Author Archives: Aidan

5 Simple Tips for Saving Money on Over-50’s Car Insurance

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Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/nw6xREmkXkg

Over 50’s are the second safest group of drivers on the road but their insurance policies often don’t reflect their years of experience and good safety record.  Consider these suggestions for saving money on your car insurance.

 

  1. Increase your car’s security

One of the factors which will increase the cost of your car insurance is the probability of theft or damage to your car.  If you live in a high-risk area it makes sense to try and minimise the risk.  The cost of renting a garage might be more than offset by a reduction in the cost of your car insurance and you’ll have the additional benefit of not having to worry about finding a parking space.  You can talk to your insurer about the benefits of car insurance and ask your questions to understand How much is a windshield deductible? and how an insurance can be helpful in such scenarios. You should also consider fitting an alarm system or using a steering lock, both of which could reduce the cost of your premiums.

  1. Avoid auto renewal

A comparethemarket report revealed that drivers over the age of fifty can save an average of around £45 by shopping around, so make sure that you compare the quotes online.  You don’t have to wait for your renewal date before you can change your policy, you can switch at any time.  Check the cost of the admin fee but it may still be worth your while to switch, if you’ve found a good deal.  Always pay upfront, paying by instalments will add a considerable cost to the price of your insurance.  Look at your voluntary excess, if you increase this amount, it could lower your premiums, but be sure that you compare the saving you could make with the cost of what you’d have to pay in the event of an accident.  Look at the detail of your policy, do you really need extras such as a courtesy car?  Comprehensive cover may actually be cheaper than third party.  By selecting comprehensive cover, you appear to be low risk and consequently your premium is lower.

  1. How you drive and how far you drive affect the cost of your insurance

Most people over estimate their annual mileage and as a result they pay more for their insurance than they need to.  Look for ways to reduce your mileage: don’t use your car for short trips, try walking or using public transport.  Remember that many companies offer discounts for over-50’s, such as National Rail.  Consider installing telematics, a device insurers put inside your car to monitor how you drive: if you’re a safe, sensible driver, this could save you money.

  1. Switch to a car which is cheaper to insure

Insurers place all cars in an insurance group, if your car is a top range model it is likely to be in an expensive group because the repair costs are high.  Cars with smaller engines are statistically less likely to be involved in an accident and are therefore cheaper to insure.

5. Make sure you are on the electoral roll

Some insurance companies check whether you are on the electoral roll to confirm your identity in order to avoid fraud. Make sure you’re on the electoral roll and all your details are up to date just in case. You can check whether you’re registered by phoning up your local electoral registration office. Find their details on the your vote matters website by entering your postcode.

 

How Car Buying Has Rapidly Changed in The Smartphone Era

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The days of snake oil car salespeople are thankfully over, and buying a car today is an entirely different experience than even a few years ago. Thanks to smartphones and mobile devices, the playing fields have been leveled. The salesperson is no longer the holder of all information, which has helped get rid of the need for hard negotiations. Sure, you’ll still find a salesperson who needs to “talk to the manager,” but if that’s the case you can always counteract with a comparable price pulled up on your phone. Never before has data and information been so available to both customers and the salesperson, which makes the experience faster, easier, and sometimes even enjoyable.

Nowadays, all information is transparent. You may not be able to negotiate for the price much, especially on a new car, but you can still negotiate on upgrades and perks. Since both you and the salesperson have the same information, you’re on a sturdier foundation to start with. Negotiations are largely centered around extended warranties and upgrades that the dealership can provide (such as oil changes and maintenance checks).

New vs. Old

Shopping for new cars has gone digital just like everything else. Maybe you head to online express stores to instantly see a dealership’s inventory or even customize your brand-new vehicle. You can check out videos, look at all of the upgrade options, and compare reviews, prices, and stats all from your phone. Some people choose not to visit a dealership at all and enjoy the convenience of shopping from home. This has been especially beneficial to those in rural areas who previously had to travel long distances just to “kick the tires.”

Shopping for used and hard to find collector cars is also easier now. eBay has become one of the most popular platforms for used-car shopping, allowing you to bid on (or buy now) from around the world. It’s where collectors are finding not just their vintage dream cars but all the necessary parts. However, if you’re going vintage, bear in mind that eBay has restrictions on protection coverage based on year. Older models (over ten years old) aren’t covered under the same kind of protection plans. It’s similar to buying in-person from a private seller. You’ll want to get a third-party to the vehicle for a full inspection before purchasing an unprotected vehicle.

Gaining Leverage

The world of car shopping is also changing from the dealer’s perspective. Now, they have instant access to all of the information thanks to automotive software updated in real-time. They can choose to print comparisons on-site to share with buyers, so you have the full information. Don’t trust the information they provide? Mobile devices have made it easy to quickly check the data yourself. Of course, salespeople are aware of this, which discourages them from skewing numbers.

If you’ve noticed an increase in salespeople saying they just can’t go any lower—and mean it—it’s for good reason. Base level prices are set by both the manufacturers and the dealers. In most cases, a salesperson needs to meet a minimum markup in order to make a sale. It’s still true that the best prices can be found in December when dealerships are trying to make the most of their profits before the year ends. You’ll be able to find the lowest prices during this month, but can peruse inventories from the comfort of home (or wherever you may take your smartphone).

Smartphones have also increased access to third-party reviews. It’s still important to check the official reviews of cars you’re looking at, but don’t forget about the reviews from others like you who have been behind the wheel. Smartphones have given us the ability to take word of mouth to an entirely new level. Whether you’re the type of shopper who’s comfortable ordering a vehicle from your phone or you simply want a little more information before a test-drive, reviews can help you decide which makes and models are best for you.

Going to a dealership prepared has never been easier. When everyone has information at their fingertips, processes can be faster and easier. Dealerships are aware that you might spot a better vehicle for you or a lower price at any moment, especially if you have alerts set up. Take advantage of this shared knowledge and get in the driver’s seat when it comes to purchasing your next ride.

 

Advantages of the writing service

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From this article, you will get to know what main advantages of the writing service are and will discuss how and where you can order the college paper.

The paper is the small report of the certain theme or the discipline, where you will need to present it in the front of the audience and sometimes, even, with the presentation. The paper writing is a small preparation to more difficult and serious work like the thesis or dissertation. The work has to be interesting, unique, and with the proper content. The volume of the paper should be, on the average, 10-20 pages. The content of the information has to relate to the given topic. When you don’t have enough time to write or you don’t know how to write it, then the writing service will be the best place to buy college papers.

The reliability and the guarantor of the quality

Papers, tests, theses are usual tasks at the college and university, but students not always can fulfill them because they don’t have the opportunity or don’t have enough time. But on the first sight, on such easy task you may spend a lot of time for looking the information and analyzing it.

To make own life easier, students start to search the information and the ready paper on the Internet. You can try to find the one, but you also can have the opportunity to get the bad mark because the main requirement for the paper writing is its uniqueness.

Nowadays, there are a lot of writing services that offer to do it for you. When you ask professionals for the help, you can be sure that it will be written from scratch and will be absolutely unique.

What do you get?

If you buy the paper, you get:

  • the result according to all appropriate methodic requirements;
  • the use of actual resources;
  • the verification of the uniqueness;
  • the opportunity for free refinement of the work during the certain period of time.

Advantages of the writing service

There are some reasons why you need to buy the college paper and its advantages:

  1. The quick response to your request. You don’t need to wait for the letter or reply too long – they will respond right away;
  2. The paper will be ready right on the necessary date and time;
  3. The working experience. Asking writing service with years under the belt, you will face with professionals who will write it and you could be sure you’ll get the positive grade;
  4. The urgency. Your paper can be ready in a day!;
  5. The work will be unique and you don’t have to be afraid the teacher will tell that you have the same paper as your groupmate (because you copied or downloaded it from the same website);
  6. The use of the newest material as the resource for your college paper;
  7. The availability of the great number of specialists in different fields who work there for years. As the result, the work is done very fast and qualitatively;
  8. Reasonable prices. Every student is able to order a paper, moreover, he can get loyalty program;
  9. Free changes/rewriting. Sometimes when the paper is complete the teacher asks to add something or rewrite it because every teacher has his own requirements, so, it will be done for you for free;
  10. You can reach the manager anytime. You can call the manager and ask how everything is going on with your paper or if you need some additional information to be added, they can react in a moment;
  11. The offer of the original work. There are only creative and qualified people and all their works are original, they create individual texts and don’t just rewrite the information from the book;
  12. The quality is the priority! The client is satisfied when he gets the qualitative work. If you have some special requirements from your academic adviser – just tell them and everything will be done.

Freeze away your skin tags with NEW Cryotag

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skin tags, get rid

Skin tags are annoying and embarrassing. I tried the innovative Cryotag and it worked well. I was impressed. I would recommend it to anyone who has skin tags. It is easy to use even for me who is rubbish at health stuff.

 

NEW INNOVATIVE TREATMENT AVAILABLE AT BOOTS

Highly Commended at The Beauty Awards 2017, in the Beauty Innovation of the Year category, Cryotag is the NEW fast and effective skin tag remover. Developed by world-leading innovators with 20 years’ experience in cryotherapy and skin tag removal.

Using technology trusted by doctors and dermatologists, Cryotag is a clinically proven new treatment. Within seconds of the applicator being applied to the skin tag the base will begin to turn white, signalling the skin tag has been frozen. This method will instantly freeze the core of the skin tag and the skin tag will fall off in as little as one treatment, usually within 2 weeks. No more expensive trips to the dermatologist, or risky or unpleasant DIY methods!

Skin tags affect up to half of the population, and are small pieces of soft skin raised or hanging off the skin. The skin tags often appear in areas of the body where clothing is likely to rub such as around your neck, chest and under arms. Even though skin tags are very common, they can be irritating and leave individuals feeling self-conscious.

Removing skin tags with Cryotag is a fast and easy 4 step process:

  1. Begin the treatment by firmly twisting the precision-tip applicator into the bottom of the cap.
  2. Insert the applicator and cap into the Cryotag canister. Press the cap down for 3 seconds and you will hear a hissing sound.
  3. Remove the applicator and cap and hold the tip facing down for 15 seconds to allow the applicator to reach the correct temperature.
  4. Grasp the skin tag with tweezers provided and gently pull it away for 40 seconds. Apply the applicator to the stalk of the skin tag.

Most skin tags will fall off within two weeks of the first application, leaving you with a healthy-looking skin.

The Cryotag skin tag remover is available in Boots stores and online at Boots.com.  Also available from Amazon.co.uk If your local Boots store doesn’t stock Cryotag, they can order it for next day delivery.

Cryotag RRP £21.95. Contains 12 applicators for up to 12 skin tag treatments

Cryotag is intended only for the removal of skin tags. If you are unsure whether it is a skin tag, always consult the GP first. There are also clear guidelines on the Cryotag website and packaging.

 

 

Four Examples of Why You Should Always Read the Fine Print

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As Tom Waits once sang, “the large print giveth and the small print taketh away”. The devious loopholes and hidden snares obscured by pages upon pages of legalese is a common enough trope in fiction, as well as in real life, where the foolhardy individuals who sign contracts they haven’t read often find themselves coping with more than they bargained for.

Nowadays though, despite all these warnings, many of us are still guilty of clicking “Accept” on lengthy End User License Agreements without ever really trying to work out what they say. However as these examples show, whether you’re dealing with a physical contract or an online agreement, it’s still vital to read the fine print.

Crappy Connectivity

Manchester-based public wifi company Purple sought to demonstrate the dangers inherent in lengthy and opaque user agreements by intentionally inserting an outrageous clause into their terms of service agreement and seeing how many people would fall for it. The company is responsible for hotspots for locations such as Legoland and Pizza Express and, for two weeks, included a clause legally requiring the user to perform 1,000 hours of community service in exchange for internet access. In that time, more than 22,000 people agreed to perform tasks such as picking up dog faeces in parks or cleaning portable toilets at festivals, whereas only one person claimed the cash prize offered for those who spotted the clause and emailed the company about it.

Bonus Betting with Bonus Print

While fine print is a staple of almost all industries, it is perhaps most vital to pay attention to it when there are large amounts of money on the line. Betting bonus offers are one great example, in which gambling companies will compete to offer the most eye-catching promotional deal, only to clarify them at further length in much smaller font. For this reason, it’s important to review all terms and conditions before you sign up to any offers, either on the company’s website or by contacting their support team. For those who like to be extra secure, it’s also wise to double-check the credentials of the casino before taking advantage of their offer. Licensed sites backed by a legitimate organisation are far more likely to have fair terms, which takes away much of the need to worry and pick through the legalese. Alternatively, many timid gamblers like to rely on third-party recommendations of various offers, such as the bonus betting offers suggested for Canadian gamblers by this site, to ensure that they are not going to be duped out of their hard-earned cash.

T&Cs (and M&Ms)

Yet another reason to pore over fine print is that, if you’re the kind of venue manager trying to book musicians like Van Halen, it could cost you your headline act! Van Halen’s contract with venues is well-known for including the hidden condition that the backstage area is supplied with a bowl of M&Ms with all the brown ones taken out. Given that Britney Spears’ rider notoriously requests a framed picture of Princess Diana, you would be forgiven for thinking this is just typical primadonna antics. However, in actual fact, Van Halen included this line to check to check that the venue had read the many other pages of safety requirements carefully, which were necessary given the show’s inclusion of pyrotechnics and flying harnesses. If the brown-less M&M bowl was not included, there was, therefore, grounds to cancel the show in the name of audience (and performer) safety.


“MANDM” (CC BY 2.0) by Dominic Rooney

Weapons of Musical Destruction

While you might expect bizarre fine print from small companies with a point to prove or musicians, you might be surprised to learn that the iTunes EULA also includes one very curious line, albeit for a very legitimate reason. It insists:

“You also agree that you will not use these products for any purposes prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the development, design, manufacture or production of nuclear, missiles, or chemical or biological weapons.”

This line is included, despite being now obsolete, because iTunes’ use of encryption technology used to mean it classified as a weapon under US law and was therefore subject to the same export and usage restrictions.


“iTunes” (CC BY 2.0) by JeepersMedia

So there you have it! Even if you don’t get out of any scrapes through reading the fine print, you might just learn something interesting in the process.

 

Highlights from the Knitting & Stitching Show 2017

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The Knitting and Stitching Show 2017 is on this weekend (until Sunday 15th October) and it is so much fun. Having spent a day immersed in creativity and inspiration, it’s hard to pick the top ten highlights, but I’ve had a go at doing just that. And so, in no particular order, here they are…

pompom-rug-knitting-and-stitching-show-2017Gorgeous pompom rug by Multipom, who sell pompom kits that can make up to 20 pompoms in one go (presumably, you have to be in the room at the time).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

knitting-and-stitching-show-2017

A fantastically realistic embroidered beetroot (apologies for the glass glare) courtesy of the Royal School of Needlework

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ram-knitting-and-stitching-show-2017A wild 3D ram’s head, brought to you by Quillting Antics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

buttons-knitting-and-stitching-show-2017Buttons that look almost good enough to eat – they are the work of hours of wool felting by hand and foot on the part of Sophie’s Wild Woollens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.frostmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/campaign-for-creativity-knitting-and-stitching-show-2017.jpgMy personal favourite – a chance to add your name, in embroidery, to the Campaign for Creativity in Schools (craft doesn’t seem to be all that high on the agenda of the national curriculum, and this petition is working to make it so).

 

hen-needle-felting-knitting-and-stitching-show-2017A lifesize needlefelt hen (you know you want one) made by the geniuses at The Makerss, who are holding a workshop to make a large felted animal in the New Year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

felt-squares-knitting-and-stitching-show-2017Delicious felt squares in watermelon shades, by 21st Century Yarns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.frostmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/needle-felting-country-scene-knitting-and-stitching-show-2017.jpgMore needlefelting by one of the leading names in the field (pun intented), Fi Oberon – see her giving an introduction to the craft here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

bead-flowers-knitting-and-stitching-show-2017The best faux flowers I’ve seen to date – big South African beaded ones made by street sellers in Johannesburg and sold in the UK by Best of African Design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.frostmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ladybird-book-knitting-and-stitching-show-2017.jpgAnd finally, a fantastically detailed and nostalgic ‘book cover’ by Sara Rickard, created for the Embroiderer’s Guild Exhibition.

 

 

Get down to The Knitting and Stitching Show at London’s Alexander Palace if you can – there are some great bargains to be had and it’s amazing to have experts right there to answer your questions. There must be more inspiration per square metre here than just about anywhere else I can think of. Till next year, when I hope to have completed my needle felt dachshund, my crochet cushion cover, my knitted socks and a jumper made with bargain wool from the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Breeders’ Cup 2018 is Set to Attract a Worldwide Appeal Once Again

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Horse racing continues to maintain its popularity amongst sports fans and the Breeders’ Cup is one of the most prestigious international events on the calendar. The 2018 staging of the event gets underway at the beginning of November with racing enthusiasts and bettors already greatly anticipating the iconic championships.

Source: Twin Spires via Twitter

The Breeders’ Cup is an annual event which takes place across a number of interchanging venues, including Monmouth Park, Santa Anita and Keeneland. In 1996, it was held in Canada for the first time with Woodbine racetrack staging the event. It returns to Churchill Downs in 2018 after a seven-year hiatus, with the Louisville circuit widely considered one of the finest and most recognizable tracks in the USA. It can also boast the highest-ever attendance back in 2010 when over 114,000 spectators flocked to watch some of the world’s finest thoroughbreds.

This year’s event is set to be held at Del Mar for the first time and they are also expecting a bumper crowd. The season ended at the racetrack on September 4 and will return for the Breeders’ Cup on November 2.

It will be the 35th staging of the event and racing fans from around the world will be glued to the action. There are 13 races taking place across the two-day extravaganza, with over $25 million worth of prize money available to connections. NBC will be broadcasting every single contest whilst viewers in the UK, Ireland, France and Germany all enjoy streaming the action. Television figures were down in 2016 but the Breeders’ Cup Classic still chalked up 2.6 million viewers.

Breeders’ Cup winners come from far and wide, with countries such as Japan, Ireland and France all claiming victories in previous years. Britain found success in 2016 with Queens Trust and Highland Reel both travelling back across the Atlantic having clinched victory in the Filly and Mare Turf and Breeders’ Cup Turf respectively.

Source: Racing Post via Twitter

There are a number of high-profile races taking place across the two days including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Breeders’ Cup Marathon and Juvenile Sprint were discontinued in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

American Pharoah became the first horse to win the “Grand Slam of racing”, claiming a victory in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and clinched the Triple Crown with a commanding success in the Belmont Stakes. This triumphant year for the Bob Baffert-trained horse was capped off with a six-and-a-half-length success in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He captured the imagination of the racing public and his progress was followed by thousands of racing fans. He became one of the most recognisable racehorses in the history of the sport and it is likely to be many years before another Triple Crown is clinched.

The chance to watch well-known horses and jockeys competing in prestigious events against top-class thoroughbreds is always enjoyable for racing fans and punters will often invest heavily in a number of competitors across the card. Aidan O’Brien is one of the top trainers at the Breeders Cup and Irish racing fans are keen to witness his charges in action despite the time-difference. If you’re looking for Irish racing tips when you’re online, sites including The Winners Enclosure offer daily selections on a number of contests, including key buildup races ahead of the Breeders’ Cup in November.

There are always surprises and unexpected outcomes at the Breeders’ Cup and a number of narratives thrown up by the winners and losers in each race. Trainers and jockeys travel far and wide to compete in the prestigious contest and all eyes will be on Del Mar racecourse at the beginning of November as the Breeders’ Cup gets underway for 2017.

 

Partypoker Announce Mike Sexton as New Chairman

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After fifteen years as the voice of World Poker Tour, Mike Sexton is to take on the role of chairman of the organization that he helped to found in 2001.  He will be replaced by Tony Dundst, who had previously stood in for Sexton at the mic.

Sexton speaks with genuine affection of his time at World Poker Tour.  “It has been an honour and a privilege to work with the WPT since 2002…When WPT was launched it was a dream come true and to be there from the beginning and see how the WPT changed the poker world forever by essentially turning poker into a televised sport has been amazing.”  He said that to work for both companies would be “unfair” and that his new role is “an opportunity and challenge I simply don’t want to pass up”.

Known worldwide, WPT screens in sixty-six countries, for his catch phrase: “May all your cards be live and all your pots be monsters”, Sexton was also a serious poker player with twenty-five years-experience behind him before he sat in front of a mic.  He has a World Series of Poker bracelet, a WPT title and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.

The sixty-nine-year-old ex-paratrooper seems undaunted by the challenges of his new role. “As Chairman I look forward to achieving our mission statement, working with partypoker staff, working with partypoker Live president John Duthie and most importantly working with the players.”  On their blog, partypoker have outlined the new chairman’s responsibilities:

  • Invest in software development to deliver an industry leading player experience
  • Improve customer services and strive to resolve player issues in the same day
  • Reward the loyalty of players who start games and keep the action going
  • Look after smaller bankroll players with value added promotions
  • Fight against the use of third party software that gives an unfair advantage
  • Invest marketing budgets within the poker community
  • Develop partypoker Live to become the largest live poker tour in the world
  • Support partners and have their backs
  • Only appoint management who get poker, who are trusted, and who actually care
  • Hold hands up to the poker community when mistakes are made

At a time of life when most people are looking forward to a gentle retirement, Sexton may be about to take on his most demanding role yet. “My dad told me a long time ago, ‘Don’t ever retire if you are healthy and you enjoy what you are doing’.”  Clearly Sexton’s enthusiasm for the game and the huge challenges ahead of him remains undiminished. “I love playing against the best.  It’s not a gruelling, painful experience like it is for some people, because I really enjoy the challenge of it.  I am really looking forward to working with people that love the game like I do. We are not aiming for second place.”