MoneySavingExpert's Money Tips Email

Millions are dreading the flip-flapping of the (sometimes virtual) letterbox as this week's mail drops, as it's the week most credit card and other Christmas debt bills are sent. Don't let them fester, soonest dealt with is soonest mended - or at least improved.

If you owe money, the key rules are reduce the interest, repay as quickly as possible, and do it with discipline. Though if you're panicked about debt, and it's got too much, jump straight to debt crisis help.

Below I'll tackle credit card cost-cuts | is consolidating worth it? | cut loan costs? | reduce overdrafts to 0% | buy now, pay later payment help | which debt to prioritise | tips to manage debts and more. Plus it's my debt-busting ITV1 Money Show at 8pm tonight (Tue) too - do watch. I'll cover all this and be joined by debt counsellors to talk about what to do when you just can't pay.

A 0% balance transfer is where you get a new credit card to pay off debt on your existing card(s), so you owe it instead, but with no interest for a set period. That way, more of your payments reduce the actual debt - getting you debt-free quicker (just don't borrow more). As lenders know people are sorting their finances right now, they've pumped out the strongest suite of deals for a while...

i. Protect your credit score - apply via our eligibility calc to see who'll accept you. It shows which cards you're most likely to get, minimising applications to protect your credit score.
ii. Go for the lowest fee within a 0% 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.
iii. Usually rejected? MSE's free Credit Club (also via the Apple | Android MSE App) can analyse the problem. You can also access our eligibility calc there.

Top-pick newbies' 0% balance transfer cards All links via eligibility calc at providers' request
MBNA UP TO 31mths 0% 3.2% fee 24.9% rep APR interest after	Joint longest 0%, yet better as lower fee While it's an 'up to', you'll know the length before applying. Apply via our eligibility calc (it's a shorter deal if you go direct) and, if eligible, you'll be pre-approved for either 31mths with a 3.2% fee, or 14mths with a 3.49% fee (if the latter, other cards are better).
Barclaycard UP TO 31mths 0% 3.45% fee (min £5) 24.9% rep APR after	Joint longest 0%, £20 cashback if moving £2,500+ Though an 'up to' card. Shift £2,500+ within 60 days and you get £20 cashback, which essentially reduces the fee, so it's a winner if you're pre-approved in our eligibility calc for the full 31mths. If not, it could be just 15mths. PS: A slightly higher £25 cashback is available if you are accepted after a CTM comparison.
Tesco Bank Definite 30mths 0% 3.19% fee 24.9% rep APR after	Longest guaranteed-length 0% Even lower fee. Its advantage is everyone accepted will definitely get the full 30mths, so if you've decent acceptance odds and aren't pre-approved for the best rates above, it's a good bet. Plus if you can repay a little quicker, the lower fee is a boon.
Tesco Bank Definite 18mths 0% 0.99% fee 24.9% rep APR after	LOW-FEE guaranteed-length 0% Sweet spot of length & fee. If you can repay quite a bit quicker, this 18mth card is still pretty long but the fee is just £10 per £1,000 shifted. Plus, all accepted get the full 18mths.
Barclaycard UP TO 14mths 0% NO FEE 24.9% rep APR after	Longest NO-FEE 0% card Plus £20 cashback if £2,500+ shifted, but it's an 'up to'. Shift £2,500+ within 60 days and you get £20 cashback which, as there's no fee, actually means you make money on the card. If pre-approved in our eligibility calc, you'll get the full 14mths 0%. If not, you may get just 7mths - then, NatWest's NO-FEE card may beat it, as it can pre-approve for 12 or 10mths 0%.
Top poor credit history 0% balance transfers
Warning: The rate after the 0% ends will be high. So compare that with your current card's rate. If that's lower, ONLY shift debt you're sure you can clear within the 0% time. If it's higher, shift the max allowed.
Virgin Money Definite 16mths 0% 3% fee 29.9% rep APR interest after	Long 0% and accepts some past credit issues. Even if you've had county court judgments or defaults, you may still be accepted if you've recent history of managing credit, a UK bank account, and either personal income of £7,000/yr or total household income of £15,000/yr.
Fluid (direct link, as not in MSE eligibility) Definite 9mths 0% 3% fee 34.9% rep APR after	Lower minimum income but shorter 0%. Similar criteria to Virgin (though can be applied differently, so check both). Here, you need £5,000/yr min income, 12mths' UK address history & a UK bank account.

ALWAYS follow the Balance Transfer Golden Rules
a) Never miss the min monthly repayment, or you could lose the 0%.
b) Aim to clear the card before the 0% ends, or the rate rockets.
c) Don't spend or withdraw cash. It usually isn't at the cheap rate.
d) Transfer at application (if not, you've usually 60 to 90 days to do it).

My quick balance transfer FAQs
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?
Full help in Best balance transfers.

Is it worth getting a loan to consolidate credit card debt?

The cheapest balance transfers are interest-free; the cheapest loans cost 6%. So all being equal, balance transfers are cheaper, as long as you can keep shifting the debt to 0% when you need to.

Yet an issue for some with bigger debt is the monthly repayment. While repaying more is better, as it clears debt quicker and you pay less total interest, that's just not doable for some, so they look at 'consolidating' card debts into a loan (see cheap loans below).

Credit card repayments are flexible but you must meet the monthly minimum. With larger debt, this can be higher than for a loan. Eg, if you owe £10,000 on a card, the minimum repayments can be around £270/mth (depending on the provider), yet on a 6.2% loan over 5 years, you'll pay around £195/mth.

Yet as minimum card repayments are a percentage of what you owe, they drop as you clear the debt, so they'll eventually be lower than on a loan, where repayments are fixed. (Though with cards I'd always aim to repay a fixed amount to mimic a loan, to clear the debt quicker.)

So loans have the advantage of simplicity and enforced repayment discipline. Get one, and keep making the fixed repayment, and you'll clear it within the time, while balance transfer cards' advantage is cheapness (provided you can keep getting 0% and fix your repayments).

It's important too to understand that, with a balance transfer, creditworthiness is key in deciding whether you'll be accepted, and an affordability score (ie, do you have enough income?) leads on deciding your credit limit. Yet with loans, as you're applying for a fixed amount, both credit and affordability score dictate acceptance (eg, it may say yes at £3,000, no to £10,000), making it tougher. More info on both in the MSE Credit Club.

UK base rate cuts affect loan rates more than credit cards, so after a whack of rises things are finally dropping. Therefore it's worth checking to see whether you can cut your loan's cost, especially if you had a poorer credit score then than now.

The start point is to find a loan with a cheaper APR than you've got. Yet after that there are further checks as there can be early repayment fees. Full help in Cut existing loan costs, but here's my brief ABC...

a) Ask your current lender for a 'settlement figure'. That's how much it'll cost to clear your current loan, including any early repayment costs. This tells you how big a new loan you'll need to get to clear it.

b) Find the cheapest loan for the 'settlement figure' & whether you'll be accepted. Our Loans Eligibility Calc shows acceptance odds for many loans - do check before applying. Full current cheapest rates are in cheapest loans, but briefly...

The Current Cheapest Loans

£1,000 to £3,000: Zopa (via John Lewis) 9.9%, Santander 13.5% - though a 0% credit card loan may be cheaper
£3,000 to £4,000: Novuna, M&S Bank, Santander, all 9.9%
£4,000 to £5,000: Novuna 9.7%; M&S Bank, Santander, both 9.9%
£5,000 to £7,500: Tesco 7.1%; Santander, M&S Bank, both 9.9%
£7,500 to £25,000: TSB 5.9%; Novuna, Tesco, both 6%

All these loan rates are REPRESENTATIVE APR, which means only 51% of accepted customers need get that rate, so you may apply and find your rate is higher. It's tough to do much about that (we have a few lenders offering guaranteed rates via our eligibility calc, but not enough).

c) Find out whether the new loan's cheaper than your current one. Use our Loan Switch Calculator to do it for you. Or if you want to DIY, multiply your monthly repayments by how many months you have left (ask the lender if you don't know) to find how much you'll pay if you stick. Then compare that with what the new loan repayments will cost.

Too many think 'credit cards bad, debit cards good'. But for those overdrawn, it's more a case of 'credit cards bad, debit cards worse', as almost all overdrafts are now charged at a typical 40% interest - close to double even a bog-standard high-street credit card.

So for many, a priority is to clear overdrafts as they're so expensive (even if it means making just minimum repayments on credit cards, so the spare cash reduces your overdraft), though first check whether you can cut the interest costs. Here are key options & tips...

a) Switch banks for a possible £250 0% overdraft & £175 FREE cash. First Direct* gives accepted new switchers a free £175 which can help reduce what they owe, and many get a £250 ongoing interest-free overdraft too (credit score-dependent, and it's the standard 40% above that). Use the overdraft eligibility checker on its site to see whether you'll likely get it. So this is good for smaller overdrafts, or those who just dip in.

First Direct won't switch in your existing overdraft for you; you'll still owe the old bank, though all your Direct Debits and standing orders will be moved as normal. Expect your old bank to ask you whether you can pay the overdraft off, or whether you want to keep the account open while you do (it'll vary by bank). If you do keep it open, payments to the old account are unlikely to be forwarded to the new one so you may need to arrange to move them yourself.

To qualify for the £175... Sole accounts must be opened via app; joint accounts online. You must be a new First Direct customer switching an account from another (non-HSBC) bank. You must do a switch involving 2+ Direct Debits or standing orders, pay in £1,000+ (doesn't need to be in one go and you can take it out once in) and make 5+ debit card payments, all within 45 days of opening the account. Full info: First Direct.

b) Shifting your overdraft to a 0% money transfer card. A 0% money transfer is where you get a special new card that pays money into your bank account, essentially clearing your overdraft, so you now owe the card instead, but at 0% for a set period. Few providers offer these. The two main options are Tesco's 12mths 0% (3.99% fee) and Virgin's 12mths 0% (4% fee) cards. They're 24.9% and 26.9% rep APR after the 0% ends so do clear them within the 0% period (and follow the balance transfer golden rules above, which also apply here).

If you're doing this you need to get it right. It can be complex, so do read our full 0% money transfers guide to be safe.

c) For many with discipline, a 0% spending card may be a better bet. The top 0% spending cards, such as Barclaycard's up to 22mths 0%, are interest-free longer than money transfers, and have no fee, so provide a better financial route. Yet to do it right takes financial- and self-discipline (if that's not you, don't try). First use our 0% Spending Eligibility Calc to see whether you can get a card. If so, once you've got it...

- Do all normal spending on the card up to the credit limit (don't see it as a reason to spend more), making only min monthly repayments.
- As you're using it rather than your bank account, your income should build up there, reducing your overdraft.
- Once the overdraft's clear, stop using the card.
- Now stay out of your overdraft and put extra money towards clearing the card debt before the 0% period ends and the interest jumps to the 24.9% rep APR (though still cheaper than most overdrafts).

d) Treat overdraft borrowing like any other debt. Try to repay a set amount each month, eg, £50 (so you should always start the next month with a £50 smaller overdraft than the one before).

e) Consider moving Direct Debits to just before payday if you can. The idea is you're overdrawn for less time so costs are lower.

And these are just the tip of the iceberg. Do see our overdraft cost-cutting tips for more help.

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) from the likes of Klarna, Clearpay, PayPal and more is interest-free, so there are no costs to be cut. Used right, it's an easy way to spread needed payments for a short time.

Yet the worry is too many don't think of it as a debt, take them out willy-nilly and can get into trouble, especially over the Christmas period. And now, in Jan many struggle to find the cash (especially as December paydays are often early so the money must stretch longer).

Firms do offer some options to delay repayments (though be aware this can close the time between your next payment and the one after).

- Klarna: You can 'snooze' a payment, once per order, for up to 10 days if you need a respite. That has no impact on your credit file. If you're really struggling you can get up to a 6mth payment holiday, though won't be able to use Klarna in the meantime, and this will go on your credit file.

- Clearpay: Once per order you can 'move payments' up to 21 days with no impact. You can then do it up to twice more, but then your use of Clearpay can be frozen. It also has a longer 'breathing space' scheme for those struggling. Clearpay doesn't (yet) report payments to credit reference agencies.

- PayPal Pay in 3: Payment holidays last up to one month, though you can only use them once per order. There are no fees or impact on your credit score, though a holiday could mean you can't take out new Pay in 3 agreements until you're back on track with payments.

Regulation is coming - but not until 2026

Many BNPL firms are unregulated, which means you've less legal protection and can't get the ombudsman to adjudicate over complaints. I and many others campaigned for change and in October 2024 the Govt thankfully announced it was coming, but won't be until 2026. Worth being aware - more info in buy now, pay later help.

These are for when you can pay your debts; if not, jump to debt help...

Don't look at debt in isolation. No one gets into debt for its own sake; it's to pay for other things. So you have to look across all your expenditure... go through everything you spend money on and see whether you can do it cheaper or better. My money makeover takes you through some of that.

As well as cutting costs, get control of all your spending. The best way is to do a budget, looking across a year, to see where the cash is going. Then what really counts is how you stick to it - many who have tried swear by (or at) my piggybanking system.
Prioritise paying off the highest interest rate debt. Don't spread your repayment money equally across all debts, nor pay off the biggest first. Where you put the money can have a huge impact. So first list all your debts in APR order from highest to lowest. Include your overdraft if you have one (as these days overdrafts are often the most expensive form of mainstream borrowing).

Then, if possible, focus every penny of spare cash at trying to clear the debt with the highest interest rate (APR), as it's growing quickest, and just pay the minimums on all the others. Once the highest one is clear, shift focus to the next highest.

If your overdraft is the highest APR, just pay minimums on the credit cards, and let the cash sit in your bank account until the overdraft is gone.
Danger: minimum repayments on credit cards. They are evil genius. They're designed to keep you in debt for decades, as you repay a percentage of what you owe, so payments reduce with the debt. On a £5,000 debt, making a typical minimum repayment, you'll keep paying for 35yrs at an interest cost of £9,000 (try our Minimum Repayment Calc for your situation).

Yet if you fixed your repayment at £200, approximately the amount of the min repayment in month one, you'd see that debt gone within three years, and just £1,600 interest.

Though if you've got multiple debts, as explained in the bullet above, sometimes it is tactically correct to make minimum repayments.
Boost your credit score... You may then qualify for better deals in future. Join MSE's free Credit Club or, better, via the MSE App (Apple | Android), which will analyse your file and show you what to do.
Still got savings? Use 'em to clear costly debts. Some have an emotional attachment to having some savings ahead of clinical financial decision-making. Yet saving is just giving your bank a loan. So if your debts costs are at a higher rate than your savings earn, repaying the debt with the savings will likely add up. Never is this clearer than with a costly credit card.

Yet you may think if you clear it, that'll leave you with no emergency savings. In this case, just keep the card open. That way, the worst that can happen is you use the card again in an emergency - at least you saved interest meanwhile. See Pay off debt with savings? and Pay off mortgage with savings?

The solutions above all involve you being in a functional relationship with your debt, ie, you can afford to repay and just want to cut the cost. But for some a different tack is better - full help in our Debt crisis help guide, but I've three questions to help you decide which route is right...

- Do you struggle to meet minimum monthly payments?
- Is your total debt (not mortgage/student loan) over 1yr's salary?
- Do you have sleepless nights or depression/anxiety over debt?

If you answer 'yes' to any of these, forget the solutions above, and instead get free, one-to-one debt-counselling help from Citizens Advice, StepChange, National Debtline or CAP (which gives emotional support too).

They're there to help, not judge. The most common thing I hear after is "I finally got a good night's sleep". Just go for it, read inspiring stories in our Debt-free wannabe forum, and also see our Mental Health & Debt guide.

What about mortgages & student loans? We'll be covering both in the email soon - I wanted to focus on unsecured normal debt first. Yet just in case, here are some key links... Mortgages: Best-buy comparison, Remortgage guide, Mortgage Calc Student loans: Should I overpay? and Can you reclaim student loans?

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.

Ends 5pm Thu: MSE exclusive cheaper than the cheapest fix. Many can pay £100s less on elec & gas and be protected from price rises
Energy prices set to rise again for most in April by 3% to 6%

Over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales are overpaying on their energy bills because they're on a Price Capped tariff - we've listed the main ones below. But until Thursday we've an exclusive tariff which is the cheapest fix possible, saving you 7% on average over the Price Cap. It also locks in that rate so it can't rise for 16mths - unlike the Price Cap which is expected to rise again soon, as Martin's 'What'll happen to energy prices?' video explains.

On one of the following tariffs? You're likely overpaying & should sort it now... British Gas Standard Variable \| EDF Standard (Variable) \| E.on Next Next Flex Octopus Flexible Octopus \| Ovo Simpler Energy \| Scottish Power Standard

The easiest & safest route is to fix now. Move to a cheap fix and within five working days you'll be paying less than the Price Cap. Plus, the rate is locked in so you get peace of mind that it won't change.

- Ends 5pm Thu. Cheapest (& longer) fix, plus MSE enhanced service. We launched our E.on Next MSE Cheap Energy Club exclusive last week with 10,000 switches, most have now gone, but we persuaded Eon to keep it open til Thu 5pm, so you've a last chance. It undercuts every other fix, and it protects the rate for 16mths rather than the usual 12. On average it's 7% cheaper than the current Price Cap, but it's likely the saving will increase in April, if the Price Cap rises as predicted. New & existing E.on Next customers can get the tariff, an extra £10 bill credit and £20 MSE cashback. E.on's also agreed to 'MSE enhanced service', ie, if there's an issue, go to it first, but if it doesn't sort it, come to us and we can and will escalate it. So how does it stack up...?

The cheapest standalone fixes (1) Links go via Cheap Energy Club to give you a bespoke price
Ends 5pm Thu. E.on Next EXCLUSIVE Fixed 16m V1. 16mth fix. No smart meter needed. Dual fuel or elec-only \| Monthly Direct Debit only \| MSE enhanced service	Save avg 7% compared with today's Price Cap, including £20 MSE dual-fuel cashback + £10 bill credit (elec-only: £10 cashback + £5 bill credit). £50/fuel early exit fees
Outfox the Market Outfox Fix'd Dual Jan25 v2.0. 12mth fix. No smart meter needed. Dual fuel \| Monthly Direct Debit only \| Online account	Save avg 6.3% compared with today's Price Cap. £50 dual-fuel early exit fee
Outfox the Market Outfox 18mth Fix'd Dual Jan25 v5.0. 18mth fix. No smart meter needed. Dual fuel \| Monthly Direct Debit only \| Online account	Save avg 5.5% compared with today's Price Cap. £50 dual-fuel early exit fee
EDF Simply Fixed 1yr Feb26v2. 12mth fix. No smart meter needed, unless on prepay. Dual fuel or elec-only \| Monthly Direct Debit / cash / cheque or smart prepay	Save avg 5.5% compared with today's Price Cap, including £20 MSE dual-fuel cashback for new customers only (existing customers can switch but don't get the cashback, so it's a 4.3% saving). £25/fuel early exit fees
(1) Full tariff info in our energy comparison, which also includes non-standalone tariffs, ie, those requiring you to get other products, eg, broadband or boiler cover, too. Tariffs not available in N. Ireland - here, see N. Ireland energy.

Remember: it's the rate, not the total price, that's fixed. So use more, you pay more; use less, you pay less.
What's 'MSE cashback'? Some providers pay us to facilitate the switch (you still get the same price as if you went direct), as is the case with many energy comparison sites. Yet unlike others, we don't default to hiding tariffs that don't pay. Instead, we give you a chunk of what we're paid as cashback, so tariffs that pay us are relatively cheaper for you, so likely more people will switch to them. Win-win.
Fixing isn't your only choice to save - for some, other tariff types will win. For most, fixing is the simplest and safest way to guarantee a saving, but there are alternatives. These include electric vehicle tariffs; rapid price-change tariffs Agile Octopus, Octopus Tracker and Tomato Energy's Smile, which can be a lot cheaper for sophisticated users; and discounted Price Cap tariffs (one of which has lower standing charges).
Even with cheaper tariffs I'm struggling to pay bills - what do I do? It's always worth talking to your energy firm. Be polite and straight with it, and make sure you explain if you're vulnerable. There can be hardship & debt grants from energy suppliers. For far more guidance, see our full What to do if you're struggling to pay energy bills, Energy saving tips and Energy mythbusting guides.

Martin: Is being married worth it? The nine big financial benefits... If you're married, in a civil partnership (or considering it), don't miss Martin's new blog - the financial benefits of marriage & how to use them to your advantage - including Inheritance Tax, Marriage Tax Allowance, ISAs and more.

Totally free National Trust family day pass (normally £30ish). Go quick, as there's a limited number available - though once they're gone, the pass is available with a £1.10 newspaper. Excludes Scotland sites. Days out

New. Top 5.1% easy-access savings. Since last week, competition's pushed easy-access cash ISA rates up again (a cash ISA's just a savings account you never pay tax on). And the current top rates beat top normal easy-access savings, so for those who haven't used this year's £20,000 ISA allowance, Trading 212's 5.1% AER* (min £1, unlimited withdrawals) is the top rate. That's 4.9% variable standard interest, plus a year's 0.2% boost for newbies. It has a slightly complex structure, so see full info in Top cash ISAs.

20,000 FREE (normally £18ish) Ideal Home Show London tickets, including a chance to see Martin live. From 21 March to 6 April. For how to get your tickets and what days Martin's on, see Ideal Home Show.

Ends 11.59pm Thu. 132Mb Virgin broadband-ONLY '£23/mth'. MSE Blagged. Newbies can get this Virgin 132Mb broadband only (no line) deal for £25/mth - but you also get an automatic £100 bill credit, making it equivalent to £22.95/mth over the 18mth contract. The monthly cost increases by £3.50 every April - our tool now factors in these price hikes to the equivalent costs shown. Can't get Virgin? Find other deals using our broadband comparison tool.

161 summer flowering bulbs for £10. MSE Blagged. 10,000 bundles available, excludes Northern Ireland/parts of Scotland. Plant soon for summer. Thompson & Morgan

Puma 30% off code, eg, £55 trainers £15.40. MSE Blagged. On full-price & sale items. Puma

Tonight (Tue) ITV 8pm. A Martin Lewis Money Show Live DEBT BUSTING special. Martin: "Do you have credit card, loan, overdraft or buy now, pay later debt? I want to show you how to slash the cost off all of them and breathe easier. Plus I'll be joined by debt counsellors for questions on IVAs and bankruptcy too. A must-watch for anyone with debt. Please spread word (and email questions to martinlewis@itv.com). Plus more news you can use - do watch or set the Betamax."

BLAGGED FOR MSE

- 132Mb Virgin broadband '£23/mth' Ends Thu
- 161 summer bulbs for £10 10,000 bundles available
- Puma 30% off code Ends Tue 28 Jan

DID YOU MISS?

- West End show tickets £10 to £60, including Mean Girls
- 1 million+ Travelodge rooms £35 or less
- Martin: 'How I averaged 24,703 steps a day in 2024'
- Can you cut £500 a year off your water bill?

The top 10 firms to haggle with 2025
And 9 haggling tips for broadband, TV, mobile, insurance & breakdown cover

If you think haggling is just for trips abroad, market stalls and car boots, think again. The big savings come from haggling with service firms - especially those in mature markets, where everyone already has the product. That means firms must aim to keep existing customers and, as Martin says: "When you're at or past the end of your contract, you're holstering a huge weapon... loyalty - make 'em pay for it." Our full haggling help guide has all you need, but for you, and only you, we'll do it speedily here.

1. Know where to haggle & speedily benchmark the best deals available to you. In December we polled 14,900 hagglers to find out how often they'd succeeded when haggling. Four sectors stood out. However, with all of them, it's not enough to just quote prices and ask them to match them. You first need to ensure it's as realistic a quote as possible, eg, broadband is postcode-specific. Our tools can show you the best prices available to you, so here are the top sectors and how to get the info:

Speedily see whether you can succeed...

- Breakdown cover - 78% success: So, nearly 4 in 5 succeed. See our Cheap breakdown cover guide.
- Broadband & paid-for TV - 71% success: Use our broadband comparison tool and Digital TV cost-cutting guide.
- Mobiles - 64% success: Still, nearly 2 in 3 succeed. Use our Cheap Mobile & Sim Finder tool.
- Car & home insurance - 64% success: Use our Compare+ Car Insurance tool - fill in one form to get a quote and bespoke tricks to slash costs, plus our Cheap home insurance guide.

2. The Top Firms To Haggle With 2025. Based on our poll, here are the big (and small) successes...

3. Do this when you're near or out of contract & don't want to move provider. Haggling here is all about sticking with what you've got but paying less for it. You may pay less elsewhere, but may not be happy with what you get. Saying "I like your service but you're putting the price up and it costs too much - can you reduce it?", is perfectly legit. You can do this on the phone or, in some cases, by webchat.

4. Know your 'haggle reason' before you call. Before you get in touch, think about what you want and how you're going to get it. To help, try our phrases that pay, such as, "I don't want to lose your service but I've worked out my budget, and the very most I can pay is £[insert price here] a month", or "I've seen [insert name of rival firm here] are doing it for far less".

5. BIG RULE: Always be polite & charming, never rude - win 'em over. Channel your charm, holster hostility. You've no right to a better deal, only to leave, so ALWAYS be amiable - think of it as financial flirtation. Anecdotal evidence suggests some firms have discount quotas, so if the person likes you, they might be more likely to give you one of their discounts.

6. No joy? Ask to cancel (disconnections = customer retentions). The powerhouse move is to ask to cancel... because what firms refer to as their 'disconnection departments' are usually internally known as 'customer retentions'. It's their job to persuade you to stay - and they have more power and discretion to achieve that.

As Maureen emailed last week: "I read your haggling guide and rang Sky. I told them I couldn't afford the £83/mth I was paying for broadband and TV. First guy said he could reduce it to £79 so I said I'd have to cancel. A lady in retentions got it down to £39/mth, a huge saving of £522/yr. Thank you."

7. Don't feel you have to cancel. If they call your bluff after you say you're going to leave, don't panic. Buy yourself time to think simply by saying: "I need to check with my husband/girlfriend/guinea pig first - I'll call you back."

8. If you fail, try again. There are no guarantees, but if you don't get anywhere on your first go, don't be deterred. Give it a couple of days and go again. The call centre may have hit its quota of discounts for that day/week, or the agent might just have been having a hard day. For more on this, see our 22 call-centre secrets.

9. If it doesn't work, why not ditch & switch? If they won't deliver and you're overpaying and can get it cheaper elsewhere, why not ditch and switch and try someone else? (Go back to point 1 above for the key links.)

Martin's must-listen new pod: Done nowt with your energy bills in the last 6mths? Beat the rip-off | Are joint accounts worth it & what are the best? | Flight delay compensation. Plus electric-vehicle tariffs, Octopus Tracker, standing charges and more, all in The Martin Lewis Pod. Listen via BBC Sounds | Apple Podcasts | Spotify or wherever you get your Martin fix.

20+ FREE ways to learn something new in 2025, such as languages, first aid, or how to use AI. If you want to boost your skills this year, see our round-up of ways to learn skills for free.

'I got £520 compensation for my cancelled flight after reading your email.' If a flight is cancelled/delayed over 3hrs and it's the airline's fault, you may be due compensation, as our success of the week from ahmurray on the MSE Forum shows: "My trip to Orlando was cancelled the night before. The next available flight was a day later, so I cancelled and booked with another airline. As I got a full refund from British Airways and didn't take the flight, I didn't think any cancellation compensation was due, until I saw Martin's email. I claimed and received £520 compensation. Money's tight right now, so I'm hugely grateful." If we've helped you save (on this, or owt else), send us your successes.

Want an MSE Charity grant? You can apply for one NOW. Know of a non-profit group that could benefit from a cash boost? Our charity's winter funding round is now open, offering grants of up to £10,000 to organisations that help people to improve their money skills. Check whether your group qualifies and see how to apply - it closes on Fri 31 Jan, so go quick.

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AT A GLANCE BEST BUYS

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THIS WEEK'S POLL

How do you rate your bank account's service? Every six months, we ask for your help to track the quality of banks' customer service, allowing us to see which have got better or worse. Considering customer service for your main current account over the last six months, vote in this week's poll.

MSE NEWS

- Top story: Waitrose to bring back free coffee with no purchase needed
- You've less than two weeks to file your self-assessment tax return or face a fine
- HM Revenue & Customs' online services are 'poor', says top UK tax firm - alternative ways to get in touch

MONEY MORAL DILEMMA

Am I short-changing myself by letting my stepmother live in my house for free? I bought our family home from my father, who - before he died - said he wanted my stepmother to live in the three-bed property for the rest of her days. My stepmother, who I'm friendly with but not close to, is retired and lives there rent-free (I live and work abroad or else stay with my fiancé). I pay for home insurance, boiler servicing and any repairs, and I'm responsible for maintenance and upkeep, and my stepmother is quite insistent when she wants things done. I want to honour my father's wishes, but am I being naive letting her live there at my expense, when instead I could generate income by renting the house out? Enter the Money Moral Maze: Should my stepmother live rent-free? | Suggest a Money Moral Dilemma (MMD) | View past MMDs

MARTIN'S BLOG

- Is being married financially worth it? The nine big benefits & how to use them to your advantage

MSE TEAM BLOG

- MSE Forum highlights: Car-washing, cheesy fishcakes & curtains

MARTIN'S APPEARANCES (TUE 21 JAN ONWARDS)

Tue 21 Jan - The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, ITV1, 8pm
Thu 23 Jan - Ask Martin Lewis, BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm
Tue 28 Jan - This Morning, phone-in, ITV1, 10.20am

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