Which Commuter Towns Are Most Affordable?

by

For many of us, hybrid working is now the new normal, and this has given rise to more London workers moving out into the suburbs. Whatever the motive, whether it be greener spaces or being priced out of the London property market,  suburban living has a lot to offer. But this pepped up demand has resulted in property prices in certain commuter towns skyrocketing since the start of the pandemic. Indeed, amongst the top 10 most expensive towns in England, all are within commuting distance of London. Are there any towns with direct rail routes to London that remain affordable?

Below we look at the five towns with easy access to London (max. 1 hour train journey), where the average property price remains below £400,000. At the time of writing, interest rates are high and so we’ve calculated the monthly mortgage costs based on a 6% interest rate, a 15% deposit, and a 30 year term. Furthermore, we’ve listed the cost of an open return train ticket to London so you can see the overall cost of living and commuting in these towns.

Read more

Car Ownership Costs in The UK

by

Owning a car can be a great way to get around, but it’s important to be aware of the costs involved. It’s generally advised that you shouldn’t spend more than 10% of your income on transport costs, and yet the cost of leasing a basic hatchback and spending £100 per month on fuel, will cost someone earning the average UK salary 12% of their take home earnings. There are so many different costs to consider when purchasing a car, some more obvious than others. Below we outline these various costs of car ownership to help prospective buyers make an informed decision.

Read more

Which Foods Have Gone up in Price the Most?

by

The cost of living crisis continues to dominate headlines whilst simultaneously making life increasingly difficult for many in the UK. This includes 4 million children belonging to families struggling with food poverty, a demographic that has doubled in the last year. More broadly, around half of all Brits are buying less food these days. This is of little surprise when you consider that the annual inflation rate for food reached 19.2% as of March 2023: the highest rate recorded for 45 years!

Even for those whose consumption hasn’t changed, the selection of items going in the basket may well be different these days. Some shoppers are looking out more for deals and others have changed their buying habits. But which foods has inflation hit the most?

Read more

What’s the best way to stake Cardano?

by

Cardano (ADA) is a proof-of-stake blockchain. This means that ADA coins need to be made available (i.e. staked) to be used as validators of transactions taking place on the blockchain. ADA holders are thus incentivized by rewards to stake their coins to pools: these are independently run server networks that underpin the proof-of-stake mechanism. Staking rewards come in the form ROA (return of ADA). The concept is similar to how you might earn interest on fiat currency held in a bank account.

Read more

Reasons to be bullish about Cardano

by

Both the US and Europe’s economies are officially in recession. Here in the UK, inflation is at 7% (forecast to rise to 10% in the coming months), with fuel, energy, and food prices being the major concerns for most people. In an effort to curb inflation, the Bank of England is gradually increasing interest rates, meaning the cost of borrowing is going up too. Investors have noted stock markets globally tumbling, and cryptocurrencies have recently experienced the most dramatic of falls. Did I mention we have an ongoing war in Europe too? It all feels quite dystopian. Especially if you’re aged 30 or younger: meaning you were below 18 years of age at the time of the Great Financial Crisis (2008) and therefore haven’t experienced anything like this in your adult life up to now.

Read more

Payday loans – one of few credit options for many

by

Things are getting tough out there. Inflation is at 4.9% (the highest it’s been in 14 years) and energy prices, in particular, have increased dramatically. They are set to increase again in April and, for many families in the UK right now, money is tight! If you have found yourself in an unfortunate situation where there is now less money coming in than what is going out, then you may be considering options for how best to borrow money to tie you over. Indeed, perhaps you have an emergency payment to make, such as a new washing machine or a repair to your car. If you don’t have enough money to pay for such an expense then you will need access to some form of credit.

Read more

I’m new to investing, where do I start?

by

Fledgling investors typically have lots of questions, and sometimes a little anxiety. They may have heard investing provides better returns but when it comes to taking the first steps, people often feel overwhelmed, and unsure where to start. Given that investing isn’t taught in schools, all the investing jargon, and the wide range of investing strategies, it’s no wonder some people develop a sort of “investiphobia”.

Read more

How much does a carbon bike cost?

by

Most cyclists are obsessed with speed. Cycling speed is affected by a number of factors, including aerodynamics, power, and weight.  When it comes to weight, carbon fibre is amongst the lightest of materials from which to build a bike. It’s also easier to form obscure shapes from carbon fibre for the purposes of improved aerodynamics (versus, say, aluminium). Furthermore, carbon bikes are arguably smoother to ride, thanks to the material’s slightly shock-absorbing properties. For these reasons, carbon fibre bikes have become highly desirable.

An entry-level carbon bike starts at £1,000 ($1,350 USD). A pro carbon bike can cost as much as £30,000 ($40,000 USD).

Read more

Credit options – what’s available and what to consider?

by

Most of us have experienced times in life when cash is tight, we Brits refer to this as “being skint”. During such times, there is nothing worse than a large, unexpected bill landing in your lap. Trying to work out how to pay for, say, your car or washing machine to be repaired can be super stressful. Similarly, turning down social opportunities because you don’t have a way to pay for it at that moment can be tough. Trust me, I’ve been there.

Both of these scenarios may lead someone to need to borrow money (aka taking out credit). And many different factors will bear on one’s options in this area, major variables being employment status and credit score.

Read more