Global Markets – week ending 7th October 2011 After a gloomy start, equity markets got a lift from signs that Europe was finally moving to support its flailing financial sector. Ri[...]
Child Trust Funds What are they? A tax-free type of savings and investment account introduced by the Government, whereby parents and other adults can save for a child’s futur[...]
Buildings and content insurance When you take out a mortgage, your lender will insist you have buildings insurance in place. But there is no obligation to sign up to a policy provi[...]
If you’re thinking of living on the water, whether it’s a static houseboat, barge or other live aboard vessel, or to cruise the canals and inland waterways on a narrow [...]
UK Equities UK equities began the second quarter of 2009 on very strong form as the view that Armageddon would be avoided increasingly gained traction amongst investors! This extra[...]
UK Equities The upward momentum in the UK equity market continued into August, as reflected by the 7.1% rise in the FTSE All-Share index. Similar to previous months, the stockmarke[...]
Life assurance companies offer their own type of collective investments – endowments and with-profit bonds. These have become less popular over the last few years. The troubl[...]
When you buy a house there are other financial arrangements that will need to be addressed aside from your mortgage. Protecting yourself and your property is essential to ensure th[...]
So – investment funds are a good way of reaping the rewards of shares and bonds. But what are shares and bonds? Shares AKA equities or stocks – shares are certificates [...]
Q: What is an ISA ? A: An ISA or Individual Savings Account isn’t an investment itself. It is a tax efficient “wrapper” in which you can place other investments. [...]
What is it? The process of lending your money to a person or company that will use it to make a profit – having agreed that some of that profit will wing its way back to you.[...]
What are they? Huge collections of investments – aka collective investments – usually shares or bonds. A fund manager tries to make as big a profit as possible by buyin[...]
Do you know for a fact that you’ll die before you stop working? If not, think seriously about saving for a private pension. The State Pension Who gets one? Women who are 60 o[...]
I cannot stress enough that you will save money if you make all of your own meals- breakfast, lunch and dinner. We all know this is the case but we let our lazy asses make our deci[...]
Bargain Beltane banquet Smile and whip up a bank holiday feast for your friends – they won’t have a clue that you’ve spent less than twenty pounds of them! For yo[...]
Ever wonder what to do with your lovely glossy magazines when they are out of date? Based on a craft project I did when I was at youth club with construction paper- I thought I cou[...]
Acknowledgment of Service When you receive a petition you have to complete one of these. If you intend to use a solicitor, always ask them to complete this document on your behalf.[...]
“The only queer people are those who don’t love anybody.” Rita Mae Brown A brief history of civil partnership On 5 December 2005 the Civil Partnership Act 2004 ca[...]
“You never really know a man until you have divorced him.” Zsa Zsa Gabor A brief history of divorce Divorce has always been hot topic. In the 1530s, Henry VIII quarrele[...]
“Marriage – it’s just a piece of paper.” Anonymous A brief history of cohabitation It is a widely held belief that there is such a thing as a common law wife or h[...]
Most people won’t see the inside of a court room in their lifetime but a small percentage will be summoned to give evidence as a victim or witness of crime. There is lots of [...]
Putting money away for the future improves your life today – because it creates more security for you and your family. When should you start to save? Even if your income is r[...]
What are they? Your bank lets you carry on spending money when there’s none left in your current account – this negative balance becomes your overdraft. Going overdrawn[...]
Planning your finances Take control of your money by planning ahead – consider what your financial needs might be in the future, and act now to make sure they’ll be met[...]
Personal loans Personal loans run for a fixed period and aren’t secured against anything you own, such as your home. They can be a good way to borrow because: interest rates [...]
Is your debt at ear-level, and still rising? Or has your main source of income suddenly vanished? Don’t panic. Many people hit financial crisis point. But with good informati[...]
Love and money What do love and money have to do with each other? Nothing at all, romantics may say. But money is a powerful force in relationships, and financial trouble often wre[...]
Increase your income… Women are still paid less than men for the same work. The good news is the gap is now the narrowest ever, but national statistics show we’re still[...]
What is tax? Tax is how the Government raises money for public services. We pay tax on goods and services, income we get and some transactions such as house and share purchases. In[...]
The state offers a wide range of benefits for people who need them, but many people simply don’t claim. In fact, for some types of benefit, only around half of those entitled[...]
