Saving tips and Finances

I think the "interest free" days of cc are coming to an end as that is one of the main reasons the uks  personal dept is getting well overheated

OH was just saying the same about the worrying amount of debt and the interest free cards.

We have one due to be repaid in October, I think, need to check on that.  Meantime the money is earning 5% with Nationwide.  Pity the rate only lasts one year.

With the new tax free savings allowance, the marriage allowance, and the fact that OH does not pay tax, we have abandoned ISAs in favour of interest bearing current accounts and the NS&I bonds.

And we have supplied funds to DD in the form of a private BTL mortgage.  Favourable rates for both parties, so all good, and more flexible for her if/when she decides to sell up.

ISA annual allowances are much higher now, so easy enough to put the money back into those if rates improve.

We also invested in solar panels, so looking forward to that tax free income once ours are paid off, it takes a couple of years longer to reach that point up here.

Children and grandchildren get any surplus income, within what is allowed by IHT rules, new grand child  arriving any minute so will need to organise something for him once we have the necessary paperwork.

Hope he does not decide to make his appearance while we have all this snow!

At a mundane level postage is going up this week. Get your 1st class stamps for 2p less today...

Thanks for the heads up Brue

I bought too many at Christmas but as they're now issued without a value I am still able to use them. Should have bought even more.

Wonder what the recipients make of it all?

I have had at least 2 such offers in the last few months. 

We got our notice of increase in our State Pensions today. Works out about a 3% increase in total compared to last year which is better than some workers! Don't think our occupation pensions will go up as much, as last year the put a lower cap in place otherwise it would have been in line with RPI inflation.

David

I think my occupational pension went up by about 1.2% last year, so it isn't always quite as rosy for us oldies as is suggested.

Always a good idea to move excess funds out of your current account to a instant access savings account, even though interest is minimal from a risk point of view should you become targeted by a fraud attempt  there will be less potentially at risk.

My 2 occupational pensions went up by 3% this year so well satisfied with that