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There’s been lots in the news this week about the fact that households with old style RTS electricity meters should get them upgraded before 30 June.

I was invited on Channel 5News to explain what this all means, how to find out if you’ll be affected and what you should do.

If you missed it, here’s my quick recap with what you need to know.

What’s the fuss about?

Around 300,000 households still have old style RTS electricity meters.  RTS stands for Radio Teleswitch Service and the technology is pretty old, dating back to the 1980’s, and will be switched off on 30 June this year.

Once this happens, meters are unlikely to work properly, and this could mean finding you can’t get hot water, heating or even billing issues.

How do I know I’ve got a RTS meter?

Your supplier should be in touch, (or already contacted you), if you’ve got one of these meters and need it upgrading.  But worth checking if you’ve got one, and if so contacting your supplier yourself.

Quick check is to look for a ‘switch’ box beside your electricity meter with an ‘RTS’ label on it.

You may have an RTS meter if you don’t have a gas supply and have storage heaters or Economy 7 heating.

What should I do if I’ve got a RTS meter?

If you’ve got one of these old style meters, it needs to be upgraded to a new one.

Contact your electricity supplier, who can arrange to upgrade it to a smart meter free of charge.  Even if you can’t have a smart meter for any reason, your meter will still need changing.

Will it cost me any money?

Having your old meter upgraded is totally free and should be done by your electricity supplier, so watch out for scammers who may get in touch telling you that you need to pay for this.

 

 

 

 

 

I was invited on to Channel 4 News on Friday night for a live studio discussion on what the US trade tariffs could mean for your money, including the effect on mortgages, petrol prices, investments and more.

And the fabulous Helen Morrissey , (who I first met several years ago when we were both guests on BBC Your Money with the brilliant Declan Curry), was also in the studio talking about the impact of the trade tariffs on our pension pots.

You can watch the whole Channel 4 News interview here.

 

A whole stack of household bills are going up this month, including water bills, council tax, energy, mobile and broadband, car tax as well as the cost of your TV licence.

While you can switch and save with some, such as energy, when it comes to water, you’re stuck with the supplier in your area.  That’s unless you’re thinking of moving house and out of the area!

Water bills are going up by an average of around £130 this year, which is around £10 a month, but despite the price hike, there’s still ways to save on your water bill.

Switch to a water meter to save money

If you’re on the ‘water rates’ system, which means paying a fixed amount for your water, (based on the size of your home and where you live), you may be able to save money switching to a meter.

However unlike the water rates system, with a meter, you will pay for every drop you use.

Switching to a water meter is free – just ask your water company.  And if you don’t save money this way, you can ask to switch back free of charge.

As a rough guide, if you’ve got more bedrooms than people living in your home, (or the same number), you may be able to save money switching to a meter.   And you can use this handy free calculator to help you work out if it’s worth switching.

Worth knowing you can only ‘switch back’ once, so you can’t keep chopping and changing from water rates to a meter.  And if you do want to revert back to a meter, you usually need to do this within a certain time frame. This varies between suppliers, but it’s typically between one to two years.

Ask to have your water bills capped

If you claim certain benefits, such as Universal Credit, have a water meter, and need to use lots of water for medical reasons, or because you have a large family, you can apply to have your water bills capped under the WaterSure scheme. Contact your supplier to ask about this.

If you are struggling to pay your water bill, suppliers can also help with discounted water bills, payment breaks, grants and repayment plans.  So once again really worth asking your supplier about this.

Free water saving devices

You can usually get free water saving devices from your water company.  What you can get varies according to your supplier, but the list often includes shower timers, eco friendly shower heads and bags to pop in your toilet cistern that help save water when you flush.

Totally free, although there may be a limit to the number of freebies you can have.

Quick water saving tips

These won’t save a fortune overnight, but every drop adds up, (if you’re on a meter), so worth getting any dripping taps or showers fixed, as this can help save money.

Avoiding cleaning your teeth or doing the washing up under a running tap will also help save money, as will waiting till there’s a full load in the washing machine or dishwasher.

Check your bill

Worth checking your bill.  If you’re on a meter, most suppliers will usually read your meter every six months, but you can check readings regularly yourself.  Most water companies have a guide on how to do this on their website.

And if you think you’re paying too much, speak to your supplier, who can check your meter or give you a breakdown of charges.

April is bumper bill rise month which means most households will be facing bill hikes on everything from water and energy to council tax, mobile and broadband.

Here’s some of my moneysaving tips to help beat those price hikes.

 

Water bills

Household water bills will go up by an average of £127 a year, that’s around £10 a month, according to Water UK.

You can’t switch suppliers, as you’re stuck with the one in your area, but there’s still lots of ways to save.

If you’re on the ‘water rates’ system, savings could be made by switching to a meter. As a rough guide, if there’s more bedrooms than people in your home, (or the same number), you may be able to save money using a meter.

Speak to your supplier. It’s free to have a meter fitted, and if you don’t save money, you can switch back free of charge.

You can often get free water saving devices from your supplier, including shower timers, eco friendly shower heads and bags to pop in your toilet cistern to save water as you flush. All you need to do is ask!

If you claim certain benefits, have a meter and need to use lots of water for medical reasons, or have a large family, you can apply to have bills ‘capped’ under the WaterSure scheme. Speak to your supplier for details.

Energy bills

The energy price cap will rise by just over 6%, (6.4%), from April 1. Set by Ofgem, the energy regulator, it caps the price energy suppliers can charge for each unit of energy and changes every three months.

It will affect households in England, Scotland and Wales who pay their supplier’s ‘default’ or standard tariff, not those on fixed deals.

When it comes to how much more you’ll pay, as a rough guide, for every £100 you spend on energy right now, you’ll pay £106 from April.

Cheaper fixed deals have been coming back on the market, and some suppliers are offering the chance to lock in to rates with a penalty free exit.

No need to do the number crunching – easiest way to look for better deals is through comparison sites such as Uswitch

If you’re in credit on your energy account, you can ask your supplier for the money back, and with most of us using less energy, (especially for heating) during the Summer, can boost your bank balance.

Council tax

Council tax bills go up from April with some households seeing increases of a whopping 10%, so worth checking if you can claim a discount or you could even get a council tax exemption.

If you live by yourself you can claim a 25% reduction. If you’re claiming benefits, such as Pension Credit, you may be due a reduction and if you, or someone in your household has a disability, you may be eligible to pay a cheaper band of council tax, under the Disabled Band Reduction Scheme.

Contact your local council to find out more and how to apply.

Mobile, TV and broadband

Most providers usually put their prices up from April 1, which means you’ll be paying more for the same service.

Under Ofcom rules, new customers must be told how any increase stacks up in pounds and pence. However if you’re already tied into a contract, you’ll be stuck with whatever’s in the small print.

Shop around for a better deal, ideally two months before your contract ends, as you’ll usually have to give 30 days notice, even when your contract ends.

Haggle! Calling up and asking for a better deal can slash your bill. Trick is to ask for ‘disconnections’ or ‘retentions’ or just press the ‘thinking of leaving us’ button.

This gets you through to the ‘power people’ as I call them, who have the authority to give the biggest discounts to keep you as a customer.

TV Licence

A colour TV licence goes up by £5 to £174.50 from April 1, but some people may be able to get a free one.

Anyone aged 75 or over, claiming Pension Credit, or living with a partner who claims it, can get a free licence.

But you do need to apply for your free licence – all you need to know here.

Stamp duty

This tax only applies if you’re buying property, but the rules change on April 1st.

Means house buyers in England and Northern Ireland will then have to pay stamp duty when buying property over £125,000, instead of the current threshold of £250,000.

First time buyers don’t currently pay stamp duty on homes up to £425,000, but from April this limit falls to £300,000.

Tax rules are different for Wales and Scotland.    No way to avoid this, unless you’re able to complete before the 1 April deadline.

I love tracking down deals, discounts and offers to get out and about without splashing serious cash.  Here’s my quick round up of just some of the fun things you can do for free, or £1 or less!

Visit St. Paul’s Cathedral for £1

You’ll usually pay £26 for an adult ticket to take a tour inside St. Paul’s, but if you claim certain benefits, including Universal Credit and Pension Credit, you can book a sightseeing ticket for just £1 and take up to four children with you.   

And it’s free for anyone to go along to one of the daily services held in the Cathedral.

Free days out with a National Lottery ticket

Buy a National Lottery ticket or scratchcard and you can get free or discounted entry to heaps of attractions next month including the Eden Project, National Trust properties and Edinburgh Zoo.

Offer runs during National Lottery Open Week which is from 15 – 23 March.  Check the website for the full list of attractions, then just turn up at the gate, and show your ticket for free or discounted entry.

Depending on the attraction, this offer can mean savings of over £40 per ticket.

Lunch for £1 at Prezzo

Get any pizza or pasta dish for just £1 from Sunday to Thursday until 12 February.

You may want to take a friend for this one, as you can only get the second meal for £1 when ordering another full price main dish.  

Saves around £17 – £18 even after paying £1.  Sign up online for a code to use on the day.  And do check terms and conditions as there may be exclusions at some locations.

Free pet workshops for kids

This is a great one with February half term holidays coming up as it runs until 23 February.

Pets at Home is running free My Pet Pals workshops to teach children about caring for their pets.  Available for children aged 4 and above.

Sessions last around 45 minutes and you can find and book through the Pets at Home website.

10p theatre tickets

Yes really! You can snap up theatre tickets for some performances at the Royal Court Theatre in London for the bargain price of just 10p!

But there’s a catch, as it’s standing room only at this price!   But still a fantastic offer for a night at the theatre! 

Tickets go on sale at 6pm at the box office on the day of the performance.

And the Cockpit Theatre in London hosts regular ‘not for profit’ Scratch Nights known as Theatre in the Pound to showcase up and coming performers.

Tickets are just £1 for the whole evening, which starts at 7pm on the third Monday of each month. Next one is on 17 February.

Free coffee

Sign up for a free My Waitrose card and get a free hot drink in store with a reusable mug.  Includes Americanos, Lattes, Cappuccinos as well as tea.

No need to buy anything to claim your free drink – it’s on the house!

 

 

 

I was chatting on BBC Radio Norfolk this morning sharing advice on where you stand if parcels arrive damaged or go missing.

Bet we probably all have our fair share of horror stories when it comes to parcel deliveries, whether you’ve come home to find a parcel hurled over your back gate, dumped on your doorstep for hours, or just no sign despite the courier company claiming it’s been delivered.

And just this week, residents from several Norfolk villages have found themselves having to search around their village to track down missing parcels.

So here’s my top tips on how to get things sorted and fast!

Tackle the retailer not the the courier company

If something you’ve ordered arrives damaged or goes missing, forget about tackling the courier company, you should go always go straight back to the retailer.  Under consumer law, your contract is with the retailer, as you placed order with them, which means it’s their responsibility to arrange to get your goods to you safely and in one piece.

If the item is damaged, you should get a refund or replacement.  And even if it’s only the outer packaging that’s damaged, say as a result of the item being thrown over your garden fence or left out in the rain, ask for the delivery charge back at the very least.

Never suggest a ‘safe place’

You may be offered the chance to suggest a ‘safe place’ where you’d like your parcel left if you’re not in.

Never do this, as if you do, and your parcel is then pinched from your porch, garage or front garden, you may be out of pocket, as the retailer may try to wriggle out of their responsibility claiming you suggested where to leave it.

You may have to wait 30 days for ‘missing parcels’

If your delivery arrives later than promised, you should get a refund under the Consumer Contracts Regulations.

So if say you pay for delivery on a certain day, or you’re promised a specific delivery date, and the delivery is a ‘no show’ then you should go straight back to the retailer.

However if you’re not given a specific delivery date, under consumer law, retailers do have up to 30 days to get parcels to you.  Seems a crazy long time I know, but that’s just the way it is.

Check who’s doing the delivery

You can’t usually choose the courier company when ordering online, that’s often the retailer’s choice, but if you’ve had problems in the past with one particular firm, worth asking the store which delivery company they use.

That way you can decide whether to take a chance or make a stand and order from someone else.

Watch for scammers!

If you’re expecting a parcel and you’re out when it arrives, you might get one of those ‘sorry we missed you’ cards in your letter box.

But be very wary if you get a text claiming you’ve missed a delivery and asking for payment in order to rearrange a new delivery slot.  If you do get one of these texts, forward it to ‘7726’ sharpish!   This flags up the message as a potential scam and means your mobile company can investigate.

Black Friday is a big American import and flagged up both sides of the Atlantic by retailers as a shopping bargain bonanza with sales, deals and discounts on offer on everything from tech gadgets and clothes to furniture, homeware, and I’ve even seen spotted Black Friday deals on weddings!

This year Black Friday falls on Friday 29 November, however in recent years, it’s no longer been just one day on the calendar, with many stores hosting a week, fortnight or even month, of Black Friday deals and discounts.

But are those bargains all they’re cracked up to be?  Consumer group Which? has done its usual number crunching of the price tags and found over 90% of last year’s Black Friday deals were sold at the same price or cheaper at other times of the year.

Shoppers may still get excited about Black Friday but it can be a red letter day for scammers too, as it can present them with a golden opportunity to cash in on our bargain hunting.

Last year Christmas shoppers lost a whopping £11.5 million to festive scams so while Black Friday can throw up some bargains, you need to be prepared to up your game and stay savvy with smart shopping tactics.

How to shop smart and avoid being ripped off

Stay one step ahead

Get organised. Make a list of anything you’re looking for and check prices now across comparison sites such as Idealo or PriceSpy.

You can set up price alerts too – so if prices drop you’ll get to hear about it. With Amazon, you can check any Black Friday offering really is its cheapest price by using its free price tracker that monitors prices across the site all year round. Watch out for super crazy low price tags too.

Shopping around upfront means you get an idea of prices across the board, so if you later spot your ‘must have’ item on sale at a super crazy low price, much lower than anyone else, think twice, as the offer may not be as genuine as it sounds.

Register with websites in advance

If you think you’ll want to shop on specific sites, it’s worth creating a free online account in advance.

This means registering your details, such as email and delivery address, to save delays at the online checkout. While some sites will let you check out as a ‘guest’, can be quicker if you’ve already got an account set up with your address and contact details.

Worth remembering too, that with a surge in purchases over the Black Friday period, there may be some delays when it comes to delivery, as has happened in recent years.

Watch for copycat websites

Fraudsters are clever at creating websites that look like the real thing when they’re not.  This includes shopping sites, and ‘deals’ may be circulated via social media or WhatsApp with scam links to copycat sites to encourage you to click and pay.

If you hear of deals or bargains on social media, worth doing a search for the genuine store website yourself and buying from there. And if you’re targeted with offers or deals in emails, never click on the links, however enticing they sound.

Pay the right way

Pay securely, so always by card or other approved payment methods like PayPal.  Never ever pay by bank transfer, whatever the excuse or reason from the seller, as it’s just like handing cash to a stranger.

Paying by credit card, if goods cost over £100, means automatic legal protection under a bit of consumer law known as ‘Section 75’. This means if goods don’t arrive or the company goes bust, you can tap up your credit card company for a refund.

With debit card payments, you can ask your bank or card company to do a free ‘chargeback’.  Not legally enshrined in law, (unlike Section 75), but means they can reverse the transaction with the retailer’s bank to get your money back.

Watch for delivery scams

Delivery scams go into overdrive during the festive season.   If you’ve snapped up some online bargains over Black Friday, chances are you won’t know, or remember, which courier company will be delivering your parcels. So if you get a text or email claiming you’ve missed a delivery with a ‘handy’ link to rearrange – watch out!

With delivery scams, you’ll often be asked to enter personal or payment details, plus a small nominal amount to have your parcel ‘re-delivered’.   Scammers can then reuse your details at your expense!

And remember Black Friday isn’t your last chance to ‘bag a bargain’

Black Friday isn’t the last day on earth to bag a bargain.  Some stores may slash prices still further as we go into  December if stock won’t shift and there’s those Boxing Day sales too. And finally it pays to check your return rights too, just in case you later regret any impulse buys!

Citizens Advice is running its annual Scams Awareness campaign this week and revealed that one in five of us has fallen victim to a financial scam over the last year.  If you’re a victim of a financial scam, both the financial and emotional impact can be life changing. I was on Channel 5News on Monday chatting with Tessa Chapman and sharing advice on what to watch for with scams and the rules on how to get your money back.

When it comes to scams, slamming the door on a dodgy cold caller is no guarantee of protection, as fraudsters now target us in our own homes, with calls, texts, WhatsApp messages and emails.  Their aim is always to catch you off guard and send you into a panic, so you act on impulse, which can be very costly.

Scam tell tale signs

There’s so many different scams out there so I always suggest taking a look at the Take Five to Stop Fraud  website which lists the current ones doing the rounds.

However you’re contacted, with any scam, any kind of time pressure and being rushed into making a decision, should act as a massive red flag, as should being asked to pay by bank transfer when ordering goods or services online.

When it comes to keeping your financial details safe, the absolute hard and fast rule is to never ever give anyone your PIN number or full password.  Fraudsters will often try and get this from you with authorised Push Payment (APP) scams.  These scams cost us nearly £460 million last year according to UK Finance.

With APP scams, you’ll usually get a call from someone claiming to be from the Police or your bank, telling you  they’ve spotted ‘fraudulent activity’ on your account.  While you’re in a panic, they’ll act super calm, extracting financial information from you before encouraging you to set up a new ‘safe’ account, where they’ll ask you to transfer the contents of your bank account.  And yes you’ve guessed it, that new account will be one the fraudsters can get their hands on and drain dry!

What to do if you’ve been scammed

Call your bank, but never ever use any number you’re given during a ‘cold call’.  Contact your bank using the number on the back of your bank card or statement, or call ‘159’, which is a universal fraud reporting hotline where you can be connected to your genuine bank.

If you’ve been scammed into paying money by bank transfer you may be able to get your money back from your bank – more info coming up on the new rules in a second. You should also call Action Fraud to report the scam.

And if you paid by credit card, and been scammed, say you’ve been duped into booking flights with a bogus flight company, you should contact your credit card provider and ask to do a ‘Section 75’ claim.

Section 75 is a legal rule, (contained within the Consumer Credit Act), and means you can ask your credit card company for a refund, in the event you pay for goods or services that cost over £100 and the company goes bust or goods don’t arrive.

New fraud refund rules

Just this month, from 7 October, new fraud refund rules came into play.  Under regulations from the Payment Systems Regulator  financial firms including banks, building societies and e-money firms must now refund you if you’re scammed into paying by bank transfer.

There’s a few caveats to this.  Banks must cover losses of up to £85,000, and reimburse you within five days. If you have lost more than £85,000 financial firms can pay higher amounts, but only if they choose to.

However if your bank thinks the fraud happened due to you being seriously negligent, they may reject your case.  If this happens, you can still take your case to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.

Watch for festive scams

Watch out for sellers offering super cheap gifts, especially tech or gadgets, at much reduced prices compared to other sellers, and avoid buying through social media sites.  Buying from a bogus seller or through a fake website means scammers get your money but you won’t get your goods, so always buy from reputable stores, and once again, never pay by bank transfer, whatever the seller’s excuse!

‘Missed delivery’ parcel scams have been around for a while but tend to escalate in the run up to Christmas, when most of us are expecting parcels, and unlikely to have any idea which courier company will be delivering them.

The way this scam works is that you’ll get a text message claiming you’ve ‘missed’ a delivery and need to pay a small amount, usually a couple of quid, to reschedule.  The fraudsters will include a link in the message, and during the process you’ll be asked for bank and financial details that enable fraudsters to get their hands on your cash.

Watch out for fake charities too.  Sadly fraudsters have no shame and will stoop to any level to extract money from us.  Check that any charity you donate to is genuine – easy way to do this if you’re concerned, is check that they’re listed on the Charity Commission website

 

 

This month I’ve snapped up a voucher for a free dessert at Ask Italian, bagged a bargain new top from one of my favourite labels via eBay and found the best Pastel de Nata outside Portugal  – well that’s my opinion anyway!

Free sticky toffee coffee pudding at Ask Italian

This one is super easy to claim.  Just sign up to the free Ask Perks option on the Ask Italian website and you’ll get treats, offers and rewards direct to your inbox each month. During October you get a free Sticky Toffee Coffee Pudding.  While I can’t find this on the Ask menu to check the value of the freebie, most desserts come in around the £7 mark, depending on which location you visit.

Small print stuff – you will need to eat in and order a main meal to get your freebie.  So you can’t walk  in waving your voucher and ask for your free dessert in a take out box.  And you can’t stack on any other discounts, such as Blue Light cards, Tastecards or Tesco vouchers, if you’re going for the free pudding option.

Banana Republic top for £7.50 plus free postage

I love Banana Republic clothing, it’s one of my favourite stores in the world, and I always stock up when I’m Stateside, although you can still buy in the UK from a limited selection on the Gap website or via eBay!

I’m a big eBay fan and always have a hunt around to see what I can find  and discovered this fabulous top which I haggled down from £10 to just £7.50.  Perfect condition and as you might expect from Banana Republic, it’s quality stuff so very chuffed with this!  Watch out for it on my next TV appearance!

Found the best Pastel de Nata outside Portugal (in my opinion!)

Pastel de Nata – Portuguese custard tarts with super flaky pastry and rich warm and sweet custard were my daily breakfast on a recent trip to Lisbon and I made it my mission to try them in different bakeries across the city.

While you can pick up packs in most supermarkets, I don’t think they’re a patch on the original version.  But after a hunt around I discovered a gem the Waitrose frozen food aisle.  Unearthed Pastel de Nata come in a box of 6 for £4.55 – which works out just 4p a tart more than Tesco’s frozen version and the Unearthed version are so much yummier!

How do you fancy saving up to 20% next time you shop?

Heaps of shops offer juicy discounts on your ‘first order’ just for signing up to their mailing list or downloading their app.

And even if you’ve shopped with them before, I’ve found you can still bag another discount, providing you don’t use the same email account twice!

Want to snap up a discount second or third time round?  Just sign up using another email account or get someone else in your household to sign up for you.  I’ve found even if the delivery address is the same this still works, though no promises or guarantees with every store!

Here’s some of the current ‘first time’ discounts I’ve found –

20% discounts

Skechers – 20%

20% off your next online order when you sign up for email updates.

Holland & Barrett – 20%

Get an introductory 20% discount when you download the app.  You have 28 days to use your ‘welcome code’ discount.

Sweaty Betty – 20%  

20% off when you sign up for the online newsletter – applies to your first full price online order.

15% discounts

Mint Velvet – 15%

15% off your first order when you sign up to the free online newsletter.  Free delivery over £100.

Hobbycraft – 15%

15% off plus a £5 voucher on your Birthday if you join the free Hobbycraft Club.  Join in store, online or via the app.

Body Shop – 15%

15% off plus a £5 voucher on your Birthday when you sign up to Body Shop’s ‘Love Your Body’ loyalty scheme.

Charlotte Tilbury – 15%

15% off when you sign up online plus free delivery on your first order.

Clarks – 15%

15% off in store and online when you sign up for emails.  Discount  must be used within 120 days.

10% discounts

Yorkshire Soap Company – 10%

Join the mailing list and get 10% off your first order.

River Island – 10%

Get 10% off your first online purchase of £50 or more when you sign up online to become a ‘River Island Insider’.

Fragrance Direct – 10%

Save 10% when signing up online for emails and texts.

& Other Stories – 10%

10% discount for new subscribers to the online newsletter.  Discount only valid online.

Fat Face – 10%

10% off your first order if you sign up via the website to receive emails and offers.

Hobbs – 10%

10% off when you sign up online to the newsletter. Discount can be used online or in store.

JD Sports – 10%

10% discount off your first full price online purchase when signing up to the newsletter.

5% discounts

Menkind – 5%

5% off your first order of £30 or more when you join its free newsletter.

First time cash bonus

Uniqlo – £10

Save £10 when spending £70 or more on your first order if you download the app.

Red Letter Days – £10

Save £10 when signing up for the Red Letter Days newsletter.

 Sue’s tips and tricks –

Watch for any minimum spend with ‘first time’ discounts.  Discounts may not cover delivery, although some stores do offer free delivery first time round.

Check discount time limits as some may have a limited life span, usually a minimum of 30 days.

Sign up at least 24 hours before you plan to shop.  This is because not all discount codes arrive instantly – so don’t wait till you’re at the online checkout.

You can’t usually ‘double discount’. Most ‘first time’ discounts can’t be used on sale items or to tack on with other discount vouchers or points.

A ‘first timer’ code may not always be the best deal if there’s a special promotion or sale on.  Worth checking voucher code websites too, in case these offer bigger discounts, or check how much you could earn with cashback.

Don’t want your inbox clogged up with marketing mails?  Set up a separate email account to catch all your discounts, deals and offers as most stores will offer ongoing promotions or deals once they’ve got your email address.

Just back from a few days in the Portuguese capital Lisbon and wow what a city!  Definitely a place we’ll be going back to!

Loving the stunning rooftop views at every turn, the narrow winding alleys and backstreets of Alfama, vintage trams to get you and up down some of those steep hills, yummy Pastel de Nata (Portuguese flaky pastry custard tarts) and beaches less than 30 minutes train ride away, oh and gorgeous cafes and restaurants at every turn.

Lucky I’d been warned to pack trainers for those cobbled streets, hills and steps but some serious walking was a great way to burn off all the yummy Pastel de Natas I managed to munch my way through.

I’ll be writing more about my travels so here’s just a few of my top travel tips!

Best Pastel de Nata

Everyone has their ‘favourite’ bakery but my favourites were Manteigaria in Rua Augusta and Santo Antonio in Alfama, the second of which meant climbing a steep hill from our apartment, followed by an unbelievable  number of steps.  And all on just one coffee and before 8.30am, but worth every step!

Getting around

Cheapest way to get around Lisbon is walk.  Or snap up a Navegante card at the airport.  You’ll need to pop by the airport metro station to buy it, but once purchased, (costs 50 cents), you can load it up and it can be used on buses, metro, trams, plus the elevadors,  that save climbing some of the hills!

A 24 hour pass costs 6.80 Euros (so 7.30 in total first time round with the cost of the card) and it’s 24 hours from first use.

Best view in Lisbon

I reckon it’s from the top of the Arco da Rua Augusta overlooking the main square. 

Costs 4.50 Euros for the return trip and you’ll get to take the lift most of the way, with just a few spiral stairs to get you to the top.  Amazing views across Lisbon though a bit windy at the top.

 

 

 

 

 

The government has announced that the Winter Fuel Payment, worth up to £300 a year, is being scrapped for millions of pensioners this Winter.

What is the Winter Fuel Payment?

It’s a one off tax free payment, worth up to £300, which has been paid to people of state pension age or older, to help with heating bills.   Usually paid around November or December, it’s paid direct to your bank account regardless of your income.

What’s changing?

Around ten million pensioners will lose their Winter Fuel Payment this Winter as the government has changed the rules on who gets it.

You will now only be entitled to receive a Winter Fuel Payment this year, if you get Pension Credit, or other means tested benefits, such as Universal Credit or Income Support.

Why it’s worth checking if you can claim Pension Credit

If you are one of the millions of pensioners who stand to lose your Winter Fuel Payment this year, it’s worth checking to see if you could claim Pension Credit.  Reason being, if you get Pension Credit, it automatically entitles you to get the Winter Fuel Payment too.

And there’s around 880,000 people who could be eligible for Pension Credit, who don’t claim it, which means there’s a massive pot of cash lying around.  Pension Credit is worth an average of £4,000 a year, which could be a real boost to your retirement income.  Plus it unlocks the door to other benefits and discounts too.

So while there’s no guarantee you can claim Pension Credit, it’s definitely worth checking out your entitlement if you’re state pension age, (or about to be), and on a low income.

You can use a free benefits calculator or check the government website.

 

Mowing your lawn or a spot of weeding could prove a costly exercise as it could cost you over £100 with many councils now charging a garden bin tax.

Four of out five cash strapped councils now charge to empty your garden bin. Here’s all you need to know about garden bin tax and how to get rid of garden waste cheaply in a feature I wrote for Good Housekeeping Magazine.

After the news that the Bank of England had cut the base rate from 5.25% to 5%, I headed into the ITV News studios for a chat with Lucrezia Millarini.

It’s the first time we’ve had a rate cut since way back in March 2020, so a pretty monumental day.

Any rate cut brings swings and roundabouts depending on your financial circumstances.  The cut may be great news for millions of mortgage customers who are paying their lender’s standard variable rate (SVR), or have a tracker mortgage, as this means they should see a reduction in monthly payments from next month.

But if you’re on a fixed mortgage deal you won’t be affected right now by the rate cut.  And savers who have started to see some decent savings rates in recent times could see some of those top rates whisked off the shelves.

 

I’m just back from a trip to the Lake District and been asked to write about my adventures for a magazine travel feature.   Very excited as it’s a chance to relive the memories and share some great travel and moneysaving tips.

So watch this space – will keep you posted when the feature comes out!

I’ve just come back from a fabulous week away in Cornwall and while there’s so many amazing beaches to discover, one of my favourites was this one at Mawgan Porth.

Easy way to visit is by hopping on the Atlantic Coaster bus, which runs between Newquay and Padstow, and as it’s open top, you get great views on your trip.

Bus stop is right by the beach, though do check bus times as they’re about every 90 minutes depending on the time of year.

Over the road was a great coffee shop  –  Muddle & Press -for a mid morning pitstop.

 

 

Budget Day is always a crazy busy day and I’m at BBC 3CR studios where by the magic of radio I’ll be chatting on BBC Scotland’s Drivetime show tonight.

I’ll be one of the panellists helping break down the numbers into what it means for the pound in your pocket and on between 5pm – 6pm.

Looks like I’m in a small cupboard I know from the snap but they have been generous with the cups of coffee and I’ve got a chocolate stash to keep me going!

Very excited to say I’ll be back on telly tomorrow lunchtime as a guest on the Alexis Conran & Friends show on Channel 5.

I’ll be sharing tips, tricks and heaps of advice on ways you can save money on insurance – including savings on home, car, travel and breakdown cover.

All part of a special week long campaign to help save you over £1,000 a year on household bills- with a different expert each day – my savings will stack up to over £250 so tune in if you can!