Weekend Money: We complimented big brands to see if you get freebies - here's what happened (2024)

By Megan Harwood-Baynes, cost of living specialist

I love complaining - it is usually a surefire way to get a freebie. If something has gone wrong with my food, or an online order, I won't hesitate to send off a quick email. My three caveats are this: I am never rude about it, I never lie or exaggerate, and I take a different approach if it's a small business.

I recently watched Queenpins on Netflix and (the obvious illegality aside) was intrigued by the idea that complaining could be a guaranteed way to get coupons and vouchers. It's not a totally new idea to me - I once complained to KitKat because my chocolate bar was missing the wafer (my kit had no kat) and got a £5 voucher for more chocolate.

In the past month, I have complained twice to McDonald's customer services: once because they gave us a weird Fanta-co*ke hybrid and once because my order was wrong but there was a fight in the restaurant so I couldn't get it switched. Both times their customer services team replied offering me free medium meal vouchers (three for the co*ke debacle and two for the fight). As it is now around £6 for a medium meal, this worked as £30 in free food.

But I started thinking: doesn't everyone love being told they are great? Would it work if, instead of complaining, I told brands how much I liked their stuff? So I opened my cupboards and fired off emails to some of the biggest companies I could find telling them why I liked their products and asking straight up if they had any vouchers they could send me because it had been a difficult month.

Here's what happened next...

• I told Pepsi I loved their sugar-free drinks. They thanked me for the feedback but said they had no coupons they could send.
• Ribena is sacred in our household (after my husband introduced it to me at the age of 26). The team behind the brand sent us a £6 voucher to get some squash on them after I told them how much we enjoy it. Combining it with Nectar prices got us four free bottles of the stuff.

• Cadbury's: Their drinking chocolate is a staple in our household, and I told them so but just got a generic reply from Mondelez.
• I emailed Cushelle to compliment their toilet paper and they sent me a 50p voucher… Arguably less than the cost of the postage.

• I told Pataks how much we enjoyed their butter chicken meal kit and they sent me a friendly reply and £4 to put towards their products.
• My cats once staged a three-day hunger strike when I tried to swap from their Royal Canin kibble but when I told the company this, they just suggested I create a loyalty account to build up points.
• I've been addicted to Pot Noodle since my student days, and the team behind the Unilever brand sent me £5 to spend on my favourite snack.
• My mum has been missing the M&S Om Balls since they were discontinued. But as well as confirming they had no plans to bring them back anytime soon, M&S also said they couldn't send me any vouchers.

• I told Hovis their "best of both" had stopped my husband and me arguing over which loaf we bought. I received a nice email acknowledging this, but no offer of free goodies.
• I told Burt's Bees how much I love their coconut and pear lip balm and they replied offering a voucher. But after sending them my address, it turned out I was emailing the US team. So I contacted the UK team and they agreed to send me a freebie in the post.

• I live near Ben & Jerry's global headquarters but despite telling them this, and how much I enjoy their Netflix and Chill, they declined my offer to come visit and pick up some samples.
• Who doesn't love tacos? After complimenting their enchilada kit, Old El Paso said a voucher would be sent my way, but would take two to six weeks to arrive... I was therefore delighted when, barely two weeks later, I was £6 in tacos richer.
• Old Bay Spices and the brand behind Pick Up Biscuits also declined to send me any freebies, while Fairy, Aussie and Colgate didn't reply to my emails.

So, is it worth it?

I emailed 17 brands and heard back from 14 - of those, six sent me some kind of reward, which is a 35% success rate.

I got £21.50 in vouchers, and two free lip balms, which wasn't bad.

To be truly scientific I should have also submitted a complaint at the same time, to see if that worked better, but see rule number one (don't make things up). I spent about an hour firing off emails over a glass of wine - it was quite a fun activity for my husband and me to think up brands we like and use.

I can't guarantee it will work every time, but it is good to know that sometimes, it does pay to be nice.

By Bhvishya Patel, Money team

Your rights differ significantly depending on where you buy the car, so we've broken this down into two sections...

Buying from a dealer - in person or online

You've driven off the forecourt, so there's nothing you can do right?

Well that might not strictly be the case, as consumer and motoring disputes expert Scott Dixon explains.

If you're faced with an issue where goods - including cars - are of unsatisfactory quality, unfit for purpose or not as described, you have what is known as a "short-term right to reject" under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and get a full refund.

It's limited to 30 days from the date you bought the car, and it's up to you to prove the fault - but it can be a way of ensuring you're not ripped off by dodgy sellers.

If you cannot resolve your dispute with the retailer, you can contact your bank or credit card provider and raise a chargeback instead.

Chargebacks can be enacted within 120 days from the date of purchase. The payment will be reversed and the retailer is asked to explain why they should keep the money.

Scott says chargeback disputes cost retailers money, making it a powerful tool to use against unscrupulous sellers.

Additionally, the Consumer Contracts Regulations of 2013 give you the right to cancel within 14 days of receiving goods bought online.

What if I bought it from a private seller?

This is a case of buyer beware because the above legal protections don't apply.

Sellers don't even have to declare the condition of their car.

Things change slightly if a private seller misrepresents the car in any advert or when they speak to you. Then, a claim for misrepresentation may arise allowing you to rescind the contract.

So, it's key that you ask the right questions - and it's a good idea to get an expert car check.

You should also note that it is illegal for a dealer to pretend to be a private seller.

It is a also a criminal offence to sell an unroadworthy car - an MOT certificate from a test several months ago is no guarantee that the car is roadworthy today.

By Emily Mee, Money team

The dial appears to be slowly turning on fast fashion. More people are becoming conscious of how much they are buying and paying more attention to quality over quantity.

But how do we know that what we're buying is good quality and is going to last?

Katrina Caspelich, from fair fashion campaign group Remake, has these tips...

Fabric quality

Look for garments made from high-quality fabrics such as cotton, wool, linen, silk, or blends with natural fibres. These fabrics tend to be more durable and resistant to wear and tear compared with synthetic materials.

Construction and stitching

Examine the stitching and construction of the garment. Look for neat, even stitching with no loose threads or fraying edges. Strong seams and reinforced stitching in high-stress areas, such as shoulders and pockets, indicate better durability.

Attention to detail

Pay attention to the details of the garment, such as buttons, zippers, and embellishments. Ensure that buttons are securely attached and made of durable materials like metal or plastic. Quality zippers should glide smoothly without catching or snagging.

Fabric density and weight

Heavier, denser fabrics typically last longer than lightweight, flimsy materials. Hold the garment up to the light to check for fabric density and look for any signs of thinning or transparency.

Brand reputation and reviews

Research the brand's reputation for quality and durability. Read customer reviews and feedback to gauge the longevity of their clothing items. Established brands with a history of producing durable garments are often a safer bet.

Fit and comfort

Ensure that the garment fits well and feels comfortable when worn. Clothing that fits properly is less likely to experience strain or stress on seams and fabric, which can lead to premature wear and tear.

Classic design and timeless style

Choose clothing with classic designs and timeless styles that won't go out of fashion quickly. Investing in versatile pieces that can be worn for multiple seasons and occasions can ensure that they remain relevant and wearable for years to come. Try to avoid microtrends and pieces from fast fashion brands as they're literally made to fall apart as well as keep you buying more.

There's been one story in town this week - so we're rounding up some essential budget content that'll help you decide whether you, and the rest of the country, is better or worse off after Wednesday's political set-piece.

First, here's a summary of the main announcement's affecting your pocket...

• National insurance to be cut by further 2p in April;
• Freeze on alcohol duty extended until February 2025;
• 5p cut to fuel duty continues for another year;
• Abolition of non-dom status (after four-year reprieve);
• High income child benefit charge threshold raised to £60,000;
• VAT registration threshold for businesses increasing from £85,000 to £90,000;
• Introduction of excise duty on vaping products and one-off increase in tobacco duty;
• Reduction of higher capital gains tax rate on property from 28% to 24%;
• Abolishment of stamp duty relief for people who buy multiple properties in one transaction.

Overall, are Britons better or worse off?

In the video below,data and economics editor Ed Conway looks at analysis suggesting that while most sections of society are better off this year due to the government's tax and benefits policies, next year, and the subsequent years, this changes dramatically.

There's also some interesting data in here about public spending cuts and living standards now compared with every other modern-day parliament...

Tax cuts?

Honing in on the tax that comes out of workers' pay packets, and we got a headline-grabbing 2p cut to national insurance.

This kicks in from 6 April and means most workers will see a boost to their take-home pay from the end of April.

However, the tax burden is at a 70-year high - and the fact income tax thresholds remain frozen means British workers who have received any kind of pay rise since 2022 are now paying tax on a bigger proportion of their salary.

For people with salaries below £32,000, or those earning between £55,000 and £131,000, this so-called "fiscal drag" outweighs the two national insurance cuts we've had this year.

We made a calculator to illustrate...

Child benefit change

Another measure announced by Jeremy Hunt, and applying from 6 April, was a change to child benefit meaning parents can earn more without losing out.

Under the current rules, you start to lose some of your benefit if you or your partner individually earn more than £50,000.

By £60,000, you get nothing.

The chancellor has now changed these thresholds to £60,000 and £80,000 respectively.

You can use our calculator below to see how much money you'll be able to claim after the changes...

How has this gone down in Westminster?

That's a theme of this week's excellent Electoral Dysfunction podcast with Beth Rigby, Jess Phillips and Ruth Davidson.

In just two weeks this pod has topped the charts and become essential listening for anyone interested in what's really going on in Westminster...

Are you better or worse off?

Of course, for all the analysis in the world, everyone's circ*mstances are different, so we've created a calculator that should give you an idea of what the budget has done for you.

Put your details in the table below and find out if the budget as a whole makes you richer or poorer...

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates from Monday to Friday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back at the start of next week with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

The owners of Riviera Travel, one of Britain's biggest providers of escorted foreign tours for the over-55s, have hired bankers to prepare a sale of the company.

Sky News understands that Silverfleet Capital, which has owned Riviera since 2017, has hired Baird, the investment bank, to oversee an auction later this year.

Riviera runs river cruises as well as holidays to destinations in Europe, India and South Africa.

Plans to impose targets for electric heat pump sales on gas boiler manufacturers could be confirmed as early as next week, after fierce debate within government and intense lobbying from industry to abandon the policy.

Sky News understands energy secretary Claire Coutinho had intended to ditch the policy, known as the Clean Heat Market Mechanism (CHMM), but will now proceed following objections from ministerial colleagues, who argued that it is crucial to decarbonising home heating and meeting wider net zero policy.

In a concession to the industry, fines for missing electric heat pump targets will be pushed back by 12 months to April 2025.

Ms Coutinho is also expected to refer several major gas boiler manufacturers to the Competition and Markets Authority for potentially colluding over price increases of up to £120 on gas boilers, imposed to cover potential fines that they described as a "boiler tax".

Japanese manga comic creator Akira Toriyama, best known for his work on popular titles like Dragon Ball and Dr Slump, has died aged 68, his publisher has said.

He died of acute subdural haematoma, a type of bleeding near the brain, on 1 March, Bird Studio, the company he created, said in a statement on Friday.

Announcing the news "with deep regret", the statement said "he would have many more things to achieve", but "he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world".

Asda has become the latest supermarket to announce a price drop for its baby formula, after a Sky News report found desperate parents were turning to stealing the essential item.

From tomorrow, prices will be cut on Cow & Gate, Aptamil and SMA baby formula products both online and in stores.

The average price decrease is 6.5%.

Here is the full list of reductions...

• Cow & Gate 1 First Baby Milk Formula From Birth Big Pack 1.2kg - dropped from £12.50 to £12
• Cow & Gate 2 Follow On Baby Milk Formula Big Pack 6+ Months 1.2kg - dropped from £12.25 to £12
• Aptamil Follow On Milk 6-12 Months 1.2kg - dropped from £17 to £16
• Aptamil Milk Powder Big Pack 1.2kg - dropped from £17 to £16
• SMA Little Steps 1 First Infant Milk Powder Formula From Birth 800g - dropped from £9.75 to £7.95.

Previous reductions were announced by Tesco, Sainsbury's, Aldi and Iceland.

Some young drivers are paying close to £3,000 on average for their car insurance premiums, data reveals.

Price comparison experts at Quotezone.co.uk looked into the UK regions with the highest premiums for young drivers - and found London, the West Midlands and Yorkshire among the worst.

In the capital, 18 to 24-year-olds are shelling out £2,811 on average to insure their vehicles.

This is closely followed by average premiums of £2,392 in West Midlands and £2,327 in Yorkshire.

Those in Northern Ireland are paying the least, with an average of £1,359 spent.

The ABI says young drivers have been hit the hardest by soaring insurance costs, with premiums spiking by more than 25% year on year.

Here is the full breakdown across the regions:

• London - £2,811
• West Midlands - £2,392.30
• Yorkshire - £2,327.01
• North West England - £2,297.97
• South East England - £2,105.06
• East of England - £2,030.26
• North East England - £1,966.55
• East Midlands - £1,964.62
• Scotland - £1,907.56
• Wales - £1,835.09
• South West England - £1,714.21
• Northern Ireland - £1,359.12.

If you happened to collect Pokemon cards at one point - and still have them somewhere - you could net yourself thousands of pounds if you're lucky.

Research by CSGOLuck has calculated the accumulative value of cards for each Pokemon character in the franchise, and found those which are most likely to earn you the most money if sold old.

Dragon-like character Charizard is the one you want to find, with an impressive total card value of $21,468.91 (£16,665.46).

The values of its 62 cards range dramatically from $2.86 (£2.22) to $7,182.99 (£5,575.87).

Popular character Pikachu is the second highest value, with its 196 cards coming to a total of $8,356.70 (£6,486.97).

The value of cards can reach as high as $3,809.73 (£2,957.34).

More good cards to have are Gengar, which has a highest single card value of $1,103.30 (£856.45), and Espeon star, of which there is only one card in existence valued at $4,122.50 (£3,200.13).

Meanwhile, the Tropical Beach card can fetch a value as high as $1,984.38 (£1,540.39), depending on the condition of the card and which collection it belongs to.

It's International Women's Day - but it seems there's still progress to be made.

A recent survey found women are charged 5% more than men for vehicle services.

Car management app Caura conducted a blind survey by contacting 100 garages for quotes on MOTs and services, using the names Emma and Edward.

Alarmingly, the quotes for Emma were higher than for Edward - even though it was the same vehicle.

Out of the 100 garages contacted, 70 responded to both calls. Edward was quoted £229 on average whereas Emma was quoted £241 - a 5% increase.

In other cases, Edward was quoted £48 for an MOT, whereas Emma was quoted £49 - a 2% increase.

Fewer than a third of women (31%) feel confident about investing, compared with more than two-fifths (44%) of men, a survey has found.

The poll by HSBC UK found nearly two-thirds (63%) of women said they would not know how to start investing, compared with less than half (46%) of men.

Marianne Oliver, operations director at investment platform InvestEngine said: "Womenface a myriad of challenges when it comes to investing - not least having lessmoneyto put aside as a result of societal inequalities, from the gender pay gap, and often taking on more of the caring and financial responsibilities for either children or elderly family members.

"This is obviously going to have an impact on how frequently they invest and their risk appetite, both of which would affect their returns."