Friday, 29 February 2008
From Simonne
February for me is the month that I have to renew my car, breakdown and home insurances. I spend a bit of time on the internet searching out the best deals and then buy it through www.greasypalm.co.uk - a shopping portal that gives me cashback simply because it directed me to the insurer’s website. It doesn’t cost any more and I usually make £80 to £100 cash back on top of saving up to £300 by not sticking with my existing insurers. That’s enough to pay for a nice weekend break. And my premiums seem to get cheaper each year, as I get even better at finding the best deals. Just think about that weekend away when you next decide to save time and hassle by just automatically renewing your insurances with your existing provider.
Sunday, 24 February 2008
Are you one of those women doing more than their fair share of unpaid overtime?
According to a recent TUC report nearly 5million British workers regularly put in unpaid overtime, especially teachers, lawyers, business people and media workers. And almost 40% of single women in their 30s work unpaid extra hours, compared with 26% of men of the same age. It’s said that if women want to get on at work they need to put in longer hours than anyone else. But the more women do this, the longer it will continue to be an expectation of them.
If you haven’t done our ‘Are You an Under-Earner?’ quiz yet, it’s on the www.sheconomics.com home page.
According to a recent TUC report nearly 5million British workers regularly put in unpaid overtime, especially teachers, lawyers, business people and media workers. And almost 40% of single women in their 30s work unpaid extra hours, compared with 26% of men of the same age. It’s said that if women want to get on at work they need to put in longer hours than anyone else. But the more women do this, the longer it will continue to be an expectation of them.
If you haven’t done our ‘Are You an Under-Earner?’ quiz yet, it’s on the www.sheconomics.com home page.
Friday, 22 February 2008
A note from Simonne on ethical purchasing:
Have you heard about a stationery company called Wild Hearts in Action
(www.wildheartsinaction.org
It was set up as a social enterprise by millionaire entrepreneur Mick Jackson.
Every single penny of profit goes towards food and schooling programmes in Africa. When Mick saved a sherpa's life in Nepal he realised compassionate action gave him real positive feedback that he'd never been able to get from business alone.
So he set up Wild Hearts in Action with lots of volunteers. As he said, everyone needs stationery. So why not buy your printer cartridges and your paper from them and make a real difference at the same time! They are dedicated to the highest professional standards and they say that orders are delivered very promptly.
(www.wildheartsinaction.org
It was set up as a social enterprise by millionaire entrepreneur Mick Jackson.
Every single penny of profit goes towards food and schooling programmes in Africa. When Mick saved a sherpa's life in Nepal he realised compassionate action gave him real positive feedback that he'd never been able to get from business alone.
So he set up Wild Hearts in Action with lots of volunteers. As he said, everyone needs stationery. So why not buy your printer cartridges and your paper from them and make a real difference at the same time! They are dedicated to the highest professional standards and they say that orders are delivered very promptly.
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Clearly, Bagonomics is a subject I couldn’t even get a GCSE in.
In my last blog I voiced serious misgivings about the investment value of handbags.
Then Lisa Armstrong writes in the Times mag on Saturday about the huge profits to be made by playing the e-bay bag market. There’s a danger though, as she points out, that while trying to make money on your bag you spot an even more desirable recherché 2.55 Reissue Chanel that (apparently) any self-respecting bag lady just has to have. And at the click of a mouse you’ve bid away your profit and a bit more. I always thought anorak-behaviour was just for the boys, but it seems that e-Bay has thrown up some serious female bag-spotters.
In my last blog I voiced serious misgivings about the investment value of handbags.
Then Lisa Armstrong writes in the Times mag on Saturday about the huge profits to be made by playing the e-bay bag market. There’s a danger though, as she points out, that while trying to make money on your bag you spot an even more desirable recherché 2.55 Reissue Chanel that (apparently) any self-respecting bag lady just has to have. And at the click of a mouse you’ve bid away your profit and a bit more. I always thought anorak-behaviour was just for the boys, but it seems that e-Bay has thrown up some serious female bag-spotters.
Saturday, 16 February 2008
How we delude ourselves.
I heard a fashionista on Woman’s Hour this week proudly declaring that she ‘invests’ in a designer handbag each season.
It’s depressing to think there are intelligent women out there who really believe that when they are pensioned off as batty old ladies they’ll be saying to themselves (or to the cat), ‘Well, Tiddles, isn’t it lucky I have my stash of old handbags to fall back on?’.
Just to be safe, in case the bottom drops out of the handbag market or there’s a world clutch-bag crash, maybe alternate each season with an ISA?
I heard a fashionista on Woman’s Hour this week proudly declaring that she ‘invests’ in a designer handbag each season.
It’s depressing to think there are intelligent women out there who really believe that when they are pensioned off as batty old ladies they’ll be saying to themselves (or to the cat), ‘Well, Tiddles, isn’t it lucky I have my stash of old handbags to fall back on?’.
Just to be safe, in case the bottom drops out of the handbag market or there’s a world clutch-bag crash, maybe alternate each season with an ISA?
Saturday, 9 February 2008
Pay gaps and mind gaps
‘Jobs for the Girls: Two Years on’ is a report on the government’s attempts to address the disparity between men’s and women’s salaries. The pay gap for full-time workers is still a deplorable 18%. Whilst waiting for the government to get their act together women can work on getting the “I deserve it” message across to employers. It all starts with knowing your inner worthiness and portraying that in all your interactions with others.
‘Jobs for the Girls: Two Years on’ is a report on the government’s attempts to address the disparity between men’s and women’s salaries. The pay gap for full-time workers is still a deplorable 18%. Whilst waiting for the government to get their act together women can work on getting the “I deserve it” message across to employers. It all starts with knowing your inner worthiness and portraying that in all your interactions with others.
Monday, 4 February 2008
“We need to talk about pensions”.
If you haven’t uttered those words to your employer/partner/financial adviser lately then you’re probably not alone. Apparently 4.5 million women aren’t saving enough to have a half-decent retirement. If you’re one of those it’s probably a good idea to start a ‘We need to talk about pensions’ conversation sometime soon.
Then, having got that out of the way and feeling all smug, treat yourself to the book that I nicked the title from (We need to talk about Kevin) for the simple reason that it’s a fantastic read!
If you haven’t uttered those words to your employer/partner/financial adviser lately then you’re probably not alone. Apparently 4.5 million women aren’t saving enough to have a half-decent retirement. If you’re one of those it’s probably a good idea to start a ‘We need to talk about pensions’ conversation sometime soon.
Then, having got that out of the way and feeling all smug, treat yourself to the book that I nicked the title from (We need to talk about Kevin) for the simple reason that it’s a fantastic read!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)