MARTIN Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert has revealed the best deals on Amazon Prime Day – and the ones unlikely worth your time.

Amazon massive deal day is running for a second day and offers reductions on thousands of items.

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In his popular weekly newsletter from MoneySavingExpert, Mr Lewis highlighted his top five deals.

At the top of the list is the Shark Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner, which is tailored for pet hair pick up and has anti-odour technology.

The item is selling today for £189.99 and was previously £264.93 on Amazon Prime – meaning a £74.94 save.

The recommended retail price for the item is also £299.99, meaning a whopping £110 save compared buying directly from the Shark online store.

The next item on the list is the Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 air fryer – a multipurpose item which can air fry, grill, steam, bake, slow-cook, and more.

The product was originally £219.99, but is now selling for £129.99, meaning a £89.01 save.

Argos is currently selling the air fryer for £169, meaning at least a 20% saving compared to buying elsewhere.

Not only this, but due to the multipurpose design of the product, buyers could potentially be saving cash on additional products such as a slow cooker, which are selling on ProCook for £49 alone.

Next up on the best deals list is the Apple Pencil (USB-C), which is selling for £64 instead of £79 – almost a 20% reduction.

Mr Lewis’ MSE team said: “This is the cheapest we’ve seen, and it’s the same price as on the July Prime Day.”

They said the next cheapest elsewhere is John Lewis, Argos and Currys where the pen can be bought for £79 – making today’s deal the best around.

Another impressive deal on the MoneySavingExpert list is the Fitbit Versa 4 which was £164 and is now £126.65.

The smart watch is made for keeping up to track with your physical well being, with a built in GPS, heart-rate monitor, and up to 6 days of battery life.

The same Versa 4 model is selling on Argos for £179, and the Google Store for £179.99, meaning at least a 30% save.

MSE said: “This is is the cheapest ever at Amazon. The previous cheapest price was £69.”

The final item on the list is the Ring Intercom, which can send you alerts via your phone or Alexa when a person visits your home.

You can also use it to unlock your home with voice demands.

It was originally selling for £99.99, but can now be bought for almost 60% less at £39.99.

Mr Lewis said the next cheapest offer can be purchased from ScrewFix, at £44.99.

Are Amazon deals all they’re cracked up to be?

However, his newsletter also warned that some deals aren’t as impressive as they seem, with some having sold cheaper in last year’s Prime Deal Day event.

For example, the Amazon Prime GHD original hair straightener seems like a good deal as is cheaper than elsewhere, selling today for £95.99 compared to £111.20 at John Lewis.

However, last July’s Prime Day it was reduced down to £90.24, making it £5.75 more expensive than it has been previously.

The same goes for the Blink outdoor cameras three-pack, a home surveillance kit, which is selling for £85.99 but was £11 cheaper last year.

The Ring Alarm pack, which comes with the Ring Alarm as well as an additional keypad and motion detection software, has generally stayed the same price at £179, and was £20.01 cheaper in May at £159.99.

While the £18.95 Calvin Klein For Him 150ml Eau de Toilette, which has been reduced from £24, was actually the same price in September.

It is, however, currently the cheapest around, with the next cheapest price being £24 from Lookfantastic.

And finally the Logitech High Performance Wired Gaming Mouse was £24.48 last August is now selling for £26.59 as a Brand Day Deal – making it £2.11 more expensive than it was previously.

This is again the cheapest around, however, with the second lowest option being £27.99 at Currys.

Overall, the MoneySavingExpert analysis shows that while a Prime membership can pay off, a deal isn’t always as impressive as it seems.

MSE also noted the disadvantages for non-Prime members, saying: “We’ve noticed numerous cases of Amazon being very cheeky, by raising the price higher than the RRP [recommended retail price] for those who aren’t Prime members.

“When you click on the “non-deal price” it hides the RRP.

“The RRP of this Lenovo IdeaPad is £219.99, but Amazon has raised the price to £250.35 for those who aren’t Prime members, effectively penalising you.”

What is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day is a 48-hour sale event that is taking place this year on October 8 and 9.

The last event was in July 2023, and this October marks the second ever annual event.

It’s exclusively available for Prime members, offering discounts on everything from the latest technology to sought after beauty items and top toys.

Bargain hunters look to score big savings on thousands of items, but it’s important to make sure that the publicised discount is as good as it seems.

How to compare prices

As usual we recommend readers shop around before taking reduced prices as face value.

Harry Rose, Editor of Which? magazine, said: “Amazon Prime Day may seem like the best time to snap up a good deal if you are a Prime member but don’t feel panicked into buying things you don’t need or haven’t budgeted for.

“When looking to buy something new, always do your research first by checking price comparison sites like PriceRunner and CamelCamelCamel, which not only show current prices at multiple retailers but also reveal a product’s pricing history.

“This allows you to work out whether the sale price genuinely represents good value.”

CamelCamelCamel is one of the key tools Mr Lewis references in the MoneySavingExpert article.

The website is exclusive to Amazon and allows shoppers to enter an item’s URL to reveal its price history, and see if it has previously been sold at a lower price.

You can also set up price alerts to let you know when it drops in price again.

That way you can be first in line for the lowest deals.

Other key ways to compare prices include searching for your specific product on a website and toggling in “Sort By” the cheapest items first.

You can then compare website-to-website which retailers are offering the cheapest products on specific products to help you secure the best deal.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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What are we to make of the news the Financial Conduct Authority is to review consolidation in the advice market?

The regulator has written to advice and investment firm bosses noting an increase in the acquisition of firms or their assets over the past two years.

It warned that, while industry consolidation can provide benefits, various types of harm can occur where this is not done in a ‘prudent manner’ with effective controls to promote good outcomes.

The FCA says: “Where we receive notifications from individuals or firms to acquire or increase control in regulated firms, we will assess and challenge their suitability and the financial soundness of the acquisition.”

For the FCA to step in now seems a spectacular example of shutting the stable door after multiple horses have bolted

I think it’s a case of too little too late.

Back in November 2021, Money Marketing’s Lois Vallely penned a useful guide to consolidation in which she noted how its origins date back to the 1980s and 1990s heyday of DBS and M&E Network, which then bought Interdependence in 1999 to bring it under the Tenet umbrella.

In the early noughties, we also had Millfield, Berkeley Berry Birch and Inter-Alliance, several of them engaging in failed mergers with each other. None of these firms now exist in their present form, with shareholders – both individual and corporate – having taken a massive loss on their investments.

Undeterred by these exercises in value destruction, in 2005 Standard Life bought a 20% stake in the Tenet Group network. Tenet’s other shareholders – Norwich Union, Friends Provident and Aegon – each increased their stakes to around 20% in light of the deal.

Quite how anyone could have been remotely surprised by what had been screamingly obvious for years is anyone’s guess. Hundreds of ARs had exited Tenet in the years before it went under

As we know, earlier this year, Tenet went into administration. Its remaining 170-odd advice firms, numbering barely 350 authorised representatives (ARs), were offered the option of transferring to Openwork.

News that Tenet had called in the administrators was described in one story I read at the time as “shocking” – although quite how anyone could have been remotely surprised by what had been screamingly obvious for years is anyone’s guess. Hundreds of ARs had exited Tenet in the five years before it went under.

Even Tenet’s own review found the AR sector was subject to “significant change” from “external forces such as consolidation, increased regulation, digitisation, new technology expense and the broader inflationary environment”.

ARs themselves, meanwhile, will continue to be treated as disposable pawns on the financial advice chessboard

What these stories tell us is that providers and consolidators will always seek to buy or control product distribution or assets under management. Providers will repeatedly invest in the endlessly-failing dreams of senior executives at consolidators who tell them, yet again, things will be different this time round.

ARs themselves, meanwhile, will continue to be treated as disposable pawns on the financial advice chessboard. They either survive yet another round of takeovers or drop out, missed by no one but their clients – who receive a letter to say the business name has changed, or their adviser has left, or both.

We’re then offered an appointment with someone we didn’t choose to go to in the first place, providing a different service we didn’t ask for.

We put up with it because that’s just how it works

It happened to me 20 years ago. It’s happened to several of my friends, who are among many hundreds of thousands of clients with the same experience. And we put up with it because that’s just how it works.

For the FCA to step in now seems a spectacular example of shutting the stable door after multiple horses have bolted.

At this rate, I’m expecting the regulator to send out stern letters to chief executives saying it is determined to stamp out misselling of mortgage endowments and personal pensions. I can’t wait.

Nic Cicutti can be contacted at nic@inspiredmoney.co.uk

HOUSE raffles have boomed in popularity – and they could be the key to you becoming the owner of your dream home for just a few quid.

These property competitions are prize draws, which you can enter for free, or by buying at least one ticket.

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The winner is then drawn at random on a specified date and is given the advertised home as a prize.

Of course, the chances of winning are slim, but if you’re one of the lucky ones, scooping your dream home can be life-changing.

Simon Williams, 41, scooped the picturesque cottage in Devon and £100,000 cash to spend after entering the Omaze Million Pound House Draw.

While Rose Doyle, 73, and husband Tony were able to move out of their three-bed council house in Birmingham after winning a £3million mansion in Cornwall.

But before you buy a ticket to win your dream home, it’s important to bear in mind the pros and cons.

Consumer expert Martyn James said: “There’s nothing wrong with having big dreams or fantasising about getting a brand new house of a big cash payout. But bear in mind that lotteries are a form of gambling and as such, can be addictive to many people.

“So set yourself a maximum spend and never go over it – and be realistic. Whenever you gamble, the house always wins.”

We round-up all the current house raffles – and how you can win a property worth up to £4million with just a £2 ticket.

£2million home in Devon – Omaze

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A stunning three-bedroom coastal home in Devon worth over £2million could be yours in Omaze’s million pound house draw.

One lucky winner will get the keys to a beautiful contemporary home and entries start from as little as £10.

This two-tiered West Country residence comes complete with countryside views, a guest annex and a heated pool.

In addition to the property itself, the Omaze winner will receive £250,000 in cash to help them settle in.

The winner has the option to move straight into the property, or they can rent it out, or even put it back on to the market.

An estimated monthly rental income is around £4,000, according to Omaze.

Additional costs including stamp duty, mortgage fees and conveyancing costs are also covered.

The house also comes fully furnished.

The cost of entries starts at £10 for 15 entries and goes up to a costly £150 for 320 entries. The full details are below:

• £10 – 15 entries
• £25 – 40 entries
• £50 – 85 entries
• £150 entries – 320 entries

Omaze has guaranteed a minimum donation of £1,000,000 from the draw for suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

The Draw closes on Sunday, October 27 for online entries and Tuesday, October 29 for postal entries.

£4million home in Surrey – Raffle House

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Raffle House allows people the chance to win either their multi-million pound dream home.

You may have heard about Raffle House, which was established in 2017, but might not know what it entails, or how to get started.

The company operates by selling raffle tickets for a small fee and then selecting a winner randomly.

The current Raffle House prize is a £4million property in Surrey, complete with £200,000 of furnishings.

The kitchen and family room overlook and have access to a garden terrace, perfect for alfresco summer mornings.

The dining room and living room both have huge glazed sliding doors, perfect for taking in the sun while keeping warm.

There are five bedrooms in total, with the principle featuring its own private bathroom.

If all this wasn’t enough, there’s also a private gym.

As with the Omaze draw, there’s no Stamp Duty or fees to pay for the winner.

If you want to be in with a chance to win, the draw closes at midnight on Thursday, October 31 and it costs the following to enter:

• £10 – 15 tickets
• £25 – 50 tickets
• £50 – 150 tickets
• £100 – 500 tickets

£450,000 apartment in London – Raffall

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Homeowners and organisations can pay to host their own raffle on a portal such as Raffall.com.

Users have a web page which advertises their property, the maximum tickets they will sell, the price and the closing date.

Raffall draws the winner at random.

If the owner doesn’t sell enough tickets to make the raffle a success, the platform gives 75% of the money as compensation to the winner and keeps 25% for commission and costs.

The two-bedroom apartment in Catford, south east London is valued at over £450,000 and is being raffled by Kerb Appeal Raffle through Raffall.

Once a neglected and rundown property, the apartment has undergone a dramatic transformation.

A brand-new kitchen and bathroom has been installed, plus it has a striking glass banister in the entrance hallway, and stylish, trendy interiors ready for immediate occupancy.

Entries cost £2 and the raffle draw will take place on Friday, November 8 at 12pm or when the last ticket is sold – whichever comes sooner.

£1.2million Town House in Somerset – Raffall

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This seven bedroom property in Frome, Somerset, is also being raffled off by Raffall.

There’s no stamp duty, mortgage or conveyancing fees to pay and you chose to rent it out, sell it on or move in.

You could earn £3,500 per month by renting the property out, according to the raffle’s host Taylormade.

The property measures 3,000 square and has oak wood flooring, bespoke lighting, high-end fittings, premium wool carpets and encaustic tiling.

It is set in a generous plot with a the stone walled garden, which is perfect for entertaining.

It can be accessed directly from the main dining kitchen area through two sets of glass doors.

There is also road parking, with space for four cars.

Entries cost £5 and the draw will close on Saturday, December 7 at 11pm, or when the last ticket is sold – whenever is sooner.

In addition, 10% of the host’s revenue goes directly to the charity Busoga Trust, which brings clean and safe water to rural communities in Uganda.

£850,000 home in East Sussex – Raffall

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This Idyllic Country House in Sedlescombe, East Sussex, is set within large gardens close to the historic town of Battle.

It has its own heated swimming pool and is close to beaches in Hastings, Bexhill-On-Sea and Camber Sands.

Plus, there’s no stamp duty, mortgage or conveyancing fees to pay.

Tickets for this raffle cost £5 and 5% of the host’s revenue goes directly to Alzheimer’s Research UK.

The draw ends on Friday, 10 2025 at 5.30pm or when the last ticket is sold.

£25,000 narrowboat – Raffall

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It’s not just houses that pop on these rafffles, you could even be in with the chance to set up home on a narrowboat.

The boat, called Sloe Patrol, has been restored over a four-year period with a new fully fitted kitchen, a bathroom with a shower and a bedroom with an extending king size bed and storage space.

The raffle’s host – James Posner – said that while the boat is currently worth around £25,000, he expects its value to increase to £40,000 over the next few years.

The raffle ends on October 16, or when the last ticket is sold.

Tickets for this raffle also cost £5.

Houseboats are exempt from stamp duty, and if you have a residential mooring and you fill fall into the lowest council tax band.

What should you check before entering?

National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team advises entrants to make sure they are aware of the terms of the raffle before entering.

The advert should explain what happens if not all tickets are sold. It should spell out if a lesser cash prize is offered, when the raffle closes and when the draw will take place. 

If the date of the draw keeps changing the organiser is struggling to sell tickets.

Check the odds of winning. Competitions that specify the number of tickets they need to sell give you a chance of working out the odds.

Look for hidden bills. Lots of adverts state that stamp duty and legal fees will be paid for. If they don’t you need to foot the bill.

Check you can afford the maintenance and council tax for the house too.  

Before handing over your cash, read past reviews of the organiser’s raffles, look at how long they’ve been established and whether there have been previous winners. 

If it’s a homeowner hosting their first raffle, then it’s a case of buyer beware.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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EBAY is set to ban private sales of a popular product in the UK, citing increasing safety concerns.

The move will come into effect on October 31, with only “eligible business sellers” allowed to continue offering the item on the platform.

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The clampdown focuses on e-bikes and their batteries, following a sharp rise in incidents involving battery fires.

The London Fire Brigade reported 155 e-bike fires so far this year, a jump of 78% compared to 2022.

E-bikes, equipped with electrically-assisted pedals and battery power, have surged in popularity, but their safety has come under scrutiny.

In one tragic case, a man died when a battery pack he was charging overheated and ignited, leading to a house fire.

The UK’s regulatory body recently classified e-bike battery packs as “dangerous products,” further intensifying calls for better consumer protection.

An eBay spokesperson said: “Consumer safety is a top priority for eBay,” adding that the firm would audit sellers to ensure they meet CE mark safety standards for listed products.

The charity Electrical Safety First has praised eBay’s decision but insists new laws are necessary to safeguard consumers across all online platforms.

A spokesperson said: “We are encouraged to see eBay take proactive steps in an attempt to reduce the risk of substandard batteries entering people’s homes, as they pose a serious risk of fire if they fail.

“Whilst this voluntary move is welcome, we continue to call for online marketplaces to be legally obligated to take reasonable steps to ensure products sold via their sites are safe.

“We hope the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill will mandate this.

“This legislation must also be used to prevent battery fires by introducing mandatory third-party certification for e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries to stop poor quality products from entering the market.

“It should also introduce more robust standards for conversion kits and regulations for charging.“

The Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, currently progressing through Parliament, could eventually make these obligations law.

For now, eBay’s ban on private e-bike sales is seen as a crucial step toward reducing fire risks associated with the product.

Despite the impending restrictions, nearly 3,000 used e-bikes are still available on eBay, highlighting the challenge of managing the growing demand for these vehicles while ensuring safety.

Meanwhile, earlier this year a man was forced to flee through a bedroom window after a house erupted into flames when an e-bike battery exploded.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service was able to confirm that a lithium battery in the ebike overheated and caused a severe fire.

The fire service reminded e-bike owners to use the correct charger, never leave the device unattended and allow the battery to cool before charging.

Elsewhere, in another tragic case, the grieving boyfriend of a model killed in a horror e-bike flat blaze told how he tried to battle through flames to save her. 

The 21-year-old was forced to jump out of a window naked when smoke billowed through his flat in London.

A fireball erupted through their home when on New Year’s Day 2023 when a dodgy ebike battery exploded.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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