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41) House-buying rules: the basics of buy-to-let
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Finance
Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of people who choose to buy a house. There are those that buy with the intention of living in it, and then there are those that buy with the intention of renting it out.
And whilst those who are simply seeking a roof over their heads undoubtedly make up the majority of the buyer's market, the buy-to-let market is gradually increasing its share of the market too, due in part to credit conditions remaining more consistent in recent years compa...
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42) How To Protect Yourself Against Unforeseen Events
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Insurance
When we are young we don't tend to think too much about planning for the future. We are too busy enjoying ourselves to worry about anything else.
But sooner or later we do start thinking about how we should approach the next stage of our lives, and we start to think about making plans to ensure we are as financially secure as possible.
This is especially important if you have a family, because if anything untoward happened it wouldn't just involve you - it would invo...
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43) Leave your phone at home this holiday
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Travel and Leisure
The internet has long been associated with disruptive technologies, the most obvious case being the entertainment industry, where stagnating record labels and Hollywood studios have found that polarised tastes and easy transferability have turned power over to consumers.
Another, perhaps not as obvious case, is the telecoms industry. A decade ago, backpackers would keep in touch with friends and family with the odd letter retrieved from a poste restante. Then, following the tur...
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44) Surfers continue to search for the sweetest wave
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Travel and Leisure
Recent times have seen the more experienced surfer enjoy the still undiscovered surfing spot of the Porto E Norte region in northern Portugal. This region not only offers surfers the chance to ride largely uncrowded waves, but also a beautiful coastline with endless beaches and a taste of real Portuguese culture and lifestyle. This spot offers fun waves during the summer time, ideal for the beginner surfer, as well as more unpredictable waves during the spring and autumn which are sure to...
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45) Food for thought: too much choice is no bad thing in the mortgage world
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Finance
It could be argued that too much choice is a bad thing. When shopping at the local supermarket for instance, there is usually a dizzying amount of brands to choose from and knowing which item to choose over another can be confusing. Price is always a key factor in the decision making process, but understanding the ins and outs of what each product can offer can be hard work, especially when many of the items - on the surface at least - appear to offer the same thing. And this is why most p...
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46) Top tips for your Spanish Holiday
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Travel and Leisure
Few European holiday destinations can claim to have the charm of Spain, a country that offers the awe inspiring architecture and historically significant sights common in other European countries but with the added bonus of all the attractions being under a beautiful, blue Mediterranean sky. Even those having to stick to a tight budget during their holidays will find plenty to do and see in Spain, and, with some careful planning, could save a substantial amount of money.
Planni...
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47) Bright lights, big city: New York, the city that never sleeps
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Travel and Leisure
As far as cities go, New York is probably up there with the best of them. In terms of its sheer scale, size and mesmerising skyline, New York is perhaps the very definition of what makes a city, a city.
Indeed, as the USA's most populous and largest city since 1790, 'The City That Never Sleeps' is exactly that - with a 24-hour underground railway system and a round-the-clock hustle and bustle that can be matched by few other destinations on earth.
Most major cities i...
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48) A design for life: Milan, a city of high-class and culture
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Travel and Leisure
Any city worth its' salt is sure to be world-renowned for at least one thing. Paris has wine and fine-dining, Las Vegas has gambling and Rome has ancient history. But there probably aren't many cities whose number-one claim to fame is fashion and design.
Situated in Northern Italy on the plains of Lombardy, Milan positively thrives on the glamour industry, and is home to many educational institutions that specialize in fashion and design, including Domas Academy (Postgraduate S...
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49) Do you have grounds for an endowment complaint?
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Finance
Endowment mortgages are policies that were marketed on the grounds that they would pay off a person's mortgage once the policy matured. The policy is intended to be a long-term investment whereby the homeowner would pay premiums into the policy - which was invested in funds and would mature over time - and then at the end of the policy's term, the total amount would pay off the outstanding balance of their mortgage.
However, almost half of people who took out an endowment mortg...
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50) Famous Florence Medici spa uncovered
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Travel and Leisure
Florence, the beautiful regional capital of Tuscany in Italy, has long been a popular destination for tourists. Renowned for its Renaissance art and architecture, and the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, the city has now added a rediscovered treasure to its long list of attractions.
For almost 400 years the former thermal day spa of the all-powerful Medici family lay hidden, until it was unearthed following diligent research by a Florentine estate agent, Gianni Risto...
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51) Who Knows What's Around the Corner?
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Finance
The unpredictable nature of life has the ability to surprise us all. Often there's very little that can be done to stop unpleasant events from occurring. However, you can make sure you are prepared for when the unthinkable does become a reality. Don't leave it to chance, because whatever it may be, it may just happen to you. Insuring yourself against the worst can help put your mind at ease and let you get on with life knowing that if something terrible does happen, you're covered....
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52) The Best Museums In London
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Travel and Leisure
Whatever your own interests are, you are sure to find something that will appeal to you in London's top museums, featuring a vast array of intriguing artefacts.
One of the most famous of London's museums has to be the Natural History Museum. This is a great day out for all the family, especially as there is no charge to visit. And there is plenty to keep everyone amused too, not least the impressive and famous dinosaur skeletons which loom overhead in one of the biggest halls...
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53) Getting into the savings habit
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Finance
How much money do you have saved up for a rainy day? The experts all say you should have around three months worth of your usual salary or wages tucked away in an account to provide a safety cushion should you need it.
But for many of us that can take some time to save up and it can seem like an impossible task too. So what can we do to start saving now in order to reap the benefits in the future?
The key is to be regular in your efforts to put some money away. Ope...
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54) Florida: mixing it up in America's 'sunshine state'
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Travel and Leisure
Deciding where to go for a summer holiday can cause arguments, even in the most placid of households. Whilst many people would like nothing better than to lie on a beach for 2 weeks, soaking up the rays whilst perusing a fortnight's supply of glossy magazines, there's no doubt that others would prefer to mix it up a bit, by adding some activities, sightseeing and nightlife into the equation.
Of course, compromise is undoubtedly the way forward for many households, which then mea...
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55) The Benefits of managing your money online
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Business
If you've always had to travel into your local town centre to do your banking, you'll find online banking to be a completely different animal altogether.
One of the greatest benefits is that you'll no longer have to spend half your lunch hour queuing in your local branch along with everyone else just to pay a cheque into to your bank account. You'll find the opening hours are much more convenient as well, since you can go online at any hour of the day and night to check your ba...
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56) Make significant savings with an online savings account
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Finance
As a result of the recent much-publicised credit crunch, UK banks are now seeking to offer better interest rates on their savings accounts in order to attract additional customers and alleviate the loss of income from the falling numbers of mortgage approvals. This is great news for consumers, who can shop around to find more favourable terms on savings accounts than have been available in recent memory both online and offline.
One of the best ways to save money is to open an o...
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57) Getting more for your mortgage money
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Finance
When shopping for anything, most people like to seek out the best deals and get the most they can for their money. Whether it's a holiday, clothes or even groceries, nobody likes to be paying more than they otherwise need to.
But browsing for the best deals is perhaps most prudent when it comes to long-term financial commitments; make a wrong decision, and its possible the repercussions of this decision could last for years.
When looking to buy a house, it's normal to...
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58) China's first emperor gives way to Roman ruler at British Museum
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Travel and Leisure
The life-size soldiers and guards for the first emperor of China have made way for one of Rome's most celebrated military leaders at the British Museum, as members of Qin Shihuangdi's Terracotta army are to be replaced by artefacts from the time of Roman Emperor Hadrian.
The Terracotta army attracted visitors in their hundreds of thousands to the British Museum during early 2008, but if you want to catch the soldiers who accompanied the emperor to the afterlife, unfortunately yo...
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59) People Power - Still Going Strong in Leeds!
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Sports
The Half Marathon is one of the biggest events on the Leeds sports calendar, but the 2008 running was almost cancelled after Leeds City Council announced it would not be holding the annual 13.1 mile road race for the first time in twenty two years, in order to focus all attention on the 10 kilometre Jane Tomlinson Run For All.
Athletes and running clubs across the city protested, disappointed by the Council's decision, especially as Leeds already has another 10 kilometre race, t...
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60) Lending a leg-up - the history of mortgages
Author:
Matthew Pressman
Category:
Finance
The UK has around 11.8 million mortgages and the industry is currently valued at £1.1 trillion. The ability to borrow an agreed amount, in order to fund purchasing a house, is something that is often taken for granted, and mortgages are even seen by many as an unwelcome nuisance. Their benefits, however, have been enjoyed by millions, as without them, only those with significant sums of money would be able to own a home.
Making an investment in a home has long been viewed as a r...
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