That’s what really crossed my mind last month ago when being cross examined by 10 Treasury Select Committee MPs at parliament.   Now the official minutes are out (see below), and reading back it’s interesting to read the rather strange prose that appears with an accurate transcript of words designed to be said not written… These minutes are...

Mental health problems can cause debts, debts can cause mental health issues and the two can feed each other. It’s been a passion of mine to produce a really strong guide to help individuals and their families/carers who suffer from these problems. We’re at the final stage now. The guide is written, we’re just waiting on the...

A rather horrible vision came to me last night as I watched the ten o’clock news, about a new policy from the coalition to provide masses of information to us, the political consumer, with the objective being that we hold them to account… On the surface this doesn’t sound too bad, and it’s certainly a laudable aim,...

Most would say “I’ll lend you £20 if you repay and buy me a (£3) pint next week”  is pretty fair. Yet if I (correctly) described it as a 140,000% annual rate loan would you still agree? Interest rates are a blunt tool, which is why when people say “2,300% APR payday loans should be banned”, I’m...

One of the great problems with our collective financial psyche is we normalise whatever the current situation is.  This can lead to bad decision making. I just found a wonderful little document, showing the history of UK base rates and the figures contain a stark warning for all mortgage holders… This is well worth looking at on...

Shockingly, the new English student loan system could mean some students will be better getting commercial debts. I’m flabbergasted by one mooted proposal – it’d be the first time we’d see legislation designed to penalise people for good financial management. Worse, it will add a terrible hidden burden onto parents across the country… There’s a huge amount to...

Over the weekend I spotted a buy 1 get 2 free offer on Pringles crisps in Tesco (though the price is higher than usual – so a good deal but not rip roaring). As Mrs MSE and I were having a few people round on Sunday I grabbed ’em. Yet here’s the dilemma; when serving Pringles do you...

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...