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Savings & investments

Archives for May 2010

ISA - Balanced?
Would appreciate any comments on the balance of my stocks & shares ISA portfolio. Especially if I'm blatantly overweighted or under-invested in any particularly area. 30% UK All Companies Equities 25% UK Equity Income & Growth 12% UK Corporate Bonds 10% UK Gilts 10% Property 10% Actively Managed 03% Speculative Punt I pay…
BS'd by Dunfermline BS
I have had a remote account with Dunfermline for over 12 years, during which time my monthly SOs have built up into a nice fund that has paid a good rate of interest. The account matured this week and the default is a "gold" account with an anything but golden return of 0.1% pa. When my other postal accounts have…
wine
anyone know if there is truth in the rumours that fine wine investments will be subject to capital gains tax in the new budget?
Short term saving for a lump sum
I have just borrowed £28 thousand on my mortgage to have my loft converted and received the cheque this morning (hooray). My dilemma is that I will not be having the loft converted until later in the year, and I am not sure of the best way to "save" the money until then. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Best place for a lump sum for a child.
My Ds was given £10000 by his grandparents - he is 10 at the moment where is the best and safest place to put it. Thanks
£8000 savings, 1 yr till wedding
I have £8000 .Any suggestions as to where I should put this money for the best return. I will need to take it out in July 2011
what to do with substantial inheritance?
Hi I am just about to inherit a few hundred thousand and am after some advice please. In brief, my personal circumstances are : Mortgage paid off, so no debts Cash (inc ISA) savings of > £100k Teenage children, who are receiving their own inheritances - to cover university and house deposit - so not worried about them 43…
Accounts in child's name - how does it work ?
Say I want to put some money in an account for my child. How does it work ? Can I get the money out or is it locked away until the child is older ? We are talking about a 3 year old child here.
Hargreaves and Lansdown Review
Barclays have been nagging me for ages to do a review of my finanaces, which i have finally do with them, but i also did with Hargreaves and Lansdown at the same time, as a comparision. I like the advise from both, which take a cautious risk and move my Cash ISA (40K) into a Share ISA Fund like Jupiter Merlin Income…
Post Office Saving Stamps - no longer accepted after 28 August 2010!
My apologies if this has already been mentioned elsewhere, or is in the incorrect forum. I did a search, and nothing on this came up. Anyways, after trying to buy my monthly £10 in savings stamps today, I was told that the Post office are no longer selling savings stamps, and that the system is being replaced with a…
Cash in P"Bonds and Pay Mortgage Off ?
Hi, Got an outstanding £9500 on the mortgage , paying £310 per month at current rates till Jan 2013. Have similar amount in Premium Bonds and was considering cashing them in and paying outstanding mortgage off , leaving me £310 better off each month . I am retired (58) and have a works pension (wife works) and can afford…
MSE News: Savings 'price skirmish' breaks out
This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story: "battle has broken out among banks and building societies over which offers the best easy access savings rate ..." Read the full story: Savings 'price skirmish' breaks out
business saving account
We are a Limited Company with excellent cashflow, we often have between 50k & 100k surpless monthly cash! we are looking for an online savings account with instant access, we do not want an overdraft, cheque books or cards, just an account that will enable us to reduce the amount of cash in the business current account.…
£12000 savings for 96 year old
Hi My gran has asked me if I could do something with her savings. She is 96 years old and has £12000 which is sitting in a normal bank account. I'm not sure of the best place to put it. I know the ISA allowance is £5100 so I could put £5100 in an Isa. Not sure about the rest or if she pays tax like everyone else? I see egg…
Short Term Investment/Savings Advice
Hi, I have £200,000 and will be buying a second house. Completion should be in 4 to 6 weeks. I am looking for somewhere to place the money to gain maximum interest. I am hoping someone here can give me some advice
Account for our 2 years old god-daughter/niece
My hubby and I want to open an account for our niece (soon to be god-daughter also) but not sure of the best thing to do. Bank account or saving accounts and who offers the best? Can we do this as her god-parents/relatives or does it need to be in her parents name? It is going to be her christening gift - along with the…
Index-linked Savings Certificates questions
Are Index-linked Savings Certificates worth having compared to say fixed rate bonds? I have never held these before: so am i right in thinking that the current RPI which I think is about 3.5% plus 1 % bonus would give you 4.5% tax free. Thats per year for 3 years. Am I right? I understand that the RPI fluctuates. Thanks
NS&I index linked 5 year
I'm maxed out on the current 3 year issue and have several fixed rate bonds maturing end of May with not many options what to do with it. I was wondering if it is worth taking out the 5 year index linked just because after a year you could close with interest or leave if rates are still poor. I guess what I'm asking is the…
Saving for older children
My daughter is almost 15 and we have saved hard over the years for the inevitable expensive student years. To do this we have used regular savings, FR bonds, childrens accounts etc. I have just been told, however, that these accounts are liable to tax at age 16 unless held in the child's name alone. Does anyone have any…
iPad and Online Banking
Does the Apple iPad provide a COMPLETE web experience meaning that it provides FULL functionality at all banking, financial and shopping sites ?

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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