In times of economic uncertainty, people striving to make a living can so easily bury themselves in work and while getting engrossed by work is a sure-fire way of getting things done, in this fast paced world in which we live it also means we may not be paying attention to everything else that’s going on around us. [...]

By looking at 3 aggregated news stories on Google from this day in history the picture appears to reveal a pretty bleak outlook for times ahead and not just for UK consumers but for industry too. Public sector job losses may not be offset by growth in the private sector as the Government is hoping and [...]

There’s a really handy feature of the BBC News website whereby readers can submit comments about a given story and share their experiences (it’s only available for a short while after a story is published so you have to be quick). I recently read a story about MBNA hiking interest rates and as I would be most pleased if [...]

I’m trying to find a succinct and comprehensive explanation of RDR and what it means for consumers but so far I’m struggling so I’m going to try and piece something together from what I can find which, is mostly how it will affect advisers. Interesting that a change to the investment market that is intended [...]

On the 22nd of October I passed the Investments & Risk module of the IFS Certificate in Financial Advice (CeFA). This is the IFS qualification that is needed to be recognised as an IFA and until 2012 the 4 modules are: UK financial services industry, regulation and ethics investments and risk protection retirement planning After 2012 the Diploma in Financial Advice (DipFA) [...]

When searching for cheap flight deals, timing is crucial. In the opposite fashion to package holidays, last-minute deals can rarely be found, as most airlines structure their prices to increase as the number of seats available decreases. Start your search well in advance of your dates of travel, and use the internet to quickly search [...]

Online fraud and the threat of malware is an ever present danger as we use the internet day-to-day. Here are a few pointers to keep your computer and personal information protected when online  cheaply! For all secure websites you use, have passwords that can’t be easily guessed. Avoid information that could be worked out, such [...]

Unemployment is still rising and currently stands at 2.47 Million or 7.9% of the working population. In the last quarter another 23,000 people found themselves out of work. Many have been out of work for months already and are still struggling to find a steady source of income and the indication is that things are going [...]

As part of Channel 4′s ‘Alternative Election’ they have devised an online interactive application called ‘Chop or Not’ which allows members of the public to say what service areas of the budget they would ‘chop’ or ‘not’. http://chopornot.channel4.com/ No sign up is required and it’s designed so that it’s fun, quick and in the style [...]

I suppose it deserves a mention as there is no doubt it will have an impact on the finances of the country. I do however believe that politics and religion are two subjects which need to be discussed with care and it does not pay to take sides if it’s a quiet life you’re after. So, [...]