Savings & Investments

When Should You Use an IFA?

Financial planning is a tool that everyone can use to help ensure their family’s financial security in the short and long term. Working with an IFA is recommended. Good financial planning is not solely for the rich, everyone can plan ahead to achieve their life goals now and in the future. Whether you’re planning…

Emily Weston - Savings & Investments

A Guide To Junior/Child ISAs

A junior or child ISA is a tax-free saving or investment account that allows under-18s to save up to £4,260 in the current tax year (2018/19). The lump sum saved then remains tax-free until their 18th birthday, when it can be converted into an adult ISA or withdrawn. Why a Child’s Version? …

Jon Stones - Savings & Investments

Everything You Need To Know About ISAs

There are many things for which you might want to gather savings. You might be enthusiastic about funding a future purchase of a house or car, helping to get your offspring through university, financially preparing for your wedding, or doing something else that will call for significant monetary outlay. However, your tax obligations can…

Claire Jamieson - Savings & Investments

A Guide To Stock Trading

So you want to get into stock trading? You want to feel the thrill and exhilaration of trading big money with the hope of even bigger rewards? Well, it is no walk in the park, I can tell you that for a start. Many people have tried to enter into stock trading with a boatload…

Jon Stones - Savings & Investments

Personal Investments – What You Need To Know

You might have a specific savings goal that, nonetheless, you don’t have to meet for at least another five years. In that instance, placing some of your money into investments can enable you to make money more quickly and prevent inadvertently getting hit by increases in prices. What Are Investments? An investment…

Jon Stones - Savings & Investments

Your credit rating’s incredibly important. Basically, it determines how likely you are to be given credit when you apply for it – which covers everything from an extension to your overdraft, to applying for a credit card, to getting a mortgage. Your credit rating is supposed to show how risky a prospect you are when it comes to granting you credit. It’s determined by you past history of repaying debts properly on time, whether you have any County Court Judgements against your name and a variety of other things. Improving your credit score is essential for your long term financial stability, which is why we’ve compiled a handy list of tips below to help you do just that. 1. Pay debts on time Any time you miss a payment on a debt you owe, it’s recorded on your credit file and negatively impacts your credit rating. The single best thing you can do to build and maintain a good credit rating is make sure you pay your debts in full and on time. 2. Stop applying for credit Applying for a lot of credit at once makes it look as though you’re desperate for credit, which automatically rings alarm bells for lenders. If you’ve made a string of applications recently, try to give it some time before you make any more, to make sure your credit rating doesn’t suffer. 3. Get on the electoral register If you’re on the electoral register it means that lenders can verify that you live where you say you do, which gives them peace of mind and ultimately improves your credit rating. Getting on the electoral register is incredibly simple and can be done online in a matter of minutes. 4. Cancel unused credit cards When establishing whether you should be given credit, lenders will look at the amount of credit you have available to you and use that in their decision. If you’re not using your credit facilities on a regular basis, they’re less likely to approve your application. Cancel unused credit cards to give your credit rating a boost. 5. Use a prepaid credit card Some prepaid credit cards have a credit builder option. This usually means that the credit company will lend you £60 for you to pay off in twelve monthly instalments of £5 each (excluding fees). If you make all your repayments on time, this will show up on your credit report as twelve successful monthly repayments. This can be a great option if you’ve struggled with a poor credit rating or bad debts before. 6. Time your credit applications How often you apply for credit makes a real difference to your rating. It’s worth planning your applications in advance – so if you know you’re about to apply for a mortgage, do that before you take out a new phone contract. Prioritising is important to keeping your credit rating healthy. 7. Save save save! If some of your savings are able to cover your debts, that helps show lenders that your debt is at a manageable level and that you’re a less risky option when it comes to granting you further credit – the more savings you have the better!

A Guide to Business Current Accounts

A business current account is an essential part of running a business, so it is important to choose an account that is convenient and affordable. This guide to business current accounts will help you to choose an account that is well suited to you and your business. Why You Need to Choose…

Claire Jamieson - Savings & Investments

The Top Current Accounts To Switch To

With so many different options to choose from, there is no shortage of opportunity to review rates and switch to a personal banking solution that offers favourable terms. However, despite the wide range of offers available, many people remain with their existing current account provider even when their rates are less than competitive. This…

Claire Jamieson - Savings & Investments

Peer To Peer Lending – A Better Way To Save And Invest?

What Is Peer To Peer Lending? Peer To Peer lending websites have grown in popularity over the past 10 years in the UK. They offer an alternative to both a traditional savings account and an investment fund. They are a hybrid of both in most cases. The basic idea is to bypass traditional banks,…

Jon Stones - Savings & Investments

A Simple Guide To Pensions In The UK

For the average person in the UK, the world of pensions can be very confusing. In this article we’ll cover the basics and give you a solid grasp of the options available to you today. No matter how they’re structured, all pensions are designed to achieve the same thing – to give you a way to…

Jon Stones - Savings & Investments

Is Cashing In Your Pension A Good Or Bad Investment?

Final Salary Pension Schemes are the envy of many workers in the UK; they have long been regarded as the most generous pension scheme available, and are enjoyed by millions of workers from the public and private sector alike. Over the past decade, however, these schemes have become increasingly unavailable to the vast majority of workers,…

Jon Stones - Savings & Investments