Weetabix & Water

It is perfectly fine to cancel an existing PPI which you have on a loan and take up a better deal. The Office of Fair Trading recently criticised lenders for not highlighting this option more often, to their customers.

However, if you have a single premium PPI, in which the insurance is for the entire period of the loan and added to the value, it can be more tricky. This process may involve an appraisal which will analyse just how much PPI you have paid as part of your monthly loan repayments.

Lenders cannot reappraise the terms of your loan if you cancel your PPI. Some may try and say this, but you are within your rights and should contact the OFT.

So chase the best PPI you can. It may be worth not taking it out at the same time as your loan, and just shop around for a better deal. You can find PPI providers online, as well as being able to search online for the best loan for you.

Employers are asking workers to take salary cuts due to the current economic situation, to prevent them from redundancy. Companies are really feeling the credit crunch, some asking workers to take a pay cut of up to 30 or 40%. The Federation of Small Businesses say that reduced wages and longer hours could be the only way of preventing redundancy.

The slow property market, the credit crisis, high costs of fuel and rising food prices are all contributions. Food and oil prices pushed inflation to 3% in April, well above the target of 2%. UK interest rates have been left unchanged, at 5%. House prices have fallen by 2.4% in May, and earlier this week, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development predicted UK growth would slow to 1.8% this year, and 1.4% in 2009.

So how do the public sector workers' pay deals compare?

• Teachers - Starting salary of average £20,133 with £4,000 more if working in inner London.
                - Experienced teachers can reach £34,281 outside London
                - Headteachers can earn £39,525 up to nearly £100,000 outside London
                - Pay negotiated in 3 year deals. Due to rise 2.45% in September 2008 and 2.3% rises in 2009  
                  and 2010
• Police Officers - £24,039 following initial training. £2000 more if working in London
                       - 10 years experience would give the officer a salary of £33,800pa
                       - Sergeant's starting salary is £33,810 and can rise to £37,998
                       - Inspector's starting salary is £43,320
                       - In 2007, Police Officers were recommended a 2.5% increase in pay
• FireFighters - Qualified firefighters receive £27,185. Salaries will rise with promotion.
                   - A firefighter leading a crew will earn just over £30,000
                   - Station Officer will earn more than £38,000
                   - Received a pay rise of 2.4% in July 2007
  
• Nurses - Average pay for a nurse is almost £25,000
             - Pay depends on experience, specialist skills and role
             - Clinical Support Workers would start on £12,500
             - Hospital nurses would expect £7,000 more
             - Nurse consultants could earn £90,000

Many people who have previously bought former council flats are being faced with huge bills for repairs that they just can't afford to pay for. The government scheme is aiming to bring social housing up to a more reasonable standard and it could leave people homeless.

The government has said it has recognised the problem and has put a number of options in place to tackle it. Leaseholders are being pursued to pay their contribution towards work that is yet to, and also has already been finished. Many have had to sell their homes to deal with the financial blows they are being faced with.

Leaseholders have always been liable for repairs, but it is the sheer scale of these costs that are coming as a bit of a shock. The government are offering a range of payment options to try and help with the costs, but admit they do not have the funds to help everyone.

The Department for Communities and Local Government said they have spent £23billion on improving social housing over the last 11 years.

Up to 38000 customers of the Cotton Traders clothing firm, who shop at their online site, have had their credit details stolen, due to a computer hack.

Barclaycard was informed as soon as the firm were made aware of the breach, and most cards were stopped in January. It was also announced that all of it's customer details were encrypted on the site. Since, the site has had a security upgrade which meets industry standards, and wants their customers to feel safe shopping at their online store once again.

It was also announced that customer addresses were also stolen.

The hack follows last year's attack on the website of TK Maxx, where 45 million card details were pilfered, and covered purchases as far back as 2002. The method in which Cotton Traders was accessed is still unknown.

I remember when I was younger, pretty much every teenager in the neighbourhood had a paper round at some stage. I remember they used to be so chuffed when their wages came through at the end of the week, or when a customer gave them a tip, even though the money didnt amount to much. It was still theirs. They had earned it. But over the past few years, the number of paper rounds are slowly diminishing. Why?

It has been said that up to a third of newsagents have given up paper rounds in the past 5 or so years; due to competition from local supermarkets, commuting before a delivery is possible, sales falling and the paperboy not wanting to be a paperboy. At 14 or 15 years old, paperboys could earn up to £10 a week for 20 minutes work a day. But that's just not happening anymore. And to be honest, I don't blame them.

When I was a kid, paperboys used to get paid that much, if not a little more. But, ten years on, it doesnt seem that their wage has increased, even though inflation has. I wouldn't blame a teenager for not wanting to get out of bed an hour earlier in the morning, come rain or shine, to carry a bag full of papers stuffed with supplements. And then, theres the parental concern for their child, wandering the streets after dark, delivering papers no matter what area.

But, at the same time, it's going to affect some people, particularly the elderly, who form relationships with the boy who delivers their daily paper. Some kids enjoy the paper round, offering them a sense of independence and the feeling they get from earning their money.

Is it because of an increase in pocket money that kids don't want to do a paper round anymore? A Halifax survey found that between 1998 and 2004, pocket money had increased four-fold, from £1.76 to £7.82 a week on average. In 2007, only 19% of 7-16 year olds had a paper round, compared with 35% in 2004.
Of the 14000 newsagents in Britain who still deliver, only 7000 are seeking new business. The other half are considering throwing in the towel and giving up home delivery.

RyanAir are warning that the price of oil is making them up their prices of their cheap flights.

It's been said that the price increase could affect 60 million passengers, with the airline having to increase their fares by an average of 5%. Passengers may also be asked to pay more at the check-in desk, such as paying more for hold luggage and not checking in online. They are still attempting to keep their fares low though. But, at the expense of jobs, and the plan to ground 1 in 10 planes next winter.

No wonder RyanAir are changing their costs, with oil selling at over £65 a barrel at the moment.

Thats right. If you need car insurance, and you buy it from Tesco Car Insurance before 25 June 2008, you will get a free Karcher Pressure Washer worth £100. This is only valid for new customers, who are Clubcard Holders.

The offer comes in the form of a voucher for the washer, which the customer has to redeem at Tesco Direct. It can then be collected from selected Tesco stores or you can opt for home delivery, for a charge of a maximum of £6.50.

Plus, you now get 1 point for every £2 you spend on your Tesco premium. If you also take out Car Breakdown Assistance at the same time, you receive and extra 500 points on your Clubcard.

And, you can get an additional 15% discount if you buy online.

The benefits of Tesco Car Insurance?

• Multi Car Discount if someone in your house already is insured with Tesco
• Up to 50% discount for named drivers when they take out their own policy
  
• Exclusive discounts with Nationwide Autocentres
  • 15 point car safety check
  • 20% off next MOT
  • 15% off full car service
  • 10% off all mechanical repairs

If you are interested, just quote the promo code pressure when you buy your policy. Also have your clubcard number at hand.

It will be the first one outside of London. Commuters driving in and out of Manchester City centre at peak times may have to pay up to £5 a day during the week. Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, said that 30000 future jobs may be at risk if traffic problems aren't eased, and pledged £1.5billion in central Government taxpayer support.

This means that some drivers could spend up to £1200 a year, by paying £25 a week for 48 weeks.

Under the scheme, Greater Manchester will be divided into two zones - inner and outer.

Drivers with elctronic tags on their cars will pay £2 to go into the outer zone bounded by the M60, and £1 to drive into the inner zone, the city centre. It would then cost £1 to exit the city centre and £1 to exit the outer zone between 7am and 9.30am or 4pm and 6.30pm. There will be no charging outside of these hours. Weekends and Bank Holidays will be exempt.

Some say it will be the world's biggest congestion charging zone. Cambridgeshire and an area around Bristol are also bidding for funding linked to congestion charges.

The number of banks securing loans against the borrower's property has increased, with the number of lenders opting for court orders to secure personal debt against property hitting 131,644 in 2007 - a 42% rise over a year.

This is a reflection on the amount of consumer debt which is accumulating across the UK. Secured loans can be found easily if you search online, where the money borrowed is secured against your property, attempting to ensure the lender gets their money back. There is the risk that if repayments are missed for a substantial amount of time, your home can be repossessed, but if debts are managed, this wouldn't be a problem. Its another attempt to try and control the amount of debt consumers are finding themselves in.

The charge orders are basically a second mortgage on your home, giving the extra security a lender needs, and ensuring they will, at some point in the future, get all the money that they have given you, back. When a charge on a home is made, it doesnt mean the consumer has to sell their home, just gives further guarantee of the lender being repaid when the home is eventually sold. Repossessions due to charge orders are therefore extremely rare.

If you want to apply for a secure loan, you can search online for one. There are many companies out there offering a bundle of loans of different types. Many of these are based online, and searching the internet can be a lot easier than trying to find a loan that suits you through other means.

It has been announced that there are plans in motion, to help the elderly and vulnerable people with their fuel bills. An estimated 2.5million households are in fuel poverty i.e. when more than 10% of the household income is spent on bills.

There has been a growing concern for these low income households since the energy suppliers have announced steep rises in the price of gas and electricity. All the major suppliers announced double-digit increases in early 2008 and more rises are expected. Age Concern estimated 250,000 pensioners were pushed into fuel poverty due to these price rises.

£3million is being offered to encourage consumers who wish to generate their own power through alternative energy sources like wind turbines and solar panels. £225million has been said to be put forward by energy suppliers, aiming to tackle fuel poverty in the next 3 years by helping people get on to lower tariffs and aid in insulation.

Some charities and campaigners are still not happy though, some recommending the only solution would be super-insulate homes and encourage consumers to produce their own energy.

Mortgage lending is said to have hit an all time low, the worst level for 30 years, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. It's also predicted to worsen throughout 2008. Its affecting first time buyers, with the number of offered mortgages falling by 45% in March compared with early 2007, as well as existing homeowners with a 48% decline, within the same time frame.

This is despite the Special Liquidity Scheme, which is said to improve the credit market, but is believed to take time to affect the mortgage market. In contrast, the number of remortgages have increased in the first quarter of 2008 by 25%, in comparison to the final quarter of 2007, now accounting for 44% of gross mortgage lending.

House sales are believed to fall by 40% in 2008, according to the Royal Insitute of Chartered Surveyors. This is despite the continual rise in house prices in parts of the UK, particularly the South. According to Right Move, house prices are up to 6% greater than last year, regardless of the the current mortgage slump.

Makes me think that people should stay put, until the situation eases, if and when it does.

Basically, we were looking into Sky TV for our new home, so we were pricing up the various packages that would suit what we wanted. We were eyeing up the prices for the normal channels (variety pack) and the movies as well. On top of that, my other half was insistent on the Sky+ HD package (He has an obsession with the fandangled HD stuff...).

So, how much would it cost? The HD Box alone would be £249 plus £30 installation fee. I even spoke to a Sky Advisor on the webchat thing and there were no offers on the HD package. Then it was something like £44 a month for the channels, including a £10 subscription fee a month, just for going HD. Sounds a bit much.

We also found some information about an alternative, Top Up TV, which looked quite promising, and seriously lowering the monthly cost. And if you want films, you can always use something like LoveFilm.com or Blockbuster, which do online lending of films. They post them to you for free, you watch them, you send them back for free, and you get to choose what films you want, and also choose them in HD (Blu-Ray), which satisfies the HD geeks . And thats £12.99 a month (prices vary depending on what option you choose - you can get cheaper deals!).

Rather than doing the calculations myself, check out how you could save money on Sky, just by doing a bit of research. Its worth a thought before you splash out on Sky, when there are cheaper ways of getting what you want, with a lot less hassle.

I saw this advertised on the TV and thought it wasnt a bad offer if you were a Pay As You Go customer, or were thinking about being one with O2.

They are offering up to 4 free SIM cards, each having unlimited O2 to O2 calls and texts. All you have to do is top up £15 a month. I suppose it depends on how much you use your mobile, but if you do end up spending more than £15 a month, like I did, it may be worth thinking about.

Also, you can keep your old number, details of which come with the welcome brochure. If you are with O2 already, and want to swap to O2 unlimited, text LINK to 21300, or visit their web page.

It seems the homebuyer's hopes are being raised more, as mortgage rates seem to be beginning to fall and with banks such as First Direct re-joining the mortgage market, things are beginning to pick up.

Nationwide have decreased their mortgage rate by 0.3% on a fixed rate range and Abbey have cut their mortgage rates by up to 0.17%, and decreased their trackers by 0.05%. But a lot of lenders are only offering their best rates to buyers who have a 20 - 25% deposit, and charging hefty fees, even on standard variable rate loans.

Having withdrawing themselves from the mortgage market at the beginning of April, due to a massive number of applications, First Direct have returned, after clearing their backlog. they have begun to offer mortgages again to up to 80% of applicants, with a two-year fixed rate of 5.76% and a £499 fee.

But it appears that although things are looking up, any changes will be slow progressing. Mortgages are still failing to fall substantially and it will take time for the market to return to normal.

Below are a few bits I found from this site, on what you can do to save a bit of cash

• If you think you really don't need a landline, don't have one. If you think you can cope well with just your mobile, and you have wireless internet or use a dongle, check to see whether any of your services actually require your landline, as getting rid of it could save over £200 a year (If you have a dongle as well, which cuts out broadband fees). Apparently though, it does dent your credit rating slightly, so check this first.
  
• If you are a bookworm, go to a library for any books you want to read. You can normally loan books for as long as you want, and it's free. True, you don't get to keep them and add to your collection, but at least it doesn't cost anything.
• Use online DVD rental sites for your films. This works out a lot cheaper than buying every film you fancy seeing.
  
• Download your music legally from UK or Foreign legal download sites. Saves money on CDs!
  
• If you feel like you really need to continue with your magazine subsription, check out online subsrcibing, which offer discounts.
  
• Check out free health and beauty samples online before you buy, to see whether you actually want the product before buying it. Also, check out purchasing sample perfumes online, instead of the proper ones - they are the same, possibly with a different lid, but a lot cheaper.
  
• Enter competitions to try and win free stuff. Even better if you don't have the national rate phone numbers to call, pay for, and not win the goodies anyway!

It's becoming increasingly popular for parents to give a hand when it comes to buying the first house, particularly with regards to the deposit handover. This is because it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure a mortgage as a FTB in the current market. 100% mortgages have been discontinued, and lenders who do approve a mortgage for a FTB pile on masses of interest unless a substantial deposit is available. This is where parents come in. So here are a few tips which may come in handy if you are approached for help...

• Do your Research - Do the background reading. Its always handy to find out how the market works etc.
  
• Be Clear and Go Legal - If you are loaning any money to the FTB, make it clear whether it's a gift/loan/investment. You can also go to a solicitor, and get an agreement drawn up.
  
• Help - Use existing knowledge to help the FTB
  
• Share Ownership - Try and get your name on the deeds
• Respect - Particularly with regards to the privacy of the homeowner.
  
• Be Honest - Don't exaggerate your income to secure a better mortgage
• Dont Take Things For Granted - Relationships can go wrong.
  
• Think of Yourself - Dont put yourself in financial difficulty just to help your child. Be sensible.

The falls in house prices in the UK could affect the repayments of billions of pounds by Northern Rock. According to the chairman though, bu 2010, all £26.9 billion will be paid, £7.2 billion of that being paid before the end of 2008. The reason for all this debt is following the beginning of the credit crunch in February, causing the bank to be nationalised and seek emergency funds.

It was also said though, that if house prices fall by 5 - 15%, the chances of delivering the plan would be negotiated, and with Capital Economics expecting house prices to fall by 20% by 2009, it could prove to be a problem for Northern Rock. And with them cutting more than 2000 jobs as part of their improvement plan, workers are gonna have to find somewhere else to earn a living.

The Bank of England has announced that the number of UK mortgage approvals dropped to 64,000 in March 2008, the lowest level since 1999, thus due to the current difficulties in the market and implying that although it appears the mortgage market is improving, its still far from full recovery.

The reduction in mortgage approvals has also affected the housing market, where sales have fallen, and the longer the property is on the market, the increased chance of the value of the property falling, and being implicated as a reason for consumer debt.

Many are expecting the current problems to continue, despite the recent uplifting news.

The credit crunch has caused a lot of agro in the mortgage world over the past months, particularly for the grant of new portgages, to first time buyers and new home owners. The number of new loans offered by all lenders declined to a 33-year low in the first 3 months of 2008, levels being about 40% lower than last year.

Nationwide have agreed mortgages worth £6.3 billion last year, in comparison to £11.2 billion the year before, these figures correlating with the forecast of a sharp reduction in mortgage lending this year due to the credit crisis. This has made life particularly difficult for first time buyers, now struggling to get on the property ladder. Nationwide are also more weary of offering unsecured loans, last year rejecting 3 out of 5 applications (equating to 60% of applications)

As of the 4 April 2008, Nationwide said that the mortgage market remaind tough, despite the attempts by the Bank of England to ease the situation by providing extra funds, in the effort to get the market rolling again.

In the last 2 weeks, a number of personal loan providers have upped their rates on some personal loans:

• Barclaycard +0.50%
• Lombard Direct +1.0%
• The AA +0.10%
• Natwest +2.50%
• Tesco Personal Finance +0.6%

Barclaycard also pulled their personal loan product offered through Masterloan.

Since the beginning of 2008, more than half of loan providers have changed their personal loan rates. Some, however, have done the opposite, and reduced their rates on personal loans, including Moneyback Bank, Britannia BS, Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale. For example, anyone looking to take out a loan with Yorkshire/Clydesdale bank for £5000 can see rates reduced by as much as 7%.

But, be careful. There are a few things that borrowers should be aware of...

• Providers usually advertise typical rates. Normally these reflect the rates applied to larger loans. Smaller loans may be much higher.
  
• Don't expect to be guaranteed the typical rate advertised. 34% of customers are not offered it.
  
• Be aware of PPI - This can add hundreds to your final loan repayment. Go to an independent provider instead.
• Shop around for the best deal. Don't assume your bank will give you the best one. Don't make multiple applications though. These dent your credit score.

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On the 24th April, 2008, the Bank Charge Test Case came to a decision that bank charges were unlawful. That means that over the last 6 years, no matter what bank you are, or were, with, you are eligible to apply for the return of these bank charges. The court has decided that bank charges are covered by Unfair Contractual Terms rules, giving you the right to reclaim any back.

Even though the recent court case result is eligible for appeal by the banks on the 22 May 2008, its still worth beginning the reclaim process, so that you don't lose out on any charges. By charges, I mean any unauthorised overdraft fees, returned direct debits or cheques; basically, any fees on your account that you deem unlawful. You do need to get copies of your statements on which the charges have been applied, which banks can make difficult, especially if you are applying for the full 6 year return. But it is possible now, to obtain the statements via your online banking service. I know HSBC and Lloyds TSB do it, so its worth checking what statements you have access to before you consider paying for the banks to send them to you.

The whole process can be done for you; certain companies attempt to employ their services - pay them a one off fee and they will provide the paperwork you need to reclaim - or you can search for template letters to download, fill in the blanks and forward to your bank. 

It may be worth thinking about applying for the return of these bank charges. Many people have been successful, and often, the money can be a substantial figure. It may take a few weeks to receive an answer you are happy with, if not longer, due to the ongoing case, but it may be worth the wait.

And apparently, it will be 18 million of them after the April 2009 budget, when temporary tax concessions expire.

According to the Institute of Fiscal Studies, they will lose an average of 150 quid a year and pressure to maintain the personal tax allowances in the future could cause extra strain on the government.

The total amount of personal debt has reached a straggering £1.4trillion, according to a report by the TDX Group. The report also described the growth in bankruptcy and IVA claims to be enormous. The group warned that in extreme circumstances, and in 100,000 cases last year, the scale of debt can result in insolvency.

The report questions the offers that are available to ease the strain on those in financial difficulty, and whether they are appropriate for consumers or creditors.

Consumers in need often rely on loans or credit cards; whether the loans are secured or unsecured depends on the consumer's circumstance. Nowadays, the consumer can search online to find the best deals, as well as comparing the high street lending providers.

How can you keep your money down? Having a baby can be really expensive, but below are a few tips to try and help you save on expense:

• When you fall pregnant, open a savings account and pop in whatever you have over the coming months. This can help, at least a bit, when it comes to the child arriving.
  
• If you want, make a present list for your friends and family who want to buy you something to help. Then, you won't get stuff you don't need, or more than one of each item. Ask for cast-offs from previous new parents. They may have some good stuff to offer to you
• Think about reuseable nappies rather than disposable ones. They usually end up being a lot cheaper, and are a lot better for the environment too! Check to see if your local council offers any incentives for using reuseable nappies. Some of them give cash to help.
• Breast-feed if possible. Not only is this the most healthy way to do it, enabling your baby's immune system to be at it's strongest, but it's also a lot cheaper to do.
  
• When it comes to introducing solids, make your own baby food rather than buying the manufactured stuff. You know what's in it then, and your baby should, fingers crossed, be less of a fussy eater. You can liquidise the food and freeze it until when you need it. Try here for inspirational recipes.
  
• Go to charity shops for bits and pieces. Some of the clothes are excellent, and you could save a small fortune. Have a look into Freecycle for baby equipment. There's also nearly new sales and check to see if there's a toy library near you. However, bits like a car seat - make sure you buy that new, or at least know the full history of your purchase.
  
• When your baby grows out of things / doesn't need the equipment anymore, sell it on for some extra cash!
• Carry your baby if you can - it could prove to be cheaper than investing in really expensive prams. Use a front carrier for the first few months, and a back carrier/sling afterwards.
  
• Check out EBay too! Or the FreeAds.
  

The Banking Spam Index has been released, as reported by ClearMyMail, an anti-spam company. During the first quarter of 2008, Abbey was the victim of 32.99% of all Phishing attacks in the UK, i.e. the illegal act whereby third parties trick internet users into downloading spyware/entering personal and bank information into fake sites which imitate the legit ones.

Citibank, the owners of Egg, came in second, with 19.15% of the emails. The rest of the top ten consists of the leading high street banks, HSBC, Halifax, NatWest, Lloyds TSB, RBS and Nationwide as well as MBNA and PayPal.

This basically means that people who are using the internet need to be super careful when it comes to emails. If a bank emails you, they never request your details. When it comes to entering details into an online form, check the address bar to see whether it is a secure site - if it is, the normal http would have changed to https. Never give your details out in emails or to sites which you are directed to in an email. If you need to fill in any personal or banking details into a form, or if a bank requests it, type the web address of your bank into the address bar. Don't trust an email. It could be unsolicitored and you could get your account cleared out.

I was just reading an article about this, and being in a similar position myself, thought id mention it. A family loan is one that a member of your family lends to you when in financial need. I know that in our situation, parents could provide the answer when looking into houses, and the ability to afford such a hefty deposit. After all, good mortgage rates, especially at the minute, are only given to buyers who have 20 - 25% deposit available. Now, unless you are an extremely spendthrift individual, and you save like mad, the chances of having 20% deposit stuffed away under your mattress is slim, which is when parents or other family members come in. I know i took advantage of my mum's generosity when I was in need of a new car, and from what I have read, theres many more like me who think that the family loan is a viable option.

According to research, Britons owe over £251 billion to our families. During the last ten years, its been found that 51% of us have borrowed money from our parents, 11% of these lendings being over £5,000 and 4% being over £10,000 in one go. But apparently, the opposite is beginning to happen - the offspring are lending money to their parents, 1 in 10 of us according to this research.

Lending money to family members sometimes causes problems, in the way of having a say in how that money should be spent.One in 20 said they would feel disheartened if it wasnt used wisely. 7% reported that the money thay had loaned to their families had not even been attmpted to be paid back, and 1 in 10 thought that the families were taking the lender forgranted.

The cost of the relationship should be thought about before considering asking parents or other family members for help towards your finances, for whatever reason. Talk about it in depth before borrowing substantial sums and save as much money as you can by setting up a savings account and transferring money over each month. Its surprising how much money accumulates in these savings accounts if you dont touch them.

I should really pay attention to what I have read in this article.

Almost 3million people are afraid that they will lose their home this year, by being unable to keep up with payments due to the tighter lending conditions and the credit crunch. People don't know when the credit crunch will stop, and many people are suffering from the effects of the stock market falling, bills rising and diposable income decreasing.

• Approximately 1.35million people are afraid they will be declared bankrupt
• 6% believe their homes will be repossessed
• Lenders offering 100% mortgages has fallen from 30 to 22, with a tighter lending criteria

Deloitte accountancy firm believe we will be seeing a further house price drop, which could spark a recession. It anticipates a 5% fall in house prices and an 8% fall next year. Their advisor believes interest rates may fall to 4% over the next 2 years to prevent such recession from hitting. It's also expected that household spending will increase by less than 2% annually for the next two years, job cuts may be inevitable, ending the period of easy credit seen recently.

Quite worrying really.

Whether you want to shop online for food, clothes, books, cds or shop at your fave high street store via the Internet, make sure you take a look at ecoupons. These things are great and can save you a lot of money when shopping online. They are like vouchers/coupons that you find in the junk mail, or in magazines, but are online. They usually come in the form of a promotion code, which, when at the checkout, you type in to the voucher box, and it knocks a bit off the price.

For example, I have tried it a couple of times with various purchases. I was having a look on the Debenhams website, and found something I wanted. By entering the relevant ecoupon code, I got the postage and packing for free.

Also, if you do your monthly grocery shop at online stores such as Tesco or Asda, you can normally find vouchers which apply to these, such as 10% off an order of £60, having bonus clubcard points, or saving on delivery.

It's worth checking it out before you click on the "confirm order" button!

So this is a relatively new consideration of mine. I have had a credit card for ages now. Well, when I say credit card, I dont actually have the credit card anymore, just the forever-there debt, as I just pay the monthly minimum and forget about it.

I was reading about balance transfers, and it reads quite well. You meet people all the time that have done it, but I've never really delved into the idea until now. Apparently, if you do it properly, you can save loads by transferring existing balances from your credit card with a high APR to a new credit card with a lower APR. If you are lucky, this low APR will be non-existent for balance transfers. Often, they say 0% on balance transfers for the first 6 or 12 months, which can be quite handy. I suppose that if people take up this offer, but use the card to spend on stuff in shops as well, you're going to a lot of interest on the stuff bought in shops, but if you kept the card as just a balance transfer one, you should be quids in.

I would definately consider this.. If you dont have bad credit rating.. If you do, you probably wouldnt be accepted for a credit card, but if your credit card history is good, shop around for the best deal for you.