With the nation in lockdown, many of us have resorted to shopping online more – and not just the standard food shop. However, with that comes the concern that people may have to come into contact with their delivery drivers. While on the whole, efforts are being made to ensure the two metre distance remains … Read more
Households are using 17 per cent more electricity since Britain went into coronavirus pandemic lockdown, new data suggests. The biggest change in usage is at lunchtime when homes use 27 per cent more energy than usual at 1pm, according to Bulb Energy. The energy supplier analysed how electricity use has changed since lockdown began, using … Read more
In the last few weeks, I’ve been on a cooking expedition. I am the chef of the house anyway, batch making meals for my young daughter and baking healthy(ish) snacks – but this has been a different style of cooking. I have been raiding the freezer and cupboards to knock up an array of tasty … Read more
At the end of March, debt charity StepChange reported it had experienced the busiest days in its history over the previous three weeks, even busier than during the financial crisis. Britons are looking for help with their finances in record numbers as the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown of the country has seen huge numbers … Read more
Thousands of first-time online shopping customers risk having vital deliveries cancelled, a Money Mail investigation can reveal. Many elderly and vulnerable households have been forced to turn to the internet for their essentials, having perhaps never shopped online before. But major flaws with security checks have led to some banks mistakenly flagging the transactions as … Read more
On a cold Wednesday evening, the rain is pelting at the windows of the Slamannan Community Centre, where around 50 people have braved the weather to attend a meeting about soaring energy bills. They are residents of this and other rural villages near Falkirk, in Scotland, where households have seen their bills jump to more … Read more
Train users can beat rising fares by buying separate tickets for a single journey, often cutting the cost of travel by a third. Experts estimate that the average saving is 20 per cent. This little known trick is called ‘split-ticketing’. There is no need to pass through ticket barriers mid-journey. All that is required is … Read more
Consumer experts are calling for a ban on ‘dual pricing’ in the insurance market to end widespread discrimination against loyal customers. They call recent initiatives by a handful of insurance giants aimed at improving the lot of long-standing customers as ‘gimmicks’ that do not go far enough. Andrew Hagger, of financial consultancy MoneyComms, says: ‘Recent … Read more