The Nottingham Building Society (‘The Nottingham’) has announced that in November and December this year, it will open seven new branches in market towns across the Midlands, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.

A mutual building society, such as The Nottingham, is a financial institution run for the benefit of its members, primarily offering saving and mortgage services. We don’t have shareholders which means our profits and extra benefits can be reinvested in the business and passed on to customers.

It can seem difficult to make saving a priority when prices seem to keep on rising and there are regular bills. But you’d be surprised where you can rein in your spending – and how little you need to set aside to watch your savings start to grow.

Different mortgage types can seem confusing, so here's a guide to the pros and cons of fixed-rate mortgages, tracker mortgages and discount mortgages - and what an interest-only mortgage is.

In most instances, when you apply to borrow money or get credit on a purchase, the lender will carry out a credit score to decide how much of a risk it is to lend to you. In theory, the better your credit score the better your chances of getting a mortgage, credit card or loan – and with lower interest rates.

If you’re looking for a mortgage, want to pay for something in instalments or get a new credit card, the lender will want to be sure they can trust you to pay them back. Here are the main factors which can make lenders think twice about your application.

LTV, or Loan to Value, is the percentage of your mortgage loan compared with the surveyors’ valuation of the property. The lower the LTV, the lower the rate of interest. Read more.

Planning ahead now can give you a more affordable Christmas. If you can get ahead of the game while the days are long and the nights are short, the chances are you won’t have to rely as much on credit cards and the overdraft to meet your yuletide spend.

Basic rate taxpayers in the UK can earn up to £1,000 of interest on their savings accounts completely tax-free. This is your Personal Savings Allowance, or PSA. The limit depends on earnings though, and higher-rate tax payers can earn up to £500 interest before having to pay tax.

If you are ready to start saving and want to earn tax-free interest and enjoy easy access to your money, then a cash ISA – or Individual Savings Account – could be for you.