MSE’s Money Tips Beat 50% car insurance hikes, hidden cheaper Amazon, free £200, LISA win?, £6 off Pampers, FIVE mont

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From: MSE's Money Tips - Tuesday Feb 27, 2024 08:34 pm
MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email
Plus... Energy: How much'll you pay from April?, Mother's Day deals, invest £250 to get £50
                                                           
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 27 February 2024 | View in browser
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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.
 
 
 

ENERGY - IT'S ALL SHOOK UP...
Martin: The Price Cap FALLS 12.3% on 1 April, prepay will become cheapest way to pay, standing charges will RISE... but at least big switch savings may return...

Martin Lewis, MoneySavingExpert.com founder, whose image links to his official MSE biography page.On Friday, the regulator Ofgem confirmed the new April Energy Price Cap, which will fall an average 12.3%. This dictates the price most homes in Eng, Scot & Wales pay for energy (so that's YOU, unless you're on a fixed or special tariff) as most firms just charge the max. It moves every three months, mostly based on average wholesale rates, yet there's a time-lag, eg, the Apr-Jun Cap is based on Nov-Feb rates. Here's my summary of the key need-to-knows (or watch my video explainer or read full details)...

Use our speedy 'What you'll pay for energy from April' calc. Just tell it your usage, location and how you pay and it'll detail what you'll be paying.

1. Prices drop an average 12.3% so for every £100 spent now you'll pay ~£88 for the same use. It's moving in the right direction, but even from April, prices will be near double the cheapest pre-crisis. Current predictions are the Cap will drop a chunk again in July, then a small Oct rise (but that'll still be 20% less than now) - but of course that's all crystal-ball gazing. Prices vary by region and how you pay - here are the UK averages for scales of magnitude...

Elec unit rate (cost for each unit of elec you use) 24.5p/kWh (kilowatt hour) - down 14% Elec standing charge (daily facility charge) 60.1p/day - up 13%
Gas unit rate (cost of each unit of gas you use) 31.43p/day - up 6%
UK average Direct Debit rates from 1 April (see prepay or pay on receipt of bills)
6.04p/kWh - down 19%
Gas standing charge (daily facility charge)

2. Overall, bills will fall, but (aaarrgh) standing charges are rising to £334/yr pro-rata. From April you'll pay an average  91.5p/day just to have a gas & elec facility (see why standing charges are rising). I've long campaigned against this energy 'poll tax' as it's a moral hazard, meaning lower users see relatively less gain from cutting use.

Yet as unit rates are the majority of each bill in all normal circumstances, barring mostly empty homes, you'll STILL PAY LESS OVERALL from April, but the standing charge rise means higher users, especially with gas, save a higher percentage than lower users. After much lobbying I'm glad Ofgem is reviewing the standing charge, but its report is still weeks away.

3. PREPAY will become the cheapest way to pay for the foreseeable future. Prepay (key & card meters), which many of the most vulnerable use, were always the rip-off, so this is a staggering, welcome turnaround. Prepay standing charges are being cut to equal Direct Debit, yet prepay unit rates are cheaper. From April, prepay will be an average ~3% cheaper overall.

But before you move to it, a word of caution... prepay deals tend to be few & far between, so if and when proper competition returns, the big discounts are likely to be for Direct Debit customers. So I strongly suspect Direct Debit will stay by far the overall cheapest for switchers, but for those who don't, prepay will undercut it.

4. Decent switching deals may restart from 1 April as Ofgem's changed one of the background rules that stop them. It's ending the 'Market Stabilisation Charge' launched mid-energy crisis, which means switch firm and the new provider must compensate your old one if it's undercutting it due to cheaper wholesale rates. I was fuming when it launched this and sadly lost my temper, using inappropriate language with Ofgem staff (which I apologised for) when I was told it was to "stop the harmful effects of competition" - ie, stop cheaper prices. So I am of course delighted to hear it's going, and hope it'll spur real competition to drive down prices - though Ofgem could've gone a step further.

5. You can undercut the Price Cap by 3%... The E.on Next Pledge tariff is open to switchers & existing customers who pay by Direct Debit. E.on promises it will remain roughly 3% below the Price Cap for a year (so £50/yr at typical use), so when the Cap drops, so will it. Therefore, as long as you're happy going to E.on, and have (or get) a smart meter, if you're going to stick on the Price Cap, you may as well move to this discounted tariff. It has £25 per fuel early exit penalties.

6. The cheapest fixes, if you want peace of mind. The big benefit of a fix is you know exactly what you'll pay. Yet the key is at what rate you fix. If the predictions are right (a big 'if'), over the next year you'll pay 18% less on average than you do now (or 21% if you're comparing against E.on), so you'd want to fix at around that price, not current prices, for it to look a winner.

Last week when the Price Cap fall was predicted to be a bit bigger, we thought the British Gas Price Promise of a fix at £1/fuel lower than the Apr Price Cap looked good. Then, after the announcement, it looked less good, but it's now said it'll drop it to an average £30 lower. That's roughly 14% cheaper than current prices, the same as Outfox's fix - though the latter, like Octopus Energy's 13% cheaper existing-customer deal, has the advantage of no early exit penalties. See full cheap fix analysis.

 
Millions of users - billions saved. Happy 21st birthday MoneySavingExpert.com. Find out where it all started in this special young-MSE film (done for our 20th last year).

Martin: Is a Lifetime ISA win coming in next week's Budget?! It's reported the Chancellor has listened and will ditch the withdrawal fee for first-time buyers above the £450,000 limit. Read LISA campaign to succeed?

FREE £200 to switch bank. If you missed last week's full free cash bank switching is BACK note, here's a reminder that sister banks NatWest* and RBS* now pay accepted switchers a FREE £200 and, via their Rewards account, £3/mth cashback if you meet certain criteria. That's overtaken Lloyds' FREE £175 plus perks, eg, 1yr Disney+.

Ends Thu. Tesco shopper? Last chance to use/extend £18m of Clubcard vouchers. See Tesco alert.

Coupons: 'Free' £1.20 energy drink, £6 off Pampers, 'free' £1.65 dog treats & more. See February's coupons.

Ends Thu. Pay just '£4/mth' for a 30GB mobile Sim. This iD Mobile Sim (uses Three's signal) is £4/mth for the first three months, then £8/mth for the remaining nine, but you can CLAIM (don't forget) a £35 Amazon or Currys voucher - factor that in and it's equivalent to £4.09/mth over the 1yr contract. Want different data / network? Use Cheap Mobile Finder.

Mother's Day deals, including £1.59 photocard, £25 delivered flowers, 25% off Wonderbly personalised book & more. See our full Mother's Day round-up. Related: Free/cheap ways to treat mum.

Get FIVE months' 5% cashback (max £125) on all spending via Amex intro boost - great if big purchase due. Cashback cards pay you to spend on them, and the best cashback from a fee-free card is the Amex Cashback Everyday's 5% intro offer. It's now 5% for the first 5mths (was 3mths) and max £125 (was £100), then up to 1% after. So grab one, do all your normal spending on it, just ensure you pay it off IN FULL each month to avoid interest (and don't withdraw cash or bust the credit limit). To get any cashback, you need to spend £3,000+ in a year, so only do it if you'll hit that. Eligibility can be tricky, but our link takes you through a checker. Full info in Credit card rewards.

'I saved £684 haggling on my broadband.' Our success of the week comes from Dawn, who emailed: "I'm with Virgin Media and my bill was going to increase to £64/mth. After calling them and following the MSE broadband haggling tips, they've offered me a new price of £26/mth, saving me £684 over the contract term. Thank you for the information." If we've helped you save (on this, or owt else), send us your successes.

Martin: 'What happened to my pledge to give £10m to charity?' 2024 update. "In June 2012, when I sold MSE (I'm still here though) I pledged £10m to charity. As that was a public pledge and I feel a duty of transparency, here's my latest blog on where I'm up to, and who's got what money."
 
 
 
 

How to pay less at Amazon... 
THREE 'hidden' stores where it sells at cheaper prices

Online retail e-giant Amazon is a go-to for many as it's so easy (you could even say, not at all taxing), yet it's so vast there are areas few venture to, but which can cut costs. Our Amazon buyers' guide is full of tricks across its range, but today we've focused on its core shopping areas. Though do always check if you can buy cheaper elsewhere (PriceRunner's handy for that).

Our Amazon Warehouse Discount Finder.1. Amazon Warehouse: Big discounts on often new returned goods
- Speedily find the bargains: Use our free Amazon Warehouse Discount Finder.
- Best for? Up-to-date branded electricals, kitchen appliances, laptops, lawnmowers, games, jewellery, household items.
- Consumer rights: You've statutory rights, but may not get the manufacturer warranty.

Amazon Warehouse* sells returned items at knockdown prices - sometimes just as someone has changed their mind. Items are graded from 'acceptable' up to 'like new' and are usually priced far cheaper than buying new. It's a way to get current-model products that might otherwise be out of your price range. Sometimes they may be unpackaged, but you're told this.

To spot the bargains, we built the Amazon Warehouse Discount Finder. Simply tell it what you're looking for and it'll show you how much you can save compared with buying new at Amazon.


Amazon new price Amazon Warehouse Samsung Buds 2 £139 (cheapest elsewhere £139) 'Like new': £82, damaged packaging Barbie jet play-set £60 (cheapest elsewhere £57) 'Like new': £21, damaged packaging KitchenAid stand mixer £450 (cheapest elsewhere £460) 'Very good': £303, small scratch & damaged box

We get many successes from it, such as from Auntrice, who said on our Forum: "I never knew about Amazon Warehouse until Martin's newsletter. Just purchased a what-looks-like-new Echo Show 8 camera, normally £110, for £55. Marvellous!"

2. Amazon Renewed: Used, previous-generation tech in top condition with a one-year warranty
- Speedily find the bargains: Head to Amazon Renewed* and use the search. If it's phones you're looking for, then use our mobile refurbs finder for a wider range.
- Best for? Slightly older tech, including phones, tablets, headphones, games consoles, smartwatches and cameras.
- Consumer rights: All have a one-year warranty on top of your statutory rights.

While Warehouse is mostly for current models, Renewed sells pre-owned tech products that have been tested and refurbished and look like new, such as previous generations from Apple, Samsung and Dell.

As they're refurbs, stock is limited, but we found a 64GB iPhone 11 for £198 (£429 new), Xbox carbon black controller for £38 (£54 new) and 500GB PS4 Slim for £154 (£286 new). Patricia told us: "Bought a phone and tablet as good as new. My kids didn't notice the difference and it saved me hundreds."

3. Amazon Outlet: Odds and ends, but worth a check for 15% to 70% off new overstocked items
- Speedily find the bargains: Head to Amazon Outlet* and use the search.
- What's it best for? Brand-new out-of-season items such as leftover Christmas cards/gifts and lesser-known brands.
- Consumer rights: You've statutory rights.

The clearance Outlet has 1,000s of brand-new surplus items which Amazon (or third-party sellers) are keen to shift, though it's hit and miss. We found some Aigle kids' wellies for £6. Best way to think of it is like any store's end-of-sales clearance - it's a mix of funk, junk and a few things you may put in your trunk. Do check prices though - not everything in the Outlet is discounted, and even those that are may not be great deals. See our Amazon Outlet analysis.

 
Martin's pod: Nightmare train travel, asking for a pay rise at work & more... All in the new The Martin Lewis Podcast. Listen via BBC Sounds, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to get your Martin fix.

Get £50 cashback for investing £250. 2,000 available. MSE Blagged. We've seen better past offers, but this is the current best and one of the first from InvestEngine (so there'll be many newbies out there). Keep the £250 invested for a year and you'll get the £50 - so it's a good head start to hopeful investment growth. See full pros & cons in Robo-investing cashback.

Grüum home fragrance bundle £15 delivered (normally £56). MSE Blagged. Includes two candles, two diffusers and wax melts. 15,000 available. Grüum

Got Avios you won't use for flights? Swap 'em to Nectar now. From 11 March, you'll need more Avios to get the same number of Nectar points - so if you've nowt else to use your Avios on, here's how to swap them.

Free 3mths' access to 7,000+ digital magazines, including Gardeners' World, Vogue. MSE Blagged. For new AND returning users. With additional 10% off for 12 months. Mag-nificent

FREE National Outdoor Expo tickets. Event aimed at outdoor enthusiasts - walking, climbing, camping, bushcraft and more. So pencil in the weekend of 23 to 24 March at Birmingham's NEC. Normally £18. 5,000 available
 
 
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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS
 

THIS WEEK'S POLL

Do you have an electric vehicle (or are you thinking of getting one)? The push towards electric vehicles (EVs) is likely to become more of a focus as we move closer to the 2035 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars (for all the need-to-knows on EVs, see our Electric vehicles guide). Let us know in this week's poll whether you've already got an EV, or if you'd consider buying one next time you get a new vehicle. Vote in this week's poll.

More than one in 10 MoneySavers spend over £1,000 a year on birthdays. As it was MSE's 21st birthday last week, we asked how much you spend each year celebrating friends' and family's big days (and your own, of course). Of the 4,000 people who responded, most told us they spend less than £500. Yet while a frugal 12% spend less than £50, 14% splash out a whopping £1,000+ over the year. See full birthday spending poll results.
 
 
 
 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

Can we uninvite people to our postponed wedding to save money? We're now replanning our postponed wedding and we're looking again at the guest list. Some people had accepted our initial invitation, but aren't on our 'A-list' of guests, and as we would now like to spend less, is it OK to uninvite some of those guests who had already said 'yes'? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Can we uninvite wedding guests? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma
 
 
 
 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 27 FEB ONWARDS)

Wed 28 Feb - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm
Mon 4 Mar - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10.15am
 

TRAINERS OVER £30, FANCY PHONES - WHAT DO YOUR KIDS HAVE TO PAY FOR WITH THEIR POCKET MONEY?

That's all for this week, but before we go... MSE Forumites have been discussing what they buy for their kids, and what they expect their kids to fund from their own pocket money. Parents paying for mobile phones is common, but one Forumite says they fund a basic model and if their child wants something 'better', they have to meet the difference. Another applied the same rule to footwear, with a £30 limit for new trainers and anything above that coming from pocket money. Several posters told us they paid for driving lessons on the basis it's a life skill. And one Forumite's philosophy is that while pocket money increases with a child's age, so does the need for them to pay for 'boring but necessary' expenses, teaching them budgeting skills for life. Tell us what your kids pay for themselves - or what your parents expected you to stump up for - in our forum thread.

We hope you save some money,
The MSE team
 
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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.

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