Daily Archives: September 2, 2008

Bankruptcy, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Management, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Loans, Money

The Sooner People Seek Professional Help In Managing Their Debts, The More Likely They’ll Be To Avoid Serious Debt

A survey by debt management company GregoryPennington.com indicates that today’s economic troubles may be encouraging people in debt to keep a closer eye on their finances.

Only 6% of those questioned saw their debt as unmanageable. Yet a full 35% of respondents who considered their debt manageable also declared they were unhappy with their financial situation.

A spokesperson from the debt management company commented: “In many ways, that 35% figure is actually a positive sign. It means people who aren’t actually struggling with debt are nonetheless aware that their finances could be better. They’re thinking beyond the present and considering the impact their debts could have on them in the future.”

That awareness is, in itself, a form of protection against financial problems in the future. “We always remind people that the sooner they seek professional help managing their debts, the more likely they’ll be to avoid serious debt altogether. Keeping a close eye on their finances is obviously key to this, as it enables them to take action at the first signs of trouble – and taking action in time can make all the difference between needing to make a few short-term lifestyle changes and being forced to live on a shoestring budget for a number of years.

“Perhaps this is one ‘silver lining’ to all the negative economic news we’re hearing these days. In good times, it’s tempting to assume that the good times will keep up. It’s human nature to focus on enjoying today when there’s no perceived threat of tomorrow being any different. But hearing all those gloomy predictions tends to make people think more about the future.”

No-one, however, has solved their financial problems by dwelling on them: “There’s little point in someone just worrying about their debts unless they take it a step further, making the necessary lifestyle changes and talking to a debt specialist about improving their financial situation.”

For people who do this before their debt becomes unmanageable, it may simply be a matter of cutting back on a few luxuries. “Nobody likes economising, but a few minutes with a calculator and pencil can prove beyond all doubt why it’s worth the effort. Exactly how they do it is up to the individual: some choose to reduce their spending to a bare minimum for a short time; others prefer to sacrifice just a few luxuries every month, even though this means their debt will take longer to clear.”

The important thing is to address their debts sooner, rather than later – while it’s still relatively easy to do: “Even if someone can comfortably manage their monthly debt repayments today, there are plenty of reasons to clear their debts at the earliest opportunity. Avoiding interest charges might be the most obvious reason, but interest isn’t the biggest threat: even small debts can rapidly escalate out of control if their situation takes a turn for the worse. If they lose their job, for example, finding that extra money every month might be all but impossible.”

Via EPR Network
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Financial, Financial Management, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Home Equity, Money, Personal Finance

The Recent Boom In The Rental Market Reflects The Continuing Difficulty For Homeowners Trying To Sell, And May Even Prolong The Problems In The Housing Market, Says Think Money.

Financial solutions company Think Money (thinkmoney.com) have warned that a recent boom in properties put up for rent may indicate further trouble in the housing market towards the end of 2008 and going into 2009.

Recent findings by RICS (the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) have shown a significant surge in the number of homeowners being forced to put their homes up for rent rather than selling, because many homeowners believe that “becoming a landlord is a better option than selling in the current climate”.

Faced with increasing mortgage costs and a very slow housing market, many homeowners are finding it more financially viable to put their own homes up for rent, while at the same time renting cheaper accommodation for themselves – effectively making a ‘profit’ each month, which helps towards their own costs.

The survey also indicated that many would-be homeowners are currently forced to stay in the rental market, as the UK economy experiences 70% fewer mortgage approvals than this time last year.

Melanie Taylor, Head of Corporate Relations for Think Money, commented that the RICS’ findings reflect a continuing downturn in the housing market, despite recent suggestions that mortgages are becoming more freely available.

“The news that several lenders have been dropping their interest rates raised some optimism for the housing market,” she says, “but these statistics from the RICS give a less positive picture.

“It’s true that interest rates are coming down for prime mortgages, but for the majority of consumers, getting onto the housing ladder is still proving difficult.

“For those already on the housing ladder, it’s getting off it that’s proving difficult. The lack of activity in the market continues to be a real problem for those looking to sell – which is forcing many to put their homes up for rent while they wait for the housing market to recover.”

Mrs Taylor also added that the boom in the rental market could have a knock-on effect on the mortgage market. “Even though the number of homes for sale is getting smaller, the decreased demand for mortgages means that the fall in house prices is being sustained,” she says.

“Only when mortgage lenders begin to relax their lending criteria are we likely to see this situation change.”

Mrs Taylor continued that in the current market, renting out your home can be a viable option for freeing up extra funds, but warned that the responsibility of becoming a landlord is not to be taken lightly. “As long as you are willing to make a temporary compromise on your living conditions, you can significantly cut down your outgoings each month, which could help you financially and enable you to save up for when the housing market recovers.

“But it’s important to remember the responsibilities of being a landlord. In particular, if anything goes wrong, you are responsible for the costs,” she says. “So make sure you aware of the risks if you’re considering taking this step.”

Think Money (http://www.thinkmoney.com) are a financial solutions company based in Salford Quays, Manchester. The company specialises in a range of financial services, including mortgages, loans, debt help and advice (including debt management plans, IVAs, and debt consolidation).

Via EPR Network
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Financial, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Money, Personal Finance

The Credit Crunch Has Caused A Lot Of People To Look For New Ways To Save Money, One Is Not Taking Car Insurance

The credit crunch has led brought economising to the for front of many British drivers mind – we are all keen to save money – and car owners in particular are feeling the strain with rising petrol prices and the new Vehicle Excise Duty levels next year which could see some paying up to £2001 more on family saloons. But drivers trying to save money by not taking out car insurance are cost-cutting to a foolhardy extreme, warns RIAS.

Apart from the fact that driving without insurance is against the law in the UK, and those found guilty of it could get themselves a criminal record, it also costs other car drivers more than half a billion pounds per year, according to the Motor Insurers Bureau. This equates to around £30 extra on every premium, effectively being subsidized by the fully insured user.

“There is no question that driving without insurance is both unlawful and ill-advised,” says RIAS Managing Director Janet Connor. “If you are worried about the cost of insurance, it is worth talking to your insurance provider to check whether there are any savings to be made. At RIAS, for example, we specialise in finding tailored insurance solutions for the over 50s, who can often benefit from cheaper premiums because of low mileage, or because their cars are parked off-road or kept in a garage. We advise customers to ensure they ask about discounts and flexible payment plans when they call us for a quote.”

While efforts are being taken by the relevant law enforcement authorities many believe it is society’s collective responsibility to help fight this nuisance and that neighbours, friends and family should not look the other way if we know of drivers that are evading car insurance.

Evading Car Insurance – the facts:

* Last year, around 160 deaths and 23,000 injuries were caused in road accidents involving uninsured drivers.

* Claims made against drivers without insurance can be complicated forthe victim to process.

* Throughout 2007, the British police seized over 150,000 uninsured vehicles – that’s one vehicle every three minutes.

* Number plate recognition technology and better link ups between police and insurance companies is facilitating police in the fight against unisured veichles.

1Source: The AA 2Research from the Motor Investigation Bureau, Report: The Road Ahead, Issue 15, 2007

*Call RIAS for a quote on your car insurance to see if we can save you money: 0800 052 5250

All services including house insurance can be purchased online.

Janet Connor, Managing Director of RIAS is available for further comment and interview. To arrange an interview with, or photography of, Janet, please call Simon Robinson on 07976 329823 or e-mail srobinson@rias.co.uk.

About RIAS

* RIAS was founded in 1992 and is a specialist provider of insurance products for the over 50s age group

* RIAS negotiates with a panel of insurers to secure competitive, value for money products

* RIAS has over 970,000 customers and currently employs over 1,200 people across two locations – Bournemouth and Belfast

* In July 2007 RIAS’ home insurance contents and buildings policies received four ‘Best Buy’ awards from Which? magazine

* In December 2007 RIAS won the ‘Personal Lines Broker of the year” award at the Insurance Times awards

RIAS is part of Fortis (Insurance UK), a leading provider of award-winning personal and commercial lines insurance solutions in the UK and the 2007 British Insurance Awards ‘General Insurer of the Year’. The insurer’s successful customer-centric strategy has been founded on aligning its activities to how customers want to buy insurance, combined with delivering high quality products, manufactured at costs better than market norms.

Fortis’s unique multi-distribution capability enables it to deliver products face-to-face, by phone (inbound and outbound), over the Internet and via SMS technology. Aligning its business activities with its partners’ general insurance strategies enables Fortis to offer end-to-end white label capabilities in product development, marketing, campaign management, sales, fulfilment and claims – providing a seamless integration with partner brands.

Insuring in excess of 6.7 million customers and working with a range of partners, Fortis is recognised for delivering consistent and high-quality customer experiences. It employs 2,901 people as of 31/12/07 with a head office based in Eastleigh and others in Belfast, Bournemouth, Gloucester, Haywards Heath, Redditch, and Stoke-on-Trent. In 2007, its profit before tax and interest (excluding impact of weather related events) was £92.2 million and its GWP was 757.8 million.

Via EPR Network
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