Bradford's new account

BRADFORD & Bingley has launched a new-style account in a bid to encourage people to save up towards the cost of Christmas.

The Christmas Saver account pays interest of 10 per cent gross, which is added to the account at the beginning of December. People must save between '10 and '150 each month, to a maximum of '1,500.

Rising debt

DEBT solutions firm One Advice is predicting that more than 200,000 people may go bankrupt this year as their debt levels become more unmanageable. Last week the government revealed that 67,580 people became insolvent during 2005 - the highest annual figure on record.

Travel costs

Post Office travel services is reducing the prices of its annual travel insurance policies by up to 30 per cent. An individual worldwide policy excluding the USA, for example, has been reduced from '99 to '75. A family worldwide policy including the USA is also reduced, from '160 to '140.

Happy staff

EMPLOYEES are feeling more secure about their jobs than at any time in the last six months, according to Lloyds TSB Financial Markets. The balance of workers feeling optimistic rather than pessimistic is at its highest since August 2005, says Lloyds' chief economist, Trevor Williams.

Fire hazard

AT LEAST five million adults have no fire safety devices such as alarms or extinguishers in their homes, according to research for Halifax Home Insurance. Halifax's Vicky Emmott says: "With smoke alarms starting at just '5 from supermarkets or DIY stores there is no excuse."

E-earners

AROUND 68,000 eBay traders now make at least 25 per cent of their income by selling goods on the website, according to figures from ACNielsen International Research. Tweet