Costco tips, New Car Finance Mis-selling, 5.5% kids' savings, £239 vac £99, Xmas Lights Calc, free £25 on 0%

Plus... new longest NO-FEE 0% debt shift, shocking shopping mistake, £47 shave set £16, free £100s end

                                                           

10 December 2024 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL Martin's major update: Car Finance Mis-selling - are you owed £1,000s? 1. Did you have a DCA? 2. New. Commission Disclosure free reclaim guide & tool 3. Already complained? New next steps Top children's savings 5.5% New. Longest NO-FEE 0% debt shift New. The MSE Xmas Lights Calc Ends Mon. Free £25 with top 0% card £239 Hoover cordless vacuum £99 Martin's shocking shopping mistake vid Ending. 3x FREE £150+ bank switches New. 18 Costco tips in time for Xmas Wowsers! MSE App now top 4 for news Travelled with South West Trains? Check if you're due £30+ £47 Grüum men's shave bundle £16 8pm tonight: The Martin Lewis Money Show Live Martin's pod: Top kids' savings | Grab £100s free cash | Best blags & more £10 off £50 at Ikea, but not for grinches... Christmas Deals: 15p veg | BA & Easyjet flight sales? £28 when you spend £5+ PLUS double cashback this Fri National Express free child ticket This week's best buys, including 5.18% savings, 6.1% loan, 3GB Sim £3/mth Money Moral Dilemma: Should my daughter claim Universal Credit? 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

Major news update: Plus new guide & tool...  Martin: Car Finance Mis-selling... are you owed £1,000s? Now for EVERYONE who's bought a car on finance since 2007 After a landmark court ruling, millions more can now potentially reclaim, including some already turned down, but should you? If you've a sense of deja vu, you'd be right. I've written a similar headline before, but now the whole thing has expanded, millions more may be able to claim money back on past car finance deals on the back of the regulator's response to a landmark Court of Appeal ruling. What's changed? Until recently, the prime focus was the regulator's final stage investigation into the 40% of car finance policies with hidden Discretionary Commission Arrangements (DCAs) - where dealers could up the interest to get paid more commission without consumers knowing. Our existing Car Finance DCA reclaiming free guide & tool covers that. Yet a landmark Court of Appeal ruling in October shook things up, with a second issue that covers 99% of car finance policies - all where commission was paid, whether fixed, tiered, DCAs or other - potentially £10bn's worth. So today we launch our new Car Finance Commission Disclosure reclaiming free guide & tool to cover that too. Let me talk you through what to do in three steps 1: Do a DCA complaint first | 2: New Commission Disclosure complaints | 3: What if you've already done a DCA complaint? First though, a word on m'show. The ITV1 Martin Lewis Money Show LIVE tonight (Tue) 8pm Must-watch car finance mis-selling help, including the boss of the FCA (the regulator behind this) taking your questions... So read here and watch the show so you're totally in the know Step 1. Did you buy a car, van, camper van or motorbike on finance? Start by checking if your car finance had DCA commission. Back in January, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced a final stage investigation into hidden DCAs on past car finance policies. DCAs are where finance firms let car dealers pump up the interest rates charged for individual customers, without customers being told, and then bunged the car dealers extra commission if they did. This meant many likely OVERPAID WITHOUT KNOWING. The regulator is investigating whether that left people unaware they were paying more than needed (it almost certainly did) and could therefore go elsewhere. See our Car Finance DCA reclaiming guide for full info. The investigation is unlikely to report before May 2025, but there are decent odds of a mass commission redress system which could see an average £1,100 back. So who should check if they've a DCA case? It's for motor vehicles: Cars, vans, motorbikes & camper vans. Eligible dates: Finance taken out from Apr 2007 to 28 Jan 2021 (if your car finance was after that, it's not you, so jump to step 2). Finance type: Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) & Hire Purchase (HP), but NOT Personal Contract Hire (ie, leasing). If you leased your car, that may be covered in step 2 cases, but we won't know definitively until 19 Dec 2024. It's about vehicles for personal use: That includes commuting. It applies even if the person has passed away: The relevant executor or beneficiary can claim on their behalf. It applies even if the vehicle's paid off: Or you no longer own it. Crucially though, there's no way to know if you've had a DCA without asking, so our easy free complaint tool does two things... a) It formally asks the finance company if your policy had a DCA. b) If it did, it asks the firm to log it as a mis-selling complaint. It's already generated over 2.5m complaints for people. It's worth doing that before anything else here. And the sooner you do it, the better, as it reduces the risk of you being time-barred out once decisions are made. It's worth noting that as all commissions, including DCAs, are covered by the new Court of Appeal ruling (more below) on a different principle, you could complain that way too. However, my best guess (it's an uncertain situation) at the moment is it is likely better to start with the DCA route (see why, on balance, you should do a DCA claim first). If you've already done a DCA claim, and been told you didn't have it, then read this next step... Step 2. A landmark October 2024 Court of Appeal ruling means all car finance deals with undeclared commission were unlawful (though this ruling could be overturned). In Oct 2024, in a decision that sent shockwaves through the car finance world, the Court of Appeal ruled: "Brokers never obtained the claimants' fully informed consent to the payment... the claimants were not told that it would be [paid], nor the amount nor any other material facts about the commission." Translation: If you weren't told all the facts, including the amount of commission, then it was a breach of the law. As it's a precedent-setting common law decision, that means right now this is the law in the UK. And as people were rarely told the commission amount, this opens the door to an estimated 99% of car finance cases. So our new Car Finance Commission Disclosure reclaiming guide & tool helps with that. Yet an application for an appeal to be heard at the Supreme Court has already been put in, and it is almost certain to hear the case. It would not be unusual for the Supreme Court to have a starkly different view to the Court of Appeal and overrule it, thus in practice changing the law again. A decision needs to be made speedily - by spring 2025 - so there's clarity, but there's no guarantee, and the fallout will take time. Meantime, the regulator has a consultation (a formality, it's almost certain to happen) on putting a 'pause' on firms having to decide on complaints, in order to wait until the Supreme Court's decided, so there's a firm and consistent decision. That consultation reports next week (19 Dec). So who is likely to be covered by the regulator's new pause (and therefore eligible to complain)... It's for motor vehicles: Cars, vans, motorbikes & camper vans. Eligible dates: Finance taken out from Apr 2007 to roughly Oct 2024 (that's when the court ruled, and many firms changed their terms at that point to include commission details). Finance type: Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) & Hire Purchase (HP) are definitely part of it. Whether Personal Contract Hires (ie, leasing) are included is something we won't know definitively until the consultation ends on 19 Dec 2024 (we'll update you in this weekly email then). It may impact you if you've been told you didn't have a DCA: If you did a DCA claim and it said 'no DCA', see step 3. It's about vehicles for personal use: That includes commuting. It applies even if the person has passed away: The relevant executor or beneficiary can claim on their behalf. It applies even if the vehicle's paid off: Or you no longer own it. 'Yet even if you're eligible, I'd try the DCA route first. If you then find you didn't have a DCA or had car finance after the deadline, look at this path.' See why I'd probably do a DCA first. I've big questions over whether this route is fair, and worry if it is even potentially dangerous for consumers... With DCA reclaiming, you can see the argument of lack of transparency and restriction of consumer choice. Yet this is different. I'm not surprised it's caused share prices to tumble and economic concerns. The wider Court of Appeal decision sets new strong standards for car finance commissions going forward. Yet, on mulling it, even I find it difficult to believe that retrospective redress is due on car finance firms with fixed commissions, as they were following the regulator's guidelines. And, even if redress must be due, the test surely should be something like... was it hidden that there was commission and, most importantly, was the commission charged excessive? If not, and we were to move to a hypothetical model of car finance reclaims of 'any commission if the amount wasn't known' was unfair and should be repaid, it may risk being counterproductive to consumers. That's because it's a potentially existential threat to consumer lending that could mean less availability and higher costs in future. In fact, I wrestled about whether we do a help tool for this or not. In the end, I decided MSE's role is to provide info for consumers and, if we don't, the claims firms will sweep everyone up and people will then lose a chunk of any payouts that may come. Yet please don't read the fact we have a tool as a blanket 'everyone should do this'. I hope you'll think carefully about whether you were wronged and lost out, and only go for it if you do think you were. If you choose this route, here's what to do... Our free guide and tool will help you draft your enquiry to the lender that provided the car finance. This is the firm you actually paid each month - not the broker or car dealer. Check any agreement documentation you have and collect as much information as possible about your car finance agreements, fill in as much detail as possible, and the tool will produce a letter you can send off. Step 3. Already submitted a DCA claim? What next? Of course, what you do depends on the response you got, so let's run through the most common ones. It says 'you DID have a DCA'. Great, your complaint is logged, you've done all you need to until May 2025. If it's also a case that the Supreme Court upholds the Court of Appeal decision on Commission Disclosure, this would be included within the FCA's DCA ruling anyway.   It says 'your car finance DIDN'T have a DCA'. What matters next is whether you had commission of any variety. Some lenders will have told you that you did, some won't have mentioned it. In either case, as the huge majority of car finance cases did, then you could go through the step 2: Commission Disclosure complaints route. It's worth noting our tool for that is drafted as if it's your first complaint. While you could alter the drafting, it's not necessary, especially as some firms are telling us it's best not to, as their technology is detecting our templates so they can deal with them more quickly. If your letter categorically says you didn't have any type of commission arrangement at all, then you definitely weren't overcharged, so that's good, but it means no payout is coming, so shrug your shoulders and forget it.   It has only 'acknowledged your complaint'. This is frustrating, yet crucially, it means your complaint is logged, so you've got the necessary timestamp. Find out how car finance firms are responding according to our survey to get a feel for whether your delay is normal for the firm (if so, 'it's them, not you'), or whether you're an outlier - if the latter, you may want to chase it up. It hasn't replied at all. If you complained over a month ago, i) check your email sent box that it did send, ii) check your junk mail for replies, iii) check the email address you sent it to. If all of those are good, see if yours is an isolated incident for the firm - in which case, resend.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Avoid ickle rates for ickle people Top children's savings: 5.5% for tots, tweens & teens Normal savers vs junior ISAs vs Child Trust Funds - what wins? Jingle bells are ringing, Christmas is coming and many are considering giving their children and grandchildren cash. So no better time to discuss the top children's savings. It's not just about new savings either - many kids have money earning diddly squat, so check now what they pay. And, if old enough, sort your children's savings alongside them as it's great financial education (use the free financial ed textbook to teach 'em more). Rather listen than read? See Martin's new kids' savings pod. Top children's savings accounts (All allow unlimited withdrawals unless noted) Provider Interest rate (AER) Min/max age and how to open Regular savings accounts: Higher rates if you want to put relatively small amounts aside each month Halifax 5.5% fixed for a year on up to £100/mth. No withdrawals allowed, but you can close it to access the money. 0 to 15: Parents or legal guardians can apply online or in branch. Saffron BS 5.25% variable on up to £100/mth. 0 to 17: Can open in branch or by post. Adults aged 18 or over must open on behalf of under-13s. Easy-access savings accounts: If you have a lump sum to save, or are putting aside bigger amounts Nationwide's FlexOne. Joint highest rate, but only for tweens & teens. 5% variable on up to £5,000 11 to 17: Only children can open, either in branch (with a parent/guardian if under 13), or via app/online if aged 13 to 17. You must first open a Nationwide FlexOne current account. HSBC's MySavings. Joint highest rate, for a wider age range, but on a smaller amount. 5% variable on up to £3,000 (only 2% above that). 7 to 17: Children can apply in branch, or parents/guardians can open online if they've an HSBC current account. Family BS. Top rate for younger children if over £3,000 is being saved. (1) 4.5% variable on everything in there if saving £3,000 to £25,000. 4.25% variable if total savings are under £3,000. 0 to 17: Can open in branch or by post. Close family members (eg, parents, guardians, adult siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents) must open on behalf of under-8s. Kent Reliance. Top rate for younger children if under £3,000 is being saved. 4.3% variable on up to £25,000. 0 to 18: Can open in branch or by post. Adults aged 18 or over must open on behalf of under-7s. Ecology BS. Top online account anyone can open. 3.6% on up to £500,000 (min £25). From age 0: Can open online or via post. Parents or guardians must open on behalf of under-16s. (1) Allows 12 penalty-free withdrawals annually.  All savings listed have the full UK up to £85,000 per person, per institution savings safety protection. Top cash junior ISAs (JISAs)... earn 4.9% TAX-FREE. Before we list the top payers, there are two crucial features of a junior ISA worth understanding: a) You can save up to £9,000 per tax year and the interest is never taxed (see are children's savings taxed? below). b) It's an easy way to lock money away so it can't be touched. It can only be accessed from the child's 18th birthday. But let's be very plain - at that point, it's their money, so if in your head you're saving it for them to use at uni, they may decide to buy a Taylor Swift-themed camper van instead. - Top payer: Family BS's 4.6% AER variable on £3,000+ can only be opened by post or branch (no transfers). - Top payer (phone): Coventry BS pays 4.5% on £1+, and can be opened via branch, post and phone. - Top payers (online): Tesco Bank and NS&I are the top online payers here at 4% AER variable. Already got a Junior ISA? If yours pays less, you can just transfer it to one of the top payers above (except Family BS). Just do the application form, then within it, fill in the bit to transfer it across. More help in Top JISAs. It's a myth that children needn't pay tax (though beware special rules on cash given by parents) Children are mostly taxed just like adults, so just like adults they can earn £12,570/yr tax-free (or £18,570/yr if it's all savings interest - adding in the Starting Savings Rate and Personal Savings Allowance). Though of course, in practice few earn enough to pay tax. Yet where it differs for under-18s is if they earn £100+/yr interest from money given to them by parents/step-parents (not grandparents or others). All of it is taxable as if it was the parent's savings, in order to stop parents stashing cash in their child's name. This isn't an issue for many, as most parents don't earn enough interest to pay tax on savings either. Yet for those who are bigger earners or savers, use a junior ISA as all the child's interest there is always tax-free, even if given by a parent. Child born 1 Sept 2002 to 2 Jan 2011? They may have £1,000s saved that you don't know about. UK-born children aged roughly 13 to 22 had the junior ISA's predecessor, a Child Trust Fund (CTF), opened in their name with at least £250 automatically added to it by the state. The money is locked away until they're 18 (which many now are). - Easily find where your child's CTF is. 100,000s have lost track and aren't aware of the CTF. If that's you (or your child), see how to reclaim your CTF. The amounts range from £100s to £1,000s. - Child still under 18? Look at transferring their CTF to a JISA. A CTF works just like a JISA, yet if yours is in a cash (savings) CTF, the rates are worse than JISAs, yet you can simply transfer it to a JISA to up the rate. - Over 17 and not touched your CTF? See our help with what to do when your CTF matures.

 

New. The MSE Christmas Lights Calculator - how much do they cost to run. Martin's rule of thumb on this was so popular last week, we've built a brand new fun Christmas lights & decorations calc to do it for you. Ends Mon. Grab a totally free £25 (using a 0% spending credit card). Via this link, newbies accepted for HSBC's up to 20mth 0% card get £25 cashback when they spend £100+ within 60 days, so just do your normal (Christmas) spending on it, then fully clear it, to get the cash at no cost. Though as it's a top interest-free card, if you do NEED to borrow for planned, one-off, budgeted-for purposes, you can do it at no cost and get the cash on top. Golden Rules: 1) Always pay at least the monthly minimum and don't bust the credit limit or you can lose the 0%. 2) Clear the debt before the 0% ends or it's 24.9% rep APR. Full info & best buys in 0% spending cards. Code gets £239 Hoover 'pet edition' cordless vacuum for £99. MSE Blagged. Or £149 'home edition' £89. 10,000 codes available. Have you got a right to return goods bought in store? Most get this WRONG! Watch Martin's new video. Ending. Three of five banks will stop giving FREE £150+ switch bonuses likely by this Thu. From Thu, it's likely only two of five banks will still pay decent switch bonuses. Definitely still around: Top all-rounder account First Direct's FREE £175* - with top 91% 'great' service rating, 7% linked saver & £250 0% overdraft for most, and Nationwide's FREE £175 - with its 6% linked saver & £5/mth possible debit card cashback. Ending imminently: So when you click it may be gone: Club Lloyds £200 ends tonight (Tue), NatWest Reward £180 ends tomorrow (Wed), and Santander's FREE £150 + bills cashback is likely (not confirmed) to end very soon. Full switch eligibility for all in Best bank accounts. New. Costco tips in time for Christmas. Many qualify without realising & petrol savings alone can pay for the membership. 18 Costco tips Wowsers! MSE App is now UK's 4th most-read news app. 'I never even knew there was an MSE app.' Download it free (obvs) via Apple or Android. MSE beat biggies The Guardian and Mail Online. Yet some don't even know we're appy, like Rajat who replied to Martin's tweet about this: "@MartinSLewis Never knew there was an MSE app. This is so useful. Thanks!". PS: The source of the info is new Press Gazette research. Travelled with South West Trains from London in 2015 to 2017? You could be due £30+. It'll pay up to £25m in compensation for alleged historic overcharging, but go quick as you've only till 10 Jan 2025 to check & claim. £47 Grüum men's shave bundle £16. MSE Blagged. Or £79 men's beard bundle £18. 10,000 available. Grüum Car finance mis-selling - are millions more owed £1,000s? The Martin Lewis Money Show LIVE, ITV1, 8pm tonight (Tue). Martin: "It's my final live show before Christmas. Everyone who's bought a car on finance since 2007 may be eligible to reclaim after a controversial court case. So I'm pleased the big boss of the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority's CEO Nikhil Rathi, has agreed to take your car finance questions live after I've explained what's going on. Get in touch via X (Twitter) using #MartinLewis or via Bluesky. This & loads more news you can use. Do watch or set the VHS."

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - £47 Grüum men's shaving bundle for £16 10,000 available - £239 Hoover vacuum for £99 with code 10,000 available	DID YOU MISS? - Coupons: Free £2 crisps, £2 off pizzas & more - Top 5.18% easy-access savings (up to £20,000) - Nationwide hikes packaged account fee - ditch & switch? - 50p personalised A5 photocard including delivery - £220 Instant Pot air fryer £100

 

 

New. Longest NO-FEE 0% balance transfer Shift existing credit card debt to absolutely no cost till 2026 'I was never eligible for top balance transfers, but thanks to your tool I tried again & was accepted' Another week, another new top balance transfer deal. We're happy to say the market's red hot, with top deals launching weekly, so it's the perfect time to sort costly credit card debt before everything piles up for Christmas. A balance transfer is where you get a new card that pays off debt on existing credit & store cards for you - so you now owe it instead, but at 0% interest for a set period. That way, more of your repayments go towards the debt rather than just paying the interest. To protect your credit history, apply via our eligibility calc to help you find who'll accept you. This shows which of the top cards will likely accept you, so you can home in on the right one, minimising applications to protect your credit score. As Martin (not our one) emailed us last week: "I've tried many times to get a decent 0% balance transfer card and have never been eligible. After your recent newsletter, I tried again and was accepted for a 30mth 0% card... so I can transfer over my expensive debt. Many thanks for your tools that let me do this." Go for the lowest fee within a 0% period long enough to clear your debt. Generally, the longer the balance transfer, the bigger the one-off fee you pay. So if you can clear quicker, aim to minimise the fees. And this week there's a new longest no-fee card, meaning do it right and there's no cost at all. Unsure? Play safe & go long. Usually rejected when you apply? MSE's free Credit Club (available via the MSE App on Apple | Android) can analyse the problem, plus you can also access our eligibility calc from there, to see which cards you can get. Top-pick newbies' 0% balance transfers (ordered by lowest fee) Some of these give all accepted customers the full 0% length - but Barclaycard and M&S are 'up to' cards. New. Barclaycard. Link goes via eligibility (1) - Up to 14mths 0% - NO FEE - 24.9% rep APR after Longest NO-FEE 0% card ... yet it's an 'up to'. If you're pre-approved in our eligibility calc, you'll get the full 14mths and there's no cost whatsoever - an easy winner. If not, you may get just 7mths, so if you've low acceptance odds, check NatWest's NO-FEE card, as if eligible you'll then get 12 or 10mths. Tesco Bank. Link goes via eligibility (1) - 18mths 0% - 0.99% fee - 24.9% rep APR after Long LOW-FEE 0% card ... and guaranteed-length 0%. For those needing a little longer to repay, this is in a sweet spot with a very low fee, just £10 per £1,000 shifted, and all accepted get the full 18mths. Ends Thu. M&S Bank. Link goes via eligibility or apply direct* - Up to 27mths 0% - 3.49% fee (min £5), but also £30 M&S vchr if transferring £1,000+ - 24.9% rep APR after Strong deal if transferring £1,000+ ... yet it's an 'up to' card. Those who shift £1,000 or more of debt get a £30 M&S voucher they can use on food, clothes etc. If you'd have spent that anyway, this essentially reduces the 3.49% fee you pay, so it can be a winner. If you're pre-approved in our eligibility calc, you'll get the full 27mths. If not, it could be 20mths. Tesco Bank. Link goes via eligibility (1) - 29mths 0% - 2.95% fee - 24.9% rep APR after Longest guaranteed-length 0% ... and a lowish fee. Many are pre-approved in our eligibility calc. If you're not, and you've decent acceptance odds, then you know if you do get it, you will definitely get the full 29mths 0%. So it's a strong, long choice. Barclaycard. Link goes via eligibility (1) - Up to 30mths 0% - 3.45% fee - 24.9% rep APR after Joint longest 0% ... yet it's an 'up to' card. Good lengthy time to repay and, if you're pre-approved in our eligibility calc, you'll get the full 30mths. If not, it could be 15mths. Alternatively, the HSBC card is the same length but a slightly higher fee. (1) Barclaycard and Tesco Bank have asked us to send people via eligibility, not direct. ALWAYS follow the Balance Transfer Golden Rules: a) Never miss the minimum monthly repayment, or you could lose the 0% deal and it'll cost far more. b) Aim to clear the card (or balance-transfer again) before the 0% ends, or the rate rockets to the higher APR. c) Don't spend or withdraw cash. It usually isn't at the cheap rate & withdrawals may hit your ability to access credit. d) If you don't transfer at application, you've usually only 60 to 90 days to get the 0%. Do check your card's terms. Quick balance transfer FAQs (click links for Martin's answers) Q. Is it worth applying if my eligibility odds are low? | Q. What if my credit limit isn't big enough? | Q. Can I shift debt to existing cards too? | Q. Should I try to pay off my biggest debt first? SPOILER: NO. Full help and info, including options for poorer credit scorers, in Best balance transfers.

 

Martin's new pod: Top children's savings | Urgent: Grab £100s free cash for switching bank now (most end imminently) | Best blags | Understand your tax code... This and lots more in the new The Martin Lewis Podcast. Listen via BBC Sounds | Spotify | Apple or wherever you get your Martin fix. Fri to Sun only. £10 off £50 at Ikea, but not for grinches... You have to turn up in 'festive clothing' to get the discount - we've asked and a Christmas jumper will do. Ikea Christmas Deals: 15p veg | BA & Easyjet flight sales? | John Lewis decoration discounts? And much more in our Christmas Deals Predictor. Get £28 when you spend £5+ online PLUS double cashback this Fri. Quidco newbies signing up via our link get an extra £28 cashback when they spend at least a fiver via it. AND, this Fri only, you can combine that with DOUBLE the normal retailer cashback rates (available to existing users too). Quidco bonus + boost National Express free child (15 or under) ticket with a paying grown-up via code. For travel till 6 Jan (including Christmas/Boxing Day/New Year's Day). 10,000 available. Coaching home for Christmas PS: Thursday is Christmas Jumper Day in aid of Save the Children.

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) up to 30mths 0%, 3.45% fee, 24.9% rep APR New. No-fee 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) up to 14mths 0%, 24.9% rep APR Barclaycard has asked us to only link via our eligibility calc Best bank accounts Ends Wed. Free £180 + £36/yr cashback: NatWest Reward Ends tonight. Free £200 + perks: Club Lloyds Broadband top picks Fast fibre (100Mb+): Virgin '£18.83/mth' Superfast fibre (500Mb+): Vodafone '£26.25/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 cash ISA: Plum (app-only) 5.18%, min £100 Top standard easy-access: Atom Bank 4.85%, no min Top one-year fix: Habib Bank Zurich 4.8%, min £5,000 Top energy deals Try our relaunched Cheap Energy Club Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.83/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£3.13/mth' for 5GB 10GB to 30GB data: Lebara, '£3.52/mth' for 12GB 31GB+ data: iD Mobile, '£4.42/mth' for 50GB

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL How much will you spend in total on Christmas this year? December is typically the highest month of spending for many people - but just how much do you expect to spend on Christmas this year? And do you think you'll spend more or less than last year? Vote in this week's poll. Virgin Media, the AA, the RAC, TalkTalk and Sky are among the easiest firms to haggle with. Last week, we asked which firms you've tried to haggle with in the past year, and if you got a better deal - over 6,700 of you responded. More than 70% of MoneySavers who'd tried haggling over broadband bills with Virgin Media, TalkTalk, Plusnet, Now and Sky reported some form of success. Haggling with mobile providers also bore fruit, with over 70% of those that tried having success with Sky and EE. For breakdown cover, 83% successfully haggled with the RAC and the AA. See full haggling poll results.

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Co-op member? You've got less than a month to use your rewards balance - or lose it - TV licence fee to rise by £5 to £174.50/yr from April 2025 - Scottish Budget 2024: Income Tax and benefits changes confirmed - Tuition fees and maintenance loans to rise in Wales

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should my daughter claim Universal Credit? My daughter is 18, lives at home and is taking a gap year before starting university next September. She had a temporary part-time job that recently ended and is now job hunting. Technically, she could claim Universal Credit, but she doesn't think she should as she has some savings and few outgoings, and our family isn't short of money. I suggested she claim it and put it towards her university costs, but she feels that's not what Universal Credit is designed for. Should she claim it? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should my daughter claim Universal Credit? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

 

What's behind the doors... - Day 1: Letters from Santa - Day 2: Join the Christmas chatter - Day 3: What to do with all that cheap veg - Day 4: Being festive on a tiny budget - Day 5: Christmas card etiquette ... of the MSE Forum Advent calendar? - Day 6: Finding the ultimate pickled onions for Christmas - Day 7: Which are the best seasonal sarnies? - Day 8: Ideas for lighter meals on 24 December - Day 9: Challenge to save for Christmas 2025 - Day 10: International traditions you've taken on What's next? Check back every day till Christmas

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: Amaryllises, engagement rings & wildlife trackers

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 10 DEC ONWARDS) Tue 10 Dec - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, ITV1, 8pm Thu 12 Dec - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm Tue 17 Dec - This Morning, phone-in and more, ITV1, 10am

 

 

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