Poll

Martin celebrated his landmark 50th birthday this week, and naturally we celebrated by updating our Birthday freebies guide – a round-up of the best goodies you can claim on your birthday. While another trip around the sun is a perfect excuse to treat yourself and others, the cost can really add up. With as many birthdays as there are people in our lives, it leaves us wondering, how much do you spend on birthdays each year?

Competition's been fierce in recent months, with 'bribes' of up to £175 offered to those willing to switch. So whether you wanted better service, interest on your savings or just free cash – tell us when you last switched? Or if it's been a while or you've never done it, tell us why.

Soaring energy bills and warmer spring weather have seen many turn off their heating in recent days and weeks. This week, we want to know if you've turned off your central heating yet, and if so, whether it was mainly down to weather or cost?

With top-pick rates at their highest level in over two years, it's important to check your savings are earning as much interest as they can – and if not, move them. When was the last time you moved your cash into a higher-paying account?

The energy price cap rose by an average 54% on 1 April, with millions seeing their energy bills skyrocket. But many are reporting higher percentage rises, so we want to know how much firms are increasing direct debits by.

Over 26 million smart meters have been installed across England, Scotland and Wales. But what's your opinion of them?

The jump in the cost of living has hit hard, with fuel, energy and food costs rocketing. Yet, for many, wages haven't increased nearly enough to cover these additional costs. While it won't always be possible and many firms are also finding it tough, asking for a pay rise could help mitigate some of the financial strain. So, this week, we want to know whether you've ever been successful in asking for a pay rise (disregarding any company-wide annual rises).

Take what you pay on your mortgage or rent (including any service charges or ground rent but NOT council tax, insurance or other bills), and let us know roughly what percentage of your monthly take-home pay/income it is. If you have joint finances, please give your costs as a proportion of your total household income.

Life in the UK is getting far harder to afford, with household bills spiking in recent months. And the cost of living is only going to increase further from April as the price of energy soars. So this week, we want to know how much you spend on household bills each month.

It's cheap and environmentally friendly, yet some people think only new will do. So this week we want to know, what items are you happy to buy second-hand?