Analysis Topic: Personal Finance
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Two Cheers for Credit Cards / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: Robert_Murphy
Ever since someone in grad school deviously introduced me to the concept of "irrational" debt aversion, I have been carrying credit-card balances that are far too high. Believe me, I understand the tricks these companies pull, like the clause in fine print where you unwittingly pledged away your firstborn.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
UK Savers Suffer as CPI Inflation Doubles / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
The consumer price index again rose even sharper to 3.50%, nearly double the Government’s target of 2%.
Savings rates are still falling after a flurry of lenders cut a selection of mortgage deals. The average no notice rate fell by 0.02% to 0.73% since last month.
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Pension's Retirement Income Has Collapsed By More than 70% / Personal_Finance / Pensions & Retirement
By: MoneyFacts
Personal pension savers are facing an uphill battle in their quest to fund a comfortable retirement, according to the latest survey by Investment Life & Pensions Moneyfacts.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Retirement Armageddon / Personal_Finance / Pensions & Retirement
By: Gary_North
I have just posted a video of my 90-minute seminar: "Retirement Armageddon." It presents the background for a series of nasty surprises.
For those of you who don't have time to watch a 90-minute video, let me summarize its implications.
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Why the Government Wants to Hijack Your 401(k) / Personal_Finance / Pensions & Retirement
By: Money_Morning
Keith Fitz-Gerald writes: It's bad enough that we've been forced to bail out Wall Street. But now the Obama administration is hatching plans to raid our retirement savings, too.
To say that I'm "outraged" doesn't come close to describing the emotions I experience every time I think about the government's latest hare-brained scheme.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Cash ISA Savings Interest Rates Starting to Improve / Personal_Finance / ISA's
By: MoneyFacts
Traditionally ISA season starts to gather pace in mid February, but this year things appear to have started early.
Since the start of the year, new and/or revised products have been launched by, amongst others Alliance & Leicester, Birmingham Midshires, Chelsea BS, Leeds BS, The Post Office and Santander.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
UK Savers Losing Money on Virtually ALL Instant Access Savings Accounts / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: Nadeem_Walayat
The savers and borrowers of Britain are being forced to pay for the crimes of the bankster's by an inept, incompetent, and culpable Labour government that has so far bent over backwards to placate the bankster's to the fullest extent even if it ultimately means bankrupting Britain.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Major Credit Card Changes Looming for 2010 / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: Amber_Dakar
Do you remember the days of easy credit? It doesn’t seem that long ago when we “benefited” from loose lending standards in the credit card industry. It seemed like every day there were multiple credit card offers in the mailbox with no annual fees, extremely low and prolonged introductory interest rates, and very generous credit lines.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Building Societies Better than Banks in Saving Accounts Interest Rates Consistency / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
Building societies have once again dominated the first Moneyfacts consistency survey of 2010, with 72.5% of all accounts listed as performing consistently.
Key points of the January 2010 Moneyfacts.co.uk Consistency Survey:
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Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Best Cash ISA Tax Free Savings Account for 2010 / Personal_Finance / ISA's
By: Nadeem_Walayat
One of your New Year resolutions should be to first fully utilise the cash element of your annual ISA allowance of £3,600, especially as it is a case of use it or lose it as we march towards the end of of the current tax year on April 5th 2010. Even if you have already utilised this years allowance, savers need to ensure that they check the interest rates being paid on a regular basis, especially for those accounts that have matured as the banks and building societies are notorious for cutting rates on existing accounts and dumping matured accounts into pittance paying cash ISA accounts, paying as little as 0.1%. i.e. 1/30th the rate of a top current instant access account which on an ISA account balance of £3,600 means the difference between receiving £3.60 or £108 in interest per annum.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
UK Boxing Day and Christmas Holiday Sales List, Shop for Recession Bargains / Personal_Finance / Money Saving
By: Nadeem_Walayat
The deepest recession since the great depression gives shoppers an opportunity to buy on deep discounting before the January 1st VAT increase to 17.5% from 15%. Distressed high street stores have already started cutting prices before Christmas with discounts typically of 50%.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Last Minute Christmas and New Years Shopping Tips / Personal_Finance / Money Saving
By: Amber_Dakar
The National Retail Federation projects U.S. consumers will spend an average of $682.74 on holiday shopping this year — a 3.2 percent drop from last year. So retailers have been pulling out all the stops to capture as many of those scarce consumer dollars as possible.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Exceptional Business Service Awards – Pay It Forward / Personal_Finance / Money Saving
By: Steve_Selengut
Maybe it’s the holiday season, or maybe it's just the rare sense of appreciation I felt when I noticed the missing number on the monthly invoice. An epiphany even! This company actually wanted, appreciated, and knew how to retain my business.
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Thursday, December 10, 2009
UK Banks Cut Fixed and Variable Savings Interest Rates / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
2009 appears to be ending in a similar fashion to 2008 for savers, with many top deals being withdrawn or having rates reduced.
Since the beginning of November, 62% of product changes to Moneyfacts.co.uk have been product withdrawals. While many of these products have been replaced, in the majority of cases the replacement products are offering lower returns.
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Thursday, December 03, 2009
Mortgage Lenders Target Short Term Fixed Interest Rate Deals / Personal_Finance / Mortgages
By: MoneyFacts
Lenders have become accustomed to the post banking crisis world: indeed, the signs from the mortgage market indicate that credit conditions are easing and that lenders are more willing to lend.
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Saturday, November 28, 2009
Tis the Season To Be Thrifty / Personal_Finance / Money Saving
By: Gary_North
People who value money more than time get involved in Black Friday sales. I don't, because I value time more than money.
If you are after a specific high-ticket item, such as a new computer, shop on-line. Avoid stores.
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Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Beware of Credit and Debit Card Foreign Usage Charges this Winter / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: MoneyFacts
As winter draws nearer, many people will be considering booking a holiday to sunnier climates.
While using your credit or debit card may be the easiest way to pay for things while your away, costs can soon mount up.
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Friday, November 13, 2009
Best Cash ISA Tax Free Savings Account Update November 2009 / Personal_Finance / ISA's
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Savers with cash ISA accounts need to ensure that they check the interest rates being paid on a regular basis, especially for those accounts that have matured as the banks and building societies are notorious for cutting rates on existing accounts and dumping matured accounts into pittance paying cash ISA accounts, paying as little as 0.1%. i.e. 1/30th the rate of a top current instant access account which on an ISA account balance of £3,600 means the difference between receiving £3.60 or £108 in interest per annum.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Credit Card Fiasco, Who is the Blame? / Personal_Finance / Credit Crisis 2009
By: Nilus_Mattive
I was recently talking to my mother, and she started talking about the evil credit card companies, and how they were out to get us all — right now — by jacking up our rates unfairly in a bid to record massive profits before new consumer-oriented legislation begins going into effect.
Friday, November 06, 2009
The Central Investment Problem of Our Time / Personal_Finance / Pensions & Retirement
By: DailyWealth
Chris Weber writes: A question I received recently goes to the heart of what a lot of people – especially older people – are going through:
Read full article... Read full article...My wife and I are in our mid 70s. We have about 60% of our funds in gold, silver bullion, some gold and silver stocks, and the balance in cash. We need current cash income from US$ with safe dividends – am I dreaming? Can you help?