Free cash for Xmas, iPhone & Samsung prices plummet, free wills, Are solar panels worth it?, State Pension rise, free £50 shares, rare Center Parcs code

Plus… Student loan disappointment, use Papa Dough now, Pizza Express 2for1 for £1

Plus... Student loan disappointment, use Papa Dough now, Pizza Express 2for1 for £1

                                                           

15 September 2026 | View in browser

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The top tips this week 100 days till Xmas: Martin's do-nows... - Bag FREE £200+ cash - Time to BAN unnecessary gifts? - Play Basket Bluff - Use our DemoHOHOtivator tool It's FREE WILLS season! iPhone & Samsung prices plummet Martin: Student loan disappointment Use Papa Dough TONIGHT! State Pension to rise above tax limit! Updated. Are solar panels worth it? Rare UK Center Parcs code New. Free £50 shares Pizza Express 2for1 for £1 New 'Suicide Prevention Action Lab' Victorious sponge taste test  Video. Parents beware hidden tax trap Asda £20 off £60+ shop '£1,900 Sky haggling win!' Question pod: Time to be a stoozer? Martin pod: Save or invest for kids? Wetherspoon pubs 7.5% off M&S 'up to 50% off' sale Winter Fuel Payment opt-out alert FREE kids' football sessions This week's best buys: 36mth 0% card, 4.61% ISA & more MMD: Should our child pay towards using sibling's present?

It's 100 days till Christmas! Ho, ho... oh no! Martin: 15 tips to do now to cut costs & stress. It's all about early preparation, not early celebration For most who celebrate Christmas, it is a significant financial event that needs planning and prep, rather than a last-minute grab and dash. So whilst I hate Christmas music in stores in October as much as the next Scrooge, tomorrow (Wed) is exactly 100 days to go, so it's time for my annual tips to save time, cost and stress. Don't worry, I won't go overboard - these are just the key things to be thinking about now if you haven't started. And if you haven't started, you're not alone - 31,000 people voted in my social polls a couple of weeks ago and, of those who celebrate, 77% are like you; 18% have done a few little things; and a super-organised 4% have a decent chunk done! So whether you're a Christmas person, a Chanukah chap like me, or other winter celebrations, I hope these tips will help. 1. Toy sales now on at Argos and Asda (plus Tesco from Wed), with more expected. Bizarrely, this is often one of the cheapest time to buy toys before Christmas, as retailers do early-bird sales with usually higher discounts than if you wait till nearer the time. So if you know what you want to get for children, the Argos half-price toys and up to 50% off at Asda sales are on now, and the Tesco 50% off sale starts tomorrow (Wed). More are likely soon, including Morrisons and The Entertainer (we'll put details in this email when they're on). 2. Do a FREE £240 bank switch now and you'll have the cash in time for Christmas. Some of the most lucrative deals of the year are on right now, and starting the switch now means you'll have the cash in plenty of time to pump up your Christmas coffers. So unless your bank is treating you royally, why not make a bit of cash by moving? Switching is usually easy & hassle-free... You must pass a not-too-harsh credit-check and use the bank's 7-working-day switch service, which closes your old account, moves over your balance, standing orders and Direct Debits for you, and auto-forwards any payments made to it from then on. New customer FREE CASH switch bonuses (all fee-free unless stated) You usually need to switch 2+ Direct Debits. Full eligibility: Top bank accounts Santander Everyday* FREE £240 | 8% regular savings. To qualify for the free cash: Pay in a total of £1,500 within 60 days (you can do it in bits and withdraw as soon as it's paid in) and fund the linked 8% regular saving account with £200+ (again it can be withdrawn). Full info and eligibility criteria in our Santander review. Cash Paid by 15 DEC (1) HSBC Bank Account* FREE £220 | 5% regular savings.  To qualify for the free cash: Pay in a total of £2,000 (you can do it in bits and withdraw as soon as it's paid in) and spend £500+ on the debit card within 60 days. Full info and eligibility criteria in our HSBC review. Cash Paid by 22 NOV (1) First Direct* FREE £210 | Top service | 7% reg savings | £250 0% overdraft | Top overseas debit card. To qualify for the free cash: Pay in a total of £1,000 (you can do it in bits and withdraw as soon as it's paid in), make 5+ debit card payments and log into online banking within 45 days. Full info and eligibility criteria in our First Direct review. Cash Paid by 20 OCT (1) NatWest Reward FREE £200 | 5.25% regular savings | £2/mth fee but poss £4/mth cashback. To qualify for the free cash: Pay in £1,250 per MONTH and log into the mobile app within 60 days. Full info and eligibility criteria in our NatWest review Cash Paid by 23 OCT (1) Nationwide FlexDirect FREE £175 | 5% interest up to £1,500 | Poss £120/yr cashback | 6.5% regular saver. To qualify for the free cash; Pay in a total of £1,000 (you can do it in bits and withdraw as soon as it's paid in) & make one debit card payment within 31 days. Full info and eligibility criteria in our Nationwide review. Cash Paid by 3 OCT (1) Do you earn over £100,000 a year? Then you can get a FREE £500 for switching. (1) Dates are our estimates for if you switched tomorrow, as most set a max time after you've switched & fulfilled criteria. More ways to boost your coffers: See our 60+ ways to boost your income guide. 3. There's still time to spread the cost to ease the pain. Rather than shelling out the estimated typical £700 Christmas cost from December's income, if you haven't put any aside yet, try to squeeze a quarter of what's needed from your Sept, Oct, and Nov income too. And pop it into top savings to GAIN interest - far better than getting into Christmas debt and having to PAY interest on it after. 4. Get an easy up to 6% boost on your Christmas supermarket spending in ONE DAY. Digital saving stamp schemes from Tesco, Asda, Iceland, and Co-op aim to encourage year-long saving for Christmas (see full scheme-by-scheme info). Yet the way most are structured means there's a loophole where you can just put the money in on one day to get the bonus instantly. See our supermarket Christmas savings schemes for a full run-through. 5. This is the moment to BAN unnecessary Christmas presents! Seventeen years ago, when I first put this out there, I expected a backlash. Instead, the response was a movement of relieved people, who feel they get more time, space, and enjoyment - and some also think it better reflects the Christmas spirit. Of course, we're not talking about gifts from parents and grandparents - it's all about making a pact with the ever-widening circle of friends, colleagues, and relatives we feel we may need to buy for... Sometimes the best gift may be releasing someone from the obligation of having to buy for you. And if you're going to do it, this is perfect time to discuss it.  You can read my full, original ban unnecessary Christmas gifts blog, which started it all off, but here's a mini version... We often simply swap presents, feeling an obligation to reciprocate. That means there's no net movement of money or goods, but it can result in mis-prioritising someone's spending. By giving someone a present, you may make them feel they must do the same - whether they can afford it or not. Take Ivor Lots and Irma Skint...  If Ivor gives his cousin Irma a £40 necklace thinking he's being generous, it can risk creating an obligation on Irma to buy him something back of similar value. While that's fine if both can afford it and have the time, if Irma is struggling, she might have preferred to spend the £40 on food for her children or bills. Add to that the tit-for-literal-tat nature of giving that leaves too many with gifts unwanted or unused. My aim isn't to stop festive fun - done right, gifts create real warmth. But done wrong, they can hurt more than they help.  That's why I suggest you agree a No Unnecessary Present Pact with your wider group of friends or family. Most people tell me the people they broach it with often breathe a collective sigh of relief. If that's too hard-core, set a Secret Santa-esque spending limit, agree to spend time together, make something, or give to charity. Here's the video I did back in 2023 for my show, that I still use now, as it hit a note (it's the most watched social clip I've ever done, with tens of millions of views). PS: When it comes to young children, they don't judge the quality of a gift by its price – often, they can have just as much fun playing with the cardboard box (I once did a TV experiment with five-year-olds that proved just that). 6. Beware a subconscious lust list - it usually only leads to debt or disappointment. I should start with this, but I know it puts people off reading the rest, so I've plonked it mid-way down, amongst some of the more fun stuff...  Many people plan Christmas the wrong way round: they start with a lust list of everything they want for perfect festivities, then work out 'how the heck will I afford that?' - a recipe for debt or disappointment. Instead, let the finances lead. Spend a little time now to budget what you can comfortably afford on Christmas, then ask: 'How do I have the best time on that amount?' And if you're shouting back: 'Yeah right, I can't afford anything'... do listen to yourself. Take a deep breath and possibly consider going spending cold-turkey this year... Christmas is just one day, don't give yourself an awful New Year due to it. 7. Play Basket Bluff... put items you want in your basket, but don't complete. This is great when you've lots of time before you need to make a purchase, so you're not in a panic and can pause and wait. If you've an account at an online retailer and leave items in your basket without completing the transaction, many retailers have conniptions! They think: 'We almost closed the deal, we need to get 'em back' and may send you a specific discount code to try to do that. So you turn this on its head - just log in, put what you want in the basket, then walk away to see if they give you a discount code. See our full list of retailers the 'abandoned basket' trick's worked with in the past like Cate who posted on X: "@martinslewis I did this with Shark. Sent me a 20% discount for an item left in my basket and I then bought the hoover." 8. Huge cost, huge potential saving...  £1,200 of beauty for £250 at Selfridges, £550 for £90 via Glossybox & more. Beauty advent calendars are getting costlier, but with more in them. Yet for MoneySavers, if a decent chunk is stuff you'd buy anyway, or may use to give to loved ones as gifts, do the maths to see if it can be worth getting one - not waiting for December top open it, but ripping it apart now for its constituent parts. See 25+ beauty Advent calendars for a full rundown.  9. BEWARE gift cards and vouchers. Many find giving a gift card more socially acceptable than cash - I get it, cash gifts just aren't very British! Yet unfortunately, vouchers have risks: - If the store goes bust, gift vouchers usually become worthless. - Many have expiry dates, which often aren't made clear enough. See when each stores' gift cards expire (& tell the recipient). So think carefully about the likely financial strength of the retailer, and how quickly they'll be used. If in doubt, cash (or money in the bank) is the ultimate gift voucher - it's totally flexible and usable anywhere. 10. Earn £100s as a Christmas Cashback-Combining King (or Queen - it just doesn't scan as well). The run-up to Christmas tends to be a high retail spend period, so why not start getting paid every time you spend? It's not an excuse to spend, it just may give you some extra cash for next year. And these cashback deals can be combined. Pay on the right plastic. A cashback or rewards card pays you each time you spend on it - so use it for all your normal spending (don't overspend) to gain. Yet as these are credit cards, only do it if you'll repay IN FULL each month, preferably by direct debit, so there's no interest; otherwise the interest cost dwarves the gain. You will need to pass a credit check to get 'em. Our top cashback card guide runs through all the top picks, but here's a few highlights (the links have more info)... - The simple one: Lloyds Ultra pays 1% for a year on almost all spending worldwide. - The goodybag type one (can be worth £400ish): Earn far more if you'll hit £3,000+ in 3mths. With the Amex Preferred Rewards card, newbies (you can't have had an Amex in the last 2yrs) get a FREE £115 Amazon or M&S voucher, a year's £10/mth Deliveroo cashback, and four airport lounge passes (cost £50ish each). - The big bonus cashback for bigger spenders: The fee-free Amex Everyday credit card currently pays Amex newbies (you can't have had an Amex in the last 2yrs) 5% cashback up to a max £125 for the first 5mths, and up to 1% after, as long as you spend a min £3,000/yr. Combine the card with the top cashback sites. With these sites, visit retailers through them and you get a slice of what brands pay them for generating sales. Yet cashback this way isn't guaranteed, so prioritise the best deal (not the biggest cashback) and think of the cashback as a bonus. Full info in Top cashback sites. Add mobile rewards on top. The easy, free Airtime app tracks your spending at 200+ retailers and pays 1% to 15% cashback, which you can redeem as credit on your mobile bill (for O2, EE, Vodafone, Three and more). You CAN use this on top of cashback cards and sites for a treble win. 11. What haven't you used since last Christmas? It's time for the annual domestic stock-take. Just as retailers value their stock and assets, so should you. Take a walk around your home and whatever you've not used since last year - toys, old coffee makers, mobile phones, prams, gadgets or even clothes unused since the last festive season - just ask yourself: 'is it time to flog them for cash?' If so, the team rate each of these selling sites for slightly different things...  - eBay selling tips. Best for pricey stuff, eg, designer gear or electronics. - Facebook selling tips. Best for larger items, eg, wardrobes or sofas. - Vinted selling tips. Best for clothes. Or go a step further and read MSE Sarah's guide to flogging your rubbish for cash (even old loo rolls), for tips on selling perfume bottles, jam jars, etc. 12. It's time to DemoHOHOtivate yourself. If you're short of cash for Christmas, then consider whether you're willing to make some small sacrifices... I'm not saying you should, just it is worth considering. For example, if you stopped buying a daily matcha latte (darling) on the way to work, you may save £360 by Christmas. Our fun, but scary, DemoHOHOtivator tool lets you see how all YOUR little spends add up. 13. Organise! Shopping list, Christmas cupboards, and prepare to POUNCE. If you've a list of presents or other things to buy, be aware prices aren't static; they can move up and down (Amazon price tracker CamelCamelCamel shows eye-opening examples). There are ways to time it right with your more expensive buys... - Start with a shopping list - knowing what you want always helps. - Use Google Shopping to compare prices now, and tools such as PriceRunner to set the price you want to pay for an item, then be alerted when it drops to that price. - Get a Christmas cupboard ready, so if you do buy early, wrap your prezzies, tag them, and forget about them until the big day. Need-to-know: The one thing to be aware of with buying early... Early buying can reduce stress and cost, but with presents bought early there is a risk, and it's one that the 4% of people in my pre-Christmas preparation poll who said they'd 'got a decent chunk of it done' need to be especially careful of...  Buy something, and find it's faulty, and you've 30 days to return it to get a full refund. See your consumer rights. Buy online (not in store), and even if it's not faulty, as long as it isn't perishable or personalised, you have a right to return it, as long as you notify them within 14 days, and send it back within 14 days of notification. Buy in store and many - not all - shops give you contractual 'return rights', letting you return items within a set time. So timing matters. And while this doesn't outweight early prep, be aware that buy-early-give-later may diminish your rights. 14. Please DON'T borrow for Christmas... but if you will, at least ensure it's at 0%. Each year when I write this I tear my hair out a bit, and I've been doing this so long, no wonder I'm thinning! Borrowing for Christmas is a bad idea. My big message is DON'T DO IT - it's far better to cut your cloth accordingly. Yet I know some will do it regardless. If that's you, and you feel you've no choice (really think carefully whether that's true), then at least try to keep it interest-free... Use a 0% spending card. This is a 0% credit card that gives you new borrowing at 0% for, in some cases, 2yrs. Done right, they're the cheapest way to borrow over the medium term. To see what you'll be accepted for, try our 0% Spending Card Eligibility Calculator. Normally with 0% cards, I'd say plan and budget to clear the debt before the 0% ends when the rate usually jumps to 25%+ APR. Yet here, try to clear it well before next Christmas, or it'll make things even worse then. If you can't do that, that's a big danger sign that you shouldn't be borrowing so much - it'll just compound the problem. And as always, stick within the credit limit and never miss a minimum monthly repayment or you can lose the 0% rate. Or spread the cost short term with buy now, pay later. BNPL pops up almost every time you pay these days. It lets you spread the cost over, usually, 3mths with no interest. Remember though, it is debt, and you should think of it as that. Thankfully, a few months ago it became fully regulated, so you have more protection than you used to. Even so, make sure it's planned and know how you can repay it. Think carefully whether you'll have enough cash over the next few months to cover it, even with other Christmas costs. And beware of doing it lots of times, it's easy to keep doing on a whim and forget how much you've spent. Be careful - though if you have to (far better, don't), it can be a cheap way to get you over the Christmas hump. More help in Buy now, pay later. Need-To-Know: Struggling with debts? Get help now, not after the festivities Christmas is often the catalyst that makes many people realise things need to change. That's why January is debt counsellors' busiest time. If you're struggling with debt, it's far better to recognise that now, before Christmas compounds the problems, and seek help when it's easier to make an appointment. My three tests for debt crisis are:  Are you struggling to make even the minimum monthly repayments on all your debts?  Do you have more than a year's worth of debt to repay (not counting student loans or mortgages)? Are your money worries causing depression, anxiety or stopping you sleeping at night?  If the answer to any of these is yes, seek FREE non-profit debt counselling help now. You can go to StepChange, Citizens Advice, National Debtline or for emotional support too CAP. For far more info on this, see our debt problems help guide. 15. Choo-choo-se where you're travelling this Christmas soon. The cheapest advance train tickets usually go on sale around 12 weeks ahead of travel, so that's when to start looking if you want to bag a bargain (though for some routes they may be released a few weeks later). To ensure you snare a cheap festive fare, set yourself a reminder to start checking soon. For full info and more ways to save, make tracks to Cheap train tickets. 47. Lots more Crimbo cost-cutters. I haven't messed up the numbering system, just a final note that if you want more tips as we progress towards the festive season, check out our full 47 Christmas cost-cutters guide.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

It's FREE WILLS season! Do you have an up-to-date one?  THREE big charity schemes are on (or about to start), so it's a great time to check If you die without a valid will, rigid intestacy rules apply, meaning you don't have a say where your assets go, and you may also have to pay far more Inheritance Tax than you need. While if you die without an up-to-date will, your assets may go to the wrong people. So if you own your own home, have savings, investments, a business or people you'd like to look after when you're gone, you need a current will. Today there's a host of free or cheap will schemes, but first a bit more info... - Unmarried and have a partner? This is especially important, as unless you're married (or have a legal Civil Partnership), your relationship mostly has no status in law, and they'd get nothing. - Got married, or divorced, or had children since you did your will? In Eng, Wales & NI, your will is invalidated upon marriage - in Scotland it may have some validity, but lawyers strongly suggest you redo it. While if you get divorced or have children without updating your will, everything can get very confused and there's a risk it won't follow what you want. As forumite NedS posted in July: "We have recently updated our wills. This whole process was instigated after we saw Martin Lewis mention that getting married will void any previous wills, which we were completely unaware of, so result for MSE." Three quick must-knows Martin: 'For many people, a Power of Attorney (PoA) is just as, if not more, important than a will!' A will dictates what happens when you die, a Power of Attorney is for when you're alive but have lost the capacity to make decisions for yourself. Both are crucial - but if you lose capacity and need things to be paid, even for your own care, it can be a nightmare without a PoA. See our Power of Attorney guide for more help.' Solicitors will often store your will in a safe place for free. If you're using one of these schemes, check if that's an option (you can also store it at home if you've a safe place). See Where can I store my will? You can't put your pension in your will. Die before taking your private or company pension, and the provider/trustees decide what to do with it. An expression of wishes (or nomination) form tells them your preference - it's not binding, but usually does the job. Check you've done one and, if so, check it's up-to-date. The gold standard for a will is for a solicitor to draft it, which normally costs £100s. Yet there are three charity schemes - open now or soon to open - which provide simple wills for cheap or free. Full help in our Cheap and free wills guide, but in brief... Will Aid's the biggest scheme - bookings are now open. Age 18+ | UK-wide | Solicitor-drafted | £120 suggested donation With Will Aid, 100s of solicitor firms across the UK can draft a will for you in the hope that you will make a charitable donation. While the scheme is on in November, bookings are now open, so don't delay as it usually fills up quickly, though not every participating solicitor has opened up their book yet. If there's not a space near you immediately, keep checking over the coming weeks. A single will has a suggested donation of £120, while a mirror will (where it's the same will, in reverse, for you and your spouse) has a suggested donation of £200. If you can't afford it, you can give less, but please don't game it as it's for charity. The donation is spread across eight charities (Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Crisis, the NSPCC, Shelter, SCIAF, and Trócaire). October is FREE Wills Month - available to those age 55+. Age 55+ | In selected UK locations | Solicitor-drafted | FREE This scheme's a winner if you're eligible, as you don't have to pay anything, and it's solicitor-drafted. Bookings aren't open yet, they start on 1 October. If it's right for you, diarise to do it on that day, as places tend to book up fast. There are two Free Wills Months a year, one in October and one in March, each covering different locations. The October month includes Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, and Northern Ireland (see all October areas included). It covers single and mirrors wills and is sponsored by National Trust, British Heart Foundation, Age UK, Marie Curie & more, in the hope you'll leave them a bequest (money in your will for when you die). The suggested amount is £300 or a small % of your estate, but it isn't compulsory. The scheme's been going 20+yrs and raises £30m/yr for good causes. Octopus Legacy 'free' wills month is on in September & October. Age 18+ | England & Wales | Solicitor checked but not drafted | FREE Octopus Legacy runs its own 'free will' month for England and Wales - and it's on now. You've until 31 Oct to book, though again, appointments book up fast. Single wills and mirror wills are drafted by its team and overseen by a solicitor - unless it's very complex, where there'll be a discounted fee and a solicitor may do it all. Wills can be done online, via phone/video, in branch or during a home visit. It does this in the hope you'll leave a bequest to one of 180+ charities supporting the scheme, though this isn't compulsory. The scheme has helped raise over £100m for charity to date. For alternative cheap will options, including blagged deals, see our Cheap and free wills guide.

 

Martin: 'This is a very disappointing response that does little to help the millions of students already struggling with student loans!' Read Martin's detailed comment on Govt's latest student loan announcement. Got Papa Johns reward points? Use them TONIGHT! It's increasing the amount of 'Papa Dough' you need to get 'free' food/drink from 9am tomorrow (Wed), so spend now to get max points. See what's changing (please eat responsibly). News! Full new State Pension to rise to £13,000/yr next April... above the tax-free earnings limit! We now know the State Pension will likely rise 3.9% (due to the latest average earnings figures it's linked to), putting it at £13,000 - meaning for the first time someone on just the full new State Pension will earn over the frozen £12,570/yr personal allowance. Ex-Chancellor Rachel Reeves promised Martin those who only get this wouldn't pay tax - will the Govt keep this promise? Energy prices are sky high - so are solar panels worth it? We've crunched the numbers to see how the maths now stacks up, plus there's a way to get £550 off in our updated Solar panels guide. Can you cut energy costs? A reminder: the Energy Price Cap jumps 3.6% on 1 Oct, so check if you can reduce the hit by doing a Cheap Energy Club comparison. Tonight (Tue) 7pm ITV1 & ITVX: The Martin Lewis Money Show LIVE  Energy bills '20% rise' special: Martin vs the Secretary of State... Martin: 'It now looks like the Price Cap may rise by over 20% in Jan. I'll take you through it, and what you can and can't do about it. Plus I'll put your questions to Sec of State for Energy Miatta Fahnbulleh on: 'what happened to £300 cheaper bills?', why we pay more than Europe, her plans for Standing Charges, heating oil, prepayment help, delinking gas prices, regional pricing, does green hurt or save, & more. Plus News You Can Use. Do watch. Rare £40 off UK Center Parcs code (no min spend). For stays from 2 Jan 2027 at UK parks. Center Parcs tricks. New. FREE £50 of shares when you invest £200+. 4,000 codes available. Newbies to huge global investment platform IG* can get £50 of free shares in random big US firms. a) Open its Share Dealing account using code MSE50. Once done, you can either use it or open a shares ISA or SIPP in order to... b) Deposit and invest £200+ by 30 Sep and keep it invested till 28 Feb 2027. IG offers a wide range of shares and ETFs with no platform or trading fees. You'll receive the shares by 31 Mar 2027, after which you either can sell/withdraw, or keep and see how they perform. Full info: £50 free shares. Pizza Express 2for1 for £1 valid ANY day. Dine-in or click & collect. Get a pizza the savings in Pizza Express deals. New 'Suicide Prevention Action Lab'. Martin's Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity is teaming up with Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Monzo & Nationwide to pilot new approaches to preventing suicide. As he says: "Banks don't cause all these problems, but they're in a unique central position in people's financial lives, and we want to see if it's possible to take advantage of that to be able to spot when customers are in trouble and urgently direct them to the right support." Read more on How the suicide prevention lab will work. Got experience of money & mental health problems? Sign up for the MMHPI research community to help them help people. Victorious sponge... Which supermarket takes the crown in our taste test? See the best Victoria sponge. Martin video. A warning for parents - beware the hidden tax trap if you invest/save for your children. It's there to stop you putting all your money in their name, but you need to know how it works. Watch Martin's 90sec explainer or, better still, listen to his full Invest or save for children? podcast where he goes through all you need know in detail. Asda £20 off a £60+ shop for online newbies. Easy bargain if you haven't used it before. Asda £20 off £60. 'I took your advice on going to Sky retentions and am saving £1,900' Success of the week. Chris emailed in after reading our Haggling with Sky guide: "My Sky subscription came up for renewal in July - I'd been paying £102/mth. The out-of-contract price would've been £151/mth. It may have taken four or five phone calls, but persistence paid off - my new contract is £72/mth. Over 24 months, that's a £720 saving against the old contract and almost £1,900 against the out-of-contract price. Thanks for the advice on talking to the retentions team!" If we've helped you save or reclaim (on anything), let us know. Related: Have you haggled in the last 6mths? Let us know in our Haggling poll.

 

 

DID YOU MISS? - Three FREE McDonald's coffees throughout September - Netflix hikes prices by up to £24/yr - 50+ birthday FREEBIES, eg, M&S, Krispy Kreme, Costa - FREE weekend travel, plus more deals for some who ride the bus - HMRC sending £70 pension top-up alert to low earners

 

 

Huge price cuts on deals for what were the Apple & Android Smartphone Kings until last week's new iPhone launch! Eg, Samsung S26 with 100GB data now under £20/mth, so a total £466 over the 2yr contract. If you just bought the phone outright it'd cost you £880! Last week, Apple launched its latest models - the Duo, the 18 Pro and the 18 Pro Max - with great fanfare and, no surprise, this latest tech is far from cheap (being an early adopter never is). Yet it does open a window to save on older models, and this week's a stonker - almost all of the handsets listed below, while not the very latest, are the cheapest we've ever seen. So if you need some new hardware, now's the perfect time to pounce on a deal. But first, consider... The cheapest Sims if you're happy with your current phone. Don't get seduced into upgrading to a snazzy new handset - if your current phone works, you can get a much cheaper deal by switching Sims (the chip inside your phone that dictates your calls, mins and data allowance). You can do it in three easy steps: 1) Text 'INFO' to 85075 to check if you'll face any termination fees. If not, you're free to switch. 2) Use our Cheap Sim comparison to find the cheapest deal, including for your signal/network. 3) Text 'PAC' to 65075 to keep your number when switching. Often, you'll be offered a cheap deal to get you to stay. Here's a taster of the cheapest out there to help compare (all include free EU roaming): - Lebara (on Vodafone's signal) 5GB '£2.70/mth' | 35GB '£3.37/mth' - iD Mobile (on Three's signal) 15GB '£3/mth' | 36GB '£3.38/mth' | 99GB '£6.50/mth' - TalkMobile (on Vodafone's signal) 100GB at '£7.37/mth' Cheapest new model handsets (all deals include unlimited minutes & texts) For more choice, use our cheap handset finder or best handset on my budget tools. Cheapest Samsungs Samsung S26 FE (256GB) equiv £18/mth on iD Mobile (Three) with 100GB data on a 2yr contract. - You pay £19 upfront, then £22.99/mth (£24.79/mth from 1 Apr 27 and £26.59/mth from 1 Apr 28) - You can CLAIM £200 cashback (on a prepaid Mastercard) via Samsung within 30 days of purchase. See full claim instructions. Factor it all in: Over the 2yr contract, it's a total of £414 (equiv £17.25/mth). Buying the handset outright: £799 from Samsung. Samsung S26 (256GB) equiv £20/mth on iD Mobile (Three) via Mobiles.co.uk with 100GB data on a 2yr contract. - You pay £25 upfront, then £26.99/mth (£28.79/mth from 1 Apr 27 and £30.59/mth from 1 Apr 28) - You can CLAIM £250 cashback (on a prepaid Mastercard) via Samsung within 30 days of purchase. See full claim instructions. Factor it all in: Over the 2yr contract, it's a total of £466 (equiv £19.42/mth). Buying the handset outright: £879 from Samsung. Samsung S26 Ultra (256GB) equiv £32/mth on iD Mobile (Three) via Mobiles.co.uk with 25GB data on a 2yr contract. - You pay £59 upfront, then £39.99/mth (£41.79/mth from 1 Apr 27 and £43.59/mth from 1 Apr 28) - You can CLAIM £300 cashback (on a prepaid Mastercard) via Samsung within 30 days of purchase. See full claim instructions. Factor it all in: Over the 2yr contract, it's a total of £762, (equiv £31.75/mth). Buying the handset outright: £1,279 from Samsung. Cheapest iPhones iPhone 16 (128GB) equiv £29/mth on O2 via Affordable Mobiles with 100GB data on a 2yr contract. - You pay £155 upfront then £20/mth, (£22.50/mth from 1 Apr 27 and £25/mth from 1 Apr 28)  Factor in the price rises: Over the 2yr contract, it's a total of £695 (equiv £28.96/mth). Buying the handset outright: £799 from Apple. Cheapest Google Pixels Google Pixel 11 (256GB) equiv £28/mth on iD Mobile (Three) via Carphone Warehouse with 25GB data on a 2yr contract. - You pay £9 upfront then £24.99/mth, (£26.79/mth from 1 Apr 27 and £28.59/mth from 1 Apr 28)  - Buy it before Wed 23 Sep to claim a FREE Google Pixel Case (worth £49.99), PixelSnap Ring Stand (£29.99) and PixelSnap Charger with Stand (£64.99). You must submit your claim 14 days AFTER purchase and before 7 Nov 2026.  Factor in the price rises: Over the 2yr contract, it's a total of £651.96 (equiv £27.17/mth). Buying the handset outright: £879 from Google. Throughout this table, we've listed the retailer through which you get the deal and the network. The retailer is responsible for the handset; the network is responsible for the contract. More ways to further cut handset costs Can you get cashback on top? Cashback sites may undercut deals elsewhere. Do check it's like for like though. Refurbs are often far cheaper. Top-grade refurbished models are often just returns from customers who've changed their mind. Eg, a "pristine" refurbished Pixel 11 (released last month) is £609 vs £879 new. See our Refurb handset comparison. Protect your device. Thieves don't just want the handset - they want your banking apps & personal data too. Learn how to set up biometrics, disable preview notifications and more in 16 tips to protect your phone from thieves. Warning. Some firms charge the high handset cost even after your deal ends. So diarise when the handset is paid off and ensure you're only paying for airtime after that. More info in handset rip-off.

 

Martin: 'Do give this Question Time pod episode a try. It's one of the most fun we've done - a great intro to the very different listen that is Question Time if you've not tried it before...' Is it time to become a stoozer? | I halved my car insurance by timing quotes! | What are my rights if I bought second-hand? Martin answers these questions from listeners & more in this week's must-listen Question Time podcast. Do give it a listen, via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify etc. Do you invest or save for your children? Which is best? Plus top Junior ISAs, best funds, best kids' savings, does your child need a pension & more - all in Martin's new Big Topics pod. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify etc. 1 day only. Wetherspoon pubs 7.5% off food & drink. At 800+ pubs (no booze in Scot). Spoons saver (be Drinkaware) M&S 'up to 50% off' sale. Incl Nike, Nobody's Child, Regatta & more, plus own-brand items. See our M&S sale analysis. Last chance for State Pensioners earning £35,000+ to opt out of Winter Fuel Payment. All UK pensioner households will get up to £300 this winter, but it'll be clawed back automatically for individuals earning over £35,000/yr. If that's you, you may want to opt out of the Winter Fuel Payment. You've got till this Sun to do it online, or Fri over the phone. FREE kids' football sessions. Register online at McDonald's (no spend required). For ages 5-11. Goal-den opportunity.

 

 

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS 0% balance transfers Top definite 0% card: HSBC (check eligibility; existing customers use this link), 36mths 0%, 3.09% fee, 24.9% rep APR No-fee 0%: Barclaycard (check eligibility) 12mths 0% 24.9% rep APR Best bank accounts Free £240: Santander Free £220: HSBC Broadband top picks Fast fibre (100Mb+): Vodafone '£19.50/mth' Ultrafast fibre (900Mb+): Sky '£22.13/mth' On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs Insurance Car: Use our Compare+ Car Insurance tool Home: Use our Compare+ Home Insurance tool Travel: Use our Compare+ Travel Insurance tool Cheap loans £5,000 to £7,499: M&S Bank (check eligibility), 6.9% representative APR £7,500 to £15,000: M&S Bank (check eligibility) 5.9% representative APR. Top savings accounts Top easy-access savings: Tembo 4.55%, min £1 Top easy-access ISA: Trading 212 4.61%, min £1 Top one-year fix: Investec 5%, min £5k Top energy deals Use our whole-of-market Cheap Energy Club Cheap Sims Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£2.66/mth' for 3GB 4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£2.70/mth' for 5GB 10GB to 30GB data: iD Mobile, '£3/mth' for 15GB 31GB+ data: Lebara, '£3.37/mth' for 35GB

 

 

MSE NEWS - Top story: Firms urged to use plain language and signpost social tariffs in household bills report

 

 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA Should our younger daughter pay towards using our older daughter's birthday present? Our eldest daughter, who's 12, got a zookeeper experience for her birthday. On the day it was booked, she became anxious and didn't want to do it. As we'd booked zoo tickets for the rest of us, we still went - and let our other daughter, who's 10, do the experience instead so it wasn't wasted. She still has some money left from her own birthday, so should we ask her to give something to her older sister, so she hasn't completely lost out on a gift? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should our younger daughter pay for using our older daughter's present? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

 

 

MSE TEAM BLOG - MSE Forum highlights: cameras, compensation & composting

 

 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 16 SEP ONWARDS) TUE 22 SEP - This Morning, ITV1, 10:20am

 

 

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