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A credit score is simply the metric by which the banking industry determines how well people handle debt and therefore whether they are a worthy candidate for a loan or mortgage. The score, which is just three figures long, tells financial providers if a particular person is a good bet so they can make money out of doing business with them.

If you want to keep on top of your credit score, the best advice is to check with all three credit reference agencies. Everyone should do this at least once a year, and it is highly recommended that you do it again if there is a big application in the offing. This way it is possible to note any potential errors and correct them before they become an issue.

There are ways you can actively boost your credit score too. If you have old credit cards that have a zero balance but are still open, this can help keep your credit history looking good. Lenders like to see that a person relies on a good mix of credit. If someone has a few credit cards, a mortgage, a car loan and so on, it all counts in their favour.

The agencies all have different maximum scores too. Experian's score is out of 999, Equifax's is 700 and Callcredit's is 710. It is difficult to correlate between the three because they have different scoring scales too. So, your credit score may be, say, 459 with Equifax, 997 with Experian and 600 with Callcredit.

Early results show that supporters give three times as much when making a contactless payment.

In the UK, consumers are subject to three different credit scores from three separate credit reference agencies: Experian, Equifax and Callcredit. In the United States it is Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

In nearly every case, the powerful argument that these disruptors have used is that the regulations that governed their particular sector were created many years earlier for an entirely different era. They had since become overbearing, unnecessary and damaging to the best interests of customers.

The fintechs that are leading the way are characterized by a vision to create more value for the consumer with efficient, low-cost services that put customers at the centre of their operation. With each new app or service, customer expectations grow and the innovations flow.

Under a peer-to-peer system, or P2P as it is known, the group of insured is far smaller. It can even be a group of close friends or family who pool their resources to provide support in the event that one or more of them suffers some sort of misfortune. If the period of coverage ends without incident, premiums can be returned to everyone in the pool.

Metro Bank, one of the new breed of retail banks, has turned the branch model on its head, with a great deal of success. It's introduced a very customer-friendly, open plan format, where banking staff are not hidden away behind thick screens but instead speak to customers on open counters. And, pride of place in every Metro Bank branch? A machine where customers can deposit change. Walk into any Metro Bank branch and you'll see these change counters in constant use. Why? It's what customers want.

Best for: active management of bills Bean connects to your bank account and credit cards to track all of your regular bill payments and subscriptions to services like Netflix, Spotify and Apple Music.

Mint, the personal finance app, and Onedox both feature bill tracking and payment features alongside wider budgeting and credit check services.

the reality is that money per se is never the real problem or solution. If there are any issues with money, it is down to how we approach it, think about it and handle it day to day. It should go without saying that people who think negatively about money, or dislike thinking about it so much that they ignore it, are more likely to be plagued by financial problems. Whereas those who feel more relaxed about money and that it is in their control are more likely to be successful in any endeavour to increase the amount they own.

P2P players, Zopa

CFOs are employed by large organizations to manage a company's finances, including financial planning, managing any risks to the company coffers, keeping accurate records and reporting the annual figures. They are absolute experts in budget management, cost-benefit analysis and in forecasting any future demands, money-wise. They are exactly the type of people you need to have around when you want to keep things 100 per cent on track financially.

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