Nominate your Scrooge of the Year 2008

December 3, 2008 MONEY BULLETIN Dear Reader Visit Times Online today for personal finance and investment advice, plus guides to mortgages, pensions, savings and more SMART MONEY BY MARK BRIDGE Nominate your Scrooge of the Year 2008 "A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!" That's how Charles Dickens described the miser Ebenezer Scrooge in his 1843 classic, A Christmas Carol. Judging from readers' letters and emails, the same words describe a number of British companies, organisations and officials, from broadband providers to banks, energy suppliers to insurers. Times Money will name and shame the worst offenders in print and online - but first we need your nominations VOTE NOW: Click here to name and shame Who do you blame for the current financial mess? Housing market Halifax tracker loans 'must fall in line with rate cuts' The City regulator said yesterday that more than half a million Halifax customers on tracker mortgages should benefit from further interest rate cuts even though the small print on their loans supposedly prevents them from doing so. An estimated 550,000 Halifax borrowers with trackers appeared set to miss out on future rate cuts because the conditions on their loans allowed the lender to stop reducing rates once the base rate falls below 3 per cent More on this story The five craziest mortgage deals of all time Comment The buzzword is safety, which is why gilts have soared with the average fund up 4% over three months More... Kathryn Cooper SEND YOUR VIEWS How to escape punitive pension tax MARKET UPDATE: 26 November - 2 December FTSE 100: Down 1.2%; FTSE 250: Up 0.5%; AIM: Down 2.5% money briefing Will you have to work beyond 70? Millions have resigned themselves to working on well past the normal retirement age There's no getting away from rising travel costs We examine the impact of increased taxes for car drivers and air passengers We're still worse off than in 1997 Darling's tax 'giveaway' will bypass the middle classes, writes Elizabeth Colman Q&A: New Star crisis As the share price of the troubled fund manager crashes to new lows we answer the questions being asked by nervous investors Pre-Budget Report What does the budget mean for you? Work out your personal or business taxes Troubleshooter Problem solved Money Central The 10 best James Bond collectibles Compare & Buy Mortgages, Loans, Credit Cards, Savings, Accounts, Car Insurance, Home Insurance IFA Search Find a local, specialist IFA Credit Clinic Information and advice, plus your FREE credit report Investing in uncertain times Request your FREE guide to recession investing Legal Advice Search for legal specialists If you no longer wish to receive the Money Bulletin, please click here to unsubscribe. If you wish to speak to a Customer Services Representative, please call 020 7860 1133. You have received this e-mail from a member of the News International Group. News International Limited, 1 Virginia Street, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International Group and is registered in England No 81701. VAT number GB 243 8054 69 Times Newspapers Ltd is a member of the Direct Marketing Association and registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. To see our privacy policy, click here.