Knowledge is power
A good day to curl up with a book.
I read (i.e. saw on TikTok) something about how reading fiction is good for us. I can’t find the video, but I think it suggested it positively impacts empathy, emotional resilience and creativity.
This blog piece includes a few more ideas - including having stronger observational skills and a better ability to focus - both of which I subscribe to.
I mention this because I finished reading Taxtopia this week (tax inequality is still very depressing, and the author’s solution is to completely overhaul the way tax is done to make it more equitable - lovely idea, but not sure how realistic it is). And I’m still trudging through The Smartest Guys in the Room (about Enron). And I bought Liam Byrne MP’s book (The Inequality of Wealth) because it’s £1.99 on Kindle this month.1
And all of this non-fiction stuff is pretty heavy.
So I started reading Can We Still Be Friends? by former British Vogue editor Alexandra Schulman. Part of my ‘no new books until you’ve read everything you already have’ goal.2 I think it might make me cry. The book, not the reading goal. It’s one of the reasons I tend to avoid fiction; it’s a different sort of heaviness than structural inequality, but still heavy.
But at least it’s making me a better human. If TikTok said it, it must be true.
1. For first time since August 2021 people expect to be better off in a year - apparently… 🕊️
This is according to UK bank NatWest’s research, ‘based on internal and external surveys.’
The main factors behind this are:
Inflation is lower than it has been (but costs are still high, and are unlikely to go down)
Interest rates are expected to be lowered later this year (making borrowing slightly cheaper)
The bank believes that most customers will repay their loans on time, which was one of the factors that caused a rise in its share price.
What’s useful to know is that, after the 2008 financial crash, the UK government bought a large chunk of the bank. It has slowly been reducing its stake and, later this year, will be selling off most of its remaining stake to the public. So, if it’s something of interest to you, you could buy shares in the British bank.
2. Want to get paid to switch your current account? Now’s probably not the best time 🔄
Two things you should know about current accounts (checking accounts, for US readers):
Most people never switch, because they can’t be bothered to or don’t see the value in doing so
The UK has a Current Account Switch Service3 - designed to get consumers better deals - and it manages the whole switching thing for you (including transferring over all your direct debits)
One of the ways banks encourage you to switch to them is through offering a cash incentive - of up to £200.
However, most of those offers have vanished from the market! But they’re most likely to return later in the year.
So if you’ve been with your current account provider for a while, check to see what value you actually get from it, and if you can get something better elsewhere. And then keep an eye out to see if switching offers come back on the market - free money is free money!
These deals won’t stay on forever, so be prepared to move quickly.
And, remember, the downside of switching is that it (temporarily) negatively reduces your credit score. So it’s not something you would want to do if you were planning to borrow money in the ensuing six-ish months.
3. The freezer is your friend ❄️
Elly Curshens (aka ellypear) on Instagram
This morning, I woke up to a video that showed how you can take leftover chip shop chips - covered in salt and vinegar, of course - and freeze them, ready for reheating the next time you have the oven on.
And the video was by Elly Curshens (@ellypear) on Instagram.
I’ve been following Elly - a British food writer and chef - for years. In addition to creating delicious looking recipes (Whipped feta with herby potatoes and spring cabbage slaw, anyone?) she’s also an inspiring advocate for minimising food waste.
Some of her most recent tips include:
When you get to the end of jar of peanut butter, add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and sriracha - and shake the sh*t out of it. And voilà, you have a dressing for a noodle/salad dish of your choosing
Use up celery in your fridge by dicing it up with carrot and onion, and then freezing this soffrito to use as a base the next time you’re making pasta sauce
Turn old bananas into egg-free oat and banana cookies - banana bread isn’t the only option
The comment section beneath her posts is always a great place for more inspiration, as people share their own tips and tricks too.
I highly recommend following her.
If there’s anything you want to learn more about, drop a note in the comments! Have a wonderful week 💜
Know someone who would enjoy this in their inbox on a Sunday morning?
Not an ad, but do get it now if you want to read it! Some interesting ideas in here for sure, that I heard him talk about recently.
Books on offer are exempt from this.
The Current Account Switch Service has 50 banks and building societies covered, but not every current account is going to be included. So check before you switch.