willshort.co.uk home page
This page is mostly for my own amusement but, if you are lucky enough to stumble upon it, or get directed here then that's fine.First here's a link to the page where we take orders for engraved identity discs for cats and dogs. identity discs
Some time in the future we will expand the range of products offered but one has to start somewhere.
There's a couple of sites which I use and which I think are really excellent.
Getting
the best from your savings
First are you disappointed at the meager
returns you are getting from
your savings? Currently (autumn 2009) if you get 3% you are doing well
and you have to keep moving your money chasing the best rates. ZOPA is
an online borrowing and lending exchange. It's a new (well new in 2005)
idea which, as far as I know, has not been copied by anyone else. The
basic principle is that members lend to or borrow from other members.
This cuts out the banks allowing lenders and borrowers alike to get
better rates than they could elsewhere. Here's the link:-
Preserving the value of your savings
The
turmoil in financial markets over the past 12 months and the resulting
recession have caused the UK and US governments to do things which will
have a profound effect in the medium to long term. First both
governments were forced to rescue several banks; I would have suffered
severe loss if they had not so I'm grateful for that. Second both
governments have attempted to stimulate the economies of each country
by "quantitative easing" as they call it. What it boils down to is
printing money thereby increasing the money supply.
Increase the availability of anything and it become less valuable. This applies to paper money just as it does to any commodity and will lead to inflation and the loss of value of the pound sterling and the US dollar. In fact it may lead to the dollar losing its reserve status, which would be as catastrophic for the US is it was for the UK when the pound lost its reserve status. Is there anything an individual can do to lessen the effects of the coming disaster? Well yes, as it happens, surprise, surprise, there is. Don't keep all your cash in paper money but diversify into precious metals. Paper money fluctuates in value according to the success of the economy issuing it. By some measures in historical terms gold is currently undervalued. Gold is a store of constant value; a lump of gold is today worth pretty much what it always was. It may take more or fewer pounds or dollars to buy that lump depending on how people value the paper currencies.
There are issues connected to the ownership of something valuable, not least security. However, I have discovered bullionvault which enables ordinary citizens to own gold without any of the prolems of security, delivery or storage. Please be aware that I am not qualified to give financial advice and am not suggesting that owning gold is right for everyone. If you are interested in learning more here is the link:-
Increase the availability of anything and it become less valuable. This applies to paper money just as it does to any commodity and will lead to inflation and the loss of value of the pound sterling and the US dollar. In fact it may lead to the dollar losing its reserve status, which would be as catastrophic for the US is it was for the UK when the pound lost its reserve status. Is there anything an individual can do to lessen the effects of the coming disaster? Well yes, as it happens, surprise, surprise, there is. Don't keep all your cash in paper money but diversify into precious metals. Paper money fluctuates in value according to the success of the economy issuing it. By some measures in historical terms gold is currently undervalued. Gold is a store of constant value; a lump of gold is today worth pretty much what it always was. It may take more or fewer pounds or dollars to buy that lump depending on how people value the paper currencies.
There are issues connected to the ownership of something valuable, not least security. However, I have discovered bullionvault which enables ordinary citizens to own gold without any of the prolems of security, delivery or storage. Please be aware that I am not qualified to give financial advice and am not suggesting that owning gold is right for everyone. If you are interested in learning more here is the link:-