General Chit Chat

[bobo the clown]

That last line did make me laugh though

They have all pleaded guilty to disobeying an order to stand up.

Yes. Sometimes 'less is more'.

Simply "disobeying an order" would more than suffice.

[boltonboris]

Company Cars..

Got a promotion at work for a new role which I start in January. One of the 'perks' is being entered into the company car scheme.

Been given the option of getting my own car and getting an allowance, or getting a completely new company car. Family-wise, we only have the one car and the missus needs that for travelling the 45 miles each way journey she has to do.

I know you get a bit of a beasting up the sphincter on tax with a company car and I know a few of you have one yourselves (car that is, not the sphincter - although we all have one of those, too).

What am I better off doing? Buying a new car myself, or getting a company car? Opinions please...

[Beefheart]

The benefit in kind on a company car is calculated as the List Price (so not necessarily what was paid) multiplied by a percentage based on the emissions of the car. Capped at 25% (or 28% if Diesel) I believe. You should be able to find tables for these online quite easily. You'd then be taxed on that B.I.K at whatever rate of tax you currently pay.

Obviously, the allowance would just be taxed as additional income.

I don't know which is the best to be honest, but I believe a lot of company car schemes cover the other additional costs which is what can make them so attractive to some people.

[bobo the clown]

As said by Beefhart, it depends on your particular position. Also, take account of how many miles you expect to do Boris, business miles especially.

If it's a 'perk' car and your mileage will be low then the car is a considerable benefit and something you probably couldn't afford to buy, new, yourself.

If you will do lots of miles, if the mileage allowance is generous, then a high quality, 'nearly new' is the better bet. Of course, for a mechanical know-nowt, like me and someone who's not entirely convinced there really is an engine beneath the bonnet then a Company Car is a great, failsafe option.

[Athers]

I reckon you have to painstakingly go through the options for your own circumstance unfortunately. It's not just getting the company car either, it's how pricey a one to get, which depends on how much you're treating yourself I guess. My work had a calculator thing for the tax.

I don't know if personal example may help thought process

I went for the company car which along with the allowance they give, I have to spend an additional £200/month towards out my salary, and £55 tax per month because of the engine (this is done on CO2 emissions) which is done by lowering my income tax allowance (I think). I did this daft move to do myself out of my own money on a perk mainly because I wanted to get something sporty and enjoyable before/in case I have children and get something more sensible, but I'm being a bit silly really. A more sensible move would have been to spend the allowance on something and not cost myself so much money out my own pocket.

After 4 years I give the car back and my £255/month hasn't gone on actually owning the thing to sell, BUT if I'd bought same car with my £255 plus my £200 cash I'd have lost money on a) Depreciation like a bitch, b) 4 years of insurance premiums, which for a 20-something man can't be good c) servicing and maintenance etc.

It's pretty good if you bump it too! I scratched something, made a phone call and just got it fixed no charge no problem.

[mrkint]

Anyone involved in live event (concert, festival, theatre etc) design/production? Would you like to talk to me about your industry please? I may buy you a drink or two as recompense. Mebbe

[Bruce Rioja]

I got a new company car in July (having never bought a car with my own money in my life) and the tax I pay actually went down. Something to do with Blue Motion Technology or summat. The bloke tried to explain it to me but my eyes glazed over and then my head fell off.

[Always hopeful]

There's a Red Admiral butterfly fluttering around in our hallway. What's it doing alive at this time of year? Weird.

[Annoyed Grunt]

There's a Red Admiral butterfly fluttering around in our hallway. What's it doing alive at this time of year? Weird.

[LeverEnd]

Undead butterfly. Be afraid, be very afraid.

[Dujon]

There's a Red Admiral butterfly fluttering around in our hallway. What's it doing alive at this time of year? Weird.

It's probably a South American cousin who popped over to see its relatives. The hemispherical confusion at work again.

[TANGODANCER]

There's a Red Admiral butterfly fluttering around in our hallway. What's it doing alive at this time of year? Weird.

If I ever see anybody harm a butterfly I'll be the one with the flamethrower.

[bobo the clown]

... & moths ????

[TANGODANCER]

... & moths ????

Catch em or shoo them off. No kill.....

[bobo the clown]

... & moths ????

Catch em or shoo them off. No kill.....

Ooo'er.

[Beefheart]

Up in Barrow doing the planning for an Audit of a candle manufacturer. It bloody stinks.

[Athers]

Last night I was going through my late great uncle's PC to ready it for use by my parents who are inheriting it. What a strange-feeling task it is. Someone's PC ends up being a little personal world all in one place. You don't mean to pry but at the same time I had to look for anything worth saving: photos, stories, family histories etc. The internet and mortality is something quite strange, when you're gone the trace of you is out there in a way that a collection of papers tucked away in the family's loft isn't - forum posts, Facebook, emails, blogs etc.

We did his real life house over the weekend.

Most of the time when one does this I assume it's hugely emotional (e.g. your parents), yet this was a fairly distant relative so while I knew him the emotion for me was more about the impact of mortality than personal loss.

A very interesting and eccentric fella. Over his 86 years as a bachelor, with no-one to tell him to chuck anything out, he had accumulated a range of things - every language book you could think of (speaking five fluently), a pristine 1937 copy of Mein Kampf, back issues of naturism monthly (he was one!), books on Lanky dialect, Russell Brand's book!, letters written in German to an old post-war girlfriend, vegan cookbooks, his old Leigh Grammar School notebooks from the 1930s (his notes at 15 resembled my 2003 A-level in maths), rooms full of old & new electrical equipment [career], kung-fu films and so on. He had also left my dad a note in Russian stating where his cash was, knowing I did Russian at school. Clever sod. I've ended up with some of his modern technology and a load of books.

Bled to death as a result of negligence (imo) at Bolton Hospital, very sad way to go, but an interesting life.

[Bijou Bob]

There's one or two on here who will probably take Mein Campf off you Athers old chap

[Prufrock]

I decided I wanted to read it a while back until a number of people including on here warned me off on account of the fact it's just the ramblings of a deranged nutter. I decided not to bother. Feck knows what I was expecting!!

[Athers]

I heard it's really dull, but then this copy is in German so I'll never find out.