Debt is strongly linked to anxiety and depression, and it’s estimated that well over 50% of people with problem debt experience a wide range of emotional and mental health difficulties. Sometimes these difficulties lead to or intensify the financial problems, and sometimes they are the result of the debt itself.

Fear is one of the most extreme emotions associated with financial stress, and it can also prevent people seeking help when they need it the most. It rears its ugly head in a number of situations.
Fear of the unknown
It’s common to …

Last year, the European Court of Justice banned the practice of taking gender into account when setting insurance prices. So, as of December 2012, changes to insurance rates could mean that households could pay more for products like car insurance, annuities and life insurance.

So, while women have traditionally enjoyed lower costs,  The Association of British Insurers (ABI) estimates that they could see up to a 20% increase in life insurance premiums – while men could see up to a 10% reduction.

What do you think of this new legislation? Should …

It’s a leap day, which means people born 32 years ago today are celebrating their 8th birthdays while we’re kicking off our 5th TotallyMoney Top Blog Awards.

At the end of every month, we delve into the stats from our TotallyMoney Top Blogs List to find the best blogging talent.

The TotallyMoney Top Blogs List is an interactive compendium of some of the best finance blogs worldwide. On signing up (for free, of course), your blog will not only feature in the list with links to your site, Twitter handle and latest posts, but you’ll also have access to …

After being frugal for the last four weeks, I’m feeling pretty good. Aside from spending WAY too much money in the supermarket, I’ve actually done pretty well. I’ve bought a fitness DVD that I’m actually using and well… that’s pretty much it. I’m not entirely sure I’d call a fitness DVD that cost me a fiver a treat. There’s nothing treaty about that.

Cutting spending for a month isn’t easy, but it does give you a chance to look at exactly where your money is going. In my case, had I …

Feb 29 marks the day when women are traditionally ‘allowed’ to propose to their men. Even in these supposedly enlightened times, I’ve never met a woman up for doing such a thing, but if you’re brave enough, then all power to you I say, and here are some suggestions fo

r affordable ways to pop the question:
1. Take him on a trip
Many women love the idea of being whisked off somewhere exotic for a proposal. Assuming that men like the same thing, some kind of trip is in order. There’s no …

Before I started out as a finance journalist I didn’t know a thing about ISAs. In fact they seemed like a bit of enigma and I assumed they must be far too complicated for me to ever have one. The worrying thing is, I think plenty of other people feel the same.

But you absolutely do need one. And what’s more they don’t have to be complicated at all.

Don’t think of an ISA as an account in itself. Instead think …

This week’s TotallyMoney Blog Carnival was hosted by Paula over at Afford Anything.

We’re still on the look-out for a few more carnival hosts later this year. You needn’t have hosted a carnival before to take part, and we’ll help you get started! If you fancy hosting, check out our information pages for more details.
This week’s editor’s picks
Wealth Informatics ponders why we don’t quit our jobs.

Financial God reveals how recent minimum wage increases have ravaged the economy of American Samoa.

Finance Fox pens a …

In the week of the Brit Awards, it seems only fair that we pay homage to the best of British blogging this week (while steering clear of any Adele-inspired gesticulations):

Frugal Finance wonders if a debt management plan is right for you.

Money Saving Challenge reveals the art of blagging.

You Could Save reckons that financial planning should be taught in schools.

No More Spending reminds us that it’s never too early to start planning for retirement.

Ash from The Sterling Effort wonders if there’s …

It’s week three of Frugal February – the month that I promised that I wouldn’t buy anything that wasn’t absolutely essential. Even if those things are really really pretty.

On the face of things I’m doing really well. I didn’t buy those boots I liked, I haven’t bought any books (instead I’ve borrowed a friend’s Kindle and I’m reading the ones that I’ve got on my shelf) and I haven’t bought any dresses AT ALL which is some sort of miracle for me. I should be feeling pretty good, huh?

Well, not …

It’s official. According to Iain Duncan Smith, I am a job snob.

The past few days have been fraught with hankering over youth unemployment. Earlier this week, the secretary for work and pensions, warned the ‘battle lines’ had been drawn between, ‘those prepared to do everything they can to give a chance to young people who are looking for a job’ and ‘modern day Luddites’, guilty of ‘intellectual snobbery’- AKA job snobs. AKA me.
What’s all the fuss about?
In January last year, the government teamed up with companies, including Boots, McDonalds, Argos, …