Pension Bee

How are we supposed to compete? Pensionbee are about to launch their company on the stock exchange for an estimated value of millions, so what do they do they offer?

They offer advice to people approaching retirement. Great if you need to consider where your pension pots are, not so good if you have an salary based pension based on the number of years served. I guess due to the fact that they are well funded maybe allows them to give “good” advice and not the wrong commission driven advice. Anyway I am not jealous, my pot is doing OK, and I know where most of it is, yes I won’t have a lot, but at least I am with a reputable company and one that, will still be there when I want to retire.

Technology Hoarder

If I am honest I do tend to hoard, I am not sure why and I have to consciously clear out every now and then. Well this can include e-mail, I have over 5000 messages on AOL and over 3000 messages on a gmail account. Anyway the point I am trying to make is, in the process of clearing out, it took me to reading some old messages.

One year ago how many of you where invited to a webinar or a zoom meeting? Not many I bet, and today all the time. It is Funny world we live in. I know somethings have to be completed in a physical sense, but some can be done online.

New normal

Well what a year 2020 was, who would have guessed. What next project 2025 or project 2030 obviously no body has thought this up yet, I mean it’s too early for the UK to rejoin the EU, and we can’t have another pandemic that soon.

I just pray that my netflix keeps on working and that people can keep on keeping on, as my aged relatives used to say. It does make me wonder though how trends happen, apparently Big sheds are going to be part of the future. I don’t know why it’s possibly due to the continuing decline of the high street, what a shame. I loved going to the shops when I had a few extra pounds in my pocket. And I still don’t really shop on-line, I tried to join Ocado in the height of the first “stay at home” but guess what no delivery slots !

Oh well, are we coming to the end of the first quarter for the 21st century, where does the time go? Personally I planted a new tree on my allotment and I am hoping the other 5 might start to look a bit more healthy, fire blight on a pear tree, I think it’s bacterial but I am not 100% sure, I will have to google the RHS for more idea’s.

Good luck everyone for 2021, I hope that it’s a good year for you, what ever your wishes may be.

The end of furlough for some?

The UK chancellor is introducing new support for those who are not going back to work. The job support scheme or JSS, what does it mean?

From what I can see if people go back to work for 5% of their normal hours there will be government support to top up income, it’s not book yourself a holiday to the USA kind of income but it might be enough to stop people from begging in the streets. Time will tell and the role out and communication from the government will be key.

Where do you find the information I believe it is on the gov.uk website, I am not exactly sure where may be alongside the Universal benefit information. Good luck lets survive this winter.

Grey Swan Events

I wanted to consider events that don’t help financially, I was trying to think of examples so here goes.

Example 1. You’ve just taken out a mortgage on your first home with your partner or husband / wife, and one of you suddenly need to give up work for some reason or another, could be to look after another member of your family. Yes you loose a full time income and still have all the same bills to pay, at least to start with.

Example 2. Your boss offers you a redundancy package, after 20 years with the same company, you realise at age 60, your money purchase or DC fund as people in the industry like to say isn’t going to buy you much of a pension. And the state have assessed that you saved diligently and won’t help until your 67, or your saving are below a certain level. What do you do?

I don’t necessarily want answers in the comments below, but just want you to think about how this can affect every day people. These events could need some guidance from a financial adviser, or a member from citizens advice, or from your pension company. However they may not come up with the solutions that are right for you?

What do you do?

Mortgage Holiday and Furlough

Some people may be coming to an end of their 3 months payment break, but what happens next. You need to discuss with your lender about resuming payments may be at a reduced level, or just back to normal depending on your circumstances.

There is no right or wrong answer, life is marathon and not a sprint !

National Farmers thought of the day.

National Farmers Union raised concerns with Defra (Department of farming and rural affair)s, regarding increased members of public using footpaths near farmyards, gardens, and homes. There is also a concerning risk to livestock due to increased dog walkers. Following extensive lobbying Defra have now released new guidance on Public Rights of Way. The new guidance provided farmers with notices to use in order to alert the public, it has also given farmers the option to offer alternative walking routes.
NFU members can order their FREE gatepost signs here.  (Link fur NFU members via the NFUonline website)

Step Change.org (United Kingdom)

#stay home #stay safe #online delivery

There is a large amount of information for anyone going through financial change due to lockdown.   A brief synopsis is something like look at your budget decide what is necessary, prioritise it, and then stabilise everything. It is Easy to say keep your head when others are loosing theirs.

My main rambling to myself today is Carbon emissions, why do I feel the need to jump into the car to go to the shop. I mean I have 300 yards away a very good co-op with local gluten free food. I have a large Lidl, 750 yards away with everything you could possibly want; and a long walk over the either very dry or seemingly soaking wet meadow to Tesco’s again if the other two shops haven’t got what I NEED it will be in one of the other shops  !!  The problem carrying a bag or having a shopping trolley (Not cool a shopping trolley) think old ladies not middle aged men ! But really what a useful gadget the weight is taken on the wheels and all you have to do is pull. How difficult can it be, once we come out of lockdown.

#Stay Home

The Banks and Corona

The banks and building societies became inundated with mortgage payment pause requests.  In fact for a week some of the major lenders had to put new borrowing on hold to deal with the requests for re-structuring and or mortgage payment break requests.   These have been available for many years just at the moment they seem to be more publicised.

If your circumstances have changed, be that loss of work or reduced hours please get in touch, tell the bank your situation and what has changed there are numerous other organisations who can also help including dare I say it the Citizens Advice Bureau, and like any organisation there are good and bad advisers trust me, I have seen it all.