Not so long ago, only banks and traditional insurance companies offered financial or insurance products, yet today it may often seem as if even the local corner shop is offering financial products. That's not quite true, of course, but many more companies do offer financial products than used to be the case, and it can sometimes be difficult to decide who is offering the best deal.

And, while Mark & Spencers once offered mostly fashion products, with the only hint of a credit card being when you paid for your shopping at the checkout, today you'll find as good a deal on M&S credit cards as you will with the latest range of M&S fashion.

In fact, these days Marks and Spencer, through its M&S Financial Services website, offer a range of financial products which would not look out of place in many banks, including M&S Motor Insurance, M&S Household Insurance, M&S Travel Insurance, M&S Pet Insurance, savings products, M&S Credit Cards, M&S Loans, and much more besides.

When you're shopping at M & S online store for your summer outfit, or looking for furniture to give your home a makeover, then spend a moment to also consider products from M&S Financial Services. Offering everything from savings accounts and credit cards, to Household Insurance and Motor Insurance, there's a lot more going on at Marks & Spencers than you might imagine.

In particular, if you're thinking of travelling soon, then consider Travel Insurance from M&S Financial Services. With images of volcano ash still fresh in many traveller's minds, it's good to remember there were many travellers who ended up wishing they had spent just a few pounds extra to obtain travel insurance for their trip. Of course, unfortunately, after the event is too late!

In fact, had you purchased travel insurance from M&S Financial Services, you would have been in good hands; within just a short time of the volcanic ash disruptions, visitors to the M&S Financial Services website would have seen a message stating that although claims relating to volcanic eruptions are not normally covered by travel insurance, that on this particular occasion, they would "allow claims from UK customers affected by the volcanic ash that has recently grounded flights."

Marks & Spencers may not necessarily be the first name that springs to mind when you're thinking about renewing your Household Insurance or Motor Insurance, but Mark & Spensers do indeed offer a comprehensive selection of financial products, all of which are competitively priced, and all of which you can purchase directly from the M&S Financial Services website. With a simple, no-hassle service, you can compare features between a number of M+S Money products and competitor's products, and sign up in just a few minutes.

Whether you're looking for savings products or M&S Financial Services loans, credit cards or Household Insurance - besides a number of other insurance products, M&S Financial Services can save you both time and money, with comprehensive information available at a click.

Free insurance quotes are available online for all of M&S Financial Services insurance products (Household Insurance, Motor Insurance, Travel Insurance, Wedding Insurance and Pet Insurance), or you may call if you wish to on the telephone number provided. Suffice to say that there is also plenty of information which you can download for each of the Mark's & Spencer insurance products in document format too.

5 Pairs of Older Girls' Assorted Socks, at Marks & Spensers
Stock up on stylish essentials with this pack of 5 pairs of assorted design socks.

Pure Cotton Drawstring Joggers, at Marks and Spencer
Comfy and practical, these pure cotton drawstring joggers are ideal for active workouts or stylish relaxation

M&S 50 Laminator Pouches, at Marks & Spencers
Pack of 50 A4 size Clear laminator pouch quality ensures true to original colour reproduction Can be used for photo documents M&S is a member of the WEEE Distributor Take Back Scheme. Recycling your electronic waste has never been easier! Click here for more information

Heroes & Villains CD, at Marks & Spencer
Audio CD, Marks & Spencer

Crayon Patterns Multipack of Mini Cards, at Marks and Spencer
Cover text: Design 1: With Love, Design 2: blank, Design 3: thank you, Design 4: blank Inside message: blank for your own message Pack contains: 8 cards, 4 designs Approx size: 95 x 80mm

Triple Layer Victoria Sandwich, at Marks&Spencer
14 pre-cut slices Serves 14 Ready to eat 2.1kg Not suitable for nut allergy sufferers Suitable for vegetarians Comes in a box suitable for storing the cake before serving As featured on page 52 of the Food to Order brochure Order by 5pm to collect in 5 days Available for collection in the majority of our UK mainland stores

Sunny Town Tractor Set, at Marks & Spencer
Farmer, horse and tractor Promotes imaginative play Suitable for ages 12 months + This product conforms to EN71 and the Toy Safety Directive, Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

3 Art Deco Photo Frames 5 x 7.5cm (2 x 3''), at Mark's & Spencer
Set of 3 Glass frame Art deco design Aperture: 5 x 7.5cm (2 x 3''), Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Straight Leg Stitch Detail Trousers, at Marks and Spenser
Simple and stylish, straight leg trousers are a modern classic. They are cut to skim the hips and thighs, giving a sleek flattering shape that's always in style

The Floral Collection Magnolia Anti-Perspirant Roll-On, at Marks & Spensers
50ml Magnolia fragrance Roll-on Alcohol free

Autograph Pure Cotton Royal Oxford Shirt, at M&S
This luxurious shirt is part of our exclusive Autograph collection. Its fine quality and careful attention to detail make it a superior and stylish modern classic

Handwoven Ribbed Eyelet Curtains, at Marks and Spenser
Unlined Comes in standard 130cm/51in (STD) and wider 168cm/66in (WDR) widths Also comes in three drop lengths: short (137cm/54in), medium (183cm/72in), long (229cm/90in) How to measure for window dressings: Click here for a guide to measuring for curtains, pelmets and roman blinds., Manufacturer: Marks & Spencer

Zinfandel Rosé Tarantino 2007 - Case of 12, at Mark's & Spencer
Style: Dry Grape Variety: Zinfandel (Primitivo) Country: Italy Closure: Screw cap Suitable for vegetarians Bottle: 12 x 75cl. Alcohol by volume: 12.5% vol. Alcohol units per bottle: 9.4 Alcohol units per 125ml: 1.6 Contains sulphites You must be 18 or over to purchase this product This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more

Blue Harbour Pure Cotton Bold Stripe Shirt, at M & S
Relaxed and stylish, this stripe shirt is made from pure cotton so it feels soft and comfortable to wear

Audrey Sunglasses, at Marks & Spensers
These elegantly understated sunglasses will never go out of style. A fabulously versatile summer essential

Formula Age Repair Firming Serum + Ceramide, at Marks & Spencers
Especially formulated for mature skin Ceramide cream to reduce the appearance of wrinkles Serum to revive and firm your skin Suitable for all skin types Hypoallergenic Ceramide for younger looking skin Rice Protein to tighten Targets fine lines and wrinkles 30ml

Philips ID9372B Cordless Phone with Answering Machine, at Marks & Spensers
250 name and number phonebook 50 SMS storage capacity 30 call log entries 15 minutes recording time Plug and play answering machine Call waiting Tone and pulse dialling Enhanced speakerphone for real-life hands-free conversations Free intercom Registers up to 4 handsets to one base White backlit inverse display SIM-card copying facility GAP compatible Caller ID and microphone mute feature

Maternity Stud Detail Leggings, at M&S
Relaxed and casual, these stud detail leggings are designed to flatter you and your bump. Added stretch and a clever cut give a neat, comfortable fit with room for growth. A practical, versatile choice

Pure Silk Woven Square Grid Dot Tie, at M & S
Add a luxurious finishing touch with this contemporary square grid dot tie in pure silk

Calypso Multi Strand Disc Necklace, at M+S
Clasp fastening Adjustable length Multi strand design Mixed disc beads Necklace length: 23cm, extendable by 7cm

TomTom GO 540 Live Satellite Navigation System with LIVE Services, at Mark's & Spencer
Access TomTom LIVE services A real-time connection to the latest traffic information straight to your device. Automatic updates also provide real-time safety camera alerts, fuel prices, weather, and Google search for local shops and businesses. Updates are sent directly to the SIM card of your TomTom device - no need to activate anything or connect a mobile phone Maps: Full door to door maps of the UK & ROI are pre-loaded Display: 4.3" widescreen 16:9 format LCD (WQVGA: 480 x 272 pixels) LIVE Services: Your navigation experience got even smarter! You are connected to real-time information with premium services like HD Traffic, Safety Alerts, Local Search with Google and Fuel Prices so you always have access to useful and relevant information en route IQ Routes™ technology: Calculates your routes based on the real average speeds measured on roads. This will always provide you with the smartest route hour-by-hour, day-by-day, saving you time, money and fuel Voice command and control The latest in speech recognition technology lets you control your TomTom GO using voice commands. From planning a route to making a call, over 100 tasks are easily activated by voice, making your drive smoother and safe TomTom Map Share™ technology: Make corrections to your own map and benefit from thousands of corrections made by TomTom users every day - free of charge Latest map guarantee: Your device houses our best maps and our latest map guarantee makes you right up to date. If we release a new version of your device's map within 30 days of your purchase, you can download that map for free via TomTom HOME Active Dock: Gives you easy docking and charging to optimise your TomTom GO for daily use Plug & Go: No installation needed, works straight out of the box Battery: High quality lithium-polymer battery giving upto 3 hours autonomous battery life Sound: Echo cancellation and noise reduction give you excellent sound quality when calling hands-free. The high quality speaker Get voice instructions and enjoy songs and hands-free phone calls with remarkable sound quality at the volume that you want Extra Features: QuickGPSfix™, TomTom HOME desktop software, Bluetooth remote control (optional), 1GB internal flash memory and a microSD card socket compatible with microSD cards Dimensions: W127 x H85 x D23mm Weight: 224g M&S is a member of the WEEE Distributor Take Back Scheme. Recycling your electronic waste has never been easier! Click here for more information This product is not available for international delivery. Find out more Please note: TomTom LIVE Services is a subscription service. A free 3 month trial is included TomTom Ticket 2 Drive savings when you purchase this product before 30th September 2009. Click here for more information

Football Pitch Son Birthday Card, at Marks & Spenser
Cover text: Happy birthday "It's in the net!" Son Inside message: With love This card is made with material from FSC certified sustainable forests. Protecting the world's forests for the future Approx size: 175 x 127mm

Leather Tassel Purse, at Marks & Spencer
This stylish purse is made from real leather with reinforced stitching. A high quality and chic essential

2 Pure Cotton Assorted Tops, at M & S
Cute and practical, this pack of two tops is outstanding value. The soft cotton fabric will keep her happy and comfy

North Coast Pure Cotton Long Sleeve T-Shirt, at Marks & Spencer
Fashionable and relaxed, this long sleeve t-shirt is made from pure cotton it's soft, breathable and comfortable to wear

Leather Multi Colour Loop Belt, at Marks & Spenser
This leather notched belt is ideal for wearing with casual styles

Autograph Leather T-Line Stitch Laced Shoes, at Marks and Spencers
Square toe T-line Lace up Stitch detail Flats Lined

Blue Harbour Stormwear™ 3 in 1 Hooded Fleece Jacket, at M&S
Stylish and innovative, this Blue Harbour 3 in 1 fleece jacket is treated with Stormwear™ technology, a breathable finish that repels water and stains

Lightweight Dressing Gown, at Marks & Spenser
Soft and comfortable, this cotton blend dressing gown makes the perfect lightweight cover up

Pure Cotton Stripe Polo Shirt, at M & S
A stylish smart-casual look, this short sleeve polo shirt in soft cotton features an embroidered 24 motif. Practical, comfortable and easycare

Besides Marks&Spencer Motor Insurance, M&S Financial Services Credit Cards and other financial products, M&S Financial Services Household Insurance deserves particular mention, with it being particularly good value for money, and providing extra insurance cover that many UK insurance companies either don't provide at all, or would charge extra for.

With M&S Financial Services Premier Contents policy, for example, student's belongings are not only covered at home, but also at college or university. Additionally, dependent relatives are also covered if their belongings happen to be in a nursing home. Even better still, your Marks and Spenser purchases are also protected while you take them home.

Also, on both M&S Financial Services Premier Household Insurance and Standard Household Insurance policies, you can choose to include Contents Away From Home. This option would then provide valuable cover all of your personal belongings on a worldwide basis.