If you have started feeling the cold, then chances are your pooch is starting to feel the cold too. If your pet usually lives outside in a dog kennel, you may want to consider bringing your pet indoors during the colder months and giving them some freedom by fitting a dog flap. For ideas, take a look at http://www.petsathome.com/shop/dog/dog-kennels-pens-flaps/.

To keep your dog comfortable and healthy, it’s important to provide them with a warm spot to sleep in that is out of the way of any drafts and off the floor. If you find yourself heading to bed with a hot water bottle at night, you may even want to consider buying a heat pad for use in your dog’s bed, particularly if they are very young or old.

Although you may not be as keen to venture outdoors with your pet in inclement weather, they’ll still need to be exercised. With this in mind, when you wrap up warm to head outdoors, make sure they do the same. Longer-haired dogs gain natural protection from their fur in winter, but if you have a short-haired pooch, you may want to consider investing in a jacket or even a sweater to help keep out the chill.

The Bank of England has announced during January that inflation has dropped to 4.2 per cent, falling from a spike of 4.8 per cent in November. MoneySupermarket.com welcomed the news, as it was concluded that homeowners would be less pressured by rising prices, while also being able to afford necessities like utilities and http://www.castlecover.co.uk/ home insurance.

A recent poll by the price comparison website found that of the 10,000 respondents questioned, high petrol prices was the most worrying outgoing for individuals (42 per cent), while rising bills (21 per cent) and debts (17 per cent) came second and third respectively.

The “big six” energy providers have already revealed that they are to reduce the cost of gas and electricity by anything from 4.5 to six per cent, meaning homes up and down the country will see their bank accounts being a little safer from necessary costs. However, most of the promised decreases will not take effect until February or March, meaning that inflation will not filter down for some time.

In addition, UK savers will also be breathing a sigh of relief now inflation is starting to come down. To beat inflation, basic rate tax payers now need an account paying at least 5.26 per cent to gain benefit in real terms from their savings, increasing to 7.01 per cent for higher rate tax payers, and 8.41 per cent for 50 per cent tax payers.

Successful plus-size model Emme Aronson has spoken out about fellow model Sophie Dahl’s dramatic career-changing weight loss. Ms Dahl, granddaughter of famous author Roald Dhal was a huge hit in the fashion world by the start of the noughties, but slimmed down dramatically in 2004. At the peak of her popularity there were few high profile plus-size models operating out of the traditional plus-size retail sphere. Most plus-size models were involved in catalogue work for plus-size brands such as JD Williams, though now there are far more high profile curves on the catwalk.

Mrs Aronson, 49, seems to be of the opinion that Sophie would have fared better in her career as a model if she hadn’t dropped from a UK size 12 down to a size six.

She told RadarOnline: “Sophie was absolutely gorgeous with her curves, it was a vision. She was beautiful and it was desirable to see her like that.

“It is sad when a model has had such huge success and then they become a stereotype.”

Ms Dahl has remained in the limelight since her first flurry of fame, continuing to work as a model and also becoming a published author and hosting her own TV show.

Larger, curvier women looking to enhance their style with some fantastic clothes from SimplyBe.com ought to follow three top tips if they are going to succeed when getting their newest threads. Here are three top tips that such ladies should follow for success.

Get the best size

When selecting plus size clothing, do not assume just believe that there is uniformity between sizes. Garments you invest in must fit you perfectly, given that ones that are too tight will expose larger areas to an unfair degree. Similarly, apparel that’s too loose is far from advisable – this will only serve to add more weight instead of concealing it.

Know your build well

By being more familiar with your physique, you can evaluate your body so you can be better-aware of the areas you are strongest in, as well as your perceived shortcomings. This will give you the best chance to select appropriate plus size clothing that will cover up the lesser-impressive parts while boosting your assets.

Carefully select the style

Prints and patterns can be pretty and attractive, though you need to know if you actually look good in it. Not all plus size clothing that uses the same prints as smaller sizes will necessarily carry up the chain, so ensure you carefully examine and check if patterns would complement your figure.

Diabetes that is not controlled with medication can contribute to a greater degree of hearing loss in later life for women, a new study from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit has revealed. The research compared women between the ages of 60 and 75 who had well-controlled diabetes with those who did not take adequate medication. Hearing was also found to be significantly worse in all women younger than 60 who have diabetes.

The study looked at patients’ pure tone average, which determines heaing level at certain frequencies. It was also revealed that there was no significant difference in hearing for men with diabetes, whether the disease was well-controlled or not, although men’s hearing tended to be worse generally. Anybody who is concerned about their hearing can find more information and advice at sites like this: http://www.amplifon.co.uk/improve-your-hearing/the-sound-of-silence/.

“A certain degree of hearing loss is a normal part of the aging process for all of us, but it is often accelerated in patients with diabetes, especially if blood-glucose levels are not being controlled with medication and diet,” said Derek J Handzo of Henry Ford Hospital. “Our study really points to importance of patients controlling their diabetes, especially as they age, based on the impact it may have on hearing loss.”

Nearly one in five people who are retiring this year will do so with an outstanding debt, according to research by Prudential. The Class of 2012 report found that the average amount owed by retirees with debts will be £38,200 – an increase of over £5,000 on last year’s figure. Credit card bills and outstanding mortgages were the biggest sources of debt, indicating that many people could benefit from using a company like Gateway Homes to secure a speedy home sale and move to a more affordable property, particularly if they are retiring and the kids have left the nest.

Men who retire this year are expected to owe considerably more than women, at an average of £45,300 compared with £29,400, and those who retire with debts are expected to make monthly repayments of £260 each – or a fifth of the average retirement incomes.

“Retiring with outstanding debts could be a sign of a lack of financial planning,” said Vince Smith-Hughes, retirement income expert at Prudential. “It is important therefore for those still at work to save as much as possible as early as possible, and to consult a financial adviser to help them plan for a comfortable retirement.”

If you are thinking of updating your home and money savings are a concern, it makes sense to install cost-effective measures that will continue to make you money savings years down the line. Hardwood flooring is an attractive feature to add to your home and when bought with a retailer you can trust, such as Topps Tiles, it has significant money-making potential.

Good-quality hardwood flooring can be found in a range of woods that vary in price and the way they look. Despite common misconceptions would suggest, however, you don’t have to compromise style for hardwood flooring that is durable, versatile and long-lasting.

If you do your research on the various options out there, you can track down affordable flooring in beautiful materials that are guaranteed to last a good number of years. As well as being cheaper and easier to clean, hardwood flooring offers a worthwhile alternative to carpets that tend to show wear-and-tear quicker.

There is no need to get the professionals in when installing this flooring option, as it is easy to get the job done yourself when using a simple DIY guide. This, too, will save you a great deal of money.

The EICMA show in Milan, Italy has provided a number of fantastic sights and sounds, and MCE Insurance customers hoping to see some new bike models will undoubtedly find the best of these Italian-showcased vehicles when they visit the Motorcycle Live show at the NEC in Birmingham between November 19th and 27th.

For instance, Ducati revealed its highly-anticipated 1199 Panigale superbike, which is entirely new from the wheels up. Weighing a paltry 190kg and offering a whopping 195bhp from its redesigned V-twin engine, a brand new electronic chipset has allowed the company to control all power it creates for prospective riders.

Meanwhile, Motorcycle Live will also give riders the first chance to see and get up close to a whole host of other all-new models from companies like BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, Husqvarna, MV Agusta, Yamaha and Triumph. A quartet of supersport machines from BMW, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha will certainly be quite eye-opening for fans.

Motorcycle Live added: “With all these and more manufacturers displaying their 2012 model ranges, together with opportunities to ride – both indoors and out, off-road and on – not to mention a wide variety of entertainment and a huge selection of biking bargains, Motorcycle Live offers a simply stunning day out.”

Some of the biggest brands in the UK launched their business during a recession; empty shops emerging on the high street can help you bag better rental rates and there are several government schemes in place designed to help start-ups fall on their feet. If you are venturing into the world of business for the first time and are working with a restricted budget, here are a few ideas to help your business become established.

1)Make yourself known

Paying for adverts to appear in the local newspaper and on the radio can be useful to announce the arrival of your business, but these are likely to be quite expensive. A cheaper alternative is to distribute branded goods to get the name and services of your business known. Including your contact details will have the advantage of helping to connect you to potential customers too. Traditional branded goods include the likes of pens and mugs, but there are now a whole host of options available from professionals such as Ideas by Net. Promotional products by IdeasByNet currently offer products including torches and hot beverage holders.

2)Get connected

The internet offers so many opportunities for businesses to get their name known and to engage customers. Take advantage of free marketing tools such as Twitter and Facebook and use them to keep your client base up to date with your products and services, as well as any promotions or sales you are running. You may also want to consider launching a few competitions to encourage social engagement.

3)Go back to basics

Making sure you always provide excellent customer service is a failsafe way to promote your business and its services. If you manage to satisfy one customer, chances are they will let their friends and family know about it in some way. To promote the likelihood of this happening you may even want to launch a refer- a-friend scheme, offering a reward to customers who introduce friends to your company.

When it comes to organising a holiday, careful planning should be a key part of making sure you have an enjoyable break. As well as making sure you have selected a site with an excellent location that represents good value for money, you will also need to take other factors into consideration such as safety and security.

With many caravan parks located on the coast, horror stories of static caravans falling into the sea do sometimes surface. This week (November 2nd) this particular scenario was witnessed once more when a landslip at a leisure park in Wales left 15 caravans precariously balanced on the edge of a cliff. The incident occurred at around 10pm on Monday evening at Porthkerry Leisure Park near Barry.

While these occurrences are rare, it pays to be prepared with regards to caravan safety. You should apply a similar policy to searching for a caravan site as you would when looking for a home – researching the area and potential risks. In addition, just as you would protect your home from the elements and intruders, you should take out Simple Caravan Insurance to protect your caravan and those items stored inside. Always be sure your insurance is up to date so if the worst should happen you are prepared.

The country-in-the-city look was a blockbuster hit last winter and this seems to still be the case this season. Meanwhile, duffle coats are also becoming increasingly popular and are now a key trend of autumn/winter 2011 for men. Whatever option you decide for you coat this winter, there is now a wide range online and stylish coats now come in a range of sizes. Big menswear at jacamo.co.uk, for example, come in a range of sizes up to 5XL.

A great money-saving tip is to invest in a good quality jacket. It is worth spending as much as you can afford on the jacket as the more expensive good quality ones will far outlive the cheaper, poorly made ones. Bear in mind that we live in the UK and it rarely lets us down for providing us with extremely cold and frequently inclement weather, so it’s important to choose a jacket that protects you from this. Go for materials such as leather, wool and down filled. These are affordable and some of the best fabrics for keeping the cold at bay. Other beneficial features of the jacket could be wool or fleece inner lining, or a hood.

Before buying, think carefully about where you will predominantly wear your jacket. Styles range from outdoor and sporting to office-appropriate designs. Go for a formal, tailored jacket if you intend to wear it on your way to the office. Alternatively, opt for a sporty, wind-proof jacket that will protect you from the elements if you need a jacket for outdoor activities. In terms of the fit, be sure to leave enough room inside to layer up if that’s what you want.

It seems like celebrity babies are popping up – and out – all over the world, and it seems that Jessica Simpson is the latest woman to join this trend. The Hollywood actress and singer confirmed her baby-to-be with a Twitter photo shortly after a party for Halloween, proving that contraception was no longer on her mind as she prepared to become a mother for the first time.

It seems like she’ll be visiting sites like www.lloydspharmacy.com in the coming weeks for new supplies for the latest member of her family, as the 31-year-old proudly held her bump and said to followers on the social networking site: “It’s true. I am going to be a mummy.”

Jessica Simpson’s fiancé Eric Johnson asked for her hand in marriage in 2012, a little while before the couple went public about their engagement. Her pregnancy has nonetheless been rumoured for weeks, after the US star was caught by paparazzi complete with a bulging torso big enough for two.

The singer seems to be on the up-and-up, too; she recently signed up to become a mentor on NBC reality show Fashion Star alongside friend and socialite Nicole Richie. It follows her appearance in the title role of another reality show, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, with former husband Nick Lachey on MTV; she divorced him in 2006.

Not everyone plans to be a landlord, there are many ‘accidental’ landlords in the UK who have not made a conscious choice to invest in property in order to let it out, but have instead decided to rent out homes that have failed to sell, or to supplement their income by renting out a second home. If you are looking to make extra cash and are considering becoming a landlord, here are some tips to help you on your way:

1)Decide whether to go it alone

Joining up with a property letting agency may help you to get a higher rent for your property, although you may in turn have to sacrifice some of this cash to pay your fees. Letting agencies also offer the benefit of marketing your property for you, meaning you could earn money quicker if you seek their help.

2)Prepare your property

Making an effort to repair any broken appliances and refresh the decorating in your property will help attract tenants and make them feel more at home. You will also need to fulfil safety obligations and are required by law to take measures such as installing fire alarms.

3)Protect you and your tenants

You’ll need to take out some Simple Landlords Insurance  to protect your home, your rental income and of course, your tenants.

The number of job vacancies in the UK in August has fallen by 9.4 per cent on July, according to new research by Adecco. Instead of taking on new employees to use their skills in a bid to improve the performance of a business, more and more companies are turning to outsourcing as a cost-effective way to gain specific skills when needed and to dispose of them accordingly when they are no longer needed.

If you are a business manager, you may wish to invest in outsourcing as it can be a great way to maximise your revenue and make you money savings that would otherwise be spent on training new employees and keeping them on-board, even if their skills are no longer needed. One of the UK’s largest customer management outsourcing companies Ventura, for example, could support you in the areas of customer management, sales & customer acquisition, debt collection, or back office processing.

Adecco’s findings revealed that permanent vacancies fell by 15.9 per cent in the banking, insurance and finance sectors – the most affected areas. Meanwhile, the least affected area was the legal sector, which showed a 5.8 per cent fall.

Steven Kirkpatrick, managing director at Adecco, said: “Employers on both sides of the pond are clearly demonstrating the caution they feel about their growth prospects following the US debt and Eurozone crises by putting the brakes on new recruitment, exacerbating what is traditionally a weak month for the jobs market anyway.”

Cleanliness is next to godliness, or so they say and if you want visitors to your holiday home to have a heavenly experience, the best thing you can do is to make sure your property is clean and tidy. If you are wondering; “How can I encourage people to rent my house?” Your answer may well be to get stuck in and get your hands dirty – or to employ a cleaner to care for your holiday home. This is because in a recent survey, nearly one in five (18 per cent) of respondents said that cleanliness was a top factor in helping them decide where to stay during their holiday.

Another top factor – perhaps unsurprisingly – was cost. Over half (50.6 per cent) of those surveyed said that cost was their top priority when it came to selecting accommodation. With this in mind it is more important than ever to make sure you are providing a value for money offering and keeping your home in a good state of repair for guests. You may also want to consider offering little extras as part of the break for your guests. This might include leaving them a welcome hamper or bottle of wine, or updating the features within your home by incorporating an appliance such as a hot tub.

People browsing the used cars for sale at Evans Halshaw may think they’re getting a great deal on their motor, yet they may want to delve a little further into the world of car insurance before they commit, should a new report be anything to go by.

This is because the Confused.com/Towers Watson Car Insurance Price Index found that car premiums had jumped by 12 per cent year-on-year – a £92 rise in insurance costs for motorists already hurt by increased fuel costs. What’s more, the biggest annual price rises targeted postcodes in the north of England.

Between June and September 2011, Oldham was the worst-hit area with rises in premiums, delivering an average cost rise of 27.9 per cent for comprehensive cover. This led the average cost of car insurance to hit a huge £1,437.

However, it wasn’t all bad news; these increases finally appear to be slowing down, while average prices actually dropped by 1.6 per cent in the closing three months that the report covered.

The other two places in the top three for greatest rises were also in the north: Bradford was estimated to have had a 27.5 per cent yearly hike, while Liverpool suffered a 26.8 per cent rise.

When you sell your home with an estate agent or an organisation such as Gateway Homes, it stands to reason that you’d want to get the best price for it. That’s why you should take a few tips on board, such as those from the Daily Telegraph, as this way you can take advantage of buyers who will fight over your property and push the price up.

Firstly, be realistic about the price of your property. Speaking to the publication, Katie Tucker of John Charcol said that buyers should value their properties correctly, adding: “Nationally, properties could fall by around five per cent this year.”

From here, set the right asking price. If you put it too high, you will deter would-be buyers; if it’s too low, you won’t get as much as you could get. As a result, it’s important to compare quotes from estate agents and carefully watch for comparable properties. It’s always best to get three or four valuations and avoid falling for the highest one.

Finally, it may be worth increasing flexibility of the sale and breaking the chain by considering short-term rental to coincide with the transaction, giving you the chance to sit back and look at what the market can offer.

The media almost represents the management of student finance as an overarching factor of the university experience. Money is of course an important condition, especially given the recent hike in tuition fees and national rising cost of living, however there is a great deal more to the university experience. Moreover, university can be done even on a strict budget with some careful planning. The courses at Middlesex University (http://www.mdx.ac.uk/courses/open/index.aspx), for example, can offer you support in the form or grants, bursaries and scholarships to help make your university experience a happy one.

In addition to potential financial support from the institution itself, there are a number of money-saving measures you can take personally to ensure that your university costs are kept to a minimum.

Perhaps the first place to start is to write a list of your income and outgoings to establish how much money you have left to play with at the end of the month. Your income may that from your student loan, parents, or grants, bursaries and scholarships. Your outgoings may include your rent, utility bills, and money for basics such as food shopping and library usage.

Finally, taking on a part time job may be a feasible option for you and can help supplement your income. However, if you do this be sure to get you work-social life balance right to ensure that you simultaneously aren’t being overworked or sacrificing your degree in any way.

For plus size women across the UK who are desperately seeking a helping hand for their next shopping session on a budget, there are some simple tips you can use to grab yourself a bargain that makes you look and feel great. Shopping online at women’s fashion retailers for all sizes, such as Bonmarche, is the best way to utilise these tips to maximum effect. This method allows you to compare product features and prices to ensure that you access some of the best deals out there. Indeed, there are a number of ways you can look and slim and elegant without the price-tag.

When shopping, choose a hue on which to base your wardrobe on. There are of course some colours that are more flattering for the curvier woman in addition to women with specific skin tones; for example, black and darker shades of blues, purples and greens tend to lend a slimming effect. This doesn’t mean your wardrobe should be drab, boring and lacking variety, however. Mix-and-match these with brighter coloured items and accessories and invest in good quality pieces that are easy to pair together and enhance your figure from the start. This will give you more outfits with your money and save you money on replacements in the future.

Finally, experiment with tailored designs and don’t shy away from clothing designs that tend to show off the figure, instead opting for bulkier and shapeless options in a bid to hide any lumps and bumps.

Whether in or out of the workplace, for some occasions it is important to look smart – indeed, taking pride in our appearance helps ensure that we make a positive impression on those surrounding us. However, some plus size women find this a challenge due to the fact that it can be difficult to find affordable and fashionable women’s clothing in non-mainstream sizes. That said, with a few simple tips and knowing where to look – SimplyBe, for example – it can be done.

It seems that the UK economy may be in recovery; however, a number of Brits continue tighten their belts when shopping for clothing. Indeed, some city workers are even turning their backs on high-end fashion. However, this isn’t quite the sacrifice as perhaps first anticipated – there is now an impressive range of affordable and stylish clothing options available online, which flatter all body types. Furthermore, with some patience and strategic searching you may even find office attire – suits, for example – that is machine-washable, which in turn saves you cash on dry-cleaning bills.

Finally, be sure to invest in classic pieces which are easy to mix-and-match and can be reworked to create more outfits for your money. In addition, invest in fashionable accessories – which tend to be cheaper – to add life to your outfits and bring them up to date.

Many people feel the need to head to low-price shops to buy their wares and yet, time after time, many find themselves feeling disenfranchised because they did not get something to last them well into the future. By buying the likes of cashmere from Pure Collection or similar providers, it could be that you save plenty of money in the long run and have something you can wear time after time.

Anyone who’s ever spent a great deal of money to buy clothing – whether it’s a cashmere jumper or a suit – will understand almost instantly that high-quality offerings have a much longer lifespan. While many people will naturally have these items in better condition for longer because they want to protect their investment, other things really do deliver over an extended period of time – even a lifetime.

For example, an excellent pair of shoes can practically last this period, aside from occasions where it’s required to re-sole them. Many successful people will pay plenty up front for the leather uppers of boots to let them last for several years, while others will get a top-of-the-range suit to match their desires for longevity.

High-quality clothing also lasts for longer because it’s much less likely to go out of fashion or favour when compared to less-expensive clothing. When one dresses themselves in quality, they never have to worry about being trendy.

It is always important to consult the likes of Pets at Home Insurance when your cat gets older. After all, the number of health complications that could arise may lead to high costs to cover their longevity in their twilight years, as charity Blue Cross is more than happy to point out.

A number of physical changes can be spotted from the outset. Ageing affects the skin and can lose its elasticity, while coats lose their shine and white hairs begin to appear. Naturally, like their human counterparts, hearing and sight deteriorate for cats as they get older, while memory may also be affected. Sleep patterns change, as older cats sleep more but often become more awake at night.

Pet insurance is important mainly because of the fact that muscles and bones become weaker, while immune systems are not as efficient. As a result, pets become less capable of fighting off infections while internal organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys deteriorate.

Luckily, improvements in medicine have led to all manner of treatments to help reduce the worst effects of each condition, though they come at a price; be sure to invest money in insurance to cover these often-surprising costs!

Despite summer almost coming to a close upon us, the Ibiza club scene is still buzzing. If you are paying a visit to this lively destination for a party or if you are simply heading there to chill-out on the beach, getting the ‘Ibiza Beach’ look will guarantee that you will look and feel great doing it.

With a lifestyle of sun, sand and sea throughout the duration of your holiday – in Ibiza or not – you are bound to build up an enviable tan that will look great against vibrant and bold colours. Clothing is these hues are an essential part of achieving the “Ibiza look” and can be found at Accent clothing without breaking the bank. Tangerines and oranges are huge this summer as are other jewel-inspired tones like purples, greens and reds. Acid brights are a party essential and ensure that you make a statement wherever you go.

White is always a popular favourite among fashionistas during the sunshine period. Look out for crisp white dresses and light-and-airy trousers to wear through both the day and night. Team these with casual sandals during the day and strappy heels when you are partying the night away. Mixing and matching garments will create a number of different outfits, saving you even more money in the process.

For more inspiration for your summer wardrobe visit http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/trends/2011-spring-summer/ibiza-beach-fashion-trend/gallery

Functionality is key for a kitchen you can enjoy and many homeowners who feel they are lacking space in their kitchen consider a kitchen extension in order to maximise the room’s utility. However, a kitchen extension is a significant investment and you should expect to have to fork out a great deal of money to have the work done. For example, the average cost of a double storey property extension is £44,158 while the typical planning cost on top of this is £5,132. This means that if you are strapped for cash or simply don’t want to invest such a significant about of money in your home, a kitchen extension might not be the best option for you.

However, there are some great alternatives to an extension that can maximise kitchen storage and are much cheaper and easy to achieve. With some simple and clever space-efficient solutions, you can organise your possessions to maximise the room you have and as a result give your kitchen a new lease of life. You can find a number of great kitchen storage solutions from a number of kitchen furniture specialists, such as http://www.sncollection.co.uk/.

Before you start, remove any unnecessary clutter as this will give the illusion of space and make the room feel more welcoming. Throw away items that you no longer use and if your kitchen drawers are stuffed to bursting, use baskets and clear storage boxes to store on top of cupboards out of the way. Install contemporary shelving and cupboards, which are designed with organisational compartments within them and opt for dual-purpose furniture. Don’t forget to utilise unused space elsewhere in your home, such as the garage or loft for things that you rarely use but still need to keep.

Brits tend to be pretty rubbish at a few things when they go on holiday, if stereotypes are anything to go by. Learning the language tends to be a bit of a problem, as does fashion senses on the beach or resorts around the world. However, when it comes to tipping, Brits tend to be particularly terrible, according to a new survey by TripAdvisor as revealed by the Daily Telegraph.

The travel resource spoke to nearly 6,000 people from five countries: the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, asking them for their insight into tipping standards when in another country. While 45 per cent of Europeans did not really know what to do when it comes to leaving extra on their bill, 60 per cent of Britons had no idea about what they are expected to tip in foreign countries.

Notably, 16 per cent of Britons admitted to being confronted when on holiday after not leaving a tip, while only 11 per cent of Europeans could say the same. Around 22 per cent of Brits said that the tipping’s importance in the US would put them off taking a holiday in the country.

Spokesperson for TripAdvisor Emma O’Boyle said the simple tipping structure in the UK makes it much harder for people to know how to move forward. She added: “At home, the rules are very clear – if you go to a restaurant and have a good experience, then you pay a ten to 15 per cent tip. Once abroad, however, Brits tend to bury their heads in the sand, and just apply the same rules.”

If you are struggling to meet mortgage repayments on you first or second home, you may consider taking on tenants to help you out until you get yourself back on your feet. A number of landlords who do this not only experience financial relief but also find that the income they receive from their tenants actually exceeds the monthly mortgage repayments, leaving them with spare cash.

Taking on tenants can also be a good move for those who want to sell their property but are waiting until the property market is in a better condition, when house prices increase. Any money generated in the meantime can be spent on improving the property to increase your chances of achieving a higher return on investment (ROI) when the time is right to sell up.

If you are seriously considering becoming a landlord, you should also take into account that doing so is usually laden with challenges, for which you must be prepared. For example, it can be difficult finding a trustworthy and reliable tenant who will pay their rent on time and who will look after the property well. You should also check with your insurance provider that you are covered for any damages or accidents that occur during the tenancy, and if so at what premium.

Finally, it is worth investing time in finding a professional and reputable agent as they can better your chances of finding a good tenant.

The British Property Federation (BPF) has announced that it has welcomed plans to bring in minimum energy efficiency from 2018 in the private rented sector. However, proposals may not meet their desires completely; the BPF went on to warn that there could be “significant consequences” if capacity is not increased to meet demand in the energy efficiency sector.

Proposals in the bill include the need for landlords to not refuse reasonable requests from tenants to improve their property from April 2016. Additionally, from April 2018 the government will make it illegal to rent out a house or business which has less than an “E” energy efficiency rating. This will effectively lead to improvements being made on at least 682,000 properties.

Energy and climate secretary Chris Huhne said of the changes: “The government has made it clear that renting out dangerously cold and draughty homes is unacceptable – landlords will have to improve their properties or face prosecution.”

Responding to comments and amendments in the energy bill was Ian Fletcher, director of policy at the British Property Federation. He said: “We welcome the recognition that there simply isn’t the capacity in the energy efficiency supply sector to expect change overnight and hence why the Minister has plumped for 2018. This seems reasonable for the private rented sector, but if the capacity does not come on stream or the Green Deal fails, there will be significant consequences in terms of reducing housing supply and potentially poor works if there is a last minute rush.”

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has criticised the idea that NHS frontline care and services are protected by the government, lambasting them over cuts that would lead to what it claimed to be “fewer services, fewer nurses and a worse NHS”. The RCN spoke out ahead of the organisation’s annual Congress in Liverpool.

Presenting evidence from 21 NHS trusts in England, it was discovered that 54 per cent of 10,000 posts due to be removed are frontline posts and the RCN also explained that nursing posts make up for 46 per cent of identified workforce cuts. The government must therefore say how patient services will be protected, according to the RCN, as trusts aim to save £20 billion by 2015 in England alone.

In its Frontline First campaign, the RCN has identified 40,000 NHS posts that the government plans to axe over the next three years. Alongside this, services that help keep patients out of hospital and effectively save the NHS money by decreasing its burdens are being closed, it claimed.

Dr Peter Carter, RCN chief executive and general secretary, said that patients are not getting the same level of care as they did one year ago, adding: “Many trusts are not being transparent by admitting to the proportion of clinical jobs being lost. From our research we now know the truth – the majority of job losses are frontline clinical jobs, the jobs that matter to patients.

“Cutting thousands of frontline doctors and nurses could have a catastrophic impact on patient safety and care. Our figures expose the myth that frontline staff and services are protected. We know savings need to be made but cutting frontline staff and services is not the way to do it.”

Sometimes, even those of us with the best intentions, individuals who were carefully schooled by their mothers to always keep enough change for our taxi home, fail to plan ahead. Then of course there are the ghastly occasions where you forget your purse, or even worse – have it stolen. Well thanks to a new development, you could be saved a long walk home, as long as you have your mobile phone.

Users of the Vodafone network who live in London can now settle up at the end of a taxi ride via text. The service is to be available to commuters using hundreds of company-branded cabs in the capital which will feature eye-catching union jack designs. And for those individuals who are particularly forgetful, the taxis will also be fitted with charger units, allowing them to recharge their mobiles on the move.

Payment for the journey is made by the passenger texting the word ‘taxi’ followed by the vehicle number and the amount they wish to pay, this is then charged to their mobile account. Service users will not be charged for the text.

Vodafone UK Chief Executive Guy Laurence said: “We are committed to offering London the best possible network. We have already made hundreds of improvements to increase coverage, capacity and reliability to ensure Londoners can always stay in touch with friends and family.

“Now with our fantastic fleet of Union Jack cabs and their on-board chargers which anyone can use, all Londoners will be able to see our continuing commitment to the capital.”

The royal wedding has been credited with causing a surge in the sale of occasionwear and fascinators at John Lewis with sales increasing by 53 per cent. Other possible factors for the increase in special occasionwear would of course include the start of the traditional spring/summer wedding season itself as well as a number of important upcoming racing meets.

Kidswear also performed well with many parents investing in spring and summer styles for their children’s return to school after the Easter break.

Despite the rise in sales within these sectors, the department store saw a fall of 8.8 per cent across fashion sales for the week to April 30^th. John Lewis put the fall down to a decrease in footfall at the chain along with holiday store closures. Overall total sales at the department store fell by 9.2 per cent.

Elsewhere on the high street fashion retailer Next reported a 5.2 per cent rise in first quarter sales, well ahead of expectations. Unseasonably warm weather for the month of April led to many customers making purchases for their summer wardrobes far earlier than usual. Again the royal wedding and other bank holidays of the month is also thought to have played a part with consumers shopping for goods to wear during the extra time off. Lord Wolfson, Next’s chief executive said the chain was “very pleased” with the figures.

There was some good news for the economy today (April 13^th) as the unemployment rate for the three months to February recorded a fall.

The total number of unemployed people fell by 17,000 over the quarter to reach 2.48 million, however despite the number of unemployed men falling over the period the number of women in employment fell. Current employment trends would seem to suggest that females in particular are suffering in the current jobs market with many losing jobs within the public sector.

Looking at the monthly totals the number of females claiming Jobseeker’s allowance actually increased by 5,100 to reach 462,300 between March and February – which is the highest figure recorded since October 1996. The number of women claiming Jobseeker’s allowance has now risen for nine consecutive months.

The fact that many women have switched from income support to Jobseeker’s support over the past two months is thought to be partly responsible for the most recent rise, however it is also believed that more women are now eligible for the handout because the rising cost of living is forcing them to go out and actively seek work. One option for female jobseekers might be to change career direction or to seek part time work.

John Salt, from recruitment website Totaljobs.com, told the Daily Mail: “It is a particularly good sign is that the IT and sales sectors are seeing jobs growth, which demonstrates that companies are investing in staff now in the expectation of healthy growth in the near future”.

“Another growth area is in part-time and temporary roles which could provide jobseekers with short-term relief and the opportunity to get back into full-time employment.”

British business enjoyed a record month for exports last month (February) contributing to a narrowing of the UK trade deficit with the rest of the world, according to the latest figures.

Statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that total exports in February hit £30.7 billion for the month, the largest recorded since 1980. This helped shrink the deficit with the rest of the world by £1.5 billion from £3.9 billion in January to £2.4 billion in February. The physical goods deficit fell from £7.8 billion in January to £6.8 billion with exports at their highest levels since the fifties.

This rise in exports was largely driven by demand outside of the EU according to the figures. Imports of goods and services were also shown to fall within the month.

Nida Ali, advisor to the Ernst & Young Item Club, said: “The rebalancing of the UK economy towards exports seems to be on track and we expect this trend to continue in coming quarters”.

“Indeed, the economic recovery will be heavily dependent on exports over the coming year, given that households are taking a major buffeting and the government is retrenching.”

This trade news is excellent news for the coalition government who has said it intends to rebalance the precarious UK economy by boosting manufacturing.

With rising inflation and widespread pay freezes many UK residents are looking at ways to maximise their income.  You could consider making some extra money by using your skills or time and landing a second job. However, we don’t all have the free time to start moonlighting. Another way to generate cash is to raise it against your assets – but this doesn’t necessarily have to mean re-mortgaging or taking out a loan. Many people have second homes which they could rent out, or you could lease out your existing home for special occasions if you yourself are away; in this way your home could help pay for itself.

If you have been considering sacrificing your second home or holiday property due to the current financial climate, renting can help you retain the property and its equity. Leasing your home or cottage for part of the year could pay your mortgage, or pay for improvements. You could use rent payments to fund a new kitchen or install a Jacuzzi or outside BBQ area. This kind of work will increase the value of your property should you choose to sell when the market picks up and will have the benefit of increasing the amount of rent the property could potentially yield. Don’t forget you are likely to enjoy the results when you spend time in your getaway or home too!

The UK holiday market is booming at the moment with many Brits opting to save cash and help the environment by taking their vacations on home shores. People are also looking to build their own holiday experience by choosing accommodation which allows them the freedom to relax and plan their own break. All of this has resulted in a high level of demand for holiday rental properties.

If you are wary about allowing people to stay in your home you may want to take a look at this article which considers the pros and cons:

http://www.ehow.com/about_5398870_can-rent-out-home.html It is also important to be aware that renting out your home may mean swapping your home insurance policy for professional cover and you will also have to declare earnings on your home. If this puts you off, bear in mind that you can seek the help of experts such as http://www.rentmycottage.com who will guide you through the process.



Pet fashion; to some it’s ridiculous, to others it is simply part of showing that you care for your pet. What cannot be denied however is that fashion for pets is taking off in a big way. Mulberry’s last collection featured canine models for the label’s doggy line, signalling perhaps that a trend which found its origins in Paris Hilton’s pet accessorising is now heading in an even more elite direction.

If you can’t afford the Mulberry macs and hoodies or the Gucci collars which are apparently en vogue for our furry friends this season (for more details, see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/03/well-dressed-dogs) panic not, here are some tips for picking out key pieces for your pooch:

1)    Doggy wardrobe essentials include a collar and dog coat, but nowadays a coat doesn’t necessarily have to take the traditional form. While you mightn’t be able to afford a Mulberry hoody there are lots of suppliers out there who offer their own cute takes on the designer trends. Always bear in mind that your furry friend will not thank you should you make them wear anything uncomfortable so choose the coat wisely for fit and try and steer clear of anything you find adorable but they might find embarrassing (dogs have street cred too you know).

2)    Leather, nylon, sparkling or serious, there are a wealth of dog collar’s available out there, so when you select yours make sure you head to a specialist with a good range such as: http://www.petsathome.com/. Wearing a dog collar isn’t just a fashion statement either – the collar you choose can help with training and be fitted with a tag to help your dog be identified should they get lost. So while you want to choose something that complements their personality, you should always remember not to sacrifice sensibility for style.  Ultimately the most important issue when choosing collars is the fit – you don’t want this to be too loose as this could result in your dog becoming caught on a fence or hedge. However, if you notice your dog straining to remove the collar this could be a sign that the collar is too tight. When fitting the colour always ensure there is some space for movement by slipping your fingers between the collar and the dog’s neck to measure the space.

To find out what style clothing suits which breed of dog, see: http://www.howcast.com/videos/217180-How-To-Dress-Your-Dog-According-To-His-Body-Type

One of the upsides to owning a home is your ability to change and decorate a room to your own personal style. As the windows can be the centre point, it is important to choose a décor that will compliment the rest of the room. Whilst curtains may, for many, seem the natural choice, blinds offer a very viable alternative. Here are some pros and cons of both options.

While they are very attractive in a range of patterns and colours, curtains often fade, collect a great deal of dust, and will require regular cleaning. Taking your bulky but much-loved curtains to be dry cleaned can prove to be inconvenient, expensive and time-consuming.

Wooden blinds, though they may be initially more expensive, can work out cheaper in the long run. Unlike curtains, blinds are less likely to fade and can be treated regularly to keep them looking brand new. Rather than an expensive trip to the dry cleaners, blinds are easy to wipe down with soapy warm water. You can also guarantee that the wooden blinds will last a long time as they are made of a strong and durable material. Blinds also ensure variable privacy and allow you the option to regulate the amount of light that comes into the room. In a relevant DIY article at http://www.simplifydiy.com/windows-and-doors/curtains-vs-blinds, the positive and negatives of both blinds and curtains is further explained. According to the article, wooden blinds are also economical and can blend into any colour scheme.

If choosing the right look for your home still has you confused, why not visit http://www.wooden-blinds-direct.co.uk/, which is an online window store with a wide selection at discount prices. The site allows you to browse through up to four blind types and more than 10 well known brands. It also has the added feature of receiving a quick quote if you have your dimensions, and colour choice already sorted out. Not sure how to measure your windows? Wooden Blinds Direct has you covered with an online measurement guide.

In the long run, wooden blinds are the best option, as they will save you maintenance time, and are attractive in both cost and appearance.

A child’s room is more than just a place to sleep. It is a place where creativity and imagination develop and come alive. While your child will change his or her style, as they grow older, it is not necessary to renovate at the same rate. However, if you need to modernise your child’s room, you can become a professional decorator by following these tips.

First, get organised by creating a ”treasure chest” for your child’s toys and games. This will create a proper storage unit for when these items are not played with, and a fun piece of furniture for your child to admire. There are examples of such units at http://www.housetohome.co.uk/galleries/childrens.html, which has descriptive photos of rooms to garner ideas for that finished look.

After you have cleared the clutter, why not treat your child’s room to a fresh coat of paint? Perhaps purple for a young girl who loves playing dress up, or fire engine red for that aspiring cowboy. You can even combine two colours to compliment the décor and style of your child. To enhance the walls with a more modern twist, you can use stencils to fashion flowers or stars above the bed. There are endless possibilities to what you can create with a little time and imagination. Paint with your child so they can enjoy and take part in this experience.

Depending on your child’s age, it may be time to purchase a new bed and mattress. Find a massive range of children’s beds at http://www.time4sleep.co.uk/, where you can choose from bunk beds, cabin beds, loft beds and high sleeper beds ”to maximise space in your child’s bedroom.” Boys can race off in the Grand Prix Car bed while young girls can dream in a bed fit for a princess. After you have selected the perfect bed, choose the perfect bedding that can complete the look. There are hundreds of options available, like characters from your child’s favourite show or a dainty set with butterflies, to match your newly painted walls.

With such a wide range of options, the hardest part will be choosing just one! Follow these three tips and you will create a special bedroom theme without a big price tag.

If you ever have the need to separate two of your rooms, a prime option is to add a partition wall. However, the construction takes a great deal of time and can leave you spending thousands just to add some privacy. There is also the annoyance of noise, dirt and disruption whilst the building works are being undertaken. Partition walls also, once put up, leave you without an option to change them, as it would run the risk of devaluing your home.

The cost of adding a partition wall can also be a disadvantage. According to http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/feature/What-Will-it-Cost-Constructing-Walls, the standard British internal room partition wall costs around £18-22/m², potentially leaving you with a large bill after the wall is completed. Eliminate the stress and chose an option that will ensure both privacy and style.

A better option is to install Japanese panel blinds, which are a great way to separate rooms and are much cheaper than adding a partition wall. Similar to a vertical blind, Japanese panel blinds are the contemporary blind for larger windows and are perfect as room dividers. The major advantages of panel blinds are: they are inexpensive and easy to assemble. You can also take them down when you move or if you decide you wish to reconfigure the space.

Based in West Yorkshire, www.directblinds.co.uk offers a vast range of fabrics and materials from all leading UK suppliers to the blind industry. ”Stylish and unique the answer to control light glare, view and privacy in both your home and office environment are the Japanese panel blinds,” according to the Direct Blinds site. Whether you prefer a more modest peach or a vibrant red, Direct Blinds has more than 40 years experience and as a result, produces high quality blinds at competitive prices. Choose your favourite colour today and have convenience for a lifetime.

According to a study conducted in 2005 by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, the most recent estimated figures for the number of deaf and hard of hearing adults in the UK are almost 9 million. Of those millions, almost 50 per cent of over 50 year-olds in the UK have some kind of hearing loss. The sad part is not just these alarming statistics but that most of those affected do not know about the free advice and hearing tests available. Many people with hearing loss pay for expensive, and sometimes painful tests that leave them feeling frustrated and helpless.

According to a recent BBC article, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11962817, the NHS is paying private hospitals £35m a month to treat patients, which is a rise of more than 60 per cent in a year. Data collected in October 2010 showed ”the NHS paid out the money for nearly 17,000 patients to have non-emergency care.” On average, private medical insurance can be as much as £1000 a year depending on your cover needs. Even the basic plan is £50 a month, which is more than most people can afford with the rising costs in fuel and food.

The need for a proper ear test is two fold: it is a routine part of a baby’s or young child’s developmental checks and it is to check the hearing of someone who is experiencing hearing problems or has a hearing impairment. The latter is relevant to those over 50 and is therefore, a necessary test for those who are older in age who may suffer or begin to experience a degree of hearing loss. NHS members can find more information by visiting http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hearing-tests/Pages/Introduction.aspx. This article has relevant facts and details about hearing tests and how they are conducted.

Before visiting your GP, why not visit a Hearing Company store that can offer a free in-store hearing test? Conveniently located throughout the UK, the Hearing Company is known for being a leading expert in hearing care for more than 50 years. In addition to offering quality customer service and a free hearing test, The Hearing Company also offer professional advice to those who might be new to a life with hearing loss. Their friendly and supportive staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.  Visit http://www.thehearingcompany.co.uk/ after you have your free test and if you recommend a friend, you can receive a £50 Marks and Spencer voucher!

Change your life for the better by visiting the Hearing Company today.

Fashion can be a pretty expensive business at the best of times… and that is when you can find the items you are looking for!  However, the truth is that larger guys will often have a fairly limited choice when it comes to designer clothes.  Many outlets will have precious little to offer in bigger sizes and men who don’t fit into the ‘standard’ bracket can have a really hard time finding very much at all!

But if you are trying to put together a wardrobe of fashionable clothing for a minimal amount of cash, then here are 5 handy hints to help you on your way…

1. Try to Keep it Real…

We’ve all done it, haven’t we?  Bought something in a size too small and promised ourselves that we will go on a diet to fit in it…  but most of us know that this just doesn’t work!  It is always best to lose a few lbs before you go shopping as this will prevent you from losing the other sort of pounds!

2. Future-Proof Your Wardrobe!

Try to avoid clothing that is overly stylised as it will quickly date when newer designs emerge!  Sticking to more traditional styles whenever possible and buying neutral colours will ensure that your clothing stays looking trendy for far longer.

3. Think About Doing ‘Swapsies’!

Hooking up with other label-lovers is a great way of getting some new clothes!  Most of us will have several items that we no longer wear and these can be swapped with other people for their unwanted garments.  There are even websites out there that are dedicated to putting clothes-swappers in touch with one another!

4. Consider the ‘Retro’ Thing.

There are some really cool vintage clothes to be found in charity shops and they will normally cost you a minimal amount of cash!  And if you don’t have any luck in these, then how about visiting one of the many vintage clothing fairs?

5. Buy at the ‘Wrong’ Time of Year!

Many stores will sell-off clothing really cheaply if it is unsuitable for the time of year.  And this is great news for the more discerning clothes shopper!  T-shirts, jeans and underwear can all be found for a rock-bottom price if you shop at the ‘wrong’ time of year…

These are all great ways of getting your garments for less.  However, the internet has given us a far greater access to plus size clothing and there are now several very good suppliers who specialise in designer garments for the cuddlier guy.  Companies such as http://www.Jacamo.co.uk have a superb range of clothes for men at a seriously realistic price! If you interested in the new brands Jacamo have just launched check this press release out: http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/view/pressrelease/jacamo-co-uk-new-additions-to-the-jacamo-range-this-autumn-winter-511015

Energy bills can be expensive, especially in the winter when the need for extra heating is high.  People are constantly comparing quotes from energy providers in the hope of saving on both heating and electricity. Sites like www.uswitch.com have conducted research and found that this winter 19 million households in the UK have already cut back on their energy usage or intend to do so. Some households may even go without heating, as they simply cannot afford their energy bills.

”Applying energy saving improvements in your home will not only make your home more comfortable, but can also deliver long-term financial rewards,”’ according to www.energysavingadvice.co.uk, which has daily tips to staying warm this winter. The site is designed to offer effective ways to save on your energy bills with minimal impact on your lifestyle.

Rather than being cold all winter, one type of energy saving improvement is adding wooden vertical blinds. It is a simple option and will prevent heat loss on those particularly cold winter days.  These have been proven to help retain heat in the winter by insulating your windows. The best UK site to buy these efficient blinds is at http://www.vertical-blinds-direct.co.uk/, where you can select by colour, material or opacity. Vertical Blinds Direct specialise in vertical blinds, ensuring you receive the best customer service, low prices and personalised experience when visiting their site. There is also an added bonus of free shipping on orders more than £50.

Even in the summer months, vertical blinds can be adjusted to let in certain amounts of light. This eliminates the need for extra lighting keeping your room cool in the summer. Ensure you stay warm this winter with the simple option of wooden vertical blinds. The wooden material looks natural in every room leaving you with the satisfaction that they are both effective and attractive.

More people are bringing their work home – literally. The need to convert unused bedrooms into offices is on the increase as companies become more flexible with the location employees work. The hassle of being stuck in teatime traffic is eliminated and a new ”9 to 5” is created for convenience and increased productivity.

While changing the bedroom into an office can seem like a time-consuming transition, it can actually be done with five small changes that will take minimal time and money to complete.

The first step is to plan ahead by setting up the room. Having removed the bed, decide where you will place your desk. You will need to ensure you have space against a wall or ideally an alcove, and that you are in close proximity to the appropriate outlets. Rather than creating elaborate ways to hide the cables, a simple tie will work just fine. Depending on the size of the room will determine the appropriate colour scheme. If it is a small room, use colours like yellow or light blue that increase the feel and size. Bright colours will also create a calming and comfortable atmosphere for those long workdays. Adding shelves to your newly painted walls is an appealing option for storing items for both work and home use. They take up less space than expensive storage cabinets and you can always add more if necessary. The Home to Home site, http://www.housetohome.co.uk/galleries/home_office.html, has visual examples for ideas on what the finished product can look like.

To see your work properly, you will need new lighting, as bedroom lights tend not be as bright as office lights. An inexpensive choice is an energy saving coiled bulb, which is both cost-effective and provides quality illumination. However, if you want to block out light for better use of a computer screen, roller blinds are an attractive and inexpensive option. Finding the right set of blinds can take time but the experts at http://www.roller-blinds-direct.co.uk/ have the right option for you. Whether you want a more modern pattern or simple set of blinds, Roller Blinds Direct is your one-stop shop.

Make your home office the place you want to work with these five simple but effective tips!

Since 2008, the economic climate has been as frosty as the winter weather. Paycheques barely cover normal day-to-day expenses as retailers increase their prices to answer the demand. While consumers are still spending, most families are wary that disposable income is at a level that no longer allows for any luxuries.

Homeowners have been hit particularly hard in the UK, as the real estate market has not fully recovered. People are putting their homes up for sale only to find they need to make expensive renovations to modernise their home for potential buyers. With no disposal income, families are at a loss for a solution, often running up high credit card bills to compensate.

”As house prices slump there is no longer any guarantee that costly renovations will result in a corresponding increase in a property’s value,” according to http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/property_and_mortgages/article4379205.ece. The article also states that homeowners could find that large home renovations or improvements have a final price tag of up to £20,000 – a figure that is currently unaffordable for most families. This potential expense has most homeowners in a panic, as many are unaware of cost-friendly solutions available.

A relatively easy and effective change is to replace tired and worn door furniture with new modern designer handles. Handle World offers a wide range of options tailored to every style and budget. According to their site, http://www.handleworld.co.uk/, the new online store has ”stylish designer and traditional knobs and handles that will help revitalise your home or provide the finishing touches to your refurbishment.” Search their site by handle type or finish to find those eye-catching handles that will make your room fresh and appealing.

The key to creating a more modern look to your home is not overpriced renovations but subtle, yet noticeable, changes to make your space attractive in both style and cost to potential buyers.

Probably one of the most used spaces in the house, the living room provides your family with an area to relax and enjoy time together. As a result, over the years this room can end up looking tired and outdated. This often gives people the desire to redecorate in an effort to enhance the overall appeal of the living room to all users.

One of the first solutions for updating your living room is increasing floor space. Selling or moving items to storage that you do not use regularly can eliminate unnecessary clutter to free up space to work with, especially if you have a small living room. If you do not have direct storage available, like a loft or garage, installing shelves can be an easy solution if you want to keep items in the room. ”There are hundreds of different units or individual shelves to choose from, some of which are real design statements,” suggest experts at http://uktv.co.uk/home/item/aid/605288, an article written on storage solutions.

Now that you can see the floor area, renting a carpet cleaner to get rid of any unsightly stains will give a much-improved appearance. For wooden floors, you may want to consider refinishing and waxing for a nice new look. You should also think of selecting new light fittings, as old fittings can really show the age of your room. There is a great range of modern and attractive options available.

Your windows are a focal point in the room and require curtains and poles to compliment the overall style. Installing brand new metal or wooden curtain poles, like those available from http://www.polesdirect.com/, will definitely give your living room an updated look. The UK online retailer offers many ranges at competitive prices and features free delivery on orders more than £50. Once you have added new curtain poles, consider changing your old curtains for a new design. With these improvements, your living room will be a new and inviting environment for your family and friends to enjoy for years to come.

We all have a nose for a bargain, don’t we?  That is exactly why so many of us will shop around for our purchases.  And travel insurance is a great example of this.  By setting some time aside to get a few different quotes, we can end up saving ourselves a substantial amount of money!

You would expect anyone to take out a cheap travel insurance policy when they are planning a trip overseas, but a surprisingly large number of travellers do not arrange any type of cover at all!  And this really isn’t a good idea…  life is full of surprises and things have a nasty habit of taking a turn for the worse.  However, this is not pessimism talking, it is realism…  It would be great if we knew what lay in store for us each day, but of course we do not.  Even the government actively encourage holidaymakers to purchase travel insurance before going away!

It is bad enough when life pulls the rug from beneath our feet on home soil, but in another country it can all be ten times worse.  We can feel totally isolated in the wake of a disaster, especially if there is a language barrier to contend with.  Luggage can easily be lost or stolen and any of us are at risk of having an accident or being taken ill!

But the great news is that a good travel insurance policy does not have to cost the earth.  Many people think that low-priced insurance will only offer a minimal degree of protection, but this is totally untrue!  The reality is that travel insurance can found for a low price or a high price and the level of cover will remain much the same.  So why on earth would you spend more on a travel insurance policy when you simply do not have to???

If you don’t want to pay through the nose for your travel cover, then http://www.Cheap.co.uk is a great place to start your search.  Not only do they have a variety of policies for travellers, but they are also well-known for their competitive prices!

Anyone can go out and find an insurance policy for their van.  After all, there is certainly no shortage of companies to choose from!  Insurance services are advertised everywhere we look; the supermarket, the television, the Post Office, the bank… in fact, it is more difficult to try and think of somewhere where we will not hear about vehicle insurance!

However, this doesn’t mean that taking out cover is a straightforward business…  just because we can purchase our insurance from a billion different providers; they will not all offer us the same high levels of protection!

Here are 3 of the most important things to bear in mind when you are looking for the best van insurance…

• Commercial or Domestic?

Every insurer will have their own slightly different take on what qualifies as commercial or domestic use.

Make sure you tell them exactly how you use your vehicle and find out which category you fall into.  If you don’t, then you may end up with the wrong type of cover altogether!

• Any Extras with Your Policy?

A lot of companies will include extras with a van insurance policy, so ask about this before you make a final decision.

Will your policy include things like breakdown cover?  And some providers may even give you vouchers to spend at a certain store!

• What Level of Cover do you Need?

Third Party Fire and Theft, Third Party Only or Fully Comprehensive?  Only you can decide on the right level of insurance.

Of course, the greater the protection you have, the more expensive your insurance will be… but it is often worth spending that little bit extra.  After all, a better level of cover will give you great peace of mind.

And if you use your van to carry expensive items, it is always best to opt for Fully Comprehensive!

The easiest way of taking out van insurance is by doing it all online.  It is quick, easy and be far the cheapest option.  Insurers such as http://www.autonetinsurance.co.uk offer a great service to their customers and are always happy to answer any questions!

Purchasing a garage is a fantastic investment and it will do so much to improve your home.  And the best garages of all are concrete ones.  They are robust, secure and will last you for a great many years to come!  Here are just a few of the reasons why you should buy a concrete garage for your home –

• Privacy and Security

Keeping your car in a garage will mean that it is so much more secure!  And, because most concrete garages are designed without windows, you will not have to worry about any prying eyes!

As you can imagine, a concrete garage is a very sturdy structure, so as long as you have a good quality lock fitted to the door, your vehicle will be as safe as houses!

• Totally Weatherproof

We all know how unpredictable the Great British weather is, so a garage can be an absolute godsend.

Not only will it keep your car or possessions protected from the elements, but it is a great place to shelter if Mother Nature dishes up a nasty surprise when you are busy in your garden!

• A Great Investment

If you ever decide to sell your home, then you will find that building a concrete garage has made a substantial difference to the overall value of your property!

And any potential buyers will show much more interest in a house is there is somewhere safe for them to keep their car.

• A Variety of Uses

Of course, garages are primarily designed to house vehicles, but they can also be used to store a variety of other items.

Because concrete are so secure, they are a perfect place to keep expensive tools or equipment and they can also provide an excellent work area for anyone with an interest in joinery!

There are many good suppliers of concrete garages to choose from, but the best ones will be found on the Net.  You will have a much better selection online with suppliers such as http://www.lidget.co.uk and the chances are that you will pay a lot less as well!

Buying a property may seem like the most obvious thing to do, but it will often turn out to be much more costly than renting one.  To begin with, you must have access to a substantial amount of money for the deposit… then there are the mortgage repayments to consider and we all know how much they can be!

Of course, there are a few areas in the country where it may be more prudent to buy, but these are becoming fewer and fewer.  Most property experts will agree that renting is the best option.  You only have to look at areas such as Oldham, Brighton, Edinburgh or Swansea to see a dramatic price difference between mortgage repayments and rents.

There is a great deal of unpredictability in our present economic climate and the threat of interest rates rising cannot be ignored.  If they were to increase by only 1%, then this would have a major effect on families all across the country.  In fact, it would mean that renting a property would be the most cost effective route to go down in many different areas of England.

Besides, there is another huge benefit attached to renting a property; maintenance.  If you are an owner, then this will be an ongoing cost to bear in mind.  Any house or flat will require routine work and it can soon become a very costly business indeed.  And then there are the unforeseen problems to consider; burst pipes, dangerous chimney stacks and loose roof tiles!  These are the type of repair jobs which will require expert services… and this means even more expense!  However, if you are renting a property from a reputable company, you will not have to worry about any of this at all!

If you are looking for a property to rent in the West Yorkshire area, then http://www.pickardproperties.co.uk/ are a great company to deal with.  They are a well-respected family company that has been established for 40 years!  They take genuine pride in providing their tenants with an exceptional choice of homes and they have an ever expanding portfolio of properties.

Buying plus size clothing for the special man in your life can be quite a tricky business.  Traditionally it is supposed to be ladies who are the difficult ones to buy for, but the truth is that guys are just as finicky (and often even more so!).  In fact, some of them are really fussy about the clothes that they wear; only this colour, not that style and never that brand name…

As you can imagine, this can all result in a lot of expense when you are trying to buying something new for your boyfriend or hubby to wear.  It is hard enough to find the perfect gift as it is without having to shell out a fortune in the process!

Here are a few tips to help you on this delicate mission.  First you will need to find out which items of plus size clothing to buy…

• Fishing for Ideas

Show him a few garments in a shop that you are thinking about buying for ‘a male relative’.  If he doesn’t catch on to what you are up to, then he may well offer some useful insight into his own clothing preferences…

• Snooping for Ideas

Have a rummage through his wardrobe and take note of his favourite clothes.  These are the type of garments to look for when you are out and about…

• Shopping for the Familiar

It may seem boring, but stick to brand names that he already likes to wear.  This way you can be pretty sure you are buying clothes that he will actually like!

And here are a few ways of paying less for plus size men’s clothing…

• Shop Online

Not only will most online suppliers of plus size clothing have a far better selection than high street stores, but they will have lower prices as well!

• Shop ‘Out of Season’

Buying garments at the wrong time of year can often mean you get a much better deal.  For instance, if it is your boyfriend or husband’s birthday in December, then have a look through the piles of discontinued winter clothing in July!

• Shop at the Sales

The great thing about sales is you never know what you will find!  Besides, even if they don’t have anything for him, there may be something for you instead…  After all, don’t you deserve a treat after all that present shopping???

It is also a very good idea to visit online suppliers like http://www.Menswearuk.com as they specialise in plus size clothing for men.  You can be sure to find a great selection of garments at a genuinely realistic price!

How to Save Money when Planning a Road Trip with Friends

According to a recent article in the Telegraph, the prototypical white-van man is smart, bookish, political and extremely handy to have around the home when domestic appliances break down. Although barely able to distinguish between red and white wine, van drivers emerged as intellectual heavyweights in the survey of 3,000 British motorists by insurance giant Aviva. The question that many drivers will naturally ask after reading the survey is: although the typical white-van man may be capable of fixing a washing machine whilst debating student fees and quoting J.K. Rowling, is he any good at saving money on motor insurance?

Of course, the answer is that said white-van man probably shopped around for vehicle insurance, so he is likely to have saved a few pennies. Perhaps a more telling question at a time of rising fuel costs and inflated insurance premiums is that of how to save money when planning a road trip with friends. Consider the five points outlined below.

1. Van insurance need not be expensive but, as with any type of insurance, motorists are advised to shop around for the best deals. In addition to purchasing policies from specialist van insurers, groups can save money by sharing the cost of insurance – if only for the duration of a road trip.

2. Once seen as a somewhat aggressive breed of driver, the modern white-van man can also help to save money on road trips by driving sensibly at controlled speeds. Plodding along in fifth gear at 60mph on the motorway in the inside or central lane can save a significant amount of fuel compared to bombing down the fast lane in a seemingly endless race with a BMW’s tailpipe.

3. Satellite navigation devices are widely available these days and are useful for both short and long journeys. In terms of a road trip, satnavs can save money by plotting the shortest or quickest possible distance on the fly, meaning that delays can be avoided en route to a destination.

4. Lengthy road trips expose vehicles to numerous hazards, including theft, damage and breakdown. Van insurance premiums are usually adjusted to reflect usage, so ensuring that a recently purchased van is fitted with the latest security alarms and immobilisers may help to reduce the cost of insurance. It is also worth shopping around for discounts on breakdown cover.

5. Finally, it is worth pointing out that insurance is a necessary cost that can only be reduced to a certain degree. Saving money on insurance is possible, as suggested above, but it is far easier to save on other costs associated with road trips; for instance, camping equipment such as tents and stoves could be brought along for the ride in order to avoid spending money on accommodation.

This article was brought to you by http://www.staveleyhead.co.uk specialists in van insurance.

Expensive renovations on your home seem more like a luxury than a necessity with the recession and recent government cuts. The worry about modernising your home to increase its sale value is enough to make people spend thousands, which can often cost more than the new sale price can offer.

Real estate agents are advising people to limit their renovations ”to a paint job rather than building a new kitchen,” according to http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/property_and_mortgages/article4379205.ece. With house prices fluctuating since 2008, when the UK economy first showed signs of problems, costly renovations are being replaced with smaller changes that won’t rock the bank balance.

The good news is you can update and modernise your house with small changes and still make a big impact. Bathrooms can look more modern by adding more wall décor, like mirrors or frames. Create a relaxing atmosphere and paint the walls blue, put some candles by the bathtub and update your towels with a nice soft yellow. This will be sure to attract prospective buyers as the theme is both bright and appealing. Colours like yellow and blue can also make the room appear bigger if you are working with a small space.

Don’t have the budget to replace all your kitchen cabinets? Just replacing those tired cupboard door handles in the kitchen can help make the room more appealing. New shower curtain/rods in any room are also an inexpensive but noticeable update. Why hang on to those worn wooden or plain white rods when you can spruce up your lounge with some new chrome curtain poles? Curtain Poles Direct, a UK-based retailer, has a great range of curtain poles available online at http://www.curtainpolesdirect.co.uk and offers free shipping for orders over £50. The site has options for every theme and budget. You have the choice to select by brand, colour or price giving you plenty of options on one site. Don’t be the last house on the estate to modernise your house!

One of the benefits of owning a home is you can update or redecorate any room to your own style and preference. The choices are endless and sometimes overwhelming as you walk through the aisles of a DIY store gathering samples of paint colour, wallpaper and tiles. Even the smallest changes can have a big impact and modernise your home to increase its sale value, and attractiveness to potential buyers, and family and friends.

Even if you have big plans in mind, it does not have to cost a fortune. Before you head to the store, sit down with some magazines or look online for some inspiration. This will save you hours of wandering and help toward the overall picture. Once you are in the store, take as many samples as possible so you can visualise it at home. Also creating a budget can help, especially when it comes time for decisions. This will ensure you do not go overboard and allow you some flexibility if you find something unexpected.

A larger room like the kitchen, which has always been considered the ”heart of the house,” should be inviting and appealing in both colour and décor.  An article at http://uktv.co.uk/home/item/aid/637805 recommends laying a new floor or updating your work surfaces to ”high-quality laminate, which is excellent value for money.” Even smaller changes like different cabinet door handles or fitting new light fixtures can make the room look fresh and modern. For a more dramatic update, why not make your own mosaic splashback behind the cooker? You can brighten up your kitchen with either stone or glass mosaic, and the tiles come in an array of colours and textures.

If redecorating the bathroom, visit http://www.thetiledepot.co.uk/ for a wide-range of modern tiles and accessories. Whether you are replacing those unsightly chipped ones in the kid’s bathroom or treating yourself to a new look in the en-suite, The Tile Depot is your one-stop shop for every budget. While you are browsing, why not consider re-grouting wall and floor tiles, or adding new chrome or metal features in the downstairs bathroom? If you need to test out your new idea before buying, there is an option to order a sample. The site even has a ”How-to-tile Guide” if you need further help ”creating a unique environment tailored to your specific tastes.”

Whatever your taste or style, there are some great options and tips available to update and modernise your kitchen and bathroom. Turn your ideas into a fresh new look today that you can enjoy for years to come.

When Your Shoe Size Matters, Price Doesn’t have to…

Buying fashionable shoes and boots is not usually an inexpensive task; indeed, if shoppers desire the latest trends in footwear they ought to be prepared to dig fairly deep into their pockets. The cost of purchasing high quality shoes is also subject to the size and shape of shoppers, with customers tending to pay more for the larger shoe sizes. There are ways, however, to ensure that the price of a new pair of shoes does not always reflect the length and breadth of the buyer’s feet. In order to keep the cost of shoe shopping at a minimum, consider the five points outlined below.

1. Hunting down wide-fitting shoes or boots that are both comfortable and stylish can prove an extremely stressful experience even for the most hardened of shoppers. When suitable shoes are eventually found, they invariably cost a small fortune. A simple way of avoiding this problem is by shopping around before venturing onto the high street. Not all stores will stock shoes in large or wide sizes and those that do might charge a pretty penny for them. Wide-fitting shoe specialists such as Marisota produce a range of fashionable shoes and boots that are designed specifically for women who require footwear in larger sizes at reasonable prices.

2. Allied to the first point, it may be the case that a particular town or city fails to adequately cater for women with larger-than-average feet. Whilst this is no doubt unfortunate for the casual female shopper, it is not a sufficient reason for women to resign themselves to the prospect of shopping in the grotesquely overpriced shoe shop on the edge of town. Wide-fitting shoes can be purchased in various online stores, including Marisota, so choice ought not to be limited.

3. When buying shoes on the high street or over the internet, it is essential that shoppers enquire about any wide-fitting options of the shoes they desire. If wide-fitting options are not available, it may be possible for the shoe store in question to place an order for more stock. Under no circumstances whatsoever should the consumer be tempted by an ill-fitting pair of shoes if the wide-fitting equivalent is unavailable.

4. Most stores advertise whether shoes are wide-fitting or not; however, if a particular shop fails to adequately display its full range, the consumer should not feel afraid to pull all the shoes off the shelves in order to compare them against each other. More likely than not, a suitably wide-fitting pair of shoes will be hidden on one shelf or another.

5. Finally, it is important to remember that the golden rules of shoe shopping apply to all shoppers. Irrespective of narrow, average or wide-fitting shoe specifications, the consumer can avoid wasting money by choosing footwear that is as stylish as it is comfortable. In order to achieve this, shoppers ought to buy shoes that actually fit (not necessarily what size is written on the box), look good and which provide a little room for expansion over the course of a day. If all else fails and shoe shopping becomes too much of a chore, consumers can always visit http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/fashion for alternative fashion tips.

This was brought to you by http://www.marisota.co.uk specialists in wide fitting shoes.

Renting out your property to holidaymakers can provide a very welcome source of extra income.  However, there are a great many people who like the idea of doing this, but they will simply keep putting it off…  They are worried about taking that initial step as they think the whole business will turn out to be incredibly complicated.  But the truth is that holiday property rental is a whole lot easier than you think!

It doesn’t matter if you are living in Cornwall, Scotland or the Lake District; you could be sitting on a goldmine!  If you think that your property is suitable for holiday bookings, have a look online.  The internet has plenty of information about renting to holidaymakers and there are several companies who will help you to organise everything.  This is how easy it will normally be…

• First Contact

Once you have found a suitable company, you will simply need to give them a call.  Ask to speak to one of their dedicated property recruitment advisors and let them know a few of your basic details.

• Getting to Know More

The letting agency will then arrange for you to receive one of their free guides.  This will tell you everything you need to know about renting your property!  Not only that, but you will be able to read through it at a time that’s convenient for you.  Most agencies will also arrange a no-obligation visit to your potential holiday home by their manager for that area.

• Settling on the Finer Details

During the visit, the property manager will talk you through the services that are on offer and give you an idea of the income you can expect to receive.  Letting agencies will treat each of their property owners as individuals, so any advice will be tailored to suit your own personal circumstances.

• Getting Started and Getting Noticed

If you are happy with everything that has been discussed, then the letting agency will get the ball rolling.  They will organise all of the paperwork for you and begin advertising your property.  It will normally be featured both on a website and in a brochure.

So, what are you waiting for?  Have a look for a letting agency such as http://www.rentmycottage.com and give them a call.  Holiday property rental is all so simple to organise and it could make a big difference to your bank balance!

Staying in a holiday cottage is a great way of getting away from it all.  It will offer you plenty of freedom, independence and comfort; in fact, it is about the nearest you can get to being ‘at home’ whilst you are away from home!

However, because holiday properties sound so good, some people are under the illusion that they will be overly expensive.  Surely you do not get this amount of luxury without paying over the odds?  Well, in actual fact, this can actually be one of the cheaper ways of having a holiday!  Most of these properties offer a surprising amount of value and they can be booked both quickly and easily online.

• Types of Property

There are all kinds of different properties to choose from when you are looking for a holiday cottage.  At the end of the day, the type of accommodation you opt for will be entirely down to you!  Maybe you like the idea of a traditional thatched cottage in a rural area?  Or how about staying in a more contemporary property within a town or city?

• Choice of Locations

You can book a holiday property in a variety of locations including; Devon, the Lake District, Cornwall, Yorkshire and Scotland.  Or, if you fancy staying somewhere further afield, many agencies will also have a choice of cottages in Brittany, Cote D’Azur, Dordogne, Provence and Normandy!

• In Good Order

Any reputable letting agency will keep all of their properties in tip-top condition for their visitors (after all, it will be in their best interests!).  This means that anything you choose will undergo regular inspections to ensure that it meets the very highest standards!

• Facilities

The majority of agencies will use all-inclusive prices in their brochures and these include all of the fuel and power that you use during your stay.  A lot of holiday cottages will also have their own bed linen and towels.  And that means you will have less packing to do!

There are plenty of wonderful holiday cottages just waiting to be found online and letting agencies such as http://www.easycottages.com have a fantastic selection!

The USA has appealed to holidaymakers for a great many years and Florida has always been one of the most popular American destinations of all.  And it doesn’t take a genius to see why!  There are just so many different things to do in Florida; sunbathing on the beach, taking part in water sports, visiting historical sites, taking the kids to a theme park, camping in a national forest or touring the Everglades.  In fact, you will be hard pushed to find a part of Florida where there isn’t anything to do!

It was thought the terrible oil spill in The Gulf of Mexico would have very serious consequences for ‘The Sunshine State’.  However, it certainly isn’t looking as if visitors to this area are going to be put off that easily!  Here are just a few of the highlights on offer in this beautiful part of the world –

• Beaches

Around 60 million people will visit Florida each year and many of them will spend the majority of their time on the beach.  Florida is world famous for its gorgeous weather and hundreds of miles of golden sands.

• Theme Parks

There is certainly a great selection of theme parks to choose from in Florida, particularly in the Orlando area.  And few visitors to Florida can go back home without first spending some time at the Walt Disney World Resort.  This is the largest holiday resort in the world and it is home to four separate theme parks and two water parks!

• Wildlife

You will also get the opportunity to see plenty of wildlife in Florida.  There is the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and the Everglades Alligator Farm; and that is just for starters!  If you have a look online, you will soon discover many other wildlife centres that are worth a visit.

• Space

Anyone with an interest in space travel will be unable to resist dropping by Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre.  It has a whole host of attractions, artefacts and exhibits on the history and the future of spaceflight.  The kids will love it too!

As you can see, Florida really is a fantastic place to visit.  And don’t be fooled into thinking that a holiday here is simply beyond your means.  It can be far less expensive than you think, especially if you are booking with a company like http://www.florida4less.co.uk!

Crossover coats can be found in a large variety of shapes and sizes; from long, fitted traditional styles to shorter and far more contemporary designs.  However, there may be a great many crossover coats to choose from, but they will all give you exactly the same great results…

Choosing the right style of crossover coat is essential and there are plenty of web pages to help you do it.  Getting the perfect coat will mean you have to ability to look stylish, sassy, elegant, smart or sexy!  It will be a universal garment that is ideal for all manner of activities and functions; a great investment for any woman who wants to look her best!

Here are just a few of the reasons why a crossover coat is such a great idea –

• Space

The majority of coats are quite bulky items, so the fewer we have to put away the better!  We ladies may like to have plenty of clothing in our wardrobes, but it certainly takes a lot of the fun away when half of the hanging space is taken up with a selection of coats for different occasions!

• Style

There are some wonderful crossover coats on the market and they can look really stylish with all kinds of different outfits!  If you have a look on the Net, then you will see just how many styles there are.

• Cost

Why spend money on two or three different coats when you can simply buy one that is perfect for multiple occasions?  This will also result in a handsome saving; unless of course you are to find some other nice clothing in the Bon Marche selection…

• Practicality

When you are going away on a trip, having several different coats to lug around can be a real drag.  They are cumbersome to carry and are often quite heavy as well!

If you are on the lookout for a stylish crossover coat, then http://www.bonmarche.co.uk/# is a great place to start your search.  They have a wonderful selection to choose from and none of them will break the bank either.

A growing number of UK homeowners are now having wind turbines installed and it’s very easy to see why!  Not only will they make a dramatic difference to your electricity bill, but you will also be helping the environment.  And because these turbines make use of a totally natural form of energy, you will not be reliant on any nasty chemicals or gasses either!

Installing a wind turbine may be a little more complicated than re-wiring a plug, but it is certainly not as difficult as you would imagine.  There are numerous websites that explain how a wind turbine works and many more that will tell you exactly how to carry out an installation by yourself.  However, if you really don’t think this type of project is within your capabilities, then there are plenty of specialist companies who will do the job for you.

Obviously, you will have the initial cost of the turbine to consider, but it will pay for itself over a surprisingly short space of time.  Besides, we all know how expensive electricity is!

All in all, there are 5 very good reasons to invest in a wind turbine…

1. A Back-Up Plan

If your home has a wind turbine fitted, then you will never be completely without electricity; even when there is a power cut!

2. The Environment

Knowing that you are actively doing something to help the planet will give you a wonderful feeling!

3. Ease of Use

The majority of wind turbines are really simple to operate once they have been installed.

4. Unlimited Power

Fuel supplies may run low in the future, but there will never be a shortage of wind… and the UK has plenty of it all year round!

5. Save Money

Anyone who has a wind turbine installed will see a big difference to their annual electricity usage!

If you are looking for a wind turbine on the Net, then there are several good suppliers to choose from.  http://www.maplin.co.uk/ have a great selection of wind turbines to consider; from large 12v or 24v units for marine or domestic use down to ‘personal wind chargers’ for powering an MP3 player!

Most of us will need a surprisingly large amount of space when it comes to storing our clothes and shoes.  In fact, this will often prove to play a major role when we are planning which furniture to have in our bedroom.  Many of us will simply not realise how many articles of clothing we actually own until it is time to hang them all somewhere!  Okay, so what’s the big problem?  After all, we can always go out and buy an extra wardrobe…

This is all well and good, but wardrobes actually take up a considerable amount of space.  Few of us will be fortunate enough to have an enormous bedroom, so this can soon cause other problems.  After all, getting up each morning, having to breathe in and walk crab fashion around your bed just to get out of the room is not a whole lot of fun!  And in the middle of the night we can also end up stubbing our toe!  We all need to have a certain amount of space or we will end up feeling decidedly cramped.

However, there is a very simple solution to this problem!  A storage bed will free-up a colossal amount of space in your bedroom.  You will be amazed at how much they will actually hold!  Why just have a ‘normal’ bed sitting in the middle of your room?  It may look the part, but as far as practicality goes it will score a big fat zero!

Storage beds really are a great addition to a room and they are available in a wide variety of styles as well.  This means that anyone can improve on the amount of storage space that they have; regardless of their decor or colour scheme!

So, if you are struggling for space in your bedroom, why not invest in a storage bed?  It will take up no more space than the ‘ordinary’ bed you already have, yet it will hold just as much (and often more) as a wardrobe!  Suppliers such as http://www.storagebedsdirect.co.uk/ have a superb selection to choose from at seriously competitive prices!

There are a myriad of ways to improve the look of a property, but most of these will be a pretty costly business.  However, the quickest and easiest method of all is to change the door handles around your home!  This will have a surprisingly large effect on a property’s overall appearance and it could even help you to find that elusive buyer when you are trying to sell!

Why plough a fortune into your home by carrying out a loft conversion or building an extension???  You can make the world of difference to your living space simply be spending a much smaller of money on some attractive new door handles!

• Exterior Doors

First impressions are very important with a property so your front door should always be made to look as handsome as possible!  Why not fit a new handle to that grand entrance of your property?  After all, it will be nice to impress your visitors with your home before they have even set foot inside!

• Internal Doors

There are plenty of beautiful internal door handles to choose from and they are available in all manner of materials; wood, glass, acrylic, chrome or stainless steel (to mention but a few!).  So, it doesn’t matter what type of decor you have in your home; there is bound to be something that’s just perfect out there!

• Cabinet Doors

Even the cabinet doors around your home can be given a simple and inexpensive facelift! In fact, the whole appearance of a cooking area can be changed by the introduction of new handles.  But it doesn’t stop there either…  What about those fitted wardrobes and your vanity unit?  There are all kinds of smaller handles that can be replaced and this will have a really positive effect on the overall value of your home!

When it comes to shopping for your door handles, the best suppliers will normally be found online.  Companies like http://www.doorchic.co.uk/ make it their business to offer customers a reliable and specialised service.  And part of that means high quality designer door fittings for a genuinely realistic price!

The whole purpose of going out to work is to bring home a wage…  However, it can often feel as if we are losing a very large part of this just by getting to our job in the first place!  Train and bus fares are ludicrously overpriced whilst petrol pumps are a constant but necessary evil.

So, must we go on spending so much on travel or is there a more cost-effective way of us getting to work?

Some Possible Solutions –

• Cycling

Using a bike to get there is fine… as long as you feel safe!  A surprisingly large amount of motorists will give very little consideration to cyclists and they can often be overlooked altogether.  If you have to ride your bike along a main road then it can be a genuinely frightening experience; especially during the icy winter months!

• Public Transport

Heading off to your job on the bus or train is a wonderful idea in theory…. as long as you don’t mind paying through the nose.  Public transport is already infamous for being expensive and there are also plans for further increases in fares all across the UK!  Do you really want to shell out so much of your hard-earned cash on a bus or train ticket every day???

• Driving

Thousands of people drive to work in their own vehicles and this is all well and good… as long as you can afford it.  Keeping a car on the road is a pretty expensive business and there are certainly no plans to reduce petrol prices!  Besides, most of Britain’s roads are an absolute nightmare to drive on simply because of the sheer amount of traffic.

One Definite Solution –

• Living Within WALKING DISTANCE of Your Office!!!!

Moving to a location that is closer to your place of work will save you an absolute fortune in travel costs and it will help you to stay healthy too!  There are so many benefits to living in a city centre which is why more and more people are now visiting websites such as http://www.cityliving.co.uk/ to find a more practical place to live!

Not all of us will be lucky enough to have 20/20 vision throughout our whole lives.  It is estimated that around 30% of people will have to start wearing glasses at some point and that is a very large amount of the population.  In fact, it is thought that around 55,000 of us are currently wearing glasses in the UK alone!

But just stop and think about the costs which are involved with this…  even if each of these individuals were to spend only £20 on their spectacles every year, then it would still amount to a staggering £1,100,000!!!! And the truth is that the majority of these people will pay far more than £20 to get the frames that they want!  You only have to visit an optician to see how much most frames will cost!

We all know what a fickle business fashion is; no sooner have you treated yourself to the latest style when a new and more ‘up to date’ one will appear!  To put it in a nutshell, it is impossible to have the most up-too-date designer glasses… because newer ones are going on sale every day.  And this is exactly why laser eye surgery is a far more sensible consideration.

Look at it this way; how much would you willing to spend on a nice pair of glasses?  Because for very little more (and sometimes a whole lot less!) you could have your vision corrected permanently!  But not only will laser eye surgery solve your sight problems it will also have a major positive impact on your finances.  Designer or non-designer; glasses will need to be replaced regularly so not having to wear them at all will save you hundreds of pounds in the long run!

Your eyesight is a very serious business indeed and it is certainly worth a little investment!  If you are considering laser eye surgery, you should always seek out the very highest standards of treatment.  And visiting a vision correction specialist such as http://www.ultralase.com/ will mean that you never need to spend money on designer frames again.  Just like the other 100,000 people they have treated…

Cashmere is a rich and beautiful fabric.  Items made from this lovely material have been coveted for years and it is easy to see why.  If you have ever owned a cashmere garment you will know exactly how soft and luxurious it feels next to your skin.

However, the bad news is that cashmere clothes will often be pretty expensive… unless you know where to look!  Cashmere has always been a costly and sought after material, but since China began cutting its supplies of yarn to protect the Steppes habitat, it has become even more so.

Here are a few ideas to help anyone with a love for this wonderful material but only a limited budget for their clothes –

• Sales (On and Offline!)

Sales are a great place to find cut-price cashmere items, especially those just after Christmas.

You may also come across some reduced cashmere scarves or sweaters during the summer months, simply because they are not wanted at that time of year…  except, that is, by the more discerning shopper!

• Charity Shops/Second Hand Stores

Never underestimate charity shops and second hand stores!  The majority of their donated clothing will have been really well looked after and you can pick up some wonderful garments for an absolute snip.

Cashmere clothing will crop up in charity shops surprisingly often, simply because a lot of people don’t want the hassle of taking it to the dry cleaners (doh!).

• Yard/Garage/Jumble Sales

These types of sale are always worth a visit, especially the fundraising variety.  Many of the more wealthy sponsors may well have given their cashmere cast-offs to the good cause.  And this is where you come into the picture!

• The Internet

It will come as no great surprise that there are plenty of cashmere clothing suppliers online.  However, some will have far lower prices than others so it is worth having a good look around.

If you are planning to look for your cashmere items on the Net, then http://www.purecollection.com is a great place to start looking.  Their range is realistically priced and they have some wonderful garments to consider.

Buying plus size lingerie for your wife or girlfriend can be a really great idea… but only if you get it right.  If you don’t, then it could well turn out to be a tremendously overpriced fiasco which simply ends in tears and bitter disappointment!

Going in to a boutique to purchase a bra or lacy panties is not something that will come naturally to most men so it will often be a pretty daunting business.  However, approaching this in the right way could result in a truly heartfelt and meaningful gift for your special lady (all without causing any serious distress to your bank balance)!

Here are a few tips to help you in your quest –

• What Price?

Only you know how much you want to spend on this gift, so it will be your decision alone.  However, once you have settled on an amount, make sure you stick to it.

If you go spending a ‘little bit extra’ only to find a stocking filler for her as well (excuse the pun), you will end up using far more cash than you intended!

• Which Size? – Part#1

For starters you will need to find out all about your wife’s/girlfriend’s breasts… whoever said that research was boring?  Seriously though, if you just go making a wild guess about her cup size, then you could waste a lot of money on something that simply does not fit.

Have a look at the labels on her present bras and write down as much of the info as possible!

• Which Size? – Part#2

If you walk into a lingerie store and you don’t have any idea of her hip/waist measurement, then you are going to look like a total fool!  Once again, you will need to snoop through her smalls and make a note of her size.

If her collection includes two different sizes, it is always a good idea to opt for the larger one.  Besides, if she thinks you are insinuating that she is fat, you can simply blame it on the poor advice of the shop assistant!

• Which Style

You may well have your own ideas of which undergarments your lady should wear… however, the unfortunate truth is they are probably totally different from her own!

Once again, it is a good idea to check which sort of style she prefers to wear at present.  And if you buy her something along the same lines, then you know you are in safe territory!

We are all aware that online prices are normally much lower than high street ones; so why not visit a supplier such as http://www.Plussize-lingerie.com?  They have a superb selection of plus size underwear at a thoroughly realistic price!

Many of us have a genuine love for fashion and we will thoroughly enjoy wearing the latest styles!  However, when it all comes down to it, there are 2 main ways of shopping for our designer clothes;

1. Buying cheap

2. Spending a little extra

We all try to save money whenever we can, but certain things in life should never be scrimped on…  Think about tea bags or cornflakes for instance (yes, you did read that right, ‘teabags or cornflakes’!). Which of these scenarios is the most appealing?

A)      A nice strong brew and a proper tasty breakfast.

B)       Or a watery, tasteless bowl of mush, a weak cuppa (probably pale grey in colour) and an extra pound in your pocket.

It’s not exactly rocket science, is it?  And it is exactly the same principle with fashion.  Sure, there are plenty of ‘cheap as chips’ designer clothing outlets on our high streets and in our market places, but in reality they do not have very much to offer us at all!  In fact, the chances are that clothing bought from a cut price outlet will be shoddily made, poorly designed and about as ‘authentic’ as a six pound note.  Of course, there are always the odd exceptions and you could get an absolute bargain… but is it really worth the risk???

As you can see, shopping around for designer clothing will put you in a definite ‘teabags and cornflakes’ type of situation.  You don’t want to be paying through the nose, but you will certainly expect your new attire to be half decent!  So this means you should be willing to spend a little extra.  However, that doesn’t mean you are restricted to the highest prices either…

There are several superb designer clothing suppliers on the Net who will have exactly what you are looking for; top quality for just a little bit more money!  A fine example of this is would be http://www.Accentclothing.com.  Not only do they have a great choice of designer garments, but their prices are highly competitive as well.

Put something decent in that breakfast bowl!

Buying gifts for people can be a tricky business at the best of times, but when you are trying to find something for the ‘significant lady’ in your life, it can be genuinely scary!  However, the bottom line is that all women love new clothes.  So, getting her a new item for her wardrobe will mean you are onto a winner; just as long as you carry out some careful research beforehand…

Okay, there are a few important things you will need to know about if you are clothes shopping for your wife or girlfriend –

• Colour

What sort of colours does she wear?  You certainly don’t want to be buying her a beautiful emerald dress if she has an aversion to green!

Take note of her present clothing.  Does she have a fondness for a particular colour?  If you get really stuck, then go and have a look in her wardrobe.

• Size

You could buy your wife/girlfriend the most gorgeous clothes in the world… but if it is not the correct size, she will not be impressed.

Off you go; back to her wardrobe!  And this time take a pen and paper with you…

• Style

Does your lady prefer fresh and ‘finger on the pulse’ designs, something a little more casual?

If you buy her some clothing in a style she does not like, then the chances are that she will simply not wear it!  Take careful note of the type of clothes she prefers!

Alright, now you are tooled-up with the important stuff and you are simply raring to go!  So where are you going to start?  Well there are 2 factors to bear in mind when you are shopping for women’s clothes; quality and affordability.  So if you can find a supplier that offers both of these then you really have struck gold!

There are plenty of women’s clothing outlets to choose from, but the truth is that the best ones will normally be found online!  Internet-based suppliers such as http://www.JDWilliams.co.uk will be able to offer a better choice of quality clothing for a much lower price than their offline rivals.

So there you go; getting the right present for your special lady is far simpler than you thought!

Let’s face it, joining a gym may be a great idea if you want to get fit, but the membership will normally be pretty expensive…  You are probably talking about £50 for each month and you will still have to stand around waiting for a free machine a lot of the time!  Of course, you could see gym membership as being money well spent.  However, this is only true if you go there regularly!

Most gyms will expect you to sign up for twelve months of membership, yet around 60% of members will only attend on a regular basis for the first two months!  There are a number of reasons for this, but the most common one is that it is all such a time-consuming business.  An hour or so for a workout may sound plausible enough until you add on the time it takes to get there and back each day…

So, what is the alternative?  Is there a realistic way of burning off those calories without burning a hole in your pocket at the same time?  Yes, there is; running.  Whilst this is not the world’s most modern type of exercise, it is still worth some very serious consideration.  All that you will need to invest in is some decent trainers such as a pair of Reebok Easytone!

There is a lot to be said for going for a run each day; you will get to know your way around the neighbourhood better, there are different things to see every time you go out and you can listen to all of your favourite tunes whilst you are getting your daily exercise!  In fact, when you think about it all like this; why on earth would anyone want to join a gym in the first place?  No contract to keep, only freedom to consider!

So slip on those Reebok Easytones, plug in your headphones and get out there on the street!  And if you still like the idea of joining a gym, then why not jog there and back each time you go?  That way you will still have an excuse to buy some high quality Reeboks from a good supplier like http://www.JDSports.co.uk!

We all love a good party, don’t we?  It’s a great place to show off our taste in fashionable plus size clothing and getting ready to go is almost as much fun as the party itself!  But tracking down the right dress to wear is not always a straightforward business… especially if you only have a limited amount of money to spend.  So is there a way of finding something suitably stylish for your night out without causing a serious dent in your bank balance?

Well, to begin with, you will need to decide on a style…  Here are a few ideas to help you along –

• Don’t leave it all to the last minute!  Shop around for something in plenty of time to avoid having to settle for second best.  Besides, you want your shopping trip to be enjoyable, not a stressful!

• First of all, have a look around at the latest styles.  You can do this buy leafing through magazines, window shopping or visiting a few fashion pages on the Web.  There are plenty of ideas for dresses on websites like the Daily Mail.  Decide on which of the season’s hottest looks are for you and see what you can find along the same lines.

• Don’t disregard a style without at least giving it a chance!  You may not think that it will suit you, but you could actually be pleasantly surprised…

Okay, so that is all sensible enough advice, but where are you actually going to find your plus sized clothes for a lower price?  Well there are a number of possibilities –

• Online

Internet-based suppliers will normally have a far larger choice than their high street counterparts.  Not only that, but the chances are that you will pay a lot less for your plus size clothes too!

• Sales

It’s always worth having a look through the discontinued stock, even if there is little on offer in plus size.   You only need to be in the right place at the right time to land yourself an absolute bargain!

• Charity Shops

You would be surprised at how many plus size designer garments will end up being donated to charity shops!  Be sure to check regularly though because new items are being put out on the clothes rails every day.

• Auctions

Online auction sites are a great place to buy all manner of different items and plus size clothing is certainly no exception!  And this applies to either new or second-hand garments.

If you decide to get your clothing from an online supplier, then http://www.Plussize-dresses.com are a great place to start.  They have a superb choice of plus size designer garments at highly competitive prices!

Once again the colder months are upon us and many people are getting the urge to escape to warmer climes.  Thousands of holidaymakers set off every year to top winter hotspots such as Anguilla, Cuba, Dubai or The Maldives and it is very easy to see why!

However, this will usually mean shopping around for new swimwear and that can be an expensive business in itself…  especially is you are looking for something in a larger than ‘average’ size.  But the good news is that it’s much easier than you think to find plus size swimwear and you will not have to end up paying through the nose for it either!

Just like anything else, you have to know how to hunt around for the best bargains!  Here are a few useful tips to help you on your way –

• Shop High and Low

You need to look in as many places as possible when you are shopping for plus size swimsuits or bikinis!  Never make the assumption that certain stores will simply not have what you want because you could be very wrong….  They may just have the perfect item for half the price!  Remember; tired feet and a bargain is a better result than not-so-tired feet and an empty shopping back.  Always go that extra mile!

• Make Full Use of the Net

Not only will you find your items for less on the internet (99.9% of the time), but you’ll also have a far better choice!  We all know what a limited selection there is in many of the high street stores…  Online outlets are famous for being cheaper than their offline competitors and plus size swimsuits or bikinis are certainly no exception!

• Don’t Miss Out on any Sales

Make sure that you give your full attention to any sales (on or offline).  Even in the middle of winter, you may well find that perfect plus size swimsuit!

The more discerning bargain-hunter will also be fully aware of outlets such as http://www.Plussize-swimwear.com.  These are a great place to find plus size swimsuits and bikinis without paying a plus size price!

When a girl is getting married all eyes will be on her… however, this doesn’t mean that her mum has to pale into insignificance!  The mother of the bride is actually a really important role and it’s vital to choose the correct outfit for the big day.

However, finding the right dress is a bit of a daunting task.  It is all a bit of a balancing act…  Naturally you will want to look your best, but you do not want to find yourself inadvertently gaining more attention than you should.  All in all, your mother of the bride outfit should blend in with the rest of the wedding party and be in keeping with the bride

Unfortunately, mother of the bride dresses are quite a specialised area and they can be quite expensive.  But there are a few ways of paying less for your outfit…

• Check ALL Clothes Shops

Don’t restrict your search to outlets that specialise in wedding outfits!  There are many dresses to be found in ‘ordinary’ high street stores and many of these will be perfectly adequate for your daughter’s wedding day.

• Make Use of the Internet

When you are looking around for a mother of the bride dress, don’t neglect online suppliers.  In fact, many of these will be able to beat their offline competitors hands down when it comes to price!

• Sales

Yes, even suppliers of mother of the bride dresses will have a sale every so often… and this can be a great time to find exactly what you are after for a fraction of the cost!

But what should you bear in mind when it comes to choosing the right outfit?  Well, here are a few hints and tips to help…  these will point you in the right direction and prevent you from making a costly mistake –

• Avoiding a Clash…

Never wear the same colour dress as the bridal party or you will completely lose your identity!  You can still stick to the same theme without being mistaken as a bridesmaid.  For example, if they are wearing emerald green dresses, then choose something in a lighter shade of green.

• Freedom to Move

Avoid an outfit that is overly tight.  You want to enjoy your daughter’s special day, not sit around wishing that you had chosen something more comfortable to wear!  Also, it will be difficult to dance at the reception if your movements are restricted.

• Understanding Colour

Certain colours are an absolute no-no when it comes to outfits for the mother of the bride.  White is (quite understandably) never an option and even ivory or off-white shades are a bad idea.  Black is far too sombre and red is much too flashy.  However, none of this should be an issue when you are shopping around for the right outfit…  many factors have an effect on price but colour is certainly not one of them!

If you are looking for a great selection of mother of the bride outfits, then http://www.grayandosbourn.co.uk/shop/page?pageId=2994 really are one of the best places to go!  Their extensive range will give you plenty of choice whilst their realistic price tags are a very welcome bonus!

Shopping for plus size clothes can leave your bank balance feeling distinctly bruised and battered, especially when you are buying designer garments!  But there are a few ways to minimise the damage to your purse..

Here are 5 clever ways of getting your plus size clothes for less –

1. Use ‘Real’ Money!

Using a credit or debit card may be the most convenient way of spending, but it is not the best method if you are trying to conserve your cash!  It’s all too easy to overspend with plastic…  However, if you stick to ‘real’ money, then you can keep track of exactly how much you have spent!

2. Consider Clothes Swapping!

Why not get a few of your friend to come round with their unwanted clothing for a ‘garment swapping session’?  It’s surprising how many items most of us will have lurking at the back of our closets!  Who knows what clothes your friends may not want???

3. Think Big, Think Wholesale!

If you are shopping for a large family, then have a look around for some wholesale websites.  These can be a great place to find all manner of plus sized clothes for a fraction of their normal price!  You may have to buy more of each item than you intended to, but it will save you loads of cash in the long run.

4. Here There be Coupons!

There are loads of coupon sites on the Net and these can help you to get clothing for a far better price.  Have a look at a few of the more reputable websites and see what savings there are on offer…

5. Be a Solitary Shopper!

Try to shop for plus size clothing when you are on your own.  If you have a screaming infant to placate or a bored spouse to consider, then you are likely to pay less attention to hunting down the lowest prices.  To put it in a nutshell; distractions cost you money!

These are just a few ways of saving money on plus size clothes, but you should also do your shopping with companies such as http://www.simplybe.com .  They have a great range to choose from and they are well-known for their realistic prices and if you need you some style advice try http://www.moremagazine.co.uk/fashion/

Any lady who is above that ‘perfect dress size’ will know exactly how difficult it can be to find nice designer clothing.  Sure, some high street outlets will have a selection of plus size clothes, but it will often leave a little to be desired!  But there are two important factors to bear in mind;

• Firstly, there is no such thing as a ‘perfect dress size’.  We are all a different size and shape!!

• And secondly, there is more than one way to find your clothing!

Here are 5 cunning techniques to help you get the designer collection you are after without having to pay over the odds –

1. Go Vintage!

It isn’t only modern clothing that looks good… There are some wonderful styles from yesteryear and many of these can be picked up in your local charity shop for a snip!  Go and have a hunt around; who knows what you will find?

2. Swap With Other People.

Many of us will tire with the items in our wardrobe after a few months and a lot of garments will end up gathering dust.  Why not think about swapping these clothes with other people?  After all, one girl’s unwanted top is another girl’s dream!

3. Shop out of Season.

Shopping for plus size clothes at the ‘wrong’ time of year will often lead you to some absolute bargains!  Many stores will sell-off their winter clothing at a super-low price during the summer months and this is great news for the more discerning shopper!

4. Use the Net!!

You will find a far better selection of plus size designer clothing online and it will normally beat high street prices hands down.  Not only that, but you won’t have a long walk home with aching feet when you’ve finished!

5. Borrow From Your Friends.

Why go out and spend money on a new pair of jeans when you can borrow from a friend?  It’s amazing how many items hardly get worn and it’s always a good idea to have a rummage through other people’s wardrobes (with their consent of course…).

These are all great ways of getting your clothes for less, but don’t be overly thrifty with all of your shopping…  After all, every girl deserves a treat now and then!  Suppliers such as http://www.simplybe.co.uk are a wonderful place to shop for women’s plus size garments and their range now includes a superb choice of Joe Browns clothing as seen here http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Simply-Be-the-Home-of-Joe-Browns-Plus-Size-Clothing-1260980.htm

Holidays are meant to be stress free and relaxing, but as Murphy’s Law states, ”anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” Eliminate worry this holiday by booking your airport parking in advance, which can save you both money and a headache.

While your first instinct is to book a taxi, the negatives far outweigh the positives. If the taxi arrives on time, the likelihood of being stuck in traffic is very likely. Since the taxi driver wants to earn as much as possible, the meter will still be running without room to protest. Once you return, the idea of standing in a long queue for a taxi home after a long flight is the last thing you feel like doing.

Even if you turn up on the day you travel to park, the cost can be almost as much as a plane ticket, depending on which airport you fly from. The Guardian published this article, http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/jul/03/save-money-on-holiday, in July which calculated the cost of purchasing parking on the day. Parking for a two-week holiday at the full inflated price can cost you more than £100, or the cost of a few meals out, in some cases. In addition to wasting money, companies almost always charge credit card fees, which you can often avoid if you book in advance.

Escape those fees and grab an easy discount for this year’s holiday by planning ahead. Check out http://www.airport-parking.co.uk/ for the best advice and latest information on airport parking in the UK. With the ability to research more than 20 airports, fast online booking and the ability to save more than 50 per cent, it is easy to see why this site is a specialist in finding affordable airport parking.  Just select the airport, enter in your travel dates, and the site will create a personalised quote for you. Another small benefit of booking in advance is you can use your debit card. It is that simple and takes very little time to book allowing you more time to pack.

We’ve been chatting to our friends at www.justslimming.com to see if they can help you all shed some pounds before the christmas period all hits us hard without impacting your christmas present budget, here’s what they said:

Fad dieting has consumed the minds of men and women around the world for years. Their guarantees of ”fast results” and ”lose a stone in a week” are indeed appealing, especially around the holiday season, but like their promise, are unrealistic. You know you didn’t put a stone on in a week so why do you think you will lose it in the same amount of time?

Our society is tackling the symptom of obesity instead of the cause. According to the NHS, in 2008, the latest year with available figures, just fewer than 32 per cent of women and 42 per cent of men were overweight. Gastric bypass surgery and diets pills are recommended to obese patients, but have major side effects, are expensive and do not always eliminate obesity for the long term. However, the daunting realisation of the time and money needed to effectively lose weight has most women and men signing up for the above options or worse, just avoiding the issue completely.

Ironically, the best way to lose weight is to go back to the basics and use common sense. When we are infants, we have someone decide our portions and the regularity of meals yet all that is undone when we reach adulthood. There are plenty of companies that offer delivered cooked meals and systems that control calories but the truth is weight loss does not have to be expensive or time consuming. As long as you are willing to make some lifestyle changes, it can be quite easy and inexpensive, and very effective.

Here are some tips for losing weight on a budget:

1.    Write down what you eat each day in a journal. By keeping a regular log of your eating habits, it will show you where you are making mistakes and wasting money. It might shock you just how much you are consuming a day. If you eliminate between 500 and 600 calories a day, and add regular exercise you will definitely see results. The Food Standards Agency has a great article about portion control here: http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/eatwellplate/

2.   ”Stay close to the farm,” i.e. eat less processed foods, and eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. Eat healthy fats like nuts and fish, and healthy carbs like oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat bread. Frozen vegetables are good too and are an inexpensive option to keep in your freezer for convenience.

3.   If you have an iPhone, this article on the top 10 free iPhone Apps to lose weight. http://mashable.com/2009/01/03/free-iphone-apps-to-lose-weight/

4.   Take the hard route whenever possible i.e. if there is a choice between stairs and the elevator, choose the stairs more often. If you can walk, choose that over the car.

Weight loss is all about burning slightly more calories than you consume each day and these ideas might just tip the scales in your favour! Good luck…

High street lender Lloyds TSB and its subsidiary Cheltenham & Gloucester (C&G) claim to have been the first mortgage lenders to cut their fixed-rate mortgages following the base rate decision last week.

According to Lloyds TSB, the move follows its decision to pass on to its existing customers with tracker-rate deals the full amount of the Bank of England”s 1.5 per cent interest rate reduction.

Stephen Noakes, marketing director of C&G, said: "We want to do all we can to help our customers in these difficult times."

"Swap rates, which have steadily reduced in recent weeks, have now dropped further so we will pass on these savings," he added.

Fixed-rate products reduced by the lenders include their two-year 60 per cent loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages and its two-year 75 per cent LTV deals.

In related news, the link between the country”s base rate and the interest rates from leading lenders is becoming increasingly "frayed", according to the Independent.

Banks are committed to rebuilding the UK”s beleaguered economy, according to the British Bankers” Association (BBA).

The BBA claims high street mortgage lenders have responded quickly to the monetary policy committee”s decision to slash base rates by 1.5 per cent last week.

According to the association inter-bank lending rates – known as the Libor – have fallen in line with base rate cuts ensuring mortgage providers will soon be able to pass those savings on to their customers.

Chief executive of the BBA Angela Knight says: "Banks are committed to doing their part to help rebuild the UK economy as well as ensuring we help and support all our customers – both lenders and savers."

She claims the industry backs the government”s wish for a strong banking sector in the UK.

In related news, the Daily Mail reports mortgage lenders have pulled "virtually all" of their competitively priced tracker products off the shelf following the base rate decision.

Property has less of an impact on retirement finances than it did last year, according to new research.

A new study carried out by the Alliance Trust shows that ten per cent less retirees felt a home was a major financial contributor to their retirement when compared with last year”s figures.

In 2007 43 per cent said their property provided the biggest supplement to their post-work finances, but that number has fallen to a third this year, putting property behind company pension schemes.

Steve Latto, pensions development manager at the Alliance Trust, said: "While property prices have been growing rapidly over recent years, the onset of the credit crunch has had noticeable effects on the housing market."

In related news, an independent financial services firm told the Financial Times that now was the best time to consider equity release schemes.

According to Key Retirement Solutions, over-55s have on average £11,000 outstanding on their mortgages and with property prices falling waiting could reduce the value of any equity release scheme signed up for.

Lenders are expected to not pass on the full benefits of further rate cuts to their customers, it has been claimed.

According to the Independent, analysts expect the Bank of England to cut the base rate again this week.

However, the chief operating officer of HSBC David Hodgkinson told the news provider customers could expect some "stickiness" in mortgage rates even if the monetary policy commission pushes through a decision to cut rates by a further 0.5 per cent.

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Vince Cable was outraged by Mr Hodgkinson”s comments saying: "When the whole banking industry owes so much to taxpayers for their very survival, any bank will find itself on very thin ice if it is found to be unfairly profiteering from its customers."

HSBC claimed customers would see their mortgage rates drop if the Bank cut the base rate, but said to maintain sustainability in lending it had to take into account its own borrowing costs.

Meanwhile, the Telegraph states that the Bank is facing demands for a one per cent cut in the interest rates.

There has been an increase in the number of first-time buyers entering the property market, according to new research.

A study by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) shows its members saw a rise in first-time buyers purchasing property from 8.3 per cent in August to 9.5 per cent in September.

The claims follow Bank of England figures that mortgage lending in the UK increased during the same period.

Mortgage approvals climbed from their all-time low in August to 23,422 in September, the Bank states.
Leslie Deans, senior partner of Leslie Deans and Co, said: "Things are now considerably better than they were six weeks ago."

"Although the days of 100 per cent mortgages are gone, more lenders are back to offering 90 per cent mortgages," he added.

In related news, Mervyn King, governor of the Bank, has been accused of not dealing with the worst economic downturn since the early 1990s and focussing on rising inflation, reports the Telegraph.

High street bank Abbey has boosted the rates of its tracker products ahead of the expected Bank of England base rate cut.

The new pricing will effect new borrowers with a small deposit and those remortgaging who have very little equity.

Abbey”s two and three-year fixed rate tracker mortgages will rise in price by 0.5 per cent – the amount by which the monetary policy committee is expected to drop rates this week.

The bank”s two-year products will have a new rate of 6.29 per cent while its three-year tracker will increase to 6.19 per cent.


Abbey claimed it was copying other lenders by hiking rates.

"Despite difficult market conditions Abbey has continued to provide competitive mortgage deals for all our customers across our range," a spokesman for the bank said.

In related news, David Hodgkinson, chief operating officer at HSBC, said customers may not feel the full benefit from a potential rate cut.

Mortgage lenders that fail to pass on the monetary policy committee”s (MPC) base rate cut to borrowers are "shameful", according to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).

The NAEA claims that lenders who fail to reduce their customers interest repayments are defying the government and acting against the wishes of the industry.

"Lenders involved in this damaging standoff should be ashamed of the lack of commitment that they have shown to helping house-hunters," the NAEA states.

Last week, the MPC surprised analysts by dropping the base rate by 1.5 per cent – the largest amount in 27 years – but the NAEA believes thousands of hard-working British families will be impacted by lenders failing to pass on the savings.

In related news, many mortgage providers have clauses in their contracts that put a lower limit on interest rates, according to the Daily Mail.

Director of mortgage broker Savills Private Finance Melanie Bien told the news provider that borrowers should read their mortgage contract carefully before signing.

The monetary policy committee has cut the base rate yesterday (November 6th) by 1.5 per cent.

According to a statement from the Bank, the global banking system has experienced its "most serious disruption" in the past 100 years but claimed the moves made by national banks to restore confidence in the financial were reducing pressure on economies.

The Bank stated that it would be a while before the mortgage and credit markets began loosening as a result of the decision to drop rates by the largest amount since 1981.

"Residential investment has fallen sharply and the prospects for business investment have weakened," the Bank said.

Adding: "Economic conditions have also deteriorated in the UK”s main export markets."

The monetary policy committee had to balance the upward pressure created by the faltering economy and the downward pressure of inflation – which remains above the government”s two per cent target.

Meanwhile, interest rates in Europe are higher than those in the UK for the first time since the European single currency was introduced in 1999.

High street banks must pass on savings to their mortgage customers after the biggest base rate cut in more than 25 years, it has been claimed.

According to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), the ball is firmly in the court of the banks following the monetary policy committee”s decision to knock 1.5 per cent off the interest rate – taking it to three per cent.

“We are calling on all of the major lenders to commit to passing these savings onto the consumers,” the NAEA said.

Adding: “That will help hard working families … [and] young people looking to buy their first property.”

The group said the rate reduction could boost consumer confidence and address the increasing problem of repossession.

According to the Bank, the cut was made to address the “very marked deterioration” in Britain”s economic outlook, which is pushing the country close to a recession.

A new range of fixed-rate mortgages exclusive to intermediaries has been introduced by Newcastle Building Society.

The high street lender claims the two new fixed-rate deals show it is committed to the intermediary market.

Both of the new products are two-year deals lasting until November 2010.

The first mortgage has a rate of 5.85 per cent and comes with a reservation fee of £99 and a completion fee of £999.

Newcastle”s second deal has the same duration, a rate of 6.25 per cent and comes with a free valuation, free legal fees and no completion or reservation costs.

Steven Marks, lending and operations executive at Newcastle Building Society, said: “Exclusively for intermediaries, we are pleased to offer two new competitive fixed-rate products, which offer a choice of rates and fees.”

In related news, director of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries Robert Sinclair has welcomed the Bank of England”s base rate reduction.

Alliance & Leicester has cut its fixed-rate mortgage products prior to a decision on interest rates by the monetary policy committee.

The three discounted deals will be available in all the mortgage lenders high-street branches and through its Mortgage Direct phone service.

Alliance & Leicester has cut the cost of its two and three-year fixed-rate mortgages and its five-year FeeSaver product by 0.2 per cent each.

Head of mortgage products at Alliance & Leicester Richard Taylor said: "Lower Swap rates mean we have been able to cut our fixed rate mortgage products."

"Our fixed rate mortgages offer competitive rates for those who seek budgetary certainty by fixing their monthly payments," he added.

Each of the cut-price deals offer borrowers and overpayment facility and have a loan-to-value of 75 per cent.

In related news, HSBC has said that borrowers should not expect to receive the full benefit of any potential base rate reduction.

Government intervention in the banking sector has boosted consumer confidence, it has been claimed.

According to mortgage lender Nationwide”s Consumer Confidence Index, in spite of the economic downturn, confidence increased by eight per cent in October.

Consumer spirits were higher last month than they have been since December 2007, the new research by Britain”s biggest building society showed.

However, two-thirds of those surveyed believed now is a bad time to buy property as property prices are expected to fall a further 5.6 per cent in the next six months – an increase on September”s prediction of 4.6 per cent.

Fionnuala Earley, Nationwide”s chief economist said: “With the economy heading into recession, there will be bumpy times ahead for the UK consumer and it is likely to be some time before confidence returns to the level of a year ago.”

Meanwhile, consumer watchdog Which? said mortgage lenders need to put customers first after receiving taxpayers money.

A pair of mortgage brokers have been banned by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) after the watchdog uncovered “serious failings”.

Homeplan directors Edward and Ronald Allen did not ensure their financial advice was relevant or of an acceptable standard, the FSA said.

The body also found that Edward Allen failed to delegate his workload effectively during a protracted absence from the company.

Jonathan Phelan, head of retail enforcement at the FSA, said: “Both directors lacked the competence and capability needed to make sure their firm delivered good quality mortgage advice.”

“The FSA first identified problems … during a visit in 2006,” he added.

As a result Homeplan has had its trading licence revoked by the authority.

Meanwhile, mortgage brokers Abbey for Intermediaries and Alliance & Leicester Intermediary have begun sharing senior management staff.

The pair, which are both owned by Santander, have joined forces but have no further integration plans.

The Bank of England”s monetary policy committee (MPC) is coming under increasing pressure to cut the base rate by one per cent on Thursday.

Both the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) are pressuring the institution to drop rates.

Director-general of AMI Chris Cummings said that public intervention was essential to prevent further turmoil in the housing market and that the first step should be a cut in interest rates.

The CBI originally demanded a 0.5 per cut but doubled that when the economy edged closer to recession.

John Cridland, deputy director-general at the CBI, said: “We have talked to businesses of all shapes and sizes across the UK, and the need for a further rate cut is clear.

He claimed that the recession will be longer and deeper than expected unless the MPC issues some “strong medicine”.

The CBI claims to be the leading business lobby group in Britain.

Halifax has called on the government to introduce a regulation framework for the sale and rent back sector.

The high street bank is demanding improved transparency for customers, a method of recourse for those mis-sold policies and the introduction of a compensation scheme.

Joe Higgins, head of mortgages for Halifax said: “If homeowners are in trouble, they need the highest levels of support in the form of transparency and an appropriate level of protection.”

He added that the Halifax claimed the sector should not go unregulated for any longer than is absolutely necessary.

A study by the Office of Fair Trading showed there are more than 1,000 firms offering borrowers struggling with their mortgage repayments sale and rent back services.

Meanwhile, in a letter to Gareth Thomas, minister for trade, investment and consumer affairs, Scottish deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon called on the government to put a stop to the mis-selling of rent back schemes, the Herald reports.

Skipton and Scarborough building societies are set to merge in order to survive the turmoil in the financial markets.

The two institutions claim they are well matched and the merger will make them better able to deal with any future uncertainties.

David Cutler will be the chief executive of the new combined society, which will take on the Skipton Building Society name.

Current chief executive of Skipton Building Society John Goodfellow said: “I am delighted that the societies are merging and this is beneficial to members.”

“By joining forces, these two societies will create a significant force in the building society sector,” he added.

The deal will be pushed through under section 42B(3)(b) of the Building Societies Act and the new merged society has guaranteed customers it will maintain its high street presence in all the towns both societies currently operate in.

Meanwhile, in September, Nationwide took over Cheshire and Derbyshire building societies.

Nationwide has dropped the cost of its two-year fixed-rate mortgages.

Britain”s biggest building society said that the new rates make it one of the most competitive lenders in the marketplace.

The institution has cut its fee free two-year fixed-rate mortgage from 6.46 to 5.99 per cent and reduced the rate on its two-year deal with an administration fee of £599 from 6.08 to 5.59 per cent.

Nationwide has also dropped the rate on its two-year fixed-rate deal with a fee of £999 to 5.49 per cent.

Matthew Carter, divisional director for mortgages at the mortgage lender, said: "We are pleased to be able to cut the price of some of our fixed-rate deals."

He added that market conditions remained unpredictable and that the society would "continue to monitor and respond to market conditions".

According to Nationwide”s monthly house price index, property prices continued to plummet, losing value for the twelfth consecutive month in September of this year.

High street lender Abbey has reduced the rates on its fixed-rate products by up to 0.35 per cent.

The bank cut the rates on four of its mortgages and introduced a new five-year fixed-rate deal.

Abbey”s biggest reduction was applied to its two-year deal with a loan-to-value (LTV) of 75 per cent, which was cut by 0.35 percentage points to 5.54 per cent.

The deal has an administration fee of £995.

Nici Audhlam Gardiner, director of Abbey Mortgages, said: "Despite the challenging market conditions our mortgage business has gone from strength to strength as our results showed earlier in the week."

She added: "This is in large part down to our competitive deals."

Other rate drops affect Abbey”s two and three-year 60 per cent LTV deals and its three and five-year fixed rate products with an LTV of 75 per cent.

Abbey also introduced a five-year deal with a £499 fee and a rate of 5.49 per cent.

The bank took over struggling lenders Bradford & Bingley and Alliance & Leicester earlier this year.

More than a quarter of a million English homes were empty in April of last year, according to new research.

Mortgage lender HBOS said the figure was lower than the 308,438 that were unfilled in April 2003.

Empty homes in 17 local authorities account for more than three per cent of total English housing stock.

The majority of the 17 council”s with a higher percentage of unused properties than the national average – which stood at 1.5 per cent last year – are in the north-west.

Chief economist at Halifax Martin Ellis said: "It is highly encouraging that the number of private empty homes in England has declined by nearly a tenth over the past four years."

"[But] remains a significant problem in a number of areas," he added.

In related news, the Bank of England said the number of mortgage approvals climbed in September for the first time in more than year.

House prices have fallen for 12 consecutive months since November last year, according to new research.

Nationwide”s latest monthly house price index shows that an average house is worth 14.6 per cent less than it was in October of last year after falling by a further 1.4 per cent this month.

A typical home now costs £158,872 – almost £30,000 less than peak values recorded in 2007 but almost £30,000 more when compared with prices in 2003.

Fionnuala Earley, Nationwide”s Chief Economist, said: "Consumers still expect prices to continue to fall into 2009 and will therefore be reluctant to trade without some discount on the asking price."

She added that this type of stalemate severely limits the number of transactions taking place and adds to the downward pressure on house prices.

According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, with Britain”s economy teetering on the brink of recession short-term house price recovery is unlikely.

Net mortgage lending by British building societies increased in September to £314 million, according to new research.

However, the Building Societies Association (BSA) claims the value of mortgages offered by lenders was down 47 per cent when compared with last September.

Meanwhile, gross mortgage lending by building societies fell to £3.1 billion, a drop of more than a fifth over the past 12 months, and the BSA blamed buyers” reluctance to enter the housing market for the decline.

Commenting on the figures, Adrian Coles, director general of the BSA, said: "With confidence amongst potential homebuyers low, it is no surprise that mortgage lending is down on last year."

"Nevertheless, the increase in net lending in September is to be welcomed," he added.

In related news, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Natwest have both introduced new two-year fixed-rate mortgage deals and have increased lending to new customers by 28 per cent year-on-year, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Property prices in the UK have fallen for 12 consecutive months, according to new statistics.

Data from Nationwide”s monthly house price index shows that the average price of a home was £152,872 in October, down from £161,797 in September.

This represents a price drop of 1.4 per cent in the past month.

Nationwide”s chief economist Finnuala Earley notes that this is almost a £30,000 drop from a year ago.

"House prices in the UK fell for the twelfth consecutive month in October. The price of a typical house is now 14.6 per cent lower than at this time last year, the peak of the market," she adds.

Meanwhile, the Land Registry”s house price index highlights an eight per cent drop in house prices over the past 12 months, placing the average value of a property in the UK at £168,814.

The body”s report claims that every region in England and Wales has experienced a decrease in average property values.

The rise in the number of people struggling with their mortgage repayments who have had their properties repossessed is being sensationalised by the media, it has been claimed.

According to the Intermediary Mortgages Lenders Association (IMLA), talking up the number of repossessions is damaging confidence in the market and needs to be kept in perspective.

"Lenders and indeed the government are working to keep people in their homes by offering better advice to those in difficulty and working to develop ways to avoid possession if at all possible," the association claims.

The IMLA said that in the second quarter of this year there were 11,054 repossessions, an increase from of 6,476 when compared with figures from the same period last year.

However, the group said that if repossessions hit their predicted volume of 40,000 by the end of the year, they will account for one per cent of outstanding mortgages.

Meanwhile the Council of Mortgage Lenders predicts 45,000 people will lose their homes by the end of 2008.

The prospect of recession will subdue any recovery in the mortgage market, it has been claimed.

According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), aggressive interest rate cuts and the reduced cost of inter-bank lending offers some encouragement for the market.

The Bank of England”s latest mortgage approval figures show there was an increase in lending during September at more than twice the predicted volumes.

Rics said the figures released by the Bank show a step in the right direction but added that the banking system is "in a fragile and opaque state".

"With money being thrown at the markets the world over, real assets could fall into favour over the coming years once a bottom appears in sight," the institution claimed.

Mortgage approvals rose to 33,000 last month after reaching a record low of 32,000 in August.

The increase marks the first rise in mortgage lending since June 2007 – a month before property prices peaked.

Britain”s biggest building society has teamed up with the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to provide free financial advice.

Nationwide will provide £3 million to the three-year partnership to help with the recruitment and training of 1,300 volunteers.

The volunteers will provide advice on money matters and financial issues across the UK.

Maxine Taylor, director for corporate affairs at mortgage lender Nationwide, says: "Our new partnership with the CAB will fit excellently with our existing financial capability programmes."

David Harker, chief executive of the CAB, added: "Debt problems continue to be the number one issue seen in the bureau."

Last year the CAB dealt with 1.7 million debt problems in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – more than 6,500 cases every working day.

According to figures published by the Financial Services Authority today, the number of new mortgage arrears cases has remained constant since early 2007 at around 54,000 each quarter and the total amount of arrears debt stands at £1.6 billion.

House prices have dropped by eight per cent in the past year, according to the Land Registry.

In the organisation”s house price index, the average house price in England and Wales fell by 2.2 per cent in September, continuing the strong downward trend in value.

The Land Registry claims the average house price in the two countries now stands at £168,814.

"Every region in England and Wales experienced a decrease in their average property values over the last 12 months," the report claimed.

Sales volumes have also continued their decline, with the average number of sales falling to 57,887 between April and July of this year.

Meanwhile, Conwy county borough experienced the biggest annual fall in property values with a 10.6 per cent decrease.

According to the Press Association, house builder Persimmon has announced a £600 million write down on its land bank after further price falls in the ailing property market.

Mortgage lending in the UK is of a much higher standard than in the US, according to the Intermediary Mortgages Lenders Association (IMLA).

Following the government”s Financial Stability Report, the IMLA said: "Lending standards in the UK have been more rigorous than in the US and the rise in possessions is largely due to a worsening credit environment rather than poor lending."

The IMLA claims that lax lending standards in the US coupled with plummeting house prices has crippled confidence in the residential mortgage backed securities market.

In the UK the securitisation model is down but not out, the organisation states.

According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the quality of underlying mortgage credit in Britain has never been the primary issue at the heart of the liquidity problems faced by borrowers.

However, the CML claims the reduction in new lending is having an impact on existing mortgages.