11% more millionaires in the world

I was reading a magazine article today that says the number of millionaires in the world rose by 11% last year to 9.6 million (defined as those people with over $1m of investable/liquid assets). And the good news is that the UK ranks number three in the world with 610,000 millionaires, just behind the US and Japan.

Whilst there are plenty of dollar millionaires in the world, billionaires are a much more exclusive group with less than 800 people worldwide achieving this status (most of which seem to own premiership football clubs!).

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Lost Change: Part IV

It was just over a year ago that I last counted the penny jar so I thought I had better count it up and get it to the bank again. I wasn’t expecting there to be much in there this time so was pleasantly surprised to find £57. Most of it was pound coins which I wasn’t expecting. I can only assume its from where I have been out drinking only to return with pockets full of change (why I can only pay for drinks with notes is still a mystery!).

What I will do, where I’ll do it and when

A visit to the gym today reminded me just how challenging it can be to stick to new years resolutions. Just a few months ago it would only have been me and a few others in an otherwise deserted gym on a Sunday morning, but because it’s January there was probably ten times that amount this morning.

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Five days of market turmoil

Wow… what a week it has been for the markets. The term ‘Credit Crisis’ can now takes its place amongst the ‘Dot.Com bubble’, the ‘1987 crash’ and ‘Black Thursday’ as it will be a long time before the markets forget this week (or indeed the events that may still be to come).

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Double-dealing on student loans – Metro

Two weeks after I wrote an article here about Student Loans the Metro has a front page article titled “Double-dealing on student loans” detailing why graduates are furious at the discrepancy between the CPI and RPI rates of inflation which leave them worse off.

The only thing the article really adds to the debate is a comment from the Government “We think it’s important to use the same measure across the years” – something which I’ll be sure to remember when they try and justify increased council tax bills in the coming months!