Thousands of fed-up customers moving away from big banks
COLLAPSING consumer confidence in Britain’s big banks in the wake of a string of scandals has resulted in hundreds of thousands of people moving their accounts away from them to smaller financial...
View ArticleFiscal cliff casts shadow over markets
THE London market pulled back yesterday as the US appeared to drift towards its fiscal cliff of automatic tax rises and spending cuts.The FTSE 100 Index dropped 28.93 points or 0.5 per cent to 5,925.37...
View ArticleFinance squeeze keeps land prices static
FARMERS considering their options on buying or selling land have been told that prices are likely to remain static into next year with availability of finance remaining the biggest challenge for those...
View ArticleWet weather fires fluke crisis
ONE OF the unwanted legacies of 2012 is the vastly increased numbers of livestock infected with the liver fluke parasite. Earlier this month, a leading research scientist dealing with this problem, Dr...
View ArticleThousands take break from festivities to lodge their tax returns
THOUSANDS of tax returns were filed over Christmas as the tedium of self-assessment provided an escape from the festivities. HM Revenue & Customs has revealed that 1,548 people took time out on...
View ArticleSkint Scots set for low-key Hogmanay
NEXT WEEK’S Hogmanay celebrations could be unusually low key as cash-strapped Scots save their pennies, research suggests.More than eight in ten people plan to stay at home rather than head out for a...
View ArticleMarket conditions remain tough for homeowners, experts warn
HOMEOWNERS in Scotland banking on a resurgence in house prices face a long wait as lenders remain cautious and buyers sit on the sidelines, experts warn.Sales levels may improve slightly over the...
View ArticleCash clinic: Use review to mull over your options for income drawdown
I have an income drawdown plan that is approaching its first review. I have been told by my pension provider that the maximum income that I can take will be virtually halved.This has obviously come as...
View ArticleJeff Salway: Advice may carry too high a price tag as new rules kick in
ARE YOU ready for the biggest shake-up in financial services in more than a quarter of a century? The “retail distribution review” (RDR), which takes effect next week, sounds prosaic. It’s anything...
View ArticleFraudsters crank up the pressure on financially vulnerable
FRAUDSTERS are thriving in the fraught economic situation by targeting vulnerable consumers with scams that purport to offer an escape from their money troubles.Elderly Scots, in particular, are at...
View ArticleHow will the housing market play out over the next year?
Will prices rise or fall? Will it become easier to buy and sell? Jeff Salway asks the expertsIT WAS a case of “as you were” in Scotland’s housing market this year, with many of the headlines supplied...
View ArticleMarriage offers perfect opportunity to maximise your money while minimising...
THE ECONOMIC gloom is likely to linger in 2013, with household finances remaining under the cosh. However, you can use the tax system to turn the downturn to your advantage over the coming year.Sell to...
View ArticleTen money saving tips: Taking on role of executor
WHEN asked who they wish to deal with the administration of their estate, most people will select family members or professional advisers. But what’s not always apparent is the extent of...
View ArticlePeter Bickley: Third time lucky as we seeks true signs of global recovery
AS 2012 limps unconvincingly towards its close – just like 2010 and 2011 – you would have to say it does not exactly cut a dash. Growth has remained elusive and Britain managed to slip into yet another...
View ArticleRob Trotter: Days of owning a starter flat may be numbered
UNLESS born into a wealthy family, achieving the dream of owning a spacious home in a desirable tree-lined avenue is, for most people, a long and fairly financially tortuous climb up the property...
View ArticleHelpdesk: Dispute over the change leaves a bitter taste in bar argument
THIS week the Helpdesk deals with a thorny issue. Mr CT of Edinburgh is convinced he was given the wrong change in a city centre pub. But the pub management insists that this cannot be.Q: I have a type...
View ArticleCalling in the Geek Squad can help ring in the changes
Carphone Warehouse’s specialist staff can make the transition from ancient mobile to smartphone pain free , writes Claire SmithSometimes you know it is time for a change. I was very attached to my old...
View ArticleTen money saving tips: Making your cash count
SOME people will be coming back down to earth with an unpleasant bump as they pay the price of festive frolicking, but Derek Stewart, managing partner at Uddingston-based SAM Wealth, offers some top...
View ArticleLib Dem MPs say less is more in packaging drive
BINS overflowing with packaging, used wrapping paper and empty biscuit boxes are a common sight at this time of year – but Liberal Democrat MPs say enough is enough.Scottish Lib Dem leader Alistair...
View ArticleDrivers urged to prepare for winter conditions
WITH winter weather and dark nights, it is vitally important to keep cars well maintained and ready for cold and ice.However, British motorists have a careless attitude towards winter conditions,...
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