http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/?service=Rss http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/kids-will-get-cash-boost-from-lessons-1816634.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/kids-will-get-cash-boost-from-lessons-1816634.html <p> Ed Balls' announcement on Thursday that personal finance lessons will become compulsory for kids from 2011 should raise a cheer in homes across the country. The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families said personal finance will be taught as part of the PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) programme in secondary schools, currently optional. "All young people should learn about financial education," Balls said. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/consuming-issues-how-safe-are-fairground-rides-1816635.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/consuming-issues-how-safe-are-fairground-rides-1816635.html <p>Fairground rides are designed to thrill, twisting, twirling, thrusting and gyrating paying passengers in a sensory whirl enhanced by flashing lights and booming music. This weekend, two days after Bonfire Night, millions of Britons will enjoy the range of rides found in theme parks and funfairs, from a sedate trip on an antique merry-go-round to the full-throttle thrill of the 80mph Stealth at Thorpe Park, Surrey.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/mark-dampier-a-fund-manager-for-tough-times-1816636.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/mark-dampier-a-fund-manager-for-tough-times-1816636.html <p>As I write this, stock markets have recently fallen back by around 6 per cent. Is this just a brief correction and the chance to buy cheaply that many people have been waiting for? Or the start of a more prolonged slump?</p> Spend & Save Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/money-insider-the-banking-sector-needs-some-fresh-blood-1816641.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/money-insider-the-banking-sector-needs-some-fresh-blood-1816641.html <p>New banks, a breath of fresh air or more of the same? Financial news has this week been dominated by the EU-enforced break-up of Lloyds TSB and Royal Bank of Scotland, which sees these banking heavyweights having to dispose of hundreds of branches.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/questions-of-cash-why-is-it-still-possible-to-use-a-cloned-bank-card-1816648.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/questions-of-cash-why-is-it-still-possible-to-use-a-cloned-bank-card-1816648.html <p> <b>Q. In 'Questions of Cash' on 24 October, you reported that it is possible for a bank to tell from its records whether an original card or a cloned card has been used to make a withdrawal from a cash machine. If this is true, why is the payment allowed to proceed in the first place? Refusing to authorise payment from a cloned card would immediately reduce the amount of credit card fraud. PH, by email.</b> </p> Spend & Save Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/wealth-check-i-want-to-buy-a-home-and-take-a-year-out-1816652.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/wealth-check-i-want-to-buy-a-home-and-take-a-year-out-1816652.html <p> Fiona Fulton, 22, from South London, is already on the property ladder having invested in a house with her sister using money from an inheritance. She wants to buy a house of her own in the next few years, but is worried that the pressures of repaying a mortgage will make her ambition of taking a year out to go travelling impossible. Fiona says "as my goal is to invest in property I am not sure if it is viable to take time out to go travelling." </p> Spend & Save Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/simon-read-no-more-chances-for-dodgy-debt-advisers-1816649.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/simon-read-no-more-chances-for-dodgy-debt-advisers-1816649.html <p>Debt management firms are facing a new crackdown by the Office of Fair Trading. Explaining the review which will examine the advertising and business practices of the firms Ray Watson, OFT director of consumer credit, said: "A recent increase in formal OFT enforcement action, rising complaints and new problems emerging in the market suggest that some businesses are still not meeting minimum standards."</p> Spend & Save Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/derek-pain-creditors-and-shareholders-still-out-in-cold-1816646.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/derek-pain-creditors-and-shareholders-still-out-in-cold-1816646.html <p>It may be just my imagination but companies, many of them well known, seem to be falling like ninepins these days. Failure statistics do not look too bad but when the likes of Regent Inns and Threshers crash within a few days of each other it highlights the difficulties many groups are experiencing.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/do-morals-or-money-rule-investments-1816643.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/do-morals-or-money-rule-investments-1816643.html ]]> <p>Two-thirds of investors are unknowingly ethical, the Co-operative claims. Its new survey of investors, published today, reveals that that there is much more interest in the concept of saving the planet while investing than current evidence suggests. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/aliceazania-jarvis-i-suffer-from-a-new-disorder-now-i-need-some-self-control-1816642.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/aliceazania-jarvis-i-suffer-from-a-new-disorder-now-i-need-some-self-control-1816642.html <p>In reaching my conclusion last week that I needn't bother with packed lunches because my favourite Marks & Spencer prawn cocktail salad costs only 2.20 I may, I admit, have been a little hasty. Not because I'd be better off bringing into work my own home-made sandwiches (more on those later) but because I had failed to take into account my own habit of Always Finding Something Else To Buy. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/if-you-want-to-dip-into-your-pension-be-quick-1812616.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/if-you-want-to-dip-into-your-pension-be-quick-1812616.html ]]> <p>Early retirement is a dream close to the hearts of millions of Britons. But a key way to reach this dream – through collecting personal and company pension benefits early – is about to get more difficult. From 6 April 2010 the age at which people will be allowed to collect their pension will rise to 50 from 55. Any saver wanting to take their pension benefits early will have to act fast.</p> Spend & Save Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/city-watchdog-bares-teeth-to-fine-gmac-and-swinton-1812640.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/city-watchdog-bares-teeth-to-fine-gmac-and-swinton-1812640.html <p>Tens of thousands of mortgage and insurance customers will be entitled to compensation after the City regulator's investigations regarding unfair practices. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/julian-knight-lets-recognise-the-specialness-of-the-livein-partner-1812643.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/julian-knight-lets-recognise-the-specialness-of-the-livein-partner-1812643.html <p>It's a difficult one Should people who are cohabiting have the right to claim the estates of their loved ones when they die in the same way bereaved spouses or civil partners do? The UK Law Commission says yes. But others say that if the cohabitees had meant their partners to have a share of their wealth they would have either got married or written a will. Dig deeper and the argument becomes one about protecting the "specialness" of marriage. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/are-fund-managers-serving-a-dogs-dinner-1812641.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/are-fund-managers-serving-a-dogs-dinner-1812641.html <p>The reputation of the fund-management industry has been at a low ebb for the past few years. Stock-market turbulence combined with chronic underperformance and the widely reported problems at some management groups, such as New Star, have led many investors to simply give up on the cult of the big-name fund manager.</p> Spend & Save Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/wealth-check-help-me-break-from-bank-of-mum-and-dad-1812645.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/wealth-check-help-me-break-from-bank-of-mum-and-dad-1812645.html <p> <b>The patient</b> </p> <p> Full-time student Ed Gibbs, 19, looks forward to supporting himself once he starts an apprenticeship in the new year. But with little cash now, and a quiet winter on the cards, he is concerned that his hopes of self-sufficiency may be out of reach. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/solicitors-offer-bargain-wills-in-charity-drive-1812644.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/solicitors-offer-bargain-wills-in-charity-drive-1812644.html <p>As part of Will Aid month, starting today, solicitors all over the country are offering to draw up basic wills in exchange for charitable donations. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/mark-dampier-insynergys-at-the-top-of-its-league-1812407.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/mark-dampier-insynergys-at-the-top-of-its-league-1812407.html <p>One theme I return to time and time again in my column is the quality of fund managers. Whilst there are thousands of funds available to investors, I'm afraid many are average, and simply make up the numbers. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/are-your-savings-suffering-in-a-dog-fund-1812409.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/are-your-savings-suffering-in-a-dog-fund-1812409.html <p>If you don't check your investments regularly, you're in danger of losing thousands. That's the warning spelled out in a report published last week that highlights the worst-performing funds in the UK.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/aliceazania-jarvis-what-to-eat-for-lunch--a-marmite-sandwich-or-a-salad-from-ms-1812411.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/aliceazania-jarvis-what-to-eat-for-lunch--a-marmite-sandwich-or-a-salad-from-ms-1812411.html <p>Good news. I'm able to start running again. After one back injury and a bout of flu, I no longer have to worry about the cost of doing exercise because, once again. I can do it for free. And I no longer feel quite so concerned about my marathon training because, for now at least, I'm making progress. Now, the bad news. I've got a fresh new financial problem (surprise, surprise).</p> Spend & Save Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/money-insider-nsi-lays-down-the-gauntlet-in-best-buy-tables-1812410.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/money-insider-nsi-lays-down-the-gauntlet-in-best-buy-tables-1812410.html <p>Since the credit crunch took hold it has been fixed-rate bonds that have been the most hotly contested part of the savings market, and this week proved no exception.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/derek-pain-the-stock-market-is-not-in-the-clear-yet-1812413.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/derek-pain-the-stock-market-is-not-in-the-clear-yet-1812413.html <p>The stock market is an intriguing creation. If it always ran true to form almost every investor in sight would be a winner. But it has a nasty habit of wrong-footing even its multitude of alleged experts.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/rent-schemes-are-leaving-people-homeless-1812417.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/rent-schemes-are-leaving-people-homeless-1812417.html <p> Unregulated firms offering sale-and-rent -back deals which exploit vulnerable homeowners are operating illegally, the housing charity Shelter has warned. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/questions-of-cash-should-natwest-have-charged-me-360-for-a-5-error-1812415.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/questions-of-cash-should-natwest-have-charged-me-360-for-a-5-error-1812415.html <p> <b>Q. I had a bank account with NatWest for six years. In that time, I accidentally went overdrawn a couple of times but by no more than 5. Each time I was charged 28. On the last occasion, I complained and NatWest said it would review matters and contact me afterwards which has not happened. A year and a half ago I relocated to the US. Before moving away, I went 4 overdrawn by mistake. I paid this as soon as I noticed my error. But now I have received several threatening letters stating that I owe NatWest 332.59 in interest and charges. Can I do something against such disproportionate charges? HC, United States.</b> </p> Spend & Save Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/rejuvenated-lego-is-back-on-the-block-1812412.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/rejuvenated-lego-is-back-on-the-block-1812412.html <p>Chances are that Lego will find its way back into children's stockings this Christmas, along with other old-fashioned toys that the internet age had threatened to confine to history.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mps-demand-inquiry-into-great-energy-swindle-1809415.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mps-demand-inquiry-into-great-energy-swindle-1809415.html <p>An investigation into claims the "big six" energy suppliers are swindling millions of customers through manipulation of household fuel bills will be demanded by politicians today.</p> UK Politics Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/your-money-or-your-health-ndash-you-decide-1808842.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/your-money-or-your-health-ndash-you-decide-1808842.html ]]> <p> After a pension, private medical insurance (PMI) is the benefit most valued by employees. But PMI is offered by only a quarter of employers to all staff, and just one in 10 firms extend it to their immediate families. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-iphone-apps-can-help-save-and-manage-your-cash-1808845.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-iphone-apps-can-help-save-and-manage-your-cash-1808845.html <p>It may have its critics, but there is no denying that the iPhone has revolutionised the way we use our phones, and never more so than with the host of applications (known as apps) that are springing up. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/consumer-rights-what-to-do-with-a-housesale-windfall-1808848.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/consumer-rights-what-to-do-with-a-housesale-windfall-1808848.html ]]> <p> <b>We have £147,000 equity from the sale of a flat. We currently have a variable rate (2.5 per cent) mortgage with Intelligent Finance for £240,000. We intend to buy another property in about nine to 12 months. In the meantime, are we better to pay off some of our mortgage or to invest money in a bank account? </b></p> <p> <b>TB </b></p> <p> <b>Stevenage </b></p> Spend & Save Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/if-you-dont-need-your-driveway-somebody-else-will-pay-you-for-it-1808847.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/if-you-dont-need-your-driveway-somebody-else-will-pay-you-for-it-1808847.html <p>In most of Britain's big cities and near mainline railway stations elsewhere, parking is at a premium. Some central London car parks charge more than £350 a month for spaces and even outside the capital monthly fees of over £150 are common. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/sometimes-all-it-takes-to-secure-a-deal-is-a-trustedfriend-1808849.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/sometimes-all-it-takes-to-secure-a-deal-is-a-trustedfriend-1808849.html <p>A new internet payment service, TrustedFriend, is launching, designed to better protect both buyers and sellers. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/sarah-beenys-guide-to-starting-at-the-bottom-1808850.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/sarah-beenys-guide-to-starting-at-the-bottom-1808850.html ]]> <p>For years, redeveloping a property for profit seemed like a one-way street. However, the credit crunch, recession and property price falls have put paid to this once sure-fire bet. But with a little stability returning to the UK housing market, developers who are careful with their calculations – and can get their hands on the right amount of cash – may be able once again to turn a healthy profit from their bricks and mortar projects.</p> Spend & Save Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/beginners-guide-to-energy-bills-1808300.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/beginners-guide-to-energy-bills-1808300.html <p>How often do you open an energy bill, check the final figure and throw it away? Take the trouble to read it and it will help you watch the energy you use, making it easier to switch.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-to-control-your-finances-and-avoid-fees-1808301.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-to-control-your-finances-and-avoid-fees-1808301.html ]]> <p> Anyone going into the red without permission will be charged by their bank. But research published exclusively in The Independent today reveals that it's difficult to know how much the penalty charges will be. Even worse, it's almost impossible to compare different unauthorised charges, so you have no way of finding out whether your current account provider is ripping you off or not.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/pssst-cheap-fireworks-for-sale-1808303.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/pssst-cheap-fireworks-for-sale-1808303.html <p>When soldiers found 1,800lbs of gunpowder stashed under the Houses of Parliament by Guy Fawkes in 1605, they saved hundreds of lives in an instant. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/mark-dampier-skys-the-limit-with-cloud-computing-1808302.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/mark-dampier-skys-the-limit-with-cloud-computing-1808302.html <p>If I asked you to name an industry whose companies are generally increasing their profits, have little pension liability and net cash on their balance sheets, what would spring to mind? Tobacco? Utilities? Actually, the answer is the technology sector. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/derek-pain-thanks-to-coffee-whitbreads-still-full-of-beans-1808306.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/derek-pain-thanks-to-coffee-whitbreads-still-full-of-beans-1808306.html <p>Whitbread has proved its detractors wrong. I believe it will continue to do so. The former brewer, now famed for its Beefeater pub/restaurants, Costa Coffee parlours and Premier Inn budget hotels, is surviving the recession in far better shape than many observers expected. In the summer of last year, the No Pain, No Gain portfolio descended on the shares at 1,105p a time. I took the view that they were a splendid hedge against a deteriorating economy.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/simon-read-crooks-hit-more-than-premium-costs-1808308.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/simon-read-crooks-hit-more-than-premium-costs-1808308.html <p>Crashing for cash is a crime that costs each British driver around £40 a year through increased premiums on their motor insurance. Yet, as we reported earlier this month, more than a million motorists have thought about staging a motor accident in order to make a claim on their insurance. More shockingly some 340,000 say they having already successfully done so.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-to-get-a-better-return-on-your-savings-1808310.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-to-get-a-better-return-on-your-savings-1808310.html ]]> <p> Anyone relying on their savings and investments to boost their income has had a hard 2009 with savings rates, in particularly, at record lows. The prospects are not looking good either with the retail price index, which measures the rate of inflation, actually negative, and the Bank of England base rate being held for months at a historically low 0.5 per cent. So what can you do to boost your income? We survey the options.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/questions-of-cash-your-bank-card-may-have-been-cloned-1808307.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/questions-of-cash-your-bank-card-may-have-been-cloned-1808307.html <p> <b>Q. I attempted to use my Halifax cash card at Tooting rail station on 25 July and my card was swallowed. My bank told me there had been a £300 transaction, of which I had been unaware. I had my card cancelled immediately. The following week I found there had also been transactions of £306.57 and £55 from Argos in Richmond after my card had been swallowed. I gave a statement to the bank. </b> </p> Spend & Save Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/aliceazania-jarvis-ive-got-lots-of-hurdles-to-get-over-before-i-can-do-the-marathon-1808305.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/aliceazania-jarvis-ive-got-lots-of-hurdles-to-get-over-before-i-can-do-the-marathon-1808305.html <p>Well I'm back at work – but other than that, not much has changed. My ever-lasting cold has morphed into some kind of throat infection, for which I'm now on antibiotics. As a result, I still haven't started training for the marathon, the thought of which is beginning to absorb my entire consciousness. More to the point: I haven't started fund-raising, a fact which is giving me increasing cause for concern. As regular readers of this column will be only too aware, making money (and saving it) is not exactly my strong point. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/halfterm-holiday-and-exchangerate-ripoffs-1808304.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/halfterm-holiday-and-exchangerate-ripoffs-1808304.html <p> Holiday firms have hiked the cost of travel by up to 249 per cent for the half-term holiday, greedily profiting from parents' desire to escape during breaks in the school term. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/energy-suppliers-in-new-online-price-war-switch-today-and-save-pound248-1806642.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/energy-suppliers-in-new-online-price-war-switch-today-and-save-pound248-1806642.html <p> With online energy plans at their cheapest for 15 months, now is the time to bag yourself a top tariff. Here's how switching suppliers today could save you £248* this year... </p> Spend & Save Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:05:09 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/five-ways-to-protect-yourself-from-fraudsters-1806550.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/five-ways-to-protect-yourself-from-fraudsters-1806550.html <p> Identity fraud is one of Britain's fastest growing crimes, and if you are unlucky enough to fall victim you could find yourself facing a serious financial disaster. </p> Spend & Save Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:46:59 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/prenups-may-not-have-the-force-of-law-but-they-work-1804613.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/prenups-may-not-have-the-force-of-law-but-they-work-1804613.html ]]> <p> With this prenup, I thee wed. It may not be the most romantic of sentences, but more of us than ever are considering prenuptial agreements to protect our assets before getting married. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:30 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/maturing-bonds-can-spell-sudden-rate-pain-1804612.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/maturing-bonds-can-spell-sudden-rate-pain-1804612.html <p> Bank of England interest rates are down at just 0.5 per cent and, according to some experts, they are unlikely to rise for quite some time. While this is good news for borrowers, low interest rates provide savers with meagre fare. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:02 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/counting-the-cost-of-a-capital-guarantee-1804650.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/counting-the-cost-of-a-capital-guarantee-1804650.html ]]> <p>The recent history of banks and the City has shown all too often that this year's hot new product is next year's flop, or, worse still, a mis-selling scandal. And it could well be that one of the recent past's apparently "must-have" investments – the not-so-catchy-sounding structured products – could be going the same way, as a series of providers have now entered into administration. So is this yet another horror story of investor disappointment, or just a blip? </p> Spend & Save Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/julian-knight-good-banking-costs-less-at-sainsburys-really-1804651.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/julian-knight-good-banking-costs-less-at-sainsburys-really-1804651.html ]]> <p>Does the idea of a genuine challenger to the banks in the mortgage, current-account or savings markets fill you with glee? Think of it, trusted brands such as Sainsbury's or Tesco could clean up with their extensive branch networks and reward-card schemes. Particularly as the bankers sabre-rattle over ending "free banking" if they don't get their way over unfair charges. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/wealth-check-landlord-plan-could-be-flawed-experts-warn-1804652.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/wealth-check-landlord-plan-could-be-flawed-experts-warn-1804652.html ]]> <p> <b>The patient</b> </p> <p> Russell Turner, 34, is saving to get on to the first rung of the property ladder. But that's no easy feat in Brighton, where prices are high despite the credit crunch and recession. He is renting a room in a two-bedroom house where he pays £500 a month including bills. He can easily afford rent as he earns £55,000 a year as an energy consultant. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/banks-urged-to-cut-bureaucracy-for-bereaved-1804503.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/banks-urged-to-cut-bureaucracy-for-bereaved-1804503.html <p> Banks were urged today to improve the way they treat bereaved customers. </p> Home News Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:29:46 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/the-big-trolley-dash-into-world-of-banking-1804192.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/the-big-trolley-dash-into-world-of-banking-1804192.html ]]> <p>The major supermarkets are moving closer to taking on the high-street banks. Tesco Personal Finance this month changed its name to Tesco Bank, ahead of its expected launch of a current account. Meanwhile, last Monday, Sainsbury's revamped its rewards deal to help boost its personal finance business. The food rivals are clearly gearing up to battle each other for customers and, according to research published today, their timing couldn't be better.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/question-of-cash-warranty-firms-are-misselling-cover-for-satellite-repair-1804194.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/question-of-cash-warranty-firms-are-misselling-cover-for-satellite-repair-1804194.html ]]> <p><b>Q. In June I received a letter from Digital Satellite Warranty Cover asking for payment. I was expecting my renewal from my Sky Repair Plan, so I paid the requested £95.99. When I received my Barclaycard statement on July 15, I wondered who Digital Satellite was and I queried it with Barclaycard. I then received my Sky renewal and realised I had inadvertently paid the wrong company and still owed Sky for its service. I contacted Digital Satellite Warranty, which refused to repay me on the basis that it was after the seven-day limit for contract cancellation.</b> <i>DW, Kirkby</i>.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/derek-pain-bear-raiders-have-nighthawk-in-their-sights-1804196.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/derek-pain-bear-raiders-have-nighthawk-in-their-sights-1804196.html <p>It looks like being a celebratory year for English wine. Indications are this still-fledgling industry is enjoying a vintage harvest, an event that should cheer shareholders of English Wines Group (EWG), a constituent of the no pain, no gain portfolio. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/the-analyst-an-appetite-for-global-food-stocks-1804197.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/the-analyst-an-appetite-for-global-food-stocks-1804197.html <p>Do you fancy a Chicken Maharaja Mac? Well they do in India. Sales growth for MacDonald's Indian enterprises is 35 per cent per annum with 157 restaurants open now. Management have said they will more than double this in the next five years. This prospect may fill some of you with horror, but it is just one example of a much larger trend: the urbanisation of the developing world.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/simon-read-the-hidden-costs-of-snapping-up-a-bargain-1804203.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/simon-read-the-hidden-costs-of-snapping-up-a-bargain-1804203.html <p>It's easy to be tempted by a Bogof (buy one, get one free) deal. But you need to look very closely at the cost as sneaky shops simply up their prices to make things seem like a bargain, when they're not. This is especially true online, where the headline deals often hide extra costs and expenses, which mean you end up paying more than you need to.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/cashing-in-with-tracker-funds-1804204.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/cashing-in-with-tracker-funds-1804204.html ]]> <p>Millions of pounds have been ploughed into tracker funds over the past six months as investors attempt to cash in on the stock market recovery. Almost £260m of new money was invested in trackers during the second quarter of this year, according to figures compiled by the Investment Management Association. But, despite their popularity, many investors could actually be better off in actively-managed funds.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/in-the-red-my-holiday-has-been-miserable-but-it--has-been-cheap-1804202.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/in-the-red-my-holiday-has-been-miserable-but-it--has-been-cheap-1804202.html <p>Well, I didn't need to worry about getting better. As I write I'm still just as bunged up and ill as I was a week ago. Of course, my holiday has been miserable as a result – but at least it's been cheap. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/consuming-ideas-bill-estimates-we-dont-need-them-1804200.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/consuming-ideas-bill-estimates-we-dont-need-them-1804200.html ]]> <p>Thump. The fuel bill lands on the doormat, telling you, in its own almost unfathomable way, how much gas and electricity you've used. Rather, your supplier has guessed your consumption by "estimating" your bill, because you were out when the meter reader called, or they didn't send one. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/wealth-check-i-want-to-buy--my-own-home-within-five-years-1804198.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/wealth-check-i-want-to-buy--my-own-home-within-five-years-1804198.html ]]> <p>Rachael Greaves, 25, from Cambridge, wants to get on the property ladder, but is worried about her savings depreciating in the current economic climate. Rachael says: "I want to buy my own home within five years." However, without a clear savings plan, she fears it may not be possible. A £30,000 inheritance in shares from her grandfather may help, but it has slumped in value in the last year. Rachael is therefore concerned about the continued risk of investing. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/inflation-stands-at-lowest-for-five-years-1801931.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/inflation-stands-at-lowest-for-five-years-1801931.html <p> Inflation slumped to a five-year low during September, official figures showed today. </p> Spend & Save Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:54:36 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-do-you-cut-fuel-bills-before-the-winter-chill-sets-in-go-online-1800803.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-do-you-cut-fuel-bills-before-the-winter-chill-sets-in-go-online-1800803.html ]]> <p>With winter just around the corner millions of Britons will be turning their attention to their energy bills and how to ensure that keeping out the chill doesn't mean taking a wrecking ball to their finances. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/julian-knight-debt-is-as-much-about-unhappiness-as-it-is-plain-greed-1800804.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/julian-knight-debt-is-as-much-about-unhappiness-as-it-is-plain-greed-1800804.html ]]> <p> Up to half of people in debt may have mental health problems, according to the Money Advice Trust charity. This tallies with my experience. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/subsidy-makes-new-cars-cheaper-than-secondhand-1800807.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/subsidy-makes-new-cars-cheaper-than-secondhand-1800807.html <p> Car buyers who can take advantage of the Government's car scrappage scheme – which pays up to £2,000 to people who scrap cars over 10 years old when buying new – may be better off buying a new vehicle than a nearly new one, according to What Car? magazine. </p> Spend & Save Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/consumer-rights-new-graduate-faces-pension-quandary-1800806.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/consumer-rights-new-graduate-faces-pension-quandary-1800806.html ]]> <p> <b>I've just graduated and got a job with a small firm. The boss is asking me if I want to join a stakeholder pension. Is it a good option and how does it work? </b> </p> <p> <i>HT, Lincoln</i> </p> Spend & Save Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/beginners-guide-to-safer-online-shopping-1800500.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/beginners-guide-to-safer-online-shopping-1800500.html <p>New figures released last week from Financial Fraud Action UK revealed that credit and debit card fraud fell by 23 per cent in the first six months of the year. However, losses still totalled £233m and with thousands of people having had their emails hacked into last week, threats remain. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-to-keep-your-cash-safe-from-politicians-1800501.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-to-keep-your-cash-safe-from-politicians-1800501.html ]]> <p> No matter who wins the general election next year, there are likely to be both cuts to benefits and higher taxes on the way. Brian Dennehy, managing director of Kent-based independent financial adviser Dennehy Weller, says: "Whoever gets in, we will see less government spending and more tax. There is no doubt that there are tough times to come, and it might make sense to bring some of your financial planning moves forward."</p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/mark-dampier-failing-favourite-still-pleases-me-1800502.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/mark-dampier-failing-favourite-still-pleases-me-1800502.html <p>The stock market rally since March has been dramatic, with the FTSE 100 increasing by 46 per cent. Plenty of funds have matched this increase and some that were heavily positioned in economically sensitive sectors have increased by over 70 per cent. But some funds that have not kept up with the market at all.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/theres-no-such-thing-as-a-guarantee-when-it-comes-to-investment-1800503.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/theres-no-such-thing-as-a-guarantee-when-it-comes-to-investment-1800503.html <p>Guaranteed savings schemes sound like an ideal solution for those wary about losing their cash in a dodgy investment or bankrupt bank. And there's a huge demand for them, as witnessed by the launch of two new deals from major savings institutions this week. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/derek-pain-paper-deserves-its-share-of-the-market-1800504.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/derek-pain-paper-deserves-its-share-of-the-market-1800504.html <p>The debate about paper share certificates has resurfaced. Regular readers will know I am opposed to the complete elimination of certificates although the mania for everything electronic captivates cost-conscious financial institutions.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/questions-of-cash-why-was-i-handed-checkin-charge-at-the-last-minute-1800505.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/questions-of-cash-why-was-i-handed-checkin-charge-at-the-last-minute-1800505.html <p> <b>Q. We booked and paid for a holiday to Prague through Lastminute.com. When we arrived at Manchester Airport's bmibaby check-in, we were told we needed to pay another £40 as a "passport fee" and for airport check-in. We were told by bmibaby staff to take up any complaint with Lastminute.com, who told me I was not entitled to a refund. I made further complaints by letter and email, without success. The Lastminute.com website made no mention of the extra fees – which made it more expensive than if we had booked direct with the hotel and bmibaby. There was no online check-in option on Lastminute.com's website. ND, by email.</b> </p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/simon-read-clearer-charges-doesnt-mean-fairer-charges-1800506.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/simon-read-clearer-charges-doesnt-mean-fairer-charges-1800506.html <p>There was a major move forward this week in the battle to make banks give us fair charges and fees on our current accounts. The Office of Fair Trading has forced the banks to agree to tell customers exactly how much they pay for their account. In the future, statements will have to list all charges and banks will have to send a yearly summary of the cost of accounts.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/wealth-check-how-should-i-best-invest-my-inheritance-1800508.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/wealth-check-how-should-i-best-invest-my-inheritance-1800508.html ]]> <p>James Brewerton, 23, from Leeds is set to receive a £6,000 inheritance after his grandparents died last December and wants to know what to do with it. He works for a firm of insolvency practitioners in Leeds and lives with his partner, Emma, in a two-bedroomed apartment that the couple bought in May 2009.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/aliceazania-jarvis-getting-better-may-not-be-the-best-thing-for-my-bank-balance-1800535.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/aliceazania-jarvis-getting-better-may-not-be-the-best-thing-for-my-bank-balance-1800535.html <p>So, one week into my holiday, and my limited budget remains intact. At least, it does in the sense that I haven't exceeded what I'd hoped to spend, though what I have spent hasn't exactly – how to put this? – been partitioned in quite the way I had anticipated. </p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/consuming-issues-raise-a-glass-to-the-rise-of-real-ale-1800536.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/consuming-issues-raise-a-glass-to-the-rise-of-real-ale-1800536.html <p>Drinkers in London have become wearily familiar with a phenomenon unthinkable even a decade ago: no draught bitter. Gleaming new bars with stainless steel bartops are the worst culprits. A request for Britain's traditional ale is often met with a quizzical look, which occasionally approaches pity. Some pubs, equally egregious in my opinion, serve only "smoothflow" brewery-conditioned bitter rather than the real thing.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100 http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/money-insider-amazon-gets-in-the-christmas-spirit-early-1800537.html http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/money-insider-amazon-gets-in-the-christmas-spirit-early-1800537.html <p>There has been a distinct lack of activity from credit card providers launching new rewards or cashback-related plastic this year. With tough economic conditions and unemployment biting hard, it's not surprising that lenders are placing more emphasis on monitoring their existing book and managing increasing numbers of customer defaults.</p> Spend & Save Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:01 +0100