Unfortunately, money sitting in the bank will only decline in value as inflation wears on, thus investing in assets that rise with inflation is of the utmost importance.

One such asset that offers stability in times of economic instability is scotch whisky casks. One reason why scotch whisky is considered an ‘inflation-beating’ asset is due to the very fact of its physical nature.

Physical assets unlike traditional stocks and equities are not tied to public perception but are instead dependent on real-world trade prices and market demand. While the value of the stock market as a whole can be reduced due to inflation, the value of certain physical assets rise alongside the inflated prices protecting your investments.

Physical assets have long been popular among banks, hedge funds, and the super-wealthy as a way to hedge against economic instability and recessions. Recently the cask investment market has opened up to all tiers of investors through the advent of multi-asset brokers and is experiencing powerful democratisation, helping to further boost the market. 

Ultimately the value in a cask of whisky is in the fact that people want to drink it. Whisky works particularly well as part of a well-diversified portfolio, sitting alongside traditional stocks and bonds. Scotch casks can provide a port in the storm for your funds, so that you can risk some of your capital on more lucrative but tumultuous assets.

About Hackstons

Located in the iconic Gherkin building in the beating heart of London, Hackstons is a multi-asset brokerage specialising in physical and tangible goods such as scotch casks, luxury timepieces, gold bullion and coins along with classic cars and designer handbags.

To find out more visit the website, email info@hackstons.com or call 020 3307 0410.

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email laura@hurstmediacompany.co.uk or editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

The post Why whiskey can be such a solid investment during inflation appeared first on Checklists.

Most people at some point in their lives will need legal help. Whether this is for a divorce, employment issue or the passing of a family member. Many of us wonder if we can afford it? Legal representation and support aren’t cheap, but there are many ways in which you can get free or affordable legal help if you really need it.

1. Legal Aid

Legal aid can help meet the costs of legal advice, family mediation, and representation in a court or tribunal. You’ll usually need to show that your case is eligible for legal aid, the problem is serious and you cannot afford to pay for legal costs

There are many reasons why someone would want to request legal aid. You or your family may be at risk of abuse or serious harm, for example, domestic violence or forced marriage. You may be facing the prospect of being made homeless or losing your home. Whether you have been accused of a crime, are being discriminated against at work, or need family mediation. You may even want to bring a case under the Human Rights Act. Check whether you are entitled to Legal Aid, which can help with your legal costs.

You’ll need to show that you cannot afford to pay for this help yourself. You may have to pay some money towards the legal costs of your case or pay costs back later.

Check if you can get legal aid to get help with civil cases. Your legal adviser will usually apply for legal aid on your behalf.

Find out more at gov.uk

2. Citizen’s Advice

The first port of call for any free expert advice should be Citizen’s Advice. With so many experts available, they can give you free legal advice on a number of subjects, but you will need to book an appointment with your local office so be prepared to wait to be put in touch with someone who can help you.

Citizen’s Advice offers confidential advice online, over the phone, for free. Whether you want legal advice regarding debt, housing issues, immigration, health, you will be put in touch with a professional who will be able to give you impartial advice on your situation and guide you on your situation. Make sure you have all of the information to hand to prepare for your call and be very clear as to what the problem is so they can work with you to find the best solution.

Find out more at citizensadvice.org.uk

3. Law Centres

Law Centres are a great way of being able to get a free legal appointment with a trained solicitor who usually offers their time pro bono. You will need to book an appointment, and many Law Centres are incredibly busy. Each one should cover a wide range of issues such as benefits, discrimination, employment, family and housing issues. All Law Centres offer face-to-face legal advice to local residents, and some run a telephone advice line.

If you are going to ask for legal advice from a lawyer, then document all of the facts regarding your query ahead of your call. Make sure they are informed of your situation, with specifics including dates to maximise the effectiveness of your call. They can only give you advice based on the facts of your situation, and will often help draft a legal response or guide you as best they can. Further legal counsel will often be at a cost to you.

Find out more at lawcentres.org.uk

4. Trade Unions

Trade Unions will need you to be a member to be able to help you, and most often you can’t join with a pre-existing problem asking for free legal advice. However, they are really helpful when you need help and can offer you free legal advice when you need it.

You have a legal right to join a Trade Union in the UK. More than 5.5 million people are in a union – from nurses to checkout assistants to lorry drivers to airline pilots. Trade Unions are designed to stop workers from being treated unfairly and often campaign to get a better deal from their employers. Unions make sure working people get a voice at work, which has proved beneficial for many people who have struggled with employment issues.

Check out if there is a Trade Union already affiliated with your workplace, as it makes sense to join the same one. If you are unable to find this information out, then you can search by industry to understand which one represents you. BECTU for example is a union for staff, contract and freelance workers in the media and entertainment industries. While the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers represents workers in the retail, distributive, manufacturing and service sectors. Each Trade Union will ask for a small monthly subscription fee.

Find out more at tuc.org.uk

5. Check your banking and insurance policies

Sometimes your banking and insurance policies will include free legal advice and help. Look at the policy documents for your car, home and other insurance policies to see if any have legal cover. It’s worth checking all of your household insurance and other policies to see if they offer free legal advice or cover.

Sometimes banks will offer legal cover policies to pursue or defend things like personal injury, employer or property disputes. Banks such as TSB offer Legal Services Insurance which covers a household rather than individual members and other such as Starling’s Business Insurance will offer legal advice and protection, should you run your own business.

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email laura@hurstmediacompany.co.uk or editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

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The gender pension gap keeps widening

Leading equity release lender more2life has summarised the key findings from its latest research looking at the gender pension gap in the UK. Despite more women contributing more of their income towards pensions, the gender pension gap still widens due to men earning more than women. The pandemic is responsible for women’s financial situation worsening during the pandemic, either from losing their employment or due to childcare.

The key findings are as follows:

• When life expectancy is taken into account, the over-55’s gender pension gap has widened to £183,936 in 2021, an increase of £26,673 (17%) since last year
• This is despite women on average contributing more of their income toward pension pots than men (9.4% compared to 8.3%)
• Women have to work an average of 54.5 years to reach the same level of pension savings that a man can reach in 40 years (14.5 years or 36% longer)
• 30% of women report that their financial situation has worsened since the start of the pandemic, compared to only 24% of men who report the same
• Men over 55 either have or expect to have annual retirement incomes of £20,712 (after tax), whilst the equivalent figure for women in £14,964
• Men who worked full time for 30-34 years receive the highest average annual retirement income of £22,776, while their female counterparts receive only £17,004 (25% less)
• The widest discrepancy in retirement incomes between genders occurs for those who have worked for over 50 years. Of these individuals, men received £19,404 in annual retirement income compared to women on £11,592 (40% less)
• Taking the average earning of each gender in 2020, men are able to contribute more to their pension pots than women (£3,184 compared to £2,340 annually).

Dave Harris, chief executive officer at more2life, commented:

“Although women appear to be better at saving into their pension, they still face a retirement that is less comfortable and financially secure than their male counterparts. The stark difference in retirement incomes highlights the need to address the root causes of financial gender inequality and better support women as they make choices around how to use their assets both in the lead up to and during retirement.

“It’s clear that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to many people’s retirement savings, but the impact has been most acutely felt among older women. As we begin to think about what a post-Covid society looks like, it’s vital that the industry and Government does more to encourage women to engage with long-term financial planning.

“Raising awareness of alternative retirement income sources, such as property wealth, is crucial in ensuring current and future retirees can enjoy the retirements they deserve. There are a range of products on offer in the later life lending market, including equity release, which has proven to be a popular solution for older homeowners looking to unlock the wealth tied up in their homes to fund their retirement. For women, exploring such options could offer greater financial stability in later life and help to manage the impact of the retirement gender gap.”

Young adults have high hopes for retirement however, despite their good intentions, many are struggling to plan effectively

Moneybox research, launched today in support of Pension Awareness Live, reveals that young adults aged 20-40 ideally want to retire at 59 (average) with a retirement income of £26k a year (covering all income sources e.g. state/ employer/ personal pensions, savings and investment accounts). 

Of the 2,000 young adults surveyed by the saving and investing app, 61% expect to have the same or a greater level of financial comfort in retirement as their parents. 

Positively, 52% had already considered the annual income they would like to have when they retire, including 18% who said they had given it a lot of thought. 

The most common motivations for considering their retirement income were:

• Concern about their standard of living post-retirement (42%)
• Wanting to be able to retire comfortably as soon as possible  (40%)
• Growing concern about not being able to retire when they hope to (38%)
• The COVID pandemic making them more conscious of the need to plan for the future (33%).

While 75% of young adults surveyed said that they have already taken some steps to save and invest for their long term future, when asked about the steps they have taken, the results revealed there is much work yet to be done to help young adults effectively plan for life after work. Only 41% believe they are currently contributing to a workplace pension and surprisingly, only 11% know that they are benefiting from having maxed out employer contributions to their workplace pension.

A total of 23% have opened a dedicated cash savings account and 16% a dedicated investment account (e.g. ISA, LISA, GIA). 12% have even chosen to invest in trading options that are designated as higher risk (e.g. Crypto /  ForEx). In spite of the steadily increasing number of self-employed people in the UK, the research found that only 11% of those aged 20-40 are contributing to a personal pension.

The research also revealed that only 12% have tracked down old workplace pensions and only 11% have chosen to consolidate their old workplace pensions to easily keep on top of how they are performing from one place.

Among those who have not given any thought to their desired income in retirement (42%) , 44% said this was because it feels impossible to know how much they will need,  almost a third (31%) are too scared and overwhelmed to think about it and 19% admitted that it had simply never occurred to them to do so.

Unfortunately, 87% of those surveyed said that they are concerned about saving for their retirement, 37% extremely so.

Ben Stanway, co-founder of Moneybox commented: “It is clear from our research that many young adults are beginning to realise how much they will need to save to be able to enjoy a comfortable retirement. The challenge they face is significant, especially when you consider changing external factors such as the rising state pension age and the fact that our research found that two thirds (63%) were never taught about the importance of saving for retirement. It is clear there is a lot of confusion and even anxiety around this topic and this is something we are committed to helping address.”

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email laura@hurstmediacompany.co.uk or editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

The post Are you delaying paying into a pension? appeared first on Checklists.

Using a variety of money apps can help save not just hundreds, but thousands of pounds. You can use them to check and monitor your bank balance, overall spending, and for saving too. Not only can they help with money management skills, but they also help save cash too. Check out these money apps to help you on the right track.

1. Plum

Designed to be the ultimate money management app, Plum is great for saving money without even trying. You can link the Plum app with all of your banks and credit cards, to be able to see how much you have in your accounts at any one time. What is great about this app, is that using AI technology you can also start saving or investing at a rate you feel comfortable with. The splitter means that you can set up different pockets and also investment funds.

Cost: Free. You can upgrade to the paid options – Plum Plus for £1 per month, Plus Pro is £2.99 per month, or Plum Ultra is £4.99 per month – offering enhanced saving and investment opportunities.

Benefits: Great for managing your money, and saving or investing without even trying.

2. Chip

Positioned as a simple, hassle-free investment platform. Chip is a great tool to squirrel away money for a rainy day or longer-term investment and watch your money grow. Chip analyses your transactions and calculates what you can afford to save every few days. You’re still in control and can cancel or amend any of your auto-saves before they happen.

Cost: Free. You can also upgrade to an unlimited ChipAI plan (£1.50 every 28 days) with full access to their award-winning unique AI.

Benefits: All money you save through Chip can be tracked at all times in the app. Chip works by linking to your bank account and calculating how much you can afford to save.

3. Monzo

You can open a digital-only bank account, with lots of fun features to help manage your money. The Monzo card comes in a striking colour, as you can see. You can categorise your daily spending, which is all available at a glance within the app. Also, you can create ‘Pots’ to manage your money, which is useful for ring-fencing any money you need. Monzo is one of the earliest of a number of new app-based challenger banks in the UK.

Cost: Free. Monzo Premium is £15/month offers a number of benefits, but if you sign up it is for a minimum of 6 months.

Benefits: Great for managing your current account, and budget using different pots.

4. Money Dashboard

Get the app that lets you see all your accounts in one place, know how much money you have left until payday and grow your savings. Review how your spending habits have changed over time. Personalise how your spending is grouped and organised by categorising your spending. The app gives consumers the TrueView® of their financial position by consolidating all their current accounts, credit cards, investment and savings accounts from over 40 financial institutions, and allocating each bank transaction into a distinct expenditure category, thereby automatically organising an individual’s finances for them.

Cost: Free.

Benefits: Connect all your accounts to have one view of all your accounts and see how much money you have in your accounts at any one time.

5. Spending Tracker

Spending Tracker is the easiest and most user-friendly Personal Finance App in the store. What’s more, it’s free! By tracking your spending, you will be able to stick to a budget and therefore SAVE MONEY. You can set up categories yourself, so they are not fixed by the app. Also you can put the app into budget mode, which might help for those people who find it difficult to stick to a budget.

Cost: Free.

Benefits: It’s great to track your daily spending and determine where your money is going by categorising your expenditure. The dashboard can show your spending over time, which is really useful.

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

The post The money apps designed to help you manage and save money this year appeared first on Checklists.

So whether you are a first-time buyer or are moving up the housing ladder, Checklist has compiled the top ways you can save for a deposit.

Five top tips for saving for a housing deposit

Whether you are a first-time buyer or are looking to move house as your priorities have changed over this past year, it’s worth looking at ways in which you can save for a housing deposit if you haven’t already done so.

1. Help-to-buy and lifetime ISAs for first-time buyers (aged 18 to 39)

You need to have this open for at least one year to be eligible for this ISA. Even if you open an ISA with £1, you have made progress and have started to get on the property ladder. Each month you can pay up to £200 each month into the ISA. The government guarantees to top up your savings by 25% (up to £3,000) when you buy your first home. Setting up an ISA means that you can save up to £20,000 tax-free each year.

2. Use the 50/30/20 rule to save up for a deposit

By using this savings formula, you can allocate a fixed amount each month to help you save for a housing deposit.  Start off by allocating 50% of your income for your immediate needs (rent, mortgage, bills). Then 30% should go for other non-essential items which are your wants (Netflix, eating out, drinks). The remaining 20% should go towards paying down your debts or saving. If you are not able to do this, it’s worth saving a little something each month, no matter how modest the sum is to start.

3. Invest your savings into a separate account

Try using an app like Plum to manage money and also save. Not only can you link your bank accounts and credit cards to always know what funds you have available, you can also save and invest using the app. Using AI the app also takes money from your account and squirrels it away for you. Online banking services like Monzo are handy to keep on top of day-to-day transactions, categorising spending and allocating money into monthly pots for rent, food and bills.

4. Automate everything

Set up an annual budget to work out all of your outgoings each month. It’s worth doing this over the course of a year as sometimes large annual bills come out of your account in different months. Work out how much you need to save over the course of a year, and then work backwards. Set up a direct debit so that everything is automated so that you don’t see this money leaving your account.

5. Diversify your income

As much as is it sometimes important to reduce your spending when saving up for a deposit, you should also increase and diversify your income. Why not look at a side hustle or for extra work? If you are working, then see if you are able to secure a pay rise or bonus. Then as soon as you get this extra money, put it immediately into your savings or investing account.

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

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1. Tick off your personal finance checklist

Any successful financial plan starts with the basics. What are your outgoings, and are you spending money on anything you don’t need? With the profusion of subscription services for just about everything today, it’s likely. Time spent analysing your expenditures can pay itself back easily – even a small amount of money that gets redirected into savings will be worth it.

Once you’ve rationalised the Amazon Prime and Netflix bills, do the same for your other bills, as well as credit cards and bank accounts. It doesn’t pay to be loyal here, since most finance providers offer some sort of incentive for new customers. Take this to the next level by registering with cashback websites such as Quidco and looking into rewards credit cards – both of which can give you a couple of percentage points back on your spending.

Finally, look at the big picture. Experts recommend that no more than 50 percent of your income should go into essentials (food, bills and so on), and no more than 30 percent into discretionary spending, leaving 20 percent for savings. Are you meeting this goal? If not, make a plan to move towards it incrementally.

2. Where to make your next career move

It’s no secret that some industries have stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic, but others have grown, and will continue to do so once the immediate effects of the pandemic recede. If you want to future-proof your career, make your next move into a growing sector.

There are more of them than you think – it’s not just home deliveries and supermarkets. Computing is one, as digitalization touches almost every part of life. Software developers are in demand, as they have been for some time, but there are a whole range of related roles: computer user support specialists, information security experts and systems analysts, to name a few.

Healthcare is another area with a huge range of roles available, with varying requirements in terms of qualifications. Physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, behavioural disorder and mental counsellors have all been cited as growing professions.

And as more and more jobs get automated, creative industries will be an option – particularly those with a more technical, software-oriented element, such as design and video and film editing.

3. Gain security with an additional income stream

Most of us would admit to feeling more financially insecure than we did in 2019, with future uncertainty always looming over us and our jobs. If you can secure yourself a second income stream, you’ll be able to mitigate a large part of that uncertainty.

It might not be feasible time-wise to get a second job, but you can always supplement your income by turning your hobby into a side gig. Keen photographer? Sell your photos to a stock website. Crafty type? Set up a page on Etsy.

If you’ve got some capital, you can make it work harder to give you passive income. High-yield current or savings accounts are hard to come by, but as a fruitful investment option, consider property, which is in as high demand as ever. You don’t even have to take out a new mortgage – renovating your own home can increase its value and make you a tidy sum. For even less effort, you can rent out your parking space, which can be especially lucrative if you live in a busy city.

4. Don’t neglect your tax position

No matter what is going on in the world, it’s the unavoidable truth that you always need to keep abreast of your tax obligations, which are ever-changing. The latest updates to tax law that you need to know about include an increase to the threshold for Capital Gains Tax. It’s now £12,300, above which a basic-rate taxpayer will pay 10% on profits (18% on property sale).

The threshold for pension relief tax has also risen. Anyone earning under £240,000 will enjoy tax relief worth up to £40,000 on private pension contributions.

And in terms of Inheritance Tax, the ‘residence nil-rate band’ – the tax allowance on a residence passed on to a direct descendant – has risen to £175,000.

There will be pressure on the government to support citizens and businesses throughout 2021, so stay alert for new changes and relief schemes, which could be announced at any time.

5. Look to the long-term future

You probably know already that minimum pension contributions, for both employers and employees, rose in 2019. They now stand at 8% – 5% by the employee, 3% by the employer. Of course, many companies will offer to match higher rates – something it is usually worth taking advantage of.

This, however, is not the only thing you can do to get your pension pot in the best possible state. Use the government’s pension tracing service to locate pension pots you may have lost track of over time. You’ll likely be better off if you can consolidate them into one, though do check which pension pots have exit fees before you do.

If your pension is growing at a rate, be aware that you can carry forward tax relief. If you didn’t use your full £40,000 relief last year, you can carry over any unused allowance for up to three years. This can get complicated quickly, so consider speaking to an independent financial adviser – or get free guidance from the Pensions Advisory Service.

6. Protect yourself from fraud

It’s a sad truth that 2020 was a bumper year for scams, and this year is likely to be no different.

With workforces moving remote, data and password theft is more common than ever, and several major websites have had their password files ‘cracked’. To make sure your details have never been leaked, visit haveibeenpwned.com and enter your credentials. Remember, when online, you’re only as safe as the least secure website you visit. Your bank’s website may have world-class security, but if you use the same password for every other website, none of that security is worth a damn.

When it comes to money, make sure you opt-in to receive transaction alerts with your bank – so if your money is ever spent without consent, you’ll know right away and be able to act. And think twice when receiving unexpected emails or calls purporting to be from a financial provider. A legitimate email should contain a personal greeting or other identifying information, and should not ask you to reply with login or financial details.

7. Modern investments you might not know about

It may be giants like Apple, Google and SpaceX that hog the investment headlines these days, but in fact, you can establish an investment position with less capital than ever – if you’re happy to take the path less travelled.

Peer-to-peer lending platforms, such as Zopa or Funding Circle, have been growing steadily for the last decade. Essentially, they match investors directly with individuals or businesses looking to borrow money. You get good transparency as you can talk to the borrower and see the forecasted rate before committing, and lensing sites quote returns of up to 6%. Like any form of investment, though, it is not without risks. If you haven’t taken independent financial advice, the FCA won’t let you put more than 10% of your investable assets into P2P.

As an alternative, share the risk with crowdfunded investments, which are growing in popularity for high-value property sales. Find the right purchase, and you can have equity in a commercial property for less than £1,000. It’s possible to invest in existing properties or new developments this way.

8. Business backer? Check out 2021’s fastest-growing industries

A period of disruptive change means it’s possible to get a business off the ground quickly, if it’s in the right market. Whether you’re looking to start one up yourself or back someone else’s idea, consider these three industries:

Transport and distribution – Nearly every industry is looking to make its supply chains stronger and more resilient after they were interrupted during the pandemic. That means big businesses will be willing to invest in suppliers who address the ‘weak points’ in their distribution networks.

E-learning – Education will only partially return to the classroom when COVID recedes, with schools and universities combining on-campus and remote education for the long-term future. New technologies are emerging rapidly to facilitate this, creating business opportunities as they do.

Cleanliness – Investment in pharmaceutical and biological products is at a high, though there are also high barriers to entry for many of the products in this sphere. Along with these comes a demand for more everyday cleaning products and services – from hand gels to office cleaning equipment to teams of cleaners for hire.

9. Invest responsibly with a sustainable fund

Increasingly, investors are looking to do more than just achieve a return – they want to see their money have a positive impact on the world, which they achieve by supporting companies with sustainable values. A survey by the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association in 2020 found that 70% of respondents had thought about ethical investing.

As a result, ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing could be a buzzword of 2021. Many wealth management companies already operate their own ESG investment funds, which means investors looking to make a human impact can start now.

10. Charity donations with the greatest impact

If you’re not convinced by ESG or want your money to have a more visible impact, there are countless charities who are in need of financial backing. If you have no preconceptions whatsoever about which charity to support, you can do worse than browse charity monitoring website GiveWell, which ranks charities worldwide in terms of ‘bang for your buck’, as well as how effectively the charity would be able to scale up, should they receive a large injection of funds.

GiveWell’s number one charity? Malaria Consortium, which invests in medicine to prevent malaria in developing countries. Other high-ranking charity investments include supplements to prevent vitamin A deficiency, treating parasitic worm infections, and making direct cash transfers to extremely low net worth individuals.

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email laura@hurstmediacompany.co.uk or editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

The post 10 ways to future-proof your income in 2021 appeared first on Checklists.

It may have begun with yet another lockdown, but don’t be tempted to write 2021 off just yet. Granted, it’s going be far from a ‘normal’ year. Constant change across every industry, restrictions imposed at short notice, and things that were once the accepted norm now feeling like they’re from a distant era. But, after 2020, you’re used to that. You found ways to cope. And in 2021 you can do more than cope: you can adapt, get ahead of the game, and succeed.

Now is the right time to assess your plans for the year – in terms of career goals, investments, and preparing for the future. Be realistic, but don’t be a doomsayer. ‘Change’ is a neutral word – it doesn’t necessarily mean for the worse, or for the better – and in 2021, new opportunities will open as much as old ones close off. That’s what business does: it creates new markets, responds to change and gets ready for the future. You can do the same by putting your focus in the right place.

So how do you make the most of 2021? Rather than think about specific savings, investments or positions, think about what matters on the most fundamental level: you. With the toll successive lockdowns have taken, ‘self-care’ has become a buzzword, but we prefer its cousin, ‘self-investment’. It’s the equivalent of following all that personal advice – eat more fruit, go for a run, turn your phone off – but from a career and money perspective. Done correctly and consistently, self-investment can put you in the right position so that opportunities will come.

Investing in yourself starts with a series of basic questions. Do you have the skills you need to take the next step in your career? Have you set goals for the coming year? Are you getting the right coaching and advice? Are you sinking time into activities you could really do without? Do you have enough control over your finances?

Next, consider these three tips:

• Make the most of your time. Being compelled to stay at home might feel limiting, but it does give you extra time that you can use to free yourself fiscally. Give your finances a health-check: are you saving money, are you paying down debt quickly enough, are you spending on subscriptions that you don’t need, can you switch your bills and finance to a cheaper provider? If you can save money just with an admin session, it will have benefits beyond your bank balance figure – it can reduce your worries so you can focus fully on your next career move or business project.
• Upskill yourself – it’s easier than ever. Online training has undergone a huge boom in the last 12 months, with countless courses moving to digital, self-timed formats, so you don’t need to commit to a lengthy or inflexible curriculum. Have a look at FutureLearn or Coursera for free or paid courses you can start right away – giving you a first step towards advancing in your career or starting a totally new one.
• Think big. Fancy a total change of career? You might be in luck. After a year of ‘lockdown business’, barriers to entry in many industries have actually come down. Companies are taking a more open approach to hiring: they are happy to interview remote workers for any position, and they’re likely to be more transparent about the candidate they’re looking for and more flexible over issues such as working hours around childcare. If that ‘big opportunity’ always seemed a bridge too far, make sure you apply for it anyway. You have nothing to lose, and your chances will be better than you think.

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