Archive for December, 2008
Brits Saving £1 Trillion by 2012
Brits are on course to put away as much as £1 trillion in savings by 2012, with balances having doubled since the turn of the century. It would appear that the message from government and financial advisors may have got through with many more people putting some money away for their future.
Balances since the year 2000 are up by £426 billion – five times the increase in unsecured borrowing (£79 billion), according to research carried out by YouGov on behalf of Alliance & Leicester. What’s more, almost two fifths (39 per cent) are planning to increase their savings balance over the next five years.
Commenting on the study, professor Merlin Stone of Bristol Business School said: “Today, we have a savings paradox. Households appear to be stretching themselves to meet increased taxation and a general rise in the cost of living. However, perhaps surprisingly, overall savings balances have continued to increase.
“It seems that the pressure has fallen on pension contributions. Evidence suggests that people in their prime years are saving more cash with a view to funding their retirement.”
However, while 39 per cent of people feel saving is necessary for their financial future, almost a quarter (24 per cent) have no savings at all, with 75 per cent of those with no savings saying the main reason for not having any cash savings is lack of spare income. Meanwhile, one in eight (12 per cent) feel they lack the discipline to save and a hedonistic two per cent say saving is unnecessary and that one should “live for the day”.
Of the savings accounts on offer, Instant Access Accounts have grown in popularity recently – a phenomenon attributed to the increase in popularity of internet banking and e-savings accounts. A total of 40 per cent of cash savings are now managed in online savings accounts – four times the amount five years ago.
According to Apacs, the five-year growth statistics for online banking show that the number of adults in the UK using online banking has increased by 174 per cent from 6.2 million in 2001 to 17.0 million last year. This includes a 350 per cent increase in usage among the over 55s.
Brian Capon, a spokesperson for the British Bankers’ Association, said recently: “People like the flexibility and immediacy of the internet. It is instant and I think that’s part of the appeal of internet banking, not just for banking but as a society these days.”
As a result balances in instant access accounts are up 60 per cent to over £5,000. Disciplined and Regular Savings Accounts have also increased in popularity – a trend that looks set to continue. However, this seems to be at the expense of Notice Accounts, with virtually no new accounts being opened and balances falling dramatically.
Disclaimer:
This article has been written for information and interest purposes only. The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author only, and should not be construed as advice or used to make financial decisions. Expert financial advice should always be sought and any links contained within this article are included for information purposes only.
By: Elisha Burberry
About the Author:
Balances since the year 2000 are up by £426 billion – five times the increase in unsecured borrowing (£79 billion), according to research carried out by YouGov on behalf of Alliance & Leicester. What’s more, almost two fifths (39 per cent) are planning to increase their savings balance over the next five years.
Commenting on the study, professor Merlin Stone of Bristol Business School said: “Today, we have a savings paradox. Households appear to be stretching themselves to meet increased taxation and a general rise in the cost of living. However, perhaps surprisingly, overall savings balances have continued to increase.
“It seems that the pressure has fallen on pension contributions. Evidence suggests that people in their prime years are saving more cash with a view to funding their retirement.”
However, while 39 per cent of people feel saving is necessary for their financial future, almost a quarter (24 per cent) have no savings at all, with 75 per cent of those with no savings saying the main reason for not having any cash savings is lack of spare income. Meanwhile, one in eight (12 per cent) feel they lack the discipline to save and a hedonistic two per cent say saving is unnecessary and that one should “live for the day”.
Of the savings accounts on offer, Instant Access Accounts have grown in popularity recently – a phenomenon attributed to the increase in popularity of internet banking and e-savings accounts. A total of 40 per cent of cash savings are now managed in online savings accounts – four times the amount five years ago.
According to Apacs, the five-year growth statistics for online banking show that the number of adults in the UK using online banking has increased by 174 per cent from 6.2 million in 2001 to 17.0 million last year. This includes a 350 per cent increase in usage among the over 55s.
Brian Capon, a spokesperson for the British Bankers’ Association, said recently: “People like the flexibility and immediacy of the internet. It is instant and I think that’s part of the appeal of internet banking, not just for banking but as a society these days.”
As a result balances in instant access accounts are up 60 per cent to over £5,000. Disciplined and Regular Savings Accounts have also increased in popularity – a trend that looks set to continue. However, this seems to be at the expense of Notice Accounts, with virtually no new accounts being opened and balances falling dramatically.
Disclaimer:
This article has been written for information and interest purposes only. The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author only, and should not be construed as advice or used to make financial decisions. Expert financial advice should always be sought and any links contained within this article are included for information purposes only.
By: Elisha Burberry
About the Author:
Elisha Burberry is an online, freelance journalist and keen traveller and watersports enthusiast. Originally from Scotland, she now resides in London.
Ways to Save Money You Would Never Think of
In the world we live in, money is the most important factor that determines the way you live your life. Some people can afford just about everything, but most people are struggling to live their lives by planning budgets and saving money wherever they can.
When you are trying to develop good strategies to save money, what is the first thing you think of changing? Should you eat less, should you wear the same clothes every day, or should you save money by becoming an intelligent shopper?
When you don’t have anyone to tell you what you should do, the quest to save money may seem a little difficult, because you can’t think of too many things to do. Some time ago I found myself in the unpleasant situation of being bankrupt and, trust me, when you hit financial rock-bottom, you become very resourceful on finding ways to save money.
Some people may be searching for ways to save money as well, and because of this I will try to share a few that I found out myself. Since meals are something we cannot go without, this is the most important aspect you need to keep under control.
The visits to the grocery store are the ones that leave the greatest dent in our wallet. One of the first ways to save money is to control your grocery shopping frenzy. Many stores have their own brands, which are usually cheaper than popular brands, but with the same taste and effect. Keeping your costs down for satisfying the same needs is one of the easiest ways to save money.
The packaging of the products also plays an important role in the pricing. Singular packages are always more expensive than large size containers. If you do the math, buying in bulk means lower cost per unit and therefore is a great way to save money.
Another thing you should be on the look out for are sales. Major stores always have something on sale, making this another good way to save money. However, always control your desires to benefit from discounts. Always purchase something because you need it, not because it is on sale. Furthermore, this may sound silly, but always be sure that you go shopping on a full stomach, because everything looks appealing when you are hungry.
On of the most efficient ways to save money from your daily shopping is by purchasing the needed items from specialized shops. This means that all non-grocery products shouldn’t be purchased from the grocery store, because here they tend to be overpriced.
When you are struggling to find more options of how to save money, you should turn to coupons. Even if this sounds like a solution from the dark ages, they can keep a few extra bucks in your wallet at the end of the day. Those few bucks added at the end of the month may turn into a hefty sum.
These are just some of the solutions I have found to keep my small budget efficient. If you are interested in more tips on how to save money, all you need to do is log on to the internet and visit the website squidoo.com/Tips_and_Ways_to_Save_More_Money.
By: Clint Jhonson
About the Author:
When you are trying to develop good strategies to save money, what is the first thing you think of changing? Should you eat less, should you wear the same clothes every day, or should you save money by becoming an intelligent shopper?
When you don’t have anyone to tell you what you should do, the quest to save money may seem a little difficult, because you can’t think of too many things to do. Some time ago I found myself in the unpleasant situation of being bankrupt and, trust me, when you hit financial rock-bottom, you become very resourceful on finding ways to save money.
Some people may be searching for ways to save money as well, and because of this I will try to share a few that I found out myself. Since meals are something we cannot go without, this is the most important aspect you need to keep under control.
The visits to the grocery store are the ones that leave the greatest dent in our wallet. One of the first ways to save money is to control your grocery shopping frenzy. Many stores have their own brands, which are usually cheaper than popular brands, but with the same taste and effect. Keeping your costs down for satisfying the same needs is one of the easiest ways to save money.
The packaging of the products also plays an important role in the pricing. Singular packages are always more expensive than large size containers. If you do the math, buying in bulk means lower cost per unit and therefore is a great way to save money.
Another thing you should be on the look out for are sales. Major stores always have something on sale, making this another good way to save money. However, always control your desires to benefit from discounts. Always purchase something because you need it, not because it is on sale. Furthermore, this may sound silly, but always be sure that you go shopping on a full stomach, because everything looks appealing when you are hungry.
On of the most efficient ways to save money from your daily shopping is by purchasing the needed items from specialized shops. This means that all non-grocery products shouldn’t be purchased from the grocery store, because here they tend to be overpriced.
When you are struggling to find more options of how to save money, you should turn to coupons. Even if this sounds like a solution from the dark ages, they can keep a few extra bucks in your wallet at the end of the day. Those few bucks added at the end of the month may turn into a hefty sum.
These are just some of the solutions I have found to keep my small budget efficient. If you are interested in more tips on how to save money, all you need to do is log on to the internet and visit the website squidoo.com/Tips_and_Ways_to_Save_More_Money.
By: Clint Jhonson
About the Author:
Even though it may seem you have a good financial situation, you should always save money when you can. The website mentioned afore can provide many ways to save money. Just visit it, take the advices under consideration and enjoy the benefits.
Residential Energy Savings and Performance Contracting: the Big Business Advantage
Residential Energy Savings and Performance Contracting: The Big Business Advantage.
A collaborative effort may be just what we need to boost excitement into the minds of homeowners. Large companies use something called “Performance Contracts” to acquire financing for Energy Conservation Projects. A Performance Contract is usually provided by an ESCO, to a large business entity. Applying Performance Contracts the same way an (ESCO) Energy Service Company does to big-business, could be a worthy option. Performance Contracts are offered to municipalities, school districts, stadiums and other corporate entities; but not to private residential homeowners. Unfortunately, millions of energy savings dollars could have already realized, if Performance Contracting was extended outside Corporate America. Is this just another case of “The Big Business Advantage?”
To understand if there is an advantage, you need to know a little about what Performance Contracting (PC) is. Performance Contracts essentially guarantees “a minimum amount of energy savings” from the installation of energy efficient equipment and energy conservation strategies. Energy savings are derived from a detailed Energy Audit, which reveals where energy savings should be applied. The audit also reveals energy savings strategies along with a given “Pay Back time, for each strategy. The “Pay-back” demonstrates length of time it takes, to get a return on their investment. A simplified example of a Pay-back is; lighting retrofits will cost $6,000 and will save $2,000 annually. Therefore; the payback will be 3 Years ($6000/$2000) = 3, meaning, it will take 3 years to pay down the cost, the (4th year + )is “pure savings”.
There are many other advantages, such as energy monitoring. It is to the ESCO’s advantage to monitor the saving because they have “guaranteed” the savings. The ESCO also assumes responsibility with a “Promise” or “Guarantee”. The promise goes something like this; if Company X does not see X amount of savings during a given amount of time, we will pay you the difference! Furthermore, the cost/debt of the Energy Retrofit will be covered by future energy savings. To give you an example; company X is a Convention Center with badly needed equipment upgrades. Company X is also spending 20-30% more energy than necessary and for a Convention Center that could equate to millions of dollars of additional cost. However, Company X can’t afford the project from its current operating budget. See any similarities to homeowners? Fortunately, in enters the ESCO that can not only help secure financing, but, PM the installation, repair, service and track energy savings for the project. The icing on the cake for the Company X is the” Performance Guarantee”!
So, why is it good for Residential Markets?
o Financial cost is the main reason that most energy strategies are not done in the residential market.
o The effects of Global Warming from Green House Gases are largely dependent on how much pollutants humans make and how much energy we use. Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, resulting from petroleum and natural gas, represent 82 percent of total U.S. human-made greenhouse gas emissions. When we reduce energy and pollutants, demand and supply is also reduced.
o A National Research Council study dated May 2001 stated, “Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth’s atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and sub-surface ocean temperatures to rise.
o According to (EIA) Energy Information Administration, statistics show that Residential Carbon Emissions for 2005, was 5,956,978,731. If we treat residential market like the business market we have a chance of saving a minimum of 15% Carbon Dioxide Emissions from our homes, only. The Presidents Global Climate Change Policy projects an 11% reduction in Carbon Dioxide, which is inclusive of all industries.
o Reducing our dependence on foreign oil. According to the (NRDC) Natural Resources Defense Council, we spend more than $200,000 dollars/ per minute — $13 million per hour — on foreign oil. This is $13 million dollars with Zero payback.
o An investment in consumer Performance Contract financing would result in a payback of 20-30% in energy cost. Those savings could go back into our pockets and trickle down to our economy.
o Finally, efforts have already been made towards Performance Contracts and the Residential market. The Department of Energy and HUD have put together a collaborative effort to make public housing more energy efficient. The collaborative effort, referred to as “Energy Performance Contracting for Public and Indian Housing” is a recipe book detailing the benefits and procedures of Performance Contracting. The Guide Book was originally printed in 1990, nearly 18 years ago.
Audits are usually done by C.E.M.s. Certified Energy Managers.
By: Natasha Vassallo
About the Author:
A collaborative effort may be just what we need to boost excitement into the minds of homeowners. Large companies use something called “Performance Contracts” to acquire financing for Energy Conservation Projects. A Performance Contract is usually provided by an ESCO, to a large business entity. Applying Performance Contracts the same way an (ESCO) Energy Service Company does to big-business, could be a worthy option. Performance Contracts are offered to municipalities, school districts, stadiums and other corporate entities; but not to private residential homeowners. Unfortunately, millions of energy savings dollars could have already realized, if Performance Contracting was extended outside Corporate America. Is this just another case of “The Big Business Advantage?”
To understand if there is an advantage, you need to know a little about what Performance Contracting (PC) is. Performance Contracts essentially guarantees “a minimum amount of energy savings” from the installation of energy efficient equipment and energy conservation strategies. Energy savings are derived from a detailed Energy Audit, which reveals where energy savings should be applied. The audit also reveals energy savings strategies along with a given “Pay Back time, for each strategy. The “Pay-back” demonstrates length of time it takes, to get a return on their investment. A simplified example of a Pay-back is; lighting retrofits will cost $6,000 and will save $2,000 annually. Therefore; the payback will be 3 Years ($6000/$2000) = 3, meaning, it will take 3 years to pay down the cost, the (4th year + )is “pure savings”.
There are many other advantages, such as energy monitoring. It is to the ESCO’s advantage to monitor the saving because they have “guaranteed” the savings. The ESCO also assumes responsibility with a “Promise” or “Guarantee”. The promise goes something like this; if Company X does not see X amount of savings during a given amount of time, we will pay you the difference! Furthermore, the cost/debt of the Energy Retrofit will be covered by future energy savings. To give you an example; company X is a Convention Center with badly needed equipment upgrades. Company X is also spending 20-30% more energy than necessary and for a Convention Center that could equate to millions of dollars of additional cost. However, Company X can’t afford the project from its current operating budget. See any similarities to homeowners? Fortunately, in enters the ESCO that can not only help secure financing, but, PM the installation, repair, service and track energy savings for the project. The icing on the cake for the Company X is the” Performance Guarantee”!
So, why is it good for Residential Markets?
o Financial cost is the main reason that most energy strategies are not done in the residential market.
o The effects of Global Warming from Green House Gases are largely dependent on how much pollutants humans make and how much energy we use. Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, resulting from petroleum and natural gas, represent 82 percent of total U.S. human-made greenhouse gas emissions. When we reduce energy and pollutants, demand and supply is also reduced.
o A National Research Council study dated May 2001 stated, “Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth’s atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and sub-surface ocean temperatures to rise.
o According to (EIA) Energy Information Administration, statistics show that Residential Carbon Emissions for 2005, was 5,956,978,731. If we treat residential market like the business market we have a chance of saving a minimum of 15% Carbon Dioxide Emissions from our homes, only. The Presidents Global Climate Change Policy projects an 11% reduction in Carbon Dioxide, which is inclusive of all industries.
o Reducing our dependence on foreign oil. According to the (NRDC) Natural Resources Defense Council, we spend more than $200,000 dollars/ per minute — $13 million per hour — on foreign oil. This is $13 million dollars with Zero payback.
o An investment in consumer Performance Contract financing would result in a payback of 20-30% in energy cost. Those savings could go back into our pockets and trickle down to our economy.
o Finally, efforts have already been made towards Performance Contracts and the Residential market. The Department of Energy and HUD have put together a collaborative effort to make public housing more energy efficient. The collaborative effort, referred to as “Energy Performance Contracting for Public and Indian Housing” is a recipe book detailing the benefits and procedures of Performance Contracting. The Guide Book was originally printed in 1990, nearly 18 years ago.
Audits are usually done by C.E.M.s. Certified Energy Managers.
By: Natasha Vassallo
About the Author:
Savings Accounts
Savings Accounts
Suggesting you to save your money in saving accounts may not sound too attractive, especially when some authors offer ways to become millionaires. But, here’s a thought: If you’re aiming towards a big goal, but still leave your money lying available in the bank, you’ll probably end up spending it all on various expenses and you might never achieve your goal. With saving accounts you could reach a large amount of money within a few years, without any effort, or at least very little effort. You can replace your car, buy or replace your house, take your family to a vacation abroad, or use it for an emergency case like surgery (which I hope you won’t be needing). Don’t underestimate saving accounts; they’re not risky as investing in stocks. Although the value of money is decreasing all the time, if you have no real knowledge in the stock exchange market, you better not get into it, otherwise you may lose a lot of money.
Very soon I hope to have at least three different saving accounts. The first will be for a vacation I am planning to take, the second will be for household emergencies, and the last one will be just for me. Though I have always tried to have at least one account to put away my money, it seems that I might be better off with three separate accounts. If you have many different things in your life that you wish to save for, this could be a solution for you too.
When all my money is in one account, I seem to spend it more easily. I believe that having three different saving accounts for each of my purposes might help leave my money be. It’s not like spending money comes easy to me, it’s rather accompanied by chest pain…, but regardless, I always seem to find a way to spend it. I hope that having more saving accounts will allow me to leave my money alone. After all, out of sight is out of mind?
You may also want to have several different saving accounts for your children. I only have one daughter right now, and she has three savings accounts. One was opened by me and the two others were opened by her grandparents. The money will be hers once she goes to College. I don’t even plan to tell her about the accounts until she has a real need to use any of them. If she won’t know what’s in there, she will be less likely to beg me for things that she doesn’t need. I remember when I was a teenager and there were so many things I was dying to have. Now, I wish I had saved that money towards my college education.
Saving accounts are a great way to save money for almost anything. The best thing about saving accounts is that they come with interest. The more money you have in these accounts the more interest you’ll earn. You might be surprised at how much interest you can make if you leave your money in your savings accounts for five or ten years. Even small amounts of money will have a nice revenue if you just leave it alone. They may not be the best way to make money on your money, but it is certainly better than nothing at all.
By: Alladin Alon
About the Author:
Suggesting you to save your money in saving accounts may not sound too attractive, especially when some authors offer ways to become millionaires. But, here’s a thought: If you’re aiming towards a big goal, but still leave your money lying available in the bank, you’ll probably end up spending it all on various expenses and you might never achieve your goal. With saving accounts you could reach a large amount of money within a few years, without any effort, or at least very little effort. You can replace your car, buy or replace your house, take your family to a vacation abroad, or use it for an emergency case like surgery (which I hope you won’t be needing). Don’t underestimate saving accounts; they’re not risky as investing in stocks. Although the value of money is decreasing all the time, if you have no real knowledge in the stock exchange market, you better not get into it, otherwise you may lose a lot of money.
Very soon I hope to have at least three different saving accounts. The first will be for a vacation I am planning to take, the second will be for household emergencies, and the last one will be just for me. Though I have always tried to have at least one account to put away my money, it seems that I might be better off with three separate accounts. If you have many different things in your life that you wish to save for, this could be a solution for you too.
When all my money is in one account, I seem to spend it more easily. I believe that having three different saving accounts for each of my purposes might help leave my money be. It’s not like spending money comes easy to me, it’s rather accompanied by chest pain…, but regardless, I always seem to find a way to spend it. I hope that having more saving accounts will allow me to leave my money alone. After all, out of sight is out of mind?
You may also want to have several different saving accounts for your children. I only have one daughter right now, and she has three savings accounts. One was opened by me and the two others were opened by her grandparents. The money will be hers once she goes to College. I don’t even plan to tell her about the accounts until she has a real need to use any of them. If she won’t know what’s in there, she will be less likely to beg me for things that she doesn’t need. I remember when I was a teenager and there were so many things I was dying to have. Now, I wish I had saved that money towards my college education.
Saving accounts are a great way to save money for almost anything. The best thing about saving accounts is that they come with interest. The more money you have in these accounts the more interest you’ll earn. You might be surprised at how much interest you can make if you leave your money in your savings accounts for five or ten years. Even small amounts of money will have a nice revenue if you just leave it alone. They may not be the best way to make money on your money, but it is certainly better than nothing at all.
By: Alladin Alon
About the Author:
Alladin Alon is a well known author, and money saving expert, publisher of Savings
Accounts where he provides more information on all kind of Savings
Accounts
Is Saving a Marrige the Right Thing to Do?
Saving a marriage is very simple for those pairs that still have love in their hearts. As said, romance should always be alive in a marital relationship because if there is love, marriage becomes stronger and longer for the couples. So saving a marriage is well worth it because humans are designed to share intimacy, both physically and emotionally at a deep level.
It’s hard to do that even without the added complication of an affair, but once achieved, the peace found is incomparable. Saving a marriage is doing your part to save our society. To save a marriage is to keep a child from being ripped in two by choosing which parent to live with and which parent to disappoint.
Also, we have to remember that saving a marriage is all about time and effort. If your marriage is on the rocks, then it is clear that something in your lives needs to change. Saving a marriage is beneficial to society. Keeping a marriage together can ensure that children are not traumatized by the separation or led into situations that require difficult and painful decisions. Saving a marriage is saving a child from becoming torn into two, is saving a child the conflict of having to choose which parent is nicer, whose house is better, who he or she likes the most. A kid from a divorced household is more likely to become a single parent, a kid from a single parent household is more likely to mimic the same lifestyle and also be a single parent.
Saving a marriage is saving a child from becoming torn into two, is saving a child the conflict of having to choose which parent is nicer, whose house is better, who he or she likes the most. A child from a divorced household is more likely to become a single parent; a child a single parent household is more likely to mimic the same lifestyle and become a divorcee.
Saving a marriage is probably the last thing on your mind. All you want to do is to lash out. Saving a marriage is not at all easy, what more a broken one? So, before everything gets totally out of hand, you must take these important steps on how to save a broken marriage. Saving a marriage is the desire of many couples who have found themselves in a relationship that has deteriorated. Although there are problems, the relationship may only need some guidance to get back on track.
By: Tyler Jaysen
About the Author:
It’s hard to do that even without the added complication of an affair, but once achieved, the peace found is incomparable. Saving a marriage is doing your part to save our society. To save a marriage is to keep a child from being ripped in two by choosing which parent to live with and which parent to disappoint.
Also, we have to remember that saving a marriage is all about time and effort. If your marriage is on the rocks, then it is clear that something in your lives needs to change. Saving a marriage is beneficial to society. Keeping a marriage together can ensure that children are not traumatized by the separation or led into situations that require difficult and painful decisions. Saving a marriage is saving a child from becoming torn into two, is saving a child the conflict of having to choose which parent is nicer, whose house is better, who he or she likes the most. A kid from a divorced household is more likely to become a single parent, a kid from a single parent household is more likely to mimic the same lifestyle and also be a single parent.
Saving a marriage is saving a child from becoming torn into two, is saving a child the conflict of having to choose which parent is nicer, whose house is better, who he or she likes the most. A child from a divorced household is more likely to become a single parent; a child a single parent household is more likely to mimic the same lifestyle and become a divorcee.
Saving a marriage is probably the last thing on your mind. All you want to do is to lash out. Saving a marriage is not at all easy, what more a broken one? So, before everything gets totally out of hand, you must take these important steps on how to save a broken marriage. Saving a marriage is the desire of many couples who have found themselves in a relationship that has deteriorated. Although there are problems, the relationship may only need some guidance to get back on track.
By: Tyler Jaysen
About the Author:
And now I would like to invite you to claim your instant access to getting back with your ex when you go to
http://ihavetoadmit.com/getexback.html
From Tyler Jaysen the get your ex back guy and Magic of Making up network.