Do you pay tax on savings?, £100 off energy standing charges, 26 holiday booking hacks, 4 x £175 FREE cash, 50+ coupons

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28 January 2025 | View in browser

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THE TOP TIPS IN THIS EMAIL 26 holiday booking hacks, including: - Bag 18 days off for 9 days' leave - Get travel insurance ASAB - Cheapest way to spend abroad - Cut costs of booking - Beat school hols price hikes Four banks now pay up to £175 FREE cash Mid-contract broadband & mobile inflation-linked price hikes banned! Will you pay tax on savings? New. £100 off energy standing charges Extra 20% off already-discounted Converse, Asos, Nike & more Tax warning for online sellers Up to 32mths' 0% debt shift Lloyds, Halifax, BoS customers - is your overdraft rising to 50%? Coupons: free £2 energy drinks, 50% off Oxo, 30% off Kellogg's Last chance to file tax return 50p personalised photocard 8pm tonight. The Martin Lewis Money Show Live - pensions special Martin's new pod: Banned: mobile & broadband mid-contract inflation price hikes Insulation fitted under Government schemes putting some homes at risk FREE gym passes, tennis & more Hot Diamonds 40% off code Live in Scotland & on benefits? Apply NOW for £150 Warm Home Discount This week's best buys: 5.12% easy-access savings, 5.9% loans, Compare+ Car Insurance tool Money Moral Dilemma: A fire at my house damaged my neighbour's place - should I pay? 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

Get 18 days off for just 9 days' leave! Plus 25 more holiday tips, tricks & hacks to safely save in UK & abroad Cheap flights, insurance, dollars, car hire, euros, is your passport valid?, GHICs, beat school hol hikes & more Chilly January is the hottest month for holiday bookings - especially for the summer getaway. Many are booked, some are booking, and others have it burning a hole in their to-do lists. So we've tips on how to keep costs grounded and hassles away, whether you're booked or planning to... 1. How to get 18 successive days off for just 9 days' annual leave. This only happens every four or five years, so sort it quick, as soon everyone will be trying to do it. See 18 days off for 9 days' leave. 2. Going abroad? Check NOW if your passport will expire within 6 months of you travelling OR will be over 10 years old. If either of these are true, you may have a problem if you don't renew it beforehand. Check our list of 'what's a valid passport?' rules for common destinations. If you do, get on with it, as it can take time - see cheapest way to renew passports. 3. The 'rebook & cancel' trick is your friend. Aim for free or cheap cancellation when booking hotels & car hire. In the run-up to the summer holidays, we'll be telling you - if you've got free or cheap cancellation on car hire or hotels, check to see if you can get what you've booked cheaper. If so, rebook it then cancel your original. We're always swamped with successes such as this one that Steve tweeted us: "@MoneySavingExp Booked a Melbourne hotel well in advance a few years ago. It was quite expensive because the Formula One Australian Grand Prix was scheduled for that week. When it was moved to the week before, prices dropped and we rebooked, saving over £300." See the rebook & cancel trick for more help on exactly what to do. 4. Warning. Always get travel insurance ASAB (as soon as you book) Waiting leaves you unprotected. You can do it for as little as £7 If you've just made your travel plans, don't forget an essential step - getting travel insurance NOW. This isn't just about being organised, Martin's ASAB rule is far more important than that... "Heartbreakingly, each year people who've been diagnosed with cancer or other serious conditions usually ask me about their holiday, as they can no longer go and the airline/hotel won't refund (as the ticket isn't faulty). I suggest they contact their travel insurer, as that's a key gap it's designed to cover, and then some reply that they haven't got around to getting cover yet. It's painful. Half the point of travel insurance is to protect you if things happen beforehand that stop you going, so delay and you're not getting all its value. Get it ASAB." So here are the cheapest bog-standard, no-frills, Financial Conduct Authority-regulated options we can find that meet our minimum cover levels, judged purely on price, NOT feedback. For stronger feedback, eg, to cover airline failure, natural disasters etc, or higher cover levels, go straight to our Travel Insurance Finder tool. The exact price depends on age & circumstances, so we give the three cheapest options - do check at least a couple. Annual policies... for those holidaying more than once this year. If you'll go away at least twice, even just for weekends, annual cover usually works out cheapest. It covers virtually all trips away, though often has a duration limit eg, 30 days per trip. (Plus see when to get your next annual policy if you already have one in place). For under-66s: From £11 for singles in Europe, from £93 for a family worldwide. Check Coverwise (Bronze)*, Admiral* (use discount code MSE15), Leisure Guard Flexi (Bronze) and A to Z Insurance (Essential). Full info: Cheap travel insurance. For over-65s: Costs rocket with age, so we've put a lot of work into our Over-65s' travel insurance guide. Annual prices are from £36/yr if you're aged 66, and from £113/yr if aged 76. Check Admiral* (use discount code MSE15), Leisure Guard (Standard), Avanti (Classic)* and Staysure (Comprehensive)*. There are couples' policies available too, though family policies are trickier unless you have a child at home who is under 18 (or in full-time education). Single-trip policies to cover a one-off holiday. For those not choosing an annual policy, or who need special cover, enter the dates you are travelling (even if months ahead) and you'll be covered for cancellation from the moment you pay. For under-66s: For a week, from £7 for individuals in Europe, or from £48 for a family worldwide. Check Coverwise (Bronze)*, Leisure Guard Flexi (Bronze) and CoverForYou (Silver)*. For over-65s: Full info & options in Over-65s' travel insurance, but it can be from £26/wk for an individual in Europe (£64 worldwide). Check Coverwise (Bronze)*, Leisure Guard Flexi (Bronze), Avanti (Classic)*, Admiral* (use discount code MSE15) and Staysure (Comprehensive)*. Got pre-existing conditions? There are too many variables to summarise the options, so please jump straight to our Top pre-existing medical conditions travel insurance guide. 5. The cheapest way to spend abroad is on the RIGHT plastic, smashing bureaux de change. Sort it now to save hassle then. Normally when you pay on plastic abroad, your card provider gets near-perfect exchange rates but charges you a 'non-sterling exchange rate' fee of around 3% - so £100 of foreign currency costs you £103. HOWEVER, a few top specialist cards don't add that fee, so you get the same near-perfect exchange rate in every country that the card provider does and some even give you cashback on top. Our top picks are... - Chase: Easy to get, top exchange rates & 1% cashback. While it's a debit card, you don't need to switch bank to get it - just grab the Chase Bank* app (there's no hard credit-check either). Not only do you get near-perfect exchange rates, no ATM withdrawal charges or interest, it gives 1% cashback on spending in the UK and abroad (max £15/mth) - so you get an unbeatable near-perfect rate AND cashback. - Barclaycard Reward: Top credit card, so extra protection (though do pay off IN FULL). Buy something on a credit card costing £100.01 to £30,000 and you get Section 75 protection. So buy something abroad and if owt goes wrong once you get home, you don't need to go back to the far-flung shop. If you're going to do that, then you need a credit card, so our top pick overseas one is Barclaycard's Reward Visa, which also gives near-perfect exchange rates, no ATM fee and 0.25% cashback on spending in the UK and abroad. Yet only do this if you'll pay it off, as Martin always says, IN FULL each month to avoid interest. More in Top credit cards for travelling abroad. - Get FREE £175 cash towards your holiday, and near-perfect debit card exchange rates, if you'll switch banks. The top-rated-for-service First Direct 1st Account* currently pays switchers £175 free cash, and has a debit card that gives near-perfect exchange rates on spending. More on this and the £3/mth fee version from Santander Edge in our free cash for switching current accounts note below. PS: When we say 'near-perfect exchange rates', that means compared to the rate on the day you spend. If you're worried about rate changes and want to lock in some money at today's rate for peace of mind, you can do that with the top prepaid travel cards. 6. Just want travel cash? Speedily compare bureaux to find the best deal. If you want some cash with you just in case, find top rates through our TravelMoneyMax comparison. 7. Going to Europe? Check your free EHIC/GHIC is still valid. These cards give access to state-run hospitals or GPs in EU countries for the same price as a local - so if they don't pay, you don't pay. Yet 1.8m EHICs are expiring this year, so check yours. If it's set to become invalid, see how to safely get a free GHIC (same card, new name). DO NOT GOOGLE - often shyster sites try to charge you for something that is free. Not booked your overseas holiday yet? Speedy ways to cut costs 8. For flights, always check a comparison site. Our top picks are Kayak*, Skyscanner*, Google Flights and Momondo*. Now's a good time to check because some January airline sales are on for another week, eg, Easyjet, Virgin Atlantic and Jet2. There's more in our booking cheap flights guide. 9. Whether in the UK or abroad, the same hotel room is often sold at vastly different prices. Never just book at the first site you find. Again, specialist comparison sites can search a range of the main booking sites to find the cheapest. Our top picks are Trivago*, Kayak*, Skyscanner*, TripAdvisor* and TravelSupermarket*. See full help in top hotel comparisons. 10. Going in a group? Villas, apartments and Airbnb can undercut hotels. If you're travelling with extended family or a gaggle of friends; cottages, villas and apartments can massively undercut similar quality hotels - and the bigger the group, the bigger the potential saving. We've more on this and other tips in our 23 hotel booking tricks guide. 11. Don't forget tour operator packages, especially trips to traditional holiday destinations for up to 14 days. They're generally the cheapest for those types of holidays - even compared with booking DIY - plus crucially you get free ATOL/ABTA protection, meaning if a company goes bust, or you don't get the holiday you paid for (due to weather disruption etc), you can get your money back. See Cheap package hols. 12. How to get extra protection - while booking online... book two of a flight/travel, accommodation or car hire. Book two or more elements of your holiday through the SAME site or company in a single transaction, and you'll get the ATOL/ABTA protection you get with travel agents as well - though do check the company offers ATOL/ABTA protection before paying. See get package holiday protection on your DIY booking. So if you're booking two things (eg, flight and hotel), find the best price for your flight and see what it charges for your hotel, and the best price for your hotel and see what it charges for your flight. Then go for the winner to get protected. 13. Whichever way you're booking, pay on plastic, especially a credit card, for extra peace of mind. Buy something costing £100.01 to £30,000 and pay for any of it on a credit card (even 1p or, more practically, the deposit) and Section 75 laws mean your card provider's jointly liable with the retailer, so if things go wrong you can go to it. Just pay the card off in full so there's no interest. Unfortunately, this doesn't usually apply if booking with a travel agent, as the fact it's an intermediary breaks the Section 75 relationship. Even then though, paying on any plastic, debit or credit still gives you useful chargeback protection, which means a better chance of getting money back if things go wrong. 14. Use cashback to maximise savings. If you're already a Quidco member, you can get increased cashback on travel this Friday (31 January). Plus new members can also get a £28 bonus when they spend £5 before 11.59pm on Friday using our new member deal. Quidco travel cashback deal. How to beat the school holiday price hikes abroad 15. Find cheap hidden booking dates (if your term differs from others). Most schools in Eng/Wales break up around 23 July. So book for before then if your school finishes sooner, eg, many in Leicestershire break up over a week earlier this summer. We found a week's three-star self-catering in Sorrento for £659pp leaving 18 July, but £855pp the week after. 16. The Scottish trick. Good for those in northern England or northern Wales especially. Fly from Scotland in the last two weeks of August, even if you don't live there. As Scottish schools generally return around 13 Aug, you can make big savings by flying the family out from Scotland instead. We saw the same Dalaman holiday flying from Edinburgh for £151pp less than flying from Manchester. It works in reverse too... 17. The English trick. Good for those in southern Scotland especially. Fly from England in late June/early July, even if you don't live there. So on 27 Jun, when most Scottish schools break up, a three-star all-inclusive week in Majorca was £1,155pp flying from Glasgow, but just £569pp from Liverpool. 18. Check other countries' holiday dates. Even if you're not competing with locals for hotels, you may be for expensive excursions, so it pays to check. For example, book Disney World when many US kids are back at school in late August - a week's family Disney stay was £223 cheaper than in late July. (It varies by region, but many US kids are back in class early to mid-August.) 19. The last two weeks of summer are usually cheaper. If you can, don't jump to go at the start of the holidays. Hold off, then jet off in the last two weeks of summer, as prices drop rapidly at the end of August - likely because most people want to go as soon as possible. We saw a week's two-star half-board in Ibiza was £841pp leaving 10 Aug, but £680pp leaving 22 Aug. 20. Have your 'summer' holiday in October half-term. Grab shoulder-season prices to ram down costs - the weather's often more bearable for little 'uns then anyway. We found a week's four-star all-inclusive in Malta for £770pp in Oct half-term, but £1,014pp in late Jul. For more tips, see our How to beat school holiday price hikes blog. 21. French, German, Belgian or Dutch Center Parcs can be half the UK price - especially in school hols. That's even after the cost of flights/ferries. Simon told us on Facebook: "We went to French Center Parcs and most are a carbon copy of the ones in the UK to the degree that the layout of the swimming area is the same. And yes, we saved £££s." For more, see Center Parcs tricks. 22. How to find cheap UK hotels. Our full cheap UK hotel tips guide takes you through it, but here are a couple of our faves... - Secret hotel sites. Where they only tell you a star level and a rough location until you pay, but there are sneaky ways to uncover its real identify before. - Stay in university digs outside term time for a surprisingly cost-effective way of staying centrally - especially good for Oxford & Cambridge. - How to find top self-catered deals. Our cheap rentals guide includes tips to find five-star accommodation at two-star prices. It's tougher in the school holidays, but we found a three-bed cottage in Windermere at £585/wk in late Aug, compared with £2,520/wk for three rooms in a nearby swish hotel. 23. Booking car hire? Booking early tends to be cheapest. Early booking has tended to be the cheapest route in the past, but over the last year we've seen last-minute bargains too, so as we say above, booking a deal with free cancellation is key. Compare prices using Skyscanner*, Kayak*, TravelSupermarket* and Carrentals*. Our Cheap car hire guide takes you through it, then... 24. Avoid the car hire excess insurance trap - many get caught out. Basic car insurance is included in the hire, yet at the pick-up desk, firms often try to fear-sell you excess insurance as an add-on, claiming without it an accident - even a scratch - could cost £1,000+ extra. These policies can cost an extra £150+ a week, but you can get a standalone policy for just £13.56/wk via MoneyMaxim's comparison site*, and also check our up to 20% off excess insurance codes. Then when you arrive, tell the car hire firm you don't want its add-on. Yet even with it, they'll try to put you off, tell you it doesn't work, or try to make you jump through hoops, so be prepared... - To leave a refundable deposit of possibly £1,000+ on a credit card. - Often debit cards aren't accepted. - It usually needs to be in the name of the person who booked (though some are the main driver). If not, they won't accept it, so check first. See more in car hire insurance help. 25. Hostels are usually dirt cheap, not dirty, eg, stay in a wooden lodge from £45/night. Hostels aren't just for gap-year students in far-flung destinations. There are loads across the UK and they don't have age restrictions (though some aren't suitable for young kids). Don't automatically think shared dorm either - many offer private rooms and some even throw in free Wi-Fi and breakfast. For something different, Youth Hostels Association London Lee Valley comprises six wooden lodges within Lee Valley Regional Park (great for walks and watersport), and private en-suite rooms begin at £45/night for two people. See MoneySavers' top UK hostel picks. 26. A few quickies to finish... A bit early for some of these for most, but just in case you're going sooner, check out our guides on how to slash the cost of airport parking, find how to avoid seat reservation charges, grab free airport lounge access and avoid hidden roaming charges.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Now FOUR banks pay switchers up to £175 FREE CASH Yet we're worried they won't last long, so choose now After a lacklustre period, four top bank accounts now bung switchers money, after a new one launched this week. Yet there are unconfirmed rumours one or two of the others may be pulled soon. So with hindsight, today may be the current sweet spot to give you maximum choice. Switching's usually quick & easy. To get the free cash, you need to go via the bank's seven-working-day switch service, which moves across your standing orders & Direct Debits for you, closes your old accounts and from that point auto-forwards any payments made to it to your new one. You'll also need to pass a not-too-harsh credit check and most require you to switch 2+ Direct Debits or standing orders across. The four new-customer free cash switch bonuses First Direct 1st Account* FREE £175 - Linked 7% regular saver - Ongoing 0% £250 overdraft - Top debit card abroad - Min monthly pay-in: None - Service rating: 91% 'great' Top FREE cash, top service & all-rounder First Direct's been near-top of every customer service poll we've ever run. It lets you put up to £300/mth in its linked one-year 7% AER fixed regular saver (maxed out, it's £137/yr interest). Spend on its debit card abroad and you get near-perfect exchange rates. See full First Direct eligibility & review. - To get the free cash: Open via app (online for joint accounts). Pay in a total of £1,000+ (putting £1,000 in then taking it straight out counts) and make 5+ debit card payments within 45 days. Nationwide FlexDirect FREE £175 - Linked 6.5% regular saver - Debit card cashback max £5/mth - Min monthly pay-in: None - Service rating: 87% 'great' Top FREE cash, decent all-rounder Here you get 5% interest for 12mths on current account balances, but only up to £1,500. The debit card cashback looks good, but with the £5/mth cap, it's easily beaten by Chase* which anyone can get as an add-on. It lets you put £200/mth in its linked one-year 6.5% AER variable regular saver (maxed out, it's £85/yr interest). - To get the free cash: Pay in a total of £1,000+ and spend once on the debit card within 31 days of requesting the switch. See full Nationwide eligibility info & review (some existing customers may get it if switching in a non-Nationwide account). Santander Edge* FREE £150 - Pay £3/mth to get 1% cashback on bills & grocery/travel spending - 6% easy-access savings - Top debit card for abroad - Min pay-in: £500/mth (equivalent to £6,000/yr salary) - Service rating: 60% 'great' Top for bills and joint bills accounts This is a great account if you pay lots of bills from it, and a good contender for couples who have a joint account for bills. It lets you save up to £4,000 a year in a linked easy-access saver paying 6% AER variable (maxed out, it's £235-ish interest after a year). Yet the big boon is while the account costs £3/mth, it pays two sets of cashback if you use it to pay, each up to £10/mth (so total £20/mth): - 1% BILLS cashback on Council Tax, energy, broadband, phones, paid TV & water. - 1% GROCERY & TRAVEL debit card spend cashback at supermarkets, for fuel, trains & buses. To get the free cash: Switch, then pay in £1,500 within 60 days. See full Santander eligibility & review (some existing customers may get it - if switching in non-Santander Group accounts). New. TSB Spend & Save* FREE £100 - £10/mth cashback for 6mths - Choice of 1 night hotel stay, 6 cinema tickets or 6mths' Now Entertainment - Min pay-in: None - Service rating: 47% 'great' Decent cash & perks and no minimum pay-in of any type In total, you'll get £160 after six months, with the free £100, and £10/mth cashback. It lets you save up to £250/mth in a linked one-year 6% AER fixed regular saver (maxed out, it's £85/yr interest). - To get the free cash & perks: When you switch, you must make 5+ debit card payments & log in to the mobile app. You get the £10 per month in each of the first 6mths that you use the debit card 20+ times. Do the same specifically in August and you qualify for one of the perks too. See full TSB eligibility & review. Get up to £180/yr cashback on top. The Chase current account* is a different beast, and you can combine it with those above. It's an app-based bank you DON'T need to switch to to get, there's no hard credit-check (just an ID check) and it's fee-free. Spend on its debit card and you'll get 1% cashback on most normal daily debit-card spending, up to £15/mth. It's stupidly easy to do. Just use the other accounts to pay your salary into and pay bills from, then fund Chase and use its debit card to spend on. It's also top for spending abroad and has a strong easy-access savings deal. Yes, 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, yet there's a growing tribe of bank-profiteers who do it. For example, Jack tweeted us: "I made £1,415 in total from seven switches, plus the HSBC bribe the other year just for opening an account." Can switching bank affect your ability to access credit? In the short term, yes. It's a credit application, so that has an impact, but also lenders like to see evidence of stability. It usually isn't a big deal, but if you've an imminent, important credit application due (eg, a mortgage), it's probably best holding off. More in how switching banks affects your credit.

 

Will you pay tax on your savings? If so, how do you pay it? Plus how to reduce it. Martin's new video briefing. A crash course in savings tax, including Govt schemes that can reduce it. Martin's savings tax video New. Slash £100 off energy STANDING CHARGES. EDF has just launched its Simply Tracker Extra tariff*, which will track the Price Cap most homes are on, but with £100/yr lower daily charges. So for those with lower usage (under £135/mth-ish) where the standing charges make up a larger portion of the bill, this can mean a decent saving. You don't need to have smart meters unless you're on prepay, and there are £25 per fuel exit fees. Mid-to-high users: As the Price Cap is likely to rise again in April, you'll likely be far better off comparing to find your cheapest fix. Extra 20% off reduced Converse, Asos, Nike and more via code at Secret Sales. MSE Blagged. High-street & designer stock at reduced prices. 4,000 codes available. Secret Sales Warning. From this week, Airbnb, eBay, Uber, Vinted etc must report your earnings from sales to HM Revenue & Customs. Last Jan, online platforms had to start collecting data about what you earnt from selling things. By this Fri (31 Jan), they must have started reporting it. Crucially, the tax rules have NOT changed, but reporting is now more robust, so if you're earning over £1,000 from this, do declare your income. Full explanation in Do I pay tax on online earnings? Now shift debt for up to 32mths 0% (3.45% fee) plus cashback. A 0% balance transfer is where you get a new card that pays off existing card debt for you, so you owe it instead, but interest-free. Use our eligibility calc to apply & see your acceptance odds for each card. Longest cards: Barclaycard's up to 32mths 0% (3.45% fee) + cashback is a month longer at 0% than it was last week, overtaking MBNA's up to 31mths 0% (3.2% fee), though that has a lower fee. Yet both are 'up to' cards, so some get a shorter 0%, unlike Tesco's 30mth 0% (3.19% fee), where all accepted get the full 0% - so if you've decent eligibility, it is often worth going for. Can you repay quicker? This Barclaycard is up to 14mths 0% NO FEE. Full options in Top balance transfers. Golden rules: Repay at least the monthly min & clear the card before the 0% ends, or they jump to 24.9% rep APR. Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland customers beware - is your overdraft rising to 50% from Fri? See Lloyds news. Coupons: free £2 energy drinks, 50% off Oxo, 30% off Kellogg's etc. See 50+ supermarket coupons. Last chance. Need to file a self-assessment tax return? Do it ASAP or risk a £100 fine & 7.25% interest. 3.4m people haven't filed their 2023/24 tax return yet. If you've been told to file a self-assessment tax return (or you were self-employed, earnt £150,000+, earnt £50,000+ and get Child Benefit, or get £10,000+ in savings interest), the deadline's 11.59pm Fri. See Martin's tax return video briefing.  50p personalised VALENTINE'S or birthday A5 photocard including delivery. MSE Blagged. Cheaper than a stamp. Via our exclusive code. 5,000 available. Card Factory Pensions Special! How to save, boost, protect & take your pension: The Martin Lewis Money Show LIVE, ITV1, 8pm tonight (Tue). Martin: "It's one of the most powerful shows I'll do this year, do watch & spread word. We'll be talking pensions, especially how to start one, what to do if you've got one, should you consolidate old ones, and the most effective way to take your money out when you need it. I'll be joined by specialists to answer your questions, which you can post to the team at martinlewis@itv.com or by using #MartinLewis on X or Bluesky."

 

 

BLAGGED FOR MSE - 20% off Secret Sales code 4,000 available - 50p personalised A5 photocard 5,000 available - Hot Diamonds 40% off full-price/50% off outlet code Ends 4 Feb	DID YOU MISS? - Martin: Is being married worth it? Nine big financial benefits... - Top 5.12% easy-access savings - 20+ FREE ways to learn something new in 2025

 

 

Martin's big MOBILE & BROADBAND news update BANNED! Mid-contract inflation-based price hikes, but frustratingly, it means some'll see even bigger rises Check what you pay now & compare it to the new regime's deals Telecoms firms have long hiked prices each April by 'inflation plus 3% or 4%'. This led to widespread anger two years ago with typical 17% year-on-year rises, and last year too at 8%, so finally telecoms regulator Ofcom agreed to rules banning it. And now they're in place! This means deals have brand new structures, so zip to our Cheap Mobile Finder & Broadband comparison to see them. For full info, watch my 'mid-contract hike ban impact' VIDEO EXPLAINER & news - though here's my in-a-nutshell summary... New 'mid-contract' rules, one-minute read... For all NEW CONTRACTS, including re-contracting, firms can no longer increase prices by a set amount above inflation in the middle of the contract. (For existing contracts, until you take out a new one, you stay on the old system.) Instead, they have a choice of increasing prices in two ways: 1) Either tell you exact rises coming (most'll do this). It must say before sign-up, in pounds & pence, any rises due mid-contract, eg, Virgin broadband will rise £3.50/mth this & next April, Vodafone mobile will rise £1.80/mth this & next April. 2) Not tell you, but then let you leave (only big name doing this is Sky). If it chooses not to indicate rises, and then at a later point announces one mid-contract, it must let you leave penalty-free within 30 days of notifying you. If it doesn't say 'no mid-contract rises' when you sign up, see this as a realistic possibility. There are winners, but many losers too... During Ofcom's consultation, we (me & MSE) were pushing Ofcom to ban any above-inflation rises mid-contract. It didn't. Now its new structure's in place, as predicted, we're seeing way above inflation pounds & pence rises as the norm. Worse, for those on cheaper, say £25/mth, broadband deals, a £3.50/mth-type annual rise is equivalent to 14%, far bigger than this year's inflation-linked rises would've been at about 6%. Though of course, the fixed cost rise for someone on an expensive £60/mth broadband deal (who by definition are probably overpaying already - and should switch, see below) would be proportionately less, under 6%. PS: Most paid-for TV is also included in these rules, though Sky's a grey area as currently there's a legal dispute between Sky and Ofcom about which areas of its TV business are regulated. Until that's sorted, we just don't know for sure. Slash BROADBAND costs: 7m out of contract, many can halve costs & double speed. If you've not changed provider in 18+ months, it's likely you're free to ditch, switch & save. Many pay £500/yr to £800/yr for slower speeds. The key route to save is grabbing short-lived promo deals. Our broadband comparison tool lists today's cheapest & now includes the year-on-year rises. It includes these deals, ALL of which end on Thu... - Sky 75Mb broadband & digital line 2yr contract, equivalent cost £21/mth, or Sky 500Mb broadband & digital line, 2yr contract, equivalent cost £27/mth. Yet as Sky doesn't forewarn of mid-contract rises, but will likely do 'em (you can leave penalty-free if so), the equivalent costs may be artificially too low. - Virgin 132Mb broadband-only 18mth contract, equivalent cost £24/mth (including planned price hike). - Vodafone 500Mb broadband & digital line 24mth contract, equivalent cost £31/mth (including planned price hike). - On Universal Credit or other benefits? See if you're eligible for a cheap social tariff (no mid-contract hikes here). For help, info & switching tips, see our cheap broadband guide. And remember, if you're at or near the end of your contract, especially with paid-for TV too, and want to stick with your provider, check our haggling tips to do just that. Slash MOBILE costs in 3 steps: many pay four times over the odds. There are 14m people out of contract and overpaying on mobiles. Watch my cut mobile costs in 3 steps video. In summary... 1. Text INFO to 85075 to see if you're out of contract. You may need to reply with your date of birth to verify. 2. Use the Cheap Sim Finder to quickly see if you can cut costs. Don't worry if you don't want to switch signal, it tells you all the firms using the same signal so you can find your signal's cheapest provider. Examples of unlimited UK calls & texts Sims right now (once you factor in any price rises, promos, vouchers or bill credit) include... - Ends Fri. iD Mobile (uses Three's signal) 50GB/mth of data (12mth contract), equivalent cost £3.40/mth. - Ends Fri. iD Mobile (uses Three's signal) 120GB/mth of data (12mth contract), equivalent cost £5/mth. - New. Smarty (uses Three's signal) UNLIMITED data (1mth contract), equivalent cost £10/mth. 3. To keep your number, text PAC to 65075. And give the code to your new provider so it can transfer it over. Again though, if you want to stick where you are, benchmark the best deals above and use our haggling tips. Full info on how to do the practicals and lots more tips in our cheap mobiles guide.

 

Martin's must-listen new pod: Banned: mobile & broadband mid-contract inflation price hikes, yet many'll still pay more! | How to get the best price on your broadband | Where to look for mobile deals. All in The Martin Lewis Pod. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple Podcasts | Spotify or wherever you get your Martin fix. Solid wall insulation fitted under Government schemes putting some homes at risk. Properties could be exposed to damp, mould and other serious issues. Yet they will be 'fixed' for free. See insulation news. FREE gym passes, tennis lessons, workout classes & more. MSE Georgia-May explains how to get fit for free. Hot Diamonds 40% off full-price code & 50% off reduced outlet items code. MSE Blagged. Alongside free delivery code - and yes, you can stack all three codes together. Hot Diamonds Live in Scotland & on benefits? Apply NOW for £150 Warm Home Discount. It's paid on a first come, first served basis, and some suppliers have already closed their applications. Full info in Warm Home Discount. Do you live in a park home in Eng, Scot or Wales? You won't be paid automatically, so if on benefits or a low income, see park home Warm Home Discount claims.

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Longest 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) up to 32mths 0% + possible £20 cashback, 3.45% fee, 24.9% rep APR No-fee 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) up to 14mths 0% + possible £20 cashback, 24.9% rep APR Best bank accounts Free £175 + TOP service: First Direct 1st Account Free £175 + 5% interest: Nationwide FlexDirect Broadband top picks Fibre (55Mb+): Sky '£20.84/mth' Fast fibre (100Mb+): Sky '£22.84/mth' Superfast fibre (500Mb+): Sky '£27.42/mth' On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Cheap insurance Car: Use our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Home: Try our new Compare+ Home Insurance tool (beta) Cheap loans £5,000 to £7,499: Tesco (check eligibility), 7.1% rep APR (must have Clubcard) £7,500 to £15,000: TSB (check eligibility), 5.9% rep APR Top savings accounts Top easy-access cash ISA: Trading 212 5.12%, min £1 Top easy-access savings: Chip 4.85%, no min Top one-year fix: Vida Savings 4.77%, min £100 Top energy deals Use our whole-of-market Cheap Energy Club Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.80/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£3.03/mth' for 5GB 10GB to 30GB data: Lebara, '£3.46/mth' for 12GB 31GB+ data: iD Mobile, '£5/mth' for 120GB

 

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK Penalised for having the wrong train ticket? Share your experience. The Office of Rail and Road (the rail network's regulator) wants people to share their experiences of receiving train fare penalties. It'll use these to assess whether it needs to recommend any changes to how train companies deal with these situations. Find out more and take the survey, which closes this Friday.

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Online Power of Attorney tool STILL not live - NatWest and RBS to close more bank branches

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA A fire at my house damaged my neighbour's place - should I pay for the repairs? A recent fire caused damage to my property and my neighbour's house. The damage to my place was small, which is a blessing, as I don't have home insurance. My neighbour's place suffered about £300 of damage, which is around the same amount as their insurance policy's excess, so they've asked me to pay them back for the repair costs. The fire was an accident, and I've been told that, legally, I don't have to pay them anything, but should I? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I pay for the fire damage to my neighbour's house? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

 

Some Valentine's Day competitions... - Win £250 of flowers - Win afternoon tea for two delivered to your door - Win a Valentine's Day getaway ... from the MSE Forum - Win a heart hoodie - Win a £2,500 jewellery gift card - Win a London hotel stay & theatre tickets

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: Saving water, slippery paths & stovetop kettles

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 28 JAN ONWARDS) Tue 28 Jan - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, ITV1, 8pm Thu 30 Jan - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, noon Tue 4 Feb - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10am

 

 

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