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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

Middle age senior woman sitting at the table at home working using computer laptop clueless and confused expression with arms and hands raised.
Personal Finance

How to apply for your National Insurance number

| Sean LaPointe

You need a National Insurance number if you're working or about to start work in the UK. Here's how you…

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Woman traveller walking alone with suitcase bag.
Personal Finance

Travel news: what’s next after the traffic light system is scrapped?

| Sean LaPointe

According to recent travel news, the traffic light system could soon be overhauled. See what changes are in store and…

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One English pound placed on a graph to represent an economic down turn
Personal Finance

UK M&A: Value of deals increases in Quarter 2

| Sean LaPointe

The number of M&A deals increased significantly in the UK in quarter 2. Sean LaPointe takes a look at what…

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Hispanic man using laptop in home office and drinking coffee
Personal Finance

Why are Chinese tech stocks trading at a discount to their US peers?

| Sean LaPointe

Chinese tech stocks are currently trading at a discount. Here are the reasons why, and a look at whether now…

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Young casual man and girl using laptop while looking at invoice and plan the budget to save.
Personal Finance

National Insurance rise: 5 tips to help you save money on bills and expenses

| Sean LaPointe

National Insurance contributions are set to rise next year. Here are a few tips to help you offset any shortfall…

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Stack of British pound coins falling on list of share prices
Personal Finance

Dividend tax increase: how can I minimise the impact on my income?

| Sean LaPointe

The government is increasing the dividend tax rate by 1.25%. Here is how you can minimise the impact the tax…

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For Sale sign displayed outside a terraced house
Personal Finance

Overseas buyers’ interest in UK property soars again

| Sean LaPointe

The UK property market is enjoying increased interest from overseas buyers and tenants. I tell you why and look at…

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Row of terrace houses.
Personal Finance

London rents increase for the third month in a row after a year of dips

| Sean LaPointe

London’s rental market is undergoing a resurgence after a year of dips. Here is why rent in London is going…

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

The Blue Prism share price beat the rest of the LSE last week

| Sean LaPointe

The share price of UK robotics company Blue Prism outperformed the rest of the London Stock Exchange last week. Sean…

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

Experts think the State Pension triple lock should be reviewed

| Sean LaPointe

The triple lock formula for State Pension increases has been suspended for a year. Could this be a sign that…

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African American woman working in home office
Personal Finance

National Insurance payments set to rise: how will this affect you?

| Sean LaPointe

According to recent news reports, National Insurance payments could be set to go up. Here is how a potential hike…

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Young couple having argument at home
Personal Finance

Why the UK is facing a £371bn savings shortfall

| Sean LaPointe

The UK is facing a multibillion-pound savings shortfall. Here's a brief overview of the cause for this and a few…

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For Sale sign displayed outside a terraced house
Personal Finance

Stamp duty relief behind August’s surprise house price growth

| Sean LaPointe

Did the stamp duty holiday on properties worth up to £250,000 played a decisive role in last month's unexpected rise…

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Woman looking sideways at credit card
Personal Finance

Revenge spending: top tips to avoid over-financing FOMO

| Sean LaPointe

Has the Covid-19 pandemic left with you experiencing FOMO? Here are a few practical tips to help you avoid 'revenge…

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Man smiling and working on laptop
Personal Finance

The Marks and Spencer share price beat the rest of the LSE last week

| Sean LaPointe

The share price of Marks and Spencer soared last week, making the UK retailer the biggest gainer on the LSE.…

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

31% of students don’t understand contents insurance

| Sean LaPointe

New research reveals that a large number of students do not understand contents insurance and what it covers. Read on…

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Sixed group of millennial aged friends discuss investing
Personal Finance

The majority of UK investors are optimistic stock markets will perform well for the rest of the year

| Sean LaPointe

Stock markets have performed relatively well so far this year, but what do investors expect to happen for the rest…

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Note paper with question mark on orange background
Investing Articles

These are the documents businesses should be shredding

| Sean LaPointe

These are the documents that as a business owner you should prioritise shredding to avoid having them fall into the…

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Chalk outline of two arrows pointing in opposite directions
Personal Finance

Brits increasingly favour investing in shares… and doing it themselves

| Sean LaPointe

New research shows that Brits are increasingly favouring investing in stocks and shares than low-interest savings accounts. But why?

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African American woman working in home office
Personal Finance

1 in 50 businesses expect to make people redundant in the next 3 months

| Sean LaPointe

With some businesses likely to make redundancies in the next few months, Sean Lapointe takes a look at the data…

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Two women in the home office
Personal Finance

Help to Buy: Why rising house prices pose a risk to buyers using the scheme

| Sean LaPointe

The number of buyers using the Help to Buy scheme has hit an all-time high. However, experts warn that rising…

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

10 places where kids can eat for free this summer

| Sean LaPointe

Want to treat your kids this summer without breaking the bank. Here are 10 places in the UK where your…

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Several plastic food containers with leftovers.
Personal Finance

How batching can cut your food bill by £1,100 a year

| Sean LaPointe

Do you want to save up to £1,100 on your annual food expenditure? Batching could be the ultimate solution. Here…

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

These are the best-performing women-led companies in the FTSE 100

| Sean LaPointe

I take a look at the best performing female-led companies in the FTSE 100 and tell you whether and how…

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Big Ben and the Union Jack
Personal Finance

The estimated stamp duty price on some of England’s most iconic properties

| Sean LaPointe

Here is the potential amount of stamp duty you would have to pay on some of England’s most iconic and…

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Vacation travel planning concept with map.
Personal Finance

42% of Brits have been priced out of foreign holidays by the additional costs of Covid-19 testing

| Sean LaPointe

Millions of Brits have been priced out of foreign holidays due to additional costs of Covid-19 testing. Here is the…

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Two hands with dream house, car and travel.
Personal Finance

UK government tells pension funds to invest in unlisted firms

| Sean LaPointe

The UK government has issued a rallying call to pension funds in the country to invest in unlisted companies to…

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Lady kissing laptop
Personal Finance

Meggitt shares beat the rest of the LSE last week

| Sean LaPointe

Meggitt, a UK aerospace and defence products company, saw its shares soar last week, outperforming the rest of the LSE.…

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Young Woman Drives Car With Dog in Back Seat
Personal Finance

These are the UK’s most popular cars!

| Sean LaPointe

These are the most popular cars among UK motorists that are likely to give you the best the best value…

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

The credit card offering up to 30% immediate cashback at 600+ London restaurants*

| Sean LaPointe

Revolut has launched a new cashback feature that allows you to get up to 30% cashback when you wine and…

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Stack of new one pound coins
Personal Finance

Global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals hit all-time high

| Sean LaPointe

Global M&A deals hit an all-time high in the first seven months of 2021, latest figures show. Here is a…

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Man using credit card and smartphone for purchasing goods online.
Investing Articles

What is a money transfer?

| Sean LaPointe

A money transfer is a quick and easy way to move cash to your bank account from your credit card.…

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African American woman working in home office
Personal Finance

Fifth self-employed (SEISS) grant: who is eligible and how do I apply?

| Sean LaPointe

Applications for the fifth and final round of the self-employed (SEISS) grant are now open. Find out who is eligible,…

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Cropped shot of a senior woman looking upset after an argument with her husband
Personal Finance

Furlough: why many older workers could be facing unemployment when the scheme ends

| Sean LaPointe

A new report has shown that one in three people still on furlough is over 50. Here's why these workers…

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potted green plant grows up in arrow shape
Personal Finance

Q2 saw highest number of new companies listing on AIM since 2018

| Sean LaPointe

Q2 has been good for the AIM market. We take a look at what's caused this and why the AIM…

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Cropped shot of a senior woman looking upset after an argument with her husband
Personal Finance

Government reject calls to lower State Pension age to 60

| Sean LaPointe

We look at why campaigners have been calling on the government to lower the State Pension age to 60 and…

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Sold sign displayed outside a terraced house
Personal Finance

Will the government U-turn on backdating the stamp duty holiday? A case for buyers who missed out

| Sean LaPointe

The decision not to backdate the stamp duty holiday has left some buyers feeling frustrated. Will the government U-turn on…

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Happy African American Man Hugging New Car In Auto Dealership
Personal Finance

Revealed: the cars that best hold their value in the UK

| Sean LaPointe

Thinking of buying a new car soon? We reveal the car models that best hold their value and those that…

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Smiling mortgage couple
Personal Finance

1,262% rise in 95% mortgages since January!

| Sean LaPointe

Recent research reveals that the 95% mortgage is on the rise across the UK since January. Here's what the rise…

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Sixed group of millennial aged friends discuss investing
Personal Finance

Why are China stocks plunging in the US?

| Sean LaPointe

China stocks listed in the United States are plummeting after a series of crackdowns in the education and tech sectors. Here…

Read more »