Students and debt – what do they need to know about loans?
There are basically two kinds of loans you can get when you are a student. One is a student loan and the other is a regular loan from a bank. Depending on your circumstances, you may have one or the other, neither or both. Commercial loans from a commercial lender will have their own terms […]
Does the House of Fraser buy out by SportsDirect show that big retailers need to be thinking of broader markets?
While the takeover of House of Fraser by Sports Direct may have left some people choking, it may turn out to be exactly what House of Fraser needs. There are three areas in particular where Sports Direct could teach House of Fraser a lesson or two. The internet To be fair to the management of […]
At what point do you need to appoint an Insolvency Practitioner?
Although the name “Insolvency Practitioner” suggests that the profession is for times when companies are seriously looking at declaring insolvency, in actual fact, Insolvency Practitioners are, fundamentally, people who are skilled at steering companies through choppy financial waters. They will look to bring the company ship into a safe harbour if at all possible and […]
Does an Insolvency Practitioner work for me or my creditors?
Generally speaking, a person works for their employer and hence is expected to keep their employer’s best interests front and centre during their working hours and even outside of working hours, they are usually expected to avoid putting themselves in situations where there is, or could reasonably be perceived to be, a conflict of interest. […]
Millenials and credit cards
One one level, credit cards are pretty straightforward. You put a purchase on your card and then you pay it back. On another level, credit cards are rather more complex. In fact, it’s rather an open question how many adults really understand how they work and it’s arguably completely understandable that younger people don’t really […]
How the cost of social care could bankrupt local councils
Even when they’re run by the same political party, local councils and central government do not necessarily see eye-to-eye, particularly not when it comes to funding and the use of funds. In particular, the cost of paying for social care for the elderly is rapidly becoming a key point of contention between local councils, central […]
John Lewis & Debenhams – the next of the mighty to fall?
There are plenty of statistics about the number of small business which fail after only a relatively short period of trading (sometimes less than a year). Recently, however, the UK has seen a spate of well-known names close their doors for the last time (Woolworths, BHS and Maplins spring to mind), while other retail stalwarts […]
What could push your business out of business?
Switch on the TV for any length of time and it’s a fairly safe bet that you’ll see at least one advert for some form of insurance in the consumer sphere, like home insurance, car insurance or pet insurance. Businesses, however, can need protection too and appropriate insurance can be one way of getting it. […]
Starting a business after bankruptcy
Tempting young people into credit
Retailers need customers to spend money in their shops in order for them to stay in business and there’s nothing particularly new about shops offering credit in one form or another in order to make it easier for customers to afford their purchases. Recently, however, JD Sports made the headlines for all the wrong reasons, […]