Analysis Topic: Personal Finance
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
UK 7% Plus Fixed Rate Savings Bonds- Aug 08 / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: Shahla_Walayat
Despite three interest rate cuts, UK fixed rates rose over the summer months to above 7% as cash starved banks, sought to get as much cash in through the doors as possible after failing to obtain credit on the money markets and rejected by the capital markets as evidenced by rights issue failures that prompted emergency action by arm twisting of the big banks to step in and buy up unsold stocks such as that of Bradford and Bingley.Read full article... Read full article...
Friday, August 01, 2008
Americans Put Retirements on Hold as Fund Real Valuations Have Collapsed / Personal_Finance / Pensions & Retirement
By: Andy_Sutton
Everyone knows the story of the little boy who found that he was able to get into the cookie jar while Mom and Dad were busy doing chores around the house. First he took one cookie and rearranged the remaining morsels around so nobody would notice. Soon enough, however, he had to have another and repeated the process. We all know how this story ends. Eventually, the little guy had eaten so many of the cookies that it is no longer possible to hide the fact that there were but a few left. No amount of shuffling or jumbling could hide it any longer. Sadly, this is rather analogous to the state of retirement savings for many Americans today. Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
British Gas Punishes UK Customers with 35% Price Hike / Personal_Finance / Household Bills
By: Nadeem_Walayat
A 100% rise in the wholesale gas price has resulted in retail gas suppliers in recent days pushing gas prices sharply higher. First to raise was EDF which announced a 22% rise, quickly followed by Britain's biggest gas supplier British Gas which today announced a 35% price hike. Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Best Cash ISA Savings Accounts- Northern Rock Fixed Rates- July 2008 / Personal_Finance / ISA's
By: Shahla_Walayat
Three bank of interest rate cuts have taken rates down to 5% from 5.75% and savers are still enjoying excellent Cash ISA savings interest rates courtesy of the ongoing credit crunch. However as the UK economy slows towards a possible there will be further cuts in UK interest rates and therefore cash ISA savings rates have started to decline from recent heady rates which in some cases passed 6.5%.
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Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Urgent Steps to Protect Your Savings from Bank Failures / Personal_Finance / Credit Crisis 2008
By: Money_and_Markets
Sharon A. Daniels writes: The ongoing credit-crunch continues to shake-up financial markets in unexpected and frightening ways. It's hard to keep up with the fast-growing list of financial sector casualties. Just take a look at the fallout so far this year ...
Bear Stearns : This, century-old, brokerage firm was on the verge of collapse in March when the Federal Reserve arranged a last-minute fire sale to JP Morgan to prevent bankruptcy.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Depositors Require More Secure Financial Institutions / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: Paul_Lamont
As we referenced last April , it is very important in a deleveraging environment to hold your U.S. Treasury Bills at a secure financial institution. Calling brokers and reps up and asking them if your funds are safe at their institution is like asking the fox if the chickens he is guarding are safe. What do you expect them to say? Since we are independent and only work for our clients, we have been diligently researching the different types of asset custodians. Here is what we found: Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, July 06, 2008
How to Save Money / Personal_Finance / Money Saving
By: wikiHow
Saving money is one of those tasks that's so much easier said than done. There's more to it than spending less money (although that part alone can be challenging). How much money will you save, where will you put it, and how can you make sure it stays there? Here's how to set realistic goals, keep your spending in check, and pay yourself first.Read full article... Read full article...
Thursday, July 03, 2008
How to Get Rich / Personal_Finance / Money Making
By: wikiHow
It seems that everyone wants to get rich. There are books out on that subject, classes that are headed by someone who can show you an easy way to get rich, rich people willing to drop advice on how to get rich, and many other schemes that guarantee you will get rich fast. Getting rich is one of the main goals of most people, and while it is never easy, there are some sensible techniques that will increase your chances of getting rich.Read full article... Read full article...
Friday, June 20, 2008
Inflation Out of Control- Three Ways to Protect Yourself / Personal_Finance / Inflation
By: Money_and_Markets
Mike Larson writes: I hate to be the one to yell "FIRE" in a crowded theatre. But the time for keeping quiet has long since passed. The time for ignoring the gathering clouds of smoke is over. It's time to sit up, pay attention, and get your portfolio the heck out of harm's way ... because we have a full-scale, five-alarm, inflationary wildfire on our hands.
Allow me to walk you through the overwhelming, undeniable evidence ...
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Friday, June 20, 2008
Inflation Linked Savings Bonds / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
Rachel Thrussell, Head of Savings at Moneyfacts.co.uk, comments: “The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is currently trying to balance the scales between inflation and base rate. With increasing costs on fuel and food, inflation has grown to 3.3% (CPI) in May 2008, its highest level since July 1992 and well above the Government’s 2% target.Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Pre Paid Credit Cards- Great Idea, or Financial Con? / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: Mike_Gracia
Pre paid credit cards are, in a way, like a debit card, in that now actual credit is involved. They differ from debit cards however, because they are accepted pretty much anywhere that accepts the credit card brand (for example, MasterCard)Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Treasury Bill Accounts a Smarter Alternative to Money Market Funds / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: Paul_Lamont
Investors are rushing into cash as the financial system is deleveraging. But what form of cash will preserve investor's wealth? ‘Cash-like' instruments, such as adjustable rate securities, have become illiquid with the credit markets. Some money market funds, full of asset-backed commercial paper, have had to be supported by their sponsors. Even bank deposits could be unavailable for a time in an FDIC backlog (they expect to be quite busy as their recent hiring suggests).Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
UK Credit Continues To Get More Expensive / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: MoneyFacts
Michelle Slade, analyst at Moneyfacts.co.uk, comments: “With increasing costs on all household bills, many people are relying on their credit card to get by each month. But these people are going to find themselves out of pocket as purchase and cash rates, along with charges, continue to increase.Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Borrowers and Lenders: Take Responsibility for Your Decisions / Personal_Finance / US Debt
By: Alex_Epstein
Throughout the housing crisis, we have heard demands from spokesmen for desperate homeowners, banks, and investors for every variety of government bailout. But there is one group from whom the nation has not heard: the millions of Americans who, like me, had nothing to do with the crisis, who entered into mortgage contracts they could meet or who refused to buy at exorbitant prices, but who will be forced to pay the bills for these bailouts. If we had a spokesman, this is what I wish he would say.Read full article... Read full article...
Friday, May 02, 2008
How to Teach Your Children Financial Independence / Personal_Finance / Educating Children
By: Money_and_Markets
Nilus Mattive writes; My daughter is only 10 months old, but my wife and I are already anticipating the day she comes asking us for money to buy the latest designer handbag. Disha is making a list of her favorite stores. Me? I'm envisioning how I'll use the request as a way to talk about the importance of money and sound spending habits.
Last time I checked, very few elementary schools — or even high schools, for that matter — were teaching kids anything about finance. And that's a real shame.
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Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Instant Decision Credit Cards– A quick fix for bad credit? / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: Mike_Gracia
Many people are now aware that opening a new credit card and running the account well is one of the best ways of improving one's credit rating. Those with bad credit that are expecting to get one of the instant decision credit cards however, may be a tad disappointed.Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, April 14, 2008
How Safe is My FDIC-Insured Bank Account? / Personal_Finance / Credit Crisis 2008
By: Dr_Martenson
Your bank account may not be as safe as you think (or hope). Taking a deeper look at the legal details and the financial depth of the FDIC reveals several troubling details that call into question how the FDIC would fare during a true banking crisis.
The US is coming out of a period of unusually low banking stress and failures. Since it is typical human behavior to let one's guard down during tranquil periods, we might legitimately ask if this has happened with respect to the FDIC.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
What Are Air Mile Credit Cards? / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: Mike_Gracia
As you spend money using your air miles credit card, you accrue points that you can redeem for car hire, flights, or hotels.Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
HSBC Mortgage Rate Matcher Rescue Offer- Smoke and Mirrors? / Personal_Finance / Mortgages
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Britain's biggest and most profitable bank offers to rescue mortgage borrowers who's fixed rates expire this year to high variable rates, with an offer to match their maturing fixed rates down to 4.5%.
HSBC Remortgage Offer Specs
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Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Purchase credit card offers– The 10 Must read Tips for getting the best 0% card offers / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: Mike_Gracia
0% on purchases … 0% on balance transfers … sounds great – We can't loose can we – Or can we!
We have put together a small list of tips to help consumers get the most from these promotional offers. With this guide, hopefully you will learn how to sieve through the multitude of deals, and get one that's right for you.
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