In todays news...

[Pirahna]

I'm in France at the moment. Fuel prices are at least 10% lower than in the UK and energy costs for home heating have been capped at a 4% rise. The €uro is inching towards parity with Sterling and there's no panic on the streets or shortages in the supermarkets. If I could stay here, I would.

Why don't you apply for residence?

[mangocrazy]

I'm in France at the moment. Fuel prices are at least 10% lower than in the UK and energy costs for home heating have been capped at a 4% rise. The €uro is inching towards parity with Sterling and there's no panic on the streets or shortages in the supermarkets. If I could stay here, I would.

Why don't you apply for residence?

I've thought about it, but Mrs Mango is still working in the UK and I don't trust our Govt. to maintain the annual uplift on my state pension if I was living in the EU. Before Brexit it wasn't a problem, of course.

[Horse]

I'm in France at the moment. Fuel prices are at least 10% lower than in the UK and energy costs for home heating have been capped at a 4% rise. The €uro is inching towards parity with Sterling and there's no panic on the streets or shortages in the supermarkets. If I could stay here, I would.

Why don't you apply for residence?

I've thought about it, but Mrs Mango is still working in the UK and I don't trust our Govt. to maintain the annual uplift on my state pension if I was living in the EU. Before Brexit it wasn't a problem, of course.

My mate living in France (from several years pre-brexit) has a residency card. He also has to be able to prove an income (although I don't know whether there is a lower limit).

[mangocrazy]

Yes, there's also the question of where you are taxed, which is another thing to consider. Until Mrs Mango retires I was never going to commit here full time, even pre-Brexit. But Brexit has added extra levels of complication and cost. I can only stay here 90 days in 180, and whenever we bring our pet cat with us it costs around £120 for an animal health certificate (AHC).

[DefTrap]

A good friend here is an ex money markets guy, who still does (probably) similar stuff to Potter. His brother has a large property company in the uk. My mate would advocate not waiting too long to sell!! Don't know how long 'too long' is! I'll be honest and say that I didn't pay a lot of attention as I have no interest or possibility of buying in the uk. But I can ask for more info if you are interested

I think I'd already made my mind up. Like I say, outrageous valuation, getting older and a couple of bouts of semi serious illnesses very close to home means it's really tempting to cash in some chips.

But yeah any additional info would be really interesting, ta.

[Mussels]

A good friend here is an ex money markets guy, who still does (probably) similar stuff to Potter. His brother has a large property company in the uk. My mate would advocate not waiting too long to sell!! Don't know how long 'too long' is! I'll be honest and say that I didn't pay a lot of attention as I have no interest or possibility of buying in the uk. But I can ask for more info if you are interested

I think I'd already made my mind up. Like I say, outrageous valuation, getting older and a couple of bouts of semi serious illnesses very close to home means it's really tempting to cash in some chips.

But yeah any additional info would be really interesting, ta.

It's like any other pension pot, you need to assess your level of risk. Someone younger wouldn't mind a bigger risk as there's time for recovery after a housing crash, someone a year away from retirement might prefer to cash it in now if it's done well and there's a high risk of losing it.

[mangocrazy]

You've got this routine worked out pretty well, haven't you? You can display tone-deaf levels of condescension because you are somehow on a different mental plane to the hoi-polloi, and besides, you've already hedged your bets by saying this is how things will play out.

I'm not saying you're full of shit; I'm just saying that you are so in thrall to your own cleverness that you can't see valid points counter to your own opinion when they're laid out in front of you. The plight of the poor common man or woman is of no interest to you, as they are simply collateral damage in an asset grab by the already obscenely rich.

You are genuinely wrong with everything you've written there, the plight of the poor common man is of great interest to me, I've said this a few times, no one should want to share their space with people living in poverty. Owning the biggest house in the village is no good if everyone else around you is broken, you're living in the same space and their money issues will affect you.

My political view could be summed up by saying that instead of me having a million quid and everyone else having nothing, I'd rather have a quarter of a million and all the people around me have a share of the rest, so maybe I still have the biggest house and I holiday in the Caribbean but they've all got decent housing, plenty of food on the table and they get two weeks in Benidorm. That way they all smile and say good morning to me when I fetch my morning paper and no one is plotting to steal the food out of my fridge whilst I'm out.

It's no good being smug and happy when everyone else for miles around is broken and miserable.

Fair enough, and good for you, but you happily espouse policies that drive the poor even further into debt and broaden the gap between rich and poor...?

[mangocrazy]

Fair enough, and good for you, but you happily espouse policies that drive the poor even further into debt and broaden the gap between rich and poor...?

I didn't espouse them, I explained them because you seem not to understand what's going on.
They benefitted me financially, as did Brexit, but I didn't agree or vote for it.

I understand perfectly well what's going on, thanks, but I (like most folk I suspect) won't/haven't benefitted from the policies, unlike yourself

I've been making a bit of a hoo-haw about inflation for a while (and taking shit for it) because I knew where it was going. Now the poor are going to have to shoulder high interest rates, another thing that benefits me greatly, but I didn't advocate that either, in fact the exact opposite.

I'd say it's been blindingly obvious that inflation and higher interest rates were on the way for quite some time now. As I'm mortgage and debt-free high interest rates won't greatly affect me, but inflation will. I've not given you any shit about your forecasts, as they were entirely in line with what most financial pundits have been saying.

I've been banging on and on, on this forum, about fiscal policy for over a year, warning you about how bad it was going to be, whilst you all yawned and told me I didn't know what I was talking about, now it's come to roost and you're telling me I don't care

Once again you're generalising. Some people may have yawned and ignored you, but not all. But you do display a 'don't care' attitude because (as you keep on pointing out) you're effectively isolated from the worst effects of govt policy and take some pleasure in pointing out how what is a problem for most is a good thing for you. Maybe try not to rub people's noses in it so much?

This type of comment doesn't display a great deal of concern about the less well off in society, now does it?

I think it's the most honest policy for many years, make the rich richer and look to trickle down prosperity.
The alternative is to invest in the poor and let's be honest, they aren't going to drag the country out of a mess.

[JackyJoll]

Fair enough, and good for you, but you happily espouse policies that drive the poor even further into debt and broaden the gap between rich and poor...?

I didn't espouse them, I explained them because you seem not to understand what's going on.
They benefitted me financially, as did Brexit, but I didn't agree or vote for it.

I understand perfectly well what's going on, thanks, but I (like most folk I suspect) won't/haven't benefitted from the policies, unlike yourself

I've been making a bit of a hoo-haw about inflation for a while (and taking shit for it) because I knew where it was going. Now the poor are going to have to shoulder high interest rates, another thing that benefits me greatly, but I didn't advocate that either, in fact the exact opposite.

I'd say it's been blindingly obvious that inflation and higher interest rates were on the way for quite some time now. As I'm mortgage and debt-free high interest rates won't greatly affect me, but inflation will. I've not given you any shit about your forecasts, as they were entirely in line with what most financial pundits have been saying.

I've been banging on and on, on this forum, about fiscal policy for over a year, warning you about how bad it was going to be, whilst you all yawned and told me I didn't know what I was talking about, now it's come to roost and you're telling me I don't care

Once again you're generalising. Some people may have yawned and ignored you, but not all. But you do display a 'don't care' attitude because (as you keep on pointing out) you're effectively isolated from the worst effects of govt policy and take some pleasure in pointing out how what is a problem for most is a good thing for you. Maybe try not to rub people's noses in it so much?

This type of comment doesn't display a great deal of concern about the less well off in society, now does it?

I think it's the most honest policy for many years, make the rich richer and look to trickle down prosperity.
The alternative is to invest in the poor and let's be honest, they aren't going to drag the country out of a mess.

So he’s not nice enough?

What a fucking shame!

[mangocrazy]

It is. Scandalous...

[mangocrazy]

Are you really that hard of understanding? I've seen inflation and high interest rates coming a mile off, and not as a result of your comments. It's been blatantly obvious for quite some time. My pension is quite modest, and invested conservatively, so my gains have been similarly modest. But I'm not pissy about that, and it's not come as a surprise.

I've been railing against the current govts policies and you've been defending them - that's where the disagreement is. Stop trying to big yourself up for a little while and actually read what people are saying, not what you wish they'd said.

[mangocrazy]

The budget was the trigger for my annoyance - as would be apparent if you cared to look back in this thread. Prior to that I've been an occasional commenter. I've been a critic of the Tory (and some Labour) govts since way back when, but it's been a long time since I last saw such blatant favouritism towards the rich and the poor being essentially cast off. Couple that with the blatant funneling of taxpayers cash to the energy companies under the guise of fixing the energy 'crisis' and this new administration has really got my goat.

So it's not personal, it's business. The Truss administration has carried on where Johnson left off and even raised the bar, and yes, I'm pissed about that. But it's not because I've just woken up to the fact we're heading up shit creek without a paddle - that has been a given for a couple of years now.

[JackyJoll]

The budget was the trigger for my annoyance - as would be apparent if you cared to look back in this thread. Prior to that I've been an occasional commenter. I've been a critic of the Tory (and some Labour) govts since way back when, but it's been a long time since I last saw such blatant favouritism towards the rich and the poor being essentially cast off. Couple that with the blatant funneling of taxpayers cash to the energy companies under the guise of fixing the energy 'crisis' and this new administration has really got my goat.

So it's not personal, it's business. The Truss administration has carried on where Johnson left off and even raised the bar, and yes, I'm pissed about that. But it's not because I've just woken up to the fact we're heading up shit creek without a paddle - that has been a given for a couple of years now.

If you’re heading up a creek, you must have some form of propulsion.

[mangocrazy]

According to him he knew full well that he was heading up shit creek, but he didn't bother bringing a paddle.
Now he's raging that he's up shit creek without a paddle. And all the more upset that I've got one.

Nowt as strange as folk

So once again it descends into one-upmanship. How predictable. It doesn't suit your narrative, but I haven't been 'raging' about my situation; in fact I'm a lot better off than a lot of people I know, but I don't get any particular pleasure in that. I don't begrudge anyone what they have - good on them is my attitude, unless of course they've gained that benefit illegally or dubiously.

As I've repeated over and over (and you appear to be deaf to this part of my comments), it's the policies of this and previous administrations that I have a problem with. And as for a paddle, I've been looking for one for a while now, but it seems that the Tories have given them all away to their mates...

[Count Steer]

One thing for certain is that we have a bit of a shitstorm heading our way.

Succinct.

[Horse]

If you’re heading up a creek, you must have some form of propulsion.

They're usually tidal

noun
a narrow, sheltered waterway, especially an inlet in a shoreline or channel in a marsh.

[Horse]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-62065524

The number of women taking an interest in motorcycling is on the up, according to the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) and Women's International Motorcycle Association (WIMA). But why is the number accelerating? These women share their experiences of the thrill of the open road.

[Noggin]

A good friend here is an ex money markets guy, who still does (probably) similar stuff to Potter. His brother has a large property company in the uk. My mate would advocate not waiting too long to sell!! Don't know how long 'too long' is! I'll be honest and say that I didn't pay a lot of attention as I have no interest or possibility of buying in the uk. But I can ask for more info if you are interested

I think I'd already made my mind up. Like I say, outrageous valuation, getting older and a couple of bouts of semi serious illnesses very close to home means it's really tempting to cash in some chips.

But yeah any additional info would be really interesting, ta.

This was his reply to my request for more info - basically what others have said here -

I think selling a house sooner rather than later is deffo the best idea. we had a weird spike during covid, and now borrowing rates are going up, the population will start shrinking and I genuinely don't think prices can go anywhere but down..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-62065524

The number of women taking an interest in motorcycling is on the up, according to the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) and Women's International Motorcycle Association (WIMA). But why is the number accelerating? These women share their experiences of the thrill of the open road.

Maybe people teaching and selling motorbikes are more open to teaching and selling to women

[JackyJoll]

If you’re heading up a creek, you must have some form of propulsion.

They're usually tidal

noun
a narrow, sheltered waterway, especially an inlet in a shoreline or channel in a marsh.

Looks like I was talking in American. Or was I thinking of a gulch?

[Yambo]

Tenuous link to creeks and boats - https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxf ... e-62983192

Barge sinks when water level drops.
How did that happen then? Did it get grounded then roll over and fill up when the water came back?

Mooring ropes too short perhaps. I've seen it happen around the N.W. of England where there's a 9 metre tidal range.