Martin Lewis has issued an important money warning to millions of people living in the United Kingdom. And it concerns haggling.
Just days after issuing a major explainer to Brits who have contracts O2, Virgin Media, BT, Vodafone, and EE, Lewis is back with another explainer on how you can save money throughout 2025.
This time, instead of speaking about the issue on his The Martin Lewis Money Show Live programme on ITV1 and ITVX, the financial journalist took to his Money Saving Expert (MSE) newsletter.
Sent out every week and landing in inboxes late on Tuesday evening (21 January), the latest round up from Lewis had a ‘debt-busting masterclass’ as well as broadband offers. All in all a classic Lewis production.
‘Haggle’ warning
On top of the above topics discussed by Lewis and his MSE team, the 52-year-old put a big focus on haggling.
And importantly, he issued a list of the companies his research says are the best firms to haggle over prices with, according to MSE research.
The business spoke to 14,900 so-called hagglers back in December 2024 to find out success rates when it came to haggling.
In the newsletter, the MSE team says that ‘if you think haggling is just for trips abroad, market stalls and car boots, think again’.
Lewis added: “When you’re at or past the end of your contract, you’re holstering a huge weapon… loyalty – make ’em pay for it.”
When to haggle successfully
According to the research, there are four areas in which people get the best result when haggling.
Breakdown cover had 78 percent success rate according to MSE with broadband and paid-for TV deals cheaper for 71 percent of those responding.
On top of this, mobile phone contracts were cheaper for almost two in three people (64 percent). And car and home insurance deals were better for the same number of people.
Top 10 firms to haggle with
Those with broadband and TV deals at Virgin Media have had the best success. Of these 59 percent recorded a big success and 25 percent a small one.
Over at AA breakdown cover, 57 percent of respondents had a big win with 26 percent having a smaller one.
And third on the list was RAC breakdown cover. A total of 53 percent of respondents had a big win; it was 30 percent for smaller ones.
The full list:
- Virgin Media (broadband and TV): 59 percent big, 25 percent small
- AA (breakdown): 57 percent big, 26 percent small
- RAC (breakdown): 53 percent big, 30 percent small
- AA (car and home insurance): 37 percent big, 46 percent small
- Policy Expert (car and home insurance): 36 percent big, 43 percent small
- TalkTalk (broadband and TV): 42 percent big, 34 percent small
- Hastings (car and home insurance): 38 percent big, 37 percent small
- NOW (broadband and TV): 31 percent big, 44 percent small
- Sky Mobile: 33 percent big, 41 percent small
- Green Flag (breakdown): 38 percent big, 35 percent small
One key rule for Lewis is to remember why you’re haggling before calling them up. If that fails, you can always ask to cancel.
“The powerhouse move is to ask to cancel… because what firms refer to as their ‘disconnection departments’ are usually internally known as ‘customer retentions’,” MSE says.
“It’s their job to persuade you to stay – and they have more power and discretion to achieve that.”
