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- Written by: Matt Spencer
Be.EV Charging Passes Explained: Are They Worth £49 or £89 a Month?
Be.EV has launched two new monthly charging passes that work more like a mobile phone contract than a pay-as-you-go charge. The Go Pass costs £49 a month for 120kWh of charging, and the Go Further Pass costs £89 a month for 250kWh.
Be.EV says they work out up to 57% cheaper than the UK average for ultra-rapid charging. That's true, but only if you use your whole allowance every month. Here's what the passes really cost at different levels of use, and how they compare with Be.EV's cheaper Flexi Pass.
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- Written by: Matt Spencer
InstaVolt Miles Explained: Is the New EV Charging Rewards Scheme Worth It?
InstaVolt, the UK's largest rapid charging network by number of sites, has overhauled its rewards scheme. On 1 October 2026 it launched InstaVolt Miles, a tiered loyalty programme that replaces the old flat-rate Volts system. From 2 November 2026, you'll also be able to convert your rewards into Virgin Points.
If you use the InstaVolt app, you've probably already been moved onto the new scheme. Here's how it works, what it's actually worth in pounds and pence, and who stands to gain the most.
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- Written by: Matt Spencer
Important Gmail Change: "Check Mail from Other Accounts" Ending in January 2026
If you use Gmail to check email from other accounts—like a business email (
Google is removing a feature that lets you automatically pull emails from other email accounts into your Gmail inbox. If you're using this setup, emails from those accounts will stop arriving in Gmail unless you make changes immediately.
This affects users worldwide who've been using Gmail's "Check mail from other accounts" feature for years. The good news: you have several options. But you need to act quickly.
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- Written by: Matt Spencer
Octopus Intelligent Go Changes: 6-Hour Limit Coming January 2026
Octopus Energy has announced significant changes to its popular Intelligent Octopus Go tariff, with a 6-hour charging limit being automatically enforced from late January 2026. If you're one of the 150,000 customers on this tariff, here's everything you need to know about what's changing and whether it will affect you.
What's Changing?
From the end of January 2026, Octopus Energy will automatically enforce a 6-hour limit on super-cheap smart charging within any 24-hour period. This affects the Intelligent Octopus Go tariff, which currently offers 7p/kWh charging rates.
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- Written by: Matt Spencer
Lightyear vs Trading 212: Which Zero-Fee Platform for Your Portfolio?
Both Lightyear and Trading 212 offer commission-free stock and ETF trading with no platform fees - a significant improvement over traditional brokers charging £12+ per trade. But despite their surface similarities, these platforms serve slightly different needs.
This comparison examines the key differences to help you choose the right platform for your investment style.
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- Written by: Matt Spencer
Should You Take Your 25% Pension Tax-Free Cash? A Practical Guide
From age 55 (rising to 57 in April 2028), you can usually take up to 25% of your pension as tax-free cash - a sum potentially worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds. It's one of the most valuable tax breaks available, but it's also one of the most misunderstood.
The question isn't whether you can take it - you almost certainly can. The question is whether you should, and if so, what to do with the money. This article cuts through the complexity with practical guidance based on current rules.
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- Written by: Matt Spencer
Making Tax Digital 2026: Final Countdown for Self-Employed
On 6 April 2026 - just five months away - approximately 780,000 self-employed individuals and landlords across the UK will be required to fundamentally change how they report their income to HMRC. This represents the most significant transformation to Self Assessment since its introduction in 1997.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for ITSA) will replace the current annual Self Assessment system with quarterly digital reporting for those meeting income thresholds. The change is mandatory, penalties apply for non-compliance, and preparation time is running short.
This article explains who must comply, what you need to do, which software meets requirements, and how to prepare before the deadline.
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- Written by: Matt Spencer
EV Depreciation 2025: Which Electric Cars Hold Their Value Best?
Depreciation is the single largest cost of car ownership, typically exceeding fuel, insurance, and maintenance combined. For electric vehicles, the depreciation question has become even more critical as potential buyers weigh the higher purchase prices against lower running costs.
The narrative around EV depreciation has shifted dramatically. Early electric vehicles suffered catastrophic value losses - the Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero lost over 70% of their value in three years. Today's market tells a more nuanced story, with some EVs holding value remarkably well while others continue to depreciate rapidly.
This article examines current UK depreciation data, identifies which electric vehicles retain value best, explains the factors driving these differences, and analyses whether lower running costs genuinely offset higher depreciation rates.
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About Matt
Hi, I'm Matt. As an independent IT consultant and technical writer, I've spent my career making complex information easy to understand. I'm also an early EV adopter, driven by a deep concern for the planet's future.
I created this website to find and share great offers from companies that are not only financially smart but also environmentally responsible. My aim is to help people make choices that benefit both their finances and the world around them.
The key thing you should know is that I only promote services for which I am a real-world customer. This ensures that every recommendation is based on my own experience and a genuine belief in the company's value and mission.