Analysis Topic: Personal Finance
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Will Buy to Let landlords say 'no' to housing benefit tenants? / Personal_Finance / Buy to Let
By: Submissions
Amy Watson writes: Private sector landlords are being advised to refuse tenancies to housing benefit claimants.The Residential Landlords Association – which represents members owning over 100,000 private rented properties throughout the UK – is advising them to remove their homes from that market.
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Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Don't forget your existing Cash ISAs / Personal_Finance / ISA's
By: MoneyFacts
Rachel Thrussell , head of savings at moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine , comments: “As the new tax year begins, many of us will be shopping around for a home for our 2007/2008 ISA savings. But with up to eight years worth of ISA and the potential of up £9K TESSA contributions, your existing tax free cash savings pot could already be in excess of £33K, so it is equally if not more important to check you are getting the best possible deal on your existing savings too.
“Unfortunately its not as simple as looking for the best current deals, as almost all best buy rates won't accept transfers in (hence the ability to offer higher interest rates) and just under half of all ISAs currently available are open for current year's subscriptions only.
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Sunday, April 15, 2007
Britain's Least Trusted Banks / Personal_Finance / UK Banking
By: Fool.co.uk
Sonia Rehill writes:•Barclays is the least trusted bank in Britain.
•Two-thirds of “Big 5” customers do not trust their banks to sell them the right products.
•One in eight customers claim that they have been victims of mis-selling.
•One in six people have had money go missing from their accounts.
Barclays is the least trusted of the “Big 5” high street banks according to new research (1) by independent personal finance website fool.co.uk
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Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Increase interest rates on your savings accounts by up to 4.81% by saving online says moneyfacts.co.uk / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
Vote with your feet and get to work with your mouse
Rachel Thrussell Head of savings at moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine, comments: “With more and more banks closing branches, reducing opening times and cutting staff numbers, traditional branch banking may not always fit in with our busy 24/7 lifestyles. With internet banking providing a round the clock service, offering many of the facilities available in branch, it could be the perfect solution. And as the cherry on the cake, most internet accounts pay much better rates.
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Monday, April 09, 2007
ISA's and Saving Accounts - Can't Save or Won't Save / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: Submissions
Rachel Le Brocq writes : “I can't afford to” is a phrase often used when people are asked why they don't save; but why do some people save more and others save less, even though they are in similar situations? A report, published today by the Building Societies Association, shows that one of the biggest barriers to saving isn't how much money you have, but the way you think about it.
The Individual's Saving Decision¹ reveals that almost a third (30%) of those people who do not save at the moment say absolutely nothing could persuade them to save. Whilst some of these people really will not be able to save, many others can, but have chosen not to.
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Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Easter Holiday Makers are Hopping Mad Over Credit & Debit Card Foreign Exchange Usage Fees / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: Nationwide
UK holidaymakers wasted nearly £16 million last Easter
Nationwide Building Society is urging Easter holidaymakers across the country not to make the same mistake as last year by incurring unnecessary charges for using their cards abroad. Last Easter over 15 million* UK holidaymakers travelled to Europe and wasted nearly £16 million** in foreign usage charges on credit and debit cards.
This Easter, people heading abroad for a week of sun or for a city break should make the switch to one of Nationwide’s credit or debit cards, that all offer free card use abroad. Last Easter Nationwide saved its customers almost £1 million*** by not charging them for using their cards abroad.
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Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Best Cash ISA Tax Free Savings Accounts for the New Tax Year and Cash ISA Rules / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: Shahla_Walayat
The New Tax year is virtually upon us and nearly everyone over age 16 has a fresh £3000 allowance to add to their tax free Cash ISA accounts.
But first, if you have not already used your £3000 cash isa allowance for the 2006-07 tax year, then today (5th April) is your last day ! probably the easiest way would be to top up your existing Cash ISA which you should be able to do over the phone or at the branch.
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Monday, April 02, 2007
Moneyfacts.co.uk mini cash ISA survey 2007 shows you need to act quickly to get your hands on the best ISA deals / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
Rachel Thrussell, Head of Savings at Moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine, comments on this year’s finding: “This year’s moneyfacts.co.uk mini cash ISA survey shows the projected value of £3,000 over the tax year 2006 to 2007. Assuming that the full investment of £3,000 was made on 6 April 2006, that no withdrawals were made and all interest was compounded during the tax year, the survey has wielded some very interesting results.
“Alliance & Leicester, this year’s clear winner claims the top spot in the survey with its Direct ISA, returning £3,163.46. A no notice account, the product was launched on 9 January last year with a rate of 5.20%, but this included an introductory offer of a 0.70% bonus, which was swiftly withdrawn on 12 April. Transfers in were accepted, but it clearly demonstrates that investors had to be quick off the mark after the new tax year began if they wanted to take advantage of the product.
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Monday, April 02, 2007
UK Tax 2006-07 Self Assessment Tax Return Filing Deadlines - 31st Jan 2008 / Personal_Finance / UK Tax & Budget
By: Shahla_Walayat
With the new tax year starting, this is a good time for a reminder of the key self assessment deadlines for the 2006-07 tax year, to ensure you plan well ahead and don't miss the key dates and end up with extra work or penalties.
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Sunday, April 01, 2007
OFT announces 'quick fix' on bank charges will disadvantage consumers / Personal_Finance / UK Banking
By: Submissions
In response to consumer concerns over bank current account charges, the OFT has today announced an in-depth study of retail bank pricing. This will sit alongside a formal investigation into the fairness of bank current account charges. Full details of the study will be announced in late April, and it is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
This study follows an initial review carried out by the OFT into these charges. The finding of this initial review is that the OFT shares the public concern about the level and incidence of bank current account charges, but it recognises that the application of the general principles it set out in 2006 to the banking industry is not straightforward and that a more detailed examination is needed.
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Friday, March 30, 2007
A dozen devious credit card cons / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: Fool.co.uk
A recent review of UK credit cards by fool.co.uk has identified no less than a dozen devious measures by banks to ensnare unsuspecting customers. These traps are designed not only to heap misery onto people in debt, but are also devised to ambush sensible card users.David Kuo, Head of Personal Finance at fool.co.uk , says: “Credit-card companies are increasingly targeting rate tarts and convenience users. In other words, they are picking on sensible customers who always pay their outstanding credit-card debts in full.
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Friday, March 30, 2007
Top up early and see your Cash ISA Grow / Personal_Finance / ISA's
By: Sarah_Jones
ISA holders could earn an additional £594 million by topping up at the start of the tax year
Nationwide Building Society estimates that people in the UK could receive an additional £594 million on their savings and investments by topping up their existing Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) at the beginning of the new tax year, rather than at the end.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Current accounts - an alternative home for your Savings / Personal_Finance / Current Accounts
By: MoneyFacts
Andrew Hagger, head of news and press at Moneyfacts.co.uk, the money search engine comments “Over the last couple of years we’ve seen the emergence of more current accounts offering high credit interest rates, some of which are on a par with the top paying savings accounts.
“Traditionally, people keep their current account for managing their day to day finances and maintain a separate savings account, often with a different institution, in which to hold their savings balances.
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Monday, March 26, 2007
Moneyfacts comments on the Nationwide Building Society 25 year fixed rate mortgage / Personal_Finance / Mortgages
By: MoneyFacts
Julia Harris, mortgage analyst at moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine, comments: “The new Nationwide 25-year fixed rate mortgage is competitive when compared with other long-term fixed rates, particularly for those with a 10% deposit. It comes with a fee of £599 (and a £200 discount for existing members), which is not out of line, especially when you take into account some of the four figure or percentage based fees that we are now seeing for short term deals.Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, March 26, 2007
UK Mortgage fixed Interest rates start to fall / Personal_Finance / Mortgages
By: MoneyFacts
Denise Blake, mortgage analyst at Moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine, comments: “Following the shock base rate rise in January, fixed rate mortgages flew off the shelves as consumers rushed to get their hands on existing fixed rate deals before they were pulled. But with base rate remaining unchanged now for the last two months, some level of stability has returned.
“With swap rates starting to fall back, Moneyfacts.co.uk has seen eight lenders reduce their fixed rate mortgages over the last 10 days, some by as much as 0.40%.
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Sunday, March 25, 2007
The Law of Attraction, The Secret, and The Science of Getting Rich Revealed / Personal_Finance / Money Making
By: Submissions
Now that we have a better understanding of the Law of Attraction, it is no surprise why so many people struggle with regards to money. It is been said that "the rich get richer while the poor get poorer". This is actually the Law of Attraction in action. Because the wealthy have money, they often think about how to best use their money and hence they attract more money.
The poor on the other hand often think about their present lack of money and unfortunately, that also attracts lack into their lives. Currently, 96% of the world's wealth is being earned by just 1% of the population!
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Saturday, March 24, 2007
UK Women Become Spendaholic with Unsecured Loans / Personal_Finance / Debt & Loans
By: Submitter
Women in UK incur huge debt through unsecured personal loans which they spend on shopping and fashion.As per the recent research on spending habits of women in UK by price comparison site Uswitch.com
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Friday, March 23, 2007
Pensions - Retirement Planning Made Easy - Fixed Income Investing / Personal_Finance / Pensions & Retirement
By: Roger_Conrad
Fixed-income investing is absolutely essential to protecting and growing your nest-egg - if you know what you are doing.As retirement approaches, your investment horizon shrinks. In other words, the closer you are to retirement, the less chance you want to take that you could lose a sizable portion of your investments. You want to more aggressively protect your assets from the stock market's volatility. Many advisors suggest that people at this point begin increasing the bond portion of their portfolio to 50% or more to lower their overall investment risk.
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Friday, March 23, 2007
Tread carefully with low rate high fee mortgage loan combinations / Personal_Finance / Mortgages
By: MoneyFacts
Julia Harris, mortgage analyst at moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine comments: “During the last month we have witnessed the continuing trend for lenders to launch low rate high fee mortgages. But as fees rocket skywards, is there still a place in the market for low rate high fee products? And who benefits from these deals?
“The trend just highlights how some lenders and consumers are still keen to focus on interest rate, not the whole package. It is worrying that consumers may be duped into these deals, thinking they are getting the best possible rate, without realising the financial impact of such a large fee.
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Thursday, March 22, 2007
Credit card providers still clawing back lost fee income…. / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
By: MoneyFacts
Michelle Slade, personal finance analyst at Moneyfacts.co.uk – THE money search engine, comments: “Almost one year on from the OFTs response to tackle ‘excessive’ default fees, the credit card market still remains unsettled. Battling with rising bad debts, Bank of England rate increases and a huge loss in revenue from the capping of default fees, credit card providers have been forced to look for other ways to maintain their income stream.
“In the last two weeks alone, six credit card providers have made major changes to some or all of their cards. Changes range from interest rate increases, by as much as 10% (on cash transactions), to shortening of interest free deals. If you delve further into the small print of their terms and conditions, cash withdrawal fees and foreign usage charges are rising, but perhaps the sneakiest of all is the requirement to make purchases as part of a 0% balance transfer deal.
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