Archive for the ‘money’ Category
Oh dear
Posted on: January 27, 2009
- In: money | the old shed
- 4 Comments
Earlier this month, I ordered a sofa for the Old Shed. It was going to be a beautiful, comfortable two-seater in a fabric called Fabulous Hot Pink. I was very, very excited about this sofa.
Yesterday, Sofa Workshop called in the administrators. The official statement says that they’re hopeful about finding a buyer and fulfilling all customer orders. I haven’t heard anything to say differently. But I am still a bit anxious. The sofa’s not due to be delivered until early March.
Anyone have any advice? I paid for the sofa on the credit card, vaguely thinking that might offer some protection if this situation were to arise. Does it?
Unbelievable!
Posted on: October 9, 2008
- In: england | money
- 7 Comments
Hmm. From the BBC website:
Councils say they have followed Treasury advice by investing surplus money to deliver the highest return for taxpayers.
So, let me just go over what has happened here.
1. The government (local and national) extracts too much money compulsorily from taxpayers.
2. They then invest this money ‘to deliver the highest return for taxpayers.’
3. The investment fails and the councils go back to the national government who say, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll just compel the taxpayers to give us more money to make up.’
Now, what I want to know is why on earth local councils have sufficient excess funds that they are making investments? What right do they have to say, ‘We’ll take your money and invest it on your behalf’? If they have more tax than they need, they need to GIVE IT BACK. Or at the very least, tax at a lower level in the following year.
I understand that councils need to maintain a certain level of working capital, but I cannot see why they should have any long term investments. And I absolutely do not buy the argument that this is somehow best for the taxpayer. What’s best for the taxpayer is to PAY LESS TAX.
One can only hope that the current crisis compels a complete rehaul of the taxation system as well as the banking system. Let the people rise up and protest!
- In: money | panic
- 3 Comments
I’ve been listening to the news over the last few weeks and struggling to work out whether I need to be worried or not.
I don’t have a mortgage. I don’t have any loans, nor am I looking for credit. My pension provision is basically negligible anyway. I can afford to pay my rent and bills and I have pretty limited fuel usage on a day to day basis. I do, however, have some savings in the bank and am dependent on gifts from other people whose money is, presumably, in the bank too.
Should I be at all worried that my high street bank (HSBC) might collapse? And, you know, it’s probably not going to keep me awake either way, because there’s nothing I can do about it. But I’d just like to understand the situation. At the moment everything’s happening within the City, isn’t it? So even Bradford and Bingley customers are going to be okay, I think?
And, just out of curiosity, what would happen if the banks keep collapsing. Do we end up with one winner who has all the money? Or none, and go back to bartering? Which would be good for anyone with real skills, rather than just corporate-speak nonsense.
Stumble It!
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