Save £300 a year on energy WITHOUT switching!
Save £300/yr on energy WITHOUT switching, a free Amazon £7 and Ikea gift, and a free £15 winter car check at Halfords. These are our Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis’ Quick Deals.
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.
Save up to £300/year without switching supplier
I've nagged, begged & cajoled people to switch energy this winter – many have, but still 70% of people are typically overpaying £300 a year and all you have to do is a comparison (use Martin’s Cheap Energy Club comparison or any Ofgem-approved comparison site). Yet for those who've not checked if they're being ripped off, or refuse to switch (as many users report elderly parents especially tell them) this is my last-ditch trick... just change tariff with your same provider.
Bizarrely, even though it’s the same gas, electricity, safety, service, they have different prices for the same thing. Usually these are fixed deals too where the rate is locked in for a year.
Just as examples, for someone on typical usage,
- First Utility’s standard tariff is £1,047/yr, its cheapest is £753.- Npower’s standard is £1,110/yr, its cheapest is £772.- Scottish Power’s standard is £1,070/yr, its cheapest is £806.- Ovo Energy’s standard £1,004/yr, its cheapest is £823.
They’re not alone: EDF, SSE, E.on and British Gas all have tariffs cheaper than their standard too. So at the very least ensure you’re on your existing provider’s cheapest.
To do it, the best thing is do a comparison then scroll in the list to find your provider’s cheapest, if not try calling up and asking what its cheapest tariff is and ask for an illustration of the savings you could make (though then you’re reliant on it).
‘Free’ £7 Amazon code
If you’ve had an Amazon account since at least 20 Dec 2015 and you haven't used it to buy gift cards since Dec 2013, you’ll be eligible for a free £7 promo code when you buy £30 of Amazon gift cards until Sunday 6 March.
Log in to your account and click this Amazon link to see if you’re eligible. For those who are, it will say ‘buy £30 in Amazon.co.uk gift cards, get a £7 promo code to spend at Amazon.co.uk’. You'll then need to press the ‘Click to qualify for the promotion code’ button, and buy £30 of Amazon gift cards in a single purchase.
Amazon says it will email your £7 promotional code two days after your gift cards are dispatched or sent via email (depending on which type you choose). As gift cards are valid ten years, this is effectively a ‘if you’ll spend £30 on Amazon in the next ten years here’s a free £7’ deal. The codes need to be used by Friday 22 April, and have no minimum spend.
‘Free’ gift when you scan a loyalty card at Ikea
This is basically a prize draw, but everyone will win something. The prizes range from a 60p hot dog, a £3.50 mirror, a £7 table lamp, a £50-£1,000 gift card, or a family trip to Sweden with £500 spending money. You’ll need the ‘Ikea family card’ and if you don’t have one, just grab one in store. Then use it when you pay. In the unlikely event you’re at Ikea and you decide you’re not buying anything, the cheapest item there is a 35p mug. It’s running at all stores except Croydon, Tottenham and Norwich.
Free £15 winter car check at Halfords
Drive to any Halfords or Halfords Autocentre by Thursday 31 March and get a free five-point car check – valued at around £15. The car check includes checks to your battery, bulbs, wiper blades, oil and screenwash levels. You don’t need to book in advance, though you can online if you want, and the check should take about 15 minutes. There’s no obligation to buy anything, but be prepared that staff may try to upsell you.