Category: Credit Cards
Easy access savings on the up
With many big names offering interest as low as 0.05%, it’s time to look at some attractive alternatives Interest rates are expected to continue to remain flat until next year or even 2013, but there was some good news for savers this week. Increasing competition among banks and building societies is pushing up the rates [...]
There’s muck … but no brass
Earlier this year we featured the Stoddart family, who quit their £60,000 jobs for rural Wales. Here Kim Stoddart writes of the reality of struggling to make ends meet While world financial markets wobble yet again, here, in rural Wales, we are also feeling rather vulnerable as things get a bit out of control. Items [...]
Customer Rip Off – Using Credit Cards Overseas Will Cost You Dearly
Holidaymakers are losing millions of pounds through complex stealth charges on the cost of buying foreign currency and using their cards overseas. The ripoff warning comes from the official customer body, Consumer Focus, which has used its powers to trigger an Office of Fair Trading inquiry. It complained that banks are taking advantage of hard-pressed [...]
The definitive guide to the best phone, broadband and TV deals
Now’s the time to switch phone, broadband and TV. We guide you through the telecoms maze to the package that suits you BT has raised prices three times in little over a year. If you are still paying separately for phone, broadband and digital TV, or have never switched providers, now is the time to [...]
Are prepaid cards the best way to pay on holiday?
Going on holiday always requires a fair amount of planning, particularly when travelling abroad as it’s important to sort finances beforehand and understand the best methods of payment while you’re away from home. There are a wide range of payment types available for travellers and each have their own benefits and disadvantages, including different [...]
Gold Cards – Are The Perks Worth The Fee?
An invitation to join the ranks of gold- and platinum-card holders isn’t the exclusive privilege it once was. Issuers are offering more of these cards, to a wider range of people. The question now: Do you still want one? If you haven’t gotten a pitch for a premium card in the mail lately, it’s probably [...]
When will interest rates rise?
As the economic clouds darken, many now reckon we could see near-zero interest rates for years to come. Rupert Jones examines how it will affect your mortgage or savings This week, for the 30th month in a row, the Bank of England held the base rate at 0.5%, and economists predict the first interest rate [...]
Low Interest Rates Means The Cost Of Borrowing Is Cheaper
With interest rates at an all-time low and set to stay that way for another year or maybe two, the cost of borrowing is cheap and getting cheaper. While many Britons are rightly focused on paying off their existing debts, if you need cash to buy a car, get on the property ladder or pay [...]
‘First direct’ To Offer Customers 0% On Balance Transfers For 20 Months.
The main benefit of the new card is the 0% balance transfer which can help pay off debt faster, according to First Direct. This rate, however, will only apply on transfers made within the first 2 months of an account opening. A 2.9% balance transfer fee applies to each balance transferred (minimum £5). According to [...]
Consumers Should Beware Of Online Fraud
Consumers are being warned against online fraud with criminals ‘selling’ holidays even sending an invoice after a card payment. One Financial Mail reader booked a hotel in Menorca last month with mybookingcentrals.com. The invoice was attributed to ‘Hotels Vision online booking’. But the hotel had no record of the reservation when the guest arrived. Luckily, [...]
