Money Saving News for May 2009
- Brits putting less into savings accounts in the UK - 20th May, 2009
Brits are stashing less of their income into savings accounts in the UK on average than they were three months ago, a survey has revealed.
The poll, conducted by Abbey, found that people in the UK currently save around £120 a month, which is £43 less than the figure in a comparable survey taken three months ago... - 'Bank holiday chaos' may affect roads - 20th May, 2009
Motorists in the UK may be hit by delays this weekend as bank holiday chaos affects the roads, according to the auto insurance provider esure.
The company has conducted research which reveals that around 10.6 million UK drivers are likely to experience delays on the roads, as 54 per cent of the total population is planning to travel... - Offsetting mortgages 'can help customers save' - 19th May, 2009
Financial services provider first direct has offered customers a money saving tip for mortgages, which could help them find the cheapest bargain deals.
The bank conducted research which revealed that by swapping to an offset mortgage, customers could cut down the length of a £100,000 25-year mortgage by around three years, leading to a potential saving of £18,322 in interest payments... - Drivers 'would fail if they retook test' - 19th May, 2009
Auto insurance provider the AA has published a poll which shows that a significant proportion of motorists in the UK believe they could not pass their driving test if they were asked to retake it.
The survey revealed that one in two experienced drivers said they would be unlikely to pass the practical test again as they had forgotten many of the skills they had acquired... - Savings accounts in the UK 'viewed more favourably' - 19th May, 2009
Consumers are changing their attitude to savings accounts in the UK and viewing them more positively, according to research released recently by Nationwide.
The building society's monthly savings index poll, which charts the public's perception of savings accounts in the UK, reveals a two per cent increase. The index showing the importance people attach to saving has also increased by one point... - Mortgage company announces "low" repossession figures - 18th May, 2009
Home mortgage holders who have taken out loans from the Co-operative Bank have largely been allowed to remain in their homes, as the bank has revealed that its repossession figures are "low".
According to its own internal figures, the bank has been involved in eight repossessions in the past 16 months, a figure which represents 0.015 per cent of its mortgage book.
Terry Jordan, head of mortgages at the Co-operative Bank, said: "Our repossession figures as a proportion of our mortgage book are extremely low, when compared with the industry average."
He added that some of this success may be attributable to the fact that the bank has a dedicated team of mortgage advisers who aim to help people out at the earliest opportunity if they cannot meet repayments... - Money saving tips offered for online shoppers - 18th May, 2009
Which? has offered some money saving tips for people who do their supermarket shopping online in the UK.
Jess Ross, editor of which.co.uk, said: "Going online for your grocery shop is a great way to save time, cut the hassle of supermarket shopping and help you stick to a budget."
However, she added that customers have to make sure they are getting the right goods delivered in order to get best value for money... - Savings accounts in the UK 'more popular with women' - 18th May, 2009
A survey conducted by Halifax has revealed that women keep a greater proportion of their money in savings accounts in the UK than men, suggesting that saving may be more popular among the fairer sex.
Halifax's poll found that women in the UK have savings account balances equivalent to around 40 per cent of their annual earnings on average.
By contrast, the average man keeps around 23 per cent of his annual earnings stashed away in savings accounts in the UK. The survey did not take the 24 per cent of Brits with no savings at all into account... - Money saving tips offered for car scrappage scheme - 18th May, 2009
Money saving tips aimed at helping motorists in the UK make the most out of the government's car scrappage scheme have been published by one website.
According to uSwitch.com, the initiative - which would see drivers offered up to £2,000 to scrap old cars and buy newer, more environmentally-friendly models - may be undermined by the fact that many new vehicles lose their value quickly... - UK shopping vouchers 'offered to quitters' - 18th May, 2009
Mothers-to-be who give up smoking may be rewarded with UK shopping vouchers, it has emerged.
The Yorkshire Post reported that health officials in the Rotheram area are planning on giving out money off coupons to pregnant women who attend anti-smoking advice sessions...