newjez

I quite like the look of the Mitsubishi Outlander plug in hybrid. Although mine won't need replacing for five years plus, and it may be a different ball game then.

That's probably a better description of a building society than a bank, and even then an oversimplification. Although I suspect you know this, this is an interesting read. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/%3Fp%3D14620&ved=2ahUKEwjckajN1uHvAhVA_rsIHfeVCHgQFjALegQIGRAC&usg=AOvVaw0q4H-SpFsTDYl17Yb9ZzxQ

Learn something new every day. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/vegetable/broccoli-purple-sprouting.php&ved=2ahUKEwifx5X10eHvAhVVg_0HHRFNAb0QFjAFegQIBhAC&usg=AOvVaw2pNEPp8KH9Uhw_QFYs4bEK Personally I prefer the stalks to the heads on calabrese. The purple sprouting are delicious my wife tells me. Apparently I've eaten them but I didn't realize they were different. My favourite are the broccoli spears you get.

No they are not. That is the problem.

It hasn't really changed that much over the last ten months, with a little uptick at the end. It is possible that the recent little uptick is due to the UK vaccine advantage. If so, this will continue so it may be better to watch and wait.

I don't think I would ever do a new build. Everyone seems to think they will make their perfect forever home, but there are always compromises mistakes you make. My parents did several and were never happy. At least when you buy pre existing you get to choose, and you can modify things if you don't like them. It's often easier to improve something someone else has done rather than create from scratch.

Are transit countries counted? Qatar and UAE are both on the red list.

I've filled my UK car up three times in the last twelve months. Pandemic has saved us a fortune in travel expenses.

Twenty years ago I think there was a huge difference. I was blown away by the UK super markets. So much variety, it was amazing. Can't speak for the rest of Australia, but Perth supermarkets have improved incredibly. Not sure what the internet deliveries are like now in Perth. We get all our shopping delivered now. I haven't been to a supermarket in over a year. But we are planning a trip to Lidl soon.

So it's entirely voluntary then.

From what I've read, only about 1% entering the UK have to quarantine. It's a bit of a joke really. France is swimming in South Africa strain, but come right in. It's so political it's laughable.

The other question is whether you should save or take on debt. There are times when it's beneficial to reduce debt, and times when it is beneficial to take on debt. Generally, in times of high inflation, debters will be rewarded. For example, Australian property prices are rising. Anyone who takes on debt and buys a house will be rewarded, until property prices stop rising. I guess that is a fundamental difference between savings and investment. Savings is always your money, whereas you can invest with borrowed money. Obviously when you are leveraged the risk is substantially greater. But the rewards also can be substantially greater.

The impact of every mine should be assessed separately. I mean think about it. Do you really think that if you have two mines, one in the middle of nowhere in an area of insignificance with good transport and one in an area of outstanding beauty with significant risk to the environment with transport that is insufficient, that you ignore all that and just say you are pro coal or anti coal? How can you not assess the impact of each mine independently?

I agree with you there. My impression of Scott Morrison has certainly improved. Post covid. And yes, it is very hard for a covid leader to fall. Trump being the obvious exception because of his terrible performance.

More labour than lib? The libs put themselves forward as the party of business. I think you would be hard pressed to say Turnbull isn't pro business. He was pro a coal mine in Queensland, and has come out against a coal mine in NSW. Are you saying that you either need to be for coal mining or against coal mining? Is it not possible to take each mine on its own merits? Everyone seems to crucify politicians for changing their minds, and it is often seen as poor leadership, which it often is. However, you must appreciate there are situations where it is sensible to alter your view as you gain more knowledge?

From memory, wasn't Turnbull leader in 2009 when Abbott knifed him? What comes around goes around. Next?

Specifically, what didn't you like about him? Shouldn't be that hard. Did he damage the country in some way?

I quite liked Turnbull. Not many libs I would vote for but I would have voted for him. What was it you didn't like about him?

If the government spends to the point where it is competing against the private sector, then it will cause inflation. The central bank will then raise interest rates to control the inflation. Raising interest rates increases the cost of the private sector doing business, so it slows the economy, possibly causing a recession. Interest rates aren't a problem for the government, as they just print more money to pay them. This is why governments should spend during recessions, but not spend during booms. During a recession they won't compete for resources against the private sector. That is why the austerity after the gfc was a really bad idea. They should have spent. That doesn't mean governments should waste money. They should spend wisely. They should spend to create value. The worry with the amount of money the US government has thrown at covid is that it will cause inflation as the economy restarts. This will cause interest rates to rise. To make this worse, the fed has said they will let inflation ride. This could mean they get behind the curve and they need to raise rates much faster than they would like. This could cause a stock market crash and recession. The big danger of this will be in 2022/23. We are in pretty much uncharted territory. The theory is there. But practice will test it. It's going to be a fun few years seeing how this pans out.

I despair at the number of people who think a country runs it's economy the same way a private household runs it's housekeeping budget.

As I said, I think you are confusing PTS with PTSD. There's a lot of difference. Migration can be one of the most stressful events we undertake. Especially migration with a one year old. Especially migration with family issues. Especially during covid. We did this twenty years ago. Without the covid. My wife suffered from anxiety and depression as a result. She refused to get any help, and we ended up returning to the UK within the year. That was a decision she has always regretted. We don't always appreciate the stress we are under, and we often trivialise it. But it often manifests itself regardless. Obviously I am not talking about PTSD which people get after a war etc, but PTS is a very real thing. I saw parallels with my own situation and advised as such. I don't really understand why you are behaving like this.

No idea what you are talking about mate. We went through exactly the same situation, hence my advice. I'm speaking from personal experience. Suggesting someone talk with their GP can never be bad advice.

Perth was always Northbridge. The actual city centre was as dead as a dodo. Long time since I've been out pubbing and clubbing in Perth. Although, to be honest, what's wrong with people spending time with their families?

Nail on the head. The variation between UK schools is also massive, so to say one countries' schools are better than the other verges on the ridiculous.

I really don't think this is about moving suburbs or states. It is very hard for a woman to move away from her support network with a one year old. OP probably didn't realize it at the time, but it is a massive strain to put upon herself at that time in her life, even in normal times, but with covid, I can only imagine how stressful it was. Moving suburbs or states isn't going to deal with her issues.