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Sean LaPointe

Sean is a personal finance writer with a strong passion for helping others become more financially literate and make better financial decisions. He covers everything from credit cards to savings to investing.

Recent Articles

happy senior couple using a laptop in their living room to look at their financial budgets
Personal Finance

UK State Pension: what is the ‘triple lock’?

| Sean LaPointe

The 'triple lock' ensures that the UK state pension increases every year by at least 2.5%. Here is a quick…

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

Should couples split bills 50/50?

| Sean LaPointe

Splitting bills 50/50 between couples is a simple and straightforward way of sharing expenses. But is really the best way,…

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Modern suburban family houses with car on driveway
Personal Finance

Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?

| Sean LaPointe

Stamp duty rules can be a little confusing for first-time buyers. Here's a useful guide to help you make sense…

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Two women in the home office
Personal Finance

Traineeships: what they are, and what’s changing

| Sean LaPointe

A traineeship can help you get career ready. Here's everything you need to know about what they are, how they…

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Working from home due to social distancing
Personal Finance

Can I buy shares in Oatly’s flotation?

| Sean LaPointe

Oatly plans to list on the US stock market soon. We look at what this means for UK investors, including…

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Dots over the earth connecting the world
Personal Finance

What is a freeport?

| Sean LaPointe

The UK plans to introduce freeports to help boost the economy after Brexit. But what is a freeport? We explain…

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happy senior couple using a laptop in their living room to look at their financial budgets
Personal Finance

What happens to my pension when I change jobs?

| Sean LaPointe

Planning to change jobs soon and wondering what happens to your current pension and its benefits? Here's everything you need…

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Sun setting over a traditional British neighbourhood.
Personal Finance

Stamp duty holiday set for 3-month extension

| Sean LaPointe

The government is reportedly planning to extend the stamp duty holiday by three months. Here's what we know so far…

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Hedge shaped as the pound symbol inside a glass piggy bank
Personal Finance

Why the vegan market is set to double in just 5 years

| Sean LaPointe

With one in eight Brits now identifying as vegetarian or vegan, we take a look at the growth of the…

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Vacation travel planning concept with map.
Personal Finance

When can I book a holiday?

| Sean LaPointe

Boris Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown has greatly boosted holiday prospects this summer. But when can you actually book a…

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A stack of credit cards piled on top of each other
Personal Finance

Have we got just 5 more years before cash is ‘extinct’?

| Sean LaPointe

Cash could be a thing of the past in the UK by 2026, according to new research. We take a…

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Young couple going for holidays with colorful suitcases
Personal Finance

‘Covid passports’ back on the table

| Sean LaPointe

Following an unexpected U-turn, the government is to review whether a Covid passport scheme could help reopen the economy. Read…

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happy senior couple using a laptop in their living room to look at their financial budgets
Personal Finance

Men vs women: who’s better at investing?

| Sean LaPointe

Who is better at investing when it comes to men vs women? Recent research shows that men and women have…

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A young couple take use a laptop together in their living room
Personal Finance

Can you take money out of an ISA?

| Sean LaPointe

Wondering whether you can take money out of an ISA and what the consequences might be? We take a look…

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Sun setting over a traditional British neighbourhood.
Personal Finance

What is a house price bubble?

| Sean LaPointe

'House price bubble' is quite a common phrase in the property market. In this article, we take a look at…

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New British One Pound Sterling Coin Chart Rate.
Personal Finance

What would Keir Starmer’s ‘British Recovery Bond Scheme’ look like?

| Sean LaPointe

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to create a British Recovery Bond Scheme to allow savers to invest in the UK's…

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Hand holding pound notes
Personal Finance

Who is the richest person in the world?

| Sean LaPointe

Jeff Bezos is once again the richest person in the world. We take a look at the world's five richest…

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happy senior couple using a laptop in their living room to look at their financial budgets
Personal Finance

Can I get good value for money from buying and selling on Gumtree?

| Sean LaPointe

Gumtree is a leading classified ad posting site in the UK. But can you actually get good value for money…

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Typical street lined with terraced houses and parked cars
Personal Finance

Did you know that choosing a black car can decrease its resale value by 68%?

| Sean LaPointe

A car's colour affects its resale value. The colour you choose could decrease its value when it's time to sell.…

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Stack of new one pound coins
Personal Finance

Why sterling is rising, and what it means for you

| Sean LaPointe

The pound has continued its recent surge against the dollar, hitting highs of over $1.39. We look at why sterling…

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Note paper with question mark on orange background
Personal Finance

Who is Neil Woodford?

| Sean LaPointe

Who is Neil Woodford and why is he in the news again? We tell you everything you need to know…

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Modern suburban family houses with car on driveway
Personal Finance

Covid-19: Help to Buy scheme deadline extended

| Sean LaPointe

The government is extending the Help to Buy deadline, giving homebuyers more time to complete their purchases. Here's everything you…

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Man sat at laptop computer using credit card to pay online using mobile phone
Personal Finance

Mastercard set to allow cryptocurrency payments

| Sean LaPointe

Mastercard has announced that its customers will be able to send and receive cryptocurrency payments later this year. Read on…

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Shocked young woman looking at a store receipt
Personal Finance

Sainsbury’s follows Tesco in Aldi price-matching

| Sean LaPointe

Sainsbury's will start price matching Aldi on hundreds of grocery items. Here are the implications on consumers and tips to…

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Aerial Houses Residential British England Drone Above View Summer Blue Sky Estate Agent
Personal Finance

What does flood insurance cover?

| Sean LaPointe

Flood insurance covers the costs of repairing your home and replacing damaged property caused by flooding. We take a look…

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Woman traveller walking alone with suitcase bag.
Personal Finance

Coronavirus: will travel insurance protect me from cancelled summer holidays?

| Sean LaPointe

Wondering whether your travel insurance policy can protect you if your summer holiday is cancelled because of coronavirus? Here's what…

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Man reading green book
Personal Finance

What is facial recognition payment?

| Sean LaPointe

Facial recognition payment is a new way of paying that's becoming popular in some parts of the world. We take…

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Typical street lined with terraced houses and parked cars
Personal Finance

A quarter of UK drivers believe electric cars are more expensive to run – but they’re wrong

| Sean LaPointe

Research shows that many UK drivers believe electric cars are more expensive to run than fuel-powered cars. They're wrong -…

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Young couple going for holidays with colorful suitcases
Personal Finance

A quarter of UK adults are saving for a dream holiday in 2021

| Sean LaPointe

New research shows a quarter of UK adults are saving for a dream holiday in 2021. Here are a few…

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happy senior couple using a laptop in their living room to look at their financial budgets
Personal Finance

What is the ‘Bed and Spouse’ tax strategy?

| Sean LaPointe

A 'bed and spouse' strategy can help reduce your Capital Gains Tax bill and retain ownership of an asset. Here's…

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Portrait of worried woman standing beside window
Personal Finance

Why has my credit score dropped? Five reasons why

| Sean LaPointe

Has your credit score dropped recently and you're wondering why? Here are five reasons your credit score might drop and…

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Personal Finance

Here’s what you need to know about the new Help To Buy: Equity Loan scheme

| Sean LaPointe

For first-time homebuyers struggling to save for a deposit, help is now available via the new Help to Buy: Equity…

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Road sign indicating essential travel only due to the Covid-19 lockdown
Personal Finance

UK has no plans for ‘vaccine passports’

| Sean LaPointe

There will be no vaccine passport to allow Brits who've had the Covid-19 jab to travel or go on holiday.…

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Blue question mark background and dark space
Personal Finance

What is a direct listing and why did Roblox choose it over an IPO?

| Sean LaPointe

We take a look at what a direct listing is, how it's different from an IPO and why Roblox chose…

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Image of person checking their shares portfolio on mobile phone and computer
Personal Finance

Can I buy shares in Cellular Goods’ flotation?

| Sean LaPointe

Cellular Goods, a medicinal cannabis firm, is set to float shares on the London Stock Exchange. Here's everything you need…

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Supermarket aisle with empty green trolley
Personal Finance

Are you wasting money by not buying in bulk?

| Sean LaPointe

We all like to save money on our grocery shop. We take a look at how you could make savings…

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happy senior couple using a laptop in their living room to look at their financial budgets
Personal Finance

Can I have more than one life insurance policy?

| Sean LaPointe

A life insurance policy ensures that your loved ones' financial needs are taken care of if you pass away. But…

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Aerial Houses Residential British England Drone Above View Summer Blue Sky Estate Agent
Personal Finance

Should I downsize my house if I’m nearing retirement?

| Sean LaPointe

We look at reasons you might consider downsizing your house and the pros and cons of doing so to help…

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Woman in superhero costume
Personal Finance

What to give up for Lent

| Sean LaPointe

With Lent approaching, we take a look at a few things you might give up to improve your health, finances…

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New normal sign on desk
Personal Finance

Covid-19: Welsh NHS app users can apply for £500 payment to self-isolate

| Sean LaPointe

Welsh users of the NHS Covid-19 app will be eligible to apply for a £500 payment if asked to self-isolate…

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