I’ve got Cheryl Cole above me, and Katy Perry just beneath me, but before the double-entendres spread too far, this is in the online intelligence company Hitwise’s latest ranking of the UK’s most searched people in the last 12 weeks. The power of X-Factor means the Queen of Showbiz has regally booted me off the number one spot....

If you tried to get your council tax band lowered, but were rejected at the first attempt due to the ‘six month’ rule – I need your help.   I’ve just confirmed an appointment with the council tax minister Bob Neill MP to discuss this ludicrous rule and would love to hear your experiences. This all started during...

Yesterday we saw politicians and commentators crowing about bigger than expected economic growth, up 0.8% for the quarter. Yet I keep meeting people who ask “If the economy’s growing, why does it feel so bad?” The answer is all about how the numbers work…   Way back in Nov 2008, I wrote a blog predicting exactly such...

Bingo! There’s a politician out there as obsessed with getting financial education in schools as I am. After noticing he’d been asking questions in the commons about it last week, I met up with Justin Tomlinson, one of the new intake of MPs. The meeting was buzzing from the get go. Very quickly we realised we were...

In a small alcove in the back section of my wallet, there’s always a £20 note. It’s my emergency money, remaining neither touched nor disturbed most of the time – a secret stash if you like – am I alone in this? I’ve always believed in wallet managment techniques (I’ve written before both about my overseas wallet and...

I think I just swore on Hansard – the official Parliament record. I’ve been at the Treasury Select Committee in Parliament, giving evidence on future financial regulation. There were about eight MPs on the Committee questioning me for over an hour. I’ve given evidence before but normally you’re with others. This time I was by myself. I have...

The ID banks require is getting beyond a joke. I’ve just been locked out of one of my online accounts, through no fault of my own, and they’re demanding I send them a certified document plus a utility/bank bill, but they won’t accept one printed online. Yet like many people, both for the environment and ease, I...

This time of year two years ago, I went on what I saw as an urgent diet. This kick up the (slightly over lardy) bum stemmed from watching a friend’s video of myself on a beach and being shocked at what I saw. This morning I realised the rough anniversary, so weighed myself and clicked open the...

This week, for the first time, my old Money Mantras will take their new pride of place back in the weekly email. The aim of the mantras is simple, before you spend to ensure that you?’re using your money wisely… So before going into why they’ve been added, “here’s Graham with a quick reminder” (does that Blind...

The BBC is reporting the Browne report on higher education, due out this week, will lift the cap on tuition fees for English universities. That’s worrying enough, but my concern is how will this work? Will we continue to have official student loans that cover all UK fees set at no more than the rate of inflation? If...