Puzzled with industry jargon? Browse our glossary section for commonly-used terms and start to understand what the complicated vocabulary used in the world of personal finance means to your money matters.
0% purchase card
A type of credit card that offers a promotional interest-free offer on any purchases made using the card until a set date or for a set amount of time. ...more
A type of credit card that offers a promotional interest-free offer on any purchases made using the card until a set date or for a set amount of time. ...more
01 and 02 numbers
Geographic or 'landline' numbers which can usually be called as part of inclusive mobile phone allowances in the UK. ...more
Geographic or 'landline' numbers which can usually be called as part of inclusive mobile phone allowances in the UK. ...more
03 numbers
03 numbers cost around the same as a national rate call to a 01 or 02 number. According to Directgov, calls to 03 numbers "must also count towards any inclusive minutes in a phone contract in the same way as 01 and 02 calls"....more
03 numbers cost around the same as a national rate call to a 01 or 02 number. According to Directgov, calls to 03 numbers "must also count towards any inclusive minutes in a phone contract in the same way as 01 and 02 calls"....more
0800 and 0808 numbers
Freephone numbers which are free to call from landline telephones. In order to call 0800 and 0808 numbers from a mobile phone, you normally need to leave off the first 0. Calls to 0800 and 0808 numbers are not usually free to call from mobile phones, and are not usually included in your monthly inclusive allowance....more
Freephone numbers which are free to call from landline telephones. In order to call 0800 and 0808 numbers from a mobile phone, you normally need to leave off the first 0. Calls to 0800 and 0808 numbers are not usually free to call from mobile phones, and are not usually included in your monthly inclusive allowance....more
0844 number
A 'non-geographic' number charged at up to 5p per minute from landlines. Calls to 0844 numbers from a mobile telephone are usually a lot more expensive....more
A 'non-geographic' number charged at up to 5p per minute from landlines. Calls to 0844 numbers from a mobile telephone are usually a lot more expensive....more
0845 number
A 'non-geographic' number charged at up to 3.95p per minute from landlines. Calls to 0845 numbers from a mobile telephone are usually a lot more expensive....more
A 'non-geographic' number charged at up to 3.95p per minute from landlines. Calls to 0845 numbers from a mobile telephone are usually a lot more expensive....more
0870 number
A 'non-geographic' number charged at up to 7.9p per minute from landlines. Calls to 0870 numbers from a mobile telephone are usually a lot more expensive....more
A 'non-geographic' number charged at up to 7.9p per minute from landlines. Calls to 0870 numbers from a mobile telephone are usually a lot more expensive....more
0871 number
A 'non-geographic' number charged at up to 10p per minute from landlines. Calls to 0871 numbers from a mobile telephone are usually a lot more expensive....more
A 'non-geographic' number charged at up to 10p per minute from landlines. Calls to 0871 numbers from a mobile telephone are usually a lot more expensive....more
Acceptance criteria
A set of conditions that must be met in order to be given a credit facility like a credit card or loan....more
A set of conditions that must be met in order to be given a credit facility like a credit card or loan....more
Added value bank account
A type of current account that comes with added features such as travel insurance, breakdown cover and reduced overdraft fees....more
A type of current account that comes with added features such as travel insurance, breakdown cover and reduced overdraft fees....more
Additional cardholder
The term given to a person who has a card linked back to the principal cardholder?s credit card account....more
The term given to a person who has a card linked back to the principal cardholder?s credit card account....more
Address bar
The box on a webpage into which you enter addresses of websites, commonly referred to as URLs....more
The box on a webpage into which you enter addresses of websites, commonly referred to as URLs....more
American Express
American Express is a multinational financial services company based New York. ...more
American Express is a multinational financial services company based New York. ...more
Annual Equivalent Rate (AER)
The amount you will be given for any money held in a savings account is presented to you as a percentage Annual Equivalent Rate (%AER). The AER is given to demonstrate what your interest return would be if the interest was compounded and paid annually instead of any other period (e.g. monthly)....more
The amount you will be given for any money held in a savings account is presented to you as a percentage Annual Equivalent Rate (%AER). The AER is given to demonstrate what your interest return would be if the interest was compounded and paid annually instead of any other period (e.g. monthly)....more
Annual income
Annual income is the sum total of that you earn in a calender (or financial) year. what you earn as wage or salary per year....more
Annual income is the sum total of that you earn in a calender (or financial) year. what you earn as wage or salary per year....more
APR (Annual Percentage Rate)
The percentage amount of interest you will pay on any money you borrow from a lender. It is there as a means of comparison so that you can compare how much it will cost you per year to borrow money from different providers. ...more
The percentage amount of interest you will pay on any money you borrow from a lender. It is there as a means of comparison so that you can compare how much it will cost you per year to borrow money from different providers. ...more
ATM (a.k.a. cash machine)
Automated Teller Machines, or ATMs, are the machines used to withdraw cash from bank accounts when it is inconvenient to use a branch of the bank. ...more
Automated Teller Machines, or ATMs, are the machines used to withdraw cash from bank accounts when it is inconvenient to use a branch of the bank. ...more
Bad credit loan
A loan specificly designed for individuals who have previously struggled to control the credit made available to them....more
A loan specificly designed for individuals who have previously struggled to control the credit made available to them....more
Bad credit rating
Bad or Adverse credit rating is a term used to describe an individual whose credit score (as determined by one of the credit reference agencies) is considered low....more
Bad or Adverse credit rating is a term used to describe an individual whose credit score (as determined by one of the credit reference agencies) is considered low....more
Balance transfer admin fee
The amount (usually expressed as a percentage) a credit card issuer will charge to transfer a balance to them....more
The amount (usually expressed as a percentage) a credit card issuer will charge to transfer a balance to them....more
Balance transfer calculator
A tool or widget designed to make quick calculations regarding the possible savings which could be achieved by switching card....more
A tool or widget designed to make quick calculations regarding the possible savings which could be achieved by switching card....more
Balance transfer credit card
Credit Cards designed with an introductory 0% period for customers looking to switch their balance from one issuer to another...more
Credit Cards designed with an introductory 0% period for customers looking to switch their balance from one issuer to another...more
Balance transfer fee
The amount (typically displayed as a percentage) a credit card company will charge customers to transfer an existing balance to them....more
The amount (typically displayed as a percentage) a credit card company will charge customers to transfer an existing balance to them....more
Bank giro credit slip
Bank Giro Credit slip is a slip at the back of cheque books and paying in books....more
Bank Giro Credit slip is a slip at the back of cheque books and paying in books....more
Bounced payment
A bounced payment refers to occasions where debit requests make on banks when individuals do not have suffient funds to make a payment....more
A bounced payment refers to occasions where debit requests make on banks when individuals do not have suffient funds to make a payment....more
Charge cards
Charge cards, although sometimes classified as a type of credit card, are different to credit cards because the balance has to be paid off in full each month....more
Charge cards, although sometimes classified as a type of credit card, are different to credit cards because the balance has to be paid off in full each month....more
Credit card
A credit card is a method of making a payment for goods and services named after the small card given to users to access the payment facility....more
A credit card is a method of making a payment for goods and services named after the small card given to users to access the payment facility....more
Gilt-edged stocks (gilts)
Gilts are fixed income, or index-linked, bonds issued by the UK Government....more
Gilts are fixed income, or index-linked, bonds issued by the UK Government....more
Gross per annum (gross p.a.)
The amount of interest you receive will be worked out as a gross per annum percentage. 'Gross' means before tax has been deducted and 'per annum' means each year....more
The amount of interest you receive will be worked out as a gross per annum percentage. 'Gross' means before tax has been deducted and 'per annum' means each year....more
Individual Savings Account (ISA)
You can save cash in an ISA and any interest you earn will be tax-free....more
You can save cash in an ISA and any interest you earn will be tax-free....more
Negative equity
You are said to be in negative equity when you buy something for a lot more than it's worth. The term is used to describe those homeowners who have taken out a mortgage on their house which then decreases in value....more
You are said to be in negative equity when you buy something for a lot more than it's worth. The term is used to describe those homeowners who have taken out a mortgage on their house which then decreases in value....more
Pet insurance
Pet insurance is cover you buy for your pet in the event of illness or accident. This cover is primarily there to pay for any vet bills that accumulate in the course of getting your pet back to full health....more
Pet insurance is cover you buy for your pet in the event of illness or accident. This cover is primarily there to pay for any vet bills that accumulate in the course of getting your pet back to full health....more
Phishing
An act which involves sending a consumer an email falsely claiming to be from an established legitimate company with the aim of tricking the consumer into providing private/secure/confidential information....more
An act which involves sending a consumer an email falsely claiming to be from an established legitimate company with the aim of tricking the consumer into providing private/secure/confidential information....more
Smishing
A type of phishing (see glossary entry 'Phishing') carried out via a mobile phone Short Message Service (SMS), or 'text message'....more
A type of phishing (see glossary entry 'Phishing') carried out via a mobile phone Short Message Service (SMS), or 'text message'....more
Top-up loan (a.k.a. second mortgage)
A top-up loan is an additional loan given by a lender to a borrower as an extension of a previous loan. The top-up loan most commonly occurs with mortgage lending where the lender gives the borrower an additional loan to ?top up? their existing borrowing to a higher level. ...more
A top-up loan is an additional loan given by a lender to a borrower as an extension of a previous loan. The top-up loan most commonly occurs with mortgage lending where the lender gives the borrower an additional loan to ?top up? their existing borrowing to a higher level. ...more
Working day
Any day of the week which is not one of the following (in England and Wales): Saturday, Sunday, a public holiday or a bank holiday....more
Any day of the week which is not one of the following (in England and Wales): Saturday, Sunday, a public holiday or a bank holiday....more
Product Offers
Please ensure that you fully read the terms & conditions of any product or policy before you decide to proceed and are fully aware of the total costs and the benefits and any exclusions or limitations applicable to the product or plan.
Please note that the product links will take you direct to the Issuer or Insurer's site direct and we cannot be held responsible for the information which they provide within their own sites. On some comparison tables we use a star rating which rates products by visitor popularity.
Please ensure that you fully read the terms & conditions of any product or policy before you decide to proceed and are fully aware of the total costs and the benefits and any exclusions or limitations applicable to the product or plan.
Please note that the product links will take you direct to the Issuer or Insurer's site direct and we cannot be held responsible for the information which they provide within their own sites. On some comparison tables we use a star rating which rates products by visitor popularity.