We’ve all heard of the postcode lottery. But it seems that residents on our doorstep in Leicester are among the most likely to be rejected for their credit card or overdraft applications due to a poor credit score.

The ‘Mind the Credit Gap’ survey commissioned by Aqua, a provider of higher-cost cards for those seeking to improve their credit rating, has determined that residents in the East Midlands are most at risk of rejection by lenders.

According to the survey, which asked participants questions that would help to constitute a credit report, almost two-thirds of people in the region (65%) are not expected to meet credit approval criteria.

The next most vulnerable areas for applications are Wales and the North-West, where it is estimated that 63% would not meet creditors’ requirements.

Regions with more creditworthy residents include London, where 52% would apparently struggle to obtain credit, and Northern Ireland, the only region of the UK where the majority (albeit a small one) would expect to be successful in their application.

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Though the majority of drivers want to save money on fuel, half are self-confessedly too stubborn to improve their fuel economy, which could save them £270 per year.

Could a breakdown of the potential savings spur a little extra thought into driving habits? Could new EU tyre labelling regulations help drivers to improve their fuel economy? Find out more below.

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In recent years, online banking has really taken off. And with the introduction of that little keypad we’re all so familiar with, it became a lot easier and secure to manage our accounts online.

Many banks across the globe now require their customers to log in to online banking services using this small device – a system that is considerably more secure than having a standard username and password log-in.

But having to find that bulky device – and it would seem using them as well – can sometimes be frustrating if you want to quickly transfer some money or simply check your balance. That was, until now.

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It’s an unwritten rule that technology becomes outdated every few months, with something new and exciting – and often a lot better – coming out that makes all models that came before it look like a rock with a number pad carved into it.

And after a year of great improvements in the way we pay for services and goods, it seems that there’s at least one more trick in the bag to move us away from our cash. Which is looking more likely than every with the introduction of 4G Network, Everything Everywhere (EE) in the UK.

This week could see yet another new technology making a step towards a cashless system in the very near future in the form of the iZettle. This small device allows small traders to take credit and debit card payments, and is arriving in the UK after a promising roll-out in markets across the globe.

The small device plugs into a range of smartphones and tablets, and allows the consumer to pay for their products or services through their card rather than in cash, being incredibly handy when looking to pay the plumber, mechanic or window-cleaner. Read More »

According to new research, 43% of us aren’t concerned about having our identity stolen online. Perhaps it’s about time we got more worried about it. A new social experiment video reveals just how susceptible to online fraud we actually are.

Steve Keywood is the average smart internet user. He’s comfortable with shopping online and finding deals, he has his own site, and he’s a popular social networker. But when he volunteered himself to spend five days in full public view with nothing but a laptop and a credit card for company, little did he suspect that he would be exposing his personal details just as readily in the process.

This is the point when the security savvy amongst us turn infuriatingly smug and self-admiring. But even through something as trivial as forgetting to log out of websites, which 62% of us do regularly, Steve had put himself at risk. At the end of the experiment, he was informed that a hacker was able to access all of his personal information and passwords.

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Last year, we sparked a little bit of interest through a story about people hiding their savings from partners and spouses.

More than one in ten, it was revealed, kept a secret stash of over £1,000 in secret savings accounts, either because they were unsure about their marriage or because they didn’t trust their partner’s financial decision making.

One of the deeper issues at stake was that, to a certain degree, finance remains a taboo subject. One in five of those polled (aged 40+) said that they had never discussed retirement finance with their partner, with most admitting that they were uncomfortable with the idea.

And the culture of secrecy is one that spreads far beyond this localised scenario. Not long ago, I wrote that secrecy and spending was hardly a new phenomenon; rather, it’s the hallmark of some of the most fascinating periods of monarchical history. [Read more.]

It’s turning into quite a fashionable subject. We cannot quite help ourselves but want to know what others are getting up to behind closed doors, not least during a recession when behaviour can change so radically and self-preservation comes to the fore.

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