Clever consumers” regularly check credit reports

Savvy consumers check their credit reports regularly, according to one expert.

James Jones, the consumer education manager at Experian, said that as loans are becoming increasingly difficult to get hold of, consumers need to take steps to maximise their chance of having an application accepted.

He added that lenders often rely on credit histories to help decide whether or not they accept somebodys application, which is why he advises that people should check their information is up-to-date.

Mr Jones added that lenders are also using credit histories to help determine what rates of interest they should charge people.

“Clever consumers are checking their credit reports to make sure that all the information is correct,” he concluded.

Recent research from CreditExpert.co.uk highlighted that many would-be borrowers are not confident that they would be given a loan.

Some 23 per cent of those polled said they would expect to be turned down for a loan of £1,000, while 42 per cent were unsure they could secure £10,000 worth of credit.

Zero per cent balance transfers ‘most important feature for a credit card’

Research has suggested that zero per cent interest on balance transfer credit cards are still the most popular type of plastic.

A study conducted by the Fair Investment Company highlighted that 21 per cent of respondents listed zero per cent balance transfer as the most important feature in a credit card.

Competitive rates and no annual fee were joint second factors that people take into consideration when applying for a new card with 18 per cent of people ranking them as important.

Features which offer nothing to the consumer were deemed the least important, with just three per cent of respondents claiming that design played a role in selecting a card.

A number of people (11 per cent) said that a card which was free to use abroad would be their top choice.

Meanwhile, it was recently reported that Brits are finding it harder to switch financial products such as mortgages and credit cards, with MoneyExpert.com noting a 17 per cent drop in the number of people switching such products.

Expert: Store cards aren’t a quick fix

Consumers are being warned that store cards do not offer a “quick fix” to their financial problems.

According to Credit Choices, increasing numbers of people are opting for store cards over credit cards.

The company quotes Debenhams chief executive Rob Templeman as saying that people are relying on store plastic as they are using their credit cards to pay for everyday bills.

It adds that over the past six months 1.8 million UK credit card holders have had their credit limit reduced, with thousands having their credit cards taken away from them completely.

However, Chris Eagle, commercial manager at Credit Choices, states that borrowing money on a store card is the most expensive way to do so, due to the high interest rates,

“Consider applying for and using an adverse credit card before relying on a store card,” he adds.

Meanwhile, according to a Fair Investment Company poll, zero balance transfers are the most popular credit card feature among consumers.

Great marketing tips for a new business on a bootstrap budget

In this financial climate, it seems more important than ever to have a unique and strong marketing initiative that is capable of delivering tangible results, making your company memorable to potential clients both big and small. With certain ideas in partnership with the likes of Ideas by Net, organisations will have fantastic marketing ideas at their fingertips.

Firstly, promotional items by Ideasbynet.com can give a constant companion to potential clients in the form of a pen, folder or even a cap or T-shirt. The best thing is that, particularly with the likes of pens, they act as a mobile billboard that can pass through the hands of dozens of people. So long as it’s a good quality choice, you can guarantee your brand will be in circulation for a long time.

If you plan to offer discounts to customers, don’t go overboard – be unpredictable. How great would it be for a customer if they called you up and you said that you would drop your prices by ten per cent for no reason? The buzz that could generate for this act of kindness is the sort of thing that would spread online and by word of mouth.

Finally, one of the most important things about having a brand is giving it the story it deserves. Consider how the rise to fame of Richard Branson and Alan Sugar has affected their businesses; by personifying a company, you get more of a response from clients because they prefer dealing with people over faceless organisations.

Does reading in poor light damage your eyesight?

It has long been thought that reading in insufficient light can be bad for your eyes, potentially contributing to the need for glasses or even laser eye treatment from http://www.ultralase.com. However, one academic begs to differ. In research-based magazine The Conversation, Harrison Weisinger, foundation director of optometry studies at Deakin University, said this is nothing more than an old wives’ tail – although it is possible to give yourself a sore head and eyes.

According to Mr Weisinger, reading in dim light is only possible when there is enough light around for the cones in the eyes to pick up a signal. We only really use the cones in the centre of our vision, and readers can test this for themselves by looking directly up at the stars on a clear night – they can only be seen by looking slightly to the side of them, as cones are designed for close-up vision only.

“Of course, eyestrain – the feeling of tired or aching eyes and headache – may indicate that you need glasses, or perhaps the glasses you’re wearing may need an update,” the expert went on to say.

“If you are concerned about the health of your eyes, see your optometrist for a check up.”

Mens new colours revealed in Paris Fashion Week

Kicking off the Paris Fashion Week on 18th January, Mugler revealed their out of this world theme for men’s autumn/winter 2012-13 style. The new collection featured sharply tailored, heavily textured capes and layered suits. It focused on shades of maroon, navy blue and rich dark green, together with black, white and grey.

Fashion-conscious men should seek out navy blue and deep burgundy items to team with dark grey outfits, ready for the coming autumn season. You can find these colours on the high street for a slice of the designer price, such as this burgundy hoody http://www.bankfashion.co.uk/men/brand/jack-and-jones/ amongst other well-tailored yet wallet friendly men’s clothing at BANK Fashion.

In Mugler’s collection, organic materials and fabrics were given a plastic, rubber or lacquered coating for a glossy finish and most of the pieces had a metallic high shine, reflecting the outer space-inspired style, although this aspect of the clothing is a statement on the catwalk, it is unlikely to filter through to everyday wear.

Renowned as Lady Gaga’s stylist, Nicola Formichetti – creative director of the French fashion house – wanted to explore the idea of male heroes, using padding and tailoring giving the models a “superhuman” aspect in their appearance and proportions.

Formichetti explained: “It is that exaggerated, heroic silhouette, hyper-masculine and formal that we were interested in, and how it transforms men.”

Getting your Olympic party up and running

It’s now a mere 64 days until the London 2012 Olympics start and the nation is starting to get a little bit excited. Why not celebrate the event with friends and family by holding your own gathering? The cost of tickets to attend the big event may have been steep, but thanks to the huge coverage on TV you need not miss any of the excitement, in fact – you can even create your own.

If your social group are sporty types, why not organise your own mini Olympics, complete with sporting gear as worn by the athletes?  If your crowd is less athletic and more arm chair, try holding a Wii Olympics instead – it can still provide a great fun atmosphere and get things moving. Get everyone motivated by making your own medals and carrying out a mini awards ceremony at the end of the night.

To really keep your party on theme – and keep costs down – why not ask everyone to bring some themed food and drinks with them? This could be anything from food shaped into javelins, rowing boats and basketballs, through to foods from all of the nations taking part in the Olympics. This article has some great ideas.

How to save money when decorating your infant’s bedroom.

If you’ve got a baby at home or one on the way, it’s likely that you’ve given some thought to how you want to decorate his or her room, and it’s almost certain that the words blue, pink and neutral have passed your lips more than once. But as long as your baby has everything it needs in terms of milk, toys and a comfy bed, they won’t mind what colour their room is, which puts you firmly in charge of the decor!

You might not know it, but there are some definitely dos and donts when it comes to decorating a baby’s or toddler’s room and the most obvious is to not theme the room. Why? Because theming can become quite expensive if the theme stretches to bed linen, curtains and other soft furnishings, and as your baby grows they’ll eventually want something different. Another don’t is to let younger children make the final decision when it comes to decorating their rooms as they’re known for changing their minds at the drop of a hat. What you can do instead is listen to what they want and guide them to a decision that suits you both.

Definite dos include building as much storage into the room as possible to keep all those toys and clutter at bay, choosing furniture that can grow with your child, and making sure the room not only offers somewhere to play but that it also provides a comfy, safe and warm place to sleep.

Which brings us to our last point – safety must come first so window locks and electrical socket covers are essential, as is fixing heavy furniture to the walls and floor, and removing any trip hazards and other dangers. Your child will thank you for it!

Setting up a guest bedroom on a budget

Christmases, birthdays, holidays, parties, girls nights out, boys nights in… the reasons to have a guest bedroom in your home are endless. However, setting up a guestroom doesn’t need to cost a fortune, and in some cases your room doesn’t even need to be a room in its own right!

There are a few important things to consider when setting up a guest bedroom, starting with the room itself. Are you converting an existing room to a bedroom? Are you turning a corner of your living room into a space that can double as a sleeping area? Are you building an extension just so you can have an extra bedroom? Either way, it’s important to get the colours, lighting, and mood of the room just right so that your guests can enjoy a good night’s sleep in a stylish and comfortable space. Remember that if you’re creating a dual purpose room, that any colours and furnishings you use work just as well during the day as they do at night.

But the most important piece of furniture in a guest bedroom is the bed itself, and this is where you need to weight up how often the room or space will be used against how much floor area you have to spare. For example, if the room or space will only be used occasionally, you can sacrifice some sleeping comfort for floor space by picking up a pull out bed that doubles as comfy seat. This type of bed can convert from a stylish armchair or sofa in seconds which is also ideal if you have unexpected overnight guests.

If you’re converting a room into a guest bedroom and you don’t need to worry about saving space or using the room for anything else, you can really push the boat out by purchasing either a double bed or two single beds, or even bunk beds depending on who is likely to use the room. And if the room is going to be a permanent bedroom, it also gives you the chance to really make the most of the decor, with matching bed linen, rugs, curtains and more!

Rent a Flat to Save on Maintenance Costs.

There seems to be an enormous amount of pressure on us all to own our properties.  Well, it can be a good investment (if we are lucky with the interest rates and we can afford to pay an astronomical deposit), but is it really such a big deal?  After all, who are you actually going to impress when you proudly declare, ‘By the way, I’m buying my own flat’?

The truth is that a property is a very expense thing to maintain.  Few homes will go for very long before they require a certain amount of work and this is when you could begin wishing that you had a landlord to foot the bill!  Many homeowners will say that paying rent for a property is simply ‘dead money’, but that depends on how you look at it…

These same homeowners have probably never had an expensive repair job to contend with… as yet.  If they had, then they would be fully aware of the big financial merits attached to renting!  Leaky roofs, burst water pipes and faulty boilers are all common problems in properties and they are normally costly jobs to have put right. Most homeowners will be unable to carry out this type of repair work by themselves, so it will mean having to pay for expert services… and that is when it starts getting expensive!

This is why a growing number of people are renting flats in Leeds and other major cities.  Not only will these tenants have no worries about paying for routine repairs, but they will also be much closer to the office!  If anything ever does go wrong, then you will simply have to notify your letting agency.  There will be no workmen to contact and you won’t be sat around waiting for a big scary repair bill to drop through the letterbox.  In fact, the most expensive item that you will ever need to replace will be the occasional light bulb!

If you are looking for a property to rent, then http://www.cityliving.co.uk/ have a superb selection to choose from.  They have an excellent reputation and take a great deal of pride in offering their tenants the very best rented accommodation.