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eBay sellers' tricks: declutter and make £100s,
URGENT: £1 posh-hotel rooms worldwide,
New Top Balance Transfers, 12 Radio Times for £1,
And much, much more MoneySaving...
Bank Charges Result Thurs & 2,000,000 Thanks!
Bank Charges Test Case Result Due This Thur 24
April. The result of the Office of Fair Trading and Banks'
court case will be handed down on Thurs. This will
answer whether it’s possible bank charges can be
unlawful under unfair contractual terms rules. If they can,
the OFT must then say whether they are unlawful, which
it’s likely to do.
The impact on bank charges. If that happens the door
for bank charge reclaiming should be reopened, hopefully
with an easy system so people can get their money back.
Before the hold the banks had already paid out an
estimated £1bn (over 4m free template letters have been
downloaded from this site). All updates will be in the Bank
Charges News article. Full reclaiming info and free
templates in the Bank Charges guide.
This Week...
Secret tips to find online
bargains
Shopbots and cashback sites tricks
Plus.. it's Chico time!
Web exclusive programme:
It Pays To Watch More
Be in the audience: Details
It Pays To Watch on five 7.30pm Weds
And 2,000,000 Thanks. On Sunday the 2,000,000th
email address was added to the distribution list for this email. I set up the site for £100 just over five years ago and
can't believe its sheer size; with 5m people a month using
it. Huge thanks to my team here at MSE Towers, plus
enormous thanks to all who've recommended it to friends.
To see details of how the site’s changed read my
2,000,000 Thanks blog. Also see Site History & How the
Site's Funded.
Please suggest friends and family get this e-mail via moneysavingexpert.com/tips
The Ones Not To Miss
MSE
eBay Sellers Tricks, Tactics & Tools. Declutter, flog & make £100s with ease. New Guide
A month ago I pubished a guide to secret eBay Bargain Finding tools. Now I want to focus on
sellers. The power of selling online, makes it easy and lucrative; whether for decluttering or as an
alternative to rental; e.g. buy something, use it, flog it. This brand new, detailed guide shows you
how to list auctions effectively, smash down eBay fees, list automatically with tools, and profit from
bizarre items you never thought you could flog. New Guide: eBay Selling Secrets Related
Articles: eBay Buying Secrets, Boost Your Income, Cheap Parcel Delivery
URGENT! £1 room sale for posh hotels worldwide. Shanghai, Paris, London & more. There
are ONLY 1,000 available, be prepared and Go Quick! Related Articles: Cheap Hotels, Cheap
Flights
Got existing credit card debts? New Top. Get 6.3% until it's repaid or 15mths' 0% for a
fee. Updated Article
With the tightening credit crunch, cutting debt costs is crucial. The key tool is a balance transfer,
where you move the debt to a new card at a special cheap rate. To play safe in the current climate,
use long-term cheap debt, especially ‘life of balance’ cards, where the cheap rate lasts until all the
debt shifted’s repaid; the current cheapest is 6.3% on some versions of Barclaycard Platinum*. For
those who can repay debts more quickly, or have a good credit score so you can repeatedly switch
deals, the best 0% cards are Virgin* 15 months with a 2.98% fee, Tesco and Abbey 0% for 13
months, 2.5% fee. Full explanations, pros and cons in the Updated Article: Balance Transfers
Related Articles: Cheapest New Borrowing, Cheap Loans, Credit Card Shuffle
Free food possible at Slug & Lettuce. Get a totally free lunch Just print a voucher!
The cheapest way to buy funds. Boost returns by up to 60%. Includes Discount Broker
Calc. New Article
Bizarrely, buy a unit trust, investment fund or shares ISA, direct from the investment company and
you pay commission for advice you haven’t got. Instead use special 'discount brokers', who rebate
the commission, and you get the same investment, but with less charges meaning it’ll grow quicker
(or shrink less!) This fully re-researched, re-written guide, includes a full survey of the cheapest
discount brokers plus a unique new calculator. New Guide: Cheap Investing Related Articles: ISA
Guide, Top Savings Accounts, Best Cash ISAs
£6 filter coffee machine at Asda. Makes up to 12 cups in one sitting. Can you beat it?
STOP YOUR FRIENDS WASTING CASH! PLS SUGGEST THEY GET THIS EMAIL
Get 12 copies of the Radio Times for £1 incl. del. Simply sign up for a trial and cancel in time.
What to watch out for
Do you have a Barclaycard? Get a hidden 5% cashback on all spending… give it a
haggle
Some Barclaycard customers who are closing their accounts down, are offered 2%, 3% or even 5%
cashback on all spending for between three and six months. This is market leading, so if you’re
debt free, why not give it a go. Call up, say you’ve heard others have got it and you want it or
you’re closing the account (which as you’re debt-free isn’t a hassle). If you get the cashback,
always ensure you pay it off in full so you’re not charged interest, then use it for all your normal
spending and you’re quids in. More Info: Barclaycard cashback forum note. For those without a
Barclaycard the Top Cashback Card is Amex Platinum* 5% for three months, tiered after that.
Updated Article: Best Cashback Cards Related Articles: Best Balance Transfers, Top 0% for
Spending
Recently bought an iPhone from Carphone Warehouse or o2? It’s dropped price by £100,
you can get the difference back. iPhone Cashback
3's mobile broadband at £5/mth for its customers. Plus other 3G deals. Updated Article
3G broadband gives speedy web connection for your laptop wherever there’s a mobile signal (also
useful if you're on old-style dial-up at home and can't get broadband). Now, anyone on a mobile
phone contract with supplier 3 can get its in-store 3G packages for £5/mth rather than £10 per
month. Plus, as the market heats up, there are lots of other competitive 3G broadband deals for
other networks too. Full list of top buys in the Updated Article: Cheapest Internet On The Move
Related Articles: Cheap Broadband, Mobile Cost Cutting, Cheapest Home Phones
Post documents to 10 UK addresses for free! Instead of posting your own (unregistered) mail,
a nifty site's offering 10 send-outs for nowt
Gas & Elec Provider Warning! Matching the Direct Debit does not mean matching the
price!
Some sneaky energy sales people are offering to beat your current Direct Debit payment if you
switch to them. This is a devious trick; lowering the DD doesn’t lower the cost, it just means you’ll
pay less a month then get a huge bill at the end of the year. Always compare based on the cost of
units and standing charge. Use a comparison service for this, my top pick Energyhelpline* gives
£15 cashback, but there are alternatives, including a £40 wine voucher in the full Cheapest Gas &
Elec article. Related Articles: Direct Debit Dangers, Cheapest Home Phones
URGENT! £600 Microsoft Office for £40, if you're a student. Current deal closes on 30 April
Related Articles: Free Office Software, Protect Your PC For Free
The Big & Easy Ways to Save Checklist
Assess your finances: Free Budget Planner to see if you spend more than you earn
Give yourself a money makeover: Special guide to overhauling your wallet
New borrowing: Best Card For Spending or Cheapest Loans
New Bank Account: 0% overdraft at A&L* or read Best Bank Accounts
Mortgage Makeover: Read the free Remortgage Guide
Motor Insurance: Read the Car, Van or Motorbike articles
Top savings: Kaupthing* 6.5% or read Top Savings article
Reclaim £1,000s: on Mortgage Fees, Council Tax, Endowments, Bank Charges, PPI
Home Phone & Broadband: TalkTalk* or better still read the Home Phones article
Get quick cash for old mobiles: Envirofone*, Cex, Mopay*. Recycle Mobiles article
Teen Cash Guide: Free 40 page PDF guide to teach your kids about money
Save £100s/yr at Virgin Active/Cannons/LA Fitness: Cheap Gym Membership Article
Cut Car & Home Insurance! Car Insurance/ Home Insurance Cost Cutting
MoneySaving Books: The Money Diet, Thrifty Ways, Three Lessons
Free MoneySavingExpert car sticker MoneySavingExpert.com/carsticker
More MoneySaving
MSE
ITV1 savings safety makeover. Do you have large savings (£100k+) and are you worried about
their safety with the credit crunch? ITV1's Tonight is looking for someone for me to do a Savings
Safety Makeover Related Article: Are Your Savings Safe?
CHEAP FLIGHTS SALES ALERT Airline: BMI Baby Price: £20 e/w. Ends: Midnight Weds 23
BMI Baby's selling thousands of seats from a range of UK airports to selected European
destinations at 30% off, working out at around £20 inc. most taxes & charges. Tickets are at this
price on selected flights travelling between now and 25 Oct. until midnight Wednesday. How to
quickly find the sales flights: Don't go direct, instead use the Budget Airline FlightChecker and
ask it to find all flights under £21. Non-Budget Airline Tools: These are listed in the Cheap Flights
article. Related Travel MoneySaving: Cheap Hotels, Spending Abroad, Cheap Currency, Travel
Insurance, Mobile Roaming
Ends Friday. Charity TV chair auction. Feel the warmth from celeb bums
MONEY MORAL DILEMMA. Would you ask for the sponsorship money back?
A few months ago a friend of yours entered to run a marathon in aid of Cancer Research. You
knew it would be difficult for them so agreed to donate £50, which has already come out of your
bank account and gone straight to the charity. The race took place last week but you've just heard
your friend actually completed less than half the distance because they were tired and also went
out drinking the night before. Would you ask for the sponsorship money back? Enter the Money
Moral Maze: Would you ask for the sponsorship money back? Previous MMDs: Would you take
the job? and Should little sis get a holiday too?
Online Shopping Secrets. Bag the cheapest & hidden cashback… It Pays To Watch
Challenge
In this week’s It Pays To Watch, I’ll run my studio volunteers through how to find anything for the
best deal on line first by using Shopbots then Cashback Websites and Cashback Cards to see how
much they can save. It Pays To Watch: five, 7.30pm Wednesday
Did you open the Tesco savings account in Aug 07? Make sure you’ve £1,000 in the
account by 30 Apr to get your 500 extra clubcard points
The Great ‘Host a Big Party on the Cheap' Hunt. Party like it's £19.99.
Whether it's a wedding, engagement, christening, retirement or big birthday bash, it's great to be
able to celebrate with all your family and friends in style. But the bigger a party gets, the more the
costs can mount up with it ending up costing the earth to put on your perfect party. So I want to tap
MoneySavers' expertise to find out how you hold big do's on the cheap. Whether it's ways to make
your own decorations, party nibbles or home made cocktails, what are the best ways you've found
to keep down the costs of your special occasion? Add your ideas/read other peoples': The Great
‘Host a Big Party on the Cheap' Hunt Past Great Hunts: What to Get Someone with Everything,
Ways to Save Money and Turn Green , Cut the Cost of Moving Home
Quick Forum Tips
Warning! Bargains listed here tend to sell out quickly
Daily Bargains Update
Tips, Tricks & Treats
Top Deal! Possible Free Ladies' Razor Just watch an ad. Spot a deal? Let us know
2 for 1 Rugby Final Tickets Grab them! Twickers Away!
PAYG mobile from £9 or £15 incl. £10 credit. Can you find one?
Free bag for life from M&S. Or pay 5p for plastic bags from 6 May Bag a free bag
Free Royal Opera/Ballet outdoor screenings Pack a picnic!
Mars Win a Football Competition Free entry loophole A Mars a Day...
£10 free T-mobile PAYG credit to use at weekends Just top up with £10 midweek
Need an engraving? Pick your price! It's your choice
Free tickets for It Pays To Watch. 30 April & every Wed
Debt Free Wannabe chat of the week: Living on Next to Nothing Challenge
Old Style (Thrift) Board thread of the week: Shabby Chic
Nominate Post Of The Month for April
Board of the Week: Green and Ethical MoneySaving
If you've a little one on the way then one of the many decisions to make is which type of nappy to
use. The Nappy MoneySaving article will help you there. Plus there's a wealth of other great
MoneySaving discussions on the Green & Ethical Board including Ethical on a Budget, To Flush or
Not To Flush and In Defence of the Plastic Bag
Great 'How to Win on Hotel Bidding Sites' Hunt Result
Last week I asked MoneySavers to let us know about their experiences and top deals with hotel
bidding websites. There were some great bargains for posh hotels including Sheraton Times
Square £55, Marriott Park Lane £76 and Renaissance Amsterdam £55
Andrea's Freebies
Freebies, Freebies, Freebies
Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day, Nit Shampoo for Schools, Cat Food,
Dr Who Tardis & Dalek Knitting Patterns, Adopt a Moshi Monstar, Renault World Series
Odds and Ends
MSE
MoneySavingExpert on the box/wireless
If you like to watch as well as read about MoneySaving, I'll be appearing on the following
programmes over the next week or so.
Over the next week you can catch Martin on the following broadcasts:
LK Today, ITV1, Wednesday 22 April (between 8:45 & 9:15am). Follow a tip for every
day of the week to help tackle the impeding credit crisis. Including Cheap Supermarket
Shopping, Cheapest Gas & Electricity and Slash The Cost Of Petrol.
It Pays To Watch, five, Wednesday from 7:30-8pm. Find out the best tips and tricks to
make your money stretch further when shopping online by using Shopbots and Cashback
Sites
GMTV, ITV1, Tuesday (between 7:30 & 8am). The topic's news reactive so you'll have to
wait and see!
Keep updated on appearances: Changes and updates go in the Updated appearances list
Feedback on appearances: Discuss or add your thoughts on MoneySaving in the Media
This week's Martin's Blog: Is Gordon Brown right to help First Time Buyers?
"Crime & ferocious murder; what a great way to learn about the reformation" and "We’ve hit the big
2,000,000 on the e-mail address… unbelievable!" Read m'blogs (or RSS users access)
10% tax band ending. Do you agree? This week's poll. Vote and 10p Tax discussion.
Do you read the Ts & Cs? Not if you can help it! Last Week’s Vote. An interesting, if slightly
worrying result this week, as a full 45% of MoneySavers voted that they never or rarely read the
terms & conditions of the products they choose. Just 24% said they usually or always read them,
and 31% said they read them occasionally, if it seems important. See Reading the small print poll
results.
Archna's Free Game of the Week! Another version of the classic Mario game! Mario
Starcatcher
Slightly scary laughing babies. That's it for this week, yet there’s something infectious about
these wee ones laughing, it's just a little bit unnerving too… laughing babies!
I hope you save some money
Martin