The Guardian • 27th November 2024

How Britons can save on winter sports holidays

When it comes to skiing and snowboarding, going to Europe will always be cheaper than flying to somewhere such as the US or Canada – but costs vary massively on the continent.Marcus Blunt, the co-founder of the ski holiday company Heidi, suggests somewhere off the beaten track such as Bansko or Borovets, both in Bulgaria, for a cheaper deal.“In Italy, Livigno boasts lower prices thanks to its tax-free status, while Bardonecchia is another lower-cost option with great-value ski passes, and Sestri...

The Sun • 20th October 2024

Best value Christmas beauty advent calendar revealed

BEAUTY advent calendars are a festive phenomenon - and they can save you a wad of cash too. Big retailers and brands such as Boots, Asos, Liberty and Charlotte Tilbury sell them.They usually contain a gift for each day in December - but savvy shoppers could save money by splitting the contents into multiple presents for friends and family. These calendars contain anything from 12 to 40 skincare, makeup, and self-care products, ranging from travel-sized to full-sized versions of popular products....

10th October 2024

7 questions you’ve always wanted to ask about Premium Bonds

Let’s be honest, you’ve probably heard of Premium Bonds. After all, more than 21 million Brits – nearly a third of the UK population – hold these kinds of savings, and they’ve been around for more than six decades. 
Premium Bonds have always been a big hit with older people, who often buy them as part of their own savings strategy or as a gift for children or grandchildren.  
In fact, National Savings and Investments (NS&I) - the body that runs the scheme - told Saga Money News that the average...

10th October 2024

New bank refund rules finally land – but are you protected?

UK banks must now refund authorised push payment (APP) fraud victims within five business days, up to the value of £85,000 per claim, following the introduction of new rules on 7 October. 
Until now, banks have not been legally required to refund victims of APP fraud, although some had signed up to a voluntary code, the Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM), which required banks to reimburse victims subject to certain specific exceptions. 
This approach resulted in a ‘reimbursement lottery’ for t...

Your Money • 3rd October 2024

Close call: I'm an experienced personal finance reporter and nearly paid £1k to scammers

I was at home one Saturday afternoon when I got a call (number unknown) from a man who said he worked for Monzo. That’s my bank! The caller knew my name and phone number (obviously), so it all sounded legit. He said I’d been the victim of an attempted fraud and he needed to go through some details with me.
I duly opened my Monzo app and saw a declined transaction for Groupon for £30 that had just come through. Hmmm… that wasn’t me. The caller asked what sort of phone I had. It’s an Android. He t...

The Guardian • 29th September 2024

How to work freelance, plan ahead and stay afloat in the UK

Here’s how to organise your financial life if you’re a freelancer or sole trader.Sole trader is the most straightforward business or legal structure if you are self-employed. Depending on the nature of your business, other options include a partnership (with someone else) or setting up a limited company. If you have a partnership or limited company, your business finances should be kept completely separate from your personal finances. But there’s a bit more overlap if you are a sole trader.To re...

The Guardian • 18th September 2024

How to cut the cost of travelling on your own

Heading off abroad alone? Give the single supplement the swerve and cut the cost of solo travel.Package holidays are designed for couples and families. Tour operators don’t seem to want single travellers – something they make very clear in their pricing.Research by the debt advice company UK Debt Expert found that solo travellers were charged a premium of almost £500 for the same package holiday compared with one half of a couple.Who wants to stay in a hotel full of screaming kids anyway? Planni...

18th September 2024

Should you pay off your child’s student loan?

If you’re a parent, it’s natural to want to help your kids out financially. Parents of graduates, in particular, have a dilemma.
You might have saved a nest egg, received an inheritance, or taken 25% of your pension as tax-free cash. It can be tempting to use those savings to help your kids reduce their student debt, but should you?
On one hand, you might want to help your offspring start adult life debt-free. But on the flip side, you might want to focus on paying off your own debt...

The Sun • 14th September 2024

The little-known schemes that could slash your water bill by 90%

HOUSEHOLDS could get up to 90% off water bills due to little-known schemes.Each water company has its own social tariff for low-income customers - but the discount varies based on where you live.Residential households can’t choose their water supplier, so it’s pot luck regarding the generosity of your supplier.Another issue is that social tariffs aren’t widely advertised and they tend to be hidden away on water companies’ websites.The best thing to do is check your supplier’s website and see if...

6th September 2024

How can your credit card affect your credit score? | Ocean Finance

The way you use your credit card will affect your credit score. Regular spending and paying your bill in full each month will usually make your score go up. But exceeding your credit limit or missing monthly payments can damage your credit score. 

What is a credit card? 

A credit card is a type of revolving credit. This means you can borrow money up to a maximum credit limit, pay it back over time, and then borrow again as needed. 

Credit cards don’t usually have a set repayment schedule –...

The Sun • 29th August 2024

O2 Priority customers fuming as it quietly axes free Greggs perk

MOBILE giant Virgin Media O2 has quietly made a major change to a Greggs offer from it Priority rewards scheme - and customers are fuming. At present, thousands of customers can get one free coffee a week from Greggs, as well as a free breakfast roll, sausage roll, or vegan sausage roll on Friday or Saturday mornings. To get the freebies, O2 customers need to visit the Priority app to get a code. Hot drink codes are issued on a first come first served basis, with at least 10,000 codes available...

Your Money • 2nd September 2024

Oasis fans ‘look back in anger’ at dynamic ticket pricing

Tickets for the Oasis Live ’25 tour went on general sale on Saturday (31 August) at 9am, while tickets for the Dublin gigs went on sale an hour before.
But fans of the ‘90s indie band found that tickets for concerts listed at £148.50 were rebranded as ‘in demand’, with the price more than doubling by the time they reached the front of the virtual queue. The only place to secure a ticket for the Gallagher brothers’ reunion shows in Wembley, Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh and Du...