There have been a lot of excited air punches around Wonga HQ lately, and not just because Blackpool has had a successful start in the premiership. Hot on the heels of being named #8 in the Startups 100 2010 list of the most innovative and ground-breaking companies in the UK, we’re now in the running for a number of prestigious industry awards.

The Financial World Innovation Awards, which recognise examples of creativity, imagination and vision within the financial services industry, has shortlisted Wonga in two categories: Excellence in customer communication and Innovation in the delivery of financial products, thanks to our iPhone app.

The UK Customer Experience Awards has named Wonga a finalist for ‘Financial Services including Contact Centres’. We’re quite chuffed to have received the nod in this category as we’re continually trying to improve the customer experience on our site.

Last but certainly not least, and one we’d love for the mantle, Wonga is a finalist in the National Customer Service Awards category, ‘Customer Service Team – Financial Services’.

The ceremonies for all these awards begin in September and culminate on the 1st of December, but no fear, we’ll keep you posted on all the results as they roll in.

Go Team Wonga!

Wonga.com is incredibly proud to have made it into the latest Startups 100 list, which recognises the UK’s most innovative, inspiring and ground-breaking new companies.

Our unique approach to short-term lending combined with the speed, convenience and flexibility of our service has secured our place at number eight on this influential list.

This recognition doesn’t mean we can relax and enjoy the glory of our hard work; instead it fuels our fires and motivates the whole team to find better and faster ways of serving our customers.

We’re pleased as punch to have made the top ten, but watch out top five, we’re on our way!

It was great to see some Seasiders in action on Sky’s Soccer Am this weekend. We know we would say this, but we thought the new kits looked very nice indeed…

The football season kicked off last week, but not before Jamie Redknapp published his list of 10 players to watch this season in the Premier League. Wonga was pleased to see a Seasider on the list at number three, Charlie Adam.

Redknapp had this to say about the left-footer, “…He scored bundles of goals in the Championship and I think he might continue to do the same on the big stage. Free-kicks, corners, penalties: he takes the lot.

If he can produce last season’s form, he might give Ian Holloway’s Seasiders a chance. Either way, I suspect he may be in the top flight to stay.”

We sure hope Jamie’s picks are winners and Charlie Adam and Blackpool rack up more great wins like the one last week against Wigan.

Go Tangerines!

We were pleased to see Wonga tipped as one of the hot European technology companies to watch in this weekend’s Telegraph. Indeed, we occupied the number one spot in a list of the top ten firms for investors to keep an eye on.

PROfounders Capital’s Brent Hoberman, famous for co-founding of Lastminute.com, and Rogan Angelini-Hurll, general partner at PROfounders Capital, cited Wonga’s real-time loan processing technology as a key reason for their choice.

In layman’s terms that means we are able to make instant yet responsible lending decisions at anytime of day or night. Meaning, if you are approved, you get the cash you need within minutes, sent straight to your bank account.

Everyone at Wonga is laser focused on our customers and making sure we continue to keep them so happy that many of them tell their friends about our flexible loan service.

So it was really satisfying to get a call from the good people at the National Business Awards this week, to tell us we’re a finalist for the Blackberry Customer Focus Award 2010.

It’s one for everyone in the company really, because we all work hard to make sure we’re streets ahead of the competition and offer something truly unique. So we’ll do our best at the judges presentation and then keep our fingers crossed for the final.

Here’s just one happy customer chatting about his recent experience with Wonga…

Sometimes you have to marvel at the ingenuity of the UK banks in tackling criticism whilst protecting their income. Lloyds TSB is the latest high street giant to announce reductions in controversial unauthorised overdraft charges, whilst bumping up other fees to balance the books.

In a move designed to pacify both customers and other critics of the hefty charges, the monthly fee for ‘unplanned’ Lloyds TSB overdrafts has been scrapped and daily charges reduced. Sounds good right? How refreshing for a bank to take a financial hit in order to reduce fees for its customers.

Yeah, right. Most commentators - and no doubt many customers - noticed other charges had been introduced at the same time and the bank will no longer pay any interest on positive current account balances. In fact it’s the more ‘organised’ customers who will bear the brunt of the recent changes, with a new £5 monthly fee for planned overdrafts.

What’s more, the reductions in unplanned overdraft fees are significant, yet they were so huuuuuge in the first place that even the new, slimmer versions are pretty heavy. Anyone who is at the edge of their planned facility (already paying £5 per month for the pleasure), will then get hit with daily charges of £10 if they were to go a further £25.01 or more into the red.

For example, if you were on the limit of your planned overdraft and urgently needed £50 to pay an important bill, accessing that money for a week from an unplanned overdraft could cost you £70 in fees! Borrowing the same amount from Wonga over the same period would cost just £9.33, including our £5.50 fast cash transfer fee.

So, not only has Lloyds TSB ended free access to planned overdrafts with its current accounts (and interest payments on positive balances), but consumers could still get hit with some big costs when in need of some emergency cash. Now that’s a clever trick.�

We recently invited Wonga customers to visit London and spend an hour in a studio, talking about why they like using our online, short term loan service. Despite only offering to cover basic travel expenses, we had plenty of takers and we all enjoyed a good laugh in front of the cameras. Many thanks to everyone involved! If you are interested to know more about our flexible approach to small loans then why not listen to what genuine Wonga customers have to say? Happy viewing…

As the countdown to kick-off continues, Blackpool FC has secured a new signing for the club’s first season in the Premier League… Yep, Wonga has today been announced as the 2010/11 shirt sponsor!

Everyone here is bouncing around with excitement and looking forward to the new footie season with even more excitement than usual. Especially after the World Cup washout.

Our founder & CEO said of the deal, “We are still relatively young but we’re growing fast and have big ambitions, just like Blackpool. Their rise through the divisions and fairytale promotion last year was an inspiration for football fans all over the country, so it’s a great fit for Wonga.

“Seasiders are renowned for their passion, something we have bags of too. We want to help make this campaign exciting for everyone and have plenty of ideas for making a visit to Bloomfield Road a day to remember. It’s sure to be a rollercoaster of a season and we can’t wait for the ride to begin.”

The Wonga logo will be seen on the team’s shirts in all friendly, Premier League and cup games and will make a first appearance tonight, when Ian Holloway’s men travel down to Devon for their pre-season training camp.

C’mon The Seasiders!

If the economy, the budget and your own personal finances have got you down and you’re tired of hearing that you should cut back on pub nights in order to pinch a few pennies, then read on to learn our favourite credit crunch money saving tips.

Let’s start with the easy stuff:

1.  Skip the tumble dryer: Hang your clothes to air dry. In the heat we’ve been having, even your jeans will be dry by morning!

2. School run carpool: You’re all going to the same place at the same time, right? Why not create a rota with the other parents; not only will you save money on petrol, but you’ll free up some time as well.

3. Home cooked meals: Stop buying ready-meals and dining out, instead cook dinner at home. Not only will you save money, but you’ll have healthier meals as well. Pack up any leftovers for lunch.

4. Market shopping: Get out your reusable sacks and head to the market on the weekends. You’ll eat more salad and vegetables and save money – bonus!

5. Cash-back sites: If you’re going to be shopping online then shop via a cash-back site and get some money back on your purchases.

6. Charity shops: Second-hand or charity shops can have some great bargains and not just on clothes. You can find toys, games and cheap jewellery as well. Be sure to check out the shops in the posh areas as the locals tend to donate name brand fashions and other gently used items.

…and now the not-so-easy stuff:

7. Online savings account: Many online banks offer strong interest rates on their savings accounts. Search around for a great rate and start tucking away whatever you can each month to build up a nest egg or rainy day fund.

8. Think before you buy: Not as much effort as looking for a new bank account, but skipping impulse buys might be more difficult than you think. If it’s something that you WANT and not something that you need, walk away and hold off buying the item for a month. If after a month you’re still feeling the need, make cuts elsewhere in your budget to accommodate the expense.

9. Utility providers: It’s much easier to keep paying the bills that are sent to you rather than researching new utility providers, however a change could save you money. Use a comparison website or make a phone call or two; you may find a cheaper alternative who wants your business.

10. Review your insurance: Whether it’s life insurance, income protection, health insurance or just the insurance on your mobile phone, look into cheaper alternatives. The credit crunch has caused companies to review their rates and you could pinch a few more pennies in this area.

If you’ve pinched every penny and occasionally come up short, Wonga is here to help with fast, short-term loans online. We deposit cash straight into your bank account within 15 minutes of approval, 24/7. Visit our homepage and move the sliders to customise your own loan.