Why I Love My Car (And Won’t Give It Up)

The World Economic Forum’s statement that people will “own nothing and be happy” is now mainstream news. It’s the idea that we won’t have anything because the powers that be want to make a world where private ownership becomes a thing of the past. 

But I’m not so sure this world they envision for us all will ever come to pass. After all, why would you go to the expense and inconvenience of renting a car (which someone presumably owns) when you can just buy one and get cheap transport as standard?

Here are some of the reasons I love my car and won’t give it up: 

It’s A Memory Machine

I don’t know about you, but my car is something of a memory machine. So many important life events occurred either inside it or using it. 

I’m sure you can relate. Perhaps you used your car to go to the hospital to have a child or went somewhere unique on vacation. It wouldn’t be the same if you had a subscription to Uber’s fleet or robot vehicles. 

It’s A Bubble Of Freedom

Then there’s the fact that vehicles are a bubble of freedom in an increasingly controlled world. Most humans feel like they live in a zoo. But getting out in a motor vehicle reminds you that the globe is a gigantic place, and nothing is stopping you from exploring it in all its glory. 

Compared to public transport, owning a car is a joy. You don’t have to wait in the cold at the bus stop, and you can avoid squeezing into tight seats next to people with personal hygiene issues. 

It’s Reliable

There’s also the argument that cars are reliable. Now, I know that some aren’t. But for the most part, the motor vehicles we buy today just work and can drive hundreds of thousands of miles before conking out. 

Skoda approved used is a good example. These vehicles (and others like them) are engineered to such a high standard that there’s no need to replace them. You can simply swap out defective parts for new ones, keeping them in service for decades. 

It’s Special

But perhaps the ultimate reason I don’t want to get rid of my car and live like the World Economic Forum wants me to is because it is a special experience. While it might sound strange, getting into a car feels different from virtually any other form of transport, even the first-class cabin on an international flight. 

My car, like many, has a certain personality I love. I don’t want to change to a subscription service where a soulless autonomous vehicle collects me from my home and takes me to the store. I want to do it myself. 

I also don’t want to give up the fact that I own the vehicle. It isn’t the property of some vast corporation that can be taken away from me at any time. 

So there you have it: why I’m not going to be giving up my car any time soon. 

The Downsides Of Car Financing You May Not Realise.

 

The reality of getting a car isn’t as simple as it used to be. Not only are vehicles becoming increasingly expensive to buy, but they are also pretty pricey to maintain. This is why many people choose car financing as their most viable option, as it doesn’t involve paying for the car outright. Whether you want to invest your money into financing a car, or you’d rather look into options there are numerous considerations you need to make this commitment. Although there are many advantages of car financing, here are some of the main downsides you should also be aware of.

Not all Finance Deals are Legitimate

Unfortunately, some finance deals don’t always live up to expectations, especially when they seem too good to be true. Today, many vehicle owners are looking into PCP Refunds as they were mis-sold their car finance plan in the past. Some agreements may not have been clear about monthly instalments, restrictions on mileage and other stipulations. This could leave someone struggling to keep up with their monthly payments and in financial hardship as a result. This is why it’s so important to stay across legitimate finance deals and look into every possible flaw that you’re presented with. You may be able to take out a car lease that aligns with your expectations and monthly budget but be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.

There May Be Limits on Mileage

As mentioned earlier, not all car finance options are viable and suitable for your needs, so you should be clear on what the expectations are in your contract. Many car finance loans are inclusive of mileage caps which means you’re not always able to use it as freely as you’d like to. This type of agreement is most common with PCP options, so a hire purchase may be a well-suited option for you.

Owning the Car Outright May Not Be Possible

If your end goal is to own your car outright, then you may struggle with many of the usual car finance options. Not only do you have to pay for all of your instalments before you’re close to owning your car, but you may also need to settle any additional costs incurred during your contract too. This is one of the biggest downsides of financing a car as you’re in a cycle of making large payments, but not actually owning your vehicle.

You May Be Liable for Damage

Accidents and general wear and tear is very common with vehicles, but when you don’t own the car, you could be liable for this damage. Anything abnormal after an inspection may be chargeable, from exterior scratches to interior damage, so you have to be extra careful when leasing a car.

You Can’t Make Alterations to the Car

Many vehicle owners like the idea of personalizing their car and making it their own, however, you won’t have the freedom to do this if you’re financing your vehicle. Changing the registration plate, upgrading the interior or altering the exterior colors are usually a strict no-no for car finance companies, so this is worth keeping in mind too.

You’re Tied to Fixed Monthly Payments

If your financial situation changes, you are still going to be tied to the same monthly payments until your contract is over. This is the risk you run with any car financing deal and it may not suit everyone’s work situations. If you’re self-employed this may be something you’re worried about when it comes to staying on top of payments.

There May Be Limited Options When Choosing a Vehicle

When it comes to choosing the best car for you, it’s always good to have a wide variety of options. If you’re looking for a finance deal, you may be quite limited on what brands and styles you can choose from. You often have to go with the options that are given to you by the lenders, which can be quite basic.

As you can see, there are several different downsides you need to consider when financing a car. Understanding the terms and conditions of financing a car is the most important aspect, but you also need to be careful not to get caught out by deals that are too good to be true. Hopefully, this gives you a transparent idea of what you’re getting into when financing a car so that you can make the most sensible option to suit your circumstances. 

 

 

Nostalgia and Saudade: Remembering Places of the Past

Sometimes, you just miss a decent cuppa! Nostalgia does that to you.

You just can’t get a brew like a proper British cuppa abroad, can you? Sure, the sunshine’s lovely, and the sangria ain’t bad either, but there’s something about a nice strong cuppa with a biscuit that hits the spot, you know?

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good sunny adventure! But sometimes you just fancy taking a moment and having a trip down memory lane; revisit places that you remember from your childhood.

Things like walking along a promenade with a newspaper full of fish and chips or hiding in little shop doors as you wait for the classic British rain to dry off—there’s a reason we Brits moan so much about the weather—it’s because deep down, we secretly love it!

Sadly, in the UK, many of the places that we remember have changed so much since we last visited. For example, with the announcement of the classic UK holiday village Pontins in Southport closing its doors following the closures of both the Camber Sands and Prestatyn villages in 2022, it feels as though the physical reminders of our memories are slowly disappearing.

Despite losing some of our iconic locations and landmarks, with the magic that is AI, we are fortunately able to visualise what these places would look like today if they were still standing. Chums took advantage of this impressive tool and used it to envision five of the UK’s most nostalgic lost landmarks.

Surprisingly, one of these visualisations made me feel a little sentimental, as it depicted the once-infamous Margate Jetty!

James Walvin claims in his book ‘Beside the Seaside’ that a Margate has had at least one form of landing jetty as early as 1800. Margate Jetty itself was built in 1824. This first iteration was crafted from wood and was then named ‘Jarvis Landing Stage’; this iteration of the jetty was only accessible at low tides and was frequently damaged and needed repairs. It was in November of 1851 that a storm broke the Jetty in two separate places, prompting the decision that a new jetty would be needed to replace the wooden one.

Eugenius Birch, a famous 19th-century English seaside architect, started work on a new design in 1853. In 1855, Margate unveiled the world’s first-ever iron seaside pier, and work was officially completed in 1857, with several additions being added in the following years.

Despite this much stronger structure, the Jetty was still not impervious to the extreme weather of the sea, and in January of 1877, the pier was severed in half by a shipwreck driven by a storm! This incident left 40 to 50 people trapped on the seaward half of the broken Jetty, where they were rescued the following day. There are no known reports of deaths or serious injuries caused by this incident, and the Jetty was repaired once more and remained open nearly a century later, closing in 1977 to safety grounds.

The Jetty remained standing for another year before being almost destroyed entirely by a storm in January 1978. Its skeletal remains stood for a further twenty years before being properly dismantled in 1998.

To this day, pieces of the old jetty continue to wash up on the beach, and many relics of Margate Jetty can be found in the Margate Museum.

The loss of landmarks cannot always be helped, as was the case with the Margate Jetty, but many of our histories are lost due to development. This loss of history can create a sense of Saudade, a longing for something absent. Despite the often good intentions for modernising, it can often feel like they are ripping out a page from your own life story!

Progress, they call it. But sometimes progress feels like losing a bit of yourself, a bit of your history, wouldn’t you say? It makes you long for a time travel machine just to spend an afternoon flicking through the rails of Liverpool’s Littlewoods building or choosing a classic pick ‘n’ mix from your local Woolworths without having to worry about the price tag!

Are there any local landmarks that you wish still stood? Perhaps an old theatre that is long gone or a railway line that no longer runs. Share which lost landmarks you’d love to see brought to life again with AI using #VisionsOfTomorrowUK.

Are You Planning For Your Retirement

There is nothing quite like the drag of waking up for work every single day. For a day to be a good one, you should feel excited about going to work and what you are doing for a living. You should be planning for every single day of your career to be this way and once you do, you can feel grateful for what comes next: retirement.

It doesn’t matter how young you are, retirement is the gift at the end of the career you have put all of your education and energy into and there is nothing wrong with planning for it now.

You can be a part of a Gen Z generation and be concerned about retirement, but you can also look at websites like Boomer Benefits and remind yourself of what’s coming next. Are you planning for your retirement yet? If you’re not, it’s time to get started. You need to plan for your retirement as early as possible to maximize those years when you won’t be able to work anymore.

You need to consider what it’ll mean for you to live comfortably and thrive in your retirement. If you plan it right, with the right benefits we’ve outlined below, you should be able to live a comfortable and happy retirement in years to come:


Infographic generated by Boomer Benefits

Easy Ways To Make New Connections

There’s much to love about adulthood, but it’s also true that there are a few things that are a little more difficult than when we’re younger. And we’re not just talking about waking up without aches and pains! There’s also the matter of making new connections. When we’re young, we’re constantly meeting new people, but as we age the number of people we naturally interact with begins to decline.

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t meet new people. You absolutely can! It’s just that it’ll take a little extra work. In this post, we’ll look at some simple ways you can bring new people into your life. 

Pexels – CC0 Licence

Join a Club

Looking for a way to meet new people and have a lot of fun? Then consider joining a club. This will give you easy access to a whole host of new people, and the best part since they also share your interest/hobby, you’ll likely find it easier to make a connection. There’s no shortage of clubs you can join. For example, you may consider signing up for a sports team, joining a book club, or anything else — whatever you’re interested in, there’ll likely be a club available.

Attend Events

Another way to meet new people is to attend an organized event. If you live anywhere near a big city, then you’ll likely have plenty of options available to you. Choosing the right one is all about thinking about what you’re looking for. If you’re looking to meet a romantic partner, then you could take a look at speed dating events; if you’re just looking for something fun to do with new people, then maybe an organized hiking day out will be the way to go. There are also language exchanges and creative meetups you can participate in, too. 

Say Yes to Social Invites

It’s very easy — and tempting — to say no to social invites, especially when we’re not 100% sure that we’ll enjoy it. But it’s worthwhile taking a chance every now and again. After all, you never know who you’re going to meet! If a friend says that they’re getting some drinks with friends you don’t know, then go along. If your friend likes them, then there’s every chance that you will too. 

Get Chatting at Work

We get it — you might just want to do your job and then go home to do your own thing, not speak to colleagues. Yet, keep in mind that the people you work with might be awesome people, so it can be beneficial to strike up a conversation. Just keep work-related topics off the table — you’re trying to make friends, not extend your working hours!

Push Yourself 

Finally, consider pushing yourself to meet new people. You could do this by traveling alone, for example, when you’ll be forced to speak to others. You can also just spark up conversations when you’re about town. Even if you don’t become best friends, it’ll get you used to being open to letting new people into your life. 

The Secret Benefits Of Online Gaming For Adults

Although it’s been a few years since I played it, I’m no stranger to the game of Candy Crush. There, I’ve said it. But it seems a bit old hat now that there are so many more online gaming options to choose from.

Online gaming has become an increasingly popular activity for adults of all ages. It can be a great way to keep your brain active and engaged, while also providing a fun activity to share with grandchildren or friend

No matter why you choose to play, maybe whilst travelling, waiting for someone, or simply to while away the time during your coffee break, studies have shown that playing online games can help improve memory, concentration, and reaction time in adults. So there are some secret benefits of online gaming for adults

Nowadays, there is an online game to interest everyone, from gardening and cookery, to learning about money, or how to run a burger bar. All are designed to help you develop new skills, all from the comfort of your own home!

As people get older, the old ‘use it or lose it’ adage becomes a kind of mantra. Many mature folks turn to crosswords or Sudoku to keep their mind and brain active. But online games provide so many more benefits than simply sitting with a pen and filling in squares with letters or numbers.

You will find gaming can improve your concentration and focus, and enhance your hand-eye coordination, and reflexes because you need to have quick reactions and precise movements, and complete multiple tasks all at the same time.

Some of the key advantages of regularly doing some online gaming are that they present you with challenges that need creative thinking, logical reasoning, and planning, which you then carry forward into other areas of your life.

Some of the most challenging online games I’ve come across are to be found quite unexpectedly here

The choice is amazing, and there is something for everyone. I especially like this one it’s absorbing and not too frantic.  The idea is to build a salad, from the ingredients shown on the grid. You move things like tomatoes, onions, and various salad items around until they ‘merge’ into one, and you’ve created a plate of salad.  Each completed salad moves you further toward an upper level.

There is a tutorial to help you get started, and you could quite easily play this game with children of any age to help them recognise different vegetables and salad ingredients. You can turn off the toot-toot music if you want to, although I don’t find it intrusive at all.

This game needs cognitive skills, and decision-making, and will also need to recognise patterns and retain information. All of these online skills can extend and help you with real-life situations.

Online gaming can improve concentration and focus but it’s important to say that too much gaming can have negative effects too. It’s crucial, as you get older, to maintain a healthy balance between gaming and other activities and to prioritize physical exercise, social interactions, and other aspects of well-being.

So when you feel it’s time to move on from Candy Crush, you might find else something that appeals to your sense of creativity, and helps you to use it, not lose it!

 

60 Is The New 40 – How To Live Your Best Life In Your 60’s

Sixty may seem like a scary age, but it doesn’t have to be! In fact, 60 can be the best decade of your life. You’re finally out of your 20s and 30s, and you’ve learned a lot about life by this point. You know what you want, and you’re not afraid to go for it. Here are some tips for living your best life in your 60s.

Travel

Take a trip somewhere, preferably overseas. You have time to travel now that you’re not working full time and don’t have kids at home. This can be a great way to see the world before it’s too late for you. It’ll also give you some perspective on life outside of your home country, which is always good when trying out new things or learning about other cultures.’

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Stay Active And Healthy

Now that you’re a little older, it’s more important than ever to stay active. You don’t have to go to the gym every day or run a marathon, but try to find some way to move your body every day. This will help keep you healthy and strong as you age. It’s also vital to never skip any of your annual check-ups. That means doctors and dentist appointments. If there are any problems, they can be mitigated quickly—especially your teeth. If there is a problem that arises, find out if you are suitable for getting porcelain veneers.

Keep Learning

The more you learn, the more you’ll realize just how much there is left to explore. So continue pursuing those interests you’ve always had, and try something new too.

Stay Social

Spending time with friends and family is a great way to stay connected and feel supported. Make time for the people you love most, and enjoy doing things together. Spending time with the people you love is important for both your mental and emotional health. Make sure to schedule regular gatherings with loved ones so that you don’t miss out on all of their wisdom, support, and laughter.

Embrace Change

Things will change as you get older, and that’s okay. So let go of what’s no longer working for you and welcome the new opportunities that come your way. 

Just because you are getting older, doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the things you used to. There are many options available such as respite care, and other support if you feel worried about going out. 

Make Time For Yourself

Taking a little time each day for yourself can help reduce stress and improve your overall well-being. Take a walk, read a book, or take a yoga class – whatever makes you happy.

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva from Pexels

Find A Hobby

Having something that brings you joy is essential to living your best life at any age. Consider starting gardening, painting, knitting – whatever makes you happy.

Enjoy Life

This is your time! Don’t spend all of your time worrying about work or retirement or what might happen in the future. Instead, enjoy the present moment and live each day to its fullest. You only get one chance at life, so make the most of it!

The best way to live your life in your 60s is by embracing the new you. This means taking care of yourself both mentally and physically by doing things that make you happy. Living your best life in your 60s is about embracing all that this stage of life has to offer. It’s a time for reflection and celebration while also embracing new challenges and opportunities.

The Multiple Benefits Of The Cycle To Work Scheme

The Benefits of the Cycle to Work Scheme

A UK government programme called cycle to work encourages workers to commute by bicycle rather than use their car. This programme offers employers and employees tax and National Insurance savings in addition to several other financial advantages, as discussed below:

Tax and National Insurance savings 

Employers can buy bicycles and equipment worth up to £1000 for their employees under the cycle to work programme without paying taxes or National Insurance contributions. Because of this, the programme is a desirable choice for businesses wishing to reduce their payroll expenses.

Employees can also benefit from tax savings when they repay the bicycle’s cost in monthly instalments from their wage without paying any tax or National Insurance contributions.

Cost savings for employers

 Employers can profit from reduced parking, fuel, and maintenance costs when their employees choose to cycle rather than drive, in addition to the financial advantages of lower tax and National Insurance contributions. As a result, businesses may eventually experience significant cost reductions as a result of this.

Lower travel expenses

Compared to driving or using public transit, cycling to work is a significantly more affordable means of transportation. Employees can save money on gas, parking, and transportation costs by cycling to work. Over time, this can save a lot of money.

Free implementation 

Local governments may offer bike sheds for free or at a discount, with funds set aside to promote cycling.

Health benefits for employees

 Regular riding has health benefits and financial advantages in the cycle-to-work programme. Cycling is a fantastic exercise that enhances general well-being, lowers stress levels, and improves cardiovascular health. Frequent cycling can also assist in reducing sick leave, which can help businesses save even more money.

Employer branding, recruitment, and employee welfare

 Cycling to work benefits corporate branding and may increase your appeal to prospective hires as one of the incentives you offer employees. It exhibits concern for the welfare of a company’s workforce.

Cutting down on commuting times

 Traffic congestion and the time spent stuck in it are two of the most annoying aspects of travelling to and from work, especially after a long day at the office. This is especially true when there are delays caused by accidents or roadworks!

Environmental benefits

 Cycling to work is a sustainable mode of transport that reduces carbon emissions and traffic congestion. Employers encouraging cycling to work can demonstrate their commitment to corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

Encourages corporate social responsibility

 Promoting cycling as a mode of transportation to work shows a company’s dedication to environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility, which can improve its reputation and draw in socially conscious workers.

Retention

 Like other income sacrifice programmes, a cycle-to-work system may be a delaying factor for job changes.

In conclusion, employees and businesses can benefit financially from the cycle-to-work scheme. In addition, the programme can lower travel expenses, boost health and productivity, and create a cleaner, more sustainable environment by encouraging more people to cycle to work.

 

 

BLACK LEGGINGS ~ LOVE THEM OR LOATHE THEM?

Whoever invented them should be punched hard, on one side of their face, and smothered with kisses on the other. Has one item of clothing ever been so loved and hated in equal measure?

Loved, I would guess, mainly by women, hated, I can confidently say, mainly by men.

Every autumn, when bare leg days are behind us, I vow that when the chill does finally come into the air, and it’s time for chunky jumpers and warm jackets, I will NOT, most definitely NOT succumb to wearing that ‘capsule’ item of clothing found lurking in almost every woman’s wardrobe, BLACK LEGGINGS.  But every year, I always do, and I hate myself for it.

But aren’t they oh so easy to wear, so comfy, so cosy, and best of all, so flipping cheap!  Perhaps therein lies the irony of it all.

Many girls pop on leggings these days, almost the same way they pop on their knickers, they wear them EVERY time they go out.  It’s only their tops and shoes, which change, depending on the destination.

Leggings have become the young Mum’s uniform of choice. Teamed with baggy T-shirts and woolly socks for indoors. Baggy T-shirts, a waterfall cardi, and flip flops for a trip to the local shops. Baggy T-shirt, jacket, and Ugg boots for the school run, and if they are really pushing the boat out, hardly any T-shirt at all, and SPARKLY leggings, with sky-high shoes for clubbing.  Dress ‘em up, dress ‘em down. Anything goes.

Having said that, it’s quite a challenge dressing leggings ‘down’ any further than they already ultimately go.

But what about us more ‘mature’ ladies?   Have you said, Hello Sixty, bring it on, but I won’t be a slave to fashion? I can’t wear leggings at my age, they are far too unkind to my figure, it’s not what it was.  Jeggings are the way forward for me!

Regardless of age, should we look on leggings, as our comfortable friends, or are they the work of the ‘does my arse, tummy, hips, thighs, and legs, look big in this’ fat fairy in a bad mood.

Do you wear them to Waitrose, or are they something you prefer just to wear in the privacy of your own home?

Men hate leggings, and that’s a fact.  I recall in the late ’80s when leggings first became popular, a ‘gentleman friend’ of mine once commented that the sight of me, in leggings, reminded him of Max Wall. I’m still wounded. He is not my friend anymore. Max Wall indeed.

But what is it about leggings that turn men off so much? I mean they are black, and they cover your legs, pretty much like stockings, but I guess that’s where the similarity ends.

Leggings clearly do not have the same appeal to men, as a silky 10-denier black lacy-edged stocking.  But both are black, and both cover the length of your legs, but I think they occupy the same space in a man’s head as tights, without the gusset.

SUCH a great word GUSSET. It’s worthy of a mention for no other reason.

Strange isn’t it that many things that men find sexy are so bloody uncomfortable. Suspenders. Corsets. Stilettoes……you know it’s true.

How typical, that something as comfy as leggings, should be such a turn-off. So tell us where you stand on the legging front. Will you be wearing them loud and proud this winter, or could nothing persuade you to go there?

 

 

Handwritten Letters – So Much More Than Just Words

Looking back, I remember how I’d huff and puff when my Mum asked me to send handwritten thank you letters to any relative who had been kind enough to send me a birthday card, containing money, or a book token.

Indeed any gift at all required a huge degree of graciousness, wrapped in a laboriously handwritten, missive.  To make the task less painful I was sometimes allowed to choose the notelet as if I actually cared!

hand written letters

Fast forward a few years, and obviously before the invention of email and texting, but after the invention of the package holiday to sunny climes, I made new holiday friends, and we exchanged addresses because the only way to keep in touch was to become pen pals with them.  I remember how exciting it was to get a letter, read it over and over again, then reply with indecent haste.  Especially if it was from a gawky teenage boy!

But now I’m MUCH older and arguably wiser, and I think it’s sad that the sending and receiving of handwritten letters and notes have all but vanished.

In fact, it seems we now need help to write a business letter, and the internet is full of ‘how to’ information to show us… well, the right way to write various communications such as handwritten real estate letters

There’s so much more to getting a handwritten letter than just reading it. Initially, there’s the surprise factor of it dropping through the letter box in the first place. Then, unless you recognise the writing, the ‘wondering’, who it’s from.  The slicing open of the envelope and the gentle retrieval of the paper.

Do you look at the last page first to see who it’s from, or the address if there is one?  Then you might scan up and down to see how many pages there are before making a comforting drink to enjoy, whilst you settle down to read your letter.

A handwritten letter requires thought, planning, time, and effort.  The writer is letting you into a little part of their world, telling you important news or perhaps inviting you to a celebration, or simply just including you in what’s happening in their life.

Yes of course, sometimes handwritten letters do contain bad news, but I think it softens the blow a bit by reaching you more personally, than an electronic email or text.

hand written letters

Let’s face it, the world would be a poorer place if the Bronte sisters hadn’t received and written so many missives in the Parsonage at Haworth.  Their books revolved around waiting for ‘news’ of one dashing suitor or another, via a handwritten note. Invitations to take tea with their neighbours, or to join a soiree, all delivered in flowery handwriting and received with such excitement!

For sure, emails and texts are a huge step forward in communication, and today’s young generation doesn’t know of any other way to get in touch with each other. But whilst it favours the young, it precludes the elderly and those who don’t own or want to own a mobile phone or computer.

Do they still receive those thank you letters and notes for birthday money and gifts they have sent to their families, which I was encouraged to write all those years ago, or are they still a thing of the past too?