by Brian Downton | J, May, 2016 | blog, general
The average cost of a funeral in the UK has risen by £140 in the last year to £3,702. It’s hardly the most cheery subject, but updated figures suggest that funeral costs are on the rise, increasing faster than the rate of inflation over the past year. But it’s clear...
by Brian Downton | J, Feb, 2016 | blog, general
Apple Pay has now arrived in the UK. Paypal has now outgrown eBay. Visa Europe is said to be in talks to be bought back by its larger sibling Visa Inc. In short, digital payment systems are big business in every sense of the phrase. Notwithstanding this, cash is still...
by Brian Downton | J, Feb, 2016 | blog, general
The UK has now experienced deflation for the first time since records began in 1996. The Office for National Statistics believes that the last time the UK experienced deflation was in the 1960s. This was so long ago that you may well be asking yourself “What exactly...
by Brian Downton | J, Jan, 2016 | blog, general
However it is eventually phrased on the ballot paper, the underlying question is essentially the same. “Should Britain stay in the EU?” Sometime between now and the end of 2017, the great British public will be required to answer it. So, is the grass really greener on...
by Brian Downton | J, Jan, 2016 | blog, general
As spring moves into summer, people can start to think about their physical shape and how good they look in their holiday clothes. How about also taking a few minutes to look at your financial shape? Making sure you’ve ticked off all the boxes in this 10-step...
by Brian Downton | J, Jan, 2016 | blog, general
With university fees of up to £9,000 a year and predictions that students might be paying back their loans in their 50’s, financial planning after graduation has never been more important. This blog article will explore the top ten most important financial...
by Brian Downton | J, Jan, 2016 | blog, general
Paying tax is an onerous duty and one we all wish we didn’t have to do. Judging by recent newspaper headlines, it seems that if you are rich and famous tax avoidance is almost compulsory. Whilst actual tax evasion is illegal (ie stashing it under your mattress), tax...
by Brian Downton | J, Jan, 2016 | blog, general
This effect of change in the performance of the stock exchange can often be noticed around election times in general, so you might want to consider how to protect your portfolio. Sterling and the Importance of Image Outside of the Euro zone, most individual countries...
