ENERGY WARNING: Get off the Price Cap now to beat the 10% hike!, £160 Dyson, Amazon Prime Day deals, 50% off toys, £230 Boots No7 £60

Plus... free wills, free eBay sales, free £175, 30% off Puma, slash home insurance costs

                                                           

01 October 2024 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL Martin: Get off the Energy Price Cap now, you're overpaying! - Main option: FIX at 10% less - Option 2: Discounted Price Cap - Option 3: Octopus rapid change - Option 4: EV tariffs - Help if struggling to pay Two FREE £175 bank switch offers - which wins for you? How to save £100s on home insurance Amazon 'Prime Big Deal Days' - sort deals from duds Free solicitor-drafted wills if you're 55+ Toy sales: Up to 50% off at Tesco, Asda etc News: Legal bid to reinstate Winter Fuel Payments for all pensioners New. 100GB Sim '£5.84/mth' Early access: £230 No7 beauty & skincare £60 via Advent calendar 'I got £600 Air Passenger Duty refund - thanks MSE' eBay scraps sellers' fees £160 Dyson V8 cordless refurb Martin's pod: Fix your mortgage NOW? Help for older mortgagers & more 3mths' FREE Amazon Music Urgent. Beat the 22% stamps hike Puma 30% off code Disney+ password sharing crackdown Hobbycraft £5 off £15 Give to charity? Say YES to Gift Aid Give the MSE App a try This week's best buys: 6.1% loans, £22/mth broadband, 5.1% savings Should my daughter fully refund a wedding cake delivered an hour late? 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 Best Sim-only deals

Martin: Why energy prices ROSE 10% today even though wholesale rates have dropped. And how to use that to STOP TODAY'S RISE Get off the Price Cap! Now's the time to compare energy - can you save £200+/yr? Our energy market is perverse, especially right now. Today (1 Oct '24) the Energy Price Pants Cap, which dictates the rate eight in 10 homes in Eng, Scot & Wales pay, rose by 10% - meaning most of your bills will rise 10% too. Yet wholesale rates, those energy firms buy at, are far lower right now than a month ago - evidenced by the fact the deals you can switch to have got cheaper. The disjoin is because the Price Cap is time-lagged. Each Cap lasts three months, yet the new 1 Oct to 31 Dec Cap is based on average wholesale rates from mid-May to mid-Aug - and they peaked in August. It'll be January before the recent falls are factored in. But as that rate is an average over a 3mth period, the current predictions are a move of somewhere between +0.2% and -1.0% (a few weeks ago it was thought it'd rise a lot more). Yet switchable deals can, and right now are, taking advantage of shorter term dips. This leads to a simple rule... ... everyone should consider ditching price-capped tariffs right now and do a comparison. That's because the Price Cap is a Pants Cap right now, too expensive compared with other deals available (see below). And this is the time to compare, as do it now and you'll see your actual savings compared with the next three months' rate (until now you were seeing it compared with the prior lower rate, even though that was just about to end). Of course that's no help to the many vulnerable, elderly and struggling who find comparisons difficult. They'll stay on the higher rate (which is why we need a social tariff) and they're often the same people who should get the Winter Fuel Payment but won't because while they're eligible for Pension Credit they don't claim it. Anyway I digress... back to today's subject. PS: If you find it easier to listen than read I've a 'beat the energy price rise' podcast special that'll talk you through it. Quick Price Cap Need-To-Knows... 1) Unsure if you're on a price-capped tariff? If you're not sure, you probably are. The Cap applies to all firms' standard (ie, default) tariffs for Eng, Scot & Wales, so it's the rate everyone who hasn't actively chosen a deal is on (over 8 in 10 homes are on the Cap). Only those on fixes, electric vehicle or other specialist tariffs aren't governed by the Cap. 2) There is NO Cap on what you actually pay. What's capped is the standing (ie, daily) charge and unit rates (how much they can charge for each unit of gas / electricity used). The Cap varies by region - for the exact amounts see our 'How much is the Price Cap?' breakdown. 3) It's not really a Cap, as all firms price at it, it's effectively a regulated rate. All firms' standard (capped) tariffs price at, or very near, the max, so in reality it's not a cap, the regulator is just setting a fixed rate. Now the team and I will run you through the four main choices available right now (sticking on the Cap isn't one of them)... Option 1: The easiest & safest route is FIX now The cheapest fixes are slightly cheaper even than the prior Price Cap, so you can lock in for a year and you won't face the 10% rise. This is the MAIN OPTION for most people right now, it should be seen as the default choice, the other options below are just alternatives. Fixes are designed to give you peace of mind that you know exactly what you'll pay for a set time. Remember, though, it's the rate you pay for energy use that is locked in, not the total price. So, use more, you pay more - use less, you pay less. Exact prices depend on where you live and what you use, so go via our Cheap Energy Club comparison to find your bespoke cheapest (it'll also have the latest tariffs, in case things have changed by the time you read this). The cheapest fixes (Eng, Scot, Wales) All are standalone tariffs for both new & existing customers. Links go via Cheap Energy Club to give a personal comparison. Outfox the Market Outfox the Price Cap (Oct 24) Fix'd Dual v2.0. No smart meter needed. Dual fuel, monthly Direct Debit only | Online account Save avg 9.4% compared with today's Price Cap  £50 dual-fuel early exit fees EDF Essentials 1yr Oct25v3. Also accepts those on smart prepay. Dual fuel or elec-only | Need have/apply for a smart meter | Monthly Direct Debit / cash / cheque or smart prepay  Save avg 8.9% compared with today's Price Cap £25/fuel early exit fees British Gas Fixed Tariff 12M v8. No smart meter needed. Dual fuel, elec-only or gas-only | Monthly Direct Debit / cash / cheque Save avg 8.9% compared with today's Price Cap £50/fuel early exit fees Octopus 12M Fixed October 2024 v1. No smart meter needed. Dual fuel, elec-only or gas-only | Monthly Direct Debit / cash / cheque Save avg 8.8% compared with today's Price Cap No early exit fees E.on Next Fixed 12M v28. Dual fuel or elec-only | Need have/apply for a smart meter | Monthly Direct Debit / cash / cheque Save avg 8.8% compared with today's Price Cap £50/fuel early exit fees Ovo 1 Year Fix & 1 Year Loyalty Fix. Dual fuel or elec-only | Need have/apply for a smart meter | Monthly Direct Debit only | Online account Save avg 8.7% compared with today's Price Cap + £20 MSE cashback for existing Ovo customers on its Loyalty tariff + cheaper electric vehicle charging option £50/fuel early exit fees Full details in our energy comparison, which also includes non-standalone tariffs - ie, those that require you to get other products, eg, broadband or boiler cover, to get the price. - The fixed savings are only compared with the current Price Cap... what about once it ends? Currently, it's predicted that over the next year you'll pay roughly 1% less than the current Price Cap (see the graph above), so all the fixes above have a lot of wriggle room for things to change and them still to be cheaper than staying on the Cap.  The further out you go, the more crystal ball gazing (and subject to change) predictions are. Yet we know the price till Dec and the Jan prediction that it'll likely stay roughly the same is pretty solid, as we're halfway through its assessment period. So over the heavy-use winter period savings are very likely to be strong. After that... well, that's why checking the early exit penalties are important before signing up, as if, unexpectedly, things did get far cheaper you could always pay the early exit penalties and shift. - Is it worth waiting a bit in case fixes get cheaper? It's impossible to say, the rate you can fix at moves roughly with wholesale rates, and like all markets they're volatile. Yet what we do know for certain is if you stick on the Cap you'll pay far more than you would on a cheap fix every day from today, so even if you did wait you'd need a very substantially cheaper fix to make up for it. The less stressful move is to fix today, though clearly with hindsight there's a chance waiting will win. - Is it worth going for a longer fix? There are some longer fixes available, though they're not that cheap and unfortunately even the longest Price Cap predictions available only stretch till the end of next year. The market is still volatile, so it's impossible to know if it'll be worth it, though if you really value long-term certainty you may think so. Option 2: Get a discounted Price Cap tariff These tracker tariffs can be especially good for lower users as some have LOWER STANDING CHARGES...  If you don't want to lock in to a set rate, these are a no-brainer. They promise to track the Price Cap (even though, as special tariffs, they're not subject to it), but at a lower rate, so you're always guaranteed to be lower than the Price Cap. And some have no exit fees, meaning you can switch penalty-free to another tariff if a better deal comes along. DISCOUNTED Price Cap tracker tariffs  Tough to do a comparison, so links go straight to the firms EDF Ensure 1yr tracker*. Also available for those on smart prepay. Dual fuel or elec-only | Need have/apply for a smart meter | Monthly Direct Debit / cash / cheque or smart prepay | £25/fuel exit fees Tracks the Price Cap but with £50 CHEAPER standing charges - good for lower users. It's a variable tariff where the unit rates stay at the Price Cap but the standing charges are £50 (£25 per fuel) a year lower. As a rule of thumb if you use under £700 a year this is likely to be cheaper than a fix, as the standing charges are such a big portion of your bill. E.on Next Pledge 1yr tracker*.  Dual fuel or elec-only | Need have/apply for a smart meter | Monthly Direct Debit only | Online account | No early exit fees Tracks with unit rates about 3% under the Price Cap. It's essentially a price-capped tariff, where the unit rates are discounted for 12mths, so you pay less for each unit of energy. So if you're planning on staying on a price-capped tariff, and are a higher user, it's a winner, though prices would have to drop a lot from April for it to beat the cheapest fixes. Scottish Power also has a lower standing charges tariff, but it's only a £15/yr discount compared with E.on's £50. And Sainsbury's Energy has a tracker that is at the Price Cap, but just gives you 750 Nectar points (£3.75's worth) every three months, and extra points on Sainsbury's spending. Option 3: Octopus rapid price-change tariffs Highly volatile but with potentially the biggest savings, these are good for sophisticated energy users. Octopus has two innovative tariffs where rates change rapidly. Many on them can save substantially, but as they move with wholesale rates, you need to understand they can work substantially against you too.  These tariffs are only available to existing Octopus customers, but you could always switch to the Octopus standard tariff then once on it, opt for one of these (providing it hasn't changed things then). - Tracker tariff: Price changes daily. Its Tracker tariff is available for gas & elec and has been 31% cheaper than the Price Cap on average over the last year. Though in recent weeks, it's been hovering around the Price Cap (ie, higher than cheap fixes), so you have to be able to cope with the volatility. - Agile tariff: Elec-only price changes every 30mins. Its Agile tariff's rates change half-hourly, based on wholesale prices - good for those who can shift their usage nimbly to take advantage of super-cheap times. For example, if you've got storage heaters you can put on overnight, or other heavy use (electric vehicle charging) that you can shift to cheaper times. With this tariff, occasionally some half hours go so cheap you get paid to use it! Though, equally, in peak times it can be costly. Option 4: Got an EV? Consider dedicated tariffs Several suppliers offer specific tariffs which offer cheaper electricity overnight for charging your electric vehicle (EV) and sometimes other household appliances. Full details of what's available in our EV tariffs guide but in brief there are two types: 'Add-on' tariffs where you can only charge your car on the cheaper rate. These are likely the cheapest for EVs at the moment if you've a compatible charger/vehicle. Ovo and Scottish Power offer these, so you can add EV charging to whichever of their tariffs you're currently on (including the Ovo fix above) and you'll get a cheap rate to charge your EV at any time. All other elec use in your home will be charged at your existing tariff rates. Two-rate tariffs giving you cheaper elec overnight. Most tariffs offer between five and seven off-peak hours a day (typically midnight to 5am) and charge around 7p to 9p per kilowatt hour of elec use (the Price Cap rate is 23p to 26p). The top EV tariffs right now are British Gas's Electric Driver and EDF's GoElectric Overnight. So the benefit here is if you've other appliances that you can use overnight, they'll cost less too. How do these differ from Octopus Agile? These tariffs have fixed overnight prices; Agile varies by the half hour and by the day, so it's more volatile - it can be much cheaper or costlier. Struggling to pay bills or want to cut usage? The key focus today is energy tariffs, but if you're struggling, it's always worth talking to your energy firm. Be polite and straight with it, and make sure you explain if you're vulnerable. We've lots of guides to help: - Our What to do if you're struggling to pay energy bills guide, which can include hardship & debt grants. - Energy saving tips. - Heat the human, not the home. - Energy mythbusting. And finally, if you've not got a working smart meter and pay for your energy by monthly Direct Debit, do a meter reading as soon as possible, to reduce the risk that your supplier estimates that you've used more at the new higher rate than you have.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

BATTLE OF THE BANKS... Nationwide's launched a FREE £175 switch offer to match First Direct's - but which one wins for you? Now two top current accounts are fighting for your custom. Luckily they're willing to PAY YOU for it, plus do it now and you'll get the cash in time for Christmas. So what's not to like? Especially as Martin's poll last week showed two-thirds of people have been with their bank account longer than their partner (even though they often don't like 'em - the bank that is; we don't know about the partner). So with all that done, we've put First Direct* in the blue corner and Nationwide in the red, and there's only one way to decide... FIGHT!!! Most people find switching easy & hassle-free. To get the free cash, you must switch over an account from a different banking group using the seven-working-day switch service, which shuts your old account and auto-moves your balance, standing orders & Direct Debits. Once that's done, any payments to your old account are auto-forwarded. You'll also need to pass a credit check - though it's usually not too harsh. Full info in Best bank accounts. STOP PRESS: We've just heard Lloyds is launching a free £200 switch offer later this week. More details will follow next week, but it's likely to be similar to these two, except you need to pay in £2,000/mth or there's a £3/mth fee, and its customer service rating is lower. Who wins the battle of the banks...?  First Direct 1st Account* Nationwide FlexDirect FREE cash for newbies to switch FREE £175 Can't have had an account with it before, nor have opened a current account with HSBC since Jan 2018 FREE £175 Can't have switched into a Nationwide account, or had its switch cash, since 18 Aug '21 Free cash paid by Christmas? Yes Paid on the 20th of the following month after meeting the 'How to qualify' criteria below Yes Paid within 10 days of meeting the 'How to qualify' criteria below Interest you can earn with it (AER) 7% fixed for 1yr on up to £300/mth via a linked regular savings account - maxed out that's £136.50/yr interest 6.5% variable for 1yr on up to £200/mth  via a linked regular savings account - maxed out that's £84.50/yr interest ---------- 5% on up to £1,500 for 12mths  in the current account itself. Maxed out that's £73-ish interest (but you can get this on far larger amounts anyway with top savings) Interest-free overdraft (Subject to credit check) Yes. Interest-free (0%) on up to £250 Above that, 39.9% EAR variable No. Charges 39.9% EAR variable From Nov it'll have a buffer zone, so 0% on the first £50 Near-perfect exchange rates on spending abroad? Yes As it doesn't charge non-sterling fees No - it charges a 2.99% fee  On top of near-perfect exchange rates Cashback on debit card spending? None (or get 1% if you pair with Chase)  No interest itself, but pair with app-only Chase* (no hard credit check & you don't need to switch) to get 1% (max £15/mth) on most spending 1% (max £5/mth) for 1yr Again, it's better to pair with Chase* for 1% (max £15/mth) on most spending Customer service rating 91% 'great' Top or near top in every poll we've done 87% 'great' Always strong feedback Allows joint accounts?  Yes Must apply online (not via app) Yes Apply online (same as for a sole account) How to qualify - Open via app (or online for joint accounts) - Switch 2+ Direct Debits or standing orders Then, within 45 days... - Pay in £1,000+ (you can then withdraw it) - Make 5+ debit card payments - Log in to the app / online banking - Open online or via app - Switch 2+ Direct Debits Then, within 31 days... - Pay in £1,000+ (you can then withdraw it) - Make 1 or more debit card payments So which is better? It's a close call, and clearly the start point is whether you're eligible for the FREE £175 with either/both. - First Direct* is a clear winner for those who are overdrawn or occasionally go into their overdraft. Say you've a £400 overdraft, the £175 drops this to £225 and then the rest is interest-free (subject to a credit check), helping you become debt-free more easily. It also has the stronger customer service record, a bigger & higher-rate linked saver, and the debit card is fee-free overseas. - Nationwide wins for those who are in-credit and want a one-stop shop. This is because a few of its perks (in-credit savings rate and cashback) are, as we explain above, beaten by other free products. If you don't want to do that, its advantage is having everything in one place. Co-op Bank also has an 'up to £150' switcher offer. This is a slow burner compared with the above, as there's only £75 upfront, then £25/mth for 3mths, and you'll need to jump through some hoops to get it all. You CAN repeatedly switch to make £1,000s. It takes work and you need to follow our 'make £1,000s by repeatedly switching banks' guidance. But there's a growing tribe of bank-profiteers who do it, such as David, who emailed to say: "I've switched several times and made £1,050 so far - the easiest money I've ever made, thank you so much."

 

Amazon's 'Prime Big Deal Days' incl Barbie, Shark & Tefal - sort deals from duds. See Big Deal Days for what's likely in next Tue & Wed's sale. Related: 1 click to see whether you can get £15 off £30 at Amazon. It's Free Wills Month - solicitor-drafted wills if you're aged 55+. Free Wills Month lets those aged 55+ get a free solicitor-drafted (or updated) will. Full help, including where it's currently on, in Cheap & free wills. Toy sales: Tesco, Asda, Morrisons 'up to 50% off' - may be cheapest pre-Christmas! Plus, £10 off £60 at The Entertainer. The Xmas countdown's ticking, so if you know what you want, this could be time to pounce. Toy sales A legal challenge is trying to get Winter Fuel Payments reinstated for all pensioners. See Winter Fuel news. New. Cheapest 100GB Sim - '£5.84/mth'. Last week it was iD Mobile, now Smarty (uses Three's network) has matched it. You pay £10/mth, but can CLAIM a £50 Amazon voucher after 6mths. Factor that in and it's equivalent to £5.84/mth over the year, though it's a 1-mth contract so you can cancel at any time. Want a different network? Use our Cheap Mobile Finder. Get £233 beauty & skincare for £60 in Boots No7 Advent calendar (a day before it goes on general sale on Wed). Or £458 version for £175, via Boots No7 beauty calendars. Cancelled or missed a flight? 'I got a £600 Air Passenger Duty refund after reading MSE's email.' Our success of the week comes from Mrs P: "We claimed an Air Passenger Duty (APD) refund through our travel agents, as we'd booked a package holiday but had to cancel at short notice due to sickness. We got our money back for the holiday through our travel insurance but it didn't cover APD. Then we saw the MSE weekly email and decided to follow up. Success! We were refunded £594. Thank you Martin and team." If we've helped you save (on this, or owt else), send us your successes. eBay has scrapped sellers' fees from today. See what's free and what isn't in eBay selling. £160 Dyson V8 cordless vacuum - refurbished by Dyson itself. 3,000 codes available. MSE Blagged. Dyson normally sells these refurbs for £280 (though John Lewis has them new for £250), yet our code takes £120 off, taking them to £160. Has a full one-year manufacturer warranty. Dyson with deals Mortgages: Is NOW the time to lock in a fix? Will rates drop further? Help for older mortgagers & more. Plus savers update | Winter Fuel judicial review | And your first pay-packet splurges! Martin's latest podcast is a mortgage special - listen via BBC Sounds | Spotify | Apple or wherever you get your Martin fix.

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - £160 Dyson V8 cordless vacuum 3,000 available - Puma 30% off code Ends Tue 8 Oct	DID YOU MISS? - M&S boosted up to 60% off clothes & home sale - 30+ birthday FREEBIES - Krispy Kreme, Greggs & more - Aged 18 to 40 & hope to buy a home one day? - Car insurance due? Use our Compare+ tool - Top 0% balance transfer card now 29mths interest-free

 

 

Home insurance costs up nearly 30% over the last year, but they've likely peaked - so use our six steps to slash costs MoneySaver Fiona: 'I used your tips - and got a huge saving of £423, woohoo!' After more than a year of record home insurance hikes, prices sit at almost 30% more than this time last year (source: Consumer Intelligence), yet its stats also show that we may have reached the peak, with average quotes dropping 1% over the past three months. If you've not checked your home insurance in a while, it's worth looking to see if you're overpaying. Full help on how to save £100s in Cheap home insurance, but here are our six core steps... COMBINE comparison sites for 100s of quotes in minutes - don't assume they're all the same. Never just auto-renew - there's no guarantee your existing insurer will give you the cheapest or best cover. It's always worth a check elsewhere. Comparison sites zip your info to dozens of insurers and brokers at once. Yet don't just use one as a) they can cover different insurers, and b) they often have different prices for the same firm. Our current order is 1) Compare The Market*, 2) MoneySupermarket*, 3) Confused.com* (see how we order it). If you get few results, or they're really expensive, see help if you struggle to get insurance. As Fiona's email shows: "I received a renewal notice which shot up by a few hundred quid to £866 (for a standard four-bed). Your newsletter landed, I used your tips and which comparison websites to use, and 40 minutes later I found the exact same cover for £443! A huge saving of £423, woohoo! Thank you so much!" Check special deals to see whether you can beat the comparisons' cheapest. Biggie Direct Line doesn't appear on comparisons and can be competitive for some, so it's worth a try. Yet there are also some special deals available for firms that are on comparisons, though you'll need to buy direct to get the vouchers. So check the price and factor in the incentive to see which wins overall. - Coverbaloo* gives a £25 Amazon voucher (comes within 90 days). - Urban Jungle* gives a £15 Amazon voucher after seven months when you use code MSE_OFFER. - If you're a member of cashback sites Quidco or Topcashback, you can do a comparison through them, and get up to £35 back. But check prices are the same (or cheaper) as through the main comparisons. See cashback help info. Establish what cover you need. Everyone, including renters, should consider contents insurance, but buildings insurance is usually only for freehold homeowners (otherwise it's generally the management company or landlord's responsibility - check your lease if you're not sure). This is how to think about it... - Contents insurance: Beware UNDERinsuring. Many underinsure, thinking: "I'd never claim for everything" ... but insure only half your contents' value, then claim for, say, a TV, and you may only get half the TV's value once they assess whether the cover was accurate. Use a contents calculator. - Buildings insurance: Beware OVERinsuring. Many wrongly insure for their home's market value, but what counts is how much it'd cost to rebuild if it was knocked down. Use a rebuild cost calculator to find out. The sweet spot is about three weeks ahead of renewal, but even if that's ages away, check anyway. Leave getting insurance until the very last minute and the price can go up, as insurers deem those who leave it later to be a higher risk. On average, the cheapest time to get quotes is 21 days ahead of your renewal, though a few days either side won't matter much. See best time to renew home insurance. Not at renewal? It's still worth a check, especially if you auto-renewed last time around. If you can make a substantial saving (and haven't claimed yet this year), you can cancel and usually get a pro-rata refund, minus a £35ish admin fee (though you won't earn the year's no-claims discount). Kevin did this for his in-laws: "They were paying a rip-off £695 for buildings & contents insurance! I phoned and managed to cancel the contract and took out new insurance with higher protection for £186.50." See switching home cover mid-year. Haggle. Want to stick with your existing firm? Ask it to match your cheapest price from steps 1 and 2 - it will often work. See home insurance haggling help. Ensure the policy's right for you before buying. Go through the main terms to check you're happy, and check the provider is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. And remember, if you have a claim unfairly rejected, you have a right to escalate any complaints to the free Financial Ombudsman.

 

Three months' FREE Amazon Music Unlimited (ad-free) for newbies - normally £11/mth. Or get four months free if you're a Prime member. You can cancel before you start to be charged. Amazon Music Urgent. Stock up on 1st-class stamps or pay 22% more from Mon. Less than a week to beat the hike. Puma 30% off code, eg, £55 trainers £21. MSE Blagged. On full-price & sale items. Puma Disney+ cracks down on password sharing - you could be charged £60/yr more. See Disney nonplussed. Hobbycraft £5 off £15 spend code. In stores or online. See Hobbycraft £5 off. Why you should always say YES INDEEDY to Gift Aid if you give to charity. This Thu is Gift Aid Awareness Day. So as long as you're a UK taxpayer, say 'yes' to Gift Aid and the charity gets more (and you may get money back too). See why you should say YES INDEEDY to Gift Aid. Have you downloaded the MSE App? Give it a try... The MSE you know and love, but appified. Download it free (obvs) viaApple App Store or Google (Android) Play Store.

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: HSBC (check eligibility / apply*) -  up to 29mths 0%, 3.49% fee (24.9% rep APR) No-fee 0%: NatWest (check eligibility, NatWest's asked us to link only to our eligibility calc) 13mths 0% (24.9% rep APR) Best bank accounts Free £175 + top service: First Direct New. Free £175 + 5% interest: Nationwide Broadband top picks Fast fibre (100Mb+): Virgin '£22.23/mth' Superfast fibre (500Mb+): Vodafone '£28.05/mth' On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Car insurance Try our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Cheap loans Cheapest for £5,000 to £7,499: Santander (check eligibility / apply*), 7.2% rep APR Cheapest for £7,500 to £15,000: Tesco Bank (check eligibility / apply*), 6.1% rep APR (for Clubcard holders) Top savings accounts Top easy access: Chip 5%, no min Top cash ISA: Trading 212 5.1%, min £1 Top one-year fix: Monument 4.81%, min £25,000 Top energy deals Try our relaunched Cheap Energy Club Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.92/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£3.23/mth' for 5GB 10GB to 30GB data: iD Mobile, '£3.63/mth' for 15GB 31GB+ data: Smarty, '£5.84/mth' for 100GB

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL Have you turned on your heating yet? With the weather turning cooler and energy costs up 10% from today (Tue 1 Oct), we want to know whether you've turned on your heating yet or whether you're holding out a little longer. Vote in this week's poll. Almost all MoneySavers who have remortgaged recently are now paying more each month. Last week, we asked if you'd remortgaged in the last two years, and over 3,000 of you responded. Overall, 74% said they had remortgaged, and more than 95% of those said they're now paying more each month. We also asked whether those who had remortgaged had got support from their lender under the mortgage charter measures - but only 8% said they'd needed this help. See full poll results.

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: New rules to tackle 'confusing' mobile roaming policies finally take force - Nationwide completes takeover of Virgin Money - what it means for you - Santander cuts rate on popular easy-access savings account again - Ocado shopper? Christmas delivery slots are now open for some

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA My daughter delivered a wedding cake an hour late - should she give a full refund? My daughter's a baker and recently got the dates mixed up on a wedding cake order. She got a message asking where it was, and having done all the preparation, managed to get it to them for 7pm - it was due at 6pm. When she delivered it, the customer said: "We'll speak about this later." Fast forward, and the customer has asked for a full refund of £450. My daughter offered £100 as goodwill as she knows it was late, but the customer took the cake and didn't reject it - what would you do? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should my daughter give a full wedding cake refund? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: The Big Apple, bread-making & buying printer ink

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 1 OCT ONWARDS) Tue 8 Oct - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, from 10.20am MSE TEAM APPEARANCES Wed 2 Oct - BBC Radio Oxford, Mid-morning with Adam Ball, with MSE's Gary on the Energy Price Cap, from 12.10pm

 

 

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