5 Ideas For A Home Business

It doesn’t take a lot to realize that we are now in a global recession. Many people cannot find meaningful work, or find themselves to be underemployed. Those that find themselves struggling financially or just looking for another stream of income are turning to starting a home business. In such an endeavor your income is only limited by your potential and by working for yourself your hours can fit your needs. The following five ideas for a home based business.

Childcare: 

As any parent knows finding good reliable child care can be a problem. Stay at home moms (or dads) or people with flexible schedules can look after children while the parent is at work. If you are looking for a more occasional schedule you can offer your babysitting services in the evenings, for example to offer relief to a couple while they have a much needed date night or have to attend a work function.

Retail: 

Many people these days do their shopping online, they can easily find what they need and have it delivered to their door. Try finding your own selling niche and  design your own website with 123 reg to sell your product online;you could make a healthy profit if your product is popular. A good website is a great calling card for your business and is the best way to receive orders. Who knows maybe a little at home bakery is in your future, or perhaps a handmade design will turn into profit. An online presence is a must for any business.

Handyman Service:

If you are handy this is a great venture for you. Many times people are encountering a problem in their house that they have no idea how to fix, but don’t have the money to hire an expensive professional. You can use your skills to earn a little money on the side and help a neighbor.

Seasonal: 

There is a lot of seasonal work that you can do at work. For example you can make flyers about snow shovelling or leaf raking during the fall and winter months. Some people are great at designing and creating unique centerpieces and ornaments which can become very popular at Christmas.

Sell your Skill:

It is the ultimate dream to do what you are good at. If you have a green thumb, why not offer your gardening advice or your services for those who need it? Are you athletic? Many people are looking for a cheaper option to those expensive personal trainers that we see at the gym. Your education can work to your advantage with struggling students. You can simply offer your tutoring services in an area that you are knowledge off and earn back some of that hard spend tuition money.

There are many great ideas to having a successful business. Get the word out any way you can. A strong online presence is a great way to get more customers and to showcase your service or your product. Do not let the struggling economy dictate your earning potential. Work at home and make money your way.

6 Of The Cheapest Ways To Travel Around The UK

Traveling is one of the greatest joys is life. It is said that by spending money on travel, you only grow richer in experience. However, many of us would like to grow richer in experience while also keeping money in our wallet. Due to its great culture and fascinating history, the United Kingdom is considered one of the top travel destinations. Whether you are from UK or from abroad, consider these ways to travel across the country on a shoestring budget.

Train: Train is one of the most popular modes of transportation in Europe. It is the staple of backpackers as well as the rich and famous. With train travel you can get to your destination in comfort and if you are not staring out the window watching the changing scenery you can also take a nap along the way. You can buy tickets at your departure point, in advance and even save money by buying passes.

Car: Driving a car in the UK is on many foreign travelers’ bucket list, if only to have the experience of traveling on the other side of the road. These days car rentals are relatively inexpensive and you can often pick up your car at one location and drop it of in another. When you travel by car you can choose destinations which may be off the beaten path.

Cara vanning: To avoid the high price of hotels and to have a lot more flexibility in travel many people are choosing a cara vanning travel experience across the UK. There are many different types of caravans available which are sure to fit the needs of your travel companions and family. These are a great idea for longer holidays and for those looking for an adventure. One thing to keep in mind is to get your caravan and get caravan insurance, which is thankfully very easy through places such as Caravan Club.

Canal boats: If you want to get away from the hustle and the bustle of the busy roadways, consider using canal boats as a way of transportation. These can be very inexpensive and can take you through some terrific countryside and a show you the scenery that you will never be able to see out of a speeding car window. This will be a very relaxing as well as very memorable travel experience.

Cycling: United Kingdom is one the world’s most premiere places to see by bike. It is also one of the cheapest and the healthiest ways to travel. The United Kingdom is very bike friendly and while some of the rolling hills can provide a fun challenge for some, there is enough flat terrain to keep the novice interested.

Domestic Flights: Domestic flight can be a cheap alternative for those looking to cross vast distances in a short amount of time. By looking for last minute sales and choosing smaller airports, many people can save a lot of money on their travel ticket

There are many cheap ways to travel the United Kingdom, so do not let finances stop you from having a great experience.

Cabin Fever ?

As the thermometer dips dangerously below zero, and the world outside is covered under a thick blanket of snow, many of us are experiencing the beginning stages of cabin fever. The typical boredom and restlessness that has become associated with not being able to venture outside of the house for long periods of time, for fear of getting frost bite. There are some fun and inexpensive ways to get through the worst of winter without losing your sanity.

Learn a new skill:

This is the perfect time to learn something you have been putting it off forever. Whether it is a complicated recipe to dazzle your dinner guests, a new language, or even knitting, the cold winter nights are perfect time to get started.

Play Games:

The internet is filled with various entertaining and fun games. A great and relatively simple game is online bingo at partybingo.com. It is a great way to meet new people and best yet, due to its online nature; you can play any time of day or night. Whether you play board games or online games or, wintertime is ideal to hone your skill.

Clean and Organize:

There are certain tasks that we dread doing all year. There is nothing worse than organizing your bills or receipts in the middle of summer when you would rather be basking in the sun. However, cold days when you do not want to leave the comfort of your home, are great to organize your closet, finances and maybe clean out that attic.

Relax:

Spring and summer are usually very busy with family, friends and various activities. So enjoy winter for what it is, and read a good book or watch a movie, while taking in the peace and quiet; sometimes doing nothing at all, can be the most challenging.

New Year's Get Healthy, Get Fit Resolution

Getting fit and healthy in 2013 is a very popular New Year’s resolution for many. After all good overall health does not only improve your overall appearance but also your well being and perspective on life. Maintaining good health and fitness is not an overnight change but a series of small choices that combine to make a huge difference. As you strive to improve your health you will find new found energy that may help you achieve any additional New Year’s resolutions which you may have. 

The New Year is the perfect time for a fresh start to achieve your health and fitness goals.

ProDermix-

ProDermix® is an all-natural, safe, effective and powerful probiotic supplement that addresses a wide spectrum of common ailments that frequently develop on the body, from the head to the foot. Symptoms are often relieved even before they appear.

Among the health benefits provided by ProDermix®, this superior probiotic supplement:

· Eradicates Athlete's Foot

· Diminishes Dandruff

· Relieves Yeast Infections (Candida)

· Eases UTIs

Instead of merely covering up the symptoms associated with these ailments with sprays, creams and lotions, such as the itching, burning, and skin peeling of athlete’s foot, ProDermix® attacks the source of the underlying fungus, providing comfort and relief.

Thousands of testimonials attribute ProDermix® to the successful relief of over 50 ailments, most notably athlete’s foot and yeast infections. The ProDermix® SUPREME high potency formula provides over 5 Billion CFUs, and is available online at www.prodermix.com, by phone 1-866-576-5355, or in health food specialty stores located within specific geographic regions.

Great Travel Tips For 2013

With 2013 upon us, it’s time to start planning the holidays for this year if you haven’t already. The big question of course, is where to go?!?! With many people still suffering from a difficult economy, affordability is key, but with so many fantastic destinations out there it’s also important to spread your wings and sample somewhere new.

Below are some of our tips on seeing wonderful travel destinations in 2013, without breaking the bank:

India

India is an incredible country, with a vast array of beautiful destinations. Many people flock to Agra to see the Taj Mahal in all its majestic glory, whilst others head for the beaches of Goa, many of whom struggle to leave. For those who like to hit cultural experiences head on, Delhi is hectic, manic and runs at a non stop pace, with bizarre, unexpected experiences around every corner. From cows walking down the main road to people spilling out the windows of buses as they pack them to the rafters, Delhi is a pure attack on the senses. Then there is Jaipur, the pink city. This is a beautiful place and far more relaxed (in Indian terms!) than Delhi. Hotels in Jaipur are affordable and food is virtually free if you’re visiting from a Western country, though with no lack of flavor! Whatever you’re looking for from a holiday destination, India can cater for it.

Group Travel

One way to make your travel more affordable is by travelling in groups and on tours with numerous people. This allows tour operators to get you cheaper tickets for entry into events, transport and hotels. Whilst they obviously take a cut, you often find you will save money, and hassle, as well. One great thing to do this for is in specialist markets like choir tours. You can visit incredible places like Vienna and get an insight into incredible places which you would never otherwise get access to. You end up on trips with like-minded people, seeing amazing places that you are interested in and all at the same, if not less, cost than if you tried yourself. If you haven’t tried group travel before then 2013’s the time!

Go Backpacking!

One way to make a trip cheaper is to do everything on a budget! It might sound obvious, but if you go on holiday and travel by bus instead of train, stay in hostels instead of hotels and eat in local eateries rather than tourist restaurants you can save a lot of money and see even more places than you can if you book into a resort for a week. You need to be able to cope with living out of a backpack and not having the nicest amenities at your beck and call, but if you can do that you can have the holiday of a lifetime on the tightest holiday budget yet.

This is a guest post from John: a travel lover and key contributor to Ezee Mobile Insurance who can help you insure your belongings whilst you travel the world.

Affordable Destinations For A Budget Break

Going on holiday doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank and spending all your hard earned savings. Having a budget holiday also doesn’t have to mean visiting the same old places year after year where you know some cheap accommodation or can get budget transport to.

Below are some of our favorite places to go for an affordable holiday, whilst still exploring new places and seeing new things:

Russia

Russia is an incredible country and one which many holidaymakers look on with trepidation. However, there’s no need to anymore as it’s simple to get to and is home to some of the most fantastic cities in the world. Moscow and St Petersburg are the perfect places to visit on a Russian holiday and offer truly unique experiences. Meet a KGB Colonel or even a Russian Cosmonaut! And with a favorable currency and some great bargain deals out there, you can visit on a budget.

Oman

Oman is home to incredible mountain ranges, medieval villages and wonderful people. Not on everyone’s radar as a holiday destination, it really does provide a unique experience which will stay with you forever. Oman holidays capture something enchanting and mystical, and usually totally unexpected. As a middle eastern country some tourists are quite reticent about visiting, though the country is perfectly safe and great deals are available as a result!

Marthinal, Portugal

Marthinal Beach resort is a fantastic place for families to escape to and have a relaxing family holiday. Whilst it is a luxury resort, it is adapting to tough economic times by offering great deals and fantastic value for an amazing service and stunning accommodation. With everything the kids could want from a holiday on offer, as well as plenty for the adults to enjoy, it is a fantastic choice, and now you can stay there even on a tighter budget as they try to attract new visitors.

Don’t settle for a stay cation this year, or even the same old places you always visit. There are loads of options out there for an affordable but adventurous holiday, and these are just a few of our favorites.

This is a guest post from John at Abroad in Spain, a guide to the best destinations and activities for holidays in Spain

5 Fun Places to Get Over the Post Holiday Blues

It’s easy to get down after the holiday period as you head back to work and life returns to normal. So what better way to get over those blues by organizing your next holiday and planning some exciting activities to do?!?

Below are some of our favorite places and activities to do to shake off the post holiday blues:

Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is an enchanting city and one which delivers surprises around every corner. There is nothing quite like winding down the alleys of the souks and soaking up all the sights, sounds and smells that you come across. A holiday to Marrakech is the perfect way to make an exciting start to 2013.

Skiing in France

As winter continues into January, ski enthusiasts rub their hands together and head for the slopes to soak up one of the most exciting and refreshing holidays that exists. A trip to France to drink in the fresh mountain air and break a sweat on the slopes is a great way to kick off the New Year. Book yourself into an affordable ski chalet inFrance, enjoy the slopes in the day and then get in front of the fire for some top notch après-ski. Perfect.

Hiking in Yorkshire

The Yorkshire Dales are famed for their beautiful walking routes and they are the perfect place to blow out some of the holiday cobwebs and start 2013 with a bang. With flowing countryside, beautiful pubs to stop in for pub lunches or overnight stays, and a wealth of quaint accommodation, Yorkshire is a great stop on anyone’s holiday list.

Golfing in Spain

In the hunt for some winter sunshine, Spain is often high on people’s lists. For golf enthusiasts it usually comes even higher. Spain is full of fantastic golf resorts from the Costa de La Luz to Almeira, and that coupled with the beautiful weather means Spain golf holidays are high on most golfers preferences when choosing where to go. This competition means that it’s also possible to get great deals and stretch your budget even further.

Diving in Malta

Malta is blessed with a beautiful climate which means you can go at almost any time of year and get some sunshine and warm weather. But what many people don’t know is that it is also one of the best places in the world to go scuba diving and snorkeling. Gozo in particular is a fantastic place to go, whether you’re a seasoned diver or want to complete the initial PADI course. The deep blue is certainly a great place to wash away the January blues, and Malta itself has everything a holidaymaker could wish for.

This is a guest post from John at Malta Holidays, a guide to the best things to see and do in Malta.

3 Great Places To Holiday On A Budget

As the world’s economic situation continues to be in turmoil in 2013, holidays are one of the things that can be wiped off the to-do list in order to save some pennies. However, it’s important to get some rest and relaxation during the year, so we’ve listed some places below which you can visit on a budget and still get your holiday fix in 2013!

Thailand

Thailand is a haven for budget travellers. Whilst it may be quite expensive to get there initially, once you are there you can live in relative luxury for extremely low cost. And there is a plethora of great destinations to choose from, whether you opt for the Eastern islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, or head west to the likes of Phuket and Koh Phi Phi. There are plenty of 5 star hotelsin Phuket which are really affordable and will allow you to stay in paradise surroundings without breaking the bank.

UK

The UK might not be the first place that springs to mind when thinking of budget destinations, but as holiday companies and businesses fight to survive in these tough times, they are offering fantastic deals which means you can have a wonderful break without hurting the purse strings too much. From doing all inclusive breaks to going on a bed and breakfast holiday, you can explore the stunning attractions the UK has to offer without worrying to much about blowing a huge budget.

India

India is another country where you can live like a millionaire on a budget. You can go on luxury holiday to India without spending too much money, and see some incredible sights whilst lapping up the pampering. From beach holidays in Goa to visiting world icons like the Taj Mahal, there’s no danger of getting bored, and when you need to rest the legs and sit still for a while, you can be sure that you’ll stay in a fantastic hotel and be waited on like a king. Holidays to India really are the perfect way to soak up luxury on a budget.

So don’t let the world’s economic struggles get you down in 2013, embrace them as an opportunity to travel to new places where your budget goes further and you can still have the holiday of a lifetime.

Unexpected Ways to Save Money on Your Auto

There are ways to save money on motoring that are less well-known than the usual ones of combining auto and home insurance and having the vehicle tuned regularly.

You shouldn't choose a fancier auto if your retirement or debt management will suffer as a result. Experts generally recommend that no more than 20 percent of after-tax income be spent on all a household's vehicles, which includes not only payments for the auto, but gas, insurance, and maintenance. You shouldn't automatically succumb to dealers' offers of “free” gas for a year or a free cruise if you make a purchase. If such lures are presented to you, you should evaluate exactly what benefit they would gain you.

You can reduce the cost of car insurance by improving your credit rating. Statistics have shown a correlation between poor credit and speeding tickets and crashes. Another tip for insurance is to raise the deductible, which will result in a lower monthly payment.

Every year sees lists of the most commonly-stolen autos, and before making a purchase, it's wise to ensure that the model you're considering doesn't feature. A study by the University of Auckland, New Zealand, found that brown cars carried the highest risk of auto accidents causing serious injury. Green and black cars also had higher risks. It has been suggested that this is because lighter cars are more visible. The chance of such an accident involving silver autos was 50 percent less.

Still on the subject of car color, studies have demonstrated that some models and colors are more likely to be stopped for speeding and consuming your valuable time, for instance red sports cars. Car reviews and other informal sources will perhaps inform you of these. In the United Kingdom, it's said that the police play “speeding snooker” - stopping a red, then another color, then another red, and so forth.

You'll save money if you drive your auto for longer, which surveys have shown that more people are doing. The vehicles of today are built to last longer, and you should test this. Some manufacturers offer 10-year warranties.

Accessories should be purchased after the auto itself: such things as roof racks, better wheels, alarms, and sound systems. Dealers frequently tack considerable mark-ups to accessories, so savings of as much as 50 percent are possible, as was the case with a portable NA VI navigation system for a 2009 Honda CR-V LX.

Where possible, you should conduct auto maintenance yourself. Rebuilding the engine or changing the transmission requires much knowledge and experience, but checking tire pressure and fluid levels, replacing lights, jump-starting a auto, and changing a tire, brake pads, or oil doesn't. It would cost from $40 to $75 for one hour of a mechanic's time. The savings from changing the oil yourself can be as much as 90 percent.

Hyper-milling is the adoption of driving techniques that maximize fuel economy. The originator of the term, auto expert, Wayne Gerdes of Clean MPG.com, said it can improve fuel efficiency by between 15 and 20 percent, and people can be found who say the improvement is as much as 60 percent. Some tricks are to wear lighter shoes to allow for increased sensitivity when using pedals, following the slipstream of the auto in front of you, parking strategically to reduce maneuvering and leaving a parking space by freewheeling downhill. There is a community of hyper milers, where people will be all-too-eager to share information.

Tuesday-January 1-New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone! 

Gerry and I took out the skidoo today but after half hour, I was ready to come home. Just too cold for me. Should have had mini gloves under my mitts, and a warmer sweater, and wool socks I guess,but I didn't. I get cold easy though.Always say I need to be living somewhere warm for part of our cold winters. Someday I hope.Is there anyone else that gets away for part of the year, escaping to better weather? I'd love to hear from you!

Erika and her boyfriend came over once we were back, and took out the skidoo next, but I made sure she was dressed with the extras that I didn't take.I had them give us some money for gas for the skidoo-and not that we can't afford it, but to teach responsibility that gas does have to be paid by someone, and if they are using it, something should be paid for gas.

I cut some sausage and cheese up for snacks for tonight, and also have crackers and pickles to munch. 

See by my calendar I have three birthdays to buy for this month. Like to get my cards bought early and not leave gifts till the last minute either.

Sorted through my coupons last night and got rid of all the ones ending for Dec 31st. Now my coupon holder now feels "thin". Going to sort today as well through all my catalogs, magazines and books and recycle the outdated or donate others that we haven't paid much attention to. Other than that, it's a quiet day.