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Over 50s MoneySaving

Archives for November 2006

Staywarm tighten the screw
We've been on Powergen's Staywarm tariff since I turned 60 and it's saved us a load of money in that time. But Powergen are ceasing to subsidise the Staywarm tariff; it's the same with most good deals - when everyone catches on, it becomes just too expensive to keep up and they're losing money hand over fist. Last year our…
Me or my Mum?
Evening all, I am 26 and currently live at home with my mum who is 54. At the moment, the phone/gas/electric/sky bills are under my name and come out of my bank account. What I am planning to do is change the TV Liscense, Council Tax, and Water biils into my name and use my bank account aswell. Now I know the TV Liscense…
entitlments for 93 year old
Does anyone know of any entitlments a 93 year would be able to get e.g free passport? Thanks
Signing house over to children before care
Hi folks can anyone help with the rules of signing the house over to the children in case care is needed and having to sell the house to pay for it........don't know where to post this.......where do I stand........?
Care homes - how save money & give more to grandkids?
Hi, I wonder if you can tell me a bit about UK care home costs (and money saving!), eg. 1. Is there council help for paying for them? 2. Is that means tested? 3. What is the threshold (approx) of personal savings before you must completely self-finance? 4. What happens if you self-finance then use up all your money - do…
Arthritis & Laptop
Hi, Like many folk I have arthritis, at the moment bad flare up in my hands I use a laptop and was just wondering if anyone knows anything that helps? I am trained typist (honest - though many years ago) some say this makes things worse??If I'm in the wrong place please move me!! Many thanks in advance.
please help: I wanna walk-in bathtub
Hiya, My gran is having a new bathroom installed - and as she's quite elderly and weak, she's looking to get a walk-in bathtub installed. Please can anyone help on the following: price make/model reviews/recommendations Thank you so much in advance :)
Should the minimum wage be acceptable for people over 50 who have other income?
My sister is 61 and has taken her old age pension at 60. She would like another job (she had to retire at 60 from her last one) but finds that some employers expect her to accept the minimum wage because she already has her pension. This applied to jobs where she would have to take responsibilty for large sums of money as…
Discount for Knitters!
hi everyone, I am a keen knitter, and have found a lovely website called https://www.kokobino.com [think i have spelt it right!]. It is a bit pricey but i bought a £20 item. Better still, they gave me a promotional discount NS0107 which will get you 15% off your order. Happy news if you like knitting!:beer:
Questioned by the Pharmacist
My Mum is 77 years old and recently whilst collecting a prescription from Lloyd's Pharmacy she was asked to go into a private room and questioned about her medication,she is perfectly OK in every respect ,this was done after her DOB was stated,this is ageism and generalizing,and Mum was perturbed ,why do we need this sort…
Belgium or France?
Hi all, I'm hoping for a little advice/info please. I'm going to take OH on a day out to France or Belgium, mainly to stock up on some Xmas goodies. As this will be our first ever trip for this purpose, can anyone advise if we can both bring the recommended amounts of duty-free items back through customs or not. Any other…
Scams
Martin is doing on superb job on money saving - but perhaps a new area to look at is "Scams" where we are all vulnerable - e.g. being asked to ring certain 090 numbers - not only "you have won"??? but more cryptic and devious messages &c There is a wealth of useful information on Scams at p.24 https://www.silverhairs.co.uk…
savings interest rates
I'm no good at working these things out so could anyone with a maths brain tell me what the difference would be over 1 year if investing £2000 per month at 5.5% (Coventry 60+ saver easy access) or £24000 up front at 5.45% p.a (Icesave and ICICI bank) I suspect the latter but what would the difference be? raldaman
Glucosamine
Please I am sure a lot of members in this forum take glucosamine. I believe, they are made with shellfish. The reason I am asking is that my blood cholesterol came very high 8+, I eat very healthy, not over weight and exercise and doing the right thing and still cannot understand why it is so high. I am wondering whether…
The dreaded Council Tax
Councils are now starting their deliberations about how much the increase will be - again - next year. It looks like it will be another 5% next April - on top of all the increases there have been over the years. If you haven't seen it, the nationwide, non-party political Isitfair council tax protest group has a web site at…
iht nil rate bands
How do you word a will to ensure both the husband and wife use their IHT nil rate band pls For a normal will "I leave everything to the wife / husband etc there will only be one nil band Confused
Mother turns 60 in December...
As a birthday treat for both my parents i am taking them to the Algarve on holiday (in April next year). I began to think about what where the pros about being 60+. My mum says something about the Government helping towards winter costs ie gas. But she insists you must apply in November and as she is 60 in December she…
Disabled Facilities Grants
Hello......... I have been helping friends to apply for a disabled facilities grant.(new ground floor toilet and bedroom also electrical works ie moveing sockets and light switches throughout all the ground floor rooms) The grant is almost finalized and will cover the cost of the works. They own their own property outright…
Best and cheapest place for specs ?
I wear varifocal specs, and last had a new pair some 10 years ago when I was a bit flush with cash, so I spent a lot on them. Am now having to be very careful with money and in dire need of new ones. Please can anyone tell me whether I would be better going to Specsavers, Vision Express or Boots (or anywhere else - I live…
Over 60?
Hi My OH and I are over 60 - I have retired and get a pension, and husband is working to 65. I wondered what discounts or freebies we could get - I get free prescriptions and bus rides. That's all - what am I missing?? ( not entitled to any state benefits/credits cos Husband working. Thanks Vicki

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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Over 50s MoneySaving

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