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Hello, I'm Emma and I'm a freelance personal finance journalist

I’m a multi-award winning freelance journalist. I have written about personal finance for more than 20 years, with a career spanning several recessions and their inevitable consequences.

My main focus is helping people learn to manage their money well, in both the short and long term. I pride myself on explaining complex subjects in a thought-provoking way.

I have written daily news, longer features and web copy for numerous clients including The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph, The Times, The Sun, The Mirror, Moneywise, Moneyweek, Moneysupermarket.com, YourMoney.com, Forbes, Goodto.com, Saga, Property Hub, Mortgage Solutions, Mortgage Strategy, Ocean Finance and Afforda. 

The list goes on…

Recent Articles

Should you aim to ‘Die With Zero'? | PensionBee

For decades, the financial advice most of us have heard has been fairly consistent. Work hard, save diligently, aim to pay off your mortgage as soon as possible, build a decent pension and leave something behind for your loved ones.But what if this isn’t actually the best way to live?That's the question asked by entrepreneur Bill Perkins in his best-selling book Die With Zero. Perkins’ argument is simple. If you die with a large pile of money sitting untouched, you've effectively spent years wor...
The Independent •

How savings can affect you claiming Universal Credit and other benefits

Building an emergency fund is one of the most common pieces of financial advice.But if you receive means-tested benefits, it's important to understand how having savings can affect your entitlement.“People on benefits are often told to build an emergency fund, but not enough attention is paid to cutting through concerns around how savings impact the support they rely on and what the rules are around it, leaving space for misunderstanding and worry,” says Vix Leyton, consumer finance expert at Th...

Secure Ways to Store a Will

When it comes to being organised and arranging your finances, writing a will is only half the job. It also needs to be stored safely, and its location shared with loved ones.

That’s because a missing will can create significant challenges for executors and beneficiaries alike, causing delays, uncertainty and potential disputes when families and loved ones are already coping with loss.

Here’s why the safe storage of a will matters and the various options at your disposal.

What’s on this page?...

How to Trace Forgotten Pension Pots in the UK | Saga Money

It’s easier than you might think to lose track of a pension – especially if you’ve changed jobs several times or moved home over the years. With changing jobs and schemes often managed by different providers, many people have forgotten accounts worth thousands of pounds.
Below, we’ll explain how to track down these lost or forgotten pensions, reconnect with your providers, and boost your retirement income by thousands of pounds.
What’s on this page? 
Research from the Pensions Policy Institute...
The Independent •

The common myth over unmarried people living without a will

If you live with your partner, you might assume your assets will automatically go to them if you die. But think again.Under intestacy laws, cohabitees have no right to inherit – and looming inheritance tax (IHT) changes could leave grieving families with even bigger bills.One survey by national will-writing campaign Will Aid found that most cohabiting couples are in the dark about inheritance rules, with many at risk of being cut out of their partner’s estate entirely.A will is a legal document...
The Guardian •

Getting a lodger: how to earn extra cash by letting a room in your home

Technically, a lodger is different to a tenant. A lodger is someone who rents a room in someone else’s home, usually sharing living spaces such as the kitchen and bathroom. By contrast, tenants generally rent the whole property.Unlike a tenant, a lodger does not have exclusive rights to any part of the property – meaning you, as the landlord, can access their room (however, you should respect their privacy).Matt Hutchinson, a director at the flatshare website SpareRoom, says tenants generally ha...
The Guardian •

From TV to toilet rolls: how to save on subscriptions

You can normally only sign up for free trials once, but there are lots of them to work your way through, especially when it comes to music, audiobooks and TV and film streaming.For example, Spotify Premium offers a month free (normally £11.99 a month), Apple TV+ a week free (normally £8.99 a month), BFI Player 14 days free (then £6.99 a month), Audible 30 days free (then £7.99 a month) … the list goes on.The key to making the most of free trials is to be sure to cancel before the trial ends and...
The Sun •

Shoppers warned about payment option that could end up losing you thousands

SHOPPERS are being warned about using a quick online payment option that could see you lose thousands of poundsThis ‘pay by bank’ option is used at online checkouts by popular online retailers such as WHSmith, Funky Pigeon, Just Eat and Ryanair.It allows customers to pay for online shopping directly from their bank account without the need for a credit or debit card. But experts have warned that this payment option offers no protection if things go wrong – and you could be missing out on cashbac...
Your Money •

BLOG: Your rights to compensation during a water outage

Sadly, this incident is nothing new to people living in SE19, SE20, SE23, SE26, SE27 and SW16 – the affected areas. At the beginning of December, pretty much the same postcodes suffered five days of water issues, with many homes having no water for several days.
Unfortunately – and excuse the pun – Thames Water bosses couldn’t run a tap, let alone the largest water company in the UK. The company’s woes are numerous and well-documented; from pumping raw sewage into the sea and...
The Sun •

OVO Energy has made a huge change for millions and customers could lose £144

OVO Energy is making it harder for millions of customers to get up to £144 discounts on bills for using less electricity at peak times. Until February customers could claim a maximum of £12 discount on their monthly energy bill if they hit a target of using 8% or less of their total electricity consumption during 4pm to 7pm on weekdays. This was part of the supplier's popular Power Move scheme, where discounts of £3, £6 or £12 were given.  But now customers hitting the target of using 15% or les...
The Guardian •

How Britons can save on winter sports holidays

When it comes to skiing and snowboarding, going to Europe will always be cheaper than flying to somewhere such as the US or Canada – but costs vary massively on the continent.Marcus Blunt, the co-founder of the ski holiday company Heidi, suggests somewhere off the beaten track such as Bansko or Borovets, both in Bulgaria, for a cheaper deal.“In Italy, Livigno boasts lower prices thanks to its tax-free status, while Bardonecchia is another lower-cost option with great-value ski passes, and Sestri...
The Sun •

Best value Christmas beauty advent calendar revealed

BEAUTY advent calendars are a festive phenomenon - and they can save you a wad of cash too. Big retailers and brands such as Boots, Asos, Liberty and Charlotte Tilbury sell them.They usually contain a gift for each day in December - but savvy shoppers could save money by splitting the contents into multiple presents for friends and family. These calendars contain anything from 12 to 40 skincare, makeup, and self-care products, ranging from travel-sized to full-sized versions of popular products....

7 questions you’ve always wanted to ask about Premium Bonds

Let’s be honest, you’ve probably heard of Premium Bonds. After all, more than 21 million Brits – nearly a third of the UK population – hold these kinds of savings, and they’ve been around for more than six decades. 
Premium Bonds have always been a big hit with older people, who often buy them as part of their own savings strategy or as a gift for children or grandchildren.  
In fact, National Savings and Investments (NS&I) - the body that runs the scheme - told Saga Money News that the average...

New bank refund rules finally land – but are you protected?

UK banks must now refund authorised push payment (APP) fraud victims within five business days, up to the value of £85,000 per claim, following the introduction of new rules on 7 October. 
Until now, banks have not been legally required to refund victims of APP fraud, although some had signed up to a voluntary code, the Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM), which required banks to reimburse victims subject to certain specific exceptions. 
This approach resulted in a ‘reimbursement lottery’ for t...
Your Money •

Close call: I'm an experienced personal finance reporter and nearly paid £1k to scammers

I was at home one Saturday afternoon when I got a call (number unknown) from a man who said he worked for Monzo. That’s my bank! The caller knew my name and phone number (obviously), so it all sounded legit. He said I’d been the victim of an attempted fraud and he needed to go through some details with me.
I duly opened my Monzo app and saw a declined transaction for Groupon for £30 that had just come through. Hmmm… that wasn’t me. The caller asked what sort of phone I had. It’s an Android. He t...
The Guardian •

How to work freelance, plan ahead and stay afloat in the UK

Here’s how to organise your financial life if you’re a freelancer or sole trader.Sole trader is the most straightforward business or legal structure if you are self-employed. Depending on the nature of your business, other options include a partnership (with someone else) or setting up a limited company. If you have a partnership or limited company, your business finances should be kept completely separate from your personal finances. But there’s a bit more overlap if you are a sole trader.To re...
The Guardian •

How to cut the cost of travelling on your own

Heading off abroad alone? Give the single supplement the swerve and cut the cost of solo travel.Package holidays are designed for couples and families. Tour operators don’t seem to want single travellers – something they make very clear in their pricing.Research by the debt advice company UK Debt Expert found that solo travellers were charged a premium of almost £500 for the same package holiday compared with one half of a couple.Who wants to stay in a hotel full of screaming kids anyway? Planni...

Should you pay off your child’s student loan?

If you’re a parent, it’s natural to want to help your kids out financially. Parents of graduates, in particular, have a dilemma.
You might have saved a nest egg, received an inheritance, or taken 25% of your pension as tax-free cash. It can be tempting to use those savings to help your kids reduce their student debt, but should you?
On one hand, you might want to help your offspring start adult life debt-free. But on the flip side, you might want to focus on paying off your own debt...
The Sun •

The little-known schemes that could slash your water bill by 90%

HOUSEHOLDS could get up to 90% off water bills due to little-known schemes.Each water company has its own social tariff for low-income customers - but the discount varies based on where you live.Residential households can’t choose their water supplier, so it’s pot luck regarding the generosity of your supplier.Another issue is that social tariffs aren’t widely advertised and they tend to be hidden away on water companies’ websites.The best thing to do is check your supplier’s website and see if...

How can your credit card affect your credit score? | Ocean Finance

The way you use your credit card will affect your credit score. Regular spending and paying your bill in full each month will usually make your score go up. But exceeding your credit limit or missing monthly payments can damage your credit score. 

What is a credit card? 

A credit card is a type of revolving credit. This means you can borrow money up to a maximum credit limit, pay it back over time, and then borrow again as needed. 

Credit cards don’t usually have a set repayment schedule –...
The Sun •

O2 Priority customers fuming as it quietly axes free Greggs perk

MOBILE giant Virgin Media O2 has quietly made a major change to a Greggs offer from it Priority rewards scheme - and customers are fuming. At present, thousands of customers can get one free coffee a week from Greggs, as well as a free breakfast roll, sausage roll, or vegan sausage roll on Friday or Saturday mornings. To get the freebies, O2 customers need to visit the Priority app to get a code. Hot drink codes are issued on a first come first served basis, with at least 10,000 codes available...
Your Money •

Oasis fans ‘look back in anger’ at dynamic ticket pricing

Tickets for the Oasis Live ’25 tour went on general sale on Saturday (31 August) at 9am, while tickets for the Dublin gigs went on sale an hour before.
But fans of the ‘90s indie band found that tickets for concerts listed at £148.50 were rebranded as ‘in demand’, with the price more than doubling by the time they reached the front of the virtual queue. The only place to secure a ticket for the Gallagher brothers’ reunion shows in Wembley, Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh and Du...
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