Bank notes, coins, stamps and more: How are they changing?

Bank notes, coins, stamps and more: How will these change?

With His Majesty King Charles III set to be crowned in May, we started thinking of the changes that are still to come. Many questions have been raised regarding coins, stamps and more. How will these items change in light of a new monarch?

• Money
• Stamps
• Passports
• The Royal Cypher
• The legal system

 

Money

One such question we have seen time and time again is in regard to our money – our bank notes and coins. How will a new King impact our legal tender? 

Currently bank notes and coins still feature the late Queen Elizabeth II can continue to be spent until new notes and coins start to be printed. The Bank of England has said the current money with her majesty’s profile on it is still legal tender.

Queen Elizabeth II was the first monarch to appear on British bank notes, marking a monumental change for the Bank of England. King Charles will indeed appear on our coins and notes in the future; however, they may not appear in general circulation for a while. This is due to the long process of designing and creating this new money. 

The current currency will be gradually phased out when new currencies are printed and distributed. In January, images of new coins baring King Charles’ effigy were released.

 

Stamps

Another question which has arose after the Queen’s passing was about stamps. When will postage stamps change? 

Stamps are another iconic piece with the Queen’s image on them. The Royal Mail will see widespread change after King Charles’ accession. Of course, stamps will change. The Royal Mail recently revealed the new stamps with the new King on them. Post boxes with Queen Elizabeth II’s markings on them have also been speculated about. 

For now, all stamps featuring the late Queen will remain valid for use. Not sure what to do with your old stamps? Click here.

 

Passports

Her Majesty’s Passport Office, soon to be known as His Majesty’s Passport Office, will be in charge of all passport changes.  

Currently, on the first pages of British passports the following words appear: “Her Britannic Majesty’s Secretary of State requests and requires in the name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.” 

This, of course, will be changed to reflect King Charles as the new head of state. The passport office operates under the home office. 

 

The Royal Cypher

The Royal Cypher crops up regularly in many parts of everyday life. It is currently on post boxes and on government signage across the nation. The Royal Cypher is also seen on police and military uniforms. It also appears, of course, on royal and state documents. The current cypher will be altered to reflect the new King. 

You will likely have seen the Royal Cypher before, without even realising what it is. Currently, Queen Elizabeth’s cypher – ER II – is included as the Royal cypher. The crown shown on the cypher will likely change, also. This is due to Queens using the St Edward’s crown as the centrepiece and Kings traditionally using a more rounded Tudor crown. 

 

The legal system

All members of the Queen’s Counsel automatically had their titles changed after the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. They are now known as members of the King’s Counsel. Additionally, the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court has changed to the King’s Bench Division. 

Similarly, within courts across the United Kingdom, Barristers have been informed case names will be changed from ‘Regina’ – Latin for Queen – to ‘Rex’, the Latin word for King. However, there will be no urgency to do this immediately. 

On Friday 9th September 2022, the day after the passing of Her Majesty, the Old Bailey court in London heart the first case in the name of the King since 1952. This is the first time in 70 years the court has heard the words “God save the King” during the opening of a case. 

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Get a Free £5 to Spend in ASDA

Supermarket giant Asda have launched their first ever customer loyalty reward scheme. It comes at a crucial time during the cost-of-living crisis, when millions of people across the UK are struggling with the rapidly rising cost of food, fuel and energy bills.

But how can this new scheme help you with soaring food prices? Asda are promising to reward customers with “pounds not points”, which they can use towards a future food shop. The scheme was trialled in 16 stores last year and proved to be successful, with the chain launching it in all of the 633 UK stores. Asda Rewards is now available across the country.

To get started with Asda Rewards, you will need to download the Asda Rewards app on your mobile device. You can download it from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. It is easy and quick to download, meaning you can start receiving your rewards quickly.

When you shop online or in store, you can earn Asda Pounds. Simple scan the barcode on the app when you shop within a physical store. To earn online, make sure you are logged into your account at checkout. The Asda pounds will cumulate and be added to a Cash Pot. This Cash Pot can then be converted into coupons to get money off your future food shops.

Rewards can be earned not just from shopping at Asda, but from completing ‘missions’ or buying Star Products. Missions are added to the app regularly and include spending over a certain amount on your visit or buying a certain number of items from a particular department.

For example, the mission may be to spend £50 by a certain date to earn £1.50. Similarly, it could be to buy 5 health and beauty products to earn £2, or 10 pieces of fruit and veg to earn £1.50. The missions change often, but you may do them without even realising it!

The Star Products also change regularly and include a number of branded and Asda own-brand items. When you buy Star Products, you can receive an instant Cash Pot boost, which is 10% of the item price. For example, if you spend £1 on a Star Product, you will get 10 pence instantly into your Cash Pot.

You can find the Star Products on the Asda Rewards app. If you are shopping online, Star Products will be marked. Not only do you get money back on Star Products, but they may be part of a special deal or discount.

Get a Free £5 To Spend in Store via the APP

Following the success of the ‘First Scan Bonus’ in February, Asda is reintroducing the offer this month for first time users of Asda Rewards.

Hundreds of thousands of Asda customers benefited from the offer in February, with over £2 million earned through using the popular Rewards app.

New users can once again take advantage of the ‘First Scan Bonus’ by simply downloading Asda Rewards, signing up for an account, and scanning the app for the first time to receive £5 in their Cashpot.

The ‘First Scan Bonus’ will run from Wednesday 12th April until Wednesday 3^rd May (2023), available both in-store and online with no minimum spend required.

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Get Paid to Eat on Camera: The World of Mukbanging

Mukbanging: Is it as dirty as it sounds? Well, it depends on how messy of an eater you are. Mukbanging is a YouTube trend that started around 2010 and has picked up in popularity in recent years. So, what is it all about and why should you try to make some money from it?

 

• What is Mukbanging?
• When did mukbanging start and its rise to popularity?
• The difference between Korean and American/English mukbangs
• Most popular mukbang YouTube channels
• How much can you earn?
• How to start mukbanging

 

What is Mukbanging?

Mukbanging is the act of videoing yourself eating and uploading it to the internet or live streaming it. Often people order a large amount of fast food and work their way through over a few hours. Some are made in an ASMR style, some as vlogs and others as menu reviews. People eat and chat about everything from their daily life to the latest YouTube drama – there’s something for everyone when it comes to mukbanging.

 

When did mukbanging start and its rise to popularity?

Mukbanging started to appear on social media platforms around 2010 with the video style originating in South Korea. The word itself is a combination of the two Korean words “Muk-ja” meaning to eat and “bang-song” meaning to broadcast. Mukbanging in Korea started on the streaming platform AfreecaTV, with broadcast jockeys cooking and eating meals on stream. As eating is a very sociable activity in Korea many individuals will not goout to eat alone so instead tune in to their favourite streamers while they eat.

Much like we love a good tv dinner in the UK, Koreans like to have company when they eat. Live streaming mukbangs is a great way to get audience interaction as they can comment. This gives viewers the ability to suggest the best dipping sauce to go with the food they’re eating.

Mukbangs began to rise in popularity when American and English YouTubers started to make YouTube videos in the same style. These are pre-recorded videos that people can watch as and when they like, making their favourite creators more accessible.

There are many big YouTube mukbang creators that focus on a mix of food reviews and real-life stories. There are thousands of results for mukbang on YouTube and google so there’s certainly a lot of content to get through.

 

The difference between Korean and American/English mukbangs

Aside from the way mukbangs are accessed there is another major difference when it comes to different countries mukbang styles. Korean mukbangs tend to focus on the ASMR aspect of eating, for example, there are many videos of people cracking open lobster shells or slurping down noodles. ASMR aims to reduce anxiety so it may be particularly helpful for those who don’t like eating alone. Whereas American and English mukbangs focus on storytelling, reviewing food and vlogging.

The top mukbang video currently is 불닭볶음면 먹방 Mukbang Fire Spicy Noodle by DONA 도나, it is a ASMR style mukbang with a comedy element. With a staggering 595,828,239 views since its upload on September 4^th 2020, it is clearly very popular.

The most popular talking style mukbang is by the YouTube creator group the Sidemen with 33 Million views. Titled SIDEMEN REUNITED MUKBANG and lasting over an hour in length, it shows the group members sitting around, talking and completing challenges.

Mukbangs make for easy watching, you don’t have to be fully paying attention like when you watch TV, you can just have them on for background noise. They started as a way to not eat alone and still many university students and adults living alone use them for this. For some, eating alone is not a pleasant experience so being able to switch on a video and have someone eating alongside them is extremely comforting.

 

Most popular mukbang YouTube channels

Timmy’s Takeout

With 1.49 Million subscribers, Timmy is not the biggest star on the list but he is one of my favourites! The American YouTuber does full menu reviews of takeout chains. From McDonald’s to Taco Bell, he has covered them all. I enjoy watching his menu reviews just to see what other countries McDonald’s is like as well as living vicariously through his ability to eat gluten.

Nikocado Avocado

Combined across all his channels, Nikocado has a subscriber count of 5.944 million so to say he’s popular is an understatement. He posts a mix of videos of him eating alone and eating with friends. From spicy noodle challenges to menu reviews, he does it all.

DONA

With over 11 million subscribers over their channels, DONA is very popular. They focus more on the ASMR side of mukbanging but also integrate some comedy in as seen in the video mentioned earlier. They are more on the side of the original Korean style of video.

 

How much can you earn?

Well as with a lot of YouTubers, the amount made per month varies. Sponsored videos can make massive amounts of money if you negotiate the right price. If you are lucky enough to monetise your channel, you’ll be paid for your views. It is also worth mentioning that the longer the video the more mid-roll adds you will have which will also increase your earnings. It’s hard to put down a number for possible earnings as these are not published by YouTubers but some very successful YouTubers are known to make upwards of 6 figures a year.

 

How to start mukbanging

So now you’ve learnt all about mukbanging, you’re probably wondering how to get started yourself. Here at MoneyMagpie, we’ve put together a handy guide on how to get started mukbanging.

• Decide on your name
• Find a niche
• Set up your YouTube channel
• Purchase your equipment
• Design your backdrop
• Get your food in!
• Start filming
• Upload your first video
• Stay consistent

 

Decide on your name

Now picking a channel name may sound easy but it is at the centre of your brand. You might want something catchy or maybe food-based. You need your name to stand out as well as look good on your YouTube banner. Food imagery works well because almost everyone can imagine a potato or orange. Alliteration also works, rhyming names, anything that is memorable is always great.

Find a niche

So you’re set on your name but before you set up your channel you need to find you’re niche. Do you want to focus more on ASMR or storytelling? Do you want to use it to spread awareness for a cause close to your heart? Maybe practising your stand-up jokes? Watch some of the mukbangers suggested in the article to see their style and think about how you can make your own.

Set up your YouTube account

You’ve got your name, found your niche, now is the time to set up your channel. It’s a simple process to do but here are a few tips that might push your channel to the next level.

• Set up an email address specifically for it – if your channel takes off this way potential sponsors can contact through an email just for your channel rather than your regular email. It’s also great for if you’re planning to have other social media connected to your account like Instagram and Twitter.
• Make a banner for your channel – sites like Canva have free to use templates that allow you to make a channel banner that encapsulates your brand. They also have intro and outro templates and video thumbnails. You can make your brand cohesive and recognisable this way.
• Build up the hype for your channel launch – whether you do this on your own social media channels or on the ones you set up for your new venture it’s worth building up to the launch. You could share a few posts in the week leading up to it to get those around you excited.

Purchase your equipment

You don’t need a top of the range camera and microphone to get started – your laptop’s webcam will do! However, if you are thinking of making ASMR style videos it might be good to get a cheap USB microphone to pick up the sound better.

Design your backdrop

So the focus of the video will be you and all the delicious food you’re devouring but you’re going to need some form of backdrop behind you. You could put a green screen behind you and edit a restaurant into the background or you could do something fun and creative. For example, MenKind have a whole host of fun lights and even lightsabre salt and pepper grinders. Have fun with your background and be creative!

Get your food in!

In essence, this seems obvious because you’re filming yourself eating but you need to choose what food. ASMR creators favour foods such as noodles to slurp and lobsters to crack. Storytellers might choose burgers or chips; food reviewers often purchase the whole menu! Some people do spicy noodle challenges while others eat a plate of cheese – the choice is entirely up to you!

Start filming

Now it’s time to start filming and eat away! Have a plan in your head of what you want to talk about and get chatting. Maybe imagine you’re at dinner with a friend having a wholly one-sided conversation after all mukbanging is supposed to be social.

Upload your first video

Now it is time to upload your video – remember to add in your intro and outro slides and ask everyone to like, subscribe and share. Share the link to the YouTube video on social media and remember to keep pushing it out. The more times you share it the more likely people are going to see it.

Stay consistent

YouTube success is not going to happen overnight so remember to stay consistent. You could start with a video a week while you get going and then gradually increase it over time. As with any side hustle success is not instantaneous so keep at it and see where it takes you!

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SURVEY: 57% of readers unsure where their pension pot is invested

57% of readers unsure where their pension pot is invested.

We recently conducted a reader survey on social media, in which we asked our followers about their pensions. We asked people about their workplace and private pensions, as well as where their pensions are invested, and their pension providers. 

We conducted a reader survey previously and found the results extremely interesting. Not only do surveys help us understand your thoughts and feelings but help us to understand how we can help our readers. 

Here is what we found in this reader survey. 

• Do you pay into a workplace pension?
• Do you pay into a private pension?
• Do you know what your pension is investing into?
• Do you know who your pension provider is?
• Do you know how much you currently have in your pension?
• Do you know where all your pension pots are?

 

Do you pay into a workplace pension? 

Prior to October 2012, employees needed to opt-in to contribute monthly to pensions. However, because of the Pensions Act 2011, employers must now automatically enrol their workers into a pension scheme. If you are unsure whether you are enrolled, or have been auto-enrolled in recent years, ask your workplace. 

If you have been automatically enrolled and would like to opt-out, you will have received a letter from your employer telling you you’ve been added to the scheme. If you opt-out within a month of your employer adding you, you will get back any money you put in. 

76% of our readers said that yes – they do pay into a workplace pension, with the remaining 24% of those asked saying they do not. 

The workplace participation rate across the UK is 79% as of April 2021 – an estimated 22.6 million employees. 

You can find out more about the workplace pension scheme here. 

 

Do you pay into a private pension? 

A private pension is a plan individuals can choose to contribute to themselves, which will be paid to them when they retire. It is different from the state pension, as there is no government involvement. It is also different to a workplace pension, as your employer is not matching your contributions. 

It’s a less popular option but may be good for those who are self-employed. According to our survey, just 21% of respondents said they had a private pension.  

74% of those who answered said they did not pay into a private pension, and the remaining 5% said they were unsure if they did or not.  

The private pensions statistics commentary from 2022 shows that from 2019 to 2020, approximately 9.5 million people paid into a private pension. This fell to just 6.8 million from 2020 to 2021 – perhaps the result of factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns and the income uncertainty that came with this. 

Find out more about how much you should have saved in a pension here. 

 

Do you know what your pension is invested into? 

This question perhaps had the most split of results. Of the 35% of people who responded ‘yes’ – 14% of those said they chose themselves where their pension is invested. The remaining 21% said that although they know what their pension is invested in, they didn’t choose it themselves. 

8% of respondents replied that they didn’t know a pension is invested. The remaining 57% responded ‘no clue’, suggesting they don’t know what their pension is invested in. 

In a defined contribution pension, you build a pot for retirement based on how much you and your employer pay in. Your money is usually invested in one or many funds, to help it grow over time. You can choose the level of risk associated with these funds and where your money is invested. 

Thinking about putting more money into your pension? Click here. 

 

Do you know who your pension provider is? 

Pension providers are organisations that provide pension arrangements for pension schemes. This is not for state pensions – which are paid by the government. Workplace pensions are set up by employers and run by pension providers with specialist pensions consultants. 

In our survey, almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents said they do know who their pension provider is, with the remaining 36% answering that they are unsure. 

If you are unsure of who your pension provider is, ask your employer. You may also have the name of your pension provider on your payslip. Look through any work-related documents you may have received, as it may also be on there. 

If you are unsure about your previous pension providers, there are many ways to find them, as well as previous pension pots. 

Here’s how to trace a lost pension. 

 

Do you know how much you currently have in your pension? 

Although you don’t need to know the exact amount in your pension pot and check constantly, it may be a good idea to have a vague knowledge of how much is in there. This can help you plan for retirement and work out how much you need to reach your goals. You may realise you need to increase your contributions going forward or find they are just right. 

‘Not at all’ was the most common response to this question. However, 35% suggested they have a vague idea, but aren’t completely sure of the amount in their pot. The remaining 24% of respondents said they check often and know exactly how much is in their pension. 

If you are unsure how to check your pension amount, contact your provider directly, or get help from your employer.  

How women can make the most of their pensions. 

 

Do you know where all your pension pots are? 

It’s not uncommon for people to not know where all their pension pots are. Moving house and changing jobs can result in people forgetting to update their details or forget about previous providers. 

15% of respondents stated they know where their pension pots are due to consolidating them. Pension consolidation is when you combine all your pension pots into one. 

62% of respondents suggested they know where their pension pots are, but they are separate.  

Almost a quarter (23%) said they have no idea where their pension pots are. Pension providers such as PensionBee offer useful tools to help you find lost pensions and consolidate your pots, so you can have them in one place. 

Having an idea of where your pension pots are – consolidated or not – helps you plan for retirement, and having a general idea of whether you are on track or not is imperative to ensuring a comfortable life when you finish work. 

Pensions for the self-employed explained. 

 

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Win a £25 Voucher to a Shop of Your Choice

How would you like to win a £25 voucher to a shop of your choice?

All you have to do is watch the video below about this video and answer our competition question.

You can also find out more about Allience Trust here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmQg1Vec7bQ

What is the name of the first person that Jasmine Birtles talks to in the video and where does he work?

To enter simply follow the instructions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The competition closes on Mon 1 May at midnight. The winner will be announced on our competition winners page. Good luck everyone! 

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• This competition is promoted by MoneyMagpie (“Promoter”). 
• Competition entry is only open to residents of the United Kingdom aged 18 years or older. No purchase necessary.
• The competition is not open to employees (and their families) of the Promoter MoneyMagpie, their agents or related third parties who are directly connected with the administration of the competition. 
• The Promoter will not be responsible for lost or late competition entries.
• The winner will be chosen at random by an independent judge and will be notified via email or telephone. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• By entering the competition you consent to being communicated to by the Promoter and the company offering the prize. Following such notification, the winner will be required to send the Promoter full details of their postal address to which the prize will be delivered (if applicable). You consent to your details being passed onto the company offering the prize so it can be sent out.
• The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any material associated with the competition, as well as their entry

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Which King Charles Collectables Will Make You Money?

Will King Charles Collectables be the downpayment on a house or a pack of gum? It’s just a couple of weeks until the Coronation, which means you might want to take advantage of some investment opportunities.

Brits have always been enthusiastic about collecting royal memorabilia, particularly at Coronations, but time and again our Coronation mugs, plates, cake tins and pictures prove to be a bit of a damp squib when it comes to making actual money from them later on.

The problem with a lot of Coronation goodies is that there’s just an awful lot of them.

King Charles Collectables on the High Street

Right now, there are some really attractive bits and pieces you could pick up on the high street. Marks & Spencer have a suitably regal Coronation cushion with embroidered crowns on it for £22.50. John Lewis has a Coronation teddy for £15 and Fortnum & Mason has a beautiful Darjeeling Coronation tea caddy for £19.95.

They all look great and are fun to have in the home, but they’re mass-produced so unlikely to increase in value much, if at all, later on.

So, if you’re a keen Coronation collector, but you want to pick up items that you could sell for more later on, what should you be aiming for?

Jon White from the Britannia Coin Company says, “some of the most sought-after memorabilia produced for Quee Elizabeth’s 1953 Coronation were ceramics, designed by British artist Eric Ravilious for Wedgwood. Ravilious’ brightly coloured coronation mugs sell for more than £600 these days, so I’d expect that eye-catching designs from renown artists will increase in value.”

King Charles Collectables in China

If you’re a fan of attractive china then you could go to Emma Bridgewater’s site and buy a crown-adorned half-pint jug for £23 which is highlighted as a ‘collector exclusive’. Or choose one of their half-pint mugs for the same price. Collectibles expert Tracy Martin has stated for a while that Emma Bridgewater products could increase in value due to their distinctive designs.

Prints, Bears, Paperweights… and King Elvis!

You could also consider a limited edition print to commemorate the occasion. For example, visit Highgrove’s own shop, Highgrovegardens.com, and for £3,500 you can buy a limited edition (100 copies) framed, Balmoral lithograph from an original watercolour by the soon-to-be-invested King.

Any item that is guaranteed ‘limited edition’ has a much better chance of increasing its value over time.

If you’d like something a little more outré, the Windermere Fine Art Gallery in the Lake District has a limited edition portrait of Charles… as Elvis! It costs £250 unframed or £450 framed. Dawn Titherington, owner of the gallery, says, “royal themed art is always especially popular…For example, The Queen of Hearts piece featuring the Queen created by Mr Brainwash, a Los Angeles-based street artist, for her Platinum Jubilee in 2022 has since doubled in value.”

Another limited edition product that’s a little cheaper is the ‘Highgrove Coronation Bear’, again from Highgrove itself. At £170 each, only 500 have been created. The bear is handmade by Merrythought, the last remaining British teddy bear manufacturer. According to the site it is already sold out despite being on pre- order, so they are likely to be on eBay when they finally come out in August.

Pawnbroker Dan Hatfield recommends the Royal Scot crystal coronation paperweight at £39.50, pointing out that as we start to become paperless, manufacturers are producing fewer paperweights. “In years to come paperweights will remind us of days we used paper and could be worth hundreds of pounds.”

Auctioneer and royal memorabilia specialist James Grinter says, “the best advice I can give anyone is don’t buy something because you hope it will be a good investment. Buy it because you love it.” But if you’re determined to profit from the Royal Family, then according to James you need to concentrate on finding pieces that have been touched, owned, worn or, indeed, signed by royalty.”

Coins

Don’t forget commemoration coins as a potential investment too. There is always a market for specialist coins, particularly those made from precious metals. This week, the Royal Mint will be releasing a special collection of coronation coins featuring King Charles III wearing the Tudor crown. You can buy the coins from Monday April 24 with the 50p coins costing between £11 and £1,220 (depending on the metal) , while the £5 coins are priced between £14.50 and £2,995.

Newspapers

Finally, if you would like something really affordable to invest in, on the day of the Coronation you could go out and buy all the major papers. It will only cost you a few pounds but within a week you could sell them for much more on eBay. After the death of the Queen, papers reporting her death were selling from their original price of 80p up to £200 online.

Further Reading

King Charles Stamps

Royal Collectors: Memorabilia and Coins

 

 

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Get IMAX tickets for £3!

Get IMAX Tickets for £3.

Did you miss out on some of the biggest movie releases last year and need some big screen therapy? Well, you can do this at the weekend, and you can do it for only £3!

Celebrate the world’s most immersive viewing experience on Saturday April 22 – exclusively at Cineworld IMAX cinemas nationwide. For one day only, you can be blown away by epic IMAX for just £3 per ticket. (€3 at Cineworld Dublin.)

Take your Cineworld visit to the next level with the IMAX difference – the clearest images on the largest screens and heart-pounding audio that puts you in the middle of the action! Cineworld will be bringing back some of last year’s biggest blockbusters at the IMAX Film Fest so whether you want to dive into Avatar: The Way of Water, jet off with Top Gun: Maverick or explore the multiverses of Academy Award Best Picture-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once – the choice is yours!

At the majority of sites, you will also have a chance to meet The Batman, and at Cineworld Watford can catch Ponniyin Selvan: 1 – one week ahead of its sequel release!

Book your £3 tickets here.

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‘Ask for Henry’ – the discreet way to get a free meal at Morrison’s

Supermarket Morrison’s has teamed up with family favourite Heinz to help people cope with soaring costs during the cost-of-living crisis. The new initiative offers visitors a discreet, free lunch for those who need it. Simply ask for ‘Henry’ at a Morrison’s café and you will receive a free hot meal. No questions asked!

First launched in October 2022, the scheme is back this April, as part of Heinz’s ongoing commitment to tackling food poverty.

Inspired by the work of Henry J. Heinz, the founder of Heinz and a well-known philanthropist, the company are pledging over 160,000 meals to people across the UK from 24th April 2023. The offer will run for two weeks.

When you ask for ‘Henry’ at one of the 397 Morrison’s cafes across the country, you will be given a free jacket potato and baked beans. The company hopes to feed children up and down the country who are on half term, as well as anyone else in need, no matter your age. 

From a young age, Henry J. Heinz would make food in his family kitchen with the aid of his mother, using ingredients picked from their garden. They would then share the food with the local community. Wanting to honour his ‘good heart and kind spirit’, along with his birthday in October, the scheme was created. 

Britain is a nation of baked bean lovers, with around 600 million tins of Heinz’s baked beans eating annually. This is around 1.6 million cans per day. If you need a hot, hearty meal, visit your local Morrison’s café and ask for ‘Henry’. It’s as simple as that!

Sian Whittle, of Morrisons cafés, said:

“Our customers were very grateful for the ‘Ask for Henry’ initiative last year and as they continue to face financial pressures we’re pleased to be renewing our partnership with Heinz.  For the next two weeks we’re bringing back our free jacket potato topped with Beanz offer in our cafés nationwide.” 

Jojo De Noronha, president of Northern Europe at Heinz, said:

“Last October we launched the ‘Ask for Henry’ initiative for the first time and were blown away by the response.  And that’s why we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to bring back the initiative again, available from 24^th April. 

“We would really encourage anyone who feels they may need or want a hot, hearty meal to take us up on this offer – it’s open to absolutely everyone, and there is plenty to go around. Whilst we know it doesn’t fix the problem, we’d love to be able to help as many people as we can in this two-week period in our own small way.” 

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Make money from speechwriting

Make money from speechwriting.

Writing speeches for public figures to use is quite a niche profession but it absolutely pays dividends for the right candidate. Speechwriting tends to be a very competitive market but if you make, or have made, the right preparations, you might find yourself qualified to become a professional speechwriter.

Before we share the best places to find jobs, let’s have a look at the following steps you can take that will improve your chances of getting hired.

• Get your qualifications
• Experience
• Networking
• Writing
• Job openings

 

Get Your Qualifications

You need at least four GCSEs at grades 9 to 4, or A* to C, including English and Maths, as well as a complete set of A-Level qualifications to increase your choice of your next steps.

There are no specific further education requirements to becoming a speechwriter but having a degree in a relevant subject might help make your CV more noticeable to potential employers. You might consider the following subjects:

• English
• History
• Media
• Communication Studies
• Film
• Creative Writing
• Journalism
• Politics
• PR
• Marketing

See what each of the universities you’re interested in applying to is looking for, and if you don’t have the right A-Level results or subjects, think about a foundation year – which is four years instead of three – and usually focus on developing your research skills, written communication, critical thinking and argument building: all things that are essential to speechwriting or jobs that lead to speechwriting careers.

There are also plenty of short online or in-person courses that are sometimes run by speechwriting experts, which can give you a valuable chance to develop the speechwriting skills you’ll need.

Experience

It’s always a lack of experience that flummoxes potential candidates, even if they’ve studied. And a lot of employers simply won’t hire you if you haven’t had relevant experience. So how do you gain experience relevant to speechwriting? Well, you might consider volunteering your services to charities, community organisations or small businesses, and those smaller roles will essentially provide for you a portfolio of experience. Anything you can grab in copywriting, publishing or journalism – including running your own blog – will serve toward proving you have the skills to become a speechwriter.

 

Networking

As with many communication roles, networking is essential both to meet people and create opportunities, and also to get your name out there and make yourself known. Speechwriting is all about knowing and working with people. If it’s political speechwriting you’re keen to get into, you could for example get involved in local election campaigns and build your professional contacts in the industry this way. Introduce yourself to as many people as you can, and let people know your skills and career goals when you can.

 

Writing

You must make sure your writing skills are excellent, and that you’re able to present, clear, concise, compelling paragraphs and pieces that successfully communicate your ideas. Read a lot of books and newspaper features, listen to speeches and analyse why they’re good. Go on Twitter (but not for too much of the day) and pick out several long-form pieces of writing to study. See what you find persuasive and good or bad examples of writing.

You may, after reading all this, realise you’re already qualified. Whether or not this is true, here are a few tips that could prove useful:

• Speechwriting is surprisingly difficult as the longer, more complex phrases and sentence construction don’t necessarily translate when spoken out loud. The most important thing you can do with a speech is to stand up and read it aloud, as if to an audience. If it’s hard for you to say, it may be hard for the speaker to say.
• You may find that sticking to clear, simple language, expressed in short sentences that are easy for the speaker to deliver and the audience to follow, is the best method.
• No speechwriter can be expert on every single topic and style of speech. So, with each speech, give yourself a chance to gather and read as much material as possible. Or, work with a researcher to get more relevant context.
• The News is everywhere all at once these days, so you’ve got just about every single idea and style of communication at your fingertips every day, BUT be careful not to burn out and consume too much reality. You need to know your stuff if you’re going to be a speechwriter but it’s also possible to watch,
• Listen to and digest much of what’s going on in the world, so maintain some distance from the material and work out how to break it into chunks of time.

Job Openings

Try Indeed for some current UK jobs involving speechwriting. LinkedIn is also a great community to discuss and find jobs with like-minded candidates and employers. There are daily updated speechwriting jobs in London at TotalJobs, and similarly at Jooble.

Those are just some examples. Have a Google around and visit the websites of the relevant companies you might be keen to work for.

 

Do you have speechwriting experience? Let us know your top tips below!

The post Make money from speechwriting appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Make money from speechwriting

Make money from speechwriting.

Writing speeches for public figures to use is quite a niche profession but it absolutely pays dividends for the right candidate. Speechwriting tends to be a very competitive market but if you make, or have made, the right preparations, you might find yourself qualified to become a professional speechwriter.

Before we share the best places to find jobs, let’s have a look at the following steps you can take that will improve your chances of getting hired.

• Get your qualifications
• Experience
• Networking
• Writing
• Job openings

 

Get Your Qualifications

You need at least four GCSEs at grades 9 to 4, or A* to C, including English and Maths, as well as a complete set of A-Level qualifications to increase your choice of your next steps.

There are no specific further education requirements to becoming a speechwriter but having a degree in a relevant subject might help make your CV more noticeable to potential employers. You might consider the following subjects:

• English
• History
• Media
• Communication Studies
• Film
• Creative Writing
• Journalism
• Politics
• PR
• Marketing

See what each of the universities you’re interested in applying to is looking for, and if you don’t have the right A-Level results or subjects, think about a foundation year – which is four years instead of three – and usually focus on developing your research skills, written communication, critical thinking and argument building: all things that are essential to speechwriting or jobs that lead to speechwriting careers.

There are also plenty of short online or in-person courses that are sometimes run by speechwriting experts, which can give you a valuable chance to develop the speechwriting skills you’ll need.

Experience

It’s always a lack of experience that flummoxes potential candidates, even if they’ve studied. And a lot of employers simply won’t hire you if you haven’t had relevant experience. So how do you gain experience relevant to speechwriting? Well, you might consider volunteering your services to charities, community organisations or small businesses, and those smaller roles will essentially provide for you a portfolio of experience. Anything you can grab in copywriting, publishing or journalism – including running your own blog – will serve toward proving you have the skills to become a speechwriter.

 

Networking

As with many communication roles, networking is essential both to meet people and create opportunities, and also to get your name out there and make yourself known. Speechwriting is all about knowing and working with people. If it’s political speechwriting you’re keen to get into, you could for example get involved in local election campaigns and build your professional contacts in the industry this way. Introduce yourself to as many people as you can, and let people know your skills and career goals when you can.

 

Writing

You must make sure your writing skills are excellent, and that you’re able to present, clear, concise, compelling paragraphs and pieces that successfully communicate your ideas. Read a lot of books and newspaper features, listen to speeches and analyse why they’re good. Go on Twitter (but not for too much of the day) and pick out several long-form pieces of writing to study. See what you find persuasive and good or bad examples of writing.

You may, after reading all this, realise you’re already qualified. Whether or not this is true, here are a few tips that could prove useful:

• Speechwriting is surprisingly difficult as the longer, more complex phrases and sentence construction don’t necessarily translate when spoken out loud. The most important thing you can do with a speech is to stand up and read it aloud, as if to an audience. If it’s hard for you to say, it may be hard for the speaker to say.
• You may find that sticking to clear, simple language, expressed in short sentences that are easy for the speaker to deliver and the audience to follow, is the best method.
• No speechwriter can be expert on every single topic and style of speech. So, with each speech, give yourself a chance to gather and read as much material as possible. Or, work with a researcher to get more relevant context.
• The News is everywhere all at once these days, so you’ve got just about every single idea and style of communication at your fingertips every day, BUT be careful not to burn out and consume too much reality. You need to know your stuff if you’re going to be a speechwriter but it’s also possible to watch,
• Listen to and digest much of what’s going on in the world, so maintain some distance from the material and work out how to break it into chunks of time.

Job Openings

Try Indeed for some current UK jobs involving speechwriting. LinkedIn is also a great community to discuss and find jobs with like-minded candidates and employers. There are daily updated speechwriting jobs in London at TotalJobs, and similarly at Jooble.

Those are just some examples. Have a Google around and visit the websites of the relevant companies you might be keen to work for.

 

Do you have speechwriting experience? Let us know your top tips below!

The post Make money from speechwriting appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Make money from speechwriting

Reading Time: 4 mins

Make money from speechwriting.

Writing speeches for public figures to use is quite a niche profession but it absolutely pays dividends for the right candidate. Speechwriting tends to be a very competitive market but if you make, or have made, the right preparations, you might find yourself qualified to become a professional speechwriter.

Before we share the best places to find jobs, let’s have a look at the following steps you can take that will improve your chances of getting hired.

• Get your qualifications
• Experience
• Networking
• Writing
• Job openings

 

Get Your Qualifications

You need at least four GCSEs at grades 9 to 4, or A* to C, including English and Maths, as well as a complete set of A-Level qualifications to increase your choice of your next steps.

There are no specific further education requirements to becoming a speechwriter but having a degree in a relevant subject might help make your CV more noticeable to potential employers. You might consider the following subjects:

• English
• History
• Media
• Communication Studies
• Film
• Creative Writing
• Journalism
• Politics
• PR
• Marketing

See what each of the universities you’re interested in applying to is looking for, and if you don’t have the right A-Level results or subjects, think about a foundation year – which is four years instead of three – and usually focus on developing your research skills, written communication, critical thinking and argument building: all things that are essential to speechwriting or jobs that lead to speechwriting careers.

There are also plenty of short online or in-person courses that are sometimes run by speechwriting experts, which can give you a valuable chance to develop the speechwriting skills you’ll need.

Experience

It’s always a lack of experience that flummoxes potential candidates, even if they’ve studied. And a lot of employers simply won’t hire you if you haven’t had relevant experience. So how do you gain experience relevant to speechwriting? Well, you might consider volunteering your services to charities, community organisations or small businesses, and those smaller roles will essentially provide for you a portfolio of experience. Anything you can grab in copywriting, publishing or journalism – including running your own blog – will serve toward proving you have the skills to become a speechwriter.

 

Networking

As with many communication roles, networking is essential both to meet people and create opportunities, and also to get your name out there and make yourself known. Speechwriting is all about knowing and working with people. If it’s political speechwriting you’re keen to get into, you could for example get involved in local election campaigns and build your professional contacts in the industry this way. Introduce yourself to as many people as you can, and let people know your skills and career goals when you can.

 

Writing

You must make sure your writing skills are excellent, and that you’re able to present, clear, concise, compelling paragraphs and pieces that successfully communicate your ideas. Read a lot of books and newspaper features, listen to speeches and analyse why they’re good. Go on Twitter (but not for too much of the day) and pick out several long-form pieces of writing to study. See what you find persuasive and good or bad examples of writing.

You may, after reading all this, realise you’re already qualified. Whether or not this is true, here are a few tips that could prove useful:

• Speechwriting is surprisingly difficult as the longer, more complex phrases and sentence construction don’t necessarily translate when spoken out loud. The most important thing you can do with a speech is to stand up and read it aloud, as if to an audience. If it’s hard for you to say, it may be hard for the speaker to say.
• You may find that sticking to clear, simple language, expressed in short sentences that are easy for the speaker to deliver and the audience to follow, is the best method.
• No speechwriter can be expert on every single topic and style of speech. So, with each speech, give yourself a chance to gather and read as much material as possible. Or, work with a researcher to get more relevant context.
• The News is everywhere all at once these days, so you’ve got just about every single idea and style of communication at your fingertips every day, BUT be careful not to burn out and consume too much reality. You need to know your stuff if you’re going to be a speechwriter but it’s also possible to watch,
• Listen to and digest much of what’s going on in the world, so maintain some distance from the material and work out how to break it into chunks of time.

Job Openings

Try Indeed for some current UK jobs involving speechwriting. LinkedIn is also a great community to discuss and find jobs with like-minded candidates and employers. There are daily updated speechwriting jobs in London at TotalJobs, and similarly at Jooble.

Those are just some examples. Have a Google around and visit the websites of the relevant companies you might be keen to work for.

 

Do you have speechwriting experience? Let us know your top tips below!

The post Make money from speechwriting appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

GET PAID TO LIVE ABROAD

Reading Time: 4 mins

Get paid to live abroad…

Population decline is a huge problem in various places around the world, where for one reason or another, the citizenship of a country has sharply fallen, which can have a negative effect on both economy and culture of a location. 

This has led to many towns and cities across the world offering funding schemes to newcomers who are willing to relocate to their area to live and work. Intriguing to know, particularly if you’re looking to move to: 

 

USA 

Various USA locations are offering payment to remote workers who would consider relocating. 

Tulsa, Oklahoma, is offering remote workers a grant of up to $10,000 to move to and work in the city. You can find out more at Tulsa Remote, where new residents can find out about working spaces and access to networking events. You will be able to choose to receive your money in one lump sum or over the course of a few months, to support you during your setup. 

Topeka, Kansas, has a Choose Topeka scheme to recruit new residents and young professionals who, if employed by a Topeka business, could receive a grant of $15,000. Furthermore, remote workers can receive $5,000. Applicants must be able to prove they have rented or bought a property in Topeka that will serve as their main residence. 

 

Spain 

Some small Spanish towns in Spain have suffered a population decline as young residents have increasingly chosen to move to larger cities, causing Spain to offer incentives to new foreign citizens, encouraging them to live and work there. 

Ponga is a small village with only about 500 residents in the mountain region of northern Spain. Ponga is offering young couples €3,000 to move there for five years, with an additional €3,000 per child you bring or have while there. 

A Xesta is an even smaller population: only 100 residents, and also in northwest Spain. There are about 125 vacant properties for rent, and it’s a low rent too: you’d pay only €100! 

Further east, with 130 residents, is Griegos, offering work and three months of free rent to newcomers, then rent of €225 per month and an extra €50 for each child aged between 4 – 18. 

 

Greece 

Greece has suffered a steady decrease since 2010 with no signs of slowing, so to combat this decline, the island of Antikythera, northwest of Crete, has introduced a plan to pay families to relocate there, organised by the Greek Orthodox Church on the island. 

New residents will receive a home, some land, and be paid €500 every month for the first three years they live there, to encourage long-term plans of their new residents. The island is quiet and rural, with the added benefits of the amazing Greek weather and sandy beaches, which could be just what you’re looking for! 

 

Italy 

Italy is suffering the same rate of population decline as Greece; Candela is a small town in south-eastern Italy with around 2,700 people. It’s renowned for being safe, clean and boasts some truly remarkable classic Italian architecture.  

Candela is offering single people €800, couples €1,300, and families €2,000 to move to the village. To be eligible, newcomers would need to rent a property in Candela with the plan to live full time, and also to secure a job that earns at least €7,500 per year. 

Some towns in Sicily want to offer newcomers the opportunity to purchase a property for €1, in return for which, the resident will have to renovate the property and pay a security deposit of around €5,000, which will be paid back after you’ve completed renovations. 

 

Chile 

 

Through Startup Chile, foreign businesses are encouraged to apply to one of three programmes – Build, Ignite, and Growth; all aimed at different levels of business. 

Build is for new startups and is a four-month programme helping to launch a new business with $14,000 funding and a one-year residence visa.  

Ignite offers $30,000 and Growth is aimed at more mature businesses, offering $80,000 funding. All programmes provide access to coworking space, mentoring and investors. 

 

So if you want to be paid to live abroad and if any of the above tempts you in, click those links and read on. One or more of them could offer you the life-changing opportunity you’ve been craving. 

 Also, if you are retired and reading this – how about you read our guide to making money in your retirement here. 

The post GET PAID TO LIVE ABROAD appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Love horror films? Earn £5 for watching two freaky flicks

Reading Time: 2 mins

Love horror films? Earn £5 for watching two films. 

A new study has revealed that Birmingham is home to the biggest horror lovers in the UK. People from this major city love horror more than any other region in the country. In fact, 26% of people named it their favourite genre. 

The nationwide survey, conducted by Showcase Cinemas, has delved into the film fascinations of the UK. This is to celebrate a spooky set of releases coming up within the next few months. 

To mark the run of freaky flicks, Insider members at showcase cinemas who watch any two (or more!) horror films between now and May 4th, will receive £5 in rewards to use during a future visit. 

Horror fans will be in their element, with films such as Scream VI, Renfield and Evil Dead Rise available to watch this April. 

On the other end of the scale to Birmingham, the study showed Portsmouth is home to the biggest ‘scaredy-cats’ in the UK. Just 6% of those surveyed chose horror as their favourite genre. This is less than any other area in the country! 

Jon Dixon, UK Marketing Director for Showcase Cinemas said:

“Horror has always been a huge hit at the cinema, as people love for their emotions to be pushed to the limits. There are some amazing horror films coming out this year, which is why we wanted to give something back to cinemagoers who suffer a scare or two. 

“We’ll be offering any Insider members who watch any two or more horror releases until early May an extra £5 in rewards, which means they can put that money towards their ticket for another horror, or maybe save it for something else if they’ve had enough scares for a while!” 

To claim the reward, guests will need to be an Insider member and watch at least two of the participating horror films before May 4th. Anyone who isn’t currently a member can sign up for free via the Showcase website.   

TOP TEN HORROR LOVING CITIES

1. BIRMINGHAM (26%) 
2. CAMBRIDGE (25%) 
3. BRISTOL (24%) 
4. EDINBURGH (24%) 
5. COVENTRY (23%) 
6. LEEDS (23%) 
7. LIVERPOOL (22%) 
8. YORK (21%) 
9. NEWCASTLE (20%) 
10. GLASGOW (18%) 

The post Love horror films? Earn £5 for watching two freaky flicks appeared first on MoneyMagpie.