MT Digest - What if Trump starts a trade war with China?
What to read right now…
Well, Trump is back. The crypto rally is an indicator of how much the economy can shift from one man but here’s another: what if Trump starts a trade war with China?
Meanwhile, back in the UK, Hargreaves Lansdown has some sage advice on protecting your wealth post-budget*.
And here’s a good explainer on what the UK pension shake up means and who it affects.
Finally, rent control has arrived in the UK - here’s what it means (and whether it works).
The deal that’s a steal
…
It’s almost Black Friday, and some retailers have started their early offers, like AO.com*.
The best one I’ve seen is for the Oral B iO 3 electric toothbrush*.
It’s currently being sold for £95, down from £260 - a saving of £165.
Of course, Oral B has so many different models of electric toothbrushes, and they’re constantly being discounted, so it’s worth double checking whether you’re actually getting a good deal here.
It’s a good time to resurface this piece on how to make the most of the sales.
And an actual freebie…
Sunday the 18th of November is your last day to claim one of the free National Trust family day passes.
All you have to do is sign up for one of the newsletters from a regional newspaper from Future, which of course you can unsubscribe from if you’re not interested.
They have 25,000 day passes to give away and you can use it to visit any of the National Trust properties near you.
The passes are also valid until 15 December 2024, so you’ve got plenty of time to use it.
If you only do one thing…
If you’re in the market for a premium credit card - and only if that’s the case - American Express have launched their best offer ever for new card members.
Until 14 January 2025, you can get 80,000 Membership Rewards points when you sign up for the fee-paying Amex Platinum card.
It’s worth up to £400 in gift cards, though you have to pay £650 annually for the card itself.
It’s only worth it if you’re a big spender because to qualify, you have to be new to Amex and spend at least £10,000 in your first six months of card membership.
The benefit of the card include free unlimited lounge access via Priority Pass* and worldwide travel insurance.
Plus, you’ll get £200 a year to spend at restaurants in the UK and £200 a year to spend at selected restaurants abroad.
And of course, you’ll earn Amex points on everything you buy, which can be used to pay for more perks.
As I say, it’s only worth it if you’re in the market for a premium credit card.
Think someone you know might like Money Talk? Refer a friend (or few) and get free premium subscription.
Best buys
Accounts with some of the best rates around. The full list here.
Current account:
Nationwide Flex Account 5% AER (first 12 months up to £1,500; for new customers only)
Instant access savings account:
Chip Easy Access Saver* 4.50% AER (penalty for more than three withdrawals)
Marcus Online Savings Account 4.30% AER
Regular savings account:
First Direct Regular Saver 7% AER (pay in up to £300 a month)
Natwest Digital Regular Saver 6.17% AER (pay in up to £150 a month, with higher rate paid up to £5,000)
RBS Digital Regular Saver 6.17% AER (pay in up to £150 a month, with higher rate paid up to £8,000)