Care and pensions are both absolutely ****ed and will need radical reform sooner or later. It's a really tough area to try and sort out, especially because we have an ageing population and pensioners are always the age group most likely to vote. I certainly can't think of a viable long term solution to either area. To be perfectly honest I don't expect the state pension to exist by the time i'm 65.
If you think it's bad now just wait 25-30 years until all the zero hours contractors who've never been able to afford their own home reach their 60s. They won't have anything in their pension pot or a home of their own to live in - what will happen to these people? That is a very large ticking time bomb and nobody seems to be paying any attention to it, Labour or Conservative.
There's no obvious fix and the reality is that it will need to be a painful solution - that means voters won't like it and so neither party will take that leap (since likely to not be voted in) only when the situation is so bad that it can't be ignored, all the parties will agree on something.
Means our generation and our kids will get screwed over once again.
You're not cursed, I am in a similar position, it is a sign of the times. And I also have exactly the same experience in regards to CV and interviews. It's like we're twins... I think I am the sexier twin though
Meh, join the club.
I'll sort myself out soon though, working atm and my salary ain't that bad for a non grad role. I'm not good at getting at the final interview stage at the top top jobs.
I do need to apply for Lloyds though. They parred me off last time saying I went through to the next stage and didn't get back to me.
@Zerforax, Theresa May suggests that the NHS should focus on being more efficient to fill the £22bn hole, rather than ask for money from the government. She's firm on not giving the NHS any more money and says that it should learn from the Home Office and Ministry of Defence cuts.
She has absolutely no idea about how the NHS is does she.. and how it's different to the Home Office and Ministry of Defence.
"A Britain that works for everyone", she once said.
@Zerforax, Theresa May suggests that the NHS should focus on being more efficient to fill the £22bn hole, rather than ask for money from the government. She's firm on not giving the NHS any more money and says that it should learn from the Home Office and Ministry of Defence cuts.
She has absolutely no idea about how the NHS is does she.. and how it's different to the Home Office and Ministry of Defence.
"A Britain that works for everyone", she once said.
Strong everything.
The NHS is such a big beast it's hard to judge from the outside. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the NHS is one the most inefficient businesses out there.. there was a report a while back about how the NHS orders individually for products and the price paid varied as much as 50% (something like the gloves they wear).
So there is probably a case for both sides - NHS does need more money but also could be more efficient. Frankly the NHS is always going to be a black hole.. if you doubled their budget, I bet they would still ask for money again in a few years!
So sold my stocks and shares ISA portfoilo. Invested about 3 years and 3 months ago. Made a healthy 35% return on it (so like 11% per annum?).
Very pleased with that!
Nicely done!
Whats your reason for cashing out?
Need to start investing some money soon, but its really an area I know nothing about. I cant decide if its worth learning and devoting my time to trying to get to grips with it myself.. or just to get a company/person to do it for me..
Need to start investing some money soon, but its really an area I know nothing about. I cant decide if its worth learning and devoting my time to trying to get to grips with it myself.. or just to get a company/person to do it for me..
We had an offer on a house accepted so need it for the deposit in the next 2-3 months. Looked at the markets and decided that the currency drop and corresponding swing in the FTSE100 was opportune moment to cash out on a high.
Yea I just invested into a fund (Vanguard Equity 100 fund) which is diverse and tracks a number of different areas. Don't know enough to be more selective but it's worked out well and this way you're following general market trends than trying to go all in for one sector/one company.
I think once you've got a big amount/good income, it might be worth getting a financial adviser? I haven't done that myself though.
Problem with managed investments is the charges. You have to have a substantial amount of money before those charges don't wipe out and of the gains potentially made. Not to mention the stats on actual long term performance.
Trackers and other passive funds are the best way to go for the small investor.
Financial advisors are potentially more important later in life when you need to start considering risk and reward as you are approaching pension age. Not to mention taxes and such. Early on pretty simple, wrap it in an ISA and leave it.