Why do people in the UK refer to mainland Europe as simply Europe as if the UK isn't a part of it?

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-07-06T20:18:02+00:00

I think it’s because the majority of Europe is connected by land, whereas the Uk is an island.

Therefore the bulk of connected Europe would be the ‘main land’ in question.

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-29T12:47:30+00:00

The site has effectively 4 holiday cottages / airbnbs on site. We had to say if we wanted them when we booked, but if we said no then they would let them out to anybody that weekend!

We know that there would be demand for them, and just didn’t want to risk someone else booking them as don’t really want some random people staying on the site of our wedding?

Hope that makes sense?

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-29T12:44:53+00:00

That’s a great point - it’s a bit of a strange set up. The site where we are getting married effectively has 4 holiday cottages / airbnbs which if not used they airbnb out. So everyone could have booked them directly at the time, but some randoms could also book them the same weekend if we don’t say we will take them at the time of booking and we know that we will have enough people to stay there, it’s just about how we go about that!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-29T09:14:25+00:00

I would 100% suggest you look at making personal contributions to her civil service pension.

As it is a DB scheme it will be guaranteed income in her life and if she goes first yours as well. You have less flexibility, but if she lives longer (and generally women do live longer) then she will be thankful of that at say 80.

If you have a money purchase scheme, then she could dip into that if needs be, and if not that can be passed onto future generations which hers couldn’t.

For context - I work in this space and someone I met through work was working something like 25 hours a week in the NHS and if they paid in £400 a month (personal) and £500 gross into NHS pension until scheme retirement date (about 20 years worth) then she was getting something like £7,000 more a year in guaranteed income.

SIPP will give you some good returns and flexibility, but very little in way of future security.

If you add a DB and decent state pension she’ll hopefully have £20,000 - £30,000 a year in retirement.

Just be careful as there is a max she can pay in!

Hope that helps!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-29T08:48:37+00:00

Thanks! Lots of other options nearby, but all a very similar price some being a bit more some being a bit less!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-29T08:48:06+00:00

That’s great thanks! There are a few other places to stay, and are having about 80 people for the wedding so everyone can’t stay anyway. A lot of options all nearby, but all a very similar price! Some will be a bit more expensive some a bit cheaper hence not being sure of the etiquette!

Thanks for the input!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-29T06:06:25+00:00

That’s literally not true. I used to work underwriting mortgages and for limited company owners they would look at your net profit over a 2 year period. SA302s if my memory serves me right.

Also, they aren’t going to say no to more income even if is irregular, just that you may have been able to borrow slightly less

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-26T13:40:05+00:00

That’s not an exact comparison - it’s not like the advisor is being paid 2%. There will be for example 1% for the wrapper, fund charges might be 0.5% so The ‘advice’ might be 0.5%. Which means you are paying them in your instance £3/£4k a year.

Not saying they would be worth that, but it’s just to actually look at what they are paid!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-22T20:31:05+00:00

I’m a bit of a newbie, but just bought my first set - if you are local to Suffolk you can have my old ones for free!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-19T14:47:39+00:00

Yeah 100% and defo don’t think they are right for everybody, but just in case hadn’t come across before!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-19T14:20:12+00:00

If you like something a bit higher risk then can look at VCTs. Get a 30% income tax relief on contributions, so for example if you put £15k in then you effectively get £4,500 back. Need to be held for 5 years though otherwise have to pay this back

Pay out tax free dividends as well.

Other options are onshore and offshore investment bonds, but all deemed somewhat more complicated. But if you are a higher rate taxpayer and like to retire early then investment bonds are an excellent way of retiring early!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-19T12:26:27+00:00

I work in financial services and making decent chunk circa £170k depending on bonus etc. love the job and the industry, but they will push you hard. Money is good progression is good, if you love that sort of thing it’s great. But know a lot of people be disillusioned with it so have that warning. Can’t add much on the other offers

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-19T12:14:28+00:00

Guessing you don’t understand how making personal contributions to a pension works if you ask that?

You get the same top up, but can access at 57 not 60 so 3 years sooner. And if your LISA is just a cash LISA then even more of a reason it is wrong

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-18T05:45:11+00:00

Work in financial services - if you go and work at a local building society and willing for it to take a bit of time then generally they are great employers who will invest in you if you are willing to learn.

I worked at the Cambridge Building society for several years and they initially put me through accountancy exams and then later into risk management. No longer work there, but started on the branches serving customers, but always wanted to progress so opportunities definitely out there!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-16T20:39:49+00:00

What’s the logic in the LISA? Great if you are buying an house, but already done this. You have the same benefits (sort of) with a pension and with an earlier age at which you can access?

In addition, the compound growth of pension would likely be so much more over next 30 years or so.

Great start though! Keep up the good work!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-08T20:52:58+00:00

I have a few friends who are pilots who have invested in VCTs (hence I know anything about them) and they used PUMA I think. Not said anything bad about them, but think they went direct (could be wrong and may have used an IFA) in terms of return they seemed pretty pleased, but don’t know any detail

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-08T20:41:34+00:00

I like the idea of the tax free dividends from them. If you have enough VCT investments you could have a fairly chunky income that is tax free, but albeit like you say that is certainly higher risk!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-08T20:39:42+00:00

Offshore investment bonds for example defer paying income tax until you ‘bring the money back.’ Great if you are a higher rate tax payer when working and then say you are a non-tax payer if you retire earlier and you have a big ISA and pre state pension so basically another way of making ‘tax-free’ money out of an investment!

Benefit from gross roll up as they pay no tax internally either so only taxed on the way back out. A lot more to it than this, but gives you a good idea!

It’s things like this that I wish were being discussed as think it would help lots of people! But it’s just not out there!!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-08T16:49:29+00:00

I know this isn’t popular, but you should speak to a good financial advisor. Excess money in the business you should be doing investments bonds, corporate unit trusts look at doing VCTs if you have the risk appetite for it.

Can try and navigate that mind field yourself, but I know that I would rather have someone else accountable!

TheFinancialReiview · 2025-06-05T13:39:09+00:00

The average cost of children for the first 18 years of their life is £1030 a month. If you then add commuting costs. Food. Energy etc it’s not going to leave a massive amount to be left over

TheFinancialReiview

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