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Karl Talbot

Karl is a writer specialising in investing and personal finance content. He regularly contributes articles on savings, bank accounts, mortgages, and loans. He was previously a Personal Finance Writer for MoneySavingExpert.

Recent Articles

Woman buying electronics online at Black Friday while relaxing at the bed with her dog
Personal Finance

12% off Amazon trick: how to check if you’re eligible ahead of Black Friday

| Karl Talbot

Black Friday is almost here, but did you know that you may be able to grab a 12% Amazon discount…

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Piggy bank being carried by balloon
Personal Finance

Has inflation already peaked? Here’s why some economists think so

| Karl Talbot

Inflation may have peaked, according to some economists. So what does the 'Baltic Dry Index' mean for rising prices? Karl…

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Personal Finance

3 trading strategies to profit from the Tesla share price rollercoaster

| Karl Talbot

Those trading Tesla stock will be all too aware of the car maker's stellar performance in 2021. So what strategies…

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For Sale sign displayed outside a terraced house
Personal Finance

Time to remortgage? Cheap mortgages ‘disappearing rapidly’ as lenders pull sub-1% deals

| Karl Talbot

Lenders have slashed a huge number of cheap mortgage deals over the past few weeks. So is the era of…

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Young Woman Drives Car With Dog in Back Seat
Personal Finance

Revealed: the best time to buy a used car

| Karl Talbot

Used car prices have rocketed over the past year. But did you know that waiting for the best time to…

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Smiling young man sitting in cafe and checking messages, with his laptop in front of him.
Personal Finance

These were the most popular stocks among UK investors last week

| Karl Talbot

Tesla has again topped the list of the most bought shares. But what else have British investors been buying recently?…

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Retirement saving and pension planning
Personal Finance

Pension requirements: here’s what Brits are expected to have saved

| Karl Talbot

The size of your pension pot will determine the quality of your retirement. So how much should you have stashed…

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Stack of one pound coins falling over
Personal Finance

Crisis for holidaymakers? Pound drops against Dollar & Euro following base rate ‘own goal’

| Karl Talbot

The pound to dollar exchange rate took a hit following the Bank of England's base rate decision. So what does…

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Lady with shopping bags
Personal Finance

John Lewis discount: How to get £20 off (almost) everything until Sunday

| Karl Talbot

Are you a John Lewis shopper? If so, there's an easy way to grab yourself a £20 discount in store…

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UK money in a Jar on a background
Personal Finance

Fed up of dire savings rates? Here’s one account that pays 3% interest

| Karl Talbot

Did you know that it's now possible to earn up to 3% on your savings through a regular savings account?…

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Closeup of "interest rates" text in a newspaper
Personal Finance

Bank of England keeps base rate at 0.1%. Here’s what it means for mortgages and house prices

| Karl Talbot

The Bank of England has decided to hold its base rate at 0.1%. So what does this mean for mortgage…

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Trader on video call from his home office
Personal Finance

The five stocks UK investors have been buying recently

| Karl Talbot

From Tesla to iShares, here are the five companies that UK investors have been taking a keen interest in over…

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Models of houses on top of pound coins
Personal Finance

Nationwide House Price Index: Blow for first-time buyers as average price tops £250k

| Karl Talbot

Nationwide's latest House Price Index suggests more pain for first-time buyers. But are house prices set to cool? Karl Talbot…

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Bus waiting in front of the London Stock Exchange on a sunny day.
Personal Finance

Here’s how I think stocks and bonds will fare if the base rate rises

| Karl Talbot

The Bank of England will decide on Thursday whether to increase its base rate. So what will this mean for…

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pensive bearded business man sitting on chair looking out of the window
Personal Finance

Savers are shunning fixed-rate accounts amid rising inflation. But is it a wise move?

| Karl Talbot

A new report reveals savers have turned their back on fixed savings accounts during the pandemic. But with inflation on…

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Twenty pound notes in back pocket of jeans
Personal Finance

Bank switching rises by over 50%! New data reveals Brits are pouncing on bank switch deals

| Karl Talbot

The number of bank switch deals has exploded in 2021, and new data reveals Brits are taking advantage. So what…

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Row of terrace houses.
Personal Finance

House prices ‘to rise by 13%’. Is property the ultimate inflation hedge?

| Karl Talbot

Many will now believe houses are best inflation hedge there is, following a report suggesting prices will continue rising. But…

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Retirement saving and pension planning
Personal Finance

Pension charges to rise? Budget raises fears pension savers are set to face higher costs

| Karl Talbot

The Autumn Budget revealed that the government is considering changes to the pensions charge cap. So are pension savers facing…

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Piggybank, British Currency, Calculator, Receipts and a Mug on a Table -
Personal Finance

Autumn Budget: Government ‘willing to act on inflation’. What will this mean for mortgages and savings?

| Karl Talbot

Rishi Sunak used his Autumn Budget to announce that he is keen to tackle rising inflation. So what does the…

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Young man shopping with credit card and laptop computer
Personal Finance

Is the Zopa credit card any good? Here are the pros and cons

| Karl Talbot

Zopa is a well-known provider of peer-to-peer loans, but how does the Zopa credit card stack up? Karl Talbot takes…

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UK countryside
Personal Finance

NS&I launches its Green Savings Bond paying a pitiful 0.65% interest. Why is the rate so low?

| Karl Talbot

NS&I has (finally) launched its Green Savings Bond. But with an interest rate of just 0.65%, savers are likely to…

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Old empty wallet in hands.
Personal Finance

£6 a pint?! Beer prices set to rocket as inflation bites

| Karl Talbot

Beer prices are on this rise, and it's another sign that inflation is starting to bite. But how much should…

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Aircraft wind on the sunrise sky background.
Personal Finance

When is the next travel update? Government set to review red list destinations

| Karl Talbot

Due to the pandemic, international travel isn't as easy as it once was. So when is the next travel update…

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Portrait of worried woman standing beside window
Personal Finance

How can job vacancies have risen 345% in a year – but unemployment still be so high?

| Karl Talbot

Levels of unemployment are high across the UK despite a record number of job vacancies. How is this possible? Karl…

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New British One Pound Sterling Coin Chart Rate.
Personal Finance

Cost of living increase dipped in September. But don’t think this is the end of inflation

| Karl Talbot

The inflation rate slowed in September according to the Office for National Statistics. Despite this, I believe high inflation is…

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A young woman sitting on a couch looking at a book in a quiet library space.
Personal Finance

Time to rethink retirement? Over HALF of millennials plan to delay it

| Karl Talbot

A new report suggests that 52% of millennials plan to delay their retirement because of Covid-19. So is it time…

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Personal Finance

Energy price cap to increase by 33%? Here’s how you can soften the blow

| Karl Talbot

Energy prices are already soaring, and there are growing fears that the energy price cap will be hiked in April.…

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Home key with house keyring with calculator.
Personal Finance

2 banks to raise mortgage rates due to inflation fears – more could follow

| Karl Talbot

HSBC and NatWest are making moves in the mortgage market that may signal the end of cheap deals. So how…

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Young woman holding credit card for online shopping at home
Personal Finance

Autumn Budget to introduce online sales tax? Here’s how it could affect you

| Karl Talbot

The Autumn Budget will be announced next week, and rumours are circulating that an online sales tax will be introduced.…

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Retirement saving and pension planning
Personal Finance

Most young people doubt they’ll get the State Pension: is it worth worrying?

| Karl Talbot

Many young people think they won't get the State Pension when they reach retirement age. Karl Talbot takes a closer…

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Cheerful mature couple sitting and managing expenses at home.
Personal Finance

The number of ISAs sold surged 79% in 2020 – are you being left behind?

| Karl Talbot

ISA accounts surged in popularity during the pandemic. So why are so many people opening one? And should you join…

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Lady holding mobile phone and shopping bags
Personal Finance

What banking app is best for me?

| Karl Talbot

If you're keen to start using a banking app, it's good to find out which apps have the best features.…

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Your money

Friday’s Euromillions jackpot is UK’s biggest ever: here are your chances of winning

| Karl Talbot

Friday's Euromillions jackpot stands at an eye-watering £184m! If won by a Brit, they'll become the biggest ever winner. Here's…

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Vacation travel planning concept with map.
Personal Finance

These are the cheapest European cities to explore in 24 hours this autumn

| Karl Talbot

New research has found the cheapest European cities to visit for a quick break. Karl Talbot explores the best places…

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Young woman smiling putting a coin inside piggy bank as savings for investment
Personal Finance

Savings rates are rising! Cynergy Bank launches table-topping easy access account

| Karl Talbot

Savings rates are certainly rising, and now Cynergy Bank has unveiled a market-leading easy access account. Here's what you need…

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potted green plant grows up in arrow shape
Personal Finance

Harry and Meghan get involved in ethical banking. Here’s how you can too!

| Karl Talbot

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have revealed they are now involved in ethical banking. Here's how to invest ethically…

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Golden piggy bank
Personal Finance

Keen to boost your savings interest rate? Here’s why I think notice accounts are now a decent bet

| Karl Talbot

We all know savings rates are low. But here's why I think notice accounts are now a decent option for…

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Scene depicting the City of London, home of the FTSE 100
Personal Finance

Will the FTSE 100 crash in 2022? Here’s what I think

| Karl Talbot

The performance of the FTSE 100 has been strong and steady so far in 2021. But will the share index…

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Middle age senior woman sitting at the table at home working using computer laptop clueless and confused expression with arms and hands raised.
Personal Finance

Packaged bank accounts: do the monthly fees justify the ‘free’ insurance & breakdown cover?

| Karl Talbot

Packaged bank accounts offer a variety of perks in return for a monthly fee. But do the fees justify the…

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Financially free and calm woman sitting in kitchen
Personal Finance

Here’s how to stop paying credit card interest for up to 29 months

| Karl Talbot

Do you have credit card debt? If so, it's now possible to stop paying credit card interest for up to…

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