Section A (PERSONAL FINANCE) Flashcards
To understand the importance of managing personal finance
4 Functions of money
- Unit of account
- Means of exchange
- Store of value
- Legal tender
Examples of role of money
- Personal Attitudes = Brought up in an environment to spend or save
- Life Stages = Changes in spending from childhood to adulthood
- Culture = Asians tend to save more money
- Life Events = In control (marriage, uni) OR out of control (illness)
- External Influences = Economy effecting wages OR tax changes
- Interest Rates = High interest rates may be incentive to save more
Life Line - Examples of what people will do with money at different stages of life
- Child = Limited needs, Completely reliant on parents, May want to buy sweets or toys
- Adolescence = Want to be more independent, Slightly less reliant on parents as they want to socialise away from families
- Young Adult = Uni or starting career, Looking to be more independent, Buying a car or house, Maybe looking to start a family
- Middle Age = Support family, Start saving for kids futures e.g. uni / weddings, Look to improve own lifestyle e.g. car / house, Enjoy having access to additional money to spend e.g. holidays
- Old Age = Fewer dependents, May downsize, Less financial needs for assets
Common Principals for planning personal finance
- Avoid getting into debt
- Avoid legal action & repossession
- Maintain good credit rating
- Manage money to fund purchases
- Set financial targets & goals
- Counter the effects of inflation
- Control costs
- Remain solvent
- Avoid bankruptcy
- Generate income & savings
- Provide insurance against loss or illness
What are the 4 types of current accounts
- Standard
- Packaged, Premium
- Basic
- Student
Advantages & Disadvantages of a Standard Current Account?
ADVANTAGES:
No charges on credit balances.
Offers the holder a wide range of facilities, including a cheque book, debit / cash card and possibly an overdraft.
Convenient for receiving regular payments e.g. wages and making regular withdrawals.
DISADVANTAGES:
Potentially high charges on the use of an overdraft.
Standard features only, i.e. no additional perks.
Advantages & Disadvantages of a Packaged, Premium Current Account?
ADVANTAGES:
No charges on credit balance.
Offers the holder a wide range of facilities, including a cheque book, debit / cash card and possibly an overdraft.
convenient for receiving regular payments.
Offers the holder additional perks at a packaged price [cheaper than getting them individually (standard add. feat. include holidays / travel insurance, break down cover and phone protection)]
DISADVANTAGES:
Additional monthly charge is frequently applied.
The package offered may not offer value of money or meet the needs of the individual account holder.
Advantages & Disadvantages of a Basic Current Account?
ADVANTAGES:
Available to customers with a low credit rating.
Offers and easy first step for individuals to gain access to basic banking facilities i.e. the ability to pay in and withdraw cash.
DISADVANTAGES:
Limited facilities e.g. no debit card or overdraft.
Advantages & Disadvantages of a Student Current Account?
ADVANTAGES:
Course fees & student loans can be easily handled.
Bonuses offered are designed to meet the needs of a learner e.g. discounts on travel or small lump sum cash payment.
DISADVANTAGES:
Overdraft facilities could encourage overspending and charges for this are high.
Limited facilities.
What is ‘DEBT’?
Money owed
What is a ‘CREDIT RATING’?
A score given to an individual on how likely they are to repay debts based upon their previous actions
What is ‘BANKRUPT’?
When an individual or organisation legally states their inability to repay debts
What is ‘SOLVENT’?
The ability to meet day to day expenditure and repay debts
14 Methods of Payment
- Cash
- Debit Card
- Credit Card
- Cheque
- Electronic Transfer
- Direct Debit
- Standing Order
- Pre-paid Card
- Contactless Card
- Charge Card
- Store Card
- Mobile Banking
- Banker’s Automated Clearing Service (BACS) Faster Payment
- Clearing House Automated Payment System (CHAPS)
Explanation / Features of CASH
Notes and coins in a wide range of denominations
Advantages of CASH
- Most widely accepted form of exchange
- Physical not virtual
- Consumers feel confident when using
- Makes budgeting easier
Disadvantages of CASH
- Can be stolen or lost
- Threat of counterfeit
- Only really appropriate on purchases up to a certain amount
- Cannot be used online
Explanation / Features of DEBIT CARD
Issued by banks with payments for goods and services being deducted directly from a current account
Advantages of DEBIT CARD
- No need to carry cash
- Secure method of payment with low risk of theft
- Widely accepted
- Offers a degree of protection on purchases
- Suitable for online transactions
Disadvantages of DEBIT CARD
- Short time lapse between making the transaction and the money being withdrawn from the customer’s account may result in overspending
- Not accepted or appropriate for small transactions
Explanation / Features of CREDIT CARD
Issued by financial institutions allowing customers to delay payments for goods and services
Advantages of CREDIT CARD
- Allows a period of credit that is interest free, e.g. one month
- Most cards are widely accepted
- Loyalty schemes are often offered, e.g. collect points or cash back
- Offers a degree of protection on purchases
- Suitable for online transactions
Disadvantages of CREDIT CARD
- Interest is charged on balances not paid off within a month
- Can encourage a customer to overspend and get into debt
- Interest is charged on cash withdrawals
- A limit will be set on the amount of credit allowed
Explanation / Features of CHEQUE
A written order to a bank to make a payment for a specific amount of money from one person’s account to another account
Advantages of CHEQUE
- Low risk form of payment as the cheque can only be cashed by the named payees
- Widely accepted for face-to-face and postal transactions
- No need to provide change as can be written for an exact amount
Disadvantages of CHEQUE
- Expensive for the consumer if the bank refuses to clear the cheque, i.e. it ‘bounces’
- The time delay between writing the cheque and it being cashed could cause a consumer to go overdrawn
- Viewed as old fashioned
- Easy for the consumer to make errors when writing the cheque which will create problems for both the consumer and the recipient
Explanation / Features of ELECTRONIC TRANSFER
Payment is transferred directly from one bank account to another
Advantages of ELECTRONIC TRANSFER
- Almost instantaneous
- Provides a record of payment
- No additional costs incurred
- Easy to use for one-off and more frequent transactions
Disadvantages of ELECTRONIC TRANSFER
- Risk of loss if the transfer is incorrectly set up
- Not appropriate for face-to-face transactions
Explanation / Features of DIRECT DEBIT
An agreement made with a bank allowing a third party to withdraw money from an account on a set day to pay for goods or services received, e.g. pay a gas bill
Advantages of DIRECT DEBIT
- An easy way to make regular payments, e.g. utility bills
- Amount paid can vary to ensure the payment matches the amount required by the vendor
- Quick and easy to set up
Disadvantages of DIRECT DEBIT
- If the payer makes a mistake and takes too much it is the payee’s responsibility to claim back their money
- The payer determines the amount paid each time making it difficult for the payee to plan and budget
Explanation / Features of STANDING ORDER
An agreement made with a bank to transfer a fixed sum of money to a third party account on a set date on a regular basis, e.g. pay £30 for a phone contract each month
Advantages of STANDING ORDER
- The same amount is paid each time making it easier for the payee to plan and budget
- Easy both to set up and to cancel
- No need to remember to make regular, standard payments
Disadvantages of STANDING ORDER
- Payments are taken regardless of the customer’s balance which could lead to the unplanned use of an overdraft facility
- Payments will continue to be made unless cancelled
Explanation / Features of PRE-PAID CARD
Money is uploaded onto a card with transactions then being withdrawn to reduce the balance