Moonbadger's posterous

Online banking provides a number of helpful banking perks. If you happen to move home there is no need to re-arrange your billing address, or local bank details as you can log in from anywhere. Everything stays the same, regardless of location. You can also set up direct debits and pay bills online just like a traditional bank through an online only account.

If you are nervous about safety there is no need to worry. Online bank interfaces tend to be more technically proficient, user friendly, and most importantly, safer then traditional banks that happen to offer online services. Quick and [helpful banking] services are always something customers will desire, so an online only bank must have a very high standard of quality and security when it comes to online interfaces because this is their primary source of business.

However there are a few drawbacks. If you write a lot of cheques, or need the convenience of a traditional banks ATM's then it would be advisable not to consolidate all of your income into online banking. Although you can withdraw money from other banks ATM machines or the network affiliated with the online bank, there will most likely be fees associated with that withdrawal.

Usually you can set up a direct deposit with your employer, or just link the online account to the one at your main bank so you can transfer money back and forth. This might make it easer to balance the convenience of traditional banks and rates of an online only one.

If the online bank is not one you have heard of, make sure it is FDIC insured before you sign up. It's important to remember to weight to pros and cons of each system and to choose the one best suited to your banking needs.

The Scandinavian boffins at the Volkswagen ad department in Norway came out with a great little iPhone app and feature this week for their latest print advertisement campaign. The app, which is only available at the Norway Apple App Store at present, allows users take a virtual test drive across the print ad landscape through the use of augmented reality - In layman terms this means that you can use your phone and pretend to drive the car across the ad.

It’s a nifty little piece of kit and it uses state of the art technology to make it all possible, but although it’s original and neat, it’s not exactly very practical – Still, a good little idea and one that’s caused quite a buzz across the net., though if you really want to test drive a Volkswagen van or car then hit the appropriate site or contact your nearest VW retailer.

April is fast approaching, with it as always comes the usual ‘end of the tax year’ palaver, which this year includes over 45 changes to the benefit and tax system. As part of the coalitions budget deficit reduction scheme a number of important changes are being made this year to help scale back the country’s record debt.

Income Tax

Last year during the emergency budget the Chancellor announced that nearly half a million people will be lifted out of the tax system altogether, due to £1000 increase in the personal tax allowance. As of April the 6th low earners will now have a personal tax allowance of £7,475, instead of £6,745.

To redress the books and to aid revenue the government has also re-jigged the 40% income tax rate. According to the IFS over 750,000 will now have to pay 40% on all earnings over £35,000. This does not include the recent introduction of the 50% rate which was controversially implemented in the last Labour administration.

National Insurance will also be increased this year from 11% to 12% for all those on an income larger than £817 a week.

Benefit Changes

The benefit system is currently in the midst of a major overhaul. This year a number of benefits are either being removed, cut, reworked or rebranded in an effort to reduce spending and encourage a less benefit dependent society.

One of the major changes to the system has been the introduction of a means test for incapacity benefit. Anyone wishing to claim income support must now go through an employment and support allowance test.

Child benefit is set to be frozen for the next three years, on top of that the Child Trust Fund has been axed and changes have been made to maternity & paternity benefits.
Housing benefit has also been significantly curtailed. From April the 6th housing benefit will be capped, depending upon the number of bedrooms being claimed for.  

Now some of you might not know who this, but let me assure you, every hippy and festival-goer under the sun worships this man – he’s the man that built the stone circle and he’s the man who introduced the world to the pyramid stage and the green fields; yes, every year for 5 days in June he arguably becomes the coolest, most loved man in the whole of Somerset (unless you happen to live nearby) – he is Michael Eavis, the owner and creator of Glastonbury Festival.

According to Eavis, the majority of letters arrived in the dead of winter and as there was little else to do on the farm at the time he decided to personally take up the cause. In a matter of weeks Mr Eavis had managed to save the store, renegotiate the shop rent with the local estate agents, as well as finding the store a private backer for the next three years. In a statement Mr Eavis said "There is a limit to what I can do but it was my quiet time in the winter as we couldn't do anything on the farm, so I thought 'this is something I can do' so I just enjoyed doing it."