Cost of Living payment — Martin Lewis sends urgent warning to ALL mobile phone users; plus money saving tips
THE Martin Lewis Money Show returned to our screens this week and the savings expert sent a warning to ALL mobile phone users.
The UK's resident MoneySavingExpert was back on our screens on Tuesday with the best ways for families to save cash as the cost of living continues to soar.
During the show he urged mobile phone customers to check if their contracts have termination fees ahead of anticipated "14 per cent" price rise this spring.
If you don't have termination fees or you're out of contract then you should ask for your PAC code, which you can give to your new provider in order to keep your current mobile number.
The expert went on to explain that once customers ask for this they could "use this as a way to haggle with your existing provider"; to potentially save hundreds of pounds per year.
Read our Cost of Living blog for the latest news and updates.
Parents are only just realising they can get free Pampers nappies – here’s how
In a bid to help parents with the cost of living – one company is giving out nappies for free.
Parents can get a voucher and exchange it for one pack of Pampers New Baby Carry nappies.
Posting on the B&M Bargains, Extreme Money Saving Deals and More Facebook group on January 26, one shopper said: “Free pack of pampers if you sign up to pampers.
“They posted my voucher and it came yesterday. I used it to pick up these completely FREE in Morrisons today.
“These scanned at £14.99 before the voucher!”
And it’s easy to get the free vouchers – you just have to find the “squaddies” page on Pampers’ website.
Five tips to use when asking for a pay rise
Asking for a pay raise is something everyone is likely to experience at some point in their career.
With bills rising and food prices soaring, many will need some extra cash.
If you’re planning on asking your employer for a raise, experts at have provided some useful tips.
- Have a figure in mind
- Make sure the figure is realistic
- Gather evidence to build your case
- Be professional
- Consider the timing
- Be prepared for rejection
- Don’t give up
DWP shares tips for finding work this year
The Department of Work and Pensions has shared some essential tips for finding a new job this year.
On its website, the DWP outlined several key steps to take before applying for a new job.
- “Do your research – Make sure you research the company or sector you are interested in. Don’t submit an application without drilling into the finer details of a vacancy. ”
- “Update your CV – Tailor your CV to the role you are applying for. Many of your skills will be transferable, so make sure you are highlighting relevant experience.”
- “Think about what works for you – Whether you are looking for a full-time workplace-based role or part-time role with more flexibility, you can find a job that suits your circumstances.
- “Be flexible – Why not explore opportunities in a new industry? There could be the perfect new role just waiting for you. Don’t worry if you don’t have experience in this sector, the skills you already have could be used in a new role”
What other help is avaliable under the Household Support Fund?
Yes - you can still get help under the Household Support Fund.
What support you can get will vary, because each council is in charge of how to spend the funding available.
Some decide to dish the help out automatically, while you'll need to apply in other cases.
Some councils choose to distribute funding in the form of vouchers, while others give out cash payments.
To get more information on what support is available, and how to get it, you'll need to contact your local council.
You can find yours using the gov.uk council checker tool.
Tens of thousands of households have just weeks left to claim up to £325
The help comes as part of the newest round of £421million funding provided by the government through the Household Support Fund.
Councils have been given a slice of the new funding on offer, which will be given out to struggling households to help them with the rising cost of bills and food.
The scheme was first established last year, extended for the second time in the March budget and for a third time in November to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
Each council gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.
The vouchers or grants on offer vary by location so you'll have to check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
For example, North Yorkshire County Council is giving people either £85 or £325 in free e-vouchers.
Residents can then use these vouchers for food shopping and other essentials.
Over 23,000 eligible people will have received a letter from the council containing a code for them to redeem their voucher.
What is child benefit?
If you’re a parent living in the UK and you’re responsible for a child who’s under 16, you can claim child benefit.
This benefit is aimed to help you with the costs that come with raising children.
With it, you also get National Insurance Credits that count towards your state pension.
Parents claim £21.80 a week for their first child and then £14.45 is added for any extra child they’ll have.
Payments are usually made every four weeks.
How to reduce your petrol usage and save money
are encouraging drivers to develop a smooth driving technique which could reduce their petrol usage and save them more money.
They said: “Developing a smooth driving technique is a great way to save on fuel.
“If you’re approaching traffic lights, for example, slow down early so that they may have changed by the time you reach them, meaning you might not need to stop at all.
“Anticipate the road in front of you and ease off the throttle and maintain momentum rather than braking hard and then accelerating again.
“Change up and down multiple gears at a time and change to the highest suitable gear as soon as you can to avoid over-revving.”
Saving money by living in eco home
Chris Marsh quit renting conventional houses five years ago and has lived in miniature eco homes ever since.
Last year he decided to take things one step further and build one of his own, reports.
He now spends his days in the 140 sq ft property in the grounds of his pal's property in Riding Mill, Northumberland.
While Chris pays a fee to use the small plot of land, he is no longer a tenant paying a landlord rent in a traditional sense, and he is completely mortgage-free.
His monthly expenses come to just £230 - hundreds of pounds less than when he rented a two-bedroom house in Hexham.
Free childcare
If your child is aged three or four and you live in England.
In this instance, you could be due 15 to 30 hours free childcare a week.
The childcare must be with an approved childcare provider, such as a registered childminder, nanny or home care worker.
It stops once your child starts reception at school, or reaches compulsory school age.
You can apply for the help on the government's website online or through your local council.
If you don't know who you local council is you can use the government's locator tool found on its website.
It's worth noting there are different schemes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Martin Lewis reveals how to apply for childcare help
You can apply on the government's website by signing up for a childcare account.
Mr Lewis said: "There are 800,000 people missing out on thousands of pounds of childcare help.
"When I talk about childcare, I'm talking Ofsted-regulated or the equivalent to Ofsted in other UK nations.
"Childminders and nurseries and after school clubs and holiday clubs.
"Many people don't think they count, they do count."
800,000 Brits missing out on up to £1,000 in childcare per week
Martin Lewis revealed last night that up to 800,000 Brits could be missing out on £1,000s worth of childcare help.
This help comes in the form of Universal Credit and the government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme.
What is inflation?
Inflation is a word we’re hearing a lot as prices rise – but what does it mean?
Inflation is a measure of how much goods and services are worth in a given period.
This means how much the price of goods, such as food or televisions, and services, such as haircuts or train tickets, has changed over time.
It is known as a “backward looking measure”, which means it indicates what has happened over the past year.
That obviously means it does not predict the future.
The rate of inflation is published each month by the
How to instantly block out draughts in your home
Budgeting whizz has shared their draught hack in a online.
They said: “If you have a draught coming through your window cracks.”
“Stick a piece of paper in between to stop the cold getting through”
For this you may need to fold the paper a few times to make sure it fits into the size of your gap.
It’s also important to bear in mind that the length of your paper may not match the length of your window so you may have to layer pieces of paper on top of each other to block the full draught.
Eight vital energy checks you need to do now, according to Martin Lewis
Money-saving expert Martin Lewis has warned households about eight vital energy checks to do now as bills rise.
It comes as millions of households are set to see their energy bills hike in April.
Here’s a look at the eight vital energy checks you should do now.
- Check if your energy prices changed on January 1
- Check if you’re overpaying by direct debit
- Check if you’re eligible for the new cost of living payments
- Get ready to apply for £400 energy bill support later this month
- Check if you need to apply for the £200 alternative fuel payment
- Check if you’re due £600 in government support next month
- Check if you need to redeem any energy discount vouchers
- Check if you can get help through supplier grants
Find out more about Martin’s money-saving tips here.
Martin Lewis offers advice
During the show on Tuesday, Mr Lewis revealed the best savings account for your little ones, which included Halifax's Kids Regular Saver, Saffron BS' two-year child bond and HSBC's My Savings account.
The MoneySavingExpert also issued an urgent tax warning for parents everywhere.
He revealed that children mostly pay the same tax as adults and can only be given £12,570 by their parents tax-free per year.
How much does it cost to run an electric blanket?
As temperatures drop and bills rise, many are looking for an affordable way to keep warm this winter.
Electric blankets are a great way to help you try and cut back on your energy bills.
According to research from Uswitch, these gadgets use 100 watts of energy to warm a double bed before switching to a sleep setting or being turned off.
A 100W electric blanket run for seven hours a week would use 0.7kWh.
Based on the current cap, it costs 24p to run a 100W electric blanket for one hour a day for seven days.
If you were to use an electric blanket for one hour a day, every day of the week for a year, it would cost you £12.48 in total.
Piers Morgan to quiz Rishi Sunak in bombshell TalkTV interview
Piers Morgan is set to grill Rishi Sunak tomorrow on a range of issues effecting Brits today, including the crippling cost of living crisis.
Other issues set to be addressed include stopping small boats and the ongoing strikes.
The interview will air at 8pm on the Piers Morgan Uncensored show on TalkTV.
Argos gadget that will keep you warm without adding turning the heating on
Shoppers are rushing to their local Argos stores to get their hands on a household gadget that will keep them warm - without turning on the heating.
Argos is selling a Dreamland electric throw for just £60.
It's a fleece material so can be used as a blanket or throw.
It comes with six heat settings and a timer that allows you to keep it on one, three or nine hours.
After the time you've set it to has been reached it will automatically turn off.
Find out more here.
Credit: Getty Passport fees set to rise this week
As part of a slew of government changes, the cost of a British passport is set to increase later this week.
From the start of February, passport renewal fees will go up by 9%.
Getting new passports for children will also increase from £49 to £53.50.
Five cheapest duvets with the highest tog rating to avoid putting the heating
As temperatures continue to drop and the cold weather shows no signs of leaving, investing in a winter duvet could be a cost-effective purchase.
Buying in a new winter duvet could be a cheaper alternative to putting the heating on overnight.
Here's a look at five cheap duvets with the highest tog rating.
- Amazon DN Collection Winter Duvet 16.5 tog - £20.99
- Dunelm Wonderfully Warm Duvet 15 tog - £24
- Asda Basic Duvet 13.5 tog - £6.50
- Aldi Slumberdown Single Mega Bounce 13.5 tog - £14.99
- John Lewis Synthetic Soft Tough Duvet 13.5 tog - £50
Free debt advice
If you’re in debt there are plenty of services you can take advantage of and they offer free advice on how to manage debt.
Most of them can offer you free guidance and help in person, over the telephone or online.
- – 0800 138 7777
- – 0808 800 9060
- – 0800 138 1111
- – 0808 808 4000
Thousands of North Yorkshire households have just weeks left to claim up to £325 supermarket vouchers
Tens of thousands of struggling households can get up to £325 in free supermarket vouchers to help with the cost of living crisis - but they will have to be quick.
North Yorkshire County Council is giving people either £85 or £325 in free e-vouchers.
Residents can then use these vouchers for food shopping and other essentials.
Over 23,000 eligible people will have received a letter from the council containing a code for them to redeem their voucher.
Everyone should have received their letter by January 16 but if you think you qualify and haven't got one, do contact North Yorkshire County Council.
Residents only have until February 15 to redeem their code into a voucher - so do so by this date or lose it.
Find out more here.
How can you get money off your supermarket shop?
As food prices rise and bills soar, thousands of households are looking for ways to cut back and save some cash.
Making a list is one way to budget and it means you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases or enticed in by offers.
You could also try “downshifting” too – this involves going for supermarkets’ own brand goods.
And Money Saving expert Martin Lewis says that particular trick could save you around 30% on your yearly shopping bill.
A number of other supermarkets run wonky veg schemes like Lidl’s Too Good To Waste too including Morrisons.
And if you’ve got the time, you can try opting for yellow sticker products – these are reduced items that could save you a pretty penny.
What is child benefit?
If you’re a parent living in the UK and you’re responsible for a child who’s under 16, you can claim child benefit.
This benefit is aimed to help you with the costs that come with raising children.
With it, you also get National Insurance Credits that count towards your state pension.
Parents claim £21.80 a week for their first child and then £14.45 is added for any extra child they’ll have.
Payments are usually made every four weeks.
Asda applies new feature to its Rewards app
Asda is giving its shoppers more time to spend the vouchers created on the Reward app.
Customers will now have three months rather than one, giving the opportunity to those who like to build up their Cashpots more time to save up more vouchers.
The supermarket reminded its shoppers that any cashpots created will be available to turn into vouchers for six months before they vanish.
