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‘In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.’ This famous quote, attributed to Benjamin Franklin, holds as true today as it did at the time of writing in 1789. Given that versions of this sentiment date back to the early 18th century, and continue to be in use in 2017,
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This week’s Best Buys, provided by Moneyfacts, are Unsecured Personal Loans, £7,500 over five years.
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Mortgage Freedom Day. It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? Just imagine: no mortgage. I wonder what that feels like. According to Halifax, yesterday was UK Mortgage Freedom Day, the point in the calendar when new borrowers will have earned enough to pay off the annual cost of their mortgage. So not quite the
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Are you counting the hours until home time and a glorious four days without work? Join the club. Just think of it – the beautiful British bank holiday, a Spring mini-break, and the chocolate. Oh my lord, the chocolate. New research suggests that the average UK household spends more than £6,000 on chocolate in a
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I’m really tired of being ripped off. Whether it’s council tax hikes, parking charges or bus tickets (a ten minute journey to the nearest town costs more than £4 where I live), I’ve had enough. And don’t get me started on the size of chocolate bars. So it’s with a weary sigh that I read
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Are you a social media complainer? Do you use the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to vent your spleen at companies that have let you down? If so, you’re one of millions of people who eschew the traditional letter of complaint or irate phone call, choosing instead to air grievances on a public forum.
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My name is Helen Nugent and I am a pavement parker. This is not a hobby or something I set out to do on a daily basis but, in many instances, it’s that or block the road to traffic and put cyclists’ lives at risk. Britain’s roads weren’t built for this many vehicles. There are
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This week’s Best Buys, provided by Moneyfacts, are 0 per cent Introductory Purchase Credit Cards.
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If you’ve ever rented a property, chances are you’ve a horror story or two up your sleeve. I remember the north London flat with mushrooms growing in the shower. Then there was the house in the south of the city with mildew on the bathroom walls. And the landlord who refused to return my deposit
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Poor LISA. She’s all dolled up, ready to make her entrance onto the national stage and nobody wants her. She’s the girl at the dance who sits on her own, unloved and ignored. Today marks the launch of the Lifetime ISA, the government’s flagship savings programme. The LISA is a version of the Individual Savings
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Chippy tea. Just writing those words makes me yearn for fish and chips, lathered in vinegar and dosed with salt. Perhaps some mushy peas on the side and a bottle of ketchup to hand. While a world without fish suppers would be a cold, cold place (for me, at least), new research shows that people
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Like many households, my electricity meter is not in a terribly accessible spot. Reaching said meter requires a short stepladder or standing on the kitchen counter. That said, there’s no need for crampons. And so every time someone comes to read the meter, I’m met with the same response. ‘Oh no lass, health and safety.
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There’s no panacea for the nation’s credit card debt – but the Financial Conduct Authority is having a go at helping people languishing in continual debt. So-called ‘persistent’ debt is a serious problem. Under the FCA’s definition, credit card customers are in persistent debt if they have paid more in interest and charges than they have
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When it comes to bank branch closures, there are two schools of thought. One side isn’t bothered, pointing to the ubiquity of online banking and celebrating the fact that technology has, in their opinion, made bank branches obsolete. The other side – of which I’m a part – laments the loss of local bank branches, not
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Another day, another slew of house price data. But with Article 50 now triggered, recent Bank of England data showing record levels of household debt, and the prospect of an interest rate rise later this year thanks to rising inflation, property statistics are throwing up a few surprises. Lowest growth in two years There’s further
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This week’s Best Buys, provided by Moneyfacts, are Long-Term Fixed Rate ISAs.
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The Bank of England is concerned that banks and building societies may have made it too easy to borrow money – and with good reason. Figures released by the Bank today show that household debt is at record levels, with credit card debt increasing at its fastest rate in more than a decade. It’s not
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As I edge up my 40s, I’m fast becoming aware that getting older isn’t much fun. Whether it’s squinting at the small print in books or complaining about my gammy knee, I’m all about the pity party these days. Which is why I do not relish the prospect of my 50s and 60s. What’s in
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Tesco dominates the financial news this morning after the retail giant reached a settlement agreement for shareholders following an accounting scandal two and a half years ago. In addition to a fine of £129 million, Tesco will pay out about £85 million (plus interest) to investors in compensation. The money relates to an admission in
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Once, after a few too many sherbets, I tipped the pizza delivery man with my supermarket trolley token instead of a pound coin. It was a genuine mistake but I still feel guilty. Tomorrow sees the introduction of the new 12-sided pound coin, forcing a root-and-branch overhaul of supermarket trolleys, vending machines, parking meters and anything
