Rachel Lane

How to clean up your personal finances...

Are you one of those people who doesn't open their bank or credit card statements? Do you take out store cards on the spur of the moment? Have you been with the same bank simply because it is less hassle than changing? If you have answered yes to any... Read >

Life insurance, the universe and everything

If you have yet to consider taking out any life insurance, don't worry –there's plenty of information out there including consumer organisations such as which? and moneynet. Start with some simple, easy questions such as: * Would my dependents need a... Read >

Life insurance: why there's no need to be a desperate housewife

Contemplating what may happen to your wife (or husband) and children if you die is not likely to be a thought you wish to contemplate. However, avoiding the issue may make life more difficult for your family after your death. Life insurance looks set ... Read >

Global warming: why consumers and insurers are getting hot under the collar over life insurance.

Global warming may have been lurking on our horizon for a number of years and historical records of terrorists have existed for thousands of years, but we are coming into a new age where we try and financially protect ourselves against such problems and i... Read >

Sisters are insuring themselves: how finance is the new feminism

According to a study by LifeSearch, the number of women in the UK buying life insurance in the UK has doubled over the last six years. As women are increasingly closing the gender related pay gap and even becoming the main breadwinners in a household, th... Read >

Life insurance without life value: why young people are snubbing financial advice

This article is written by a 27 year old female (borderline Generation X / Y) called Rachel. Rachel spent six years at university, has no outstanding debts with the exception of government student loans. Rachel also has no pension plan, no life insuranc... Read >

Life insurance – wise investment in personal finance or excessive caution?

Life insurance is typically taken out to offer valuable financial protection for your family in the event of your death, upon which a payment is made to your financial beneficiaries, heirs or family members. The extent of this payment will depend on your... Read >

Knowing me, knowing you: why ID protection plans are flawed for fraud.

p>ID theft is a major consumer concern, though there is apparently much confusion about proactive protection initiatives and apparently safe and unsafe spending behaviour. For example, many consumers remain reluctant about shopping online, but they may s... Read >

Honey I can't afford the kids

Sex has a lot to answer for … babies usually … which then, with time and much financial investment, grow up to be beautiful mutations of their parents. Yet as the family absorbs more money as it grows, the need for financial planning and protection becom... Read >

The perils of the property ladder: has anyone noticed the silence?

As you ascend the dizzy heights of property investment, don't lose your head and ignore mortgage research and advice. There was a time when every conversation was focussed on property and every other TV programme was about property makeovers. Everybod... Read >

Vultures and victims

Has anyone noticed how many loan companies now fill up the commercial breaks? Sofa, after of sofa of happy couples are shown, with carefully manipulated stereotypes discussing the consolidation of their finances, recommending a particular provider. Coup... Read >

The Debt Test: are you making out a mountain out of your mortgage?

According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, first-time buyers are the most susceptible group of homeowners to debt, as they are more likely to have higher loan-to-value ratios and commit a higher proportion of their income to mortgage repayments. Despi... Read >

Do you know what you're worth?

Almost anything can be insured these days: breasts, legs, your goldfish, your mental health, physical health, your own life, your child's life. You can insure against the bad weather, good weather, political events…. This week in Scotland, triathlon c... Read >

Inflexible friends and plastic assets, why money isn't buying love anymore.

Consumers reject financial advice in favour of financial frivolity It would appear that even though their "friends" aren't as flexible as they used to be, consumers are still stretching their credit cards beyond the comfort zone. The vicious circle ... Read >

Blair bribes parents and children into higher education

Government financial assistance for pre-university educationIt would seem that the media mania over the cost of an education is finally paying off, with the UK government taking increasingly strong measures to maintain the current level of school leavers ... Read >