Analysis Topic: Personal Finance
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.Friday, June 15, 2007
Top 10 Personal Finance Tips for Graduates by MoneyFacts.co.uk / Personal_Finance / UK Banking
Andrew Hagger, Head of Press at Moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine comments:“On leaving university, searching for the best current account provider may be the last thing on many graduates’ minds. But by taking the time to shop around, they could find an account that suits their circumstances and also save some money into the bargain.
“There are only six UK providers of graduate finance, so choice is limited to the major players.
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Friday, June 15, 2007
What was it like when interest rates were last at 5.50percent? / Personal_Finance / UK Interest Rates
Julia Harris, Mortgage Analyst at Moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine, comments:“It’s over a month since base rate rose a further quarter point to 5.50% and with the last MPC decision to keep rates on hold the mortgage market is starting to show signs of settling down. But with another rise anticipated in the short term the market will just have time to come up for air before products are repriced yet again.
“So how do today’s best deals compare with when rates were last 5.50% in May 2001 and 5.75% in March 2001?
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Saturday, June 09, 2007
Tips For Responsible Credit Card Use When You Have Bad Credit / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
Here are some great tips for responsible credit card use.
If you have several credit cards look into transferring the balances to one or two that have the lowest interest rates and then get rid of the other credit cards. By limiting the number of credit cards that you own you will not have to worry about juggling a repayment schedule that you can't afford to keep up with. Once you have the balances on your remaining credit card under control then try to limit your purchases to things that you really need.
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Saturday, June 09, 2007
Fool.co.uk calls for further simplification of Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) / Personal_Finance / ISA's
Virtually all savers find the plethora of rules governing ISAs confusing according to new research (1) by independent personal finance website Fool.co.uk.
- One in five savers think couples can open a joint ISA
- Two out of five say you lose your tax benefits if you withdraw money from an ISA
- Four out of five think ISA season ends in April
- Three out of ten savers reckon CAT standard ISAs are better
- One in five savers believe they must tell the taxman about their ISA nest egg
- One in ten think all cash ISAs are the same
Friday, June 08, 2007
UK Savings and Banking Services Update / Personal_Finance / UK Banking
Moneyfacts.co.uk team comments on:o Mortgages – the best of both worlds
o The fixed rate mortgage disappearing act
o Post Office card – giving with one hand and taking with the other
o New Halifax Online Card – a great 0% deals
o Personal loan rates take a battering
o Fixed rate ISAs on the up
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Thursday, June 07, 2007
Nationwide Launches New Range of Fixed Rate Cash ISA Bonds Paying 6.05% / Personal_Finance / ISA's
Nationwide Building Society has announced that it will be launching a new range of Fixed Rate ISA Bonds with effect from 6 June 2007. The new one and two year Fixed Rate ISA Bonds will pay a highly competitive interest rate of 6.05%.Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Five Hot Tips To Get Out Of Debt Forever / Personal_Finance / Debt & Loans
The financial and psychological burden of being in debt causes us and our families continuous emotional stress. That stress eats away at the quality of our lives and leaves us feeling powerless, angry, depressed and helpless.
But there is a way out – in fact, there are five simple and straightforward ways out of debt - and if you apply this five point plan to your life today you will have taken the first step on your personal road to debt free living for life.
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Monday, June 04, 2007
The Hidden Higher Mortgage Lending Charge / Personal_Finance / Mortgages
Julia Harris, mortgage analyst at Moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine, comments:“As more people are struggling to afford the substantial deposits required to take that first step on property ladder, it is commonplace for the mortgage advance to represent at least 90% of the property value for many first time buyers.Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, June 04, 2007
Bankruptcy No Easy Way Out of Debt / Personal_Finance / Debt & Loans
According to the latest report, 2007 was witness to a steep rise in the number of people having CCJs registered against them. Conservative estimate put the number at a rough 850,000. It seems that quite a lot of consumers see bankruptcy as the only way out.Read full article... Read full article...
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Top Up Early and See your Cash and Shares ISAs Grow / Personal_Finance / ISA's
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.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Credit card fees: What are you paying for? / Personal_Finance / Credit Cards & Scoring
Michelle Slade of Moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine comments:“Since the OFTs intervention in the credit card market to cap penalty fees, card providers have used numerous rate and fee increases, and have tweaked terms and conditions in an attempt to recoup the lost revenue, with the latest tack being to introduce annual fees.
“Most annual fees recently introduced have the common condition to charge only when the card has low usage, either in terms of the frequency of transactions or their value.
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Thursday, May 24, 2007
What a Taxing Day and Life! / Personal_Finance / Taxes
I received this recently in an email and I realized the awful truth of it. Be sure to read all the way to the End! This is a public servants ode to the taxpayer:
Tax his land, Tax his bed, Tax the table, at which he's fed.
Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, teach him taxes, Are the rule.
Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat.
Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
UK Savings and Investment and Banking Services Update / Personal_Finance / UK Banking
Michelle Slade, Personal Finance Analyst at Moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine, comments:
• A new look is not always better – Halifax One Card
• Overdraft Fees: Lloyds takes a stand
• The return of capped rates – Birmingham Midshires
• Fixed rate savings reach new highs
• Over 50s savings grow
Monday, May 14, 2007
What Savers Want / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts
New research from Nationwide reveals what consumers want from a savings account
New research from Nationwide has revealed that over a third (35%) of people are saving on a regular basis and an additional 44% save from time to time when they have spare funds. It also confirmed that one in five (21%) fail to save anything at all.
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Saturday, May 12, 2007
Britain's Best Bank for Personal Banking, Current Account Services Poll Results / Personal_Finance / Current Accounts
The poll conducted by the MarketOracle.co.uk shows that out of a selection of 29 choices the highest votes cast for the best bank for UK personal banking services, (primarily current account and linked products) are for the Abbey National.
In total 617 votes were cast between 26th April and 11th May 2007. The top 8 financial institutions for personal banking services are -
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Wednesday, May 09, 2007
The Child Trust Fund Reaches its Second Birthday / Personal_Finance / CTF
But children are still losing out on a potential £7.5 million in the first 12 months
The Child Trust Fund recently celebrated its second birthday yet the latest Government figures showed that nearly a quarter of all Child Trust Fund (CTF) vouchers issued were not invested by parents within the 12 month time frame. Nationwide Building Society is calling on the Government to do more to encourage parents to invest their child's voucher sooner, so children do not miss out on significant interest or investment growth.
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Wednesday, May 09, 2007
SMEs set to benefit – business bank current account sector springs to life / Personal_Finance / SME
Lee Tillcock, Editor of Business Moneyfacts comments:“According to recent research by Standard Life Bank, British SMEs are missing out on just over a billion pounds a year by keeping their money in low-paying business current accounts, with 60 per cent unhappy with the level of interest they are paid.Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Personal Finance Update - A&L Regular Saver, Mortgages and PPI / Personal_Finance / UK Banking
Rachel Thrussell, Head of Savings at Moneyfacts.co.uk – the money search engine, comments:
A&L regular saver makes a comeback
“Alliance & Leicester has relaunched its regular saver, but savers should still be ware of the limitations that such an account offers. Whilst the account offers a market-leading rate of 12%, this is limited to a total investment of £3K over a year, spread across maximum monthly contributions of £250. The account also requires that a Premier Current Account is opened, which pays 1.49% credit interest; that’s 4.45% lower than the award winning Premier Direct Account which Alliance & Leicester offers.
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Thursday, May 03, 2007
Vote for the Best Bank in Britain, Abbey National leads the pack / Personal_Finance / Current Accounts
With the UK local election voting taking place today, we remind readers of the ongoing Market Oracle poll on the Best UK Bank for Personal Banking services such as current accounts.
With some 230 votes in, the results so far show the following top 5 banking institutions by number of votes cast from a selection of 29 options.
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Saturday, April 28, 2007
The OFT to Investigate UK Personal Current Account Charges / Personal_Finance / UK Banking
In a recent statement the Office of Fair Trading announced that it is launching an study into personal bank current account pricing, alongside a formal investigation into the fairness of charges for unauthorised overdrafts and returned items.Read full article... Read full article...