afly

Too easy to just blame cost savings, there's a demographic shift afoot. I very rarely see anyone ordering at the counters and if someone does they're over 50. Simple truth is that we are increasingly avoiding human contact as much as possible. That's why people pick up pre-packaged plastic wrapped ham right next to the deli counter and queue up at self checkout tills when cashiers are available

Nope the fix ends in 3 years. The mortgage is about 90k falling naturally to around 75k after that period which is a substantially higher figure than my annual income so all heads seem to point to the safest solution and pay the damn thing down while I can. On paper I could clear it inside two years although I don't know if my marriage would survive that

I'm in the fortunate position of a second employment leaving me about 2-3k going spare every month. I don't know how long that will last and am treating it as temporary bonus Should I overpay my 3yr (remaining) 2.24% fixed mortgage penalty free or drop my balls in the miners & reflation stocks every month? Instinctively I have been overpaying the mortgage knowing that it may not be the wisest financial move but how would folks on here assess that risk position? Theoretically a low, fixed rate mortgage may be hard to come by in the coming years and suddenly seem like very good value. But in the relatively short 3 yrs remaining on mine, I could be going head first into a world of pain if I haven't tamed it by then. Perhaps a 1k pick per month and 1-2k to the mortgage might be a sensible? What say you DOSBODSers?

This seems to be a big part of the problem. Just because you earn 100k doesn't mean you have to have a 450k mortgage and run the balance down to 0 every month. Recognise it as good times and trouser a good portion fgs. People in their 40/50's really should know better, it leaves them in such a vulnerable position. We seem to have a massive problem with planning and investing for the future at all levels in this country. Personally we currently have a family of 3 lifestyle that can be supported on about 25k per annum if needs be, less when we clear mortgage. Running a small business for a few years and not having the surety of income that breeds complacency in PAYE employment really focuses the mind for this. I really recommend it because PAYE employment is less secure IMO because you have even less control over it. After 10 years, The Man™ has made me an offer I can't refuse so I'm heading back to him for a few days a week but I'm very much looking at it as an temporary opportunity for shore up our future, not get a Range Rover

Thanks AP Yes I'm looking at HL and can see a £10'ish trade cost + 0.45% charge. But having opened and never funded a LISA with them, I can see that the platform and range of investments is far better than what I have at the moment. I can't even track how my investments have performed with fidelity. I'm hoping to get my biz to make regular contributions of about 1k a month so I would prefer to have the options and support available if poss. Maybe I'll give them a call to set up rather than doing it online so I can be sure it's all by the book

Super basic question for you guys. Can I open and pay into more than one SIPP in a financial year? I have absolutely zero idea why I can only have one ISA/S&S ISA per year so wondering if SIPP is the same? Asking because cavendish/fidelity is proving a bit shitola with its available funds (only funds). I'm not really interested in transferring the SIPP, just want to open a new one

It does seem that young adults are more and more infantilized these days and many of us are willing to behave like it. I have friends who are still at home at 35. That's middle-age territory

Don't mark this down

Prepare for a 2 hour hard sell on a 1 year warranty

Oz is completely bonkers. I've got a relative over who sells kitchens. Asked me to download a few episodes of 'The block' renovation show People spending $50,000 on fridges, $8,000 on a tap etc. and it's all product placement stuff. He told me normal customers are paying that kind of money for these things w t f australia?

The shameful habit of disposable living must end but asking the boomers to do it is commercial suicide. You might as well ask them to go vegan for a meal or leave the car at home for a day

Everything is taking a spanking. TLT is the only thing keeping my head above water at the minute

Quite the opposite

Actually to briefly hijack, is subbing to ft worth it? I can get the student sub for about £140 a year. It always seems like they have decent content economic or otherwise

Complete ball ache but Facebook referral usually works. Prefix the ft link with https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u= e.g https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https://www.ft.com/content/cf42db68-755e-11e8-b6ad-3823e4384287