Is something about to happen?

We’ve hardly ever had peace though, there’s always been a war happening somewhere. Some wars have been catastrophic, the 30 years War knocked out up to 10% of the European population (50% of some areas of what we know as Germany). I would say experiencing war in some form or another is an inevitable consequence of being human.

What I do think though that we have become a bit over sensitised. We used to be much more focused on our own country and the friendly tribes.This is what was important, that these survived. Weakening an enemy was to be celebrated, because it meant we were less threatened.

Now we have people not sure whose side to take in a war so it makes the feeling very painful because those people will never be able to make sense of the constant wars, their mental health will suffer, society suffers.

Wars will always happen, we seem to have become disconnected from how to survive this fact

That’s you though, there may be people on 2 yr fixes or with 1 year left and they need to have their eyes open. In fact all of us do, some may pay down capital balance whilst on a favourable rate.

well people might wait until the end of their term not knowing you can secure a rate up to 6 months before. Not everyone knows this

I don’t know why you are downplaying how significant mortgage rates are, for most people it’s their largest expense

Well, it's certainly a situation where a lot of impactful things could happen. I mean, we felt something was about to happen before COVID because we had several months' warning - news that got closer and closer about this new virus. I initially hoped it would be like Swine Flu and get staved off before reaching the UK, but when it reached Italy it was crystal clear it was coming here too.

There's no obvious path forward at the moment - a number of things could happen, none of them good, but I don't think anyone can call what that will be. Especially with the yahoos in charge of America. It'll be bad news if they continue to prosecute this war to fight Trump's low ratings, but it'll also be bad news if they just leave a ruined Iran under a new and even more aggressive despot.

When we know we at end of the fixed rate we pay attention anyway - I think most people do these days.

We had to go onto a higher rate than we had prior last year - but much lower than our first mortage on previous house.

Rates go up and down - when you are coming near to an end you keep yourself informed and try for the best deal you can get.

When I was a teen my parents and many other families were badly hit by rising rates as the market was full of variable mortages - now it's somewhere between 70-85% of mortgages are fixed and 55 % owner occupied houses having paid mortages off completely and owned outright. Rate rises affect fewer people immediately.

Despite having a mortage we've 4 years before we need to change and won't need to start looking for another three and half years when rates may be completely different.

It's already happened, hasn't it? Trump has lit WW3.

Gen X survived the Cold War, Thatcher, playing in abandoned industrial sites, Spangles (if you know, you know 😉), Chorlton & The Wheelies, random pockets of diesel filled water, and regular beatings with leather belts 💪🏻

We got this 😊

You need to see a doctor- that won’t happen quickly but you need tell them
you are thinking this way

in the mean time keep busy volunteer etc
snd either stay off social media or train your algorithm the show you positive news and puppies only

I am assuming you are worried because of what's going on in Iran/The Middle East?

I'm not worried. The UK/world has been through far worse.

I'm guessing you are quite young @Canyoumakecoffeeinamicrowave ?

I don't mean that as patronising or condescending, but everyone I know around my age (older Gen X/around late 50s) and older, is not worried, as we have seen/been through worse. It tends to be younger millennials and GenX who are catastrophising.

I suggest you watch the news today. Oil prices have gkne through the roof since Fri

Las I saw (Friday - accept things change) we were very, very far away from the impacts on oil that we saw within a week of the Ukraine war breaking out.

do you have some reason to think it’ll be worse than that?

Anything could happen tomorrow, Kim Jong-Un might nuke us all because he’s upset that world leaders are getting to play with their war toys and he’s been left out.

Take some Prozac and don’t want the news.

I'm not walking an eight mile round trip to Lidl for anyone. The train is too expensive and buses are full of <horror> other people, so I'm not doing that either. I don't live in a town so there's nowhere to walk to either, unless you count the chemists and they buggered my prescription up so I don't go there anymore.

Dunno, I feel similar - that the fuel shortages may lead to mini lockdowns of a sort. Schools closing or learning moving online, shops on restricted hours, WFH. We do seem to be facing a serious gas supply crisis and it may be a case of having to prioritise some use over others.

What have you read?

Inflation, hike in petrol prices and interest rates go up and down. It’s part of life and why we try to save for rainy days and not live beyond our means.
The weather affects us too, especially when it looks miserable outside we can feel there’s a cloud hanging over us.
Hopefully the world leaders will get their act together and bring some sort of stability again.
Try and stay hopeful, spring is on its way.

Also in positive news I am getting divorced and quite looking forward to having my assets valued in the next few months rather than a year ago 😁

I don’t understand all these people saying “it feels like before lockdown” wtf?! Covid was creeping here in a perfectly open way a good month before lockdown. You didn’t spidey sense anything. You just got anxious.

it feels quite privileged and attention seeking to be banging on about “something happening” to the uk whilst people thousands of miles away genuinely are waking up to their towns being blown apart. Whilst you fanny around on your phone feeling scared

You forgot cats.

... not for everyone. We have an EV & solar panels. That's one bullet we dodged. Because no doubt l, these will also be hit by price rises.

Yes smug, but I like to add something positive at least for some people...

I do feel like maybe we could be walking i to a recession at some point but too early to say so who knows but I can understand the feeling OP

Are you me 😆
I keep abreast of current affairs but don't dwell on it because there is literally nothing I can do about it

In this instance that analogy is wrong, it will affect us due to inflation, energy prices and mortgage rates

Yeah but this has inverted the yield curve meaning it’s pretty likely that the rates people coming off may be lower than the fixed rates available! We’re now in a rate increase environment

there will also be people coming off fixed rates now that can act pretty quick..

Omg this, my husband has 3 different ones at a very big loss

No but petrol and diesel is about to become extortionate. Over £100 to fill up average car.