Home

May 2009

0 comments
Your rating: None (1 vote)

What's the UK's credit rating all about then?

In the past week or so we've seen warnings from one of the leading credit rating agencies that although the UK is holding on to its top class credit rating for now, it might have to consider cutting its assessment. The veiled warning was that they might not wait too much longer before they make a cut. However, before we get too gloomy there's a couple of things to take on board.

  Read more »

2 comments
Your rating: None (2 votes)

How to make getting the right Savings Accounts easy

Having a savings account ought to be one of the most useful and easy to understand personal finance products that you can get. However with every bank and building society competing hard for your money the choice of accounts can look bewildering. It's not possible - well not in a page - to cover every type of account. Instead we'll try to explain some of the basics so that once you decide what sort of account you want you're better to prepared to hunt out the best ones.

  Read more »

1 comment
Your rating: None (1 vote)

The ups and downs in Savings Accounts

Ever since interest rates started falling, as the Bank of England began slashing the base lending rate to its record low of .5%, it's hardly been possible to read a paper or blog without the worrying impact on savers, some of whom are very vulnerable to effect of interest rate cuts, being a major part of the story.

  Read more »

0 comments
Your rating: None (1 vote)

Ten Ways to Reduce your Tax Bill

Tax! There is no doubt about it, we do not like paying it and all of us would like to pay a bit less of it if we could. In order to help you do this, here are 10 saving tips that could potentially cut your tax bill.

 

1. Check your tax code  Read more »

1 comment
Your rating: None (1 vote)

Health Cash Plans - Worth Considering?

Small medical expenses don't seem too bad by themselves, but regular dental check-ups and buying a pair of glasses can quickly add up. Health cash plans are designed to give you money towards optical, dental and other treatments without forcing you to fork out for expensive insurance premiums, potentially saving money as a result.

  Read more »

4 comments
Your rating: None (1 vote)

Serious Illness Insurance - why would I want this?

If we had mentioned swine flu a couple of weeks ago the chances are that most people would never have heard of it. Despite the fact that risks to us in the UK are low at the moment, it just goes to show how quickly health related issues can change for all of us. Despite this most of us take our health and well being largely for granted. Of course nobody wants to dwell on the unpleasant "what ifs" in life for a moment longer than they need to. But it's an unfortunate reality that about one in five of us will face a serious illness at some point in our working life. Read more »

1 comment
Your rating: None

Saving Money on your Motoring Costs

The recession is now in full swing and we're all trying to cut costs - but how can you save money on motoring if you need to drive every day?  For many of us a car is one of life's essentials - but having to pay for necessities such as insurance, regular MOTS and fuel soon adds up.

Here are eight simple saving tips for driving down your regular car costs which should help you save money for other things. Read more »

2 comments
Your rating: None (1 vote)

Investment scams, and how to save yourself problems

It's an unfortunate side effect of the recession that it brings out the worst in the criminal fraternity, whether that's simple burglary - which unsurprisingly is on the up - or the rather more sophisticated world  of personal finance scams. Most of the financial scams work because somebody gets your trust, and then your money. So how do you spot the con man?

  Read more »

8 comments
Your rating: None (2 votes)

Planning for the Cost of Childrens’ University Education

 

With nearly half of all teenagers attending university, you’ll want to do your homework to avoid your offspring graduating with a Degree in Debt.

 

Next academic year universities can charge up to £3,225 a year in tuition fees. But Universities are pushing to double this to £7,000 a year.

  Read more »

0 comments
Your rating: None

Mortgage Fees - what are they and why you will have to pay these

Once upon a time, life was simple when you wanted to by a house. You paid fees for a surveyor to value the property, a lawyer to do the conveyancing, maybe a small insurance premium if your loan to value was over a giddy 70%, stamp duty and the cost of registering the deeds. But nothing lasts forever and today couldn't be more different as lenders charge a variety of fees for doing just the same job as they used to.

  Read more »