MSE’s Money Tips Beat 17% April bill hikes, Clubcard triple points axed, 264Mb broadband £18/month, marriage tax-brea

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From: MSE's Money Tips - Tuesday Mar 21, 2023 08:11 pm
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 22 March 2023 | 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.
 
 
 

Warning. 14% broadband price hikes are coming for most in April
Yet many can LOCK IN a year's superfast fibre for '£18/month' - often four times the speed and half the price

Most broadband firms' contracts allow them to increase prices a few per cent above inflation even if you're mid-contract. Worse still, many base the rise on December or January's inflation figures, which were huge... meaning millions face rises of up to 14%. This would increase a typical £40 bill to almost £46 a month (for exact details see firm-by-firm rises).

Yet SEVEN MILLION HOMES ARE OUT OF CONTRACT. And if you're in one of those, you're free to leave that contract. As usual, the cheapest prices come from short-lived promo deals, though right now - except for the Virgin deal - the choice isn't great. We're not sure if that'll improve or if it's a trend towards higher costs, either way, these deals are far, far cheaper than most out-of-contract prices (they aren't available direct - you need to use these links). 

264Mb (superfast) fibre
MSE Blagged
New. Virgin Media
- 264Mb fibre & line '£18.40/mth'
18-month contract
No price rise until April 2024
Cheapest we've EVER seen at this speed. Apply via this Virgin 264Mb link (it's available to 55% of homes) and you'll pay £23.95/mth. But you AUTOMATICALLY get £100 bill credit added to your first bill, so there's nowt to pay for four months, unless you make calls. Factored in, that's equivalent to £18.40/mth before call costs. Virgin was rated 'OK' in our last service poll (1).
67Mb (fast) fibre
New. Shell Energy
- 67Mb fibre & line '£19.64/mth'
18-month contract
No price rise until April 2024
Cheapest fast fibre. As Virgin's not available to 45% of homes, there's this Shell Energy 67Mb deal (available to 97% of homes). Here, you pay a £5.57 set-up fee then £23.99/mth. But you AUTOMATICALLY get £23.99 bill credit, plus you can CLAIM a £60 Amazon voucher. Factor that all in and it's equivalent to £19.64/mth before call costs. Shell Energy was rated 'poor' in our last service poll, so there's a trade-off here between service and price (1).  67Mb (fast) fibre
Ends Sun. Vodafone
- 67Mb fibre & line '£21.46/mth'
24-month contract
No price rise until April 2024
Cheap fast fibre with 'OK' service. If you can't get Virgin and want a slightly better service record than Shell, there's this Vodafone 67Mb deal (also available to 97% of homes). Here, you pay £25/mth, but can then CLAIM (don't forget) an £85 Amazon, Tesco, Sainsbury's or M&S voucher within four months. Factor that in and this deal is equivalent to £21.46/mth before call costs. Vodafone was rated 'OK' in our last service poll (1).
500Mb (extremely FAST) fibre
Ends Sun. Vodafone
- 500Mb fibre & line '£25.63/mth'
24-month contract
No price rise until April 2024
Cheap deal for this speed. A good price for really fast broadband. Apply through this Vodafone 500Mb link (available to about 40% of homes) and you'll pay £30/mth. But you can CLAIM (don't forget) a £105 Amazon, Tesco, Sainsbury's or M&S voucher within four months. Factor that in and it's equivalent to £25.63/mth before call costs. As above, Vodafone's rated 'OK' for service.
On universal credit or similar benefits?
Try a social tariff. Many providers offer special discounted social broadband tariffs which give long-term cheap prices of usually £12 to £20/mth for 30Mb+ broadband. Click the link for a full rundown.
Top PRICE FIXED TILL APRIL 2024 switchers' broadband & line deals
Deals are postcode dependent, so links go via our broadband tool which shows if you can get 'em 
To compare, we use 'equivalent costs' - adding all costs, except calls, deducting promo credits & averaging over the contract. (1) Broadband service ratings tend to be worse than other sectors, so all scores are lower, and feedback is relative. For full results, see our broadband service poll.
Don't want to switch? Haggle. If you're free to move (in other words, out of contract, nearing the end, or allowed to go within contract), you're in a powerful position to haggle, so use the price rises as a clarion call to take action. In our December poll, the vast majority of those who'd haggled with the big broadband firms were successful. So use the deals above as benchmark prices to help you get your costs down. Not sure how? Read full Broadband haggling tips.

Slow broadband? Test your speed - is it the Wi-Fi or the connection? Do a broadband speed check - first when using Wi-Fi, then by plugging your device into the router (if you can). If Wi-Fi's a lot slower, try our eight speed-boosters.

At least 50% of customers must get the advertised speeds at peak times. Both providers above also tell you the estimated max speed you're likely to get before you sign up.

Switching usually only means about two hours' downtime. You're told the switch time, and most don't need an engineer to set it up - though some moving to or from Virgin may (you're told before applying).

Members of cashback sites can sometimes undercut deals. In some cases, the cashback can mean these sites undercut promos elsewhere, though sometimes the deal differs - so check carefully. More in Top cashback sites.
 
Tesco axes triple value Clubcard deals - only 3 months left to max gains. From 14 June, it'll only double your points. Tesco Clubcard cut

It's back! Invest £50, get a FREE £50 back. 3,000 available. This frankly ridiculous Wealthify deal was so popular last time, we've got 'em to bring it back. Newbies putting £50+ into Wealthify's robo-investments get £50 cashback after a year. So invest £50, wait, and then you get your money back, so whatever the investment's worth in a year is a win. Even if they flop, at worst you break even. For full details, including up to £700 back if you've more to invest, see Robo-investing cashback.

Martin: 'Do you have a Power of Attorney? It's probably more important than a will.' Watch Martin's Power of Attorney: crucial financial protection video briefing on why it's so important, how to get one and more. Related: Free Wills Month ends 31 March.

 Important Budget briefing... Martin's Budget video summary. Done just as the Chancellor sat down... a quick round-up. Childcare support boosted. Funded childcare hours for all 9 months to school age, but only from 2025 (link has details of the gradual roll-out) plus universal credit changes. A win! 20% Energy Price Guarantee rise postponed. Our campaign, backed by 131 charities, succeeded in persuading the Chancellor to ditch the planned rise (Hunt even name-checked Martin). New. 'What'll you pay for energy from April?' calculator. Updated calc, plus full region-by-region details of the new unit rates and standing charges for direct debit, prepay and payment on receipt of bills. Tax-free pension limits raised. What it means for your retirement savings.

Ends Thu. Shift credit card debt to 28 months 0% (2.99% fee) + get £25 cashback. A balance transfer's where you get a new card that clears old cards for you, so you owe it instead, but with no interest for a set time. M&S's 28-month 0% (2.99% fee, min £5)* is one of the longest 0% cards, yet it's especially competitive if you're transferring £2,500+ as then it gives £25 cashback, essentially reducing the transfer fee. Don't just apply: Use our 0% eligibility calc to see if you'll likely be accepted for this (and other cards). Key rules: Always repay at least the monthly minimum, and clear the card before the 0% ends, or it's 23.9% rep APR. Full help and more options in Top balance transfers.

11 extreme MoneySaving beauty tips, including how to make lip balm from kitchen oil. MSE Rhiannon's updated her tips, but would you take MoneySaving this far? Beauty hacks

Now FOUR banks pay you FREE CASH (min £175) to switch. Both NatWest* and RBS* Reward pay a FREE £200, and £3/month cashback if you meet certain criteria. First Direct* gives a FREE £175 and is rated 90% 'great' for service, plus has 7% linked regular savings and a £250 0% overdraft. Halifax Reward pays a FREE £175, plus jump through hoops and you can get monthly rewards. Full reviews and who qualifies info in Best bank accounts. Related: Martin's perfect couples' bank switches, in case you missed it last week.

Updated. NHS, care and emergency worker staff discounts, including FREE 3 months' Joe Wicks, Asda 10% off, Toby Carvery 20% off. See all 40 NHS discounts.

It's the SERIES FINALE... ITV, The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, Tue 8pm. Over to Martin: "It's the last in the series, we're in Liverpool, with a shiny floor, huge crowd special, and I've an hour to tool you up on everything you need to know before I go, how to beat price hikes, the end of the tax year and much more. So please don't miss it, or at least set the Betamax."

 
 
 
 

Warning. 17% mobile price hikes coming for many in April
Lock in '£5/month' for 15GB data or '£9/month' for 100GB, both with unlimited calls & texts, just by switching Sim

Phone showing a text message reading: "Find out if you're out of contract in seconds (it's free). Text 'INFO' to 85075. You'll get a text back telling you if you're in contract, or if you're free to leave." Image links to our Cheap Mobile Finder tool with the Sim-only filter applied.Just like broadband, most mobile firms' contracts allow them to increase prices a few per cent above inflation even if you're mid-contract, which again means that millions are facing rises of up to 17.3% this April (for exact details see firm-by-firm rises). There's little you can do mid-contract, but if you're one of nine million out of contract, it's easy to sway away from the rises.

As long as you're happy with your handset (if not, check hot handset deals), you can save £100s with a cheap Sim (the chip in your phone that dictates your data, calls & texts allowance). Just use our Cheap Sim comparison - and here's a few to start...

5GB for '£3.70/mth': It's £1.49/mth for six months, then £5.90/mth, so an average of £3.70/mth over a year, on a rolling one-month contract (which you can cancel any time).
No-frills firm Lycamobile has a slightly cheaper deal (see it in our comparison), but we've little service feedback, so decided to play safer with this. iD Mobile (on Three's signal)
Service poll result: 3.6/5
15GB for '£4.67/mth': The £8/mth price is locked in for the 12-month contract, but you can CLAIM a £40 Amazon or Currys voucher. Factor that in and it's equivalent to £4.67/mth. A strong price for this much data. Ends 11.59pm Sun
MSE Blagged
Smarty (on Three's signal)
Service poll result: 4/5
50GB for £8/mth: A straight £8/mth and it's a rolling one-month contract, so you can cancel at any time. MSE Blagged
Three (on Three's signal, obvs)
Service poll result: 2.5/5
100GB for '£8.75/mth': The £15/mth price is locked in for the 12-month contract, and you'll automatically get £75 cashback, making it equivalent to £8.75/mth. On a different network and don't want to switch signal? 
Smaller networks 'piggyback' on the big four's signals (Vodafone, Three, O2, EE), so you can move provider and keep the same signal. Our Cheap Sims tool lets you filter by network, though not all smaller firms offer 5G, Wi-Fi calling or 4G calling. The tool will show you this.
Top newbies' Sim-only deals
All have UNLIMITED calls & texts. Data is the differentiator - use our Data Calculator if you're unsure how much you use
MSE Blagged 
Lebara (on Vodafone's signal)
Service poll result: 4/5

More Sim-switching need-to-knows...
- You can keep your number. Text 'PAC' to 65075 then give the code you're sent to your new provider, who'll transfer it.
- Unlock your phone for free. If you're out of contract, your network must let you do this at no cost. See Mobile unlocking.
- Don't want to switch? Haggle. Mobile firms are among the easiest to haggle with. Full info in Mobile haggling.
- Need roaming help? See our Cheap mobile roaming guide.
 
Budget special: energy, tax, childcare, pensions and Help to Save. This and more in the new The Martin Lewis Podcast - listen through BBC Sounds, Spotify, Apple and more.

Earn a £30 Amazon voucher for doing quick online surveys. MSE Blagged. Newbies to survey site Swagbucks can get an extra £20 Amazon voucher when they earn £10 through our Swagbucks deal.

On key or card prepay energy? Tell us if you got your £66/£67 a month vouchers. We want to know how you found the process of getting and redeeming them. Take our quick survey.

'Thanks to your SAD FART consumer rights info, I saved £100 on a faulty tap repair.' Our success of the week is from Susan, who used our consumer rights checklist info - she emailed: "Had a new kitchen tap 2 years ago, and a drip fixed in the first year. Same problem now. I'm out of guarantee and they wanted £99 to fix. Quoted Consumer Rights Act (reasonable length of time) - my previous tap lasted 12 years, so 2 years (including repair) was NOT reasonable. Result - free repair! Thank you Martin and team." If we've helped you save (on this, or anything else), please send us your successes.

Amex cardholder? Get £15 off Ikea, £5 off B&M, 15% off Disney+ and much more. See Amex's latest cashback offers, plus more ways to boost rewards, in American Express tips & tricks.

Work in communications? Come and work at MSE. We've a new press officer role open. See MSE jobs.
 
 
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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS
 

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK

If you're struggling with debt, help is available. It's Debt Awareness Week, and with more people struggling due to the rising cost of living, charity StepChange is raising awareness of free and impartial debt advice. No debt problem is unsolvable - it might not be easy or quick, but the earlier you tackle your debts, the easier they are to deal with. Our guide shows you where to start and how to get free one-on-one help. And if you want further info before getting help, read StepChange's page on how debt advice works.
 

THIS WEEK'S POLL

Do you have an ISA? With only two weeks left to use up this year's ISA allowance, we want to know whether you have an ISA, and if so, what kind? Vote now. (It's also worth checking whether you actually need an ISA.)

Almost a third of those self-employed don't contribute to a pension. Last week we asked you how much of your pre-tax income you contribute to your pension each month. Over 9,000 MoneySavers voted, with a quarter saying they pay in between 5% and 8% - the most common amount. But of those who are self-employed, 29% said they don't pay in to a pension at all. See full results.
 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

Should I tell my relative about my lottery win from a ticket she got me? For my birthday, a close relative always gives me two lottery tickets, and I do the same for her. This year, I won a significant amount of money, and I'm not sure whether she might expect me to split it with her, given the reciprocal nature of the exchange. I've considered keeping quiet for six months, then saying the money came from another ticket, so I can share it around the family as I choose. But when I give her tickets, I make a note of the numbers so I can check if she's won, so there's a chance she's done the same. Should I tell her? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I tell my relative about my lottery win? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma
 
 
 
 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (WED 22 MAR ONWARDS)

Wed 22 Mar - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm
Tue 28 Mar - This Morning, phone-in, ITV, 10.20am

MSE TEAM APPEARANCES (SUBJECT TBC)

Tue 28 Mar - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Mid-morning with Jeremy Sallis, from 10.45am
 

BAGS, BLANKETS & BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO FURNITURE - WHAT DO YOU USE YOUR OLD DENIM FOR?

That's all for this week, but before we go... MoneySavers on our social channels have been sharing their top tips for reusing the denim from old jeans. Making handbags was a popular option, as was turning them into blankets, cushions, or draught excluders. Using 'em to reupholster sofas and armchairs was another popular tip, while we were impressed with the creativity shown by the user who shared an image of old jeans being used as... plant pots. For more examples and to add yours, see our How do you reuse old denim? Facebook post.

We hope you save some money,
The MSE team
 
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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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