I moved away from Safari months ago because of constantly getting this issue everytime I do a google search. Want to go back for the simplicity but find this so infuriating.
any idea how I can stop this from happening?
Obviously the weather often chops & changes, no weather app/source is going to be 100% accurate, but is there one you use which you find is usually pretty good?
Been caught in unpredicted rain a few times now.
What do you use?
Feels like there are heaps of Aberdeen/Shire based ‘influencers’. Many getting a lot of stick for their content, and granted a lot of it is probably deserved. You’ve got to be doing more than just posting a video promoting a well known business, putting a fork in your mouth and slowly mutter the words “Oh. My. God. This is sooo good”.
Curious about who you guys think is decent & worth following on socials for local conrent - Food & Drink, Events, Walks etc?
Always found ‘xchristybx’ genuine but she doesn’t post much these days. Anna.Abdn is alright too
Keeping it simple. Are you using AI to help with your daily struggles? Can you share examples?
As a start, I downloaded the app “Typeless” and use the free account to dictate my Whatsapp messages and personal emails on my phone. It’s by far easier and better than the built in phone dictation.
Also regularly use Siri to create reminders
Looking for a bit of advice/guidance around our Mortgage Renewal, including around product fees and if they’re work paying for a lower rate.
For background, we have our first child due within a month and I’m keen to get a more clear idea of finances.
We moved from flat to house 2 years ago, ported over mortgage and took out a second sub account for the increase.
House purchase summer 2024 - £250k.
Remaining mortgage roughly £232k per below (92.8% LTV based on this).
Halifax have us down as a LTV of 85.63% but if we move provider, that would likely increase once the new provider gets the current value of our home. I don’t think it will have changed but admittedly I have limited knowledge on it. I highly doubt our house has increased that much at all, it’s a buyers market atm here.
As it stands today, we’re with Halifax:
sub a/c 1 - £82k at 2.05% ends 31/10/26, monthly payment £285
Sub a/c 2 - £150k at 5.73% ends 31/12/26, monthly payment £836.
33 years remaining on each.
Total monthly- £1,121
Halifax only lets you review & lock in deals 4 months in advance so looking at Sub 1 atm, Sub 2 from September.
Looking online for Sub 1 ONLY, the 2 year fix options are:
* 5.69%, no product fee, total monthly payment increases to £1,294
* 5.23%, £999 product fee added to loan, total monthly payment increases to £1,275
* 5.23%, £999 product fee paid cash, total monthly payment increases to £1,270 (this seems pointless as saving over 2 years isn’t near the product fee).
High level, feel the 5.69% might be best because there’s no product fee and monthly payment isn’t hugely different? Adding the product fee to the overall loan cost us more long term?
Ideally we’d want to bring them together into 1 account and that’s the plan if we stay with Halifax, but this is to lock in a rate incase they increase more.
If we move provider we’d either need to do a variable rate of sub 1 for Nov & Dec or early exit on Sub 2 of £1.5k to move in November.
Feel like there would also be a lot of additional admin for affordability, potential in person house valuation, additional costs per above etc too. Partner will be going onto stat maternity pay around November for 6-9 months too so not sure if that would change things. Based on current monthly finances, funds will be tight those months / we’ll need to dip into savings we’ve been accumulating.
Completely understand best to overpay mortgage where possible, bring LTV down etc but we’re not in a position to do that.
We do have some savings to help cover the shortfall. I have £30k in personal savings too but £15k of that is an emergency fund & remaining £15k I want for monthly shortfall safety if we need it, baby purchases needed along the way etc.
We have a mortgage advisor who charges us £100 to discuss options and do the application(s) (external if need be) but if we stay with Halifax it’s the exact same rates offered as online, and Halifax have advisors too (although possibly bias). I guess we’re paying our advisor for time but he’ll get a commission regardless.
Any thoughts on our situation would be appreciated.
Looking for a minimal task//reminders app to do very simplistic weekly planning of personal tasks, outside of a full time office job. I want to be able to access it in a web browser and an iphone app. Adding tasks by email is a bonus.
I’m neurodivergent (AuDHD) and need something very easy to use with minimal friction for adding tasks and moving tasks about. No timeblocking needed.
I had TickTick and it worked well to start with but became overwhelming and started to feel like a chore in it’s own right.
I really like the idea of TeuxDeux but there’s no reminders for tasks - can’t understand why, feels like a basic feature.
Currently using Apple Reminders but it’s awful to access on a web browser.
I really like being able to add tasks by voice - whether through siri or a phone shortcut button.
I don’t mind paying a sub if needed but don’t want to pay anything above £5 GBP really if possible. Noticed some apps have heavily discounted annual prices but I’d need to test it for a couple of months first.
Any ideas?