With the Tesco Clubcard credit card consumers can enjoy an extremely generous 13 months of interest free credit on purchases. This means that you can get your Christmas shopping completed with ease and convenience, and you can then enjoy thirteen months within which to repay the balance on the card without being charged any interest.

Many people use their credit cards for Christmas shopping and other purchases, but end up paying far more for their purchases by using a high interest credit card. However, with the Tesco credit card shoppers will only pay the face value price of any purchases that they make as long as they clear the balance on the card within the specified thirteen month interest free period.

Another great thing about using the Tesco Clubcard credit card is that you can earn clubcard points when you use it, so not only will you be able to enjoy interest free credit on purchases but you can also earn a little something back for using the card, which means double benefits for borrowers.

There are also other benefits to be considered with the Tesco Clubcard credit card, and this includes a generous nine months worth of interest free credit on balance transfers. Whilst this is not as generous as some other balance transfer cards such as the RBS Platinum and Natwest Platinum credit cards, this card is more likely to appeal to those looking for interest free credit on purchases.

Affordable credit for Christmas with the Tesco Clubcard credit card is a post from: The Thrifty Scot

The 0 percent periods on balance transfer credit cards will vary based on the deal and the provider chosen, and whilst some are only for three or six months there are others that are far more generous. One of these is the RBS Platinum credit card, which now offers a very generous 0 percent period of sixteen months on balance transfers.

With this offer, consumers that transfer their existing balances onto the 0 percent RBS Platinum card will have plenty of time to clear the transferred balance without having to pay any interest. Balances will need to be transferred within three months of opening the account in order to qualify for this offer, and there is a balance transfer fee of 2.9 percent of the transferred balance with a minimum fee of £5.

This balance transfer deal from RBS will prove ideal for those that currently have outstanding balances on high interest credit cards, as it will allow them to save a fortune on interest payments yet still gives them the flexibility and freedom to spread the repayments on their balance.

The typical APR on this credit card is 16.9 percent, but Royalties Gold customers can enjoy a 1 percent discount on this rate for a period of at least twelve months. Customers will also benefit from three months of interest free credit on purchases from when they open the account.

Enjoy a great balance transfer offer from RBS is a post from: The Thrifty Scot

The first thing you should do is to check out the site thoroughly to make sure that there is a privacy statement saying that your email or any other information will never be given or sold to a third party. Some of the tips for ensuring your protection when shopping online include ensuring that the website starts with https://. This is one of the ways in which you can recognize a legitimate trading site online because the “s” stands for secure. When you open the site, you should also see a small padlock at the bottom of the screen.

Check out the street address of the site to make sure that it is a legitimate address and write down the telephone number for future reference. You may even want to place a call just to make sure it is a legitimate business.

It is essential to have a credit card or debit card in order to buy most things online. You will not be able to make airline or hotel reservations without one. It is also a lot easier to book tickets to concerts and other events by doing so online. Some sites accept both debit and credit cards, but for the most part you do need to have either a credit card.

According to the officials from Trading Standards you do have a lot more protection when you use your credit card to pay for online purchases than you do with your debit card. Under the Consumer Credit Act, you have protection on purchases over £100. If a problem arises, the credit card may be liable or you can hold the shopping site responsible for any losses or additional charges to your credit card. This guarantee, however, may not apply if you buy from dealers that are outside the EU.

When you do complete your online purchase, print off a copy of your order and any acknowledgement that you receive from the site saying that your order has been received. You should also receive a date or a time frame in which you can expect to receive the order. When placing your order, you should never have to supply your PIN. This is for your use only and any shopping site that asks for it is a fraudulent one. Check your credit card statement to make sure that you have only been charged with the amount of your purchase.

You have the same rights when shopping online as you do in a regular retail outlet. If the goods you receive are faulty, you can return them for a full refund. The same thing applies if you receive goods that in no way resemble what was advertised on the site from which you made your purchase.
You can get tremendous deals when you shop on Internet auction sites. You do have to verify the safety and security of these sites as well.

Check the reputation of the seller on the site. Others who have bought from this same person often post feedback and reviews on the auction site for other buyers to read. If there has been a problem with goods not being received from this seller, then you should avoid placing an order or entering your credit card information no matter how tempting the product may be. You should also check to see how many transactions this seller has processed and if you have any questions, send an email requesting further information. If this is a serious seller, you won’t have to wait long for an answer.

When a seller on an auction site requests check or money order in advance as the method of payment, you really do have to do your homework to ascertain the reliability of the seller. You also have to ask yourself if you are willing to pay for something before you receive it and have a chance to check it over. If you do have to make payment in advance, you have more protection by paying by credit card. If you pay by cash, you do not have any protection and there is nothing you can do if you don’t receive what you ordered.

There have been many recent events which prove the protection that you have in using credit cards for online purchases. When the airline, Zoom, declared bankruptcy, any passengers who had paid for their airline tickets by credit card had protection offered by the banks or the credit card company. Those who had bought the tickets by cash were simply out this amount of money and had no way of being reimbursed.

Protection Associated With Buying Online is a post from: The Thrifty Scot

Experts are advising those who have mounting credit card debts on cards that carry high rates of interest to look to switching their balances to cards that are more affordable. Many consumers are following this advice but they do need to be aware of the challenges involved in the switch in order to make sure they get the card that is right for them.

When the January statements come in the mail, many people are in shock to find out how much money they actually did spend during the holiday season. It is them you realize that you have to look for ways of coping so that you can meet the minimum payment by the due date and keep up with the rest of your payments and household expenses at the same time.

Although you should be very careful about taking on a new credit card during these tough economic times, there are low and zero interest credit cards available that will help you take control of your finances without paying through the nose.

By switching to a credit card that has a lower interest rate or none at all, you can save yourself money in the amount of interest you pay on your outstanding balance. At the present time it makes good economic sense to start looking for such a card.

You have a lower minimum payment to make because of the lower interest rate and this will buy you some time in being able to meet your other monthly commitments. If you switch the balance of several cards to the newer one on which you have to pay a lower interest rate, you also have only one payment instead of three or four.

It will be easier to see the amount of your outstanding credit card balance coming down when you don’t have to pay the higher rates of interest. This is especially true if you choose a card that has an introductory rate of 0% interest for a period of six months. You can make a concerted effort to try to repay the balance in full during this time so that when the introductory rate expires you will no longer have the debt.

According to one industry expert, people throw financial planning out the window during Christmas. “As a result many consumers start 2009 with a nasty and often unexpected debt hangover. In an attempt to take charge and manage their finances many look for a Balance Transfer credit card. Given that this year is likely to be financially tighter than most, finding the right card has never been so important.”

When you decide that now is the time for you to switch to a card that has a lower rate of interest, time is of the essence. You should not put off your search and try to act as quickly as possible. This is because credit is likely to get even tighter than it currently is and companies may not be offering the low or no interest rates on the cards for very much longer.

You do need to know what your credit rating is before you apply for a new credit card. With the credit crunch, many companies have tightened the lending conditions and if you do not have excellent credit you may find it very difficult to obtain such a card. In addition making application for a new card without being aware of your credit standing will have a negative impact in that it will bring down your score even further.

Compare the balance transfer rates to determine how much money you can save by switching credit cards. While the introductory rate may be enticing, if you are not diligent in making payments comparable to what you are already making, you may find yourself in the same situation before the year is out.

Once the introductory period expires, the interest rate on the card reverts to the usual rate charged by the company, which may be higher than what you are paying at the present time. Look for credit cards that offer a low interest rate on any balances that you transfer that will remain in place until you have the balance repaid in full, rather than have to try to repay the balance within a short period of time.

The Importance of Finding the Right Credit Card for Your Needs is a post from: The Thrifty Scot

It is a good idea to try and be what is known as a rate tart in order to get the best from your credit card, as this can save you a small fortune in interest and can help you to make the most of your credit card. Most credit companies are reliant on the fact that you will be too complacent and too lazy to switch providers or cards, and this means that you will end up lining their pockets when in fact you could be saving a fortune on the interest that you pay on your credit card debt.

It is a good idea to switch your credit card debt to a provider that does not charge a fortune in interest, and you could even consider switching to an interest free balance transfer card in order to save money on the amount of interest that you have to pay. Moving your debt can be a very effective move, and can help you to save a small fortune on the amount of interest that you may otherwise have to pay on your credit card debt, so this is definitely a move worth considering.

By taking the time and effort to move your credit card balance to a low interest or interest free credit card you can save yourself a fair amount of money in interest, as these cards offer generous interest free periods within which to repay your balance, or will allow you to enjoy a very low rate of interest for the life of the transferred balance, giving you more time to repay your debt without being fleeced for interest.

Another way to make the most of your credit card is to ensure that you pay off the balance in full each month, within the standard interest free period offered by the card provider, which is usually fifty six days of interest free credit. If you repay your balance in full within this period you won’t have to worry about paying any interest on your balance because you will have repaid it before interest starts being charged. However, do bear in mind that if you use your card for cash withdrawals or transactions you will have to pay various fees and interest charges even if you pay the balance off within the interest free period.

Avoid missing repayments or making late repayments on your credit card bill, as this will result in you being charged various fees and charges that could really cost you in the long run. Make sure that you make your repayments on time, and try and repay more than the minimum amount required, as otherwise you could find that your credit cards end up costing you a fortune to use.

If you have a balance transfer credit card then you need to ensure that you do not spend on the card and make purchases unless the card offering the same interest free period for purchases as it does for transferred balances. This is because you will otherwise find that your monthly repayments are put towards your interest free transferred balance and your purchase balance will simply sit there and accrue interest, defeating the object of having the card in the first place.

It is important to try and avoid making just the minimum repayment on your credit card debt each month, as this can otherwise cost you a fortune and take you forever to pay off. Credit card companies will make a fortune in additional profit from you as a result of repaying the balance through minimum repayments, but by making larger repayments each month you can reduce the interest that you have to pay as well as reducing the term over which you will have to repay the debt.

It is important to remember that if you carry out cash transactions or withdrawals on your credit card you will be charged more in terms of fees and interest, so this is something else that you should avoid doing when it comes to using your credit card. It is also a good idea to ensure that if you do repay your balance each month in full that you opt for a rewards based credit card or cash back card, as you can then earn something back for your spending, which can further help you to make the most of your credit card.

Getting things right with your credit cards is a post from: The Thrifty Scot

You may have has a budget in the past in which you allowed for all your outgoings. In recent months, though, it has been very difficult to stick to a budget with the increases we have seen in the costs of energy, petrol, home heating fuels and food – all of which are essential living expenses.

Homeowners are not the only ones that have to practice more effective money management techniques. Businesses have had to take a close look at their sales and expenses to find a balance between the two.

For both homeowners and business owners, the slightest rise in prices can overstretch the budget, causing them financial difficulty to the point where they are unable to meet their financial obligations. This is a very dangerous way to handle your finances because it means that you are deeply in debt.

You do not have to make significant changes in your spending and saving habits to see changes in the way you can manage your money more effectively. The first thing you have to do is take account of your debt. You need to know exactly how much you owe and whether or not you can meet the payments.

Start by making a list of your essential expenses – mortgage payment, loan payments, credit card payments, food expenses, heating costs, vehicle insurance and payments and the costs of petrol. Once you have these accounted for, then any extra money that you have can go towards paying for non-essential items, such as a new pair of trousers or new shoes or having dinner in a restaurant.

Learning to manage your money effectively also includes learning where you can make cutbacks. If you eat out twice a week, for example, cut this back to once a week. Take a lunch to work with you rather than going to a cafe. Use public transportation or car pool to save money on petrol. Cancel any subscriptions to magazines that you don’t even bother to read. Look for cheaper rates on Internet, TV and telephone service. You will be amazed at how much money you can save in a month by engaging in these simple activities.

If you are overwhelmed by debt, consolidation of your loans or credit card debt may be a solution for you. If you have a good credit rating you will be able to get a reasonable interest rate from a lender and combine all your debts, or least the ones with the highest rates of interest into one loan with one monthly payment. This payment is lower than the sum total of your previous payments leaving you with more money at the end of the month, with which you can enjoy a good lifestyle or pay down other debts.

It is worth your while to shop for lower interest rates on your credit cards. There are many credit card companies that offer low or no introductory rates for new customers. By taking advantage of such an offer, you can pay off the outstanding balance of a credit card balance that you transfer to this account by continuing to make the regular payment. In this way all or most of your payment will go towards paying down the unpaid balance.

Managing your money more effectively is not just to make sure you have enough money now. It also means making sure you have money for the future. By taking an extra amount of money each month that you can save by cutting back on nonessential purchase and paying it on your high interest debts, you will have them paid off a lot sooner than you expected. Then you have much more money to start paying on the next highest debt and in this manner you will become debt free. If an emergency arises during a month, you can keep the extra money for the emergency or use some of the money that you have paid off on a credit card balance to tide you over.

The careful use of credit cards and store cards is something you should keep uppermost in your mind. It is not an item that you should never leave home without – in fact you should make it a practice to leave these cards at home. This will prevent impulse buying which is what probably got you into such debt in the first place. By not having the card on you to buy an item that strikes your fancy, you have time to ponder the purchase and ask yourself if it is something you really need or if it is just something you would like to have.

How to Manage Your Money More Effectively is a post from: The Thrifty Scot

The base interest rate in the UK now stands at just 2% having fallen by almost two thirds compared to last November, yet interest rates on credit cards have continued to rise, often with no reason of justification, leaving already cash strapped consumers even worse off at a time when they have become increasingly reliant on their credit cards because of the financial strain that most are facing.

The situation has sparked debate not just amongst consumers and campaigners but also amongst government officials as high up as the Prime Minister himself. Gordon Brown recently commented on credit card rates stating that the credit card firms were fleecing consumers at a time when most were already struggling, and that he wanted to see this practice come to an end and for credit card customers to be treated more fairly. In fact, recent meetings have been held between the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and officials from the credit card industry. Also in attendance was the Consumer Affairs Minister, Gareth Thomas.

As part of the discussions various measures are being introduced by credit card firms in a bid to assist struggling consumers and put an end to sudden and unjustified interest rate hikes. The industry has stated that in cases where the borrower falls behind with repayments no debt recovery action will be taken for at least sixty days providing the borrower is working with a debt management advisor in a bid to reach a solution.

The industry has now also agreed that it will stop applying sudden hikes to credit card interest rates. No interest rate hike will be added in the first twelve months of a credit or store card being taken out, and after this period interest rates will not be increased more often than every six months.

In addition to this the credit card industry has agreed to ensure that all consumers are given at least thirty days notice of any interest rate hikes planned, which will put an end to the overnight credit card interest rate hikes that many have complained about, and will also be given the option of closing their accounts and repaying the existing debt at their old rate of interest should they wish to do so. This comes after the Consumer Affairs Minister threatened a full investigation of the credit card industry if firms refused to take action to make improvements and assist consumers.

Mr Thomas stated: ‘I am pleased by the commitments card companies have made to me today. I recognise that these changes will not be without financial pain for credit card companies, but it was vital that we nipped in the bud the bad practices that were causing real hardship for borrowers.  These commitments will help families manage their finances and cope with repaying their debts.’

An official from the Consumer Credit Counselling Service said: ‘There is much good news here. By agreeing not to raise interest rates for people struggling to make repayments, credit card companies have taken a significant step and will help ensure bad personal situations are not made worse. However more still needs be done. It is essential that all credit card companies follow the example of the best and freeze charges, fines and interest on the debts of clients who are on a debt management plan with CCCS or another non-profit agency.’

The shadow business secretary was rather less enthusiastic about Labour’s efforts over issues such as these, stating: ‘Yet again Labour has bottled out of taking real action to help consumers struggling as Gordon Brown’s recession bites. Under Labour’s watch, personal debt has risen to the highest levels ever recorded by any country in the world. Gordon Brown should take a leaf out of our book and ban extortionate store card interest rates and force credit card companies to provide clear information to the public about the true cost of borrowing.’

However, whilst some issues appear to be getting sorted out there are still other problems to address. For example, one credit card firm, MBNA, was recently slated for encouraging consumers to withdraw cash on their credit cards over the festive season, which comes with very high interest rates and charged.

One debt charity official said: ‘Particularly in the current climate, it is breathtaking that MBNA is actively encouraging customers to take cash out on their credit cards. This is an extremely expensive way of accessing money and often indicates that a customer is in a poor financial situation because they don’t have any alternatives. It is also completely inappropriate to raise credit limits without consulting the customer first.’

How the credit card industry is set to change is a post from: The Thrifty Scot

However, contrary to what many may believe the favourite customers of the typical credit card company is not the one that uses their card uber sensibly, repays the balance in full each month, never uses it to make cash withdrawals, and always pays up on time. Why? Because customers like these don’t make enough profit for credit card providers.

The ideal credit card customer

If a credit card company wanted to advertise for the perfect customer they would most likely be looking for someone like this:

A customer who uses their card regularly: This means that the customer will be more likely to accrue a high balance on their credit card, which is good news for credit card firms, as the higher the balance the more difficult the customer will find to pay it off in one go.

A customer who repays their balance gradually: A customer that repays their balance in full each month does not get charged interest, which means less profit for the credit card firm. Those that repay their balance gradually will usually have to pay interest, and for credit card firms this means dollar sign.

A customer that will use their credit card to make cash transactions and withdrawals: Making cash withdrawals and transactions results in costly fees and charges, and for credit card firms this means even more profit, with higher interest rates and charges applied to consumers’ accounts.

A customer that will use their credit card overseas: Using your credit card overseas can result in a range of high charges. In addition to being charged interest you can incur other fees and charges such as foreign transaction fees, cash withdrawals fees if you take money from an ATM, and more. This all adds up to a healthy profit for credit card firms.

A customer that will not question the rate of interest charged on the card: Over the past year or two credit card firms have been hiking up their rates despite base rate cuts, and many customers simply pay the new rate without question, which is good news for credit card companies. There are those that will question any rate rises, and if not happy will demand that their rate is lowered or switch to another card, which is real headache for card providers, primarily because they lose on more money.

A customer that makes minimum repayments on their balance: Credit card firms love customers that make minimum repayments each month, as this means that the cardholder will be in debt for a long time to come, and more importantly will end up paying a fortune in interest on their balance, adding to the profit mountain that credit card firms are making from their customers.

A customer that uses credit card cheques: A number of credit card companies have started sending out credit card cheques to customers, and many consumers do not realise that these cheques incur the same charges and interest as cash transactions and withdrawals. Credit card firms therefore also like customers that use these cheques, and rack up additional charges and interest.

Be smart with your credit card

In order to avoid becoming the credit card firm’s dream customer – one that will make the firm plenty of profit and will end up paying through the nose to do so – you need to be smart and sensible with your credit card spending and use. This means ensuring that you have the right credit card for your needs, avoiding making the minimum repayment each month, stopping to question things like rate and fee rises, avoiding using your card abroad or for cash transactions, etc.

Of course, you don’t want to take it to the other extreme either and end up missing repayments or defaulting on your debt, as it is not only the credit card firm that will be harmed by these actions. You could end up damaging your own credit rating, incurring costly fees, being the subject of court action, and in some cases even being forced to sell your home for as little as a £1000 credit card debt as a result of charging orders.

Don’t play into credit card providers’ hands is a post from: The Thrifty Scot

As long as you have a credit card, and in some cases a debit card, you can buy virtually anything your heart desires. So many retailers have an online presence that you can buy your items much cheaper by using your plastic online and you don’t even have to go outside. You can shop from your computer at any time of the day or night and your purchases will be delivered right to your door.

When you decide to shop online, you have access to choices that you never imagined. The range of products you can choose from will definitely include ones that you cannot buy in your local region. You can shop for new and used items and get deep discounts from the online retailers – even ones that do have a location in your area.

Shopping online is cheaper because the retailers do not need to have an actual brick and mortar building and save money by not needing as many employees and they pass this savings along to the customers. You can buy food and drink in ordinary and specialty varieties, entertainment, furniture, clothing, tools and even apply for credit in the forms of loans and credit cards when you search online.

One thing that you do have to be careful of when you shop in this way is the security of the site you decide to buy from. You must always check to make sure it is a secure site because if it is not then your identity and credit card information could get into the hands of unscrupulous persons who will steal your identity and wipe out your bank accounts or credit limits on your cards.

You don’t need to physically present your credit card to make a purchase. You enter the information into the site’s database, which then uses software to gain approval from the credit card provider.

Before you click the link to buy the item you want, take time to scrutinize the online shopping site to ensure your identity is protected. Check to see if the site has a privacy policy in which it will give you assurance that your information will not be passed onto other sites. You should also make sure the site tells you that the software it uses for processing your credit or debit card information is encrypted to prevent hackers from breaking the code. There should be a padlock icon on the site that will tell you this.

Be wary of emails that link to Internet shopping sites unless you have signed up for such services. Quite often when you are shopping in an actual store, the cashier will ask for your email address. Then the store can send you details of online shopping sales. This is quite acceptable. Emails, however offering unbelievable deals are often phishing scams.

When you open the message or visit the site, these people have ways and means of getting information from your computer without your knowledge by taking you to a fake website. When you do opt to buy from the site, they steal your credit card information and you will never receive your purchase.

If you use a shared computer, always make sure you clear the screen where you enter the details of your credit or debit card. If not the next person to use this computer could have access to this personal information and make a purchase on your card that you won’t know about until your receive your statement.

Some people have ways of obtaining your password when you use a shared computer.
You should also check with your credit card provider to make sure that you are covered in the case of online fraud. If you do have this type of coverage on your card, if you do become the victim of a scam or if someone uses your card without your knowledge, then you will receive the money back that was spent on the card. This will also give you peace of mind for shopping online allowing you to buy whatever it is that you want.

By taking steps to prevent identity theft and from having some wipe out your bank accounts, you can enjoy shopping online. With the many deals available, you want to be able to compare the prices and get the best possible deal on all your purchases. Having a credit card and shopping online allows you to do this, but just as you try to protect your card in actual shopping, you should also do so in online shopping.

The Convenience of Shopping Online is a post from: The Thrifty Scot

The answer really depends on how well you are able to resist temptation and not use them to make a purchase when you don’t have the cash at hand. If you know that you won’t be able to pay off the card in full by the due date when the statement arrives, then the answer is “yes, cancel the cards”.

There are pros and cons to cancelling your credit card accounts that you should be aware of. When you cancel an account, you are restricting your borrowing power and have access to less credit. However, it is a positive thing for your credit score because you know that the possibility doesn’t exist that you will get into financial difficulty by using the card if you choose to keep the account open. Since your credit score depends on your debt to income ratio, you will have a higher score if you don’t carry a balance and still have available credit on the card.

When you cancel an existing credit card account, you automatically become eligible for offers extended to new credit card customers. This involves paying a very low or zero per cent interest rate for an introductory period.

This won’t happen right away as soon as you notify the company that you wish to cancel your account. On average it takes about eighteen months after you do cancel an account for this to take effect, but it does depend on the credit card provider that you deal with.

Cutting up your credit cards is not the same as cancelling your account. While most people do cut up the card when they don’t intend to use it again, once you approach the expiry date on the card, the company will send you a new card. Then the temptation is there again for you to start using it.  If you intend to cancel the account completely, you need to put the request in writing.

A phone call is not acceptable as a request because the company needs to have your signature in order to put the cancellation into effect. This action may also have other benefits because once you do contact the credit card provider with your cancellation request you may receive other offers and benefits just to remain as a customer. You should also follow up the written request with a phone call after a few months just to make sure the account has actually been cancelled.

You do need to keep at least one credit card account open, even if you don’t intend to use it. This will give some leeway in times when you do need to make a purchase or to obtain money from an ATM when you just don’t have cash at that time. Emergencies always crop up at the most inopportune times and this is when a credit card can come in handy. Keep the cards locked away for times like this and only use them if you absolutely have to.

Having one credit card to use and paying off the balance in full at the end of the month is also beneficial in rebuilding or maintaining your good credit rating. If you take advantage of an offer for a credit card that has no interest charges for an introductory period, then you can actually make money by leaving your cash in your savings account where it gains a small amount of interest. With no interest charges, you can afford to carry a balance at the end of the month as long as you have the outstanding balance on the card paid in full before the introductory period ends.

A credit card with zero percent interest is also a good choice if you want to reduce your debt load and pay off the balance faster. You can transfer the balance from a card that has a high interest rate to the 0% card and cancel the other account. You still have a credit card to use for necessities and when you make your monthly payment 100% of the payment goes towards paying off the balance.  Chances are though, the interest rate charged once the introductory period is over will be high.

If you are in financial difficulty because you have overextended your finances by using all the available credit on your credit cards and are now having difficulty making the minimum payments, you can wipe out these debts with a debt consolidation loan. In this way you combine all the payments into one, which will be lower than the sum total of all the previous ones and you have only one monthly payment. Then you should make the decision to cancel all but one of the credit card accounts.

Should You Cancel Your Old Credit Cards When You Repay Them in Full? is a post from: The Thrifty Scot