Are you one of those people who doesn't open their bank or credit card statements? Do you take out store cards on the spur of the moment? Have you been with the same bank simply because it is less hassle than changing?
If you have answered yes to any of the above questions, fear not confused consumer, help is at hand, with some assistance from a few internet tools.
* Internet tool number one:
** The consumer champion site for personal finance information
Websites such as Fool.com, Fool.co.uk and Moneysavingexpert.com have proved extremely popular with consumers. Fool.com is more geared towards the US market, whilst Fool.co.uk focuses on the UK market. Both have an extremely diverse selection of information from investment and high risk options to personal finance and low risk options. There are extensive discussion boards, newsletter subscriptions, finance calculators and competitions. These sites not only answer your questions, they make you want to ask more.
Fool.com, Fool.co.uk and Moneysavingexpert.com are community based sites and function on consumers exchanging information between themselves, whether that's about passing on recommendations or expressing concerns. The article "Ten Reasons To Fear The Future" by Cliff D'Arcy" on Fool.co.uk is a particularly good introduction to the financial aspects of modern life.
Martin Lewis has almost become a household name in the UK through his website Moneysavingexpert. The outspoken journalist and presenter offers a comprehensive resource on a range of personal finance topics. If you can put up with the cheesey photos of Mr Lewis and his catalogue poses, you will undoubtedly find this site extremely helpful.
* Internet tool number two:
** The price comparison site for personal finance information
Kelkoo, moneynet.co.uk and Lowermybills.com (US) are now commonly exploited by consumers to ensure they are getting the best deal on their purchases. However, it is probably fair to say that more people shop around for clothes and music, than they do for their personal finance products, which is worrying as these cost significantly more.
* Internet tool number three:
** Online banking and account aggregation tools
The internet can be a scary thing and there is still much scaremongering about online security. However your details are often as secure online, as they are offline and providing you choose and hide your password effectively - there should not be a problem with people accessing your confidential information. Choose a password of eight characters or more, preferably replacing some letters with numbers, such "1nternet" or "passw0rd".
Set yourself up with online accounts and you can proactively manage your finances yourself, without waiting for statements through the post or call centre agents to take your query. You can also save yourself bank charges by transferring funds yourself over the internet. Some banks charge large amounts for transferring funds when you can do it for no additional cost at all.
Personal finance doesn't have to be about debt and the efficient co-ordination of funds may save you hundreds of pounds in the long-term.
Resources: http://www.fool.com>http://www.fool.com http://www.moneynet.co.uk>http://www.moneynet.co.uk
About the Author
Rachel would be really interested to get feedback on whether anyone actually reads this section.If someone feels like rescuing Rachel from obscurity, she would be grateful for an e-mail out of here. Rachel writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla - http://www.cashzilla.co.uk>http://www.cashzilla.co.uk E-mail: rachel@positiveinterest.com
Written by: Rachel Lane
Showing posts with label moneynet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moneynet. Show all posts
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
MoneyNet Takes Finance Personally
Moneynet, the personal finance specialist, is expanding its range of product guides to include financial lifestyle information to appeal to families, students and other consumer markets. Moneynet, the most established consumer research website in the UK has taken the initiative in response to concerns that consumers are becoming alienated by complex finance information.
The family finance guide is the sixth publication to be released by moneynet and initially incorporates two sections, with the intention of future content expansion. The first section covers financial basics for parents, with a summary on the financial resources that are available to families, including Child Benefit, Statutory Maternity Pay, Child Tax Credits, Child Trust Funds and the Education Maintenance Allowance. The second section offers some suggestions to parents who wish to encourage their children to become financially aware and responsible with money.
The family finance guide will be extended later this year to encompass issues such as the financial practicalities of bereavement, inheritance tax, financial protection for the family, planning your child’s education, and divorce.
With increasing pressure on personal finance product providers to present more transparent information for consumers, companies which proactively seek a more positive interaction with customers are welcomed by the public. In terms of managing customer expectations online, moneynet can appreciate the increase in internet users going online to research and manage their money #, whilst acknowledging the fact that most consumers have yet to feel comfortable with their finances. Credit Action reported in May this year that half the people who take out credit in shops, had not intended to do so when they left home, whilst a report published by Cambridge University allegedly revealed that nine million Britons suffer from financial phobia. These factors secure moneynet as a highly relevant tool to assist consumers with their financial homework.
Moneynet has been championing greater access to financial product information for consumers since 1997. The company hopes that information which is based on a ‘stage of life’, as well as encompassing technical details about a particular product, will be more accessible to visitors, encouraging them to seek the best deal for their loan, mortgage, credit card and insurance.
Richard Brown, Chief Executive of Moneynet said of the guides, “since 1997 moneynet has been at the forefront of the move to make financial information more accessible to the consumer. As the first personal finance website in the UK to publish inter-active and comprehensive data on the UK personal finance market we have always believed that the consumer should be better informed. Our latest guides will add to the existing library and help to further educate our users, making them better positioned to challenge the product providers.”
# According to market research firm NOP World (nopworld.com)
Further information:
Contact: Jane Meares, Communications Manager
Tel: 020 8313 9030
E-mail: jmeares@moneynet.co.uk/
Web: http://www.moneynet.co.uk/
Address: 2nd Floor, Sussex House, 8-10 Homesdale Rd, Bromley, Kent. BR2 9LZ
About the Author
Moneynet.co.uk is the UK’s most established personal finance research and data website. The company offers consumers a wide range of low cost financial products: from mortgages and personal loans; to car, home and medical insurance; credit cards; savings accounts and best-buy fixed rate products.
Written by: Rachel Lane
The family finance guide is the sixth publication to be released by moneynet and initially incorporates two sections, with the intention of future content expansion. The first section covers financial basics for parents, with a summary on the financial resources that are available to families, including Child Benefit, Statutory Maternity Pay, Child Tax Credits, Child Trust Funds and the Education Maintenance Allowance. The second section offers some suggestions to parents who wish to encourage their children to become financially aware and responsible with money.
The family finance guide will be extended later this year to encompass issues such as the financial practicalities of bereavement, inheritance tax, financial protection for the family, planning your child’s education, and divorce.
With increasing pressure on personal finance product providers to present more transparent information for consumers, companies which proactively seek a more positive interaction with customers are welcomed by the public. In terms of managing customer expectations online, moneynet can appreciate the increase in internet users going online to research and manage their money #, whilst acknowledging the fact that most consumers have yet to feel comfortable with their finances. Credit Action reported in May this year that half the people who take out credit in shops, had not intended to do so when they left home, whilst a report published by Cambridge University allegedly revealed that nine million Britons suffer from financial phobia. These factors secure moneynet as a highly relevant tool to assist consumers with their financial homework.
Moneynet has been championing greater access to financial product information for consumers since 1997. The company hopes that information which is based on a ‘stage of life’, as well as encompassing technical details about a particular product, will be more accessible to visitors, encouraging them to seek the best deal for their loan, mortgage, credit card and insurance.
Richard Brown, Chief Executive of Moneynet said of the guides, “since 1997 moneynet has been at the forefront of the move to make financial information more accessible to the consumer. As the first personal finance website in the UK to publish inter-active and comprehensive data on the UK personal finance market we have always believed that the consumer should be better informed. Our latest guides will add to the existing library and help to further educate our users, making them better positioned to challenge the product providers.”
# According to market research firm NOP World (nopworld.com)
Further information:
Contact: Jane Meares, Communications Manager
Tel: 020 8313 9030
E-mail: jmeares@moneynet.co.uk/
Web: http://www.moneynet.co.uk/
Address: 2nd Floor, Sussex House, 8-10 Homesdale Rd, Bromley, Kent. BR2 9LZ
About the Author
Moneynet.co.uk is the UK’s most established personal finance research and data website. The company offers consumers a wide range of low cost financial products: from mortgages and personal loans; to car, home and medical insurance; credit cards; savings accounts and best-buy fixed rate products.
Written by: Rachel Lane
MoneyNet Tackles Funding University With New Student Finance Guide
Consumer research site, moneynet, has published its seventh online brochure in the series of personal finance product guides. The student finance guide, collated by two graduates at moneynet, was generated in response to requests moneynet received from parents, students and prospective students who had serious financial concerns about how to fund university.
Graduates are reportedly leaving university with debts of over £13,000. With the advent of Child Trust Funds as a long term measure to assist with the costs of higher education, there is pressure on financial providers to not only consider the type of financial product they offer students, but to additionally review how they communicate complex terms to this young market and to ensure students have a solid understanding of the personal finance market.
In response to widespread public concern and letters from its customers who have families, moneynet has published a comprehensive guide to those factors which affect student finance and university budgets, including realistic expectations and practical suggestions. Key recommendations include:
* Gathering as many savings as possible before university, through birthday and Christmas presents, summer jobs, part-time jobs and any other savings accounts
* Shopping around for the best deals on household insurance, current accounts and savings accounts
* Bulk buying weekly groceries and being strict about spending, borrowing and lending
Richard Brown, Chief Executive of Moneynet said “We all understand the importance of budgeting, but for students this can be especially difficult. Our Guide to Student Finance is designed to provide some simple help and advice aimed at making those years in higher education a bit more bearable.”
Moneynet also provides an online banking management tool called AccountStore, which is a fast, simple and secure way to manage money. AccountStore would allow students to manage all their online accounts in one place under a single login, making it easy to keep track of credit card bills, overdraft spending, savings and standing orders.
Other publications in Moneynet’s series of consumer product information guides include: credit cards, mortgages, loans, life insurance, ethical investing and family finance. The website also features a comprehensive glossary for consumers who wish to look up more general personal finance terms.
Resources:
http://www.moneynet.co.uk/accountstore/index.shtml (Online banking management tool)
http://www.moneynet.co.uk/student-finance-guide/index.shtml (Student finance guide)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Editor's notes
Moneynet.co.uk is the UK’s most established personal finance research and data website. The company offers consumers a wide range of low cost financial products: from mortgages and personal loans; to car, home and medical insurance; credit cards; savings accounts and best-buy fixed rate products. Moneynet.co.uk is an ethical, impartial and comprehensive source of consumer finance information, covering the whole of the personal finance sector.
Moneynet was founded in 1997 by Chief Executive Richard Brown to simplify the personal finance market and provide consumers with impartial and interactive information on financial products and services.
Press enquiries
Richard Brown, Moneynet Chief Executive, 020 8313 9030
Consumer enquiries:
online@moneynet.co.uk
http://www.moneynet.co.uk
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
About the Author
Online distribution by bigmouthmedia: http://www.bigmouthmedia.com
Bigmouthmedia is a search engine optimization (SEO) + search engine marketing agency, specialising in paid search (PPC), organic search (optimisation), link strategy (online PR) + consultancy services in online brand protection.
Written by: Rachel Lane
Graduates are reportedly leaving university with debts of over £13,000. With the advent of Child Trust Funds as a long term measure to assist with the costs of higher education, there is pressure on financial providers to not only consider the type of financial product they offer students, but to additionally review how they communicate complex terms to this young market and to ensure students have a solid understanding of the personal finance market.
In response to widespread public concern and letters from its customers who have families, moneynet has published a comprehensive guide to those factors which affect student finance and university budgets, including realistic expectations and practical suggestions. Key recommendations include:
* Gathering as many savings as possible before university, through birthday and Christmas presents, summer jobs, part-time jobs and any other savings accounts
* Shopping around for the best deals on household insurance, current accounts and savings accounts
* Bulk buying weekly groceries and being strict about spending, borrowing and lending
Richard Brown, Chief Executive of Moneynet said “We all understand the importance of budgeting, but for students this can be especially difficult. Our Guide to Student Finance is designed to provide some simple help and advice aimed at making those years in higher education a bit more bearable.”
Moneynet also provides an online banking management tool called AccountStore, which is a fast, simple and secure way to manage money. AccountStore would allow students to manage all their online accounts in one place under a single login, making it easy to keep track of credit card bills, overdraft spending, savings and standing orders.
Other publications in Moneynet’s series of consumer product information guides include: credit cards, mortgages, loans, life insurance, ethical investing and family finance. The website also features a comprehensive glossary for consumers who wish to look up more general personal finance terms.
Resources:
http://www.moneynet.co.uk/accountstore/index.shtml (Online banking management tool)
http://www.moneynet.co.uk/student-finance-guide/index.shtml (Student finance guide)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Editor's notes
Moneynet.co.uk is the UK’s most established personal finance research and data website. The company offers consumers a wide range of low cost financial products: from mortgages and personal loans; to car, home and medical insurance; credit cards; savings accounts and best-buy fixed rate products. Moneynet.co.uk is an ethical, impartial and comprehensive source of consumer finance information, covering the whole of the personal finance sector.
Moneynet was founded in 1997 by Chief Executive Richard Brown to simplify the personal finance market and provide consumers with impartial and interactive information on financial products and services.
Press enquiries
Richard Brown, Moneynet Chief Executive, 020 8313 9030
Consumer enquiries:
online@moneynet.co.uk
http://www.moneynet.co.uk
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
About the Author
Online distribution by bigmouthmedia: http://www.bigmouthmedia.com
Bigmouthmedia is a search engine optimization (SEO) + search engine marketing agency, specialising in paid search (PPC), organic search (optimisation), link strategy (online PR) + consultancy services in online brand protection.
Written by: Rachel Lane
MoneyNet Adds Weight To Intelligent Finance.
Moneynet adds weight to intelligent finance with new personal finance product guides
Moneynet.co.uk, the UK’s longest established online personal finance information website, has recently published three online product guides to help consumers get to grips with the increasing complexity of personal finance products.
With a strong stance on ethical finance, the company felt it was important to be proactive on educating consumers about the different aspects of credit related products to get the best deal. This is crucial, as a recent report by Credit Action indicates that less than the half of adults are financially literate, which drops to a third for young adults aged between 21 and 24.
According to the National Statistics website, 91% of men and 90% of women in the UK have at least one credit card, collectively accumulating over £54.3 billion of debt. Credit Action, a national money education charity, states that 50% of the people who take out credit in shops, hadn’t planned to do so
when they left home. This is particularly serious as store cards often present the highest rate of interest, indicating either a lack of awareness or understanding on the part of the consumer, or worse a lack of concern about the possible consequences. A survey published last year by the Office of Fair
Trading showed that whilst 60% of cardholders thought they had a good understanding of credit cards, they were unable to answer specific questions or extract key information, such as the APR, fees for late payment or cash withdrawal.
There are currently three guides available on http://www.moneynet.co.uk, covering credit cards, mortgages and loans. In addition to explaining the different aspects of credit application, moneynet also offer a glossary of key terms in the resources section to help visitors gain a complete
understanding of the best product for their needs. Further guides are due to be published later this year.
About the Author
Moneynet.co.uk is the UK's longest established, online personal finance research and data website.
E-mail: INFO@MONEYNET.CO.UK
Telephone: 020 8313 9030
Website: http://www.moneynet.co.uk
ADDRESS: Moneynet
Sussex House
8-10 Homesdale Road
Bromley
Kent
BR2 9LZ
Written by: moneynet
Moneynet.co.uk, the UK’s longest established online personal finance information website, has recently published three online product guides to help consumers get to grips with the increasing complexity of personal finance products.
With a strong stance on ethical finance, the company felt it was important to be proactive on educating consumers about the different aspects of credit related products to get the best deal. This is crucial, as a recent report by Credit Action indicates that less than the half of adults are financially literate, which drops to a third for young adults aged between 21 and 24.
According to the National Statistics website, 91% of men and 90% of women in the UK have at least one credit card, collectively accumulating over £54.3 billion of debt. Credit Action, a national money education charity, states that 50% of the people who take out credit in shops, hadn’t planned to do so
when they left home. This is particularly serious as store cards often present the highest rate of interest, indicating either a lack of awareness or understanding on the part of the consumer, or worse a lack of concern about the possible consequences. A survey published last year by the Office of Fair
Trading showed that whilst 60% of cardholders thought they had a good understanding of credit cards, they were unable to answer specific questions or extract key information, such as the APR, fees for late payment or cash withdrawal.
There are currently three guides available on http://www.moneynet.co.uk, covering credit cards, mortgages and loans. In addition to explaining the different aspects of credit application, moneynet also offer a glossary of key terms in the resources section to help visitors gain a complete
understanding of the best product for their needs. Further guides are due to be published later this year.
About the Author
Moneynet.co.uk is the UK's longest established, online personal finance research and data website.
E-mail: INFO@MONEYNET.CO.UK
Telephone: 020 8313 9030
Website: http://www.moneynet.co.uk
ADDRESS: Moneynet
Sussex House
8-10 Homesdale Road
Bromley
Kent
BR2 9LZ
Written by: moneynet
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