The best cheap theme park deals

How to get two-for-one, Kids go free and other deals to save money and get you cheap theme park tickets.

I love a good theme park – but ticket prices for UK theme parks such as Alton Towers and Thorpe Park can be more terrifying than the fastest ride, especially for a family. But it’s actually really easy to pay less.

Here are some of the best deals right now to get cheap theme park tickets.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

Cheap theme park ticket rules

These are the basics that should help you avoid paying full price.

Use a promo code

Every single year there are discount codes, usually offering 50% off or two for the price of one tickets, to all the major theme parks. Smaller parks might have smaller discounts, but there are still savings to be found. I’ve listed below some of the best ones available right now from products you’re likely to buy.

Book in advance

Whether you’re using one of the codes below, or just paying full whack (why?), it makes sense to book in advance as prices are much cheaper. Often the earlier you book the better, with online prices on the day often more expensive (though still cheaper than buying on the door). You can sometimes stack a 2-4-1 code with these cheaper prices, meaning you’ll pay even less.

The annual pass trick

You can often pick up a season pass, giving unlimited access to one or multiple Merlin theme parks for the cost of a single ticket. Of course, if you’ve used the other promotions listed on this page you should only have paid 50% of the entry price. But if you are going to go at least twice in a year, then you may as well buy the season pass – even if you don’t go again.

Do check again for any restrictions, for example August weekends and special events are often excluded unless you buy a premium pass.

You can get season passes at locations including:

  • Alton Towers
  • Legoland
  • Thorpe Park
  • Chessington World of Adventures

Latest theme park special offers

You can regularly get deals on promotional packs of anything from cereal to soaps. Many do have exclusions though, including weekends in August for all attractions, and it looks like October’s half-term too. So do check. I’ve put in links with the exclusions and also the lists of participating theme parks where I can.

Thorpe Park: 50% off

Discount site Planet Offers is selling Thorpe Park tickets for £27.50, saving £2.50 on walk up prices and £22.50 for on the day online prices. It’s a smaller £11.50 saving on prices up to a month away.

Though you can book similarly priced £29 advance tickets at the Theme Park for £29, that’s only for visits a month or more away.

You can buy a ticket here and use it straight away until 30 September 2024. The terms state this is only for off-peak tickets, though it’s impossible to see on the either the Planet Offers or Thorpe Park site when this is.

Merlin: £19 kids tickets

From now until 3 September 2024, you can purchase kids (under the age of 16) one-day tickets to Alton Towers, Legoland Windsor, Chessington World of Adventures, Thorpe Park and Warwick Castle for £19. 

You can purchase up to three discounted tickets per transaction on each attraction’s individual website. Click the ‘book now’ button on the Real Fun Deals! section to get this price. 

Tickets are subject to availability. There are 27,000 discounted tickets available for Alton Towers, 21,000 for Legoland Windsor, 14,000 for Chessington World of Adventures, 18,000 for Thorpe Park and 20,000 for Warwick Castle, so you need to get them before they run out. 

This offer is great if you have teenagers who want to go without parents, as you don’t have to buy an adult ticket to get the discounted price.

2-4-1 with train tickets

These offers are good as you can still use them on weekends in August, though there are still some blackout dates. There’s a long list of attractions, but notable theme parks included are Alton Towers, Chessington and Thorpe Park.

You claim your voucher from the Days Out website and present it along with your train tickets to the attraction at the gate. The vouchers are only valid on the day of your train travel.

Merlin theme parks: 25% off with Kelloggs

Buy a promotional box of Kelloggs cereal or a Snack Pack and get 25% off up to two online advance priced tickets at 25 participating Merlin attractions, including Thorpe Park, Alton Towers and Chessington World of Adventures.

Find the 10-digit code inside the cereal box or follow the booking link on your Snack Pack (eg Rice Crispy Squares or a Fruit Winder) and visit the Merlin Magic website to select the attraction and choose the date you want to visit. With Snack Packs, you must bring the promotional pack with you along with your pre-booked e-ticket and show it at the ticket desk.

Tickets are valid until 30 June 2025. Exclusion dates apply and do check the terms and conditions.

Legoland: £17.50 tickets via Sky

If you pay for Sky TV, then take a look at the Sky VIP section in your account to get a unique code for £17.50 tickets to Legoland this summer.

You need to buy them before 7 August 2024, but you can choose any date up until 3 November 2024. You can book up to four tickets each time.

Tesco Clubcard points

If you’re earning points, you can get double value at theme parks including Alton Towers. Personally I’d say you’re better off using your points elsewhere, particularly for the Merlin-owned attractions.

That’s because although this promo is in theory the same as the 2-4-1 style offers, the prevalence of the latter means you’re effectively only getting 25% off that lower price. More on Clubcard deals here.

Kids Pass / Little Bird

These subscription-based membership sites offer money off at the major theme parks, including some which aren’t part of the Merlin group. More on them and how you can get cheap trials here.

Adults go free with Kellogs (expired)

Though the wording is different, it’s essentially the same thing, it’s just the adult ticket is free when you buy another full price adult or kids ticket.

Once again it’s for Merlin attractions, so the main theme parks are Thorpe Park, Chessington and Alton Towers.

Any vouchers you collect will be valid until 30 June 2024. Details here. You’ll need to keep the promotional packaging to share at the venue entrance.

Merlin Annual Pass: get £20-£60 off (expired)

Merlin has launched another sale on its annual passes. These run for a full year from when you buy them, so you’ll be able to get until April 2025 if you get one while the deal is on. The sale is on until 7 April 2024.

This gets you into any Merlin attraction – this includes Thorpe Park, Alton Towers, LEGOLAND, Sealife Centre and the London Eye. The different stages of pass have different perks – for example, the Gold one includes parking (usually £5-£10 each time), and there are restricted days on the Silver and Discovery passes. Some of them also have a sign-up fee if you go for a monthly option.

Remember, you’re unlikely to need to pay full price for entrance thanks to other deals, so you’ll need to weigh up whether the pass will represent good value depending on how often you’ll visit the attractions.

Here are the discounts available:

PassSale price (per year)Normal Price (per year)
Discovery£79£99
Silver£129£169
Gold£189£239
Platinum£239£299

Cheapest ways to watch Premier League, EFL & other football

Here’s how to watch football on TV without forking out the equivalent of a Premiership player’s daily hourly wage.

If you’re dusting off your football shirt ready for the new Premier League season, you may also be considering the cheapest ways to watch your team on TV. This year, 200 games will be shown on TV, split between Sky TV, TNT Sports (previously BT Sport) and Amazon Prime

Championship, League One and League Two fans will get most of their action on Sky Sports, with more games than ever broadcast.

If you want to watch as many games as possible, it doesn’t come cheap. And if you don’t support one of the big teams, they’ll be featured less often, which can make it more expensive per match. Here’s my guide to the cheapest ways to watch Premier League, EFL and other football.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

Image of a football match

(All this football talk reminds me of this classic Mitchell and Webb sketch…)

How to watch the Premier League 2024/2025 on TV

Only selected games are broadcast on TV. These are picked a couple of months ahead and will be split between Sky Sports, TNT Sport and Amazon Prime. Free to air highlights will once again be on the BBC.

You can see selections, as they’re announced, on the Premier League website.

BroadcasterNumber of games
Sky Sports128
– 32 on Saturday at 5.30pm
– 8 on Saturday at 7.45pm
– 32 on Sunday at 4.30pm
– 32 on Sunday at 2pm
– 24 on either Friday at 7.30pm or Monday at 8pm
TNT Sports (previously BT Sport)52
– 32 on Saturday at 12:30pm
– 15 matches from two midweek fixtures
– 5 matches from split weekend
Amazon Prime20 games
– 10 on a December midweek
– 10 on Boxing Day and following days
BBCHighlights on Match of the Day
Until 2029

How to watch Champions League, Europa League and Europe Conference League

Amazon Prime

17 Champions League games will be shown on Prime for the first time this season. They’ll be on Tuesday nights and Amazon have the first pick for these games.

TNT Sports

All the other games and highlights are on TNT Sports until 2024. The finals have historically been free to watch on the BT Sport YouTube channel, and are now on the TNT Sports app this year 

BBC

You’ll get free to air highlights for the Champions League on the BBC until 2027.

How to watch Football League (Championship, League One, League Two, League Cup)

Sky Sports

Sky is the only place to watch EFL games this season with a massive increase in the games shown on Sky Sports. 1,059 out of 1,891 matches will be on TV. You can see what’s been picked on the EFL upcoming live games page.

It will be broadcasting the following:

  • 328 EFL Championship games
  • 248 League One games
  • 248 League Two games
  • All play-off semi-finals and finals
  • All 93 EFL Carabao cup games
  • All 127 EFL Trophy games

Each week there will be:

  • Five matches in the Sky Bet Championship
  • Five from Sky Bet League One and League Two

This includes:

  • All opening and closing day fixtures
  • All mid week fixtures
  • All bank holiday fixtures

Shown across these time slots:

  • Saturday at 12.30pm (five games)
  • Friday night and Sunday 12.30pm
  • Some Thursday and Monday nights

ITV

You’ll be able to watch EFL highlights on ITV. 

FA Cup 

In 2024/25 the FA Cup will be completely free to watch.

BroadcasterGames
BBC18 fixtures including the final
ITV20 games including the final

Women’s Super League & FA Cup

Matches are split between Sky and the BBC, and some may be on YouTube too. All Women’s Championship are on YouTube.

BroadcasterGames
SkyUp to 44 live league games
BBC22 live league games plus 7 FA Cup games and the League Cup final
YouTubeSome games not shown on the BBC or Sky

International friendlies and qualifiers

The home nations’ men’s international qualifiers and friendly matches are split across different broadcasters, depending on which team you want to watch.

England’s women’s games are on ITV. BBC Wales has the women’s international games for Wales.

BroadcasterGames shown
ITVAll England mens games, including World Cup qualifiers and Nations League
Premier SportsAll other mens games, excluding England
BBC Highlights on Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland mens matches
SC4Wales mens matches (in Welsh)

Other football

This Wikipedia page will show you who has the broadcast rights for other matches, including the Scottish Premier League and La Liga.

Cheapest ways to watch football on Sky Sports

Sky Sports is available on as an add on for Sky, BT, Virgin and Talk Talk packages, or as a pay as you go pass via NOW.

If you already pay for Sky or Virgin, then it’s worth haggling to see if you can add on Sky Sports, or reduce your existing spend. However if you just want the sport channels you’ll be tied into an 18 or 24 month contract for all your other services you have with them such as broadband, as well as forced to also pay for entertainment options, really bringing the price up.

Sky Sports is currently £22 a month for 24-months direct from Sky with the standard Sky channels and Netflix adding on another £20 a month, at least.

Sadly it doesn’t look like Sky is still offering a cut price deal just for the football channels or just for the F1 channel – but keep an eye out for either’s return.

You can pay a £27 a month for a monthly rolling contract via Sky Stream but you’ll need to pay at least £29 a month on top for Sky Entertainment and Netflix. For most people you’re better off going with NOW.

With Virgin Media it’s also another £20 on top, at least for the sports channels. Again, not bad, but you’re likely over paying for the other channels.

Get day or month Sky Sports passes with NOW TV

NOW TV passes are particularly good if you don’t want to pay for other Sky or Virgin channels or Netflix (which is bundled with Sky), or if you won’t watch all year around.

Plus, combine a NOW TV pass with a cut-price broadband and phone line deal and it’ll often be much much cheaper than getting everything as part of the full Sky or Virgin packages.

If you only plan to watch a few games at home throughout the season you can buy a NOW day pass for £14.99. You get all the Sky Sports channels for 24 hours. This isn’t as good a deal as it used to be, but still a money saver if you just want to watch a single match.

A monthly pass is also available, meaning you can view more sport. But at £34.99 it’s not as cheap as adding to Sky if you pay it every month.

The good news is there are regular deals to reduce the price of a pass. These have dwindled a little over the last few years, and there are very few day pass deals.

But monthly ones do still pop up quite regularly, often dropped to between £21 and £26 a month either when you first sign up or as a retention offer if you go to cancel. Get it this low, if not lower, then it’s more comparable to what you’d pay adding it to Sky without the requirement for other channels.

More recently you might find these offers tie you in for a minimum period, perhaps as long as six months, which isn’t as flexible. But others still let you cancel when ever you want.

You can get more details on NOW TV sports deals in our regularly updated list of the best NOW TV Sky Sports Pass offers.

You can stream the NOW TV app on your TV, console or streaming stick; or on your computer or mobile device. Though you can’t record (it’s all on-demand and catch up), you can now pause and rewind live sport.

If you want HD or to share your pass you’ll need to pay more. It’s £6 a month for Boost (2x streams and 720p) and £9 a month for Boost Ultra (3x streams and 1080p). Again, there are often deals to bring the price down.

The cheapest way to watch football on TNT Sports

TNT Sports is available to add to TV packages from Sky, EE and Virgin, or stream direct from Discovery+. We’ve got a deals page which highlights some of the best TNT Sports deals available, but here are the cheapest options.

Free with some BT broadband packages

If you have been with BT for a while for broadband or mobile packages then it’s worth checking if you’ve got free access to the full Discovery+ package, which includes TNT Sports. If you’re not eligible you can add it for £10 a month with no long contract commitment.

Buy a month’s pass

If you don’t have or want expensive pay TV contracts, you can access TNT Sports with Discovery+ for £30.99 per month. You don’t need to commit to a contract, so you can get a month’s access whenever you need it, making it good for casual fans.

The cheapest way to watch football on Amazon Prime Video

There will be 20 Premier League and 17 Champions League games shown on Amazon Prime this season, so you only need a month’s subscription to Prime Video to access it. 

Get a free Amazon Prime trial

If you’ve never had Prime, you can take out a 30-day trial for free. This’ll allow you to watch all those games, and if you time it right, get free delivery on your Christmas shopping!

Pay £5.99 a month

You can also sign up on a monthly basis, at just £5.99 a month. So if you only want to watch those games, you can do it for £6 – as long as you cancel. You can also get an annual membership to Amazon Prime with extra Amazon benefits for £95.

Save more on pay TV

Switch to a new deal

With Sky Sports and TNT Sports, rather than just add the channels to your existing service as a top-up, it’s often cheaper to switch your service to a new company.

There are always offers for current customers signing new contracts, but the best deals are usually for new customers or those who threaten to leave. You can generally save even more by going via cashback sites.

Haggle with your provider

You can add on the Sky Sports and TNT Sports channels to your existing Sky, Virgin, Talk Talk and BT TV packages, but this can get very expensive.

Look out for special offers at the start of the season, or get on the phone with your provider and haggle for a better deal. 

Cancel it when you don’t need it

These big pay TV companies often let you take Sky Sports month by month, so if there aren’t any matches you want to see, or you know you won’t have time, just call up and cancel.

You can sign up again when you want to restart watching the channels. Check the terms and conditions before subscribing and see if there is a notice or minimum period.

The cheapest way to watch every live TV game

Share it with a friend

Know someone who has TNT Sports, NOW TV or Sky? You can usually watch the channels on up to two devices (smart TV, computer, tablet, phone) simultaneously, so you could split the cost between you. Here’s my guide on sharing your subscriptions.

Watch it in the pub

Of course, you can save all that hassle and head to the pub.

Premiership fans will normally be able to find somewhere showing the games, though Championship and lower may struggle. A few pints would cost the same as a NOW TV day pass.

The average cost to watch each Premier League team

Last year, we looked at the potential savings you could make from mixing and matching providers rather than committing to a year of sports channels. We found that football fans could save themselves up to £850 on watching the Premier League this season.

If you pay for all the services all year you’re going to get better value if you support one of the big teams and very poor value if you support a smaller one. However, if you’re a fan of various different sports or like to watch multiple teams, it might be worthwhile.  

My holiday finances checklist

When you go on holiday there’s bound to be something you forget – but I’d much rather leave behind my toothbrush than head overseas without checking off these money matters from my holiday checklist.

It’s all stuff that will probably affect you too, so here’s my finance related to-do list to help you think about what you still need to do.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

Find my GHIC

Because of Brexit, the old European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) are no longer valid. But in their place is the GHIC – Global Health Insurance Card. And despite the name, it’s essential for trips to Europe.

One of these cards will get you access to healthcare at the same prices as a local. That’s vital, not just in terms of saving money, but also to ensure your travel insurance will validate any claims.

If you already have one, check the expiry date. Each summer holidaymakers find out too late for their trip that they should have renewed their card.

If you need a new one, watch out for websites charging you to apply – they’re scamming you. Instead, apply or renew for free through gov.uk.

You’ll also need to check that your destination is covered. As mentioned, the name Global is deceptive. It’s still just Europe, and even then not every European country comes under the agreement, so it’s always worth checking.

Check my insurance

Sadly, a GHIC isn’t enough on its own. You still needed full travel insurance.

A mistake people often make is waiting until a few days before they travel to get insurance. Though you’d be covered if something went wrong when you were away, you’re at risk of missing out if your airline went bust, lost your job and couldn’t afford to go, or if you were too ill to travel. So get it as soon as you book!

I know it’s a pain, but do read the summary documents at least so you can see what is and what isn’t covered, and by how much. It’s often a case that cheapest isn’t best, especially if you can’t actually use it if something goes wrong.

If you’re going away multiple times this year it might be worth considering annual policies, but for a single weekend or fortnight then a shorter policy will suffice. Likewise, don’t buy a worldwide policy if you’re only going to Europe.

Also make sure you’re not covered elsewhere. Some credit cards and current accounts come with travel insurance (though again, check what the policy actually covers), while some home insurance policies will include partial cover that might mean you don’t need extras on things like possessions outside of the home.

Check passports and visas

It’s obviously vital to check your passport is still valid, but it’s often not as simple as having not expired. Some countries require you to have at least six months left on it when you travel, while in Europe it can’t be more than 10 years old – even if there are plenty of months left.

It’s well worth checking this regularly, or putting a reminder in your calendar, for a good few months ahead of it expiring or reaching those milestones as delays at the passport office could make it tight to get a new one issued before you travel.

And while you’re at it, make sure you don’t need a visa to enter your destination. There may be a small cost for this.

Buy an international driving permit

Another post-Brexit rule is the requirement in Europe to have a UK sticker on your car if you’re taking it across the channel – that’s the case even if you have a GB or EU flag on your number plate already.

If you’re hiring abroad you’ll need to get a DVLA code, while some countries might also need to buy an international driving permit. These have never been checked when we’ve had one, but it’s worth the £5.50 (plus a passport photo) cost to be safe. You can get one at the Post Office.

Oh, and buying a separate car hire excess insurance before you go will often be far cheaper than adding one on when you get to the car hire desk.

Get a specialist payment card

There are now a number of fee-free cards for both spending and withdrawing cash overseas. I’ve written about them in detail here.

You don’t really need to let your card provider know you’re going away anymore, especially for those designed to be used abroad.

Order travel money

I rarely take much money with me. A lot has usually been prepaid already, and I’ll use my specialist travel credit card where I can, but I also want to have some cash on me.

Usually, I only take a little, just incase there’s an issue with cards at the airport when I arrive. But I’ll check destinations to see if there’s a chance of ATM issues. That’s more likely in far-flung destinations.

The best way to find the top exchange rates is to use Money Saving Expert’s TravelMoneyMax comparison tool. You’ll get the best options in London, though even preordering from the airport will be at a better rate than just rocking up.

Here’s more on getting the best from travel money, including why you should never, ever just exchange when you go to get your flight.

Sort out my phone

Before the days of free-roaming I used to switch off voicemail and turn off any data options before leaving the country – the costs of using both overseas were exorbitant. Sadly for many networks that’s the case once again.

Right now I’m on O2 with the added Volt package that comes from also being a Virgin Media broadband customer so I actually still get to use my allowance in Europe and a handful of other countries. You might not be so lucky.

Check what the deal is for your network and act accordingly. It can often work out better to pre-buy an add-on that gives a certain allowance or caps charges.

If you are trying to avoid massive bills, then my tips on cutting phones costs when you’re on holiday should help. Or you could try an eSIM, which gets you local data, calls and texts for an additional fee.

Halifax Reward account review: is it any good?

Jump a few hoops to make £60 a year

The Halifax Reward account offers a monthly reward. This has changed over the years – it currently offers a choice of £5 in your account, a cinema ticket or three digital magazines each month.

Plus, you can get three accounts and therefore three lots of the bonus, but you have to jump through a few hoops. Here’s everything you need to know.

** Update – the Reward Extra perks will end for new customers in June 2025, and for all in September. Here’s what we know so far**

Image of a Halifax bank card

What is the Halifax Reward current account?

The Halifax Reward account is a fee-based account that gives you a choice of freebies each month. You can only have three accounts in your name.

How much does the Halifax Reward Account cost?

The Reward account charges a £3 monthly fee, meaning it’ll cost you £36 a year. This isn’t unusual – many current accounts with benefits have a similar charge, including Barclays Blue Rewards, NatWest Reward and Club Lloyds.

However, you won’t pay the fee if you deposit £1,500 every month. This should be fine for most people if you have your salary paid into your account – you need to earn just under £21,500 a year to take home this amount after tax and National Insurance.

If not, you can pay in a smaller amount from another account, e.g. £500, withdraw it, pay it back in, then repeat it once more.

What rewards do you get?

To be eligible for one of the Reward Extras you’ll need to either spend £500 a month on your debit card or keep £5,000 in the account every day of the month.

You also need to pay in £1,500 a month every month to get your reward (and avoid the fee). You also need to keep your account in credit.

If you do these then you get to pick a reward. These are:

  • Three digital magazines a month from a selection of Hearst magazine titles (eg Good Housekeeping, Red)
  • One Vue cinema ticket a month (each valid for 12 months)
  • £5 a month

The one you choose is fixed for a year, so you can’t mix and match throughout the year. You can choose a new reward at the start of each 12-month anniversary.

It’s possible to track the progress towards your reward in the app so you know if you’re going to get it or not each month. You’ll also find when your 12 months are due to end so you can choose a new reward (if you want to change it).

Extra cashback offers

You can activate offers from a handful of retailers to earn cashback if spending with your Halifax card. I’ve hardly ever used it, but I check from time-to-time to see which shops are on there, just in case.

Featured savings deal
Trading 212 Cash ISA
AER (variable)
4.92%
Minimum
£1
New Trading 212 customers get an increase of 0.82% AER to 4.92% for 12 months
More details ▼
Additional Info

Existing Trading 212 customers get a rate of 4.1%

FSCS Protected?: Yes

Allows transfers in?: Yes

Flexible ISA?: Yes

Switching bonus

Halifax tends to run a switching deal two or three times a year, usually offering between £100 and £175. Get details of how it works, and any future promotions, in our Halifax switching offer analysis article.

Account summary

BenefitsChoice of £5 a month / Vue cinema ticket / 3 digital magazine subscriptions
Save the Change auto-savings feature
Limited cashback with retailers via debit card
Fee£3 (£0 if you pay in £1,500 every month)
RequirementsPay in £1,500 every calendar month
Either spend £500 on your debit card each month or keep £5,000 or above in the account all month
Stay in credit (above £0) all month
Multiple accounts?Three
ExclusionsYour chosen Reward and qualifying method are fixed for 12 months

Are the rewards any good?

I’ll look at each benefit in turn:

£5 monthly reward

£5 a month profit is better than similar rewards on offer elsewhere – as long as you are avoiding that monthly fee. That adds up to £60 over the year, which might be a lower value than the other options but you have the freedom to spend it how you wish.

The money is paid into your account each month. It’s worth noting that if you are a higher rate taxpayer you’ll be liable to pay extra tax on this bonus.

Free cinema ticket

The code you’ll get each month is valid for a year, and you can use two or more at the same time, saving on a family trip. They can also be used for pricier 3D screenings or VIP seats, increasing the value.

Standard Vue cinema ticket prices can vary between a fiver through to well over a tenner, and even more for the posh seats – it all depends on where you live.

If you’re paying close to a fiver, you’re better off getting the cash option – that’ll give you the flexibility to go to different cinemas (or not go at all).

But if you have an expensive Vue cinema near you and go once a month then the value of this reward could be pretty decent.  Say your tickets are £10 that’s an annual reward worth £120. If VIP tickets are £18 it’s worth £216.

Even so, it’s possible to save on cinema tickets in lots of different ways, and those deals could work out as a better option. For example two-for-one tickets via Meerkat Movies or free Vue tickets via a Telegraph trial. Here’s our guide to the best ways to save at the cinema.

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Free magazines

You can choose your three titles from this selection:

  • Cosmopolitan
  • Country Living
  • ELLE
  • ELLE Decoration
  • Esquire
  • Good Housekeeping
  • Harper’s Bazaar
  • House Beautiful
  • Men’s Health
  • Prima
  • Red
  • Runner’s World
  • Women’s Health

Your picks will be digital-only, so you’ll need a tablet or computer to read them. The three magazines you choose at the start of the year will be the same ones you’ll get all year.

Spend or save: which is best?

So you could be making anything from £60 a year (taking £5 a month) through to £200 (for top-end Vue tickets) from this account. But you need to factor in the requirement that you either need to spend or save a lot of money each month with Halifax. Here’s my take on each option.

Have £5,000 in savings

The option of £5,000 a month in your account seems relatively simple. Do this every month for a year and the £60 cash reward is the same return as putting that money in a 1.2% savings account. There are much better savings accounts on the market where this money might be better suited.

But I’m not a fan of this method. For a start that money has to stay there every single day of the month. So whether you need to use it, or the balance accidentally dips after a large purchase, you don’t get the reward.

Spending £500 via the debit card

The alternative is to spend £500 a month on your debit card. Do this exactly and you’ll earn £60 a year (if you take the cash option). That’s the equivalent of 1% cashback – so no real difference to using the top cashback cards.

However, if you spend more than £500 you won’t earn any extra money, reducing your equivalent rate. So do you just spend £500 and stop, then move over to your alternative card?

There are a couple of workarounds here that allow you to effectively earn double cashback on that £500 monthly spend.

Very simply, if you have a cashback credit card, you use your Halifax debit card to pay £500 off the bill every month. I’ve done this for the last year now and it works – you’ve just got to remember to do this before your direct debit for your card goes out of your account. I actually moved my Amex payment date from the start of the month to the middle to give me a bit more leeway.

The app

I quite like the Halifax app as you can do pretty much everything on it without needing to log on via a desktop. Some of the key features:

Sharing bank details

You can send your sort code and account number via the app. There’s no option to copy these in the app, so you’ll need to share them to another app (eg notes or messages) and copy from there.

Card controls

All the main options are here:

  • View PIN and request new one
  • View and copy card details
  • Freeze card use abroad, online and / or in-person
  • Stop gambling payments
  • Set your own contactless limit

Alerts

You can get notifications for:

  • Debit card transactions
  • Weekly spending summaries
  • Money paid in and out

Sending and adding money

It’s easy to transfer cash to new and existing payees, and there’s no need for a card reader. You can scan a cheque using the app to add the cash to your account.

Insights and budgeting

There’s an easy-to-find option to see all your upcoming payments in one place, how much they add up to and when they’ll be paid. You can also manage and cancel subscriptions in the app – the ones paid via a debit card rather than a standing order or Direct Debit.

You can look at monthly trends and payments which is potentially handy, but not as good as those on offer from third-party apps like Money Dashboard and Snoop.

Tapping on a transaction will show on a map where it took place.

You can see seven years of transaction history on the app, which you can also search. It’s possible to export monthly statements from when you opened the account but only as PDFs.

Other features

You can also:

  • Use Face or Touch ID
  • Change personal details
  • Add accounts from other banks via Open Banking (just the major high street banks)
  • See your credit score from TransUnion (which you can do for free anyway)

What’s missing?

However, when compared to the likes of Starling and Monzo, the big absence is the lack of separate pots or spaces. All your money is together in the main account.

Summary: should you get it?

Andy’s Analysis

If you have £5k to save or already use a cashback card for spending, then the £5 reward isn’t better than what you can get elsewhere.

But thanks to the debit card hack, I think it’s well worth getting one of these accounts to claim the reward alongside your other cashback card. And then another two times with additional accounts.

Plus the app is actually really decent and does most things you’ll need. So all in this is a good account to have and perhaps even use as your main account.

Is Amazon Prime Day any good?

Amazon’s member’s only sale is back this month, but can you actually save any money?

As with Black Friday, there’s quite a frenzy when it comes to Amazon’s Prime Day sale. There are often an awful lot of offers in just about every category, with a lot of them seeming to have huge discounts so it’s easy to buy things that you don’t really need.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you can afford it and will use the things you buy. But, despite the discount advertised, you may actually be getting a bargain? We’ve taken a look at some of the offers from last year to find out if Prime Day is just a deception.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

What is Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day is an annual sale to celebrate Amazon’s birthday, although they’ve started to sneak another into October. It’s only for customers signed up to Amazon Prime. This comes at a cost: £95 for a year, £8.99 a month or newbies can take out a 30-day free trial.

For that money you don’t just get access to this special sale, you also get extras such as film and TV streaming and free next-day delivery. Here’s our full review with thoughts on whether it’s worth the cash.

When is Amazon Prime Day 2024?

This year, Prime Day is on 16 and 17 July. Offers will go live from midnight and run for 48 hours.

There will be some deals across both days as well as “Lightening” offers that will come and go. There will also be a few early offers in the days leading up to the sale.

How good are Prime Day deals?

There are two parts to Prime Day offers. The first are extra savings and offers, such as an extra £5 off here, or £10 credit there. These can really help bring down prices, but over the last few years there haven’t been too many of these. That could well change in 2024, and we’ll let you know on our Amazon Deals page if they do.

The other part, and the bulk of the offers you’ll see are discounted items. And there are thousands of these. I’ve taken a look at some of last year’s best offers and reached out to both the Be Clever With Your Cash and our sister site Smart Money People‘s teams to find out some of the (so-called) bargains they’ve blagged. I’ve used the price comparison site CamelCamelCamel to work out which of them got a great deal, which ones went down to the same prices eventually and who got fobbed off.

A quick caveat: CamelCamelCamel’s price history doesn’t include Prime Day or Lightning Deal prices. This means that there’s a chance that lower prices have occurred. Even so, the site gives us a good indication of the usual selling prices. More on CamelCamelCamel further down.

Prime Day 2023 offers analysed

When we asked colleagues for some items they’d bought on Amazon last year for Prime Day, it turned out none of us at Be Clever With Your Cash had bought a single item during Prime Day last year. Seeing as we’re all dedicated bargain hunters, that says a lot. But some of our colleagues at Smart Money People did shop in the sale, so here’s how their purchases rate.

Echo Pop

  • Prime Day Price: £29.00
  • Lowest price since: £17.99
  • Price now: £44.99
  • The consensus: she missed out on a great deal

Sara at Smart Money People bought herself an Echo Pop on Prime Day last year. The smart speaker costs £44.99 at the time of writing. Sara nabbed it for £29.99 in the sale, reckoning that she saved about £20 on the purchase. Since this was a new product it was a hefty discount.

But just three months later, the Echo Pop was selling for just £17.99 — she could have saved herself £11 more if she’d waited.

Anker Powerbank

  • Prime Day Price: £19.99
  • Lowest price since: £27.99 (11 months later)
  • Price now: £27.99
  • The consensus: lowest price all year

Another item Sara picked up on Prime Day was an Anker Powerbank for £19.99, reckoning she’d saved herself about £10 on it. The power bank is being sold for £27.99 right now and that’s also the lowest price it’s been since. So she managed to grab herself the lowest price on that item all year.

Garmin Venu watch

  • Prime Day Price: £259.99
  • Lowest price since: £244.99 (5 months later)
  • Price now: No longer available. It was £369.99 before removal but is now available at many retailers for £249
  • The consensus: a fair price

Sophie, Senior Insight Analyst at Smart Money People bought herself a Garmin 2S last year on Prime Day at £53.44 less than the advertised price, spending £259.99.

The CamelCamelCamel graph below suggests that she picked up a huge saving with the same watch costing far more for most of the last 12 months.

However, that dotted line shows Amazon didn’t actually sell it that often after Prime Day, which suggests it was a stock clearance price rather than a special deal. In fact the S3 was released soon after.

An alternative colour did keep selling though, often between £260 and £300, so while her watch wasn’t really available from Amazon at the listed £310 price, it looks like it was a decent price at the time.

Ultrasport F-Bike

  • Prime Day Price: £79.99
  • Lowest price since: £99.99 (2 months later)
  • Price now: Unavailable – was £100.99 before it was pulled
  • The consensus: a decent deal

A friend of mine, Jen bought herself an UltraSport F-Bike on Prime Day last year. The Bike was £133.99 at the time and was reduced to £79.99 on Prime Day. This was the lowest price on this item since 2016. It was never reduced as far as this before it was removed from Amazon, so Jen got herself a pretty good price.

Apple Airpods

  • Prime Day Price: £169.99
  • Lowest price since: £149.99 (8 months later)
  • Price now: £169.99
  • The consensus: the price went down anyway

One of the top advertised deals for Prime Day last year were these Apple Airpods. They were £189.99 before Prime Day and you could get them for £169.99 on Prime Day — not a bad deal, but if you tried to buy them today, they’re selling at Apple’s new retail price of £169.99, so the price was going to go down eventually anyway.

There was a brief time when they were £149.99, which could have saved you an extra £20 on them, but this was eight months after the Prime Day price.

But remember that technology has new upgrades all the time – the 3rd Generation pair are still the latest ones, but there’s likely to be a 4th Generation set out soon.

Barbie DreamPlane

  • Prime Day Price: £52.99
  • Lowest price since: £39.79 (1 month later)
  • Price now: £65.99
  • The consensus: you could’ve saved more by waiting

Another deal heavily advertised by Amazon last year was this Barbie DreamPlane, a toy that would’ve been on the top of my Birthday wishlist as a kid! This was sold on Prime Day last year for £52.99, down from £74.39 — a £21.40 saving on the original price — surely Amazon didn’t go lower than that.

Just a month later, the Barbie DreamPlane was up for £39.79, so waiting just a little longer would’ve saved you an extra £13.20.

Other items

Here are some of the items we analysed for this, including whisky, an IPL Hair Removal Device and the Shark vacuum.

ItemPrime Day pricePrice nowLowest price since Prime DayWait time to lowest price
Hinyx 3 in 1 Foldable Magnetic Wireless Charger Stand£19.99£29.99£29.990 months
Anker Power Bank£19.99£27.99£27.990 months
Echo Pop£29.00£44.99£17.993 months
AMINZER IPL Hair Removal Device£48.72£59.99£46.275 months
Garmin Venu 2S£259.99N/A£244.995 months
Apple AirPods (3rd generation)£169.99£169.99£149.998 months
Sony LinkBuds S£119.99£119.99£99.995 months
Philips Series 3000i Connected Air Purifier£269.99£270.00£269.999 months
Barbie DreamPlane£52.99£65.99£39.791 month
Highland Park Dragon Legend Single Malt Scotch Whisky£26.99£42.00£44.000 months
Panasonic CT54 Slimline Combination Microwave Oven & Grill with Turntable£165.00£219.00£189.005 months
Bosch Home and Garden Cordless Combi Drill£59.99£110.00£56.995 months
Remington PROluxe Midnight Hair Dryer£29.99£52.82£29.995 months
Shark Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner£49.99£79.00£49.995 months
Ultrasport F-Bike£79.99£100.99£99.992 months

Conclusions: is Prime Day any good?

While it’s easy to get sucked in by some great-looking prices, last year’s big deals weren’t always the best prices offered, with a lot of items getting reduced further just a few months later for Black Friday.

It’s always frustrating when something is cheaper in a subsequent sale, and Amazon doesn’t appear to be offering partial refunds if something you bought goes down just days later (as it does over Black Friday).

Saying that, most of these prices were pretty strong at the time, so if you need an item now it could be a good time to buy. So on this basis, I’d say Prime Day deals can be fairly decent.

Of course, that’s only if you’re not buying items on a whim. This whole sale is designed to get you to part with your cash so be wary of any impluse spending.

And you should still do some quick research into whether you have a good price. Importantly, don’t trust the RRP — these are rarely the real selling prices. Instead, use price history to see what your real discount is — more on this below. Essentially, you’re looking for:

  • a discount bigger than the usual selling price
  • items that are rarely discounted
  • something which isn’t about to be replaced by a newer version – bigger discounts could be on the way
  • a price you’re happy to pay
  • something you actually want and need

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Prime Day vs Black Friday

In a lot of cases with the above items, the prices dropped again on Black Friday, sometimes further. Amazon has recently started to throw an extra Prime Day into October, with Black Friday deals too. Prices will likely be pretty similar on core Amazon devices.

Ultimately, if you see something on Prime Day at a price you are happy to pay, it probably makes sense to pick it up rather than wait. While there’s a chance you’ll miss out on a few quid, there’s also the risk that the item won’t be reduced in November!

How to find the best prices

As you’ll see from the graphs above, there are tools to help you work out whether a deal really is a deal. Here are our best picks of what you can use.

Check price history

The strangely named CamelCamelCamel is what we’ve used for the price history charts. It’s essential for helping to work out whether you’re likely to see a further drop.

You can also use it to set price alerts for when items hit a level you want to pay, though as mentioned, it doesn’t include Lightning Deals or Prime Day prices, which is a shame.

There are more price history sites that you can use, too.

Look for price-matching

Though the Prime Day prices will only be available to Prime members (remember you can get a free trial if you aren’t already, or sign up for one month at £8.99), other retailers might match prices or even offer their own deals to try to get some money spent with them rather than with the US giant.

It’s worth using Idealo, Price Spy or even just Google Shopping to see how much the item is selling for elsewhere. And don’t forget to see if you can stack other codes and savings on top!

Beat others to Lightning Deals

A lot of the offers you’ll see will be Lightning Deals with a limited quantity and limited time to grab them. Amazon obviously want to rush you into buying these offers, but there are ways to get the product in your basket before everyone else and still have time to check price history.

2024 Prime Day deals

We regularly update our Amazon Deals page with all the top offers we spot, both ahead of the day and once the sale kicks off.

There are already some early bird offers that are worth checking out.

When direct debits are a bad idea

Watch out for hidden extra costs

Most of the time paying your bill by direct debit will save you money – but if you’re not careful they can also end up costing you hard earned cash.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

When direct debits aren’t the best idea

“Pay by direct debit to save” is a message you’ll see on most bills. And most of the time it’s true. From gas and electricity to magazine subscriptions and gallery memberships, you’ll find lots of places will give you a discount if you set up these regular payments.

But there some high profile instances where it’s actually better to pay the whole amount upfront.

Insurance is the worst offender. If you pay in installments you’re borrowing the money to pay for the cover, and then getting charged interest. So the vast majority of the time it’ll cost you more money.

And some direct debits can be estimated – meaning you pay more than you actually should. Energy bills are the main culprits here, and you could end up with more money on your account that you’ve actually spent.

I’ve broken down some of the times it’s bad to split your payments by direct debit, and when you can make a saving by using them. It won’t be the case for every company, so make sure you check the terms and conditions.

Regular payments that aren’t direct debits

You might think that any payment you set up to leave your account on a regular basis is a direct debit, but they aren’t.

If you’ve used the long number on your debit or credit card that’s known as a continuous payment authority (CPA), or if you’ve set up a regular transfer between different accounts that is probably a standing order.

There can be advantages of using these options, and in many cases you won’t actually be able to choose between them – for example, streaming service subscriptions are pretty much all CPAs.

Which direct debits are bad?

You will usually be charged extra money on each of the following if you choose to pay by direct debit as you’re effectively taking out a loan for the product.

  • Insurance policies – from home and contents to travel and car, making a monthly payment adds interest meaning you pay more.
  • Car and vehicle tax – Pay for the full year for the cheapest price. There’s a 5% surcharge if you pay in monthly or 6-monthly instalments. However you can still set up a direct debit for a 12-month payment to make sure you don’t forget. All the different costs are here.
  • Mobile phone handsets – it’s not always the case but you’ll usually pay less overall if you pay upfront for the handset rather than get it as part of a contract.
  • White goods – rent to own services charge extortionate interest when you buy a TV or washing machine.

Alternative ways to spread the cost

If not a direct debit, what? Well paying for a full year in one go for car insurance or a new phone can be pretty expensive. Ideally you’ll have planned for these as most are expected costs and have the cash available in your savings The easiest way to do this is to calculate the annual costs for there services and split it by 12. This is how much you need to save into a separate pot each month to cover the costs.

But if you don’t have the savings to pay for them? If you can get a 0% purchase credit card it’s a good way to spread the payments without getting charged. You will need to make minimum payments each month, and make sure you have a plan to clear the borrowing before the 0% period ends. Fail to do both of these and the charges can be sky-high.

Buy Now, Pay Later is also an option, though you’ll find the interest free periods are often much shorter, perhaps just a couple of months.

Or you could borrow from a friend or family member – just make sure you do pay them back!

When direct debits are good

Of course, on the whole, direct debits are good and can save you money or help you budget. They’re also protected by the direct debit guarantee. This means if something goes wrong, perhaps you’re charged too much, you’ll get the money back.

These are the key services where you could be given an extra discount for paying in regular instalments.

  • Gas and electricity bills – these charges will be estimated so give regular meter readings to make sure you don’t get caught out by paying too little or too much. You can contact your supplier and ask for a refund if you have a decent balance.
  • Credit card repayments – you won’t forget to make your monthly payments this way! Try to clear the whole balance, or at least as much as you can afford, rather than the minimum required.
  • Magazine and streaming subscriptions – Monthly payments give you the option to cancel at any time. Just don’t forget to do this or you’ll roll over for another month or year.
  • Memberships – e.g. gym, galleries and clubs. Watch out for auto-renewal here too.
  • Donations to charities – though if you can give via Payroll Giving at work you’ll be able to give before you get taxed.

Then there are a few where it doesn’t make much a difference – well you don’t make a saving. However, paying for the following by direct debit will help you spread the cost over 12 months.

  • Council Tax – you can ask to pay this over 12 months rather than the default 10 months if you want consistency each month
  • Water bills
  • TV Licence

And if you choose to pay many of the bills above via direct debit from a selection of Santander current account, you’ll also earn cashback on those payments.

Remember a direct debit means the amount can vary each month, but a standing order is for a fixed amount. It’s important to make sure you have enough money in your account before committing to a direct debit to avoid penalties for going overdrawn.

How to save money on books

The best discounts, freebies and tricks to buy books for less.

I tend to go through spells where I’m reading loads followed by periods where I can’t get going with a book. But when I get into a good book, there’s nothing quite like it.

And the more I read, the more expensive it can get. So it helps to find a few ways to find the best price, add extra discounts or even get books for free.

Here are the tricks I use to avoid paying full price.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

Shop around

Don’t just head to Amazon and assume it’ll be the cheapest place to buy a book. Yes it often does sell at reduced prices, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find it for less.

I use a website called 123 Price Check, which lists most major online retailers. This alone should get you the lowest price – though you can often save more.

Save at independent book shops

I like to shop at my local independent book shop, and they take National Book Tokens (as most retailers will). These are easy to get with a discount. I tend to buy them when there’s a short term TopCashback bonus, often spend £5 get £2 back, and earn cashback on top. You’ll also find them on apps like Cheddar, Jam Doughnut and HyperJar.

It’s also worth checking other membership schemes or work perk sites you have access to in case the rates are even higher. For example, I get 9.5% off National Book Tokens via an old Scottish Friendly ISA account.

Get an extra discount

The big chains often offer deals and voucher codes, so if you’re shopping online these could help bring the price down. If there are bookshops you like particularly then it’s worth signing up to email lists – WH Smiths for example often emails promo codes to use online.

Most of the big online retailers will also offer money back via cashback sites Quidco and TopCashback. In an ideal world you’ll be able to combine this with a discount code or discounted gift card, though check the cashback site terms and conditions. It’s worth seeing if you can also earn via Airtime Rewards at the same time, with retailers including Waterstones also offering cashback.

Use loyalty schemes

My local independent has a stamp scheme where you get a stamp for each £5 you spend. Get a full card and you’ve £10 credit to use. Another good reason to support your local shop.

Larger chains also have loyalty schemes. Both Foyle’s Foyalty scheme and Waterstones Plus give a stamp for every £10 spent, and once you have 10 stamps you get £10 to spend.

Visit your library

It’s easy to forget you can pick up free books from your library, including new releases though you might need to wait your turn.

Most libraries will have online catalogues and ordering systems which also let you renew if you haven’t finished.

If they don’t have the book you want you can request it. They’re often a small fee for this, but it’ll be less than buying a book outright.

Though it can vary depending where you live, you can often join a library online and even order books for collection.

Here’s my article on the books, magazines, ebooks and more you can get from libraries.

Buy second hand

You’ll also be able to pick up a decent read from your local charity shop, and your purchase has the added benefit of supporting a good cause. Obviously you’ll probably struggle to get a specific title, but if you’re open to what you read it’s worth a look. It’s worth seeing if there’s an online option, such as this one from Oxfam.

Or specialist second-hand book stores – both online on the high street – could give you a wider range of titles and perhaps a more knowledgeable staff to help you pick a decent read.

Swap books with others

Finished a book? See if a friend, colleague or family member wants to switch it with something they’ve loved.

If you’ve young children see if anyone is clearing out books their kids have outgrown – parenting groups on social media can be great places to look.

You should also see if there’s a swap box in your local area or workplace. These are generally set up by individuals – we’ve got one on our street where you can leave a book and take another. If there isn’t one, maybe look at setting one up yourself. This site has some listed, but it’s by no means a full list, and there’s this one too.

Go digital

Ebooks might not give the same experience as handling a paperback or hardback, but they can make reading a lot more convenient, especially when out and about. And they can also be a lot cheaper.

You can borrow them for free from your library, or get access to titles out of copyright via sites like Project Gutenberg – though these won’t work on a Kindle unless you convert them.

If you do have a Kindle then you can still save, with regular 99p offers on Amazon, and tools that help you track price drops and other promotions. You can read more about these in my article to help you save on Kindle books.

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Sell old books to fund new purchases

If you need to sell old books to raise funds for new books, then it’s worth looking at sites such as We Buy Books and Music Magpie. From my experience you won’t get anything for any popular titles, but rarer books and text books could get you a few quid. Here’s my guide to how these sites and apps compare.

Avoiding Amazon

Obviously lots of people will go to Amazon first for books, but I’m consciously avoiding any spending with them. Yes it does mean I could pay more for my books, but high street chains tend to be fairly competitive if you can’t afford smaller indies.

And even if you do still use Amazon, if the book is sold by a different retailer, take a note of their name and see if you can buy from them direct. They’ll get more of the money, and it could even be cheaper.

Why you still need to watch out for 0845 and 0870 numbers

The numbers that can add a fair whack to your phone bill.

I’m so used to inclusive minutes on my mobile SIM that I forget not all numbers are included in the allowance. Fortunately, there’s a work around if you come across premium rate digits.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

What’s the deal with 0845 and 0870

Most non-mobile numbers start 01, 02 or 03, while mobile numbers start 07. These are generally included in your mobile phone allowance. 0800 and 0808, or freephone, numbers are also now included. All well and good.

But the rest… well it’s pretty confusing. On the whole, every other type of phone number isn’t going to be included in your mobile allowance, while it’s possible some might be part of your home phone package.

If these calls are on top of your allowance you’ll pay an “access charge”, often per minute which is set by your network. Then on top is another service charge per minute which is set by the people you are calling. And together it can make your calls pricey.

So you should avoid them if possible. And that’s not just 0870 and 0845. It’s the same with similar variations such as 0871 and 0843. Oh, and premium 09 numbers too. And don’t forget the exorbitant 118 directory enquiries numbers.

Numbers which are unlikely to be included in your mobile phone minutes

If the number you want to call starts with any of the following it’s likely to cost you money on top of your monthly contract cost.

  • 0842
  • 0843
  • 0844
  • 0845
  • 0870
  • 0871
  • 0872
  • 0873
  • 09
  • 118

How to avoid paying for 0870, 0845 and other non-inclusive numbers

You obviously want to avoid these extra charges. Here are a few ways to find an alternative.

Search for another number

You can, of course, go to the company website or Google to see if there’s an alternative number.

If you have no joy there’s another option. For years I’ve been using the website Say No To 0870. It’s pretty basic but is a big help. Essentially you search for the company you want to contact, or enter the number you have, and hopefully there will be an alternative.

In my experience, it’s hit and miss. The numbers are all provided by users so they can be out of date, or just plain wrong. But more often than not you’ll get some new digits to dial that won’t cost you extra.

Call the overseas number

This is a trick I’ve always used when calling a bank. On the back of your card there’s often a number to call from overseas, which starts +44 followed by a number starting 1, 2 or 3. Basically, ditch the +44 and replace it with a 0.

Use your landline

If you really have to call one of these numbers, then find out the cost from your landline. Some providers include these in your call package (if you have one), or are cheaper than using your mobile.

To be fair it’s years since I’ve had to do this – we haven’t even plugged in a phone at our new house. But it’s a decent backup option.

Try webchat

If you can’t find an alternative number, it’s worth seeing if the company has an online webchat service. These can be frustratingly slow, but they won’t cost you anything.

Cut the cost of using your mobile phone abroad

Don’t blow your holiday budget on your mobile bill

Since Brexit, most major mobile networks have reintroduced roaming charges. And with the constant desire to stay connected, and use your phone to get around, you can end up with a huge bill.

Here’s what you need to know about roaming charges for the major networks, and a few tricks to help you keep costs down.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

Can you get free roaming?

Until the end of 2020, you were able to use your inclusive data, calls and texts when travelling in Europe. And some mobile companies, such as Three, offered the same deal in countries further afield, including the USA and Australia. O2 is the only major network to carry on offering this — here are the rules for each of the networks.

O2 & Virgin Mobile – free roaming continues

The only major network to retain free roaming is O2, with extra benefits if you also get Virgin Broadband. You can call and text UK numbers from abroad and use your data up to the limits in your monthly allowance or 25GB, whichever is lower.

This only applies in European countries, and you’ll be capped at 25GB of data a month if your normal allowance is above this.

For travel outside of Europe, you can buy an O2 Travel Bolt On for £6 a day which covers 27 worldwide destinations (full list here). You’ll get unlimited data each day, plus 120 minutes of talk time and texts to UK numbers.

Some more expensive packages include this, usually those with 30GB of data or more. Or, if you’re with Virgin Media for your broadband then you can link your accounts to get this Bolt On added to your phone tariff for free.

Vodafone – ended January 2022

Roaming charges now apply to anyone who took out a Vodafone contract after 11 August 2021. There’s no change for contracts taken out before this.

The charge will be £2.25 a day for Europe, and you can reduce this with an eight-day pass for £12 or a 15-day pass for £17.

Once more, some of the top-end contracts will include the EU roaming.

EE – ended March 2022

You’ll need to pay £2.47 a day to use your allowances in Europe if you signed up for a new or renewed contract after 7 July 2021. Existing customers before this date won’t see a change. This came into play in March.

There are some pricier contracts that include this, though you’re likely overpaying if you’re on one of these.

You can also choose the Roam Abroad Pass as an Inclusive Extra or pay £25 a month. This offers roaming in the EU and a handful of worldwide countries (USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand). This is a 30-day rolling contract, so be careful to cancel it when you get home.

Three – ended May 2022

This used to be huge money saver when travelling outside Europe. But on 23 May 2022, this Go Roam benefit ended for anyone who took out a new contract or renewed a contract after 1 October 2021.

However, older customers were forced to move from their old tariff, losing the Go Roam benefit.

Now Three offers roaming for £2 a day in Europe, or £5 a day for the rest of the world to use your existing allowances. There’s also a £5 a day Data Passport which offers unlimited data abroad.

Alternatively, Three’s Pay-as-you-go Three SIMs can still get Go Roam. So, you could pick up one of these when you go abroad and switch it over for most usage. You’ll temporarily have a different number, so you won’t get your usual calls and texts.

Other networks

Here’s what some of the other networks are doing:

  • BT Mobile – free European roaming remains
  • Giffgaff – free European roaming remains
  • ID Mobile – free European roaming remains
  • Lebara – free European roaming remains
  • Plusnet – free European roaming remains
  • Sky Mobile – free roaming ended in May 2022
  • Smarty – free European roaming remains
  • Tesco Mobile – free European roaming ended for new customers from 16 June 2022
  • Voxi – free roaming ended in May 2022

New rules to cut roaming fees

Mobile network providers must tell you if you’re going to be charged for roaming when you’re abroad under new proposals from Ofcom (the UK’s communications regulator). The provider has to tell you the costs, fair use limits and any relevant time limits. They should also inform you of how to set a limit on your spending.

This will apply from 1 October 2024.

How to reduce your phone charges abroad

Check your destination

Even if you have roaming included or there’s the option to set a daily price cap – check that the country you’re going to is part of that deal. If it’s excluded then you’ll need to look at some of these other tips.

Switch to a different mobile network

As well as O2 and Virgin Media, many smaller networks are keeping EU roaming – for now at least. These could well be cheaper than the major networks back home, too.

If you don’t fancy doing this permanently, you could look at Three’s PAYG SIM or sign up for just one month of one of the smaller networks.

Get an eSIM

An eSIM is a handy way to get service while you’re abroad. It’s essentially a digital SIM card that you can load onto your phone to use local network providers. You can get ones that are just data, or you can get one with a local phone number to also make calls and send texts.

We have a full guide on eSIMs here where we explain how they work, the benefits and the savings you can make.

Cap your charges

If you don’t want to switch, you should find out what your network will charge where you are going.

It’s worth seeing if your network has a cap on overseas charges, particularly for data. This will stop your bill getting out of control – but don’t assume you’ll get this. You often have to ask for this to be implemented.

Get a bolt-on

Another option is to buy add-on packages that give you a pre-agreed amount of minutes, texts or data to use when abroad.

Turn off your data and use Wi-Fi instead

Another option is to simply not use data at all. You need to do this before you get on the plane, train or boat. Go to your settings and turn off data roaming or mobile data – and keep it off until you’re back in the UK.

This also means the apps on your phone won’t automatically access data behind the scenes. It also protects against accidentally opening your email — yep, you’d get charged, even if it’s just a few seconds.

If you’re in a destination where roaming is included, check your limits. There may be a reduction in how much of your regular allowance you can use.

With data turned off, the only way to connect to the web will be using Wi-Fi. You might get lucky and get it for free at your hotel. If not, look for coffee shops and public spaces that don’t charge. You can research in advance too, using the Wi-Fi Finder app.

However, be careful using unsecured Wi-Fi with banking apps or online shopping. Don’t enter login or password details.

Write shorter texts

If your text is longer than 160 characters, it’ll count as two texts (or more), so try to watch your words. It’s also worth not sending picture messages via text (at home and abroad) as they’ll be charged extra. Use messaging apps instead (when you’re on Wi-Fi).

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Be careful when making local calls

Unless you’ve got a specific add-on which allows it, any calls you make to numbers at your destination or texts messages to local mobiles aren’t included in roaming. You might be better off getting a local SIM or calling card if you’re going to make a lot of these calls.

Don’t answer calls and turn off voicemail

Outside inclusive roaming counties you’ll often be charged to answer a call, so don’t answer unless you need to. You won’t be charged to get a text message though, so tell mates back home that’s the best way to communicate with you while you’re away.

Some networks – with EE the worst – will also charge you for receiving a voicemail when abroad, even if you don’t access it. I always used to call my provider and turn voicemail off before I left to avoid any unnecessary charges.

Use apps to make calls and send messages

When you’re connected to Wi-Fi, you’ll also be able to use apps like WhatsApp to make free calls and send messages, including photos.

This cuts out the costs of making and receiving calls overseas. However, if the Wi-Fi signal is weak, it can be a very frustrating phone call!