MoneySaving health warning…

You get 20% off at your favourite shop. It's so easy, you feel like doing it again. Before you know it, you're hooked and every element of your financial life is being attacked to cut costs

It starts with something soft. You get 20% off at your favourite shop. It’s so easy, you feel like doing it again, this time perhaps a code-stack or a bit of extreme couponing. Before you know it, you’re hooked and every element of your financial life is being attacked to cut costs – mortgage, credit card, PPI reclaims and more.

I’m afraid recently we’ve had a couple of emails from victims of such a habit, and I felt it was only responsible to publish them to alert others of the potential problem…

Dear MoneySavingExpert,
I am a total convert having taken time to do a financial review. Thanks to your wonderful recommendations and codes, in the last two months I have:

• Sold books via Webuybooks (see Flog it )
• Changed my broadband, TV and phone package, saving more than £200 p/a (see Cheap broadband)
• Booked a solicitor via Will Aid to get a cheaper deal on my will for £95 (see Cheap and free wills)
• Bought Hi-Tec shoes using codes saving £20 (see Discount codes)
• Switched my phone, saving £125 pa (see Cheap home phones)
• Switched my energy provider, saving over £200pa (see Cheap energy club)
• Got an account with Gumtree and started selling unwanted stuff  (see Boost your income)
• Written to my bank requesting repayment of unnecessary fees (see Reclaim package bank account fees)
• Started a PPI claim for myself and my husband using your templates (see Reclaim PPI)
• Found a car boot sale that I will be using in the next few weeks
• Found a better bank account  (see Best bank accounts)
• Started a NISA (see Top cash NISAs)
• Booked a meeting with a financial advisor (see How to get Independent Financial Advice)
• Nearly paid off my credit card (see Best balance transfers)

I have also been inspired to change the way I use my money and am encouraging my family and friends to do the same. 

Thank you for the fantastic job you do.

Kind regards,
Gill Acham

And it’s not just women who can catch this bug, the very next day after Gill emailed, we got this – the contagion is spreading…

Hi MoneySavingExpert.com team,
 
Just a huge thank you to you and the team!

• Today I’ve just ordered a £400 VAX carpet cleaner for £140! (see Vax deals)
• Earlier this year I made a claim using one of your templates and I received £199.95 compensation from Lufthansa for a late evening flight, three years ago, which was cancelled due to a mechanical problem until the following day. At the time Lufthansa had already paid for the overnight hotel and evening meal (see Flight delay reclaiming)
• I received payment for wrongly sold Identity Protection Insurance (see CPP reclaiming – though this is now closed)
• I have changed my gas/electricity deal and saved a substantial sum annually (see Cheap energy club)
• I have followed your advice re home buildings and contents insurance premiums and what used to be a fairly high four-figure sum (which I had been paying for year-on-year and remaining loyal to the company, the name of which I will not mention) is now down to less than £500 all-in and actually includes some better cover/clauses. (See Cheap home insurance)

Keep up the good work. I’m happy and some of my favourite charities are also happy as I have been able to donate a little more than I normally would have.

Kind regards,
Tony

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!