Stag And Hen Ideas – Home And Away

When it comes to the most important day of your life there are so many things to plan and sort it, it can be a very stressful time! One part that brides and grooms look forward to is becoming hens and stags for one day and night. The last night of freedom has become hugely popular with people even jetting off abroad to make it into a weekend! This takes a look at some of the things that either could try out:

 

First are a few things to do in the UK, as of course not everyone will have a budget to jet off to somewhere hot as well as forking out for a honeymoon, or perhaps as a couple you agreed to put more money in for the wedding. For those living in the North of England there are various hen and stag activities in Newcastle 

and one that stood out was rafting. If just going on the usual night out is not what you fancy you could take your friends and family and go white water rafting. It is a great team building activity and will fill you with adrenaline, great for if you think getting married is scary!

If you live in Wales then it is a great place to spend the day outdoors doing fun activities. Some of the things that are popular with stags include quad biking, which will enable you to enjoy an action packed day out. Some companies also offer tours so they will take you and your group to do quad biking and then arrange something on the night such as a brewery tour. For something different for hens who love arts and crafts, there are such things as craft parties that you can book, where you will enjoy glass painting, cake decorating and more.

 

Now to cross overseas and see what you can do when you go abroad! Of course water sports will be available in numerous places and you will be able to enjoy a spot of sunbathing afterwards as opposed to rushing indoors to keep warm, which is what tends to happen the majority of the time in the UK. You will also more than likely be there for more than one night so could try a different sport out each day. It can become costly going away however, but it does provide a relaxing break away before returning home to check over all the last bits of planning before your big day finally arrives.

Ideas For A Fancy Dress Party

When it comes to having a birthday party it can become more difficult each year to think of something different to do. When you are really young it is up to your parents to do all of the organising but as you grow up they take a back seat and the ideas have to come from you. Something that is really fun to incorporate into a party is a theme which includes fancy dress. You then have a central point to focus on and buy themed party supplies like plates and props and make everyone come in fancy dress! It is a great conversation starter too when mixing different friend groups and family members. Here are some of the most popular themes you could take inspiration from:

Hollywood

Every girl loves a bit of glitz and glamour, and if you want fancy dress

s on the invitations for people to get an idea from, from the classic Marilyn Monroe to Dorothy from Wizard of Oz, there are so many choices of famous Hollywood actors and actresses. You could even include some fun awards for things such as best and worst dressed!

but still be able to decorate a room to look stylish and over the top, then Hollywood is the choice for you. A red carpet is a must have and champagne glasses and gold streamers everywhere. Try to recreate the Hollywood Hills sign too. With Hollywood it is quite a broad theme so maybe put a few suggestion

TV Shows

If you aren’t so much a fan of the big screen, then how about characters and people from the small screen? Dressing up as people from TV shows brings a great opportunity for ideas, and you are less likely to have two people dressing the same. There are so many to choose from and everyone has a favourite show, from Glee to Downton Abbey to Only Fools and Horses to name but a few. This way you might get a cheerleader, Victorian and a Del boy singing happy birthday to you!

Decades

A popular choice, especially for those celebrating big birthdays such as a 30^th, is to choose a decade.

If you were born in the 70’s you could throw a groovy bash with disco platforms and flared trousers a plenty. For the 80’s go for the Madonna look or get inspired by Fame. The 90’s choose some MC Hammer pants or dress up like a Spice Girl of your choice. There are so many ideas if you pick a decade as you could include dressing like famous movie and TV stars from that time too, this will ensure there are a variety of costumes attending.

4 Ways Students Can Save Money

If there’s one group of people who understand the value of money (or lack thereof), its students. A student is entering a life where finances must be carefully and stringently monitored. But let’s be honest for a minute. That’s about as likely as Arnold Schwarzenegger winning ‘Best Actor’ at the Oscars.

But sometimes, there are a few little things that can be done when caught between a rock and a hard place. How can a student help themselves? Well there are a few things which can trim costs. Here are 4 of them….

 

1.    Nights out

 

Of course, this is part of the student experience. But it can be too easy to constantly go out and spend a great deal of money. If you go out 2-3 times per week, try and get into the habit of only doing it 1-2 times. That could be a third of the money usually spent you save per week. That’s £80.00 per month. Also, when going out, try to find the student deals such as free entry with NUS card (or your country’s relevant Union of Students.)  

 

Because this is what being a student is all about. Allegedly.

 

2.Nights in

It’s all too easy to fall into the other trap. Staying in every night might mean you want to just order a pizza and rent a film. This is all well and good but if you’re doing it almost every night, then the costs are going to rack up. Subscribing to Lovefilm or Netflix means that you’re paying a set low cost for TV and film rentals each month instead of several individual payments to rent DVDs or games.

Remember, a TV licence must be paid if you are watching programming as it is broadcast.

It does not extend to on-demand TV that you stream over the internet. Remember, if you do need a licence, then you can claim part of it back, during the time (summer holidays) when you might not be using it.

You can also find excellent deals on food and drink through sites like myvouchercodes.co.uk, (or again, your countries relevant counterpart), which can reduce your outgoings in that respect. 

 

It only takes 17 million of these babies for a nice Chardonnay.

 

3.    Cars

They are massively convenient, but also massively expensive to keep, especially whilst as a student. Insurance, tax, MOT, general upkeep. These are all expensive. Ask yourself, “Do I really need a car?” If you are close to your campus, then using public transport is going to be much cheaper as most cities offer a student discount on travel.

 

And let’s be fair. You’re going to be way too drunk to drive most of the time anyway.

 

 

4.    Part time work

Seems quite an obvious thing to do to make some money, but if done smartly, it can be a way to save a little money too. Try to get a job that offers a great discount on things you like to buy. For example, working at a clothes chain that gives you XX% discount on purchases. When researching places for weekend work, look at their benefits package in depth.

 

 

Or try office work if you want your soul to bleed from your ears slowly.

 

So that’s that. All of this is probably stuff you’re going to do anyway. But the earlier you do it, the more money you can save.

Possibly for beer.

And wine.

And pizza.

Or all of the above.

 

Bio: Halit Bozdogan works as a writer for Custard, but also has his own blog here. You can stalk him on twitter too @TheBozDog

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Tips To Clear Your Car And Driving Safely

Driving a car during bad weather can be stressful and not enjoyable. Some people find it a taxing experience without adding bad weather into the mix. My mum really dislikes driving, especially when it is dark outside. I have only recently passed my test, but so far have been enjoying it up until I stopped driving when the snow hit!

Bad weather is a real pain anyway, but when it comes to being on the road, it can make your trip become dangerous. If you can avoid driving when ice and snow hit especially, then do so. Actual driving about is not the only problem that happens, some people can forget to properly check their car before heading out. Dead car batteries are one of the most common problems that breakdown companies have to come out and fix when winter weather arrives. This is just one of the things you should check so I have put together some tips on what to check and also how to drive safely during bad conditions:

Firstly before any driving begins you must check certain parts of the car. If it has snowed then you need to get a brush and push off snow from the roof, windscreen and elsewhere so it does not fall and obstruct your view. Snow is quite easy to get rid; it is ice that you should be careful of removing. Make sure to spray your windscreen with de-icer and don’t put your wipers on until you are sure it is not frozen, as this could lead to scratches on your windscreen. Make sure to not to take the quick and seemingly easy option of boiling a kettle full of water and pouring it over the windscreen as this could crack the screen.

Whilst you are clearing your car, start your engine and switch the blowers onto the windscreen and have it on full to warm everything up. Even if you have been avoiding driving in the horrible weather, sit in your car for ten minutes and put the engine on once a week or if it is particularly cold, to make sure your battery does not go flat. If you are going to be driving out then check under your cars bonnet and take a look at the water tank to ensure it is filled up. Ensure your tyres have a great amount of tread left and maybe even look to switching to Lassa or Maxxis winter tyres, so you have extra grip in snowy conditions.

Once giving your car a good check over and you set off on your journey, take it slow and steady and you should be fine. Check the weather before you set off and take extra care if it has frozen overnight as there might be black ice on the roads. Allow yourself plenty of time and pack your car with essentials in case of emergencies.

Famous Cartoon Cats

I admit that I am a big fan of cats. I have two myself and they make great pets, and also fantastic cartoon characters! Felines have been a popular choice for a number of TV shows, films and animations and this post takes a look at some of the most famous ones:

 

Garfield

One of the first cats that came to my mind was Garfield. The fat ginger cat first appeared in a comic strip in the late 70’s. He was featured as a cartoon strip in 41 different newspapers which grew to 850 papers over the years. He then hit the big time in 2004 with a feature film named Garfield: The Movie, with a sequel following in 2008.

Hello Kitty

Hello Kitty is another famous cat but with a totally different appearance to Garfield. The cute Japanese design was inspired by the kawaii style and is a popular choice with girls. Hello Kitty started off as a TV series, but is now better known as a retro icon that has been spread across a whole host of products from bedding to bags and even a jet that run from 2005-2009!

The Aristocats

For any Disney fan the famous Aristocats must have been high on your list! The family features the mother cat Duchess and her three little kittens Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse who reside in Paris. Living happily in their mansion they get catnapped and kicked out by nasty butler Edgar, which leads them on a journey to make their way back home, coming across alley cat Thomas O’Malley and other friends along the way!

 

 

Simons Cat

One of the cats that are known best for being on the internet is Simons Cat. He didn’t have a feature film or TV show but there are a number of popular sketches featuring the white cat across the web. Simon used inspiration from his own pet cats to create the personality of the drawing. He has made his mark though with a number of Simons Cat gifts now on offer.

Internet Marketing Tips For Small Business

In this High-tech generation there are a lot of business which is being done through the internet and this has become the source of income for many people. Everyone is gaining their profits with the help of the  internet by doing online marketing be theirs a large or small business.

There are lots of opportunities for  young entrepreneurs to start their business with the help of the internet. If you are starting a small business then you will face some difficulties and it will take some time to set yourself up in the market. You need to try every possible way to cope with these difficulties and you should accept all the challenges. You need to exhibit your business in the market and the internet will help you with your business by driving traffic to your site.. Below are some of the internet marketing tips which can be helpful for your business:

•  Use Search Engines to Generate Traffic: You can display your business on the internet and drive traffic to your website  by using  search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, Asks and many more. Try possible different techniques like SEO, online and offline page optimisation.

•  Create Unique Website: You need a website which has good domain name and should be natural looking. If you are good with content, Keyword and links then you can eventually expect your website on the top search engine results page if done correctly. You will also need the finest service providers for  webhosting and support. Check and update your website regularly.

•  Try out Different Marketing Strategies: If you are advertising your business through the internet then you will need to create some goals which can help in achieving the aim of driving the customers and traffic to your website. You can put up your products and services on the internet and social media to get a on-line presence but remember you always need to satisfy your customers by pursuing their requirements in order to secure business longevity.

• Know the Competitors: If you are setting your business out in the marketplace then you need to look at your competitors and compete with them. This will help you in each aspect of online marketing as you will be able to understand your audience and what goals you need to set to appeal and interact with them.

• Social Media: As you see this generation is totally dominated by Social Networking media. This is a strong medium to promote your small business and take them to new levels. You can build a strong network and can get the opportunity to know various business associates. It is the perfect platform to promote your business and make a consistent growth as well as gaining good feedback from being more interactive with your customers.

The above tips are the finest to promote your small business and make a progress for your business.

About the Author:
The guest post was contributed by Sophie, financial guest blogger from Manchester, UK. Apart From Blogging she does research on PPI Claims Find out more about her finance related blogs @financeport 

 

Avoid Expensive Legal Bills at all Costs

The almost extortionate costs associated with legal representation, is no secret. In some cases such as personal injury claims and cases of unfair dismissal, people receive far less compensation than their representation receives for their services. Although the losing party usually pays for the cost of your legal bills, it is nevertheless important to make sure you have solid grounds to make a claim before you go down the litigation route. This can be done in a number of ways and the best way will depend on factors such as time, understanding and resources available to assess whether or not, a case for the courts exists.

Time Restraints and the Need to Begin Proceedings

Where are time limits that state the amount of time after an incident where someone can be taken before the courts, there can be some urgency to begin proceedings. This can be detrimental to people who are uncertain of their situation and some legal representatives will happily accept payment where there may be no case to present or a significant possibility of failure.

Understanding Issues from a Legal Perspective

Most of us have a very clear understanding of what is right and what is wrong, but we may have no idea of what is required from a legal perspective to process a successful claim. This means we may have all the facts, but we might not be able to present these facts because of legal obligations to present a fair case for both parties. Legal procedures can seem counterproductive to justice when we know we are in the right, but the legal profession is a complicated business best left to professionals. So even if we have the time to study our case, we usually only have a general indication of how successful our claim may be.

Accessing Legal Resources to Make an Informed Choice

Each part of the law in the UK has developed over the course of centuries and it is constantly changing, as new precedents are set. Knowing the implications of precedents, where to find legal references and how they are interpreted, is not a simple process. This is why legal professionals study for many years to become specialists in a particular field and the legal profession is hard to break in to because it is so deep. While this may be justification for employing professionals in most instances, you should always co

nsider alternatives before committing large amounts of money to something that you have no indication of the possible outcome.

 

Other Options for Legal Advice

If you do not have the time, resources or capacity to understand the legal aspects of your case, you can still seek legal advice before committing to any agreement with a legal representative. This can be done by accessing legal advice lines or websites that have question and answer facilities. If you decide to go down this route, you should always ensure you receive advice from qualified professionals. There are many sources of information, but you should be aware of the source and validity of any advice before you act on it.

Oil and gas experts are predicting prices at the pump will continue to drop throughout 2013

2013 is shaping up to be calmer on energy customers than energy stockholders – especially when it comes to oil rates.

Predicting oil rates is very complicated, of course, as they are so exceptionally adjusted to geopolitical activities. Instability in the Middle East – from Egypt to Syria to Israel’s battle with Iran – can have spectators bidding up the value of basic stocks by double-digit percent rises essentially overnight.

Nonetheless if the double-whammy of better global building amid sluggish economic growth continues, oil prices won’t see much action to the positive of 2013.

Unquestionably, on average, they ought to decrease, and yet that certainly will help place additional disposable income in buyers’ pockets – and support business revenue margins – it’s not good news for anybody looking to make a set-it-and-forget-it extended bet on oil.

The story of last year’s tape ought to serve optimistic oil stockholders well this year. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) basic oil shares traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange, part of CME Group (NYSE:CME), were off 12% for last year, worried by the gusher of new fabrication from hydraulic breaking and deep-water drilling, as well as a universal economy struggling to support a development level of 2.5%.

And, after growing through the first half of 2012, gasoline prices are following suit. After climaxing at $3.92 a gallon, the countrywide average rate for regular gas is down to $3.30, according to AAA. Every 1-cent rise in the charge of a gallon of gas costs consumers roughly $3.8 million in disposable income a day in the U.S.

Therefore it’s relaxed news for consumers and commercial profit margins that oil and gas rates are forecast to extend those drops over this year.

The average price of a barrel of oil this year has been estimated at $88.38, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

 

Wait, that phone has what?

 

Ever since the term “smartphone” has started to be thrown around the market, novice users are getting particularly sick of their friends talking about their high tech gadgets that only Harry Potter should be able to figure out how to use. The entire smartphone saga has taken the world by storm, and these days unless you understand that Gingerbread isn’t meant to be eaten but is actually an Android version, you probably won’t live past July. It’s getting a little too much for people who simply need a phone to make calls and send messages every now and then.

I’ve had tons of my friends come to me and ask me which phone they should be buying, or which phone is the best in the market, and whether or not they can receive calls from an iPhone if they have a Nokia from 2005. While these are all very valid questions, except the last one, there is no plain answer here for you. There is no “best phone in the market”, there is only a phone out there that is best suited for you. And it should always be as simple as that.

The gentleman next to me on the bus today said he was an avid surfer. He saw the phone in my hand and asked me whether he should buy it. I told him he shouldn’t. He then asked me if he should buy the iPhone, and I told him that he shouldn’t. He asked me which phone he should buy, and I told him he should buy a Motorola Defy. Why? The phone is waterproof. It’ll suit his needs much better. Sure, he might enjoy the iPhone when he’s out with friends or back at home, but each time he heads to the beach he’s going to ensure that his phone is away from both sand and water, because nothing messes up an iPhone more than water and sand.

I explained to him that the Defy is water-proof, he could take it with him on his surfboard, make a call while paddling and nothing would happen to the phone. It has a decent camera, runs Android and is absolutely fine. He’ll fall in love with it. He seemed to think that simply because a phone is waterproof isn’t reason enough for a surfer to buy it. While I agree with the sentiment, it’s also important that he realizes that this particular feature of the phone is exactly what he’ll like the most and make it the most convenient for him.

I wasn’t going to try and sell him the phone of course, I’m no Moto-salesman, but I think the voice of reason did strike somewhere in his head. For everyone out there who’s trying to figure out which phone is the “best” and if you’re delaying choices because the one you want doesn’t currently run the latest version of Android, you should probably ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” and it’ll make your choice easier. Be honest with yourself. A phone shouldn’t be a fashion statement, it should be something that causes less of a hassle for you.

 

About Avtar Ram Singh Avtar Ram Singh is a technology enthusiast who covers articles on topics ranging from social media and internet technologies to consumer devices. He is currently working with Lazada. You can follow their Facebook updates here.

 

5 Tips for Maintaining Good Eye Health

For many, sight is the most important sense. Sight allows you to take in those warm, breathtaking sunsets, understand the intricacies of a fine painting, and see all the little details of your lover’s face, but many of us take our sight for granted and even abuse it to no end. Protect your sensitive eyes and maintain good eye health with these tips.

1. Eat good food for good vision.

Generally, if you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, your body and individual organs will stay healthy, so having healthy eyes all starts with what’s on your plate. Nutrients like lutein, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, and E promote good eye health, fight off age-related eye problems like cataracts and macular degeneration, and can help your eyes heal up after an Nd:YAG laser procedure.

Some foods to start out with:

• Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish

• Citrus fruits and juices

• Green leafy veggies

• Non-meat protein sources (nuts, beans, eggs)

• And, of course, carrots

2. Wear sunglasses.

They are the international symbol for cool, but sunglasses are more than a basic accessory for your wardrobe. The right sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays, which can increase your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration, and other eye disorders and save you from having to go through low vision therapy. 

When choosing sunglasses, make sure the lenses block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays. Some contact lenses offer UV protection, but these may not work as well as full sunglasses. You should protect your eyelids and the area around the eyes as well as the eyes themselves.

3. Look away from your computer screen every so often.

As it turns out, the human body wasn’t designed to sit at a desk all day to stare into a glowing screen, but for a majority of the country, that’s just part of living. Staring at a computer (or TV or smartphone) for extended periods of time strains your vision.

About 90 percent of people who use a computer at least three hours a day suffer from what has been dubbed computer vision syndrome.

This temporary disorder causes all kinds of problems, including:

• Dry eyes
• Headache
• Pain in the shoulders, neck, and back.
• Blurry vision
• Difficulty focusing

Fortunately, fixing the issue doesn’t require any advanced ophthalmic equipment; it’s as easy as looking away from your computer. Give your eyes a rest by looking 20 feet away every 20 minutes for about 20 seconds. Every two hours or so, take a quick 15 minute break.

You may also need to rearrange your work area. The top of your monitor should be at eye level. Your chair should be comfortable and support your weight. Position your chair so that your feet lie flat on the floor. Avoid glare, and for god’s sake, don’t forget to blink.