Martin Lewis / Money-Saving Advice

[Wolfox]

1 minute ago, stripeyfox said:

It's crazy isn't it? My supplier is still in business (I think), but they haven't taken any payments from since September. I upload meter readings every month but I haven't had a bill. I am chunking £100 a month into a savings pot (see YNAB post above) and have about £700 "saved" for when they do eventually come knocking. I only have a small house so hopefully won't get clobbered too hard!

Blimey…. That’s crazy…. I have a plumber that I keep texting as I want to pay him…. He keeps telling me he’ll sort the bill and never does…. It’s driving me nuts!

 

He’s great…. Anyone want his number ?  😂 

[Raj]

Hes very good but alot of it is common sense(More so of your older like me)

For youngsters  though just live to your means, dont but stuff you dont need, dobt pay on credit if you cant pay off in full every month. If your bad with money only use cash as its SO much easier to just ping the card.

Always haggle for insurance, broadband and use the comparison websites.

Overpay on your mo6 if you can, even if it's just a small amount.

Like others have said energy proces is going to put people in debit soon, and the government  dont give a fu3k.

I was paying about 50pcm(Yes I am scrooge) for gas n levy with igloo.  They were great but hit the deck like others.

Now got transferred  to eon on 91pcm.

You cant even compare like you used to on energy as the whole industry is buggered.

[Mike Oxlong]

Final bit of advice - for when you’re in the doghouse and need to level things up in the relationship 

 

CONVINCE your wife that she's "followed through' during the night by slipping a chocolate button between the cheeks of her arse as she sleeps.

[Zear0]

1 minute ago, Mike Oxlong said:

Final bit of advice - for when you’re in the doghouse and need to level things up in the relationship 

 

CONVINCE your wife that she's "followed through' during the night by slipping a chocolate button between the cheeks of her arse as she sleeps.

Wonder if Martin has ever done that to his delightful wife Lara Lewington? 

[Unabomber]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

Some people do Scrooge McDuck 

 

I never used to as it didn't seem needed, but now I have a little one (and their room is the coldest) it'll come on if it drops below a certain temperature after about 2am. 

Fair play that makes sense. I just know I get pretty warm once in bed. 

Edited 16 January 2022 by Unabomber

[StanSP]

He's very good. Helped me with savings and advice through his website and TV programmes. Even if its the quick wins or claims you can do, it's all helpful in this current climate. 

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

A lot of budgeting is purely common sense - do you really need to buy that etc

 

One of the best things I've found is just switching to food shopping exclusively at Aldi (and only going to other shops for stuff they don't stock). The quality is no worse than you get elsewhere, except some questionable sell-by dates on the salads etc, but a £70 trolley load from Tesco is £45 max at Aldi for the same stuff. Plus once you're used to the speed at the checkout, it becomes infuriating how slow the service is at other supermarkets

 

Another one I can think of is sign up for Uber Eats but don't use it. After a couple of weeks they'll try and tempt you to use it by offering you 30% off your first order. If you ignore that, they'll later send you a 50% discount. Happy days

[SexyGammonFox]

3 minutes ago, Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo said:

A lot of budgeting is purely common sense - do you really need to buy that etc

 

One of the best things I've found is just switching to food shopping exclusively at Aldi (and only going to other shops for stuff they don't stock). The quality is no worse than you get elsewhere, except some questionable sell-by dates on the salads etc, but a £70 trolley load from Tesco is £45 max at Aldi for the same stuff. Plus once you're used to the speed at the checkout, it becomes infuriating how slow the service is at other supermarkets

All of this is undeniable, I've no idea why anyone that lives in a city still chooses to do their main shop in Sainsbos/Tesco/ Asda.

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

Just now, SexyGammonFox said:

All of this is undeniable, I've no idea why anyone that lives in a city still chooses to do their main shop in Sainsbos/Tesco/ Asda.

 

Yep. I think some people still think of Aldi/Lidl as the modern Kwik-Save, awful quality stock for low prices, but don't realise what the business model is. Reduce costs wherever possible with logistics/store design, employing minimal staff but making sure they work hard (and rewarding them for doing so), stocking as much own-brand stuff as possible - then passing these savings onto the customer. No bullshit, you are just paying less because the company is wasting less. And Aldi/Lidl know they have to make sure their own-brand stuff is good quality because that's all the customer can really buy, so if the customer isn't happy they'll start to shop elsewhere. More and more people are switching all the time, I think give it a few years and some of other supermarket chains will be struggling when the majority of people are fed up with overpaying for everyday stuff

 

 

[Jon the Hat]

12 hours ago, Wolfox said:

Blimey…. That’s crazy…. I have a plumber that I keep texting as I want to pay him…. He keeps telling me he’ll sort the bill and never does…. It’s driving me nuts!

 

He’s great…. Anyone want his number ?  😂 

Sounds like your wife has already paid...

[adejo92]

14 hours ago, Mickyblueeyes said:

Give them a call mate. I had a ridiculous figure on renewal come through and when I called them, I got a decent call centre agent and set me up on fixed rate at £123 until 2023. Much higher then what I’m paying but manageable.

I've rang my supplier today (Ovo)....They spent an age going through all of the breakdown of KWH's etc etc but at the end of it, couldn't negotiate the price at all.

 

Doubling, and in some cases tripling, peoples monthly payments is absolutely criminal. 

 

You expect some price change's when fixed rates end, but for something to double is crippling.

[blabyboy]

I follow his advice and overall feel I've saved quite a lot over the years. The advice for energy at present is to drop onto the variable rate as it's cheaper than any 'deals' out there. The vid on this page tells you all you need to know: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/12/martin-lewis--even-the-cheapest-deals-are-more-than-double-than-/

 

I'm also signed up to their Cheap Energy club - you tell them who you're with and what tariff and you get alerts when it's best to switch and options for the switch.. I was down to £81 with Avro until they went t1ts up last year, got transferred to Octopus and am still on the same rate as they honoured all those who switched. Come March/April I'll be looking around.

[Guest Mickyblueeyes]

52 minutes ago, adejo92 said:

I've rang my supplier today (Ovo)....They spent an age going through all of the breakdown of KWH's etc etc but at the end of it, couldn't negotiate the price at all.

 

Doubling, and in some cases tripling, peoples monthly payments is absolutely criminal. 

 

You expect some price change's when fixed rates end, but for something to double is crippling.

It is madness. Crazy some of the figures coming out and, to add to that the tax increases etc. People are really going to suffer. 

 

 

[Leicester_Loyal]

38 minutes ago, blabyboy said:

I follow his advice and overall feel I've saved quite a lot over the years. The advice for energy at present is to drop onto the variable rate as it's cheaper than any 'deals' out there. The vid on this page tells you all you need to know: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/12/martin-lewis--even-the-cheapest-deals-are-more-than-double-than-/

 

I'm also signed up to their Cheap Energy club - you tell them who you're with and what tariff and you get alerts when it's best to switch and options for the switch.. I was down to £81 with Avro until they went t1ts up last year, got transferred to Octopus and am still on the same rate as they honoured all those who switched. Come March/April I'll be looking around.

Yep, stick with variable for now then just change round regularly. Luckily I went onto my tarriff in July 2021, so I got in just before the rates started shooting up.