How British Gas customers could save £100s
British Gas customers’ £300/year savings, 50% off Sky, free eye tests, free kids’ summer camp and £10 Pimm’s. These are our Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis’ Deals of the Week.
Remember, deals can change quickly, even while I’m on the programme. So always double-check the terms and conditions before spending. Plus, while I hope these deals will save you cash, don’t spend if you can’t afford it, don’t need it, or won’t use it.
Are you a British Gas customer? Hidden trick gets £300/year off
Sainsbury’s Energy isn’t really Sainsbury’s Energy – it’s run and supplied totally by British Gas, which just licenses the name. And right now its cheapest tariff is far cheaper than British Gas. So you can slash the cost of your energy without even switching suppliers. It's the same gas and electricity, service, safety and some of the smart meters are compatible.
For someone with typical dual-fuel usage, the average costs are...
- BG standard tariff (70% of people are on standard tariffs): £1,044/yr- BG cheapest switchable tariff (HomeEnergy Fixed 2018): £1,019/yr- Sainsbury's cheapest (Fixed Price June 2017): £750/yr
As Sainsbury’s tariff is a fix, the rate you pay is locked in for a year (rate, not cost – that depends on usage). Plus if you're switching from British Gas it won’t charge exit penalties. Sadly it's not available if you're on prepay or in Northern Ireland. The tariff does have £30/fuel early exit fees.
As you can see the savings are huge – the cheapest on the market is only £16 a year cheaper for typical usage. Yet as your cheapest depends on where you live and what you use, there’s no one winner, so just plug your details intoMartin’s ‘Cheap Energy Club’, which also gives switchers £30 dual-fuel cashback, or any other Ofgem-approved comparison site, and it'll tell you the best deal for you.
45%+ off Sky TV bundles
Until 11.59pm tonight (Thursday 30 June) new Sky customers who apply online only (or those who left it 12 months or more ago) can get 45%+ off a year’s contract on almost all of its TV packages when you pay by direct debit.
So for the Complete bundle, including Movies and Sport, which is normally £80/month, it’s currently £43/month. Or for the basic bundles it’s £10 a month rather than the usual £20. You do have to pay a £10 set-up fee though.
Existing Sky customer? There’s nothing stopping you from haggling down the price of your existing package. Use this as weaponry in your haggling armour – and remember the big key is indicating you’ll leave if you don’t get a better deal. In fact, in my recent poll, 88% of Sky customers who’d tried haggling said they’d succeeded.
Martin’s quickies:
Free Vision Express eye test: Go online to Vision Express by Sunday 10 July and you’ll be able to book a free eye test in one of its stores (normally £15ish if you have to pay). Once booked you’ll be emailed a voucher which you’ll need to take with you to your appointment by 31 August 2016. Or if it’s more convenient Tesco Opticians also always offers a free eye test with no voucher needed. Remember, if you need a prescription you don’t need to buy glasses here – you can take your prescription to any optician. If you live in Scotland, you’re entitled to free eye tests anyway. Remember having certain medical conditions or family history of eye conditions will also entitle you to free eye tests.
Free Apple & Tesco summer classes for kids: Both have three-day in-store camps this summer with limited spaces – Apple’s includes learning to create a film, creating interactive books and learning how to code (for ages 8-12 only).Or Tesco’s Eat Happy Project for ages 5-11, at 50 Tesco cafes, teaches kids how to cook. Places for both courses are given on a first come, first served basis, so book quick if you’re interested. Plus an adult will need to accompany their child the whole time.
Pimm’s war – now £10/litre: Last week Morrisons had £12/litre Pimm’s on offer, which was the cheapest, but Asda has now waded into the ‘Wimbledeal’ war. You can now get one-litre bottles of classic Pimm’s No.1 for £10 online atAsda and in its stores (last week it was £15 and other stores are selling it for up to £21). Asda hasn’t said when the offer will end, but as this is a good price during Wimbledon, and it’s summer, they’re likely to go quick. Please be Drinkaware.