Equity investors should look for income anywhere but in the UK with its sluggish economic growth. By contrast, most Asian economies – and even the US and Europe – are on the up

Where in the world should you look for income at the moment? That is the question equity investors should be asking themselves.

The wave of dividend cuts over the last few years, particularly by the banks, means that dividends are concentrated in just a few companies: indeed the top-five payers – BP, Shell, GlaxoSmithKline, Vodafone and HSBC – account for half the total dividends in the UK market. A dividend cut from any of these – and, given that more than 200 companies did just that in 2009 means it can never be ruled out – could therefore have a big impact on the income from the UK market.

In all the economic turmoil it's tempting to hide your cash under the mattress. After a 16% fall in the FTSE in just one month, we explore the safe havens for your money, and how the bullish can best profit from a recovery

Homes for the pessimists

Under the Mattress Probably not the best place. It doesn't pay interest, inflation eats away at it, and, if you have a burglary, standard insurance only covers the first £500 stolen. But, if you really do want to keep your money at home, the four most common places to hide it are, according to a Halifax survey, (a) under the mattress (b) in the sock drawer (c) in the top of the wardrobe and (d) in the bedside table. A home safe, such as the Chubb MiniBanker, costs around £500, but insurers won't pay more than the standard sum, even if it's in a safe.

Is it really the case that it's cheaper to shop for most goods online? As an almost obsessive bargain hunter, I've done a lot of online shopping. I assume that, unless I've a good reason for buying from a store – clothes I want to try on, for example – I'm likely to get a much better deal online. In many cases, I don't even bother to check high street prices.

Lately, however, I've had reason to question this whole assumption.

In apportioning blame for the financial crisis, the spotlight has fallen on homeowners and savers. But what impact does an Isa holder really have in a world of derivatives and short selling?

I get the very strong feeling I am getting the blame for the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression. Not just me, but people like me. I have a pension, a mortgage, some savings in a building society – so it must all be my fault.