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Learn to be a deal detective and save thousands: Cash in on freebies and discounts

Jordon Cox is so good at digging out discounts he has published a book on the subject. The 22-year-old from Essex is even nicknamed the Coupon Kid. And while cutting out coupons might seem too much like hard work, Jordon insists that, if you follow his tips, you could save thousands of pounds a year.

A host of different websites and credit cards effectively enable you to profit as you shop, by rewarding you with a cash perk for buying anything, from insurance and holidays to MoTs and mobile phones.

Terry Smith, one of the investment management industry's leading fund managers, will step down from the emerging markets trust at the end of the month.

ASK TONY: We paid Thomas Cook £40 to pick our seats but ended up by the loos 

We pre-booked seats and meals with Thomas Cook for our flight home from Skiathos, Greece, at a cost of £40 each. At check-in, we were told the seats had been overbooked, so were allocated 38E and 38F instead of 5A and 5B. However, these were the rearmost seats, adjacent to the toilets, making them probably the worst on the plane.

Until recently, when the latest smartphone hit the shelves fans would queue around the block to be the first to get their hands on it. But now sky-high prices mean people are hanging on to their mobiles.

Average house prices in the UK increased by 1.4 per cent in the year to March, up slightly from 1 per cent in the previous month, according to data from the ONS and HM Land Registry.

Vauxhall invited Ray Massey, as part of a select group, to put its new sixth-generation Corsa hatchback through its paces before it hits the showrooms. Here's what he found out.

Earning a degree now lumbers students with an average debt of £50,000, and high interest rates mean most won't pay it back before it is automatically wiped after three decades.

EDITOR'S DEALS OF THE WEEK
For current account rewards and interest conditions may apply eg. using provider's full switching service, min deposits and direct debits. For savings, access maybe limited, min/max deposits may apply. See T&Cs. Representative example: If you spend £1,200 at a purchase interest rate of 18.95% p.a. (variable) your representative rate will be 18.9% APR (variable).

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MARKET REPORT: Investors purr as Pets at Home shares soar 14% after it smashes

Profits climbed 6.1 per cent to £89.7m for the year to March 28, not including the effects of a £40.4m charge related to the restructuring of its vet business. The pet products retailer said its shops had returned to profit growth faster than expected, and sales were up 5.1 per cent. Rather than trying to rake in more money by selling fewer expensive items, it has cut prices to attract more customers.

As Britain’s most recently privatised utility, the Royal Mail is very much in the sights of Jeremy Corbyn – with some of the group’s militant, unionised workforce among those favouring state ownership.

The consumer prices index rose by 2.1 per cent in the year to April. This is up from 1.9 per cent in the year to March, and above the Bank of England’s 2 per cent target.

Amazon's Rekognition system has been branded ‘perhaps the most dangerous surveillance technology ever developed’ by civil rights groups, who argue it can be misused.

Rumours that Prime Minister Theresa May could be ousted caused sterling to slide yesterday against the euro for the 13th day in a row. The currency dropped 0.2 per cent to around €1.1354.

The total doled out to investors falls to £150m, from £250m. Rico Back, Royal Mail’s boss, said this would fund £1.8bn of investment over five years to prepare it for a future of internet shopping.

Aston Martin launches new special edition of its DBS Superleggera

Aston Martin is producing a special edition of its 211mph DBS Superleggera to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the James Bond movie 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' – with a royally hefty £300,007 price tag to match. Note the cleverly calculated '007' ending price - which is 64 times more than the original classic DBS of 1969 to which it pays homage.

Natwest refused to refund university lecturer Rebecca Scott for five months after fraudsters, claiming to be from Natwest's fraud team, stole almost £8,000 from her bank account

Terry Smith, Nick Train and other fund managers share their investing tips

When it comes to investing your money, there is almost too much choice. So who better to help than those who have made spotting money-making opportunities their full-time job? Here, HOLLY THOMAS speaks to six of the City's most successful investment gurus about their top tips on smart investing - and the pitfalls to avoid.

Six features that are ultimate garden status symbols

With Chelsea Flower Show running this week, we ask what are some of the most en vogue features that will truly set your garden apart. We pick six luxury features, including bespoke sculptures and elaborate children's playgrounds to complete outdoor kitchens and helipads. There is also a property with a Japanese garden, with a vernacular style bridge spanning a fish pond and a Japanese garden room.

With a tiny number of residential loans and a total book of £3.7billion Tesco is finding it difficult to compete, especially as it needs to pay depositors more to fund its lending. So it is pulling out.

In the past two months, the so-called 'offset mortgage' sector has seen a resurgence after both Yorkshire and Vernon building societies launched new deals.

How to invest your way to be an Isa millionaire

Retired entrepreneurs Chris and Brenda Gandy have grown their nest-egg to nearly £1 million. And the 67-year-olds are in good company, with an estimated 1,000 UK savers now part of the so-called Isa millionaire club. So how can you give yourself the best chance of one day joining it, too? The first step is to open a stocks and shares Isa to ensure all your investment gains are protected from the taxman.

Investing in companies poised to make it big might bring rewards over time, but if you back the wrong ones, you could lose a fortune. That's why successful fund managers are paid huge salaries.

Doctors turning down overtime and taking early retirement because of insane pension rules have grabbed attention in recent days. But as investors, we are all enmeshed in this tangled web.

TV presenter Julia Bradbury sleeps in a caravan on a floating campsite on the Thames for a

To mark the centenary year of the caravan and the start of National Camping and Caravanning Week 2019, former Countryfile host Julia Bradbury spent a night in the middle of the Thames near Tower Bridge on the first ever floating campsite. We went to visit the TV presenter ahead of her evening's stay on the river.

Tax peril of mix-and-match Isas: Savers can easily fall foul of the rules

They run the risk of forfeiting a chunk of their Isa allowance unless they pick the right bank or building society. It's all down to the way each organisation has set up its Isas. Some let you mix fixed rate and easy-access accounts, and add to them whenever you want during the year. All are wrapped up together to count as just one cash Isa.

Solo traveller Sue Murgatroyd (pictured) feels penalised by single supplements after her husband Peter died from a suspected blood clot six years ago.

Analysis by insurer Royal London found borrowers aged 51 to 55 were taking out mortgages worth, on average, up to 30 per cent of the value of their homes in 2007, leaving them with at least 70 per cent equity.

Best current account deals: HSBC brings back £175 cash reward for switchers

The banking giant has brought back its £175 golden hello for those switching to its Advance Account, and has also introduced sweeteners for its Basic and Premier bank accounts. In order to get the £175 upfront cash bonus, customers must switch to HSBC's Advance Account using the Current Account Switch Service, and pay in £1,750 a month.

Goldman Sachs Marcus account comes with a 0.15 percentage point bonus payable for 12 months, while the Virgin one lets you make only two withdrawals each year.

For years, blameless bank customers have been tricked into parting with their hard-earned cash by increasingly sophisticated fraudsters. Lives have been devastated, and yet criminals are still at it.

Driverless cars improve traffic flow by more than a third, says Cambridge study

Researchers from the university programmed a small fleet of miniature robotic cars to drive on a multi-lane track and measured traffic flow when one stopped, with fully autonomous and simulated 'driven' cars. They found that the advantage of vehicles working together using artificial intelligence is that they will keep moving smoothly instead of bunching up - as a result improving traffic flow by 'at least 35 per cent'.

Britain's largest carmaker - owned by Indian firm Tata - slumped from a £400million profit in the previous financial year as it was hit by the economic slowdown in China.

Why Tesco Bank's mortgage pain means you could save money

Fierce competition in the mortgage market has forced six lenders to shut up shop since the start of the year - but all the vying for business means that customers can get some great deals.

Emily Evans bought her first doer-upper in Bridgwater, Somerset, aged 19, with her then boyfriend. They put down a £16,000 deposit and snapped up the Victorian semi for £160,000.

Tesco blamed challenging market conditions as closed a major chapter of its push into banking, once seen as a highly profitable area ripe for the supermarket to disrupt.

How to make a pension last a lifetime: The essential guide to financial success in

Four years ago, the Government brought in a rule change that had dramatic consequences for retirees. The reforms, known as 'pension freedoms', gave savers unprecedented flexibility around how they spend their hard-earned cash in retirement. But with that freedom comes a huge responsibility to ensure you do not run out of money and end up living on the poverty line in old age.

Phil Spencer, who hosts popular TV shows such as Location, Location, Location, reveals some of his simple value-adding tips, such as naming your house and hanging mirrors.

What are the 26 Great British A-Z 10p coins worth?

Last year we revealed coin collectors would be handed the challenge of hunting down 26 new 10p coins, featuring an A-Z of what makes Britain great.2.6million of the coins were initially minted in 2018, starting from the Angel of the North and running to the Zebra Crossing, via James Bond, cricket, fish and chips and a teapot. So, what are they worth now?

High street giant NatWest denied it was reneging on a five year old pledge to no longer offer 0 per cent balance transfer credit cards to customers, as it announced today it was re-entering the market

Deborah Meaden's tips on how to be a successful entrepreneur

Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden offers her advice on becoming a successful entrepreneur at any age. Despite turning 60 this year, Deborah has no intention of putting her feet up any time soon. We caught up with her after a long day of filming for the 17th series of the popular BBC show, which airs this summer. 'Retirement has never, ever crossed my mind,' she says. 'And I honestly can't imagine when or why it would. If you're doing the thing you love, why on earth would you want to stop doing it?'

Fraudsters promise high returns to those who invest in cryptocurrencies and forex, according to Action Fraud and the Financial Conduct Authority. Victims lost an average of £14,600 in 2018-19.

The 59-year-old's giant Equity Income fund has had its rating cut by Morningstar from 'bronze' to 'neutral' - the second-lowest level, above only 'negative'.

Customers are cancelling insurance they can no longer afford

Research has found that 38 per cent of people had cancelled one or more insurance policies over the past three years because they could no longer afford them. In in 56 per cent of these cases, cancellations occurred in the past 12 months. Respondents cited both a rise in the cost of insurance and a drop in income as their reason for cancelling.

Personal finance site MoneySavingExpert discovered a Thomas Sabo silver bracelet cost £119 at Littlewoods, while the same item was on sale for £89 at Very - a £30 or 25 per cent difference.

The numbers changing their supplier in April were up 34 per cent since April 2018 and the highest number ever recorded, according to data from Energy UK, a trade body.

Fashion chain Prada pledges to go fur-free from 2020 following talks with animal rights

The move follows similar action by Gucci, Armani, Hugo Boss, Tom Ford, Versace and Net-a-Porter, after an outcry over cruelty at fur farms.

Canadian mining giant Barrick has offered to buy the 35 per cent of shares it does not already own, at a heavily discounted price. The offer is an attempt to end a dispute with the Tanzanian government.

Trainline, which lets people book train and bus journeys via its website and app, plans to offload a 25 per cent stake. This will include its private equity owner KKR selling part of its holding.

Royal Mail has warned it will cut its dividend from next year to help support transformation plans, as the postal service reported a dip in profits

In a scathing attack, Berenberg economist Kallum Pickering said governor Mark Carney is losing control, leaving the UK at risk of a surprise rise in interest rates.

EE beats Vodafone in the battle for 5G

Customers in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast will be able to access the service from Thursday, May 30 using 5G-capable handsets. This is ahead of Vodafone, which will launch in seven cities from July 3. BT-owned EE said it will give another ten cities access by the end of the year, with the total coverage rising to 50 towns and cities in 2020.

Despite ministers pledging to do everything they can to save Britain's second-largest steel producer, it is now in liquidation after the government failed to hand it a £30million bailout.

Pret a Manger has bought rival food and drink retailer, Eat, which will help accelerate growth of its vegetarian brand, the firm has revealed.

Craig Donaldson, 47, issued an extraordinary apology to shareholders for the problems which have sent Metro stock plummeting 83 per cent from its peak in March last year.

Sterling slipped below $1.27 for the first time in almost five months, following growing speculation that Theresa May's Brexit deal will be junked by her replacement as Tory Leader.

How to make your property pay without moving out

After decades of rising house prices, many homeowners have found themselves property rich but cash poor. Well, the good news is that you don't have to move out to turn your house into a cash machine, as these four entrepreneurial property owners show.

In Wales, the average asking price of newly-listed homes breached the £200,000 mark for the first time on record last month, rising by 2.1 per cent, Rightmove's latest figures show.

I feel that buying a home in my mid-20s was the best investment I ever made. I took advice to stretch myself as far as I could on the mortgage.

Quiz to guess the price of these log cabins

The humble log cabin has come a long way, and today offers a range of home comforts. These can range from gas central heating and fully integrated kitchens with central islands to spacious bedrooms with en suite shower rooms. How many of the half a dozen in our quiz can you get right, with values ranging from £25,000 to an impressive £1million. Some of the chalets can only be used as a holiday home part of the year, while others can be used as a permanent home that be used all of the time.

Do you still get the state pension if you go into a care home?

This is Money pensions columnist Steve Webb explains the rules, which depend on whether you pay fees yourself or if your place in a home is publicly funded. He also explains how whether you simply need help with basic needs, or nursing care as well, affects the financial situation.

Best dividend funds and trusts for investors paying more than 4%

When a company cuts its dividend payments, it can send many a chill through the wallets of shareholders, especially when that income is apart of their financial armoury. Vodafone cut its payout this week and there are fears that other big payers could follow suit. So where should investors look now for reliable, well-covered income.

It's an investment strategy, overseen by Alasdair Mundy, that can take a while to generate results. Over the past five years, the fund's performance has failed to match the FTSE All Share Index.

At 60p and with the prospect of more dividend growth in the pipeline (provided the economy does not nosedive), the shares represent good value for money.

20 of the best money-saving deals to put an extra £10,000 in your bank account

Follow our definitive list of the 20 best deals right now and that cause the least trouble to achieve. No need to turn off the lights or live on bread and water. It is simply a case of searching for value for money in everything from your bank account to what you wear and how you keep fit. Read our list to check what we think are among the best deals out there, use our helpful money-saving tools and tell us if you know of a better deal.

Some insurers - such as VitalityLife - are doing their bit by now allowing customers to extend their financial protection cover beyond its normal end date.

Amazon's offer will target homes with a smart speaker - enabling people to ask a remote assistant such as Alexa to play their favourite music from an online library containing millions of tunes.

How much money do I need to save for my pension?

The amount you can save into a pension ultimately depends on what you can afford - but the longer you leave it the more you will need to save. We tend to put ambitious targets on our hoped-for income in retirement and then underestimate how much we will need to set aside to achieve that. So how much should you save?

Each week we pick out our favourite financial deals to slash your outgoings and make your money stretch further. This week it's savings accounts, a top travel credit card and best-buy mortgages.

Best stocks & shares Isas: Pick the best DIY investment platform

Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.

We asked trusted experts to recommend the best funds that cover different investment sectors - and included This is Money's selection of active and passive options too.

Rightly or wrongly, some people simply want a quick, straightforward route map to investing in an Isa. To that end, this is our distilled guide to getting started.

When will UK interest rates rise?

Lower than expected inflation figures have added weight to expectations that interest rate rises will remain on hold throughout most of 2019. This combined with the Brexit extension is forecast to keep monetary policy steady, with rates held at 0.75 per cent. While unemployment is low and wages are rising, there are still concerns over Britain's consumer economy and business investment being stalled by continuing Brexit uncertainty.

Best mortgage rates: Compare fixed rate and tracker rate mortgage deals

The average two-year fixed rate mortgage rate has crept up by 0.13 per cent in the past month, possibly showing the first signs that the ongoing price war between lenders is drawing to a close.

Ten tips for buy-to-let: Essential advice for property investment

Buy-to-let is much tougher than it once was. But for many Britons the idea of investing in property still appeals, as they trust bricks and mortar and may feel that they can add value to a property. Read our top ten buy-to-let tips

Premium Bonds Winners

Prize Area Value of bond
£1,000,000 Kent £3,000
£1,000,000 York £5,000
£100,000 Central Scotland £20,000
£100,000 Kent £2,500
£100,000 Cornwall £5,000
£100,000 Kent £5,000
£100,000 West Scotland £5,000
£50,000 Kent £37,000
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