● Laura Thornberry ● Lifestyle Blogger ● London Based ●

GUEST POST | There’s no escaping it – driving is expensive. For young drivers or people with limited driving experience, driving-related costs can be even higher than expected. However, there are things that you can do to reduce your costs as a driver, and if you combine even just a few of these tactics you can find yourself saving hundreds of pounds a year. In this article, we’ll give you our top five tips for saving money as a driver, so that you can put your hard-earned money to good use elsewhere.

Go For An Economical Vehicle

One of the easiest ways to save money as a driver is to make sure that you’re not overpaying for a vehicle that is out of your budget. Although it can be tempting to go for a flashy car that will impress your friends and family, one of the best ways to keep your costs low is to prioritise buying a vehicle that is economical to run, and there are some great guides available online to help you make a suitable decision around buying a fuel efficient car.

Make Sure Your Insurance Offers Value For Money

The next thing to consider when trying to save money as a driver is that your car insurance should be offering you value for money, rather than draining your wallet. No matter what car you drive, QuoteZone can offer competitive prices by comparing over 110 insurance providers, so you can find a quote that works for you. If you’re looking for VW Beetle insurance, for example, you can save up to £290 on your annual price and access cashback and rewards, so prioritizing the right VW Beetle insurance is really a no-brainer when it comes to saving money.

Get Breakdown Cover

Regardless of how new your car is, or whether it’s in tip-top shape, you can never guarantee that you won’t run into difficulties. Cars are complex machines that depend on a range of different technologies to run smoothly, so it’s better to avoid taking any risks. Investing in breakdown cover is a great way to give you peace of mind and save you the high cost of hiring a roadside recovery service if you were to break down.

Search For Cheap Fuel

Another top tip for saving money as a driver is taking time to search for the cheapest fuel in your area. Fuel stations price their fuel by considering the wholesale price, distribution costs, and their own specific profit margins. This means that prices can vary across different petrol stations. To make it easier to work out where the cheapest nearby station is, there are some great apps or online sites that can help you.

Keep On Top Of Car Maintenance

Finally, an often overlooked element of driving where costs can pile up is car maintenance. Servicing your vehicle regularly is a great way to monitor any potential faults or issues, and if you can catch problems early on, you can save money in the long run and reduce the risk of your vehicle running into a bigger issue that will be costly to fix.

While the price of driving can add up, by following these top tips, you can bring your costs down and make life a little easier. By choosing an economical vehicle and sourcing the right car insurance, as well as keeping on top of any necessary maintenance, you can be certain that your wallet will thank you!

How do you save money as a driver?

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AD| By building an eco-friendly home, not only will you be doing your bit for the environment, but you’ll also enjoy reduced energy bills. In recent years, there has been more emphasis on how we can reduce the speed of global warming and making eco-friendly choices, and it's important to make changes within our homes. After all, every little helps. However, what makes an eco-friendly home is open to interpretation, so you’ll need to decide what it is that you want to achieve before you start your project. For example, do you want to reduce your energy bills, create a more sustainable way of living or build a healthier internal environment for your family?

If you’re building for the ground up, you are in a unique position to consider the structural elements that will impact your global footprint. For instance, pile foundations are usually an eco-friendlier option than concrete because they are quicker and quieter to install and can also be reused if the house ever gets knocked down. You’ll also have more control over the types of doors and windows that are installed. Here are some more tips for building an eco-friendly home…

Get a Water Softener

If you live in a hard water area, your home is constantly being damaged by limescale. Hard water contains minerals that, when heated and evaporates, leaves behind limescale in your heating system, appliances, kettles and more. Anything that heats the water will see a build-up of limescale. This build-up reduces the efficiency of your home, causing all those mentioned above to use more gas and electricity, costing you extra for things you use daily. Installing a water softener will remove these minerals, making your home limescale-free. It will also eventually dissolve any previous limescale build-up, improving your home's efficiency, reducing your carbon footprint and saving you money.

Invest in Solar Panels

The sun is undeniably a powerful energy source, which can be harnessed using solar panels. Unlike other sources of energy, we cannot run out of solar energy, making it a truly renewable option. Solar panels are fairly expensive to install, but will save you money on your energy bills. They are also diverse; in that they can be used to generate electricity and/or heat. They can also be integrated into the building materials and are cheap to maintain.

Install Adequate Insulation

Insulation is important for regulating the temperature in your home. Without it, heat will escape during winter, and you’ll have to turn up your thermostat and keep it on for longer. Not only is that expensive, but also a waste of energy. Insulation also keeps your home cooler during the summer months, meaning you’ll be less inclined to use fans or air conditioning. Bear in mind that you can insulate your roof, floors, walls, and windows.

Ensure Your Windows are Double Glazed

Like insulation, double or even triple glazed windows are great for regulating the temperature in your home because they allow you to retain heat in winter and keep it cooler in summer. They are also great for reducing noise pollution, so are ideal if you live on a busy street.

Consider the Lighting

When it comes to windows, you should also consider their location to ensure there is plenty of natural light in your home. Without it, you will have to keep your lights on, which is neither goo for the environment, nor for your wallet. LED light bulbs are better for the environment than their incandescent alternatives and tend to last longer, so you shouldn’t have to replace them as often. While the upfront cost might seem a lot, you’ll make your money back in a matter of months by saving on your electricity bills.

Use Recycled Materials

Things like doors, carpets, and hardware can be reused, so consider installing second-hand materials where possible rather than producing raw materials. What’s more, it’s worth considering using locally produced materials because they require less energy to deliver.

Consider a Green Roof or Living Wall

There are many benefits to having a green roof/wall. They purify the air, regulate the temperature indoors and provide a rainwater buffer. When done properly, they also look beautiful, so are great for aesthetics. They are lightweight and require very little maintenance.

What ways do you use to make your home more eco-friendly? Which of these tips would you consider starting to use?

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AD – GIFTED | Are you currently looking to redecorate your bedroom and need inspiration? Do you require ideas for a bedroom shelf display? Why not consider some new decorative accessories, posters, or prints for your home?

In our home, we all aspire to have those display shelves that look so effortless, clean, and minimalist, without being too cluttered and messy. Obviously, when you start to redecorate and use decorative accessories in your home, you'll often want to display personal items such as your favourite photographs, prints, ornaments, and books. A simple way to update your bedroom's look is by interchanging your shelf displays to help add some character, some colour and a personal touch to your personal space.

With a wide range of options for objects to feature in your shelf display, whether you choose ornaments, books, posters, prints or sculptures, the possibilities are endless. If you're looking for some inspiration for selecting posters and prints, head over to the Poster Store – offering an endless choice of wall art at an affordable price. Listed below are 3 simple tips for creating a minimalist bedroom shelf display in your home.

Choose A Colour Scheme

Incorporating too many colours into your shelf display can typically create a messy, distracted and overwhelming look to your room. This will ultimately create the opposite outcome of that you are looking for. I made sure to leave some “empty space”, as this is necessary for achieving a minimal style display. Leaving some empty space on your display will make your shelves look bigger, cleaner, and tidier. If you want to follow a minimalist style, you don't always need to choose a monochrome theme. Why not opt for something tonal, which uses similar colours to really make an impact.

Don't Overcrowd Your Space

When you begin to compile your shelf display, it's important to declutter and get rid of any unwanted items. It may take you a few attempts to get your perfect composition, and ultimately something you are completely happy with. Make sure to leave empty spaces, as these will be your best friend for helping you create something clean and minimal.

Opt For Different Object Sizes, Shapes, and Textures

Lastly, using items in your bedroom shelf display of different sizes, shapes, and textures can really change the whole vibe of your display. It will help add interest and to draw attention to your shelf display. Using big items will help create a statement, and be the stand-out part of your display, whilst smaller items can help fill spaces and bring the entire look together nicely.

For my own minimalist bedroom shelf display, I wanted to get creative and have a more summery vibe to my space. I made sure to keep things clean, minimal and neutral, to help keep things balanced and not go over the top. The main colour scheme for this shelf display was warms neutral tones of creams, browns and oranges, which is perfect for the summer months, and something that is very calming and welcoming.

For me, I think illustrations and abstract poster artwork is the perfect choice for the home, as they are so minimal, so simple, yet so stylish. For my feature display shelves, I chose both the Abstract Landscape Poster and the Abstract Lemon Tree Poster. Both these posters feature warm tones of yellows, oranges, and browns that help bring a calming, summery feel to my personal space. I picked both posters in A3 size, as I wanted to make them a statement feature of my shelf display, in order to create a focal point to the shelves.

There are a variety of sizes for all posters, prints, and frames online, making it easier for you to be as creative as you want, depending on the space you have to fill in your home, as well as your budget. The collection of unique prints online will help you create your own gallery wall tailor-made for your home. All the posters are printed on sustainably produced high-quality paper, helping to minimise any damage to the environment.

For those looking to invest in some high quality, affordable posters and prints, make sure to check out the Poster Store and use the discount below to save some money on some beautiful wall art.

Use Code: 45LAURATHORNBERRY for 45% on all posters (except Selection Posters and frames) Not combinable with other discount campaigns. Valid until the 24th of July!

Have you heard of the Poster Store? Are you looking to add some new wall art into your home?

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GUEST POST| The Southwestern United States is a diverse and exciting place to visit. It offers many landscapes, climates, and cultures. The region is mostly made up of desert-like areas, with some mountain ranges in the north, such as the Rocky Mountains. The region also has some of the country’s best food, arts, and music. Popular sites include the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Las Vegas in Nevada, San Diego in California and New Mexico's White Sands National Monument.

If you’re interested in making these sites part of your back-door view, you’ll need a reliable home base. So, check out this list of these amazing Southwestern cities to check out now if you want to see more in this incredible part of the United States.

El Paso

El Paso, Texas, has a lot to offer. It is known for its temperate climate, vibrant culture, and rich history. El Paso was founded in 1680 by Spanish colonizers in the New World. The city’s location on the Mexican border makes it an ideal destination for those who want to explore both sides of the country. It also has some good things going for it is as well, like its low cost of living and high-quality education system.

This is a great time to pick up one of the El Paso houses for sale and settle into the city to work, because El Paso offers plenty of resources and opportunities while still being affordable.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico that is known for its high-quality restaurants, art and culture. Santa Fe has a lot of great things to offer its residents and visitors, but one of the best things about Santa Fe is the food. The food scene in Santa Fe is one of the best in the country and provides visitors with a wide range of options from traditional Mexican dishes to fine dining.

Santa Fe has also been named as one of America’s “most liveable cities” by Forbes magazine, which puts it on par with other popular destinations such as Austin, Portland, and San Francisco. Basically, the city is temperate for much of the year, it’s got a great look to it with its Spanish influences, and there is plenty to do outdoors. Worth checking out, for sure!

Sedona

Sedona is a beautiful place in the state of Arizona. It is known for its red rock views and opportunities for hiking, biking, rock climbing, horseback riding, and more! One of the best parts about visiting Sedona is the beautiful scenery. There are so many types of landscapes in this city that you can easily find something you love.

Sedona has a lot to offer its residents. The cost of living is relatively lower compared to other places in Arizona, it has an abundance of natural beauty, and it’s close to major cities like Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. The city also offers great opportunities for those who want to live out their passions through careers in art or culture.

Have you visited the US lately? What cities and states have you travelled to?

21:56 No comments

GUEST POST | Everyone is more acutely aware of their well-being today. The coronavirus set society on a high alert, and now people are watchful for any signs, symptoms, and causes of illness. Of course, illness does not predictably roll around and doesn’t necessarily abide by a schedule. Often, sickness can seem to come down to little more than a harsh bout of bad luck.

There are many prevention methods to employ, but over a lifetime, everyone is bound to get ill at one stage or another. Still, a degree of preparation work can help with illness. If you take the right steps, health problems may be less debilitating and dismissed much sooner. Here are some tips to help you prepare for unexpected health problems.

Stock up Proportionately

The prospect of illness can drive many people into a fretful frenzy. For example, they may seek to buy more medicines than they feasibly need. The coronavirus spurred people to buy more goods, and the pandemic is yet to be fully conquered. Therefore, it’s important to be mindful. While having more drugs in the house might seem like a good idea at first, it can make things harder for you. Your spending might unnecessarily skyrocket when the cost of living is high enough already. Moreover, your cupboards may become overcrowded and disorganised with different pills you may or may not need.

Try to have enough medications at home so that you are covered if illness strikes at highly inconvenient times, such as in the middle of the night. Don’t buy enough that you think could set you up for life, but just for little blips of ailments in your usual routine. Once that rocky period of unexpected illness has subsided, you can then head to the doctor or your pharmacy the next day to buy more (but still a proportionate amount) of what you need. Stock up on more than medicines too. Hand sanitisers, cleaning disinfectants, and healthy food and drink ranges can make a positive difference when an illness is floating around.

Review Insurance Arrangements

Illness might be unexpected, but your response to it shouldn’t be. Insurance coverage can determine how fast you can respond to sickness. It’s worth regularly reviewing your circumstances here. For example, Circle Health Group provide a wealth of information and resources on private health insurance. They explain that if you need a specialist for treatment, you can activate your private health cover and then use it to pay for treatment at one of their private hospitals. Read their simple three-step process of speaking to your GP, calling their appointments' advisor line, and speaking to your insurer for more assurances and information.

Knowing that you have private insurance can be an enormous comfort. Of course, not everybody can afford the full range of benefits, but you can tinker with what you’d like covered so that it aligns with your budget. Your workplace may also have policies that cover you. Make some enquiries, get clued in, and see what type of private healthcare you might be eligible for.

Keep Reading

It’s important to remain informed across all aspects of your health. Building your knowledge means you streamline your preventative measures and tailor your countermeasures. Coronavirus isn’t over yet. While the consensus indicates the worst is probably over, covid continues to evolve and develop numerous strains that affect each sufferer differently. Consequently, it’s important to be mindful of things such as this and not underestimate coronavirus just because it appears to be in the news a little less.

Of course, balance is required here. If you worry too much, you may start to develop hypochondriac qualities. Be cautious and informed rather than anxious and hysterical, and you’ll be in a better position to judge which health-related measures are appropriate in your life. Ensure that you source all of your information from reputable outlets, too. Peer-reviewed resources from medical journals will suit your purposes, as will the NHS website and some reports from credible mainstream media outlets. Conduct some wider reading without consuming misinformation.

Build a Support Network

Pride mustn’t get in the way when it comes to potential illness. A support network is required to ensure you get through these moments as quickly and cleanly as possible. Remember, your loved ones are well positioned to notice any change in your behaviour that might indicate illness. Additionally, they may be willing to stop by when you’re sick and help take care of you. Their attentiveness and affection for you can make a huge difference not only to your physical well-being, but your overall morale too.

You mustn’t just have one person in mind when receiving help. After all, it’s important to be considerate of other people’s time and mindful that everyone is leading their own lives. Try to make life easier for anyone who might help you when you’re ill. Doctor’s contact numbers, draft a proposed schedule, and think about ways you can make requests specific and clear. Share your feelings and gratitude, and state your intentions to return favours when you’re better.

How do you prepare for unexpected health problems?

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