Who is telling the truth – Brown or Darling?

For many months now both consumers and industries have been concerned about the slowdown that has hit the UK’s economy. With the nation hitting a period of stagflation, which is a toxic combination of stagnant economic growth and soaring inflation levels, it seems that the nation has been thrown into chaos. Even the Monetary Policy Committee and the Bank of England have been at loggerheads over recent months with regards to the movement of the base rate, with some wanting to increase the rate to curb inflation and others wanting to cut the rate to boost the economy. Read more

Tags: United Kingdom, Labour Party, Alistair Darling, crisis, nation, gordon brown, Labour, economics

Christmas – a ‘good’ time to renew home insurance

Christmas is a good time for consumers to look at renewing their home insurance cover according to insurers Direct Line.

Home owners should be extra vigilant during the festive period by checking their cover and removing any expensive items from display states the company.

Andrew Lowe, head of home insurance with Direct Line, said: “Expensive items such as those over £1,500 in value, for example jewellery, may need to be specified separately on your policy – it is a good idea to check with your insurer.”

He also advised students to be extra vigilant if they return home for Christmas.

Unoccupied student housing can be an ideal target for thieves. Students should ensure they are fully covered for their contents and remove any expensive items from view, he said.

Recent research by Liverpool Victoria revealed that theft accounts for 36 per cent of crime in the UK and costs the nation £2.8 billion per year.

The findings also show that 68 per cent of homes in the UK leave expensive items such as TVs, PCs and antiques on display.

Tags: expensive items, Unoccupied student housing, nation, christmas, display, example jewellery, return home, Types of insurance

Contactless credit cards set for launch

A contact and cash free payment method is set to sweep the UK as a new kind of credit card is launched by some of the nation’s largest providers.

MasterCard has already launched it PayPass system in London and intends to introduce it to the rest of the country in due course.

The system allows consumers to pay for items costing £10 or under by simply swiping their card over a reader.

It is hoped that removing the need to enter a pin number or have cash available will be more convenient for shoppers and also reduce queues.

After a certain amount of transactions the cardholder will be asked to enter their pin number, as part of a measure intended to limit the amount spent on stolen cards.

The system is currently being used in 19 countries, with terminals installed in more than 50,000 retail outlets.

“Led by Londoners using MasterCard PayPass or Maestro PayPass cards from this month, we believe UK consumers will also welcome the arrival of a new way to pay,” said John Bushby, MasterCard Northern Europe’s general manager.

Tags: london, United States, nation, queues, Maestro, cash, nation's largest providers.MasterCard, Northern Europe

Bargain Britons keeping an eye on finances

A new type of shopper is emerging in Britain, with the Bargain Braggers apparently taking over the country.

According to unbiased.co.uk, the days of showing off expensive labels are becoming a thing of the past, with more of us now keen to display our bargain hunting credentials.

Half of Brits are said to consider themselves to be ‘bargain spenders’ and this is good news for their bank accounts.

The research shows that 66 per cent of Bargain Braggers can tell you their account balance down to the nearest £10. This compares favourably to the national average which is just 58 per cent.

In addition, these people are also acutely aware of their debt situation, with 63 per cent able to recall their level of debt to the nearest £10, compared to the national average of 58 per cent.

“The kudos of wearing designer labels is a thing of the past. Bargain hunting has turned into the nation’s favourite hobby and more and more people are proud to shop for the best deal and flaunt it,” commented David Elms, unbiased.co.uk’s chief executive.

Bargain Braggers are most prominent in Scotland and Wales, with the lowest concentration appearing in the South West.

Tags: chief executive.bargain braggers, David Elms, good news, hobby, scotland, cent."The kudos, GBP