The hidden costs of postal delays
Postal delays aren't just a nuisance. Delays affecting household bills, parking fines, and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) deadlines can lead to missed payments and additional fees.
Personal Finance & Insurance Expert
Kara Gammell
Kara Gammell is an award-winning financial journalist with nearly two decades of experience writing for national newspapers and magazines such as the Daily Telegraph, the Sunday Times,Good Housekeeping, the Metro, the Independent, the Guardian, the Observer, Marie Claire, the Sun, and Cosmopolitan.
Kara also regularly comments on consumer issues on television, podcasts and radio stations such as BBC's Rip-off Britain, ITV News, Talk Radio, BBC You & Yours, BBC Moneybox, BBC Wake Up to Money and Times Radio.
Kara's first book, Your Best Friend’s Guide to Cash: Eight Things Every Woman Needs to Know About Money, was published by Harriman House in 2014 and her latest book, Bargain Hunter: Easy hacks and tips to save money every daywas published in January 2025.
Kara's Experience
Kara Gammell is MoneySuperMarket’s Senior Editorial Strategy Lead and Brand Spokesperson, leading the company’s editorial direction and overseeing the end‑to‑end delivery of trusted news and content.
With deep expertise across personal finance and insurance, she is a recognised authority on helping consumers make confident financial decisions.
A regular media commentator, Kara has appeared live on radio and television, sharing practical advice to help households cut essential costs and better protect their finances.
Kara's recent coverage
Rest Less | Why life insurance matters
Rest Less | How to build an emergency fund
www.rebeccarobertson.co.uk | Joint finances and divorce
Rest Less | Sorting out your finances when a relationship ends
MSM | Tips for parents financially supporting adult children
Expertise
Personal Finance
Awards
Protection Journalist of the Year (Shortlisted, Headlinemoney Awards)
Best New Money Blog (SHOMOS)
Freelance Journalist of the Year (Headlinemoney Awards)
Best Consumer Protection Story (Shortlisted, LifeSearch Protection Awards)
More from Kara Gammell
Five ways you may invalidate your life insurance
Life insurance is an invaluable safety net, providing financial support to your loved ones in the event of your death. However, certain actions or omissions can invalidate your policy. Here are five common ways you could invalidate your life insurance.
One in six expect to use credit cards or BNPL for back-to-school spending
With back-to-school costs rising, many parents are feeling the financial strain. From uniforms and school shoes to tech and stationery, a few simple changes could help families cut costs and avoid relying on credit.
Would your home pass a storm MOT?
As newly named storms approach, experts are encouraging homeowners to check their properties and insurance cover. A few preventative measures now could help reduce the risk of expensive damage later.
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News & Guides
- What is ghost tapping? The contactless payment scam on the rise Ever heard of ghost tapping? While it may sound like a Halloween prank, it’s a growing contactless scam that could affect millions of people, especially those travelling during busy times of year.
- Warning to check your tyre pressure after latest heatwave Extreme heat can do unexpected damage to your vehicle tyres, even after temperatures have gone down. Find out how to protect your tyres in hot weather and avoid expensive tyre changes.
- Homeowners warned to prepare for flash flooding Following a record-dry summer, concerns are growing over an increased risk of flash flooding across the UK. With flooding capable of causing significant damage, now may be time to prepare and review your protection.
- How to reduce your carbon footprint Don't think the summer is the time to cut energy bills? We show you how you can save money and the planet.
- Pet expert says 'buckle up your pup this summer' With more pet owners hitting the road this summer, safe travel for dogs is becoming a growing concern. Simple precautions can help keep pets and passengers protected while avoiding legal and financial complications if an accident occurs.
- The hidden fire risk in your teen's bedroom: vapes While health concerns around the vaping habits of teens dominate the conversation, there’s another hidden danger parents may not see coming: vape-related house fires.
- 5 scams to look out for this Valentine's Day Online dating and shopping for last‑minute Valentine’s Day gifts creates opportunities for scammers to take advantage. Personal finance expert, Kara Gammell, shares advice on which scams to look out for and how to avoid them.
- Tips for parents financially supporting adult children With a highly competitive job market and rising living costs, more and more parents are financially supporting their young adult children while they find their feet. Personal finance expert Kara Gammell shares her tips for parents in this situation.
- Six ways to make your paycheque go further With tight budgets becoming the norm, managing money carefully is key to avoiding added stress. Personal finance expert Kara Gammell shares her tips to build small, consistent habits to help stretch your income further.
- Five top tips to protect homes against heatwaves Preparing your home for heatwave isn't just a matter of keeping cool. There are all kinds of hazards that can be caused by extreme heat and sun exposure.
- How to talk to a loved one about debt Conversations about debt are difficult and many young people struggling feel too ashamed to ask for help. Personal finance expert Kara Gammell shares her advice on what to say in these difficult situations.
- Brits face a pet-care dilemma as 65% would never use a sitter With summer half-term looming and summer holidays being planned, UK pet owners face tough choices about pet care. Read tips to find the right care for your pet and discover red flags to look out for.
- Protect your home from unexpected guests this Spring With Spring being the prime breeding season for rats, bats, and moths, taking simple, actionable steps today can save money and stress before they cause damage to your home.
- What to do if you have a badger on your property Due to certain protections, badgers can't be easily removed if find them nesting on your property. Here's a guide on what to do if you suspect a badger has moved in.
- MoneySuperMarket launches UK ChatGPT app The new MoneySuperMarket ChatPT app makes comparing and saving faster and easier than ever.
- How to 'Swedish Death Clean' your finances Ever heard of 'Swedish death cleaning'? This practice of decluttering and living simply is gaining popularity, but have you thought about decluttering your finances as well?
- Why should I care about inflation? Are you a bit baffled by inflation? We explain how it affects you and your finances and give you the latest figures.
- Even the tooth fairy is going contactless
- How to manage money with ADHD After personal finance journalist Kara Gammell was diagnosed with ADHD more than twenty years ago, she realised that this was a big reason that she wasn’t good at managing her money. Here are some of her top cash hacks to rewrite the manual for your financial future.
- How to use the 50-30-20 method to balance your budget The 50-30-20 framework is a way of breaking up your outgoings into needs, wants, a savings to make budgeting and saving easier. Find out how it works and more budgeting tips.
- How to talk to your children about the rising cost of living If you're worried about your kids being anxious about the cost-of-living crisis, you're not alone. Here's how parents can help.
- Spring home maintenance jobs you shouldn't skip Spring is a perfect time to get on top of important home maintenance jobs. Skipping these ones in particular could have consequences for your home insurance
- How your child's e-scooter can add hundreds to your car insurance Young people caught riding an e-scooter without insurance could be hit with an IN10 conviction, which can add as much as £1,000 to their car insurance premium before they've even passed their driving test.
- Money-Saving Travel Hacks MoneySuperMarket's personal finance expert Kara Gammell shares her top 12 travel hacks to help holiday-goers of all kinds save money on their next trip.
- As Brits' money worries rise, FOFO is the new FOMO You’ve heard of FOMO (fear of missing out) - but how about FOFO? 'Fear of finding out' is when people avoid facing harsh truths, like how much money they've been spending.
- 5 five-minute hacks to tidy your finances in January Personal finance expert, Kara Gammell, shares her top five hacks to help you get on top of your finances in the New Year.
- Five last-minute Christmas savings It's never too late to save. As Christmas draws nearer, there's still time to squeeze in some last-minute savings to get the most out of your holiday budget. We'll show you how, including how to get the most out of your SuperSaveClub membership.
- 7 tips to secure your mobile Here are some ways you can go the extra mile to protect your device and personal information from thieves.
- Five surprising ways to cut energy costs With the cold weather rolling in, many of us are worried about rising energy bills. To help you fight rising costs, personal finance expert Kara Gammell shares her top five tips on how to save money on your energy bills.
- SuperSave Your Social Life: How to Party Smart This Season While the holiday cheer is soon to be in full swing, new research from MoneySuperMarket reveals that the cost of celebrating is stretching household budgets more than ever.
- Celebrate Bonfire Night without burning through your budget Get more bang for your buck this Bonfire Night. With the cost of living still biting, many households are asking the same question: how can we enjoy the festivities without setting our finances ablaze?
- What is Project 28 - the bold plan to speed up property transactions? Project 28 is a new initiative led by 23 of the UK's leading property organisations to reduce the time it takes to buy or sell a property. Find out how it works and what it means for you.
- This one simple change to your energy payments could save you £138 Millions of households could be sleepwalking into higher energy costs this winter by sticking with outdated payment methods. 3.4 million households could save by making the switch to direct debit, and now is the time to do it.
- More UK homes are at risk of flooding than burglary Figures from ONS tell us that 1 in 100 homes in the UK are burgled each year while FloodRe say that as many as one in six homes in the UK are at risk from flooding. But how many homeowners are taking the flood risk seriously?
- Two thirds of UK households underinsured as inflation causes replacement costs to soar Two thirds of UK households are underinsured due to inflation. This can affect their existing cover and leave them lacking protection when they need it most. Read on to find out more.
- More than one in five over 65s in the UK have been a victim of fraud in the last year An older person in England and Wales becomes a victim of fraud every 56 seconds according to research by MoneySuperMarket
- What are broadband parental controls? If you are wondering what you can do to better monitor your kid’s access to the internet, broadband parental controls may be the answer. Here's how to get started.
- Skipping a home survey could cost you thousands in repairs When buying a home, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and overlook some crucial steps that could leave you thousands of pounds out of pocket later on.
- Rail fare hikes: expert tips on how to save on your commute With train fares set to increase from this Sunday (March 2) by 4.6%, and the cost of most UK railcards going up by £5, MoneySuperMarket’s personal finance expert has shared tips on how people can save money on their commute.
- How to make money by recycling Getting paid to recycle may seem too good to be true, but you’d be surprised what you can earn from doing your bit for the environment. Here are five ways to make cash from what you’d normally consider to be trash.
- Over 4.5m broadband customers exposed to security risks due to outdated Wi-Fi routers More than 4.5m households* may be exposed to broadband security risks and poor performance due to outdated Wi-Fi routers.
- Don’t panic: how to face your financial fears Blue Monday, known to be the most depressing day of the year, will soon be upon us, and this time of year one of the greatest worries weighing people down is money. If you're in the same boat, make 2025 the year you face your financial fears.
- Get your household on board with energy savings this winter Personal finance expert - and mother - Kara Gammell challenged her tween to save energy to help reduce the household bill. Here's what worked.
- Is your 5G signal slipping? Here's why and how to fix it If your 5G connection feels more like a 3G throwback, you're not alone. Discover the reasons behind the dip in your mobile signal and get expert tips to boost your connectivity.
- What are broadband parental controls? As the festive season approaches, many children across the UK will be unwrapping new gadgets and devices. But new research by MoneySuperMarket reveals a concerning trend: half of parents will not install broadband parental controls or discuss online safety with their children when these new devices are gifted this Christmas.
- Breakdowns on UK A-Roads surge by 20%: What you need to know The number of breakdowns on UK A-roads – single and dual carriageways that link towns and cities in the UK - has surged by a fifth since 2019, according to data analysed by MoneySuperMarket.
- Check your home cover and keep the criminals at bay this Christmas Presents starting to pile up around the house since you started your festive shopping? Here’s how to make sure you’re covered in the run-up to Christmas.
- Drivers risk invalidating insurance by leaving cars running unattended this winter As temperatures drop and frosty windscreens become a regular chore, motorists are being cautioned against leaving their cars running unattended to warm them up. This common practice is not only illegal in some cases but also leaves your vehicle wide open to theft – and can void your car insurance.
- How to Blur Your Home on Google Earth for Security Burglars can use online tools like Google Maps and property portals to scope out their targets. Find out if your property is safe and how to protect your information online.
- Should you get a security camera for your home? Security cameras for the home have become increasingly popular over the years, with many using them to check on their pets and home deliveries while they're away. But are they worth it?
- Five ways to painlessly plump up your pension At a time when money is tight, putting money away for retirement may fall low on your list of financial priorities. But if there are ways to make plumping up your pension pot less painful. Here are five ways to build your savings without blowing your budget..
- Ten tips to weather-proof your home for autumn The Met Office is predicting a wet and windy start to September. To help you prepare, insurance expert Kara Gammell shares ten tips to weather-proof your home.
- UK travellers urged to take precautions as insect incidences surge While summer holidays are meant for relaxation, Brits should watch out for seasonal irritations like insect bites and stings, which can be more than just irritating when travelling abroad.
