Keep your credit cards safe this Christmas

  By cashmachine | December 21, 2009 - 5:15 pm | Credit Cards Leave a comment

While we’re all hoping Santa Claus will break into our house and leave us a bounty of presents, there are plenty of other yuletide security-breaches that won’t leave such a warm glow. And despite credit cards getting savvier than ever, they will never be impenetrable. In fact, Wired has shown just how easy it is to fake a credit card, which will prove harrowing season at a time when people will need to rely on plastic far more than usual. CPP predict that 315,000 shoppers are likely to experience card fraud this winter, with the average sum lost hovering around the £600 mark.

Richard Hurley, communications manager of the UK’s Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System, offers a timely warning: “the festive season traditionally reminds us of the high street threats of thieves and pickpockets stealing our wallets. We must, however, protect ourselves equally from their latter-day counterparts who target our identities.” CIFAS noted at the start of December that 68,000 people suffered from online identity theft in the first ten months 2009 – a 37% increase from the year before!

But just as serious a problem as actual fraud is the perception of fraud; if consumers have no faith in online security, they won’t be willing to take advantage of the many great online offers and settle for more expensive, but seemingly safer, real world purchases. A survey from Verisign claims 22% of British consumers are “held back” from shopping online this Christmas due to fears of having their identity stolen and 14% automatically distrust ecommerce sites on principle.

While is is always more comforting to have rely on picking up tangible goods from a trusted brick-and-mortar store, it isn’t as though real-world credit card purchases are truly much safer. Last month, the BBC reported on the largest credit card recall in history. In Germany, over 100,000 German credit cards were replaced due to the threat of personal data theft. The breach supposedly took place by a Spanish company, potentially posing a threat to any visitors to the country over the last few months.

What is important, no matter where you shop, is to spot the tell-tale signs that suggest your credit card is in safe hands. At present, there are numerous safeguards shoppers can look out for ensure they are as protected as possible. Most importantly, make sure the URL in the address bar either begins with https:// or has a padlock sign, to see that any data you enter will be encrypted. To check the security of the encryption, it is worth checking to see if the the payment service has been verified with an ISIS (Internet Shopping is Safe) or Shopsafe logo.

Jack Dorsey’s ‘Square’, a portable phone-based card-reader, stores no transaction data, making it far safer than any contemporary practice – so perhaps we are headed to a more secure future. But as they won’t be ready for Christmas, caution and common-sense are two of the best friends you can have over the holiday season.

This is a Guest Post from the team at Financial Facts, a great UK personal finance blog.  If you’d like to write a guest post for MoneyStand, get in touch!

Dreaming of being debt free? Three tips for today!

  By cashmachine | December 16, 2009 - 7:36 pm | Debt Advice, Debt Management, Money, Savings Leave a comment

The first step is to notice that you have a problem so well down you have completed the first step and hopefully the only way is up! It will take a lot or determination and maybe even some sacrifices however it will be worth it in the end. The second step would be to stop spending. Of course there are always the essentials you need to buy but could you cut down on luxury products and nights out etc. Also it does help to cut the cards up; it means the temptation has been removed.

There are many things that you can do to get you started.

  • How about looking at the interest rates on credit cards. Is it possible to switch these over to something that is 0% and stop you wasting money on just paying off the interest which can take years to clear off the balance?
  • Earning more money is also a good way to chuck some extra money at the debts to get them paid off quicker. How about extra shifts, a second job or even selling unwanted items on the internet. It can be hard work but remember your aim – to be debt free. It can help setting yourself a goal and give yourself something to work towards.
  • Something that is definitely worthwhile doing is drawing up a list of all your incomes and out goings. This way you can pin point areas which may need a bit of work and help to save any money which you can throw at the debt. A budget for food etc can stop any wastage. Also it is a good idea to work out which debts need the most attention, these are usually the ones with the high interest.

Three Steps Away from Bankruptcy

  By cashmachine | December 12, 2009 - 5:05 pm | Bankruptcy, IVA Leave a comment

Bankruptcy should only ever be seen as a last resort. The consequences are serious, affecting the person’s ability to retain their home or earn a living through their own business, for up to 15 years. The increased pressure from being in such a dire long-term situation puts pressure on the person emotionally, effecting personal well-being and relationships. Possible alternate avenues to clear debt include:

Option 1

Review current finances and consolidate debt; take into consideration incoming and outgoing finances and prioritise payments. There are payments that you must not miss at any cost and these include your mortgage and household utilities. Cut out non-essential outgoings and lower loan or credit card payments by consolidating debt into lower monthly payments.

Option 2

Use a debt management company to devise a debt management plan and act as a middleman between yourself and your creditors. Debt management companies will review what you must pay, for instance household builds, and split the remaining money between the creditors. Beware: not all creditors will be willing to go down this route and County Court Judgements (CCJs) may ensue.

Option 3

Many of us will have already seen the glossy television ads promising to wipe away 75% of our debt. Individual Voluntary Arrangements or IVAs is a formal arrangement between the debtor and creditor, arranged by an Insolvency Practitioner (IP). Unlike bankruptcy the IVA should protect your home during the term of the arrangement. However, IVAs are complicated solutions and should be investigated in detail before being pursued.

The flexible solution to serious debt problems?

  By moneybags | December 3, 2009 - 3:11 pm | Debt Advice, Debt Management Leave a comment

Something I frequently read is that an IVA is more flexible than bankruptcy.

An IVA will certainly give you a degree of control over what happens in the event of serious financial difficulty.

When compared to Bankruptcy, there isn’t anywhere near the same level of intrusion into your life and financial history. You provide your practitioner with the information requested, including a breakdown of income and expenditure, so affordability can be determined. Bankruptcy results in a full and compulsory analysis of your accounts and can lead to a Bankruptcy Restriction Order (BRO). This would mean that you can be held accountable for up to 15 years in the event of unnecessary risk or fraudulent activity.

Another appealing factor for many is that you can protect your professional status of employment (lawyer, accountant, police etc) and family home within an IVA. You will still be expected to re mortgage at the end of year 4, but only if this is affordable and sufficient equity exists.

Your IVA will not be advertised in the local press so nobody will be made aware, although it will be recorded on the insolvency register. There are also new debt solutions such as the Debt Relief Order (DRO) released in April 2009 which could be an option for you. But of course, it will largely depend on your financial situation as to what debt solution is best for you.

Debt and Relationships

  By green | November 23, 2009 - 4:57 pm | Debt Advice, Debt Management, Financial Issues Leave a comment

Two weeks ago I got an email from someone in financial problems asking for specific advice in regards to their relationship. She explained to me that she has been keeping her debt from her partner as they have separate credit cards and asked my advice.

I’m very flattered for the email, but would like to recommend anyone with debt problems to seek professional advice. I’d like to offer you this response, however, which is my personal view.

I would never lie to my partner about debt, as sooner or later he would find out anyway. We share the post, share the bills and share the cost – so lying wouldn’t solve anything. However, it is more of an issue when we lie to our families about how we feel about the debt. Many of us cover the situation up by claiming the debt is manageable or you have it ”all worked out”. In reality, we’re hurting deep down and anxious to find a way of gaining money we haven’t got. Covering such problems up really doesn’t help, as those who care for you cannot help you if they aren’t aware of your troubles. There is a potential for strained family relationships when your debts force you to borrow money from those around you, even though you’re not sure when or if you can pay them back on time. Therefore, debt can harm family relationships if the problem is covered up or hidden.

I hope my perspective has been helpful, and if you do have debt problems, I can’t stress enough, seeking debt advice and communnicating about your debt is the best way forward. I’ve found these debt FAQs really helpful for answering some of my common questions about debt solutions.

Use credit cards for everything but credit

  By moneybags | November 19, 2009 - 3:46 pm | Credit Cards, Debt Management, Money Leave a comment

Credit cards are a tricky subject. I don’t want to encourage anyone to spend dangerously on their credit cards or to spend above their means, but I also think it’s good to discuss how to use a credit card in a smart way to actually help control your finances.

First of all avoid the worst way to use your credit card – long term borrowing. If you need a loan it will almost always be cheaper to get it from a bank, especially if you are a home owner. Another method you could consider is your overdraft facility. A friend of mine has a particularly good deal with his bank that works out for him cheaper than a credit card for those small purchases. He finds the charges smaller for his spending needs.

But, assuming you won’t borrow any money for longer than a month or so, there are a lot of benefits to having a credit card. Indeed some goods and services, such as hire cars, are very hard to get without one.

This is because of the extra insurance and guarantees that your card provider gives you. Using your credit card for an expensive purchase can be worth it – I know someone who got £100 back after he broke a new camera. Even though he admitted he was at fault he was still partially covered. It is worth finding out what you are entitled to from your card.

Many credit cards also offer cashback or bonus schemes. So long as you use them for spending you would be doing anyway this can be a great saving – sometimes as much as 3% or 4%!

Basically credit cards can be great products if used right. Credit cards should never be used for credit! Use credit cards the smart way.

How to Stay Out Of Debt

  By moneybags | November 6, 2009 - 10:24 am | Frugal Tips, Money, Saving tips, Savings Leave a comment

It is so easy to get into debt, but not as easy to get out of it. The best solution is of course never getting into debt in the first place. Here’s my advice on how to scrape those pennies together if money’s a bit tight to avoid the debt cycle.

The first thing you need to do is set a realistic household budget. List all things you have to spend money on i.e. Gas – Electric, mortgage, then list all the things you want to spend money on. The goal is to separate between ‘Need’ and ‘Want’ for example you ‘need’ to eat or you ‘want’ that new CD. I would also thoroughly recommend using an online money management program to track your spending and help you get a bigger picture of your finances. Read my post on Kublax if you’d like more information.

The idea is to look at you outgoings and see where you can make cut backs, set yourself a shopping budget for food. Some examples of how to save money on groceries and household bills are as follows:

1. Ask your supermarket what time they mark down there products, and purchase these when they are cheaper. Most things can be frozen to restore the sell by date.

2. Grow your own vegetables and fruit allot cheaper than buying.

3. Use price comparisons sites to check you are not paying to much for your gas – electric or mortgage.

4. Check with your energy supplier to see if you have an economy setting, do you washing etc in the evening as it is cheaper.

5. Take a shower instead of a bath, its cheaper.

6. Do you really need the heating on? Can you just put on another layer of clothing?

7. Hang clothes to dry on a rainy day indoors over the bath or use a clothes airer, it’s cheaper than the tumble dryer or radiators.

8. Use natural products for cleaning its cheaper and better for your health!! eg. Vinegar for cleaning windows.

Overall just think about ways to do things on the cheap. Research is rewarding and you will be saving money and getting out of debt. I’m always reading brilliant blogs on frugality such as Almost Frugal.

As my wise mother told me as a kid – If you look after the pennies, the pounds will loook after themselves.

Kids and Money

  By cashmachine | November 1, 2009 - 3:02 pm | Money, Savings Leave a comment

Are your money management skills effected by your upbringing? As with anything, the best way to learn — for people of any age — is through hands-on experience; I believe the best way for kids to learn how to manage their own money is by letting them taking control of it.

This doesn’t necessarily mean giving your child the rights to their university fund before they are ready, or even letting them take money when they want – as this would no doubt start a bad habit that is very likely to lead them into debt. Instead a good idea would be to set up a child account with a bank such as Nationwide or HSBC that gives the child a card to use with their account (a debit card, of course) with a monthly limit on how much they spend. This way they can see their savings grow over time – if they choose to save that is. Pocket money can even be added to this account monthly by standing order straight from your account.

As for schools, It is my personal opinion that ‘citizenship’ and the such should be kept out of schools as it interferes with the teaching of traditional subjects. However an introduction to Economics for children to young to study it may help the country out of the financial grave it is digging in future generations.

If you’ve got an opinion about ways to teach kids to save, let MoneyStand know. From my experience, frugality, managing money and money saving is something valuable to learn as a child, and I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Pros and cons of IVA

  By moneybags | October 27, 2009 - 8:50 am | IVA Leave a comment

At MoneyStand, we frequently talk about debt solutions to offer some advice to anyone landing on the blog looking for some support and advice. Judging by UK debt news,  theres been some increases in the amount of people getting IVAs, so this week I’m going to talk about Individual Voluntary Arrangements.  An Individual Voluntary Arrangement, or IVA is a formal agreement with your creditors to pay some or all of your debts. An IVA will normally last five years, after which you will be debt free as a large proportion of your debt may be written off.

IVAs offer a number of advantages over bankruptcy. You will probably be allowed to keep your home, you can keep the matter private rather than having it announced in a newspaper, you can still hold a current account (albeit one without an overdraft) and you can still act as the Managing Director of a company or hold a public office. This means that the stigma of IVAs is much less than that of bankruptcy.

However there are also a number of disadvantages. Firstly, an IVA is only an option if you owe more than £15,000, and creditors representing at least 75% of the amount you owe must agree to the IVA arrangements. If your IVA fails you may still be made bankrupt, and the cost of your IVA will be added to your debts. Finally, your finances will be heavily scrutinised by an Insolvency Practitioner, and your IVA will appear on your credit file, thus affecting any subsequent applications for any type of credit.

Can you use credit cards to make money?

  By moneybags | October 21, 2009 - 2:42 pm | Credit Cards Leave a comment

Here’s an interesting thought that a friend of mine got into my head over the weekend: Can you use a credit card to actually make some money?

From my experience, by owning a credit card you are probably going to spend more money then you would have usually spent, just because it is all too easy to buy something on your card and not worry about the price. You don’t physically hand the money over, and you think that you will have ages to pay if off, so you don’t really care so much.

However, a friend of mine recently told me about a credit card they have which is a 0% interest on purchases one. This means that she can buy things on the card, and then doesn’t have to pay the bill until the end of the month – at no extra interest. Her reasoning on ‘making money’ this way is that she can put the money that she would have spent into a savings account – earning interest on money that would have been spent. According to her, you can easily earn a few hundred pounds a year simply by using credit cards this way.

Another way of using a credit card that could be considered is by applying for a cashback credit card – then you simply get paid to spend on your card. So if you spend £1000 on your card say, you might earn 5% cashback – which is about £50. This cashback is money that you wouldn’t have earned if you paid by cash, so it’s a bonus really. However, as the age old saying goes “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” so always investigate your options throughly when looking for a new credit card, and only spend what you can pay off within a reasonable time frame.