Railcard discount, earn money for switching plastic, hotel room sales, free pies and more. These are Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis' Real Deals.

The nature of deals is they move fast – prices, terms and stock levels can change rapidly, even while Martin’s on the programme (9 February), as so many people are checking them out. So go quickly, always double check before spending or making a special trip, and check the terms and conditions.

Plus, while we hope these are cracking deals and save you cash, as Martin always says, if a specific deal involves spending and you can’t afford it, don’t need it, or won’t use it, please don’t do it.

Remember, deals can change quickly...

For further info and help, see the related links section, top right.

 Web exclusive: Premier Inn and Travelodge sales

100,000 £10 Travelodge hotel rooms for 1 April - 31 August (excluding 27 July – 12 August) went on sale at 6am today. Non sale prices are £29-£75 and the hotel chain also has further rooms going on sale today at £15 and £19. Premier Inn also has a £29 room sale on for stays from 29 February to 9 March. Rooms normally cost from £50 to £100.

With both these sales if you want a room, the key is timing, as the sales are effectively a “new batch of cheap rooms” and there’s only a limited number. So go quick.

20% off a Family & Friends Railcard

Get 20% off a 1 year Family & Friends Railcard online. Simply enter the code FAMILY20 in the promotional code box on the Family & Friends Railcard website, which will bring the price down from £28 to £22.40. The railcard saves 1/3 on adult ticket prices, and 60% on kids' and the code's valid until 29 February.   

Provided one of the two named adult cardholders is travelling with one to four children (don’t need to be related) you get the discount, as do a maximum of four adults travelling with the party.

Quickies

  • Morrisons £5 off £40: Buy The Sun (30p) today (9 February), cut out the £5 off voucher and use it when you spend £40 or more in your nearest Morrisons store from today until Wednesday 15 February.
  • M&S £5 off £30 kids’ clothing: Until Sunday 19 February in-store and Monday 20 February online spend £30+ on kidswear at M&S in a single transaction and you’ll automatically get £5 taken off at the checkout.
  • Free £6ish pies for O2 customers: If you’re an O2 customer you can get two free pies and two cans of beer (please be drinkaware), during the 2012 Six Nations Rugby. Just sign up via the Priority Moments app on your phone, or online (see the related links) from 9am on Fridays the 17 February and the 2 and 9 March. There are 5,000 packs available per match and if you’re successful you’ll get one delivered to the door on the Thursday or Friday before. You can however only get one pie pack over the Nations tournament.    


 Earn £200 a year just by changing plastic

If you’re debt free with a good credit score, there’s an easy way to make cash. Cashback cards pay you when you spend on them, and right now there are a couple of serious deals paying 5% introductory cashback – that’s £5 per £100 spent. If you’ve a big purchase planned that can be big money. Yet you will be credit scored and never do this unless you set up a Direct Debit to fully repay each month so there’s no interest, and stick within the credit limit.

Both the Amex Platinum and Capital One World Mastercard pay a huge 5% for 3 months (max £100 earned). Though Amex has a £25 annual fee, so it’s only for big spenders (as after the 5% ends its cashback rate is better than Capital Ones’). Fail to fully repay and they’re 18.5% and 19.9% representative APR respectively.