Tips, Tricks & Treats All top bargains, loopholes & deals

It can be complicated to sort out phone and Internet providers; there are so many packages on offer and so many levels of service it's a bit of a minefield. You can find info about things you should watch out for and detailed best buys in the Cheap Home Phones, Cheapest Mobiles, and Cheapest Broadband articles respectively.

However, before switching, check MoneySavers' suggestions and feedback on the Telephones Board to ensure you're going to get value for money.

Say no to 0870. Named NationalCall, numbers beginning in 0870 are actually more like premium rates, costing up to 6p/minute. Since they're often used by companies which keep you waiting on hold anyway, their cost mounts up quickly, and is especially irritating when you're trying to solve a problem the company created in the first place.

Luckily, there's often a secondary, local-rate number available, and even if not you can still cut the call cost. Read Say No To 0870 for full information.

Free texts. If you're a bit of a textaholic and you've a recent mobile handset, there's a nifty loophole which'll let you send texts from your phone for 0.5p each. Plus, send 'em from the net and you can do it free. The Free Texts article includes all the details you need to slash your text costs by more than 95%.

At times debt can be all-pervasive and depressing, yet there�s always a way out and lots of support's available for those on their way back to the black. The Budget Planner's a good place to start, or, if your debts are getting out of control, try the Debt Problems: Where To Go, What To Do article.

Each week we pick a top discussion from the Debt Free Wannabe forum, but this is just the tip of the iceberg; at any one time hundreds of people are giving each other help and support. Anybody can join; you just need to be honest and ready to solve the problem.