MSE’s Money Tips End of the £20,000 cash ISA?; get £100s energy credit back; DEFINITE 32mth 0%; Sky TV '£13/mth'; yea

Pin Tweet Share Share
From: MSE's Money Tips - Tuesday Apr 15, 2025 08:04 pm
MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email
Plus does Trump mean cheaper energy bills?; free £30 on top bills account; invest £100, get £50 FREE
                                                           
MoneySavingExpert

 15 April 2025 | View in browser
MoneySavingExpert
Weekly Money Tips
        
Banking & Savings Household Bills Deals Insurance Cards & Loans Mortgages Income Reclaim
 
 
 
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.
 
 
 

Pay interest on existing credit card debt? Can you save £100s or £1,000s?
New. Top balance transfer, a DEFINITE 32mths 0% with a lower fee lets you shift debts interest-free until 2028

We're quite chuffed this week. Before we explain why though, the basics... a 0% balance transfer is where you get a new card that pays off debts on existing cards for you, so you now owe it instead, but interest-free for a set period, so more of your repayments clear the actual debt, rather than servicing the interest. Anyone paying credit card interest should check NOW to see if you can do this to cut costs. So, why are we happy? Over to Martin...

"Over recent years we've seen more 'up to' 0% deals, where some accepted customers only get a backup deal, eg, 29 months 0% advertised, but some get just 16 0% months. We've long pointed this out, but in February I decided to go harder, and redesigned our tables to prominently list the backup rate. Now Barclaycard, which oft offered poorer backup rates, is offering its first long definite-rate deal in 4 years, so all accepted get the headline 0%. Coincidence? Possibly."

Find which top card you're most likely to be accepted for via our eligibility calc. It shows your odds of getting each card BEFORE you apply, minimising applications & protecting your credit score. Go for the lowest fee with a 0% period long enough to clear the debt. Longer balance transfers usually have a bigger one-off fee, so if you can go shorter, it's cheaper. Unsure? Play safe & go long. Usually rejected when you apply? Our eligibility calc also includes balance transfers for poor credit scorers, while MSE's free Credit Club (available via the MSE App on Apple | Android) can analyse the problem.
New. Barclaycard
DEFINITE 32mths 0% (3.19% fee)
24.9% rep APR after 0% ends
Tesco
DEFINITE 32mths 0% (3.19% fee)
24.9% rep APR after 0% ends HSBC
Up to 32mths 0% (3.49% fee)
24.9% rep APR after 0% ends Tesco
DEFINITE 18mths 0% (0.99% fee)
24.9% rep APR after 0% ends Barclaycard
Up to 14mths 0% (NO FEE) 
24.9% rep APR after 0% ends
Top-pick newbies' 0% balance transfers (all links via our eligibility calc)
Joint-longest DEFINITE-length 0%s 
These two cards have identical major terms, so we've grouped them together. With both, all accepted get 32mths at 0% with a relatively low one-off fee of 3.19% (so £31.90 per £1,000 of debt shifted) for this length of card.

So if our eligibility calc (Barclaycard | Tesco) shows you're pre-approved for one, it's likely your winning long card. If not and you've decent chances for one, then go for that.
Long 0%, but an 'up to' with a higher fee
Headline rate: 32mths 0% (3.49% fee) | Backup rate: 26mths 0% (3.49% fee)
Those pre-approved in our eligibility calc definitely get the full 32mths 0%. While it has a higher fee than the cards above, if you're pre-approved for this and not those, that's likely a price worth paying. If not, its shorter 0% is still pretty decent at 26mths.
Can you repay quicker? Low-fee DEFINITE-length 0% 
This 18mth card is in a sweet spot, of decent length with a low fee of just £10ish per £1,000 shifted.
Don't need too long? Longest NO-FEE 0%, but it's an 'up to'
Headline rate: 14mths 0% NO FEE | Backup rate: 7mths 0% NO FEE. 
Used right, no-fee cards mean zero cost. If you're pre-approved in our eligibility calc, you'll definitely get 14mths. If not, it says 20% of customers may get the backup rate, so you may be safer going for NatWest's NO-FEE card, as while its headline 12mth 0% rate is shorter, its backup 10mth 0% rate is longer.

ALWAYS follow the Balance Transfer Golden Rules:
a) Never miss the minimum monthly repayment, or you could lose the 0% deal & it'll cost far more.
b) Aim to clear the card (or balance-transfer again) before the 0% ends, or the rate rockets to the higher APR.
c) Don't spend or withdraw cash. It usually isn't at the cheap rate & withdrawals may hit your ability to access credit.
d) If you don't transfer at application, you've usually only 60 to 90 days to get the 0%. Do check your card's terms.

Quick balance transfer FAQs (click links for Martin's answers)
Q. Is it worth applying if my eligibility odds are low? | Q. What if my credit limit isn't big enough? | Q. Can I shift debt to existing cards too? | Q. Should I try to pay off my biggest debt first? SPOILER: NO.
Full help and info, including options for poorer credit scorers, in Best balance transfers.

 
Martin: 'Will the Trump effect mean lower UK home energy bills?' Wholesale rates have plummeted due to market turmoil, but will that actually impact home energy bills? Watch Martin's energy video briefing

Ends Sun. FREE £30 Amazon, 1% bills cashback, top overseas debit card & you NEEDN'T switch bank to get it. New & existing customers opening a Santander Edge* current account via this link get a £30 Amazon voucher. Santander Edge is our top-pick bills & joint bills account. It costs £3/mth, but that's more than outweighed for most as it pays 1% cashback (max £10/mth) on Council Tax, water, energy, broadband etc bills that you pay on it via Direct Debit. There's also a separate 1% debit card cashback (max £10/mth) on grocery, fuel & travel spending. The debit card also gives near-perfect exchange rates abroad. You can open it, without switching, and use it alongside your main account - great to use as a bills account (you need to pay a min £500/mth in). See full Santander Edge review & eligibility.

A YEAR'S 2for1 at 380+ gardens (eg, Leeds Castle, many National Trust) in £10 mag. Always popular - often the cover price is cheaper than just one visit (though no longer includes Kew or Eden Project). Gardeners' World

New. Get £50 cashback for investing £100+. Only 2,500 available. Newbies to InvestEngine's fund platform who open its stocks & shares ISA* and add £100+ to their account (there are 800 funds from a range of providers to choose from, you can leave it in its cash holding account while you decide) will get £50 cashback paid into their account within a week. To keep the cashback, you need to keep your money invested for a year. Full info & options in our Stocks & shares ISA guide.

Veg price war: 1kg carrots, 500g parsnips etc, just 8p. Six supermarkets chopping up to 89% off veg for Easter.

Kärcher 20% off EVERYTHING code, incl sale items, eg, Window Vac £56. MSE Blagged. See Kärcher code.

New. Sky Stream (includes Netflix) just '£13/mth'. If you haven't had Sky TV for at least 12mths (or ever), use this specific link to apply for Sky Stream* by 30 April to get all the basic Sky channels for £15/mth (it also includes Netflix with ads, normally £5.99/mth), plus you'll be emailed a choice of a £40 prepaid Mastercard or shopping voucher (do monitor your spam filters). Factor that in as a discount, and it's equivalent to £13.33/mth over the 2yr contract. What is Sky Stream? You plug it into your TV and watch programmes streamed via your broadband.

What's the best value pack of mini eggs (best taste for least cost)? Last week, we reported our mini egg taste test winners, yet the boss (Martin) was off - now he's back and wants to "go bigger on the cost". So we've a new table which combines taste and price - and the winner has changed... Related: Cheapest Easter eggs.

'I got an £852 student loan refund after listening to Martin's podcast.' Our success of the week comes from Kirsty, who emailed: "I have recently found Martin's podcast and I've been listening to it on my commute. I've just listened to the episode about student loan refunds. I've been self-employed since leaving uni and have an accountant, so I assumed it would all be correct as I pay on what I have earned. But I've received an email this morning saying that I will be getting £852 back! I can't even describe what this means to me at the moment. And it was so easy, I'm telling everyone about it. Thank you so much." If we've helped you reclaim or save (on this, or owt else), send us your successes.
 
 
 
 

Martin: It's the PERFECT time to check if your energy Direct Debit's in too much credit. You may be due £100s back!


Martin Lewis, MoneySavingExpert.com founder, who wrote this article. Link takes you to his biography page on MoneySavingExpert.com.I often say get off the Price Pants Cap to stop overpaying (compare & cut bills by 10%+), yet energy firms are also said to be sitting on over £3 BILLION of our credit, having built up this huge reservoir from homes that pay by monthly Direct Debit (DD). Well, we're about to enter the PERFECT time to check if they've too much of your cash. My can you get £100s of energy credit back? blog has full info, but let's run through the basics...

This matters. After I warned about it last year, many got in touch, such as Diane, who emailed: "Thanks to you I discovered I was £1,000 in credit. I did decide to leave £200 just in case. I am now looking forward to a cheeky little holiday, which I wouldn't normally have been able to afford. Happy days." And Liz: "Taking MSE's advice, I was about £800 in credit. I emailed Octopus for a £500 refund. They didn't hesitate or quibble, just refunded the money immediately." Now, what better way to see if you're in too much credit than a sexy graph. Drum roll please! This is the energy Direct Debit cycle...

A graph showing the energy Direct Debit cycle for someone with a zero balance on 1 January. It shows that the energy user would be in debt on their account from January to July, at which point they would begin to be in credit until the next January. They would be in the most debt just before May, amounting to nearly two months' worth of their Direct Debit, and the most credit just before November, amounting to around one month's worth of their Direct Debit. The graph links to Martin's blog titled Get £100s of credit back from your energy firm - it's all about the Direct Debit cycle...

Monthly Direct Debits aim to smooth out seasonal use, so you pay the same year-round. They estimate your annual usage and, usually, divide that by 12 so you pay the same each month. That means you build up credit in the lower-use summer, and use up that credit (or go into debt) in the higher-use winter. And we're heading towards the bottom of the cycle, as late April and early May is usually when you've minimal credit/maximum debt before you start to rebuild it.

Monthly Direct Debits are a great budgeting concept, ruined by poor delivery due to firms mis-estimating use or credit-grabbing. Yet you have rights to ensure it is done fairly. Under condition 27 of both the gas & the electricity supply licence rules for Eng, Scot & Wales, suppliers must: 1) Set fair Direct Debits. 2) Give clear explanations. 3) Refund credits where appropriate. So let's ensure that happens...

Check your usage history is up to date. By that, I mean either you've a working smart meter that does regular readings for you or, if not, submit an up-to-date meter reading, and wait until that has been incorporated by the firm in its calculations. It's also worth checking our Is your Price Cap Direct Debit about right? calculator to see if your DD is too high (or low).

My rough rule of thumb... over a month and a half's credit right now is likely too much. Exactly how much credit you should be in depends on when you started with the firm (see how the cycle varies for more graphs), eg, those who started with a firm around this time of year will rarely be in debt if things work well. Yet as this is the low point, I'd suggest if your energy account is up to date and is more than a month-and-a-half worth of Direct Debits in credit, it's worth considering getting some of that money back.

As the Energy Price Cap - which two-thirds of homes are on - has just risen 6.4% on average, some will have or will be about to see their DDs rise, so I've set my 'what's too much?' rule of thumb a little higher than it was at this time last year. Then again, as prices are predicted to drop again in July, the impact isn't huge. And just to repeat, if you're on the Price Cap, do a comparison.

In too much credit? Contact the firm to ask it why. Call, use online chat or email to ask why you're in so much credit, and do listen to its explanation, there may be a legit reason. Though the rules state if too much credit has accumulated and a customer asks for it back, suppliers must refund it - or clearly explain why not. If the firm doesn't do this, make a formal complaint, and if the firm rejects it, escalate it to the free Energy Ombudsman to adjudicate. A few firms do promise automatic refunds or reduced DDs if your credit's too high on the anniversary of you joining, but others require you to check (see firm-by-firm refund rules). Just want to pay for what you use? Variable Direct Debit is cheaper than payment in receipt of bills. If you are prepared to budget yourself or cope with winter's heavier cash flow demands, payment in receipt of bills (where you're billed and pay for what you use each month) costs 6.5% more on the Price Cap than DD and has few switchable deals. Instead, check if the firm offers variable DD - there, you still pay only for what you use each month, but it's collected by Direct Debit.

 
The MSE day-by-day cinema deal tracker... see new releases, eg, A Minecraft Movie. Many discounts & deals depend on the day, so we've a day-by-day cinema deal tracker letting you home in on when you want to go.

Do you or does your child have a HyperJar card? How to avoid its new £3/mth inactivity fee. The top-pick children's prepaid card will charge the fee from 3 June - it's not an issue for most as you can easily avoid the new HyperJar fee.

200+ FREE museums & galleries. Perfect for the Easter hols. Find your nearest free UK museums.

Club Lloyds customer? Your debit card's now free to use abroad. You won't be charged any fees for using it overseas, including withdrawing from ATMs. Though the fee for not paying in £2,000+/mth is rising from £3/mth to £5/mth on 2 June. See our packaged bank accounts guide for info. Related: Top cards for spending abroad.

£25 cashback on £50+ B&Q spend. MSE Blagged. 5,000 available. For new & existing Quidco members. Quidco
 
 
Tell your friends about us They can get this email free every week
 
 

AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS
 
 
 
 

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

Should our neighbour pay us for taking in his parcels when he's out? Our neighbour runs a business buying and selling online. He gets deliveries every day and when he's out, we take them in. Yet he never comes and picks them up, so I always end up taking them over. When we're out, he takes in parcels for us, but never drops them round. The last delivery for him was four big parcels that sat by our door all weekend, waiting for me to take them over. Should I tell him that if he wants to keep using our house as a delivery depot for his business, he's going to have to pay us? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should our neighbour pay us for taking in his parcels? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs
 
 
 
 

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 15 APR ONWARDS)

Wed 16 Apr - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, podcast only (listen to previous podcasts)
Tue 22 Apr - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10.20am
 
 
Important. Please read how MoneySavingExpert.com works We think it's important you understand the strengths and limitations of this email and the site. We're a journalistic website, and aim to provide the best MoneySaving guides, tips, tools and techniques - but can't promise to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong.

What you need to know

This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances - and remember we focus on rates not service.

We don't as a general policy investigate the solvency of companies mentioned, how likely they are to go bust, but there is a risk any company can struggle and it's rarely made public until it's too late (see the Section 75 guide for protection tips).

We often link to other websites, but can't be responsible for their content.

Always remember anyone can post on the MSE forums, so it can be very different from our opinion.

Please read the Full Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, How This Site is Financed and Editorial Code. Martin Lewis is a registered trade mark belonging to Martin S Lewis.

More about MoneySavingExpert and Martin Lewis What is MoneySavingExpert.com?
Founded in February 2003, it is now the UK's biggest consumer help website, with more than 12 million users each month and about 8.5 million receiving this email. In September 2012 it became part of the MoneySupermarket Group PLC. Its focus is simple - saving cash and fighting for financial justice on anything and everything. The site has over 80 full-time staff, more than a third of whom are editorial - researching, analysing and writing to continually find ways to save money. More info: See About MSE.

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.

What do the links with an * mean? Any links with an * by them are affiliated, which means get a product via this link and a contribution may be made to MoneySavingExpert.com, which helps it stay free to use. You shouldn't notice any difference; the links don't impact the products at all and the editorial line (the things we write) isn't changed due to them. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the best product, it's still included in the same way. More info: See How This Site is Financed.

As we believe transparency is important, we're including the following 'un-affiliated' web-addresses for content too:

Unaffiliated web-addresses for links in this email

trading212.com, postoffice.co.uk, marcus.co.uk, santander.co.uk, investengine.com, sky.com

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Note

MONY Group Financial Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA FRN: 303190). MoneySavingExpert.com Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales. Company Registration Number: 8021764. Registered office: One Dean Street, London, W1D 3RB. MoneySavingExpert.com Limited is an appointed representative of MONY Group Financial Limited.

To change your email or stop receiving the weekly tips (unsubscribe): Go to: www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips.