To the shock and fury of residents in Cramlington, Tyne and Wear, the dream homes they thought were a bargain came with a very big catch as many don't actually own the land their house is built on. While the bricks and mortar belong to homeowners such as Robert and Claire Snedden (left, with their son Andrew), Nadia Karim, 33 (centre) and Ken Armstrong (right), the ground their properties stand on is held on a lease.

I asked Carphone Warehouse salesperson for the block to avoid excessive spending. After the bill arrived, his supervisor told me to contact Vodafone. This bill left me no money to pay for my groceries. I am a pensioner on a limited income and do not know how long it will take me to get back on my feet.

Star Wars themed Christmas gifts are expected to lead the way this year with a mug priced at an eye-watering £99 the hottest 'must have.' Christmas must-haves are expected to be dominated by Star Wars, with the latest instalment - Episode VII, The Force Awakens - set for release on 18 December.

Official data released every 10 years reveals that baby boys born in 2010-12 can expect to live until they are 79 while baby girls are set to reach the age of 83. And around one in five boys and three in 10 girls are expected to survive to celebrate their 90th birthdays, according to the Office of National Statistics. The study has sparked predictions that the state pension age will be hiked to 70 by 2050, while savers face an ever greater challenge over how to fund retirement.

Auctions are not just for the well-to-do and held at grand auction houses in London such as Sotheby's and Christie's. Kara Gammell looks at how you can pick up a bargain by attending an auction of anything from unclaimed luggage, surplus government equipment, through to goods seized by the police. For Barry Butcher (pictured), police auctions are a useful way to make his money go further.

Majorca-based British business man Steve Crompton wants to offload his £150,000 yacht in a bid to help fund his bean bag business, Pouf Daddy, and featured on TV show Posh Pawn. His bean bags, which are made in Spain, start at £35 and for £59, and specially designed ones are also available for your baby or dog.

Lenders are preparing to confront Charles Roxburgh, director general of financial services at the Treasury, in a showdown on September 11. The challenger banks - along with the building societies - say they are shocked and angry at the Chancellor's announcement that lenders making profits above £25m will be forced to pay an 8 per cent corporation tax surcharge.

The Markit/CIPS index of activity in the sector - where scores above 50 show growth - slipped from 51.9 in July to 51.5 in August. Export orders declined for the fifth month in a row and companies reported job losses for the first time in 26 months as large manufacturers cut staff numbers.

I have recently started a new job and have decided to get into the savings habit. I want to set aside some money every month that I don't intend to tap into but might need for a rainy day fund. Where is the best place to save it?

Markets fell sharply, stoking fears of a world recession to rival that of 2008. We look at the implications of recent stock market falls - good as well as bad. -and why Buster Lightfoot-Brown (pictured) says that he will keep investing.

The tide is turning for victims of cowboy car park attendants and overzealous traffic wardens - with more than half the fines being overturned. Of 31,500 complaints made about fines to the parking industry regulator Parking on Private Land Appeals in the year to May, more than half were accepted. Ana Mazover
(pictured) sold her car after paying £1,400 in fines.

Last year the Government announced spouses of HM Forces who accompanied their husband/wife/partner abroad could claim NI contributions, but I can't find out any more about it. Do you have any information on this?

Last year I was recruited through the Millionaire Society to Lbinary, a binary options trading firm. I invested £300 which was then automatically traded by Lbinary's software. Seventeen trades won, 29 lost and two showed no result. This left £8 in my account so I decided binary options were not for me. However, two months later I found Lbinary used my debit card details to take from my bank account £2,000, then £1,000, and then a further £1,000, all without my authorisation.

Jeremy Corbyn has a plan for overhauling the economy and generating growth that is being dubbed 'Corbynomics'. It's matter of debate whether his ideas are new or whether he's recycling old ones that just haven't received this kind of thorough airing in decades. So what is Corbynomics and does it stack up?

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.