Yearly Archives: 2021

A New Start in a New City?*

27th September 2021

Another drizzly day arrives and you are thinking about how much more extraordinary life would be if you were in a sunny climate. Nothing too hot, of course, but definitely more temperate and dry than where you are. 

Daydreaming about jetting off isn’t uncommon, but the daydream doesn’t last forever, many people slowly sink back into regular life when you land for a few days and think nothing more of it.

But for others, it sparks a fire that can’t be quelled. The urge becomes overwhelming to leave. To pack up and head somewhere new; moving to somewhere with a new language, new streets to roam, and unique delicacies. 

Leaving things behind can give you a fresh start in a way that many people wish for, and when it comes down to it, it doesn’t have to be as expensive as many people think. 

Organisation and planning will save you money – and see you leave with just a few possessions ready for your new beginning. Ahead of booking your local removalists, there are a few things you need to consider. 

Photo by Michal Balog on Unsplash

Time

Everyone is waiting for the right time to do something when the truth is there isn’t usually a right time to do anything. If you wait for your children to finish school or other people to finish what they are doing, you put your dreams on the backburner. 

Most often, even though it is a cliche – the time really is now. 

Save

If you are lucky enough to have savings put by then you are already ahead of where most people start their journey. If you don’t have savings – it isn’t impossible to move; you just need to be more organised. 

Selling the things you don’t need anymore is one of the best ways to start making cash. Clothing, electricals (if you are moving countries then sell your electricals apart from any used for work), furniture. It will be harder to find things that make the grade in the end. 

Savings will help secure a new home and get you a few small items for the new house and cover any legal fees or paperwork fees. 

Best Local

Find the best local – everything. It will take a while for you to get used to the area, and if you have moved countries, you’ll have the added adjustment of learning a language. It might take a while, but once you find the best local groceries, take out, restaurants and medical places, you’ll start to feel right at home. 

Friends and family

Even if you are only moving a few cities over, it can be a big move to say goodbye to your support network. In many aspects, this can help us grow and find new people. It is not uncommon to want to travel back to your home city a lot, but for settling, ask them to come to you for a while – so you can show them around! 

Moving can be stressful, but it can also be one of the best things that you do in your life. It brings new experiences and people into your life – which is perfect for personal growth. 

Are you still torn? Check out Moving or Improving to help you make the decision. 

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Jewellery Complements All Outfits, Choose The Best Pieces For You*

26th September 2021

Jewellery is a woman’s favorite weapon to complete an outfits. Indeed, most jewellery boxes for women today all contain a large amount of jewellery. There are several categories of jewellery for women that differ in their design materials, models and brands. Nowadays many designers even offer the possibility of opting for personalised jewellery. Engraving is very fashionable at the moment – and timeless. Bracelets can come with a personal inscription on it or a pendant with the initial of a given name. However, fine and elegant jewellery is perfect for rather distinguished women. You can wear pieces on their own or layered.

Photo by Joeyy Lee on Unsplash

Seasonal opulence

Black, beige and brown remain the most popular clothing colors in the colder months. Not only are they easy to combine, but they are also well suited to the season. However these shades can dull the complexion and provide a blander look; it is therefore necessary to jazz up your look with trendy jewellery. Dangling earrings are avoided because of wind and rain! Therefore opt for studs- rubies, sapphires and opals work well. 

Ready-to-wear or tailor-made jewellery?

Today, you can easily order tailor-made jewellery.  Indeed, more and more women choose the tailor-made in order to afford unique accessories that match your personality. With their know-how, craftsmen-jewelers will know how to create models of jewellery, from the most classic to the most sophisticated. The ideal is to present yourself with a previously drawn sketch or a photo. It may take a few days or a few weeks to shape a proper part. In any case, this option is particularly recommended, if you are looking for an original piece of jewellery. In addition, jewellery stores also offer ready-to-wear accessories.  This is simple, affordable and with instant gratification. Prices vary depending on the models and materials used. For modest budgets, it is also possible to opt for fancy pieces but of course there is a big difference between costume jewellery and jewellery that is made specifically for you by a jeweller. 

Discreet and classy look

Discreet jewelry. Most of the time, an elegant woman loves to wear classy and chic outfits. As the outfit already attracts attention, jewellery should complement the outfit. That is when diamonds can stand out as highlight pieces. For big statement pieces, you can look at a chunky diamond bracelet. You may also want to look at metal, leather, fur, pearls and gems. These will be more statements for plainer outfits and these materials are timeless and timeless in terms of jewellery. In short, extravagant earrings or imposing bracelets can look great but you must use them only in a discreet way – even when they’re standing out! Yes, a statement necklace can still be subtle. It is all about how it enhances an outfit and adds a focal point. 

To accompany the outfit, it is possible to choose fancy pendants such as animal motifs, precious or semi-precious stones such as jasper, amethyst and malachite or even fine pearl necklaces. These are subtle yet noticeable and will always look classy and elegant.

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Using Debt To Your Advantage In The Modern World*

23rd September 2021
Photo by Michael Longmire on Unsplash

It can be all too easy to fall into the trap of assuming that all debt is bad in the modern world. There is a lot of bad press on the web surrounding lending and borrowing, and many people worry about the idea of taking money from someone else. Of course, though, it can be incredibly hard to gather the resources to achieve what you want in life, and everyone needs a helping hand from time to time.

Using debt to your advantage can help you to master the modern world. There is a lot of work to be done to achieve a goal like this, but this is something that most people can do when they put their minds to it. Of course, though, you probably need a little bit of help when it comes to choosing where to start. Let’s take a look at some of the different types of loans you can use in the modern world, alongside the things that they can be good for.

It’s important to make sure that your financial position is stable before you do something like this. Having a lot of outstanding debt at the start of this process will make it much harder to deal with, and this makes it worth spending some time to improve your finances before you start with this if it needs to be done.

Credit Cards

Credit cards receive a lot of bad press. This isn’t always unreasonable, as it can be quite easy to get into trouble with a credit card, and you need to make sure that you are paying the money back as quickly as possible with a tool like this. Credit cards come with loads of benefits, from being a secure payment method to offering special perks when you use your card for the right purchases.

What Are They Good For?

Credit cards are good for people who are confident in their ability to pay the money back but need a little bit of extra help from time to time. You can set strict limits on what you can borrow but will be able to use the credit card whenever you need to.

A lot of credit cards come with perks that make them good for travel or managing your other debts, giving you the chance to use them for something other than borrowing money. Likewise, you can also use credit cards to work on your credit rating. Borrowing money and paying it back very quickly will show lends that you are responsible for your money.

Short-Term Loans

Short-term loans can look quite similar to credit cards, though they have some major differences. For example, short-term loans need to be applied for each time you need money, and this can be a good barrier to stop yourself from borrowing too much. There are countless sites for this type of loan available online, with options like tiny 50 pound loans becoming increasingly popular as time goes by.

What Are They Good For?

Short-term loans are good for those times when you need a little bit of extra help with your money. You can use this type of loan to cover rent and bills when you have an expensive month, and can even use this type of loan to help with other types of debt. It’s important to make sure that you keep up with your repayments when you are dealing with debt like this, with many people struggling when they fall behind with debt like this. 

Long-Term Loans

As their name suggests, long-term loans are designed to last a lot longer than short-term ones. They will usually be for more than a year, with some spanning decades when they are large enough. Loans like this can be used for loads of different things, from handling work on your home to buying the car you will be using each day. This makes them a powerful resource for those who are willing to put the effort into paying them back.

What Are They Good For?

Long-term loans present a good option to those who need to borrow large sums of money without having the income to pay it back quickly. This can be great when you need to get expensive work done that you can’t afford, and you can almost look at this type of loan as an investment when you use it for something you really need. Of course, you need to do plenty of research to make sure that you can get the best deal on a loan like this.

Student Loans

Student loads are arguably one of the best types of borrowing you can do in your life. Not only does this type of loan tend to come with fairly relaxed rules, but it will also be more affordable than many other types of loans. This makes it ideal for those who want to improve their income and job while also taking on debt that won’t be a massive burden. Of course, it’s easy to tell what this type of loan is good for, and you can use it to achieve your education dreams with ease. There are even options to move your student loan to get a better deal, for more information go to this website.

Business Loans

Borrowing money to get a business off the ground is similar to a student loan, only you can take even better advantage of this. In many places around the world, you can set your business up as a separate financial entity. In the UK, this would involve setting up a Limited Company, giving you the chance to place the financial responsibility of the business onto the business itself. Once you have something like this in place, you can start to look for loans that will push your business forwards and give you more freedom to grow.

What Are They Good For?

As you can probably guess, a business loan is best for those who are starting a new business. You shouldn’t use this sort of resource for your personal finances, as this could be considered fraudulent. If you want to get a business started, though, you can use your newly made limited company to get a loan that won’t have an impact on your personal finances. This is a great way to kick off your career without having to spend a fortune in the process.

Mortgages

Mortgages give you the chance to buy a home when you don’t have the vast amount of money required to do this out of your own pocket. Loans like this are designed to last for a long time, with some staying with you for the majority of your working life. It can be hard to get your hands on a home without this sort of service, and mortgages can be a very positive way to borrow money in the modern world. Not only are they designed for long-term use, but they are extremely heavily regulated and companies work hard to make sure that people can afford them.

What Are They Good For?

Mortgages are great for those who want to get their hands on a home. Every penny that you repay into your mortgage will come back to you, with your home lasting for years to come. Of course, though, mortgages can do more than this. You can apply for a second mortgage on your home once you have gotten through the first one. This will pay off the first mortgage, essentially extending it, while also giving you a lump sum of cash. This is ideal for those who want to do things like carrying out home improvements.

Using Loans On Other Loans

As you can see from this article, loans come in many different forms. Some are designed for short-term use, while others are made to stay with you for much of your life, and this means that you can often use loans as a tool to help with your debt management. Consolidation loans are a great example of this, with many people choosing to consolidate their debt when they have it in many different forms.

You have to be careful when you use options like this, but there are a lot of financial products available to those who want to improve their debt by using loans in the process. You just need to make sure that you will be able to keep up with repayments and that you won’t end up paying more down the line when you use methods like this.

As you can see, there are loads of different types of loans on the market, and it makes sense for you to take ones that will improve your lifestyle and give you the chance to make more of your money throughout your life. As time goes by, you will learn new ways to make more out of your money.

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Quiz To Ensure You Handle Business Payments With Compliance *

16th September 2021

All businesses need to be PCI-DSS compliant if they are accepting payments. 

The payment industry is evolving rapidly. As the likes of Swyftx will confirm, more people are paying with the likes of Bitcoin these days. 

No matter what payments you accept, you need to make a dedicated effort to protect your customers. Here are some questions to ask to make sure you are doing that.

Q1 – Do you offer free Wi-Fi for your customers?

a) YES

b) NO

Q2 – Do you segregate payment traffic from all other traffic on the network?

a) YES

b) NO

Q3 – Do you use default passwords that have been supplied from your vendor?

a) YES

b) NO

Q4 – Do you use additional means of protection, such as encryption or

cryptography? Or, are passwords your only form of security?

a) YES – Additional methods used.

b) NO – No, we only use passwords.

If you have answered yes to Q1 and no to Q2, you are putting your sensitive data at serious risk of falling into the wrong hands. PCI DSS requires a Cardholder Data Environment (CDE) to be created, which restricts access to sensitive payment information. Experts can help you to rectify this problem.

If you have answered no to Q1, risks are lowered by not offering free Wi-Fi. However, if you do in the future, make sure you go about it in a secure way. 

If you have answered yes to Q3, you are failing to comply with PCI DSS standards, as default passwords are not strong enough to protect your systems. You must ensure you use strong passwords and additional methods of protection.

If you have answered yes to Q3 and no to Q4, you are putting your sensitive data at extreme risk, as your systems aren’t secured effectively. Access will be easy for hackers because your passwords aren’t strong and they are your only form of protection.

If you have answered no to question 4, you need to add an additional layer of protection to your systems in the form of cryptography, encryption, or any other effective method.

Yes to Q1, no to Q2, yes to Q3, no to Q4.

You are putting your sensitive data at serious risk of falling into the wrong hands. PCI DSS requires a Cardholder Data Environment (CDE) to be created, which restricts access to sensitive payment information. Again, experts can help you to rectify this problem.

You are also at extreme risk, as your business systems aren’t secured effectively. Access will be easy for hackers because your passwords aren’t strong and they are your only form of protection.

If you have answered yes to all questions, congratulations, you’re currently complying with the PCI DSS. Please make sure you continue to update your practices and maintain the methods you’ve set in place.

If you are struggling to determine whether or not your business is compliant and what you need to do to achieve this, seek expert assistance. Do not risk it.

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4 Elements To Consider Creating An Awesome Kid’s Bedroom*

13th September 2021

Are you thinking about renovating your child’s bedroom? This is an important space in your home as it helps determine whether your child gets the right level of rest before a busy day at school or play. Here are some of the options that you need to keep in mind. 

Photo by nicole dusseljee on Unsplash

The Right Bed 

Firstly you should think about choosing the right bed for your child. The best bed will guarantee that your child gets a fantastic night of sleep. One of the options that you could explore here would be choosing an elevated bed; this is great for kids that hate bedtime because it makes bedtime more fun and like a little adventure. It can also provide extra storage and other options built-in including a desk or even a set of shelves. They can be difficult to build at the best of times, so you need to make sure that you think about whether it’s worth paying extra for someone else to set it up for you. 

Another key option here is the mattress. Mattresses aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution so you do need to make sure that you think about taking your child to the store and letting them try out the mattress for themselves to make sure it suits them.

Storage Options 

You might also want to consider different storage options for your child’s bedroom. For instance, you might want to get some storage containers. If you get the right style here then these will stack one on top of the other. This means that you can make the most of the height space that a room provides whilst maximising floor spae.

Another option would be to invest in a set of wardrobes if the room doesn’t have built-in cupboards. As with everything else, there is a range of different options that you can explore here. For instance, you might want to think about built-in wardrobes or fitted wardrobes. These are fantastic if you have younger kids. With a built-in wardrobe, you will be able to guarantee that you don’t have to worry about the wardrobe or similar kids furniture falling onto your child and causing an injury. 

Usually, wardrobes will come complete with all the equipment that you need to fit the wardrobe to the wall. You’ll need to decide whether this is necessary and ensure that it is secured firmly. It will be useful if you want to store things on top of the wardrobe as well as inside it. 

Window Choices 

Next, you should think about window choices for your child’s room as well. As already mentioned, it’s important to make sure that your child does get a great night of sleep. One of the issues that can prevent this is light pollution. If your child’s room is too bright then they are always going to struggle to fall asleep at the right time. 

One of the ways that you can correct this issue is by making sure that you think about covering the windows with the right material. For instance, you could get blackout blinds for your home. Blackout blinds are great and will guarantee that any rooms are completely dark for your kids. If the room is too dark, then you can resolve this with the right night light. The benefit of a child’s night light is that it uses light that will not affect their sleeping pattern and keep them awake. 

Style And Design 

Finally, you can think about the design and style of your child’s bedroom. There is a range of different ways that you can decorate your child’s room. For instance, you might want to think about using wall decals. Cheap and cheerful as well as easy to install, wall decals are the perfect solution that you need to guarantee that your child’s room looks incredible. They are available in a range of different styles including options that are based on your child’s favorite characters. As such, it’s definitely worth researching the market and exploring all the possibilities. 

There are other decorative items that you can get for your child’s room as well. For instance, you might want to consider a rug. The big benefit of a rug is that it’s easy to wash and clean. So, it’s arguably a lot better than other options like a carpet. Again, these come in a lot of different designs and styles. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you need to guarantee that your child’s bedroom looks amazing and provides all the benefits that they need. This includes guaranteeing that your child does have a fantastic night of sleep. 

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