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The Martin Lewis Money Show Season 17 Episode 3
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Short filmTranscript
00:00It's the most wonderful show of the year.
00:09Festive deals predicting, free cash for banks switching, return rights are here.
00:16It's the most wonderful show. Yes, the most wonderful show.
00:23For the most wonderful show of the year.
00:36Oh, I'm so glad that's over. Play the theme tune!
00:42Thank you so much. Welcome, everybody. It's the big one.
00:52Our shiny floor, Black Friday and Christmas special, all about pocket protection.
00:58Early preparation, not early celebration.
01:01I'll be talking how to get up to £400 free to help with Christmas costs just by switching back.
01:07Thank you very much. Woo to you too, sir.
01:09Plus, testing whether you really know your shopping return rights.
01:13Then, at the end, it's back.
01:16The famous festive forecaster, where I predict the best deals, what will be on.
01:22Now, it was 90% accurate last year, so you can home in on the perfect time and place to buy what you have planned to buy.
01:30And we've space to answer your questions too, to see the sentiment of the nation before the budget, as reflected by this huge Manchester audience.
01:40Welcome.
01:41Amazing!
01:43Well, thank you. What an intro. What an intro that was.
01:47A good evening to our wonderful studio audience.
01:50Wave your wallets, everybody. Wave your wallets, everyone. So many more.
01:53Wave your wallets.
01:55Now, as always, remember, we want to hear from you.
01:58If you've got questions, let us know.
02:00Use the hashtag MartinLewis on X or threads, or you can email the team on MartinLewis at ITV.com.
02:06If we don't use your questions tonight, we may use it in a future show.
02:10Now, Martin, we have had some very excited people get in touch with you.
02:14Loads of people loved the credit scoring last week, but the immediate success is one student loans.
02:19Yes, we've had loads of responses, including this one from Sam.
02:22Sam says, I graduated university in May 2024, and I've been paying back my loan ever since.
02:28I didn't realise that you should be repaying it back until April of the following year.
02:32I've just got a £125 refund. I've told all my uni friends. Thanks, Martin.
02:39So that's a lovely, simple one. There are four different ways people have overpaid.
02:44Over a million people overpaid just last year alone.
02:48Some people are getting back in the thousands of pounds.
02:51If you are aged between 20 and 40, and you are paying off your student loan,
02:56may I suggest you go to ITVX and watch back the beginning of last week's show,
03:00where I talk through that in detail. It's serious money, and many of you are owed.
03:04OK. Now, Marie was meant to come in tonight, one of our studio audience guests.
03:08She was really excited, but then she had to pull out.
03:10Her husband's feeling a little bit poorly.
03:12I wanted to ask this on her behalf, really important question.
03:14She says, I'm 67, a pensioner, and like many pensioners, I find the cost of living so high,
03:19I need to get a part-time job. What are the tax implications?
03:23Even though my state pension is less than £12,000 a year, would I still be taxed on it,
03:28especially with the budget coming?
03:30OK, Marie, I'm so sorry, and I hope your husband is feeling a little bit better and you're watching at home.
03:34Look, let's be clear, the state pension is taxable income and has always been taxable income.
03:43But most people can earn £12,570 a year without paying tax.
03:49The current full new state pension in your 67, you'll be on the new state pension,
03:53older people will be on the old state pension.
03:55If you get the full amount, it's £11,900. The tax threshold is here.
03:59So if you only get the full state pension, you don't pay any tax.
04:02It's going to go up in April to just below that tax threshold to about £12,500.
04:07You still won't pay tax if you only get the state pension.
04:10The following year, because the thresholds are frozen, and that freeze, I'm afraid,
04:14is likely to be extended for another couple of years,
04:16then it will probably be the first time that someone on the full new state pension
04:20will pay tax on that income even if they don't earn anything else.
04:23Now you're asking me about working.
04:25I think the very likelihood is if you're doing any form of work,
04:28you're going to go over that personal allowance and you will pay tax on your total income
04:33on the state pension plus your other earnings.
04:35But let's just be really plain.
04:37You don't pay tax on the whole amount.
04:40You only pay tax on the amount above the personal allowance, £12,570.
04:45So let's say your total earnings are £15,000.
04:48That's around £2,500 above the personal allowance.
04:52You'd pay 20% tax on that.
04:5420% of £2,500 is £500.
04:57So for that extra work you do, you earn £2,500 and you take home roughly,
05:02we'll ignore national insurance or whatever for the moment,
05:04you take home roughly £2,000.
05:05The big message, whether you're 67 or you're just leaving school and you're working,
05:10the more you earn, the more you take home.
05:14Yes, tax comes off, but it's never worth not working because of tax
05:19and thinking that I'll earn less because of tax.
05:21You won't. You'll always earn more the more you get paid.
05:25So if you need more money, you'll have to pay some tax,
05:28but at least you'll take home more.
05:29But I'm afraid we'll talk more about tax when we get to the special budget programme,
05:32which is a week on Thursday when I know what's happening.
05:34Yeah, well, I hope that helps, Marie.
05:36Now, we've got Lee in the audience. Lee, where are you? Lee, good evening.
05:39What's your question for Martin?
05:41Martin, I've been with the same bank since I was 18,
05:45since I went to uni, student account.
05:48So they bought your custom very cheaply for 30 years.
05:50They probably gave you 0% overdraft and they paid for 30 years of loyal customer
05:54and made loads and tried to cross-sell you loads of other things. Carry on.
05:57And I'm a big fan of yours. I listen to all your podcasts
06:01and I keep hearing you saying, you know, you could switch banks
06:04and make this amount of money, £250.
06:06And every time I thought, I will, I will, and I've chickened out.
06:10And I just wondered, I know I've heard you say it before,
06:14but does absolutely everything automatically change over?
06:17Not quite. And I'm going to talk you through it.
06:18So let me first of all tell people what the deals are available,
06:20then I'm going to come back to you and we're going to see
06:22if we can get you past this hurdle in a moment.
06:24So first I'll read them the best deals in my mini Big Briefing.
06:30OK, there are seven accounts currently willing to pay new switchers money
06:34to switch to it. I have them all listed here.
06:36I'll try and run you through it.
06:37I'm not going to dot every I and cross every T
06:39because it would take too long.
06:40We've got the biggest ever deal we've seen at the moment.
06:43£400 for free, but only for high earners.
06:45You have to earn over £75,000
06:46or have over £100,000 with Barclays on Barclays Premiere.
06:49It also gives you an Apple TV subscription for free
06:53and a 0% overdraft.
06:55Now, just to explain the money by latest.
06:57What does this mean?
06:58That means if you do it tomorrow and you fulfill all the criteria,
07:01the very latest you would get the money by is that date.
07:04You'll probably get it earlier, but it will be,
07:06they're guaranteed by those dates.
07:07As you can see, some are before Christmas,
07:09some are after Christmas, but in terms of,
07:11but that's when you're paying off the Christmas debts anyway.
07:13So it doesn't really matter the Christmas bills.
07:15Hopefully you won't be in debt.
07:16With this one, you need a minimum pay.
07:18And that's a way of saying you've got to put normal money in of £4,000.
07:21Let's get onto the ones for more regular people.
07:23The Santander Edge.
07:25It gives you £200 for free.
07:27This is my top bill paying account.
07:29All of these top three give you free £200.
07:31The key to this one, if you're paying bills by it,
07:34you get 1% cash back up to £10 a month on the bills you pay by direct debit.
07:40There's a £3 a month fee, but that will normally,
07:42the cash back covers a fee and lots more.
07:44It's also got a top debit card for spending abroad.
07:46You need to pay in a one-off £1,500 to get the free cash
07:50and then £500 a month going in afterwards,
07:52which is equivalent to a £6,000 salary going in.
07:54So not so much.
07:55Basically, that's a way of forcing you to use it
07:57like a real bank account, not a second one.
07:59You've also got another Barclays account there.
08:01Bit complicated, this.
08:03To get the £200, you need to sign up for its blue reward scheme
08:05that costs £5 a month, but gives you £10 Apple TV for it.
08:09But, once you get your £200 that will normally be
08:12at the beginning of January,
08:13you could then cancel the £5 a month if you want to.
08:15So you might only pay for it for one or two months
08:17if you don't want the Apple TV.
08:18You need £2,000 going in there.
08:20Paid in once, you can always take it out straight away.
08:22You can, in fact, pay four lots of £500 in, if you know what I mean.
08:25You just need to have that paid in.
08:27It's not about taking it out.
08:29You've got Club Lloyds, which is good for perks.
08:31So a year of Disney Plus, £300.
08:33Six cinema tickets, a magazine subscription,
08:35a top debit card for spending overseas,
08:37a good regular savings account.
08:39Problem with this one, quite high earnings needed.
08:42£2,000 a month needs to go in,
08:44so that's £29,000 or more a year.
08:46If you're doing less, you'll pay £5 a month.
08:48It's not for you.
08:49And then £375, so slightly less.
08:53This is top rated for customer service.
08:5592% great.
08:56Won almost every poll I've ever done over the last decade
08:58on customer service.
08:59First direct.
09:00It's got a 7% linked regular saver.
09:02You can only open it if you've got the current account.
09:04The best 0% overdraft, with the exception of the high earners one at the top at £250.
09:09And the top debit card for spending.
09:11And you only need to have a grand going in this one.
09:13It's paying a grand within the first 45 days, I believe it is.
09:16And then you qualify.
09:17You need to make five debit card payments as well.
09:19And just, they're also very good nationwide.
09:22Also good for customer service.
09:23£175 for free and other perks.
09:25NatWest reward £175 by the 26th of December.
09:29What I'm going to do, so much information on there.
09:32Get a lock on that screen.
09:33I'll stop talking for one second.
09:34You can do it on live pause at home and you can read it.
09:36You will?
09:37There you go.
09:38There we go.
09:39Carry on.
09:40So, just as interest, which of those, if you were going to do it, is the most appealing to you?
09:45Probably the first direct one.
09:47Because you're nervous and you want the customer service.
09:49Yeah.
09:50I understand.
09:51That makes total sense.
09:52I actually said that I thought you might say that to my own head a moment ago.
09:55So here we go.
09:56How does this work?
09:57So this is the stuff for you, Lee.
10:00First of all, you must use their seven working day switch service.
10:05Now that in practice takes 10 days because it's seven working days.
10:08Who here has switched recently?
10:10Was it easy?
10:11Yes.
10:12Anyone not find it easy?
10:14Okay.
10:15Good start.
10:16Most people who've switched, they found it pretty easy.
10:18What does that do?
10:19It closes your old account for you and automatically moves your money across with the exception if
10:23you're overdrawn when you have to discuss with the old bank whether, how you're going to pay and cover the overdraft.
10:28Any payments made to that account are forwarded for three years automatically from the old account.
10:32All your direct debits, all your standing orders are automatically moved for you.
10:37Often, actually, it's a condition of getting the switch that you need to have two or more direct debits moving across.
10:41And you must pass a not too harsh credit check to do it.
10:45Do always check the eligibility criteria.
10:47I'm not going through in full detail because I haven't got the time.
10:50The one thing that doesn't happen, this is what you asked.
10:53Now there's a payment called a recurring payment, which some subscriptions are by.
10:57This is why you don't give your bank account number and sort code.
11:01You give the long number on your debit card to make a payment.
11:05It's a very different type of transaction.
11:07You're effectively giving that firm permission to take money each month, but you don't have the direct debit rules.
11:13So, two common ones, Netflix and Disney Plus subscriptions.
11:18But the truth is, if you forgot to tell them and manually change your card over,
11:22all that will happen is you'll get a message saying,
11:24your payment card is now invalid.
11:26Please add a new one.
11:27That's it.
11:28That's your biggest risk, I would think.
11:30I mean, obviously, look, in one and whatever cases, something will go wrong.
11:33But it's not that difficult.
11:35Where are we?
11:36What's still worrying you?
11:37Just that I've got lots of people on my saved, like, payments for my sons and things like that.
11:43So, if they need money, I can just whiz them, whiz it over.
11:46All of those, like, my saved contacts and things like that, would they still be there?
11:51I've got 15 in my bank account.
11:53If I gave you 200 quid, would you move mine over for me?
11:55Would you?
11:58That's all it is.
12:02It's true.
12:03It's a payment.
12:04That's all you're saying.
12:05Look, I'm not saying there isn't some admin.
12:06You just take a grab, write them all down beforehand.
12:08You know you're doing it in advance.
12:09Move them across.
12:10I'm not telling anybody to do this, but if you want the free cash, you want to take advantage,
12:14it's a cost-benefit equation.
12:17You've told me the cost, I'm telling you the benefit.
12:19You have to decide if it's worth it for you.
12:21A couple of other things.
12:22All the banks mentioned, except Barclays, let you switch joint accounts as well.
12:25Though a joint account, of course, only gets you one lot of cash.
12:29Who here is thinking on the back of that about switching?
12:32Might do.
12:33Yeah, quite a few in there.
12:34And some of you might be really happy with your existing bank account.
12:36You are!
12:37Oh, yay!
12:38Well done, Lee.
12:39Thank you very much.
12:40Is that your partner next to you?
12:43Has he switched bank accounts?
12:45Both of you?
12:46He's had the same since he was 18 as well.
12:48Well, you know what?
12:49That's 400 quid then, isn't it?
12:50If you both switch your accounts.
12:51Lovely.
12:52Jeanette.
12:53I have found, Paul, in the audience here.
12:55Paul, you got a question for Martin?
12:57I have, yes.
12:58Is there the possibility, if you switch accounts too often, of getting on some sort of blacklist
13:05or, you know, the banks don't like you anymore?
13:08There's no such thing as a blacklist.
13:10And there are people out there who's made well over £1,000 from switching multiple accounts
13:13and they use a thing called a mule account, which you set up a dummy account just to port.
13:18You need a spreadsheet to make sure you're doing it right, but whatever.
13:20And there'll be...
13:21Anyone in here in that situation?
13:22Yes!
13:23How much have you made?
13:24Shout it out.
13:25Over £1,000.
13:26And you, sir?
13:27Yeah, over £1,000.
13:28Two people have made over...
13:29See what I mean?
13:30Over £1,000, Lee.
13:31Over £1,000.
13:32OK.
13:33So.
13:34But there are two things you need to be wary of.
13:35The first of all is, if you were to do lots in a short space of time, it would impact
13:40your credit worthiness.
13:41So I would not be doing a bank switch in the run-up to getting a mortgage or another
13:45important debt application like a balance transfer credit card.
13:48The second thing is, once you've been paid, many of them now say you can only get one bank
13:52switch bonus from us, so you won't be able to do it again, so you'll run out.
13:55But there isn't such a thing as a blacklist, but do a lot in the short space of time.
13:59It would impact your credit worthiness.
14:00OK.
14:01Brilliant stuff.
14:02Right, I'm on the move.
14:03I'm on the move.
14:04OK.
14:05This dress is so heavy.
14:06But I'm on the move.
14:07Belinda, where are you?
14:08There she is.
14:09Right, I'm going to walk round this way.
14:10I'm here, but Belinda, you've also got a question for Martin, have you?
14:12What's the question?
14:13Yeah, so if I was going to remortgage middle of next year for upsizing, what is the latest
14:23that I could look to do one of the bank switches?
14:27Now.
14:28I would do it now.
14:29Look, the truth is, I think you'd probably be fine if you did it three months before,
14:32but because a mortgage is so important, 200 quid is not worth messing it up for, I would
14:37give yourself six months before, which for the middle of next year is basically now.
14:40So, and you may as well get the money before Christmas.
14:43I probably wouldn't do it before that, because don't do anything to mess up getting a cheap
14:47mortgage.
14:48That's the biggest financial decision you can make in the credit sphere.
14:50So that's the most important.
14:51Cool.
14:52Awesome.
14:53I've got a question that's coming from Steve for you.
14:55Have a look at this.
14:56Now, with only £85,000 of your money being protected by banks, should I look at splitting
15:01my current ISA into different accounts of £85,000, even if the interest rates aren't
15:06as good?
15:07Very well-timed question.
15:08Anyone heard the news on that today?
15:09Yeah, it's a few nods out there.
15:11So they've just announced from the 1st of December, the financial services compensation
15:14scheme saving safety limit will be increased from £85,000 per person per financial institution
15:20to £120,000 per person per financial institution.
15:24So actually, Steve, the answer would have been yes, but it's probably now no, because from
15:28the 1st of December, you'll be protected up to £120,000.
15:31The other thing that people never talk about is actually a life event rule.
15:36So you get a temporary protection of up to six months for life events, inheritance, selling
15:41your house if you were moving house, and that is currently a million pounds in one account
15:47for up to six months.
15:49That is going up to £1.4 million for up to six months from the 1st of December.
15:54So, Steve, you're probably fine.
15:56He's all right.
15:57OK, brilliant stuff.
15:58Thank you, Martin.
15:59Well, coming up next, how well do you know your return rights?
16:02Can you walk into the store and stand tall and say, this isn't right?
16:05Martin's going to put us to the test after the break.
16:07We'll see you in four.
16:08Welcome back.
16:09Hello, everyone.
16:10We're in our Black Friday and pre-Christmas special.
16:13What are people saying out there, Jeanette?
16:14Well, lots of people, first of all, excited that you're back in Manchester, but look at what
16:18Karen's saying.
16:20Karen is saying, what a way to start the show.
16:21I mean, they liked your singing.
16:22Nerves gone, right?
16:23They liked your singing.
16:24There is no accounting for taste.
16:25You did a great job.
16:26I know you wanted to play a bit of a game with us tonight.
16:28I do.
16:29So, we're going to be talking about consumer rights and return rights in a moment.
16:30And this stems from the fact that I have often been into stores and I've seen someone having
16:31an argument with the shop assistant.
16:33And then, because of what I do, they see me and they go, right, you're for it now.
16:35Martin, Martin, over here, over here.
16:36I know.
16:37I know you're going to be talking about consumer rights in a moment.
16:38And this stems from the fact that I have often been into stores and I've seen someone
16:55having an argument with the shop assistant.
16:58And then, because of what I do, they see me and they go, right, you're for it now.
17:01Martin, Martin, over here, over here.
17:03And I have to go over and they say, listen, you tell them.
17:07And I often go, actually, the shop's right.
17:10And they don't like me very much.
17:12So, we're going to find out how much you and you at home know about your return rights.
17:17Very important in this high-spend Christmas shopping period.
17:20So, let's play...
17:23Consumer Rights or Wrong.
17:26APPLAUSE
17:31Question number one.
17:33You've been out shopping and bought a lovely pink fluffy jumpsuit you think makes you look the bee's knees, don't you, sir?
17:41There we are.
17:43You get it home, your partner takes one look at it and shakes their head.
17:47You slink back to the store to return it and the shop assistant says, I'm sorry, we'll only let you return it if you have a receipt.
17:57So, is that a legal consumer right or a consumer wrong?
18:05Is that right or wrong?
18:07Hands up if you think the shop is correct and it is right.
18:12And hands up if you think the shop is incorrect and it is wrong.
18:18So, that was about 60% think it's right, 40% think it's wrong.
18:22And the correct answer is...
18:25It's right.
18:27Now, there's a reason for the confusion.
18:31If the item had been faulty, which it wasn't, in store, you do not need a receipt any form of proof of purchase would have done, including a credit card statement or something else.
18:44But the item wasn't faulty.
18:46In which case, you have absolutely no legal right to take it back.
18:52Incredibly important you understand that.
18:54No legal rights to return non-faulty items in store.
18:57So, if they say you need a receipt, well, you need a receipt because they're being generous just to allow you to return it when it isn't faulty.
19:04Online, you do have a no-fault right of return.
19:09Big difference between buying in-store and online.
19:11If you're buying this Christmas, check their return rights, the shop's return rights, to see if you can return non-faulty items.
19:18They don't have to let you do it.
19:19Question number two.
19:22You buy a state-of-the-art Jeanette Quachy action figure, everybody.
19:29It's a great gift.
19:30Great gift.
19:32From a reputable but extremely niche store.
19:36They say it can run 100 centimetres in 11.14 seconds.
19:40You get it home, but sadly, it's faulty.
19:42It's got a Jonathan Edwards mechanism by mistake and can only hop, skip and jump.
19:47Returning it to the store, they say, sorry, as it's a specialised piece of equipment, you'll need to take it to the manufacturer.
19:56Is that a legal consumer right or a consumer wrong?
20:06Is it right or wrong?
20:07Who thinks it's right?
20:10A few.
20:11Who thinks it's wrong?
20:12The vast majority of you.
20:15And the correct answer is...
20:19It's wrong.
20:20Well done to most of you.
20:22Excellent.
20:24Let me be very plain.
20:26If you have a faulty item, whether you bought it in-store or online, your rights are always with the retailer.
20:32Whomever you purchased it from, that is where your legal consumer rights are.
20:36That is your priority place to take it back.
20:39Well done.
20:40I'm pleased to see most of you got it right.
20:42As for the couple of you up there.
20:43Question number three.
20:46You order a life-sized cardboard cutout of, well, me.
20:52For a friend.
20:56The gift that keeps on giving, everybody.
20:59You've ordered it for a friend at Christmas, knowing that they will be blown away by it if it isn't blown away first.
21:05Days later, when it's time to wrap it, you realise you've agreed a no unnecessary present pact with them, we'll be talking more about later, so you can't send it.
21:16You go online to return it, but the website says you must return it within 14 days, which is today, so you can't.
21:24Is that a legal consumer right or wrong?
21:30Is it right or wrong?
21:31Who thinks that's right?
21:35OK.
21:36Quite a lot of you.
21:37Who thinks it's wrong?
21:39So, 40% think it's right, 60% think it's wrong.
21:43The correct answer is...
21:47It's wrong.
21:49Just so.
21:52Now, you need to listen carefully on this, because you listen to me, not what you're going to read out there.
21:57When you buy something online, under the consumer contract regulations, you have up to 14 days to notify them that you're returning it, and up to 14 days after notification to return it.
22:10So, a maximum 28 days, but if you notify them after two days, it's 16 days, you understand.
22:14Now, in July, my team and I investigated 400 retailer sites.
22:2030 of them incorrectly said your rights were not as strong as they actually are.
22:25We contacted them.
22:2624 have since corrected their websites, including Selfridges, Big Firms, Home Bargains, and The Range.
22:33Two are no longer trading.
22:35Of the other four...
22:37Well...
22:39I'm going to.
22:40Of the other four, we contacted today to give a right of reply, as you do on the television.
22:46Two of them...
22:48Freeman's has already corrected its website on the back of me saying this now, thank you.
22:51Jewel says it will correct its website.
22:54And Evans and the other one, which I put on there and some just scrolled, Carluccio's, that was it.
22:59Evans and Carluccio's, you are wrong. Your websites are misleading. Change them, please. I have reported you to trading standards.
23:07Right.
23:10July is too long.
23:12So...
23:14There is one exception to these rules.
23:15If an item is personalised or perishable, you do not have the 14-day right of return.
23:20I mean, you can't buy an apple and take it 14 days later saying it's faulty.
23:23It just doesn't work. It doesn't work that simple way.
23:25You did very well. Who got three out of three?
23:27Oh, a round of applause for those people.
23:29And I hope you did at home as well.
23:31Now, I've heard a question in from Stu.
23:34I think you've covered it in this, and I think he might have got this wrong.
23:36Have a look.
23:37I bought a faulty air fryer in May, which the manufacturer agreed needs sorting.
23:42It's out of stock, and under warranty, they said they can only replace and not refund.
23:46What can I do?
23:47Well, yeah, I mean, you're right.
23:48This is why I always say warranty schmarranty, because the warranty is a secondary gift given by a manufacturer to give you extra protection.
23:54Your legal rights are with the retailer.
23:55When you go to the retailer, you have actual consumer rights.
23:58They would need to give you either a partial refund, taking it back after that period, or repair or replacement.
24:04I would go to the retailer now and ask them what they're going to do.
24:07Warranty is a contractual right with a retailer.
24:09It's a statutory, a law, a statute from parliament right that you have with them.
24:14But I think it's worth working out what faulty is.
24:16Does anyone know my mnemonic for faulty?
24:21Who said it?
24:23Sad fart, did you shout?
24:25Well done.
24:26I am.
24:27Sad fart.
24:28I want you to remember.
24:29I came up with this 20 years ago.
24:31It still gives.
24:32What counts as faulty if an item isn't of satisfactory quality, as described, fit for purpose.
24:40I cheated here.
24:41And last a reasonable length of time.
24:44Now, everybody understands most of that.
24:45The one they don't understand is reasonable length of time.
24:47So let...
24:48Normally, you'd want a jury.
24:49I've got a jury of 300 people.
24:50It's absolutely perfect.
24:51Let's decide what is reasonable or not.
24:54I bought a 10p plastic whistle seven months ago.
24:58The P in it has just broken.
25:01Did it last a reasonable length of time?
25:03Yes.
25:04I bought a £2,500 LED television.
25:08It's stopped working.
25:09I haven't mistreated it.
25:10I bought it seven months ago.
25:12It's just stopped working.
25:13Did it last a reasonable length of time?
25:14No.
25:15There is your definition of reasonable.
25:17Take a group of reasonable people, or reasonable-ish people, and see what is reasonable.
25:21And that's how a court would decide, and that's how you know.
25:23To make your own decision.
25:24Which is why, by the way, when you buy a mobile phone, and they say,
25:26I'm sorry, it's out of warranty.
25:27It's more than a year old.
25:28We can't do anything.
25:29No!
25:30Statutory rights.
25:31I've just paid a grand for this mobile phone.
25:32I haven't done anything wrong with it.
25:33It's not working.
25:34Retailer, you're going to fix it.
25:35No, take it to the manufacturer.
25:37I'm Apple.
25:38It doesn't matter that you're Apple.
25:39You're both the retailer and the manufacturer.
25:40I'm not asking about the warranty.
25:41You're the retailer.
25:42I'm on it fixed.
25:43Same with other stores.
25:44So, warranty.
25:45Warranty.
25:46Love you.
25:47We've got Alison.
25:48Alison, where are you?
25:50Alison, where are you, Alison, in the audience?
25:51Oh, hi.
25:52You've got a question for Martin, haven't you?
25:53Yeah, I have.
25:54What's your question?
25:55Hello, Martin.
25:56Hello.
25:57Hi.
25:58If I bought a gift...
25:59Sorry, what are my rights?
26:00If I bought a gift in November, and it turns out that it's faulty after the Christmas holidays?
26:05Tricky.
26:06And this is a problem with gifts.
26:07It's where I'm going next.
26:08So, stay with me.
26:09Let's move on to my next page, if I may.
26:10So, a few more things you need to know.
26:12If an item's faulty, you return it within 30 days, you get a full refund.
26:15After 30 days, the law says you get a repair, partial refund, and replacement.
26:19As I mentioned earlier, if a store has its own published returns policy, that is, you're
26:24contractually binding, but do be careful, during this sales period coming up, some firms
26:29get rid of their normal returns policy, so you need to check when you're going in the
26:32sales period.
26:33Don't go in and think, I can return this.
26:35Don't make that assumption.
26:36With gifts.
26:37First of all, very technical, very rarely used, but actually, only you can return it.
26:42Not the person you give it to.
26:43A gift receipt tends to transfer that right.
26:46If you don't get a gift receipt, you could try writing on the receipt that you give them,
26:50that, you know, this is a gift for someone.
26:52Apparently, evidentially, that could help.
26:54But you need to think carefully about timing.
26:55First of all, 30-day rules for faulty.
26:57If you took it back after two months, repair, partial refund, or replacement.
27:02Minimum legal requirement.
27:03The store might give you a refund, but minimum legal requirement.
27:06They don't have to give you a full refund.
27:07And also, remember, if they don't like it and you just want to return it online when
27:11it isn't faulty, if you miss the 14-day notification period.
27:15And so, this is quite interesting at the moment.
27:17Many people shop early for Christmas because it saves money.
27:20My suggestion, you might not like this, I would open it and check it works.
27:24You know?
27:25And so, if loads of you get opened Christmas presents this year, just blame me.
27:29It is the sensible thing to do.
27:30It's a difficult conundrum, isn't it?
27:32It's a difficult one to do.
27:33So, that's where it goes.
27:34Final...
27:35I always do this warning every year.
27:36Gift cards or vouchers may not be worth the e-paper they're written on.
27:39Always check if they have an expiry date.
27:41Most gift cards and vouchers date after either one year or two years if they're not used.
27:45And also, think about the company's strength.
27:47Make sure you're only doing gift cards for really big, solid companies.
27:51Because if they go bust, those vouchers are often worthless and I've seen it happen too many times.
27:57You won't like this.
27:59Cash is the best voucher out there.
28:01Okay.
28:02Great stuff.
28:03Thank you very much, Martin.
28:04Coming up next, we will be taking questions from you at home and of course from our live studio audience.
28:08And still to come, the big festive forecaster will see you after this.
28:13Welcome back to our Christmas special.
28:30Now Martin, someone is requesting for the cardboard cutout.
28:36They are asking, they've tweeted, they've said, can the cardboard cutout, can I have it from the show?
28:41Hashtag free Xmas gift.
28:42I don't know where it is.
28:43I think, you know, a donation to charity and you can have it.
28:45That would be fine.
28:46A charity of their choice, but they make a donation to charity, they can have it.
28:49Okay, fair enough then.
28:50That's great stuff.
28:51We've got someone in our audience as well.
28:52Kimberley, she wants to ask you a question.
28:53Evening, Kimberley.
28:54Hello, Kimberley.
28:55Hi, Martin.
28:56As you know, Manchester has got fantastic Christmas markets.
29:00But my question to you was, I'm always a little bit wary of buying anything expensive
29:05in case, not only if you want to return it, but if it breaks and you go back and the shop
29:12is either no longer there, the stall or the pop-up shop is gone, what are our consumer rights?
29:19Well, you have exactly the same consumer rights in those stores as you do anywhere else.
29:22The question is, how do you execute your rights?
29:24That's the difficulty.
29:25So the first thing I would do if I were buying there, if I were buying an expensive item,
29:28if it's 10 quid, it's 10 quid, you know.
29:30But if you're buying an expensive item, which is the key concern, I would always get the
29:34trader's contact details when you're buying it so that you have a legitimate right to
29:38buy it.
29:39But the second thing I do is think about my payment method.
29:41Cash has no protection.
29:43Right.
29:44Bank transfer has no protection.
29:46Debit card or credit cards under £100 have a decent protection called chargeback,
29:52but the strongest protection is a credit card for an item costing over £100.
29:57It's literally £100 and a penny or more, up to £30,000.
30:01If you buy that, you have what's called section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act rights,
30:06which means the card company is jointly liable with the retailer.
30:09So if it were broken and you couldn't get in touch with the retailer,
30:11in fact, even if you could get in touch with the retailer, you can go to the credit card company and say,
30:14hey, it's faulty, sad fart rules.
30:17I want you to fix it.
30:18And they are liable to fix it.
30:20Of course, if you're putting it on a credit card, you should make sure you pay it off.
30:23Saving my voice for the festive forecaster so I won't do it at the end of every month.
30:28So that's your strongest protection.
30:29So twofold, make sure you know who you're buying from and you've got the contact details,
30:33and then think about the way that you pay to make sure you're best protected.
30:36Does that help?
30:37Yeah, so what would you just like, take a photograph of the stall or...?
30:41I would be absolutely like, hey, I know you're only here temporarily,
30:43just to say something goes wrong, how do I contact you if there's a faulty guy to them?
30:46Let's just be upfront.
30:47Listen, hopefully they've got a licence from the council, they're a legitimate good retailer,
30:52we shouldn't assume there's anything wrong with them,
30:54you just need to make sure you know how to contact them in case there's a problem.
30:56OK, thanks.
30:57Awesome.
30:59Cheers.
31:00Well, now it's time for one of our festive traditions here on the show.
31:04Yes, indeed.
31:05Now each year, when we do this Black Friday and Christmas special,
31:09we normally play my traditional film about the dangers of obligatory gift giving.
31:15Because it is a zero-sum game that can put unnecessary pressure on the recipient.
31:21So for example, if I give to you, sir, what do you feel you need to do?
31:25Give you one bike.
31:26Exactly.
31:27There we go.
31:28So think about it, we both spent, well, let's say £50,
31:31so in effect, you've now spent your money on what I chose for you,
31:36which if you were struggling, may not have been what you wanted to spend £50 on,
31:41and may have misprioritised your finances.
31:44Here's just a clip of that film, though you can watch the whole thing,
31:48I'm putting it on my social medias right now.
31:51Boop!
31:54It is time for us to get off this gift giving treadmill.
32:00I think sometimes the best gift is releasing others from the obligation of having to give to you.
32:07Let's work together to ban unnecessary Christmas presents.
32:12Not for your spouse, not for smiling children under the tree,
32:24but that ever-expanding list of friends and cousins and teachers that we feel forced to buy.
32:30Do right now, if you're watching, use me as your excuse, agree to make a prenup,
32:36a pre-Christmas no unnecessary present, Pat.
32:41Or at least do a secret Santa and capital to fiver or ten,
32:44or even better, say, you know what, I'm not going to give that extended lift gifts,
32:48I'm going to give to charity instead.
32:51So that was back in 2018, I know many people have done it.
33:00Less pressure, less cost, less debt, and I hope more joy.
33:06And the reaction that we have seen ever since, with so many people getting in touch,
33:11says that while you might feel embarrassed to raise it,
33:14most other people feel the same way and will feel relieved if you do.
33:18Anybody in here done it?
33:19Yes. If you've done it, hopefully we can get a mic to you to hear.
33:23Was it easy? How did your friends react?
33:26Well, we do a secret Santa instead, so, like, every year there's five of us
33:31and we just spend £50 and we do it randomly on an app.
33:35And it takes the pressure off, doesn't it? Yeah, yeah.
33:37Christmas is meant to be a joyous time, it's not meant to put you into debt
33:40and it's not meant to put pressure on your friends
33:42and it's not meant to leave you stressed because I've got to buy for all these people
33:45and what do I do if I don't? Let's just all chill.
33:48Yeah. OK.
33:49We've got some more audience questions from you.
33:52Sure.
33:53We've got Harry over here. Harry, what's your question for Martin?
33:55I'm 18 and everything feels really expensive at the moment.
33:59But with Black Friday sort of round the corner, I'm getting a lot of emails
34:03with like, you know, claiming the best deals ever and now's the time to sort of buy things.
34:07But are these deals like really true or are they too good to be believed?
34:12So, first of all, you shouldn't be pressured into buying stuff that you weren't planning to buy.
34:16It's always about having a list. The best time to buy is the January sales.
34:20But that's after Christmas. So if we look at when is generally the best time to buy between now and Christmas,
34:27what about Black Friday versus those early Christmas sales that we start to see?
34:31Well, we've been doing research on this for the past few years.
34:34About 70% of the time Black Friday is cheaper than early Christmas.
34:38About 10% of the time early Christmas is cheaper than Black Friday.
34:41The others is roughly the same. So if you are going to buy something and you need it before Christmas,
34:46by the way, you could always do later after Christmas, you know, do an IOU and put them that in the Christmas.
34:50They'll love it. I'll give it back in January. Then you'd be better to do it at Black Friday.
34:56But there is something I do want to say. This is my memo I do every year.
35:00My annual Black Friday shopping memo, especially with the festive forecaster coming up.
35:03If you were going to buy it anyway and it's half price, you've saved 50%. Hurrah!
35:08If you weren't going to buy it, but do because it's half price, you've wasted 100%.
35:12Boo!
35:13You know what I mean, Harry? Sorry, you're too young to know that, but I enjoy saying it.
35:18I hope that helps, Harry. Now, after the break, Martin's famous festive forecaster.
35:24Woo!
35:26Slay him, get your pens and your paper ready for predictions of the best festive deals.
35:30So slay, sorry, I mean stay right here.
35:33Okay, Martin, it's time for the festive forecast of 2025. How well did you do your predictions last year?
35:52So 90% roughly accurate, that means right, but maybe a day or two out here or the percentage is slightly wrong.
35:57So I can't promise this will be right, but hopefully you'll be able to home in on what you need to buy.
36:02Don't let your impulses get carried away with you.
36:04Are you ready? No. Let's go. Okay.
36:06Come on. Let's do the festive forecaster. Okay.
36:08We're going to start with Grey Friday. These are all things that are on right now in the pre-run up to Black Friday.
36:14So these are all one-off items, which tend to be pretty good on the one-offs.
36:19AO.com and August, actually the two things I mentioned there have now been price matched by others.
36:23B&M is pretty good. You'll see the dates there.
36:26So that air fryer, it's only got about 60 items, but the ones it's got tend to be pretty cheap.
36:3079 quid is a decent deal. We haven't seen that cheaper anywhere else.
36:33B&Q's got deals. Boots. Now, quite a few of its fragrances have been priced matched elsewhere,
36:37but that Marc Jacobs fragrance, that is cheaper than we've seen absolutely anywhere else.
36:42Curry's, I need to point out for you, because Curry's is price matching other stores,
36:45but it also gives you free up to three months Apple Music costing you £11 a month on most selected tech items.
36:52So you could take a price you've got elsewhere. If Curry's is more expensive, you get it to price match.
36:56Then you get the Apple Music. If you're new to Apple Music, you get three months.
36:59If you're returning to Apple Music, you get two months. If you're an existing Apple Music customer, you don't get any months.
37:04Dyson is £200 off. It was £150 last year, but the prices tend to have gone up a bit, so it sort of will balance each other out.
37:09Halford's good off you doing your car stuff. John Lewis, a bit like Curry's.
37:12Here, by the way, is GHD, those Max straighteners. I've not seen them anywhere cheaper either at £154.
37:17I've just picked a few deals out for you. This also price matches, but it gives you a two to five year warranty.
37:22So that's on top of your consumer rights. If you're buying electricals, that can be useful.
37:25So find the cheapest price, take it to John Lewis, buy it there, and it should price match and you get the warranty.
37:31That Shark is the cheapest deal we've seen. That's giving some quite good discounts.
37:34And Tesco, if you're buying toys, has got a three for two on toys by a club card.
37:37Hopefully you'll see all that. Let's move on to the up to sales.
37:40Now, I need to explain what this is. This is my discount deep dive.
37:44We've taken ten random items in the sale, checked what the actual discount is, and given you the average there.
37:50The Max is the highest individual item discount of the ten that we saw, and then you'll see the official discounts that they're listing.
37:57The Debenhams is pretty hot on the items that are being discounted if you want it.
38:02Other ones I'd pick out, you can look down the list yourself. I haven't got time to go through them all.
38:05Laradout, really interesting there. It's a department store that sells lots of brands, like your Levi jeans.
38:09So if you can't find a discount at the store that you want, try on Laradout, which is an average of 40% off,
38:14and you might find it there at the moment, and it's up to 50%. All items are discounted there.
38:19Other ones I'd pick out, the entertainers for toys, it's pretty good.
38:22Matalan. Currently, it's 25% off selected men's and women's items.
38:27My guess is, on Black Friday, they will discount a lot more stuff, possibly everything in store.
38:33So you might want to hold if you're buying Matalan stuff.
38:36M&S, the reason I say it's fixed discounts is different sections in the store, like homeware is 40% off,
38:40and it's a fixed discount that's going on in there.
38:42So those are all happening at the moment. All are confirmed. They are all on right now.
38:47We move on to what I'm calling Black Friday deals, which is basically predicted deals.
38:51A couple of these are confirmed. So we'll go one-off items, Amazon, Lightning and Daily Deals.
38:56It's starting on Thursday. This is really good for Amazon's own devices.
39:00So the Ring doorbell, £50, normally £130. That's very cheap if you want those particular items.
39:06Apple, very rare to get discounts on Apple. So what it does is it gives gift cards on top.
39:11It doesn't reduce the price to get a gift card. Now, I need to explain what the stars mean.
39:16That means it isn't confirmed. We don't know. That is the number of previous years it's done it,
39:21and that's how I do my predictions at that time.
39:23So nine years in a row it's given the gift card. Last year an iPad Air got a £60 card.
39:27So if you're going to buy Apple, it is effectively cheaper because you get the gift card to spend there as long as you want something on Apple.
39:31eBay, good for refurbs, but also 20% off its outlets, which are lots of different stores. Outlets are on eBay and it's giving 20% off.
39:40But the refurbs like Dyson and Ninja are manufacturer refurbs with a one-year warranty, already cheap.
39:47But I'm guessing they might be 40% off Dyson, 25% off Ninja. Remember, these are predictions. I do not know it's going to happen.
39:53Now we get to some up to sales. So the discount deep dive again, but these are predicted based on last year's.
39:58I don't have this year's because we don't know that it's happening.
40:01ASOS at 70% off. Now currently on its app, it's giving a 25% off.
40:06My suspicion is it's going to get bigger once you get just before the start on the Thursday of Black Friday.
40:12Denelm is good too. Two clothing is 25% off most items, so that's a pretty good one.
40:16That's very likely to happen. That's been happening for nine years. I'm pretty sure that won't happen again.
40:20Then we get to flat discounts. This is good because you know if there's something in that store you want to buy.
40:24So this is where, Harry, you're asking is it good? But if there's something in these stores that you want to buy,
40:28you're going to get a discount on it. Amazon Resell, used to be known as Amazon Warehouse.
40:33This is where people have returned stuff, generally in good condition, and it resells them, generally with a one-year manufacturer warranty.
40:39Already cheap. 20% to 30% off is my prediction. Now, right now it's 15% off.
40:44My guess is on Thursday when it starts, it's lightning deals. It's going to increase the reduction to 20% to 30%.
40:50So I'd probably hold until Thursday if you were going to be buying that.
40:53Disney Store giving me exclusive confirmation. That is definitely happening.
40:5630% off hundreds of full price items on the Monday for email subscribers, on the Wednesday to everybody.
41:02French Connection, really good there if it does happen again. Happened in the last 10 years because it's flat.
41:06If you're buying off French Connection, 30% off everything. So what you want will be discounted as long as they have it in store.
41:11Right. We have to go. Gap. Gap used to be much bigger. 50% off on Gap, off hundreds of items.
41:18I think it's going to be less this year. 20% off, but still if you're buying there, it's good.
41:21H&M, 20% off everything is my prediction. But on the Black Friday weekend, they may increase it.
41:27So you have a choice. You can either go early and you get the 20% off everything, but there's a chance if you hold on
41:32and it's still stock, you may be able to buy it cheaper once we get there. Let us move on. I've got four and a half minutes left.
41:37Okay. Booze and veg. Right now, as the Morrison Sainsbury's, buy 25% off six bottles of wine and fizz and multiples.
41:44So six or 12 or 18 or 24 or 30. I don't need to do the times table and carry on.
41:48You can see that's happening right now if you're going to buy your fizz.
41:51Battle of the Baileys has gone up to £11, not £12 this year.
41:54Costco, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrison's has already gone all on right now if you need your Baileys.
41:58Now, I need my baton. So, Christmas veg. Lots of these are discounted between 8 and 15p.
42:06It starts on the 17th of December, the week before Christmas. It's a battle, a lost leader that the supermarkets have.
42:11So, if you're buying your Christmas veg with all of those stores between 8 and 15p, you probably want to wait until then.
42:16That's good. Moving on. I shouldn't have bitten that. I'm going to have to talk with it.
42:20Now, beauty. Boots number seven. This is its star gift, the one people go for.
42:26It's the ultimate skincare collection set. It's already discounted online. £39. This is happening right now.
42:31It was £85. It says it's got £135 worth of stuff in, but we've calculated based on the Black Friday prices.
42:36It's saying stuff is still around £90. The key to all these deals, buy them, break them up, give them as gifts.
42:42Lots of stuff in there. I really need to spit this carrot out.
42:46Advent calendars. This isn't about the advent. This is about the stuff that they have in them.
42:50All these are on right now. The Boots one. 15% off code. Save 15. Basically £130 with £50 worth of stuff.
42:58That's my valuation of how much it would cost to buy separately in it. Lots of beauty stuff.
43:02Debenhams. £120. £550 worth of standard retail. M&S Beauty. This has got £290 worth of stuff in there.
43:11I think it's £42. That's been missed off on there. I think it's £42 currently on sale at the moment via the Sparks app.
43:16Not every Sparks app will give you the discount. Some people get it, some people don't.
43:20Then, I've convoluted these two because I needed to fit them somewhere. Beautiful timing.
43:25These are Christmas sales that start really early, so you can get the Christmas, as in the Christmas Day sales,
43:30before Christmas with delivery in time. ASOS, if you miss Black Friday, that's probably better.
43:34Starts on the 17th of December. Matalan, up to 50% off.
43:38Selects as Christmas items and brands. Starts on the 17th of December. Oh my goodness, I've got four left.
43:42Right, Santa's Letters. Royal National Institute for the Blind. If your child is vision impaired,
43:48they can request at RNIB and they can get formats. Santa stations his elves at the Royal National Institute for the Blind.
43:53They can write back via his elves if you go that way. Or all children. Father Christmas at Santa's Grotto.
43:58They can write at the Royal Mail. There are elves stationed there too.
44:01Put Santa's address on the embryo. Put the letter inside. Put a stamp on the envelope.
44:04Include your full name and address on the back of the envelope and it should get there.
44:07They're really pushing me quickly on this one. Christmas trees and decorations.
44:11Tesco's got three different trees at half price right now if you're a club card holder.
44:14M&S, I'm predicting, will go 20% off Christmas trees on the 1st of December.
44:17John Lewis reduces its decorations normally on the 11th of December.
44:20M&S used to do that. It's now only doing trees. Next.
44:23Oh my goodness. Groupon deal likely to come £22.
44:27We don't know if it's only in the view on the 10th of December.
44:29London Theatre is on now if you're a MasterCard customer on the 25th of November.
44:32Official London Theatre. Loads of good shows there.
44:35All of these, we only started this last year, are based on last year.
44:38Look at the prices. London to Nice. That's nice.
44:40£39 each way. EasyJet, 20% off.
44:43Jet2, Ryanair, CyberWeek, buy one, get one, half price.
44:46TUI, Manchester to Torrena Reef, £80 return.
44:49And Virgin Atlantic, a big flight there, £364.
44:51Note those dates down for when you need them.
44:53I can never pronounce this. What's it called?
44:55I am, thank you very much. But what's it called? Right.
44:59£35 one way, £70 returns predicted on the 1st of January.
45:03Interrail, if you're interrailing, that is the cheapest of the year to get your ticket
45:06and get back to 11 months ahead.
45:08And rail car discounts coming at Train Pal app.
45:10450% off, but I don't know. That's confirmed.
45:13Don't know if the remainder is 30% off.
45:15Then it's Christmas. Christmas Day sales, mostly up to sales.
45:21And predicted up to discounts. This is when the in-store ones start.
45:24And because I've got to go quick, New Year.
45:26Hooray!
45:28Yay!
45:29This is when they start to boost the discounts.
45:31But obviously, much more limited stocks.
45:33So, unless you're average and very fit like me, you probably won't get there.
45:37But if you're a different type of shape, you might be able to wait a little bit later
45:39and get the bigger discount, and that's the festive forecast.
45:41Ooh!
45:42Wow, wow, wow.
45:43I mean, it's like watching sport. We've got next Tuesday and next Thursday.
45:56Winter's coming. We're doing energy bills and efficiency and boiler cover on Tuesday,
45:59and then 7.30 on the Thursday, so 8 o'clock on the Tuesday budget special.
46:02See you then. Thanks, everybody!
46:03CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
46:05CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
46:07CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
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