Money Matters

Parking scams We've all heard of the national scandal that is blighting our high streets -- the parking scam. As we speak (Oct 22) the government of the day are working on legislation to clip the wings of dubious parking operations. Unfortunately at the last count the progress of the bill has been halted due to the lack of parliamentry time. At the time of this update (August 2023) this matter has been put in a dusty old box and moved to the room marked "do not disturb". https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-parking-code-of-practice/private-parking-code-of-practice. https://www.gov.uk/government/ Meanwhile the business has become so profitable for many that it's unlikely the people running them are going to let go of it easily. Private parking operators issue  more than 20,000 parking tickets every day  across the UK, with some accused of having confusing and misleading signage that makes drivers more susceptible to charges compared to parking in a counci...

Sad to say that Facebook marketplace has become almost totally infected by scammers, and in my particular area of interest its vehicle scams. A typical case was cars and vans (or should I say photographs of them) being posted for sale at around 30-50% true market value for a "quick sale". The profile is often that of a genuine person who does not know their profile is being used to host the scams. (Be careful of any messages saying you're profile has been involved suspicious activity and asking you to reset your password).  Having taken over an innocent account they launch their sales fishing, I was interested in a £10,000 motorbike going for £4000, messaged the seller and immediately got an message with an email address and further instructions. Obviously this, and the email request are big red flags, as are the use of genuine Transport Companies who address is being used for those extra layers of credibility.and also are blissfully unaware of what's going on. There ...

So we see them all the time now on social media, tools, equipment shoes all and everything at really knock down prices £19.99 is a favourite one for a power table saw or a pair of Loack shoes, so I got to thinking how do they work? It is after all covered by PayPal and many of them now offer the PayPal as a way of paying. However all is not as it seems;  The Empty Box Yep, popular at Christmas with the ads on many face book selling sites, the scammers would simply put a photograph 9fcthe items box and yes, that's what you'd get. The power planer with two spare blades. Yep, that's what you'd get, two spare, cheap quality blades. The Tracked Delivery, Yep, you'd get a box with paper in it but hey, the box had been tracked as delivered not its contents. But hold on, I paid by PayPal, surely I'm protected, well no, they will expect you to return the item and send in proof of return, and of course the process is dependant on the supplier confirming receip...

 https://www.safehandsplans.co.uk/ They seem a reasonable idea on the face of it, pay for your funeral upfront so that the family isn't left to arrange the finer points. But the FCA has recently felt it important to legislate the sale of these plans. Why? Well recently t here's been some cocer  The rising cost of funerals means many people are turning to prepaid plans – where you pay for your own funeral in advance, to cover some of the costs such as a coffin, cremation or burial fees. But funeral plans don't cover all the costs associated with a funeral, so you'll need to check what's included before you stump up the cash. This guide helps you compare what's on offer and decide whether you should get one.

Of course it's prudent to put money aside for when we get older however with all the advantages of this come some real life disadvantages. Brian Redhead (Google him) used to do a money show on BBC4, told of a chap who'd written to him to say he and his wife had scrimped and saved during they're working life for going holidays and running an old car so that they could reudent to put some money aside for when you get older. tire in a degree of comfort and self independence.  Sadly he said his wife had passed away a couple of years before she reached retirement and he wished to do it the other way and had the enjoyment while she was here.

Smart meters are being rolled out over the UK. Like most new technology they attract opposing opinions from some people, I felt it right to do some research. They are here with us because they’re part of the solution to the climate change. I'll l say at this stage that i have no affiliation to any energy company. Smart meters help us to understand where and when consumers need energy, and they help them to see what they're using and cut where they can. That’s good for the planet and your pocket.  As is often the case with issues around the environment and the climate crisis, there’s a lot of misinformation around smart meters disadvantages. The great news is that it’s often missinformation, so if you’re concerned about getting a smart meter or know someone who is, here’s our list of the top 9 smart meter myths explored.   1. Are smart meters expensive to fit? No. You won’t be charge you for having a smart meter or the in-home display unit. You won’t have to pay for in...