MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

The perfect storm of high rents and the cost of living crisis continues to leave many walking a tightrope. The latest ONS figures show, in the year to April 2024, average monthly rents rose 9% to £1,293 in England, 8% to £730 in Wales, 10% to £952 in Scotland. In N Ireland they rose 10.4% in the year to Feb 2024. Our 50+ MoneySaving tips for renters contains crucial info you need to know - here are the most important ones for right now...

1. Can you challenge rent rises? Plus renters' rights, from repairs and damp, to pets and disputes

Martin: "Renters are amongst the hardest hit by the recent inflation crisis, which is why it's barmy that there's been so little on it so far in the election campaign. Far too many face problems, and I've long wanted to do something about the many questions people have about rent rises, repairs and disputes.

"So, as it's outside my & MSE's expertise, I decided to make it the first episode of my new spin-off BBC Not The Martin Lewis Podcast where I'm joined by specialists to answer questions I can't:

New. Not The Martin Lewis Pod on renters' rights. Listen to it for free via BBC Sounds | Apple | Spotify or elsewhere they let you play good (or mediocre) podcasts, or read the transcript here on MSE. The pod includes...

- Can you challenge a rent rise?
- What to do if your rental property needs repairs or is damp.
- Can your request for a pet be rejected?
- How to deal with letting agents & council landlords.

"And far more. We also go through the different rights for each of the four UK home nations (Eng, Scot, Wales, N. Ireland)."

2. If your deposit's not protected, you could get it back... plus THREE TIMES the value. With most tenancies, your landlord/letting agent MUST put your deposit into a government-backed protection scheme by law. If they don't (or haven't), you've rights to redress. See deposit protection.

3. Broadband is YOUR choice, so switch and save £100s. Unless your tenancy agreement explicitly bans switching broadband, or you don't pay the bill, you don't need the landlord's permission for a normal switch (ie, keep the same type, just change provider). Though if you want to fit (or get rid of) cable or fibre to the home, where physical work is done, you should check.

Over seven million households are OUT OF CONTRACT and thus free to move, and if you are, it's a no-brainer for many and only takes a few minutes.

Our broadband comparison uses your postcode to find the full range of deals available in your area - currently you can get over 100Mb speed for the equivalent of around £22/mth. Do look at contract length to check it's suitable for your rental situation.

On Universal Credit or other benefits? Our comparison uniquely includes special social broadband tariffs that provide long-term cheap deals. Nearly 4m who are eligible are missing out.

4. Want renting to boost your ability to get credit? It's long been a bugbear of many renters that paying on time, diligently, doesn't automatically help their ability to get credit, including cards and ultimately mortgages. Yet it can. Our rent on your credit file section has full info, but in brief...

- Rental Exchange Initiative (Experian)*. First check if your landlord is signed up to this. It's a scheme where bigger private (500+ properties), council and social housing landlords can sign up. There's no fee for them or you. If not and you're in contact, why not suggest it? Their incentive is it helps encourage on-time rental payments.

- Canopy. Here, you the tenant sign up. It reports to Experian for free.

- CreditLadder. Here, you sign up and choose which of Experian, Equifax or TransUnion it reports to for free (so use Canopy for Experian and this for one of the others, and you've 2 out of 3 without paying a penny).

With both Canopy and Credit Ladder, you can pay to get your rental situation reported to all three agencies. Both are £8/mth or, if paying for a year upfront, it's £60/yr for Credit Ladder or £84/yr for Canopy. Of course if you do sign up for this, ensure you pay on time, or it could have the reverse impact.

5. How to boost storage and make the most of where you live. While you can't usually make permanent changes to the decor or layout if you're renting, there's still a lot you can do. Our 25 tips to boost storage and make the most of where you live includes things like bed-risers, sticky hooks and more.

6. You don't need buildings insurance, but do consider contents cover (from £5/mth). Your landlord is responsible for buildings insurance, but you need to consider insurance for your contents (an easy way to think of it is cover for all the stuff that'd fall if you turned your home upside down). Our Cheap contents insurance for tenants guide takes you through it, but in short:

Speedily get quotes from comparison sites. Try MoneySupermarket*, Compare The Market* and Confused.com* to bag a decent number of quotes (see how we assess the order). Carefully check the cover offered before you buy - for example, if you're in a house-share, the policy may specify you need a lock on the door to your room to be covered.
Check deals not on comparisons. Use this Urban Jungle* link and the code MSE_OFFER, and you'll be sent a £15 Amazon voucher within 7mths for contents-only cover. Factor that in and see if it beats other options. And if you've time, try Direct Line, which isn't on any comparison sites. It isn't always the cheapest but offers good cover levels, so worth a look.
Check cashback websites before buying. Once you've found the right policy, check if a cashback website will pay you.

7. Are you due a council tax discount worth £100s? You could be eligible to have your council tax bill reduced - by anything from 25% to 100%. So if...

- You live alone or only with those aged 0-17 (or others on the list below).
- You're a full-time student.
- You're on a low income.
- You get Pension Credit or other benefits.
- You have a disability.
- You or someone you live with has a 'severe mental impairment'.
- You're a live-in carer or live with one.

... check our Council tax discounts list to see if you can pay less (and if you're renting, you can still use our check & challenge system to see if your home's in the wrong council tax band).

8. In a house- / flat-share? Use a free app to split the bills. Keeping track of bills can be a complete nightmare, especially if there are a few of you. The Splitwise app can help.

9. Struggling to pay rent? Help, worth £1,000s, may be available. If you're finding it hard to pay your rent, first talk to your landlord to let them know you're struggling, see if you can agree a payment plan to ease pressure - some will, some won't, but communicating is better than just not paying. Plus look for help:

a) Check if you qualify for Universal Credit. If you've household income below £40,000, do a 10-min benefit check-up as housing costs can be included. Jane tried it and emailed: "We completed the 10-min checker and have been amazed at the support. The rent help and council tax reduction saved us an incredible £3,400/yr. It means so much to us - thank you so much."

b) Apply for a discretionary housing payment. If you receive the housing element of Universal Credit, or Housing Benefit, you may be due help from your council. See Shelter's info for England | Wales | Scotland, or info for N Ireland.

c) Apply for a charity grant. Some charities may offer help - search for grants available in your area via Turn2us or Lightning Reach.

d) Facing eviction? There's still hope - see eviction help.

10. Beware bogus charges - letting fees are BANNED. As our guide to what they can and CAN'T charge explains, since 2019, charges for credit checks, photocopying and so on have been banned across England, Scotland & Wales (some are still allowed in N Ireland).

11. Furnish your home for nowt & spruce up your space. If you've rented unfurnished or part-furnished, online giveaway sites can help you find what you need for nowt. eBay's also worth checking for cheap stuff too - see our 40 eBay buying tips.

12. Renting privately in London? Check your home's properly licensed. If not, you could be owed £1,000s... if your landlord hasn't followed the rules. Use the property licence checker to find out.

13. One day, maybe, wanna own a house? Just in case, put at least £1 in a LISA - it could be worth £1,000s. If you've never owned a home and are aged 18 to 39, you can open a Lifetime ISA (LISA). Do that and the state adds 25% on top of any savings, up to £4,000 a year (so do the max and you get £1,000/yr free), as long as it's put towards a home costing under £450,000.

Yet to get the bonus, the LISA has to have been open a year, so pop a quid in now to start the clock ticking, then when you're ready to save, put cash in so you're eligible for bonuses quicker. There are real pros & cons to this though, so before putting more than £1 in, read our full Top Lifetime ISAs guide.

As Jordan emailed: "Another Lifetime ISA success for you - I saved 7 years and my partner 6, so we got £13,000 towards our deposit from the Government. With interest, that got us to a 20% deposit on a £330k property we completed on a couple of months ago."

14. If you're in a dispute with your landlord, help's available - and they have responsibilities, too. If you think you've been unfairly treated during your tenancy - or your landlord hasn't kept the home safe and in good working order - there are official bodies to help you complain (though they have limited powers). See landlord responsibilities and your rights.

15. Did you have joint bills accounts with old housemates? If so, delink them. If you had joint bills accounts with flatmates, then your credit files may be linked, meaning their file can be looked at when you apply for a mortgage. Best to delink your credit files if you can.

First-time buyer (or wannabe one day)?

Renting can give flexibility, ease of movement and - in periods of house-price decline - be financially safer too, so we shouldn't knock it. Yet many do want to get on the housing ladder, in which case understanding what you're getting into and how to cut costs is crucial. If that's you, here are some key MSE links...

- Free 53-page First-time buyers' mortgage PDF booklet.
- How to save for a mortgage using a Lifetime ISA.
- Use our mortgage comparison to find cheap deals for you.
- See how to get ready to make a mortgage application.
- See special renters' mortgages from Skipton and Leeds BS.

16. Save 60%+ on rent by becoming a 'property guardian'. If you can be flexible about where you live and are happy to move frequently, you can baby-sit empty properties to deter squatters.

These can be private homes, office blocks, fire stations, churches, pubs, schools and more. Rent's usually a fraction of what you'd normally pay - for example, this week we found a room in Hull for £165/mth and a room (in a former school) in Hunstanton for £285/mth. Full info in property guardians.

17. More bedrooms in your home than people (or the same number)? Switching to a water meter can save you £100s. If you've a six-month or longer fixed-term tenancy agreement and pay the water bills yourself, you DON'T need your landlord's permission to get a water meter (though courtesy says it's worth discussing it with them). So see our water saving guide & calcs to find out if you can save £100s.

18. High energy bills? Fixed deals are returning and renters are eligible for help too. There are now several energy deals you can switch to and save, and as long as you don't need a new meter, you don't need your landlord's permission. Try our relaunched Cheap Energy Club to do a full comparison. Also see our Help if you're struggling to pay energy bills guide. It's also worth a check to see if you're entitled to free insulation.

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.

New. Top 5.2% easy-access cash ISA pays more than top savings - highest we remember since 2008
Even if you don't pay tax on savings, it's still the highest easy-access rate

Let's not overcomplicate it, a cash ISA is just a savings account you can put up to £20,000 in per tax year and the interest is NEVER taxed. Once in, it stays tax-free year after year if you don't withdraw it. Just like normal savings, they can be easy-access, notice accounts or fixed - that's because they are normal savings, just inside a tax wrapper.

The top cash ISAs normally pay less than top normal savings, but currently your money really looks nicer in an easy-access cash ISA, because the top payer beats even the top open-to-all easy-access normal savings. So even if you don't pay tax on savings - as you earn under the Personal Savings Allowance (eg, basic 20% rate taxpayers can earn £1,000/yr savings interest without paying tax) - it's still worth looking at as the interest's higher. Though the top product requires some explanation...

New. Top rate by far, 5.2% easy-access cash ISA. The new variable rate Trading 212 5.2% cash ISA* (min £1) is easily the top-paying easy-access ISA (and beats the top normal savings too). You can save new money into it, and it normally allows you to transfer cash from existing ISAs in too - though there's so much demand currently it's pausing that (but you can open it now, and transfer across to it later). As with any ISA transfer, you mustn't withdraw the cash to do it, ask Trading 212 to transfer it in for you. Now to delve a little deeper...

- What is Trading 212? Its name sounds a bit odd, but it's an international share trading platform that's likely offering a loss-leading high-rate cash ISA to build market share (when firms have done this in the past, they tend to keep rates high for a year or more, then gradually lower them, so monitor and if it does drop, transfer elsewhere). Do be aware, like most finance firms, it may want to cross-sell its other products (though it says it doesn't plan to). Don't do that unless you've done your research. And it's a new(ish) firm to us, so we don't have much customer service feedback yet (do let us know).

- The savings have the UK £85,000 savings safety protection... yet as it isn't a bank in its own right, the normal Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) savings safety protection works differently. Your money's held in a 'client money account' via the UK arms of Barclays, JPMorgan and/or NatWest - and kept separate from Trading 212's own money. These are all fully UK regulated (we have all this in writing from the FSCS), so that ensures your money's protected.

Yet be aware if you've money with those or their subsidiaries (use our Which banks are linked? tool to check), then the total protection is £85,000 per institution, so this could push you over that. Trading 212 said it aims to split money evenly between its three partner banks & plans to update its app so you can see how your savings are distributed.
Best of the rest: If Trading 212 isn't for you, these are the top variable-rate easy-access cash ISAs. For new money & transfers, Charter Savings Bank's 4.97% (min £5,000) and Kent Reliance's 4.86% (min £1,000). For new money only, app-only Plum pays 5.17% for 12 months (min £100) BUT only allows three withdrawals a year without penalty. See our Top cash ISAs guide for more.
Top one-year cash ISA fixes. Normally with fixes you have to lock your money away, yet cash ISA providers aren't allowed to do that, so you can close all these, but you pay an interest penalty to do so (so they're best for those who are unlikely to need the cash). Castle Trust Bank's 4.87% (min £1,000), or if you've a Virgin Money current account there's Virgin's 5.05% (no min). Worth noting, if you are definitely locking money away and don't pay tax on savings, the top fixed normal savings rates beat cash ISAs.
Can you boost interest further? Some specialised options in our Savings section pay even more:
- 50% bonus for many on Universal Credit or Tax Credits. See Help to Save.
- 25% bonus for first-time buyers aged 18 to 39. See Top Lifetime ISAs.
- Earn up to 8% if you can save monthly. See Regular savings.
- Prefer to invest? Higher returns, but more risk. See Stocks & shares ISAs.

Warning: Lloyds, Halifax, Bank of Scotland customer? Your overdraft may be upped to 50%. Lloyds news

A month's 'tailored' dog food £3.60 (normally £36) via 90% off code. MSE Blagged. A fraction of what most pay just for off the shelf tins in a supermarket. You can cancel after the month if you want. Newbies only. Tails

Need extra cash? Grab it from a bank! Three pay you a FREE £175 & more to switch. Last week our get paid to switch bank email was huge, as the three top payers all now give a FREE £175... Top all-rounder: Santander Edge* also has 7% linked savings & 1% bills cashback for £3/mth. No. 1 service & fee-free: First Direct's* rated 91% 'great' & has 0% overdraft. Perky account: Club Lloyds gives extras such as 1yr's Disney+. See them fully compared in last week's email.

Ending. 2% cashback on spending till 31 Oct on free, easy-to-get prepaid card. The free, app-operated HyperJar* prepaid Mastercard is openable by anyone (there's no credit check, as you just preload money on it to spend). Currently, newbies who order a free physical card, then spend either on that or its virtual card by Fri 21 Jun, can earn up to a HUGE £200/mth cashback till 31 Oct, so it's lucrative for big purchases. You get...

- 2% cashback on spending via Google Pay or Apple Pay.
- 1% cashback on other spending.
- There are cashback exclusions, including car dealers, investments, bills, foreign currency (see full list).

It's a strong deal for those who struggle to get other cashback cards, and/or have big spending planned in that time. As it's a prepaid card you get chargeback spending protection, so you should be covered if you pay for something & it isn't delivered, though it isn't as strong as Section 75 credit card protection. Full info & alternatives in top cashback cards.

Hobbycraft £5 off £15 spend code. In stores or online. See Hobbycraft £5 off.

Top 5.1% easy-access savings. App-only bank Chase* (part of giant JPMorgan) is paying 5.1% (on up to £1m) to new customers (& existing ones with under £50,000 saved on 2 May), easily the best open-to-all account, though currently beaten by the top cash ISA. Just open its free current account (it only does an ID check, not a credit check & you needn't switch to it) to access the savings. It also gives 1% spending cashback & has a top debit card for overseas. More info: Top savings.

65 FREE summer festivals and carnivals, find those near you. With our Free festivals guide.

New. Cheapest iPhone 15 (the latest) we've seen '£32/mth'. Newbies to iD Mobile (uses Three's signal) can get an iPhone 15 (128GB) on a 24mth contract with 100GB/mth data via Carphone Warehouse. You pay £49 upfront, then £30/mth (this'll rise each April by inflation + 3.9%), and you can CLAIM (don't forget) a £20 Amazon or Currys voucher. All in, it's £749 over the 2yr contract (equivalent to £32/mth), while just the handset from Apple is £799. PS: The retailer's responsible for the handset, iD Mobile for the contract. Find other cheap handsets/Sims: Cheap Mobile Finder.

'I saved £160/yr using your car insurance tool three weeks before renewal.' Our success of the week comes from Helen: "My motor policy renewal quote increased by £230 this year. I used your Compare+ Car Insurance tool to compare prices three weeks before renewal and managed to reduce my insurance costs by £159. Despite trying to haggle with my original insurers, who've given great customer service this year, I couldn't save half that amount so I've moved. Thank you. It's nice to feel someone's on my side for a change." If we've helped you save (on this, or owt else), send us your successes.

Tonight (Tue) ITV 8pm. THE MARTIN LEWIS MONEY SHOW LIVE SUMMER SPECIAL
Under 73? Turn £800 or less into £5,400 or more | Act now to slash the cost of summer hols abroad. Over to Martin: "An important but mixed bag tonight. The clock's ticking for you to boost your state pension, with the gain lasting decades. It's the single most lucrative subject I've done. Plus as it's a summer special, tips & best buys for anyone who's booked a trip abroad this summer, from cheap euros to passport checks, insurance and more. Got a question? Tweet using #MartinLewis or email the team at martinlewis@itv.com. Do watch (or catch up via ITVX).

BLAGGED FOR MSE

- Tails.com 90% off 'tailored' dog food Ends 30 Jun

DID YOU MISS?

- Amazon, one click to see if you can get £15 off £30
- M&S up to 50% off clothes & home
- £45 for £117 of Sol de Janeiro, Nars, Urban Decay etc beauty
- Ikea up to 50% off sale

The credit card best balance transfer battle is beefing up
New. Shift existing card debt to 28mths INTEREST-FREE, & importantly all accepted get the full time plus a lower fee

It's big money: 'I saved nearly £1,000/yr interest transferring to a new 0% card'

After months with no new top balance transfer cards, the market has sprung to life. If you pay interest and can't afford to clear your existing credit card debt, you can't afford not to check if you can get a 0% balance transfer. A balance transfer is where you get a new card, which pays off the debt on your existing card(s) for you, so you owe it instead, but interest-free. This way, more of your repayments clear the actual debt, rather than just cover the interest.

As Trevor emailed us on Wednesday: "Hi Martin & co. I was paying £300 for two credit cards, costing me £76/mth interest. I took out the Virgin Money deal with £5,299 credit, and transferred both card balances to it for a £164 fee. With 28mths 0%, I'll have it all paid off in 15mths, saving me a bankroll. Bangin'! Thanks for all the advice, keep it coming." [A saving of nearly £1,000/yr in interest.] Now two key tips first before the best buys...

1. Applying hits your credit file - use an eligibility calc instead. Our 0% eligibility calc shows your acceptance odds for top cards, so you can home in on those most likely to accept you before applying, to minimise the credit file impact. This is especially important for POOR CREDIT SCORERS - plus we include specific cards that may accept you.

2. Go for the LOWEST FEE available within a 0% time long enough to clear your debt. Generally, the longer the balance transfer, the bigger the fee. So if you can clear your debt quicker, go for a shorter deal to minimise fees. Unsure? Play safe & go long.

Top-pick newbies' 0% balance transfers (ordered by length) For once, ALL the cards below give all accepted customers the full 0% length, none are up-to cards
Tesco Bank Link goes via eligibility or apply direct*	- 29mths 0% - 3.49% fee - 24.9% rep APR after	Longest 0%. Our eligibility calc can also show if you're pre-approved, meaning you'll definitely be accepted (subject to ID & fraud checks).
New. Virgin Money Link goes via eligibility or apply direct*	- 28mths 0% - 3.25% fee - 24.9% rep APR after	Long 0%, lower fee. It's just extended the length of this card by a month. As the fee is slightly lower, and it has a just slightly shorter 0%, it's a good alternative worth considering.
Virgin Money Link goes via eligibility or apply direct*	- 20mths 0% - 2% fee - 24.9% rep APR after	Lower fee version if you can repay in 20mths. If you're sure you can clear what you owe in that time, this wins.
NatWest Link goes via eligibility or apply direct*	- 13mths 0% - NO fee - 24.9% rep APR after	Longest NO-FEE 0%. This is the winner for those who can pay off quickly as there's no cost at all. Similar cards are offered by its sister banks RBS* and Ulster.

ALWAYS follow the Balance Transfer Golden Rules:
a) Never miss the minimum monthly repayment, or you could lose the 0% deal and 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.

TWO NEW PODCASTS: 1) Banks are paying switchers big bucks, all questions answered + cheap wedding tips + do you pay tax on the state pension? 2) Renters' rights - can you challenge a rent rise? This week, there's both the normal The Martin Lewis Podcast and, as already discussed above, its strange new cousin The Not The Martin Lewis Podcast. Listen via BBC Sounds | Spotify | Apple or wherever you like to get your Martin fix.

Free West End theatre ticket for kids with a paying grown-up, for Wicked, Mrs. Doubtfire, Shrek & more. The annual 'Kids Week' promo on 50+ shows has launched, for July to Sept performances. Full info in kids' theatre tix.

Are you a parent who pays for childcare? Please fill in this quick survey to help our campaigning.

Last-minute Father's Day deals, including 33% off Scribbler cards and free gift cheques. If you're celebrating, it's this Sunday (16 June). See our Father's Day round-up.

Are you one of 500,000+ providing 20hrs+ week of care for low/no pay? Unpaid carers are the nation's unsung heroes, looking after their loved ones, saving the NHS money, and often leading hard lives themselves because of it. As it's Carers Week, here's a reminder of the rather paltry, but still worthwhile, help available. Check whether you're missing out on Carer's Allowance worth £4,000/yr or Carer's Credit, which could boost your state pension by £1,000s.

The MSE app is two - join the 1.4 million who've downloaded it. It's MSE, but appified. Download free via Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS

Longest 0%: Tesco Bank (check eligibility / apply*) - 29mths 0%, 3.49% fee (24.9% rep APR interest)
No-fee 0%: NatWest (check eligibility, NatWest has asked us to link only to our calculator) - 13mths 0% (24.9% rep APR)

Fast fibre (100Mb+): Virgin Media '£21.50/mth'
Superfast fibre (500Mb+): Vodafone '£27.05/mth'

On Universal Credit or similar? Check all discounted social tariffs

Top easy-access: Chase 5.1%, no min
Top fix: Nationwide 5.5% for 18mths, min £1

Try our Compare+ Car Insurance tool

Cheapest for £5,000 to £7,499: Tesco Bank (check eligibility / apply*), 7.2% rep APR (for Clubcard holders)
Cheapest for £7,500 to £15,000: Sainsbury's Bank (check eligibility / apply*), 6% rep APR (for Nectar card holders)

Try our relaunched Cheap Energy Club

£175 to switch + 1% bills cashback: Santander Edge
£175 to switch + top service: First Direct

Up to 3GB data: Lebara, '£4.40/mth' for 3GB
4GB to 9GB data: Lebara, '£4.90/mth' for 5GB
10GB to 30GB data: iD Mobile, '£4.50/mth' for 30GB
31GB+ data: TalkMobile, '£5.45/mth' for 40GB

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK

Get children saving money and the environment. Let's Go Zero, a charity that helps schools become zero carbon, has a month of free sustainable activities for kids, parents and teachers. From school uniform swap shops to saving water and electricity, there are plenty of MoneySaving, climate-positive ideas to try. There are also £2,500 worth of sustainable prizes for schools and community groups to win. Sign up to Let's Go Zero's challenge.

THIS WEEK'S POLL

Are you a renter - and how much does it cost you? Average monthly rental costs are up 9.4% across the UK, so this week we want to know whether you rent and how much your rent costs as a proportion of your income. Take your monthly income (this could be from your salary or pension, as well as any benefits) and let us know roughly what percentage of this is spent on your rent on a monthly basis. Vote in this week's poll.

Almost 40% of MoneySavers have never switched bank account. Last week, we asked when you last switched your bank account - more than 3,500 of you responded. Just under one in 10 (8%) have switched in the past three months, with the keenest switchers aged under 35. Two in five (38%) say they've never switched - but with lots of free cash switching incentives on offer right now, what's stopping you? See full bank switch poll results.

MSE NEWS

- Top story: Nationwide or Santander mortgage holder? You now only have four months to lock in a new rate
- eBay to stop accepting American Express in August
- With Plusnet Mobile? Switch to another provider ASAP to avoid losing your number
- Hive admits some users can't connect electric vehicle chargers to its app

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

My friends cancelled our reunion at short notice - should they pay for my hotel? Last year, a group of friends I'd lost touch with arranged a get-together with me. We decided to do it again this year, agreed the dates and location, and said we'd book our own accommodation. Three weeks before, however, they pulled out - I'm extremely sad for the lost friendships and because no one had told me earlier. I'm now left with an expensive hotel booking I don't need and can't cancel. Should I ask the rest of the group to foot my bill? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should I ask my friends to pay for my hotel? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

MSE TEAM BLOG

- Foodbank donation tips - find out what yours needs and how to give
- MSE Forum highlights: Parquet, picture-hanging & pressure washers

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 11 JUN ONWARDS)

Wed 12 Jun - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm
Tue 18 Jun - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10.20am

PADDING OUT WITH PULSES, STRETCHING OUT ROASTS - CHEAP WAYS TO FEED A FAMILY OF SIX

That's all for this week, but before we go... MSE Forumites are a helpful bunch, and over the last week they've been assisting a family of six to find ways of spending less on their weekly food shop. One savvy MoneySaver recommends making more mince-based meals - cottage pies, bolognese, chilli - and bulking them out with cheap tinned beans and pulses. A big Sunday roast can be expensive, but can reappear during the week as a 'leftover' curry, stew or casserole, then as a stir-fry, omelette filling or even pizza topping. Plenty advocated for a breadmaker, with one saying their first machine paid for itself in months, providing a ready source of pizza dough as well as the obvious loaves and rolls. Another used to have a 'new thing night' once a week to introduce their kids to something unfamiliar (and economical to prepare) - but this was always paired with a favourite pudding to sweeten the deal. If you've any top tips, let us know in our Food shop for a family of six MSE Forum thread.

We hope you save some money,
The MSE team

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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

moneysupermarket.com, comparethemarket.com, confused.com, myurbanjungle.com, trading212.com, paragonbank.co.uk, santander.co.uk, chase.co.uk, hyperjar.com, firstdirect.com, tescobank.com, natwest.com, rbs.co.uk, virginmoney.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.

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