February 2009 - Product Reviews

Bank Accounts - Joining the Euro: Is it a Good Idea?

Joining the Euro: Is it a Good Idea? Introduction The first stages of European Monetary Union (EMU), or the adoption of the single European currency, the Euro, took place in 1999. For the first two years of its life, however, the Euro was solely an electronic banking currency, and the ... More

Unsecured Loans - Why Are Unsecured Loans Hard to Find?

Why Are Unsecured Loans Hard to Find? Introduction The lack of availability of affordable unsecured loans is due, in large part, to the global "credit crunch", as it has become known. A few years ago, you would have been hard pressed to find anyone – other than an economist, of course – who... More

Debt Consolidation - Why Should I Pay for Other People's Bad Debt through My Taxes?

Why Should I Pay for Other People's Bad Debt through My Taxes? Introduction The United Kingdom officially entered recession for the first time since 1991 in the final quarter of 2008, when GDP ("Gross Domestic Product") fell by 1.5%, compounding a fall of 0.6% in the third quarter and ... More

Debt Consolidation - What Will Lenders Do If I Can't Repay My Debts on Time?

What Will Lenders Do If I Can't Repay My Debts on Time? Introduction There was a time when debt of any kind had a huge social stigma attached to it, but that is no longer the case. Debt and the management of debt, is part of everyday life for many people – the average British adult is ... More

Remortgage - How Long Does It Take To Remortgage?

How Long Does It Take To Remortgage? Introduction There are numerous reasons why you might want to remortgage your existing home, but typical reasons include moving to a better interest rate – instead of reverting to the (typically uncompetitive) SVR, or "Standard Variable Rate", offered by ... More

Debt Consolidation - Credit Card Debt – Is it out of control?

Credit Card Debt – Is it out of control? By the end of 2008, UK personal debt had reached a total of £1,457 billion, an increase of £50 billion in 12 months. Individual consumer credit borrowing was £233 billion. The average household debt in the UK is £9,550, which excludes mortgages, and ... More

Remortgage - Is It Better To Go To A Broker Or Direct To The Bank When Remortgaging?

Is It Better To Go To A Broker Or Direct To The Bank When Remortgaging? One of the most important decisions you will ever make in life will be which mortgage to take out to help you purchase a home, so you'll want to be certain that you are getting the best deal for your situation. There are ... More

Vehicle Loans - Car Loans - Is it A Good Time To Buy?

Car Loans - Is it A Good Time To Buy? One would have to be from another planet not to realise that the auto industry is in dire straights. The relative boom years of the early decade have passed and although the number of people eligible to drive is increasing as the population grows, sales of... More

My Credit Report - How Do I Get hold Of My Credit Report And What Should I Do?

How Do I Get hold Of My Credit Report And What Should I Do? Every adult in the UK has a credit rating. This is based on your history of how you have used credit and lender or other service provider's experience of their dealings with you. You may not have borrowed any money, but you will still... More

Remortgage - What Fees Do I Need To Pay When Remortgaging?

What Fees Do I Need To Pay When Remortgaging? As a homeowner, you might choose to remortgage for several reasons: • To reduce their existing debt to a cheaper home loan • Because you anticipate lower interest rates • To take advantage of better interest rate deals such as extended fixed ... More

Debt Consolidation - Repossession - What Can I do to Stop It?

Repossession - What Can I do to Stop It? Your home is probably your biggest single asset as well as a property in which you have invested psychologically. Maintaining a family home is a top priority and, therefore, when debts start to mount or income is under pressure, the mortgage payments ... More

Unsecured Loans - What Is Toxic Debt ?

What Is Toxic Debt ? A new phrase has entered the financial and general vocabulary over the past year to describe a class of assets that once had value and are now worthless. 'Toxic Debt' is the in description and used in a variety of situations to describe a debt class of assets that now have ... More

Bank Accounts - Bank accounts why are the banks after us to change

For many years, the UK general public has experienced some of the most flexible, competitive and cheapest banking facilities in the world. With the demise of the financial system through late 2007 and 2008, the banks are now under severe pressure to change the way that they have operated in the ... More

New Mortgages - Will House Prices Fall Even Further?

Will House Prices Fall Even Further? Crystal balls all over the country, and many other countries, are permanently being shined at the moment to seek an answer as to whether, and when, house prices will stabilise. As with all factors at the current time, the amount of uncertainty in the market ... More

Remortgage - Is it a good time to remortgage now interest rates are low

With interest rates at their lowest level for 50 years, now might be a good time to consider remortgaging your home. Remortgaging to a lower rate can have a number of advantages above simply looking to reduce your current monthly payment amount. The unfortunate side of the recent financial ... More

Remortgage - Mortgage:-Difference between trackers and fixed rates

There are many different types of mortgage available in the market. Despite the number of mortgages on offer being reduced significantly over the past year due to the economic recession and banking crisis, the two most popular types remain as the core offering. The principal choice of interest ... More

Remortgage - Remortgaging when you are self employed

Being self employed has lots of advantages – but it can also have its challenges too. If you are a sole trader or small business partnership, your income can be irregular and unpredictable. With interest rates at record lows, now is a good time to consider remortgaging to achieve a lower rate or ... More

Remortgage - Self Certification Mortgages - What Are They?

Self Certification Mortgages - What Are They? When your income is uncertain or hard to prove it can be a challenge even at the best of times to get a mortgage or loan. These days, with the economy in poor shape and with many either losing their jobs or suffering a reduction in hours, lenders ... More

Remortgage - Bridging Finance - Can This Help?

Bridging Finance - Can This Help? It isn't always possible for everything to happen in a nice orderly manner and for all your finances to fall into place exactly at the right time and for the desired amount. There may be times when a Bridging Loan can help. A Bridging Loan is a short ... More

Remortgage - New Mortgage what Deposits will be nedded?

We have certainly entered a new era for mortgages. In the heady days of the last 20 years it was possible to get a mortgage agreed for up to 120% of the value of the home. This was justified on the basis that house prices were rising at 10% per annum and that within a few years, the home owner ... More

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