0.3 percent increase in retail sales for December

Figures have recently been released showing that in the month of December there was an increase of 0.3 percent in retail sales. Official figures proved disappointing when they showed that between November and December of last year retail sales grew by just 0.3 percent despite increased spending in the run up to Christmas. Read more

Tags: retail sales levels, Office for National Statistics, last year retail sales, Tax reform, Value added tax, Late 2000s recession in Europe, Christmas and holiday season

Getting ready for the January sales

With Christmas almost upon us many people will be getting ready for the big day, and will be busy wrapping gifts, sorting out Christmas dinner, and organising visits to and from relatives. Read more

Tags: Boxing Day, Seasons, Christmas and holiday season, discounts, sales, christmas, online sales, january sales

Online shopping avoided by more than 50 percent of UK shoppers

Whilst the Internet has changed our lives in many ways over the years, enabling many to enjoy convenience, ease, speed, and flexibility in many situations, it has been revealed that over half of the consumers in the UK actually avoid shopping online due to concern over the risks of shopping in this way. Read more

Tags: card fraud, Christmas and holiday season, shopping online, Debit card, main reason, online security, reason, shopping

Shop around for credit card bargains, customers urged

Credit card customers should be prepared to shop around for the best card deals this month, just as they would for anything else in the January sales.

According to Sainsbury’s Bank, credit card users need to take the new start offered by the New Year to review their finances and make sure they are getting the best deal.

“Look around and see whether there are better deals than what you’re currently getting from your provider and that may well offer you an opportunity to reassess your costs,” urged head of cards Donald MacLeod.

He urged customers to pay off more than the monthly minimum amount on their cards in order to avoid going further into debt.

Figures released by UK payments association Apacs last month suggested that 64.3 per cent of the £53 billion spent in the run up to Christmas would be put onto credit cards, with the amounts put onto plastic accelerating in the last few days.

Tags: January, Christmas and holiday season, best card deals, apacs, card, deal, New Year, finance