Archive for the ‘Inflation’ Category


The changing face of loans


Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Getting a loan used to be a complicated affair, and unless you fulfilled the many criteria that a bank would use to assess you, they remained for many an unobtainable luxury. Even if you were accepted, there were usually mountains of paperwork to trawl through until you eventually got your money. Recently, however, this has all changed, and with the advent of payday loans, applying for and obtaining a loan has become an easier and more convenient financial solution.

Traditionally, a bank would assess you for a loan in terms of your credit rating, which means that if you had a history of bad credit - be it arrears, county court judgements (CCJs), default or bankruptcy - then you would be refused a loan. Some would argue that this policy of refusal would shut out the very customers who could best use a loan. And, as we enter more uncertain times, it is likely that the criteria for bank loans will only become stricter, making it even more difficult for those who need loans to get access to money.

Now, however, there are alternatives, such as payday loans. Of course these have some criteria in place too, to ensure repayment of a loan, but they represent a more egalitarian financial solution that is open to all responsible borrowers, and offer a way to access cash when you need it the most.

Visit www.247Moneybox.com for more information.

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Off-peak and advance fares could see sharp rises


Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Following the Government confirming that regulated fares for passengers, such as season tickets, would fall last January, travel watchdogs have warned that train operators will try and regain their losses through other measures, reports Times online. These other measures to recoup their revenue - so-called ’stealth charges’ - include increasing the cost of parking and advance fares.

These warnings have shown substance following the First Great Western train company announcing rises of up to 20% on some off-peak services. Regulators do not monitor these off-peak services so there are no limits as to how much fares can be raised.

The fare reductions for regulated fares have been hailed as the first ‘in a generation’, and aim to encourage more people to use train travel and avoid more environmentally damaging means of transport, like cars. Some companies have been allowed to increase prices; West Yorkshire PTE will increase fares to enable investment in additional trains. London’s mayor, Boris Johnson, has been put under pressure from requests for more funding to British transport to cover the ‘black hole’ of investment there; this will make it difficult for Johnson to freeze fares for Underground and bus networks, which he controls. Boris promised in December that a ‘reduction (in RPI) will, of course, be fully reflected in the fare package’, a proposal that will come under a lot of strain.

Are you finding that expenses are getting too much for you each month? Are bills going unpaid and threatening to increase through penalty charges and late fees? If so, it sounds like you need a little injection of cash to deal with those steep payments you are facing at the moment. Here at www.247Moneybox.com we can offer you the chance to cover your costs with one of our payday loans. We can offer you a competitive loan, which provides cash quickly and with minimal hassle from paperwork or faxing. So visit our website and see if you qualify for a payday loan!

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Ofgem accuses energy suppliers of ‘unjustified price differences’


Monday, August 10th, 2009

Could you be saving money on your utility bills in the next couple of weeks? Well, more than 2 million rural households will see their electricity prices fall after Ofgem has cracked down on ‘unjustified price differences’ in the UK energy market, reports Times Online.

Following findings from the regulator’s reports, it has been decided that some people are being charged too much and are generally receiving bad service from the main power suppliers. In particular, 2 million people have not been able to connect to Britain’s gas network, leading to their not being able to qualify for the dual fuel bills offer which could get them cheaper electricity.

Furthermore, energy suppliers have been found to be treating some classes of customers worse than others; suppliers will have to provide annual statements telling households how much energy has been used and that it is viable that they can change suppliers. Proposals have been made to make tariffs simpler for customers, making comparison with other providers easy.

The poorer members of society have often received the toughest deals and a ban on ‘unjustified pricing’ will help them from being discriminated against. Ed Milliband the energy and climate secretary has said that ‘we need regulation to protect consumers and that is why I welcome the Ofgem proposals’.

Are you finding that your utility bills are going to be too much for you this month? Worried you might face having your utilities turned off if you don’t pay in time? If so, it sounds like you may benefit from a payday loan from us here at www.247Moneybox.com, as we can offer you fast cash to cover those monthly expenses that are too much for you. So apply today and see if we can help you with a loan to ensure that you don’t face your gas, electricity or water being shut off.

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Make sure you cash in on the latest Government fuel poverty scheme


Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

In a previous article we worried about the increase in the number of people in fuel poverty, but today it is apparent that government decision-makers have been reading our daily blog as they have announced a new £350 million scheme to aid those in fuel poverty, reports Times online.

The scheme is designed to give low-income households a complete ‘energy efficiency makeover’. The scheme, called the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP), will start next month and targets 100 ‘fuel-poor’ regions and installs energy efficient measures to the residents there, street by street. Some 90,000 people could benefit from measures ranging from extra insulation to a completely new central heating system, which will save an average £330 a year on fuel bills.

Overall, 900 deprived areas can qualify for assistance, but it is down to community action groups to lobby their local authorities to ensure that the scheme can be adopted in the other 800 deprived areas that have not been chosen directly by the energy suppliers. To find out whether your area is eligible or not go to www.imd.communities.gov.uk and click on the map.

It is important that local communities get on board as the scheme requires at least 25% of the eligible households in the area to have signed up before any work is carried out. There are also worries that the suppliers won’t deliver the scheme properly but will instead aim to meet the government’s carbon reducing targets rather than budget targets when delivering CESP.

If despite the reduction in your fuel bills they are still just too expensive, then it might be time you spoke to us here at www.247Moneybox.com and get yourself a payday loan to cover expenses until your next pay cheque arrives. Our payday loan will allow you to get cash fast, and the application process is quick and easy, so sign up today!

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NHF predicts house price upturn as soon as 2012


Monday, August 3rd, 2009

Good news for homeowners today, as predictions made by the National Housing Federation (NHF) suggest that we can see a boom in house prices as early as 2012 and will likely continue to 2014, reports Times online.

House prices during this period could rise by almost 20% due to the pressure put on the market by a shortage of properties. In the meantime, however, the NHF has predicted a fall in prices by up to 12.2% this year, 4.6% next year and then stabilising in 2011, with a 1.1% rise. The three-year boom will consist of a 7.5% rise in 2012, 8.4% in 2013 and 6.8% in 2014, with average prices rising by £38,000 from £189,900 to £227,800 at the end of the boom.

However the NHF has predicted that many of those trapped in negative equity won’t see their prices rise enough to outstrip their mortgage and will remain stuck in negative equity, in particular those who have been most effected by the 25% fall in prices from peak to trough.

Prices have been predicted to act in this fashion due to the high pressure from the shortage of properties; currently, only 60% of the required number of homes are built each year. Social housing waiting lists are growing due to a lack of lending to first-time buyers and low-income households, so these have not been able to take advantage of the recent fall in house prices.

Are you struggling to pay off your mortgage and find yourself trapped in negative equity? Well, why not consider taking out a payday loan from us here at www.247Moneybox.com and we will make sure that next payment is not late and therefore does not incur further charges which compound your problems. Fill out our quick 5-minute application form, and you could be one step closer to getting the cash loan you need.

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Car insurance inflation at its highest since 2000


Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Not more price rises! Yes, unfortunately further price rises are expected this year as car insurance companies argue that the high costs they are facing have to be transferred to motorists, reports BBC Online. Insurance companies are facing higher costs from more personal injury claims, such as whiplash, and more cases of fraud, which has forced them to increase premiums, claims AA Insurance.

Simon Douglas, the director of AA Insurance, stated that the ‘underlying premiums are rising more steeply than they have since 2000 because of rising costs’, and he doesn’t predict that this will ease. Already, last year’s prediction made by him has come to fruition, as premiums have increased by 10%.

He concludes that companies in the industry needed to turn around underwriting losses and pay the costs of better detection of fraud, as well as help clamp down on uninsured drivers, and that these were the main factors behind the greater costs.

Premiums are rising at a faster rate than at any time since the start of the decade. The average annual comprehensive car insurance policy rose to £778 between April and June, a rise of 3.5% compared to the previous three months, while the year on year increase reached 11.3% in June.

Others hit by the increases include those taking out third party insurance policies, namely young drivers, who already pay astronomical premiums due to the high-risk nature of these policies.

Are you struggling with the rising costs of reinsuring your car? It’s an expense that has to be paid for, as you can’t continue to drive without it. Therefore, to ensure that your car can remain roadworthy, it’s may be worth taking out a payday loan from us here at www.247Moneybox.com. Our tailored loan solutions are designed to help those who are having difficulty getting enough money together to keep their basic necessities going until the next paycheque. Think of us as a way to keep your finances on an even keel. If you need to get your finances back in black, apply for a payday loan today.

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Ofwat puts its foot down to alleviate hard-pressed consumers


Monday, July 27th, 2009

Great news for consumers’ water bills - we can expect our water bills to fall significantly over the next couple of years, nullifying many water companies’ plans to increase prices by - in some cases - as much as 17%, reports Times online.

Ofwat has decided that the monopolistic position of many water companies has allowed them to get away with price rises, whereas in other markets consumers can shop around for better value, and has thus mandated that prices will fall over the next couple of years.

Water companies will have to juggle lower revenue with an expectation for the same amount of investment, which has lead to criticism that neither can be achieved simultaneously. The chief executive of Water UK, Pamela Taylor, has voiced concerns that the propositions will undermine investment, alluding to Ofwat’s myopia and stating that they had ‘lost their longer term imperative’.

The announcements to curb revenue obviously led to a steep fall in the share prices of the bigger water companies, in particular Severn Trent and United Utilities.

Water companies will be expected to further invest in network improvements, reducing leaks, improving flood defences and replacing antiquated Victorian sewerage networks. Regina Finn, Ofwat’s chief executive, assures that there will be £21bn still available to fund the investment despite price and revenue cuts.

The announcements came as part of the draft recommendation for the period 2010 to 2015, in which Ofwat decides on how much should be invested and how much they are allowed to earn for their shareholders.

Are you finding it increasingly difficult to pay off your utility bills this year? Then avoid facing late payment interest rates and other charges by  taking out a payday loan from us here at www.247Moneybox.com. There are three simple steps: first, you fill out an application form; second, you answer a few questions on the phone; and lastly, you wait for verification and our decision … simple!

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Fuel poverty pressure group condemns lack of action


Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Despite it being ages before you’ll ever need to switch on your central heating, its worrying to find that many people are going to struggle to keep their gas and electricity on this year. Some 4 million people are finding that rising costs of energy from high oil prices and expensive green measures has put them into ‘fuel poverty’, a situation where one tenth or more of income goes on gas and electricity bills - a huge increase from 1.2 million in 2004, reports Times Online.

Even more worrying is that close to 50% of these households are pensioners. Rising unemployment and the current unhealthy state of the UK economy has meant that more and more people are falling into this category.

A damning report from the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group (FPAG) has condemned the lack of response from the Government to try and tackle this issue. The FPAG want a number of radical measures to be taken in order to stay on track to achieve the (now unlikely) target to eradicate all fuel poverty by 2016.

One measure has been to introduce a separate rate for those vulnerable households to ensure they get the cheapest deal and to fatten the budget of Warm Front, which delivers energy efficient measures to people’s homes.

The target for eradication is looking counter-productive to the Government’s carbon budget, which will pass the costs of green initiatives such as building wind farms straight onto the consumers; the FPAG predicts that this could put another 1.7 million households into fuel poverty by 2022. The investment in new power stations that has been announced recently will probably also make its way to consumer bills.

The energy minister David Kidney has acknowledged that the rising costs and transition to a low-carbon energy supply has ‘reversed the downward trend on the number of households in fuel poverty’, but highlights that the Government has spent more than £20 billion since 2000 on policies and programmes to help tackle fuel poverty. He states that the Government will be continuing to ease the burden on low income households and provide the support required to be able to heat and power their homes at an affordable cost.

Are you struggling to pay off your utility bills? Worried that your gas and electricity may be cut off before you get your next paycheque? Then perhaps you should think about what a payday loan could do for you. Here at www.247Moneybox.com we can offer you a tailored cash loan solution to help keep your finances on an even keel. So don’t worry about paying your energy bills - visit our website and apply today for a fast cash loan.

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Energy price war counteracts lofty oil price


Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Good news from the energy market today as an energy price war sparks up among energy giants, reports Times online. British Gas, the undisputed cheapest energy supplier, has now faced a new challenger from the likes of Npower, who have launched new online tariffs that make ‘high’ and ‘low’ energy users better off than with British Gas. However, British Gas remains the best option for the average consumer, but only by £1 per year.

To stay in the game, Scottish Power has been forced to follow suit joining the energy war, and Uswitch, the price comparison site, has shown a £192 fall in the standard energy prices.

The price war follows numerous criticisms that the energy companies had not brought their prices down last year, and it sparks good news in the face of high oil prices this year which jumped to as high as $60 a barrel a few months ago. Critics who attacked the lack of price cuts highlighted the fact that the price of energy had been cut in half since last year, whereas domestic energy bills have seen a cut of only 5%; analysts argue that a further 10% or 15% cut is justified.

There are many tips that have been given to consumers when it comes to energy bills. First, find out what type of energy user you are - high or low - and then shop accordingly. Use the internet, as there are a myriad of sites out there which can compare gas and electricity bills instantly, allowing you to pick the best deal for you.

Are utility bills going to take you into the red this month? Need some extra cash to keep your finances on an even keel? Then why not speak to us here at www.247Moneybox.com and see about getting a payday loan. We offer tailored loan solutions which can help cover your expenses this month until your next paycheque is due. So don’t delay and check out our easy and quick application form - when that is complete, we will make a fast decision on your application and you could be one step closer to that extra cash you need!

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MPC ‘more worried about deflation’ as CPI hits 1.8%


Monday, July 20th, 2009

Good news about the price level today - The Guardian reports that the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the measure of the cost of living, has seen a drop from 2.2% at the start of the year to 1.8% last week.

The fall has silenced calls for the Bank of England to change the policy of stimulus that has been adopted for the last couple of months. It is now expected that we will carry on in a period of ultra-low interest rates.

It is the first time that inflation has been within the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) target of 2.0% since September 2007, and which has since then  peaked at 5.2% last September following increases in oil prices. However inflation remains higher than the average EU level at 0.7%, and the 16 country Eurozone 0.15%. Analysts now worry we may experience deflation which could be damaging to the economy.

The driving forces behind the lower prices were food and non-alcoholic drinks, which fell to 5.4% last month from 7.8% the month before. Furniture has also seen price falls after there has been no impetus to put up prices before a summer sale, caution being spread by companies shaken by the collapse of MFI.

In the wider economy, Brendan Barber, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) general secretary warns of a period of deflation as having a detrimental impact on jobs, growth and investment. However, Adam Posen believes the British economy could soon return to growth by as soon as 2010, though he doesn’t expect it to be a ’smooth ride’.

Are you getting worried about this month’s payments? Are you going to struggle to pay off your mortgage payments and your paycheque can’t come soon enough? Then consider talking to us here at www.247Moneybox.com as we can offer you peace of mind. With our payday loans we can offer you fast cash, which could help take care of your mounting expenses. Don’t fret any longer - make an application today and you’re on the way to being able to relax about your financial situation this month.

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