8% savings, Child Benefit glitch alert, free £175 ends, cheap iPhones & Googles, £10 Baileys, Amex £5 off £15

Plus... beat 5% energy hikes, free £2 popcorn, 100GB Sim £6.25/mth, 'I got £620 flight compensation'

                                                           

28 November 2023 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL Martin: Stop the savings rip-off! How to max every penny, including... - Earn 8% saving monthly - Top fixes paying 6% - Why 5% is the minimum you should get Hot mobile & Sim deals - £330 off Samsung, 100GB data £6/mth & more Energy bills UP 5% in Jan - Martin's need-to-knows Ends Thu. Barclays FREE £175 for new switchers Parents... don't miss Martin's Child Benefit warning! Urgent. Use/extend expiring Clubcard vouchers by Thu 'Free' £2 Popchips, 'free' £2 kombucha and more coupons Watch Martin's Power of Attorney briefing Amex £5 back on £15+ New. Updated Income Tax & NI Calc 75% off National Express for Amazon Prime members £10 Baileys at Tesco and Sainsbury's Live tonight, 8pm. The Martin Lewis Money Show Live Martin's pod: Beat 5% energy hikes £45 Elemis vs £6 Aldi - new beauty dupes 50% off Radflek radiator reflectors 'I got £620 flight compensation after Martin's help' Posting Christmas prezzies? Royal Mail will collect 'em for free Book Christmas food delivery slots NOW Missing £300 benefits cost of living payment? How to claim it MSE Forum Advent calendar 2023 This week's best buys, including £200 bank switch, 5.9% loan, Compare+ Car Insurance 'Should I refuse to pay the service charge when eating out and only tip for exceptional service?' BEST BUYS & TOOLS MSE Cheap Mobile Finder Credit Club including free credit report 0% balance transfers Compare broadband deals MSE Compare+ Car Insurance 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

Stop the savings rip-off! Martin: 'The top savings pay 8%, yet millions earn under 2%. DITCH & SWITCH to max every penny' A masterclass to boost your earnings Finally, for the first time since early 2021, top easy-access savings pay more than inflation. Then, they paid just 0.5% but inflation was rock bottom - now they're 5.2% and inflation's under 5%, yet other savings pay far more. It means money saved can again grow in real terms. Yet most people still have LOSINGS, as they're earning diddy-squat, so money's shrinking. The banking roll-call of dishonour includes Halifax, TSB, Barclays, Santander, NatWest, RBS, Bank of Scot, Lloyds, HSBC, First Direct and building society Nationwide, which all pay under 2.5% on some easy-access accounts openable now. So CHECK yours. The irony is some of these also offer best-buys, showing they prey on inaction or ignorance to make more. 5% is the absolute minimum you should earn. So let me run you through all you need to know. All accounts below have the full £85,000 per person, per institution UK savings protection. A few tips before I start... - You can have multiple savings types & accounts, so if you've energy put each penny where it pays most (I've listed main types in rate order). - Big savers? Your interest may be taxed - consider cash ISAs. - On Universal Credit or first-time buyer? See special accounts. - These are primarily for over-18s - for kids see top children's savings. Put money away monthly? Get up to 8% (plus possibly up to £200 free cash for switching bank) Regular savings accounts offer HIGH RATES on SMALL AMOUNTS. They're perfect if you put money aside each month out of regular income. Most usually last one year (then you can just open one again) and some lock the money away. Lump-sum savers who want to be 'on it' can move money out of normal savings each month into these, to earn more. You can have multiple regular savers in different places, so combined you could save £1,000+/mth in them at high rates. The top payers are given as perks for current account customers and two currently pay bank account newbies up to £200 to switch, and give access to the regular savers too. First Direct 7% FIXED for a year on £25 to £300/mth. While the interest's a tad lower than Nationwide below, you can put in more, so total interest is higher - a max of £135 interest over the year. Don't have FD's current account? Switchers get a FREE First Direct £175* plus a top debit card for spending abroad, and many get a £250 0% overdraft. Full info in FD eligibility & review. Nationwide 8% VARIABLE for a year on up to £200/mth. Maxed over a year at current rates you get £103 interest. It's a flexible account letting you make 3 withdrawals a year, and you needn't contribute every month. Don't have a Nationwide current account? Switchers get a free £200. Full info in Nationwide eligibility & review. Bank with Yorkshire, Skipton, Lloyds, NatWest, TSB, Halifax, Bank of Scot? All have linked regular savers which pay 5% to 7.5%, if you bank with them. Check top bank-linked regular savers. Top regular savers not linked to banks. Anyone can open Saffron BS's 5.75% variable for a year (max £50/mth), though Coventry BS's 5.5% variable lets you put in a much bigger £500/mth. This is the highest interest possible, even if it mightn't feel it Many 'feel' they're being conned on interest in regular savers. Yet let me assure you, for money in the account, nowt pays more. The problem is at the year end if you've £3,600 saved, some expect 7% of that as interest. But you haven't had £3,600 in for a year: you've been building it up, by £300 a month. In fact your average balance is roughly half that, £1,800, so you get around 7% of that. More in regular savings. Can you lock money away? Top 6% fixes With lump-sum savings, grab a top fix and your money is LOCKED AWAY without access for a set time in return for a HIGHER GUARANTEED RATE than easy-access savings (fixed-rate cash ISAs pay a little less, but don't lock your cash away, which can be a boon for some). Since the Bank of England held its base rate in Aug, we've seen fixed rates come off their peak, as they're set based on the view of interest rates over the fixed period, and that's got lower. This is evidenced by the fact one-year fixes have recently out-paid longer deals (though today a three-year one has sneaked in that's higher), as the markets think we may see rates drop in the 2nd half of 2024. The rates below are correct at the time of sending the email, but they change rapidly so for safety, check the latest top fixes. Under 1yr: Monument Bank (min £25,000) 6mth 5.57% & 9mth 5.62%, Hampshire Trust Bank (min £1) 6mth 5.56% & 9mth 5.61% 1yr: Metro Bank 5.8% (do see note (1); min £500), Secure Trust Bank 5.66% (min £1,000) 2yr: Hodge Bank 5.51% (min £1,000), Melton BS 5.5% (min £1,000, online account min £5,000) 3yr: FirstSave 5.85% (min £1,000) 5yr: 5.5% is the best rate out there Is it worth fixing now & for how long? Crystal ball time. The differential between fixed rates and easy access has dropped, but fixes still pay more. And while top fixes are only 0.4% off their peak, the current mood music is they'll continue to shave down (though things can & do change), so if you can lock cash away, it's not a bad time to fix. Plus if we do see UK rates drop again, fixes have the benefit of certainty, while easy-access rates can drop. As for how long to fix, you earn most with shorter fixes. Yet if you're risk-averse, there's an argument that says if rates do come down, you may want to grab a longer fix now as you get certainty for longer.  A taxing question for fixed rates Tax crystallises with fixed interest when you can access the money. So if it's paid out to you monthly, then interest is spread over the length of the fix. If it's paid annually, it may push you up a tax bracket (or you could delay the payment to when you're in a lower tax bracket, eg, if you retire). For more, see our fixing: a taxing question help. The minimum you should earn is 5% As top easy-access rates pay that and more If you've used what you want of the accounts above, then the rest goes in easy-access savings (or cash ISAs, see below). With these accounts you can MOVE MONEY IN & OUT when you want, though the INTEREST IS VARIABLE so it can change, and you should monitor them. Full info in Top savings as rates change rapidly. Top 'if you bank with us' account: 7% on up to £4,000. New or existing Santander Edge* bank customers get 7% AER variable on £1 to £4,000 with unlimited withdrawals in its linked saver - far higher than owt else easy access. The current account has a £3/mth fee but gives 1% cashback on most bills and 1% on supermarket/travel spending, up to a max £20/mth total, so is a good option as a bills account. Full Santander Edge eligibility & review. Top unlimited-withdrawal accounts open to all. Metro Bank's 5.22% (£500 to £2m) is top rate (but do see note (1)). Next, only a smidge less is NatWest Group's Ulster Bank's 5.2% (£5,000 to unlimited). For smaller opening balances there's Hampshire Trust Bank's 5.15% (£1 to £250,000) and Santander-owned Cahoot's 5.12% (£1 to £500,000). Full options in top easy access. Earn up to 5.7% in tax-free cash ISAs Bigger saver? Beware savings tax is BACK Cash ISAs are savings accounts where interest is NEVER TAXED. In recent low-rate years most haven't paid tax on any savings interest, yet rapid rate rises have changed that and more people should therefore be looking at cash ISAs... Will you pay tax on normal (non-ISA) savings interest? The personal savings allowance (PSA) means you get a tax-free amount of interest earnable in ANY savings... - Basic (20%) taxpayers can earn first £1,000/yr of interest tax-free. - Higher (40%) taxpayers can earn first £500/yr of interest tax-free. - Top (45%) taxpayers don't get a PSA. That's the INTEREST you can earn, so as interest rates have gone up, the amount you have saved before you earn enough to pay tax has dropped. At one point, you needed around £250,000, now... Amount needed in savings to generate enough interest to pay tax Top 1yr fix (5.8%) Top easy access (5.22%) Basic 20% rate £17,200  £19,200 Higher 40% rate  £8,600 £9,600 Cash ISA interest is always untaxed. Cash ISA interest doesn't count towards your PSA. You can put £20,000 in each tax year (which ends each 5 April), and then once in, it stays tax-free year after year (see cash ISAs explained). So you can see how some who have maxed it each year can have over £100,000 in there. However, usually cash ISAs PAY LESS than normal savings, so they're only a winner for those who earn enough to bust the PSA limit (or are close to doing so). Smaller savers should stick with normal savings, but if you've got more, ISAs usually win, so fill your boots here first. Top cash ISAs (allow transfers unless stated) Normal savings (& equiv rate if interest's taxed) Easy access - Metro Bank 5.11% branch (do see note (1)) - Moneybox 5.09%, max 3 withdrawals/yr - Zopa 5.08% Metro 5.22% equiv to 4.18% at basic rate 3.13% higher rate 2.87% top rate 1yr fixes - Metro Bank 5.71% branch, withdrawals face 180-day interest penalty (do see note (1)) - Zopa 5.41%, no transfers, 90 days' interest withdrawal penalty - Kent Reliance 5.4% (min £1,000), 90 days' interest withdrawal penalty Metro 5.8% equiv to 4.64% at basic rate 3.48% higher rate 3.19% top rate 2yr fixes - UBL UK 5.25% (min £2,000), 180 days' interest withdrawal penalty  Hodge 5.51% equiv to 4.41% at basic rate 3.31% higher rate 3.03% top rate Already have cash ISAs? Transfer to the top payer. If your existing cash ISAs earn less, most of the above allow you to transfer into them, so... 'Everyone with cash ISAs, check what they earn now - even if they're fixed. Millions can transfer & up rates' To do this, just apply for a new cash ISA, and as part of the application you'll be asked if you want to transfer your existing cash ISA over (don't just withdraw cash yourself to move it - then it loses its 'cash ISA' status). Locked in to a poorly paying fixed cash ISA? Cash ISAs, even fixes, can't lock you in - they must allow you to withdraw money, though they can charge an interest penalty for doing so. Many who locked in a year or more ago are on terrible rates and should pay the penalty to move. As Rita emailed: "I switched my cash ISA from Newcastle Building Society at 1.6% to Virgin Money at 4.17%. I had a 120-day interest penalty, but I have increased my annual interest by over £2,000. Thanks MSE." She used our Should I ditch my fixed ISA? calc, which checks the maths work for you. PS: In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced a few changes and improvements to ISAs starting next April. Boost interest up to 50% with special accounts There are a few specialist savings options, not always open to all, which may pay more. So here's our checklist of things to look at... 1. Are you on UNIVERSAL CREDIT or Tax Credits? You may qualify for an UNBEATABLE 50% Help to Save bonus. Nothing else comes close - great for financial resilience - as Anoushka emailed:  "I'm nearly at the end of my 4 year 'Help to Save' after religiously depositing the max £50 each month. So I'm nearly due my 2nd £600 cash bonus. I strongly advise anyone eligible to take advantage of it and to do your best to keep up with the max. I've got used to being £50 worse off each month and the time has flown by - now I will feel 'better off'. It's quite addictive once you get used to it!" 2. Are you a wannabe FIRST-TIME BUYER aged 18 to 39? There's a whopping 25% bonus possible via top Lifetime ISAs if you're buying a first home under £450,000 (so ensure that's the max price). Apart from Help to Save it's an absolute winner if it's right for you.  As Jordon emailed: "Another Lifetime ISA success for you - I saved for seven years and my partner six, so we got £13,000 towards our deposit from the Government. With interest that got us to a 20% deposit on a £330k property we completed on a couple of months ago." 3. Do you have expensive existing DEBT? Paying off debt is usually more lucrative than saving. See our Should I pay off my debt? guide, our Should I overpay my mortgage? guide, and use our Mortgage Overpayment Calculator. 4. There's nowt wrong with investing. With investing, you aim for higher returns, but accept the risk you could lose some or all of your initial investment. I don't talk about it much, not because we're against it, just because it's not my or MSE's area of expertise. Yet I want to be plain, for many, over the longer run, investing is the right call. For an introduction, see Stocks & shares ISAs, but you'll need more specialised websites for help on what to invest in. ------------------- (1) Metro Bank: On Monday it agreed a £925m refinancing deal after worries about its finances - that will hopefully sort it. That's likely why it's top in a number of categories, as it wants to bring in deposits. The key point is ALL money up to £85,000 per person in there is protected under savings safety rules. If you've more, as always, it's worth questioning if you should be spreading it elsewhere.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Time to mobilise! Cut your phone bill Hot handsets: Up to £330 off & with 250GB+ monthly data thrown in. Deals include iPhone, Samsung, Google Sizzling Sims: Incl 100GB data for just '£6/mth' While prices are rising on most household bills, the cost of a new phone, or a new Sim for your existing phone, continues to fall. And if you're one of the 14 million people out of contract (text 'INFO' for free to 85075 to find out), you can switch and save on mobile costs. And don't worry: you can keep your number whether you're moving handset or just Sim. Here are today's top deals... SIMS: Don't need a new phone? Many can save £100s a year by switching Sim. The Sim is the chip that gives your phone its identity. Yet some people are paying £20+/mth for terrible packages with small amounts of data. So take action, like Mary did: "Noticed your Sim-only deals and switched my, my partner's and my grandson's phones. It's saved around £344 a year, and the deals are better. Thank you Martin." To find a deal that suits you, use our Cheap Sim Finder - almost all come with unlimited minutes & texts, just the data differs. Many of the cheapest are all about voucher incentives, and to you help compare we factor in those over the contract period. Best buys right now include: iD mobile (Three) 100GB for '£6.25/mth' | TalkMobile (Vodafone) 50GB for '£5.87/mth' | Lebara (Vodafone) 12GB for '£3.57/mth' (that's enough data for most). CHEAPEST EVER HANDSETS: iD Mobile slashes prices. iD Mobile, which uses Three's network, has launched a bunch of the cheapest contract deals we've ever seen, for Three newbies. Some are so cheap that even though you're getting the phone, big data and unlimited mins & texts, they're cheaper than buying the handset outright. Which means even if you want a different network, you could sign up and pay for one, then get a Sim elsewhere. Deal and monthly data How it compares over contract term with buying the phone outright S23 Ultra + 250GB data £199 upfront, £29.99/mth. Total £919 over 2yrs. £330 LESS than just buying handset. Pixel 8 + 250GB data £26.99/mth + you get a voucher. Total £548 over 2yrs. £151 LESS than just buying handset. Pixel 8 Pro + 250GB data £149 upfront, £29.99/mth. Total £869 over 2yrs. £130 LESS than just buying handset. iPhone 14 + 250GB data £9 upfront, £29.99/mth. Total £729 over 2yrs. ONLY £30 more than just buying handset. iPhone 15, unlimited data MSE Blagged £119 upfront with code IDMSE50, then £29.99/mth. Total £839 over 2yrs. ONLY £40 more than just buying handset.  iD Mobile (or Three) not for you? You can still get a decent, cheap deal. Use our Cheap Mobile Finder's handset tool to find the best deals on other networks. Offers on right now include: iPhone 15 + unlimited data, '£38.92/mth' | iPhone 14 + 400GB data, '£32.13/mth' | Samsung S23 Ultra + 400GB data, '£41.04/mth' | Pixel 8 + 400GB data, '£28.17/mth'. Mobile switching need-to-knows... - You can easily keep your number. Text 'PAC' to 65075, then give the code you get sent to your new provider. - Unlock your phone for free. If your phone's locked to a network, see how to unlock it. - Don't want to switch? Haggle. Mobile firms are among the easiest to haggle with. - Can you get cashback on top? Cashback sites may undercut deals elsewhere. Do check it's like for like though.

 

Ends 11.59pm Thu. Barclays FREE £175 for new switchers. This Barclays FREE £175* is revolutionary for the high street giant, as it's the first time we can remember it offering newbies upfront cash to switch (so it's especially good for regular switchers who have got the bonus everywhere else!). You need to start a switch to it by Thu, so go quick. You also get access to a linked 5.12% saver. For full eligibility info and more free cash options, see Best bank accounts. Martin's Child Benefit warning. Are you a couple who receive it OR don't claim as you earn £60k+? Watch his crucial 3min video as you could be missing £1,000s of state pension due to a Child Benefit admin glitch. Two-day warning. Tesco shopper? Urgently spend/extend £16m of expiring Clubcard vouchers. Act by 30 Nov. Clubcard alert Coupons: 'Free' £2 Popchips popcorn, 'free' £2 kombucha shot, plus £1 off Nestlé cereal, Dr Oetker pizza & more. See 50+ November supermarket coupons. Important: Do you have a Power of Attorney? More important than a will & not just for older folks. Watch Martin's Power of Attorney video briefing for how it works, and how to get one. From Fri. £5 back on three £15+ Amex spends at 1,000s of LOCAL stores. We're usually unable to mention deals from smaller shops as our email goes out UK-wide, so we're always delighted to include this American Express Shop Small deal. You'll need to register first - and pay the card off IN FULL to avoid interest. Shop Small National insurance cut from 12% to 10% - use our updated calc to see what it means for you. NI for employees will be cut on 6 Jan - see NI news for more, then use our updated Income Tax & NI Calc to see how it'll affect your take-home pay. Why 6 Jan? Martin's guess is "cos nowt else is changing then, so as it's an election year, Govt can point and say, 'your take-home pay's higher - we did that'". More Autumn Statement news: Watch Martin's analysis (incl pensions, wages, benefits) and read our Autumn Statement round-up. Ends Mon. 75% off National Express for Amazon Prime members. For travel till 31 Jan. Take the National Express £10 Baileys at Tesco & Sainsbury's. But you'll need a Clubcard/Nectar card. Baileys. Please be Drinkaware. Savings, savings, savings (and energy bills) - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, 8pm tonight (Tue), ITV1. Over to Martin: "Tonight I'll be talking through everything savings, following a similar path to what I've written at the top of this email - but talking you through it and taking questions. Plus of course the 5% Energy Price Cap rise and all you need to know on that too. Do watch, or set the Betamax (if you miss it, catch up later via ITVX)."

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - £50 off iPhone 15 + unlimited data Ends Tue 5 Dec - 50% off Radflek radiator reflectors 1,000 packs available	DID YOU MISS? - Ends Thu. Spend a fiver, get £28 cashback - Toy sale: B&M 10% off including Lego and Barbie - £10 to £50 London theatre tix: 40 shows, including Frozen - Ends Thu. Get solicitor-drafted will in return for charity donation - Shift credit card debt to 29mths 0% (3.45% fee)

 

 

Martin's Alert: 'You'll pay more for energy in Jan than ever before'  Gas Price Cap being hiked 7.7%, electricity 4.6%  Minimise the impact with my need-to-know & do checklist Not the news anyone needed. Regulator Ofgem's Jan to March Energy Price Cap will be an average 5% higher than today's rates due to "rises in wholesale energy costs". This Cap dictates the max rate firms (not in N. Ireland) can charge for their standard tariffs, which over 20m homes are on - effectively all but the few on fixes or special deals. And while it's called a Cap, almost every firm currently charges the max. Watch my Price Cap rise video explainer or read on... Your exact Price Cap rate depends on where you live & how you pay. Our What'll I pay from Jan? calc gives a bespoke answer, or see full region-by region rates. For broad-brush, here are the average Direct Debit rates: UNIT RATE 1 Jan Price Cap (per kilowatt hour) STANDING CHARGE 1 Jan Price Cap (per day) Gas 7.42p per kWh, UP 0.53p (that's up 7.7%) 29.60p per day, DOWN 0.02p Electricity 28.62p per kWh, UP 1.27p (that's up 4.6%) 53.35p per day, DOWN 0.02p The rise is all on what you pay for each unit of energy, so higher-use homes will be the worst hit. The standing charge is virtually unchanged (down under 1p/mth) so it'll still cost a nightmarish £300+/yr even if you use nowt - see my 'Why are standing charges so high & what can be done?' blog (thankfully Ofgem's launched a public review on these). Energy firms have over £8 BILLION of our Direct Debit (DD) cash - check & get excess credit back. My rule of thumb is, right now, OVER TWO MONTHS' worth of DDs in credit is too much at this point in the Direct Debit cycle. If that's you, first ensure you've done an up-to-date meter reading (unless you've a working smart meter), then use our Direct Debit Calc to check it's currently set right. If so, politely ask for any excess credit back. Plus if your DD is set over 10% too high (factoring in the price rise & wiggle room), ask them to lower it too. See full how to get energy credit back for info. As Debbie said: "Thanks so much for your Direct Debit Calculator. After giving EDF meter readings yesterday, it was confirmed this morning I'm £3,831.91 IN CREDIT! Which is being repaid to me." Most will pay far MORE than last January. After much public pressure (incl by me) in the run-up to last winter's 'heat or eat' crisis, the Govt finally intervened, both by capping the Cap & giving most homes £66/mth off energy bills. A home with typical use last Jan had a £198/mth bill and £66 subsidy so paid £132/mth. This Jan it'll pay £160/mth. Only very high-use homes where lower rates outweigh the subsidy will pay less this year. Will Govt do the 'all-homes' subsidy again this year? Almost certainly not, as rates are lower, and partly I suspect as it didn't get much political credit last year (ie, bills were lower than they would've been but still far higher than previous years, so few were cock-a-hoop). Should I be switching energy to save? There are four variable deals worth considering... - Existing E.on Next customers: look at its E.on Next Pledge tariff. - Existing Octopus customers: look at its Agile & Tracker tariffs to see if they're suitable. - New & existing elec-only Fuse customers: look at its rates freeze so you pay the same as now until 31 March '24. - Existing Shell customers: a quick way to get £50. Want E.on/Octopus deals? You could first switch to either's standard tariff & then to these tariffs (if they're still around). Is it worth fixing? Based on current Price Cap predictions for the next year, on average you'll pay 1% more than now. So if you can lock in a fix cheaper than that, it looks good. Unfortunately, as you'll see in our full list of top fixed tariffs, barring deals that require you to switch other utilities too, there aren't any. The best open-market fixes are 3% to 4% above the current Price Cap, so only worth it if you very strongly value price certainty. Cut your bills by cutting energy use? Obviously, cutting use cuts bills - and hopefully there are cuts you can make to improve efficiency that don't impact lifestyle too much. Plus, many suppliers will actually PAY YOU to cut your energy use this winter. For our full tips, see 70+ energy saving tips | Energy mythbusters. Really struggling to pay? See our Heat the human, not the home guide and Help if you can't pay your bills.

 

New. Beat 5% energy hikes, Richard Osman guests, Autumn Statement practicals & more... Another jam-packed pod that explains what the Energy Price Cap rise means for you, plus lots more. Listen to the new The Martin Lewis Podcast via BBC Sounds, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more. £45 Elemis overnight face cream vs £6 Aldi - plus more cheap beauty lookalikes. Aldi's launching some new 'dupes' this week, so MSE Rhiannon's analysed how they (and others) compare with the posh beauty brands. 50% off Radflek radiator reflectors, eg, three for £14.25 delivered (normally £22). MSE Blagged. These energy-saving packs are always popular with MoneySavers, so the 1,000 available will likely go quickly. Radflek 'I got £620 back with Martin's help after my flight was cancelled.' Our success of the week is from Sam, who said: "I wanted to share my success after listening to Martin talking on flight cancellation compensation. I contacted British Airways as it'd cancelled our flight back from New York to London. Completed its simple online form and it's confirmed it will pay out £520 (plus a £100 voucher for the entertainment screen not working!). Huge thanks." If we've helped you save (on this, or owt else), please send us your successes. Posting Christmas prezzies? Royal Mail will collect 'em for free. Normally up to 72p per item. Pass your parcel Book Christmas delivery or collection slots NOW for Asda, Tesco & more. Most stores still have a few slots left... see our supermarket-by-supermarket round-up. Missing the £300 benefits-related cost of living payment? Here's how to get it. It's been automatically paid to millions on qualifying benefits in recent weeks. If yours hasn't arrived, check you're definitely eligible, then report it. The MSE Forum Advent calendar 2023. From 1 Dec, discover a festive thread behind each door. Advent-ageous

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility / apply*) - up to 29mths 0%, 3.45% fee (24.9% rep APR interest) No-fee 0%: NatWest (check eligibility / apply*) - 14mths 0% (24.9% rep APR) Best bank accounts £200 to switch + 8% regular saver: Nationwide £175 to switch + TOP service: First Direct Top savings accounts Top easy access: Metro Bank 5.22%, min £500 Top one-year fix: Metro Bank 5.8%, min £500 Car insurance Try our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Cheap loans Cheapest for £5,000 to £7,499: AA (check eligibility / apply*), 7.2% rep APR (members), 7.3% rep APR (non-members) Cheapest £7,500 to £15,000: Tesco Bank (check eligibility / apply*), 5.9% rep APR (must have a Clubcard) Broadband top picks Superfast fibre (100Mb+): Shell Energy '£17.82/mth' (though its customer service rating ain't great) Fast fibre (55Mb+) with 'OK' service: Sky Broadband £19.45/mth Superfast fibre (100Mb+) with 'OK' service: Sky Broadband £22.45/mth On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.70/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: TalkMobile, '£3.45/mth' for 6GB 10GB to 30GB data: Lebara, '£3.57/mth' for 12GB 31GB+ data: iD Mobile, '£6.25/mth' for 100GB

 

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK Help improve kids' digital skills with free coding and tech gadgets. The BBC, in partnership with Micro:bit Educational Foundation and internet registry Nominet, is giving primary schools 30 FREE micro:bit devices each - these pocket-sized computers can help children take their first steps into coding and prepare for a digital future. Teachers must register for a free micro:bit set before Mon 18 Dec. Parents, check with your child's school to see whether it's signed up.

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL How do you rate your broadband provider? We can tell you which broadband providers are cheapest, but to keep our customer service ratings updated, we need your help. So please let us know how you rate your broadband provider by voting in this week's poll. Are the days of sweet-talking check-in staff to get a free upgrade on flights over? Apparently so... Some 82% of respondents to last week's poll haven't been upgraded for free in the last three years. Though of those who were, almost 75% were simply given the upgrade, no questions asked, and about half were upgraded at the gate. See full results.

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Barclays to shut at least 196 bank branches in 2023/24 - NatWest, RBS and Ulster Bank to close at least 172 branches in 2023/24

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should I refuse to pay the service charge when eating out and only tip for exceptional service? I've just moved to London from the south-west of England. Restaurants are expensive and normally charge at least 12.5% for service. I visited a café where I was annoyed to be charged the 'dine in' rate of almost £2 more per item, and then charged extra for service too. I paid it to avoid coming across as rude, but I think people working in London earn enough not to expect additional money for service unless it's out of this world. Am I right? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I refuse to pay the service charge when eating out? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: Patios, points & pickled cabbage

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 29 NOV ONWARDS) Wed 29 Nov - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm Tue 5 Dec - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10.15am Tue 5 Dec - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, ITV1, 8pm

 

FROM NUTELLA TO NESCAFÉ - WHAT'S BEEN YOUR MOST SURPRISING DOWNSHIFT? That's all for this week, but before we go... an easy way to slash your grocery bill is to take the Downshift Challenge. You drop a brand level on groceries, and if you can't taste a difference, stick with the lower level. We asked MoneySavers about their tastiest downshifts and it was no surprise to see Aldi highlighted by many, specifically its cheaper replacements for Heinz soup, Nescafé instant coffee, Jacob's cream crackers, Fruit Shoots and Nutella. Other popular shifts included Asda's washing powder replacing Persil's, Tesco's wheat biscuits pipping Weetabix, and some strong advocates for M&S and Morrisons baked beans over Heinz. Do you agree? Tell us your most surprising downshift in our Facebook and Twitter conversations. We hope you save some money, The MSE team

 

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