Personal Finance and Investing

The severe recession precipitated by the banking crisis of 2008 means the economy is likely to dominate policy debate in this election to a much greater extent than for any election since 1992, or even further back. But how will the economic crisis affect people’s views on the way the economy should move forward?

For thirty years, the mainstream economic orthodoxy was that  the way to economic success lies in deregulating product, labour and financial markets as much as possible. Gi

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Once again, British Airways (BA) cabin crew are set to strike. They’ve voted to take action at some point before the middle of March this year, causing yet more frustration for anyone planning to travel over the next few weeks. The Unite union, which represents the majority of cabin crew, will reveal details of the action later this week, at which point passengers will be able to find out if they’re affected.

But this time, BA has had a chance to plan and has said it will operate as many services as possible during the strike period.

So what do you need to know if you’re planning a trip before the end of March?

How soon could they strike?

The union cannot organise a strike until seven days after the news is issued.

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The tax season is here and this is the time of year consumers can expect to hear terms like “tax settlement specialist”. According to the advertisements this is someone who can help you settle a tax debt for pennies on the dollar. If the image of a snake oil salesman comes to mind, you would be pretty close to the truth.

Just because someone uses the word “tax” in their advertisement does not mean they are legitimate. In the minds of many consumers, no one would claim to serve as an intermediary between them and the Internal Revenue Service unless the company is honest and legitimate.

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Applying for a credit card involves more than looking for the best interest rate. In fact, it is often the other terms and conditions on the credit card that make the most difference when it comes to managing your credit.

Your credit card can be incredibly valuable, or it can be incredibly detrimental; in other words, your credit card is only as useful as the behavior that accompanies it. And that means starting with a good understanding of your credit card and the important terms to study when applying for a credit card.

1. Annual percentage rate – The annual percentage rate on a credit card, otherwise known at the APR, is usually the best place to start when comparing credit cards. P

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