Balance Transfer Credit Card Market Heats Up (Again!)

The balance transfer credit card market continues to be as competitive as ever with a number of major new deals launched. Find out how to navigate the balance transfer credit card market and bag yourself a top deal.There are a number of great balance transfer credit card deals on the market today that could offer …

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Christmas wine is down to “personal preference”, claim Sainsbury’s

According to Sainsbury’s, 39 per cent of Brits are confused about what sort of wine they should be drinking to compliment their Christmas dinner. The supermarket’s research shows that there is still a degree of uncertainty as to what type of wine should be consumed with the Christmas meal but it has urged customers not …

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Unemployment at highest level for 16 years as jobs crisis facing young deepens

  Unemployment rose by 129,000 to 2.62million in the three months to September to take the jobless rate to 8.3 per cent, its highest level for 16 years.   The official figures also confirmed the jobs crisis facing young people, as the number of unemployed 16 to 24 year olds jumped 67,000 to hit 1.02milion …

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Compare Car Finance Rates Motorists Urged

As new figures show that demand for new car finance has grown by a fifth in a year, we look at how comparing car finance deals online could help you save money.According to new figures from the Finance & Leasing Association, consumer demand for new car finance grew for the eighth consecutive month in April, …

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Credit market ‘needs to be opened up’

The financial services industry must work harder to satisfy consumer needs across the credit spectrum, as a two-tier system is developing where some can access credit while others have little chance or can only do so at a high cost, it has been claimed. According to the AA, the current system is excluding large numbers …

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Balance Transfer Credit Card Market Heats Up (Again!)Christmas wine is down to “personal preference”, claim Sainsbury’sUnemployment at highest level for 16 years as jobs crisis facing young deepensCompare Car Finance Rates Motorists UrgedCredit market ‘needs to be opened up’

Feb
20

UK unemployment: Jobless toll ‘will hit 2.85m in 2012′ with ‘severe’ pay restraints for those in work

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Unemployment will increase to 2.85million in 2012 as jobs continue to be lost in the public sector, a study warns.


The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development forecasts that the jobless total will reach its highest since 1994, adding that it will peak at 2.9million in the first half of 2013.


The youth jobless total and long-term unemployment figure – those out of work for more than a year – are expected to stay at just under a million, thanks to Government measures targeting the two groups, the report says.


The CIPD predicts a ‘mild’ jobs recession, with a continuation of ‘severe’ pay restraint and pauses in productivity, features which have characterised the economy since the end of the recession in 2009.


The group said that if its unemployment predictions are true for 2012, it will be the first time the jobless total will have been at 2.85million and rising since 1991.

It also believes that unemployment will not fall below 2.5million before the middle of the decade because of slow economic growth.


The latest official unemployment figures showed that 2.64million people were out of work, with 1.6million claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance.


166.000 join ranks of self-employed


Soaring unemployment is forcing many workers to become self-employed, official figures revealed yesterday.


The Office for National Statistics said the number of self-employed people in Britain has jumped to its highest level since records began nearly 20 years ago.


Between August and October, 166,000 people became self-employed, raising the total number to a record-breaking 4.1million people.


But experts yesterday raised doubts about whether all of them were happy with the decision, fearing many will be earning much less than they need, but are simply unable to find another job.


Michael Saunders, a leading economist at the investment bank Citigroup, said: ‘It may well be that some people, having lost their jobs, categorise themselves as self-employed but really are unemployed or at least under-employed.’


It comes at a time when there are only 461,000 vacancies in the UK.
Vicky Redwood, of Capital Economics, said the jump is likely to reflect people ‘resorting’ to working for themselves.


Yesterday, Employment Minister Chris Grayling insisted the latest figures show ‘some signs that the labour market is stabilising’ but said the increase in unemployment was ‘unwelcome’.

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Feb
20

Frugal shoppers are set to slash spending on non-essentials in 2012

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Britons will cut spending on almost everything except food and clothing next year as austerity continues to transform the nation’s shopping habits.


Retail sales are expected to grow by just 1.2 per cent to £295.3billion in 2012 – the third slowest year of growth in the past four decades – according to a report by leading retail research firm Verdict.


The only worse years were the current one, which is expected to see sales growth of just 0.9 per cent, and 2009 when there was a 0.4 per cent fall.



Sales of groceries will grow by 3.3 per cent next year as consumers eat more meals at home to save money, the report predicts, but spending on non-food items is set to shrink by about 0.5 per cent as the change in attitudes ‘from extravagant to austere’ continues.


Electricals, furniture, floor coverings, DIY and gardening goods will be hardest hit, with sales down by about £900million, and unlikely to improve until mid-2013.


Meanwhile, clothing and footwear will grow by just 2.4 per cent, or £14 extra per person, as a result of higher prices, but the rise in youth unemployment will hit fashion retailers.


Verdict’s report, compiled in conjunction with business analysis firm SAS, will add to fears that major retailers are in danger of collapsing in coming weeks amid unprecedented levels of price reductions.


It warns that the first three months of 2012 will be the most difficult period for retailers, as consumers tighten their spending after the expensive Christmas period.


Verdict retail analyst Maureen Hinton  said: ‘Conditions will ease slightly with events such as Easter, the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics improving consumer sentiment, but overall confidence will still be low.


‘Real improvement and growth are only likely from October onwards when, as long as the weather is seasonably cold, consumer will be driven to buy seasonal essentials before the end of the winter retail season in December and get back into the Christmas spirit.’


Food is expected to be the best-performing sector next year, but the UK’s biggest retailer, Tesco, will be ‘the most challenged grocer’ as rivals up their competition by opening more branches, according to the report.


Verdict’s gloomy forecast for 2012 comes as separate retail data shows that British shoppers went on a massive spending spree to take advantage of the sales in the past couple of days.


Estimates suggest some £2.5billion passed through the tills yesterday on top of an estimated £1.8billion on Boxing Day.


Retail analysts believe the combined £4.3billion total will be the highest-ever spend for December 26 and December 27.


But fears persist that the end-of-year rush will not be enough to save some big names on the high street. Among the most vulnerable are lingerie chain La Senza, Blacks Leisure and Millets.


And a raft of studies yesterday confirmed that 2011 has seen the biggest squeeze on household incomes for at least 80 years.


The average cost of household bills rose by £900 to £15,912 over the past 12 months, according to research by the price comparison website MoneySupermarket.com.


The 6 per cent rise is three times the average wage increase over the year.


A study by accountants Grant Thornton found that changes to the tax credit regime had also hit some middle-class families hard.


A family with two children and one earner on a salary of £50,000 lost £545 in tax credits because of a reduction in the qualifying threshold.


And the Centre for Economics and Business Research predicted that food, transport and energy prices would continue to rise in the first half of 2012.


‘Middle-income families will see the highest increase in the cost of living,’ said the think-tank.


A separate study by the Resolution Foundation found that tax cuts for low and middle income families, planned for April, would be dwarfed by hidden reductions in tax credits.

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Feb
19

Ordinary families crippled by rocketing prices as bill for basket of essentials soars 43% in a decade

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Ordinary families have been crippled by the rocketing cost of essential goods over the past decade, a report has found.


The price of basic purchases, such as food and fuel, soared by 43 per cent over the decade from 2000.


These rising costs – far above general inflation – have already wiped out most of the gains in living standards made by families on low and modest incomes in the early 2000s, before the downturn began, according to research.



The analysis, commissioned by the Resolution Foundation think-tank, revealed the squeeze on living standards for ordinary households has been more severe  than previously thought.


It found 30 per cent of working-age households now have incomes too low to afford the essential basket of goods.


It also showed that Labour’s stewardship of the economy may not have benefited ordinary families as much as the party had claimed.


Some household costs increased even more dramatically than the 43 per cent average, according to the study.


Household fuel more than doubled in price during the 2000s and water bills increased by 63 per cent, it said.


Report author Donald Hirsch, from the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University, said: ‘This research shows the dramatic impact recent price increases have had on the ability of households to afford a minimum standard of living.


‘Of course, global pressures on prices are largely beyond our control.


‘But that makes it all the more important that we do all we can to reduce pressures in areas where we can make a difference, such as transport costs, council tax and energy prices.’


The analysis is based on the commonly accepted essential basket of goods, which includes food, fuel, public transport and very occasional treats for families with children.



The official inflation measure, the Consumer Price Index, takes into account a wider basket of goods.  Over the decade to 2010, CPI was  27 per cent.


Gavin Kelly, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: ‘The fact that the rising cost of essential goods and services has outstripped official measures of inflation helps explain the disconnect many hard-pressed households have long felt between their own stagnating living standards and the growing affluence they see around them.’


Meanwhile, it has emerged that demand for frozen meals has rocketed among cash-strapped Britons desperate to cut their grocery bills and produce popular family meals for less.


The latest market data has revealed that the frozen food retail market has grown by 5.2 per cent since 2010, according to analysts Kantar Worldpanel.


Volume sales of frozen meat and poultry are up 5.5 per cent, pizza by 3.6 per cent and frozen fish by 3.4 per cent.


Brian Young, director general of the British Frozen Food Federation, told The Grocer magazine:  ‘In times of economic uncertainty choosing frozen meat and poultry allows consumers to make their favourite meals and foods at a much lower price point. ’

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Feb
19

If you are short of cash for your Christmas shopping, quick paydayloans may be the answer

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Even if you always try to include something in your monthly budget for the unexpected, there may be some months when that just may not be enough. Christmas, with all of the extra expenditure that it entails, may be one such time. Quick paydayloans may be able to provide you with a bit of extra cash to ease the financial strain.
It may just be that you:

underestimated the cost of the main Christmas food shop;forgot to buy a present for someone important and need to remedy the position;omitted the cost of taxis when you calculated the cost of your office Christmas night out – not to mention the secret Santa gift;would like to treat yourself to a new outfit for the festivities.

Not forgetting of course that your financial emergency could be due to something completely unrelated to the time of year – perhaps your vacuum cleaner or your washing machine has broken down and you need to get it fixed before everyone goes off on holiday.


Whatever the reason you find yourself a bit short, quick paydayloans may be a solution, which may be available to you if you:

have a job which provides you with a steady income and are over 18;live in the UK and have a bank account with a debit card associated with it;only need to borrow a relatively modest amount of cash perhaps up to £500 for a short period of time, possibly your January pay day;are confident that the total repayment of the cash advance loan, which will include interest and agreed charges, is something that you can accommodate in one single instalment.

Although there may be great flexibility in what you may use this type of borrowing for, it is not typically suited for use as a solution for long term debt problems.


You may find that these speedyloans may typically be available online and may be completed very quickly.


Once your application has been approved, in some cases you may receive an almost instant decision. There are some providers who may be able to have the funds from quick paydayloans transferred directly into your bank account in less than two hours – leaving you with plenty of time for that last minute Christmas shopping

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Feb
19

When cash loans may be of use to you

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Cash loans are something that may be extremely useful to you under certain conditions.


This type of borrowing is also sometimes referred to as payday cash advances, speedyloans or sometimes, fast cash advances.


The basic principles could not be simpler. A typically easy online application may receive a very fast or even instant response, which, if it is positive, may result in the sum requested being sent directly to your bank account. It may be there within a few hours of your initial application.


Then, on the agreed repayment date which will typically be around your next payday, you will repay the amount you have borrowed plus the lenders agreed charges, in one go.


There are some typical situations where cash loans may prove to be a very useful facility to have at your disposal:

dealing with an exceptional bill that has unexpectedly arrived and which did not form part of your monthly budget planning;taking advantage of an opportunity to purchase something more cheaply than it is normally available and which is not likely to still be around at the time you next get paid;just deciding to treat yourself or your family because you may have received a bit of good news.

All these are relatively unusual situations, which may put your normal orderly budgeting under stress and a payday cash advance may be an effective way of dealing with the situation.


It is important to realise, however, that there may equally be situations for which this sort of borrowing is not ideal:

needing funds over a longer period of time than this sort of borrowing is really designed for (perhaps a few weeks at most);using them as a regular supplement to your normal monthly income in order to meet your normal monthly outgoings, due to the fact that you are consistently unable to balance your income versus expenditure.

Used responsibly, cash loans may be extremely valuable as a backup facility to help you cope with emergencies. Using them for other purposes, such as some of those above, may be an indication that you need broader financial advice.

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Feb
18

Loans for payday may make a difference

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There’s no doubt that much as we may love the Christmas season, it is one of the most expensive times of the year, which is why you may be thinking about loans for payday to provide you with some financial assistance.


Even before you can start to think about presents and parties, there are all the regular expenses to deal with and if something unexpected crops up as well, like a car repair for example, you may be left looking at a budget that is just not going to balance.


While cutting back on non-essentials may be something that you are prepared to do at other times of the year, at Christmas you may find that loans for payday from a provider like speedeloans, may offer an acceptable alternative.


The main characteristics of payday cash advances


These fast cash loans are typically:

for relatively modest amounts of money with £250 or £500 being average sums (depending on the provider);taken out for short time periods of perhaps a few weeks;repaid in one instalment, which includes interest and other charges that may be applied but which you will have agreed to in advance, so there are no surprises;available via a simple online application, which may receive an almost instant decision (following a fast credit check);available to you even if you have some forms of debt problems in your past (providers of course reserve the right to reject applications where they feel the risk is too great).

The application process


To be eligible for this type of borrowing, you may typically need to be a UK resident who is over 18 years old. You may also need to have a bank account with a debit card attached to it and a job, which provides you with a predictable level of income.


The amount that you may be able to borrow may obviously depend on your income levels but since the payday loan is repaid in total in just one instalment, you may wish to remember to factor in all of your other monthly commitments when calculating how much you may be able to comfortably afford to repay.


With the festive season almost upon us, it may be nice to have a bit of extra money in the bank and loans for payday may just be the answer.

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Feb
18

A fast cash advance for all those Christmas extras

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If you are trying to find out a bit more on the subject of a fast cash advance, then you may just have realised that the cash you have available in the days running up to Christmas is just not going to be enough to cover all those extras that tend to turn up at this time of year.


Nobody likes missing out at Christmas so, rather than doing without, a fast cash advance may provide you with an injection of some ready cash that you may be able to put to good use in the days ahead.


There may be any number of reasons why you may be looking for a cash loan advance. Perhaps:

you are having some extra guests over the holiday period;after an accident in your attic, you have found out that you need to replace all of your lights and decorations;a gift has just been delivered from someone that you had omitted to include on your presents list;your pre-Christmas diet has gone better than (or not as well as) expected and last year’s outfit just doesn’t fit anymore.

Of course, bills may get delayed in the post at this time over year but they still keep on arriving and things like cars and washing machines may still break down and need to be repaired.


All in all it can work out to be a very expensive time of year. A fast cash advance may be able to give you a little bit of flexibility in your budget.


Direct payday loans are advances of relatively modest amounts of money (£100-£500 being typically common amounts), which is borrowed for a period of a few weeks.


The payday in their name refers to the fact that they may typically be repaid in full on your next payday. Of course, as with all borrowing, interest will be added to the loan amount and there may also be other administration and transfer charges, which may be added to the repayment total.


Following a short online application, you may typically receive an almost instantaneous decision. A fast credit check may be carried out but because the amounts being borrowed tend to be smaller, the check may be more relaxed and an application may be approved even if you have some negative points on your credit history.


Providers of this type of short-term loan facility may typically ask that you are:

over 18 and in permanent employment, which provides you with a regular and predictable income;resident in the UK and the owner of a bank account (with a debit card facility);being realistic in the amount of money you are looking to borrow and are bearing in mind that the whole loan plus charges is repaid in just one instalment.

If your application for a fast cash advance is approved then providers may be able to simply transfer the funds electronically into your bank account

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Feb
18

An online payday loan quote and New Years Eve!

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Are you wondering just what is an online payday loan quote and how it may help you celebrate the New Year?


If you are, it may be that you are in need of a fast cash advance to help you celebrate seeing in the New Year but you have a short-term cash flow problem.


Let us examine just what a fast cash advance may be able to do for you.


The need


However disciplined you are in your month by month budgeting, life has a habit of springing unwelcome surprises on us from time to time


It may be your car has just broken down or a bill has come in that is much larger than you anticipated – whatever the cause, you may find that your finances are looking a little stretched for the month ahead.


Or, it could be that Christmas spending has wiped you out financially, and you need some cash jujst to tide you over until you get paid in the New Year.


That is where you may benefit from a rapid cash injection but only for a short period of time, up until you next get paid.


In essence, that requirement defines what is sometimes called a payday advance.


The online payday loan quote


These forms of borrowing products are typically available on the internet and some lenders may offer you can exclusively online operation, including your initial application.


These applications are typically straightforward and may result in you receiving an indication of how much you may be able to borrow and importantly, how much it is going to cost you.


If you like the look of the proposition in front of you and decide to accept it, the money may be sent directly to your bank account and be available to you within a matter of hours.


An application


To be able to benefit from one of these facilities, you may typically need to demonstrate to the potential lender that:

you receive a regular and predictable income generated by permanent employment – some providers may be perfectly willing to accept a part-time job, providing that it is one you hold on a permanent basis;you will be able to repay the sum borrowed, in one go, from your next pay packet (i.e., that you are trying to borrow a sensible amount of money that is commensurate with your income);you have a UK address and bank account.

Looking for an online payday loan quote might be the first step towards you overcoming your temporary cash flow difficulty, enabling you to celebrate the New Year a little easier.

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Feb
17

Choosing from a list of payday loan companies

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Payday loan companies may be able to help you if you have a requirement for an emergency injection of cash.


How?


By making available what’s called a payday loan (also known as a payday cash advance).


This is a newer product to the lending marketplace and is aimed at people who do not wish the long-term commitment or formality (plus delays) that may arise when applying for conventional larger loans.


They are typically available for smaller sums (say perhaps around £100-£250 as an average though perhaps up to as much as £1000) than conventional borrowing and that may mean that the lenders may be able to move faster in terms of processing your application and getting you the money.


Applications may typically be online and subject to very fast decisions – in fact, as the sums being borrowed are smaller, some payday loan companies may not even bother with a full credit history check which is good news if you have some blemishes on your credit history files.


These cash advances are typically repaid on your next payday in one go, so you avoid the long-term repayment commitments that may come with conventional borrowing.


There are numbers of providers of such loans, so how does one select between them?


There is, of course, no certain single answer and each individual borrower will need to make their own assessment.


Having said that, you may wish to consider for each company:

their tariff of charges (note whether or not they charge an administration fee in addition to the interest charge etc);how quickly they may be able to give you a decision on your application and then if approved, how quickly they may be able to get the money into your bank account;how flexible they may be able to be on repayment dates (though remember that this form of borrowing may not be suitable for longer-term borrowing needs);how much they may be willing to lend you (though this may also be significantly affected by your earnings status etc).

Given that the market is competitive, it may make sense to shop around before choosing from a list of payday loan companies.

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Feb
17

How to Save Money over Christmas and New Year?

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Christmas can be an expensive time of year for most. With so many outgoings, where do you even start to save money? Well it’s not uncommon for people to save a penny or two during this time, whether it’s because they generally want to save or they have something much bigger planned, like a wedding or a holiday. Whatever reason you have, you can certainly save during this time of year, and this post will detail just exactly how you can achieve that.

From Christmas presents to the festive food and drink, there are ways you can save on the essentials, allowing you to keep back some of your hard earned cash, to spend on whatever you wish. In fact Christmas presents are a great place to start as this is where a lot of your money will go. Whether you are buying for one or two people, or a whole host of family and friends, you can save money on presents simply by budgeting; set a limit and stick to it.

Another way is to work out who you truly need to buy gifts for; you can do this by working out who is likely to buy you gifts in return. If it is an extended family member or friend that you haven’t seen in a while, then ask yourself if they would be expecting a gift. We are in the middle of a financial crisis, with many UK households feeling the financial squeeze somewhat, so your friends and family will completely understand if you are unable to get them a gift this year.

One alternative could be to make them a gift instead. In fact to save even more money you could make gifts for many of your friends and family. Whether you want to paint, craft, design or create, there’s no end to the possibilities of things you could make. With it being Christmas you could simply make decorations or a Christmas ornament instead.

On the subject of creating and crafting, why stop at just making gifts? If you’re going to be making decorations for friends and family, then why not create your own decorations? From Christmas stockings to Christmas tree decorations, the only thing stopping you is your creativity. There are plenty of places that you pick up festive patterned paper and card, as well as little additions to stick and attach to your designs, like bows, stars and tinsel.

When it comes to buying the Christmas food, well this is also going to set you back a few quid. However instead of buying at the peak times, be sure to buy in advance. Don’t always go for the most expensive items or the branded foods, as you can pick up non-branded equivalents for much cheaper. Also consider buying in bulk from cash and carry’s as you could make significant savings, especially if you’re going to be doing a lot of cooking over the holidays.

Finally, resist at all temptation those expensive night’s out, or at least limit yourself to one or two. Going out to restaurants and bars over Christmas period is expensive, especially on peak nights like Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, so avoid these times and you’ll also save some dough here too.

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