Financing FAQ

Posted on Saturday, 10th April 2010 by Emily Smith

The Labour Government is not ruling out a VAT rise but is set to pledge not to raise income tax rates for the lifetime of the next Parliament.

These are two items set to be on Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s election manifesto today in Birmingham.

However, while the PM is leaving open the possibility of VAT reaching 20%, items such as children’s clothing and newspapers are set to remain zero rated.

Today, Ed Miliband, Energy and Climate Change Secretary, was asked about the VAT issue on BBC Breakfast today.

He was asked if Labour was “leaving the door open” for further VAT increases, he replied: “No, and in fact we haven’t raised VAT in the last 12 years. I just don’t want to go through every policy on taxation, because that is for the Prime Minister to announce later on today, that is the only reason.”

At the end of 2008, the Labour Government slashed VAT from 17.5% to 15%, in attempt to revive the High Street, which was flagging at the time as the UK was in recession.

It then reverted back to the 17.5% rate on 1 January 2010 but speculation has been mounting that the sales tax could increase, no matter which party wins the election.

In rela

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Tags: Rise, Vat Rise
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Posted on Friday, 9th April 2010 by Erin Jones

Time is winding down on the Get Rich Slowly video contest. For a while, I was worried that nobody was going to enter. Last week at this time, we only had five entries. The pool is up to 23 videos now, though. And at Monday’s meet-up in Chicago, a couple of folks reminded me that most of the entries will come in at the last minute.

I haven’t watched all of the entries yet, but I love the ones I’ve seen. It takes a lot of guts to make a video like this, and you guys are putting your fears aside and sharing some great stories and tips. For example, here’s Dami’s story about how he saved for an engagement ring:

Note: You can read more from Dami at Green and Gray Matters.

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Tags: Video Contest, Week
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Posted on Thursday, 8th April 2010 by Vanessa Miller

The prolific growth of the Internet and Web2.0 has been a boon for market researchers in that it has simplified the process of collecting and generating quality market data.

To run a successful small business these days, conducting effective market research is a must. Market research is a dynamic process focused on understanding the relationship between consumers and a particular product or company. It involves the systematic collection and analysis of consumer and economic data including economic reports and industry trends as well as consumer attitudes and behaviors.

Armed with this information, businesses can adjust their policies and strategies so that they are in line with current market realities. Here are a few ways, small business owners can use the Internet to conduct market research:

Researching “Secondary” Data
Secondary data refers to any information about the market or the economy that has already been collected. It

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Tags: Market Research, Small
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Posted on Wednesday, 7th April 2010 by Emily Smith

It has been confirmed that British Airways (BA) and Spanish airline Iberia have signed a deal to merge their operations.

The merger, which was provisionally agreed last November, will be finalised this year and is set to create one of the world’s largest airline groups, flying to more than 200 destinations

The new company, which will have its headquarters in London, will be called International Airlines Group, but the BA and Iberia brands will continue to operate as normal.

The news comes at a difficult time for BA which has been struggling after cabin crew members took strike action last month in a dispute over cost-cutting measures, which include a pay freeze and a switch to part-time working for thousands of staff.

Furthermore, both airlines are expected to report heavy losses this year, with BA predicted to post its biggest annual loss since privatisation. <

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Tags: British Airways, Deal
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Posted on Monday, 5th April 2010 by Erin Jones

Your Fico credit score rating determines whether or not you’ll borrow cash cheaply. If you have got a dangerous credit score then you may pay additional to borrow money. This text will tell you who uses your credit score, what determines your rating and what’s a sensible credit score. Fico (Honest Isaac Corporation) could be a way to measure money risks. If you would like to know why you need to enhance your fico score rating quick then scan on.

Who uses your credit score?

You need to know what your Fico score is and why is it vital to own a sensible rating. Your fico score is utilized by a selection of institutions to report on your credit worthiness and your ability to pay your bills on time. It can be accessed by the banks, credit card companies, cell phone corporations, insurance companies, mortgage lending companies, property homeowners if you rent your home, and even by a prospective employer who might check your score before giving you a job. Read more…

Tags: Credit Score, Credit Score Rating, Rating, Score Rating
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Posted on Sunday, 4th April 2010 by Vanessa Miller

Over the coming weeks tax and spending will become the battleground for the main political parties, as Gordon Brown finally let slip what he called the ‘worst kept secret in politics,’ the date of the election.

In the run up to 6 May, of particular importance for businesses will be the planned increase in National Insurance (NI) contributions, which appears to have moved to the top of the agenda now the Conservatives have promised to reverse the decision.

But it’s hard to know what to believe with claims and counterclaims about fiscal credibility coming in thick and fast (Alistair Darling has said George Osborne’s plans to roll back the increases are ‘unbankable’).

Wit

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