Preparedness for when

maryb

Months! That's interesting. And kinda figures - I'm effectively in immune system overdraft. Which offers some reassurance that once I get over this rough patch I should be able to rebuild some resilience. If only we get some sun this spring and summer.

I'm hoping very much that after I have the second cataract op on April 5 (and that will be another local anaesthetic) I won't have to go near a hospital again for a very long time

maryb

WCS I do so admire your attitude. I hope you can get some modifications to make life smoother for a reasonable cost. What qualifications do you hope to get?

colinthecockrel

Hello all

I just wanted to say "hi" and that I've been a long-time reader. You all have given me so much food for thought.

We are having some work done on our house very soon - a type of "granny annex" - a rebuild of an old garden/utility room. This will have a walk-in wet room. We had not thought of it as future-proofing our house - more along the lines of making it extra-attractive when we come to sell once the kids have gone! However, you have now given me a different perspective, and perhaps it will be us using the "granny annex" rather than another family.

Thank you all for being so inspiring. I am certainly not a prepper like you all are, but it's got me thinking ......

alltrustgone

GQ, Thank you for summing up my horrified reaction to this so succinctly.

"we can do what we like with your personal money and there's nothing you can do to stop us" - quote of the decade. I might get it tattood, so I'm never tempted into complacency.

As for what type of accounts are affected, an EU announcement describes it as an "upfront one-off stability levy applicable to resident and non-resident depositors". Money goes into any account, surely that's a deposit, so I read it as any account with money in. Anecdotal stuff - elsewhere on the boards, there's a post about a guy who'd just received the money from a loan to fund his daughter's education - that's being taxed, so he's now underfunded for the education fees, and still has to pay interest to the lender on the amount that's been stolen. A woman who runs a bridal business in Cyprus expects the levy to be applied against the part-payment deposits her brides have put down for her services - these are in her business account. What does she do, absorb the loss or recharge it to her customers (she's apparently already absorbed a hike in VAT they had there). An account was opened to hold money gifted to a baby at their christening - being taxed. The devils in the detail here, on top of the huge shift in the perception of the principle of depositor protection.

Just seen on the news that the Cyprus parliament have again cancelled the vote on the levy/bail out, it was originally to take place yesterday, then today, now going to be tomorrow - more negotiation apparently. Interesting times indeed.

westcoastscot

Maryb thank you! I've always been an optimist, when I "left" home at 15 I told myself I can either let this spoil my life or spur me on, and i've taken that attitude since then. If life could throw it at me it has - I always used to say to myself at particularly tough times "so long as I have my health we'll all be fine", and we have been.........except now my health is unreliable.
I am privileged to work in the third sector, will leave it at that as its an unusual job that would make me identifiable, and am currently working on a Masters in health and wellbeing with a view to taking my current mentoring experience and moving over to FE/HE teaching when I can no longer work face to face with clients. Also we are constantly having to tender, and I want to make myself as attractive as possible to potential future employers, to counter-balance my health issues.

WCS

pineapple

Maryb
I'm not a vitamin nut but maybe for the future at least, it may be worth getting your vitamin D levels checked. The GP may arrange it for free or the reputable City Assays will do it for £25
http://www.vitamindtest.org.uk/
D3 supplementation may bolster your immune system (but always wise imo to properly check levels first).
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health-conditions/infections-and-autoimmunity/common-cold/
http://www.vrp.com/bone-and-joint/vitamin-d3-higher-doses-reduce-risk-of-common-health-concerns
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-929-VITAMIN%20D.aspx?activeIngredientId=929&activeIngredientName=VITAMIN%20D

If your cough continues it may be wise to see the GP in case your viral infection had turned into a bacterial one (I might be wrong but I believe this is possible).

mardatha

Def take vitD3 Mary. That sounds like me before I got ME. You want to stop that now before it gets worse.

thriftwizard

This may seem a bit off-beam, but my immune system & osteo-arthritis issues have seemed hugely improved since I started eating or drinking something fermented every day. I don't mean knocking back bottles of commercially-produced booze, but home-made lacto-fermented pickles like kimchi & sauerkraut, ginger beer, slow-risen sourdough bread, that sort of thing. Suits me anyway, and I like the various tastes, whether it's doing me good or not!

countingthepennies

I am usually just a lurker on this excellent thread, and only post when I need some advice, so again - I am asking for advice .

Even before everything hit the fan in Cyprus I have been very worried about some money which is invested for my teenage daughter. She inherited aprox £20,000 from her dad when he passed and this is held in trust until she is 18. With the assistance of a financial advisor it is mostly in less risky (or so they were considered at the time!!) investments, and a small proportion is in a National Savings account. She has two years before she can access the money. Myself and a friend of her dads are the trustees.

I feel increasingly compelled to go back to the fianancial advisor and have her money moved somewhere 'safe', but I really dont know what you would consider safe. I am terrified she is going to lose her money, either through a financial crash, or the government seizing it.

This was her only chance of a good financial start, but I know its been losing value in the time its been invested.What would you do??

BitterAndTwisted

"I am terrified she is going to lose her money, either through a financial crash, or the government seizing it"

If there is a crash then nowhere will be safe. Not shares, not bonds, not savings. The lot will go. Ditto the gubment seizing it unless you can get it out of the country. But which one would be safer than here? Or legal? Quandary.


Look at it this way: if the ordure really does hit the air-conditioning, you are more at risk than she is. At least she's got a life of working and saving ahead of her. You most likely have most of yours behind you by now. So, be terrified for yourself instead. She'll probably be fine with or without her twenty grand