NEW While households are now marginally better off, savers without a home loan are roughly £1,000 - or 7.5 per cent - worse off than they were before the financial crisis bit seven years ago, according to data from the ONS. The average disposable income for those without an outstanding mortgage fell from £15,694 in 2007 to £14,506 last year, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

Peter Purves, who lives on a £1million country estate with his six dogs, saw fame as a Blue Peter presenter, but reveals that life at the BBC in the 60s and 70s wasn't for high-rollers. A keen supporter of dog charities, he has presented and commentated at Crufts since 1976.

Victims of payment protection insurance misselling who have yet to complain are being urged to act fast because a time bar could soon be slapped on future claims.

Nobody wants a holiday ruined by an unforeseen event - whether it's lost luggage at the airport, an accident or a hotel that does not exist. But things do go wrong, sometimes horribly so. Jennifer Wilkins was without her luggage for several days during a trip to Bali. Here, Tara Evans explains what to do when a dream trip takes a turn for the worse.

An official who said I had forgotten to put a cross on the online tax return form, confirming the information I filed was accurate. I was told to appeal as this was a genuine mistake, so we paid the £100 fine and appealed. Now I have looked online again and found the Revenue is demanding £640 by August 13, which is more than the original tax.

Amid the doom and gloom it is worth remembering that some blue-chip shares are still well up on where they stood six months ago. Only 33 of the top 100 companies are in positive territory over that timeframe.

Driving abroad can be fraught with unexpected hazards, but nearly a quarter of Brits heading off on a driving holiday do no research on the rules of the road for the country they are visiting, new findings suggest. Worse still, more than one in five also admit to not having insurance for driving abroad, according to Aviva's latest survey.

The Department of Energy & Climate Change said its aim is to look at every aspect of the cost of generating energy. It will include not just the cost of constructing offshore wind farms, for instance, but also of connecting them to the national grid - something which critics of the green energy industry say is often overlooked by its supporters. It will also examine nuclear power and conventional energy.

The Korean won has fallen 10 per cent against sterling since the start of June, when the British retail giant appointed HSBC to consider a sale of the business. This could cost it hundreds of millions of pounds. Tesco expects to finalise a shortlist of preliminary bids tomorrow, with analysts saying the Korean arm is worth as much as £4billion.

Gul Watersports, which has been based in Bodmin for 30 years, has moved to a new 12,000 sq ft premises as it pushes to sell more wetsuits in South Africa, Australia and new Zealand.

To just let the recovery run its course risks losing the opportunity to build a post-recovery economy which can benefit the whole nation, says senior partner at BDO James Roberts.

How do you track down the best income shares? Look for the opportunity for dividends to grow, is the case put forward by fund manager Hugh Yarrow in the latest episode of the Investing Show. We also look at housebuilders and whether they are still worth buying or holding after their stellar run.

As a small buy-to-let investor would I be better off after the Budget changes setting up a company for the rental income from the properties? If the answer is 'yes' does this mean I still own the flats and can sell as I please or does the company then own the flats and they are technically no longer mine?

Lawyers at Bott & Co Solicitors estimate the test case decision could open the floodgates to 2.66million Ryanair passengers claiming around £610million in compensation, with claims against other airlines likely to follow. The test case was brought by six passengers in two families who suffered a near ten hour delay when returning to Britain on a Ryanair flight from Reus Spain to Stansted in 2008.

New analysis by asset manager Barings, suggests a motley crew of currently struggling markets should deliver the best returns over the next decade. It used productivity, demographics and the availability of credit, alongside current valuations, to forecast how assets will fare between now and 2025. We reveal the results.

It's a message we have had drummed into us: it pays to shop around. Most of the time this makes perfect sense - but not always. We've put together ten reasons why shopping around may not throw up the cheapest option - and going direct might save you money or get you better service.

A third of adult life is spent at work, so satisfaction there is a pretty important factor in the eternal quest for everyday happiness. So, what's the secret to being happy at work? A new survey from jobs board Reed.co.uk revealed what workers want.

To clear the average national household debt of £13,000 at 6% interest with a monthly repayment of £100 will take around 17 years. There are, however, plenty of simple ways to make significant savings on your regular spending that could clear your debt - or boost your savings - in less than a year. This is Money's top 50 - updated - money-saving tips may appear light-hearted but are deadly serious.

Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.

Unemployment has increased for the second month in a row, adding weight to the arguments of ratesetters in the lower for longer camp. This follows the outlook for when interest rates will rise shifting forwards slightly to about February 2016 in the recent inflation report.

For many buy-to-let looks an attractive income investment in a time of low rates and stock market volatility. Climbing house prices, rising rents and improving mortgage deals are tempting investors - although they will need a big deposit. Read This is Money's top ten buy-to-let tips

The influence of financial services on the economy is spelled out again as City brokers steal top spot in this year's official list of highest earners. According to the detailed 2014 annual salaries survey, brokers pocketed around 40 times more this year than those at the bottom of the list - the people responsible for keeping children safe on the way to school. Lollipop crossing patrols earned around £3,400.