Spending Habits
London experiences biggest fall in retail prices
London experienced the largest decline in retail prices over the past year with a 2.8% fall between 2008 quarter one and 2009 quarter one, according to new research by Halifax. This was more than twice the 1.3% fall for the UK as a whole.
A valuable recession lesson
As G20 leaders voted for a new era of economic change, 78% of consumers are planning to follow suit, committing to change the way they manage their personal finances through increased saving, spending within their limits and reviewing their finances more often.
moneysupermarket.com: April RPI and CPI figures
Commenting on the RPI and CPI figures announced today, Kevin Mountford, head of banking at moneysupermarket.com, said: "The RPI fell to minus 1.2 per cent in April, its lowest rate in over 50 years, but not everyone will feel the benefit of a falling cost of living.
Inflation facing elderly drops sharply to 3.9%
This month's official inflation report showed that the headline rate of inflation fell to 2.3%. Although Alliance Trust's ongoing monthly study of age related inflation reveals a drop in the inflation rate facing all age groups, it is the two oldest age groups which have benefited most this month.
Consumer inflation continues to fall
CPI annual inflation – the Government's target measure – was 2.3 per cent in April, down from 2.9 per cent in March, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
"High Wire" Britain is in want of a safety net
People are balancing on a high wire with no safety net to protect the income that provides for the basic things in life, not to mention those little luxuries, according to new independent research commissioned by Scottish Provident.
Online supermarket swap shops
Customers who buy groceries online may get some surprising swaps in their shop, says consumer group Which?.
Annual spend on digital TV tops £5 billion
With the digital switchover looming, nearly nine in ten households (89%) now have digital TV (DTV) on their main TV set. DTV customers are now spending more than £5 billion a year for their service, £1 billion or 23% more than last year.
Culinary clumsiness costs homeowners dear
Attempts to save money by staying at home rather than going out could be costing Brits up to £1.5 billion a year, a new survey from AA Insurance reveals.
Soap star, saver star... Who pays less in the battle of the soaps
They are often criticised for painting a sensational and depressing picture of British life. But the trials and tribulations, that draw millions of viewers to the likes of Eastenders and Coronation Street, provide an interesting reflection of how ‘family matters' can affect the pockets of households across the UK.
Consumers’ financial wellbeing shows glimmer of hope
Alliance Trust's ongoing study of consumers' financial wellbeing showed a slight up-tick in the first quarter of the year as household budgets improved. Overall, however, consumers remain under pressure and are likely to continue to rein in spending in line with the weak state of their finances.
Consumer confidence rises eight points in April
The Nationwide Consumer Confidence Index rose by eight points to 50 in April, the largest single monthly rise for nearly two years.
Internet generation lacking knowledge of rights
Internet-savvy 16 to 24 years olds used to hunting for bargains on-line lack understanding of their consumer rights if something goes wrong.
The simple life is back as Brits say no frills, no problem
Britons are adopting a ‘no frills' lifestyle to combat the credit crunch and shunning flashy or complicated purchases to make their money go further, new research from Abbey Credit Cards has revealed.
Recession hits Britain's pockets town by town
uSwitch.com's regional recession index reveals that the global economic meltdown is not a level playing field in Britain as every location has a different story to tell. Swindon has been ranked the hardest hit area in the country with unemployment soaring by 197% following the closure of several large manufacturing plants in the area.