Tart Alert

Last year I wrote about a site, for UK users, which provides free financial information called MoneySavingExpert.com. It covers everything from which credit cards, mortgage companies and savings accounts are offering the best rates, through the minefield of how to track down the best insurance deals on cars, home and travel. It offers sound, unbiased, plain speaking information on how to calculate which energy supplier is most cost effective for you, to where all the best low-cost flights and deals are. It has information on how to tackle the 'big boys' in the financial world and fight back.

And it works. How do I know this? Because I emailed Miss U a link to an article, which is still heavily pushed on the site, about how you could legitimately claim back the last 6 years worth of bank charges. Yep, the last 6 years. Ha, got your attention now haven't I?

Miss U wrote on her blog last week about her success and how she has received nearly £600 back from her bank. Her only real problem was how to spend it, but like I always say, sometimes, life's a bitch!!

Anyway, on the back of her success after sharing that link with her, anyone in the UK who hasn't already tried it should.

More than that, this weeks email has a MoneySaving tool called 'tart alert' on it, which is free to use. I haven't set my alerts yet, but as the alerts are sent via email, I see no reason why those who are not in the UK should not be able to take advantage of it too.

What is a 'tart alert' I hear you ask?

Apathy is valuable. Many companies make a fortune out of our forgetfulness. The tart alert is a way to fight back. Quite simply it's a free text or e-mail reminder six weeks before you need to act, so you can beat the bank. Be a tart, be disloyal.
Shift to the best products and you'll keep the cash in your pocket not companies'. Originally designed to warn when credit card 0% interest ends, it can be used for car and home insurance renewal dates and other reminders too.

So do yourselves a favour, and check it out.

I was wondering what other uses I could put it too. Birthday reminders would not be much use 6 weeks early, for me even one week early would still have me missing them, memory like a sieve me.

But maybe a reminder for 'buy now on 12mths interest free credit' deals would be a good one. You know those deals where you don't have to make a payment for 12 months but if you don't pay it off before the 12 months is up... boy do they take the proverbial with the interest rate!! A little reminder to sort your finances out and pay up would be great.

The obvious insurance renewals. 6 weeks gives ample time to properly research the market and get the best available deal.

What else could we all put it to use for? Any ideas?