Money

We recently received a letter from Nationwide, after the thinnest of apologies it said the rate on my daughter's account would be hacked back from 2.5 per cent to 2 per cent. It then goes on to mention another children's savings account, which some digging reveals should pay the same or more - except all there is not as it seems either.. So, why on earth would you mess with children's savings like this?

In research that examined current views towards both finances and savings from those in Gen Z (18-22 years old) and millennials (23-38 years old), data found that both generations were prioritising saving. It found that 52 per cent of millennials also have over £1,000 locked away - an unsurprising jump considering they could be more likely to be in full time work than Gen Z.

In total, 36 of the 43 police forces who provided data on vehicle thefts for last year reported increases. Experts say the rise is a combination of the spike in keyless car crime and thinning officer numbers. How does your area rank? Find out in the full table listed.

A host of different websites and credit cards effectively enable you to profit as you shop, by rewarding you with a cash perk for buying anything, from insurance and holidays to MoTs and mobile phones. Some mortgage providers and banks also offer hard cash to tempt you to take out their products. But how does it all work? Here, we guide you through what's on offer.

When it comes to investing your money, there is almost too much choice. So who better to help than those who have made spotting money-making opportunities their full-time job? Here, we speak to six of the City's most successful investment gurus about their top tips on smart investing - and the pitfalls to avoid.

Aston Martin is producing a special edition of its 211mph DBS Superleggera to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the James Bond movie 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' - with a royally hefty £300,007 price tag to match. Note the cleverly calculated '007' ending price - which is 64 times more than the original classic DBS of 1969 to which it pays homage.

We pre-booked seats and meals with Thomas Cook for our flight home from Skiathos, Greece, at a cost of £40 each. At check-in, we were told the seats had been overbooked, so were allocated 38E and 38F instead of 5A and 5B. However, these were the rearmost seats, adjacent to the toilets, making them probably the worst on the plane.

Until recently, when the latest smartphone hit the shelves, fans would queue around the block to be the first to get their hands on it. But now sky-high prices mean people are hanging on to their mobiles. Experts say those who have paid a lot for an expensive handset are choosing to keep them for longer than the traditional contract renewal terms of one or two years, taking out a cheaper Sim-only deal.

With Chelsea Flower Show running this week, we ask what are some of the most en vogue features that will truly set your garden apart. We pick six luxury features, including bespoke sculptures and elaborate children's playgrounds to complete outdoor kitchens and helipads. There is also a property with a Japanese garden, with a vernacular style bridge spanning a fish pond and a Japanese garden room.

Retired entrepreneurs Chris and Brenda Gandy have grown their nest-egg to nearly £1 million. And the 67-year-olds are in good company, with an estimated 1,000 UK savers now part of the so-called Isa millionaire club. So how can you give yourself the best chance of one day joining it, too? The first step is to open a stocks and shares Isa to ensure all your investment gains are protected from the taxman.

They run the risk of forfeiting a chunk of their Isa allowance unless they pick the right bank or building society. It's all down to the way each organisation has set up its Isas. Some let you mix fixed rate and easy-access accounts, and add to them whenever you want during the year. All are wrapped up together to count as just one cash Isa.

To mark the centenary year of the caravan and the start of National Camping and Caravanning Week 2019, former Countryfile host Julia Bradbury spent a night in the middle of the Thames near Tower Bridge on the first ever floating campsite. We went to visit the TV presenter ahead of her evening's stay on the river.

Retailer B&M; plans to open 50 new stores across Britain as they hone in on people's desire for decent value shops. The group saw its annual pre-tax profit increase by 8.7 per cent to £249.4million, whiA

Profits climbed 6.1 per cent to £89.7m for the year to March 28, not including the effects of a £40.4m charge related to the restructuring of its vet business. The pet products retailer said its shops had returned to profit growth faster than expected, and sales were up 5.1 per cent. Rather than trying to rake in more money by selling fewer expensive items, it has cut prices to attract more customers.

The banking giant has brought back its £175 golden hello for those switching to its Advance Account, and has also introduced sweeteners for its Basic and Premier bank accounts. In order to get the £175 upfront cash bonus, customers must switch to HSBC's Advance Account using the Current Account Switch Service, and pay in £1,750 a month.

Researchers from the university programmed a small fleet of miniature robotic cars to drive on a multi-lane track and measured traffic flow when one stopped, with fully autonomous and simulated 'driven' cars. They found that the advantage of vehicles working together using artificial intelligence is that they will keep moving smoothly instead of bunching up - as a result improving traffic flow by 'at least 35 per cent'.

Fierce competition in the mortgage market has forced six lenders to shut up shop since the start of the year - but all the vying for business means that customers can get some great deals.

Four years ago, the Government brought in a rule change that had dramatic consequences for retirees. The reforms, known as 'pension freedoms', gave savers unprecedented flexibility around how they spend their hard-earned cash in retirement. But with that freedom comes a huge responsibility to ensure you do not run out of money and end up living on the poverty line in old age.

Last year we revealed coin collectors would be handed the challenge of hunting down 26 new 10p coins, featuring an A-Z of what makes Britain great.2.6million of the coins were initially minted in 2018, starting from the Angel of the North and running to the Zebra Crossing, via James Bond, cricket, fish and chips and a teapot. So, what are they worth now?

Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden offers her advice on becoming a successful entrepreneur at any age. Despite turning 60 this year, Deborah has no intention of putting her feet up any time soon. We caught up with her after a long day of filming for the 17th series of the popular BBC show, which airs this summer. 'Retirement has never, ever crossed my mind,' she says. 'And I honestly can't imagine when or why it would. If you're doing the thing you love, why on earth would you want to stop doing it?'

Research has found that 38 per cent of people had cancelled one or more insurance policies over the past three years because they could no longer afford them. In in 56 per cent of these cases, cancellations occurred in the past 12 months. Respondents cited both a rise in the cost of insurance and a drop in income as their reason for cancelling.

After decades of rising house prices, many homeowners have found themselves property rich but cash poor. Well, the good news is that you don't have to move out to turn your house into a cash machine, as these four entrepreneurial property owners show.

The humble log cabin has come a long way, and today offers a range of home comforts. These can range from gas central heating and fully integrated kitchens with central islands to spacious bedrooms with en suite shower rooms. How many of the half a dozen in our quiz can you get right, with values ranging from £25,000 to an impressive £1million. Some of the chalets can only be used as a holiday home part of the year, while others can be used as a permanent home that be used all of the time.

This is Money pensions columnist Steve Webb explains the rules, which depend on whether you pay fees yourself or if your place in a home is publicly funded. He also explains how whether you simply need help with basic needs, or nursing care as well, affects the financial situation.

When a company cuts its dividend payments, it can send many a chill through the wallets of shareholders, especially when that income is apart of their financial armoury. Vodafone cut its payout this week and there are fears that other big payers could follow suit. So where should investors look now for reliable, well-covered income.

Follow our definitive list of the 20 best deals right now and that cause the least trouble to achieve. No need to turn off the lights or live on bread and water. It is simply a case of searching for value for money in everything from your bank account to what you wear and how you keep fit. Read our list to check what we think are among the best deals out there, use our helpful money-saving tools and tell us if you know of a better deal.

The amount you can save into a pension ultimately depends on what you can afford - but the longer you leave it the more you will need to save. We tend to put ambitious targets on our hoped-for income in retirement and then underestimate how much we will need to set aside to achieve that. So how much should you save?

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.

Lower than expected inflation figures have added weight to expectations that interest rate rises will remain on hold throughout most of 2019. This combined with the Brexit extension is forecast to keep monetary policy steady, with rates held at 0.75 per cent. While unemployment is low and wages are rising, there are still concerns over Britain's consumer economy and business investment being stalled by continuing Brexit uncertainty.