Is the government really helping first-time-buyers?

There are some things that really get me shouting at my telly – Big Brother is the most regular one at the moment, but this morning it was the government’s plans to rescue our ailing housing market that really got me spluttering into my cornflakes.

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You can take a horse to water...

It’s good to see that in the corridors of power people are finally starting to recognise that there is a real need to start educating people about money.

This week saw the publication of a report commissioned by the Treasury into this very subject. It has proposed the introduction of a national personal finance service that will be on hand to offer financial advice online, over the phone and even face to face with branches on the high street.

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Another mis-selling scandal in the making

Whenever the phone rings and I get one of those pre-recorded messages I usually hang up straightaway, but over the weekend I received one that was such flagrant evidence of mis-selling I had to listen to it all the way through.

The message was part of a “national awareness campaign” to make those who are struggling with their debts aware of a government initiative that could help them. It claimed that so long as borrowers were able to make monthly “affordable” repayments over 60 months they could see a large chunk of their debt wiped off.

What this actually was, was an advert from a provider of individual voluntary arrangements – an alternative to bankruptcy that doesn’t force you to relinquish assets like your home or car.

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Don't believe everything you read in the press

Today has been an absolute gift for headline writers and news reporters - World Markets Plunge, Recession Fears Spark Biggest Share Fall Since 9/11. They may as well be done with it and tell us the end of the world is nigh.

Ok, so the falls we've seen have been pretty substantial - especially as they've not been confined to the West and have spread out to Asia and the emerging markets. But does the average investor out there really need to panic?

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Negotiate your way to a better mobile phone deal

There’s one annual chore I’ve really come to hate. Given the time of year you’re probably thinking tax returns or maybe the obligatory January detox. No, what I’m having a grumble about is getting my mobile phone upgraded.

The term ‘upgrade’ suggests that in return for another year with the same supplier I should land myself a better deal. Well, not so if my experience with O2 is anything to go by.

Now I accept I may not be O2’s typical customer – as far as I’m concerned, so long as I can text and chat on a phone that isn’t so small it gets lost in my cavernous handbag, I’m happy. I certainly don’t need it to go online, listen to music or work out how many calories are in my lunch.

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Wii Wish You a Merry Christmas

When I asked my husband what he wanted for Christmas a few months back, I wasn’t quite aware what I was letting myself in for. “A Wii would be great,” he said, before starting to wax lyrical about the benefits of the new Nintendo Console. “You might even like it,” he suggested.

Buying a games console – easy I thought to myself. So instead of rushing out to buy one I focused my energies finding presents for those friends and relatives that are a bit harder to please.

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