Martin Lewis helps shift credit card debt fast!
Last chance Tesco double-up, stop paying credit card interest, FREE Greggs hot drink, 25% off Habitat and £1 kids’ book sale. These are our Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis’ Deals of the Week.
If you’re paying interest on credit/store card debt – stop! You can shift it to a 0% balance transfer card, so you pay it at a cheaper rate and clear the debt quicker. To find the very best deals – and most critically which will accept you – Martin’s ‘Full best balance-transfers’ guide includes a free eligibility calculator which gives card-by-card odds of which you’re most likely to get – so you can home in on your winner.
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.
Most cards charge a fee for the amount of debt you shift, but a brand new card is the longest-ever no-fee deal. Accepted newbies can now shift it to 24 months 0% with theAA, so if you can clear the debt within that time there’s absolutely no cost. However, play safe if you’re not sure how long you’ll need. Or you can go longer and pay a fee, with a Barclaycard at up to 32 months 0% with a 0.72% fee, or the new Virgin Money card gives 40 months 0% with a 2.54% fee.
Remember to always follow the Balance Transfer Golden Rules:1. Repay at least the monthly minimum or the bank can end the 0% deal.2. Clear the card in full by the end of the deal or the rate rockets to 18.9%-19.9% rep APR.3. Never withdraw cash or spend on the card as it’s not at the 0% rate.
Last chance: Tesco Clubcard double-up
Tesco is making big changes to its loyalty scheme. This will be the last time it’s running its hugely popular Clubcard ‘double-up’ promotion – though what it’s planning to replace it with is still unknown.
From now until Sunday 26 June, you can swap every £5 of Clubcard vouchers for £10 in 11 categories including toys, entertainment, garden, home, cosmetics, sport and travel, both in store and online at Tesco Direct. So, for example, you could get a £160 kids' mountain bike reduced to £70 for just £35 in vouchers.
Before that, though, check if you can quadruple rewards by redeeming vouchers via Tesco Clubcard partners – this is staying and won’t be scrapped. You can get 3x or 4x the points’ value. For example, a £10 voucher becomes £40 at Café Rouge or £30 at Goldsmiths jewellers.
A quick tip: Log in to your Tesco Clubcard account and under the ‘my vouchers’ section (found on the left-hand side) you’ll be able to find any lost or unused vouchers going back two years. This can be huge as AnnaV found. She said: "WOW – I've got £413 of unspent vouchers. Ridiculously excited."
Martin’s Quickies:
£1 kids’ book sale: Go online to children’s bookseller Scholastic and you’ll find more than 150 popular kids’ books from £1 each until 11.59pm tomorrow (Friday). There’s a minimum £10 spend on books, plus you’ll need to factor in the £3 delivery charge. The £1 books includeThe Gruffalo, Skylanders Universe and Thor: The Dark World. The books can usually cost up to £5.99 so this is a good deal for parents who want to stock up, though stock is limited so go quick if there’s something you want.
Free £2ish Greggs hot drink: Download and register the new Greggs app on you Apple or Android phone and you’ll automatically get a free hot drink under the ‘My Rewards’ section. You can order any sized hot drink, including cappuccino, tea, hot chocolate, until Tuesday 14 June, from any Greggs store (excluding Sandpiper branches). Just show the barcode to pay.
Flash 25% off Habitat: Go online to home furnishings retailer Habitat and until 11.59pm tonight (Thursday) you’ll get 25% off when you enter the code HAB25. The code works on everything apart from fitted kitchens, installation, furniture assembly and home delivery cost. You can also get the discount in store all day today, until closing.