New plastic £5 note launched plus six months of buying nothing

A computer image shows the concept design for the reverse of the new £5 note. The final design will be unveiled on Thursday. Photograph: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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

Winston Churchill plastic £5 note ends trail of paper money

House price inflation slows after stamp duty increase

Homebuyers may be paying too much for insurance, says research

Ferry firms go overboard in charging British travellers

MPs to investigate how many pension schemes are at risk of failing

Beware new EU law if you are hiring a car in Switzerland this summer

House prices compared with earnings ‘close to pre-financial crisis levels’

Feature

My year of buying nothing – six months in

‘All of a sudden, living for free wasn’t a problem. I was seeing friends and enjoying myself.’ Photograph: Michelle McGagh

In pictures

Beach homes

Bigbury on Sea in Devon Photograph: Marchand Petit

In the spotlight

Students who started studying in 2012 are the first to pay the £9,000 tuition fees and are paying higher rate. Photograph: Alamy

After a letter about the cost of student loans went viral, we looked at whether interest rates on them have really shot up, and whether they could be the next mis-selling scandal.

Consumer champions

Charged for an Argos order, but the goods never arrived

Our deposit for a conservatory has been lost

Chased for a tiny Halifax debt – but only after it let it spiral

Money deals

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