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May 30, 2018   |   Articles

EasyHotel review: Why I’ll never stay in one again

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A budget hotel at a budget price – but sometimes you really should pay more.

Even though I now live in Yorkshire, I still regularly head back to London. Last weekend was one such time. I was down for three days for my last day in my full-time job and a two-day festival, meeting up with different friends each day. Though I could have sofa-surfed each night, I’d had to bring a small suitcase with me, and I couldn’t take that to the festival. So I looked for hotels.

Now these aren’t cheap most weekends in London, but as this was a bank holiday prices were sky high. Fortunately, EasyHotel ran a flash sale, and I managed to get three nights at the EasyHotel in Croydon for a total of £95. It was a bit further out that I’d have liked, but a lot cheaper than a more central location.

At that price I expected things to be basic – which they were – but I didn’t expect what actually happened during my stay which . So I’ve broken this review down into two parts. The uneventful first two nights, and the stressful, sleep-deprived third night,

My first two nights – the EasyHotel review

The room was very basic. But I knew it would be. I’d paid a little more to get a room with a window, though these aren’t rooms you’re going to spend much time in even if you do have a little natural light.

The room contained two single beds. That’s pretty much it. No wardrobe, TV, side tables or stand for your luggage. There was a fixed coat hanger which I used to hang my towel after showering.

The bathroom was also very basic and very small, managing to cram in a loo, a sink and a shower. But it worked fine – though the single soap/shower gel dispenser didn’t pump so I had to take the lid off and scoop to wash my hands!

I actually slept OK both nights, though it was a very hot weekend and the fan wasn’t great. But I actually thought it’s not a bad place for someone travelling on their own. However, I wouldn’t have stayed there with another person – there just wasn’t enough room.

As I was on my own I used the second bed to lay out my suitcase and other things. If I’d had to put it on the floor it would have been incredibly difficult to get in and out of the bed and move around the room. Double rooms are no different, you’ve just space both sides of the bed rather than between the beds.

(Oh, a side note, there was a very random “shop” off the main lobby dedicated to all things “Easy”. Such as free luggage tags for EasyJet and beach balls for EasyHolidays. A really big shop and really weird. I’ve no idea why it exists.)

EasyHotel room
Here’s the very small room!

My third night – a stay is about more than a room

My festival was in East London and finished at 11pm, so I didn’t get back to the hotel until around 12.30, where I found all the guests waiting in the lobby. Other guests reported water streaming down walls and through light fittings and electrical sockets. Water was visably dripping through the ceiling in the hallways, and the leak went all the way from the seventh floor down to the toilets on the ground floor by reception. Guests were a mix of upset, angry and confused, and above all concerned for their safety. It certainly didn’t seem like a good idea to go back to the rooms!

Here’s the water dripping through the light fitting outside my room

The fire brigade arrived just before 1am and left not long after. I didn’t speak with them but other guests reported them as saying people really shouldn’t go back to their rooms. When EasyHotel’s maintenance crew arrived at 2am they found water had also come through the main electrical switcher cupboards, as well as knocking out some of the fire alarms. I was told that really no one should have been allowed back into the hotel until this had been checked and repaired.

However, the communication from the staff member was all over the place, saying both go to your rooms and don’t go to your rooms, sometimes in the same sentence. And at no time did anyone from EasyHotel head over to help the beleaguered desk clerk (when I checked out out the next day at 8.30 am I was told the manager himself wasn’t due in until 10am!) Whether it’s poor training or just the lack of a crisis management process, the situation was handled awfully.

And this is the major reason I’d not stay in an EasyHotel again. Ok, there wasn’t another incident that night, or cause for a further evacuation, but if there had been I’ve no confidence in the equipment or the competence of the staff to get everyone out safe. Even when I’m paying less for a basic room, I still expect there to be processes and standards in place that don’t affect my safety. You can’t cut corners on heath and safety.

But there’s another reason I’m giving EasyHotel the thumbs down.

During all this I found a disabled couple on the fifth floor who had been left there since the alarm went off. They were very distressed, and not clear what was going on. I made the desk clerk aware of this, and asked him to prioritise helping them – either directly or by getting someone from further up the chain to assist. This did not happen. I was told it was not possible to rehouse them at a different hotel. The disabled couple did manage to get downstairs on their own around 3am, having had no contact from the staff, with the woman in tears. They were still in the lobby at 8.30am when I left for my train.

I think this is appalling. There was another disabled guest who was also virtually ignored, though she’d made it down to reception on her own earlier. Yes it was stressful for the staff member, and yes the fire brigade hadn’t evacuated the hotel, but the treatment this couple got was just not on, and it’s something EasyHotel needs to address. Another reason why I won’t be giving any more money to EasyHotel.

At least I got my money back

As for me, well my room on the sixth floor was one of those flooded. It was lucky I had put my suitcase and belongings on the second bed as otherwise it would all have been sitting in a centimetre of water. Ok, not great. And I’d obviously not be able to sleep there that night. Though the hotel was apparently sold out, at around 4.30, as one of the last remaining guests still unable to return to their room, I was finally given a new room that wasn’t flooded. I got about three hours sleep before I had to go!

The next day I was offered the money back for that night and a free stay back at the EasyHotel Croydon. No chance. However, a few more emails and I got the money back for the whole stay – another example where it pays to ask for what you want and not take what you’re offered when you complain.

The flood in my room!

What EasyHotel say

I asked EasyHotel to respond to the following questions, and you can read their responses further down the page. I’ve offered to discuss what happened with them further, so we’ll see what happens.

My questions for EasyHotel

1. Why did the hotel manager or a senior member of the EasyHotel/EasyGroup team not immediately begin travelling to the hotel to help deal with the issue?

2. What is the policy for evacuation and returning to rooms after a fire alarm?

3. What should have happened with disabled guests when a fire alarm is raised?

4. Is there a policy to rehouse at-risk guests? If so what is it?

5. What is the “crisis management” or equivalent policy to assist the member of staff and communicate with upset/angry guests?

6. Which of these policies were not followed, and why?

7. What training is given to members of staff to deal with situations like this?

EasyHotel’s reply

‘Parts of London experienced torrential rain on Saturday night. Unfortunately, some rooms in our Croydon hotel were affected by flooding due to the extraordinary volume of rain that fell.

The Fire Brigade were called to attend by the Hotel management team as a precautionary measure. Clearly this was disruptive, but guest safety is our number one priority.

Clearly, this was a significant and complex disruption in the middle of the night and we have apologised to all guests affected for the inconvenience caused. Guests were offered a late-checkout due and all affected guests have been offered a full refund.

At no time did the Fire Brigade advise evacuation. Had they done so, we would have acted immediately. Guests were never in any danger and all electrical systems in the hotel are fully protected from water. Our crisis management policies were followed. On the Fire Brigade’s advice we moved affected guests to alternative rooms in the hotel once we had been given the all-clear. Only two rooms were taken out of service as a result of the flooding.

For guests with impaired or limited mobility we have a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan. Had the Fire Brigade asked us to evacuate, the plan would have been enacted immediately.

Our staff worked hard, in challenging circumstances, to resolve the incident. We have instructed a contractor to review the capacity of the Hotel’s drainage and guttering system to ensure that this freak incident does not recur.

With any incident, we carry out a post-incident review. Guest safety is our number one priority. If there are lessons to be learnt, we will do so and revise our policies accordingly.’

May 15, 2018   |   Articles

Why 0% currency commission is a lie

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Don’t fall for the false promises to get the best rates on your currency.

Commission-free sounds great, doesn’t it? Why wouldn’t you go to that bank or bureau de change to get your currency? It surely means you’re not getting charged a penny – not one penny – to swap your sterling for euros, dollars and yen. Except it doesn’t.

These banks and bureau de changes still make cash by setting their own exchange rate. Yes, it’s based on the real rate, but there’s no rule that says it has to be the same. So the claim you’re getting something without commission just isn’t true.

And it’s not just small places claiming to offer 0% commission on currency conversions. Big brands such as Post Office, Asda and Lloyds all say the same.

Of course, I’m not saying these places shouldn’t make money from the transaction. If they didn’t how would they pay staff or cover overheads? But it’s the sneaky way they promote the exchange as fee-free. They’re all claiming to be saving you money, when really using them for your travel money well be costing you cash.

The hidden charges in the exchange rates

Since the profit is being hidden in exchange rates rather than an extra commission, it’s not easy to spot exactly how much you’re being charged. To do so you need to know the real rate the banks themselves use, but even then it’s unlikely the extra will be clear.

And as the banks and bureaus set the rates themselves, there can be a huge difference in what you get for your money.

I’ve visited some local banks and businesses today to find out their rates, and crunched some numbers based on converting pounds into €100. At Natwest, it would cost £92.35, and at Lloyds it would be £92.22. At the Post Office it would work out as a huge £96.15! And if you leave it until you reach the airport, then it’s likely you’ll pay even more.

Without knowing the real rate these numbers don’t mean much, do they? Well the real “interbank” rate, which at the time of writing was 1.1379 euros per £1, puts the cost of €100 at £87.90. That means those places are taking roughly between 5% and 9.5% on each transaction. So much for zero commission!

These were just the rates I found in my local town by popping into the first three places I came across. You can get a far better rate if you do want cash. For example, if you went to Thomas Exchange in London’s Holborn today you’d get your €100 for £88.93. That’s £6.22 less than the Post Office would have charged per £100, and only £1 more than the real exchange rate.

And it is possible to get even closer to the interbank rate if you use a specialist travel credit or debit card. The Halifax Clarity credit card or Starling bank account, for example, would convert at £88.18. That’s likely to be the best you’ll get.

You might be thinking it’s only a few quid, but that’s just for buying €100. If you like to take lots of cash with you (or need to because you’re going somewhere remote), that £9 the cost office makes on €100 can quickly add up.

Why exchange rates can vary so much

Obviously there’s making a profit and covering costs, but there are a number of other factors which could affect how much you pay each time you convert.

First, how much competition is there near you? In London there are dozens of smaller bureau de changes undercutting each other to get your business. Out of the bigger towns and cities though there is less choice, and you could well pay more.

You might even get charged more depending on how much you convert. The Post Office example I gave wasn’t actually on the electronic board. The rate displayed was actually less, but you had to exchange at least £1,000. Even then though it’d have been the equivalent of £91.24 per €100. Better, but not great, and I’m sure lots of people don’t even realise they’d get a worse rate than what was displayed if they wanted less travel cash.

And just because those were the rates I found in my Post Office, it doesn’t mean you’d get the same as each branch has the ability to set a different rate. The Post Office even highlights this on its website FAQs:

“Do all your branches have the same rate? No. Branch exchange rates depend on several factors like branch location, competition, cost of order, convenience, etc. We will always try and offer the best rate, subject to this criteria”.

Confusingly, you can actually get yet another rate at the Post Office by pre-ordering for collection – not something that I saw advertised in my local branch. Today €100 would cost £90.41 this way, lower than just turning up, so if you really need to get your money from the Post Office it’s well worth ordering online to collect.

How to get the cheapest cash for your holiday

1. Use a comparison site

I always use travelmoneymax.com. Enter how much you want to get and your postcode to see the cheapest options.

2. Order in advance

The best rates, even those identified through a comparison site, will normally require you to order in advance. This locks in the rate too, so you’ll know exactly what you’re going to get for your money.

If you do forget and you’re at the airport, then even then you can get online and order to collect rather than walking up to the counter.

3. Collect if you can

The cheapest is always to collect, but you can get prices based on delivery.

4. Get a specialist travel money card

The cheapest way though is to get a card such as the Starling or Monzo current accounts or Halifax Clarity Credit Card. Payments with these are fee-free, and you can get cash out too without charge – though of course there could be extra fees added by the foreign bank.

>> READ MORE: How I get the best travel money

How I get the best value travel money

May 11, 2018   |   Articles

Be Clever With Your Cash is Financial Blog of the Year (again!)

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I’m really proud to share with you that I won an award this week. For the second year running Be Clever With Your Cash was named Financial Blog of the Year at the 2018 Headlinemoney awards.

The Headlinemoney awards are a swanky affair and a big deal for personal finance journalists. When I won last year it was a huge shock, but I’d say this year I was even more surprised as I really thought there was no chance of getting it two years in a row.

But as the presenter, BBC journalist Sarah Smith, began by saying something along the lines (details are vague as it was all a bit of a blur) of “For the second year…” it clicked that I’d won. It’s a very surreal and humbling moment to have your name read out and then go up on stage in front of hundreds of personal finance journalists and PRs. But I was, and still am, absolutely delighted.

Headlinemoney awards 18 Financial Blog of the Year

As part of the process, I had to submit three articles from the blog – the ones I felt demonstrated why I do what I do. So I thought it would be good to share those same posts with you.

I selected each to demonstrate that a big part of the blog is showing I put my money where my mouth is, that I really live the articles I write. I also wanted to show that brands can’t buy my endorsement or a place on the blog – Be Clever With Your Cash truly is independent. So here they are if you missed them last year.

The corner shop stamp rip-off
How I tried to learn investing, but ended up blagging it
The 1p trick to get your “free” Waitrose tea or coffee
The judges’ comments

 

Also, do check out some of the fantastic and lovely bloggers who were also nominated, including Charlotte (LottyEarns), Becky (Good With Money) and Jane (Skinted Minted Mum) who are all from my UK Money Bloggers community, as well as Iona (Young Money).

A little perspective

As chuffed as I am with my win, I wanted to tell you about another award on the night. My category was immediately after the Lifetime Achievement award, which this year went to Daily Express journalist Geoff Ho. If the name sounds familiar, it could well be because in June last year he stood up to the terrorists attacking London’s Borough Market. His first-person account of the attack is a difficult read, but if you can take a look it shows why he received such a rapturous standing ovation.

February 24, 2018   |   Articles

Be Clever With Your Cash turns four!

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Another year gone, and so much to share!

Today is the fourth birthday of the blog, so as is now the tradition I wanted to share my highlights from the last 12 months and reflect on some of the big changes that took place.

The site

What really blows me away is just how many people are reading my little blog. In the 12 months up to today just under one million people read the blog. ONE MILLION! I hope I’ve been able to save people a lot more than £1 each, but even if that’s all that’s been saved, that’s still £1 million!

There’s been a big increase this year and in part I think that’s down to me moving the blog from something I did in evenings and weekends to on average two full days a week. Alongside a redesign last March, Be Clever With Your Cash has benefited from more time – and more writing.

The articles and deals

And I’ve written a lot. In the last year I’ve published 125 articles here on Be Clever With Your Cash. And the scary thing is I’ve stil hundreds of ideas I didn’t have time to write about! Plus there were so many fab deals I was able to find and share with you.

I’d also imagine you didn’t get a chance to read every single one of those – even if you are the most dedicated of readers ;). So here are my highlights from the last year:

I also started making a lot more video content for you on my YouTube channel, with this my fave. I was first with the story that morning, and the video was picked up by a few national newspaper websites. Lots more to do here in 2018 though!

I’ve also produced 44 episodes of the Cash Chats podcast. Here are a couple of my favourites which I think are well worth a listen.

A big award win

I guess the highlight of the year was picking up Financial Blog of the Year at the 2017 Headlinemoney Awards. It’s billed as the Oscars of the personal finance journalism world, so to win best blog was just amazing!

I also was delighted to win Best Money Saving Blog and Best Money Vlog at the 2017 SHOMOs awards, which recognise the best of UK Money Bloggers. Ok, yes I do run the awards, but I’m not involved in the judging so it was lovely to be recognised by my peers!

More established

One of the weirdest things about how my career has changed since starting the blog is that I’m now asked to appear on TV and radio as an expert. I’m used to sitting behind the camera and microphone, not in front of it!

Though I’ve done less telly this year, I still popped up on Rip Off Britain and Right on the Money, both on BBC One. And I’ve also done a lot more radio, including talking on BBC 5 Live a few weeks back, and regular appearances on BBC Radio Berkshire and BBC Radio London.

I’ve also continued writing for Moneywise magazine and Reader’s Digest, alongside guest blogs and articles for many websites.

It’s a genuine delight for me that I get to share my ideas and passion with so many people. Hopefully 2018 will see this continue!

What do you think?

I’d love to know what you think about Be Clever With Your Cash so I can make it even better for you. If you have a few minutes, please do fill in the survey below.

Thanks,

Andy

January 16, 2018   |   Articles

Apps to take advantage of your open banking data

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From analysing your spending to automating savings, sharing your banking data can help you better understand your finances.

There’s been a huge amount of coverage in the press about “open banking” – a new rule the banks have to follow that means they have to let you share your banking data. So things like spending habits or how much you pay for an overdraft.

That might not sound like much, but with that information, other companies can help you better manage your money and cut the cost of banking. Despite lots of effort to get people to switch bank, not enough of us do it. So the hope is open banking will encourage new and old banks to be more competitive and come up with new and better ways to help customers with their money.

But I wouldn’t get too excited just yet. Only a handful of the major banks were ready at launch, and it’ll take a few years before all the banks and apps are up to speed with the new rules.

However, there are ways you can share your data now. I’ve listed some of the top apps further down, but first… a little about open banking.

What is open banking?

Open banking means banks have to make data about your current account available to third parties. If you then choose to give other companies access to that information, they can use it to offer you better banking.

This could mean recommending where you can get a cheaper overdraft, allowing you to manage multiple accounts from one app, or analysing your spending to show where you could cut back.

Is it safe?

With open banking, the banks have to share your data with FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) approved companies. They’ll do this via APIs (Application Programming Interface) that require your permission but not your log in details. So if something does go wrong you’re protected by the bank.

Hasn’t this data sharing been happening for a while?

Yup. The difference is until now apps have been “scraping” your data from your bank after you’ve given read-only access. Scraping doesn’t have the same protection as the open banking APIs so if the app was to be hacked and your details were stolen, the banks don’t have to compensate you for any lost money.

And this scraping might carry on for a while. Just because the open banking rules have started, it doesn’t mean all the banks are set to share your data through APIs, or that these apps have got FCA regulation. In fact scraping isn’t banned until September 2019.

But though the API method will certainly be safer, it doesn’t mean you should wait. These apps do have their own security systems in place, and some have their own protections for your money. You just need to read up on these before signing up to make sure you’re happy to give access.

Do watch out though for scammers. It’s thought there will be some who try to take advantage of the new rules in order to get access to your bank account. Do your research first on any business that asks for this data.

The apps that’ll use your banking data

Whether you’re using open banking APIs or just providing read-only access through scraping, there are advantages to sharing your data now. And that’s mainly through apps or chat-bots that integrate with Facebook.

There are dozens and dozens of these, with new ones appearing all the time. I think there are some exciting ideas – though they won’t all work and some will fail before they even really get started.

I’ve been trying some of the apps available and I’ll be writing in-depth reviews the more I use them this year. Until then, here are a few apps to check out.

The apps to help you budget

If you’ve multiple current accounts and credit cards across different banks (I’ve got 11 current accounts at the moment!), checking every online account or app can be a bit of a faff.

To help there are aggregating apps which show you every account and credit card balance on a single screen, and list all your spending on another.

But they do a lot more, and are useful even if you only have a couple of accounts. They also analyse your spending so you can quickly see how much you spend on bills, or eating out and so on in a month. You can also set budgets and notifcations if you’re overspending.

The main ones are:

Yolt

I use this one the most. This one has been set up by Dutch banking giants ING. As well as seeing all your accounts and spending, Yolt predicts future spending so you have a “smart balance” – i.e. what you really have to spend or save after forthcoming credit card and household bills are taken away. Yolt is app only.

>> Sign up for Yolt

Cleo

Cleo primarily uses a chatbot in Facebook, which I’m not so keen on. But I do think you’re more likely to interact with Cleo on a daily basis this way, which is a good thing. It probably just takes some getting used to!t

However there is also a handy dashboard you can open from Facebook Messenger or on a computer which is very easy to use,

>> Sign up for Cleo

Money Dashboard

Money Dashboard has been around for years and was one of the first aggregators. It’s got less going on than Yolt, which is either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your point of view!

My main issue here is it displays a balance for an account I closed years ago, and says an active account is closed. And I can’t do anything about it!

Like Cleo you can use this from your computer, and also download the data to use in spreadsheet software.

>> Sign up for Money Dashboard

Emma

This has a more stripped back layout than Yolt and MD, which I’m not so sure about. But it’s only in beta which means not all the features are released yet. However it is FCA approved so your data is better protected (as long as your bank is ready with the APIs).

>> Sign up for early access to Emma

 

The apps to help you save

A smart feature with these apps can help you save. The apps analyse your spending data to work out how much you can afford to save. If you give permission the apps then use a Direct Debit to move that money to a separate account. These apps essentially make sure you don’t forget to save, and hopefully not notice there’s less money in your bank account as a result either.

Chip

You can earn up to 5% interest with Chip and I’ve been using it since mid-2017. Chip isn’t currently regulated by the FCA but your money is held in a Barclay’s e-wallet.

** UPDATE 16/1/18 – I’ve negotiated a deal where you can start with 3% rather than the standard 1%. Use the code CLEVER3 to get your 3% bonus. This offer expires 31st January 2018 **

>> Read my review and get up to 5% interest

Plum

You earn interest on savings here if you sign up for peer to peer lending, which comes with risks. Plum suggests you’ll get a 3% return on your savings, though the money isn’t protected so read up before investing.

Like Cleo, Plum uses Facebook Messenger rather than an app. I personally chatting to the app a bit annoying, but if you regularly use Facebook it’s easy to access. But it is handy to get daily notifications of your bank balance and your spending over the day, week and month.

>> Sign up for Plum

 

The apps to help you switch

I’ve not actually used these ones yet, but the idea is the software analyses the data to find where it thinks you are overspending. If you agree, you can switch to a cheaper deal through the app or cancel a service.

Two to check out are Bean and Mespo.

>> Sign up to Bean
>> Add Mespo to your Facebook Messenger

August 9, 2017   |   Articles

Is the Sky VIP scheme worth staying loyal for?

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Sky has introduced a new loyalty scheme promising free movies, downloads and discounts on set up fees. I’ve taken a look at what Sky VIP is, and whether it’s any good.

If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. Loyalty rarely pays. Yes it’s nice to get the odd freebie or discount for using a brand, but it’s a very rare reward scheme that makes it worth signing up to a company and staying with them as you can usually save more by taking your business elsewhere.

So the Sky VIP needs to be something very special to buck the trend.

What is Sky VIP?

If you are a Sky customer – whether that’s for one day or a couple of decades, you will be able to sign up for its new loyalty scheme.

There are four tiers depending on how long you’ve been with Sky. Entry level, available to all customers, is called Silver. You move up to Gold, Platinum and then Black the longer you’ve been with the satellite and broadband company. If you leave and come back to Sky you start again at zero years.

Each level offers different benefits

  • Sky VIP Silver (0 – 3 years):
    • Free DVD and streaming movie from Sky Store
    • Access to free movie, event and sports tickets
  • Sky VIP Gold (3 – 8 years):
    • Free Sky Go Extra to download programmes when out and about
    • Sky Atlantic VIP – a new channel previewing shows 24 hours before everyone else
  • Sky VIP Platinum (8 – 15 years)
    • Free Fibre set up
    • Free data boost if you have Sky Mobile
  • Sky VIP Black:
    • Free Sky Q set up
    • Priority customer service and dedicated support phone line

Is Sky VIP any good?

Let’s take each of the rewards one by one.

Silver rewards

If you are with Sky, then the free movie for all customers is nice. But in reality, this is worth £13.99 at most. You can save that in ONE month by switching from Sky TV to NOW TV. You’d then keep on saving as the months go on – and you’ll still be able to watch all the Sky TV channels.

Ok so NOW TV is just on demand, meaning you can’t record, but is that saving of more than £200 extra a year better than being able to store programmes (most of which you know you’ll never get around to watching)? I’d say it is.

>> Check out the latest NOW TV deals

The free cinema and sports tickets sound good don’t they. But how on earth can they give every customer a free Premier League ticket? They can’t. It’ll either be through prize draws or go to whoever has the fastest reaction when tickets are released. I’d take this offering with a pinch of salt.

Gold rewards

Right, the free Sky Go Extra, worth £5 a month, is actually a pretty nice reward if you think you’ll download programmes for your commute or on holiday. However, I’d still recommend switching to NOW TV instead and then using some of the savings to pay for Netflix or Amazon Prime. These have downloads as standard and you’d have access to even more content to consume!

As for Sky Atlantic VIP… well if I end up having to wait an extra day to watch Game of Thrones I won’t be happy. But with huge efforts to cut down on piracy such as simulcast with the USA, I don’t envisage this applying to every show. And with most programmes I think we can all wait 24 hours. It’s certainly not worth paying over the odds to stay with Sky for.

Platinum rewards

These are pointless.

If you don’t already have Fibre internet the setup discount will save you at most £50 – but you’ll still have to pay more each month for the service and this could be cheaper with a different provider. Not only will you get new member offers from the likes of BT, Virgin or Talk Talk, but you can often get up to £150 extra if you switch via sites like Quidco and TopCashback

>> My tips to save a fortune on your broadband

Equally with the mobile data top up, you only benefit if you have your phone with Sky. Yes these “combo” deals are more and more common (I have my mobile via BT), but you could very well be getting more by getting your service elsewhere.

>> How to lower your mobile phone bill

Black rewards

If you’ve been with Sky for 15 years or more, then this is a nice reward – though you’ve got to ask how many people will actually make use of all the features. The top Sky Q box is worth £199 and allows you to record six shows and watch a seventh live. However to access it’s Ultra HD channels you need to pay an extra £12 a month for Sky Multiscreen. Oh and have an Ultra HD TV.

Instead you could just pay £20 and get a slightly more basic box that only records three channels. But hey, how often are there four shows on at the same time you HAVE to seee that aren’t repeated at a different time slot?

So again, I think this is all show for very little reward.

And the premium hotline? Yeah, like that’s worth staying with Sky for 15 years instead of saving a fortune and switching.

How to get Sky VIP

Obviously you need to be a Sky customer. You then need to download the My Sky app to your phone or tablet. Once you’ve done this you can go to Sky VIP on the homescreen and check out which rewards you can claim.

The free movie “welcome gift” is only available to people signed up by 15th August 2018. To get yours you need to select the offer on the app and await a code to be emailed through. You can then use this on the Sky Store website to get your film to instantly watch on your Sky box, and the DVD will be put in the post.

My verdict

Ok, you can tell I don’t think much of this. I’d switch away for the best deal rather than stick around for these rewards.

However, sometimes the best deal is to stay – as long as you haggle. Phone up Sky and say you want to leave and see what they will offer you. It could be a monthly discount or extra channels for free. Perhaps you can blag Sky Go Extra or a Sky Q box? it’s all worth a go.

Then, or if you’re a new customer who has just signed up, you may as well take advantage of what’s on offer.

But don’t stay around on the promise of free Premier League tickets.

>> Cut your TV bills by hundreds of pounds each year

 

 

May 23, 2017   |   Articles

Listen to the phone scammers trying to take over my computer

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This scam could let tricksters take over your computer – and steal your cash.

A couple of months ago I shared how scammers had repeatedly called my landline pretending to be from TalkTalk.

Well, a new bunch are at it. The latest con artists called my mobile phone and pretended to be from BT. So I grabbed a camera and recorded what they said. I hope the video gives you an idea of what to look out for – and what to avoid.

 

I think you could tell that was a scam from the off, but people do get sucked in by these all the time. Often it’s the panic that they could lose everything that prompts them to follow the instructions.

If I’d done as the scammer said they could have taken over my computer to steal my details or, like with the recent NHS hack, locked it using what’s called ransomware.

The basics to beat scammers

Phone, email and text scams are getting more sophisticated, so you always need to be on guard. But the basics to keep safe are simple.

  • Be wary of any unsolicited contact
  • Don’t give any personal details unless you are sure it’s legitimate
  • Don’t download any software you’ve been instructed to over the phone, or click links in emails or texts
  • Hang up and call back on a different line using a number you find

Read more about protecting yourself from phone scammers in my article How phone scammers tried to rip me off

 

May 17, 2017   |   Articles

Be Clever With Your Cash is Financial Blog of the Year!

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Wow, this was a bit of a surprise. Last night Be Clever With Your Cash won a big award – Financial Blog of the Year at the 2017 Headlinemoney Awards.

These annual awards recognise the best in personal finance journalism, with hundreds of journalists and publications nominated from the likes of the Sunday Times, Which?, Moneywise, Financial Times and Money Saving Expert.

Last year I was runner up, or highly commended, in the same category and that was amazing. And this year I thought that might be the best I could hope for – until they announced they were only going to announce a winner.

Still, it’s a fun event to attend. I knew I’d be able to catch up with lots of blogger and journalist friends, and I was able to use the gathering as an opportunity to record my latest Cash Chats podcast.

So it was a fantastic, unexpected result when the host Jeremy Bowen announced Be Clever With Your Cash as the winner!

It’s lovely to get the recognition for all the work I’ve put into the blog, but I guess it also validates that I’m giving you useful information in an entertaining way.

headlinemoney awards 2017 Andy Webb
Picking up the award from Georgie Frost and the BBC’s Jeremy Bowen

As part of the nomination process, I had to share three different articles from 2016 which best summed up my work. So I thought it would be good to share those same posts with you.

I selected each to demonstrate that a big part of the blog is showing I put my money where my mouth is, that I really live the articles I write. I also wanted to show that brands can’t buy my endorsement or a place on the blog – Be Clever With Your Cash truly is independent.

The first is a fun look at my addiction to reduced food stickers (it was picked up by BBC Online!).

>> My addiction to yellow reduced food stickers

The second is my reflection on the post-Brexit currency crash, using a forthcoming trip as a way to get you all to think about your holiday money.

>> Currency crash: My holiday just got A LOT more expensive

Finally, showing that blogs can start bigger stories, my investigation into dodgy iPhone handset pricing at O2 , which was then covered by Mirror Money and Moneywise.

>> O2’s iPhone rip off

 

April 16, 2017   |   Articles

What can you do if your debts are getting too big?

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Find out the steps to take to get on top of your debts.

Are you worried by your debts? In the latest of my monthly guest posts from subject specialists in my UK Money Bloggers community, I’ve asked Sara from Debt Camel to hopefully make things a little clearer.

Thanks to her 15+ years of volunteering for Citizens Advice, Sara set up her blog and has become a champion for those in debt. In this article she shares the basics you need to cover if your debts are becoming more than you can manage.

You and your debt

Sometimes a debt problem happens if you lose your job or have a business failure, but for many people it’s not so dramatic, things just get a bit worse every month.

Costs go up, your income doesn’t, so the electricity bill gets paid with your credit card. Next month making the minimum payment to your card takes you over your overdraft limit, but payday brings you back down… for a bit…

If this is happening to you, your debts are getting out of control. You may be able to muddle through for a few more months, but each month you are borrowing a bit more. Pretty soon the only new credit you can get will be very expensive – and you don’t want to go near payday loans, logbook loans or guarantor loans.

The sooner you can halt this drift downwards into more debt the better. So here are the practical steps to take:

Look at the debt numbers, even if they are scary

On my website I call this “taking a financial selfie”. You don’t want a beautiful, posed and photo- portrait, you want a record of how things actually are.

Start with those debts – make a list of them all! Not just the credit cards and loans, but also catalogues, car finance, overdrafts, even your mortgage.

Top tip: If you aren’t sure you have a complete list, look at your credit records.

>> Find out how to check your credit ratings with Experian, Equifax and Call Credit for free

Priority debts are things like mortgage, rent arrears, council tax, utility bills… They are a priority because bad things can happen if you don’t pay them, from losing your home to being sent to prison. The interest rate on that catalogue may be horrible but you won’t get sent to prison if you don’t pay it!

There is a complete list of priority debts here – use that to sort your debts into two groups

For the non-priority debts, you want to know how much you owe and what the normal monthly repayment is. Add these up – you will need the numbers later.

For the priority debts, you want to note down how much you owe, what the normal monthly repayment is, whether you are behind with any payments (“in arrears”) and if you have already sorted out a repayment plan (£x per month) for these arrears. If you have any priority debt arrears where you don’t have an arrangement in place, you need debt advice on how to deal with them, see below.

Get a first draft of a budget

I suggest you use this budget calculator – it lists things you may have forgotten and converts everything into “months” which is useful if you get some benefits fortnightly or for the once a year bills.

This calculator is mainly aimed at people who need a debt management plan, but don’t worry about that for the moment. Make sure you save them so you can come back to them later.

Top Tip: If you have a partner, get them involved.

There is a bit of knack to putting the numbers in. It’s OK if the figures are rough but not if they are hopelessly optimistic – putting zero in for everything you don’t often spend money on isn’t going to help. Having a look at your bank and credit card statements for the last few months is useful.

At this point you are trying to record what you actually spend, not what you think you ought to. But if you spot you have a standing order that isn’t needed anymore then stopping that is a quick win!

How bad does it look?

So now you have some data, not perfect but good enough to give you an overview. Ignore the details and write down the following five numbers:

  • income from the calculator
  • expenses from the calculator – this includes normal monthly payments to priority debts such as rent and council tax. But it excludes any payments to your non-priority debts.
  • money available for debts – this is income minus expenses.
  • priority debt repayments – these are any extra payments you have arranged if you are in arrears.
  • non priority debt payments – the total amount you should be paying each month.

Top tip: if the numbers don’t feel right, you may have missed something out in the budget calculator, or perhaps you put what you spend on food in a week in as the monthly amount?

Now is the money available for debts enough to pay your priority and non-priority debts?

“Caught the problem in time”

If there is enough money to make the debt repayments, you have caught your debt problem in time. Your debts may be uncomfortably large and they may be restricting your lifestyle or stopping you from saving a house deposit, but you don’t yet have a debt crisis.

From here a combination of good budgeting, a few cutbacks and seeing if you can refinance any expensive debts will get your finances back on the road to recovery. Read up about Snowballing – it’s the way to clear your debts as fast as possible and get a great credit record.

“Not quite enough”

If there isn’t enough but it doesn’t seem that far away, then look for improvements to your budget. Fewer takeaways, switch your utilities, cancel the gym membership, change to SIM only when your mobile contract ends … find some ways to save that extra £70 a month. They may be uncomfortable, but the longer you leave it, the worse your position gets.

“Not close at all” – get some debt advice!

If the numbers suggest you are several hundred pounds short, then making a few lifestyle changes probably isn’t going to be enough. Getting some debt advice could really help you here – although there are some “DIY” debt management options, it’s always good to have discussed your situation with an expert first.

Getting debt advice is especially important if any of the following apply:

  • you have priority debts;
  • you think your situation may be changing, so you may need a temporary option for a while;
  • you owe so much you can’t see how you can ever repay it all.

Where to go depends on whether you would prefer face-to-face advice, telephone advice, where you live, whether you are self-employed etc. Check out Debt Help Contacts to see my suggestions – they are all reputable organisations who don’t aim to make money from recommending some debt solutions.