Thursday 21 January 2021

In case you were wondering. . . . . .

 Good morning.     This is why you need to live your life now, the future is uncertain, Many more people are going to become reliant on Government handouts. The country will sink further into debt. Those who are old enough to remember the war, think about the massive rebuilding programme that went on afterwards. The years it took to get back to normal.

This is why you need to live your life now. Hang on to your dreams and don't give up. Your life is valuable. Take one day at a time, fill every hour and every day doing the things that give you pleasure. Your hobbies, keeping in touch with your friends and families, and supporting each other. I wish you well in your endeavours to get back to normal. 

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 Copied and pasted from cityam.com   

Rishi Sunak is reportedly set to extend the government’s furlough scheme beyond the end of April in his 3 March Budget.

The chancellor is drawing up plans to extend the £82bn scheme into the summer as the UK looks set to have strict Covid restrictions in place for several months.

The scheme, which sees the government pay up to 80 per cent of wages up to £2,500 a month, was originally supposed to end last October.

The UK’s Covid cases are steadily falling, however deaths are at their highest ever point as the UK rolls out the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said on Sunday that he hoped the England Covid lockdown could be eased by March, while media reports on Monday speculated that stringent conditions could be in place until May.

A source close to Sunak told Bloomberg that “support for jobs isn’t going to end” while most businesses cannot open and that the chancellor is likely to extend the furlough scheme beyond April.

It comes days after the CBI and the British Chambers of Commerce, two of the UK’s largest business groups, called for an extension of Sunak’s furlough scheme.

CBI director-general Tony Danker said: “The government must once again stand shoulder-to-shoulder with businesses to underwrite support for the duration, helping viable enterprises to last the course.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also backed the call for an extension of the furlough scheme and an extension of the business rates holiday past March.

“Current plans to end the business rates holiday in March and then the furlough scheme in April create a huge financial cliff edge for employers,” Khan said.

“Without the certainty that support will remain in place for as long as it is needed, many more businesses could decide to cut their losses and close permanently now.”

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I'll be back later. Keep your pecker up.   ilona

16 comments:

  1. Hi Ilona. I echo your sentiments. I hope many more people will start to become more like you - thrifty, resourceful, upbeat, generous of spirit and community-minded - carefully budgeting so that they have money for the essentials of life, and those things that give them real pleasure. And then save some! (I do realise many are in desperate financial straits and simply cannot.) I keep hearing about a projected "roaring twenties" post-pandemic consumption upswing. Really? I suspect that's what the government (and retailers) hope, and are trying to kid us that everyone else is spending and we'll need to keep up with Joneses. Personally, I'm having a big clear-out of "stuff" at home, and stripping my life down to that which is important to me, to help keep a clear head. Thanks for keeping your blog going. Heather

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    1. Small businesses are being systematically closed down so everyone has to buy from Amazon.

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  2. Im trying really hard to keep my pecker up...and most days I can...but other days,I just want to sleep all day.These are my really down days.Days when I just cant get motivated and feel anxious all the time,with a knotted feeling in my stomach.I am lucky...or is that sensible...that we have no debt.We have never had what we couldnt afford to pay cash for and my needs and wants are down to nothing these days,apart from food.I just try to keep smiling!!xx

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  3. Your words are so true.Life will be very different post pandemic.

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  4. I have started my own version of 'dig for Britain'. I'm planting edible things in my flower borders this year. If everyone turned over even a tiny part of their gardens to veggies they could save a small fortune.

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    1. You do the right thing, Cherie. Those who control the money, control the food.

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    2. Not everyone has the privilege of a garden...

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  5. I'm carrying on as normal. I don't go on holidays. Don't eat out. Don't go to cinema. Don't like people. Love my garden. Cut my own hair. What lockdown?? Not getting out of my tree about it.

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    1. Linda you sound like me lol. I only go out to go to work but if i didn't work i doubt would leave the house very often, if at all😊

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  6. Ilona - you are so right about living your life while you can. In the US, we are in the BIGGEST mess now. As far as a lot of us are concerned, we have NO president for the next four years. It is awful knowing that they cheated through their teeth to get in a dementia and demented person to rule our country. We are all aware that their main agenda is to declare him mentally unfit and push in the female who is a joke! We are prepping like made to save food, use less resources, fill our gas tanks in case of emergencies, etc. A new world for us and we don't like it. Where I live we are not required to wear masks or stay inside. We move around as usual, just have to wear a mask at healthcare places. My husband and I will NOT get the COVID vaccine no more than we get the flu shot. To each his own.

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    1. Prepping is needed more than ever now. Who knows which direction your country will be steered in. I can't see it working out well. We are under the threat of more lockdowns, causing more conflict between those who go along with whatever they are told, and those who are free thinkers. This madness is going to go on and on. I can see civil unrest coming.

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    2. I agree. Civil unrest for both our nations. It seems that there will always be "sheep" led around by the nose believing government knows best. Unbelievable. Enjoy your weekend, smart lady!

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  7. I strongly disagree with previous comments by Cate, so let it be known that in the US, there are many with differing opinions on our past 4 years and our future 4 years. Our new president spoke highly of our country coming together in unity and healing. I do not believe NOR does the court system find that there was cheating on the ballots. I'm very sad that someone from my home country wrote those words above on a blog in another country. Where I live (in the Midwest of USA), we ARE required to wear masks, we have a state curfew of 10 pm. Students (we have a 7th grader) wear masks on the school bus and in the classroom, desks are spaced apart, desks and chairs are sanitized at the change of each class period, lockers are not allowed in use due to close contact. School sports have strict guidelines, spectators are restricted. Our kiddo is playing basketball, players must wear masks while on the bench, optional to wear mask during the game. EVERY business in our state has a sign on the door that masks are required by state mandate. I am a retired Registered Nurse and strongly encourage people to wear their masks properly, wash their hands, and maintain space. My husband and I WILL get the Covid vaccine. I've had several friends who have had the Covid virus, very sadly some COVID deaths occurred of those we know. So yes, indeed, to each his own, but make educated wise decisions please.

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    1. You are entitled to your opinion. My blog is a safe place for people to come if they choose to get their news from many different sources. I consider that they are wise and educated people who are capable of working things out for themselves. They are entitled to their opinion.

      I don't follow USA politics, too complicated for me. I pick up a few headlines, and I follow knowledgeable people in alternative media. I am not going to voice my opinion on that, but what I would say to you is come back in a years time and let us know if Mr B is fulfilling all your expectations.

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    2. AMEN, Ilona!! Come back in a year indeed, IF he has not been ousted by his own people by then!

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  8. I'm also an American from the midwest and didn't vote for either of them. People are under the impression we have a two party system but the truth is there is only one party (Corporate) and we've become a Corporatacracy. Any president is nothing more than a figure head doing the bidding of Corporate America. This will not bode well for the world. The only surprise about the Insurrection is that it didn't happen sooner. Will Biden make a difference? I'm sure he'll throw out a few crumbs but overall progress in this Contree moves slower than a hibernating snail. No "great" empire has ever survived for more than 250 years, so hold on to your hats, this reality TV show is going to get crazy.

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