The annual Cost of a Child Report from insurance firm LV= found that raising a child from birth until their 21st birthday was a record £218,024. That’s the equivalent of £10,382 a year, £865 a month or even £28.44 a day.
http://www.compareprepaid.co.uk/cards/credit-cards/01/2012/bringing-up-children-costs-over-200000/
Sameday loans could help to pay for rising living costs.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed that strike action planned for the 31 January meant there would be no staff on hand to deal with last minute queries, and so no fines would be handed out for returns filed as late as 2 February.
Payday loans could help to ease financial anxieties.
The following article examines the pros and cons of the latest savings and mortgage deals;
“The digital economy is not waiting, geography doesn’t matter anymore. Everyone is on a equal footing,” he said Patrick Pichette, chief financial officer of Google.
Pichette warned delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the internet will test “every business model”.
The latest monthly CBI Distributive Trades Survey Ecommerce found that e-commerce was the only part of the UK retail market to report growth in the first two weeks of January.
Overall, figures show that 44% of retailers reported that sales volumes were down compared to the same time last year while 22% reported a rise, but retailers offering internet and mail-order sales reported, on balance, large rises in sales, at +50%.
http://www.internetretailing.net/2012/01/only-ecommerce-shows-signs-of-growth-this-january-survey/
Over a quarter of British consumers stated in a recent survey that they will rely on credit cards this year and almost one in ten will do so simply in order to make ends meet.
Recent research commissioned by price comparison site Gocompare.com has led to interesting conclusions regarding British household finances.
Despite 35% of those surveyed admitted they would like to clear their debts or reduce their loan and credit card costs, figures also reveal that 26% of them will turn to plastic in 2012 and one in ten will use credit cards to meet their ends.
“The rising cost of living is placing a strain on many families and credit cards are being used to temporarily ease the pain,” said Jeremy Cryer, Gocompare.com’s Head of credit cards.
“If used carefully, plastic cards can be a useful budgeting tool, but when used to plug a gap in everyday spending, card debt can quickly spiral out of control. Worryingly, our survey revealed that nearly a tenth of people in the UK rely on their credit cards to make ends meet. No wonder we owe a staggering £60 billion on credit cards as a nation,” added Cryer.
Financial goals for 2012
A further 25% of Brits want to find ways to save money in 2012 while, for 22% of those questioned, the rising cost of living/bills is their biggest financial worry in the coming year.
Nevertheless, up to 15% of UK families considered it impossible to save a penny bearing in mind the rising living costs and falling income levels.
The survey also revealed the priorities for those who are planning to save in 2012. Food was at the top of the list, being a priority for 49% of Brits. Petrol and transport costs came afterwards with 31%, followed by TV, mobile, internet, home phone expenses (28%), gas and electric costs (28%), car insurance (19%), credit card and payday loans (18%) and finally mortgage or rent costs (6%).
In this article, Joia Shillingford offers tips to bank account customers on how to untangle the offers and incentives from the switch banks;
http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/how-to-pick-the-best-current-account-6292795.html
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has shown that more than three-quarters of claims for mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI) from failed firms are made through claims management companies.
However, it has been claimed that PPI victims hundreds of pounds worse off by using claims management companies.
New research by Gumtree.com found that one in four Britons are now making a second income through renting out their possessions, skills and time. Helen Monks gives readers ten ideas to boost your spending power;
http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/ten-ways-to-earn-a-second-income-398741.html
Get extra income with same day payday loans.
According to the CIFAS, the overall fraud levels increased by 9% last year, with identity fraud and so-called facility takeover fraud being two of the largest hikes.
Facility takeover fraud has risen by 300% in the last five years. This type of fraud happens when a fraudster gains access to a victim’s credit card, bank account or mobile phone.
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