Money Saving News for May 2009
- Nationwide: House prices rise - 29th May, 2009
Property investments may be looking like a more secure prospect again as the latest figures from Nationwide show that house prices have risen in the last month.
The building society revealed that the price of the average house in the UK increased by 1.2 per cent in May to £154,016, having fallen by 0.3 per cent in April.
However, even with the slight rise, house prices are still 11.3 per cent lower than they were at this time last year... - Best basic bank accounts recommended - 29th May, 2009
Basic bank accounts come in all different shapes and sizes. Now one financial magazine has compiled a shortlist of the best basic bank account providers in the UK for its annual awards.
Moneywise has rated the banks on their levels of customer service, claiming that this is one of the most important aspects of banking during the credit crunch... - Car insurance provider warns of holiday congestion - 29th May, 2009
Auto insurance provider the AA has issued a warning to motorists in the UK ahead of the summer holiday season to watch out for added congestion on the roads.
The insurer said that traffic to its online route planner in the lead up to last Sunday has increased by 11 per cent when compared with the same period last year, as more people choose to take breaks in the UK rather than jetting off abroad during the recession... - Leeds Building Society launches new fixed-rate mortgage - 29th May, 2009
A new fixed-rate mortgage has been launched by Leeds Building Society, which claims that it will offer flexibility and security to customers.
The new two-year offering will charge interest at a rate of 3.4 per cent and enables borrowers to make ten per cent capital repayments each year without incurring any penalty... - Abbey to rebrand as Santander - 28th May, 2009
Abbey is to rebrand all its branches in the UK as Santander, the name of its parent company, it has emerged.
The credit card provider, which offers deals aimed specifically at those using credit cards abroad, was purchased by the Spanish banking group Santander in 2004. It will change its name in the first half of next year... - Halifax Home Insurance 'finds regional pride in the UK' - 28th May, 2009
Home insurance provider Halifax has conducted a survey which reveals that people in the UK are often very attached to their particular region.
According to the poll, most people in the UK feel attached to their particular region of the country because their friends and family live there, with 60 per cent citing this as a reason for regional pride... - Co-operative Bank launches new tracker mortgage - 28th May, 2009
A new tracker mortgage has been launched by the Co-operative Bank, which claims it offers a better loan-to-value ratio than most of the other options on the market.
The bank's new mortgage will charge an initial rate of interest of 2.39 per cent, making it 1.89 per cent higher than the Bank of England's current base rate. This will be made available to borrowers seeking a loan-to-value ratio of up to 75 per cent... - Money saving tips offered for homeowners - 28th May, 2009
A list of tips which could help home movers save money as they go about moving house has been issued by Tescocompare.com.
The website suggested that people moving house should check whether their home contents insurance policy will cover them in their new dwelling, as any potential theft could prove expensive if it does not... - Spoilers can spoil chances of cheap car insurance, says survey - 27th May, 2009
Cheap car insurance may be harder to come by for young motorists who drive modified or sportier vehicles, according to research released recently.
The study, conducted by uSwitch.com, found that adding 'go-faster extras' such as body kit to a car increases young drivers' insurance premiums for the vehicle by an average of £2,682 per year... - Brits spending 'unnecessarily' on foreign currency - 27th May, 2009
Brits may be spending unnecessary amounts when using credit cards abroad and buying foreign currency, according to a study conducted by FairFX.
The foreign exchange provider found that 69 per cent of people in the UK claim that every penny counts when buying foreign currency, but 29 per cent choose to withdraw from local ATMs when they travel overseas...