Shopping Maniac

Great products, Bargains and gift ideas


You are here: Home / 2012 / Archives for December 2012

Archives for December 2012

How to Make Sure You Can Get Work Done on Your Business Trip

by






If you are going on a business trip then this may mean a free holiday for you where you will get put up in a nice hotel while having the benefit of somewhere to explore in your free time. Ultimately though you will still be on company time for much of it, and that means that when you’re not doing whatever it is that you were sent to do, you should still be finding ways to be productive and do some kind of work.

So the question is, how do you make sure that your hotel will facilitate this work, and how do you make yourself able to work when it doesn’t?

Equipment

First of all you should make sure that you are bringing the right equipment with you, and specifically this should of course mean a small laptop or netbook you can work on, and anything ese you might need to do your job.

Something that can make a big difference here is to bring with you either a dongle, or a smartphone that provides internet tethering. While most hotels these days will offer you WiFi, carrying these things with you will ensure that you can access the internet even where they don’t and this will allow you to do research and answer e-mails on the train/plane as well. Bringing a spare battery can also help as this way you can keep working even when you can’t find a place to recharge.

Hotel

When you choose your hotel it makes sense to try and find somewhere that will offer WiFi, but also a good desk to work on and of course coffee making facilities in the room to keep your mind sharp. If you can get a room that’s away from any noise, and that has a good view, then this will be even better.

Meanwhile you should also try and limit the time you will waste doing other things. Look for a B&B that offers you breakfast for instance and this is time saved when you would otherwise be looking around for a place to eat. Likewise if you can find a hotel that provides good transport links then you can spend less time walking and more time working.

Another aspect to consider is how comfortable the place you’re staying is. Choosing somewhere nice isn’t just an indulgent way to waste money – if you sleep better then you’ll find you are more likely to wake up feeling recharged and able to work the next day.

Nearby Amenities

It’s also worth looking into the nearby amenities that are on offer where you’re staying. If you can find a good coffee shop to work in then this will provide you with somewhere you can operate that will be likely to have power sockets, free internet and a fairly quiet atmosphere. Other great places to work while you’re travelling include libraries, gyms and university campuses so look for these in the area when you’ve had to sign out of your hotel.

Jason Coffey loves travelling and is never in the same place for more then a week. He has travelled all around the world and has come to the conclusion that there is no place like home.






How to Afford a Property in the Economic Crisis

by

When it comes to finances, we’ve all been through the ringer these last few years. While reports on the current state of the economy vary greatly, it’s generally safe to say that it’s been better and that we aren’t completely out of the woods just yet. While we might be climbing our way toward the end of the tunnel (please say it’s so!) we’re still not as well off as we were before this whole sorry mess began.

And this has affected all of our lifestyles of course, and all of the larger industries. Nowhere though is it more apparent than in the housing market which has slowed right down with fewer and fewer people able to take the plunge with such a large purchase. This is particularly bad for first time buyers of course too who don’t have anything to sell to raise the capital, and who are generally younger and not as well off to begin with. Without investing in real estate though, those same people are going to be spending large amounts of money regularly on renting and thus making it more and more difficult to ever get to the point where they are able to invest in real estate.

So the question is, what can you do to get out of this sticky situation? When you’re between a rock and a hard place, how can you beat your circumstances and invest at a time when actually the housing prices are quite low? Here are some tips and suggestions…

Improve Your Credit Rating

If you’re currently looking to buy a new property then you should be saving as much money as possible toward making as big a deposit as possible. This is obvious, but what you might not have considered is the importance of improving your credit rating – which is a figure that dictates the way the banks see you and how willing they are to invest in you with a loan. In short if your credit rating is poor then your APR is going to be very high on any mortgage and you may not be able to get one at all – so look at ways you can prove to the bank that you’re reliable and in a stable financial situation so that when the time comes you are able to get yourself a good mortgage relatively easily.

Team Up

If you can’t afford to buy a property on your own, or if you are afraid to, then going in with someone else is a good way to invest your money and improve your quality of life without making such a large financial commitment. This doesn’t have to be a partner – it could mean getting help from a parent, or it could just mean buying a house with a group of friends. Either way you’ll be able to get money back out of the deal when you leave, and you’ll technically be a homeowner.

Cut the Other Costs

You should also look into ways you can reduce all the other costs of moving so that you can focus on the property itself. This means shopping around and seeing if you can find cheaper settlement agents and cheaper surveyors, and it means throwing out lots of your things so that you can forego using a removal company.

Schemes

There are plenty of schemes available specifically for those who are struggling to afford a property from ‘rent to buy’ schemes to ‘part-buy-part-rent’. Each has strengths and weaknesses and they won’t all appeal to everyone, so do your research and consider these alternatives to buying outright.

Jimmy Hendricks has done quite well for himself in the trading business. He gives simple trading tips and advice to his readers on his blogs.

How to Give Speeches Infront of Your Friends and Family

by

My best friend is getting married this time next year and I’m terrified. I’m terrified partly because it’s giving my restless girlfriend ideas (we’ve been going out longer than he’s been with his girlfriend), but also because as best friend I’m going to have to take on certain duties – and the most nerve wracking of these is undoubtedly the prospect of giving a speech in front of everyone he knows (most of whom are people I know too) as well as the bride’s invites (who are Chinese speaking just to make life a little more complicated).

When I was younger I used to be pretty good at giving speeches. I gave the graduation speech at my university for instance, which I was chosen to do thanks to my record of good previous speeches; but it’s been a while since I last talked in front of an audience. Here then I’m going to go over a few of the tips I’ve collected previously to try and refresh my memory on just how to do it. And if you have a similar duty coming up some time soon then it may help you as well.

Keep it Flexible

In the past I’ve tried reading an exact speech off of cue cards or even pieces of paper and invariably these have been my less inspired talks. The problem with doing this is not only that it means you’re looking down and not at your audience, but also that it means you’re reading rather than talking. You’ll here be robotically regurgitating the information you see in front of you rather than actually addressing your audience, and this of course means you’re going to be much less engaging and natural in the way you talk.

What works much better is to have ideas on your cue cards but to just let these act as triggers that remind you of ideas you’ve had and of what’s coming up. This way you can keep the structure you’ve outlined and hit all your key beats, but at the same time you can improvise where you see fit and you can keep it more naturally flowing.

Talk Slowly

Remembering to talk slowly is something that’s very important if you want to sound confident and clear. When you speak slowly you naturally sound more at ease because you are taking your time, and at the same time this will make what you’re saying easier to hear. When we give speeches most of us will talk at double speed thanks to all the adrenaline pumping through our brains, so even if you think you’re talking super slowly, you might still benefit from dragging it out a little further.

Engage the Audience

When you speak it’s important to react to the audience and to involve them. First of all this means scanning the whole of the party venues with your eyes to ensure no group feels left out, but at the same time it also means reacting to what you perceive the mood of the audience to be. If you look around and someone seems to be dozing off then try to engage them by looking at them and posing a rhetorical question. Don’t forget anyone and talk with not at them.

Henry Washington is a party animal and that is why he so good at planning wild parties for his clients. He is your go-to guy if you want to plan the coolest parties that too a very cheap rate.

Holiday Gift Ideas for First Time Homeowners

by

Some people are nearly impossible to shop for, especially those who seem to already have everything they need and want. Fortunately, if you’re shopping for someone who just bought a new home, there is no shortage of great gift ideas, as new home owners generally need a lot of help when it comes to filling their new space. Need some inspiration? Here are some great holiday gift ideas for first time home owners:

Toolbox. Even those men and women who aren’t so handy around the house will find that they have a need for a toolbox when it comes to fixing up the new home. A basic toolbox (hammer, screwdriver, level, wrench, etc.) is invaluable for completing a broad range of tasks around the house, from hanging family photos to installing ceiling fans.

Indoor or outdoor plant. Plants are more than just pretty to look at; they are symbolic of new life and growth. That makes them an ideal gift for first time home owners, who can watch their plants grow just as they watch their new house turn into a home. There are no rules when it comes to purchasing plants, and you have an endless array of options. Just get something you think the homeowners will like (and that they’ll be able to take care of). Plants that make great holiday gifts include poinsettias, Christmas cactus, and holly.

Bath towels. This gift may seem like a yawn to you . . . but to the new home owners, it could be a lifesaver. Bath towels are an oft overlooked item on house stocking lists, which means that many first time homeowners find themselves empty handed when it comes time to step out of the shower. What’s more is that good bath towels can be relatively costly and can last for decades, making them both a practical and luxurious gift for new homeowners.

Home improvement magazine subscription. This is the gift that keeps on giving (well, for a year, at least). New homeowners are likely to be very enthusiastic about making their purchase an ongoing project. You can help provide inspiration and ideas by gifting a subscription for any of a number of home improvement and/or architectural magazines.

Food. With all of the moving and unpacking they must do, new homeowners aren’t likely to be able to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking meals. Cook some casseroles that they can freeze and reheat, or put together a fruit and cheese basket that they can snack from.

Gifts to new home owners should be useful, thoughtful, and well suited to the experience of purchasing a first home. Draw from this list for great gift ideas.

About the Author: Hal Rissman loves showing houses for sale in Louisville KY and the surrounding areas. He is careful to choose a thoughtful housewarming gift for every couple he helps find their first new home!

Shopping for Christmas Gifts-Think Outside the Box

by

Choosing the right Christmas gifts for your friends and family members can be very challenging. Usually, if you can’t find the perfect gift that jumps out at you, or if you have that one friend or family member that has everything, you will end up choosing something basic, such as a picture, calendar or mug.

But sometimes, picking a great gift means taking some time and truly thinking about the person and their likes and dislikes, and then think outside the box.

Think of what they like.

Think really hard about the person you’re shopping for, and think about everything that interests them. Do they like animals? Do they like to cook? Do they like amusement parks, or do they love their job? It’s very important to think about these things and try and choose a gift from what you come up with. For example, if they love animals, you could always buy them an animal-themed gift. If they like to cook, get them cooking lessons. There are plenty of great ideas that can stem from thinking about what someone likes.

 

Think about who they are.

It’s a very good idea to also think about the person you’re shopping for and their traits and personality. For example, is the person always complaining about being cold? If so, make the gift humorous and get them a personal space heater or a heated blanket. Is the person always cracking jokes? Then sign them up for improv or an amateur comedy night at a local club. Both of these gifts show that you care and that you pay attention.

Peruse the Internet.

There are tons of retailers online, and by typing in a few basic keywords that resemble the interests or personality of your friend or family member, you may just find the perfect gift. Make sure to also peruse the Shopping section of Google, and always look on more than the first page of the search engine. If you find a great idea, you can also then use the Internet to try and find the best deals for the present.

Think of what they’ve always wanted.

Listen to the dreams, goals and desires that your friends and family members share when you’re with them. If there is something that they’ve always wanted to do or somewhere that they’ve always wanted to visit, center your gift around this. For example, if your friend or family member has always wanted to visit Italy, you may not be able to afford sending them there, but you can create an Italy-themed gift. Take them out to a nice Italian restaurant, have them serenaded by an Italian musician, and take a quaint boat ride. Though it may not be Italy, it’s the thought that counts.

You can also try to give them a gift by helping them do something they’ve always wanted to do. For example, if your friend or family member has always wanted to go skydiving, then get a group together and give skydiving as the gift. This is a great way to fulfill a dream of your friend or family member and give them a gift they’ll always truly remember.

Julie Myers works as a freelance writer.  As a devoted mother of four, she is always looking for new and exciting gift giving ideas for Christmas.

Meta

Pages