The Art and Science of Saving

For most of us, putting aside a fixed amount of perfectly good money each month is hard work, but the fact is you can save, even if it’s only a small amount.

No matter what your age, gender, race or professional status, you should think of saving as a fixed monthly expense, a regular part of your budget, just like your car or mortgage payments. As a rule, you should aim to save at least 5 to 10 per cent of your pay each month. Read more

Landlords being prompted to run credit checks on tenants

As the economy falters and job losses increase, worried landlords are being advised to carry out credit checks on prospective tenants. Nearly three quarters of landlords say they expect rental arrears to be issues in 2009.

Evicting recalcitrant tenants can take up to six months and end up costing the property owner nearly £1,000. The easier option, say advisers, is to tighten up credit on prospective tenants before they move in. Read more