Money Saving News for February 2010
- Balance transfer credit card deals signal economic recovery - 19th February, 2010

The re-emergence of interest-free balance transfer credit card deals is an indication that the UK is on the road to economic recovery, 24-7 press release reports.
Interest-free balance transfer deals enable banks and credit cardholders the opportunity to shift credit and debt... - Millions of Britons are unable to secure balance transfer credit cards - 18th February, 2010

Banks have been urged to offer their products to millions of Britons who are presently unable to access loans, overdrafts and all types of credit cards, including balance transfer credit cards.
The plea has come from the Better Banking Campaign, a body comprised of charities and local groups, which has claimed that up to seven million people are unable to access some regular banking services... - Cofunds set to unveil new personal pension plan - 18th February, 2010

It has been announced that Cofunds is joining forces with Suffolk Life to launch a personal pension plan on the platform in the first quarter of 2010, ifaonline.co.uk reports.
Though the wrapper is still in its developmental phase, it has already been revealed that the charging structure will favour Britons who use other elements of the Cofunds platform, such as ISA wrappers, instead of the personal pension plan... - Virgin Money's balance transfer credit card rated the best - 17th February, 2010

A leading personal finance expert has advised Britons that balance transfer credit cards can help borrowers to cut their interest and tackle their debts.
Money Mail's James Coney stated that the Virgin Money Mastercard, which offers 16 months interest-free at 2.98 per cent, is the best balance transfer credit card on the UK market... - Personal pension plan provider Prudential claims gender gap is growing - 17th February, 2010

A leading personal pension plan provider has revealed that the pension gap between men and women has continued to grow.
According to the Prudential Class of 2010 retirement survey, a woman's expected pension this year is £7,424 less than a man's, while women's pensions have fallen by 11 per cent since 2009... - Loan information numbers reveal stamp duty's influence on mortgages - 16th February, 2010

A rush to secure mortgage deals before the end of the stamp duty holiday boosted lending in the last month of 2009, new loan information figures have revealed.
According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), the number of loans to first-time buyers was at its highest for two years... - Balance transfer credit card customers experience interest rate rises - 16th February, 2010

Balance transfer credit card holders have been told that interest rates on credit cards have reached the highest level since 1998, new research has stated.
According to moneyfacts.co.uk, balance transfer credit card providers have hiked rates due to unemployment and concerns over people's ability to repay debts... - Rowanmoor announces strong SIPP pensions performance - 15th February, 2010

The UK's largest independent small self-administered scheme (SSAS) provider has revealed that its sales have almost doubled in the first quarter of its financial year.
Rowanmoor Pensions said that sales in the final quarter of last year increased by 88 per cent across its self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), SSAS and family pension trust products... - Lovemoney.com rates Barclaycard's new balance transfer credit card - 15th February, 2010

A personal finance expert has endorsed the new balance transfer credit card from Barclaycard.
As part of lovemoney.com's annual review of the best balance transfer credit cards and current accounts on the UK market, financial advisor Jane Baker praised the new Barclaycard product because of its "generous interest-free period on balance transfers"... - Investec launches new SIPP pension with 'market leading' interest rates - 12th February, 2010

Investec bank has announced that it will pay interest of 2.5 per cent on its pension and trust reserve account, myfinances.co.uk reports.
The bank has hailed the investment plan, which holds the cash element of a Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) portfolio, as having one of the most attractive rates on the UK investment market...