This section of the Money Jungle website provides information  on Saving and Personal Finance, and all is made clear about the many money saving and borrowing options available in the UK, buying or renting a home and how to reduce your utility and other household bills. Each part gives you an overview of the topic with recommended links to further expert advice and information.

The recent turmoil in world financial markets means that it is more important than ever to consider how secure your savings are in addition to looking for the best return, and the all time low Bank of England base rate makes it more difficult than ever to find a reasonable return on your savings. Our savings accounts page explains what types of accounts are available and how to maximise your return. Recent changes in ISA allowances mean that savers can put more money into tax free savings see our Individual Savings Account page. Our savings accounts page also includes details of Child Trust Funds, introduced by the UK government to encourage parents and others to invest for their children's future.

In the UK, savings accounts, bonds, etc are regulated by the Financial Services Authority. You will find details on their consumer website Savings Made Clear section.

The Money Jungle Business Directory is an A – Z of services to help you find the best solution to your requirement. If you know what you are looking for, simply click on the directory.

Household bills represent major expenditure for any household. With fuel, energy and food prices soaring most people are looking to ways to reduce their household bills, click here for tips for reducing gas, electricity, phone, broadband and other household bills.

The credit crunch has made it much more difficult to find an affordable mortgage. See our mortgage page for advice on finding the most suitable mortgage.

See also our Personal Loans page for information about the types of loan available.

Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) can offer security and peace of mind for anyone with a personal loan or mortgage but be sure to check that the cover offered is appropriate for your circumstances and make sure that you understand what the cover costs.

Many people have paid for expensive payment protection insurance when taking out mortgages, only to find that a claim is turned because of exclusion clauses in the small print. PPI can add anything up to 50% to the cost of loans.

For more about this and compensation you may be entitled to if you were miss sold a PPI policy see our Mortgage or Personal Loans pages.

House prices are falling and this offers opportunities for first time buyers to find a home they can afford, see our buying a home page for tips. Others think that it is better to rent in the current climate see our renting a home page for useful information.

You will find comprehensive information about savings accounts including Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), saving accounts for children, bank and building society accounts and pensions. The Savings and Personal Finance section also includes credit and debt, including credit cards, personal loans and mortgages.

The uncertainty surrounding financial markets and the economy mean that many of us might be better focussing on credit and debt management than saving and investing. See our credit and debt page for information.

Click here for an article on the benefits of buying financial products on line.

See also the Money Jungle Invest section for information about all sorts of investment opportunities ranging from stocks and shares to property.

UK interest rates are reviewed monthly by the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). The MPC has responded to falling house prices and a weakening economy by cutting rates to historic lows. In some ways the Bank of England Lending rate is less important than the rates banks use to lend to each other. The credit crunch has resulted in some mortgage rates rising despite cuts in the Bank of England rate, the bad news for savers is that very high savings rates are no longer available but it is worth shopping around for the best rates. See the My Money Jungle Blog for good savings rates available on line.

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