Money Talks: why are Brits obsessed with homebuying, and could fuel cost less than bottled water?

The RAC is predicting that fuel could become cheaper than bottled water. Photograph: Nick Ansell/PA

Hello and welcome to this week’s Money Talks – a roundup of the week’s biggest stories and some things you may have missed.

Money news

Petrol ‘could become cheaper than bottled water’

London help-to-buy scheme to launch in February

Women’s state pension petition wins parliamentary debate

Brighton and Bristol tenants hit by 18% rent rises in 2015

Santander increases charge on hugely popular 123 account

Savings rates hit ‘record low’

Passengers left fuming as trains increasingly fail to arrive on time

Feature

Why are Brits so obsessed with buying their own homes?

‘If you fail to buy a home when you’re young, you’re considered at best eccentric, at worse a failure.’ Photograph: Bloomberg via Getty Images

Work advice

Career cares? Work woes? Out of love with the office? Our expert is on hand to help. Put your questions to Jeremy, and help other readers with their woes.

In pictures

Homes for sale near great pubs

Webb Cottage in Fulmer, Buckinghamshire, is near a gastropub rated by Les Routiers as one of the best in Britain. Photograph: Strutt & Parker

In the spotlight

How do you teach children to manage money? It’s a minefield, especially when your audience is clueless, says Zoe Williams

‘Pocket money only makes sense if it replicates in principle the real world – that is, you make them work and then they buy their own stuff.’ Photograph: Alamy

Consumer champions

We’re all paying the penalty for the new Dart Charge system

I booked first class for a third class Virgin trains experience

All we wanted for Christmas was … a Lidl mince pie

Money deals

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