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My short break in Minehead

My Short Break in Minehead

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I recently enjoyed a three-night break in the North Somerset coastal town of Minehead.

It was actually my first visit to Minehead. Early this year, before the pandemic struck, I booked breaks in a few places I hadn’t been to before. Minehead was the only one I didn’t have to cancel 🙁

After some online research, I had booked a room at the Channel House Hotel. This is on Minehead’s North Hill (see cover photo), on the opposite side of the bay from the Butlins holiday camp. Here’s a map by courtesy of Google.

The Channel House Hotel had excellent reviews and a great location near the harbour. It had its own car park as well, which is always a plus with seaside hotels!

Here’s some more information about my stay…

The Hotel

The Channel House Hotel is a small country-house hotel with eight bedrooms. They don’t accommodate dogs or children under the age of 15.

I had Room 7, on the top floor. I had been hoping for a sea view, but due to a line of trees I couldn’t really see it from my room. I could at least hear the waves, though! The hotel is in a quiet, peaceful location, and I slept very well on all three nights.

As you would expect in these strange times, various anti-virus precautions were in place. I had my temperature checked on arrival, and hand sanitizer was available by the front door and on all the tables in the dining room.

I opted for breakfast and an evening meal, although you can book bed and breakfast only. Other dining options near the hotel appear limited, though, especially in these times of Covid.

There was a good choice of breakfast options for a small hotel. As well as the full English (which you can customize as you wish) you could also have Eggs Benedict in three different variations or smoked haddock with poached egg. You could also have a plate of mixed fruit, cereal and/or yogurt, plus the usual toast and hot drinks. I’m not sure what the normal arrangements for breakfast are, but obviously at present they can’t have a self-service buffet, so most meal options are brought to your table.

There is a choice of starters and main meals in the evenings, with guests asked to say what they would like after breakfast. Fair enough in my view, as there is obviously no point in the hotel preparing meals nobody wants! That applies especially at the moment with visitor numbers so low – partly due to the virus and partly (I understand) as a deliberate policy to help preserve social distancing. During my stay, there were never any more than six guests including me.

Evening meals are served at 7.00 pm, with pre-meal drinks in the small bar from 6.30. Although the latter is obviously optional, I did find this an enjoyable way of meeting and getting to know my fellow guests. There was one couple and all the others were solo ladies around my age or older. We all got along well. I enjoyed hearing what they had been doing during the day, as most of them knew the area better than I did.

The evening meals were very good. They comprised five courses: starter, main, dessert, cheese and biscuits, and coffee. That may sound a lot, but the portions were sensibly sized, so I didn’t feel too guilty!

Fish seems to be a speciality and I particularly enjoyed the sole I had on the first night. One thing that surprised me, though, was that the menu never included any vegetarian main courses. They do cater for veggies and those with special diets, so I’m sure if I’d asked I could have had something. For three nights I was perfectly happy with what was on offer. But as I eat vegetarian quite often at home, it might have been nice to have that option on the menu as well, some nights at any rate!

My twin-bedded room was more than adequate for my needs. It had a small (by modern standards) wall-mounted TV, but that was fine for a short visit. The WiFi worked well once I sorted out a bit of confusion over the password, and I was able to use it in my room as well as the communal areas. The bathroom was a good size and had a bath with a modern electric shower over it. My bed was comfortable and there was plenty of storage space. I was well looked after and had an enjoyable and relaxing stay.

Financials

As Pounds and Sense is primarily a money blog, I should say a word about this.

I paid £360 for my three-night stay (including breakfasts and evening meals) at the Channel House Hotel, which I thought very reasonable. If I had chosen bed and breakfast only, the price would have been £285. As you may gather from this, the hotel charge a fixed price of £25 for their five-course evening meals.

You can check current prices and availability on the Hotels.com website. You can book this way (which I did) or directly with the hotel. The latter method may or may not work out cheaper.

Things to See and Do

Inevitably at the time of my visit a lot of places and attractions were either closed or not operating normally.

I was particularly disappointed that the West Somerset Railway – said to be the longest heritage railway in England – was not running. At the time of writing there is still no indication when it will reopen.

I was though able to visit Dunster Castle, which is owned by the National Trust. As a Trust member I was able to get free admission, but had to book a ticket in advance on the website. They are doing this to ensure that visitor numbers are controlled, to help maintain social distancing.

Dunster Castle

Dunster Castle goes back to at least Norman times, with an impressive medieval gatehouse and ruined tower providing a reminder of its long and sometimes turbulent history. The castle became a lavish country home during the 19th century for the Luttrell family, and the furnishings and decor are largely from that time. The castle is surrounded by a terraced garden displaying varieties of Mediterranean and subtropical plants. Below this is a riverside woodland garden leading to a historic working watermill (unfortunately closed at present).

Due to anti-virus measures, visitors have to follow a long and winding route through the gardens to get to the castle, so my top tip is to allow longer than you would expect to arrive at your allotted time. Bear in mind also that you will be expected to follow a similarly circuitous route afterwards to get back to the car park. This means there is a lot of walking before and after you see the castle itself. I was okay with that, but I suspect some older visitors might struggle.

Anyway I duly arrived at the castle entrance and, after giving a phone number for track-and-trace and using a hand sanitizer, was allowed to enter (wearing a face covering, of course). Only certain parts of the castle were open to visitors, not including the kitchens for some reason. On the plus side, though, with so few visitors there was plenty of room to see everything on view. Although entry is by timed ticket, once in you are allowed to stay for as long as you want (or at least for as long as you can stand wearing a face covering).

I spent around an hour in the castle, after which I was ready for some refreshments. I am not sure if the castle has a coffee shop normally but if so it was closed. They did though have a pop-up cafe in the gardens (you can just see this to the left of my photo above). I had a hot chocolate and a slice of coffee-and-walnut cake here, which I very much enjoyed even though it wasn’t exactly a healthy option!

Dunster Castle was the only formal visitor attraction I visited during my stay, and I do recommend it, so long as walking isn’t a problem for you.

In fact, I did a lot of walking throughout my break. That included along the seafront, from the harbour to the Butlins camp, and also up North Hill, which takes you to the edge of Exmoor. On the walk up North Hill, I stopped to admire the 16th century St Michael’s Church (also sadly closed).

St Michaels Church

Near the church is an area called Church Steps, where there are some beautiful thatched cottages.

Thatched cottages

I would like to show you the view across the bay from the top of North Hill, which I am told is quite spectacular. When I got to the viewing area, however, a closed and padlocked gate barred my way, with a forbidding warning notice about Covid-19. Having made the not-inconsiderable effort to walk up the hill (most people drive), this was pretty disappointing. I sat at the roadside for a few minutes collecting my thoughts before heading down again. That was probably the low point of the holiday!

On my last day in Minehead I took a short stroll to Blenheim Gardens, a well-tended and attractive public park. The cafe was closed as well, but I wandered down to the harbour and enjoyed a takeaway cream tea there 🙂

Closing Thoughts

Overall, I enjoyed my visit to Minehead, though obviously the fact that so many places were closed did spoil it a little. I had an enjoyable, relaxing time, with plenty of healthy fresh air and exercise (just as well in view of the cakes and five-course dinners!). I will hope to go back again when things are more normal.

As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.


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Bloggers August Giveaway

Win a £100 M&S Hamper in the Bloggers August Giveaway!

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Autumn is on the way, but before it arrives here’s a chance to make the summer of 2020 even more memorable 😉

Along with a number of my fellow UK bloggers, I am offering one lucky winner the chance to win a £100 hamper of their choice from Marks and Spencer – for example, this Windsor Hamper with Prosecco and red wine (pictured above)..

The competition is being promoted by my blogging colleague Emma Drew and is (of course) free to enter. Full details provided by Emma can be found below. Basically you just have to open the Rafflecopter widget and complete the simple tasks described. Each completed task will then earn you one entry in the giveaway.

The Bloggers

The following bloggers have all teamed together to contribute towards this competition, offering you a fantastic prize.

Please show your support by visiting some of the bloggers taking part just by clicking on the name of the blog below.

What To Watch | Unique Young Mum | Charlotte Musha | Tweet Your Trip | Side Hustle Directory | Koody | Socially Rach | Adventures Of a Riot Grrl | Nishi V | Hawkes At Home | Digital Frogs | Becca Blogs It Out | Jass V | Craft Hustle Directory | Thrifty Chap | Our House Our Home | Money Saving Superhero | The Financial Wilderness | Photographyish | Peggy May | Girls Just Wanna Have Funds | Pounds and Sense | Mum on a Budget | Her Home Biz | Simple Happy Home | The Money Whisperer | Love Panda | Love Dogs | Easy Peasy Gardens | Money Money Money | 360 Mum | A Little Luxury For Me | Mind Over Money Matters | Enjoy England For Less | Alice in Sheffield | Funding Her Freedom | Mama In Progress | A Rose Tinted World | So Nostalgic | Lindy Loves | Francesca’s Growing Patch | WotAWoman Diary | Deborah Stansil | Reinventing Neesha | That Copper Life | Patty Finds Deals | Pink Steel | My Debt Diary | Drewmies | Thrifty Husband

The Prize

Up for giveaway is a £100 M&S hamper of your choice.

With plenty to choose from, you can pick yourself a lovely treat!

Rules and How to Enter

1. There is one top prize of a £100 M&S hamper of the winner’s choosing.
2. There are no runner up prizes
3. Open to UK residents aged 18 and over, excluding all bloggers involved with running the giveaway
4. Closing date for entries is midnight on 31.08.20
5. The same Rafflecopter widget appears on all the blogs involved, but you only need to enter on one blog
6. Entrants must log in to the Rafflecopter widget, and complete one or more of the tasks – each completed task earns one entry in the prize draw
7. Tweeting about the giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget will earn five bonus entries into the prize draw.
8. 1 winner will be chosen at random.
9. The winner will be informed by email within 7 days of the closing date and will need to respond within 28 days with their delivery address, or a replacement winner will be chosen.
10. The winners’ names will be published in the Rafflecopter widget (unless the winner objects to this).
11. The prizes will be dispatched within 14 days of the winner confirming their address.
12. The promoter is www.EmmaDrew.info
13. By participating in this prize draw, entrants confirm they have read, understood and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions

To enter simply complete any or all of the Rafflecopter entry widgets below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One last small point is that if a winning entry comes from following someone on social media, Emma will check before awarding the prize that the winner is still following the account in question. If they aren’t, they will be disqualified and a new winner drawn. So, please, don’t follow and immediately unfollow, as your entry won’t then count.

Good luck, and I really do hope you win this fabulous prize. But even if you don’t, I hope you enjoy entering and discovering some other amazing UK bloggers!

As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.

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Three Ways Over 75s Can Avoid Paying for a TV Licence

Three Ways Over 75s Can Avoid Paying for a TV Licence

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As you probably know by now, from 1st August 2020 people over 75 in the UK lost their automatic right to a free TV licence and now have to pay the same £157.50 a year as everyone else. This was originally due to happen in June 2020, but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For many old people, TV is their main (or only) source of company. Suddenly having to find this quite large sum out of (in many cases) a very limited income may cause them financial difficulties or downright hardship. Some may even have to choose between watching television and paying their heating bills.

Whether you blame the government or the BBC for this parlous situation – and in my view both are culpable – many over-75s will struggle with this, at a time when many are already suffering terrible stress and isolation due to the pandemic. So in this post I will be setting out three ways they may be able to get out of paying this ‘TV tax’.

I hope that this will be helpful if you are over 75 yourself, or if you have relatives, friends or neighbours in this age group.

I’ll start with the best method if you are eligible….

1. Claim Pension Credit

Pension credit is a state benefit for people above retirement age who are on a low income. It can be paid to single people or to couples. It is usually paid weekly, though you can also choose to have it paid fortnightly or monthly if you prefer. Anyone over 75 receiving pension credit is automatically eligible for a free TV licence.

Along with attendance allowance – which I discussed in this recent post – pension credit is one of the most under-claimed benefits. According to the Department for Work and Pensions, around 40 percent of eligible people, or two in five, fail to claim it. That’s an estimated 1.5 million eligible households in the UK who are missing out.

Pension credit actually comes in two parts – guarantee credit and savings credit. Guarantee credit boosts your weekly income to £167.25 if you’re single or £255.25 if you’re a couple (all figures correct as of March 2020). You may be eligible for guarantee credit if you have reached state pension age and your total income is less than these amounts (even if you own your own home). If you have under £10,000 in savings and investments this will not be taken into consideration. If you have over £10,000, it will be assumed that you earn £1 a week per £500 of savings and investments (equivalent to an interest rate of 10.4% – if only!). This will be added to your total income when working out your eligibility.

Savings credit is meant to be a reward for those who have saved for their retirement. It’s worth up to £13.73 a week for a single person or £15.35 for couples. To qualify, you must have a minimum income of £144.38 a week if you’re single, and £229.67 a week if you’re in a couple. For every £1 by which your income exceeds this amount, you get 60p of savings credit – up to the £13.73/£15.35 maximum. If your income is less than the £144.38/£229.67 savings credit threshold, you won’t qualify. Savings Credit is only available to people who reached state pension age before 6 April 2016. Couples where only one partner reached state pension age before 6 April 2016 can also retain savings credit if the older partner had reached 65 and qualified for savings credit before that date AND they have remained continuously entitled to it ever since. Whether you receive guarantee credit or savings credit or both, that will qualify you for a free TV licence.

It’s worth adding that if you pay mortgage interest or have other housing costs, have caring responsibilities, are responsible for a child, or are severely disabled, you may be entitled to more pension credit. If you receive attendance allowance or carers credit, for example, this may boost the amount you’re entitled to. The rules surrounding all this are complicated, but the government has provided a free online calculator you can use to work out whether you qualify and how much you might get. This is for guidance only, however. You can’t apply via the calculator and there is no guarantee that you will receive the amount it shows you.

To actually apply you will need to phone the DWP’s Pension Credit helpline on 0800 991234. You will need your National Insurance number, information about your income, savings and investments and your bank account details. The person you speak to will then take you through the application process. This is a subject I discussed in more detail in this blog post, as I recently helped an older friend to do this successfully.

As well as the money – which can amount to thousands of pounds a year – if you receive pension credit you will be entitled to a range of additional benefits. A free TV licence if you are over 75 is just one of them. You may also get:

  • reduced council tax (or free if you are awarded guarantee credit)
  • free NHS dental treatment
  • help towards the cost of glasses
  • help with the cost of travel to hospital
  • cold weather payments
  • automatic entitlement to the Warm Home Discount
  • help with rent
  • free home insulation and boiler grants
  • extra money if you’re a carer

Even if you only receive a small amount of pension credit, you will be eligible for all of the above. So it really is well worth applying if there is any chance you may qualify. As mentioned above, you can check first using the free online calculator here and then apply by phoning the DWP’s Pension Credit helpline on 0800 991234.

2. Cancel Your TV Licence

If you don’t qualify for pension credit and the free licence that comes with it, you may wish to opt out of paying for a TV licence altogether.

There is no legal requirement to possess a TV licence just because you own a TV.  But if you don’t have a licence it’s against the law to watch (or record) most live broadcasts. This also applies to watching on other types of device such as tablets and smartphones. It also applies if you watch via a cable service or satellite TV.

Obviously you aren’t allowed to watch live TV on any of the BBC’s channels, neither can you watch catch-up TV on the BBC iPlayer. In addition, you are not allowed to watch ANY live TV on other channels, even those broadcast from overseas. And you aren’t allowed to record live broadcasts by any TV service even if you don’t watch them till later.

So what ARE you allowed to watch without a licence? You can still watch catch-up TV on other (non-BBC) channels such as ITV Player and Demand 5. You can also watch subscription services such as Amazon Prime TV and Netflix.

You are also allowed to listen to BBC radio and all other radio stations, as radio is not covered by the TV licence.

If you decide to cancel your TV licence, you can do so by going to this page of the TV Licensing website and clicking where it says ‘Tell us you don’t need a licence’. You should also cancel any direct debit you may have set up with your bank.

Note that if you are found ‘cheating’ and watching TV that requires a licence, you could be fined up to £1,000 and even face imprisonment if you fail to pay. So it is best not to cancel your TV licence unless you are sure you aren’t going to need it in future.

3. Get a Black and White TV Licence

Okay, I am cheating slightly here. You do still have to pay for a black-and-white licence, but the annual cost is just £53, so it’s over £100 cheaper.

Black-and-white TVs are available from specialist suppliers and also sold on the online auction site eBay. If you don’t mind returning to monochrome you can save over £100 a year this way. Again, you can cancel your colour licence and apply for a black-and-white licence via the TV Licensing website.

Finally, I would comment that the whole situation regarding TV licensing is currently under review. In particular, the over-75s licence debacle has highlighted the inherent unfairness of a system where people are required to pay for a TV licence even if they only ever watch non-BBC channels. It is therefore possible that in future the BBC may be required to switch to a subscription model like Netflix, meaning that people won’t have to pay a licence fee at all. In my personal opinion this would be a better, fairer system. It would also force the BBC to up its game by producing more shows the paying public really want to see.

I hope you have found this post interesting. As ever, if you have any comments or questions, please do leave them below.

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August update

My Coronavirus Crisis Experience: August Update

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Regular readers will know that I have been posting about my personal experience of the coronavirus crisis since lockdown started (you can read my July update here if you like).

I said I hoped that update might be my final one, but in light of events over the last few weeks that may have been a bit optimistic. So I have decided to continue publishing monthly updates for a while longer.

As previously I will discuss what has been happening with my finances and my life generally over the last few weeks. As always, I will start with the money side of things.

Financial

Again, things haven’t changed dramatically since my update last month. Here’s the latest chart showing how my Nutmeg stocks and shares ISA is faring…

Nutmeg August 2020

Through July there have been ups and downs, but as of today my Nutmeg ISA is £400 up compared with my last update in early July. This represents a good overall recovery after it lost over a third of its value early in the pandemic (admittedly I helped things along by investing another £1,000 when the markets were near their lowest point). Even allowing for this extra £1,000, my portfolio is now a little above where it was before the crisis started.

I remain cautiously optimistic that the recovery will continue over the longer term. Obviously, if there is a big ‘second wave’ of the virus all bets are off, but personally I think this is unlikely. And even if it does happen, the NHS is much better placed to cope. So I plan to stay in the markets and continue to invest cautiously where I see value. I haven’t put any more money into my Nutmeg ISA just yet but will probably do so soon. Do take a look at my in-depth Nutmeg review if you haven’t already.

My monthly payments from my two Buy2LetCars investments (totalling around £420) continue to appear in my bank account every month like clockwork. I have had no issues at all with this platform, and am glad also to be supporting key workers by providing reasonably priced transport for them. Again, if you’d like to learn more, you can read my review of Buy2LetCars here and my more recent article about the company here. The minimum investment is £7,000 so this opportunity isn’t going to be for everyone – but if I had that sort of money burning a hole in my pocket right now, I wouldn’t hesitate to invest through them again. Each car generates a monthly income, with a large lump sum at the end of the three-year term. Interest rates range from 7 to 12 percent per year.

My other equity-based investments generally continue to do about as well as could be expected. As I said last time, my Bestinvest SIPP hasn’t lost any significant value when you allow for the fact that it’s in drawdown and I am currently withdrawing £200 a month from it. I’m not claiming any special skills as a stock picker, but having a broad range of funds in my portfolio has undoubtedly served me well. Years ago, also, I decided to invest some of my pension money in specialist healthcare funds, and these have done better than average over the last few months.

My property crowdfunding investments are still sluggish, though I was pleased to hear that Property Partner are recommencing the five-year anniversary process, starting on 1st October 2020. They also intend to start paying out dividends again on some properties from 30 September 2020 (though only those with strong enough financial reserves to justify this). Properties on their resale market are currently selling at up to 20% below the independent pre-Covid valuations, so theoretically there could be short-term profit opportunities here. But of course, there is no guarantee that properties will still sell at pre-Covid prices. I am not intending to invest any more on the PP resale market at this time, though I might review that if the initial five-year sales pass off successfully.

My Kuflink investments are still ticking along nicely, and it has been reassuring to see a steady stream of new loans going live on the platform over the last few weeks. I have been investing modestly in them, along with loan portions that have just a few months left to run via the Kuflink Marketplace. See my Kuflink review here for more information. Their up-to-£4,000 cashback offer for new investors is still open, incidentally.

I also have property crowdfunding investments with The House Crowd and Crowdlords. As mentioned last time, one of my House Crowd properties is in the process of being sold, so I should get around £1,000 from that. Checking on the THC website today, I see the buyer has now requested vacant possession, meaning the tenant has to be given notice to leave. So I am not expecting the sale to go through any time soon, especially as tenants have been given additional protection due to the pandemic (quite rightly, of course). They are continuing to pay rent, so this should at least help to defray some of the sale costs.

I received an email from Crowdlords a couple of weeks ago which came as a shock. It said that, ‘following recent announcements by the FCA to propose permanent changes of the mass-marketing of speculative illiquid securities, Crowdlords is ceasing all FCA regulated activity with immediate effect.’ The message went on to say that they are ‘currently exploring our options regarding the types of investments we will offer in the future and we will be in touch very soon with more details as appropriate.’

As regards existing CL investments – of which I have two – these will continue to be managed by Crowdlords. It is, though, disappointing that there have been no updates about either of my CL investments since before the pandemic, either on the website or by email. My investments are in bricks and mortar so I have no doubt I will get my money back eventually, hopefully with profits. But again, I’m not holding my breath. I will be writing to Crowdlords to see if any further information is available and will add an update here or in next month’s update as seems appropriate.

  • One other thing I have mentioned before is that I still have a few invitations available for an unusual sideline-earning opportunity based on matched betting. I have been asked not to divulge too many details about it on the blog for very good reasons I will explain privately to anyone who may be interested (and no, it’s not illegal!). What I can say is that it doesn’t require any financial outlay, is entirely hands-off, and will provide an income of £50 a month. No knowledge of betting is required, and you won’t have to place any bets yourself. Just note that the opportunity is only open to people who haven’t done matched betting before and have no more than two accounts already with online bookmakers. For more info (and receive a no-obligation invitation) drop me a line including your email address via my Contact Me page 🙂

Personal

As I’ve said before, I live on my own since my partner, Jayne, passed away a few years ago. I am lucky to live in a fairly large house with a good-sized garden, so being mostly confined to home hasn’t been as big a challenge for me as I’m sure it has for some. Also, I am well used to working from home, having done this for the last 30 years or so.

As you may know, I am a semi-retired freelance writer and editor (age 64). I’ve had very little work since the lockdown started, and was duly grateful to receive some financial support from the government’s SEISS scheme. I also intend to apply for the second tranche of SEISS payments when applications open on August 17th.

  • I am still available for freelance writing, editing or proofreading work, although not taking on book-length projects any more. Feel free to drop me a line if you think my services might be of interest to you 🙂

Last time I said it appeared the worst of the pandemic was behind us and things were starting to feel more normal again. I do still believe this, but of course in recent weeks there have been local ‘spikes’ leading to restrictions being reimposed in the areas concerned (including Leicester, my old university city). This has led to media scare stories about an imminent ‘second wave’ of the virus, for which there is still no actual evidence. I prefer to believe Professor Karol Sikora about this. He says such local upticks are entirely to be expected at this stage of the pandemic and should be controllable with the aid of track and trace and other suitable measures in affected areas.

One thing that has happened nationally in England since my last update is that face coverings have been made mandatory in shops and supermarkets. As you may know, I am very dubious about this. The evidence that masks offer any real benefit in this setting is weak at best. What’s more, many people misuse them, typically fiddling with them and re-using them without washing them (if that’s possible). Doing this can actually increase the risk of transmitting the virus. In addition, there are growing reports about people contracting other serious lung conditions through long-term use of masks.

What’s more, the imposition of mandatory masks has changed the atmosphere in shops and supermarkets, which had been starting to feel more relaxed. The tension in the air when shopping is palpable now. Although shop staff have generally displayed commonsense and tact when enforcing the rules, that hasn’t stopped some self-appointed ‘mask police’ from harassing people they think are breaking the rules.

I witnessed a particularly unsavoury incident in my local Morrisons, when a man confronted a woman who was shopping without a mask. He screamed insults at her, removing his own mask to do so – whether to berate her more effectively or (heaven forbid) ‘to see how she liked it’. The woman’s child was clearly distressed by the incident, and it left a bad taste in my mouth too.

For the record, while face coverings are now mandatory in shops, people with medical or psychological conditions that are exacerbated by masks don’t have to wear them (neither do they have to provide proof of this). My own suggestion, FWIW, would be for supermarkets to have a designated hour that is strictly ‘masks only’, so that people whose sensibilities are offended by others not wearing masks don’t have to see this. The rest of the time commonsense can be applied and people who can’t wear masks can be left to get on with their shopping without fear of being harangued by staff or other customers.

Personally I have a mild lung condition which means it is inadvisable for me to wear a tight face covering for more than a few minutes. I can be in the supermarket for over an hour when shopping for elderly friends as well as myself, and I’m not willing to put my health at risk for no good reason by wearing a mask for that long. So I am now wearing a clear plastic face shield/visor, which allows me to breathe but still provides a physical barrier. I think that’s a reasonable compromise personally. As a matter of interest, here is a link to the ones I ordered from Amazon, which I highly recommend [affiliate link].

You can also buy badges and lanyards from the Disability Horizons online shop which clearly show your mask exempt status (see picture below). There is no requirement to wear anything like this, but some people may wish to do so to reduce the likelihood of being challenged.

Mask exemption

I understand the government hoped that making masks mandatory in shops would encourage more people to go, but I don’t see that myself, and evidence appears to confirm that the opposite is the case. Personally I have found shopping a far less enjoyable experience since this measure was introduced, and am now going to the shops as little as possible. Their loss is Amazon’s gain, I’m afraid.

Moving on, I just had my first haircut since March, which was very much needed and appreciated. I have also been enjoying swimming again at my local David Lloyd club. It’s been great to be doing something normal again, and staff and management there have been doing a brilliant job. They are taking mitigation measures to protect against the virus, but these are generally unobtrusive and sensible (no mandatory masks for members or staff anywhere). The last time I went I also enjoyed a half-price cappuccino and cake in their coffee shop, by courtesy of the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

I am looking forward to my short break in Minehead at the start of September, which I booked before this crisis happened. I am also still mulling over whether to try to book a couple of days away in Wales. August is filling up now, including meeting friends I haven’t seen for ages, so this may have to wait till later in September. A weekend in Llandudno or Aberystwyth could definitely be on the cards.

Finally, I’m sure you’re dying to know, so I’m on the ninth and final season of Bergerac now. Jim has left the Jersey police and is living in France with new squeeze Danielle. The show did lose something when it moved away from Jersey, though of course the writers found plenty of opportunities to bring our hero back to the island. Some good new characters were introduced in the final series, notably the inimitable Roger Sloman playing Jim’s replacement, Inspector Deffand, with lip-curling disdain. I shall be sorry when I finish this box set. I do have others lined up, and am also mulling over subscribing to Britbox, mainly so I can relive my childhood with all the classic Doctor Who episodes there!

So that has been my experience of the coronavirus crisis to date. I do of course appreciate that I am in a fortunate position compared with many others, and hope you and your family are coping in these strange and worrying times. Here’s hoping that things continue to improve and we can all return in due course to something approximating normal life.

As ever, I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. If you have any comments or questions, as always, please do post them below.

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Should You Keep Your Santander 123 Lite Account?

Should You Keep Your Santander 123 Lite Account?

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In this post in May 2020 I revealed why I was switching my Santander 123 account to a 123 Lite account.

At that time they were cutting their interest rate from 1.5 to 1 percent and I calculated it was no longer worth paying the £5 a month fee. So I switched to a 123 Lite account costing just £1 a month.

Admittedly with this account you don’t receive any interest, but you do still get cashback on your direct debits at the same rates. I worked out that overall I would be almost £30 a year better off with a 123 Lite account (obviously the exact figure would depend on the direct debits you have)..

Since then Santander has cut the interest rate paid on a standard 123 account again, to just 0.6% from August 2020. That made the decision to switch even more clear-cut for me.

October 2020 Changes

Santander have just announced further changes to their fees and cashback rates. These will apply from 27 October 2020.

The main change is that the fee for a Santander 123 Lite account will be doubling from £1 to £2 a month. Cashback rates for direct debit payments will be changing as well. The main changes are as follows:

  • Water bill cashback will go up from one percent to three percent
  • Communications bill cashback (phones/broadband/TV packages) will be reduced from three percent to one percent.
  • Cashback paid on other household bills (such as gas, electricity, council tax, etc.) will remain unchanged.

The changes are detailed in the table below, which I have copied from the Santander website…

Santander 123 Lite cashback changes

Effect of the Changes

Below I have copied the list of monthly cashback payments from my post in May 2020. Obviously my finances are somewhat different now, but I thought it would be best to use this to provide a clear (and fair) comparison. At this time I still had an ordinary 123 account, so the screen capture below includes interest as well.

Cashback and Interest paid

By my calculation, the cashback due to me under the new regime would be as follows:

  • Water – £0.81 (up £0.54)
  • Gas and Electricity – £2.84 (unchanged)
  • Council Tax – £1.61 (unchanged)
  • Comms (mobile phone and broadband) – £0.37 (down £0.74)

Overall, then, my monthly cashback will fall from £5.83 to £5.63 in October 2020. That’s a drop of 20p a month – disappointing but not exactly devastating.

If you deduct the new £2 a month fee, overall I will be making 5.63 – 2.00 = £3.63 a month or £43.56 a year. On my average £1,800 balance, that works out as a notional interest rate of 2.4%. That may not sound a lot, but it is still far better than most other instant access accounts. Of course, rather than interest the account pays cashback, but in money terms the effect is the same.

  • As a matter of interest, if I were to reduce the average balance in my Santander account to £900 while still earning the same cashback, that would effectively double the rate of return I receive. Perversely, with the Santander Lite account, the lower the average balance you can keep while still servicing your direct debits, the better the percentage return on your capital you will get 🙂

Obviously the numbers are likely to work out differently for you. I do, though, highly recommend taking a few moments to complete a calculation such as the one above using your own cashback figures. Most people are likely to earn less cashback under the new regime, as their water bills (with cashback rising) are likely to be lower than the cost of their phone, internet and TV packages (cashback falling). As in my case, though, it may not make a huge difference overall.

What If You Still Have a Standard 123 Account?

The monthly fee for a regular Santander 123 account will remain at £5 and it will continue to pay 0.6 percent interest, up to a maximum of £20,000.

The cashback terms will change along with 123 Lite accounts, however, meaning most people will receive a bit less cashback after October 27 2020.

Using myself as an example again, if I still had a regular 123 account I would be receiving £5.63 cashback and £0.90 interest per month on my average £1,800 balance (with the 0.6% interest rate that applies from August). That’s a total of £6.53 a month. Subtract the £5 fee from this, and my net returns from the account would be £1.53 a month or £18.36 a year. That’s less than half what I would get with a 123 Lite account, and works out as a return on capital of marginally over 1.00%

Again, if you have a regular 123 account I recommend completing a calculation such as the one above to see if you would be better off with a 123 Lite account. Unless you have a very high average balance (in which case you should probably be investing some and/or putting some in an interest-paying savings account) the 123 Lite account will almost certainly win.

  • To cover the £60 a year charges alone at the current interest rate of 0.6%, you would need to keep an average balance of £10,000 in the account.

If you want to switch from a regular 123 account to 123 Lite, as I mentioned in my earlier article, it is a very simple process. Just log in to your account and select the option to ‘upgrade’. You will have to answer a few quick questions and click to confirm. In a short time – next day in my case – you should receive an email confirming you are now the proud owner of a Santander 123 Lite account. The account will still have the same sort code and account number and the same PIN number, and you will be able to log in via the app or website just as before.

Conclusion

It is clearly disappointing that Santander are doing this, though they say that rising costs have left them with little option.

But even after the October changes, I still find that having a Santander 123 Lite current account makes sense for me and will continue to do so. I may, however, try to reduce the average balance I keep in the account by moving some money to an alternative, interest-paying savings account.

As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below,.

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Defying the Mask Dictate

Guest Post: Defying the Mask Dictate

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Today I have a guest post for you from my old friend John Goss, who blogs at All the Goss.

John blogs about a range of subjects, including politics and media. In this post he writes about the government’s recent decision to make face masks in shops compulsory in England and why he believes this is a mistake. The post struck a chord with me, so I asked John for permission to republish it on PAS, which he kindly gave me. At the end of the post I will add a few thoughts of my own on the subject.

Over to John, then…

 

It is not for me to tell others how to behave. For myself, however, I am unable to wear a face mask because of a medical condition.

Maskaphobia is a lot more common than people may think. It can start in childhood, get further endorsed in the dentist’s chair, by horror movies and scary images – an example might be the image of an executioner or a “wild animal in a black mask” to quote one of my favourite poets, George Ivanov (1894-1958). The condition is serious.

It has been announced that the wearing of face masks in shops will be compulsory from 24 July. This will make it intolerable for maskaphobes. Other people wearing masks can only cause more stress for this growing sector of the population. Other illnesses as well as maskaphobia are made worse by the wearing of masks.

So is this directive from the government necessary? The graph below charts the falling number of deaths where Covid-19 has been reported from 1 May to 7 July. I think people can see for themselves that this sudden imposition of face masks is a simple test to see just how simple, gullible and pliable to government dictates the UK populace is.

Covid deaths to 7 July

People with disabilities, including deaf, blind and paranoid, may suffer adversely from mask apparel. Other medical conditions which are exacerbated by the wearing of masks include asthma and respiratory illnesses. People with high blood-pressure should not wear masks because added CO2 will increase their blood-pressure. Nearly everyone will have some condition which the wearing of face-masks will make worse.

Mine is not maskaphobia. Well not yet, though I do feel a strong aversion to masks, which is growing by the day. For me it is something else.

Medical conditions are private between you and your GP. You do not need to tell any third party what yours is. Explaining that you have one should be sufficient.

 

Many thanks again to John for allowing me to republish his post. You can read more of John’s work at https://johnplatinumgoss.com.

Regular readers of Pounds and Sense will know (e.g. from this post) that I am also opposed to the imposition of mandatory face coverings in shops and supermarkets. In my view any benefits they may confer are marginal at best. What’s more, if incorrectly used (as many do) they can actually increase the risk of transmission. On my last visit to my local Morrisons I saw several people fiddling with their masks and one actually hold it to his face and then touch items on the shelves with the same hand. If you were deliberately trying to transmit the virus, you could hardly do better than that.

I am also concerned that – contrary to what the government appears to believe – this measure will not encourage people to go out and shop. Indeed, the reverse is true. For example, a recent Twitter poll of over 43,000 people by Martin Lewis of Moneysavingexpert fame found that significantly more people said they would be less likely to go to the shops if masks are compulsory than those saying it would make this more likely.

Of course, PAS is aimed especially at older people and people with disabilities, and I am particularly concerned about the impact this measure will have on them. Here is one typical comment from Martin Lewis’s survey…

As someone who wouldn’t be wearing one on health grounds it makes me more anxious that I’d be subject to ridicule/online ‘calling out’ and abuse. So while it’s in force I won’t go to a shop unless life & death in a bid to look after my mh [mental health]

At a time when many of us are experiencing extreme stress and other mental health worries, it seems wrong to me that as a result of this measure many people feel they are being forced back into isolation.

I would like to close by endorsing again what John says in his article. If you have a medical or psychological condition that is exacerbated by wearing a mask, you do NOT have to wear one. Neither do you have to provide proof of the condition, or even explain to shop staff (or anyone else) what it is.

Although it’s not essential, if you would like a way of showing you are exempt from the requirement to wear a mask – for medical or psychological reasons – you can buy a badge/lanyard (see picture below) from.the Disability Horizons online shop. This has no official status (not that this is needed) but may reduce the likelihood of your being challenged.

Mask exemption

As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.

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How Over-75s Can Claim Pension Credit to Keep Their Free TV Licence

How Over-75s Can Claim Pension Credit to Keep Their Free TV Licence

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As you may have heard, the BBC has now confirmed that from 1st August 2020 people over 75 in the UK will lose their automatic right to a free TV licence and have to pay the same £157.50 a year as everyone else. This was originally due to happen in June 2020, but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For many old people, TV is their main (or only) source of company. Suddenly having to find this quite large sum out of (in many cases) a very limited income may cause them financial difficulties or downright hardship. Some may even have to choose between watching television and paying their heating bills.

This parlous situation has arisen because the BBC say they have to make economies, and continuing to subsidise free licences for the elderly would force them to cut back drastically in other areas. Meanwhile the government, despite their pre-election promises, has shown no sign of stepping in to preserve free TV licences for over 75s (which they could perfectly well do). Although charities such as Age UK have been raising petitions and applying as much pressure as they can, it now seems certain that this change is going to happen.

So what can people in this situation – or their relatives/friends/carers – do? The BBC have allowed just one concession – the poorest over-75s can continue to receive a free TV licence if they claim and receive pension credit. So let’s look at this in a bit more detail…

Pension Credit

Pension credit is a state benefit for people above retirement age who are on a low income. It can be paid to single people or to couples. It is usually paid weekly, though you can also choose to have it paid fortnightly or monthly.

Along with attendance allowance – which I discussed in this recent post – pension credit is one of the most under-claimed benefits. According to the Department for Work and Pensions, around 40 percent of eligible people, or two in five, fail to claim it. That’s an estimated 1.5 million eligible households in the UK who are missing out.

Pension credit actually comes in two parts – guarantee credit and savings credit. Guarantee credit boosts your weekly income to £167.25 if you’re single or £255.25 if you’re a couple (all figures correct as of March 2020). You may be eligible for guarantee credit if you have reached state pension age and your total income is less than these amounts (even if you own your own home). If you have under £10,000 in savings and investments this will not be taken into consideration. If you have over £10,000, it will be assumed that you earn £1 a week per £500 of savings and investments (equivalent to an interest rate of 10.4% – if only!). This will be added to your total income when working out your eligibility.

Savings credit is meant to be a reward for those who have saved for their retirement. It’s worth up to £13.73 a week for a single person or £15.35 for couples. To qualify, you must have a minimum income of £144.38 a week if you’re single, and £229.67 a week if you’re in a couple. For every £1 by which your income exceeds this amount, you get 60p of savings credit – up to the £13.73/£15.35 maximum. If your income is less than the £144.38/£229.67 savings credit threshold, you won’t qualify. Savings Credit is only available to people who reached state pension age before 6 April 2016. Couples where only one partner reached state pension age before 6 April 2016 can also retain savings credit if the older partner had reached 65 and qualified for savings credit before that date AND they have remained continuously entitled to it ever since.

It’s worth adding that if you pay mortgage interest or have other housing costs, have caring responsibilities, are responsible for a child, or are severely disabled, you may be entitled to more pension credit. If you receive attendance allowance or carers credit, for example, this may boost the amount you’re entitled to. The rules surrounding all this are complicated, but the government has provided a free online calculator you can use to work out whether you qualify and how much you might get. This is for guidance only, however. You can’t apply via the calculator and there is no guarantee that you will receive the amount it shows you.

To actually apply you will need to phone the DWP’s Pension Credit helpline on 0800 991234. You will need your National Insurance number, information about your income, savings and investments and your bank account details. The person you speak to will then take you through the application process. This is a subject I discussed in more detail in this blog post, as I recently helped an older friend to do this successfully.

What Does Pension Credit Entitle You To?

As well as the money – which can amount to thousands of pounds a year – if you receive pension credit you will be entitled to a range of additional benefits. A free TV licence if you are over 75 is just one of them. You may also get:

  • reduced council tax (or free if you are awarded guarantee credit)
  • free NHS dental treatment
  • help towards the cost of glasses
  • help with the cost of travel to hospital
  • cold weather payments
  • automatic entitlement to the Warm Home Discount
  • help with rent
  • free home insulation and boiler grants
  • extra money if you’re a carer

Even if you only receive a small amount of pension credit, you will be eligible for all of the above. So it really is well worth applying if there is any chance you may qualify. As mentioned above, you can check first using the free online calculator here and then apply by phoning the DWP’s Pension Credit helpline on 0800 991234.

Don’t delay, as there are now just seven weeks left before the free TV licence for all over-75s becomes a cherished memory.

Equity Release to Boost Your Income

If you’re still struggling to pay the bills even with pension credit, there are other methods to help boost your income. In particular, UK homeowners are fortunate to have opportunities to unlock their property value. An equity release loan could provide the security you desire if you require the means to pay for life’s simple pleasures or cover essential costs.

What’s more, homeowners can unlock up to 65% of their property value, with no compulsory payments required during their lifetime. There’s no limit on how you can use the tax-free cash you receive, so an income lifetime mortgage could be the ideal way to pay your bills and have a bit extra for luxuries as well.

As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.

This is a revised and updated version of my original March 2020 post. 

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My Coronavirus Crisis Experience: July Update

My Coronavirus Crisis Experience: July Update

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Regular readers will know that I have been posting about my personal experience of the coronavirus crisis since lockdown started (you can read my June update here if you like).

In what I hope will be my final update, I thought I would discuss what has been happening with my finances and my life generally over the last few weeks. As previously, I will start with the money-related stuff…

Financial

Overall things haven’t changed dramatically since my update last month. Here’s the latest chart showing how my Nutmeg stocks and shares ISA is faring…

Nutmeg july 2020

As you can see, my ISA made a good recovery after losing over a third of its value in March (admittedly I helped things along by investing another £1,000 when the markets were near their lowest point). In the last few weeks things have plateaued somewhat, though the overall trend is still upward. Allowing for the extra £1,000 invested in March, my portfolio is now back at the level where it was before the crisis started.

Assuming there is no major second wave of the virus – and there has been little sign of that so far – I am hopeful the recovery will continue over the longer term. Of course, there are likely to be bumps along the way, and in the short term at least we face the likelihood of a recession. Even so, I am keeping my fingers crossed for a recovery over the next year or so, and am continuing to invest cautiously where I see value. I haven’t put any more money into my Nutmeg ISA yet but definitely plan to. I may, though, take the opportunity to reduce my risk level (which is easy to do from the Nutmeg dashboard). Do take a look at my in-depth Nutmeg review if you haven’t already.

My monthly payments from my two Buy2LetCars investments (totalling around £420) continue to appear in my bank account every month like clockwork. I was initially wary about this, as it is obviously a bit outside the usual range of investments. However, I have had no issues at all, and am glad also to be supporting key workers by providing reasonably priced transport for them.

Again, if you’d like to learn more, you can read my review of Buy2LetCars here and my more recent article about the company here. Obviously the minimum investment is £7,000 so this opportunity isn’t going to be for everyone – but if I had that sort of money burning a hole in my pocket right now, I wouldn’t hesitate to invest through them again. Each car generates a monthly income, with a large lump sum at the end of the three-year term. Interest rates range from 7 to 12 percent per year.

My other equity-based investments generally are doing about as well as could be expected in the circumstances and in some cases better. In particular, my Bestinvest SIPP hasn’t lost any significant value when you allow for the fact that it’s in drawdown and I am currently withdrawing £200 a month from it. I’m not claiming any special skills as a stock picker, but having a broad range of funds in my portfolio has undoubtedly served me well. Years ago, also, I decided to invest some of my pension money in specialist healthcare funds, and these have done better than average over the last few months 🙂

On the property crowdfunding side, the picture isn’t so rosy. A number of my property investments still seem to be stuck in limbo, though I did hear from The House Crowd that they had received an offer for a house in Liverpool in which I invested £1,000 six years ago (pictured below).

THC Property

The offer was for slightly less than the original purchase amount, but nonetheless the investors (including me) voted by a clear majority to accept it. So I will get a bit less than my original £1,000 back, though when you add in the dividend payments (from rent) since I first invested, I should be slightly up overall. But that’s before you allow for inflation, of course!

I am hoping that the Stamp Duty holiday announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak this week will help get the housing market moving and maybe ‘unstick’ some of my other property crowdfunding investments that have been on hold for a while. In retrospect I probably let my enthusiasm for the property crowdfunding concept run away with me a bit in the past. Overall I have still made some money from these investments, but not as much as I hoped or expected. And I still have a fair-sized sum tied up in properties I really expected to be sold by now. I do still think property crowdfunding can merit a place in people’s portfolios, but would advise diversifying as much as possible across platforms and properties. And definitely don’t invest money you might need any time soon!

Finally on this subject, I would just say that I exclude property loan investment platform Kuflink from the criticisms above. All of my investments with them have been doing well. Although there was a short delay with one loan, it has now been repaid (with added interest). Kuflink are adding new investment opportunities to the platform most days and I have been investing modestly in them, along with loan portions that have just a few months left to run via the Kuflink Marketplace. See my Kuflink review here for more information. Their up-to-£4,000 cashback offer for new investors is still open, incidentally.

  • One other thing I have mentioned before is that I have a few invitations available for an unusual sideline-earning opportunity based on matched betting. I have been asked not to divulge too many details about it on the blog for very good reasons I will explain privately to anyone who may be interested (and no, it’s not illegal!). What I can say is that it doesn’t require any financial outlay, is entirely hands-off, and will provide an income of £50 a month. No knowledge of betting is required, and you won’t have to place any bets yourself. Just note that the opportunity is only open to people who haven’t done matched betting before and have no more than two accounts already with online bookmakers. For more info (and receive a no-obligation invitation) drop me a line including your email address via my Contact Me page 🙂

Personal

As I’ve said before, I live on my own since my partner, Jayne, passed away a few years ago. I am lucky to live in a fairly large house with a good-sized garden, so being mostly confined to home hasn’t been as big a challenge for me as I’m sure it has for some. Also, I am well used to working from home, having done this for the last 30 years or so.

Nonetheless, the ongoing nature of the crisis is undoubtedly taking its toll on me. Every day seems so similar it is starting to feel like Groundhog Day. And while that is one of my all-time favourite movies, I definitely don’t want to live in it myself. Mind you, I saw someone on Twitter compare their experience of lockdown at home with the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. At least I wouldn’t claim it’s as bad as that!

So far as work is concerned, as you may know I’m a semi-retired freelance writer and editor (age 64). I’ve had very little work since the lockdown started, and was duly grateful to receive some financial support from the government’s SEISS scheme. I have, though, been keeping myself busy (and sane) with this blog and – as you may have noticed – have enjoyed quite a productive period. I ran out of inspiration a bit this week, but hopefully that is just a temporary blip.

I am still available for freelance writing, editing or proofreading work, although I am not taking on book-length projects any more. Feel free to drop me a line if you think my services might be of interest to you 🙂

Life generally is changing now as – touch wood – the worst of the pandemic appears to be behind us. The experience of shopping is still evolving and I guess it will be many months before it is entirely back to normal. I haven’t yet been to any ‘non-essential’ shops, but at my local Morrisons supermarket it feels a bit more relaxed. I would say only about a quarter of people are wearing masks or other face coverings now. I was wearing a bandana over my nose and mouth but have mostly stopped that unless I find myself surrounded by other shoppers. Of course, in England face coverings are now compulsory on public transport, so I will be keeping my bandanas washed and ready for that.

UPDATE: Just heard that the government is considering making the wearing of face-masks in shops in England compulsory. I find that bizarre at a time when – apart from a few local outbreaks – the virus is waning rapidly. It also sends out a mixed message at a time when the government is encouraging people to eat out, obviously not wearing masks. And the evidence in favour of wearing masks in public is weak anyway. Personally I really hope.the government refrains from doing this.

Many pubs are open again now. I walked past my nearest, The Drill, on Sunday afternoon. It all looked quite continental, with people sitting at tables outside and waitresses going in and out with trays of beer and other drinks. There was a happy buzz of conversation and laughter. The only less cheerful note was struck by the manager standing by the door with a clipboard, presumably taking the contact details of people as they arrived for contact-tracing purposes. I wasn’t tempted to go in myself, though I don’t rule out going for a drink and a meal soon, maybe taking advantage of the government’s £10 off vouchers 🙂

I am still looking forward to my short break in Minehead in September, which I booked before this crisis happened. I am also mulling over whether to try to book a couple of days away in August. I worked out the other day that I have been to Wales every year for over 30 years, and it would be a shame to break that long run in 2020. Llandudno or Aberystwyth could both be contenders.

I am still working my way through my box sets of Deep Space Nine and Bergerac. With the latter, it’s quite interesting to see how mobile phones evolved as the series was made. In the earliest episodes I guess they didn’t exist at all, and Bergerac’s office generally seemed to know telepathically where he was and phoned him at his father-in-law’s or wherever. Later on car phones make an appearance, and then house-brick-sized mobiles with aerials sticking out of them. Ah, the nostalgia!

I am trying not to spend too much time on social media as I know it’s bad for my mental health. There are a few people I follow regularly on Twitter and and enjoy hearing from, though. Last time I mentioned Professor Karol Sikora, a well-respected cancer specialist with a doctorate in immunology. Many people, including me, have found him a beacon of hope amid all the negativity, with his  generally positive and optimistic view (though still informed by science and statistics). He doesn’t have a political axe to grind and is willing to give the government credit for things they have done well and criticize things they have done badly. If you want one person to follow for unbiased news about the pandemic with a measure of hope for the future, I highly recommend checking out his Twitter page.

Lately I’ve also been enjoying reading the posts of Scottish blogger Effie Deans (who blogs as Lily of St Leonards). She is a Scottish academic who has a lot of interesting things to say about nationalism, education, culture, and more. You may or may not agree with all her views; but if you want an interesting and genuinely thought-provoking perspective on events from someone who isn’t afraid to challenge current orthodoxies, I highly recommend checking out her Twitter page and blog.

To end on a positive note, I am looking forward to having my hair cut for the first time in four months next week. I’ve actually quite enjoyed revisiting my long-haired student days, but enough is definitely enough! I am also looking forward to going swimming again after it was announced that outdoor pools can reopen from tomorrow and indoor pools a fortnight later. The David Lloyd Leisure club I belong to has both indoor and outdoor pools, so I am waiting to hear whether they will be opening the outdoor pool immediately or whether I will have to wait a bit longer till both pools can reopen. (UPDATE – Now heard I have to wait another fortnight 🙁 )

So that has been my experience of the coronavirus crisis to date. I do of course appreciate that I am in a fortunate position compared with many others, and hope you and your family are coping in these strange and worrying times. Here’s hoping that things continue to improve and we can all return in due course to something approximating normal life.

As ever, I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. If you have any comments or questions, as always, please do post them below.

Disclaimer: I am not a registered financial adviser and nothing in this post should be construed as personal financial advice. You should always do your own ‘due diligence’ before investing and seek advice from a qualified financial adviser/planner if in any doubt how best to proceed. All investments carry a risk of loss.

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Buying and selling property in the coronavirus crisis

Buying and Selling Property During the Coronavirus Crisis

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As you probably know, during the initial coronavirus lockdown, buying and selling property was almost impossible.

As restrictions are slowly easing, however, house buying and selling has become feasible again. Estate agents have been reporting a big upsurge in enquiries, as the long period of confinement to home has made many people more aware of the shortcomings of their current properties!

Of course, buying and selling houses while the virus remains a threat requires risks to be mitigated as much as possible. That means wearing gloves and masks when meeting agents, buyers or sellers. Following the standard hygiene rules about hand-washing and using hand sanitizers before and after any personal meetings is also vital.

The New Normal

With the need for social distancing and other precautions to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus, valuing and viewing properties has become more challenging. Most agents now offer virtual viewings – generally using a mobile phone camera – as an alternative to personal visits.

Leading online estate agency Yopa has issued the following advice for viewings or valuations…

  1. Vulnerable customers: customers that fall under the ‘vulnerable’ group as advised by the government, should let their local Yopa agent know and will then be offered a virtual valuation or viewing until there is government advice that the safety of this group is no longer a concern.
  2. Preference: we appreciate that not everyone will want a face-to-face meeting with a Yopa agent yet – in which case, we will happily offer a virtual alternative as we have successfully throughout lockdown to date.  We will keep in touch with you to understand if your preferences change as more information is issued by the government on infection rates and virus control. 
  3. Travel: we would advise our customers, where possible, to restrict travel on public transport to attend a valuation or a viewing. 
  4. Minimise contact: we ask that, at a minimum, only the buyer or seller of a property is present at a viewing or valuation – no other parties. All non-Yopa attendees should be from the same household.  We would advise that we conduct  viewings and valuations without the vendor present.
  5. Distance: When meeting with a Yopa agent on a valuation or a viewing, where possible stand at a 2m distance and refrain from shaking hands.
  6. On the property: 
    1. Gaining access:  For vendors, your Yopa agent will call you when you are outside the property to gain access. For buyers, please call your Yopa agent when outside the property to gain access. 
    2. Duration:  Valuation and viewing time should be kept as short as possible to minimize risk.
    3. Air flow: we politely request that all windows and doors are opened in advance of the valuation or viewing where possible, so the Yopa agent and vendor/prospective buyer can move through the property without touching door handles or surfaces.
    4. Refreshments:  whilst very kind of our vendors to offer, we politely ask that refreshments are not offered to our agents whilst on the premises.  
    5. Documentation: as we are a digital business, no paper documentation needs to be transferred between Yopa and our customers – it can all be managed electronically.
    6. Post valuation or viewing: if people have been shown around your current home, you should clean down surfaces, such as door handles, after each viewing with standard cleaning that products.

Yopa say that vendors conducting their own property viewings should complete these in accordance with the recommendations above.

The Yopa Option

If you are thinking of selling your home, an online agency such as Yopa is well worth considering.

They offer a full service, and say they can do anything a traditional estate agent does. They are also open at evenings and weekends.

Yopa charge a fixed fee which is agreed in advance, and never add commission. You can choose to pay when your home is sold, or up-front if you prefer.

Although Yopa are website-based, they have local agents whom they say will be with you at every step until your home is sold. You can also monitor viewings, offers and feedback any time you wish using the YopaHub online dashboard.

Finally, other services offered by Yopa include help with mortgages and conveyancing (via their commercial partners). In addition, every homeowner gets a free utilities switching service.

Final Thoughts

If you’re considering moving, it’s definitely not too soon to get started and benefit from the pent-up demand from other would-be buyers and sellers.

So why not check out the Yopa website today and see if their service could be the one to help you make your next move and find the home of your dreams 🙂

As always , if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Yopa. It includes affiliate links, so if you click through and end up making a purchase, I may receive a commission for introducing you. This will not affect in any way the service you receive or the price you pay.



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Looking after your mental health

Looking After Your Mental Health in the Coronavirus Crisis

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At the risk of stating the obvious, the last few months have been stressful for all of us.

As mentioned in this post last month, a YouGov survey in May found that over a third of respondents (39%) reported a decline in their mental health since March 2020, when the lockdown and other anti-virus measures started. A month on, it’s quite likely that figure would be even higher.

I’ve certainly noticed that I am feeling more stressed and anxious than usual, and I’m luckier than many. Although I live alone, I do have a large house and garden, and also have the advantage of years of experience of working from home. How people in tower block flats have been coping is hard to imagine, particularly if they have young children they are home-schooling as well.

I was keen to find out what methods other people are using to preserve their mental health in these challenging times, so I asked some fellow UK money bloggers what worked for them. I was intrigued by their varied replies, so I’ve set out their comments below. I’ll share some of my own thoughts and experiences afterwards

What Are Other Bloggers Doing?

Emma from Bee Money Savvy says, ‘Writing lists has been my saviour these last few months. I get down if I don’t feel like I’ve achieved much in a day, so having a list of things I’ve managed to do (even small things like eating a healthy breakfast or putting a wash on) has helped me feel somewhat productive and more positive about the day I’ve had.’

Bex from How to B Welthy says her strategies include reading self help books e.g. Good Vibes, Good Life, along with breathing exercises, meditation, getting a good night’s sleep and going out for a walk. She adds that she suffers with mental health issues constantly, though, not just in lockdown.

Collette from Cashback Collette writes, ‘Ive been trying really hard to get outdoors at least once a day either for a walk or a jog – sometimes with my fiance or on my own to clear my head and get some fresh air and vitamin D. I’ve also found I’m in a much better mood and feel more positive on days I speak to friends and family, so I have been chatting to them as much as possible.’

Claire from Money Saving Central says, ‘I have been having an hour to myself in the garden or upstairs every day, once my partner gets in from work. I am not used to all this background noise of iPads, TVs, and children whilst I am trying to work. I really need to sit quietly for just an hour to let my head breathe.’

Blogging duo Joleisa from Joleisa.com say, ‘We have been doing two things really to help us keep sane: crafting, and checking in virtually on elderly friends. We’ve always thought that showing concern for others gives you a boost too.‘

Jennifer from Monethalia says, ‘What’s really helping me is exercising every morning. I’ve never been a gym person but since lockdown happened, I’ve started doing home workouts.’

Nicola from The Frugal Cottage says, ‘I’ve been trying to stay in a routine and focus on finding something positive each day. This is easier on some days than others!’

Pete from Household Money Saving says, ‘I have been watching old box sets on Netflix. I’ve found it comforting to watch something familiar that reminds me of calmer times.’

Charlotte of Charlotte Musha says, ‘Gardening and in particular weeding have been the best thing for my mental health during lockdown. It’s one of those small jobs that make a big difference, so you always feel like you’ve achieved something.’

Laura from Harley Counselling writes, ‘I’m a talking therapist and counsellor, and one of the top tips I’m giving to my clients is to actively build a positive structure into their routine. Designating certain days for activities which we know are good for us gives us a sense of rhythm and familiarity. Things like going for a walk or run, meditation, reading, journalling or gardening can be really restorative and give us space to order our thoughts.’

Katie from Student Skint says, ‘The first 6-8 weeks it was running errands to help give me a reason to get out of the house. But now since rules have eased a bit, it’s making plans to see other people. I find that if I have plans with a friend (or friends) a couple of times a week then it feels more ‘normal’ because I’m seeing and speaking to the people I usually would in person.’

Dan from The Financial Wilderness writes, ‘I meditate. Personally I use the Headspace app which is fantastic, but there are other great resources both free and paid out there.
I always though meditation was a bit, er, ‘woo-woo’ and was deeply skeptical, but I can honestly say after trying it for some time I really notice the benefits, feel calmer and am able to control my thoughts a lot better.’ Dan adds, ‘I am also really enjoying picking up my PlayStation again. I loved gaming throughout my teens but find life is often too busy to be able to – it’s been lovely to rediscover that pleasure.’

Zoe of Eco-Thrifty Living comments, ‘I wrote a blog post about how to deal with anxiety on a budget. I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks in the past and have found things that have helped me. They include doing CBT – I link to some free online self help workbooks in the post, running, drawing and doing a risk register. Not mentioned in the post, but I also find hypnotherapy downloads can be really helpful.’

Joseph who blogs at Thrifty Chap says, ‘Photography. I have a photography YouTube channel and have previous discussed how my mental health benefits from it.’

Bear from Save Like a Bear writes, ‘For me it’s a combination of things: 1. Spending 99% of my social media time on 1-1 conversations rather than anxious scroll holes.
2. Taking a time out to cook dinner from scratch every night no matter how busy I think I am. This has been a good way to get creative and use up what’s in the cupboards because of shopping very rarely too.
3. I’ll echo all the great comments above about what a difference a bit of daily exercise/fresh air/vitamin D makes. I use those walks to listen to podcasts so learning something each day feels like a productive distraction.
4. Having a shutdown routine at night because sleep is so important.
5. This is a very money blogger thing to do, but I had a financial audit and made sure my money was exactly where I wanted it/changed a few systems. It’s one way to feel in control when the world is out of control.‘

Si of Financial Expert says, ‘I’ve been using the Headspace app for 10 minutes each morning to gain a 10 minute window of calm before I begin work. It must be working, as it’s three months in and I now look forward to it.’

Nicola from My Savings Journal says, ‘I’ve tried to let go of my own self-imposed ideas on how productive I should be and the desire to maximise every moment of my time. Instead, I’ve let myself explore hobbies, enjoyed time working on my blog, and tried new ways of keeping my home organised. It’s definitely helped to keep my anxiety and stress levels at bay, as well as creating a new “normal” in terms of balancing relaxation with productivity.’

Michelle from Time and Pence says, ‘I have made sure that we, as a family, have gone out on regular long walks so we have plenty of time out of the house. I believe that has been the real key to coping. While at home, lots of gardening, video chats and games with family and friends. And also we bought my son a keyboard for his lockdown birthday so we’ve all enjoyed learning how to play using tutorials on YouTube.’ And she adds, ‘My mom is shielding due to COPD and she ordered herself lots of painting by numbers, with all the equipment. She set herself a little art studio up at home and she has loved it. It’s made a massive difference to her.’

Rhian of Rhian Westbury says, ‘To keep my mental health high during this period I try and maintain a routine. I need to maintain a good sleeping pattern to maintain good mental health so I wake up every morning at near enough the same time as I would if I was going into the office. And I don’t stay up really late and maintain my normal bedtime. The routine helps me to continue as much as normal during this time.’

Emma of TuppenysFIREplace says, ‘We moved to the Lake District last year so we could spend more time on the fells, only to find they’ve been closed since lockdown. We are not used to being together quite so much so decided we needed to plan our days to counter this. We have regular ‘date nights’ at home where we dress up as if we were going out, and we have at least one TV/internet-free night so we can focus on quality time together. Makes up for the little spats that happen during the day!’

Finally, Marie who blogs at Broke Girl in the City shared a link to her post titled Coronavirus: Top Tips For Coping With Anxiety and Stress. Number one in this is Be Kind to Yourself, a piece of advice I do very much agree with (see below).

Thank you very much to all my money blogging colleagues for sharing their thoughts. I do hope you found them as interesting as I did, and they may have given you one or two ideas for coping strategies you could try as well.

  • One thing that did surprise me a bit is that nobody mentioned baking, which I know has been very popular during lockdown. I was also surprised that there was little mention of video gaming, as I hear lots of people during this time have been escaping into the virtual worlds of Animal Crossing (see picture below), Stardew Valley, Minecraft and so on 🙂

Animal Crossing

My Own Coping Strategies

So what have I been doing to try to preserve my sanity through this challenging period?

As mentioned in my earlier update, I am finding daily walks therapeutic. I especially enjoy a walk after breakfast, and intend to keep this going even after the crisis is over.

Like many of my fellow bloggers (see above) I find it helpful to have a daily routine. After I return from my walk, I generally do a few hours’ work, usually on the blog or any other paid work (writing, editing or proofreading) I may have. I try to stop at lunch time and do other things from then on, though – I am meant to be semi-retired, after all!

I aim to speak to somebody every day, if not in person then over the phone or (occasionally) via Skype. Living alone I think that’s super-important. In the afternoons I go for another walk, or shopping, or spend some time working/relaxing in the garden.

I have a love-hate relationship with social media nowadays. On the one hand, it can be great for keeping in touch with friends and family, and I also use it as a source of news and information. On the other hand, with Twitter especially, there can be a lot of negativity, rudeness and even outright hatred (especially when politics raises its head). If I spend too long there I can feel my stress levels start to rise. I try to limit my time on social media – and recommend everyone else does likewise – but that isn’t always easy, as it pulls you in insidiously.

In the evenings I usually make an effort to cook something nice rather than relying on convenience foods (though they have their place). As mentioned before I typically seek out some escapist entertainment in the evening. This often involves watching one or two episodes of a box-set, even if it’s something I’ve already seen. Recently I have been re-watching the detective series Bergerac with John Nettles which – as you probably know – is set on Jersey. I enjoy the stories but also the lovely island scenery, which reminds me of holidays there and in Guernsey with Jayne in happier times.

  • Finally, when I am feeling particularly anxious, I find CBD Oil for Anxiety helpful for calming me down and helping to get a restful night’s sleep. Based on my experience it’s definitely worth a try!

Further Advice

I think my top tip to anyone who is struggling with their mental health at the moment is don’t be afraid to reach out for support if you need it. Speak to friends and family, and to health professionals if appropriate. There is also some great advice about looking after your mental health during the pandemic at www.mind.org.uk/coronavirus.

Money – or the lack of it – can obviously cause stress as well. The YouGov survey mentioned earlier found that nearly a quarter of people (24%) are avoiding talking about finances with friends and family, for fear of burdening them or making them anxious. The same survey also found that 36% of people said that the pandemic had already had a negative impact on their personal finances, with 35% trying to cut costs during lockdown.

As I have said before, talking to someone about your financial worries can be very helpful. Personally I’m a fan of having a personal financial adviser (here’s a link to my blog post about why – despite being a money blogger – I have a personal financial adviser). But even if you don’t, talking to friends and family about money matters can help you put things into perspective and reduce levels of stress and anxiety. You may also enjoy reading reading this article (in which i am quoted) about how to cope with common causes of stress.

Above all else, though, be kind to yourself, and don’t suffer in silence. And equally, if you know someone who may be struggling – or you just haven’t seen or heard from them for a while – reach out by phone or at least message them to check they are okay. It may be a cliche, but we really are all in this together. And pretty much everyone is struggling in their own way.

So that’s how I and my fellow UK money bloggers are getting through our days at the moment. But I’d love to hear what works for you. Are you baking for Britain or painting pebbles, writing your memoirs or tending your virtual island? Please post any comments or questions below as usual!

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