Total Pageviews

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Cash in on our May Money Sale!


moneysupermarket.com
When was the last time you looked at your finances?  Even if it was relatively recently, offerings from the nation's banks and building societies have improved almost beyond recognition - especially when it comes to credit cards, loans and current accounts.
That's why we've launched the MoneySupermarket May Money Sale which rounds up the best deals available in these three camps.
We've even thrown in some table-topping offers which are only available through us. In other words, if you are looking for extra special value from a credit card, loan or current account, you are in the right place at the right time. Here's what's on offer.

The best credit cards for rewards and purchases

If you are looking to make a large purchase, spread the cost and pay no interest, the Halifax Purchase Card is your best bet offering 0% on purchases for a market-leading 17 months. The deal is available either through MoneySupermarket or direct from the Halifax website. Be sure to clear your balance before the interest-free window ends though as the card then comes with a representative annual percentage rate (APR) of 16.9% (variable).
But if you clear the balance on your credit card every month and are looking to be rewarded for your spending instead, you'll need to look at the American Express Platinum Cashback Purchase Credit Card instead. 
This card, which is totally exclusive to MoneySupermarket, offers 13 months interest-free on purchases and you'll also earn an ongoing cashback rate of 1.25% on virtually everything you spend. On top of that, you'll earn double cashback for one month a year providing you've spent more than £10,001 in the previous 12 months.
Keen travellers might prefer the American Express British Airways card however, which allows you to collect Avios (formerly Air Miles) as you spend. These can then be redeemed on flights across the world.

Usually, you would earn one Avios for every £1 you spend as well as 3,000 Avios if you spend a total of £500 in the first three months. However, apply for the card through MoneySupermarket and you will receive a better deal of 9,000 Avios (if you spend £1,000 in the first three months) which is enough to get you a free return flight to Europe. You won't be compromised on your Avios earning thereafter either as you'll still earn the same rate of one Avios for virtually every £1 spent.
This deal is not available with through any other comparison site, although you can apply direct through American Express website. But remember to only apply for this card if you are able to clear your balance in full every month. Otherwise you'll be hit with an APR of 15.9% (variable) which could wipe out the benefit of the rewards.
A more general rewards option to consider is the Barclaycard Freedom Rewards credit card - a deal which has also undergone improvement. Now you can collect £50 of reward points when you spend £500 or more in the first three months of taking the card as opposed to the previous £30. You can collect points wherever you shop which can then be redeemed in a number of high street stores, restaurants and UK attractions.

Balance transfer credit cards

If you have existing credit card debt racking up interest in the eye-watering realms of 18% APR, it makes obvious sense to move it to a 0% balance transfer card. The current market leader in these stakes is the Barclaycard Platinum Credit Card with Extended Balance Transfer which offers a 26-month interest reprieve on your transferred debt. The deal comes with a transfer fee of 3.5% but if you apply through MoneySupermarket (and transfer £2,000 or more), you'll get £10 off.

Credit builder credit cards

It might be that you are struggling to get credit at all because your credit rating isn't top notch or you've never had borrowing before. In this case, the Aqua Advance Credit Card could be right up your street.
It charges an APR of 34.9% (variable) on purchases and, providing you make the minimum payments on time, the rate reduces by 5% every year for three years. (However, better still, if you pay your balance in full every month you won't pay any interest at all.) The card is exclusive to MoneySupermarket and you'll also receive a £20 Amazon gift voucher when you open the account.

Personal loans

If you're in the market for a personal loan, you couldn't have chosen a better time. Loan rates are sitting at historically low levels with both Sainsbury's Bank and Derbyshire Building Society charging a leading low of 5% on borrowing of between £7,500 and £15,000.
The Derbyshire comes out on top though, as you can spread the repayments over five years, compared to a maximum of three years offered by Sainsbury's. The Sainsbury's deal also requires you to have a Nectar card before you apply.

Current accounts

If you've been with your existing bank for as long as you can remember, it could be time to switch your current account - particularly if you always stay in the black.
Providing you stay in credit, the Halifax Reward Current Account will reward you with £5 every month you pay in £750 and pay out two direct debits. You'll also receive £100 for switching to the account.
Alternatively, the Nationwide FlexDirect current account offers an annual equivalent rate (AER) of 5.00% on balances up to £2,500 for 12 months. After this, the rate falls to 1.00%. You will need to pay in at least £1,000 a month to qualify and you can read more about the account here.
Another option is the Santander 123 current account which pays 3.00% AER on balances between £3,000 and up to £20,000, 2.00% on balances between £2,000 and £2,999.99 and 1.00% on balances between £1,000 and £1,999.99.
You will also earn cashback of between 1.00% and 3.00% on your household bills providing they are paid by direct debit from your account. But watch out for the £2 monthly fee.

Prepaid cards

If you're jetting off on holiday in the next few weeks, you might want to think about taking a prepaid card with you. Prepaid cards require you to load them up with cash in advance and often allow you to sidestep the expensive fees that come with debit or credit cards.
Previously, the My Travel Cash card (Euro, Dollar, Multi) offered an extra £5 if you loaded up the card with £600 (or the equivalent currency) or more, exclusively through MoneySupermarket. Now this offer has improved, and if you load up £750 or more, you'll receive an extra £10. Better still, the card is free, you won't be charged ATM fees anywhere in the world and you'll receive 1% cashback on all purchases. The deal is still exclusive to MoneySupermarket.
Alternatively, the FairFX Euro Card will also throw in £10 cashback if you load up £500 or more onto the card in Euros. The card normally costs £9.95 to apply for, but it's free if you load £60 or more onto the card in Euros. Again, this deal is also exclusive to MoneySupermarket.

No comments:

Post a Comment