Friday, July 4, 2014

New NISAs 3%, NYC £300?, free £7,600 home improve, 19mths 0% borrowing, £10 Argos £5, Wonga scam, 5x Nectar, holiday car hire

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Martin Lewis

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Cutting your costs, fighting your corner Martin's Money Tips wed 2 jul 2014
Cards Reclaim Shopping Deals Utilities Banking Travel Insurance Mortgages Income

This week

Up to £7,600 to improve your home
19mths 0% borrowing: longest ever
Cheap holiday car hire tricks
50+ renters' tips
Feel Unique £10 off £25
£300 NYC? New budget route
£70 Amazon with L&G home ins
10% off railcards code
Fix energy till 2016, save £130/yr
Pay £5, get £10 at Argos
New low fee 0% debt shift card
Wonga sending fake lawyers' letters
Online pound store code
Flash currency sale
5x normal Nectar points
Lastminute spa 2for1 + 10% off
Starbucks £3 drink with £2 mag
500 Tesco points on £25 Lego
SALES CODES: Burton 15%, Dotty P 10%, Topman 10%
Amazon 20% off nappies
Vouchers Index: Restaurants / Shopping
Best Buys: 0% cards | Car insurance
Best Buys: Gas & Elec | Bank Accs
What would help you save more?
Show More

New £15,000 NISAs launched - earn 3%
Huge boost to tax-free savings - the biggest change since 1999

The ISA is dead. Long live the NISA. Yesterday, the 'New Individual Savings
Account' took over. The change? The limit's boosted to £15,000/yr and now all of it can be in a cash NISA, upping the amount saveable tax-free from £5,940.

If you're wondering "why change the name?", my guess is the Govt wanted to take credit by saying "we gave you NISAs", as it sounds far glitzier than "we boosted the ISA limit". As for what it means & what to do, we've new Top Cash NISAs, Shares NISAs and How NISAs Work guides. The top 10 need-to-knows...

1. What is a cash NISA? Don't be scared because it sounds complex (or like a convenience store). I wish I could hypnotise people reading the words "cash NISA" to instead just see:

"IT'S A SAVINGS ACCOUNT YOU DON'T PAY TAX ON."

Know this and it all becomes clearer. People wrongly tell me "I don't use a cash ISA (now NISA) as I don't want to lock my cash away", but remember it's just a savings account you don't pay tax on. Like you don't have to lock cash away in savings, you don't have to lock cash away in a NISA either.

- What's the tax gain? You don't pay tax on interest. Earn £100 interest on normal savings and as a basic 20% taxpayer, you'd receive £80 (£60 on 40% higher rate tax). With a cash NISA, you keep the whole £100. So if rates are similar (NISAs tend to be higher), NISAs beat normal savings.

2.

All over-16s can put away £15,000 per tax year in cash. You can now use the whole allowance for cash or investments (previously, you could only put half the overall £11,880 ISA allowance - £5,940 - in cash). Now, for this tax year, you can either...

- Put up to £15,000 in a cash NISA
- Put up to £15,000 in a stocks & shares NISA (over-18s, see point 8)
- Put up to £15,000 in a combination (eg, £9,000 in cash, £6,000 in shares)

How long is it tax-free for? Once in a cash NISA, it stays tax-free, YEAR AFTER YEAR. So if you've big savings, over time you can protect even more from tax. If you can max out NISAs for 3 yrs, you'd have £45,000+ interest.

3. NISAs BEST BUYS: 2.33% easy-access (ie, withdraw when you want). All these deals are variable rate, so you'll need to monitor in case they drop. Full best buys in Top Cash NISAs 2014/15, here are the headlines:

- Top for lump sum savings and transfers: The BM Savings ISA Extra 1.55% AER* (min £1) is the top payer - this rate includes a year's 1.05% intro interest bonus (effectively a min rate guarantee) but you need to diarise to ditch and transfer when it ends.

Two tie for next top. Both are clean rate (ie, no bonus, which has pros & cons) and also allow unlimited withdrawals: the Virgin Easy Access ISA 1.5% AER* (min £1) and Nationwide Instant ISA 1.5% AER* (min £1,000 or lower interest - existing Nationwide customers can get 1.75%).

Some local credit unions can pay more. Use the link to find out more & check your nearest credit union to see what it pays.

- Top for smaller savings or monthly saving. The Nationwide Regular Saver 2.33% AER* (min £1, no transfers) is designed for you to save up to £1,250 monthly, but you don't need to. If you've less than £1,250, just whack it in.

Even if you've a few grand, drip-feed it in over a few months and the higher rate makes it worth it. Yet the rate'll drop in Apr 2015, so diarise to ditch & transfer. Only existing Nationwide custs can open online - others in-branch.
4. BEST BUYS: Lock in up to 3% with access to your cash. Unless you'll definitely need the cash soon, go for a fixed-term, fixed-rate cash NISA. Unlike fixed normal savings, by law, they must let you access your cash, which if you get clever, can really work for you. So let's get clever...

- Coventry BS's 4-year 2.75% AER fix (min £1 - no transfers) lets you close it early (and withdraw) for a relatively low penalty of 120 days' interest.

Do the maths and if you close it after a year, you still effectively get 1.85%, beating most easy-access deals. After 2 years, it's 2.3%, beating the best 2-year fix. So even if you don't want a four-year fix, it's still often a winner.

- Virgin's* 5-year 3% AER fix (min £1, accepts transfers) works in a similar way to Coventry, but withdrawals cost you 180 days' interest. For a full chart of how these stack up, see Top Clever Fixed Cash NISAs.
5. Already opened an ISA this year? You can top it up. If you've opened an ISA since 6 April under the old limits (£5,940 in cash ISAs, up to £11,880 in shares), you can now max it out to £15,000 in total.

Warning: Be aware that if you opened a fixed-rate cash ISA, some providers only give you a short window to top it up in. Miss that and you're locked in, and would need to pay interest penalties to shift it.

Some of our past best buys where you must top up by the end of July include Coventry BS, Tesco, Julian Hodge and more. See our full When You Need To Top Up Fixed NISAs By list.
6. Your old ISA's now a NISA, but if you don't act the rate's likely still crap. While it's primarily just a name change for your old ISAs, the fact they are now NISAs doesn't stop them having rates as low as 0.1%. So it's worth checking yours now. If poor, you've a RIGHT TO TRANSFER to boost.

In the best buys above, I've pointed out which accept transfers. To do this, don't withdraw the cash, as it'll no longer be in the ISA. Ask the new provider to transfer it for you instead. Full help in Top NISA Transfers.

I'd also consider consolidating them into one, as combining new & old together makes the process of transferring them again easier next time.
7. How to get 5% interest on your ISA money now... While NISA rates beat normal top savings rates, some current accounts have loss-leading rates of up to 5% AER to persuade you to switch. So the question I'm peppered with is: "Should I use a cash NISA when bank accounts pay more even after tax?"

The full answer's in my ISAs vs high-rate bank accounts blog, but in brief, cash NISAs protect your money from tax for years to come, which once rates bounce back could be a big gain. Bank accounts offer a higher short-term rate. Yet even for bigger savers, there's a way to get the best of both.

- Step 1: Shove cash into a high-interest bank account. Provided the after-tax savings rate beats the NISA you'd choose, put the money into the bank.

The big payers include Santander 123, which pays 3% AER if you've £3,000- £20,000; Club Lloyds, which pays 4% AER if you've £4,000-£5,000; and Nationwide FlexDirect at 5% AER on up to £2,500 for a year. It can also be possible to open more than one - see 5% Savings Loophole for how.

Step 2: Use the cash to open a NISA on 31 March 2015. One week before the tax year ends, just move the cash out of the bank account and open your NISA to fill the allowance. This way you get the short-term higher rate, but you don't lose your NISA allowance.

Extra tip: While we're talking higher-paying alternatives, if you've got debts you can also often beat the returns by paying them off. For full help, see the Repaying Debts vs Saving and Overpaying Mortgages vs Saving guides.
8. New £15,000 stocks & shares NISA. As the NISA limit's up, that means you can put more in a stocks & shares NISA too. Here you can invest somewhat 'tax-free' in funds, bonds and shares. As this is a big subject on its own, see our Top Stocks & Shares NISAs guide.
9. Now you can switch NISA stocks & shares money to cash. You've always been able to transfer cash ISA money into stocks & shares ISAs. Yet the new rules allow you to transfer stocks & shares NISAs into cash NISAs. This doesn't just apply to this year's NISAs, but previous years too.

Again, to do it, don't withdraw the cash (or sell the shares and withdraw cash). It's about getting a new provider to switch it. See the Full NISA Guide.
10. Junior ISA limits are up too. Confusingly, they'll still be known as ISAs, not NISAs, but the limit for under-18s' savings has been raised to £4,000 (from £3,840) and those aged 16 or 17 can open both a Junior ISA and a cash NISA. For full help, see Top Junior ISAs.

Children born between 1 Sep 2002 and 2 Jan 2011 have Child Trust Funds, not Junior ISAs - see Top Child Trust Funds. From April 2015, cash CTFs can be shifted to cash junior ISAs, but the Govt hasn't decided on investments.

Yet as most children tend not to earn enough to pay tax, the gains of using these aren't so clear-cut. Read more in Top Children's Savings.

Finally... are savings safe in a cash NISA? Provided they're in a UK-regulated financial institution (all above are), protected like normal savings, so you get an up-to-£85k per person, per institution savings promise.

PS. Follow me on Twitter for tips, rants, puns & more. Currently my feed entertains (and frustrates, if some responses are right) over 300,000 people. Do join in via @MartinSLewis, or for just straight tips, follow @MoneySavingExp.

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MSE News

Top story: Data charges slashed as mobile roaming costs cut across EU
BA baggage delayed from Heathrow: Your rights
Teens can save up to £19,000 tax-free thanks to ISA loophole
Do you use Swinton Insurance? Beware its 'pre-renewal' deposit
Are you throwing £100s in the bin by dumping CPP reclaim forms?
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Use the Money Mantras If you're skint If you're not skint
The Ones Not To Miss Wed 2 Jul 2014
New. Get up to £7,600 to help you improve your home
The Green Deal has changed. Now the Govt's offering cash grants for solid wall insulation, double-glazing & more

The Green Deal is a great idea, poorly executed. The Govt's attempt to get us to make our homes more efficient has been a damp squib, so it's changing tack. A new scheme pays up to £7,600 per household straight into your bank account as a grant, though few will get the full whack. Full help in our updated Green Deal Mythbuster, here are the basics...

  • green deal £7,600 sounds nice. How? The catchily-titled Green Deal Home Improvement Fund requires you to have a Green Deal assessment (costs £100-£150, but see offer 3), then agree a plan with a provider to fit qualifying recommended measures:

    Offer 1: Install two or more of 12 eligible measures & get up to £1,000. This includes cavity wall insulation, boiler upgrades, double-glazing, waste water heat recovery, flat roof insulation & more (full list here). You can get cash to help, up to a max of £1,000.
    Offer 2: Up to £6,000 for solid wall insulation. About 6.6m people have solid walls (as opposed to cavity walls). Insulation funding's available for 75% of what you pay, up to £6,000; it could reduce energy bills by £460 a year.
    MSE Wendy's doing this: "I'm getting 50m² of solid wall worth £7,100, but I only need to shell out £1,750."
    'Add-on' offer 3: Get £100 of your assessment cost refunded. Pretty straightforward, this one... make improvements under offers 1 or 2 and you qualify for this £100 - so most of the assessment cost's covered.
    'Add-on' offer 4: Get a £500 bonus if you've moved in the past year. If you've recently moved and you make improvements under offers 1 or 2, then you get an extra £500 from the fund.

    Of course, there's a risk you'll pay for the assessment and not qualify for any work, but you can do free online rough assessments first. Full help on this in our Green Deal Guide.
  • How do I pay if the cash doesn't cover all the work? If you've got the money, you can pay upfront, or you can apply for a Green Deal loan, where the repayments are from predicted 'savings' on your energy bills (eg, your usage may be £200/year lower, but your bill stays the same). See the Green Deal Mythbuster.
  • On a low income? You may be eligible for even better schemes. For households on sub-£16k incomes, or anyone needing solid wall insulation, see if you can get energy company funding to pay for the whole lot instead.

Feel Unique £10 off £25 make-up code, eg, Touche Eclat £15. MSE Blagged. Stock limited. 10k codes avail.

£300 NYC rtn? New budget airline route. The new Norwegian Air LGW-JFK route has a min price of £150 each way incl taxes (checked bags cost more). These are rare (though we found a few), but overall it can cut flight costs. NYC

£70 Amazon with L&G home insurance. MSE Blagged. Use this L&G* link and the code MSEDEAL to get combined buildings & contents cover and get a £70 Amazon voucher within 75 days. Always check against the comparison sites; if fine, search Confused.com*, Compare TM* and Tesco*. See the full Cheap Home Insurance guide.

New. Get 19mths interest-free borrowing - longest-EVER 0% card
A new card gives 19mths 0% on new spending, meaning if you do it right, you can borrow at ZERO cost

Credit cards can be the best and worst way to borrow. If you use one to regularly plug a gap in your income, it's a huge danger - STOP. Yet used right for planned, budgeted spending, it can allow you to borrow without any cost at all.

  • longest ever borrow New. Longest-EVER 0% on spending. Accepted new Tesco Clubcard* credit card holders can spend on the card interest-free for the first 19mths, plus earn Clubcard points. Yet do clear the card within the 19mths, or it jumps to 18.9% rep APR.

    Alternatives:
    Already got Tesco? The next longest is Santander's* 18-mth 0% (18.9% rep APR after). Halifax* is 15mths 0% (17.9% rep APR after), but also gives 15mths 0% on shifted debt (0.8% fee). For a full list and info, see 0% Cards (APR Examples).

    To find out which you're most likely to be accepted for, use the free 0% Card Odds Checker
    (sadly, not for Tesco).
  • Want to cut the cost of existing debts? Don't get confused, these cards are primarily for new borrowing. If your aim is to cut the cost of existing cards, you can get up to 33-mth 0% balance transfers.
  • Always obey the 0% golden rules. a) Always pay at least the monthly min or you may lose your 0% deal. b) Clear your card before the 0% ends or the rate jumps (if you can't, do a balance transfer). c) These rates are usually only cheap for spending, not shifted debts. d) Beware withdrawing cash - it's costly and hits your credit score.

10% off National Railcards code - couples, family, seniors & 16-25 cards. ALL big £30 national cards are discounted. Use them to get at least 1/3 off journeys for £27/year. Full info in Railcard Deals.

New. Fix energy until 2016 and save £130/year. EDF has just launched its new, longer Blue+ Price 29 Feb 2016* fix. For someone with typical bills, it's £130/yr less than an average standard tariff, plus it has no exit penalties - so if things change, you can leave early. Use our Top Energy Fixes comparison to see how it stacks up.

Pay £5 to get £10 at Argos. Buy a code on a daily deals site, and you double your Argos cash. See Argos Deals.

New LOW fee 0% balance transfer card. All 0% debt-shifting deals charge a one-off fee; go for the lowest within a time you can easily repay. The new low's the short Barclaycard 6mths 0.25% fee* card (ends Mon). Need longer? Try Post Office 18mths 0.7% fee*, Lloyds 24mths 1.5% fee* or Barclaycard 33mths 2.99% fee*. Use our Will I be accepted? tool. Full info: Best Balance Transfers. Clear before 0% ends or they jump to 19.9%, 17.8%, 17.9% & 18.9% rep APR (APR Examples).

Wonga sending fake lawyers' letters to borrowers
The payday-lending puppet masters have been fined for using Shyster, Shyster, and Shyster lawyers, aiming to thuggishly intimidate those who haven't paid up. Here's the key info.

  • Wonga to pay £2.6m after sending fake lawyers' letters: Find out what to do if you're affected. Wonga Fake Help
  • Just Wonga? Pls send us others' fake letters. There are rumours energy firms, banks etc do it. Fake Lawyers Campaign
  • Why Wonga should be paying £34,334,929,158 to everyone it faked. Read Martin's What Wonga should pay back blog.
  • Best Buys Least Worst Payday Loan help. If you're looking at this dangerous debt, use our Payday Loan Help guide.

5 cheap holiday car hire tricks, eg, 'got it for £296, not £900'
Heading abroad this summer (or later)? Book NOW. Tricks to find cheapest, slash insurance & free sat-nav to boot

Early booking usually wins. MoneySaver Dave told us: "Booked 4mths ahead, got 10 days for £296 for a decent-sized car. Just before I went, checked and price had gone to £900." Full help in Cheap Car Hire - here's the key info�

  • rent a carTrick 1: Speedily find the cheapest with comparison sites. These find the cheapest and let you drill down options, eg, automatic car, air conditioning, etc. Our order is Kayak*, TravelSupermarket* and Carrentals*. Try more than one if possible.
  • Trick 2: Check stealth fuel charges. Hire for 3+ days, and some make you pay for a full tank and "return it empty". If you don't drive far, the unused fuel can cost more than the hire. To avoid this, AutoEurope* and TravelSupermarket* let you filter by fuel policy, while Enjoy Car Hire* only shows 'pay for what you use' policies. See Fuel Tips.
  • Trick 3: Beat insurance scare trick. While insurance is included, as you collect a car they often say "without our excess insurance, you'll pay £100s for a scratch". This can be £20+/day, yet buy it separately for as little as £2/day. Use Moneymaxim's comparison* then see if our blagged deals beat it. This Direct Car Excess* link gets 15% off, code MSE2072 gets 15% off Questor*. Hire firms may then ask for a £500 deposit. See Car Hire Insurance.
  • Trick 4: Slash child car seat costs. Consider taking your own (some airlines don't charge) or renting elsewhere on arrival. One MSE team member says: "We reserved a car seat with the hire company at £6.80/day. Yet on arrival we hired one from a Malaga Airport stall at £2.50/day - saving £39 over the holiday." More info, including which airlines let you take a seat free, in Slash Child Seat Costs.
  • Trick 5: Free overseas smartphone sat-nav. Hire firms often charge £50+/wk to hire a sat-nav. Yet the Navfree Android/iPhone app has maps for 50 countries - just download before you go to avoid data roaming charges.

Online pound store code: Spend £10, get 2 items free & free delivery. MSE Blagged. All £1 items, incl Gillette face wash (RRP £4.99), Colgate toothbrush (RRP £2.50) and I Love... bubble bath (RRP £2.99). Pound Store

FLASH euro, dollar and more sale. Amex's online travel bureau is boosting rates for euros, US & Can, Egypt, Croatia & Swiss currency until 4pm Fri. Use our Travel Money Comparison to check how it stands up. Not going yet? The Halifax Clarity* credit card (check if you'll get it) gives near-perfect rates worldwide, smashing bureaux de change. Pay off IN FULL each month to minimise interest or it's 12.9% rep APR. Full info: Cheap Overseas Cards (APR Examples)

Get QUINTUPLE Nectar points (ie, 5x normal). Until next Monday, spend at 400 retailers (incl Homebase, Debenhams, Currys, Laura Ashley, etc) and you'll get 10pts per £1 spent (usually 2pts). Full Nectar Boost details.

Lastminute spa 2for1 + 10% EXTRA off code. MSE Blagged. It often runs £20 spa sales, but this has a wider choice. Plus it includes overnight stay options. Ends 10am Mon 14 Jul. 100+ UK venues. Lastminute

Click the titles for full info and all our top picks
Balance Transfers Car Insurance Cheap Loans Top Cash ISAs
Longest 0%: Barclaycard*
33mths 0%, 2.99% fee

(18.9% rep APR)

Low fee 0%: Post Office*
18mths 0%, 0.7% fee

(17.8% rep APR)
Get quotes in this order...

MoneySupermarket*
Gocompare*
Direct Line*
Aviva*
Admiral MultiCar*

Hitachi* (£5k - £7.5k)
5.4% rep APR


Hitachi* (£7.5k - £10k)
4.1% rep APR


Cahoot* (£10k - £15k)
4.2% rep APR

BM Savings* 1.55% AER
Min £1, incl bonus
Postal. Transfers allowed


Coventry BS 2.75% AER
Min £1. No transfers
Loophole: Fixed till May 2018


See Card APR Examples & Loan APR Examples
50+ tips for renters
Renting isn't a dirty word, but it can be costly. So we've tips from getting 60% cheaper rent to free furnishings

Over a third of UK households rent, and our poll last week found renters typically spend 30%-40% of their salary on it, compared to 20%-30% for those who pay a mortgage. To help, we've 50 MoneySaving Rental Tips - here are 10...

  1. renting tiprsBecome a property guardian. Cut rent by 60% looking after an empty building.
  2. FREE sofas, beds, TVs & more - unwanted gear online via Freecycle & Freegle.
  3. Don't just stick with your energy provider. Whether you're on prepay or bills, you can compare, switch & save. If the landlord says no, show our Renters' Energy Factsheet.
  4. Your deposit should be safely locked away. Ensure you know your Deposit Rights.
  5. Moving? Whether you need a man with a van or a big firm, compare removal costs.
  6. Beware letting agent fee horrors, such as £60 for a photocopy. Use our Fees Checklist in advance.
  7. Live rent-free (but pay admin) by home sharing with an elderly person, providing company & light housework.
  8. If you're home-sharing, getting contents insurance can be tricky. Try comparison sites, but be wary of results. Brokers often win. See our Renters' Home Insurance tips for more.
  9. For short-term stays, sites such as Airbnb and Room for Tea offer cheaper and homelier digs than a hotel.
  10. And finally, don't forget to haggle on the rent cost. Note any flaws to use as leverage. See Haggling Tips.

Plus far more: Vet your landlord, NEVER wire money, how to avoid 'dud rentals' and many more in 50+ Renting Tips.

Show Best Buys

Starbucks £3ish Refresha drink or iced espresso with £2 mag. Get a voucher to use in Starbucks branch.

Spend £25 on Lego, get 500 Tesco pts (worth up to £20). Shop online until Wed 9 Jul. Tesco Points Boost

SALES CODES: Burton EXTRA 15%, Dotty P EXTRA 10%, Topman EXTRA 10%
Sales extra discounts (end Wed): Burton extra 15% | Dorothy Perkins extra 10% | Topman extra 10% automatic
Codes off full price: WHS mith £5 off £25 | Sainsbury's £20 off £60 for newbies | All Discount Vouchers

Get 20% off nappies at Amazon. Combine two discounts to get 20% off nappies for three months. Baby Checklist

Click the titles for full info and all our top picks
Gas & Electricity Bank Accounts Home Insurance Landlines
Get constantly cheap energy.

Our club ensures you're always on the cheapest tariff.

Join free: Cheap Energy Club

Up to £30 cashback for dual fuel, £15 for single switches.

First Direct*
£125 bonus and top cust service


Santander 123*
Up to 3% cashback on bills

(£2 per month fee)
Get quotes in this order...

Confused.com*
Compare The Market*
Direct Line*
Aviva*

Post Office*
with weekend calls
£10/mth (pay a yr upfront)



TalkTalk Value Line Rental*
£11.75/mth (pay a yr upfront)
Do a Money Makeover Budget Planner MSE car sticker £13 Travel Insurance

Restaurant vouchers

Discount vouchers

Top deals

The Moneysaving community
The MoneySaving Community

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK
What would help you save more?

We're not saving enough, if we're saving at all. The UK's banks want to know what they should do to encourage people to save more. What would you like your bank to do? How could the Government help? Should tax on savings be scrapped? Email your answers to thefutureofsavings@bba.org.uk by Fri 22 Aug, and discuss your ideas in the MSE Forum.

BOOK GIVEAWAY
The IntoTrim Plan.
25 blagged for MoneySavers. Want one?

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA
Should my housemate's boyfriend pay towards our bills?

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... I live with two other girls in a student house. One is hardly here most of the time and the other is here all the time. My issue is that her boyfriend's here every weekend, and longer, and he works from home when he stays. We've just had to pay £80 extra on our electricity bill, and I feel he should contribute to the house in some way. I'm very good friends with the girl, and he's a nice guy. But should I say something? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should my housemate's boyfriend pay towards our bills? | Suggest an MMD | View Past MMDs

THE GREAT HUNT
What's on your get-before-you-go holiday checklist?
What can't you travel without, but always end up needing to buy at the last minute? From sun cream to adapter plugs, we want to tap MoneySavers' collective knowledge on things you should be buying now - to avoid being ripped off at the airport - and where's the cheapest place to get them. Share yours/read others': What's on your get-before-you-go holiday checklist? Past topics: View all

CHEAP FLIGHT SALES ALERT
Airline: Aer Lingus Price: 20% off flights to Ireland Ends: Mon 7 Jul
Our pick this week is Aer Lingus's offer for flights between 1 Sep 2014 and 31 Mar 2015 to five Irish destinations from 15 UK airports. It ends on Mon 7 Jul and excludes taxes, charges and infant fares. Extra charges warning: Avoid payment and check-in charges - see the Budget Airline Fee Fighting guide. Related: Cheap Flights, Cheap Hotels, Spending Abroad, Cheap Currency, Travel Insurance


THE GREAT HUNT... REVEALED How do you keep the kids amused on long journeys?
Playing Nobbies and Stobbies (looking for haulage trucks) is one way to liven up a long trip, along with pretending to shoot caravans, borrowing audiobooks from the library, or having a singalong. Or you could try Martin's evergreen Scrabble-Buzz game...

Quick forum tips

Freebie of the week

Martin's blogs

Martin's appearances

3 July
Good Morning Britain, ITV, 6am-8.30am.
Cheap travel money.
4 July
Good Morning Britain, ITV, 6am-8.30am.
Cheap holiday car hire and EHICs.
7 July
This Morning, ITV, 11am-12pm.
Tax credits.
See this week's show on NISAs.

MSE team corner

Discussion of the week

Should I switch career?

Did you choose your job for the money or because you're passionate about it? LondonTop always wanted to be a teacher, but is on the brink of a burgeoning tech career. Join the Making career decisions thread and share your tips.

Cheap travel money

UK's Best Currency Rates
£100 will buy you:
Best Worst
Euro Flag 124.00 111.59
US Flag $ 169.71 152.73
Turkish Flag TL 340.00 305.73
Rates correct at 4pm Tue
Find all top currency rates
Compare travel cash

This week's poll: Tell us about yourself

So who ARE MoneySavers? Rather than data-mining, we decided the politest way to find out was just to ask. Plus we thought you may like to find out a little bit more about who else uses this site (or more accurately, who uses this site and answers the polls).

Welcome to the first annual MSE census.

Please answer the following 10 questions.

Poll results

How much of your income goes on your rent/mortgage?
Homeowners tend to pay less than those who are renting - and a fortunate 22% of all voters own their homes outright.

- 23% of all voters pay between 20%-29% of their income.
- 16% pay between 30%-39%.
- 12% are paying over 50% of their income.

13,548 voted. See the full results.

Question of the week

Q: I'm thinking of changing my name by deed poll but I'm worried I'll lose the good credit rating that I have. If you change your name, does it affect your credit rating? Sam, via Twitter.

MSE Amy's A: That's an interesting question, as it not only affects those changing their name by deed poll, but also those who change their name when they get married. But don't worry, as in both cases it won't affect your good credit rating.

When you complete any application form for a credit card or a loan, for example, you'll be asked on the form if you have ever been known by a former name. They'll also ask for past addresses to help identify you, so your credit rating - good or bad - will follow you.

As long as you put your previous name on there, you'll be fine as your credit history can be accessed. Also, when you tell your bank of your change of name, it'll let the credit reference agencies know. Just make sure you let all the relevant agencies know you've changed your name, such as your bank, gas and electricity supplier and the electoral roll. For full information on how to check your credit rating, read the Credit Scores guide.

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

Sarah's game of the week: Learn To Fly

Lost and found teddy bears across the globe

That's it for this week, but before you go, did you know there's a whole website dedicated to matching lost teddy bears with their owners? Awwww.

We hope you save some money,

Martin & the MSE team

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