Author Archives: Kelly

Best of British: Get the look

If your Bank holiday jubilee weekend is set to involve plenty of socialising now’s the time to get your wardrobe in order.  Whether you are attending a cute and kitsch tea party in your street or hitting the clubs for a Jubilee extravaganza, you’ll need to make sure you are looking your royal best. Here are three ways to put a Jubilee twist on your outfit:

1)   Take style tips from one of the more stylish royals. After the last big royal event it’s probable that your muse is more likely to be Kate Middleton than Princess Eugene, with this in mind, you may want to check out the blog whatkatewore, which documents what the lady of the moment where’s to all of her public appearances.

2)   Think red, white and blue. The simplest way to display your patriotism is by opting for an outfit in Union Jack colours. Unless you are really going for full out fancy dress it’s probably best to choose a tasteful evening dress in red, white OR blue,  rather than following in the footsteps of Geri Halliwell in her Ginger Spice days (see here) you’ll find that choosing one or at the most two flag shades is a little more tasteful.

3)   If you want a truly unique and out there dress and can’t see what’s wrong with channelling Ginger Spice, it’s time to get crafting. The Union Jack dress worn by Geri to the Brit Awards in 1997 was apparently fashioned out of a tea towel by her sister – now that’s a novel way you could get some extra use out of a commemorative Jubilee tea towel…

Has Abbey Clancey had her pout plumped?

Has she or hasn’t she seems to be the question on everyone’s lips when it comes to Abbey Clancey and, erm, lip fillers. The model, new mum and wife of England striker Peter Crouch recently tweeted some pics of herself taking part in a fashion shoot, where her face was hidden by her long blonde fringe. However, her trademark plump pout gave her away.

Abbey’s lips have been the subject of controversy of late, with many suggesting she might have been dabbling with non-surgical fillers in order to boost their profile. The WAG seems to be taking the claims in her stride though and even made a joke of the rumours on Twitter when she posted a photo of herself with a pair of fake lips over her mouth with the caption: “I swear I haven’t had my lips done!”

For those not in the know, fillers are commonly used to plump out thin lips in order to make them appear more prominent. They are also used to smooth out lines and wrinkles in the face, which is sometimes used in conjunction with Botox to produce what can be called a ‘liquid facelift’.

Whether Abbey has had fillers or not remains to be seen, but there are plenty of celebs who have not been so coy about their use of the non-surgical procedure, including Katie Price and Amy Childs.

FTA analyses tyres of UK fleets

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has carried out a wide-ranging survey on the state of tyres in UK fleets, including factors such as tread depth, under-inflation and the condition of the side wall. Fleet managers with Staveley Head Lorry Insurance may wish to take notice of the FTA’s findings, which could help them to avoid accidents and improve efficiency.

According to FTA analysis, tread depth, cuts and objects in the tread accounted for nearly 60 per cent of all defects found – and are easy problems to identify with regular checks and maintenance. “Tyre care plays a huge part in a vehicle’s road safety performance, for example underinflation will affect vehicle handling and braking performance while increasing fuel consumption and tyre wear,” said Alan Osborne, the organisation’s director of vehicle inspections.

He went on to say that tyre defects can go on to cause other potential costs, such as test failures, roadside checks and potentially greater targeting by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, all of which could prove a major headache for fleet managers looking to save money. The FTA advised drivers to be particularly mindful of their tread depth during the winter weather, as worn tyres lead to a higher rate of accidents through skidding.

Brits urged to share with friends

The organisation charged with promoting inbound tourism in Britain has launched a campaign urging Brits to share their Britain with friends and family from abroad. Using the slogan ‘share your GREAT Britain,’ VisitBritain are promoting the concept of boosting tourism by inviting people you know to visit the country.

Of course, individuals and businesses can do their bit in welcoming those from afar by offering appealing and convenient accommodation for guests. If you have a second home, you may want to consider offering your property for let through specialists such as Rent My Cottage.

A host of celebrities, including Jamie Oliver, Matt Smith and Dame Judi Dench are involved with the campaign, which hopes to tap into the enthusiasm generated by this year’s London Olympic Games and Royal Jubilee.

If you fancy inviting some long last relatives or old university friends over for a visit – you may want to take advantage of the 10 GREAT Reasons app, or other tools on the VisitBritain website. These will help you create personal invites for your global network in order to persuade them to pop over and absorb some Great British culture.

Tourism Minister John Penrose said of the campaign: “This is an innovative and personal way of encouraging more visitors to the UK and comes at a time when we want to ensure Britain is top of everyone’s holiday wish list.”

Is now the time to take your career down under?

With the economic situation in the UK remaining somewhat bleak, many individuals are reassessing their working future on home soil and pondering a life overseas. Australia has been a traditional destination for Brits choosing to emigrate. Each year, thousands of Brits sell up, change their pounds sterling into Australian dollars and head for new lives down under. So, is this a good plan right now?

It’s actually quite tricky to be accepted for admittance into Australia due to their working visa policies. The country has traditionally worked on a points system in order to help fill gaps in their workforce. The good news is Australia has recently announced a boost to its immigration quota! According to recent news reports there will now be an extra 5000 spaces available each year in order to help shortfalls in certain sectors of the economy.

If you’ve never been to Australia, you’ll undoubtedly want to take a trip there before pondering a big move! To make sure you get the most from your visit check out some advice from regular visitors such as Kate Gerraway, who wrote this article for the MailOnline.

How to tackle a big city move

Moving cities can be daunting, especially if you are relocating a great distance away from your existing home. In addition to the hard work and stress, moves can also be expensive and place a large amount of financial pressure on individuals and their families. If you need to move due to work commitments, here are a few starting points to help you on your way to a successful life in a new city.

1) Consider alternative options if you have problems selling

The property market isn’t what it once was and if you have problems selling your existing home then it could scupper your ability to bag your dream property in the big move. If you are up against it timewise, consider seeking the help of a property buying firm, or look into the possibility of letting out your property and becoming a landlord.

2) Make sure you know your new area

Do plenty of research before you choose where you want to live in your new city, as well as looking at the catchment areas for schools you may want to check out the level of crime in different zones to see if you could potentially be moving into a hotspot.

3) Barter for the best deal

You will be relying on many companies to get you moving – starting of course with a removal firm and potentially including other service firms such as cleaners. Make sure you obtain a range of quotes from competing firms to bag yourself the best deal.

Three things you may not consider about pet insurance

There are a number of things that, when evaluating a Pets at Home Insurance policy, you may be likely to overlook. By reading these tips, you, your much-loved furry friend and your wallet will be less affected by the possibility of an accident or injury to a pet.

Never lie about your circumstances

If you think it’s easy to lie about circumstances relating to your pet, you are wrong – insurance form is, quite simply, fraud. Insurance can be invalidated and, in the worst situation, criminal prosecution can be levelled against you. Ensure you disclose every part of your pet’s medical history, or you could be in for a very tough time.

Microchipping is worth consideration

It’s worth considering microchipping a pet. During the procedure, a chip is inserted under a pet’s fur before being registered. A scanner reading allows a pet to be returned to its owner if it gets lost. The average cost for this is £20 to £30 per pet, though insurers give discounts on premiums if a pet is been fitted with one, so you could get immediate returns.

Don’t forget yearly injections

Make sure that your furry friend has proper vaccinations, getting the certificates to prove it. If you’re not bothered or forget to keep them up to date, it could mean you invalidate your insurance.

Americans increasingly saving money with pet insurance

It seems like more and more Americans are seeing the light with pet insurance, saving themselves plenty of money on life-threatening injuries to their furry friends much like fellow customers in the UK using specialists like http://www.castlecover.co.uk/ to protect family pets.

USA Today looked into recent trends regarding the policies taken out by individuals up and down the nation, discovering that regular check-ups and surgeries for most dog or cat owners came in at around $650 (£400) in vet bills last year, according to a very recent survey by the American Pet Products Association.

The news provider also found that the number of pet insurance providers had grown by a whopping ten times since the end of the last decade, mainly because people want to save money in any way they can. Until 1997, there was only one pet insurance provider in all of the US: Veterinary Pet Insurance.

Jeanne Salvatore, spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, told the publication? “It’s definitely a niche insurance product, and we’re seeing a general rise in these specialty insurance products. The one thing you need to do with all specialty insurance is look at how much it costs and what you would get back.”

Is buying second hand more financially savvy

Buying second hand can often save you a considerable amount, particularly on big tag items – but is it always the most financially savvy option? We took three products and pondered the question: “Is buying second hand savvier?”

Cars

Many individuals don’t have the option of buying new when it comes to cars if they aren’t prepared to buy using credit and this can drive their decision making. But, there are other reasons people buy second hand. Looking at a reliable and popular car model like a Vauxhall Astra – which is the tenth most popular car in the UK, you can buy a second hand model for upwards of a grand. In comparison, you’d be looking at spending up to £15,000 on a brand new one straight off the garage forecourt. Insurance for a second hand car is also likely to be far cheaper. Weighing in on the opposing side is the fact that new cars are covered by a warranty, so if anything needs repaired you won’t need to foot the bill. In addition, many new cars feature lower or zero emission engines that result in paying lower road tax rates or not having to pay road tax at all.

Clothes

While buying on eBay or in charity shops may allow you to grab a bargain, buying second hand doesn’t always equal cheap when it comes to clothes. In recent years the vintage look has become very fashionable and many shops and online sites have monopolised on this, causing the price of second hand clothing to rise. Don’t let this put you off entirely though, with a bit of nouse you can still find bargains on the racks and if you have a talent for spotting them, you could even try selling them on at a profit.

Mobile phones

Keeping up with the Jones’s costs dear when it comes to mobile phones and many people allow themselves to be tied into long-term contracts with service providers in order to get their hands on the latest models for free. It’s far cheaper to buy a second hand mobile or even an older model and take your pick of rolling tariffs. And of course, if you’d like a little cash towards your purchase you can always sell your old mobile to one of the many online mobile phone buyers.

Brits ‘unsure about their debt levels’

One in ten Britons are unsure about their level of debt, according to new research.

A study by CreditExpert.co.uk has revealed that, although 96 per cent of respondents initially claimed to be familiar their finances, further probing proved that they were not.

It was also noted that only one in four people know how much they have left to pay back on their loans, while a fifth admit to only planning their finances every six months.

Jim Hodgkins, managing director for CreditExpert.co.uk, said that it was “alarming” people knew so little about the state of their finances, adding: “Keeping track of your commitments and planning for the future are always important.”

Other findings which emerged from the research included that people are not confident about applying for loans, with 23 per cent of those questioned expecting to be turned down for a loan of £1,000 and 42 per cent believing they would be refused £10,000.

In related news, MoneyExpert.com has revealed that some 38 per cent of people with debts are concerned about their ability to pay back their loans.