With so much doom and gloom around, it can be hard to stay optimistic. But believe it or not, it's still possible to get your hands on some great financial products to help weather the storm.
Well, 2009 hasn't got off to a brilliant start, has it? If you're a saver, the interest rate on your savings account is likely to have deteriorated even further following last week's base rate cut to 1%. Meanwhile, first time buyers are still struggling to put a toe, never mind a foot, on the property ladder, and more and more of us are concerned about rising levels of redundancies.
I'm painting such a cheerful picture, aren't I?
But I'm not going to get bogged down with all this negativity. Instead, I'm hoping to put a smile back on your face and tell you all about my five favourite financial products. After all, at a time when money is tight, it's even more important to sort out your finances.
1) A bodacious balance transfer card
Moving old debts across to a to a 0% balance transfer credit card is a great way to give yourself some breathing space while you try to cut the cost of your borrowing.
And I can't think of a better way to start tackling debts head on than by using the Virgin Money Credit Card which offers an interest-free period on balance transfers for a whopping 16 months!
What's more, the Virgin Money card includes money transfers as part of its 0% deal. In other words, you can shift your overdraft and personal loan onto the card, and you won't have to pay interest on them for the 16 month period!
And if you're planning to do any new spending on your credit card, the Virgin Money card also offers 0% on new purchases for six months. What's more, during that time, you'll avoid that dirty trick called negative payment hierarchy which forces you to pay off your least expensive debts first.
Don't forget though, once the six months are up, if you haven't paid off your purchases in full, the card will start to operate a negative payment hierarchy policy. Read more on the card in Is This Really The Best Credit Card On The Market?
2) A clever cashback credit card
If you always pay off your credit card bill in full, it makes sense to be rewarded for your spending. So why not choose a cashback credit card?
In my opinion, the best cashback card on the market is the American Express Platinum Cash Back Card. It offers a fabulous 5% cashback for three months on spending up to £2,000 (this was previously up to £4,000).
So this means if you spent a monthly amount of £500 over the first three months, you'd be rewarded with £75 cashback -- that has to be better than nothing!
Once your three months are up, you'll earn 0.5% on spending up to £3,500, 1% on £3,501 to £10,000, and 1.5% anything above £10,001.
It's worth noting however, American Express isn't accepted everywhere, so you might want to keep another credit card in your wallet just in case.
3) A sexy savings account
Yes, I know, it might seem a little ridiculous to put a savings account on my list of favourite financial products. But in the current climate, saving is even more important and if you know where to look you can still get a fairly decent rate.
I've decided not to choose a fixed rate savings account because I believe in the current climate, having easy access to your savings in case of an emergency is likely to be a priority.
So for that reason, my top pick is the Egg Savings Account which currently offers 3.5% AER on balances up to £100,000. And yes, I know this interest rate won't make you jump up and down for joy, but believe me, it beats getting a rate of 1% or less.
The Egg Savings Account includes a bonus rate of 2% for one year. And while I wouldn't usually recommend accounts with bonus rates, in the current climate they can offer a much better rate of return. That said, the rate is variable, so there's no guarantee you'll be getting the full 2% bonus (or the full 3.5%) further down the line.
On the plus side, the Egg savings account does offer flexibility -- you can withdraw your funds whenever you want without being penalised, and you can start saving from as little as £1.
And don't forget that one measure of inflation, the Retail Price Index (RPI), has come down significantly to 0.9%. So even if the interest rates on savings accounts are falling, it's still possible to earn a real return on your savings. That said, I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that my personal rate of inflation feels much higher than 0.9%.
4) A cracking current account
Believe it or not, certain current accounts are starting to offer better interest rates than savings accounts!
And my favourite current account has to be the Alliance & Leicester Premier Direct Current Account. The account pays a whopping 6% AER on balances up to £2,500 for one year and also offers an interest-free overdraft of up to £2,000 for 12 months. Bonus!
Do note though you will need to pay in at least £500 a month to qualify for this account -- but given many current accounts demand that you pay in £1,000 a month, this is pretty good!
5) Cash ISA
Yes, it's another savings account, but this time it's tax-free! My top pick has to be the new Leeds Building Society 5-Year Fixed Rate Escalator ISA which pays an annual tax-free return of 4%* AER for five years.
What I love about this account is that it goes against the conventions of a fixed rate account. Unlike most other fixed rate ISAs, it gives you unlimited penalty-free access to 25% of your initial capital before maturity -- so it still gives you a bit of flexibility.
However, don't forget, you can only pay in £3,600 in one tax year. So if you've used up your allowance, you won't be able to pay in additional funds until the following tax year -- even if you've taken money out.
It's also worth bearing in mind that the interest rates on savings accounts could bounce back up during the next five years. So in theory, there could be better deals on the market, but you'll still have 75% of your funds locked away in your ISA. That said, you could still withdraw your 25% allowance and place it in a higher paying account.
So those are my five favourite financial products! Hopefully some of them will bring a spot of cheer to what is otherwise a gloomy market!
*Customers will receive 3.0% in the first year, 3.50% in the second, 4.00% in the third, 4.50% in the fourth and 5.00% in the fifth for accounts paying annual interest.
More: Five Ways You Can Still Earn 5%+ On Your Savings | A Splendid Savings Scheme