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Moneysaving Expert website,

11 replies

dawngreen · 24/06/2022 14:05

According to the Moneysaving Expert website, founded by consumer champion Martin Lewis, there is an “easy way” to get this voucher. It is given to new borrowers who get the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold credit card.
As part of an introductory scheme, new customers get 30,000 bonus rewards points if they spend £3,000 within the first three months. You can then convert these points into approximately £150.

The Help to Save scheme gives low-income earners claiming universal credit or working tax credit a savings boost. It pays a 50% bonus on the amount saved, up to a maximum of £1,200 over four years – here's how the account works.

Who the heck has £3000 to spend in 3 months to get a £150 spend ? And only people on universal credit can do the Help to Save scheme. Fair enough I have x2 saving accounts with 1p in each.

I used to use his site but I deleted it now. The forum seems to consist of trolls now that accuse any new posters of been trolls.

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burnoutbabe · 24/06/2022 14:21

I have done the Amex one before. Think you got a voucher and Maybe sone /airport lounge passes.

So I booked out holiday with the card and all was good.

DuarPorte · 24/06/2022 14:31

My understanding of the money saving expert website is that it tries to cater towards the entire population as far as possible within reason and people should pick and choose what applies to them.

for example if somebody is about to book a major family holiday or alternatively is about to book a average holiday and also coincidentally purchase a few household appliances than this particular credit card offer might suit them.

if somebody else is not looking at spending that amount of money at all but instead looking for advice on how to heat themselves instead of the whole house then another part of the website might apply to them.

I usually treat it as a big buffet of advice catering to all sorts of demographics and pick and choose which bits of the advice apply to me particularly. Ignore the bit that do not apply to me.

So I’m not entirely sure what has caused you to delete the site or what you actually mean by deleting the site

BarbaraofSeville · 24/06/2022 14:36

Who the heck has £3000 to spend in 3 months to get a £150 spend

Many people. You just put your groceries, petrol and other general spending on there and it's easily achievable unless you're on a tight budget.

We spend around £25k pa on our credit card (some is work expenses that is reimbursed) but it's food, fuel, eating out, lunches, holidays, clothes, subscriptions, just about everything that's not paid for by direct debit.

All paid off by monthly DD and earns cashback.

The help to save scheme is very good at encouraging people on low incomes to save to spread the cost of Christmas and put a bit by for emergencies, instead of trying to deal with events like this from a single month's income.

maxelly · 24/06/2022 15:31

I would have thought quite a few middle income people could do the amex one actually if you time it right, the idea obviously isn't to spend an extra £3000 just to get £150 back which obviously would be silly but if you time getting the card just before a major expense such as paying for car insurance, buying a new white good or paying for a holiday (yes I know not everyone is lucky enough to be able to afford these things). That might knock off £500 or £750 or so and if you then spend £750 or 850 or so per month over the next few months in the supermarket, on petrol and general living expenses and so on (again, a lot more than many have but perfectly possible on a household income of £40k or so which is not crazily high) you'd hit the £3000 easily. Martin Lewis advice is very, very clear to only use credit cards like amex that have a high interest rate within your own affordability, pay off in full every month, not as a longer term form of loan/borrowing so I don't think it's bad advice at all.

dawngreen · 24/06/2022 16:13

We don't have credit cards for a start. And we have a budget of £800 a month.
for 2 people. And that's before bills/food.

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carefullycourageous · 24/06/2022 16:16

dawngreen · 24/06/2022 16:13

We don't have credit cards for a start. And we have a budget of £800 a month.
for 2 people. And that's before bills/food.

The site is for all people though, not just you.

I went on that site before I bought a house - I just ignored the bits about mortgage advice.

Chasingsquirrels · 24/06/2022 16:19

I started a help to save account when I was on tax credits (still am).

KarrotKake · 24/06/2022 16:32

I'd have thought the spend 3000 in 3 months would be OK for middle earnering families.
£100 a week at the supermarket. £50 a week in petrol. That's over half if it. Those not budgeting tightly I'm sure would spend an extra £100 a week on hair, nails, eating out, days out, clothes.

I think the Universal credit one is tougher.

FourTeaFallOut · 24/06/2022 17:12

I don't know how you could fault the MSE site, it is a pretty comprehensive collection of all the offers available to people across the financial spectrum. If there's an offer out there for you it's probably in there somewhere.

CredibilityProblem · 24/06/2022 17:17

Loads of people claim universal credit.
Loads of households spend a thousand pounds a month on food, insurance, travel, holidays and other discretionary spends.

dawngreen · 24/06/2022 17:22

Its nice to know you guys find help there. Guess you can close my thread then.

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