http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/?service=Rss http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/savings-the-best-places-to-keep-your-money-safe-ndash-and-beat-inflation-860400.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/savings-the-best-places-to-keep-your-money-safe-ndash-and-beat-inflation-860400.html <p>The rising costs of food, petrol and heating have pushed inflation up past 4 per cent over the last few weeks, and for some of us &ndash; most notably the elderly &ndash; the cost of living has been rising at a much faster rate. Although the pressures of rising inflation are being felt firstly in consumers' wallets, another unfortunate side-effect of rising prices is that your savings also need to work much harder to keep pace with the true cost of living. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/questions-of-cash-nectar-helps-to-finally-get-the-ball-rolling-860401.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/questions-of-cash-nectar-helps-to-finally-get-the-ball-rolling-860401.html <p><b>Q. Nectar offered me a free treat last year and I chose its offer of a sphereing session. But when I tried to book this with SphereMania, I was informed the voucher was only valid for one person and it was not possible to book a session for one, so I would need to pay an additional &pound;40 to make the booking. JS, Alveston</b></p> Invest & Save Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/wealth-check-how-can-we-prepare-for-our-move-to-australia-860402.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/wealth-check-how-can-we-prepare-for-our-move-to-australia-860402.html <p>Mike and Julie Henson, from Hertfordshire, are about to make the biggest move of their lives. In November, along with their sons Isaac and Alex, they'll be emigrating to Australia, where Julie has secured a job as a midwife. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/the-analyst-why-its-time-to-get-back-into-bonds-860403.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/the-analyst-why-its-time-to-get-back-into-bonds-860403.html <p>As I write, the UK stock market is approaching the lows it reached back in March. The economic news continues to be poor and, given that the housing market seems set to continue to fall, I can't see the news getting better any time soon. House builders have been slaughtered, despite the fact that they have enjoyed a 10-year bull market.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/no-pain-no-gain-smallcap-carnage-leaves-addworth-feeling-sore-860404.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/no-pain-no-gain-smallcap-carnage-leaves-addworth-feeling-sore-860404.html <p>Mark Watson-Mitchell, a flamboyant veteran whose career has embraced many aspects of City life, has emerged as an enthusiastic fan of Plus, the increasingly important share market I discussed last week.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/private-investor-bb-lifeboat-tows-my-punt-to-safer-water-860405.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/private-investor-bb-lifeboat-tows-my-punt-to-safer-water-860405.html <p>Just when I thought the worst for the banks was over, the news comes through that Bradford & Bingley has lost another investor. That's twice the rescue rights issue has failed. To borrow from an old Bradford & Bingley advertising campaign and the even more venerable Oscar Wilde, "To lose one rights issue, Mr Bradford and Mr Bingley, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness." I felt a little queasy. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/investing-in-stocks-is-it-time-to-get-back-into-the-market-860406.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/investing-in-stocks-is-it-time-to-get-back-into-the-market-860406.html <p>It is the question on every investor's lips: is now the time to start buying cut-price equities, which have taken such a hammering &ndash; or is it better to seek refuge from turbulent global stock markets by moving into bonds and cash?</p> Invest & Save Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/in-the-red-to-stop-spending-on-new-clothes-im-paying-for-a-gym-860429.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/in-the-red-to-stop-spending-on-new-clothes-im-paying-for-a-gym-860429.html <p>My kit kat habit is starting to show. Well, I say "starting", but what I really mean is that I'm at the stage where none of my clothes fit. Several months' fast food got me through a mountain of work, but they are proving rather less helpful when it comes to me getting dressed.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/increased-protection-planned-for-savers-858133.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/increased-protection-planned-for-savers-858133.html <p> Plans to increase the protection available to consumers who lose money when a bank collapses were announced today. </p> Invest & Save Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:17:54 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/life-really-does-begin-at-40-856425.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/life-really-does-begin-at-40-856425.html <p>Your forties are your wealthiest years, according to a study by More Than. The insurance firm found the average fortysomething has a horde of personal possessions at home worth &pound;40,919. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/britons-set-to-pay-163280m-for-cash-withdrawals-abroad-856428.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/britons-set-to-pay-163280m-for-cash-withdrawals-abroad-856428.html <p>Holidaymakers heading for sunnier climes could be hit by millions in overseas bank charges if they are not careful with foreign currency.</p> Invest & Save Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/consumer-rights-on-a-wing-and-a-prayer-with-holiday-bookings-856433.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/consumer-rights-on-a-wing-and-a-prayer-with-holiday-bookings-856433.html <p><b>Q. have just returned from a trip to Budapest. I booked in January but my computer crashed and, not knowing if I'd bought the flights, I booked again. I realised the error three days later and contacted Jet2. But the airline has refused to honour a refund, though it must have been obvious the booking was exactly the same. What are my rights? <i>JM, Leeds</i></b> </p> Invest & Save Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/a-spoonful-of-sugar-to-help-pay-for-the-medicine-856440.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/a-spoonful-of-sugar-to-help-pay-for-the-medicine-856440.html <p>Healthcare costs can add up unexpectedly, even if your treatment is carried out on the NHS. Charges for prescriptions, optical tests, physiotherapy and alternative therapies mean that healthcare is not as "free" as we like to think.</p> Invest & Save Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/kate-hughes-unless-youve-tried-living-in-one-room-to-save-on-the-gas-bill-dont-tell-me-youre-hard-up-856442.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/kate-hughes-unless-youve-tried-living-in-one-room-to-save-on-the-gas-bill-dont-tell-me-youre-hard-up-856442.html <p>Were I in my 80s, I would be livid. Not only would I be coping with being marginalised and patronised by society at large, living on a non-existent state pension, and suffering a higher rate of inflation than any other age group &ndash; all that would be bad enough. But then I would have to listen to people far younger than me with, let's face it, very little experience of real hardship, complaining that the sky is falling in because their mortgage repayments have gone up slightly.</p> Invest & Save Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/cash-on-delivery-its-never-too-early-to-give-your-baby-a-pension-856443.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/cash-on-delivery-its-never-too-early-to-give-your-baby-a-pension-856443.html <p>More babies are born this month than at any other time of the year. So if you have spent the past few months buying cots and prams and painting the spare room, congratulations. But you may be already feeling the financial pinch. And if you are a new parent, the bills have only just started landing. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/dont-count-on-a-big-legacy-856444.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/dont-count-on-a-big-legacy-856444.html <p>Anyone banking on a windfall inheritance when a relative dies could be in for a shock, according to research by financial advice site Fool.co.uk, with more older people finding they need to spend their savings on everyday costs. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/spurned-by-the-banks-middle-britain-is-pawning-its-possessions-856446.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/spurned-by-the-banks-middle-britain-is-pawning-its-possessions-856446.html <p>The credit crunch has hit hard and many of us have tightened our belts, but it's a different story for the pawnbroking industry where business is on the up, as more of us search for a little extra cash.</p> Invest & Save Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/credit-interest-cuts-hit-low-earners-855930.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/credit-interest-cuts-hit-low-earners-855930.html <p>All banks have fallen on hard times in recent months, so it's no surprise that each of them has been busy cooking up new ways to recoup lost revenues. Mortgage fees have been rising, credit interest has been falling &ndash; all of which is understandable in the context of the worst banking crisis in living memory.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/how-to-find-the-cheapest-tickets-around-855931.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/how-to-find-the-cheapest-tickets-around-855931.html <p> Tens of thousands of music fans have descended on Glastonbury this weekend, for the UK's largest annual arts festival. Tickets for the full three days would have set you back &pound;155. However, if that didn't seem expensive enough, there's then the &pound;5 booking fee as well as a further &pound;4 transaction fee, taking the total to an eye-watering &pound;164.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/six-simple-steps-to-guide-you-through-redundancy-855932.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/six-simple-steps-to-guide-you-through-redundancy-855932.html <p>More than half a million people every year face the prospect of being made redundant, and for the vast majority this would mean being plunged into a financial crisis. According to research by Birmingham Midshires, a staggering 73 per cent of the population couldn't support their families if they suddenly lost their jobs. And with households already coming under increasing strain due to rising food and petrol costs, as well as increasing mortgage repayments, it is feared that a full-scale economic downturn may force more employers to cut their workforces.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/wealth-check-i-want-to-save-money-but-still-have-a-social-life-855933.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/wealth-check-i-want-to-save-money-but-still-have-a-social-life-855933.html <p>Rachel Walters, 22, a PR and marketing manager, originally from Toronto and now living in Camden, north London, finds herself struggling to make ends meet each month. "I've had a really unique experience here, but I realise I need to make some changes," she says.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/questions-of-cash-when-customer-care-is-not-up-to-scratch-855934.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/questions-of-cash-when-customer-care-is-not-up-to-scratch-855934.html <p><b>Q.</b> I bought a car in March for &pound;20,000, and the dealer suggested I pay using my debit card. I phoned my bank, Alliance & Leicester, warning it of the transaction. I had to answer a lengthy set of questions to ensure the transaction was accepted. But a week after the transaction, I found that my current account was nearly &pound;19,000 overdrawn, even though I have a &pound;1,000 overdraft limit. A&L had processed a second debit card transaction three days after the first. It had not warned me, or sought approval of the second transaction. A day later, a week after the &pound;20,000 had gone out of my account, I received a letter asking me to contact the bank. A&L then told me it was my fault. I had to transfer &pound;19,000 from savings to keep the direct debits going. A&L charged me &pound;30 overdraft fees, and after 60 days I have not had a reply to my letter of complaint. <i>KC, Budleigh Salterton</i>.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/pocket-money-buying-in-bulk-gives-me-food-for-financial-thought-855935.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/pocket-money-buying-in-bulk-gives-me-food-for-financial-thought-855935.html <p>False economies. For a financial dunderhead like me, it's difficult to spot them. I get seduced by the BOGOF signs, the three-for-twos, the interest-free periods, and so on. It's only later, when I'm chucking away uneaten food or studying the small print on a credit card bill with a giant interest charge attached that my foolishness occurs to me.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/mark-dampier-the-analyst-855936.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/mark-dampier-the-analyst-855936.html <p>As I write, the UK stock market is heading down towards the lows it reached back in March. Whether we will see another bounce up from that level I have no idea, but the trickle of bad news is becoming more like a torrent. There is little doubt that we are going to be in for a difficult time for the next couple of years.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/derek-pain-no-pain-no-gain-855937.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/derek-pain-no-pain-no-gain-855937.html <p>Mears, the support services group that joined the No Pain, No Gain portfolio in March, has achieved a significant first by listing its shares on both the London Stock Exchange's main market and Plus, the upstart trading platform that is becoming an increasingly important part of the investment scene.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/sean-ogrady-private-investor-855938.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/sean-ogrady-private-investor-855938.html <p>Oh, look! Bradford & Bingley is the only one of my recent banking punts to be in the money. At 80p or so I'm up a fifth on the nadir I bought at a few weeks ago, when they seemed all but done for. All the banks had their ups and downs last week, but Alliance & Leicester and Barclays are still underwater, despite some relatively good news from Barclays on their recapitalisation. True, it isn't a proper rights issue which would be fairer all round to shareholders, but it is close enough to one to be acceptable to smaller investors. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/share-race-expert-leaves-pupils-in-his-wake-855939.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/share-race-expert-leaves-pupils-in-his-wake-855939.html <p> Almost five months into this year's Share Race, and it's the professional fund manager &ndash; Colin McLean of SVM Asset Management &ndash; who is out in front, leaving the students and the investment club fighting it out for second place, having already lost 13 and 15 per cent of their portfolios respectively.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/dont-let-a-year-out-leave-a-gap-in-your-finances-461964.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/dont-let-a-year-out-leave-a-gap-in-your-finances-461964.html <p> With a university place secured and deferred for a year, hordes of school-leavers will be preparing to pack their rucksacks and head off to far-flung corners of the globe &ndash; as will many graduates planning one last bit of freedom before settling in to the world of work.</p> Invest & Save Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:19 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/lloyds-alerts-savers-to-dormant-cash-851844.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/lloyds-alerts-savers-to-dormant-cash-851844.html <p>If you have a savings account with Lloyds TSB but have not been in touch with the bank for the past 15 years, it wants to hear from you. Lloyds is trying to reunite up to 120,000 personal and business customers with an estimated &pound;69m held in accounts with which they have lost touch. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/a-.htmlssion-may-be-on-the-horizon-but-speculators-see-a-ray-of-light-851846.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/a-.htmlssion-may-be-on-the-horizon-but-speculators-see-a-ray-of-light-851846.html <p>It's an old investment maxim that you sell on good news and buy on bad. If you hold to this theory, then the current UK stock market may well be the one for you. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/julian-knight-shop-cheaply-save-in-style-and-foil-inflation-851847.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/julian-knight-shop-cheaply-save-in-style-and-foil-inflation-851847.html <p>Hands up anyone who believes that prices are only rising at the official rate of 3.3 per cent? No, I thought not. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/thirsty-for-high-returns-get-into-the-market-for-red-wine-851848.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/thirsty-for-high-returns-get-into-the-market-for-red-wine-851848.html <p>The fine wine business is going global, which should be good news for people who invest in a little liquid luxury. And, like everything else in the world economy, or so it seems, prices are being driven ever higher by demand from the Far East, particularly Hong Kong, which earlier this year scrapped wine import duty. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/why-it-isnt-makebelieve-to-snap-up-a-second-home-near-disney-851849.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/why-it-isnt-makebelieve-to-snap-up-a-second-home-near-disney-851849.html <p>Buying a second home 2,000 miles away will hardly be top of the "to do" list for the vast majority of homeowners this summer. However, if you have ever warmed to the idea of an American holiday home then now, credit crunch or not, could be a good time to start looking. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/wealth-check-he-bought-the-home-ndash-now-for-the-cushions-851850.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/wealth-check-he-bought-the-home-ndash-now-for-the-cushions-851850.html Invest & Save Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/investing-in-agriculture-food-price-rises-create-fields-of-gold-851541.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/investing-in-agriculture-food-price-rises-create-fields-of-gold-851541.html <p> Food prices have been rocketing over the past year, with the average basket of groceries now costing families almost 10 per cent more than it did last summer. According to the Office of National Statistics, food prices increased by 8.7 per cent in the year to the end of May, with some items seeing increases well into double digits. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:28 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/james-daley-vodafone-is-not-playing-fair-in-europe-851520.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/james-daley-vodafone-is-not-playing-fair-in-europe-851520.html <p>Last weekend, I went to Dublin, and had the foresight (for the first time in my life, I should add) to give some thought to the cost of using my mobile phone while I was there &ndash; as I knew that I'd have to make and receive a few calls. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/rising-costs-hit-britain-in-the-middle-851521.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/rising-costs-hit-britain-in-the-middle-851521.html <p>Britain's middle classes have seen their spending power eroded over the past two years as the cost of fuel, food, drink and heating has soared.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/why-buying-goods-on-the-cheap-can-cost-you-dearly-851523.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/why-buying-goods-on-the-cheap-can-cost-you-dearly-851523.html <p>The screws are turning on our disposable income. The UK and global economies are not as watertight they once were and the High Street is full of cheap deals, price-busting offers and value items. Frugal is good, we are constantly being told. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/wealth-check-i-want-to-clear-my-debts-and-start-saving-851524.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/wealth-check-i-want-to-clear-my-debts-and-start-saving-851524.html <p>Lucy Minshall, 24, a public affairs consultant from London, may have left university far behind her, but the debts she racked up there still haunt her. "I've been working for two years, but I'm still trying to get over my student loan and overdraft," she says "I just about survive on my salary but have nothing left to save for a rainy day. I can't even begin to think about getting on the property ladder, and I had hoped to stop working when I have children."</p> Invest & Save Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/questions-of-cash-it-chaos-causes-misery-for-nu-customersi-851525.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/questions-of-cash-it-chaos-causes-misery-for-nu-customersi-851525.html <p><b>Q. I have a similar problem with Norwich Union to that of RS (Questions of Cash, 31 May). My policy matured on 1 May, yet despite all documentation being on time, I heard nothing from NU. I phoned NU on 10 May and it said it had a backlog. It says the only compensation I will get is interest at 3.75 per cent gross &ndash; well below the rate of funds on deposit. Eventually I received the payment, but without any explanation for the delay. KR, by email.</b></p> Invest & Save Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/in-the-red-the-vintage-trend-is-the-only-way-to-buy-into-cheap-chic-851526.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/in-the-red-the-vintage-trend-is-the-only-way-to-buy-into-cheap-chic-851526.html <p>Fashion and frugality just don't mix. It's frustrating, but true. Which is why I'm so sick of hearing the phrase "recession chic". Ditto "chic-o-nomics," "future-proof fashion" and all the other silly neologisms the fashion world has begun to spout as the cogs of our developed economy grind to a halt. They're offensive on two counts: one, they're irritating; and two, they're wrong. By which I mean fundamentally misleading.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/no-pain-no-gain-enough-doom-and-gloom-im-back-in-the-market-851527.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/no-pain-no-gain-enough-doom-and-gloom-im-back-in-the-market-851527.html <p>It's time to beef up the No Pain, No Gain portfolio. I know I complain that, in these uncertain times, already-cheap shares are likely to become even cheaper. But sitting on the fence is a frustrating, ultimately self-defeating exercise. Action is required. And with the portfolio understrength, I am for the first time indulging in a double swoop.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/private-investor-dirt-cheap-doesnt-mean-its-a-bargain-851528.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/private-investor-dirt-cheap-doesnt-mean-its-a-bargain-851528.html <p>Looks like I managed to call the house-builders right. My sixth sense, if you like, told me they were a bad bet, even at the current depressed valuations. Well, when I say sixth sense, I suppose I really mean the published accounts and trading statements, especially of Barratt Developments.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/the-analyst-newtons-first-law-chase-dividends-851529.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/the-analyst-newtons-first-law-chase-dividends-851529.html <p>It used to be the fact that the UK stock market was really the only option for those seeking income from equity investing. It was the only market that paid a decent yield and had plenty of potential for the dividend to grow. Strangely, this was looked at in some quarters as a mark of weakness.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/cherry-reynard-can-my-taxfree-cash-cross-the-irish-sea-847292.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/cherry-reynard-can-my-taxfree-cash-cross-the-irish-sea-847292.html <p><b><i>Q. I have inherited a half stake in my late uncle's home in the Irish Republic, along with my brother. We intend to sell the house and split the proceeds. After costs, these should come to &pound;30,000 to &pound;40,000 each. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/debt-and-the-city-when-retail-leads-us-to-therapy-847294.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/debt-and-the-city-when-retail-leads-us-to-therapy-847294.html <p>The credit binge might seem a long time ago, but in the past few years millions of Britons have got used to splashing out on the latest must-have shoes, clothes, gadgets and other luxuries. They would simply slap their shopping on the plastic &ndash; to pay off at some point in the future. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/julian-knight-is-tescos-cover-the-finest-use-your-loaf-847301.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/julian-knight-is-tescos-cover-the-finest-use-your-loaf-847301.html <p>I believe in the maxim that you get what you pay for in life. Take food, wine and clothes, for instance. In all these cases, it's nearly always worth spending a bit extra for quality. But there is a line to be drawn beyond which what I am being asked to pay for is, quite frankly, just marketing hype. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/savers-offered-deals-paying-up-to-10-847303.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/savers-offered-deals-paying-up-to-10-847303.html <p>Mortgage customers may be struggling as interest rates go up, but savers are cashing in on attractive rates of return.</p> Invest & Save Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/ride-to-work-and-take-the-strain-out-of-buying-a-bike-847310.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/ride-to-work-and-take-the-strain-out-of-buying-a-bike-847310.html <p>With fuel prices rocketing, there has never been a better time to turn to pedal power. And moving into the cycle lane could be even more appealing if you make the most of ride-to-work tax incentives. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/less-pain-in-spain-for-drivers-847311.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/less-pain-in-spain-for-drivers-847311.html <p>While fuel prices in the UK continue to rise, research shows they are far from the highest in Europe. Germany, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway all charge considerably more for unleaded petrol. For those planning a motoring holiday on the Continent, the best bargains are in Switzerland and Spain. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/is-this-as-safe-as-the-banksy-of-england-847313.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/is-this-as-safe-as-the-banksy-of-england-847313.html <p> Street art conjures up images of graffiti-sprayed billboards, satirical road signs and subverted traditions. However, it is now entering the more lucrative world of art investment. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/is-this-as-safe-as-the-banksy-of-england-847314.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/is-this-as-safe-as-the-banksy-of-england-847314.html <p>Street art conjures up images of graffiti-sprayed billboards, satirical road signs and subverted traditions. However, it is now entering the more lucrative world of art investment. Banksy's controversial creations in London and Bristol are now fetching hundreds of thousands of pounds, and there is also a thriving scene below him as collectors and speculators look for more unusual and dramatic pieces to snap up. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/warning-over-rebates-847315.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/warning-over-rebates-847315.html <p>The time available for claiming a rebate on overpaid tax is to be cut from five to four years, leaving taxpayers unable to reclaim huge amounts they would otherwise be entitled to, an accountancy group has warned.</p> Invest & Save Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/weve-been-wrongly-taught-that-our-property-can-be-our-pension-847317.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/weve-been-wrongly-taught-that-our-property-can-be-our-pension-847317.html <p>House prices are plummeting faster than even the most downbeat forecasters were predicting just a few months ago. The latest report from the Halifax shows a decline of 7 per cent since the start of the year. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/james-daley-theyve-got-to-pick-a-pocket-or-two-846890.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/james-daley-theyve-got-to-pick-a-pocket-or-two-846890.html <p>We've all heard the tragic stories of people turning to crime in desperation when they run out of money. Petty theft, burglary, perhaps even armed robbery &ndash; anything to make ends meet, which will prevent them from having to admit to their pecuniary failures and suffer a loss of face to their families and friends.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/rising-fund-fees-prove-costly-for-investors-846891.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/rising-fund-fees-prove-costly-for-investors-846891.html <p>The cost of chasing good investment returns has been slowly creeping up over the past few years, as fund managers have slowly nudged up the fees they take for managing your money.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/dont-hire-cowboys-youll-only-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-846892.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/dont-hire-cowboys-youll-only-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-846892.html <p> Letting strangers into your house is an experiment in trust at the best of times. But when it's tradesmen who are about to pull your house apart and put it back together again, you're upping the stakes. A reliable, reputable and reasonable builder is like gold dust, with the power to turn a stressful renovation into a walk in the park. But the endless home-improvement horror stories raise the question &ndash; how can you tell a good brickie, sparkie or plumber from a bad one?</p> Invest & Save Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/lisa-markwell-pocket-money-846893.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/lisa-markwell-pocket-money-846893.html <p>A cursory glance at the paperwork on my desk suggests that I don't find my finances interesting. And &ndash; oh, the irony &ndash; interest is exactly what it's all about.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/questions-of-cash-beware-fake-emails-that-demand-money-846894.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/questions-of-cash-beware-fake-emails-that-demand-money-846894.html <p><b>Q. Ever since typing my name into Google out of idle curiosity, I have been receiving emails from it demanding money or it will stop my ads. I do not have any ads, but its emails are non-reply and attempts to contact it are ignored. When I am abroad, accessing these emails costs me money. Help! SP, Guildford</b></p> Invest & Save Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/no-pain-go-gain-change-aim-and-you-may-still-score-a-bullseye-846895.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/no-pain-go-gain-change-aim-and-you-may-still-score-a-bullseye-846895.html <p>Is the AIM game over? I think not, but there is no doubt that the Stock Exchange's junior market is facing an exceedingly testing time. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/private-investor-housebuilder-limbo--how-low-can-they-go-846896.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/private-investor-housebuilder-limbo--how-low-can-they-go-846896.html <p>I don't have much time for angling, in any sense, I'm afraid, but I'm always up for a bit of bottom fishing in the stock market. Thanks to a bit of fun in The Independent's business section last week, I've been nosing around some of the members of the "90 per cent club", lovingly detailed in that article and listed by Thomson Reuters. Just in case you hadn't guessed, these are the shares that have lost over nine-10ths of their value from their peak over the past three years. That is, excluding the ones, such as Northern Rock, that have lost 100 per cent. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/the-analyst-dont-run-away-from-the-indian-tiger-846897.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/the-analyst-dont-run-away-from-the-indian-tiger-846897.html <p>India is the second-largest country in the world in terms of population (behind only China) and the seventh-largest in terms of land mass. It has 36 cities with populations of more than a million people in each, and is forecast to be the most populous country in the world by 2050. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/banks-raise-deposit-rates-as-battle-for-savers-funds-intensifies-843665.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/banks-raise-deposit-rates-as-battle-for-savers-funds-intensifies-843665.html <p>Lloyds TSB has upped the stakes in the increasingly fierce battle to win new current account customers, increasing its credit interest rate from 4 to 6 per cent to try to bolster its deposit balances.</p> Business News Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/banks-in-distress-should-shareholders-answer-the-cash-call-842330.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/banks-in-distress-should-shareholders-answer-the-cash-call-842330.html <p>Thanks to the credit crunch, many of the UK's biggest banks have run short of ready cash. They need to shore up their finances and one way to do this is via a rights issue. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/julian-knight-a-billion-reasons-why-this-racket-wont-be-buried-842331.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/julian-knight-a-billion-reasons-why-this-racket-wont-be-buried-842331.html <p>The Competition Commission is taking the payment protection insurance industry &ndash; or racket, as I prefer to call it &ndash; to task. </p> Invest & Save Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/one-in-three-bills-are-wrong-842332.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/one-in-three-bills-are-wrong-842332.html <p>One in three households have been billed incorrectly by their energy company in the past two years, prompting consumers to vote energy suppliers as the worst culprits for inaccuracy.</p> Invest & Save Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/millions-in-interest-spurned-as-cash-gathers-moss-in-lowpaying-accounts-842333.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/millions-in-interest-spurned-as-cash-gathers-moss-in-lowpaying-accounts-842333.html <p>Savers are missing out on a total of around &pound;8m a year because they are leaving their cash to languish in low-interest accounts, a recent study has found.</p> Invest & Save Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/tourists-throw-money-away-if-they-buy-currency-at-the-airport-842335.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/tourists-throw-money-away-if-they-buy-currency-at-the-airport-842335.html <p>Thousands of British holidaymakers will soon be jetting off for some summer sun, but they will be leaving with a big dent in their wallets.</p> Invest & Save Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/under25s-offered-online-help-as-debts-grow-842337.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/under25s-offered-online-help-as-debts-grow-842337.html <p>With debt worries mounting for young people, City regulator the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has launched a website designed to help them become more capable financially.</p> Invest & Save Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/wealth-check-dresses-jets-and-not-living-on-a-wing-and-a-prayer-842339.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/wealth-check-dresses-jets-and-not-living-on-a-wing-and-a-prayer-842339.html Invest & Save Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/fly-high-but-keep-your-phone-bill-grounded-841989.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/fly-high-but-keep-your-phone-bill-grounded-841989.html <p>Millions of us will make a break for foreign climes this summer, forking out an average of &pound;2,100 for a holiday for a family of four, according to the Office of National Statistics. So the last thing we need while enduring the post-holiday comedown is a huge mobile phone bill for calling envious friends and family from the beach. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/james-daley-rock-should-offer-new-deals-to-all-841990.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/james-daley-rock-should-offer-new-deals-to-all-841990.html <p>Mortgage customers at Northern Rock have had an uncertain few months. After hearing last September that the bank was on the verge of going bust, some dared to wonder whether they might be one of the few beneficiaries of the crisis &ndash; perhaps allowed to walk away from a large chunk of their home loan. Alas, this isn't exactly how bank insolvencies work. However, there may well have been something to be gained for existing mortgage customers, had the bank been taken over by a strong and financially solvent rival bank.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/theres-no-need-to-let-the-banks-get-the-better-of-you-841991.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/theres-no-need-to-let-the-banks-get-the-better-of-you-841991.html <p>Finding a bank you can rely on has become an increasingly tricky task over the last few years. Once you've tried to make sense of how much interest you might get when you're in credit, or how much it might cost you if you go overdrawn, there's the additional consideration of whether your bank has the financial muscle to stay afloat through the difficult conditions of the credit crunch.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/aliceazania-jarvis-in-the-red-841992.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/aliceazania-jarvis-in-the-red-841992.html <p> So i've got the flat. Now, it's time for the hard part: furnishing the place. Funny, really, because I never thought I'd dread this bit; along with so many former fans of home-renovation TV, I've always rather fancied myself as a potential design whiz (who wouldn't, really, after watching Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen at work?). </p> Invest & Save Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/questions-of-cash-what-is-this-excess-service-charge-841993.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/questions-of-cash-what-is-this-excess-service-charge-841993.html Invest & Save Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/no-pain-no-gain-thank-goodness-for-the-miners-and-oil-producers-841994.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/no-pain-no-gain-thank-goodness-for-the-miners-and-oil-producers-841994.html <p>Despite some disastrous investments &ndash; principally the Food & Drink Group and Lennox &ndash; the No Pain, No Gain portfolio has displayed rather more aplomb than I had realised.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/the-analyst-income-funds-are-worth-another-look-842001.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/the-analyst-income-funds-are-worth-another-look-842001.html <p>It is a little over a year now since the launch of the PSigma Income Fund, which is managed by income guru Bill Mott. Nobody realised it at the time, but the launch coincided with one of the worst periods for UK high yielding shares since the late 1990s. Over the past year all the funds in the sector have made losses; it's just a question of how much.</p> Invest & Save Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/private-investor-i-can-still-spot-a-gleam-amid-the-banking-gloom-842002.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/private-investor-i-can-still-spot-a-gleam-amid-the-banking-gloom-842002.html <p>OK, I called the bottom of the banks wrong last week. Almost no sooner had your copy of the paper hit the doormat than Bradford & Bingley issued its quadruple whammy of bad news &ndash; boss resigning, profit warning, failed rights issue and a virtual fire-sale of a 24 per cent stake to American private equity. </p> Invest & Save Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:01 +0100