I was recently offered the chance to review the Simba Hybrid Mattress Topper (see cover photo). This is a premium mattress topper from the well-known Simba sleep brand.
I must admit, incidentally, I hadn’t realised the variety of sleep products Simba offer. I knew about their mattresses, of course, but wasn’t aware they also sell quilts, pillows, mattress toppers, and so on.
I currently sleep on a Slumberland king-sized mattress which – despite being barely three years old – is starting to sag. My sleep quality had deteriorated and I was waking up with an aching back and hips. Not good at all 🙁 So when I got the opportunity to test out Simba’s hybrid mattress topper, naturally I leapt at it.
I have tried mattress toppers before, and in fact got a cheap one from Amazon prior to receiving the Simba product. It helped a little but clearly wasn’t going to be the solution for me.
The Simba hybrid mattress topper takes sleep comfort to a whole new level. For starters, it’s deeper and heavier than my previous mattress topper. It came rolled up in a (very) large cardboard box. I wrestled it upstairs and opened it without any help (nobody else being around at the time) but ideally I’d say this is a two-person job.
The mattress topper comes tightly wrapped in a clear plastic bag. Once I removed it from this, it lay flat on the bed without curling. Unlike some sleep products I have ordered in the past, you don’t have to wait for it to expand to its full depth.
From the first night onward I was hugely impressed with the Simba hybrid mattress topper. It is no exaggeration to say that it felt as though I was sleeping on a brand new mattress. It is smooth, cool and comfortable to lie on and (for me anyway) offers just the right medium-to-firm level of support. I am sleeping deeper and longer before waking, and the aches and pains in my back and hips are a thing of the past.
I thought it might be useful to reproduce here the diagram from the Simba web page showing how their hybrid mattress topper is constructed and the different layers it contains…
As you can see, the Simba hybrid mattress topper includes a number of different layers (hence the ‘hybrid’ in the name, I assume). You can read more about this on the Simba web page, but briefly at the top there is a soft, breathable sleep surface, with a foam comfort layer under that. In the middle is a spring support layer (just like in a mattress), with a high-density foam base below that. This is very different from most cheap mattress toppers, which are basically just quilts with a cotton/polyester filling.
Obviously because of its layered structure, you can’t turn the Simba hybrid mattress topper over. You can rotate it from end to end though, and it’s probably a good idea to do so occasionally to even out wear. No instructions are provided about this, however, so that’s purely a suggestion, based on my previous experience with mattresses.
Are there any drawbacks to the Simba hybrid mattress topper? Well, I did notice a slight ‘chemical’ smell which took a few days to disperse. It didn’t bother me, but ideally you might want to let your new mattress topper air for a day or two before starting to use it. I’m afraid I was too impatient to wait, though!
In addition, as this mattress topper contains springs, I wouldn’t recommend trying to wash it (it wouldn’t fit in a standard washing machine anyway!). It does though come with a removable, washable cover. Essentially, you need to treat this product as if it was a mini-mattress in its own right. That isn’t really a drawback to the Simba hybrid mattress topper, just a feature of it.
Overall, I am happy to give the Simba hybrid mattress topper my highest personal recommendation. If – like me – you have an old mattress that is starting to sag, it should prolong its useful life. Also, if you have a mattress that is too hard, it should make it softer and more comfortable for you. It’s not cheap (at the time of writing £219 for the single version or £329 for the king-size I received) – but, as so often in life, you get what you pay for. Easy payment by interest-free instalments (up to 12 months) is also available subject to status.
I should add as well that delivery is free and fast: next working day if you order before 2 pm or two working days if you order after 2 pm. There is also a range of options for buying a Simba double topper.
Many thanks again to my friends at Simba for allowing me to try out their hybrid mattress topper. If you have any comments or questions about this post, as ever, please do post them below as usual.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post (gifted product).
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As regular PAS readers will know, I recently joined U3A, a non-profit organization offering a range of leisure activities for retired and semi-retired people. I thought I would set out my experiences and impressions here for anyone who may be interested in joining U3A themselves, either now or in the future.
But first, here’s a bit more info about the organization itself…
What Is U3A?
The University of the Third Age (U3A for short) is an international organization providing educational and social opportunities for retired and semi-retired people, typically aged 50 and above.
The primary goal of U3A is to encourage lifelong learning, personal development, and social engagement among older adults. Unlike traditional universities, U3A doesn’t offer formal degrees or certifications. Instead, it focuses on informal, peer-led learning and skill-sharing.
U3A groups offer a wide range of classes, workshops and activities, covering subjects such as arts, literature, history, science, technology, languages, fitness, and more. These activities are typically organized and led by the members themselves, with individuals who have expertise or interest in a particular field volunteering to share their knowledge with others.
U3A promotes active ageing, mental stimulation and social interaction. It aims to help older people stay engaged, connected, and mentally sharp. It also seeks to foster a sense of community, where members can continue to learn, explore new interests, and make new friends in a supportive and non-competitive environment.
My U3A Experience
I joined the U3A in Lichfield, Staffordshire, early in 2023. I am 67 and (as you may know) semi-retired. I live on my own nowadays and am conscious of the need to stay mentally and physically active as I get older and build new connections and friendships, in real life as well as online 🙂
I am actually now a member of two local U3As. I joined Lichfield originally, but then discovered there was another, smaller U3A in the town where I live (Lichfield is about four miles from me). It’s no problem belonging to two or more U3As and I am by no means alone in this. People generally join one local group first, then sign up to another as an associate at a lower cost. More about this later.
Lichfield U3A – like most others – has a monthly general meeting where there is usually a guest speaker. Every U3A also has a wide range of smaller groups devoted to interests from music appreciation to rambling. These typically meet monthly or fortnightly.
The first general meeting I went to was on the subject of Schooldays Remembered. It was an icy cold day and I was impressed by the number of people who turned up at the meeting hall. I would say the average age was about 70, with women outnumbering men by about two to one. The female presenter was very professional and showed us a series of slides depicting (primary) school days in the mid-20th century. Up to a point I enjoyed it, but I had some reservations, e.g. when the speaker encouraged us all to join in a chorus of ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’. Considering that many U3A members are from professional backgrounds, including teachers, lawyers and medics, I did find the overall tone a bit patronizing. The speaker revealed that she also ran sessions in care homes and I couldn’t help feeling I was getting a preview of what may be in store for me in the future 😮
Afterwards we went for tea and biscuits. I got chatting with another new member, who I found shared my reservations. He told me he didn’t much enjoy his schooldays and didn’t especially want to remember them! As for me, I have only fragmentary recollections of primary school days. I remember my secondary school days a lot better – not with any great affection, but they weren’t awful either. Personally I would have preferred a more grown-up presentation about education and how it has changed over the decades. I don’t want to be too critical, though. Most people there seemed to enjoy the session, and it did have its entertaining aspects.
I have since been to a couple of other meetings which I enjoyed more. There was a particularly interesting one about the history of travel firm Thomas Cook & Sons. The speaker gave a very informative talk, including slides showing ads for early trips and excursions organized by the company (these were also available to browse afterwards).
As a side thought, there appears to be a circle of professional guest speakers who offer talks to groups on a wide range of subjects, for which they are paid a fee. Not a bad sideline to supplement your pension, I’d have thought! My friend Sally Jenkins – who does this herself – wrote an interesting guest post for PAS about making money from public speaking.
Beside the monthly meetings, I have also taken part in a quiz which was good fun (my team won – no particular thanks to me – so I took a bottle of wine home). I have also joined several interest groups. These include one for short walks (around 3-4 miles, quite sufficient for me). This has been good for getting some fresh air and exercise and meeting and chatting to other U3A members. The walks are all fairly local. One unexpected benefit has been discovering some beautiful locations I was unaware of, despite living in the area for over 20 years.
I also joined a play-reading group. This meets once a month in a local theatre, with members each taking a part to read. Currently we are reading Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime by Oscar Wilde (the stage adaptation). I was quite active in amateur theatre in my 20s and 30s, so it has been good fun getting back into this again.
I also joined a science and technology group. I’ve only been to one meeting so far, but this was a very interesting session about global weather patterns.
What Else Is On Offer?
Obviously I have only scratched the surface personally. There are dozens of other interest groups available. I have listed a selection below.
art appreciation
birdwatching
croquet
history
philosophy
photography
music appreciation
guitar playing
Mah-jongg
needlecraft
psychology
gardening
architecture
There are also quite a few reading groups. This is a very popular activity, so multiple groups are needed to keep the numbers at a meeting manageable. I haven’t joined one only because I am already a member of a local book club (nothing to do with U3A).
In addition, there are various one-off activities. I’ve already mentioned quizzes. Visits to local places of interest are also popular, as are concert and theatre trips.
Financials
As Pounds and Sense is a money blog, I should say a word about this.
I was actually surprised how inexpensive U3A is. I paid an annual membership fee of just £12 to Lichfield U3A. I also paid £6 to my nearest local U3A to join as an associate member. This gives me access to all groups and activities in both U3As.
Some interest groups do also impose a small charge at meetings. This is no more than a pound or two and covers room hire and/or tea and biscuits. One thing you may find as a U3A member is that you need to carry around a little more small change!
I should also mention that as a U3A member you will receive (at no extra cost) a print magazine titled Third Age Matters. This is published five times a year and contains a range of informative articles about U3A and issues affecting older people generally.
Thoughts And Impressions
It is obviously early days as far as my personal journey with U3A is concerned. But I have been impressed with the range of events and activities on offer. I should maybe add that most take place during the daytime rather than the evening, so you do need to have some time free in the day to benefit from your membership.
U3A is very much run by members, for members. Of course, that is how they keep the costs so low. It does mean that if you find U3A is for you, there is some expectation that you will get involved in helping to organise and run events as well, even if only preparing the tea and biscuits!
As with so much in life, the more you put in to U3A, the more you are likely to get out of it 🙂
If you want to find out more about U3A groups in your area, my recommendation is to search online for U3A plus the name of your nearest town or city. Most local U3As have a website using a standard template and hosting service provided by the national organisation. Here is a link to the site for my local Lichfield U3A, for example. As you will see, the website isn’t exactly cutting edge, but it does the job well enough. Groups often have open days which can be a great way to find out the range of activities on offer. In addition they typically have monthly general meetings, which again can be a good opportunity to learn more and sign up. Failing that, you can always contact the membership secretary of your local U3A group via the website.
I do think it’s a shame there aren’t more opportunities for U3A members to interact online as well as in real life. Ideally it would be nice if there was a members’ message-board, or at least a Facebook page, where members could chat, ask questions, share photos, and so on. But having run an online forum for writers for a number of years, I am under no illusions about how much work this can entail.
On the plus side, there are also some national and regional U3A events, including summer schools. You can find out about these through your local U3A and Third Age Matters.
I hope you have found this article interesting and it has given you some insights into U3A and what it has to offer. As always, if you have any comments or questions, please do leave them below.
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This year I have had five vaccines in total. Three of them were for Covid-19, including my booster jab earlier this month. The other two were a flu jab and a pneumonia jab ( the latter is offered by the NHS to everyone reaching the age of 65 in Britain).
You will gather from the above that I am not an anti-vaxxer (though as my Twitter followers will know, I do have reservations about the effectiveness of lockdowns, vaccine passports and mask mandates in combatting the spread of Covid-19).
But while I accept the need for vaccines for older people especially, I know some do get side-effects from them. The most common is an aching arm. This can be very painful and make activities such as driving difficult, though thankfully for most it usually lasts no more than a day or two.
My personal experience with vaccines this year is that I got the worst side-effects from the flu jab, including waking up in the night shivering and feeling sick. With my two Oxford-AstraZeneca jabs I had almost no side-effects, and the same applies to the pneumonia vaccine. With my booster jab, however – which was Pfizer – my arm started aching quite badly and I got a stiff shoulder as well.
In my vaccine journey this year I have found a couple of things that have really helped me minimize side-effects, so I thought I would share them today.
1. Prophylactic Paracetamol
Taking paracetamol is widely recommended if you get an aching arm and/or other side effects from the vaccines. I now take a couple at bedtime on the day I have had the jab, even if at that point I have no side-effects. I continue this the next day, taking them at four-hourly intervals (you shouldn’t take them any more frequently than that) until I am confident that I won’t be getting any side-effects or they have largely subsided.
One thing you shouldn’t do is take paracetamol before having the jab as it is possible this may reduce its efficacy. Not much research appears to have been done about this, but to be on the safe side it’s best avoided.
2. Gentle Arm Exercises
I tried this with my recent Pfizer jab, and was genuinely amazed by how effective it proved in easing stiffness and pain in my arm and shoulder. Friends I have recommended this to have been impressed by how effective it proved for them as well.
The exercises I use can be found on the aptly-named Sheltering Arms website. There are five in all, with short videos to illustrate them. They are simple, easy exercises and you don’t have to do them all if you don’t want to. As I had a stiff shoulder, I also threw in some shoulder rotations (basically rotating the shoulders upwards and backwards, then down and forward again, as was recommended to me a few years ago by a physio). I found this very effective as well.
I kept doing the exercises for a few minutes throughout the day and noticed an improvement within hours. By the end of the day, my arm and shoulder were pretty much back to normal.
Obviously I am no medic, but I understand that gently exercising the vaccinated arm helps disperse the vaccine throughout your body and reduces local muscle soreness. That being the case, it would appear a good idea to start doing these exercises even before any pain or stiffness occurs, again as a prophylactic measure. At my next jab, I intend to start soon after leaving the vaccination centre!
I would also recommend that you don’t do what I have done in the past, which is spend hours hunched over a keyboard after having your jab in case you can’t do this later. That could well reduce the opportunity for the vaccine to disperse and may add to any stiffness you experience later. Get your keyboarding out of the way before you go for your jab!
I hope you find these ideas helpful and they work as well for you as they have for me. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below as usual. I’d also be interested to hear about your own experiences with ‘vaccine arm’ and any other methods you have found helpful for addressing the problem.
Please bear in mind that I don’t have any medical training and can’t give personalized advice, only share what has worked for me. Obviously if you get more serious side-effects from the vaccine, you should contact a medical professional as soon as possible. This NHS website page has more information.
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As you may know, this is a best-selling book by Claire Parker and Sir Muir Gray, published by Bloomsbury. I bought a hardback copy from Amazon. A slightly cheaper ebook version for Kindle is also available.
Sir Muir Gray is also the author of Sod 70!, a similar healthy living guide aimed at the over-70s.
Review
Sod 60! is 232 pages long. The text – which is very readable – is broken up by lots of sub-headings, diagrams and cartoon-style illustrations (by David Mostyn). There are nine main chapters, each covering an aspect of how to live well in your sixties. The chapter titles are as follows:
Getting Older Doesn’t Matter – Getting Active and Getting Attitude Does
Keeping Active is Fitness Friendly
Your Attitude and Its Soulmates: Mind and Mood
Keeping Your Metabolism Healthy
Take Care of Your…Bits
Rhythm and Blues
Stuff Happens
Decisions, Decisions
Health Care: Choosing and Using It Wisely
Some of those chapter titles are self-explanatory, others less so. For example, Chapter 5 ‘Take Care of Your…Bits’ isn’t about what you might think. It actually covers looking after different parts of your body, from your brain to your feet. Sexual health is then covered in Chapter 6, ‘Rhythm and Blues’. Those both seem pretty odd choices of chapter title to me, but I suppose the aim was to help give the book a ‘quirky’ personality.
That small criticism aside, the style of the book is friendly and relatable. It’s also down to earth and practical, and I like the way that the text is interspersed with exercises, resolutions, and so on. It is very much a hands-on, practical guide.
Sod 60! concerns the importance of looking after your body and mind as you grow older. The authors stress the need to stay as active as you can, both physically and mentally.
Chapter 2 includes a range of physical exercises to try, and also sets out some general principles for exercising healthily as you get older. I thought this was one of the most useful chapters in the book.
Chapter 3, which focuses on attitude, mind and mood, is also very good. It looks at the importance of keeping a positive attitude, and staying connected with friends and family, your neighbours, local community, and so on. It also discusses maintaining a good relationship with your partner (assuming you have one). Getting enough sleep and dealing with stress are covered as well, though not in great detail.
Chapter 4 ‘Keeping your Metabolism Healthy’ focuses on diet and weight. The authors advocate following a balanced and varied Mediterranean-style diet, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. That seems eminently sensible to me. I wouldn’t say there was much in this chapter I hadn’t heard before, and some of the advice such as avoiding sugary drinks struck me as stating the obvious. But this is of course very important to long-term health, so I guess it had to be said.
Chapter 5, as I’ve already mentioned, focuses on different organs/parts of the body. It discusses how to keep each one healthy, and warning signs to look out for as you get older. It also covers age-related changes and what you may be able to do to help prevent problems. Having a good diet, staying active, giving up smoking and reducing alcohol intake all crop up quite frequently. Again, there were no huge surprises for me here.
Chapter 6 is about sexual health and related matters such as bladder and (for men) prostate problems. On the sexual side, the advice could be broadly summed up in five words: Use it or lose it! The advice on matters such as urinary incontinence is – to be honest – a bit depressing, but nonetheless important to be aware of.
Chapter 7 ‘Stuff Happens’ is also a bit depressing, though again it covers some important topics. These include how to deal with the problems later life can throw at you, including depression, isolation, bereavement, serious illness, and so on. There is some excellent advice here, especially on the importance of cultivating and maintaining a support network of friends, relatives, health professionals, and so on.
Finally, Chapters 8 and 9 are both about healthcare and could easily have been combined in my opinion. They look at such matters as how to navigate healthcare decisions, self-care to prevent (or at least mitigate) serious health problems, drugs and vaccinations, and so forth.
In Conclusion
Overall I thought Sod 60! was a useful guide for sixty-somethings though maybe not an earth-shattering one. The book covers a range of issues that anyone in their sixties will need to think about and prepare for. It was first published in 2016, so there is no reference to the Coronavirus pandemic. The advice in the book still applies and in some ways is even more cogent now. With the UK still in lockdown at the time of writing, for example, we all need our support networks more than ever at the moment…
Sod 60! is really a ‘mind and body’ book. It doesn’t cover financial issues such as pensions and benefits (and indeed doesn’t claim to). And it doesn’t have much to say about the challenges and opportunities retirement can bring, or the pros and cons of carrying on working. For advice on these and similar matters, something like the annual Good Retirement Guide (which I hope to review soon) would be good. And keep on reading Pounds and Sense, of course!
If you want a readable and entertaining guide to making the most of your sixties and preserving your physical and mental health, though, Sod 60! would certainly fit the bill. It would also make a great (and relatively inexpensive) birthday or Christmas gift for anyone in this age category.
As ever, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.
Disclosure: As with many posts on Pounds and Sense, this post includes affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a modest commission for introducing you. This will not affect in any way the price you pay or the product or service you receive.
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For many of us (including me) the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic is playing havoc with our sleep patterns. That’s bad news for a variety of reasons.
Scientifically it’s been proven we all need at least 6 to 9 hours sleep a night. The amount required varies between individuals. It also reduces a little as we get older (though not as much as some people would have you believe).
Getting enough good-quality sleep is essential for a number of reasons. For one thing, sleep is when our body repairs itself so it is ready to face another day. In addition, scientists now believe that sleep – REM sleep when we are dreaming especially – plays an important role in consolidating learning and memories from the day before.
Not getting enough sleep leaves us tired and irritable, more prone to anxiety and depression, less able to concentrate and be productive. It may also make us more likely to put on weight, weaken our immune system, and increase our risk of heart disease.
So today I thought I’d share some top tips for sleeping better at this stressful time. Some of these are from my own experience (and research) while others have been contributed by my fellow UK bloggers. I hope you will find some helpful ideas among them…
Top Tips for Sleeping Better
1. Try to Keep to a Regular Routine
Aim to go to sleep at the same time every day and at weekends. This well help set your body clock and ensure you are able to get to sleep quickly and wake up refreshed and ready to start the day.
2. Make Your Bedroom as Dark as Possible
Darkness signals to your body it is time to sleep and stimulates the production of our natural sleep hormone, melatonin. Avoid as much as possible light from electrical devices such as mobile phones and TVs on stand-by. Ideally such devices should be banished from the bedroom completely or at least covered up at night.
I also recommend having blackout curtains or blinds in the bedroom. These can cut out light from outside almost completely. Until I got blackout curtains I got woken up on various occasions by the security lights on the house opposite when (I assume) a fox or something passed by in the early hours.
3. Brighten Your Mornings, Dim Your Evenings
Try to get some natural light (ideally sunlight) as soon as possible after waking up. In the evening, though, dim the lights, especially in the hour or two before bedtime. This all helps strengthen your daily rhythm of sleep and wakefulness.
4. Exercise Daily, but not in the Evening
Getting enough exercise is crucial to sleeping well. But do it in the morning if possible. Exercising then will energise you for the rest of the day, and later ensure that you are physically tired enough to sleep well. By contrast, if you exercise in the evening, this will speed up your metabolism, raise your body temperature, and stimulate the production of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. This is not a problem if you’re taking exercise in the morning or afternoon, but too close to bed and it can interfere with your sleep.
5. Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol at Night
I guess for many of you this is stating the obvious. Nonetheless, it’s worth pointing out that caffeine is a natural stimulant and can interfere with sleep if taken at night.
Coffee is the best known source of caffeine, but tea contains it as well (even green tea). People vary in their sensitivity to caffeine. Even so, for most folk a milky bedtime drink is likely to be a better choice. Or you could drink decaffeinated coffee. Personally, though, I find this generally tastes like dishwater, and prefer simply to avoid coffee from afternoon onward.
Alcohol, on the other hand, is a nervous system depressant. This means it can help you to sleep, but the quality of your sleep is likely to be impaired. For one thing, it can be dehydrating, meaning you wake up in the middle of the night needing water. You may also have to get up for additional bathroom visits. And drinking alcohol can make you more prone to snoring, which can affect your sleep quality (and that of your partner!).
6. Change Your Mattress
Many of us keep our mattresses for too long before changing them. Ideally you should get a new mattress every eight years or so. Old mattresses tend to lose their spring and become lumpy and uncomfortable. Even worse, detritus can build up in them including dead skin cells and dust mites. This can cause allergic reactions, affecting your sleep quality.
7. Get Comfortable Pillows
Like mattresses, many of us wait too long before changing our pillows, but for similar reasons they need to be changed regularly (as a rule of thumb every one to two years). A pillow of the right size and firmness will hold your head in a comfortable, ‘neutral’ position while you sleep, ensuring you don’t wake up with a stiff, aching neck in the morning.
The type of pillow you get is a matter of individual preference. Personally I like feather and down, but others may prefer memoryfoam or microfibre. In any event, it’s important to choose your pillows carefully, and don’t begrudge paying a bit more for quality – it will be an investment in your health.
8. Don’t Eat Late at Night
Eating late will raise your blood sugar level at a time when it should be falling and make it harder to get to sleep. It may also, of course, cause indigestion. If you want a late night snack, something light like cheese and biscuits, a piece of fruit, or a bowl of cereal may fit the bill. In any event, you should try to avoid eating anything from an hour before you go bed.
9. Keep Your Bedroom Cool and Quiet
The optimum temperature for sleeping is between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius. Obviously it can be difficult to ensure that your room stays at this temperature all night, especially in the depths of winter and the heights of summer. Do what you can to stay cool (though not cold) all night, though, and your sleep quality will improve as a result.
Noise can be another obstacle to sleeping. This will obviously depend a lot on where you live, how much traffic there is outside, and how quiet (or otherwise) your neighbours are. Even if noise is a problem, however, there are things you can do to improve matters. Earplugs are one solution, though they don’t suit everyone. And a fan or similar device can help drown out noises from outside (personally I have a dust extractor which whirs away quietly all night and clears the air as well as covering up other noises). Finally, there are lots of free smartphone apps that will generate relaxing background sounds to help you sleep, with rain and sea sounds especially popular.
10. Wind Down at Night
Try to spend the hour before going to bed doing a calming activity such as reading, listening to music or even meditating. Try to avoid touchy discussions, work-related worries and so on. All this will help put your mind and body into sleep mode. If possible avoid using electronic devices such as laptops and mobile phones late at night, as the blue light they emanate can make it harder to fall asleep.
11. Bath Before Bedtime
This is something I swear by myself. A warm bath is a great of way of relaxing your body and easing the tensions of the day in preparation for sleep. Adding a few drops of lavender oil can assist in this. You can also add bath cream or bubble bath if that’s your thing.
12. Ask for Help
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask your GP if your sleep problems continue for more than a few weeks. She will be able to check to see if a health condition — such as acid reflux, arthritis, asthma, or depression — or a medicine you take may be part of the problem. She will also be able to talk you through any lifestyle changes or medications that might be helpful.
I haven’t mentioned sleeping pills until now. Personally I am dubious about taking these if I don’t have to, and concerned that I might become dependent on them. There are, though, various natural/herbal remedies you can try, including chamomile tea and St John’s Wort.
I have also had good results from a health supplement called 5-HTP, which is made from the African plant Griffonia. This boosts the production in the body of serotonin (the so-called happy hormone) and can therefore help with depression. But serotonin is also a precursor to melatonin, our body’s natural sleep hormone. I take one of these at night if I have had a stressful day and do find they seem to improve my quality of sleep. Below is a link to one such supplement on Amazon. Read the description and reviews and see what you think. But if you have any pre-existing medical conditions, I would strongly recommend speaking to your GP before you start supplementing with 5-HTP (or anything else).
Top Tips from UK Bloggers
As mentioned above, I also asked my UK blogging friends to let me know what worked well from them. Here are some of the answers they came up with…
Joanna from My Anxious Life says: ‘I like to play little games or make lists in my head. I often play “I Went To The Shop And I Bought…” or the Alphabet Game, for example listing all the foods beginning with C or all the girls names beginning with S. It helps to give me something simple and repetitive to concentrate on other than my constant stream of thoughts. It’s the adult’s version of counting sheep!’
Kier from Beyond the Blues says, ‘I always open my window about half an hour-ish before I’m going to go to bed so that it’s extra cold in my bedroom, and then I take my hot water bottle to bed when I’m ready to sleep. I don’t know what it is about sleeping in a cold bed with a hot water bottle but it just makes me feel so calm and cosy that I fall asleep pretty quick!’
Nikki from Best Brunch or Breakfast says, ‘When I want to go straight to sleep, I have a really hot bath. Not a relaxing soak – a REALLY hot bath (be sensible and don’t end up in A&E, obviously!). When I get out I get quickly dry and then I am that exhausted I fall straight asleep!’
Claire from Stapo’s Thrifty Life Hacks says, ‘I put my phone on charge away from the bed and get my Soothe Kit out, which has lots of comforting bits in it. Everyone’s Soothe Kit will be different, depending on what works for them, but mine contains herbal tea, a colouring book, some slime, a lavender body lotion and my favourite blanket. The items relax me and take my mind off the day’s worries.’
Emma from Bee Money Savvy says, ‘This may contradict a lot of advice about avoiding electronic devices before bed but right now I’m finding playing Animal Crossing on the Nintendo Switch really soothing before bed. My advice would be to find something that relaxes you; whether that’s a game, doing yoga, meditating or having a bath in the hours leading up to bedtime.’
Rebecca from Views From My Garden Bench says, ‘I was an insomniac for years until I worked out what helped me – calm spoken words or classical music. At the moment, I’m listening to Patrick Stewart reading a Shakespeare sonnet a day – his voice is so restful, and because it’s poetry there is a cadence to his words. Also I listen to modern classical music from Ludovico Einaudi [Italian pianist and composer].’
Anna from Goodness Me Nutrition says, ‘I’m a nutritional therapist and write about gut health and sleep. Allowing three hours between your last meal of the day and sleep makes a big dfference. Eating in time with your circadian rhythms is a big factor.’
Joanna who blogs at Joanna Journals says, ‘For me, I find that the best way to sleep soundly is simply to have a routine. When I was at uni, I slept so badly because I just had no sleeping pattern, but in my final year, and now I’m working, I have a set bedtime and wake-up time, and I fall asleep so quickly and soundly. It really is amazing how our bodies work; once we’ve got used to our body clock, it works wonders!’
Victoria from Semi Charmed Life says, ‘White noise really helps me. I usually have a fan on when I sleep which does the trick (and keeps the air circulating, making me feel better).’
Georgia of Big Fashion Talk says, ‘I add on my pillow some drops of lavender essential oil and it has helped me tremendously!‘
Anne from The Platinum Line says, ‘I find I need to keep to a routine. I still get up and dressed at about 8 o’clock and try to stick to regular meal times. I find I am sleeping better as there is less traffic noise and our student neighbours are at home.’
Ren from Queer Little Family says, ‘I’m an insomniac and my general advice is if you can’t get to sleep don’t force it. Get up and start again. Go have a cup of tea, spend twenty minutes, half an hour away from your bed and from trying to sleep. Then go back to bed and try again. It doesn’t always work but it breaks it up.’
Marina from Marina Writes Life says, ‘Back in the day, I used to search up techniques on how to sleep better and ways to make you fall asleep as, quite frankly, I was really struggling due to the stresses of college, etc. I found a list of foods based on old wives’ tales that supposedly make you sleepy, two of which were chocolate and banana (there were others like turkey and sunflower seeds, but as a midnight snack – ew). Five years later, still to this day, I eat a chocolate and banana toastie at night when I can’t sleep and, honestly, it works a treat!’
Rob from The Sober Odyssey says, ‘I’ve taken CBD oil for the more than six months and found that has helped with much better sleep. Then giving up alcohol in January improved my sleep even more. I track my sleep with my Fitbit.’
Finally, Marie from Broke Girl in the City says, ‘Write a list of the important things you need to do in the evening to prevent yourself from worrying. Also, nice clean sheets work a treat!’ Marie also has a great blog post with tips for sleeping better from UK money bloggers. It was published specially for Mental Health Awareness Week, 18-24 May 2020. Here’s a link to her post.
Persistent ear infections such as Otitis Externa (Swimmer’s Ear) can also disrupt sleep as well as reducing quality of life generally. The specialist ear doctors at Auris Ear Care can diagnose and treat your condition in the comfort and safety of your own home using their fully mobile and CQC-regulated service.
Many thanks again to my UK blogging friends for their tips and ideas. Please do take a moment to check out their blogs!
Final Thoughts
I hope you have enjoyed reading this post and it has given you some ideas to try if sleeping is a problem for you. I am definitely going to try out chocolate and banana toasties 😀
This is undoubtedly a difficult and stressful time, but hopefully there are at least a few signs of light at the end of the tunnel now. If you need advice and support, however, don’t be afraid to reach out to others, be they friends and family, counsellors and chaplains, financial advisers, healthcare professionals, and so on. And make time to contact people whom you know may be struggling right now or you simply haven’t heard from for a while. We really are all in this together, and by supporting one another we will make it through together to better times ahead.
Good luck, and sleep well!
As always, if you have any comments or questions about anything in this post, please do leave them below.
Disclosure: This post includes Amazon affiliate links. That means if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small fee from Amazon as a reward for introducing you. This will not affect the price you pay or the product or service you receive.
Note: This is an update of a post first published last year.
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December is here, so it’s time for another of my monthly coronavirus crisis updates. Regular readers will know I have been posting these updates since the first lockdown started (you can read my November update here if you like).
As ever, I will start by discussing financial matters and then life more generally over the last few weeks.
Financial
I’ll begin as usual with my Nutmeg stocks and shares ISA, as I know many of you like to follow this.
As the screenshot below shows, since last month’s update my portfolio has been on a generally upward trajectory and is currently valued at £18,008. Last month it stood at £16,955, so it has gone up over £1,000 in value since then. Considering national and world events at the moment, I am more than happy with this.
As you may recall, I recently put £1,000 into a second Nutmeg pot to try out Nutmeg’s new Smart Alpha option. It is too early to comment on this yet, but I will include an update about it next time.
The news hasn’t been so good with my Bricklane Property ISA, which I talked about last time. As stated in in my blog review, Bricklane – not be confused with Brickowner – is a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust). Investors’ money is pooled to purchase properties. Rental income is then distributed to investors, who also stand to benefit if the value of the REIT goes up. Last month I was down by about £80 on my £5,000 investment, but this month – as you can see from the screen capture below – the figure is over £600.
This is obviously disappointing, though not unexpected. As I said last time, the pandemic has hit property investors hard, especially investors in large commercial properties (as are most in the Bricklane portfolios). But, in addition, the current price factors in the liability of Bricklane and its investors to assess and where necessary replace exterior cladding in some buildings in light of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. I understand that almost half of the properties in the Bricklane Regional Capitals fund (in which I invested) fall into this category.
About the only good thing to be said is that right now Bricklane’s price reflects its liabilities in the worst case scenario. In particular, it has been argued that lease-owners should not bear sole responsibility for paying for this work, as the rules were only changed after Grenfell and it isn’t the owners’ fault that some properties were built to different specifications which were regarded as perfectly safe (and legal) at the time. If the government accepts that argument, in whole or in part, then Bricklane will not have to set aside large sums of money for remedial work, and the share price will rise accordingly. I have written to my MP about this, of course 🙂
As I said last time, if I was braver and had a longer investment horizon, I might look at Bricklane as a value opportunity just now. As it is, I am leaving my money where it is but won’t be investing any more with them for the foreseeable future. I am not planning to sell up as I don’t currently need the money and that would only crystallize my losses. i just hope there will be some better news on this front soon.
I also wanted to say a word about Kuflink this month. This property loan investment platform is still performing well and returning the promised monthly dividends. A couple of loan terms have been extended due to the pandemic but interest continues to be paid and I am not unduly concerned about this. I also had a couple of investments repaid after the loans in question were paid off. So I decided to reinvest in a new six-month loan to help finance the construction of a children’s day nursery in Chorley. Some details of this project from my Kuflink dashboard are shown below…
As you can see, the interest rate being paid is 6.80%. When I invested yesterday the offer had only just launched, so it’s interesting to see it is already up to almost 42% funded now. Although the loan hasn’t gone live yet, as is Kuflink’s normal practice I will received cashback equivalent to the interest on offer until it does, so I am already making money from this loan 🙂
Incidentally, I am not saying this project has any special merit compared with others on the Kuflink platform. But I decided to invest on the basis that it looks reasonably secure with a loan-to-gross-development-value ratio of 36%. And from a more personal perspective, wherever possible I like to invest in projects that will have a socially beneficial outcome, and a new children’s day nursery certainly ticks that box.
i did want to mention as well that I recently updated my full Kuflink review. You can read it here if you like. I’d particularly like to draw your attention to their new and more generous cashback offer for new investors. They are now paying cashback on new investments from as little as £500 (it used to be £1,000). And if you are looking to invest larger amounts, you can actually earn up to a maximum of £4,000 in cashback. That is one of the best cashback offers I have seen anywhere (though admittedly you will need to invest £100,000 or more to receive this!).
My two Buy2LetCars investments are still delivering the promised monthly returns without any issues. As you will remember, investors with Buy2LetCars put up the money to finance a car for a key worker such as a nurse or police officer. They then receive 36 monthly capital repayments followed by a final balancing payment of interest and capital. If you are looking for an income-producing investment with a substantial lump sum payment after three years – and you like the idea of doing a bit of good with your money too – they are well worth checking out (and likewise if you’re a key worker looking for a lease car yourself). If you’d like to learn more, you can read my review of Buy2LetCars here and my more recent article about the company here. And here is a link to Wheels4Sure, their car-leasing website.
Otherwise, there is nothing especially notable to report on the financial front this month, so let’s move on to the more personal stuff…
Personal
Since my last monthly update England has been mostly in lockdown, so I haven’t been doing anything especially exciting 🙁
I went for my latest checkup at the eye clinic at Burton Hospital in the first few days of the new lockdown. As you may remember, I was diagnosed with a perforated retina after a routine eye test at my optician’s.
I wasn’t allowed to drive, as they put drops in your eyes which blur your vision for a few hours. The trip to Burton involved a bus ride, two train journeys and a one-mile walk, so it took up a whole day. The train journeys in particular felt odd and at times almost post-apocalyptic. I was literally the only person on Lichfield Station waiting for a train to Birmingham, and had the whole carriage (and possibly train) to myself. The train to Burton was a little busier, but you do start to wonder how long the railway network can go on with such minuscule passenger numbers.
It was very quiet at the hospital too, so I was seen straight away. The doctor seemed happy with what he could see, though it’s not easy to tell when he – and everyone else – was wearing a mask. I was told I will have to go back again in January, and if everything is still okay then, they will discharge me. So I guess that’s good news, although they did say that last time as well…
During the lockdown month I aimed to go for a walk every day, and apart from a couple of days of foul weather I achieved that. I have been wearing my new music hat – described in this recent post and pictured below – and enjoying listening to my choice of music. My preferred genre is prog rock (classic and current) but I enjoy jazz and blues as well. I do just find I have to be a bit careful when walking on the narrow country lanes where I live, as with my music playing I don’t always hear cars coming up behind me. Still, I haven’t had any really close calls yet!
I was pleased to be able to go for a swim again this week at my local David Lloyd leisure centre. It was very quiet, and all the staff, including those at reception, are now wearing masks. I suppose some people would find that reassuring. I just find it rather sad and dispiriting. Still, I really enjoyed my swim, and it was great to see a couple of members I know and exchange a few words with them. Even small social interactions like that offer a welcome morsel of normal life in these strange times.
Afterwards I ordered my usual hot drink from the centre’s coffee shop, but because I’m in a Tier 3 area I was told I couldn’t sit down to drink it. I was afraid I might be forced to take it to the freezing cold car park to consume, but was informed there was no objection to me drinking it while standing up in the centre, so long as I didn’t stay in one place for too long. You might think this is barking mad – I couldn’t possibly comment.
There has of course been some good news on the virus front in the last few weeks. As I said last time, new cases (in England anyway) are on a clear downward path. The government are of course trying to spin this as a success for lockdown, but I am sceptical about that. As I said in my November update, cases were already starting to decline pre-lockdown, so what we are seeing now is simply a continuation of that welcome trend.
It’s also interesting that the – admittedly shorter – Welsh lockdown appears to have failed totally, with cases there on the rise again. So they are now imposing even harsher restrictions, including a total ban on pubs and restaurants serving alcohol. I would therefore like to extend my sincere commiserations to Welsh readers (and especially those working in tourism or hospitality) at this time. It is a shame that the four nations of the UK couldn’t have come up with a more coherent, co-ordinated policy to combat the virus – although in my view lockdowns shouldn’t ever be a part of this due to all the collateral damage they cause.
There has been good news about vaccines this week, with the first one from Pfizer/BioNTech receiving regulatory approval in the UK and due to start rolling out next week. I am not an anti-vaxxer and will (probably) accept the vaccine when it is offered. There are, though, some reasons to be sceptical about some of the claims being made for vaccines, nicely summed up in this cautionary blog post by my old friend John ‘Platinum’ Goss. In particular, we still don’t know about any possible long-term side-effects of the vaccines. And with case numbers dropping dramatically in England, you have to wonder how much Covid will still be around in a few months’ time anyway…
In my view, this pandemic will only end when some sort of herd immunity has been achieved. That will be partly through growing numbers of people achieving immunity through contracting the virus, and in addition (hopefully) people acquiring immunity through vaccination. If that is the case, the virus will have nobody left to infect and will ultimately die out (though maybe returning occasionally in milder variants, as happens with other cold and flu viruses). That’s the best-case scenario, anyhow, and I hope it plays out that way.
Before leaving this topic, I would just like to include a quick shout-out for the excellent Lockdown Sceptics website. This site is updated daily and is the first thing I look at when I switch on my computer in the morning. It includes articles from a wide range of academics and other commentators, and offers a sceptical slant on official policies and announcements that is often missing in the mainstream media. Even if you don’t agree with all the views expressed, it’s well worth a read.
As for Christmas, I am expecting to have an even quieter one than usual. I don’t normally socialize a lot at this time anyway. My only remaining close family consists of my three sisters, but they are all in different parts of the country and have their own families and social circles. I have put up my lights and decorations, though, and am looking forward to receiving plenty of cards and letters. I shall also ensure I have a good stock of box-sets to watch!
Well, I guess that’s it for now. I do hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and well and looking forward to the festive season. As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.
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Today I have a guest post for you from my old friend John Goss, who blogs at All the Goss.
John blogs about a range of subjects, including politics and media. In this post he writes about the government’s recent decision to make face masks in shops compulsory in England and why he believes this is a mistake. The post struck a chord with me, so I asked John for permission to republish it on PAS, which he kindly gave me. At the end of the post I will add a few thoughts of my own on the subject.
Over to John, then…
It is not for me to tell others how to behave. For myself, however, I am unable to wear a face mask because of a medical condition.
Maskaphobia is a lot more common than people may think. It can start in childhood, get further endorsed in the dentist’s chair, by horror movies and scary images – an example might be the image of an executioner or a “wild animal in a black mask” to quote one of my favourite poets, George Ivanov (1894-1958). The condition is serious.
It has been announced that the wearing of face masks in shops will be compulsory from 24 July. This will make it intolerable for maskaphobes. Other people wearing masks can only cause more stress for this growing sector of the population. Other illnesses as well as maskaphobia are made worse by the wearing of masks.
So is this directive from the government necessary? The graph below charts the falling number of deaths where Covid-19 has been reported from 1 May to 7 July. I think people can see for themselves that this sudden imposition of face masks is a simple test to see just how simple, gullible and pliable to government dictates the UK populace is.
People with disabilities, including deaf, blind and paranoid, may suffer adversely from mask apparel. Other medical conditions which are exacerbated by the wearing of masks include asthma and respiratory illnesses. People with high blood-pressure should not wear masks because added CO2 will increase their blood-pressure. Nearly everyone will have some condition which the wearing of face-masks will make worse.
Mine is not maskaphobia. Well not yet, though I do feel a strong aversion to masks, which is growing by the day. For me it is something else.
Medical conditions are private between you and your GP. You do not need to tell any third party what yours is. Explaining that you have one should be sufficient.
Many thanks again to John for allowing me to republish his post. You can read more of John’s work at https://johnplatinumgoss.com.
Regular readers of Pounds and Sense will know (e.g. from this post) that I am also opposed to the imposition of mandatory face coverings in shops and supermarkets. In my view any benefits they may confer are marginal at best. What’s more, if incorrectly used (as many do) they can actually increase the risk of transmission. On my last visit to my local Morrisons I saw several people fiddling with their masks and one actually hold it to his face and then touch items on the shelves with the same hand. If you were deliberately trying to transmit the virus, you could hardly do better than that.
I am also concerned that – contrary to what the government appears to believe – this measure will not encourage people to go out and shop. Indeed, the reverse is true. For example, a recent Twitter poll of over 43,000 people by Martin Lewis of Moneysavingexpert fame found that significantly more people said they would be less likely to go to the shops if masks are compulsory than those saying it would make this more likely.
Of course, PAS is aimed especially at older people and people with disabilities, and I am particularly concerned about the impact this measure will have on them. Here is one typical comment from Martin Lewis’s survey…
As someone who wouldn’t be wearing one on health grounds it makes me more anxious that I’d be subject to ridicule/online ‘calling out’ and abuse. So while it’s in force I won’t go to a shop unless life & death in a bid to look after my mh [mental health]
At a time when many of us are experiencing extreme stress and other mental health worries, it seems wrong to me that as a result of this measure many people feel they are being forced back into isolation.
I would like to close by endorsing again what John says in his article. If you have a medical or psychological condition that is exacerbated by wearing a mask, you do NOT have to wear one. Neither do you have to provide proof of the condition, or even explain to shop staff (or anyone else) what it is.
Although it’s not essential, if you would like a way of showing you are exempt from the requirement to wear a mask – for medical or psychological reasons – you can buy a badge/lanyard (see picture below) from.the Disability Horizons online shop. This has no official status (not that this is needed) but may reduce the likelihood of your being challenged.
As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.
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At the risk of stating the obvious, the last few months have been stressful for all of us.
As mentioned in this post last month, a YouGov survey in May found that over a third of respondents (39%) reported a decline in their mental health since March 2020, when the lockdown and other anti-virus measures started. A month on, it’s quite likely that figure would be even higher.
I’ve certainly noticed that I am feeling more stressed and anxious than usual, and I’m luckier than many. Although I live alone, I do have a large house and garden, and also have the advantage of years of experience of working from home. How people in tower block flats have been coping is hard to imagine, particularly if they have young children they are home-schooling as well.
I was keen to find out what methods other people are using to preserve their mental health in these challenging times, so I asked some fellow UK money bloggers what worked for them. I was intrigued by their varied replies, so I’ve set out their comments below. I’ll share some of my own thoughts and experiences afterwards
What Are Other Bloggers Doing?
Emma from Bee Money Savvy says, ‘Writing lists has been my saviour these last few months. I get down if I don’t feel like I’ve achieved much in a day, so having a list of things I’ve managed to do (even small things like eating a healthy breakfast or putting a wash on) has helped me feel somewhat productive and more positive about the day I’ve had.’
Bex from How to B Welthy says her strategies include reading self help books e.g. Good Vibes, Good Life, along with breathing exercises, meditation, getting a good night’s sleep and going out for a walk. She adds that she suffers with mental health issues constantly, though, not just in lockdown.
Collette from Cashback Collette writes, ‘Ive been trying really hard to get outdoors at least once a day either for a walk or a jog – sometimes with my fiance or on my own to clear my head and get some fresh air and vitamin D. I’ve also found I’m in a much better mood and feel more positive on days I speak to friends and family, so I have been chatting to them as much as possible.’
Claire from Money Saving Central says, ‘I have been having an hour to myself in the garden or upstairs every day, once my partner gets in from work. I am not used to all this background noise of iPads, TVs, and children whilst I am trying to work. I really need to sit quietly for just an hour to let my head breathe.’
Blogging duo Joleisa from Joleisa.com say, ‘We have been doing two things really to help us keep sane: crafting, and checking in virtually on elderly friends. We’ve always thought that showing concern for others gives you a boost too.‘
Jennifer from Monethalia says, ‘What’s really helping me is exercising every morning. I’ve never been a gym person but since lockdown happened, I’ve started doing home workouts.’
Nicola from The Frugal Cottage says, ‘I’ve been trying to stay in a routine and focus on finding something positive each day. This is easier on some days than others!’
Pete from Household Money Saving says, ‘I have been watching old box sets on Netflix. I’ve found it comforting to watch something familiar that reminds me of calmer times.’
Charlotte of Charlotte Musha says, ‘Gardening and in particular weeding have been the best thing for my mental health during lockdown. It’s one of those small jobs that make a big difference, so you always feel like you’ve achieved something.’
Laura from Harley Counselling writes, ‘I’m a talking therapist and counsellor, and one of the top tips I’m giving to my clients is to actively build a positive structure into their routine. Designating certain days for activities which we know are good for us gives us a sense of rhythm and familiarity. Things like going for a walk or run, meditation, reading, journalling or gardening can be really restorative and give us space to order our thoughts.’
Katie from Student Skint says, ‘The first 6-8 weeks it was running errands to help give me a reason to get out of the house. But now since rules have eased a bit, it’s making plans to see other people. I find that if I have plans with a friend (or friends) a couple of times a week then it feels more ‘normal’ because I’m seeing and speaking to the people I usually would in person.’
Dan from The Financial Wilderness writes, ‘I meditate. Personally I use the Headspace app which is fantastic, but there are other great resources both free and paid out there.
I always though meditation was a bit, er, ‘woo-woo’ and was deeply skeptical, but I can honestly say after trying it for some time I really notice the benefits, feel calmer and am able to control my thoughts a lot better.’ Dan adds, ‘I am also really enjoying picking up my PlayStation again. I loved gaming throughout my teens but find life is often too busy to be able to – it’s been lovely to rediscover that pleasure.’
Zoe of Eco-Thrifty Living comments, ‘I wrote a blog post about how to deal with anxiety on a budget. I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks in the past and have found things that have helped me. They include doing CBT – I link to some free online self help workbooks in the post, running, drawing and doing a risk register. Not mentioned in the post, but I also find hypnotherapy downloads can be really helpful.’
Joseph who blogs at Thrifty Chap says, ‘Photography. I have a photography YouTube channel and have previous discussed how my mental health benefits from it.’
Bear from Save Like a Bear writes, ‘For me it’s a combination of things: 1. Spending 99% of my social media time on 1-1 conversations rather than anxious scroll holes.
2. Taking a time out to cook dinner from scratch every night no matter how busy I think I am. This has been a good way to get creative and use up what’s in the cupboards because of shopping very rarely too.
3. I’ll echo all the great comments above about what a difference a bit of daily exercise/fresh air/vitamin D makes. I use those walks to listen to podcasts so learning something each day feels like a productive distraction.
4. Having a shutdown routine at night because sleep is so important.
5. This is a very money blogger thing to do, but I had a financial audit and made sure my money was exactly where I wanted it/changed a few systems. It’s one way to feel in control when the world is out of control.‘
Si of Financial Expert says, ‘I’ve been using the Headspace app for 10 minutes each morning to gain a 10 minute window of calm before I begin work. It must be working, as it’s three months in and I now look forward to it.’
Nicola from My Savings Journal says, ‘I’ve tried to let go of my own self-imposed ideas on how productive I should be and the desire to maximise every moment of my time. Instead, I’ve let myself explore hobbies, enjoyed time working on my blog, and tried new ways of keeping my home organised. It’s definitely helped to keep my anxiety and stress levels at bay, as well as creating a new “normal” in terms of balancing relaxation with productivity.’
Michelle from Time and Pence says, ‘I have made sure that we, as a family, have gone out on regular long walks so we have plenty of time out of the house. I believe that has been the real key to coping. While at home, lots of gardening, video chats and games with family and friends. And also we bought my son a keyboard for his lockdown birthday so we’ve all enjoyed learning how to play using tutorials on YouTube.’ And she adds, ‘My mom is shielding due to COPD and she ordered herself lots of painting by numbers, with all the equipment. She set herself a little art studio up at home and she has loved it. It’s made a massive difference to her.’
Rhian of Rhian Westbury says, ‘To keep my mental health high during this period I try and maintain a routine. I need to maintain a good sleeping pattern to maintain good mental health so I wake up every morning at near enough the same time as I would if I was going into the office. And I don’t stay up really late and maintain my normal bedtime. The routine helps me to continue as much as normal during this time.’
Emma of TuppenysFIREplace says, ‘We moved to the Lake District last year so we could spend more time on the fells, only to find they’ve been closed since lockdown. We are not used to being together quite so much so decided we needed to plan our days to counter this. We have regular ‘date nights’ at home where we dress up as if we were going out, and we have at least one TV/internet-free night so we can focus on quality time together. Makes up for the little spats that happen during the day!’
Thank you very much to all my money blogging colleagues for sharing their thoughts. I do hope you found them as interesting as I did, and they may have given you one or two ideas for coping strategies you could try as well.
One thing that did surprise me a bit is that nobody mentioned baking, which I know has been very popular during lockdown. I was also surprised that there was little mention of video gaming, as I hear lots of people during this time have been escaping into the virtual worlds of Animal Crossing (see picture below), Stardew Valley, Minecraft and so on 🙂
My Own Coping Strategies
So what have I been doing to try to preserve my sanity through this challenging period?
As mentioned in my earlier update, I am finding daily walks therapeutic. I especially enjoy a walk after breakfast, and intend to keep this going even after the crisis is over.
Like many of my fellow bloggers (see above) I find it helpful to have a daily routine. After I return from my walk, I generally do a few hours’ work, usually on the blog or any other paid work (writing, editing or proofreading) I may have. I try to stop at lunch time and do other things from then on, though – I am meant to be semi-retired, after all!
I aim to speak to somebody every day, if not in person then over the phone or (occasionally) via Skype. Living alone I think that’s super-important. In the afternoons I go for another walk, or shopping, or spend some time working/relaxing in the garden.
I have a love-hate relationship with social media nowadays. On the one hand, it can be great for keeping in touch with friends and family, and I also use it as a source of news and information. On the other hand, with Twitter especially, there can be a lot of negativity, rudeness and even outright hatred (especially when politics raises its head). If I spend too long there I can feel my stress levels start to rise. I try to limit my time on social media – and recommend everyone else does likewise – but that isn’t always easy, as it pulls you in insidiously.
In the evenings I usually make an effort to cook something nice rather than relying on convenience foods (though they have their place). As mentioned before I typically seek out some escapist entertainment in the evening. This often involves watching one or two episodes of a box-set, even if it’s something I’ve already seen. Recently I have been re-watching the detective series Bergerac with John Nettles which – as you probably know – is set on Jersey. I enjoy the stories but also the lovely island scenery, which reminds me of holidays there and in Guernsey with Jayne in happier times.
Finally, when I am feeling particularly anxious, I find CBD Oil for Anxiety helpful for calming me down and helping to get a restful night’s sleep. Based on my experience it’s definitely worth a try!
Further Advice
I think my top tip to anyone who is struggling with their mental health at the moment is don’t be afraid to reach out for support if you need it. Speak to friends and family, and to health professionals if appropriate. There is also some great advice about looking after your mental health during the pandemic at www.mind.org.uk/coronavirus.
Money – or the lack of it – can obviously cause stress as well. The YouGov survey mentioned earlier found that nearly a quarter of people (24%) are avoiding talking about finances with friends and family, for fear of burdening them or making them anxious. The same survey also found that 36% of people said that the pandemic had already had a negative impact on their personal finances, with 35% trying to cut costs during lockdown.
Above all else, though, be kind to yourself, and don’t suffer in silence. And equally, if you know someone who may be struggling – or you just haven’t seen or heard from them for a while – reach out by phone or at least message them to check they are okay. It may be a cliche, but we really are all in this together. And pretty much everyone is struggling in their own way.
So that’s how I and my fellow UK money bloggers are getting through our days at the moment. But I’d love to hear what works for you. Are you baking for Britain or painting pebbles, writing your memoirs or tending your virtual island? Please post any comments or questions below as usual!
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A couple of months ago I wrote this blog post about my experience of the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. Two months on, I thought it was time I provided another update.
As I said before, I live on my own since my partner, Jayne, passed away a few years ago. I am lucky to live in a fairly large house with a good-sized garden, so being mostly confined to home hasn’t been as big a challenge for me as I’m sure it has for some. Also, I am well used to working from home, having done this for the last 30 years or so.
Of course, that doesn’t mean the crisis hasn’t affected me in a variety of ways. As Pounds and Sense is primarily a money blog, I will (again) start off with that…
Financial
At the time I wrote my last update, world stock markets were in free fall. I was naturally concerned to see my equity-based investments – and in particular my pension fund – tumbling in value. Being 64 and semi-retired with my SIPP in drawdown, this was particularly worrying for me. But I tried to follow my own advice and avoid panicking and selling up.
Thankfully, in recent weeks stock markets have made an astonishing recovery. I am pleased to say that my pension fund and other equity-based investments are mostly back to near pre-Covid levels (and even in some cases above them).
Below is a copy of the six-month chart for my Nutmeg stocks and shares ISA. At one point this was down to just over £10,000 in value, but in just a few weeks it has climbed back to over £15,000. Admittedly I did put in an extra £1,000 when the markets were (as things stand now) close to their lowest point. Even so, it’s been an impressive rally.
Assuming there is no major second wave of the virus – and world-wide there has been no sign of that so far – I am hopeful that the recovery will continue over the longer term. Of course, there are likely to be bumps along the way, and in the short term at least we face the likelihood of an economic recession. Even so, I am keeping my fingers crossed for a recovery over the next year or so, and am continuing to invest cautiously where I see value.
As mentioned in this recent post, I did also decide to invest £7,000 – the proceeds of another maturing investment – in another vehicle for Buy2LetCars. As regular readers will know, I’ve had one (new) car with this car loan investment platform for about two years now, and the monthly repayments have been coming through like clockwork. So I decided to invest my £7,000 (the minimum investment with Buy2LetCars) in another car – a pre-owned one this time, of course.
I particularly liked the idea of investing again with Buy2LetCars, as they lease vehicles to key workers such as nurses and other NHS staff (along with teachers, prison officers, police, and so on). These people all need cars for their (essential) work. They are responsible individuals, and have every incentive to look after the vehicles (though as they are fully insured, investors don’t bear any risk from accidents themselves).
Unfortunately Buy2LetCars don’t tell you who has leased ‘your’ car, but I like to think the ones I have bought are providing transport and security for two hard-working NHS nurses at this moment 🙂
In May I received a modest but nonetheless welcome payment from the government’s Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). I was pleased to hear recently that the government is extending this for a further three months, albeit at a slightly lower rate. It does help a lot at this uncertain time, and I know for many self-employed people it has provided a lifeline.
Personal
Thankfully I have managed to avoid contracting the virus so far. I know a local family who probably all had it, but they are thankfully well recovered now.
I also know people who have been badly affected by the lockdown. One young man of my acquaintance was furloughed from his job and became depressed alone in his bedsit. He started drinking excessively and wound up in hospital, where he spent several days being detoxed and having his liver checked out. Thankfully he doesn’t appear to have suffered any long-term damage, but it does demonstrate the stress many people are under right now. As I’ve said before on PAS, it’s more important than ever to keep in regular touch with friends, relatives and neighbours, especially if they live on their own.
As for myself, I am doing my best to keep on an even psychological keel. Like everyone else, there are things I am missing. Top of the list is seeing friends and relatives, going for days out, pub lunches, and so forth. I am also missing swimming (which is probably affecting my fitness as well). And I am really missing seeing my hairdresser. For the first time in my life, I have been wishing that, like many men of my age, I had gone bald 😉
At least two concerts I booked tickets for were cancelled. I have also had to cancel two holidays this year (so far). I have just one other holiday arranged, a short break in Minehead in September. I am optimistic that this will still go ahead, though how exactly it will be affected by social distancing and other anti-virus measures remains to be seen.
I am very glad that the panic buying has stopped now, though certain things can still be difficult to buy locally. Supplies of flour, eggs and rice are still variable, and I found it more difficult than expected to get a bag of compost for the garden. Supermarket shopping – as I’m sure you know – is a very different experience these days. You have to allow time for queuing outside beforehand, and expect to be marshalled inside the store as well. But things generally are far better than they were, so I’m certainly not complaining.
I still take daily walks – sometimes even two now as the rules about that have eased. I particularly enjoy going out in the (fairly) early morning. The air seems fresher and there are fewer people about, so less need for zig-zagging to preserve social distancing. I also find it sounds more natural to say ‘Good morning’ or just ‘Morning’ to people I pass. ‘Good afternoon’ is a mouthful and makes me sound like the village policeman, while ‘Hello’ just sounds lame. It’s a shame English doesn’t have an equivalent all-purpose expression to the French ‘Bonjour’!
As the crisis has continued, I have been watching less and less TV. Partly there hasn’t been much that has captured my interest, and my attention span for things like films has reduced. In addition, I have found the endless debate about the virus – and especially the negative tone of much of it – depressing and demoralizing. Instead I have been watching a lot of catch-up comedy and drama, and DVD box-sets.
Among the latter, I am enjoying Deep Space Nine, a Star Trek spin-off series (actually seven series) that I mostly missed first time round. And for light relief, I am watching The Brittas Empire, a 1990s sitcom with Chris Barrie set in a leisure centre. I highly recommend this for a bit of undemanding, escapist fun!
I have also just finished re-watching The Singing Detective by Dennis Potter, again on DVD. If you haven’t seen this, it’s a brilliant, multi-layered, musical drama serial, superbly written and acted. Since I first watched it I have acquired a lot more experience of hospitals (where much of the action takes place) so that has given me a new perspective on the show. I was also struck that in the days when it was made, there was clearly nothing unusual about patients being allowed to smoke in their hospital beds. How times have changed!
Finally on the subject of media, as I indicated above, I have become disillusioned with much of the reporting around the pandemic, which has become increasingly negative and politicized. But I do enjoy following Professor Karol Sikora on Twitter. Professor Sikora is a well-respected cancer specialist with a doctorate in immunology. He offers a positive and generally optimistic view, informed by science and statistics. He doesn’t have a political axe to grind and is willing to give the government credit for things they have done well and criticize things they have done badly. If you want one person to follow for unbiased news about the pandemic with a measure of cautious hope for the future, I highly recommend checking out his Twitter page.
Moving on, one other thing I’ve noticed in recent weeks is that I’m not spending as much money as I did before. Obviously I’m paying less for stuff like petrol, public transport, meals and drinks out, and so on. But I have also become more miserly about buying other things, even online. I’ve cancelled all my magazine subscriptions, and also been actively looking for other opportunities to save money. From what I have seen and heard, I am not alone in this. I guess it comes down to the strange and uncertain times we are living through. I think that, both consciously and unconsciously, I am trying to save as much as I can to try to ensure that I have a decent financial cushion whatever the future holds.
And finally, I realized the other day I haven’t spent any actual cash since the lockdown began! Payment by card is preferred everywhere and in some places is the only payment option accepted. The pandemic has probably accelerated our progress towards becoming a cashless society.
So that has been my experience of the coronavirus crisis to date. I do of course appreciate that I am in a fortunate position compared with many other people. I hope you and your family are coping in these strange and worrying times as well. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. If you have any comments or questions, as always, please do post them below.
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The infographic is based on a YouGov survey commissioned by Paymentshield as part of National Conversation Week, which this year runs from 11-18 May.
Among other things, the survey revealed that money is currently the third-biggest concern for the public, following fears for friends and family, and health worries. More than a third of respondents (39%) also reported a decline in their mental health since March 2020. Thirty-eight per cent of people said their financial worries had increased during the coronavirus outbreak.
About National Conversation Week
National Conversation Week aims to get people talking in a bid to improve the nation’s well-being, at a time when people are facing unprecedented challenges and are separated from each other. In particular, this year’s awareness week encourages conversations about money, to tackle increasing financial worries among consumers.
Financial organisation Paymentshield has teamed up with independent financial research company Defaqto and mental health charity Mind to emphasise the importance of financial conversations, and the close relationship between financial and mental well-being.
Financial worries have a huge impact on mental health, and talking to someone about the situation can be very helpful. However, the survey found that nearly a quarter of people (24%) are avoiding talking about finances with friends and family, for fear of burdening them or making them anxious.
As well as the effect on mental health, coronavirus is affecting consumer behaviour. Thirty-six per cent of people say that coronavirus has already had a negative impact on their personal finances, with 35% increasingly trying to cut costs during lockdown.
During periods of financial uncertainty, people tend to consider their outgoings and can be tempted to make risky financial decisions based purely on cost alone. Despite the increase in money worries and a drive to cut costs, 92% of people had not spoken to a professional financial adviser. Doing so could help alleviate concerns and provide greater understanding of each individual’s situation for peace of mind.
Jennifer Ripley, Head of Marketing at Paymentshield, said:
“The current situation has affected everyone in different ways. People are facing a variety of challenges, from health worries to loneliness, and concerns about loved ones on top of financial difficulty and uncertainty. National Conversation Week aims to encourage safe, socially-distant talking as a way of alleviating some of those worries. In particular, we want to raise awareness that a simple chat about money can help, especially when it comes to making risky financial decisions. This week, we urge everyone that is worried about finances to talk to a professional financial adviser.
“Our research found that 41% of people are actually talking to friends and family more during the lockdown, through messages, video calls, and phone calls. We’re calling on the nation to keep the conversations going, so people can help to cheer each other up and take care of each other during these tough times.”
The annual awareness week, founded by Paymentshield, is now in its fourth year. For more information, resources and advice, or ways to get involved, visit: http://www.nationalconversationweek.co.uk
My Thoughts
Thank you to my friends at National Conversation Week for the information above and the infographic. There are some pretty shocking stats in this, including the fact that nearly 40% of people admit to their mental health declining since the start of the pandemic.
So it really is essential to reach out for support if you need it right now, whether for financial, mental health or other reasons. Speak to friends and family members, and to financial experts if appropriate (here’s a link to my blog post about why I have a personal financial adviser). There is also some great advice about looking after your mental health during the pandemic at www.mind.org.uk/coronavirus.
Above all, though, be kind to yourself, and don’t suffer in silence. And equally, if you know someone who may be struggling – or you just haven’t seen or heard from them for a while – reach out by phone or at least message them to check they are okay. It may be a bit of a cliche, but we really are all in this together. And pretty much everyone is struggling in their own way.
