In a struggling economy, firms are extra careful about promotions. Many people find themselves acting up for maternity or other cover. If they’re lucky, they get a temporary pay hike too. While extra money is, of course, welcome, it can be fool’s gold – causing nearly as much pain as good if handled wrong. I was prompted...

Once, introductory savings bonuses were rightly called a scourge. Yet with UK interest rates at 0.5%, these days they effectively provide a cast-iron rate guarantee. So while the sentiment of the Sunday Times’ call for banks to stop offering them is fine, I worry the timing is dire. The paper’s money section front page was emblazoned with...

Having PPI paid back doesn’t mean you’re stupid, yet there’s a growing attitude on the web of people feeling PPI payouts are rewarding stupidity. This is a damaging attitude, so I want to explain why… This morning I saw a classic Twitter example – I’d retweeted this: After reading Martin’s website I made 1 phone call to...

Updated 22 January 2013 There is a lurking nightmare ready to strike many freelancers and the self-employed. Unlike employees, where tax is taken off before you receive your pay packet, freelancers are usually paid gross (pre-tax). But the psychology of this can cause financial havoc. It’s something every newly self-employed person (or those who’ve never realised) needs...