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Updated MSE blog: 16 free or cheap kids' book tricks
MSE Jenny has updated her blog: 📚 16 free or cheap kids' book tricks 📚 It includes free e-books with your library, free must-read Kindle titles, 10 books for £10 and more. How many of these have you tried? Is there anything you'd add?
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Money Moral Dilemma: Should I pay to have the bike my ex-husband got our son serviced?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... My ex-husband bought our son a second-hand bike that cost £180 for Christmas the year before last. Since then it's been badly damaged a couple of times, and I've paid for it to be fixed professionally. My ex now wants the bike back to sell, saying the money he gets will go…
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Dealing with my difficult mother
I have Type Two diabetes which is a chronic condition ie it's not supposed to get better. I eat low carb so it's in remission. but if I ate normally, I would get sick again. It takes a lot of effort on my part. I can't eat anything with sugar, so that rules out not just chocolate and ice cream, but also tinned soup, loads…
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Child Trust Fund
Hi, I'm new here so if I'm in the wrong place please let me know. The most recent post recent on MSE on Child Trust Funds suggested that the top paying Child ISA fund has an interest rate of 4.95% where as the One Family Trust Fund pays only 2.3% and therefore in most cases it made sense to move your child's money out and…
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Property Income Excluded from Free Childcare Hours
Does anyone know why property income is excluded from the calculation when working out the eligibility for the 15 free hours of childcare? It seems to be a very specific form of income to pick on.
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Money Moral Dilemma: My son wants me to give him £40,000 even though he doesn't need it - should I?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... After selling my recently-deceased dad's house, I gave my daughter £40,000 as a deposit on a house. As my son has a very good job and already has a house, I had my will rewritten to say that he will get the first £40,000 from my house when the time comes, to make things fair.…
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2 year funding april
Anyone applied recently can tell me how long it took to get your code? And buy recent i mean feb /late feb or early narch
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Removing mould from shower curtains and shower mats
Help - does anyone know how to remove mould from shower curtains or shower mats? I have tried bircabonate of soda, bleach, vinegar. However I have tried clit black mould remover which does remove mould from taps and tiles and soap mats is good but not for shower curtains or shower mats. I always keep the window open and…
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How much can you change yourself
Okay, a bit of an odd one maybe, but changed my mind - please delete
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Child tax credit and maternity
This may seem like a stupid question but i have searched and searched and can't find the answer. If i am on maternity but normally earn over £60k i am NOT entitled to child tax credit in the same was as someone earning less than this? Even though maternity pay after 6 weeks drops to less than 40% and then no pay shortly…
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How to make this fair is it even possible?
So I own two properties and have about £120,000 in equity across the two. I would want to keep both of those properties whilst moving in with my partner. He claims he is asset, rich, but cash poor, but actually, neither of those are true, really. He earns about the same as me, but the truth is he Mortgage up to the…
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Money Moral Dilemma: Should my eldest child split their Child Trust Fund savings with my youngest?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... I've three children, born in 2005, 2008 and 2011. My first and second child received Child Trust Funds from the Government; my third didn't, having been born after they were available. My first child received £500 and my second £250, and we've not topped up either account. My…
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Suggestions for summer holiday with 6mo baby
Hi We are struggling to get any good ideas for where to go on holiday this summer (late aug/sept) with first baby at 6 months Ideally abroad as we'd love to have some sun and relax but that means airports and planes and temperatures that could be too hot for a baby Also, I guess we need a decent supermarket close by for…
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Cost of school trips
I’m interested to hear what other people pay for school trips and what they think is an appropriate level. My children go to state school. This school year I have been asked to pay £23.50 for a trip to the pantomime and £245 for a two day residential, both for a year 7 child. My year 5 child also has a two day residential…
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Savings
I had the same issue, as my son was born on Aug 02 & daughter Oct 04, so son just mist out, I opened a Junior ISA for him and saved for both, son received £1,800 on his 18th and so did my daughter for her18th. It’s the parents responsibility to sort out and not for the oldest to take on this responsibility.
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Deals on baby car seat
Hello, My first baby is due shortly and I managed to get most of the baby bits second hand, but the recommendation is to get a brand new car seat due to safety reasons. There is a particular Cybex model I am after, as it fits our car and requirements, but it's a pretty new model and unlikely to be discounted on a sale…
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Anyone Else Not Having Turkey This Christmas?
The price of turkeys has been getting ridiculous these past few years and as there are only 3 of us and no other family within 500 miles we've been having turkey crowns for as long as I can remember. But this year we started using an oven style air fryer with shelves instead of a conventional oven to save on electricity.…
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Invisalign v braces
My daughter just told me my 11 yrs old grandson qualify for braces on the NHS if he did not qualify, the cost is approx £2500. She was given the option of going private at a cost if £4500 for Invisalign She does not mind him wearing braces but was put off with the idea that he has to have two teeth removed. He is also…
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I feel like my son is spiralling out of control
Hi I am not sure whether I am seeking advice or just some support and someone to tell me I am not the worst mother in the world? In a nutshell myself and my husband separated 10 years ago, I brought up our two children and he saw them a few days a month. I have always been so close to my son who is 19 until the last 12…
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Renting out your car on Turo
I'm thinking of renting out my car on Turo or Hiyacar. Post pandemic, with home working, and two days a week in the office, which I commute to on my bike, the car is standing idle on the drive most of the time. It seems a waste not to make some money from it. I'm struggling to find out about the insurance implications.…
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Gift the money or pay for what they need
Hello, I am wanting to help my child with her home renovation financially. Am I better to gift her a few thousand pounds directly, or would it be better for me to “buy” something - I.e pay for her new windows directly to the glazing to company, or pay for her re-wire? So it doesn’t go through her first? It would only go to…