End savings rip-off, dresses coats shoes £5ish, FREE £50 investment, NHS staff deals, cheapest iPhone 13

Plus... Wilko 12% off, £800 for £5k state pension, £230 M&S Advent £40, free £175 ends, 25mth 0% + £20

                                                           

02 November 2022 | View in browser

Banking & Savings Household Bills Deals Insurance Cards & Loans Mortgages Income Reclaim

 

THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL Martin's Savings Masterclass, including: - 2.5% is the MINIMUM you should get - Should you fix now? - Cash ISAs: Use 'em or lose 'em? Are you one of 4 million missing out on cheap broadband? 25 months' 0% spending + £20 cashback FREE £50 investment £800 for £5k state pension boost Bulb customer? You're going to Octopus Dresses, coats, shoes £5ish Wilko codes get 10% to 12% off Cut card interest to 34 months 0%  M&S Advent £230ish of beauty for £40 Ending. FREE £175 NatWest bribe Updated. NHS staff discounts New. Cheapest-ever iPhone 13  £50 Sanctuary Spa set £24.50 In Scotland and on a low income? Apply NOW for £150 off energy  Apple TV+ hikes prices 'I've saved £100 a month on childcare thanks to MSE' Law firm April King introduces shock will-storage fee This week's best buys, including '£3.40/month' 5GB Sim, Car Insurance Compare+ tool, 4.4% loans Our friends' wedding will be smaller than ours, so should I get them a smaller gift? BEST BUYS & TOOLS MSE Cheap Mobile Finder Credit Club including free credit report 0% balance transfers Compare broadband deals MSE Car Insurance Compare+ 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

Martin's Savings Masterclass STOP THE SAVINGS RIP-OFF Many still get less than a paltry 1% interest, yet top rates near 5%. Check today, then ditch & switch The UK base rate has been rising since last December. And while big banks push variable mortgage rates up quicker than Bradley Wiggins in the Tour de France, their savings rates are more like gym bikes - going nowhere no matter what you do. On Thursday the Bank of England is predicted to put UK rates up again, from the current 2.25% to 3%. So the huge numbers with savings (£190bn extra was built up during the pandemic) should take stock now, check what you're being paid, and ensure you get the top savings rates. Yet as the graph shows, with inflation now over a stomach-churning 10%, bluntly, in real terms all savings are losings, as your money's purchasing power is eroding. But that makes it even more pressing to maximise every penny of savings interest, to mitigate the impact. As William emailed us: "Our savings were earning 0.75%, we changed them to an annual fixed rate of 3.2%, which will earn us an extra £1,028 when the 12 months expire. Thank you." All savings listed below have the full £85,000 UK savings safety protection. You should earn a minimum 2.5% As that's the top easy-access rate for lump sums Easy-access savings are the simplest form of savings, where you can put money in and take it out when you want. The rates here are all AER variable, which means they can change, so do monitor them. - Pros: Flexibility. You've access to your cash whenever it's needed, and can ditch at speed if the rate's no longer competitive. Plus with UK rates likely to rise further, some top accounts increase their rates soon after the announcement. - Cons: They pay less than top fixes. And as the chart above shows, the gap is currently large. So they'd need to rise a lot to catch up. Top open-to-all easy-access account pays 2.5%. Sister banks Marcus* & Saga* (owned by giant US bank Goldman Sachs) have both just upped their interest rates to 2.5% (min £1, max £250,000), including a one-year bonus of 0.25%. Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) offers the same rate but only on the first £5,000 - it's 2% above that. And while Marcus and Saga allow unlimited withdrawals, YBS only allows two a year. For more options see top easy-access savings. Earn up to 5% depending on your bank account. There are some higher-paying accounts, but you need to have a current account with the bank to open them... - Barclays' Rainy Day Saver pays 5% on up to £5,000, though there are some hoops to jump through (link explains). - HSBC pays 3% on up to £10,000. You're also eligible for this if you've another of its savings accounts (so you could put £1 in one to gain access). Earn 2.1% PLUS 1% cashback on all spending. The Chase* app is a bank account, but you DON'T need to switch to get it (and is best used as a spending account alongside your normal bank), nor does it do a credit check, just an ID check. The linked savings rate is strong at 2.1% on up to £250,000, but it also pays 1% cashback on almost all debit card spending for the first year, has the cheapest card for spending abroad, and it gives 5% interest on 'round-ups' (the spare change from a purchase). So as an all-rounder it's a decent alternative. As Laura emailed us: "On your advice, I opened Chase mid-April. On 1 June I received my first full month's interest of £90.64. Thank you so much. I had only received pennies annually from TSB. I have also received £29.60 for the 1% cashback." Fixes now pay 4.85% - highest since 2009 Double the interest if you are happy to lock cash away  The last time fixed-rate savings were this high was 2009 - I was still in school! OK, it was a day visit to give a financial education talk, but don't burst my bubble. Fixed-rate savings, also known as savings bonds (be careful, lots of riskier things are called 'bonds' too), have risen faster than easier access, likely because some of the predicted future interest rate rises have already been incorporated. - Pros: Far higher rates, and the rates are fixed. - Cons: Your money is locked away, without access (except cash ISA fixes, see below), which also means if other rates were to rise and they no longer looked competitive, you're stuck with it. Rates change rapidly, so do check the latest top fixes. Here are the correct ones at the time of sending. Top 6mth fix: Atom 3.55% AER (min £50) via an app Top 1yr fix: Oxbury Bank 4.65% AER (min £1,000) via an app, or RCI Bank 4.6% AER* (min £1,000)  Top 2yr fix: RCI Bank 4.85% AER* (min £1,000) or Tandem 4.8% AER* (min £1) via an app Is it worth fixing when UK rates are likely to rise? Like with fixed mortgages, fixed savings rates tend to move more with government gilt rates than the UK base rate (oversimplifying, gilt rates sort-of factor in future rate rises), so some, though not all, of the immediate future rises may be baked in. Though with a rate rise coming, you may want to wait a week or so to see if things tweak up. Yet be aware this is a moving feast and constant delay just means the lost opportunity of earning far more in a fix now compared to easy access. And certainly if you've got money languishing in very poorly paying accounts, and don't normally focus on this, action is definitely the best course. I've mainly listed shorter fixes, as while top three- and five-year fixes pay up to 5.05%, for me that doesn't feel enough of a premium to lock in for longer in a rising rate environment. You may disagree though. Cash ISA rates up. Should you use or lose 'em?  The top rates are now 4.35%, and you can put £20,000/yr in The top cash ISA rates are up. Good news for the millions with money in these tax-free savings accounts, who should therefore transfer their often poorly paying cash ISAs to higher payers. Yet is an ISA right for you? The big question - do you pay tax on your savings interest? The personal savings allowance (PSA) launched in 2016, meaning you get a tax-free amount of interest you can earn in ANY savings... - Basic (20%) taxpayers can get £1,000/year of interest tax-free - Higher (40%) taxpayers, £500/year of interest tax-free - Top (45%) taxpayers don't get a PSA Remember, that's the amount of INTEREST you can earn - so you need a lot of savings to generate it. For years, with low savings rates, few have paid tax on savings interest. At one point, you needed over £200,000 in top easy-access savings to generate it. But now rates are rising... This means you need far less in top savings before you pay tax. Amount needed in top savings today, before you pay tax on interest Top 2yr fix (4.85%) Top easy access (2.5%) Basic 20% rate £20,600 £40,000 Higher 40% rate  £10,300 £20,000 If you've got more than that, it's where cash ISAs come in... A cash ISA is a savings account where interest is NEVER taxed. It doesn't count towards your PSA interest allowance either. You can put £20,000 in each tax year (so until 5 April), and then once in, it stays tax-free year after year. Yet usually CASH ISAS PAY LESS THAN NORMAL SAVINGS, though right now, rarely, Marcus is offering the same rate for both, easy access - but it's only for new money. So it's not a problem to use it. But fixes pay far less, in which case while they're a winner for those who earn enough interest to bust the PSA limit, if you're a smaller saver, stick with normal savings. Top cash ISA Top normal savings  Easy access Marcus* & Saga* 2.5% (new money only) Top for new money & transfers is Paragon at 2.3% (3 penalty-free withdrawals allowed a year) Marcus* & Saga* 2.5%. Yet for those who pay tax on interest, it's equivalent to 2% at basic rate | 1.5% higher rate | 1.38% top rate 1yr fix Secure Trust Bank 3.9% (new money & transfers) Oxbury Bank 4.65%. Yet for those who pay tax on interest, it's equivalent to 3.72% at basic rate | 2.79% higher rate | 2.56% top rate  2yr fix Saffron BS 4.35% (new money only) Top for new money & transfers is Virgin Money at 4.31% RCI 4.85%*. Yet for those who pay tax on interest, it's equivalent to 3.88% at basic rate | 2.91% higher rate | 2.67% top rate Already have cash ISAs? Transfer to a top payer. If your existing cash ISA earns less, most of the above allow you to transfer them in. 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 to move it, then it loses its 'cash ISA' status). Got a cash ISA but don't pay tax on savings? Many should ditch 'em. If you don't and won't pay tax on savings interest, just move to the highest interest rate possible, which is in normal savings (you can just withdraw your money from the cash ISA, unless it's a fix). There are a couple of exceptions... - If you're close to paying tax on savings. If you're near the PSA limit, as interest rates are likely to keep rising, keeping money in cash ISAs now can protect you from future tax. - If you want a fix that you can withdraw money from early. Cash ISA rules mean you must be allowed to withdraw money, though they can charge big interest penalties for doing so (90 to 180 days' interest). Premium Bond prize fund has gone up to 2.2%   Yet most win less. They're best for bigger taxpaying savers Premium Bonds are savings, where the interest each person earns is decided by a lottery. The October prize rate went up to 2.2%, meaning for every £100 in there, £2.20 is paid out. This is a tenth less than the top easy-access rates, and is far below fixed rates (and as most put money in Premium Bonds for the longer term, arguably that can be a fair comparison). But in practice it's more complex. Our Premium Bond Prize Predictor shows what you're likely to earn for each amount, but for a rough picture, as this small chart shows, unless you've a decent whack in Premium Bonds, with typical luck you're likely to win far less than the prize rate. Even with the full £50,000 you're likely to win £1,000/year (which is 2%). However, if you've enough savings to take you over the PSA limit, as Premium Bonds winnings are all tax-free and don't count towards your PSA allowance, similarly to cash ISAs, with a decent whack they're a much better bet, especially for higher-rate taxpayers. Full pros & cons in Are Premium Bonds worth it? Boost interest up to 50% with special accounts There are a few specialist savings options some can take which pay more. So here's my checklist of other things to look at... 1. Are you on universal credit or tax credits? You may be eligible for an unbeatable 50% Help to Save bonus. Charlotte emailed me: "I saw one of your shows a while back where you told us about the Government's Help to Save scheme. I set it up and have been paying in the max £50/month and have just received my £575 bonus. Thanks." 2. Do you have existing expensive debt? Paying off debt is usually more lucrative than saving. See our Should I pay off my debt? guide. It's more complex with mortgages. First try our Mortgage Overpayment Calculator, which compares overpaying mortgages to saving, then read pros & cons in Should I overpay my mortgage? 3. Are you a wannabe first-time buyer aged 18 to 39? There's a whopping 25% bonus possible via top Lifetime ISAs. It worked for Bradley, who emailed: "Your insightful information on Lifetime ISAs really helped me to afford my deposit. Within 3 tax years, I've maxed out the deposit limit of £4,000/year and received the £1,000 bonuses, in total saving £15,000." 4. Save regularly each month? Earn 5% in top regular savings. 5. With inflation high and savings relatively low, should you invest? 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, not because I'm against it, just because it's not my expertise. 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.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Are you on a low income? You may be one of 4 million missing out on special cheap broadband  New. Vodafone joins BT, Sky and many others offering a 'social tariff' Normally we say the way to bag cheap broadband is via short-lived promotional deals. Yet for those on a range of benefits, there are now a growing number of 'social tariffs', which give consistently cheap prices. More than 10 providers currently offer them, and they rarely appear on comparison sites. We simply link to them from ours, but are trying to work them into our comparison results in the future. And the saving? Typically way more than £100 a year. Who qualifies for a social tariff? All the main ones are for anyone on universal credit, most also allow those receiving pension credit, and many also include those on jobseeker's allowance, employment and support allowance, disability living allowance and personal independence payments. Providers will recheck your eligibility every 12 months. (Not eligible? Use our cheap broadband finder.) The good news is, barring Sky, you don't need to be an existing customer of the firm to get one. So check out our discounted social broadband tariffs page to see which ones you qualify for. Broadband social tariffs New. Vodafone Essentials - 38Mb fibre & line £12/month BT Home Essentials - 36Mb fibre & line £15/month - 67Mb fibre & line £20/month - £9.99 upfront fee New. Virgin Media Essential - 15Mb fibre broadband only (no line) £12.50/month - 50Mb fibre broadband only (no line) £20/month Sky Basics - 36Mb fibre & line £20/month - 18-month contract For a full breakdown of these deals, plus tariffs from Now, KCOM, Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, G Network, Air and Country Connect, go to our discounted social broadband tariffs round-up. Top switchers' broadband deals  Ends Sun. Shell Energy - 18-month contract - Mid-term higher-than-inflation price hike allowed in contract  Apply via these Broadband Genie links and all-in the equivalent cost is... - 38Mb fibre & line for '£12.91/month' - 67Mb fibre & line for '£14.16/month' This is made up of a) £4.95 upfront; b) £22.49 or £23.99/month; c) The first three months are free; d) You can claim a £110 Amazon voucher within 4 months. We factor all those in (if you'd have spent at Amazon anyway) to get the equivalent prices before calls. Shell was rated 'poor' in our last service poll, so there's a balance to be struck between price and service. More options in our broadband comparison. Ends Mon. Vodafone - 24-month contract - Mid-term higher-than-inflation price hike allowed in contract Apply via this Vodafone 67Mb link and you'll pay £22/month, but you'll be able to claim (don't forget) a £105 Amazon, Tesco, Sainsbury's or M&S voucher within 4 months. If you'd have spent there anyway, factor that in and it's equivalent to £17.63/month over the 24-month contract. Vodafone was rated 'OK' in our last service poll. More options in our broadband comparison. TalkTalk offers six months' FREE broadband for jobseekers on universal credit. Something slightly different from TalkTalk, but worth knowing - it's specifically for those without an internet connection. Standard deals can undercut these, in the short term. The cheapest standard deals can be very cheap when you factor in sign-up incentives, so they're good for those willing to switch regularly. But if you want simplicity, and a firm you can stay with longer term, then social tariffs win, as long as you still qualify. As Sharon emailed: "I wanted to say thanks, I only just subscribed to the weekly email, and it gave me the kick up the bum I needed. I looked into BT's social tariff and applied online the next day, since I'm on benefits because of health issues. I can't believe the price, I keep thinking it's a mistake. I'm going to be saving £33.49 a month, have faster broadband and unlimited calls." More broadband switching need-to-knows... - Slow broadband? Test your speed. Do a broadband speed check and try our eight speed-boosters. - At least 50% of customers must get the advertised speeds at peak times. All providers above also tell you the estimated max speed you're likely to get before you sign up. - Switching usually only means about two hours' downtime. You're told the switch time in advance and most won't need an engineer to visit. With switches to or from Virgin it's more likely - you're normally told before you apply.  - Don't want to switch? Haggle. See full broadband haggling tips. - Members of cashback sites can sometimes undercut deals. More in Top cashback sites.

 

Grab one of 8,000 totally FREE £50 investments. You just put in £50 & get £50 cashback for it. This is frankly a ridiculous deal. Robo-investment firm Wealthify gives newbies £50 cashback after 12 months on £50 invested. So open an account, put your £50 in and wait - even if your investments flop, at worst you break-even. Full info in Robo-investing cashback. New. Martin's 'Aged 45 to 70? Can you pay £800 to boost your state pension by £5,000?' video. We've added this 5-min easy explainer from last week's The Martin Lewis Money Show, to our full State pension boosting guide. Bulb customer? You're moving over to Octopus soon. Don't worry, your credit balances are protected and you needn't cancel direct debits. Full help and Martin's view in our Bulb sold to Octopus info. 1,000s of high-street coats, shoes, dresses for £4.75 to £5.65 with code, PLUS free delivery. MSE Blagged. Surplus stock and non-branded items from high-street names (previously including H&M, Topshop, New Look and more) at Everything5pounds - where, bizarrely, not everything's £5 anymore... but it's still mega-cheap. 12% off £40 OR 10% off everything at Wilko via codes - online only. MSE Blagged. Delivery's £5. Wilko codes Cut credit card interest to 34 months 0% NOW? Last week, we warned you credit card interest rates are on the rise - do read that for full help. But in summary we're worried the top deals, such as Sainsbury's up-to 34-month 0%* may not be around too long (comes with a 2.88% or 3.88% fee, plus it's 21.9% rep APR interest after the 0% ends). Best to first use our 0% eligibility calculator to check your odds of getting most of the top cards. More info in Best balance transfers. M&S beauty Advent calendar worth £230ish for £40. But only if you spend £30+ on clothing, beauty or homeware. Use it yourself or split it up for gifts. Not just any Advent calendar Ends Thu. FREE £175 NatWest bank switch bribe. One of the highest total bank-switching incentives is ending - with NatWest* you get a free £175 for switching then a relatively easy £36 a year cashback. Yet there are some arguably stronger alternatives - full details, including crucial eligibility info, in Best bank accounts. Tonight (Tue 8pm), ITV - The Martin Lewis Money Show - END THE SAVINGS RIP-OFF. Over to Martin: "Banks are boosting margins by upping variable mortgage rates, but not savings rates. It's time to take 'em on. I'll show you how to maximise your interest (much like at the top of this email) and take your questions (tweet them using #MartinLewis), alongside an investment adviser. PS: Do also listen to my new The Martin Lewis Podcast via BBC Sounds."

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - High street coats, shoes and more £5-ish with code Ends Sun - 12% off £40 OR 10% off everything at Wilko Ends Tue 8 Nov - iPhone 13 contract with 100GB for '£31/month' Ends Sat	DID YOU MISS? - Free £2 Lindt choc, £1.50 off Nestlé cereal - our coupons update - Ends Sun. FREE jacket potato & beans at Morrisons cafes - Are you a woman owed £1,000s of state pension? - Cheap Christmas train tickets now available

 

 

Need to borrow? Do it interest-free for 25 months AND get £20 cashback, with the top 0% spending card Credit cards are like fire. Used right, they're a useful tool; used wrong, they'll burn. If you need to borrow though, and get it right, then a 0% for spending credit card is unbeatable over the medium term. And right now there's a deal that also gives you £20 back on your spending. Of course, it hopes to make interest from you in the long-run, so our job is to show you how to stop that from happening. Don't borrow willy-nilly. Credit cards can be tempting. DON'T use one to fill gaps in your day-to-day spending - that just risks a debt spiral. They should only be used for planned, budgeted, one-off, necessary expenditure. In that case, 0% borrowing is as cheap as it gets. Barclaycard gives 'up to' 25 months 0% on spending PLUS £20 cashback. This Barclaycard* (best to check your eligibility odds before applying) is the longest 0% spending card we've seen since 2020, but the 'up to' means that poorer credit scorers could get just 12 months at 0% (it's 22.9% rep APR interest after the 0% ends).  There's also £20 cashback for accepted newbies who haven't had a Barclaycard in the last year, and who spend at least £250 in the first 90 days - though don't use this as a reason to overspend. As we say above, 0% cards are best used just for your planned borrowing. M&S has the longest non-up-to card at 24 months 0%. This M&S card* has a shorter 0%, but here ALL accepted will get the full two years at 0%, so if you've strong eligibility odds and weaker with Barclaycard, it's a better bet. You'll also rack up M&S points on spending. It's 21.9% rep APR interest after the 0%. For a full list of alternative cards, see our 0% spending cards guide. Follow the 0% Card Golden Rules. Full info in 0% credit cards, but in brief... a) Never try to borrow your way out of debt - if you're struggling, see our Debt help guide. b) Always pay at least the set monthly minimum and stick within the credit limit, or you can lose the 0% offer. c) These cards are usually only top picks for spending - avoid cash withdrawals or shifting debt to them. d) Plan to clear the card (or balance-transfer away) before the 0% period ends, or the rate jumps to the rep APR.

 

Updated. NHS & emergency service discounts, including 10% off Asda plus 20% off McDonald's & Nando's. See NHS discounts. New. Cheapest iPhone 13 contract we've seen - 100GB data for '£31/month'. MSE Blagged. iPhones aren't cheap, but if you're going to buy one, at least do it the cheapest way. This 128GB iPhone 13 comes on the O2 network via MobilePhonesDirect. Until 11.59pm on Saturday it costs £99 upfront, then £27/month (£747 over the two-year contract) for 100GB/month of data and unlimited mins & texts. Want a different handset or a Sim-only deal? See MSE's Cheap Mobile Finder tool. Note: O2 is responsible for the contract, MobilePhonesDirect for the handset. Boots 'Star Gift': £50 Sanctuary Spa set £24.50. 7-piece set, including body wash, hand cream and heel balm. Boots Live in Scotland and on a low income? Apply NOW for £150 off your energy bills. The warm home discount is a one-off deduction to your electric bill and while those eligible for it in England and Wales get it automatically, many in Scotland still need to apply. Major suppliers British Gas, EDF, Shell and Octopus are now taking applications, so go quick as it's first come, first served. See our Scotland warm home discount help. Apple TV+ subscriber? It's hiked prices to £6.99 a month. You can cancel penalty-free at any time, but you might be able to save if you have other Apple subscriptions (such as Music or iCloud). See Apple TV+ price hikes. 'I've saved £100 a month on childcare thanks to MSE.' Our success of the week discovered they could save on childcare costs after reading the MSE email. They said: "I had no idea about the Government's Tax-Free Childcare scheme until I received an email highlighting I could pay for after-school care via its website and save 20%. Thanks to Martin and his team I now save around £100 a month. I am so grateful. Thank you." If we've helped you save money (on this, or anything else), please send us your MoneySaving successes. Law firm April King introduces shock will-storage fee - or a £35 charge to get yours back. The firm sold wills with free storage but is now charging up to £125 to look after them - or, outrageously, a fee to get 'em back. See your rights and alternatives. Related: Cheap and free wills.

 

 

Tell your friends about us They can get this email free every week

 

 

AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*) - up to 34 months 0%, 2.88% or 3.88% fee (21.9% rep APR interest) No-fee 0%: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*) - up to 22 months 0%, no fee or 1%, or NatWest - 22 months 0% if you're a NatWest/RBS customer (both 21.9% rep APR interest)  Best bank accounts £200 to switch + 5% interest: Nationwide £175 to switch + TOP service: First Direct   Top savings accounts Top easy access: Marcus 2.5%, min £1 Top one-year fix: Oxbury Bank 4.65%, min £1,000   Car insurance Try our new Car Insurance Compare+ tool Cheap loans Cheapest for £5,000 to £7,499: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*), 5.1% rep APR (Nectar cardholders) or 5.7% rep APR interest Cheapest for £7,500 to £15,000: Halifax (apply), 4.4% rep APR interest Broadband top picks Fibre (30Mb+): Shell Energy '£12.91/month' Superfast fibre (55Mb+): Shell Energy '£14.16/month' On universal credit or similar? Check discounted social tariffs Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: '£2.48/month' for 3GB, Lebara or Lycamobile 4GB to 9GB data: '£3.38/month' for 5GB, Lebara or Lycamobile 10GB+ data: '£4.52/month' for 15GB, Lebara or Lycamobile

 

THIS WEEK'S POLL When did you last move your savings? With the top rates at their highest for more than 10 years, it's important to check your savings are earning as much interest as they can - and if not, move them (see Top savings accounts for the current best buys). Yet we know switching savings isn't everyone's top priority - so when was the last time you moved your cash into a higher-paying account?  In the ninth MSE Annual Census, the average MoneySaver is married without (dependent) kids, earns less than £50,000 a year, gets most of their news from the BBC and - controversially - ranks cheese and onion as their favourite crisp flavour. Find out more about the 17,000+ people who responded in the MSE Annual Census results.

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Got a non-smart prepayment meter for energy? Use (or lose) your £66 government help voucher - Made.com on the brink of collapse - here are your refund and return rights - Royal Mail warns of delivery delays as 115,000 workers walk out - New greener petrol to be introduced in Northern Ireland - but it could push up costs

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Our friends' wedding is smaller than ours, so should I get them a smaller gift? We're going to a wedding soon and the couple getting married came to ours which was an all-day event with three-course meal and evening buffet. They gave us £30 and a bottle of prosecco as a present. Their wedding doesn't start until 5pm, and only entrées will be served. I'm planning to give them a gift of similar value to the one they gave us - usually I'd spend more, but given their wedding will be a smaller event, is it OK to spend less? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I get my friends a smaller wedding gift? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma

 

A few food & drink comps... - Win six award-winning wines - Win a Lindt chocolate bundle - Win a £250 gift box of Italian treats - Win the Hotel Chocolat 'Taste: Everything' collection ... from the MSE Forum - Win a Christmas turkey - Win a 12-month supply of vegan dog food - Win a luxury Aldi Christmas treats hamper - Win three bottles of Hawksbill Caribbean spiced rum

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: Squeegees, skylines & sausage fingers

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 2 NOV ONWARDS) Wed 2 Nov - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm Tue 8 Nov - This Morning, phone-in, ITV, 10.20am Tue 8 Nov - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, ITV, 8pm MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECT TBC) Tue 8 Nov - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 10.45am

 

VINTAGE TENNIS RACKETS AND FIRST-EDITION VINYL - WHAT'S THE BEST TREASURE YOU'VE EVER FOUND? That's all for this week, but before we go... when we read about the Yorkshire couple who found £754,000 of gold coins under their kitchen floor while redecorating, we wanted to know what the best treasure MoneySavers have ever found was. One told us they discovered a 1930s vintage tennis racket in their late grandmother's belongings, which sold for £550. Another bought a copy of James and the Giant Peach for 20p in a charity shop which sold for £180, while a first-edition Pink Floyd album found in a dusty loft was flogged for £200. However, as one user pointed out to those who said they wanted to tear up their floors in the hope of finding treasure, you will find something expensive - the repair bill... Tell us your favourite finds in our Facebook and Twitter conversations. We hope you save some money, stay safe, The MSE team

 

Important. Please read how MoneySavingExpert.com works We think it's important you understand the strengths and limitations of this email and the site. We're a journalistic website, and aim to provide the best MoneySaving guides, tips, tools and techniques - but can't promise to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong. What you need to know This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances - and remember we focus on rates not service. We don't as a general policy investigate the solvency of companies mentioned, how likely they are to go bust, but there is a risk any company can struggle and it's rarely made public until it's too late (see the Section 75 guide for protection tips). We often link to other websites, but can't be responsible for their content. Always remember anyone can post on the MSE forums, so it can be very different from our opinion. Please read the Full Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, How This Site is Financed and Editorial Code. Martin Lewis is a registered trade mark belonging to Martin S Lewis. More about MoneySavingExpert and Martin Lewis What is MoneySavingExpert.com? Founded in February 2003, it is now the UK's biggest consumer help website, with more than 12 million users each month and about 8.5 million receiving this email. In September 2012 it became part of the MoneySupermarket Group PLC. Its focus is simple - saving cash and fighting for financial justice on anything and everything. The site has over 80 full-time staff, more than a third of whom are editorial - researching, analysing and writing to continually find ways to save money. More info: See About MSE. Who is Martin Lewis? Martin Lewis CBE is the founder and executive chair of MSE, as well as the founder of the MMHPI charity. He's an ultra-focused MoneySaving journalist and consumer campaigner with his own prime-time ITV programme The Martin Lewis Money Show, Radio 5 Live Wednesday show Ask Martin Lewis and weekly slot on This Morning, among others. More info: See Martin Lewis' biography. What do the links with an * mean? Any links with an * by them are affiliated, which means get a product via this link and a contribution may be made to MoneySavingExpert.com, which helps it stay free to use. You shouldn't notice any difference; the links don't impact the products at all and the editorial line (the things we write) isn't changed due to them. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the best product, it's still included in the same way. More info: See How This Site is Financed. As we believe transparency is important, we're including the following 'un-affiliated' web-addresses for content too: Unaffiliated web-addresses for links in this email marcus.co.uk, sagasavings.co.uk, chase.co.uk, rcibank.co.uk, tandem.co.uk, sainsburysbank.co.uk, natwest.com, barclaycard.co.uk, bank.marksandspencer.com Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Note MoneySupermarket.com Financial Group Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 303190). MoneySavingExpert.com Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales. Company Registration Number: 8021764. Registered office: One Dean Street, London, W1D 3RB. MoneySavingExpert.com Limited is an appointed representative of MoneySupermarket.com Financial Group Limited. To change your email or stop receiving the weekly tips (unsubscribe): Go to: www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips.