WITH so many services and subscriptions available, it’s easy to lose track of all the perks bundled into your monthly payments.

From free courses to exclusive entertainment deals, here are some hidden extras you might not know about . . . 

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LISTEN UP: Spotify is known for music and podcasts, but did you know they also offer courses?

Typically costing up to £80, you can now access these for free until November 30.

Choose from a range of courses such as photography, crafting or even DJing, and pick up a brand-new skill this month.

Visit courses. spotify.com to explore the options there are.

SHOW OFF: Film buffs will love this.

Sky Cinema customers not only get the latest films at home, and Paramount+, but can also claim two free Vue cinema tickets every month.

With the rising cost of watching movies on the big screen, this is the perfect perk for a cheap monthly date night.

PRIME SAVING: Amazon Prime members enjoy a host of perks but one that is often overlooked is Deliveroo Plus Silver membership.

This means free delivery and extra savings on your take-away orders for a whole year.

It’s usually £3.49 per month for the membership alone, and then you will make those extra savings on the food you order.

You can quickly and easily link up your account right now at deliveroo.co.uk/amazon-prime.

ENTERTAINMENT EXTRA: O2 customers should check for free extras with their mobile plan.

One is six months of Disney+ Standard, usually £4.99 a month, free through O2’s “Choose Extra” programme.

There’s also a free Amazon Prime offer. Head to o2.co.uk/extras.

DINNER DATE: Love dining out? Vodafone VeryMe Rewards offers a year’s membership of Eat Local, powered by the Gourmet Society.

This gives you 2-for-1 meal deals or 25 per cent off on food and drinks at restaurants in your area.

• All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability

Deal of the day

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STASHING presents for Christmas?

This week, get the Nivea For Men Got It Covered gift set, usually £20 for £10 at Superdrug.

SAVE: £10

Cheap treat

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FANCY a Cadbury Fudge?

A £1.40 pack is now £1 if you scan your Tesco Clubcard.

SAVE: 40p

What’s new?

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FANCY a last-minute trip?

If you can be flexible on dates and times, head to snap.

Eurostar.com to find up to 50 per cent off fares for last-minute Eurostar departures.

Top swap

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BRING the scent of autumn indoors with a large Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Yankee Candle, £29.99 from yankeecandle.co.uk, or find the similar large Pumpkin Spiced Latte candle, at The Range for £3.99.

SAVE: £26

Shop & save

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THIS So’home lamp will look chic on your bedside table.

Was £30, now £15 at laredoute.co.uk.

SAVE: £15

Hot right now

CHECK out the Lidl Plus app. This week you can get a free eye test when spending £50. See the partners section of the app for details.

PLAY NOW TO WIN £200

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JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle.

Every month we’re giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers – whether you’re saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered.

Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.

The more codes you enter, the more tickets you’ll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!

RACHEL Reeves will hit 1.5million pensioners in the pocket by freezing income tax thresholds at the Budget, experts fear.

The move risks them being dragged into higher tax bands, as the state pension is set to rise.

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It will be a fresh blow to retirees, many of whom have been stung by the Chancellor’s axing universal winter fuel cash.

Jon Greer, from finance firm Quilter, said: “The triple lock may increase state pensions but, with tax thresholds frozen, many will find themselves paying taxes on what should be a lifeline.

“For those with state and private pensions, the hit will be felt sooner, eroding their incomes at a time when financial security is crucial.”

Thresholds were fixed by the Tories until 2028 but Ms Reeves is thought likely to extend the freeze.

Meanwhile, she has been pressed to find money to help support struggling town halls — as one in four councils expect to, in effect, go bust in the next two years.

One in ten council heads say they have considered asking the Government for support.

The body’s Labour chairwoman Louise Gittins described the current financial crisis as “extraordinary” ahead of their annual rally in Harrogate, north Yorkshire, from today.

She said: “The autumn Budget must provide councils with the financial stability they need to protect the services our communities rely on every day.”

BRITISH health tech firm Zoe, championed by celebrities including Davina McCall, has launched a second round of layoffs in six months.

Last year Zoe was deemed one of the fastest-growing firms in the country as health fans signed up to wear its bright yellow blood sugar sensors on their arms.

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However, in April the firm admitted that it had overexpanded its workforce and had to cut costs by 20 per cent.

The Sun can reveal it is now making further job cuts while insiders claim sales are faltering.

Sources said staff had been told via a video call there had to be further changes and redundancies were required.

A consultation with staff is now ongoing, a legal requirement for companies making cuts of more than 20 people. It has refused to confirm the scale of the job cuts.

One worker said: “There is a terrible atmosphere.

“Everyone is scared and we don’t know whether we will have jobs at the end of this four-week window. It’s just looming over us.”

Co-founder Professor Tim Spector, who started the firm seven years ago, has been credited for pushing public awareness about “gut health”.

Zoe’s cheapest starter package costs £299 and charges users a further £25 a month for recipe guides and diet tips.

The brand has a deal with Marks & Spencer to produce mini “gut shots” of fermented milk for £2 and also a cereal range with Waitrose.

The business raised £11.5million in July to fund its expansion.

The firm said: “We are restructuring our teams to continue on our ambitious mission of transforming the health of millions.

“We are dedicated to keeping our employees engaged and informed in the coming weeks.”

A RECORD HIGH FOR UK MUSIC

RAYE, Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran helped push the value of British music exports to a record high of £775million last year.

However, intense competition from artists from Latin America and South Korea is biting into business, figures from British music industry body the BPI show.

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Last year’s 7.6 per cent rise in exports was just half the 2022 rate of growth, it said.

Britain accounts for about 10 per cent of global music streaming, with timeless tunes from the likes of Elton John, The Beatles and Queen still proving popular.

BPI chief executive Jo Twist said: “It is encouraging — but we can and must do even better in the face of fierce global competition.”

CELEBS’ AD QUIZ

TWENTY social media influencers are being quizzed under caution by the City watchdog about their illegal promotion of financial products.

The Financial Conduct Authority said there had been a rise in so-called “finfluencers”, who promote foreign currency exchanges, crypto and complex trading to users.

The FCA says they are not authorised or qualified to give financial advice.

It charged nine stars this year, including Love Island’s Eva Zapico and Towie’s Lauren Goodger, for plugging dodgy investments on social media.

TEN-PIN’S A WIN

HOLLYWOOD BOWL is striking record levels of cash after tempting ten-pin fans to spend more on its snacks, drinks, and arcade games.

The bowling alley chain, which has 72 locations in the UK and 13 in Canada, saw a 7.2 per cent rise in annual revenues to £230.4million.

UK sales rose by 4 per cent to £200million, but were flat once new openings were stripped out.

The firm has benefited from families looking for low-cost indoor entertainment in the unpredictable weather.

RATES CAUTION

ONE of the Bank of England’s rate-setters says she favours a “cautious” approach to lowering interest rates, despite some economists’ predictions of hefty rate cuts next year.

Megan Greene wrote in the Financial Times yesterday she was concerned about rushing into a rate-cutting cycle and cautioned a consumer recovery “could take much longer”.

It comes as many still have to refinance their mortgages at higher rates than before.

Goldman Sachs yesterday said rates could fall to 2.75 per cent by next November.

V.W. £27M TAB FOR CAR HELL

VOLKSWAGEN has been fined £5.4million for its unfair treatment of vulnerable customers, and told to pay £21.5million in compensation.

The Financial Conduct Authority found nearly 110,000 customers who suffered due to “serious failings” by the German car giant’s finance arm over six years.

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A probe by the watchdog revealed VW took cars away from vulnerable customers who were struggling to keep up with payments, without considering other options.

It also charged them the extra costs of repossessing their car, even when customers said they had no means to pay.

In one case, the firm took back the vehicle from someone with depression and who had previously attempted suicide, despite telling VW they needed the car for work.

The watchdog’s Therese Chambers said: “Volkswagen Finance made tough personal situations worse.

“The fine and redress should send clear signals to lenders they need to properly support those in financial difficulty.”

AXE SHOP TAX PLEA

MORE than 300 business leaders have called the UK’s tourist tax a “spectacular own goal” and urged the Chancellor to scrap it in the Budget.

Bosses at Mulberry, John Lewis and Shakespeare’s Globe wrote to Rachel Reeves to argue the UK is at a “global disadvantage” as the only country in Europe not to offer tax-free shopping to overseas visitors.

The tax is costing the economy £11.1billion, analysis by the Centre for Economics and Business Research says.

LABOUR’S worker reforms will cost business £5billion a year and raise the risk of higher prices and job losses, the Government’s analysis shows.

Nearly one in five companies will have to react to the cost burden by cutting their workforce.

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The overhaul by Deputy PM Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds includes changes to sick leave rights and a ban on zero-hours contracts.

One in ten employers may end up cutting workers’ pay, analysis of the Office for National Statistics data shows.

It also suggested 40 per cent would most likely raise their prices, risking a return of inflation.

The alternative is businesses losing profits by absorbing costs.

The party acknowledged smaller businesses would face a bigger hit, despite ministers arguing against exemptions.

The Government has said it would “consider mitigation”.

Analysis showed the largest annual bills could be £1billion for ending zero-hours contracts and another £1billion for improving sick pay.

Ms Rayner said yesterday: “We said we would get on and deliver the biggest upgrade to rights at work in a generation and the growth our economy needs and that is exactly what we’re doing.”

Shadow Business Secretary Kevin Hollinrake is urging FTSE 100 bosses to raise their concerns about Labour’s package of regulation.

And Neil Carberry at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation said: “Today’s impact assessment shows the cost impact will fall on firms who are already facing a wide range of other rising costs.”

FANS of a popular bar have been left devastated after the family-run business announced its closure.

Bar 7 was unveiled in Margate town centre in December last year, but the business – with a bistro, bar and hire space – will be shuttering at the end of this week.

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The decision that’s left customers devastated was announced by the company’s owner Wendy Knight, who ran the popular bar with her husband Douglas and son and daughter Karl and Shelby.

The family say health concerns are behind the shop’s closure.

In a statement on Facebook, they said: “We wanted to let everyone know as from the end of next week we will be closing our doors.

“We want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who ever helped us get on our feet and get started, with out you all it couldn’t have happened.

“We as a family need to focus on our health. This is not goodbye, but more see you later.

“We want to wish the new owners all the best, we will let them make there announcement.”

Distraught customers took to the comments of the announcement to express their sadness over the abrupt closure.

One user said: “Such a shame we really enjoyed the comedy clubs, if you open up again anywhere let us know.”

Another commented: “Hope you are all ok.”

One concerned customer said: “Oh that’s not good sorry hope all is well Wendy.”

And: “Health and your family comes first.”

What else is happening on the high street?

Many retailers have had to make changes in recent times in a bid to survive the cost of living crisis.

We have seen several big losses in the last 12 months including popular discounter Wilko and stationary brand Paperchase.

This year, health and beauty chain The Body Shop fell into administration and announced the closure of many of its 200 stores.

Almost 500 staff are set to lose their jobs after 75 stores were earmarked for closure.

Plus, clothing retailer Ted Baker fell into administration in March 2024 too, with 15 stores having shut by April 19.

Other retailers such as Iceland, Boots and Matalan have been slimming down the number of stores they have in their portfolio.

Just this spring Boots is closing a total of nine sites, as part of its wider plans to get rid of 300 locations.

These closures will see the retailer’s total shops reduced from 2,200 to 1,900.

This has upset a lot of locals in the affected towns, however, the health and beauty chain has said where stores are closing there is an alternative shop less than three miles away.

THOUSANDS of state pensioners will be impacted by a major change to their benefits.

Government in Scotland is launching a new benefit that will eventually see Attendance Allowance scrapped in the country.

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The new benefit – known as the pension age disability payment – will give extra cash to pensioners suffering from long-term illnesses or who are terminally ill.

This is almost identical to Attendance Allowance, but Scottish officials say the new process will make it easier to nominate someone to support them in their talks with the benefits officer for the country.

Applications to apply for the support opened in five trial areas today including,  Argyll and Bute, Aberdeen, Orkney, Shetland and Highland.

However, the whole region will have the benefit introduced by April 2025.

Successful claimants will receive between £290 and £434 per month to help them.

Again, the amount applicants receive will not be different to what they currently get on Attendance Allowance and how much you receive depends on the severity of your illness.

Shirley-Anne Somerville, social justice secretary welcomed the rollout, saying it is “more important than ever that older disabled people across Scotland get all the financial support they are entitled to” due to the cost of living.

“This new benefit has been developed by listening to older disabled people and we have made many changes, including making it easier for them to nominate someone to support them in their engagement with Social Security Scotland, something they told us was important to them,” she said.

This was echoed by Tommy Campbell, an executive committee member at the Scottish Pensioners’ Forum.

He said: “We support many people of state pension age and over with long-term health conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and arthritis who would really benefit from this financial support”

It’s worth bearing in mind that this change only applies to Scottish residents.

So if you live in England or Wales you will continue to receive Attendance Allowance, which is paid by the DWP.

The benefit is worth either £72.65 or £108.55 a week, depending on your needs.

How much can I get?

The pension age disability payment can give you extra money if you have care needs because of a long-term illness.

It’s paid at two different rates, lower and higher. The amount you get depends on your care needs.

For example, the lower rate is £72.65 a week and is for people who need help or supervision during the day or night.

Meanwhile, the higher rate is £108.55 a week and is for people who need help or supervision during the day and night.

If you’re terminally ill you’ll automatically get the higher rate.

How can I apply?

When you can apply will depend on where you live. The payment is opening for new applications in stages across Scottish council areas.

You can apply for the pension age disability payment now, if you are of state pension age and you live in:

• Aberdeen City
• Argyll and Bute
• Highland
• Orkney
• Shetland

You’ll be able to apply from March 24 2025 if you live in:

• Aberdeenshire
• Angus
• Clackmannanshire
• Dundee City
• East Ayrshire
• Falkirk
• Fife
• Moray
• Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)
• North Ayrshire
• Perth and Kinross
• South Ayrshire
• Stirling

From April 2025 all councils in the country will have made the switch.

If you are already claiming Attendance Allowance then you will not need to make a new application.

The Scottish government will move you to payment without you having to do anything in 2025.