Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Primark gf, I get most of my teeshirts and socks from them...via the wife.

The quality is ok, but not great. But I'm tight about stuff that aint gonna last anyway, so cheap and cheerfull does the job.

Same here Max not only that but I like casual all the time.

Why chuck money away at Teddy Boy when you can get if for a tenth of the price at Primark.

There are about 45 million fake £1 coins in circulation (approx. 3% of the total) and the Royal Mint has issued guidance on how to spot one of them:



1. The date and design on the reverse do not match (the reverse design is changed each year).
2. The lettering or inscription on the edge of the coin does not correspond to the right year.
3. The milled edge is poorly defined and the lettering is uneven in depth, spacing or is poorly formed. The obverse and reverse designs are not as sharp or well defined.
4. Where the coin should have been in circulation for some time, the colouring appears more shiny and golden and the coin shows no sign of age.
5. The colour of the coin does not match genuine coins.
6. The orientation of the obverse and reverse designs is not in line.
7. The best indication is that the Queen's head and the pattern on the reverse of the coin should both be upright when the coin is turned over. If not -it's a fake.

Best Tip: Fake £1 coins are obviously worthless so if you find one, then simply spend it, otherwise it will cost you £1 if you simply hand it in to the bank.

Also FYI: The new ones, see below and which get launched in 2017, won't fit shopping trolleys or coin slots and so at a cost of £10-£12 per coin slot, it will cost the economy around £20 million to cater for them.

Good news again!

The number of people out of work in the UK fell by 63,000 to 2.33 million in the three months to January 2014, according to official figures.
The unemployment rate now stands at 7.2% of the population, down from 7.4% in the previous three months, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The number of people in employment rose to a record total of 30.19 million.
Average earnings also increased, with pay in the three months to January up 1.4% from a year earlier.
There was good news for young people, as the number of unemployed 16 to 24 year-olds stood at 912,000 in the three months to January, a drop of 29,000 and the lowest level since 2011.
In February, the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance fell by 34,600 to 1.175 million. Over the course of a year, the number has dropped by 363,200.

EXec,

Are you saying the 2014 pound is only worth thruppence in old money?

===============

Things have got better!!

8-)

One for the Kippers!

Hear is tory gift day where the Oik gives way the tax payers money to his mates!

A pound with 12 sides to it, which doesn't fit anything.

A key without a lock!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26636829

This seem's a good idea

Another Mickey Mouse Budget Im afraid.

Nothing for the middle classes, a bit for pensioners.

More drawn into trap for paying 40% tax.

Living Standards to be kept down.

budget is no better or worse (except for bookies) than might have been expected
surprises in budgets are very much something of the past

punch and judy having their inevitable handbag swinging, but really a lot of noise (as no doubt will ensue on this thread) signifying little or even nothing

BRILLIANT REPLY from Milly on the budget.

Best speech hes ever made.

ISA level up to £15k.


well, whoopy doo, that will really encourage people to save.

I dont think it was an omni-shambles this time but lacked long term vision.

Max,

But this government is relying on people spending money they don't have.

==========

Miliband response good politically, but little to do with this budget.

=======

Market a little underwhelmed!

As expected.

Excellent budget!

Miliband didn't even mention any proposals in his speech. Obviously too complicated for him.

Good ideas on pensions, tax, savings.
Nice joke about Magna Carts anniversary next year. King John, a weak leader who betrayed his brother!

This one is a corker, until your 21st birthday.



Jobs

• Under-21s taken out of employers' national insurance contributions

max - that's not a bad start at all ..... i guess there could have been variations on that, but ultimately, any scheme has a finite time line

A bad one for the market? (It is down)

ie. ISAs can soon be all in cash.