The number of people going bankrupt in England and Wales has plummeted recently. It sounds like good news, but could it be because people can’t afford the £700 fee?
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Is it too expensive to go bankrupt?
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Are you contented and carefree or a stoic struggler?
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Today sees the launch of the first Which? Quarterly Consumer Report, shedding light on how us Brits are coping in this economic climate. Are you young and carefree or a stoic struggler?
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Baines & Ernst offers an £8k prize – but woe betide the losers
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It’s not often that I’m gobsmacked, but debt management company Baines & Ernst has just sent me some truly tasteless marketing, targeting potentially desperate consumers with its new prize draw offer.
Barnardo’s: We must confront debt to combat child poverty
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Neera Sharma of children’s charity Barnardo’s argues that progress on tackling child poverty will be impossible unless the debt carried by poor families is addressed, and rent-to-own lenders should share the blame.
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Payday loans – the quick fix that could spiral out of control
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Need some dosh, wonga or moolah? If this doesn’t mean anything to you, you’re probably not one of the 1.2 million Brits who took out a payday loan in the past year. And there are very good reasons why you shouldn’t…
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Chancellor, how can we save when we’re spending everyday?
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Predictions of an increase in consumer spending might paint a rosy picture of economic recovery, but if that comes at the cost of your savings, we need a Budget that will put money back in people’s pockets.
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Students won’t be punished for early repayments – hoorah!
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Good news for those who plan to pay off their student debt early. Last year we wrote to the Universities Minister to challenge plans to penalise early repayments. It looks like the government now agrees with us.
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The six financial products you can live without
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We recently investigated six financial products we believe you can do without. We think each one represents poor value for money – and often there are cheaper, better alternatives. Do you have any to add?
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Quit it with the barrage of payday loan ads
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As payday lenders bombard vulnerable consumers with direct advertising, it isn’t any wonder that some fall into a spiral of debt, especially at this time of year when money is getting tight.
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Blokes spend more on yours truly – stop being greedy
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Two recent surveys suggest Brits are spending rather than saving, with men likely to spend more on themselves than women. Are we ignoring the current dire economic situation just to “eat, drink and be merry”?
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Q&A: Is it time to ban high-interest payday loans?
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The payday loan market was worth around £1.9 billion last year. APRs of over 1,000% are common. So is it time to limit the interest rates they charge? Martyn Saville talks to Mark Lovell, Executive Chairman of A4E.
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Payday loans – designed to trap you in a cycle of debt
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I’ve spent months investigating payday loan companies for Which? Money. I was expecting to focus on the eye-wateringly high APRs, which can reach thousands of percent. But what I found was much more worrying.
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Mortgage lenders giving debt advice – why not?
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Thousands of existing Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley mortgage customers are being contacted to make sure they’re coping financially. Sounds like a responsible approach to me. So why the furore?
Debt companies shouldn’t offer Quidco cashback
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Debt management companies are offering cashback through sites like Quidco. I think it’s wrong to offer a £25 incentive to people struggling with their finances, only to charge them hundreds in debt fees.