Petar Lekarski

Assistant Editor – News & Investigations

Petar joined MoneySavingExpert in 2019, but his passion for all things MoneySaving goes back much further – as evidenced by his 'Part of the furniture' badge on the MSE Forum.

He developed his in-depth knowledge of bank accounts, credit cards, loans and savings in the Money team before moving across to MSE News. He has written about a wide range of personal finance topics, covering everything from mobile roaming charges to supermarket loyalty schemes to railcards.

In 2021, Petar researched and wrote MSE's comprehensive and massively popular guide to diesel emissions legal claims, and he continues to maintain it as the cases progress.

Petar has also worked directly with Martin Lewis as his researcher, supporting the MoneySavingExpert with his eponymous ITV show and other media appearances over a period of 18 months.

When he's not polishing prose or crunching numbers, you'll find Petar at the cinema, eating spicy food or cycling around London on a rented bike. He also enjoys playing video games, bouldering and lists of three.

Latest from Petar Lekarski

The Bank of England has held the base rate at 5.25% for the sixth time in a row. But there are now stronger signs that a rate cut might be coming soon – which could have a knock on impact on mortgage and savings rates. Here's what you need to know.

13 May 2024

If you have a Nectar card, you may be able to earn a few quid's worth of extra points this month, as Sainsbury's is running a limited new promotion – though millions of shoppers can still get it. Unlike most other offers of this type, where you need to buy specific items, all you need to do here is spend £1 or more at a time in a few separate transactions. So it's a no-brainer if you were planning to do that anyway.

8 May 2024

Music streaming service Spotify has announced it's hiking the prices on most of its paid plans by up to £2 a month (£24 a year). Below we explain who's affected, when you'll see the changes and how to cut costs – whether you want to stick with Spotify or not.

29 April 2024

Chase customer? Check if you can get its boosted 5.1% easy-access saver.

If you have a Chase current account, you may be able to get a table-topping 5.1% easy-access savings rate to go with it, as the bank has launched a new, temporary bonus offer for some existing customers. Here's how to check if you're eligible for the deal.

22 April 2024

If you got a text message or email from the Metropolitan Police between 4pm and 6pm on Wednesday 17 April – or you get a letter in the next few days – don't ignore it. You may need to take action to protect yourself from fraud. Below we explain how to know if the message is genuine and what you need to do.

17 April 2024

A British passport, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Over seven million Brits saved on their passport applications by applying online instead of using a paper form last year – but nearly 850,000 missed out, MoneySavingExpert.com can reveal. With fees rising by 7% this week, here's how to get a new passport for less.

8 April 2024

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The Energy Price Cap, which dictates the rates most people pay for energy, is now predicted to fall by less than expected over the next year, according to the latest data from analysts Cornwall Insight. It means you'd pay on average 15% less than the current Price Cap over the next year – but you could save more than this by fixing now. We take you through your options.

28 March 2024

Car finance mis-selling investigation expected to find wrongdoing, regulator says.

It's "improbable" that a major investigation into hidden, unfair car finance commission will find no evidence of wrongdoing, the boss of the financial watchdog behind the probe has said. It's another indicator that millions of drivers could be in line for payouts. To check if you could be due £1,000s back, use our FREE car finance reclaim guide and tool.

14 March 2024

Council tax bills will rise for millions of people from 1 April, with most local authorities in England preparing increases of 5% – adding around £100 to a typical band D bill. In Wales, most councils are planning rises of between around 5% to 10%, while in Scotland council tax bills are mostly frozen.

12 March 2024

If you have (or get) a railcard, you can add it to an Oyster card and get a 34% discount on off-peak, pay-as-you-go fares on the Tube, Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground and National Rail in London.

8 March 2024

The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has today announced a range of new tax, benefits and savings measures in his Spring Budget. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis has shared his instant reaction and explained what the changes mean for you, and we've added more detail on them below.

6 March 2024

Teachers need to be "properly resourced" and supported to deliver much-needed financial education in schools, Martin Lewis has urged. Speaking to the House of Commons Education Committee, the MoneySavingExpert.com founder said getting personal finance on the national curriculum had proved a "pyrrhic victory" due to the lack of resources put into the subject.

5 March 2024

Mortgage prisoners are still suffering every month and need urgent help from the Government, a parliamentary group has said. The call comes nearly a year after the publication of a major report, funded by MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, which put forward costed solutions to the nightmare situation facing up to 200,000 people in the UK.

29 February 2024

Got Avios you won't use for flights? Swap them to Nectar before 11 March as their value is being slashed

If you collect Avios – the reward currency of the British Airways 'Executive Club' loyalty scheme – and you're planning to convert them into Nectar points, you should make the swap before Monday 11 March. From this date, the value of Avios being converted to Nectar will be slashed. But only do this if you're sure you won't use your Avios for reward flights, as that can be much more lucrative.

27 February 2024

Barclays will shut at least another 99 bank branches throughout 2024 and 2025 after announcing 22 more closures. This is in addition to the 177 branches it closed in 2023. Below we list the branches disappearing and what the alternatives are if you still want face-to-face banking.

13 February 2024

Self-employed or a high earner? Don't miss the 31 January 2024 self-assessment tax return deadline

If you're one of the millions of taxpayers still to file their online self-assessment tax return or pay the tax due, you've just days left until the deadline. Here's what you need to do to avoid a £100 fine and interest charges of 7.75%.

30 January 2024