Personal finance

Martin Lewis: Calling time on costly mobiles

Be careful next time you spot a stunner with a gorgeously sleek body. See a sexy new mobile handset and often all you can think about is getting your mitts on it. Yet, when comparing phone deals, it’s the tariff that counts – ignore tempting distractions like handsets or cashback.

Credit Cards Loans Loan Search Current

Select Type:

Card	Rate	Duration	Typical APR	BT Fee
Virgin Credit Card	0%	16 mths	16.6%	2.98%
Barclaycard Platinum	0%	15 mths	15.9%	2.9%
NatWest Platinum	0%	15 mths	16.9%	2.9%
Royal Bank of Scotland Platinum	0%	15 mths	16.9%	2.9%
Egg Card	0%	Until 01/05/2011	16.9%	3.0%
Barclaycard Gold	0%	Until 01/04/2011	19.9%	2.5%
MBNA Platinum	0%	13 mths	16.9%	2.9%
MBNA Platinum Rewards Card	0%	13 mths	16.9%	2.9%
BT Credit Card	0%	13 mths	16.9%	3.0%
AA Credit Card	0%	12 mths	16.9%	3.0%
Post Office Platinum	0%	12 mths	15.8%	2.98%
bmi American Express Credit Card from MBNA	0%	12 mths	15.9%	3.0%
Sainsbury's Credit Card	0%	10 mths	15.9%	3.0%
Halifax All In One	0%	9 mths	15.9%	3.0%
Lloyds TSB Airmiles Duo	0%	6 mths	15.9%	3.0%
MBNA Platinum Visa Credit Card	5.9%	Life of Balance	16.9%	2.0%

Card	Rate	Duration	Typical APR
Virgin Credit Card Exclusive	0%	12 mths	18.9%
AA Credit Card	0%	10 mths	16.9%
Sainsbury's Credit Card	0%	10 mths	15.9%
Halifax All In One	0%	9 mths	15.9%
Bank of Scotland All In One	0%	9 mths	15.9%
American Express Rewards Credit Card	0%	6 mths	17.9%
Barclaycard Goldfish	0%	3 mths	9.9%
Barclaycard Platinum	0%	3 mths	15.9%
Post Office Platinum	0%	3 mths	15.8%
Capital One Plus	0%	Until 01/09/2010	14.9%
MBNA Platinum	0%	3 mths	16.9%
MBNA Platinum Rewards Card	0%	3 mths	16.9%
BT Credit Card	0%	3 mths	16.9%
NatWest Platinum	0%	3 mths	16.9%
Royal Bank of Scotland Platinum	0%	3 mths	16.9%
Egg Card	0%	Until 01/06/2010	16.9%
MBNA 6.7% Low Rate	6.7%	HASH(0x2af5b51b9c80)	6.7%

Card	BT Duration	Intro Duration	Typical APR
Virgin Credit Card Exclusive	12 mths	12 mths	18.9%
AA Credit Card	12 mths	10 mths	16.9%
Sainsbury's Credit Card	10 mths	10 mths	15.9%
Halifax All In One	9 mths	9 mths	15.9%
Bank of Scotland All In One	9 mths	9 mths	15.9%
NatWest Platinum	15 mths	3 mths	16.9%
Royal Bank of Scotland Platinum	15 mths	3 mths	16.9%
MBNA Platinum	13 mths	3 mths	16.9%
MBNA Platinum Rewards Card	13 mths	3 mths	16.9%
BT Credit Card	13 mths	3 mths	16.9%
Egg Card	Until 01/05/2011	Until 01/06/2010	16.9%
Barclaycard Platinum	15 mths	3 mths	15.9%

Card	Typical APR	Interest Free Period
MBNA 6.7% Low Rate	6.7%	50
Barclaycard Platinum Simplicity	7.8%	56
Halifax Easy Rate	8.9%	59
Barclaycard Goldfish	9.9%	56

Card	Typical APR	Interest Free Period
Capital One Classic	34.9%	56
Capital One Progress	34.9%	56
The Vanquis Visa Card	39.9%	56

Card	Cashback Notes
American Express Platinum Cashback	5% cashback for 3 months on virtually every full pound spent per transaction
MBNA Platinum Rewards Card	You can exchange your reward points for cashback paid straight to your credit card account. £1.00 spends equals 1 point, then; 5,000 reward points = £20 cashback; 7,500 reward points = £30 cashback; 12,500 reward points = £50 cashback; 25,000 reward points = £100 cashback. See provider for full details.

Cards	Reward Notes	Typical APR
Barclaycard Goldfish	Earn 1 point for every £1.00 spent	9.9%
Lloyds TSB Airmiles Duo	Get up to 1 Airmile for every £10 spent	15.9%
MBNA Platinum Rewards Card	You can exchange your reward points for cashback paid straight to your credit card account. £1.00 spends equals 1 point, then; 5,000 reward points = £20 cashback; 7,500 reward points = £30 cashback; 12,500 reward points = £50 cashback; 25,000 reward points = £100 cashback. See provider for full details.	16.9%
bmi American Express Credit Card from MBNA	Receive 1.5 destination miles for every £1 spent	15.9%
BT Credit Card	Unlimited money off your BT bill, T&C's apply	16.9%
RBS Black	Receive access to select opportunities	13.2%
Sainsbury's Credit Card	Earn up to 4 nectar points for every £1 spent	15.9%
Virgin Atlantic White Card	1 mile for every full £1 spent	17.9%
NatWest Black	1.25 YourPoints for every £1 of qualifying spend	13.2%
Egg Card	HASH(0x2af5b424fcf0)	16.9%
AA Credit Card	HASH(0x2af5b42676c0)	16.9%

Card	Typical APR
O2 Load & Go	HASH(0x2af5b427f140)
BREAD	HASH(0x2af5b4318060)
Escape Prepaid MasterCard	HASH(0x2af5b4c4c750)
cashplus Gold Flexiplus	HASH(0x2af5b531a420)
Tuxedo Pay As You Go	HASH(0x2af5b4252ed0)
Freedom Eagle Cash Card - Pay As You Go	HASH(0x2af5b426e3b0)
cashplus Gold Premier	HASH(0x2af5b426e630)
Virgin PrePaid - Monthly	HASH(0x2af5b4271f80)
cashplus Gold Activeplus	HASH(0x2af5b4272420)
Tuxedo Pay Monthly	HASH(0x2af5b427bb40)
ClearCash Prepaid MasterCard	HASH(0x2af5b5168780)

Card	Typical APR
FairFX Euro Currency Card Special	HASH(0x2af5b518deb0)
Caxton Euro Card	HASH(0x2af5b5181ca0)
my Travel Cash - Euro	HASH(0x2af5b51997e0)
ICE Travellers Cashcard Euro	HASH(0x2af5b5199570)

Card	Typical APR
FairFX Dollar Currency Card Special	HASH(0x2af5b425d230)
Caxton Dollar Card	HASH(0x2af5b51a9560)
my Travel Cash - US Dollar	HASH(0x2af5b4263ed0)
ICE Travellers Cashcard US Dollar	HASH(0x2af5b4fc5130)

Card	Typical APR
Caxton Global Traveller Card	HASH(0x2af5b4cab520)
FairFX Anywhere Card	HASH(0x2af5b51322e0)

Fees may apply

Select Type:

Card	Typical APR	Minimum Amount	Maximun Amount
Platinum Exclusive	7.8%	CHEAPEST Homeowner Loan in the UK for loans from £7,500. Typical APR 15.4%	-
Sainsbury's Personal Loan	7.9%	Earn Double Nectar points on Sainsbury's shopping for 2 years. Typical APR 7.9%.	-
Alliance & Leicester	7.9%	For loans of £7,500 - £14,950. Apply online for a quick decision. Typical APR 7.9%	-

Card	Typical APR	Minimum Amount	Maximun Amount
Ocean Finance	10.2%	Loans for homeowners. Fixed for loan term available. Typical APR 16.9%	-
FLM Loans	42.6%	£500-£3,000. Will accept anyone with friend or family homeowner guarantor. Typical APR 42.6%	-

Card	Typical APR	Minimum Amount	Maximun Amount
Ocean Finance	15.2%	Loans for homeowners. Fixed for loan term available. Typical APR 16.9%	-
FLM Loans	42.6%	£500-£3,000. Will accept anyone with friend or family homeowner guarantor. Typical APR 42.6%	-

Fees may apply

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Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
FIRST DIRECT	1st Account	Switch to first direct and get £100*	£1	-

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
HALIFAX	Reward Current Account	Pay in £1,000 each month and receive £5 reward each month	-	-
BANK OF SCOTLAND	Reward Current Account	Pay in £1,000 each month and receive £5 reward each month	-	-

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER PLC	Premier Direct Current Account	5%	0.00%	n/a
SANTANDER	The Santander Account (Preferred In-credit Rate)	5%	19.90%	n/a
NATWEST BANK PLC	Current Plus	0.1%	19.24%	£100
THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC	Interest Paying Current Account	0.1%	19.24%	£100

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
SANTANDER	The Santander Account (Preferred Overdraft Rate)	0% for 1st 12 mths, then 12.9% EAR	-	-
FIRST DIRECT	1st Account	£250 Interest Free, then 15.9% EAR over £250	-	-

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
HALIFAX	Ultimate Reward Current Account	0%	£12.50 per month.	-
NATWEST BANK PLC	Advantage Gold	0.25%	£12.95 per month.	-

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
ARRAY(0x2af5b4d115a0)	Think Banking Managed Account	0%	£12.50 per month.	-

Fees may apply

Martin Lewis: Heed my wealth warnings

I ONCE met a man with £80,000 in savings earning less than one per cent interest. While he had £80,000 outstanding on his mortgage – yet he said he was good with money.

Martin Lewis: Heed my wealth warnings

I ONCE met a man with £80,000 in savings earning less than one per cent interest. while he had £80,000 outstanding on his mortgage – yet he said he was good with money.

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HOW’S your credit score? Almost certainly it’s nowhere near as good as you imagine.

Martin Lewis: Beware great bank robbery

WHAT do you call it when someone takes cash from your bank account without permission? Most would call it stealing, yet banks call it 'setting off'. Moneysavingexpert.com's Martin Lewis offers advice.