Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash By Mark Richards. A week today and it is Christmas Eve – and plenty of families and couples will be looking forward to a new puppy. In fact, there is evidence that a growing number of couples are opting for dogs instead of children – and that around the [...]
By Mark Richards. Today is the start of the ‘Black Friday’ shopping bonanza. But how does Black Friday in the West compare to Singles’ Day in China? And what products are likely to be at the top of our shopping list over the next 11 days? Like millions of other people in the UK, I [...]
Last month the most high profile name in the short term loans industry went into administration. What does the collapse of Wonga mean for the industry and its customers? And if there are no regulated short term loans, what are the alternatives to Wonga? By Mark Richards. Wonga was founded in 2006 and – at [...]
Earlier this week, leading credit broker CashLady announced the launch of the first ever consumer credit index, giving media professionals a unique new insight into the financial situation of millions of people across the UK. The Consumer Credit Index can be used to report the number of people applying for emergency financial support in each [...]
By Mark Fairlie Concerns have been raised that lenders ‘aren’t doing enough to ensure people’s borrowing is sustainable’ in a new report from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS study revealed complaints from borrowers increased 64% in the last year, with the ombudsman upholding more than six in ten new complaints made about payday [...]
By Trevor Clawson Fans of Travel Man and IT Crowd star, Richard Ayoade are doubtless already aware of HSBC’s Connected Money service. In a TV ad campaign launched earlier this month, Ayoade deploys his comedic talents to promote the virtues of a new smartphone app that brings together data from up to 21 different banks, [...]
By Mark Fairlie Hidden currency fees cost British travellers thousands of pounds when they buy foreign cash, says new research from Capital Economics. The analysis shows that, in 2015 alone, the UK public lost more than £5.6 billion to these secret bank and broker fees without realising; including more than a billion pounds in holiday [...]
Last September Transport for London declared that Uber was not ‘fit and proper’ to hold a licence. But there is clear evidence that the public like ride-sharing apps, and that they can benefit both local communities and the environment. Is a ban the right approach? Or do we need to talk? By Mark Richards If [...]
By Mark Fairlie Parents helping their children get on the property ladder are beginning to “feel the pinch” financially, says a new study from Legal and General (L&G) and economics consultancy Cebr. According to the research, these purchases will make up 27% of all property transactions in the UK market, which is up from 25% [...]
By Felicity Anderson An alarming report from pensions investment company Royal London this week revealed that the average person must save £260,000 over their lifetime to enjoy a basic income in retirement. Even more unsettling for private renters, this figure increases to £445,000 if retirees never managed to purchase their own home. Titled, ‘Will we [...]