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News: Average credit card APR rises to highest rate since 2006 - a shocking 35.3%

So check now whether you can save £1,000s shifting existing debt to a 2yr+ INTEREST FREE balance transfer card

Spend on a credit card, and the average annual percentage rate (APR) has risen to 35.3% - a stomach-churning £353 a year for every £1,000 of debt on it. This is the highest level since 2006, when data provider Moneyfacts started tracking rates. So do check now whether you're paying interest, and what your APR is. Your core weapon to take this on is a top balance transfer - a new card that pays off debt on existing cards, so you owe it instead, but interest-free over a set period. This means your repayments clear the actual debt, not just mostly cover interest. On to what to do...

1. Don't just apply - that can hit your ability to access credit. Go via an eligibility calc. Our 0% balance transfer eligibility checker speedily shows acceptance odds for top cards (some people are pre-approved) so you can home in on those most likely to accept you without affecting your creditworthiness.

2. Go for the LOWEST FEE within a 0% time long enough to clear the debt. Longer balance transfers usually have a bigger one-off fee to transfer. So if you've a choice and can clear debt quicker, go for a shorter deal to minimise fees. Unsure? Play safe, go long.

Rarely, all the top picks right now give all accepted the full 0% length, making the choice simpler...

If you do get a card, ALWAYS follow the Balance Transfer Golden Rules:
a) Never miss the minimum monthly repayment, or you could lose the 0% deal and it'll cost far more.
b) Aim to clear the card (or balance-transfer again) before the 0% ends, or the rate rockets to the higher APR.
c) Don't spend or withdraw cash. It usually isn't at the cheap rate and withdrawals may hit your ability to get future credit.
d) If you don't transfer at application, you've usually only 60 to 90 days to get the 0% deal. Do check with the card provider.

Quick balance-transfer FAQs (click links for Martin's answers)
Q. Is it worth applying if my eligibility odds are low? | Q. What if my credit limit isn't big enough? | Q. Can I shift debt to existing cards too? | Q. Should I try to pay off my biggest debt first? SPOILER: NO.
Full help and info, including options for poorer credit scorers, in Best balance transfers.

Home insurance costs UP 42% - and rising. Check NOW whether you can save £100s locking in a price till 2025

Six steps to slash your contents &/or buildings insurance costs

Home insurance costs have risen 42% over the last 12 months, the highest-ever rise recorded by research firm Consumer Intelligence, and it says there's little sign of a slowdown. So even if you're not at renewal, check whether you can lock in a decent price to protect against possible future rises. Full help in Cheap home insurance, but in brief...

COMBINE comparison sites for 100s of quotes in minutes. Never just auto-renew - there's no guarantee your existing insurer will give you the cheapest or best cover. It's always worth a check elsewhere. Comparison sites zip your info to dozens of insurers and brokers at once. Yet don't just use one as: 1) They can cover different insurers, and 2) They often have different prices for the same firm.
Our current order is 1) MoneySupermarket*, 2) Compare The Market*, 3) Confused.com* (see how we order it). If you get few results, or they're really expensive, see help if you struggle to get insurance.
As Matt's email shows: "Last year's home insurance cost £564, the renewal was £867. 'Everyone's price has gone up, what can you do?', said the broker. What could I do? A search of comparison websites and a couple of hours' work. Got the same level of cover for £275, saving me £592! Cheers MSE :)"

Now check special deals to see whether you can beat the comparisons' cheapest. If you've time, check these. See how they compare with the comparison result, and whether - factoring in the voucher or cashback - they're cheaper:
- Coverbaloo* gives a £25 Amazon voucher (comes within 90 days).
- Urban Jungle* gives a £15 Amazon voucher after seven months when you use code MSE_OFFER.
- Biggie Direct Line doesn't appear on comparisons and can be competitive for some.
- If you're a member of cashback sites Quidco or Topcashback, you can do a comparison through them, and get up to £34 back. But check prices are the same (or cheaper) as through the main comparisons. See cashback help info.

The sweet spot is 21 days ahead of renewal, but if that's ages away, check anyway. Leave getting insurance until the last minute and the price can go up, as insurers deem those who leave it later to be a higher risk. On average, the cheapest time to get quotes is 21 days ahead of your renewal, though a few days either side won't matter much. See Best time to renew home insurance.
Not at renewal? In a market where prices are rising, it's worth checking today's prices. If you can make a substantial saving (and haven't claimed this year), you can cancel your policy and usually get a pro-rata refund if you paid upfront, minus a £35ish admin fee (though you won't earn the year's no-claims discount). That way you forestall rises for another year. See switching home insurance mid-year.

Haggle. Want to stick with your existing firm? Tell it this but ask it to match your cheapest price from steps 2 and 3 - it will often work. See home insurance haggling help.