 |  | By Julia Kukiewicz Staff Writer Friday, 21 March 2008 |
Other recent money news and guides
Money News Round Up 14th March 2008
Julia Kukiewicz glances back at the week's personal finance news and reveals just what was in Alistair Darling's red briefcase; the good and the bad... as well as who's offering free cavity wall insulation for the over 70's.
Free flights with an easyJet credit card!
easyJet has launched an air miles scheme that allows you to earn Miles on the easyJet credit card for money off easyJet.com flights. New cardholders will be able to get £40 worth of free flights just by spending £250 or more within the first 3 months.
Money News Round Up 7th March 2008
Julia Kukiewicz glances back at the week's personal finance news and uncovers how the government will be investing £12 million into a customer financial advice scheme, Northern Rock entices customers back, and the Tories plans for 'green' ISA's.
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Banks Sceptical over Online Safety
UK banks have remained stoically unimpressed by new POLi systems which could make it safer for consumers to shop online.
The new systems would work by letting you pay without entering your credit or debit card details. The system has already been implemented in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. There seems little chance of them being implemented here, however, as UK banks remain sceptical about third parties accessing their websites.
The POLi plans aim to combat online fraud - known as card-not-present fraud - which is thought to have cost the UK £290.5m in 2007.
If, as it seems, it all comes down to who you can trust with your details the banks or the retailers - I know which pretty POLi my money's on.
Unsurprising News # 1
In the first of two stories managing to spectacularly not raise eyebrows this week a new report by baking giant UBS has revealed that London is the most expensive city to live in the world.
Oslo and Copenhagen came second and third in the survey while residents of Zurich get the purchasing power for their pay. London is now 26% more expensive than in 2005.
The report blamed unreliable exchange rates for the rising cost of living. Traditionally more expensive cities such as New York have ceded the top spot as the dollar falls.
Unsurprising News # 2
Second unsurprising piece of news this week: a survey by Swiftcover.com has revealed that credit cards and online shopping are to blame for Brits splashing their cash.
A massive 90% of people said that they'd bought something on impulse in the past year with two thirds admitting to making more than three impulse purchases and 15% to doing so at least once a month.
And finally, if you only do one thing this week...
And finally if you only do one thing this week it should be to shop around for a mortgage.
It sounds like obvious advice but new research from moneyfacts.co.uk has found that, of the top 250 mortgages, only 27 per cent are offered by the UK's top ten lenders.
That represents a major shift from 2006, when big-name lenders took 75 per cent of the market share. Some analysts have suggested that this is because big lenders have more interests in global money markets and so have been more affected by the credit crunch.
All this means, of course, that it’s more essential then ever to check with smaller lenders for the best deal on your mortgage.
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