Perhaps you thought that your relationship with your partner was something that would just grow, develop and evolve naturally. Well that’s not going to work in today’s busy and high pressured dual-career world according to the people at www.unboxlove.com

The company sells a monthly subscription to couples. It’s a box designed to give them the inspiration and tools to create an evening of unorthodox activities. They say that the ideas will “allow couples to learn about each other, experience something new together, and make memories that will last”.

Couples can open the box together on the night of the date in order to create some excitement and surprise about what they will be doing. Each box costs $50.

The service is only available in the US at the moment, so it could be one to keep tabs on with a view to copying if it becomes successful. As an additional thought, if this ‘relationship-help’ market sector continues to grow, it could be worth thinking about what other services you could provide to enhance personal relationship.

An Unexpected Use For A Sweaty Sock 

I’m not sure what I expect you to do with this information I’m about to impart, but I found it fascinating. What would you use if you wanted to trap or kill mosquito’s? Well you could use an expensive device or preparation off the shelf… or you could use a sweaty sock! 

It turns out that mosquito’s are attracted to the smell of sweaty socks. Once African inventor Fredos Okumo discovered this, he set about developing a synthetic chemical which mimics human foot odour and incorporated it in a commercially available trap.

Once lured inside, the insects are poisoned by a powerful insecticide. Before manufacturing his synthetic compound, Okumo baited his prototype traps with dirty socks collected from locals in Isakara, Tanzania. That can’t have been a pleasant job.

Today’s National Day  

NATIONAL SIMPLICITY DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE  

   Dear Streetwise Customer, 

  I hope you’re keeping safe and well. 

  This offer is limited, so we are only make it available to our most valued Streetwise customers at the moment. 

  Back in the autumn, we alerted a few of our customers to a course, created by a guy making what seemed at the time to be an outrageous prediction. 

  He predicted the world would soon be gripped by a unprecedented crisis which would create a huge financial opportunity. Crazy eh? 

  Anyway the course revolved around a strategy which would enable anyone to make £2,803 a month to ‘tick over’ in normal times, but would then transform into a massive fortune maker once the implications of the predicted crisis hit. 

  Not many people (including me!) believed the prediction, but £2,800 a month is certainly worth having and a number of our customers got on the bandwagon and started doing well with it…and then the crisis came…sooner than anyone thought. 

   The big opportunity he planned for is about to hit, and I want as many of our customers as possible to benefit…but there’s a hitch. 

   For reasons explained when you take a look at the details here, I can only help NINE people at the moment. But those nine people are going to get something nobody else has been able to get up until today…

       The full programme in one package and at a huge discount! 

   For full details take a look here.

        www.streetwisenews.com/secret  

     
    Very Best Wishes,

John Harrison 

There’s no doubt that there are big savings to be made by shopping at warehouse style outlets like Costco, but it’s not for everyone. A lot of people live too far away to make travelling viable, and the shopping experience can leave a lot to be desired. It’s this juxtaposition that formed the basis of Monstersaving.com, a New York based business recently set up by Michael Eberstadt. 

The company promise is simple; order from the website by 10.00am and they will pick up your order from Costco and deliver it the same day. No travelling, no mixing with the great unwashed, no worrying about your car in the car park, no contending with the grumpy checkout assistant.

Of course, for all this convenience, there’s a penalty. Eberstadt works out what a customer would typically pay for, say a bumper pack of toilet roll in Manhattan, looks at the Costco price, and splits the saving. But for people who can’t go to somewhere like Costco, or don’t want to, it’s a very valuable service. 

Could you do something like this in your area? With people being increasingly both time stressed and cost sensitive, I can see a need for this sort of service in many areas of the UK

No Blood No Dress 

You often hear people say they’d give their right arm for this that or the other. They don’t mean it of course – it’s just a figure of speech. But if you want to get hold of one of the limited editions created by Dutch fashion label, The Red Rail, you’ll need to give blood! 

The company will only sell their creations if you become a registered blood donor. The programme was created to draw attention to the shortage of young blood donors in the Netherlands, but it seems to have a wider commercial application.

Is there some way you could link your product or service to a worthy cause, and perhaps restrict sales to people who display a sympathy for that cause? If there is you’ll not only help the cause in question, but also attract a whole new group of buyers who want to be associated with the initiative.

Today’s National Day  

NATIONAL GET TO KNOW YOURSELF DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE  

Dear Streetwise Customer, 

  Imagine if your betting profits were a nailed on 100% certainty…that you were guaranteed to never lose a bet…and that there was a totally fool proof system you could deploy that would only ever win or break even at worst. Well thanks to a rule which every bookmaker in the UK is forced to follow, you don’t have to imagine it. 


                 Because It’s The Loophole To End All Loopholes! 

  And for reasons I’ll explain fully, it’s a loophole that’s open to anyone and everyone with an internet connection…and it will be open forever. 


 Here’s your chance to find out about this secret loophole for yourself, because Nick has come up with a unique offer that will put almost £300 in your pocket…even if you prove him wrong!  

 For full details Visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/loopholes 

   Take a look now. You’re going to love this one!

     
    Very Best Wishes,

John Harrison 

Before the internet came along, opportunities to work in journalism were limited. The only way to find an audience for your words was via mainstream media. The online arena has opened up a whole new world for would-be journalists with myriad opportunities.

One such opportunity is being exploited by Tennessee-based Thomas Scott, whose company Brand Journalists provides online blogs and content for local companies.

Brand Journalists offers blog and web content, ghostwriting services and reporting on the human stories that make companies interesting to their customers. For example, for an insurance broker, Scott’s team blogs about issues related to city life, such as what to do if the bath in the apartment upstairs overflows through your ceiling.

“If you try to sell renter’s insurance as an agent, people tune out,” he says. “But when you talk about the coffee they drink and neighbourhoods they like, and how important it is to have renter’s insurance as part of that story, it connects with people.”

Every company, these days, has a website; many have blogs and social media interaction with their customers. The majority are boring.

Is this an area you could specialise in – providing interesting content for companies in your area, who have neither the time nor inclination to do it themselves?

Buff Mom’s 

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how lucrative the weight loss market has become. If you’re in the “all you need to do is eat less and move more” camp, you’re probably at a loss to understand why people spend so much money on it. But they do. So how do you cash in? 

Well you need an angle. One business we came across recently is targeting the ‘new mothers’ market. It makes sense when you think about it. By definition, every woman gets out of shape in pregnancy.

Most want to get their figure back. Go to www.buffmom.com and they’ll help you do it. It’s a clearly defined market niche and a catchy name, so I can see it doing well.

So is there a market you could create a programme for? Companies like Weightwatchers are all encompassing. It seems to me there have to be opportunities for niche businesses targeting particular groups-perhaps based on age, (The 40+ programme) lifestyle, (The couch potato programme) occupation, (The Office Worker Programme) or reason for being overweight (The Beer Gut Programme).

I’m not suggesting these are ready to go concepts, but hopefully you get the idea. By narrowing your focus, the target market will feel your programme is exactly right for them.

Today’s National Day  

NATIONAL CHEER UP THE LONELY DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE  

Dear Streetwise Customer, 

  Imagine if your betting profits were a nailed on 100% certainty…that you were guaranteed to never lose a bet…and that there was a totally fool proof system you could deploy that would only ever win or break even at worst. Well thanks to a rule which every bookmaker in the UK is forced to follow, you don’t have to imagine it. 


                 Because It’s The Loophole To End All Loopholes! 

  And for reasons I’ll explain fully, it’s a loophole that’s open to anyone and everyone with an internet connection…and it will be open forever. 


 Here’s your chance to find out about this secret loophole for yourself, because Nick has come up with a unique offer that will put almost £300 in your pocket…even if you prove him wrong!  

 For full details Visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/loopholes 

   Take a look now. You’re going to love this one!

     
    Very Best Wishes,

John Harrison 

Thanks to Hollywood, most people know what you’re talking about when you describe someone a ‘Snake Oil Salesman’. It’s a derogatory term used to describe someone employing dubious techniques to sell a product which doesn’t work. Interestingly though, the original snake oil actually worked! 

In the 1860’s Chinese labourers brought in to build the Transcontinental Railroad, brought with them an oil derived from the Chinese Water snake which was used to relieve aching and tired muscles. They shared it with fellow workers who found it beneficial. This was great for them, but not so good for the men who made their living by travelling and selling proprietary medicines.

To protect their business, they ridiculed the natural remedy and then started calling any ‘cure all’ remedies, snake oil. The snake oil salesman became a term used to describe anyone selling non-mainstream health products, and the term is still alive and well today. 

Over a hundred years have passed since those days, but mainstream suppliers of pharmaceuticals are still using similar techniques to attack suppliers of natural or unconventional remedies.

Are they really ‘snake oil’ salesmen? Well I’m sure some are, but as we’ve seen, some snake oil works.

There’s a lot of money to be made in complimentary or natural medicine, and it’s a market that’s definitely worth investigating. You’ll need to sort the wheat from the chaff, but don’t be put off by the universal detractors

Rent Your Stuff 

If you’re willing to let other people use your car, the UK based Easy Car Club scheme allows you to rent it out while you’re not using it. Following on from that, US based FlightCar aims to put cars left at airports to use by renting them out while their owners are travelling.

People flying into the airport can then rent the cars from those who have just flown out! Customers obtain a 20% – 50% discount compared to traditional renting, while the owner receives 65% of the fee. Perhaps that’s something to look at copying here? 

I wouldn’t personally want to rent my car out for that purpose (I’m far too precious about it!) but if you feel differently, it could be a valuable source of additional income. 

Cars are just one example of what you could rent out for money though. Give some thought to what expensive items you have laying around unused for much of the time. Could they form the basis of a rental business?

Today’s National Day  

NATIONAL FATHER AND DAUGHTER TAKE A WALK DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE  

Dear Streetwise Customer, 

  Imagine if your betting profits were a nailed on 100% certainty…that you were guaranteed to never lose a bet…and that there was a totally fool proof system you could deploy that would only ever win or break even at worst. Well thanks to a rule which every bookmaker in the UK is forced to follow, you don’t have to imagine it. 


                 Because It’s The Loophole To End All Loopholes! 

  And for reasons I’ll explain fully, it’s a loophole that’s open to anyone and everyone with an internet connection…and it will be open forever. 


 Here’s your chance to find out about this secret loophole for yourself, because Nick has come up with a unique offer that will put almost £300 in your pocket…even if you prove him wrong!  

 For full details Visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/loopholes 

   Take a look now. You’re going to love this one!

     
    Very Best Wishes,

John Harrison 

Most people don’t need persuading to take a holiday, but it could actually be good for your bank balance as well as your general wellbeing.

By going into a different culture, location or environment you often become exposed to new ideas and influences which you simply wouldn’t get at home. 

Australian couple Monica Liebenow and Phil Barham noticed a cartoon family in the rear screen of a car while travelling in California. When they returned, they explained the idea to a graphic designer friend and ended up creating something called ‘My Family Stickers’.

The stickers were similar to the American ones but with an Aussie twist. More than two million of the stickers have been sold in the past two years. 

So don’t relax altogether on your next break. Keep half an eye and ear open to potential money making opportunities you can copy or adapt? It’s certainly worked for me in the past (perhaps stories for another day) and it could work for you too.

The World’s Worst Hotel

Most hotels are terrified of getting a bad reputation on Trip Advisor and other review sites. The Hans Brinker hotel in Amsterdam sees things differently. The hotel has embraced a marketing strategy which attempts to build its reputation as the worst hotel in the world.

The owners have published a book called The Worst Hotel in the World, and filmed a series of hilarious promotional videos which can be found on Youtube. 

For around twenty euros a night, the hotel openly admit that guests can expect wafer thin mattresses, rusty beds, grotty paintwork, broken lifts and scruffy bathrooms. They proudly boast that the hotel has virtually no facilities. 

It’s an interesting approach. If you can’t be the best, why not make a feature of being worst? It certainly differentiates the Hans Brinker from other poor hotels which I’m sure are equally bad. Many people looking for a budget hotel will choose to stay there just to say they’ve been in the worst hotel in the world.

Is this a strategy that you could employ in your market? It’s risky, but it could be worth thinking about.

Today’s National Day  

NATIONAL PICNIC DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE  

Dear Streetwise Customer, 

  Imagine if your betting profits were a nailed on 100% certainty…that you were guaranteed to never lose a bet…and that there was a totally fool proof system you could deploy that would only ever win or break even at worst. Well thanks to a rule which every bookmaker in the UK is forced to follow, you don’t have to imagine it. 


                 Because It’s The Loophole To End All Loopholes! 

  And for reasons I’ll explain fully, it’s a loophole that’s open to anyone and everyone with an internet connection…and it will be open forever. 


 Here’s your chance to find out about this secret loophole for yourself, because Nick has come up with a unique offer that will put almost £300 in your pocket…even if you prove him wrong!  

 For full details Visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/loopholes 

   Take a look now. You’re going to love this one!

     
    Very Best Wishes,

John Harrison 

I know someone who works for one of the big London law firms. Such are the demands and time constraints of the job, that the firm have beds on site so that employees don’t have to waste time going home at night when deadlines need to be met.

I’m not sure whether this idea is quite as extreme as that, but it is an indication on the pressure some folk are perceived to be in at work these days. 

London based Pod Time have based themselves in the fast-paced corporate environment of Canary Wharf. They provide hygienic sleep pods which stressed and tired workers can rent out for half an hour at a time to have a much needed nap during the working day.

Charges are £5.99 for an half hour and £10 for an hour. Speaking as someone who has seen people asleep at work without going to the expense of a pod, I can see a demand for this. 

Might there be other areas of the country where a ‘short term sleep solution’ would find a ready market?

Might there be other locations where this could be popular…airports perhaps? Or (and I’m definitely not going into detail here) might there be some other purpose for these pods, other than sleep, which would attract a paying clientele? I’ll leave you to give it some thought.

Hot Bodies

I’ve noticed that after the weekend, our office is always several degrees colder than it is later in the week, even though the heating has been left on.

Increased computer activity plays a part, but so does human activity. The staff come into the office, they give off body heat and it warms the building.

 Now this is happening everywhere. The amount of heat energy given off by the population must be huge. So is there a way to harness it? It turns out that there is. 

 Over 200,000 people pass through Stockholm’s Central station each day. Jernhusen, a property company given the job of remodelling the station, have come up with a way of transferring the heat generated by all these people to an office building across the road.

The stations ventilation system includes heat exchangers which convert all this heat energy into hot water. It’s reported that the result is a 25% reduction in the buildings energy costs. 

Needless to say, green energy is on everyone’s agenda at the moment, and initiatives like this are likely to be on the increase. Perhaps something to invest in, or even participate in for those with the skills and resources.

Today’s National Day  

NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE  

Dear Streetwise Customer,  

  Once or twice a year I receive exceptional quality information and a few months ago one of these rare and very special documents landed on my desk.  

  It revealed an amazing system which is making its author an absolute fortune and a large sum of money was asked for in exchange for the information.  

   An agreement was reached whereby I could share the information with Streetwise customers, but first I insisted on ‘proving’ the system and so I asked 25 of my customers to test this for us.  

   The results have been nothing less than astonishing. Every single one of my 25 testers has reported fantastic success!  

   Consequently I signed the deal and now I am delighted to be able to share this information with you. Please do not pass this on to anyone else because this information truly is TOP SECRET. It is just for you and Streetwise’s best customers and no-one else. 

  We authorised just 50 copies to be printed for our best customers only. At the time of writing we only have 16 copies left and one of these is waiting for you to claim it.

For full details CLICK HERE

…and you’ll discover why I am so excited about this incredible winning system and what’s going to happen next.

 Best Wishes, 

John Harrison 

Recent Comments 

“Every Signal so far has been a winner, that is for the time I have been using it which is 21 race days. It is solid and when I place the bets this system throws at me I just place them and walk away for the day. You don’t get lot’s of bets, and they only take 5 minutes max to spot anytime after 9 in the morning.”

– D Lean 

“The program I bought in July is so very simple to run and is consistently proving to be a money spinner. I have never before found a system to equal this one.”

– C A Davies 

 For full details visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/IS

 Jim Hunt

Business is generally perceived to be hard-nosed, totally profit-driven and calculating, but sometimes there is a middle ground-one that benefits everyone involved. Take Mirakle Couriers, based in Mumbai India. 

As the name suggests, the company offer a pick up and drop off service in Mumbia. What isn’t obvious though is that the company only employ deaf workers. India has one of the largest deaf populations in the world, with around 6% of the population affected. Many find it difficult to find work. Mirakle Couriers are able to provide that work. 

The company founder is a former investment banker who insists that the company is a commercial operation rather than a charity, and that the social element is simply embedded in the commercial operation. In any event, it seems to work and the company has grown rapidly since its 2008 launch. 

So from the companies standpoint, is there an advantage to solely employing workers who have a disability? There could be several. Prospective customers could be impressed with the companies social element, and be therefore more likely to use them. It’s something unusual, and is therefore likely to be of immerse PR valve. And the workers themselves-having experienced difficulty finding work elsewhere-are likely to be hard working and loyal. 

It seems like a win-win situation, and one which could be copied elsewhere. Are there European laws against positively discriminating in favour of people with disabilities in the workplace? I’d like to think not, but don’t know, so that would need looking into. But it seems like an idea with potential.

Upcycling Opportunity

I was reading about a business run by Scott Hamlin in Portland Oregon, and wondered how many other people might be able to cash in on something like this.

Hamlin’s company, Loop works buys up end-of-line, unwanted fabric from warehouses in Asia which is destined for landfill or the incinerator. It then turns it into shirts, skirts, laptop sleeves and backpacks. The company is very much for profit, but has a strong environmental ethos. 

Any enterprise that has a positive environmental impact will be well received by prospective customers and the media. Upcycling (converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality) is environmentally friendly and can be highly profitable if done well.

Are there upcycling opportunities in your sphere of expertise? Do you know of any waste materials that could form the basis of a new upcycling opportunity?

Today’s National Day  

NATIONAL TAKE A WALK IN THE PARK DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE  

Dear Streetwise Customer,  

  Once or twice a year I receive exceptional quality information and a few months ago one of these rare and very special documents landed on my desk.  

  It revealed an amazing system which is making its author an absolute fortune and a large sum of money was asked for in exchange for the information.  

   An agreement was reached whereby I could share the information with Streetwise customers, but first I insisted on ‘proving’ the system and so I asked 25 of my customers to test this for us.  

   The results have been nothing less than astonishing. Every single one of my 25 testers has reported fantastic success!  

   Consequently I signed the deal and now I am delighted to be able to share this information with you. Please do not pass this on to anyone else because this information truly is TOP SECRET. It is just for you and Streetwise’s best customers and no-one else. 

  We authorised just 50 copies to be printed for our best customers only. At the time of writing we only have 16 copies left and one of these is waiting for you to claim it.

For full details CLICK HERE

…and you’ll discover why I am so excited about this incredible winning system and what’s going to happen next.

 Best Wishes, 

John Harrison 

Recent Comments 

“Every Signal so far has been a winner, that is for the time I have been using it which is 21 race days. It is solid and when I place the bets this system throws at me I just place them and walk away for the day. You don’t get lot’s of bets, and they only take 5 minutes max to spot anytime after 9 in the morning.”

– D Lean 

“The program I bought in July is so very simple to run and is consistently proving to be a money spinner. I have never before found a system to equal this one.”

– C A Davies 

 For full details visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/IS

 Jim Hunt

Lenders have granted almost 1.2 million payment holidays on credit cards and personal loans since the Covid-19 outbreak began. Banks have also offered to waive interest on overdrafts of up to £500 for 27 million customers.

Anyone considering asking for a break should be aware that interest would still be charged on most credit cards and personal loans during payment holidays. So, your debt will grow.

Gareth Shaw, head of money at consumers’ association which has warned that regulators need to “work with firms to ensure that customers who take a payment holiday are not plunged into unnecessary financial distress once it ends”. 

Banks are increasing rates on credit cards despite the cuts to the Bank of England’s base rate. Average credit-card interest rates have risen from 24.8% in February to 25.2% at the time of writing.

This has always been an issue, with savers getting cuts almost instantly after a base-rate reduction while borrowers are less likely to benefit. One of the reasons that credit-card rates have risen in recent years is because they are helping to fund 0% introductory offers.

While new customers can often get a great interest-free offer, loyal customers pay over the odds to finance this generosity. 

Additionally, Holidays could double in price once lockdown is lifted due to a raft of new safety measures imposed on hotels. When we are finally able to travel again, holiday accommodation will have to be at the top of its game when it comes to hygiene.

Firms could be forced to increase cleaning budgets, leave rooms vacant between guests and install expensive equipment to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Be prepared for a rather dramatic increase in costs. In some instances prices could even quadruple.

Enjoy The Finer Things In Lockdown

Fine dining has gone mobile. The coronavirus lockdown has closed down luxury restaurants, so Michelin-starred chefs have been scrabbling to sign up to upmarket versions of Deliver and Just Eat.

Zuma, the high-end Japanese restaurant in Knightsbridge, Chinese fine-dining outlet Hakkasan and Mayfair’s Michelin-starred Hide are among the brands supplying Supper, a central London posh food delivery service.

Demand has jumped by 700% during lockdown; one family in Surrey sends a driver to collect dinners at £1,500 a go.

Nor need the lockdown deprive the rich of other pleasures. Vintage wine-tasting for your friends, car viewing or the odd Mykonos-themed beach party from Annabel’s are all options on Zoom.

Some people hired an in-house chef just before lockdown, while a Covid19 deep-clean squad to root the virus out from under the sofa is also an idea.

The boss of one cleaning group, which usually services industry but now sends people fully gloved and masked into houses, says some people are obviously not used to cleaning … they think it’s more complicated than it actually is.

Today’s National Day  

NATIONAL SUNGLASSES DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE  

Dear Streetwise Customer,  

  Once or twice a year I receive exceptional quality information and a few months ago one of these rare and very special documents landed on my desk.  

  It revealed an amazing system which is making its author an absolute fortune and a large sum of money was asked for in exchange for the information.  

   An agreement was reached whereby I could share the information with Streetwise customers, but first I insisted on ‘proving’ the system and so I asked 25 of my customers to test this for us.  

   The results have been nothing less than astonishing. Every single one of my 25 testers has reported fantastic success!  

   Consequently I signed the deal and now I am delighted to be able to share this information with you. Please do not pass this on to anyone else because this information truly is TOP SECRET. It is just for you and Streetwise’s best customers and no-one else. 

  We authorised just 50 copies to be printed for our best customers only. At the time of writing we only have 16 copies left and one of these is waiting for you to claim it.

For full details CLICK HERE

…and you’ll discover why I am so excited about this incredible winning system and what’s going to happen next.

 Best Wishes, 

John Harrison 

Recent Comments 

“Every Signal so far has been a winner, that is for the time I have been using it which is 21 race days. It is solid and when I place the bets this system throws at me I just place them and walk away for the day. You don’t get lot’s of bets, and they only take 5 minutes max to spot anytime after 9 in the morning.”

– D Lean 

“The program I bought in July is so very simple to run and is consistently proving to be a money spinner. I have never before found a system to equal this one.”

– C A Davies 

 For full details visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/IS

 Jim Hunt

A credit card can be a lifeline in these turbulent times. From helping you get refunds to providing you with interest-free debt, here’s how your flexible friend can help fix your finances.

Customers who are struggling to get their money back for travel, accommodation, events or anything else that has been cancelled may be able to get a refund from their credit-card provider. Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, your credit-card provider is jointly liable if you don’t receive goods or a service that you paid for with your credit card.

The item has to have cost between £100 and £30,000, but you only need to have paid for part of it on your credit card to be protected for the whole amount. This can help if a company is refusing to give you a refund, or if they have gone bust. To make a claim contact your credit-card provider. 

If your income has dropped and you are worrying about making your card repayments, don’t panic. The Financial Conduct Authority has brought in emergency rules that mean lenders are expected to offer customers a payment freeze of up to three months.

This shouldn’t affect your credit rating. If you need to minimise the interest accruing on your debt, there are still some balance-transfer credit cards available with an interest-free deal.

TSB’s Platinum 30 Month Balance Transfer card has the longest interest-free period at two and a half years – but you’ll pay a 2.95% transfer fee. If you don’t need that long, then Santander offers 18 months at 0% on balance transfers with no fee at all.

Just remember to plan how to pay your debt off before the interest-free period ends. Anyone building up Air miles may worry about airlines going bust if the crisis drags on.

So if you earn loyalty points through credit cards with the intention of turning them into Air miles, such as Tesco Club card or American Express – you’re better off leaving any balance on the card for now: they can either be converted into Air miles later or used for other rewards. Air miles can’t be converted back, but Avios points can be used to buy alcohol instead.

However, this is expensive: it costs around two points per penny, compared with one per penny for flights. Virgin Flying Club points can be shifted into hotel reward schemes such as the IHG Rewards Club or the Hilton Honours, although again, unfortunately, the conversion rates are worse than for flights

Interest Rates Are Dwindling Quick

Santander is to cut the interest rate on its popular 123 current account from 1% to 0.6% from 3 August. The rate had been 1.5% until last month. In three months customers holding the full balance (£20,000) will have gone from earning up to £302 a year in interest to £120, but the bank will continue to charge… £5 a month.

What’s more, this month Nationwide cut the rate on its Flex Direct account from 5% to 2% on balances up to £1,500. The 2% rate is still the highest on a current account. But you only get it if you pay in £1,000 a month and it drops to 0.25% after a year. 

The upshot? Stop trying to save and spend from the same account. The top easy access savings accounts from Investec, Marcus and RCI Bank pay 1.2%… with no monthly fee.

If you want cashback on your bills, Santander’s 123 light account offers the same cashback rates as its standard one but with a lower £1 fee and no interest. You can earn up to 3% cashback, capped at £15 a month. Taking that fee into account the most an account holder can earn is £168 a year.

Putting your money in some safe stocks would be a much better option.

Today’s National Day  

NATIONAL FRESHEN UP FRIDAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE  

Dear Streetwise Customer,

  It didn’t come as a surprise to me when 2 banks intervened and literally blocked their customers from hearing from me, even though everything I was saying is 100% legal.  

  That’s because I’ve been exposing how the banks constantly take advantage of the little guy. 

But now the tables have turned… 

  I doubled my money by legally intercepting unofficial bank messages. 

  But the best part is that banks can’t stop us from milking this over and over again!  

  And now I’m giving you the opportunity to copy me… 

  Just give me a few minutes of your time. 

I’ll explain all of this when you visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/code 

 Kind Regards, 

 Jim Hunt