Member Info for mailman

I do think it is a combination of spending more on things and things costing more in relation the average income with many not earning the average income..... The guide is regarding house prices over the past 3 decades ... house prices have gone from around 3 times average earnings of 1 persons wage, to 7 times the income of 2 people . But wages have not followed inline ... So a bigger proportion of income is spent on Housing and renting.... Yes many spend a lot on Mobile Phone use and contract, and sky TV subs... But not on the radar of expense 3 decades ago ..but a way of life to so many today. So basically things to me have improved with new technology and a desire for things has been created but the means to pay for many extra things we have today are not met by the ability to pay on many current incomes ..after paying for the increasing basic living and utilities costs... That then means the growth in Bank overdrafts and Credit card debt in the UK. and payday loans or whatever.. The cost of street cred by children to their parents is amazing as many parents well know.... The encouragement to spend far more today is far greater than 30 years ago and access to Debt is ridiculously so easy today... in fact wildly encouraged... Saving up to buy years ago is not some much an option today as credit is a bigger way of life to each new generation it seems.... The days of paying for Gas and Electricity based on what you used has gone, you have to be told to constantly change suppliers for a better deal , which creation frustration and confusion and cost the public more in the end... or why would suppliers bother ...Rail Fares another mine field of prices also creates confusion and creates more profits .. or just a few standard prices would be offered like 30 years ago .. Looking back 30 years is a real eye opener as to how the cost of things has changed in relation to the average income along the way... Remember pre 1972 there were no credit cards and today they are part of so many people lives ...and God knows what the true amount of personal Debt there really is in and what has risen to since 1972 in the UK.... Money is always a challenging point of any persons budget and that is the issue many find hard to deal with... regarding living within your means... sadly many do not have the means to met the basic needs ..that's where increasing government benefit payments comes in ..But that is a well known growing issue and anther story.. Meanwhile life goes on in so many different ways ... no matter if you earn 5K part time or £10 million a year plus.. This is the UK we now live in... Maybe a return to fundamental basics from Theresa May would be a good idea and way forward for some Stability. I wonder if RBS will go sub 170 soon... ATB

EU banks under pressure it seems.. Talking of Italy banks on CNBC .. Low interest rates are not helping banks or savers.. Every week it is another issue .. Hard to think that RBS was 412p 18 months ago.. And even more harder to remember about 8 years ago the SP was around £6 in old money, being £60 in today's terms after consolidation ... The last 10 years has certainly changed the UK and world banking system. It is strange how the 2008 banking crisis hit so many people back then and has now resulted is such cheap money that is pushing house prices back up beyond the pre crisis level and causing even more damage to first time buyers today what a crazy situation of so much to happen in the past decade ... Lack of affordability is a growing trend for each new generation for housing and renting is not far behind... How banks progress in coming years with low rates and more bad news and fines remains to be seen... And Brexit... One thing is for sure things will be changing all the time.. Any coming rate rise trend will spark a new direction for banks and savers and pushing house buyers under more pressure ... The next 10 years will be very interesting with Brexit, US election, interest rates, Oil prices and any possible EU troubles or break up.. The Labour Party.. And of course terrorism.. A time machine would be interesting to spend a week in 2025 or maybe not... ATB

I think in recent years Politics is on less and less peoples radar of interest ...40% plus not voting is another example ....Each party constantly contradicting each other rather than doing things that needed or right.... 25 years of the NHS problems that never get solved ... like a jig saw that is constantly altered but never gets finished...same as TV news is 80% poor or bad news... so little today to be inspired by as so many issues and problems just become daily national news... that often repeats its self like groundhog day... After the past 10 years of the not getting a GP appointments farce .. creating an easy appointment system is even further away than ever... as a prime example of politics becoming a folly ..Just what are the 650 MPs actually doing apart from it seems creating more problems... It would be nice for MPs to at least have a logical plan that we all go foreword on to the future.. You can never please everyone but a least please the Majority.... Happy Days...

Where money is concerned , Greed will follow.... Regarding the England team, they do not seem to need a manager because the last 15 managers have made no difference or achieved little or anything regarding trophies..... As far as I know this is the fact of 50 years of documented history of the England Team.... 50 years of excuses win absolutely nothing...The ability of the players is the issue if the results are constantly poor. The same applies to those teams in the lower leagues of the whole UK football league, and 95% do not have the ability to get into the Prem and never will. After the past 15 managers and god knows how many players over 50 years, reaching a final in a tournament seems impossible... The bottom line appears to be that the England teams has ridiculously high paid players that make a GOOD team... But not a GREAT team ... There is the difference....The System, the Desire, The ability, Too overpaid to bother, Frightened of injury to affect their Prem team chances... Or the England team is not that important compared to playing in the Prem teams.. ...All these possibilities have been mentioned time after time.....and the same issues and problems continue to exist over too many Decades not Years...With the actual Billions involved in UK football failure to produce a worthy and strong proud Nation England team .... appears a folly and unanswerable Question..... The other folly appears that the next Manger like many others is paid a crazy amount, currently 3 million £ a year with no need or guarantee of achievement required ...if no good you get the sack after your 4 year term and pocket 12 million quid...or get a nice pay off if sacked earlier. What a great little earner... Win Win Win.. The Game now is far bigger than the fans, who are being conned and are prepared to pay all most anything to watch football and treated as cash cows for those high in the system to benefit. How some fans on 25K a year pay to watch Prem players on a 100K a week win or lose at their expense defies logic...but each unto their own... I like many just watch BBC MOTD and switch it off till next week ..... the real interest is slowly going as football is not what is was for me anymore .... Just my point of view .. ATB..

All very quiet .. Infact the quietest week I have known.. RBS has dropped 30 points since last high .. Not much else of note going on.. See how far it drops ... Could be a buying opportunity .. But the markets are at all time highs and maybe a correction is coming or a move to higher levels on the run up to Xmas ... Who knows .. The banking sector still under a cloud.. Down day for the UK and USA at the moment see what this week brings... Brexit and US Election and The Fed rate rise still unknown... Time like always will tell..

The happy days just keep coming.... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/markets/article-3793241/Royal-Bank-Scotland-facing-threat-crippling-multi-billion-pound-fine-selling-toxic-mortgage-securities.html ATB...

Might be of interest to some of you...ATB http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3753260/RBS-relive-unpleasant-memories-investor-lawsuit-looms.html

Very good.. Had me worried after the First line...with Uncle Sid.. This site can be full of surprises...another 4 weeks and the main season will be over ... Great Yarmouth had it`s biggest fire for many years last week... Link below. http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/fire_chiefs_continue_to_investigate_cause_of_major_blaze_in_great_yarmouth_s_regent_road_1_4645630

Having posted here for a few years... Many posters come and go... Some appear to know it all, and others do not appear to have a clue and ask many questions... This all makes many random points of discussion.... Some buy and hold and hope, while others buy on a big drop and sell on the next rise with any profit and get out quick... and anything else you want to mention.. Sometimes the posters talk about non RBS which recharges the thought batteries and creates a loose friendship bond amongst a few of us on this board. Being too serious and to go over the top and to criticize to harshly other posters posts is not really a route that I go down ... simple discussion to make a point is interesting and can inform people ..... talking about other shares being a good thing or whatever is not a great interest to me as I only deal in RBS,.... others have other thoughts and dealings ...and I except that fact.. Most people know the score and some small investors I would say read these post sites and learn before considering any venture into share dealing ..I know I did years ago... It is all good fun and a learning curve and the more you know does not always ensure you will always gain a profit... we all make mistakes ..or if it was that easy we could all retire in 5 years time.... A little banter over the past few years has gained myself knowledge and many chats with several people on this site, that I do not really know or will ever see... but I like to think they RBS posting friends ... and help each other on many thoughts and questions posted... and with many off subject postings which can be fun and interesting... a good mixture when things get really going.. as some well know... like some personal experiences.. ... While I at it , I would like to take this opportunity to thank many of you posters for the past few years of Banter and discussion ... and long may it all continue in the same friendly way.. ATB ..All .. and KEEP SMILING .....The weather is cloudy, breezy and warm Near Great Yarmouth..

For those that are interested ... a bit of light reading.. http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/company_news/14666194.Share_price_shock_as_RBS_pays_for_past_misconduct/

Yes hols time .. Normally now the bank results period has now ended the SP can drop Good luck with the patios... I am off for a stroll down to the Beach for a late pub lunch... Grayling RBS .. can cause grief to many... as small investors we are all on our own... ATB Anther buying opportunity maybe coming in the near future...

Grayling ... You said you sold out in April 2013 with a loss of 36%... Shame you did not stay in longer as it reached 410p in Feb 2015 .. for a nice profit. Hind sight can often catch you out... With the economy the way it is... £3 looks a bit of a wait, £4 seems a struggle in the next year or two ... and £5 is looking like dreamland on current financial trends... in 2007 the SP was £6, that is £60 today after consolidation ALL...... Banking shares prices now in 2016 compared to the year 2000 are a totally different ball game.. So much has happened in the financial world with the 2007 financial crisis and the banks forced reconstructive ways and now Brexit issues, and the UK growing personal DEBT MOUNTAIN.. This said the UK residential Mortgage loan debt must run into TRILLIONS, and credit card debt must be many BILLIONS.... God knows how many are living via a credit and banks overdrafts...to make ends meet... And of course since 2000 house buying to more each year is not affordable and renting is slowly going the same way ... and more under 25s are staying at home with parents every year.... The drop in rates yesterday will encourage more people to max out their mortgage loan application ... But the wise ones will not get into massive debt as the uncertainty at the present time is totally unknown... If a negative interest rate happens in the coming year, then is just highlights how serious the UK problems really are.. Maybe a recession is on the way .. Who Knows Terrorism is also changing many things and security costs to the UK must be Horrendous ..You have your suitcases checked at every Airport but thousands of suitcases are taken on the London Tube System everyday totally unchecked ...Think about ...it is CRAZY with no security checks at all on the TUBE and RAILWAYS and 1000s of people involved every hour ...I will say no more, as you will have your own thoughts ..This is a different UK to 25 years ago.... All my own thoughts as usual... you may agree or disagree... Carry on regardless is the only approach Lets hope things improve.... 50 Minutes it took me to get through passport control on Eurostar.. 2 weeks ago.. at St Pancras ... From Disneyland Paris... from one train... Meanwhile see how far the RBS SP drops today and see what happens next week... ATB ...

So today turkey is having problems, France has suffered another attack to add the others the padt 3 years , Greece is debt ridden and the UK has voted to leave the EU and mass immigration is upsetting Germany... And Egypt and Tunisia are off the holiday destinations and Turkey may follow... We now have a PM that has resigned and we have another new one being a lady in just 3 weeks .. The Brexit vote sent the UK market down for a few days and it is now back up in record highs ... And Colchester hospital says it is 300 nurses short ... We are it troublesome times .. How much will petrol be in months time It is truely amazing what can happen in 3 years .. At this pace what will the next 3 years bring ... Good luck..

A very bad loss of lives in France my heart goes out to the families .. Sadly yet another wicked way to kill people ... The question from some is maybe a rethink of the Freedom of unregulated moment laws .. A good idea at the time, but has let a lot of bad people to spread across the EU in the past 10 plus years ... Something that seemed impossible in 2000 but terrorism has spread since 2001 in New York and appears to be no let up .. Europe has had an uneasy time for many years now and many unexpected targets seem the terrorists action... The worse thing is you cannot reason with a terrorist that is prepared to Die.. So how do you beat them... The question is now must be the safety at the Brazil Olympics or any festivals that happen around the EU ... Or It could well be anywhere in reality... We have had 15 years of it and there seems no let up with a hundred plus being killed across EU every year now.. The leaders of many countries are yet again expressing their condolences and it is on constant TV News .. But the problem is not being solved and how do you start and where are the unknown amount terrorist people around Europe. Bad times.. I hope it does not get worse or become a long term known future situation Where did it all go wrong, to ever start all this terrorism off... In the first place.. Life was so different before the year 2000. In many ways..

Logic would say that banks make money by the interest people pay on their loans .. If that is reduced that means less profit .. That said more may take out a loan at lower rates may mean more lower profits for banks.. Others maybe more knowledgeable on this situation... Meanwhile the trend seems to be up... Markets at or near record highs

Like most places it is Location, Location to many where they would like to live...Me personally would never live in a city ever again since leaving North London... which was Mayhem 30 years ago... to me. It was Fait that brought me to Norfolk but a gods send it has proved....Not too remote and has most things I require and mainly without the Dense population that I moved away from... As Said Location, Location, that suits the individual person.... some just cannot afford to move and that is tragic to be stuck in a area you dislike. The news about the amount of Train services being cut 340 Mentioned.. I can never understand all that standing in trains hassle for hours getting to and back from work everyday..... And getting back to Norfolk from Gatwick using the M25 Dartford crossing tunnel took 2.5 hours to get to the M11, taking over 5 hours in total to get home last year. How people using that route daily to get to work is not an option I would endure, as it gets worse every year.. When it takes 15 minutes for me locally to get to my old workplace.now They may earn 10K - 20K more than me in the London area, but the 4 times extra mortgage and extra travelling time and cost must eat most of that away, and what price is the daily travelling stress and time away from home and family...more like a survival of the fittest... Some earning 30K and are using credit cards and overdrafts to keep going living in the outer London area that TV documentaries tell us ... crazy... I find my Trips to the beach walking or sitting on a bench and talking to people Local,.. and holidaymakers... who I find a very interesting way of gauging the different parts of the UK,.as I often ask how are things back where you live...One couple last September expressed a liking to move to my area and kept me talking for 20 minutes asking about everything including house prices and estate agents to visit... I am sure they must be living here now.. The SP slight drop today ...see what tomorrow brings..ATB

Although Arran is nice to visit... but I would imagine can be an issue in really bad weather ... but good location for Glasgow airport ..I am 45 mins to Norwich airport and around 100 mins to Stansted The Traffic Volumes while can be busy at times in my coastal town Near Great Yarmouth, it is 60% less than most UK cities and London where I can from, and here it is even less out of season, which is only around 10 weeks long now... Stroll along the Beach in or out of season is heaven compared to my past London very High residential populated nightmare 30 years ago.. God knows what it is now.... Mayhem I would imagine.. and stress... SP rise seems to be slowing today.. And I see Poundland has been Taken over for £600 Million, A good buy I would think.. Surprised that the Brexit result fall out only lasted a couple of weeks.. but know doubt many other issues will be coming... Back to normal really as there is always something happening... That`s Life as they say...Run by others that you do not know...

Re moving to the coast I did it over 30 years ago, a big move for those later in life ...i am 18 miles from Norwich so 30 min run by car .. The market is having a good run at the moment but everything comes to an end at some point make the most of it, as you say if no bank rate change is a plus... RBS results never seem to exceed expectations , but we will see in August See if things quieten down at the end of the week..

I never buy into a rising market.... Did it twice and the next day I got caught out with profit taking or whatever and saw in drop the next 2-3 days... I will just wait for a falling market or the next bad news story to hit the markets. But it is purely up to you I tend to not rush into things...or feel the pressure or the need to invest ..You will never get right all the time... I should have got in at 149p but Brexit madness was in the air and it could have gone down further , but instead it has gone back up 30p ... no gain but no loss on this one, you cannot win them all So long as I have made a profit at the end of the year more than in a savings account ..then I am happy... apart from last year I have achieved it 4 years out of the past 5 .. 8% plus per year Never kick yourself for getting out too early if you reach or near your target then ... Job done .. uncertainty will always be sitting on your shoulder.. Good luck ....you will live and learn and make choices ... but you can never predict with certainty.. as my elderly neighbour says..

Glad you enjoyed you trips to London a good place to visit but not to live, in my opinion. That is why I moved out many years ago . You said you would like to live by the sea .. WelI I live a miles walk from the beach absolutely great out of season, but good to walk among the holiday makers in summer .. The best of both worlds I have found... There is One great thing many do not even realise or think about and that is... If you live in a city you are living in a circle of people living 360 degrees round you around... By living by the coast you half that 360 degrees circle to 180 degrees because half the circle is the sea and not populated.. In fact I have the countryside and the Norfolk broads 2 miles behind my house and the beach 1 mile in front of my house .. And 25 minutes drive to Norwich for any major shopping or the theatre. Seeing boats, ships and some surfers and summer holiday makers, it is a world away from the years of living in the mayhem of London which I just do not need to live amongst anymore .. But each unto our own.. ATB