12/08/2009 by Stew.

The property market has been in a rut since the beginning of the recession. But rumors are surfacing that things may be moving again.









Its rumored that a huge increase in demand for van hire over the past 2 months is indicating that the property market is about to bounce back. House prices have also slightly increased over the past 2 months providing further evidence that the worst might be over at last.



So if you have been holding out on buying a house, now might be the time. Van hire is clearly in demand at the moment so its a good idea to book early. Make sure you get a van that is rugged when moving things like furniture. You don’t want to end up being charged because your sofa put a dent in the side. According to Fleet Directory, prices in London can be found from as little as £29 per day, but it pays to get the right van for your needs.At the end of the day, the only way house prices are really going to bounce back is if we start buying houses. Although do try not to get a mortgage you cant afford to pay, that’s how we got in this mess in the first place.

Posted in Cars | 2 Comments »

05/08/2009 by Stew.

Hiring a car can be a good way to get around on holiday but it can cost an arm and a leg. If that wasn’t bad enough, car hire companies can be notorious for adding on extra costs to the headline price so it’s important to know what you’re paying for.Here’s a five point guide to trimming the cost of car hire:

1-  Shop around

Don’t just walk straight into the first car hire place you see at the airport. It’s a lot cheaper to shop around and book a car in advance. In some destinations, pre booking is essential. There are rumours of a car hire shortage in mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands this summer so if you don’t plan ahead you could end up paying through the nose or being unable to hire a car at all.

2- Don’t Take No Backtalk

Watch out! When you arrive at your destination, some car hire firms may try and persuade you to upgrade the car you booked or palm you off with an inferior car you didn’t order. If you don’t get what you paid for, then the car hire firm is breaching the contract and you’re entitled to claim back the difference in cost between the car you booked and the one you end up with. When you collect the car, always make thorough checks for any damage to ensure you are not blamed for any you haven’t done on your return. Mark any damage, no matter how small, on the car diagram that comes with the contract and get the salesman to agree with your notes. Take photos as well if you can.

3- Check excesses and insurance

You will likely be sold some kind of insurance when you book a car, but watch out for salespeople trying to flog you further cover when you pick up the car. The most basic insurance you get with car hire is normally called a ‘collision damage waiver’. However this will carry an excess that you must pay yourself if you make a claim. To reduce the excess payable to around £50 or £100, the car hire company might try to sell you a ’super collision damage waiver’ or ‘damage excess insurance’.

4- Check the fuel

Before taking the car away, check the fuel situation. Have you paid for a full tank? How much is actually in the tank? How must you return the car? If you need to return the car with a full tank, check where the nearest fuel station is to the car hire return depot. And of course, find out if your car runs on petrol or diesel. Get it wrong and you’ll be charged for any damage caused to the car or its tank.

5- Check for damage upon return

Most car rental agreements are made on a daily or 24 hour hire basis. Therefore returning your car late may incur an extra day’s rental to be added to your bill. Check the time you have to return the car and make sure you’re back early. On returning the car, wait while staff inspect it, then ask for a copy of the final report. If there’s nobody there to inspect it or they don’t have time, note this on the rental agreement.When you hire a car you’ll probably be asked to leave your credit card details, so the car hire company can bill you for any extras incurred. Some unscrupulous firms will try and bill you for damage caused later that you’re not responsible for so keep an eye on your credit card statement for any sneaky late charges.Source: LoveMoney

Posted in General | No Comments »

24/04/2009 by Stew.

If you’re thinking about ordering flowers online, you’ll find a wide range of bouquets and arrangements to choose from. 



Many of the cut flowers that we find in florists and supermarkets are grown abroad, in countries such as Holland and Kenya, but there are also many flower farms in Britain. By buying British flowers, we can help to support our own commercial flower-growers, something that it is particularly important in the current financial climate.

Britain has an excellent flower-farming industry and some parts of the UK have gained great reputations for producing beautiful, sweet-smelling blooms. One of the primary regions for flower-growing in the UK is the Isles of Scilly.

The Isles of Scilly lie about 28 miles off of Land’s End in the South-West of England. They consist of five inhabited islands (Bryher, St. Agnes, St. Martins, St. Mary’s and Tresco) together with many uninhabited islands. The proximity of the Gulf Stream means that the Isles of Scilly benefit from warmer winters than the rest of the UK and rarely experience frost or snow, whilst also having slightly cooler summers than the rest of the country, making them the perfect location for flower farms.

Flower farming first began on the Isles of Scilly during the late nineteenth century and flowers quickly became one of the islands’ main exports. During World War II, the industry began to suffer, as it became much more difficult to transport the flowers to the mainland, but Winston Churchill is said to have intervened in order to ensure that the flower farmers had access to fuel and transport after having been sent a bouquet of flowers from a flower farmer in the Isles of Scilly whilst he was in hospital. Since then, the Isles of Scilly flower industry has grown and is vital to the local economy. Flower farms on the islands are still very much family businesses, with many of them having been handed down through the generations

The flower farms on the Isles of Scilly are best-known for growing narcissi. More than 25 varieties of narcissi (a genus of flower that includes daffodils and jonquils) are grown on the islands. Narcissi are usually white, yellow, peach or pink and many varieties are scented.

British flower farms also produce many other types of flower, including tulips and peonies. Tulips were originally found in the Middle East, but began to be grown commercially in Europe during the sixteenth century, particularly in Holland. Today, many tulips are grown on British flower farms. In Britain, tulips are usually harvested between January and April, so herald the start of warmer weather, and they are available in a wide range of varieties and colours.

Peonies are both beautiful and fragrant flowers, and you can find them in many shades, including white, pink and peach. Peonies traditionally symbolise luxury and indulgence, and are popular flowers to give as a gesture of romance. They are available from late May until early June.  

You can order British flowers from a number of online retailers, including Marks and Spencer.

Posted in General | 1 Comment »

24/04/2009 by Stew.

Your sofa is one of the most important pieces of furniture in your living room. 



When you’re buying a new one, it makes sense to take some time to choose exactly the right sofa for you. One of the most important things to think about when choosing a new sofa is the size that you require. Here are some hints and tips to help you to choose the most appropriately sized sofa for your home.

Choosing Sofas – Measuring Up

The first thing to do when choosing a new sofa is to measure up to see how much space you have available. However, it’s also important to ensure that your new sofa will fit through your front door, your hallway and any connecting doors as well, so don’t forget to measure these too. If you aren’t sure whether or not a particular sofa will fit in your living room, or you would like to try positioning your new sofa in a different position from your old one, you might find it useful to use a large piece of paper or cardboard and cut it to the dimensions of the sofa that you’re considering. This will allow you to see whether or not the sofa will fit in different places in your room.

Choosing Sofas – Sofa Sizes

Sofas come in a number of different sizes, from small two-seater sofas that are perfect for people with limited space in their homes to large three-seaters for family homes or for people who like to really stretch out, so you will need to work out which type of sofa best suits your household. It’s also important to think about the rest of the seating in your living room as well – do you want one main sofa or two smaller sofas? Would a small sofa with matching chairs be more practical than a large sofa? If you live in a small house or flat, a sofa bed might allow you to make the most of your space whereas, if you need a lot of seats, you might find that buying a corner group is a more suitable solution. It’s not just the length of a sofa that can affect its comfort – the depth and height of the sofa is also significant. Deeper sofas are usually more comfortable for tall people, whereas shorter people may find that shallower sofas suit them better.

Posted in General | 1 Comment »