A sense of perspective

Sara Yirrell urges people not to panic

Sara Yirrell: Money markets go up and down. The key is not to panic

Picking up from my theme last week about the US bailout of the money markets, the UK government has followed suit and we are all now the proud owners of most of the high-street banks.

Strangely enough I do not think the banks would take too kindly to Joe Public walking in off the street and demanding to see their latest set of accounts or checking their expenses. So how much the collective ‘we’ actually own them is relative.
The whole financial situation is pretty depressing at the moment and it is all you hear about when you switch on a news programme.

I have just been for a meeting with our company pensions adviser who left me feeling even more thoroughly depressed by telling me that someone my age should really look to amass a pension pot of about £1m to be able to enjoy a decent retirement. It’s time to invest in a couple more lottery tickets every week I think.

But all this should be put into perspective. Money markets go up and down. Companies come and go. The key is not to panic.
It is only when something personal happens that all these other matters pale into insignificance.

We at CRN are still reeling from the sad news last week that the managing director of Comms-care, Scott Yates, passed away just over a week ago. We can only pass on our condolences to his family and friends as they face the most difficult time of them all.

Sara Yirrell is editor of CRN ­ [email protected]