Bretton Woods, payment reference abuse and single women buying homes

Demystifier

Bretton Woods: Shorthand for an international monetary system post-WWII that pegged many currencies to the dollar, which itself was convertible to gold. This kept exchange rates fairly stable. In 1971, then-US president Richard Nixon stopped linking the dollar to gold, which effectively ended the system. After that, major currencies were allowed to rise and fall more freely in value. This led to more inflation, debt and financial instability. In today’s economic wild west, policymakers are trying to determine what a new system should look like.

What’s caught our eye

• Nationwide makes major change to money transfers helping 4,100,000 women

  Surviving Economic Abuse are an excellent charity Nat first met eight years ago. They continue to work with banks to improve their services and protections.

• Single women are buying more houses. The men they are dating are not responding well

  Yikes. Let’s hope men this side of the pond are less fragile.

• Government-backed Pensions Commission calls for action on gender savings gap

  We have our fingers crossed for this report (interim was published on Tuesday), which is set to recommend a joined-up approach that takes in childcare, working patterns and other issues.

Action of the week: As two freelancers, we are acutely aware of the lack of jobs out there at the moment. Are you worried about rising unemployment rates and how women are affected? Let us know.