Preparedness for when

alltrustgone

Sorry for this bad news. Premium Bonds are run by National Savings and Investments. "NS&I is an Executive Agency of the Chancellor of the Exchequer". Osborne's already got the keys to that particular vault!

http://www.nsandi.com/about-nsi-who-we-are

maryb

They probably are safe from an outright raid - but savers are losing money hand over fist because of less obvious but nonetheless official Government and Bank of England policy.

And whilst I think it is unlikely that there would be a tax targeted solely at savings, the idea of a wealth tax is already out there with the Libdems keen to introduce a mansion tax. What is that if it is not confiscation of property? Little by little and the idea of a levy on savings and other capital will soon be considered not outrageous.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. A one-off 6.7% 'tax' had people in the streets. 0.7% each year takes longer but would raise as much in ten years - and it wouldn't end then.

There are countries which have wealth taxes. The successful ones tend to balance it with low income tax rates and no capital gains tax - like Switzerland. France, on the other hand, is trying to ramp up the take from all forms of tax - and people are leaving if they can.

Perplexed_Pineapple

2tonsils wrote: »

If the banks close /crash or the **** hits the fan...who is going to buy the gold and what are they going to buy it with? If things are that desperate it is not going to be safe going around bartering for food with gold, it will be taken off you.

Not necessarily. In the 1930s, when inflation was rampant in Europe and in Germany in particular the value of fiat currency was dropping like a stone, my great-grandmother bought a house for 300 sovereigns, which interestingly would still buy you a house (although probably not her house in London) now. So yes, in major catastrophe gold would probably be a liability, but there is an intermediate stage of financial collapse when it is still a valuable asset,

Popperwell

I like the cooking lantern but am having difficulty finding any in this country searching the internet...I quite fancy having one or even a couple of them...

GreyQueen

:j Happy Spring!

I will be planting spuds on Good Friday and also the onion sets and sowing the flowers in early April.

Gardening guides are of limited use on sowing times as there is so much variation in different parts of the country, and even micro-climates within a few miles. One top tip is to look at your prepared soil and say Are the annual weed seeds germinating?

If bare soil is dotted with tiny weedlings coming up like cress, you can be sure that the soil temp is high enough to germinate your "proper" seeds.

Not much of the preptastic nature will be happening today but I may squeeze a wee something into lunch hour if I'm lucky. Love the look of that paraffin lamp cooker, what a fab idea.

Ginnyknit, are these power problems specific to last evening or is it an ongoing issue in your neighbourhood? It occurs to me that if powercuts become more prevalent, people working on pooters will have to get in the habit of hitting SAVE regularly to avoid loss.

I'm thankful I've managed to persuade the bruv (online bookseller) to back up to an external hard-drive. The thought of having to recreate the inventory would be :eek: .

[Deleted User]

GreyQueen wrote: »

:j Happy Spring!

Spring :huh:

It's snowing here.

[Deleted User]

Happy Spring indeed GQ that will be iced drinks in the igloo in the garden whilst watching the penguins playing in the pond then? Yes? Oh Happy Days!!!!!!! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

[Deleted User]

Popperwell wrote: »

I like the cooking lantern but am having difficulty finding any in this country searching the internet...I quite fancy having one or even a couple of them...

Will they not ship to the UK?

pineapple

GreyQueen wrote: »

:j Happy Spring!

I will be planting spuds on Good Friday and also the onion sets and sowing the flowers in early April.

Got some seed pots sprouting on the windowsill ready to go into bags on the patio - which is a lower level than the main garden (which also has horrible clay soil).
Snowing today. Tomorrow I'm hoping to get to Ouzeldale foundry (Esse) near Colne to get 12 replacement firebars for my discontinued Montrose stove. Not cheap at just over £5 a piece - but a stove shop in Halifax charges over a tenner each! :eek:
I might have to make a detour to Colne Boundary Mills
http://www.boundarymill.co.uk/index.html
Back to the topic of 'survival' I did think of doing a bushcraft course but I think it is a younger, fitter persons game. It won't be long before I am seriously considering lever taps, a walk in shower and even a house with no stairs! :rotfl:
That said, a neighbour in her 70s has moved to a smallholding in the Orkneys (where she has connections). She uses a mobility scooter !!!!!!. She said, 'If I don't do it now I never will'. Totally mad and totally wonderful. Never say never eh?

Popperwell

Its a thought Bob...
I will have to see what they add at customs...I may still find one yet;)Can't believe that they sell them only in the states...