Personal finance

Martin Lewis: Calling time on costly mobiles

Be careful next time you spot a stunner with a gorgeously sleek body. See a sexy new mobile handset and often all you can think about is getting your mitts on it. Yet, when comparing phone deals, it’s the tariff that counts – ignore tempting distractions like handsets or cashback.

Credit Cards Loans Loan Search Current

Select Type:

Card	Rate	Duration	Typical APR	BT Fee
Barclaycard Platinum	0%	15 mths	15.9%	2.9%
NatWest Platinum	0%	15 mths	16.9%	2.9%
Royal Bank of Scotland Platinum	0%	15 mths	16.9%	2.9%
Virgin Credit Card	0%	14 mths	16.6%	2.98%
Egg Card	0%	Until 01/05/2011	16.9%	3.0%
Barclaycard Gold	0%	Until 01/04/2011	19.9%	2.5%
MBNA Platinum	0%	13 mths	16.9%	2.9%
MBNA Platinum Rewards Card	0%	13 mths	16.9%	2.9%
BT Credit Card	0%	13 mths	16.9%	3.0%
AA Credit Card	0%	12 mths	16.9%	3.0%
Post Office Platinum	0%	12 mths	15.8%	2.98%
bmi American Express Credit Card from MBNA	0%	12 mths	15.9%	3.0%
Sainsbury's Credit Card	0%	10 mths	15.9%	3.0%
Halifax All In One	0%	9 mths	15.9%	3.0%
Lloyds TSB Airmiles Duo	0%	6 mths	15.9%	3.0%
MBNA Platinum Visa Credit Card	5.9%	Life of Balance	16.9%	2.0%

Card	Rate	Duration	Typical APR
Virgin Credit Card	0%	12 mths	18.9%
AA Credit Card	0%	10 mths	16.9%
Sainsbury's Credit Card	0%	10 mths	15.9%
Halifax All In One	0%	9 mths	15.9%
Bank of Scotland All In One	0%	9 mths	15.9%
American Express Rewards Credit Card	0%	6 mths	17.9%
Barclaycard Platinum	0%	3 mths	15.9%
Post Office Platinum	0%	3 mths	15.8%
Capital One Plus	0%	Until 01/09/2010	14.9%
MBNA Platinum	0%	3 mths	16.9%
MBNA Platinum Rewards Card	0%	3 mths	16.9%
BT Credit Card	0%	3 mths	16.9%
NatWest Platinum	0%	3 mths	16.9%
Royal Bank of Scotland Platinum	0%	3 mths	16.9%
Egg Card	0%	Until 01/06/2010	16.9%
MBNA 6.7% Low Rate	6.7%	HASH(0x2b3cfeb46d30)	6.7%

Card	BT Duration	Intro Duration	Typical APR
Virgin Credit Card	12 mths	12 mths	18.9%
AA Credit Card	12 mths	10 mths	16.9%
Sainsbury's Credit Card	10 mths	10 mths	15.9%
Halifax All In One	9 mths	9 mths	15.9%
Bank of Scotland All In One	9 mths	9 mths	15.9%
NatWest Platinum	15 mths	3 mths	16.9%
Royal Bank of Scotland Platinum	15 mths	3 mths	16.9%
MBNA Platinum	13 mths	3 mths	16.9%
MBNA Platinum Rewards Card	13 mths	3 mths	16.9%
BT Credit Card	13 mths	3 mths	16.9%
Egg Card	Until 01/05/2011	Until 01/06/2010	16.9%
Barclaycard Platinum	15 mths	3 mths	15.9%

Card	Typical APR	Interest Free Period
MBNA 6.7% Low Rate	6.7%	50
Barclaycard Platinum Simplicity	7.8%	56
Halifax Easy Rate	8.9%	59
Barclaycard Goldfish	9.9%	56

Card	Typical APR	Interest Free Period
Capital One Classic	34.9%	56
Capital One Progress	34.9%	56
The Vanquis Visa Card	39.9%	56

Card	Cashback Notes
American Express Platinum Cashback	5% cashback for 3 months on virtually every full pound spent per transaction
MBNA Platinum Rewards Card	You can exchange your reward points for cashback paid straight to your credit card account. £1.00 spends equals 1 point, then; 5,000 reward points = £20 cashback; 7,500 reward points = £30 cashback; 12,500 reward points = £50 cashback; 25,000 reward points = £100 cashback. See provider for full details.

Cards	Reward Notes	Typical APR
Lloyds TSB Airmiles Duo	Get up to 1 Airmile for every £10 spent	15.9%
bmi American Express Credit Card from MBNA	Receive 1.5 destination miles for every £1 spent	15.9%
MBNA Platinum Rewards Card	You can exchange your reward points for cashback paid straight to your credit card account. £1.00 spends equals 1 point, then; 5,000 reward points = £20 cashback; 7,500 reward points = £30 cashback; 12,500 reward points = £50 cashback; 25,000 reward points = £100 cashback. See provider for full details.	16.9%
BT Credit Card	Unlimited money off your BT bill, T&C's apply	16.9%
RBS Black	Receive access to select opportunities	13.2%
Sainsbury's Credit Card	Earn up to 4 nectar points for every £1 spent	15.9%
Virgin Atlantic White Card	1 mile for every full £1 spent	17.9%
NatWest Black	1.25 YourPoints for every £1 of qualifying spend	13.2%
Egg Card	HASH(0x2b3cfeb45de0)	16.9%
AA Credit Card	HASH(0x2b3cfed75200)	16.9%

Card	Typical APR
O2 Load & Go	HASH(0x2b3cfee0d410)
BREAD	HASH(0x2b3cfeef3210)
Escape Prepaid MasterCard	HASH(0x2b3cfef0d140)
cashplus Gold Flexiplus	HASH(0x2b3cfef578b0)
Tuxedo Pay As You Go	HASH(0x2b3cfef4f180)
Freedom Eagle Cash Card - Pay As You Go	HASH(0x2b3cfeeb4d80)
cashplus Gold Premier	HASH(0x2b3cfdb42c40)
Virgin PrePaid - Monthly	HASH(0x2b3cfe0c1590)
cashplus Gold Activeplus	HASH(0x2b3cfeab0bb0)
Tuxedo Pay Monthly	HASH(0x2b3cfdb42f90)
ClearCash Prepaid MasterCard	HASH(0x2b3cfed774e0)

Card	Typical APR
FairFX Euro Currency Card Special	HASH(0x2b3cfe91bd20)
Caxton Euro Card	HASH(0x2b3cfeeb9640)
my Travel Cash - Euro	HASH(0x2b3cfdb41560)
ICE Travellers Cashcard Euro	HASH(0x2b3cfeeb5ad0)

Card	Typical APR
FairFX Dollar Currency Card Special	HASH(0x2b3cfdb42600)
Caxton Dollar Card	HASH(0x2b3cfdb41fd0)
my Travel Cash - US Dollar	HASH(0x2b3cfdb42d60)
ICE Travellers Cashcard US Dollar	HASH(0x2b3cfec55870)

Card	Typical APR
Caxton Global Traveller Card	HASH(0x2b3cfdb43c10)
FairFX Anywhere Card	HASH(0x2b3cfdab9d80)

Fees may apply

Select Type:

Card	Typical APR	Minimum Amount	Maximun Amount
Platinum Exclusive	7.8%	CHEAPEST Homeowner Loan in the UK for loans from £7,500. Typical APR 15.4%	-
Sainsbury's Personal Loan	7.9%	Earn Double Nectar points on Sainsbury's shopping for 2 years. Typical APR 7.9%.	-
Alliance & Leicester	7.9%	For loans of £7,500 - £14,950. Apply online for a quick decision. Typical APR 7.9%	-

Card	Typical APR	Minimum Amount	Maximun Amount
Ocean Finance	11.2%	Loans for homeowners. Fixed for loan term available. Typical APR 17.9%	-
FLM Loans	42.6%	£500-£3,000. Will accept anyone with friend or family homeowner guarantor. Typical APR 42.6%	-

Card	Typical APR	Minimum Amount	Maximun Amount
Platinum Exclusive	7.8%	CHEAPEST Homeowner Loan in the UK for loans from £7,500. Typical APR 15.4%	-
Ocean Finance	15.9%	Loans for homeowners. Fixed for loan term available. Typical APR 17.9%	-
FLM Loans	42.6%	£500-£3,000. Will accept anyone with friend or family homeowner guarantor. Typical APR 42.6%	-
Provident	272.2%	£50 - £500. Weekly repayments collected from your home. Typical APR 272.2%	-
Greenwood Personal Credit Cash Loan	433.4%	£50 - £500. Weekly repayments collected from your home. Typical APR 433.4%	-

Fees may apply

Compare Over 400 Loans
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Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
FIRST DIRECT	1st Account	Switch to first direct and get £100*	£1	-

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
HALIFAX	Reward Current Account	Pay in £1,000 each month and receive £5 reward each month	-	-
BANK OF SCOTLAND	Reward Current Account	Pay in £1,000 each month and receive £5 reward each month	-	-

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER PLC	Premier Direct Current Account	5%	0.00%	n/a
SANTANDER	The Santander Account (Preferred In-credit Rate)	5%	19.90%	n/a
NATWEST BANK PLC	Current Plus	0.1%	19.24%	£100
THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC	Interest Paying Current Account	0.1%	19.24%	£100

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
SANTANDER	The Santander Account (Preferred Overdraft Rate)	0% for 1st 12 mths, then 12.9% EAR	-	-
FIRST DIRECT	1st Account	£250 Interest Free, then 15.9% EAR over £250	-	-

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
THE CO-OPERATIVE BANK PLC	Privilege Account	0%	£9.50 per month.	-
HALIFAX	Ultimate Reward Current Account	0%	£12.50 per month.	-
NATWEST BANK PLC	Advantage Gold	0.25%	£12.95 per month.	-
THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC	Royalties Account	0.15%	£6.95 per month.	-
THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC	Royalties Gold Account	0.15%	£12.95 per month.	-

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
THE CO-OPERATIVE BANK PLC	Current Account Plus	0%	n/a	-

Provider	Product	Interest (AER)	O/D Rate	O/D Buffer
ARRAY(0x2b3cfef0d860)	Think Banking Managed Account	0%	£12.50 per month.	-

Fees may apply

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