ACOMSDave

Community Journalist

Make Saving Simple

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Make Saving SimpleNow that the lockdown is easing, we all have hidden pressure to go out and enjoy ourselves, which leads to more expenditure.  However, if you follow this simple guide, you can ‘Make Saving Simple’, keep yourself in the black, and switch careful planning you can afford those guilty pleasures that we all long for.

The hated word in any discussion is ‘budget’, it normally causes more rows in a family circumstance than any other as you are talking about money and money is a limited resource.  However, if you implement a simple budget you will be surprised at how quickly (even from small amounts) your savings will develop.

Remember putting a budget is not about stopping you spending, it is about making you realise what you spend on, and then by looking at this expenditure you can decide what is important and what you can adjust to make a saving (if possible); or even, if you need to get help.

I have created a simple spreadsheet for those who have access to Microsoft Excel, and I also have created a PDF so that those who do not have excel can download the four sheets of paper and fill them in that way.

 

The four sheets are:

  • Summary
  • Needs
  • Debts-Savings
  • Wants

If you are using Excel, all you have to do is fill in the Needs / Debts-Savings / Wants sheets and the totals will automatically complete the Summary Sheet.  Then you will need to fill in your earnings figure.

If you are using the PDF sheets, you will have to fill each item in yourself, then use a calculator to get your totals on each sheet, then manually fill in the Summary Sheet and total the figures in the first section, and then fill in your earnings in the second section.

Once you have completed this then subtract your expenditure in box 1 from your earnings in box 2 – if you end up with a minus figure, then you will need to go back to box one and see what (if anything ) you can adjust so that you end up with a positive figure.

 

“When your income is £20 and spending is £19.98, the result is happiness. When your income is £20 and spending is £20.02, the result is misery.”

 

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Inoculation Passport

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ON December 1st, 2020 Michael Gove stated ‘that there are no plans to introduce a “vaccine passport” to give people access to places such as pubs and restaurants once a coronavirus jab becomes available.’

14 days later, Ana Beduschi, an Associate law professor at the University of Exeter said ‘

Digital health passports may contribute to the long-term management of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they pose essential questions for the protection of data privacy and human rights.

However the  International Air Transport Association (IATA), an airline trade association that represents 290 airlines worldwide, announced on that it was in the final stages of developing a digital vaccine passport for travelers.

Currently with several coronavirus vaccines now in circulation, some travelers can’t stop talking about the Yellow Card.

So what is the Yellow Card, or Carte Jaune,; it is a medical passport issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). It’s an official record that some countries require for entrance, and it can document vaccination against diseases ranging from cholera and yellow fever to such childhood illnesses as rubella.

So is it possible that this doucment will soon also have entries for the COVID-19 – the short answer is maybe – only time will tell, but I believe the probability is a resounding YES.

COV?ID-19 is a global pandemic, and as such governments have to protect the people in their countries, whilst still allowing freedom of movmement and trade.  To enable these two areas to occur, there will have to be some mechamism of control and protection, whether that be two week lockdowns upon arrival or proof that you have been vacinated.  Of course if you don’t want to travel then you won’t be required to either have a vaccination passport or to be lockdowned on arrival.

You make your choice!

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Inoculation Passport
Inoculation Passport

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Lockdown by Peter May – Book Review

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LockdownLockdown by Peter May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book, Lockdown, was written in 2005 and ended up not being published initially as it was thought unbelievable. Fast forward to 2020 and Convid19 and suddenly we can see the human race, politicians and large businesses in the real world of today.

The story revolves around D I Jack MacNeil on his way out of policing, his small circle of supportive friends and his estranged family (sic what seems to be the norm for coppers according to many writers).

The book is well written, but for some reason, it feels like the book has been written in an early part of the century. It is not a noir book, but just the feel of the language moves me to feel it is almost the late 50s or early 60s.

The story develops nicely and finishes on a cliff hanger with a twist, which I will not give away.

It is definitely worthwhile obtaining a copy and reading Lockdown

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