So you have a great idea for a creative business that you can start from home but you’re not in a position to finance the endeavor? This is a common predicament that creative startups face but in most cases the situation isn’t as bad as first expected. You might be under the impression that you need an excellent credit score, a professional pitch and a suit and tie to get your business funded. While those things can certainly help to solicit investors in the corporate environment they are by no means requirements for funding a startup. With that said, don’t give up hope on funding new venture just yet; at least consider the following three options:

1. Peer-to-Peer Lending

Did you know that there are wealthy people out there that will loan you money if they like your idea? Why would you go to them instead of a bank or other financial institution you ask? Because peer-to-peer lenders are often willing to work with startups that have less than perfect credit if they’re sold on the brilliance of the plan itself. Thus, if credit is a concern but you have a truly great plan try starting with some of the top peer-to-peer lending sites first.

2. Fundraising with Crowdfunding Sites

If you can’t find a lone investor to believe in your idea enough to fund it outright maybe taking the fundraiser approach to gather small donations from many people would work. Popular crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo provide ideal platforms that do not take credit or background into consideration. All that matters on these sites is the idea itself and the way you promote it. It can honestly be said that crowdfunding is one of the best ways to raise a lot of money fast as long as the idea itself has value and you’re willing to put in the promotional effort.

3. Niche Investors and Special Interest Groups

If your startup could be beneficial or appealing to a specific special interest group you may be able to find enough support to get things off the ground. There really is no limit to the variety of niches that investors are interested in. As we continue to advance into a more progressive and accepting global society more lenient funding options are popping up left and right. For example in recent years there has even been an appearance of finance alternatives for marijuana businesses which was practically unheard of only a decade ago.

If You Don’t Believe in Your Idea, No One Will

From a pessimistic standpoint it can be easy to get discouraged and start feeling as though nobody is on board with your idea. When you fall into the trap of questioning whether the endeavor is even worth pursuing investors and peers will be able to sense that insecurity and uncertainty and those are two attributes nobody wants to trust their money with. Before committing to the business make sure you’ve thought it through thoroughly to establish confidence early on and carry that mentality with you along the way especially in the initial stages.

Driving tests can be massively stressful. Firstly you can’t even take a practical driving test until you have passed your driving theory test. This can be a challenge in itself although trying a few practice tests is often helpful. Once you have the theory test under your belt the next challenge is to pass the practical test.

No matter how confident you feel about your driving skills, on the day of the test you are likely to be a nervous wreck. There is very little you can do about the nerves apart from taking a few deep breaths but you can control what you wear.

There are no rules that govern what a candidate should wear for their driving test. However there are some things a candidate should definitely not wear either because the item is likely to cause an accident or because it simply is not appropriate. Here is a quick list of seven items you should avoid wearing on the day of your practical driving test- ignore this advice at your peril.

1. Stiletto Shoes

Stiletto shoes are not suitable for driving whether it is your test or not. The heel of a stiletto shoe can easily get caught in the mat and cause an accident. A high heel also makes it hard to brake or accelerate both of which are an integral part of driving.

2. Bulky Shoes

Wearing bulky shoes may cause you to press both pedals at the same time- so when the examiner asks you to perform an emergency stop you could inadvertently press the accelerator and shoot forward instead (which would be an instant fail!)

3. A Micro Mini Skirt

Driving in a micro-mini skirt is a bad idea. There is little point trying to influence the outcome of your test by wearing revealing clothing. You will also feel a bit exposed if your skirt rides up as you drive along.

4. A Low Cut Top

Wearing a low-cut top is another bad idea for all the reasons outlined in point four above.

5. A Tight Jacket

It is hard to drive confidently when you are not relaxed. Wearing a tight jacket is immensely restrictive, your arms are hemmed in and you won’t be able to turn to check your blind spot or mirrors quite so easily which could lead to a test fail.

6. A Thick Coat
A thick coat is great on a cold winter’s day but it won’t be long before you start to overheat if you wear it in the car.

7. A Hat
Hats are not recommended for driving tests. The examiner needs to see you checking your mirrors and if you wear a hat his/her view might be impeded.

It is sensible to wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing when taking a driving test. If you need advice about how to book your theory test or practical driving test visit the DVLA website to find out what you need to do. If you require more information or help with your theory the Top Tests website can help you practice.

So now I’m the owner of two cats there’s a bit of sharing that has to happen every now and again. I was recently sent another box from the folks at Purrfect Box which up until now has always gone directly to Mae. This time I felt a bit mean keeping all of the spoils for her so decided that she could have the toys (as Tobias largely ignores his) and he could have the treats (as Mae turns her nose up at anything but Dreamies most of the time!)

I just love how expressive Mae is, I always seem to capture some daft expression every time the camera comes out. It does however show exactly how much she loved the toys in the March Purrfect Box- her toy stash is huge these days and apparently Mum is forever coming home to find her latest favourite rooted out from the basket leaving everything else strewn around the house.

As for Tobias, well, needless to say he loved the food- I’ve never known a cat go as crazy as he does for snacks and meals- this morning he even got in to his cat food and dropped a sachet at my feet as a subtle hint that breakfast was needed. He went absolutely mad for the chicken tenders by Trixie, so much so we had to hide them on a very, very high shelf as he has been known to rip through layers of packaging in the past. He also enjoyed the hairball control treats from Purr by Wagg which we seemed to not have got a photo of. These are brilliant as he has such long, thick fur which needs all the help it can get!

The Purrfect Box is a monthly subscription which costs £19.90 a month, or £14.90 per month if you take out a years subscription. The contents of the box are guaranteed to be worth at least £30 with 4-6 premium products inside so it’s a pretty sweet deal, especially as each box is catered to your feline’s needs and preferences. Let me know if you decide to treat your feline friend to a box; I’ll be picking up a few on a one off basis throughout the year, I can’t afford it on a monthly basis but as an every so often treat I think it’s wonderful.

If you’re tempted to give it a try then you can claim an impressive £5 off of your first box with the code ukb1xlvr. Let me know if you give it a go…

…The comfort zone that is as today I am back in one of my staple kind of outfits of a few years ago. Until I discovered the joy of jeans or a jumper dress I lived in floral dresses with bright tights and ankle boots. These days my floral dress collection is vastly diminished (something I massively regret) so when I saw this one reduced to something silly like £12 in Urban Outfitters a couple of months ago I made a hasty purchase.