Smart meters are not as dangerous as hard shoulder-less smart motorways will ever be, but their creeping introduction has not been without buckets of controversy.

Although the powder-puff City regulator the FCA has launched an investigation into the demise of Woodford Investment Management, this probe seems to be progressing at a snail's pace.

Nero fiddled, while Rome burned. Or to put the expression in a modern day investment context, Christopher Hill (chief executive of Hargreaves Lansdown) fiddles while investors get burnt.

With the smell of a spring Budget in the air comes the rumour of yet more restrictions on the tax relief available to boost our pension saving. But how will Mr Sunak treat pension savers?

These are worrying times for readers with shares-based Isas and investments held inside self-invested personal pensions. But panicking out of investments not is not the right way forward.

These are difficult days. At times, it feels like the world is shuddering to a halt. There are fewer people as I wind my way to and from work every day and night on public transport.

I would put money on the Chancellor's Budget this Wednesday being radically different to the one Rishi Sunak envisaged just over three weeks ago when he stepped into Sajid Javid's shoes.

What a week. As a money commentator for more than 30 years standing, that was as disheartening as times go. But patient, long-term investing will win through in the end.

The UK stock market alone has fallen in value by 30 per cent since the start of the year. But if you hold these trusts for troubled times then things should look better.

Today, I was planning to drive up to see Mother in Birmingham and take her out for a slap-up Mother's Day meal at her favourite Miller & Carter steakhouse in Sutton Park.

What a week, what a month. Enough to turn many investors' hair grey (mine included) - with some no doubt wishing that commercial travel to the moon was a) available now; and b) affordable.

I trust that you are well and withstanding the turmoil brought to all our lives by this wicked coronavirus. In this time of great uncertainty, we need to look after each other like never before.

Holding businesses to ransom through the imposition of onerous interest charges on emergency loans is despicable. As is leaving customers hanging on the phone for hours.

Whenever I think of Honor Blackman, I will remember someone who in her 80s campaigned passionately for financial justice to be given to investors who lost money following the near collapse of Equitable Life.

Helpful staff in the ever-shrinking branch network are being rapidly replaced by automated 'contact' - usually in the form of texts. This is fine, but not if the robots do not know their left hands from their right.

What firmly sticks in my craw with regards to students is the appalling treatment many of them are receiving from landlords, says Jeff Prestridge.

The trend towards greater online banking and less reliance on hard cash is irrevocable. Indeed, Covid-19 has helped the banks in pursuing these dual goals.

LIZ JONES: Theresa May had been looking jittery all morning. She put her glasses on, she took her glasses off, she clutched her notes. She ignored her friend Ken Clarke, mouthing, 'Not now'.

Meghan Markle's issue of Vogue has caused a frenzy online as royal fans desperately try to get their hands on the magazine. Listings on eBay show the issue is selling for up to £28.

Guy Buckle (left) and Sik Hung Or (right), of London, admitted three counts of exporting goods with intent to evade a restriction in relation to 136 items as well as two other carved ivory fans.

eBay Australia has revealed the Disney VHS tapes from the 1990s that are worth a fortune. Those earning huge sums include a 1999 Special Edition of Mulan, which sold for a $21,000 recently.

Some of Jessica Mauboy's biggest fans aren't short of money it seems.

The Qianlong Emperor's vase made its way to a charity shop in Hertfordshire where it was picked up for £1 and then listed on eBay for a pittance.

The online marketplace, which started as an auction site, has evolved over the past two decades and is now one of Australia's most well-known shopping destinations.

The book, which belonged to a Nottinghamshire Police officer, contains mugshots of wanted men and women across the country - including a description with crimes they may have committed.

Royal fans are rushing to get their hands on a dress worn by Meghan Markle, 38, to watch the US Open Tennis Championships on Saturday. The J.Crew dress is now selling for over £270 online.

Baffled buyers and sellers took to social media to ask eBay why their email updates were appearing next to a picture of a woman posing topless in a pair of stockings.

Twitter users across the UK have praised Lady Hale after a T-shirt inspired by her Spider brooch managed to sell nearly 7,000 lines, raising money for homeless charity Shelter.

Forget 'ghosting' and 'breadcrumbing' - 'jibing' is the latest dating term making waves across Australia.

Ozzy Shah has made a cool £50,000 since applying the comedy term 'Wagatha Christie', given to Coleen Rooney following her investigation of Rebekah Vardy, on to plain black T-shirts.

The site, which will be called MarketLink, will open in November and will stock everything from kitchen appliances to furniture as well as mirror Amazon and eBay.

Australian shoppers are selling Cadbury Caramilk on eBay for up to 10 times the price - as frustrated chocolate fans reveal they are struggling to get their hands on the sought-after product.

Lisa Neilson, 34, from Castleford, in West Yorkshire, bought the gel cover to protect her new Samsung S10.

WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT: The unnamed patient was suffering with ram's horn nail, onychogryphosis. He sought help at a Healthy Feet Podiatry clinic in Florida.

Danny Toffel, 49, from London, revealed that he would eat two steaks for dinner, or two ready meals for two people. He opted for a gastric sleeve to shed the rest of the weight - and is now a healthy 14 stone.

He's been involved in a number of stunts during his time on the Kyle and Jackie O Show. 

Australia has the second highest concentration of dark web drug vendors per capita and experts warn the booming drug trade online is almost impossible to stop.

The probe by the consumer watchdog found hundreds of examples of unbranded devices (pictured) on the online auction site that failed to detect CO gas or smoke reliably.

The woman, known as Sarah, was strangled by her then partner six times on five different occasions, including once when he attacked her in fury over a returned eBay sale. Stock image.

 A popular brand of dummies have been recalled over fears they pose a strangulation risk.

The Qianlong Emperor's vase was bought for £1 in a Hertfordshire charity shop and has now been sold for £484,000. The shopper says he will use fortune to 'save for [his] daughter's future'.

A New York woman created an Instagram account dedicated to the strangest eBay ads out there, selling gum massagers shaped like fingers, woolen bodysuits, snow and ken dolls.

The official soft toy is on sale at John Lewis and Waitrose for £15, but is already being advertised for nearly four times that price - despite the commercial itself not even airing on TV until Saturday.

People on social media have been trying to practice their own prosperity theology and resell tickets for Kanye West's Sunday Service at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church.

Australian parents are focused on toys that teach patience and responsibility this year, with the Owleez - the world's first interactive pet you can teach to fly - ranked the most popular kid's game of 2019.

Sophie Hinchliffe, 29, from Essex, who goes by the name Mrs Hinch, has revealed that after wanting to organise her vegetables she had finally purchased a crate from eBay.

OzBargain has listed all of the best birthday deals and freebies you can redeem on your birthday around Australia, from snacks and dinner to a whole new outfit.

Seventeen toys for children aged 0-3 have failed safety tests amid fears they could choke infants to death. 

The 53-year-old director revealed that the script turned up for sale on eBay, but a Disney employee managed to intervene and bought it off the market.

The actor, 27, took to Twitter on Thursday and drove fans wild after he hinted that Rey has 'changed' in Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker.