Are cash ISAs still worth it?
We all know that interest rates are at historic lows – and with them showing no sign of increasing in the near future, you could be forgiven for thinking that Cash ISAs would be quickly losing their popularity. Despite the fact that even significant levels of saving don’t get much…
Could your face replace your bank card?
Once upon a time we bartered; we exchanged animal skins for meat and sold our labour for a square meal. Then, gradually, coins and paper money arrived. Banks became secure. We wrote cheques. We had a credit card in our pocket as the ads encouraged us ‘to take the waiting…
Does an increase to capital gains tax look likely?
While Rishi Sunak’s spring budget introduced a variety of new initiatives and updates to multiple taxes, one suspected change was missing from the big red book. Analysts had speculated that a capital gains tax (CGT) hike would be a likely inclusion in Sunak’s budget, expecting it to be brought more…
Can Being Flexible with Hours Really Boost Productivity?
In the old days it was simple. You went to work for a company, spent your whole life there and duly retired. ‘Security’ was what people wanted in a job. But the world of work was changing, even before the pandemic. As more Millennials, people who came of age around…
Could we see Negative Interest Rates in the UK?
In February, the Daily Telegraph had a headline which must have alarmed savers up and down the land: ‘Savers face threat of negative interest rates.’ According to the story, the Bank of England had told the clearing banks that they ‘must be ready to introduce the policy in the next…
Budget Overview 2021
Introduction It is interesting to look back 12 months to Rishi Sunak’s first Budget: it was followed by a year none of us could have predicted or imagined. The Conservatives had won a comfortable majority in the December 2019 General Election. As expected, Sajid Javid became Chancellor and, in January,…
The Investment Theories which go Against Conventional Wisdom
Many of you will have heard the old stock market maxim; ‘Sell in May and go away.’ It ended with, ‘Don’t come back until St. Leger day’ and held that the best investment practice was to sell up in May and enjoy the English summer season, the Lord’s test, Ascot…
Should I worry about ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’?
Buy now, pay later schemes are becoming increasingly popular as firms such as Klarna and ClearPay partner with large online retailers ASOS and JD Sports, as well as many others. According to Statista, the usage of the Klarna app more than doubled between March and July of 2020, hitting over…
Aligning your spending with your values
Our values are an important part of who we are. There are certain things that many of us can’t avoid spending our money on, but for the most part, it feels good to put your money where your mouth is and support the industries, businesses and causes that you care…
How to have fun in lockdown: 3 activities for the whole family
With lockdowns underway and parents schooling their kids from home, often while juggling their time against their job, it can be difficult to find time for play and rest. Even if you do have the time, what do you do? You can’t take the kids to the cinema for an…