Can't Afford to Travel? 5 Simple Tricks for Fixing Your Family's Finances

Travel is essential for giving your children a well-rounded upbringing. However, when money is tight, it’s hard to carve out the funds needed to afford trips. Fortunately, there are several ways you can cut travel costs and scrape together the money needed for a family vacation. Here are a few of them.

Create a Budget

When you first calculate how much a trip to your preferred destination will cost you, it may seem impossible to prepare your finances for travel. However, you can make the expenses much more manageable by setting up a sinking fund. This is basically a specific amount of money that you set aside in a savings account each month or each time you get paid. When you spread the expenses across several months, they become much more manageable.

Cut Expenses from Your Life

Do you really need to spend so much on your phone? Can you go with a simpler phone and plan and save money? If so, do it! Also, some families might be able to get rid of a car to cut costs. Look at where your money is going, and see where you can make changes to save money.

Sell Items You Don’t Need

One of the best ways to raise the money needed to go on a trip is to sell stuff that is just sitting around your house that you don’t need anymore. For example, you can usually collect significant cash from selling sports equipment you no longer use, clothing, or kitchen appliances. Turn to the internet to sell your items if you want to attract greater interest. Gumtree is an excellent website for posting for sale ads.

Sign Up for Newsletters

Many travel companies and airlines send out email newsletters. This is a terrific source for special deals and last-minute sales. For example, you can often get more than 50% off on round-trip airfare to exotic destinations around the world.

Get Credit Cards

You can get free flights, free rooms, and free money when you use a travel credit card. You can redeem rewards points and miles for free travel on your vacation after you accrue enough of them on everyday purchases. When traveling on a budget, travel credit cards are going to be your best tool. And, when you get a new card, you earn huge sign-up bonuses. These cards essentially generate free money when used properly.

With these tips, you will be well on your way to giving your family the vacation of a lifetime. Happy travels. 

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How Direct Vision Could Ban HGVs From London Roads

The way HGVs operate in London is about to undergo a substantial change. After several years of debate and research, the implementation of the Direct Vision Standard regulations has come into force. This radical change could see many HGV's being banned from the London roads.

 

What Is The Direct Vision Standard Used For?

Direct Vision is a recently devised standard incorporated by the Transport for London authority with full support from mayor Sadiq Khan. It is one of the few motoring regulations focused directly on the use of HGVs within a specific geographical area and its sole objective is to increase the safety of the roads. The premise behind the Direct Vision standard arose from statistics indicating that 70% of cyclist fatalities and 20% of pedestrian fatalities within London involved HGVs. When researchers examined these statistics, they found that the reason for the fatalities was mainly a lack of direct visibility - a mixture of poor visibility within the HGV cab and the view from London roads. Many HGV companies welcome this new standard and Tom McGhie from HGV jobs provider Easy as HGV, believes that by helping everyone ensure they are using, contracting or buying lorries with high levels of driver direct vision, we will increase the demand and supply of such vehicles to the point where these safer trucks are the main lorry of choice in the Capital, other cities and around the world." The Direct Vision standard approaches this issue by assessing how much of the road and 'risk points' are visible to a driver from the windows of the HGV cab without looking in mirrors or cameras. The system is rated using a star design with zero stars being the lowest and five stars being the highest. An HGV with a score of one or below will be banned from driving within London.

 

How Is an HGV Rated?

1. Assessment of the average visibility when sitting inside the HGV cab.
2. Specific assessment of average visibility from the HGV cab in four key risk areas which, via a detailed analysis of research data, will present with the greatest risk to driving.
3. A measurement of the collision data distance. This measurement is based on how much visibility is required for a driver to notice a pedestrian or cyclist in order to take action for collision avoiding tactics.
4. Defined technical measurements are reported and used to identify the overall volume of the area of greatest risk as seen by the HGV driver.

When all the above tests have been conducted, the vehicle will be awarded a specific star rating. The higher the star rating, the greater the level of visibility for the driver when sitting in the HGV cab including the areas of risk. Five stars is the highest and best rating to be achieved. The majority of five star HGVs tend to have remodelled cabs that are designed to increase the amount of driver visibility.

 

What Is The Implementation Date?

As with all regulations, the implementation date of the standard is not immediate. An implementation period is in place and this provides manufacturers and haulage companies time to update plans and purchase new HGV fleets with increased visibility cabs. As of 2024, any HGV with a three-star rating or under will be disallowed from driving in the London area. An exception to this rule would be vehicles with significant and comprehensive safety systems. The concept behind the Direct Vision standard is to reduce the number of fatalities within the London area, thereby creating a safer place for pedestrians and motorists. According to these regulations, haulage firms have been placed under pressure to achieve high ratings for their HGV fleets. If they do not, they will risk losing business to rivals who are investing in vehicles eligible to travel through London. Of course, there are elements still being discussed and consultations may present an interim star rating system to help with the overall implementation of the full rating system.

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What To Give At A Baptism: Proper Etiquette For Guests

If you have been invited to a baptism, the first thought that crosses your mind is likely, "What should I bring?" For many years, a silver spoon has been one of the most common gifts to give. However, there are other choices available to you. For example, porridge bowls, silver cups and even silver jewellery boxes are all appropriate. It is also customary to engrave the child's name on the gift, as well as the giver's name, whenever possible.

 

Presenting The Gift

The church that the ceremony is held at dictates much of what will occur during the baptism. In most cases, family and friends are allowed to be present at the ceremony. However, there are times that only close family is allowed, along with the regular congregation. Talk to the parents ahead of time so that you understand what is expected of you. Typically, there is a reception following the baptism. If you have purchased a gift for the baby at another time, like for a shower or when visiting the child in the hospital, you do not have to bring another present for the reception. It is a nice touch to give a card and let the new parents know you are thinking of them and the baby on this special day.

 

Godparents

Have you been asked to be a Godparent? If so, you have special responsibilities to the child and the family. Tradition dictates that you give the little one a gift but also that you receive one yourself. The parents usually give you a little something to let you know that they are grateful for your presence in their child's life. Your gift should be something silver that the child can have for many years to come. If you engrave the item, make sure it has the baby's name on it. Part of the baptism ceremony involves a focus on the child's name. It is also appropriate to engrave a little quote or an expression of good wishes.

 

Selecting A Present

You may be more familiar with baby showers than christenings; baby showers are typically more informal and are usually not religious. A baptism, on the other hand, is one way of recognising a baby within a church community. Therefore, it is common to give a gift that has some religious significance. This can be difficult, particularly if the family's faith is not one that you are familiar with. If you are not sure what to do, find a gift that is inspirational instead. For example, you could pick up a nice book, a picture frame, or even a bible. Clothing, blankets and money are all great ideas as well. Similar to a silver wedding cup, there are also silver cups for babies. If you are crafty, making something for the baby is a wonderful idea. For example, crotchet a blanket, present a lace gown or give the little one a bonnet. Your gift may be handed down through the years, making it something very sentimental and special to the family. A gift of money is always welcome, as is a savings bond or investment certificate. Baptisms are a way of celebrating a child's future, and this type of gift recognises that.

 

Giving A Gift

When you are giving a baptism gift, it is customary to present the baby with something that has religious undertones. This is easy enough to do; there are online stores that offer a variety of items that are perfect for a baptism or christening. You can do one of two things; you can either navigate to the site with a gift in mind, and do a search for that item, or you can look for a list of popular gift ideas. Sometimes it helps to see what others have purchased, particularly if you are struggling with what to get the new baby.

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Go Green and Sustainable with Organic Furniture

Today homes and offices have many choices in how to present an environment. While some offices choose decor that has a cool, practical “corporate” feel, many modern offices and homes choose to go a different route. There are some other avenues for interior decoration and design these days, and for many spaces, a trend towards a warm and open feeling is a winning choice.

image:plankandcoil.com/furniture

Using Organic Materials For Decor

The new trend towards decorative pieces and furniture (including blankets and mattresses) made with clean, natural organic materials is a very encouraging sign at every level. There are quality furniture stores portland or and other areas in the region that carry a beautiful selection of chairs, sofas, tables, desks and bureaus that offer a sense of warmth that comes from the use of natural materials.

Go With Sustainability

Furniture that is organically crafted, and made with an eye towards sustainability, is furniture you can feel good about. This trend towards creating “green” furniture means that these furnishings are not treated with potentially toxic chemicals, so a home or office that is decorated with these types of pieces will be green and clean. Ultimately, this speaks to an overall feeling of wellness in a place that has these types of furnishings.

Green Furnishings For Every Type of Taste and Style

There’s nothing like the beauty of organic furniture because it feels so good to be around, and to sit and lie in.  Sustainable furniture will simply never go out of style, because nature never does. The types of furniture made from “green” materials can be modern, classic or minimal and contemporary, but when they are made with clean, green materials, they will have a welcoming feel and a natural beauty that’s truly irresistible.

Creating an environment that is cozy and welcoming makes a statement about how people should feel when they come into a room, be it in a home or a place of business. Given the many choices out there, why not make the choice to go green and sustainable, and create a feeling of comfort that is truly classic? 

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Changing Hair Styles Easier with Hair Weave

Every woman wants their hair appear at its best shape most of the times. That’s why many women are willing to spend much money and effort to have healthy, smooth and silky hair that they will be proud of. Unfortunately, having such hair is not easy to reach. If you are still struggling, no need to envy if you see a woman who looks cheerful with her long curly hair. Don’t you want to know the secret of her hair beauty? Well, she most likely wear long curly weave, girls! Wearing hair weave allows you to get the similar look -quicker and easier- without endangering your natural locks to risky chemical products. 

Changing hair styles is becoming a common habit of many fashionable women especially the celebrities. Those often become the trend setter of popular hair styles at a certain period.  For example, short curly hairs in different haircuts and styles had been chosen by some famous celebs. Taylor Swift, Rita Ora, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Keri Russel, Pink and Drew Barrymore are some of top female celebs who ever appeared in their sexy short hairstyles. If you desire to have the similar celeb’s curly style in easier way, you can choose loose curl weave to be attached on your hair.

Whatever different hairstyles that in style nowadays, long straight silky locks are always have huge fans. Many women think that long hair makes them look more sexy, charming and youthful. At present, famous celebs who love to appear in glamorous long hair are Kim Kardashian, Lily Collins, Nicky Minaj, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba and other more. Even some of those such as Beyonce, Vanessa Hudgens and Demi Lovato stated that they got their long hair overnight. Of course it isn’t a magical thing at all but thanks to the hair weave again. In this case, it’s the long straight weave that can do the magic on your hair.

To obtain your much desired hairstyle with the help of hairweave, make sure that you shop high quality human hair products that suit your natural hair color and texure at reliable hair websites such as Maxglamhair. Shopping hair pieces at the right place means you have invested in the right products. With the proper care and treatment of these hair pieces, looking good in different hair styles is not a dream anymore.

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6 Creative Ideas For Painting Your Living Room

Your living room is one of the most frequently used spaces in your home and should be as unique as you are. This is the space where you host friends and family, and whether you prefer a calm, serene, atmosphere or a trendy and bold vibe, it's a space where you can express your personality.

Nothing can spruce a room up like a fresh coat of paint, whether to hide some artwork made by your kids, make it feel cosier, or if you are just looking for a way to freshen up the look of your living space. 

Not only is paint a versatile tool but it is also an affordable way to enhance your design. Below are some creative interior painting ideas to inspire the transformation of your living room.

Add an Accent Wall

Instantly inject colour and create a focal point by painting one wall of your living room in a bold shade, that would otherwise overwhelm the space if used on all four walls. The idea of an accent wall is to highlight a feature such as a collection of artwork. But don't limit yourself to one colour, you can also do a Mural of some sort or opt for stripes and other patterns to tie together all the tones in your decorating palette.

Create Texture

Adding texture to walls can instantly make your space feel more luxurious especially if you stick to neutral shades with a subtle degree of contrast between tones. Techniques such as marbling, rag rolling and stippling can create a textured look with more than one colour, but to master, these methods can take some time. However, if you are heart set on doing it yourself, you can buy specific brushes and rollers to achieve a similar look.

Go Dark to Light with the Ombre Technique

Ombre is quite high up on the "trendy list" of interior painting at the moment, and it's easy to see why since ombre painted walls offer significant flexibility when it comes to design. With the ombre painting technique, you can make it look like there are no boundaries between the walls and the ceiling by painting the bottom part of the wall a different colour and letting it gradually become white. By matching the tone of the bottom half of your wall to the decor, there will be unity throughout the room.

Make it Interesting with Shapes, Patterns or Typography

Another design trend high up on the "list" is to use Typography. By displaying a personalised message, you can make a bold, one-of-a-kind statement. It can either be inspirational or something smart and fun to make your guests feel at home.

Chevron stripes can also be used to make a space exciting and fun, and it is quite easy to achieve. To pull this look together, think of ways you can coordinate the pattern with the rest of the decor and make sure you use the right colour in the right spot. To create an even more fashionable look, why not combine techniques such as chevron or stripes and ombre. Use the darkest shade for the bottom line and gradually add white to make each strip lighter.

Create Contrast by Painting the Ceiling

We often overlook the ceiling, but by painting it a different colour, you can create an appealing contrast with your walls. If your ceilings are low, you can make them appear higher by painting them a cool shade of blue. This will trick the eye into thinking the room is bigger than it really is. You can also brighten up a white room by painting the ceiling in a bold colour.

Paint the Floor

By painting your floor, you can open up various design possibilities especially the case when it comes to concrete flooring. By painting a bold, solid colour or a bright white, you can achieve modern simplicity. If you're looking for the traditional checkerboard tile look, it's easy to imitate with two contrasting paint colours. For a more natural look, concrete can also be stained. Complete the look with a shiny coat of epoxy that reflects ample light into your space.

If you keep an open mind, creative interior painting ideas can come from the most unexpected places. Don't be scared to let your living room match your personality. You can either opt to do these interior painting jobs yourself or hire a professional. Whatever you decide to do, fill your home with colour and let it come alive!

 

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