Dear listener,

So we didn't see negative inflation this week as most commentators predicted. Money Box got it right on the website when we said the Retail Prices Index (RPI) "is expected to fall to zero or go negative". And we are now in the zero era as RPI fell to 0.0% when the February figures were published on Tuesday. In other words the price of its basket of goods in February 2009 was exactly the same as it was a year earlier. That basket of course includes mortgages which have been plummeting due to the Bank rate cuts. If you do not have a mortgage – or yours is fixed – then prices are still rising. Indeed the other measure of how much prices are going up – the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) which excludes housing costs – showed price rises getting worse when it rose unexpectedly to 3.2%. That reflects the higher cost of food, leisure, and petrol among other things since this time last year. As one listener put it in an e-mail last Saturday when we looked ahead to a possible fall in prices "Don't you go food shopping – prices have gone through the roof!"

The only other month when RPI hit zero was December 1959. That was followed by three months of falling prices before they started rising – which they have done for 586 consecutive months. Until now. The government expects the RPI to be below minus 2% in the autumn and other commentators say it could be as low as minus 4%. But the real fear for the future is high inflation. With £75bn pumped into the economy (and as much again in reserve), government borrowing higher than it has been for decades and the pound low against other currencies, it is rising inflation rather than falling that is the problem for the future. No commentators are predicting inflation will rise to the records seen in the 1970s and early '80s when it was above 10% for nearly five years and peaked at 26.9%. Those of us who remember that time hope they are right.

*** ON MONEY BOX THIS SATURDAY ***

Rumours continue that Dunfermline Building Society is in rescue talks with the government and other societies. It won't comment beyond saying that its annual results will be published by 6 April. But newspapers are reporting it could be heading for a £26m loss after commercial property deals have turned sour. So what is the future for Scotland's biggest building society? We will have the latest.

A new way to deal with serious debts begins on 6 April. Debt Relief Orders are an alternative to bankruptcy for people who owe less than £15,000 and have less than £300 in savings or other assets.

There are moves to change the law so retired people who raise money on their home do not lose means-tested Pension Credit. We talk to the former government minister behind the proposals.

National Savings & Investments has been slashing prizes on premium bonds as interest rates plummet. The lowest prize has been halved to £25, one of the two £1m prizes has been axed and all the other bigger prizes have been cut back severely. Despite that we are saving record amounts with NS&I. We talk to a senior NS&I executive.

And with April 5 not far away, anyone who wants to open a cash ISA with this year's allowance – and those who want to find a tax-free home for their ex-Icesave money – had better get a move on. What are the best deals in this low interest era?

There may be more. There may be less. Find out what's in and what's out by listening to Money Box - Saturday at noon. Or if you miss that, the repeat is on Sunday at 9pm. To make sure you never miss Money Box why not subscribe to our podcast? Just go to our website bbc.co.uk/moneybox where you can also listen online, Have Your Say, find out more about items on the programme, or watch videos.

Best wishes,

Paul

PS Don't forget the programme taster on BBC Breakfast between quarter to nine and nine o'clock. If you miss it, you can watch it on our website.

e-mail Paul Lewis