PERSONAL FINANCE

Life is too short. But 2024 is a Leap Year, so we get a whole extra day to enjoy life (thanks, Gregorian calendar!) We’ve got five great ideas for making the most of ‘Leap Day’.

1. Propose marriage!

Although these days anyone can propose to anyone they like, according to an old Irish tradition, February 29 is ‘Bachelor's Day’, when women were allowed to propose marriage. If the man refused to accept, he had to pay a penalty, specifically, to buy the woman a silk gown, or 12 pairs of gloves (to cover the shame of a lack of engagement ring!) Call us romantic, but once you’ve decided to tie the knot, there are a few things you might want to consider about marrying your finances, from setting up joint accounts to income protection in case one of you suffers the unexpected. We can help you plan for life after marriage – find out more.

2. Be a friend

Friendship is one of the most important things in life. But in our busy lives, it’s hard to make time to maintain relationships with our friends; it’s all too easy to drift apart. So, this Leap Day, make someone’s day. Pick up the phone for a catch-up with an old buddy. Reach out to a co-worker for coffee. Bake a batch of your best cookies and knock on your neighbor’s door. In fact, scientific research¹ found that the effect of keeping up friendships on life-span is the equivalent to that of quitting smoking!

3. Spring clean your finances

Leap into money action! ‘Fix finances’ is usually up there on our to-do list, but, like clearing out the attic, we often put it off. So, take Leap Day’s bonus time to give your finances an early spring clean. There are few things more satisfying in life than hard work, so imagine how good you’d feel if you filed your tax return! Then you can reward yourself with a treat. How about those cookies? Or a silk gown? Here’s some advice on how to spring clean your finances.

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