Guides And Tools

It might sound a little calculating, not to mention downright paradoxical. But if you want to save on your tax bill, consider giving money away. As they say, giving is a form of receiving. Nowhere is this more true than in the UK tax system.

"Making charitable donations through the gift aid system is very tax efficient for both the charity and individuals who are higher rate tax payers," says Jason Butler of Bloomsbury Financial Planning.

Loyalty cards decoded: how much can you really save?

Omotola Akerele
Feb 19th 2010

Filed under: Guides And Tools, Personal Finance, Savings and Accounts, News , Retail

Being asked whether you have a store card is now mandatory at supermarket checkouts. As consumers, we are bombarded with adverts telling us to collect reward points and save money but is it really worth the effort? How much can we really save? And which schemes are the best?

Last year, supermarket giant Tesco launched a huge press campaign to advertise the move to give Clubcard holders two points for every £1 they spend in stores and online.

A reprieve for your cheque book after all?

Adrian Holliday
Feb 12th 2010

Filed under: Guides And Tools, Personal Finance, Savings and Accounts, Banking

Don't throw away your cheque book. The recent uproar about cheques checking out in 2018 has sparked an enquiry by a bunch of MPs.

The Treasury Committee has announced it wants to examine in greater detail how cheque abolition could impact the elderly, small traders and charities.

Yahoo: Still searching

Guy Clapperton
Feb 11th 2010

Filed under: Company, Guides And Tools, Technology, Media, Creative industries

Yahoo has bemused many onlookers by organising an event at its HQ which seemed to have only one objective: to remind people the company was big in search.

That market is clearly dominated by Google, which according to a real-time snapshot from Netmarketshare.com at 2.10pm UK time today had 85.78% compared to Yahoo's 6.16%.

11,000 cars cloned in new DVLA scam

Adrian Holliday
Feb 1st 2010

Filed under: Debt, Guides And Tools, Personal Finance, Insurance, Credit Reports

In the market for a second-hand car? Be careful. I it could have a fake log book – and you could end up driving off in a write-off or clone.

A BBC investigation has revealed that vehicles worth £13m have so far been stolen thanks to a DVLA cock-up. Thousands of blank DVLA log books – known as the V5 – were nicked back in 2006 and have yet to be recovered.

Britain still divided by class and cash

Adrian Holliday
Jan 27th 2010

Filed under: Guides And Tools, Economy, Personal Finance, Savings and Accounts, News

Harriet Harman, deputy leader of the Labour Party

Britain remains hugely divided by wealth – and class. And by the most in four decades claims a new equality report.

The National Equality Panel report, originally commissioned by Harriet Harman, claims social class is still hugely powerful for determining a British child's future success.

In other words, the middle and upper classes still get the best deal for their kids.

Affordable housing set for the knife?

Adrian Holliday
Jan 25th 2010

Filed under: Guides And Tools, Economy, Budget 2010, Mortgages, Property

Picture of model house with keys attached to it

The National Housing Federation (NHF) says the government will likely miss its 2020 target quota of new affordable homes. The NHF, which represents UK housing associations, reckons more than 500,000 affordable homes may well not be built in the next 10 years.

"Figures set out in the Pre-Budget Report imply spending cuts to the housing budget of 17.98%," says the NHF, "which if implemented over the next decade, would slash the planned number of new affordable homes by 556,000."

Fairer credit cards coming?

Adrian Holliday
Jan 21st 2010

Filed under: Credit Cards, Debt, Guides And Tools, Economy, Banking , Credit Reports

Woman removing credit card from her wallet

The words 'fair' and 'credit card' aren't natural bed fellows but could that be about to change?

However growing awareness of rip-off charges and consumer discontent has seen one financial player urge the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' (BIS) for a fairer deal.

Brits now covered by new terror protection

Adrian Holliday
Jan 21st 2010

Filed under: Guides And Tools, Small Business, Personal Finance, Savings and Accounts, Insurance

If you're in the wrong place at the wrong time abroad you now have government protection. Not bodyguards but insurance cover.

The government has agreed to compensate any future British terrorism victim for injuries sustained overseas. This move is an extension of cover from mainland to foreign soil.

Financial crisis Part II - coming soon

Adrian Holliday
Jan 16th 2010

Filed under: Debt, Guides And Tools, Economy, Financial Crisis, Banking

PIc shows a snap of a FTSE 100 stock market graph

Prepare for the next financial crisis. It may be here sooner than you think.

A new Global Risks Report warns of another possible sovereign fiscal crisis. This is not scare-mongering from fringe malcontents; this report carries the weight of the likes of Citigroup and Swiss Re.

From Monroe to Superman; alternative investing

Omotola Akerele
Jan 15th 2010

Filed under: Guides And Tools, Investing, Personal Finance

If you're anything like me, you'll know how difficult it can be to throw things away, to de-clutter and create that sophisticated, minimalist look made popular by interior design magazines.

Well, according to the research surrounding alternative investments, you could be sitting amongst a hefty fortune.

In a fix over fixed rate mortgages

Adrian Holliday
Jan 14th 2010

Filed under: Debt, Guides And Tools, Personal Finance, Mortgages, Banking

Fix or tracker? It's always a gamble to know what mortgage deal to opt for. Trackers appear to have a definite edge currently with deals starting from 2.59% (from Abbey),.

But compare that 2.59% deal based on 70% loan-to-value with a typical fixed rate deal. Currently Charcol mortgage brokers offers a 5-year fix at 4.89% - which is competitive.

Kill those hidden fees in 2010

Adrian Holliday
Jan 13th 2010

Filed under: Guides And Tools, Investing, Savings and Accounts, Insurance, Pensions

Man looking at financial paperwork on his desk

Many investors will be re-evaluating their portfolios at the start of 2010 (and if you're not, why not?). But many don't realise how much their investment is really costing them to run thanks to bloated fees.

The total expense ratio is traditionally the threshold by which you measure the running costs of a fund. But even these costs can be conservative, if not highly inaccurate.

Skilled shopping needed for 2010 stocks

Adrian Holliday
Jan 11th 2010

Filed under: Debt, Guides And Tools, Economy, Markets, Financial Crisis

The Telegraph reported over the weekend that M&S investors thanked Sir Stuart Rose's news of new sales growth by a wave of selling. The stock fell 10% within a week.

"It was a similar, if less dramatic, story at rival Next," the Telegraph reported, "where chief executive Simon Wolfson presented the first underlying sales growth in four years only to see his company's shares fall by more than 4pc."

10,000 reveal off-shore accounts

Adrian Holliday
Jan 7th 2010

Filed under: Debt, Guides And Tools, Personal Finance, Banking

Apparently around 10,000 UK residents have disclosed their offshore bank accounts to the HMRC. HMRC says that it will now put into top gear plans to unearth those who didn't disclose their arrangements.

If that's you, prepare to blush; HMRC can name and shame on their website if you owe more than 25k. Those with undisclosed tax liabilities can face penalties of between 30-100% of the amount owed, plus criminal prosecution. Not pretty.