Households are being urged to check if they can benefit from a “cheap” Virgin Media broadband deal.
Those who are in a position to switch providers can snap up a new £17 monthly offer.
Drawing attention to the new deal in a recent newsletter, Martin Lewis’s Money Saving Expert team described it as “the cheapest ever”.
The savings gurus wrote: “Switchers in 60% of UK homes can get this Virgin 264Mb broadband only (no line) deal for £24/mth.
“You get an automatic £125 bill credit, meaning it’s equivalent to £17.06/mth over the 18mth contract.”
For those who aren’t able to get a Virgin Media connection in their area, MSE has a full broadband comparison list on its website.
MSE shared several other ways to cut costs this winter, such as switching energy providers and cutting credit card interest debt.
The team said people can “beat” October’s 10 percent energy price cap rise by opting for a fix with certain providers, such as E.ON or British Gas.
They noted that while some suppliers have pulled their cheap fixes, a few still offer “competitive” tariffs that undercut the current price cap.
The team wrote: “It will likely mean you save over the year, based on cap predictions. Plus, if you switch to E.on or British Gas via our Energy Club, you also get £20 dual-fuel (£10 single-fuel) cashback – though with E.on cashback is only for new customers.”
However, it warned: “Always compare. Your winner will depend on location and usage, so do an Energy Club comparison which will also show other competitive deals.”
Those struggling with high credit card interest rates can transfer their debt to an interest-free “balance transfer card” with no fee attached.
A balance transfer allows individuals to move their existing credit card debt onto a new card, which offers 0% interest for a fixed period. This means that if the debt is paid off within the interest-free window, it can be cleared without any extra charges.
MSE said: “The longest fee-free balance transfer, NatWest’s 13mths 0%, has been around a while, but Virgin Money’s just launched a 9mths 0% card.
“There’s also Barclaycard’s ‘up to’ 12mths 0%, though some accepted will get just 6mths 0%. Links go via our eligibility calc, which shows your acceptance odds before you apply.”
However, it warned: “Repay at least the monthly minimum & clear the card before the 0% ends, or all jump to 24.9% rep APR interest.”
M_artin Lewis is the Founder and Chair of MoneySavingExpert.com. To join the 13 million people who get his free Money Tips weekly email, go to www.moneysavingexpert.com/latesttip.
