The Role & Popularity of Credit Unions in the UK

Since they were first established in the UK in 1964, credit unions have becoming increasingly popular so that there are now over 300 different ones in England, Wales and Scotland. Over more than 5 decades, they have offered their financial services to over 1.3 million people.

The objective of a credit union is to encourage their members to use money wisely. One of the cornerstones of their philosophy is to promote the habit of saving regularly so as to avoid costly loans. This is achieved through standard savings accounts as well as more specialised financial products such as children’s savings accounts or ones to put by money for Christmas.

Apart from emphasising the importance of saving, some credit unions also offer budgeting and debt management advice for any of their members who have faced – or are facing – problems with poor financial decision-making in the past. Although credit unions often impose limits on how much money someone can save (usually up to £10,000-£15,000), all members are offered the same financial protection as they are by mainstream banks and building societies. Regulated by the PRA and FCA, each member’s savings account comes under the protection of the governmental FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) which has a maximum limit of £85,000.

As a credit union is owned by its members, it doesn’t have to pay out dividends to its shareholders and can act as a non-profit-making enterprise. Instead of offering those with savings a standard interest rate, it offers dividend rates at the end of the year. This rate can vary from year to year, but is usually around 1.3% depending on the size of the credit union, and how much has been ploughed back into it to improve the services it offers.

Small loans of £50-£3,000 are also available although some credit unions might stipulate that the borrower holds a savings account with them before approving a loan. They have no charges for paying off a loan early, and the loan usually comes with free life cover so any outstanding loan is automatically repaid in case of death.

To become a member of a credit union, you must share a ‘common bond’ with the other members. This could take many forms: living in the same area, working for the same employer/profession or could concern a shared interest. Once you’ve joined, you can remain a member even if your circumstances later change. For example, you move or get a new job.

One problem that some people have is finding a credit union for which they are eligible. If you aren’t eligible and are in urgent need of cash to tide you over, high acceptance payday loans direct lenders can often be the answer you’re looking for. With their streamlined and fast online application, you don’t have to wait long until the loan has been deposited into your account. Credit unions have many benefits, but they aren’t always available for everyone.

Tennis Betting Is Not Roulette and It Should Be Considered as a Skill Game

There are a number of people out there that view all types of sports betting a game of chance, a little like roulette. Tennis betting is one of those that is considered like roulette. Some people see it as a high risk, because there is no way to really determine how someone is going to play on the day. However, this is something that really should be considered a skill game. Tennis betting requires more than just picking between one or the other player.

Learning to Understand the Odds

Bookmakers create odds for a reason. They tell individuals what the bookmakers believe the chances are of one player winning over another. There are different ways that these odds are created, and it becomes a skill to understand all this. It’s not enough to just look into the numbers and figures and bet on the one with the highest odds of winning. You need to think about why those odds have been determined.

There are a number of factors that go into the creation of odds, and a number of reasons why some players end up making you little money when you bet. It doesn’t necessarily mean they will win. Low odds could mean that the public perception lately isn’t that high, but that can all change during matches due to the way people play.

Learning the Tactics to Win Money

There are tactics and techniques that you need to learn before you start betting large amounts of money. Think of this more of a game of poker rather than a game of roulette. The probabilities of the roulette is well explained in rouletteanalyst, so it will be very easy to compare it after reading the article there that explains the details. You need to work out the best time to bet, and when to raise your own stakes on the odds. There will be times that you lose, but with good tactics you stand a good chance of winning.

It takes time to learn these tactics. You’re not going to pick them up overnight and suddenly become a tennis betting master. You need to spend the time developing your tactics, and the best way to do that is to talk to others who bet on tennis games. Find out why they choose certain bets and why they don’t bother with others.

With tennis betting, people are more likely to share their tips and thought processes. They’re not playing against you, but against the betting shop. There’s little risk to them to share their tips, and really they’re just offering you the helping hand.

There Is Still an Element of Luck

As with anything, there is still an element of luck when it comes to tennis betting. This is especially the case when it comes to the accumulator bets—those where you have to see all your bets come up to win the money.

The downside is that you have no effect in the outcome of the game. You can only watch and hope that your tennis players win their matches. This is why it is often considered a little like roulette, where you can only watch the ball spin around the table and hope that it lands on your colour or number.

However, that doesn’t mean skill in not involved. After all, you will need to look into the teams and the odds before you decide on an accumulator bet. Without that, then you are playing a game of chance. Being able to think about all your options carefully is not something you can do with roulette.

Remember the Bookie Edge

Another element to remember when betting is the bookie edge. This isn’t something the roulette tables have to think about due to the high risk already there. The bookie edge is something to factor into your tactics, making it a bigger game of skill.

In short, tennis betting isn’t just a game of chance. There is an element of skill involved, so you shouldn’t think of it like roulette. Consider it more of a game of poker, where you develop tactics and play with them in mind.