Money Saving News for March 2009
- HSBC recommended as 'growth shares' - 4th March, 2009
An investment advisor has recommended that HSBC stockholders to contact their share dealing companies and take part in the biggest rights issue in banking history.
Nick Raynor, investment adviser at retail stockbroker the Share Centre, says that the bank is in a good position compared to its peers and the size of the rights issue should not worry investors... - Visa credit cards are 'battling the bust' - 4th March, 2009
It has been revealed that consumers are shielding themselves from the dangers of shopping at recession-ravaged retailers by using their visa credit cards for purchases.
Saga Platinum has discovered that almost of half (46 per cent) of consumers are using their credit cards in stores to protect their purchases should the vendor go bust... - 'Increased interest' in stocks and shares ISAs - 4th March, 2009
A study of online searches shows that investors are turning their attention to stocks and shares ISAs.
Falling interest rates appear to be behind the shifting sands in the world of ISAs, according to Fairinvestment.co.uk, while rates could fall even further when the monetary policy committee announces its base rate decision tomorrow (March 5th)... - Savings accounts in the UK 'could be hit by rate cuts' - 3rd March, 2009
Those with savings accounts in the UK could be badly hit if interest rates are cut this week, it has been argued.
The Building Societies Association (BSA) said that a decision to lower the base rate from its current level of 0.5 per cent could spell bad news for savers... - Life insurance premiums 'could be cut' by quitting smoking - 3rd March, 2009
Life insurance premiums could be reduced by stopping smoking, according to moneysupermarket.com.
The website claims that by quitting smoking, individuals could save on average up to £1,725 on a single life insurance policy, or £8,404 on combined critical illness and life cover... - Principality adds to its ISA savings accounts - 3rd March, 2009
Building society Principality has announced a new 3.30 per cent AER two-year fixed-rate ISA and has offered some money saving tips.
The society is urging those who do not have ISA savings accounts to make the most of their tax-free allowance before the April deadline passes.
Principality has also revealed that there has been a jump in the level of fixed-term accounts opened, with numbers increasing almost threefold from 44,000 in 2007 to 108,000 last year.
James Wright, marketing director of Principality, says that, before the ISA deadline passes, now represents the "perfect opportunity for savers to take the cash they have in ordinary low-interest accounts and put it in an ISA that will give them an excellent return on their money, guaranteed"... - Maths, English and children's bank accounts - 3rd March, 2009
A new poll has revealed that parents want their children to be educated about finances in school.
Research from the Co-operative suggests that knowledge equals power when it comes to the financial world - and parents want their offspring to learn about macroeconomics in between their other subjects... - Mortgage companies could approve '30% fewer loans' - 3rd March, 2009
Should current trends continue, mortgage companies will approve far fewer mortgages in 2009, according to moneysupermarket.com
The site calculates that if mortgage lenders carry on approving 12,000 house loans a month, the final figure for the year will stutter to 372,000.
This level is around 30 per cent below the 529,000 house purchase loans that were approved last year... - Barack Obama creates new 'hot dog' for pet health insurance - 3rd March, 2009
It has been claimed that, following Barack Obama's decision to purchase a Portuguese water dog, there will be a jump in demand for the dog and pet insurance in the UK.
Sainsbury's Bank predicts that there will be a surge in copycats looking to emulate the leader, just like the clamour for chihuahuas over the last couple of years... - Nervous investors 'do not have to forgo the ISA tax shelter' - 2nd March, 2009
Peter Hicks, head of UK retail sales at Fidelity International, claims that investors are realising that, although they may be wary about the stock market, they do not have to sacrifice their stocks and shares ISAs.
Mr Hicks made the comment after revealing that Fidelity FundsNetwork's ISA Cash Park has taken in £167 million since it was launched in March of last year...