The real cost of electrical items is now much lower than it was 20 years ago, according to insurer, esure.com.
The drop has been driven largely by technological advancements and the emergence of supermarket discounts and online shopping. Price tags for ‘basic’ items that have remained the same in terms of function and styling - […]

Thousands of first-time buyers are taking an extra job or working overtime to get on to the property ladder, Bradford & Bingley’s third annual First Time Buyer Report has found.
The research found that one in 10 of those looking to buy their first property took a second job, working just under 12 hours extra per […]

Nationwide’s latest house price report found annual house price growth fell back below 5% during April, with inflation slowing to 0.1%, from 1.1% in March.
According to the results, the typical house price in the UK now stands at £163,573 – almost £7,500 more than this time last year. This is the equivalent to an increase […]

The UK’s pets are treated as one of the family with 47% of owners regarding them like their own children, but only 20% have taken out pet insurance according to Saga Insurance.
The insurer’s research showed two in five pet owners preferred the company of their pet to other humans a fifth of owners have […]

The ‘big five’ banks have been criticised for failing to compete with other lenders’ personal loan offerings, both in-branch and online.
According to price comparison site, uSwitch.com, thirteen personal loan lenders are currently offering personal loans at 6% APR or less. However, many of the big banks, such as HSBC, Barclays and RBS, have not kept […]

March saw the lowest month on record for cash Child Trust Finds (CTFs), according to figures from the Building Societies Association (BSA).
Of the 21,000 sets of parents that opened accounts in March, 62% opted for the cash CTF option where a choice was offered between that and investment-based accounts. Net receipts into CTFs were […]

A medium-level internet user could fly around the world twice in the time saved by switching to broadband from a dial-up connection, according to uSwitch.com.
Research from the online switching service showed downloading via a dial-up connection, rather than broadband, potentially wastes 108 hours or £1,188 a year. This is the same time it would […]

Alternative plans for pensions reform will be unveiled today by former welfare minister Frank Field, who will meet Tony Blair to discuss a funded scheme under which the wealthier in society would subsidise the poorer.
Mr Field, chairman of the Pensions Reform Group, one of several bodies to have stepped into the debate, argues that […]