve your skills. Take the National Numeracy Challenge.

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL How do you rate your energy provider's recent service? With the energy market in crisis and record high prices, customer service has never been more important, so we want to know how your energy firm has been doing. Vote in this week's poll. More than a third of MoneySavers have NEVER switched banks. Last week, we asked when you last switched your bank account. Of the 3,800 people who responded, a relatively high 10% said they'd switched in the past three months, likely driven by fierce competition from banks paying newbies up to £200 to join. As for the 36% who said they'd never switched, the most common reason was that they're happy with their current bank. See the full poll results.

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Barclays is closing 110 bank branches this year - here's the full list, plus alternatives - Intelligent Finance to close all existing current accounts by the end of the year - Leeds becomes first lender to use Netflix, Spotify and council tax payments to 'boost' mortgage chances - Got an old phone? You may soon lose internet access as Vodafone begins to turn off 3G - with others to follow

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should I report my colleague for not telling payroll he's been overpaid? A few years ago, I moved overseas for work and was given a €750 a month allowance. A few months after I got back I noticed it was still being paid, so I contacted payroll, who thought it had been stopped and asked me to pay €3,750 back. Recently I had lunch with a colleague who moved back at the same time as me, who said his allowance eventually just stopped and he hadn't been asked to pay anything back. I feel like I've been punished for being honest... should I ask payroll to look in to it, or is that just petty? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I report my colleague to payroll? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: Tiles, turps & transport tips

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 17 MAY ONWARDS) Wed 17 May - Co-hosting Good Morning Britain, ITV1, from 6am Wed 17 May - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm Sun 21 May - Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, BBC One, 9am Tue 23 May - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10.20am MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECT TBC) Tue 23 May - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 10.45am

 

WANT A HOTEL ROOM? THE BED'S EXTRA... WHAT RIDICULOUS ADD-ONS HAVE YOU HAD TO PAY? That's all for this week, but before we go... MSE Forumites have been flagging up the weird add-on payments they've been hit with. One had a £10 'long hair fee' added to the price of a haircut, while several bemoaned £25 insurance renewal admin fees. There was also mention a café that charges extra if you want more than two sugars in your tea. But the most farcical add-on has to be from the person who booked a room in a guest house, only to discover that it didn't come with a bed, though you could add one... for an extra fiver a night. Let us know the most ridiculous add-on you've had to pay in our MSE Forum discussion. We hope you save some money, The MSE team

 

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