Money-saving tips galore in the mid-week review

This week’s mid-week money sections were chock-a-block with hints on how to save money, be it on your utility bills, mortgages or loans and even how to boost you pension pot.

We start with Rosie Murray-West’s piece in The Telegraph questioning Which?’s assertions that those who don’t have internet access are missing out on the best rates for financial products. Murray-West claims that there are plenty of bargains to be found without the use of a computer – she suggests talking face-to-face with mortgage experts in order to find the cheapest rates and also proposes a physical trip to the shops when doing grocery shopping. This way, you can take advantage of discounts on food that is near its sell-by-date.

Continuing in the money-saving vein, Tricia Phillips in The Mirror champions British Gas’s offer of free cavity wall insulation for the over 60s. The insulation will be provided and installed free of charge and could help to reduce energy bills by £110 a year. Moreover, those entering retirement ought to have a read of Jessica Brown’s article in The Express. Brown warns that pensioners are missing out on thousands of pounds because they fail to declare medical conditions which could get them better annuity rates. Apparently there are more than 1,500 conditions that can count towards an annuity enhancement – which is worth bearing in mind now with annuity rates at a record low.

The papers also offer advice on how to borrow money without falling foul of high bank charges. The Mirror recommends an online social lending scheme, Funding Circle, which lets savers and investors sidestep banks and lend directly to small businesses. This enables new companies to get access to the cash they need to grow without the tedium of “begging” banks for loans and most importantly at competitive rates. If you have already borrowed money and are struggling to cope with repayments, Holly Thomas in The Express urges borrowers to seek help from free advisers.  Various charities offer free debt services which means that you don’t spend money on debt management companies’ fees and so all payments can go towards clearing your debt.

The rest of the scores on the board this week were as follows:

Charity                  0%

Credit cards        9%

Fraud/scams      0%

IFAs                       0%

Insurance           5%

Investment       5%

Mortgages         13%

Pensions            9%

Regulation         0%

Savings               27%

Tax                       0% 

Utilities               32%