The Everyday Money Desk
The Everyday Money Desk is a shared byline, not a person. It covers personal accounts, savings, budgeting, credit building, investing apps, tax software and sending money abroad. Pages are researched and drafted with AI assistance from providers’ own published documents, and a person checks each one before it is published. Named credentialed review is being arranged and will be shown on each page once in place.
Pages from this desk
APY, AER and APR: how interest rates are quoted in the US and UK
What APY, AER, gross rate and APR mean, how compounding, fees and tax change them, and how to compare rates on the same basis.
UK comparison
Best budgeting apps in the UK (2026): prices compared
Three budgeting apps compared on price, free plans and how they connect to UK bank accounts through open banking.
US comparisonBest budgeting apps in the US (2026): prices and methods compared
Four budgeting apps compared on what they cost a year, whether there is a free version, and the budgeting method each is built around.
UK comparisonBest easy-access savings accounts in the UK: rates read 29 October 2026
Eight UK savings accounts compared on the AER each provider published, how much of it is a first-year bonus, and the limits on withdrawals.
US comparisonBest high-yield savings accounts in the US: rates read 29 October 2026
Online savings accounts compared on the APY each bank published, the balance needed to earn it, and the date each rate was set.
US comparison
Investing apps for beginners in the US (2026): what they charge
Six brokerages and automated investing apps compared on what they charge a year on a $10,000 balance, from $0 commissions to flat subscriptions.
UK comparison
Best mobile banking apps in the UK (2026): fees compared
Four app-based UK current accounts compared on fees abroad, cash deposits and paid plans. All four are UK banks with FSCS protection.
US comparisonBest mobile banking apps in the US (2026): fees compared
App-first checking accounts compared on the fees that come up in everyday use, and on whether a bank or a fintech is holding the money.
UK comparison
Best Self Assessment software for sole traders in the UK (2026)
Self Assessment software compared on price for a sole trader's return, and on which products handle Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
UK comparisonStocks and shares ISA platforms for beginners in the UK (2026): what they charge
Four ISA platforms compared on what they charge a year on £10,000 with four trades, from no platform fee to a percentage charge plus dealing fees.
US comparisonBest tax software for freelancers and the self-employed in the US (2026)
Tax software compared on what a federal return with freelance income costs, alongside the IRS's own free routes.
Guide · US & UKZero-based, 50/30/20 and envelope budgeting: how they differ
Three common budgeting methods explained with worked examples, including how each copes with irregular freelance income and yearly bills.
US comparison
Credit-builder apps and loans in the US (2026): costs compared
Credit-builder loans, plans and reporting tools compared on yearly cost, the bureaus they report to and whether they run a credit check.
UK comparisonCredit-building tools in the UK (2026): rent and bill reporting compared
UK tools for building a credit file compared on cost and which credit reference agencies they report to.
Guide · US & UK
How exchange-rate markups hide the real cost of sending money abroad
The fee is only part of what a transfer costs. Here is how to measure the margin hidden in the exchange rate, with worked examples and a check that works from any quote.
Guide · US & UKHow credit-builder loans work, and what they really cost
A credit-builder loan holds the money you borrow as savings until you have repaid it. Here is how it works, what it costs, what the research found, and the alternatives.
Guide · US & UKInvesting app fees explained: platform fees, subscriptions, fund costs and spreads
Commission-free trading removed one layer of cost, not all of them. Here are the rest, with examples from US and UK apps and what each adds up to over time.
Guide · US & UKIs a neobank a bank? Charters, partner banks and e-money explained
A neobank is a banking app, and it may or may not be a bank. Here are the three models behind the apps, what each means for protection, and how to check the one you use.
Guide · US & UKFiling taxes as self-employed: Schedule C and estimated tax vs Self Assessment and Making Tax Digital
Working for yourself means paying tax yourself, during the year as well as at the end. Here is how the US and UK systems work, with dates, rates and worked examples.
UK comparisonSending money abroad from the UK: how Wise, Remitly and WorldRemit price transfers
Three UK money transfer services compared on how they price a transfer and what they say about exchange rates, with a true-cost calculator.
US comparisonSending money abroad from the US: how Wise, Remitly and Western Union price transfers
Three US money transfer services compared on how they price a transfer and what they disclose, with a calculator for the true cost of any quote.