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Five tips for borrowing at Christmas

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

CREDIT card firms have been accused of raising their rates just as the Christmas shopping season gets under way.

Pensions: Ways to rest easier in retirement

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

PENSION savers have suffered a lost decade, with returns up a paltry 22% in the past 10 years or just 2% a year, according to the latest review.

Savers denied the best rates

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

Savers have accused banks and building societies of denying them the best fixed-rate deals because of spurious delays when their previous deals mature.

Trading places with the dollar

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

INVESTORS are being offered the chance to invest in the first exchange traded funds to track the performance of currencies.

Why you should shun private bank accounts

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

WEALTHY consumers looking for better mortgages from private banks have been warned they could be stuck with a raw deal on savings.

Funds refuse new Isa top-up limits

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

FUND managers are refusing to allow the over-fifties to top up Isas following a rule change last month.

All this talk of bubbles is just hot air

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

One of the biggest conundrums for investors at the moment is whether, by pumping money into western economies, governments have inflated bubbles in everything from junk bonds to gold.

A Question of Money: Diana Wright

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

My ATM skimming fight

Wealth Matters: William Kay

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

Broker’s fees dwarfed my offshore profits

Beating the childcare clampdown

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

THE row over Gordon Brown’s plans to scrap tax relief on childcare vouchers escalated last week, with a revolt led by a string of senior Labour women.

Fame & Fortune: John Hitchcox

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

JOHN HITCHCOX, 48, is an influential property developer credited with pioneering loft living in London. He now heads Yoo, the global property branding, design and investment company.

New technology and the fax of life

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

I WENT to Camden Town, north London, to buy a new mobile phone, which is a part of what is called living today.

The self-employed face a mortgage obstacle course

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

Self-employed borrowers face months of wrangling with banks and building societies to secure a mortgage after the last big lender of self-certification home loans pulled out of the market.

Personal Investor: forget the lottery, invest wisely and make your own luck

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

Just in case anyone is daft enough to think that the National Lottery stacks up as a realistic investment, I thought I’d run some numbers. As it happens, the Euro Millions jackpot scooped this week coincides with the 15th birthday of the main game. And, while the £45 million Euro jackpot winnings is enough to make anyone green with envy, the clear conclusion of my number crunching is that, in financial terms, the lottery is a load of old balls.

Copycat websites set to rob Christmas shoppers of millions

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

Online shoppers are at risk of losing money or becoming victims of fraud if they buy from scam or “copycat” websites this Christmas.

How to get the best credit card this Christmas

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

Many people struggling to finance Christmas, or who want to earn some reward points on their festive shopping, will be thinking about applying for a credit card in the coming weeks.

Help me to save for my son’s college days

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

Samantha Smith, a community development worker, spends her days travelling around the country lanes of Lincolnshire. She gives advice to managers of local village halls on how to make the best use of their buildings.

Revealed: Ofgem’s failure to tackle npower overcharging

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

The energy regulator failed to investigate properly allegations that npower overcharged up to 2.2 million gas customers in 2007, according to documents uncovered by Times Money.

Don’t fly by the seat of your pants with travel insurance

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

A court battle, which reached its climax at the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court this week, has shone the spotlight on consumer protection for holidaymakers. The test case has prompted calls for a complete overhaul of the system, which leaves tens of thousands of travellers without protection every year.

Why can’t mortgage move house with us?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

We have had a C&G mortgage for nine years and have never missed a payment. We are having to relocate to Devon for a job move and have sold our house and have had an offer accepted on a property. C&G told us that we would be able to transfer our existing mortgage up to a loan to value ratio of 90 per cent.

Are perks a good reason to invest?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

Fancy a 10 per cent discount off the price of flights? Or how about half-price entry into some of the UK’s top racecourses? Perhaps free chocolate is more your thing? Or a few thousand pounds off the purchase price of a new house? If you invest in the right company, these perks and benefits could be yours, simply because you’re a shareholder.

Why it pays to develop a taste for ‘best-before’ foods

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

A green way to save big money on food bills is to buy products that are close to or past their “best-before” date. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), these dates are used on longer-lasting foods, such as dried or canned items. The FSA says: “It should be safe to eat food after the ‘best before’ date, but it will no longer be at its best and the food might begin to lose its flavour and texture.”

Don’t wait until the January sales if you’re looking for a bargain

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

The Christmas period should be a time for family and fun. But this year it also marks the close of several government schemes designed to help crunch-hit consumers and to reboot the economy. An end to these sweeteners means that it may be worth bringing certain significant purchases forward to the coming weeks. Here, Times Money explains.

Royal Mail: Britain’s worst company

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

Royal Mail is a disgrace. Critics say that the company needs to be dragged into the 21st century, but that’s far too optimistic — the 20th century would be a good start. Even that is probably an insult to the Victorian postal service.

Mortgage rescue programme has helped only 92 families

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT

The Government has come under fire for failing desperate homeowners after it emerged that only 92 families had been assisted by the £285 million mortgage rescue scheme since it was launched in January.