Are Martin's articles out of date?

Chumana

I'm still trying to get my head around this balance transfer procedure using Egg cards, which I applied for following the advice written in Martin's articles. However, I am totally confused by what appears to be conflicting information between his articles and the advice I've received on this board a week or so ago, as well as other threads on the subject. I am now wondering whether his articles could be out of date (I couldn't see an "article last updated" comment to give me a clue, or whether it's just me being a dimwit!

To quote from one of the articles ...

It’s worth noting that for new customers, Egg charges a fee for balance transfers of 2% of the total amount (capped at £50). This does not affect the anniversary offer, you will pay no BT fee for switching money then. It simply means that it’s not the best card to embark upon your balance transferring with (see Best Balance Transfers for details of the current best choices).

Martin mentions that the BT fee on Egg is capped at £50 but since applying for the cards I've discovered that it isn't, meaning that it's going to cost me considerably more than I expected to move *debt around, and I have quite possibly wasted a credit search and application when maybe there's another card out there that's better suited to what I need it for.

*I italicised the word debt because I don't actually count the negative balance on my Lloyds 0% cc (due to end in July) as a true debt because I have stashed away whatever I have spent on it into a high interest savings account so I could pay it off immediately should I need to.

MSE_Martin

Hi its very important when you read articles that you check the date on the article at the top.

You will note some are 'updated weekly', some 'monthly, some quarterly' and some have a publication date.

Those that are weekly are effectively constantly monitored and aim to be always on the nose.

The monthlies are reviewed when a major product change or once a month.

Quarterly is obvious and a published date article means the info was correct at that date, but hasn't been changed.

The nature of an editorial site means updating all the articles constantly which is why there is a prioritised system.

I will check these articles over, but just as a general note

martin

Chumana

Thank you very much for your reply Martin, much appreciated

I realise now, looking back at what I wrote, that I appear to be blaming your article on me making a possible bad decision, which isn't how I intended it to come across as I know that I am fully responsible for whatever decisions I make and whatever cards I apply for. I'm sorry if it came across that way

I did try to look for a date of publication on the article but seem to have missed it somehow so I'll check more thoroughly next time.

I've spent some more time thinking about it this afternoon and maybe it's not quite the disaster I first imagined because if worse comes to worse, I can pay off Lloyds from my savings and then use the Egg card for 0% purchases to rebuild my savings again, so maybe all is not lost

And I've also realised that maybe this stoozing game might not be for me, especially as I seem to have entered it at a time the banks/cc companies have upped the stakes and made life a whole lot more complicated for everyone!

Astaroth

The problem with any advice be it an artical or a forum message is that banks/ insurance companies can change their deals/ rates etc on a daily basis and rarely make a song and dance about it if it isnt for the possitive. There is no where you can go to get all the information in one place as no where is able to check every option with every provider and their partnerships every 5 minutes in case they have changed.

It is always worth checking around - I was suprised the other day when I phoned Halifax as the person I spoke to was able to check all their "brands" and partnerships and was able to tell me the different offers they had on depending on your approach. With their own "one card" they told me that online is a 2% transfer fee with 0% for 12 months but if you get it over the phone rather than online it is the same deal but the transfer rate is capped at £50.

Even though they are the competition to my employers it was definately a big thumbs up from me.

thor

MSE_Martin wrote:

Hi its very important when you read articles that you check the date on the article at the top.

You will note some are 'updated weekly', some 'monthly, some quarterly' and some have a publication date.

Those that are weekly are effectively constantly monitored and aim to be always on the nose.

The monthlies are reviewed when a major product change or once a month.

Quarterly is obvious and a published date article means the info was correct at that date, but hasn't been changed.

The nature of an editorial site means updating all the articles constantly which is why there is a prioritised system.

I will check these articles over, but just as a general note

martin

Martin, I've not read the articles in question but maybe with any advice that is time dependant you should type in bold at the top of the article that for current offers always check the t&cs before diving in.

Chumana

I've had another look at the article I referred to above and I'm still struggling to find a date on it anywhere, but knowing me it's probably staring me right in the face in huge letters somewhere and I'm just blind!

I have however now spotted the "updated monthly" but I'm afraid it's not immediately obvious with it being italicised and in the same size font to the paragraph below which, incidentally, has been written in bold thus immediately drawing the eye to that and completely missing the two small words written above it. And without a date written alongside, it doesn't give any indication of whether an update has just occurred or is imminent, unless we are to assume that everything written is a month out of date!