http://www.financealley.com en-us editorial@financealley.com While many of us certainly wouldn’t want to go back through our teenage years again, we are sometimes guilty of wishing we were younger. But getting older isn’t as bad as some people would have you believe. For a start, many of us only start to ... http://www.financealley.com/article_668947_66.html 20th October 2008 Going on a break with the family over Christmas is a great way to enjoy the holidays. You can take yourself off to somewhere where perhaps the weather is more generous than what the UK can offer during this time of year. Furthermore, you can even visit a ... http://www.financealley.com/article_667848_66.html 17th October 2008 The world ages every day as it travels through the solar system and so does everyone on it. In the UK the average age of the population is advancing, too. According to the Office of National Statistics the average age was 39-years-old in mid-2007, up from... http://www.financealley.com/article_666807_19.html 15th October 2008 With the amount of retail packaging waste exceeding the 10million tonne mark each year, landfill sites are now overflowing as a result of unnecessary excess and non-biodegradable packaging. The most infamous culprit of late is the excessive packaging u... http://www.financealley.com/article_602448_15.html 17th August 2008 An early form of life insurance can be traced back to Roman times when, because of the high costs of funerals, clubs were formed, known as ‘burial clubs’. The guarantee of such an organisation for its members was that for a regular contribution they k... http://www.financealley.com/article_599149_19.html 14th August 2008 Buying a house is probably the biggest investment you are ever likely to make, it is a huge moment in your life and you are unlikely to invest quite as much thought and effort into something again. As a general rule, mortgage companies allow you to bor... http://www.financealley.com/article_596025_19.html 13th August 2008 In one of the ironies of the Internet age, instead of reducing companies’ dependence on people, modern technology has validated the irreplaceable need for human talent. More than ever before, experts say, an organisation’s real value resides in the wi... http://www.financealley.com/article_592050_15.html 29th July 2008 It is never too early - or late - in life to set up a savings account. Everybody likes the security of knowing they have a little something put aside should they need it. It can be that rainy day money, the emergency fund or just that little bit of cash... http://www.financealley.com/article_588265_19.html 24th July 2008 Deciding it’s time to buy a new home is a huge undertaking. Not only do you have to consider where you want to live and the type of property you want to purchase, but you also have to contend with the thousands of mortgages on offer, as well as unfamili... http://www.financealley.com/article_584728_19.html 22nd July 2008 It’s probably fair to say that nobody really knows what tomorrow may bring, and many people probably prefer not to think too much about the future, choosing to live as much for today as possible. Whilst this attitude may be commendable in many respec... http://www.financealley.com/article_582437_19.html 21st July 2008 Ten years ago equity release was an afterthought and for those already retired, with 70 being the average age of a typical customer. The main reasons for this was that the majority retiring at this time would be 65, have reasonable final salary pensions ... http://www.financealley.com/article_579850_19.html 18th July 2008 Recent research from the British Bankers Association revealed that mortgage approvals hit their lowest level since their records began in 1997, with less than 28,000 mortgages for homebuyers approved in May 2008 - a figure nearly 60 per cent lower than th... http://www.financealley.com/article_578957_19.html 17th July 2008 Up until 2007, 100% mortgages were commonplace; in fact, 110% and 120% mortgages were also available, but since the credit crisis struck lenders have become a lot more strict with their lending conditions, with 75% LTVs (loans to value) becoming more and ... http://www.financealley.com/article_578265_19.html 17th July 2008 The number of people being forced to take out high interest, short-term loans has risen by more than 130 per cent since August 2007; a figure which analysts say is evidence that the effects of the global credit crunch are showing no signs of easing. Sh... http://www.financealley.com/article_577986_19.html 16th July 2008 Amidst today's economic uncertainty, many people have had to start looking at ways of making the most of their money. But before doing anything, finding a way to make sure that these finances are well managed and looked after is a must; perhaps through a ... http://www.financealley.com/article_577941_19.html 16th July 2008 When making a substantial investment - perhaps a house or a car - the majority of people need to take out a mortgage or a loan to help cover costs. This may be a cause of worry; after all what happens if your income changes? Will you be able to keep up th... http://www.financealley.com/article_576072_19.html 15th July 2008 Spending can be too attractive for many of today’s earners. After waiting for those agonising few days prior to pay-day, desperate for a new pair of shoes, a big night out or a new TV, it can be hugely tempting to splash out – however counter-producti... http://www.financealley.com/article_575506_19.html 14th July 2008 The potential fall-out from the credit crisis has prompted many UK savers to increase their personal savings balances and also to reduce the amount that they withdraw in order to protect themselves from any unexpected adverse changes in their financial ci... http://www.financealley.com/article_574700_19.html 13th July 2008 When it comes to embracing net technology silver surfers are leading the way, according to recent research from two leading online advertising and measurement companies. Those aged 55 and over are classified as silver surfers, referring to the prevale... http://www.financealley.com/article_573790_19.html 10th July 2008 When it comes to the future, we have all got our own ideas about how we will spend it. Perhaps we will end up buying a bigger house than the one we have now. There might be a particular car that we can see ourselves driving around in. And just think ab... http://www.financealley.com/article_573526_19.html 10th July 2008 While standard household insurance gives a policyholder the comfort of knowing that they are covered against disasters around the home, many policies offer only limited accidental damage cover for standard items such as TVs and stereos. However, in mos... http://www.financealley.com/article_572970_19.html 09th July 2008 Whilst there can be little doubt that buying a home is a far more prudent option in the long-term than renting, the decision to take that first step onto the property ladder shouldn’t be taken lightly. Indeed, having a long-term financial commitment... http://www.financealley.com/article_571401_19.html 07th July 2008 More and more people are opting to insure their lives in order to protect their families from the threat of potential financial hardship in the event that they die or are diagnosed with a terminal illness. But instead of taking out a life insurance pol... http://www.financealley.com/article_569586_19.html 04th July 2008 Although the cost of fixing a mortgage has jumped up considerably throughout 2008, Brits would still rather choose a fixed rate mortgage deal over a variable rate in order to gain some financial stability from knowing how much their mortgage payments woul... http://www.financealley.com/article_568639_19.html 02nd July 2008 Many people who face financial difficulties often feel that they are the only one dealing with such problems. However, throughout the years, many famous and successful people have experienced similar troubles, and in some cases bankruptcy. Perhaps the... http://www.financealley.com/article_567724_19.html 01st July 2008 There can be no doubting that for most adults, their biggest financial obligation is their mortgage. Sometimes you can be tied to a particular mortgage for a number of years so it makes certain sense to do your research before you sign on the dotted line.... http://www.financealley.com/article_565849_63.html 28th June 2008 The principle behind a debt consolidation loan is simple: to bring together two or more of your debts into one new loan and therefore only one interest rate that will reduce your current monthly outgoings. With Britons carrying a combined debt of over ... http://www.financealley.com/article_564478_19.html 26th June 2008 Life insurance may not be one of your favourite subjects, but you should still give it a serious amount of consideration. Most of us take on a huge amount of financial obligations in our lifetime, and should the worst happen we wouldn't want to leave our ... http://www.financealley.com/article_564425_19.html 26th June 2008 Financial flexibility is becoming increasingly popular with consumers due to many mortgage lenders offering new types of flexible mortgages, or ‘lifestyle’ mortgages as they’re often known. The idea of having your mortgage, current and savings acco... http://www.financealley.com/article_563745_19.html 26th June 2008 There are so many different types of life insurance policy it can be difficult to decide which is the most suitable for you and your family. Whether you are looking for cover that stays the same for a fixed period, or one that changes over time, there are... http://www.financealley.com/article_562710_19.html 25th June 2008 If you no longer need your endowment, either because you have changed your mortgage to a capital and interest mortgage or have been lucky enough to pay off your mortgage using other means, perhaps through an inheritance, you will probably be thinking what... http://www.financealley.com/article_562410_19.html 25th June 2008 Product development over the past few years has been dramatic to say the least, and the equity release market today is only a faint shadow of its former self. The providers who have lead the way may not have realised the real impact that they would have o... http://www.financealley.com/article_561837_19.html 23rd June 2008 If you’ve recently received your endowment plan annual statement you may have been left feeling disappointed and thinking “Why did I bother?”, especially when the value of the plan is not much higher than the annual statement last year. Unbelievabl... http://www.financealley.com/article_561803_19.html 23rd June 2008 The Nationwide Building Society recently published figures showing that in March 2008, house prices fell 0.6 per cent which follows on from a 0.5 per cent drop the previous month. This has caused many experts in the property field to take this as a sign ... http://www.financealley.com/article_561692_19.html 23rd June 2008 In the wake of the credit crunch, which hit the USA in late 2007 and has now began to have repercussions in the UK housing market, uncertainty has meant that property price rises have slowed in most areas of the country, and in some places a drop in value... http://www.financealley.com/article_560441_19.html 21st June 2008 In recent times mortgages have been making headline news. There’s more choice in the marketplace than ever before and lenders are launching new types of mortgages to suit the economic climate. Ensuring you get the right mortgage to suit your own circums... http://www.financealley.com/article_559759_19.html 20th June 2008 Most businesses start off with a single idea, and the most successful ones grow from that point into a successful and thriving entity. But just as no two businesses have the same starting point, they do not evolve in the same way either. While one b... http://www.financealley.com/article_559499_15.html 20th June 2008 Since the discovery of oil in 1962, the United Arab Emirates has been transformed from an impoverished region made up of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living, and one of the fastest growing economies in the world. ... http://www.financealley.com/article_559035_33.html 20th June 2008 Providing you fulfil their stringent lending criteria high street banks and many building societies will gladly lend you the money to buy a car in the form of a personal loan. The interest rate you will pay for that loan will vary depending upon your own ... http://www.financealley.com/article_558784_19.html 19th June 2008