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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

Frustrated young woman gazing out of the window while her male companion stares at his phone
Personal Finance

The shocking extra amount of money women need to save to reach same retirement income as men

| Sean LaPointe

New research shows that women will need to save significantly more than men to match their retirement income. Here's why.

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Row of terrace houses.
Personal Finance

Rent is increasing at its fastest pace in 13 years: here’s how to cope

| Sean LaPointe

A look at why rent in the UK is rising at its fastest pace since 2008 and some tips on…

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For sale sign outside a home in an affluent suburb of London
Personal Finance

Revealed! The best locations to get on the property ladder with Help to Buy

| Sean LaPointe

A look at the best locations in England to buy your first home using the Help to Buy: Equity Loan…

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

As UK house prices drop in November, is this a temporary blip or is the bubble about to burst?

| Sean LaPointe

New figures show that average house prices dropped in November. Is it just a bump in the road or a…

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

Who is eligible for TSB’s new £1,000 prize draw?

| Sean LaPointe

TSB has launched a new prize draw aimed at encouraging Brits to save money. Here's everything you need to know…

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Hands of woman with many shopping bags
Personal Finance

Brits lose over £1,200 annually by not returning items or claiming refunds

| Sean LaPointe

Brits don't like returning items or asking for refunds that they may be entitled to. As a result, they may…

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'For Sale' sign outside of a terraced house in the UK
Personal Finance

Revealed: top spots for house sellers in the UK right now

| Sean LaPointe

Sean LaPointe takes a look at the top hotspots for house sellers in the UK right now and shares some…

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Hand holding pound notes
Personal Finance

Renting out these household items could earn you more than £4,000

| Sean LaPointe

You could earn more than £4,000 by renting out household items that you probably have lying idle around your house.…

Read more »

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

These were the most popular LSE stocks among UK investors in October

| Sean LaPointe

A look at the most popular LSE stocks among UK investors on the Saxo Markets trading platform in the month…

Read more »

Senior Couple Walking With Pet Bulldog In Countryside
Personal Finance

Should you downsize your home in retirement? Here’s why most Brits don’t plan to

| Sean LaPointe

Are you considering downsizing your home in retirement? New research shows that the majority of Brits don't plan to. Here's…

Read more »

Stack of one pound coins falling over
Personal Finance

Inflation fears drive Bitcoin to new record high: are investors right to use it as a hedge?

| Sean LaPointe

Bitcoin has recently hit a new all-time high bolstered by inflation fears. But are investors right to use this digital…

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a young couple celebrate getting the keys to their new home by taking a selfie in the garden
Personal Finance

Here’s when I think is best to pay off a Help to Buy loan

| Sean LaPointe

Have you recently taken out a Help to Buy loan, or are you planning to apply for one? Sean LaPointe…

Read more »

Environmental technology concept.
Personal Finance

Bitcoin’s huge carbon footprint: 284 MILLION trees required to offset emissions!

| Sean LaPointe

Sean LaPointe takes a look at the carbon footprints of Bitcoin and other leading cryptocurrencies and what it would take…

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

November 2021: what’s the current house price forecast?

| Sean LaPointe

Will house prices continue to rise or could they fall in the near future? Sean LaPointe takes a look at…

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An image of stacked credit cards with the text "How to Apply for a Credit Card" and The Motley Fool UK jester hat logo.
Personal Finance

How to apply for a credit card

| Sean LaPointe

A step-by-step guide on how to apply for a credit card in the UK, and things to consider before you…

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Woman looking sideways at credit card
Personal Finance

Is Currensea, the UK’s first direct debit travel card worth getting?

| Sean LaPointe

Currensea is the UK's first direct debit travel card. But is it worth getting? Here is a look at its…

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Woman using laptop and working from home
Personal Finance

Revealed! Top 3 sectors for generating a second income with a side hustle

| Sean LaPointe

A look at the top sectors to generate extra income with a side hustle and some tips on how to…

Read more »

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

How to cut your annual energy bill by almost £1,500!

| Sean LaPointe

Energy costs in the UK are soaring, but making some improvements around your home could you cut your annual bill…

Read more »

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

Can you buy shares in ProCook?

| Sean LaPointe

UK kitchenware retailer ProCook is set to list its shares on the LSE soon. Here is the lowdown on the…

Read more »

Diagonal chain made of zeros and ones. Cryptocurrency and mining.
Personal Finance

Bitcoin on track to become the 5th most valuable investment by 2024!

| Sean LaPointe

The value of Bitcoin has increased significantly since it was invented back in 2009. It's now predictited to be the…

Read more »

Personal Finance

When will household finances in the UK return to pre-pandemic levels?

| Sean LaPointe

A look at when household finances in the UK are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels and tips to protect…

Read more »

Mature woman with headache at home
Personal Finance

Renting linked to poor mental health: 5 tips to get on the property ladder

| Sean LaPointe

Are you currently stuck renting in conditions that are harmful to your mental health? Here are 5 tips that could…

Read more »

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

How to unlock the value of your home as equity release market nears £4bn mark

| Sean LaPointe

Thinking of unlocking the value in your home through equity release? Here are your options and what to consider before…

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Personal Finance

Budget 2021: this is how much Council Tax could rise

| Sean LaPointe

A look at how much Council Tax could rise following the release of the 2021 Autumn Budget and tips on…

Read more »

Vacation travel planning concept with map.
Personal Finance

Travel news: what’s next after the red list is scrapped?

| Sean LaPointe

In the latest UK travel news, the red list for international travel is to be scrapped. Here's what you can…

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Working from home due to social distancing
Personal Finance

Brits to pay £3k more in tax as a result of Budget measures: 5 ways to cut your bill

| Sean LaPointe

UK households could see their taxes rise by thousands of pounds as a result of recent budget measures. Here are…

Read more »

Anxious young man biting his nails fingers
Personal Finance

130k Londoners are facing a fine of £12.50 per day for driving older cars!

| Sean LaPointe

Find out why drivers of older vehicles in central London are facing a charge of £12.50 per day and how…

Read more »

Road trip. Father and son travelling together by car
Personal Finance

Budget 2021: what the fuel duty freeze means for motorists

| Sean LaPointe

Rishi Sunak has confirmed in his Autumn Budget that fuel duty will remain frozen at 57.95p per litre. Here is…

Read more »

Sale agent deal to car loan contract with customer.
Personal Finance

These are the cheapest (and most expensive) areas for car insurance in the UK

| Sean LaPointe

Car insurance costs in the UK vary widely from one postcode to the next. Here are the cheapest and most…

Read more »

Young couple going for holidays with colorful suitcases
Personal Finance

Brits set to splurge more than £40 BILLION on holidays abroad in 2022!

| Sean LaPointe

Half of Brits plan to travel abroad in 2022, with total spending on foreign holidays expected to exceed £40 billion.…

Read more »

Anxious young man biting his nails fingers
Personal Finance

Revealed! The taxes Brits hate the most (and how to legally avoid them)

| Sean LaPointe

Sean LaPointe takes a look into the types of tax that Brits hate the most and provides tips on how…

Read more »

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

Why have traders been buying The Hut Group (THG) shares recently?

| Sean LaPointe

Sean LaPointe takes a look at why traders on investment platform Fineco have been buying The Hut Group (THG) shares…

Read more »

Working from home due to social distancing
Personal Finance

4 steps to take for the 85% of British women who don’t consider themselves ‘informed’ investors

| Sean LaPointe

A new study has found that the majority of women do not consider themselves 'informed investors'. So what can they…

Read more »

A retired couple review their investing portfolio
Personal Finance

State Pension increase for 2022 revealed: this is how much you could get

| Sean LaPointe

The State Pension rise for 2022 has now been confirmed. Here's how much weekly payments are set to increase by…

Read more »

Woman pulling baffled face
Personal Finance

The unfair reasons female first-time buyers need 50% longer than men to save for a deposit

| Sean LaPointe

Did you know that female first-time buyers need 51% longer than men to save for a house deposit? Sean LaPointe…

Read more »

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

Could investing in these sectors lead to 20%+ annualised returns?

| Sean LaPointe

Are you looking for stocks with a high return potential? Investing in these sectors could result in 20%+ annualised returns.

Read more »

3D Word IPO with Target on Chalkboard Background
Personal Finance

Can you buy shares in Britishvolt?

| Sean LaPointe

Electric vehicle battery maker Britishvolt is reportedly planning to float its shares on the London Stock Exchange. How can you…

Read more »

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

Why have investors been buying NatWest shares recently?

| Sean LaPointe

Trading data from Fineco shows that investors have been buying NatWest shares in large numbers recently. Sean LaPointe explores why…

Read more »

Thoughtful anxious asian business woman looking away thinking solving problem
Personal Finance

House prices set to continue rising amid supply shortage. Should buyers back off?

| Sean LaPointe

With a shortage of homes for sale expected to keep pushing house prices up, should buyers consider backing off until…

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Personal Finance

Is Ryanair right to ban customers who don’t return Covid refunds?

| Sean LaPointe

Ryanair is barring travellers who received Covid refunds from flying with them unless they return the money. Is the move…

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