exeter

Morning all! I have a dilema and would interested to hear what you would do in my position.
In July 2007 I retired and invested £25000 in a Distribution Bond and we all know what happened soon after that, today the bond is worth a shade under £24000. There are exit penalties for the first 5 years, so in july 2012 there will none, currently they are set at £20.41 per £1000. I want to take out £20,000 which would not attract the exit penalty or perhaps wait until July and cash in the lot. The money is required for a retirement visa and the balance as a fall back in case I need hospital treatment, I am 66. The bond is in the UK with Standard Life.
So the question is, bearing in mind what is happening in the Euroland and a Greek Election due on the 17th of June, would you make a move now or wait until the 5 year exit ends which will be mid July?

I am looking for an air con for the bedroom on the first floor. The room is about 16.5 sq M, height is about a a shade less than 3M. I get the sun on the house from about 9am to 4pm. I will only use the unit at night with a temperature around 22-25C. The safe bet is the 12000btu but with low usuage would the 9000btu do the job anf if so what make is recommended, I am being shown Mitsubishi or if I want to save money Samsung. Thanks for any helpful suggestions.

Point of information for all, I was not aware of.
I was in the Bank of Ayudhya today and the manager informed my that the Bank had purchased the Thai HSBC interests.

If you have a look at todays budget you will see that the personal allowances for ordinary working people has a rise to £9205 for year begining april 2013. For a pensioner it is frozen at £10500, it will continue to be frozen until the personal tax allowance for working folk catches up. There is to be no difference between working and pensioner allowances eventually, You need to be aware of this, you are going to see a few years of no increases until the equilibrium is reached, this not good news.

Hello, bit of advice required please. I have to send a fax to the UK and have never done this from abroad so is it the same as a telephone whereby I have the UK number (44) knock of the (0) then use the rest of the number?
Thanks for any help, First time for everything!