Judging the Hidden Costs of Credit Cards by Michael Hanna
Recent reports from CreditAction and the National Debtline appear to show that UK consumers are becoming more financially aware and are looking to reduce their levels of personal debt which have spiraled seemingly out of control over the past few years. ... Despite the industry wide introduction last year of the "honesty box" in all credit card statements designed to outline the costs of loans and any additional charges, it seems that the activities of some of the financial services, especially certain credit card companies are misleading consumers and making it difficult to determine the...

Banking Online Brings Multiple Advantages by Tim Day
With so much negative publicity in the tabloids about banks closing their doors on the High Street, it is too easy to forget the positive aspects which lie behind these dismal (and over exaggerated) tales. In fact, between the Internet and the debit card, it is harder to say which has... This has extended in many cases to cover not only current accounts, but also savings, mortgage, loan and credit card offerings. ... Current account choices range from Premium accounts, offering various perks (at a price) to Intelligent Finance offerings combining the management of savings, mortgage, loans...

Personal Accounts – Choosing Your Bank by Joseph Kenny
While many people are with their bank because they’re used to them or because it seems like an unwanted hassle to change accounts, there can be benefits to shopping around. And just because you keep your main account in one bank, there’s no need to keep all your accounts or credit cards with one... For a small fee you can request details of your credit rating from Equifax or Experian – the two leading credit reference agencies. ... If you have a poor credit rating or a large overdraft, you may find it harder to change banks, but some banks will ‘buy’ your overdraft from you, or offer to...