We are today issuing a warning to UK residents to be on the guard against fraudsters purporting to represent loan companies. Posing as legitimate staff who represent various UK loan companies, scammers are reportedly calling random UK families and offering loans of up to £5,000 – but in order to ‘qualify’ they demand personal bank details.

To help counter this criminal activity, we’ve put together the following guidelines to ensure more people do not fall victim to these scams:

1. Be on your guard – the majority of UK loan companies do not make unsolicited sales calls to potential new customers. To avoid risk, apply online to reputable loan companies. If a deal that you get over the phone seems too good to be true, it probably is.

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With Mother’s Day coming up on March 18^th, it’s a good time to start thinking about gift ideas for mums. But rather than the usual bunch of flowers or box of chocolates, why not go for something slightly more unusual this year?

Mother’s Day can be traced back to ancient Greece, where celebrations took place in honour of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600′s, the early Christians then celebrated a day to pay homage to Mary, the mother of Christ. Over time, the concept was then expanded in to include all mothers. Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent “Mothering Sunday” is now an opportunity to honour all mothers.

So if you’d like to make your mum’s day in a very unusual way, here are our top ten gift ideas…

February 14^th is rapidly approaching, the time at which chocolates, flowers and various gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But one might wonder who exactly this mysterious saint is…

The history of Valentine’s Day, and the story of Saint Valentine is somewhat shrouded in mystery. It’s long been known that February has been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. Valentine’s Day, as we know him today, contains both Christian and ancient Roman traditions.

But the real question is what will you buy your loved one on this once-a-year occasion?

If you’re short of cash between now and Valentines Day, leading short-term loan provider Lending Stream might be able to help.

Lending Stream’s 365 24/7 payment system, can…

It’s often asked why payday loans are so expensive; with huge annual interest rates sometimes quoted, implying that rich companies are profiting at their customers’ expense.

When investigating why short term loans cost what they do, it’s worth pointing out that it’s very misleading to talk of APR in relation to these kind of loans, as the loans are made over a much shorter period of time.The annualised interest rate is easily in the triple-digit range, but these astronomical figures really bear little relation to the actual cost of the loan products.

Using the same reasoning, you could quote the price of a taxi at £15,000 per 1,000 miles, or £50,000…

This is the second blog post to help you consider careful budgeting if you’re planning on a winter getaway or considering seeking out a late summer last minute bargain.

1. Pre-budgeting for your holiday
When you’re planning your holiday destination, it’s worth sitting down and working out how your finances are this year compared to last year. If cash is tight, is it wise to splash out fourteen days in an exotic location, or would staying in the UK be a more sensible option? It’s also worth thinking back to how much you spent on your last holiday – that should help you to plan this year’s holiday budget.

2. Know your wonga
Before you go, set yourself a realistic holiday budget – think honestly how…

Here at Lending Stream we’ve been doing some research into the practice of gift giving as we draw ever closer to the big day.

As far as gifting habits are concerned, according to a new survey by American Express shows that one-in-four people are planning a ‘Secret Santa‘ system – selecting just one member of their family or group of friends that they will be responsible for buying a gift for, which may be partly down to restricted budgets in the face of the economic downturn.

The same study found that 68% of those surveyed plan to agree on a financial limit on what they will spend on each other, while 38% of the population will be requesting specific gifts from loved ones to make sure they get what they want.

The survey…

It’s no great surprise that Christmas is one of the most expensive times of the year, as we’re bombarded with advertising everywhere we look, we feel obliged to splash out on gifts for friends, family and sometimes co-workers, as well as facing the expenses that come with celebrating the season to be merry, with a short term loan being one possible solution to this seasonal cash shortfall.

But we predict that spending this year is likely to be down as the economic downturn is showing little signs of recovery until well into the New Year.

And this view seems to be supported by the majority of recent surveys that have been carried out with UK consumers. Retail research group Decipher forecast retail spending will fall 0.6 per cent year-on-year…

With stacks of numbers to remember; budgeting and saving can be a nightmare. It’s worth proper planning, because the state of your finances is tied into all your goals, hopes and dreams. If you are devoted to properly managing your finances and saving for the future, the following tools, though a bit geeky would probably make life easier for you.

Budget Planner

Most of us today are often guilty of over spending and getting into debt; and despite being aware of the consequences, our overspending habits remain. The debt advice foundation is one idea to consider, as it offers debt analysing, budget planning and also provides you with a practical guide to fund management.

If you require debt advice or would like to talk confidentially to someone about debt, there’s no…

“Sorry, I’m on a budget.” Does this statement often crop up, especially towards the end of the month? You are not alone. Many of us live ‘on-the-edge’ from time to time as the next payday draws close, and inevitably, our shopping habits need to reined in.

Parents, Kids & Money:

As the month comes to an end, parents often feel the need to keep their kids away from toy shops. “You already have too many toys,” “Do you know that most kids in Africa don’t have any toys?” “Wait for Santa“, and other excuses may come up. If you are one of those parents, it might be worth considering teaching your kids some essential money management skills.

Why train your kids now?

Research shows that…

Despite the fact that many adults are still suffering from the after-effects of the financial downturn, it seems UK kids are better off than ever, according to research uncovered by the Halifax in their recent 2011 pocket money survey. Halifax polled 1,202 kids aged between eight and 15 from across the UK.

The research revealed that 2011 has shown the first increase in seven years, with the amount of money kids receive rising by 36 per cent, with the average weekly pocket money being a respectable £6.25. But the survey also revealed, perhaps unsurprisingly, that children in the south are paid more than those in the north, and that boys get an average 32p more a week than girls.

It makes you wonder what explains the differential between the amounts that boys…

In preparation for what we have christened ‘the accident season’, we have invested in brand new technology that makes it the only online loan provider to make funds available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day – even on public and Bank Holidays.

Motivated by research that shows that the period between early November and Christmas is one of the ‘riskiest’ of the year for both potential accidents and emergencies that often strike causing huge unexpected expense, the new system means that people who fall victim to cash emergencies know that there is instant help at hand.

With the change of season, risks range from icy surfaces that can cause road accidents and pavement falls, as well the associated risks of an increased number of people…

It’s all too easy, when on holiday, to throw caution to the wind and blow your budget, only living to regret it in the cold light of day when you get back home. Whether you’re about to take a late summer holiday, or are already thinking about planning a winter getaway, the next couple of blog posts will provide some tips to help you keep an eye on your purse strings.

1. Shop around

Before you go, if you’re looking to jet off abroad for a late summer holiday, make sure you shop around for last minute deals. As well as all the main travel agent websites, there are also many websites dedicated to snapping up last minute bargains. And if you’re willing to pack your bags and travel at short notice…

Your credit rating determines your ability to secure a mortgage, credit cards and many loans. Your credit worthiness with a particular company is formulated using many factors, which include any past dealings you may have had with the company in question, information you have supplied on the application form, and official credit files from the three major credit agencies.

It’s important to do all in your power to improve your personal credit rating. A little while ago we looked at five ideas to improve a bad credit history. In this post we’ll look at other steps you can take to build a good credit rating, whether you have a bad credit history,…

In the last post we looked at some personal finance apps for iPads and iPhones. But, not everyone owns an Apple device, and not ones to want to neglect any section of our audience, today we bring you our top picks of personal finance apps for Android devices.

1. Financisto

Available free of charge from Android Market, this handy app allows you to keep up with multiple accounts, schedule transactions and keep track of your budget in any currency.

2. Shoeboxed

A handy app that is useful for organising receipts for you – if you have a job that requires it. It can keep track of both personal and business expenses. Unlike most apps on this list however, there is a monthly fee for the…

As iPhones and iPads become ever more popular, developers are designing an increasing range of apps to enhance our daily lives. In this post we’ll look at five personal finance apps that could help you out with your day-to-day budgeting.

1. iDindi HD

If you run out of money before that next pay cheque comes in and don’t know why, this personal budgeting app could be for you. Easy to read charts show expenditures vs. income. It can also allow you to plan your personal budget to allow you to start or continue saving for a large purchase.

2. Grocery IQ, Free

Grocery IQ is…