It doesn’t pay to displease the capricious Ayatollahs who run the medieval theocracy of Iran. For, in the ancient dusty squares of Tehran, capital of this pariah nation, wide-eyed children can occasionally be seen squinting up at the corpses of gays, blasphemers and political dissidents as they swing by their necks from cranes. Jeremy Corbyn,…
Like giving crack to a cocaine addict: my life with a 110% subprime mortgage
In 2005, I was given a 110% mortgage by a mainstream lender. For a feckless 29 year old with a history of bad debt, it was like pushing crack on a cocaine addict. Perhaps that’s a bit strong – but it can be financially lethal, if not literally so. To this day, I see it as one of the…
Money Web Issue #1: your weekly round up of the best of British blogging
There’s an increasingly big and brilliant haul of stories and advice out there about the pounds in our pockets. Each week, we’ll scour the best of the UK’s personal finance blogs and tell you what caught our eye. Monevator For those interested in modern online lenders – the type that are taking borrowers off banks…
My left foot: is it all over for our would-be marathon runner?
Quick update cos we need to talk. Okay, you know that thing in my JustGiving ‘Story’? The thing where I say it’s ‘at least 50% likely’ I won’t be able to do what it is I’ve promised to do (i.e. run the Budapest Marathon)? You thought I was joking…but I wasn’t. I’m now giving myself…
Five marathon training tricks for the over-40s
I will run my first marathon this October in Budapest, rather than London, which is where I work, or Brighton, my hometown. I opted for an October race because it means you get to train when it’s relatively warm, light and sunny. Even in Britain. Those other marathons are in April, meaning you have…
Brexit made buying a property abroad a little bit harder – but you can still do it!
Seven months ago, my wife and I bought a log cabin in Transylvania. That part of Romania is both magical and uncorrupted by the metronomic march of globalisation. You’re more likely to see a pack of wolves than a pack of sunburnt Daily Express readers ordering gut-buster breakfasts and a round of beers. Because of…
Mouthy Money’s scientific guide to spending yourself happy
When clever people, like Benjamin Franklin say clever stuff like this… ‘Money has never made man happy, nor will it…’ …there is an assumption that they are speaking a higher truth. But they’re not! Something like 76% of the time, they’re communicating out of their bottoms – and this, Mr Franklin, was one of those…
So, Southern Rail basically stopped running trains today – and Twitter went mental
If you asked me to name one thing that I hate and one thing I love, my answers would be connected. My hated item would, of course, be Southern Rail and all her evil minions. People who know me know I want that company dead. Southern today enacted a violent cull of its services, axing 341 trains…
Southern Rail must die
As Southern Rail workers conduct another strike, meaning more misery for thousands, Mouthy Money blogger and commuter MICHAEL TAGGART imagines a Kafkaesque solution. It’s 4.03am and I’m having dark thoughts again; violent thoughts. The cat mutters contentedly at the foot of the bed – probably dreaming of fish. I’m not dreaming of fish. I’m staring…
You don’t need Beluga caviar! Nine ways to cut wedding costs
Yes, yes, I know you want an enormous golden pumpkin as your wedding carriage. And the original ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz. And a wedding breakfast of saffron-topped Wagyu beef, served with Matsasuke mushrooms and Beluga caviar followed by civit bean coffee. And…and… STOP! YOU CANNOT AFFORD IT! Nor can I. Nor could…