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People worried about the increase in their household bills in April can take action to bring down their costs, an expert has said.Many bills went up from April including council tax, which increased by the maximum five percent in many parts of England.Broadband and mobile tariffs also increased in line with inflation plus an additional amount and water bills also went up.Pete Mugleston, MD and mortgage expert at www.onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk, encouraged families to try "different approaches" to slash their costs.He told Express.co.uk: "If a family is facing higher energy bills, they should implement energy-saving measures to improve home insulation, switch to energy-efficient appliances and adopt positive habits such as turning off lights and electronics when not in use.There are seve...

Rates dropped from 7.22% to 7.09% for 30-year mortgages.  (iStock) Mortgage rates have steadily been rising over the last few weeks, but rates have finally started to dip. Rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 7.09% as of May 9th, Freddie Mac reported. This is a decent drop from last week when rates averaged 7.22%. Last year at this time, 30-year mortgage rates averaged much lower at 6.35%. Mortgages with 15-year terms also saw interest rates drop. Rates fell to 6.38% from 6.47% last week. Compared to last year when rates averaged 5.75%, buyers are settling for much higher rates."After a five week climb, mortgage rates ticked down following a weaker than expected jobs report," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.  "An environment where rates continue to hove...

Melton Building Society has relaunched its 180-day Notice Cash ISA today with an interest rate of 4.5 percent.The account can be opened with a minimum deposit of £25 and withdrawals are permitted, subject to serving an 180-day notice period.Notice accounts act as a middle ground between easy access and fixed rates, enabling people to withdraw money whenever they need to, but they have to give the bank an agreed amount of notice beforehand or they could face penalties.Savers must be UK residents aged 16 and over and interest is paid annually on March 31.Up to £500,000 can be held in the account overall and like with any ISA, up to £25,000 can be invested per tax year, tax-free.Transfers in are permitted either in the branch or by post. Transfers out will be subject to a penalty charge of...

Gatestone Institute senior fellow Gordon Chang discusses social media playing a role in anti-Israel protests taking place on college campuses, the EcoHealth Alliance president's testimony on Capitol Hill and the growing China threat. China may be playing a significant role in the anti-Israel protests by using TikTok to foment division on college campuses. Gordon Chang, a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and vocal critic of the Communist Party of China, said the adversary’s actions are an "act of war" as it uses the "curation algorithm of TikTok" to instigate protests."We know of the Hamas videos on that platform [TikTok] – 96.5% of them support the terrorist group. And this echoes what China did in 2020," Chang said."In 2020, an intelligence unit of the People’s Liberation ...

Homebuyers won't get a break with home prices anytime soon. (iStock) Home prices kept climbing in February and hit a new all-time record, defying odds that higher mortgage rates might have a more pronounced negative impact on gains, according to the latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller national home price index report. Home prices are now 6.4% above their level this time last year, up from the 6% increase registered in January. The 10-city composite increased 8% annually from 7.4% the previous month. At the same time, the 20-city composite posted a rise of 7.3%, up from 6.6% the previous month.  Across the nation, home prices increased 0.6% month-over-month after dipping the previous month. The 10-city composite registered 1% growth, while the 20-city composite increased by 0.9...

Much of the new plan is already covered under SAVE, but key new provisions raise the price tag considerably. (iStock) President Joe Biden's new student debt elimination proposal would bring relief for millions more Americans, but a Penn Wharton Budget Model (PWBM) analysis shows it could add another $84 billion to an already costly plan. The Biden Administration released a formal proposal to provide student debt relief to over 30 million borrowers. The new plan also proposes to eliminate accrued interest for 23 million borrowers and automatically discharge debt for borrowers eligible for loan forgiveness under SAVE, closed school discharge or other forgiveness programs, even if not enrolled. Additionally, student debt for borrowers who entered repayment for 20 or more years woul...

The Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has delivered a stern warning to people swapping their ovens for air fryers.The beloved expert has been inundated with questions from fans who are ditching their ovens for Ninja and Tower air fryers.These devices are often promoted as cheaper alternatives to standard ovens, even leading some adventurous souls to contemplate roasting their Sunday dinners in them. But Martin voiced his doubts about such eco-friendly claims during his stint on ITV's This Morning.The questioning began as he probed: "I heard you on the show mentioning someone was gonna cook dinner in an air fryer. Is that right? If that's being done for energy reasons, I would be somewhat sceptical whether that is a good idea."Lewis then elaborated further stating: "If it's being done for...

Northwestern adjunct law professor Andrew Stoltmann weighs in on the craziness of the Depp vs. Heard trial as the jury resumes deliberations on Kennedy. Johnny Depp is considering buying a $4 million historic castle in Montalto Dora, Italy.  The 60-year-old actor is eying the 12th century fortress, which sits on top of Mount Crovero overlooking Lake Pistono, about 31 miles northeast of the city of Turin in northern Italy.While a source close to Depp told FOX Business that "nothing is confirmed or official" regarding the sale, local officials have already expressed concerns over the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star's potential purchase of the property, according to the New York Post. Johnny Depp is eying a $4 million historic castle in Italy. (Getty / Getty Images)Italian newspa...

Judy Shelton and Grover Norquist discuss the amount of U.S. debt under President Biden and the impending increase in taxes after Trump-era tax cuts expire on ‘The Evening Edit.’ Krispy Kreme customers can look forward to getting a sweet treat at a sweet price on Tax Day, Monday, April 15.  Krispy Kreme announced Friday that customers can purchase an Original Glazed or Assorted dozen in store and get a second Original Glazed dozen for the price of sales tax in their state. Pricing for the second dozen will vary, depending on the state. The company stated that supply will be limited at participating Krispy Kreme locations. There is a limit of two dozen per customer in-shop and a limit of one per customer when ordering online for pickup or delivery. Orders can be placed via the app or...

Ohio trucker Monte Wiederhold joined 'FOX & Friends First' to react to the news that a court allowed California to set zero emissions standards and how the move will impact the supply chain.  As California gets the green light to set its own zero emission standards, an Ohio trucker says the move will be "catastrophic" for the industry and U.S. supply chain. "There is nothing about this law that makes any sense," Monte Wiederhold told "FOX & Friends First" on Friday while criticizing the progressive state’s policies.A federal appellate court on Tuesday upheld the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to grant California a waiver allowing it to establish its own zero emission standards for tailpipes as well as electric vehicle requirements. The move, if enacte...