The route to home ownership is often expensive, stressful and for some out of reach. But there are new opportunities for property seekers - whether the plan is to buy, invest, make money or save it. Here, The Mail on Sunday looks at the deals on offer, from vouchers for spotting empty properties to purchasing a buy-to-let with hundreds of strangers.

The Government is looking at how financial advice can be made available to millions of people who cannot afford the eye-watering fees charged by some specialists. One suggestion is that technology or 'robo-advice' can plug the advice gap. The Mail on Sunday investigates the advantages - and perils - of automated advice.

American ballet dancer Eric Underwood has had an extraordinary past 15 years. He has gone from earning $4 (£2.60) an hour as a waiter in New York to dancing on stage with Beyoncé, dressing in Alexander McQueen designer clothes and spending thousands of pounds on impulse holidays at the drop of a hat. Yet 31-year-old Underwood, a soloist at The Royal Ballet, believes his best financial years are yet to come. He tries to be careful with his money, putting as much aside for the future as he can.

Paul Lindley, founder of Ella's Kitchen baby food company, which has a 20 per cent share of the UK baby food sector and a global turnover of $100million, gave the budding food entrepreneurs his own advice, and said: 'I would strongly recommend that you establish what your business is and that you know that your food works with the UK market.

Forget Ferraris, McLarens and Porsches - the car many people are calling the most important model of the year is the Vauxhall Astra. We pitch the all-new family hatchback against two of the most popular medium-size family cars in the UK - the Ford Focus and Skoda Octavia.

I want to turn off radiators in rooms that I don't use to save energy and money. But I'm worried that the cooler rooms will drain warmth from the parts of the house I do heat. Is this true?

The cuts come ahead of the introduction of the European Union's Mortgage Credit Directive which introduces stricter affordability tests, usually associated with residential mortgages, for new landlords. We reveal some of the top deals on the market

I will reach state pension age before next April so I am allowed to top up my state pension under the Government scheme launched this week. However, I am in two minds about whether to do this. I am in good health now and obviously hoping for a long retirement, but it sounds like a lot of money upfront so is it really a good deal?

The average price of a used 4x4 has increased by £1,200 in two months, according to new research from Manheim auctions, with prices 40 per cent higher than this time last year. After Met Office predictions of a harsh winter, UK motorists have snapped up second-hand 4x4s quicker - but which SUVs are the best?

This interactive map by credit rating firm ClearScore allows you to search average credit scores by postcode and how it compared to the national average. It shows that the top two districts by credit score are in Scotland, while the majority of the lowest ranking areas are in London. Those living in Kirkwall in Scotland's Orkney Islands have the best credit rating at an average score of 454, closely followed by Lerwick residents at 453.

Critics of buy-to-let have long been unhappy about the uneven playing field between landlords and homeowners. The current crop of cheap buy-to-let fixes could see a landlord pay £230 a month but a homeowner pay £630. But those barely breaking even should be warned the future may not look like right now.

The spotlight is on the privatisation, but it could be worth thinking about other ways to gain exposure to Lloyds - or even rival big banks. We get the thought of fund managers - including four who like Lloyds and potentially other banks and a rather famous one, Neil Woodford, doesn't like the big banks at all.

The steel industry is facing a deepening crisis with another 1,200 jobs set to be axed. Tata Steel is preparing to announce cuts in Scunthorpe and two sites in Scotland just days after 2,000 workers were made redundant when the Redcar plant on Teesside shut down. The company said it would not comment on 'rumour and speculation' but an announcement is expected on Tuesday. Yesterday the Government held a summit in Rotherham to discuss the crisis with unions and business leaders, amid plunging prices and cheap imports.

As families find themselves dragged into the inheritance tax net more are tempted to indulge in a spot of home-spun tax planning to try to dodge a bill. But often some seemingly straightforward arrangements will not always achieve the desired results. Our experts explain why and offer six to

The deal It is open to men born before April 6, 1951, and women before April 6, 1953, who live in the UK and already receive a state pension or are entitled to one. You can buy between £1 and £25 extra a week by paying Class 3A voluntary national insurance contributions.

With his first independent fund - Woodford Equity Income - Neil Woodford has turned every £1,000 invested into £1,157 over the past year when his rivals have only managed to make an average £5. Had you put £1,000 into his Invesco Perpetual High Income fund when he took the helm in 1988, you would have had £22,286 by the time he left last year. Holly Black gets his thoughts on the investing world.

I'm a pensioner with a modest bank account held at Barclays. On August 10, I called at my branch to withdraw funds, but was shocked to be told there were none available. After about 15 minutes, the bank clerk told me she had traced the money and discovered the account had been closed because it hadn't been used for the past 15 months.

A new plug-in and play device which slots into the TV and is controlled by a wireless wand with a microphone is aiming to bring 'music streaming to the masses.' Electric Jukebox, which launched this morning at an event in London, has been backed a raft of celebrities including Sheryl Crow, Robbie Williams, Alesha Dixon and Stephen Fry.

Ferrari's latest creation can accelerate from 0-62mph faster than you can tie your shoe laces, has a top speed of 211mph and more power than nine superminis put together. Just 799 F12tdf examples will be built and each one is expected to cost in the region of £275,000.

The company, owned by Spanish giant Iberdrola, is struggling to clear a logjam of complaints triggered by a botched £200 million computer upgrade. More than 18 months after Money Mail revealed it was having problems, complaints are still pouring into Money Mail's postbag. Among the disgruntled customers are Lynne McCaughey and her daughter Cate, 12, (pictured).

Last week, This is Money reported that Sky was hiking line rental prices. It follows other telecoms providers who have made similar increases in recent months. It has left us - and many of our readers - asking if Ofcom will look into soaring costs, and do anything about it

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.