With many of us heading off to the sun this Summer, it's important to get the most out of spending using credit and debit cards and avoid some of the traps that can increase your charges and result in a hefty bill on your return. Here are 10 saving tips to consider here.

1. Pay in Local Currency Read more »

A crackdown on borrowers with patchy credit histories and the withdrawal of many 0% interest deals mean the age of the 'rate tart' could be nearing an end. According to research by price comparison website Uswitch a staggering £3.5bn of credit card debt has been left building interest as approximately two million rate tarts were rejected for their next balance transfer deal.

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Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) is often sold alongside loans, credit cards or mortgages to cover repayments if you are unable to work through accident, illness or unemployment in some circumstances. It has picked up a bit of bad reputation in the last year or two, not because it was a poor product, but because it wasn’t always being sold in the right way.

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Barclaycard has today announced that it will cut interest rates for some of its customers after coming under pressure to do more to help those struggling with finances and looking for ways of saving money. It is also to freeze interest rates for at least four months for some customers. Read more »

Store Cards are similar to credit cards branded with the name of the store that issues it and can be used only to purchase goods from that chain. They are often promoted heavily in stores and can initially appear attractive, but beware there are many more disadvantages attached to them. Here are 10 very good reasons to avoid them....

1. They charge excessive rates of interest.

   The interest on most store cards is often double that of ordinary credit cards. Read more »