Martin's 10 energy must-knows, 1p Walkers, 0% ends, 3xFREE £150, car insurance still cheap - for now

Plus...Get solar panels?, stamps warning, new top LISA, 5 Odeon tix £25, Amazon £5 off

                                                           

09 February 2022 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL News. Major energy bill changes - Martin's 10 NEED-to-knows Car & home insurers have delayed expected price rises - but for how long? Sort it ASAP New top cash Lifetime ISA - FREE £1,000 a year for first-time buyers Is now the time to get solar panels? Got 1st or 2nd class stamps? They're going to become unusable Ends Sun. Shift card debt to 31 months 0% (2.7% fee) + get £25 cashback Amazon £5 off £15 - can you get it? 1p Walkers, 23p Irn-Bru & more - extra 10% off discounted 'past best-before' food New. Now switchers get a FREE £150 from First Direct, NatWest or RBS 5 Odeon tickets for £25, or 2 for £11 New. Cheapest iPhone 12 contract we've seen - '£30/month' with 100GB data UK base rate rises to 0.5% - what it means for mortgages & savings Treasury changes website after Martin says 'national insurance will rise 1.25%' is misleading 20 tips to cut the cost of holidays abroad Will your water bill increase in April? 'I would've binned Barclaycard post refunding £1k if it wasn't for MSE' Private parking firm ticket costs capped Late Valentine's deals, including £4 roses How do you rate your broadband firm's service? Vote now Rare 5-day eHarmony premium free trial This week's best buys, including 1.41% savings, '£4.28/month' 5GB Sim, '£13.38/month' superfast fibre Should I stretch my budget to have an expensive holiday lunch with my friend? BEST BUYS & TOOLS Cheap Energy Club, incl Pick Me A Tariff MSE Cheap Mobile Finder Credit Club incl free credit report 0% Balance Transfers Compare Broadband deals Cheap Car Insurance Best Bank Accounts Top Savings Accounts Credit Cards for Bad Credit Credit Card Eligibility Calculator Loans Eligibility Calculator Mortgage Comparison Free online complaints tool - Resolver Compare Travel Money Best Sim Only Deals

News: Major energy bill changes Martin's 10 NEED-to-knows A must-read to clear up mass confusion about the dire 54% price cap hike, new £200 loan-not-loan, whether you should now fix, the £150 council tax rebate and more... After an awful six months, with millions seeing their energy firms go bust, now the nation faces a once-unthinkable, but still catastrophic and disastrous, 54% rise in bills in April. On Thursday, the Chancellor made a spate of announcements, which I then interviewed him about as the centrepiece of my show - watch my ITV energy interview with Rishi Sunak, including some of what I discuss below plus issues such as why he won't levy a windfall tax on big energy firms. As so many of you have questions, I'm doing a live TikTok energy Q&A today (Wed) at 6.30pm, but do read my need-to-knows below first. However, I should say we only know the skeletons of the Chancellor's new schemes - the detailed consultation documents aren't out yet. 1. New. On 1 April the energy price cap rises 54% - you'll pay half again on top of what you pay now (up an average £700/yr) The vast majority of homes in Eng, Scot and Wales (NI doesn't have a cap) are now on price-capped, default standard variable tariffs - pretty much anyone who isn't still on a fixed deal. As we've long predicted, on Thursday, we got the hideous news it'd rise an unaffordable-for-many, poverty-inducing 54%, for six months from 1 April. The rise is down to the fact the algorithm is partly based on wholesale energy prices and they exploded during the August to January assessment period. Yet, remember, the price cap is misnamed... There's NO MAX you can pay on energy. Use more, pay more. What's actually capped are electricity & gas standing charges and kWh rates - the link shows the current and new rates. To show the scale of magnitude, someone with average direct debit use currently pays £1,277/yr (£1,309/yr prepay). From 1 April, they'll pay £1,971/yr (£2,017/yr prepay) - a £693/yr rise (£708/yr). See more on how the price cap works. 2. If things stay as they are, the October price cap will rise another 20% on top As most energy decisions are made for at least a year, it's worth knowing what rate the crystal ball currently shows for the 1 October price cap - based on wholesale energy costs over February to July. If wholesale rates stay roughly where they are right now, we would see a rise again in October of 20% on top of April, taking the rate for someone with average use to £2,365/yr. Though it should be noted, regulator Ofgem is consulting on changing the cap more frequently so the October rate may not last the full six months. The markets do seem to suggest the price cap will drop in April 2023, and indeed the Chancellor told me that he'd been looking at that data when deciding policy (which I suspect is what the new 'loan-not-loan' in point 4 below is about). And of course, while a war in Europe is worrying for a whole lot more than just energy prices, if the Russia-Ukraine conflict escalates substantially, that's likely to see wholesale prices ramp up further. 3. There are NO tariffs meaningfully cheaper than the price cap Before the energy world changed last October, I always said the price cap rate was pants, so switch to something cheaper. Today there are no tariffs meaningfully cheaper than the price cap and the cheapest open-market fixes are all more expensive than the 1 April price cap. When the rate rises in April, as it's a cap, firms can choose to charge less, but most main suppliers have always priced their standard tariffs within a couple of quid of it. I don't see that changing unless wholesale rates rapidly drop. 4. New. In Oct a loan-not-loan will reduce bills by £200, then raise them by £40/yr for 5yrs from April 2023 (not N. Ireland) The Chancellor announced three new measures on Thursday. What's looking to be the most controversial is what he called a £200 "energy bills rebate" for ALL households in Eng, Scot and Wales. There's been much confusion about this, so please watch my 2-min new 'energy loan' video explainer - that's the easiest way to understand it... In brief though there are two elements here... In around October 2022: EVERY ELECTRICITY BILL will be reduced by a flat £200 (though a consultation may mean it's paid across a few months, not in one go). There is no choice - YOU CAN'T OPT OUT. Prepay users will get the money via their smart meter, voucher, cheque or similar. For those with small bills, the flat £200 will have a big impact; for those with big bills, a little one. From April 2023: EVERY ELECTRICITY BILL will have a £40/yr levy added to it, and that will happen for five years to effectively repay the initial discount. And in a reverse to October, for those with small bills, the flat £40 will have a bigger impact than for those with big bills. While many are calling this a loan, it isn't. It's automatic, not optional. It isn't linked to individuals or households or buildings, it's about bills. You have to take it if you pay for electricity this year. You have to pay extra for it if you pay for electricity in future. It's not regulated via the Financial Conduct Authority. It doesn't go on your credit file. It's an energy levy (like the green infrastructure levy added to bills). First there's a negative levy reducing bills, then a levy added to them. While for people whose home-situation doesn't change it will feel like a £200 loan repaid at £40/yr, for others there are bizarre outcomes, eg... - LOSERS: Five people share a house in Oct then separate. They get 1 x £200 discount off their bill. They then all move out and live alone. From the following April all five of them will have bills £40/yr higher. Similar for those moving out of parents' houses in the five years. - WINNERS: Two singles live alone in Oct, then meet. They each get a £200/yr discount, then they move in together, so they've only one bill, and it'll just have one £40/yr added.  Ultimately, I believe the Chancellor is taking a big gamble that energy bills will drop rapidly by April 2023. If they don't, this is a lose-lose of high bills with an added levy on top - political dynamite. I'm already hearing protests. A staggering 80% of 44,000 votes in my Opt out? Twitter poll said they'd opt out if they could (though that poll's NOT statistically representative so more research is needed). I think we may see changes in the consultation. 5. New. Households in England in council tax bands A to D get £150 rebate in April towards energy increases   The other rabbit the Chancellor pulled out of his hat last week was a £150 council tax rebate for homes in England in bands A to D (about 80% of homes), to be paid in April. We still await detailed rules, but there's full info in our £150 council tax discount explainer. He chose council tax because energy bills are household bills, so council tax is a decent proxy, and bands A to D reach many lower and middle-income homes. Indeed the independent Resolution Foundation said it's on the progressive side, though isn't without challenges. The Chancellor admitted to me, it's not a perfect system, as some get it who don't need it - after all, council tax is based on 1991 valuations so there are now some very expensive band D properties in London, and some people with low incomes in band E homes. (Related: See my council tax - challenge your band system.) He didn't mention though that councils are allowed to increase the tax by up to 3% in April, which would add £57/yr to a typical band D property's bill, eating away some of this. Scot, Wales & NI: Devolved governments will receive a total of £565 million in funding to be able to put their own schemes in place. We don't yet know what they'll do with it though.  6. New. Not due the council tax discount but struggling? You may be able to get 'discretionary help' Many homes are exempt from council tax, as are all-student households and student nurses, and some of those households won't get the £150. So there will be a £144 million discretionary fund distributed via local authorities in England that should cover some of those cases and those who slip through the net, but we don't have eligibility criteria yet. PS: The Chancellor called me two days before the announcement to get my thoughts. He wouldn't tell me what his plans were but did say: "Sadly no system is perfect". So, mindful of those excluded from Covid support, I said: "Then why not set up a discretionary fund for the edge cases?" He perked up and said: "That's a great idea". 7. Is it time to ditch the price cap and get a fix? (Spoiler alert: for most, no) For months, for most the right thing to do has been 'nothing' as then you either stay on the price cap or move to it when your cheap fix ends (or your energy firm goes bust). Of course, now we know the new price cap, my mailbag is swamped with people asking what to do now. Again, it's one of those to talk you through, so do watch my Stick on price cap or get a fix? 4-min video (courtesy of ITV), from Thursday (those on older cheap fixes, you're likely best to stick with them, then watch this video for what to do when they end). A transcript is also available via the link. To check what tariffs are available, use our Cheap Energy Club and also ask your existing provider what it'll offer. Do remember to compare the actual rates, not the direct debit it's offering to set (which depends on usage estimates). 8. Warm home discount to rise £10, to £150 (woop-de-woop) though wider eligibility criteria will be expanded  The warm home discount is paid to many on low incomes, including pensioners. The Government says it will continue with plans to increase it by £10 (not exactly huge since it's been the same for eight years, while energy prices have more than doubled in the last year alone). It also plans to extend the eligibility criteria so an additional 780,000 households will qualify, but we don't yet know who. Likely it'll be more people on means-tested benefits.  For this winter's scheme, only E.on, E.on Next, Bulb and So Energy still have applications open, so go quick if you may be eligible - see warm home discount help. 9. Energy price hikes will be hell for many. If you're already struggling to pay, some help may be available...  Even with the Government announcements, as I told the Chancellor directly, I still believe some will be left with the choice of freeze or starve. Citizens Advice reports record numbers asking for energy help, and that's before April's huge hikes. We've a new What to do if you're struggling to pay your energy bills guide to cover everything you can do, and crucially where to get help. 10. The other way to cut bills, is, obviously, to use less... Our energy saving tips help with the simpler stuff, such as turning your thermostat down and cutting shower time. But other ways to use less aren't as clear-cut, such as whether to leave the heating on low all day - we've the pros and cons of this and more in our Energy mythbusting guide. And the team will be working on adding more tips soon.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Update: Car & home insurers have delayed expected big January price rises - but for how long? Sort it ASAP Following a massive shake-up of car and home insurance rules on 1 January, insurers must now prove they charge new and existing customers the same price on aggregate, if they're buying cover by the same route. While a cheer went up from many loyal customers at the news, the prediction was it'd make switching costlier. But that's not happened (yet). Full info in our Cheap car insurance and Cheap home insurance guides, but in brief here's what you need to know...  Price rises after 1 January rule changes are still expected for switchers.  Insurers usually charged existing customers far more than switchers (who they pull in with big discounts). With the new equal pricing rules, the assumption is rates will meet nearer the middle, meaning, all else being equal, switchers' prices will rise. Yet January quote prices are only slightly up on December's. We've heard it's because insurers still have huge 'customer acquisition targets' to meet. But the spectre of price rises still looms, so EVERYONE - check now if you can save. How to cut the cost of car insurance...  Here are the quick routes to drive down car insurance costs. Home cover is similar, but exact info's in Cheap home insurance. Near renewal? Get quotes about 23 days beforehand. For those with renewals soon, timing can save £100s. Our analysis of more than 70 million quotes showed the optimum time to get car insurance is 23 days ahead of renewal (though it's still cheap a few days either side - as the graph shows). Not at renewal? It's sometimes worth switching mid-policy, so do check if you can save, though factor in a £50-ish admin fee to cancel. Combine comparisons to scour 100s of insurers in minutes. Different comparison sites cover different insurers, and may even have different prices for the same insurer. So use at least two sites - more if you've time. Below is our current order (see why). However, the difference is usually slight, so if particular freebies appeal you can select your order based on that: - Compare The Market* Perks: 2for1 cinema tickets and meals (but you can get this for £1 with the meerkat loophole) - Confused.com* Perks: Choice of a £20 Halfords, Domino's or Lidl voucher or 12 IMO car washes - MoneySupermarket* Perks: Up to £150 of car repair and servicing vouchers (for example, MOTs for £20) - Gocompare* Perks: Up to £250 'free' excess cover Then check Direct Line. Big insurer Direct Line* isn't on comparisons and can be competitive for some. Tips and counter-logical tricks. Check if these work for you: - Use trial and error to see if comprehensive cover is cheaper than third party. - See if legitimately tweaking your job description gets you a cheaper quote. - Add a responsible additional driver to see if it cuts costs (even if they'll only drive occasionally). - More than one car? See if a multicar policy is cheaper. - After you've found your cheapest quote, try to haggle a bigger discount with your existing insurer. - Check to see if cashback sites can beat your top quote. Topcashback* gives £42 when you buy through its comparison, and Quidco* £35 - so factor that in to the quotes you get from 'em. For both, the underlying comparison is Confused's but prices can differ. Always check the policy's right for you before buying. Plus, ensure the firm you're buying from is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, as that way, if a claim's unfairly rejected you can take it to the free Financial Ombudsman.

 

Is now the time to get solar panels? The copper lining of energy price rises is it makes solar panels more viable - if you've a suitable home, and savings. We've updated Are solar panels worth it for you? with new price-cap numbers. Got stamps that say '1st' or '2nd' class? Beware - they're going to become unusable. See how to save your stamps. Ends Sun. Got credit or store card debt? Shift it to 31 months 0% (2.7% fee) + get £25 cashback. A balance transfer's where you get a new card that clears old card(s) for you, so you owe it but at a cheaper rate. HSBC's 31-month 0% deal (2.7% fee, minimum £5)* is one of the longest 0% cards, yet as it gives £25 cashback if you shift £100+ until Sunday, for many that covers the one-off transfer fee. Key tip: Use our 0% eligibility calculator first to see if you'll likely be accepted for this and other cards. Key rules: Always repay at least the monthly minimum, and clear the card before the 0% ends, or it's 21.9% rep APR interest. Full help and more options in Top balance transfers (APR examples). Amazon £5 off £15 for some - do you qualify? See how to quickly check, plus 32 more Amazon tips & tricks. 1p Walkers crisps, 23p Irn-Bru & 90p Heinz mayonnaise via extra 10% off already-reduced 'past best-before' food. MSE Blagged. Approved Food sells groceries near or past 'best-before' dates at a discount (they're NOT past use-by dates so they're safe). Minimum £22.50 spend, delivery is £3+ or free for newbies. Approved Food New. Now switchers get a FREE £150 from First Direct, NatWest or RBS. Last week we told you the no.1 customer service bank First Direct* (90% polled rated it 'great') had upped its switching bonus to £150. Now First Direct's been joined by the RBS Reward account* - and its sister bank's NatWest Reward* already offered a free £150. With both, pay a £2/month fee and you get up to £5/month back (so a £36/year net gain), as long as you've two direct debits of £2+/month going out and you use its mobile app. Full account reviews and crucial eligibility info in Best bank accounts. 5 Odeon tickets for £25 (or 2 for £11) - can be used any day. This used to be a regular deal, then the pandemic hit. It's now back, till 1 March. You needn't use all tickets in one go. See this Odeon deal, plus 19 more cinema savers. New. Cheapest iPhone 12 contract we've seen - with 100GB data for '£30/month'. They're not MoneySaving, but if you want an iPhone 12, at least do it the cheapest way. Three newbies can get a 64GB iPhone 12* with 100GB/month of data for £89 upfront, then £26/month via Affordable Mobiles. That's £713 in total over the two-year contract - equivalent to £30/month and £540 cheaper than a similar deal from Three itself. Want a different handset? Use our Cheap Mobile Finder. Note: Three is responsible for the contract, Affordable Mobiles for the handset. UK base rates double, from 0.25% to 0.5% - what it means for mortgages & savings. Variable rate mortgages will rise roughly £12/month per £100,000 owed. For full info see our UK rate rises help. Treasury agrees to change Gov.uk website after Martin says writing 'national insurance will rise 1.25%' is misleading. Find out why it's wrong and what happened... Treasury changes Gov.uk national insurance rise info. Energy change questions & student loan repayment hikes: Thu 8.30pm, ITV - The Martin Lewis Money Show LIVE. Over to Martin: "So much going on. I want to cover all your questions from last week's energy changes, plus I question the Chancellor over hidden hikes to student loan repayments. And no doubt lots more news you can use. See you Thursday - do watch us live and set your VideoPlus for the other side."

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - Approved Food 10% off code Ends Tue - eHarmony premium free five-day trial Ends Sat	DID YOU MISS? - Claim working-from-home tax rebate (worth up to £280) now - Where should you put your tomatoes? 15 food storage hacks - Student loan repayments to rise by £110/year from April - Cheap Covid travel tests - help on what tests are needed - Don't just go direct to airlines - use our tricks to slash flight costs

 

 

New. Top cash Lifetime ISA (for newbies & switchers) FREE £1,000/year for first-time buyers (age 18 to 39) on top of interest. Not ready to save yet? Put £1 in ASAP anyway Opening a Lifetime ISA is the powerhouse financial move for most people wanting to buy their first home, as long as you're at least 18 and not yet 40 (In your late 30s? Open one ASAP, even with £1, as you can continue to save in it once it's open). And now there are new top deals out there. FULL help & info in our Top Lifetime ISAs (LISAs) guide, but in brief... How you can get up to £1,000 a year free with a LISA. A LISA is a special tax-free savings or investment account. While it can be used for retirement purposes, its strongest use is for first-time buyers... - You get a 25% bonus from the state on everything you put in, up to £4,000 per tax year, until you're aged 50. So if you save £1,000, you'll have £1,250, and if you save the full £4,000, you'll have £5,000. See LISA bonus explained. - Use it on your first residential home (costing up to £450,000). First-time buyers (those who have never owned/part-owned a home anywhere) can use it to buy a property costing up to £450,000, with a mortgage, as long as the LISA's been open a year or more. - It's still doable even if you're buying with someone who isn't a first-time buyer. It's an individual product, so first-time buyers can still use it, regardless of who they buy with. Equally, if both are first-time buyers, you can have one each. - Withdraw before you're 60, and there's effectively a 6.25% penalty if you're not buying a home. LISAs can also be used as retirement savings, but if you want to withdraw it earlier and aren't buying a qualifying home, you'll pay a penalty - see how the LISA withdrawal penalty works. - Already got a Help to Buy ISA? These were the LISA's forerunner (and can't be opened now), and while you can have both, you can't get the first-time buyer's bonus on both. See Help to Buy ISAs v LISAs for which is best for you. New. Top cash Lifetime ISAs. As well as the 25% bonus, you also get interest on your savings. The rates aren't anything to write home about but - as always - it's worth maximising every penny. And recently there's been a shake-up of the best buys. Full info & more options in Top cash LISAs (there are also investment LISAs, but they're often better if using the LISA for retirement). Top picks include... - Earn 0.85% AER when you save from £1. App-only Moneybox is now the top payer, offering newbies and switchers 0.85% AER variable. Yet 0.6% is a year-long bonus, so diarise to review the rate and possibly transfer in a year. - Earn 0.8% AER and a possible £50 transfer bonus. Beehive Money (part of Nottingham Building Society) is also app-based and pays 0.8% AER variable (min £10) and offers £50 cashback if you transfer £10,000 or more from an existing LISA (so useful for existing Moneybox LISA savers who've been there a while, as you don't get the 0.85%). If you are transferring your existing LISA, don't just withdraw the cash, you'll pay the withdrawal penalty. You need to open the new LISA and ask it to move the money in from your current provider. Not even thinking about buying yet? Put £1 in a LISA now anyway. You need to have had a LISA for a year before you can use it to buy a home, so just for safety, open one with £1 now to get the clock started. That way, if things change and you find you're ready to buy, you can put money in and get the bonus, then use the LISA within weeks (and if not, withdraw the £1 and you'd just lose 6p).

 

20 tips to cut the cost of holidays abroad - flights, hotels, roaming, airport lounges, euros, insurance, school holiday hacks & far more. In case you missed them in last week's email, see our 20 holiday hacks. New. Will your water bill increase in April? Some to rise up to 10%. Some firms' prices are rising, others are falling, some staying the same. Find out Will my water bill rise and what can I do to stop it? 'I would've binned Barclaycard post refunding £1k if it wasn't for MSE.' Our success of the week comes from MoneySaver Debbie, who followed our tip to keep an eye out for Barclaycard sending refund cheques by post: "I received the 'circular' letter from Barclaycard and remembered your newsletter. £980 later and I want to thank you so much because I would have thrown it." Please send us your MoneySaving successes on this or anything else. Private parking ticket costs to be capped. New Government rules mean motorists will be charged no more than £50 in most situations, by 2024 at the latest. See Private parking charge cap. Related: Fight unfair private parking tickets, Fight unfair council parking tickets. Last-second Valentine's deals: £4 roses, £15 dine-in meals & ideas to celebrate for free. Romance is great, but over-commercialised pressure to show your love ain't. If you're going to spend, we've Valentine's offers galore (and if not, see MSE Jules' Free and cheap ways to celebrate blog). How do you rate your broadband firm's service? Please vote now. It's our regular six-monthly poll on broadband firms. Please vote to help us help you and others decide who to use in future. Rate your broadband Ends Sat. Rare 5-day free trial for eHarmony premium. MSE Blagged. We've blagged a rare chance for you to try it, with no subscription. Gets unlimited messaging, video date feature and lets you see who's visited your profile. Normally £10/month. eHarmony

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: MBNA (check eligibility / apply*) up to 33 months 0%, 2.69% or 3.49% fee (21.9% rep APR) No-fee 0%: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*) up to 21 months 0% (20.9% rep APR) or 22 months 0% if you're a NatWest/RBS customer (21.9% rep APR) Top savings accounts Top standard easy access: Aldermore 0.75%, min £1,000 Top one-year fix: Habib Bank Zurich 1.41%, min £5,000 Car insurance Get comparison site quotes in this order: Compare The Market* Confused.com* MoneySupermarket.com* Gocompare* Cheap loans Cheapest, £5k-£7.5k: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*) - 3.3% rep APR for Nectar holders, 3.4% for others Cheapest, £7.5k-£15k: M&S Bank (check eligibility / apply*) - 2.8% rep APR Broadband top picks Standard (10Mb+): Shell Energy '£12.66/mth' Fibre (30Mb+): Shell Energy '£13.38/mth' Superfast fibre (55Mb+): Shell Energy '£13.38/mth' Best bank accounts £150 to switch + TOP service: First Direct £150 to switch + £3/month cashback: NatWest Cheap Sims 4GB-9GB: Lebara '£4.28/mth' for 5GB, unlimited mins & texts 10GB+: Plusnet '£4.50/mth' for 12GB, unlimited mins & texts

 

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK Have you tried to get anything repaired, replaced or refunded since January 2020? Your consumer rights are enshrined in law, entitling you to a refund, repair or exchange if something's faulty, doesn't arrive or isn't what you thought you were buying. A group of MPs wants to hear about your experiences, plus whether you think complaining should be easier. Take their survey before it closes (5pm on Thursday).

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL How do you rate your broadband provider? We can tell you which are the cheapest broadband providers but to keep our customer service ratings updated, we need your help. Please rate your broadband provider on customer service (not price) over the past six months. Vote in this week's poll.

 

 

MONEYSAVING NEWS - Top story: Treasury Committee backs calls to include paid-for scam ads in Online Safety Bill - Waitrose to axe free newspaper perk - Pret a Manger hikes subscription cost by £5/month

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should I stretch my budget to have an expensive holiday lunch with my friend? I managed to get a good deal on the Eurostar to Paris and I'm now meeting a friend there. As we've not seen each other since before the pandemic my friend has suggested we go for a slap-up lunch but, while I'd really like to, it will mean spending a lot more than I've budgeted for. Should I just say yes as it sounds fun and we've not seen each other for such a long time, or say no because I can't really afford it? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I stretch my budget for lunch with a friend? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma

 

Get lucky this Valentine's Day... Win a virtual reality London date night Win a romantic night-in bundle worth £349 (Ends Wed) Win treats from Jigsaw & Biscuiteers (Ends Thu) ... by entering competitions Win 'the ultimate steak & chips' kit Win a Booths Valentine's hamper (Ends Wed) Win a Valentine's chocolate cake & muffin set (Ends Thu)

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 9 FEB ONWARDS) Wed 9 Feb - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm. Listen to past episodes Thu 10 Feb - This Morning, phone-in, ITV, 10.55am Thu 10 Feb - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, ITV, 8.30pm MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SOME SUBJECTS TBC) Wed 9 Feb - BBC Radio Shropshire, Breakfast with Adam Green, from 9.15am, Gary Caffell on energy Fri 11 Feb - BBC Radio Wiltshire, Mid-morning with Rachel Houghton, from 10.45am, Oli Townsend on food shopping tips Sun 13 Feb - Meridian FM, The Sunday Review with Tim Graham, from 10am, Helen Saxon on banking Tue 15 Feb - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 12.40pm

 

SUPER MAGNETS & CSI TRICKS... WHAT'S THE SILLIEST WAY YOU'VE DESTROYED A BANK CARD? That's all for this week, but before we go... MSE Laura F asked on the forum for tales of debit card destruction and credit card catastrophes... and you didn't disappoint. One Forumite told us of the time they stood too close to a superconducting magnet at uni, wiping all their bank and access cards, while another attested to the destructive power of washing machines and tumble dryers. And we particularly enjoyed the wannabe-CSI star who used their card to try to help a neighbour break into their locked flat, only to mangle it beyond repair. Shake your head at more card carelessness - and add your own - in the What's the silliest way you've ruined a bank card? MSE Forum discussion. We hope you save some money, stay safe, The MSE team

 

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