INSIDE

May 2012

REGULARS 7 Welcome 17 Savings Watch The best deals on the market this month 18 Fight for Your Rights Got a financial problem? We take up the fight

COLUMNISTS 21 Editor’s letter Grandma, what scary charges you have! 31 George Pitcher Fleet Street’s gain is the Treasury’s loss 43 Jeff Prestridge Snooze, you lose.Wake up to exploitation 98 That’s Life with Esther Rantzen Tap into the power of granny-savings UPFRONT8YourShout 11 Steal of the Month 16 Housing Market Round-Up SORTED! 22 Your Finances Fixed 28 Money Makeover COMPETITION 26 WIN an action-packed three-night family break in Pembrokeshire

34

The ‘boomerang’ kids need your help but don’t wave goodbye to your own financial security in the process scam

33 10 ways to cut the cost of running your home Simple tips to counter spiralling bills and keep a tight rein on your household budget 34 How to run the bank of mum and dad When your 20-something kids come to you for financial support, where should you draw the line? 39 Troubled times for Britain’s renters It costs more to rent a property than to pay a mortgage on it in some parts of the UK. What’s the outlook if you rent?

44 Are inflation-linked deals losing their lustre?

As inflation slows, now could be the time to start looking for a new home for your savings scam

4 MONEYWISE | MAY 2012

52

What’s the real cost of mums going back to work?

WWW.MONEYWISE.CO.UK 48

Battle of the multimedia giants: Virgin, Sky or BT – which one comes out on top?

47 Five-minute guide to car-clocking

Protect yourself from the latest second-hand car con that wreaks havoc with your mileage 48 Find the best media provider for you

Sky, BT and Virgin all offer money-saving ‘bundled’ deals, but which will suit you best?

52 Should mums go back to work?

Two mums – one stay-at-home and one working – go head-to-head on the pros and cons 55 Small business lending work

Banks may be tight-fisted but other sources of funding are available to small companies

71

Let Moneywise set you on the right path towards a more comfortable retirement

64 Early-bird ISAs

Get to the front of the ISA queue in the new tax year 66 10 companies that will pay you an income Some household names are paying great dividends 69 Low-cost active funds A competitive new breed of funds could challenge their pricier rivals

59 Andrew Pitts

Exploring opportunity in the land of the rising sun 60 The Briefing

This month, we get to grips with mixed asset funds 62 Buy, Hold, Sell

Rosemary Banyard shares her winners and losers 63 Investment News Plans for a different kind of pension scheme scam scam

WWW.MONEYWISE.CO.UK

scam

71 Boost your retirement income Annuity rates continue to plummet, so make the most of your pension if you’re about to retire

91 The best products at your fingertips

Our pick of the top products and investments for consumers and investors

MAY 2012 | MONEYWISE 5