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Urgent. Beat 6% train and Tube season ticket hikes
Fares rise on Monday | Act now, some can save £300
Train and Tube season ticket fares rise by an average 6% on 2 January, but some face even bigger jumps. So buy rail / Tube season tickets NOW to dodge the hikes ...
- How big's the rise? On most season tickets, it's capped at an average of 6% (8% for West Yorkshire Metro). Yet rules let firms crank up some routes' costs even more, so some passengers will see 7.5% rises. Costs had been due to rise by 8%, but the Government scaled this back in November.
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 Next year's tickets at today's prices. Season tickets are charged at the price on the day you buy them, so buy now and you still pay the 2011 rate. However, the ticket start date (or renewal) must be on 1 January or earlier to pay the lower fare. See the Cheap Train Tricks guide for how to buy now and possibly save £100s.
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How much can you save? A year's Cambridge to London season ticket goes up from £4,000 to £4,240 (£240 hike), Newcastle to Leeds from £6,260 to £6,636 (£376) and Leeds to Bradford from £840 to £908 (£68).
- Works for Tube too. An annual zone 1-3 travelcard jumps by £80 from £1,288 to £1,368, for example, but you can also buy before 2 January to pay the lower price, as long as the ticket starts by 1 January at the latest. To check prices, also see the Cheap Train Tricks guide.
Much more help in the Updated Guide: Cheap Train Tricks Related: Train & Coach Deals
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New. 0% balance transfers for TWO YEARS
Longest ever interest-free deal | Shift exiting debts to 0% for a 3.2% fee
If you've debts on costly credit cards, you can shift them to a new deal that equals the longest-ever 0% offered. All cards require you pass a credit check & always try to clear debt or shift before the 0% ends.
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 TWO years 0%. Accepted new Barclaycard* Platinum customers can shift other card debts to it for 24 months 0% for a fee of 3.2% of the amount transferred. This can win for many with large debts, but if you can fully repay quicker, a different Barclaycard* Platinum offers 22 months 0% for a lower 2.9% fee. Repay both in full or switch again when the 0% ends or the interest jumps to 17.9% representative APR.
- Already got a Barclaycard? To switch, you'll need an alternative. Halifax* is 22 months 0% with a 3.5% fee but the rate jumps to 17.9% rep APR after. Or Virgin* 0% for 20 months for a 2.99% fee and 18.9% rep APR after.
- Get 0% with just 1.6% fee if you can repay quicker. Another Barclaycard* Platinum gives 0% for 16 months with a lower 1.6% fee. Again, you can't transfer from a Barclaycard. An alternative is a different Virgin* card at 0% for 16 months with a 1.99% fee. Pay off before the 0% ends or rates jump to 18.9% or 16.6% rep APR, respectively.
For full details and our 'Which card's your cheapest?' tool, see the Updated Guide: Balance Transfers (see Official APR Examples). Related: 15 months' 0% Spending, 6.3% Loans
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Switch your gran
Help older friends and relatives save £300 a year on gas & electricity
It's an outrage many older people with low incomes, and who need to keep their home warm the most, often pay the most. We can't change the system (yet), but if you've a trusting relationship...
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 Do a comparison for them to get the best deal. The cheapest depends where they live and how much energy they use. Use one of the sites below (preferably with your relative there). It's easier, but not essential, if you have their bills handy.
Top Comparison: Energyhelpline* pays £15 cashback per switch for gas, elec or dual.
Dual Fuel: MoneySupermarket*, £30 cashback, or uSwitch*, mid-range wine crate.
- Online or offline tariff? If your grandparents aren't online they may miss out, as that's where the cheapest deals are. If possible, set them up with an email address to access bills or monitor the email address for them. If not, check when you compare if you can get bills posted and give meter readings by phone. Surprisingly, some tariffs call themselves online but still offer paper billing.
- Is it worth fixing? A fixed tariff is like an insurance policy against price hikes. If they can't risk rises, a cheap fix is a no-brainer. The savings against standard tariffs are huge, and for your relative it may be a good way of locking into cheap prices. See full Fixing FAQ for more.
- Pay by direct debit. This cuts costs by up to 10% more, and you can usually phone in meter readings.
See the Guide: Nonline Energy Switching Related: Cheap Gas & Elec, Boiler Cover
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