IF you need lessons in getting a good deal - you've come to the right place. We have 20 MoneySaving tips to get you straight A's in beating ruses and rip-offs.

1 FREEPHONE calls are NOT free from mobiles-they cost up to 40p a minute. The solution's at www.0800buster.co.uk

It lets you call these numbers using your mobile's inclusive minutes by giving you a normal UK landline number to dial instead. Once connected, you then enter the full 0800 number at no extra cost.

2 THINK you're setting up a direct debit but are asked to give your debit or credit card's long number, rather than your bank account details?

BEWARE. This isn't a direct debit, it's a deadly 'recurring payment' that you CAN'T CANCEL. Only the company you're paying can stop it, commonly leading to nightmares.

3 'UNLIMITED' calls on BT only last 60 minutes-after you've been on the phone an hour, you start paying. So replace your handset before your time's up and redial to keep it free. Most other companies' "unlimited" call offers work the same way.

4 NEVER withdraw cash on credit cards-you'll almost always be charged a fee, pay higher interest rates and be charged interest even if you clear the balance in full.

5 TRY council-run MOT centres which are usually for buses and taxis, but allow cars too. As they don't do repairs, people tend to find their cars fail fewer tests. Funny that, eh? For a full list of centres, see www.moneysavingexpert.com/MOTs

6 SOME families with incomes over £60,000 are still eligible for benefits. It's rare at higher income levels, but check to see if you qualify at www.entitledto.com

7 CHILDREN and students DO pay tax, just like adults. They can earn £6,475 tax-free in a year. The difference is that most children never hit that threshold.

8 EMAILS telling you to "forward this as it's tracked and you can win a prize" are internet-clogging HOAXES. No company can track multi-forwarded emails this way.

9 MOST people with £1,000 in Premium Bonds will win NOTHING this year. At current rates, 72 per cent with this amount get zilch, 25 per cent will win £25 (roughly the same as what top savings accounts pay) and 5 per cent will win £50 or more. Get your predicted winnings using my www.premiumbondcalculator.com

10 LOOK for the active ingredient on medicine packaging, revealing the name of the chemical that makes you better.

Then buy generic versions of the same thing e.g Nurofen is ibuprofen which can be bought at a fraction of the cost. Be warned though-if you've food allergies, never assume other ingredients are identical.

11 MOST Boots stores have what looks like a cash machine. Insert your Advantage Card and it lists extra discounts and deals-sometimes cutting your costs by 20 per cent.

12 CANCEL any old credit cards which you'll never use again. Less available credit usually improves your credit score (more boosting information at www.moneysavingexpert.com/creditrating )

13 YOUNG car owners who list their parents as the main driver on their car insurance policy to cut costs are doing what's called "fronting" and it's actually ILLEGAL. It invalidates insurance and it can even lead to prosecution-NEVER do it. Yet it's OK to add good SECOND drivers to try to lower costs.

14 SECURED loans are NOT better for you than unsecured ones. It's not you who's getting security if you can't repay your loan, it's the LENDER who can grab your home.

15 FLIGHTS usually get pricier the later you book because business people will pay top dollar, so airlines hike prices. Yet package holidays get cheaper the later you book as operators struggle to fill gaps. Cheapest flight information at www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapflights

16 NEVER spend on cheap balance-transfer cards. If you do, you CAN'T choose where your repayments go. Companies make fortunes by biasing your cash towards repaying the cheap debt first, leaving the high-interest expensive debt trapped until all the shifted-debt is repaid.

17 WHILE "use by" dates are a health rule, with the exception of eggs "best before" just means it's of optimum quality before that date. Use your own judgement on whether it's still good or not-meaning food lasts longer and creates less waste.

18 HOTEL star ratings aren't about quality. They're usually a guide to facilities, so one with more stars may simply mean the hotel has a huge lobby or conference venue. Plus there's no national standardisation, so at best the rating is just a rough indication. Better to use feedback sites such as www.tripadvisor.co.uk

19 EARLY-booked train fares are cheaper, yet they're often available ON THE DAY. I've even grabbed a half-price early fare on my mobile while travelling to the station.

20 YOU needn't pay tax on eBay sales. If you're flogging unwanted stuff there's NO tax to pay. But become a trader, making or selling goods bought with the intention of resale, and they ARE taxable.

Send your questions for publication to notw@moneysavingexpert.com .

TV Money Guru Martin Lewis is the creator of the Consumer Revenge website www.MoneySavingExpert.com which is packed with info on how to get more money in your pocket.

• The Flight Stuff
• It pays to be unfaithful
• Payschool
• Martin Lewis: Veiled threat
• Fanplastic!
• Insure you don't get mugged
• Banger out of order
• Wake-up call for savers!
• Credit card tart

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