Writing a will
07 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in Family Information, Legal Tips Tags: probate, Writing a Will
It is understandable why so many of us put off writing our wills, after all, who wants to think about what will happen when they die? But by protecting ourselves from a little unpleasantness now we may well be causing more grief for those we leave behind.
There are many reasons for writing a will, from finding that your possessions have had a sudden rise in value, plans to travel or live abroad, or thinking of buying a home – maybe you are thinking about getting a divorce and you will want to stop someone from inheriting from you, or have discovered that you are pregnant or have had a serious illness.
If you die without writing a will, you are said to have died intestate, around 60% of people are thought to die without leaving a will. There are strict laws governing how your estate will be handled if this happens. For example, this could mean for people who live England or Wales, are in civil partnership or are married and have children, the estate will be split so that your partner gets the first £125,000 and a life interest on half the remainder and any children will inherit the rest.
If you aren’t married or not registered as having a civil partnership, your need for a will is even greater, as your partner will only be able to inherit any assets that were joint owned, and everything else will be inherited by the deceased’s next of kin. If there are no surviving relatives when you die intestate, the crown will inherit your estate.
Wills aren’t just about dividing up whatever money you may have or about your home, they also allow you to make provisions for children and pets, specifying what you want to happen to them once you die, this makes sure that they will still be cared for in accordance to your wishes after your death.
It also allows you to perhaps return special gifts upon your death, which might mean the world to the person who gave it to you and gives you the chance to attach specific clauses to your bequests. Just remember though that things change, and so if you attach a clause be sure to allow some flexibility to allow for changes of circumstance.
There are many ways to write a will now, including online and “write your own” will packs. While these may be good if your situation is very straightforward, if you have a partner that you aren’t married to, or have children, live abroad or maybe have got a divorce and want to stop your ex-partner from claiming on your estate in the event of your death, you should really should consult a probate law solicitor. It costs an average of about £150 to have a solicitor check your will over, but for the peace of mind it brings, it is a small price.
Solicitors can also help make sure that you haven’t forgotten anything while writing your will, also by seeking advice early, you may be able to reduce the amount of inheritance tax payable for those you leave behind. Probate solicitors can also act as executors for a will, if your situation is fairly straightforward though, you may wish to appoint a trusted friend or family member as many solicitors and other organisations like banks take a percentage of the estate in fees to act for you and this can work out expensive – explore all your options thoroughly.
As no-one knows what the future holds, it is never to early to start thinking about writing a will, or to take the next step and protecting your loved ones by actually writing it. It is also important to remember to keep it up to date if your circumstance change.
Benefits of quitting smoking
01 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in Health Tips Tags: Quit Smoking, Stop Smoking
Smoking has long been held as socially unacceptable, but never more so then in the last few years which have seen mass smoking bans put in place over many public places, including places of work – and the rumour of the government tightening the legislation even further to include lighting up in your own car if you have a child on board is just yet another example of how unacceptable many find what some consider a “simple pleasure”.
With it becoming ever more difficult to find places you can smoke without breaking the law, the numbers of people trying to quit smoking is increasing – however for many, who have been smoking for many years, it isn’t a case of simply “not smoking”. Smoking is addictive, your body adjusts to having nicotine in your system, and you go into withdrawal and cravings if you try to quit cold turkey, normally failing and ending up smoking again.
However, help is at hand, and there are many aids and alternatives available now to help the smoker who is trying to quit. These range from counselling and injections given by the NHS, to over the counter gums and patches.
An alternative to stopping smoking are ”E-cigs” which are electronic cigarettes, these are designed to look, and feel as if you are smoking an actual cigarette but they are smoke, odour and tar free and allow you to control and gradually reduce the amount of nicotine you have. Another advantage of E-cigs is the ease of purchase as it is possible to buy your E-cigs online, rather then having to go out to the shop.
There are many health benefits to quitting smoking, some are obvious, but some of which may actually surprise you, these include:
- Improved sense of taste and smell
- More energy – you will start to notice it within 2 – 12 weeks of quitting.
- Longer lives
- Better Breathing
- Whiter Teeth
- Less Stress – this has been proved by scientific studies, although you feel calmer if you have a cigarette in your hand it is actually a “false” calm that is temporary, rather then a genuine stress relief.
- Better concentration and mental well-being
- Better sex lives
- Improved fertility
- Younger looking skin
The list goes on and on…
So with all this in mind, isn’t it time you started to think more about the benefits of quitting smoking?
Accidents in Public Places
24 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Consumer Tips, Family Information, Health Tips, Legal Tips Tags: Accidents in public, Trips and falls
It doesn’t matter how carefully you try to avoid it, sooner or later most of us have an accident in a public place that wasn’t our fault. A large percentage of us are lucky and escape with only our pride seriously injured and nothing more then a twisted ankle, a couple of bruises or some stained clothing to show our misfortune. However, not all are so fortunate.
There are many public liability solicitors available to advise you if you find yourself injured after a serious slip, trip, or fall in a public place, but there are things you can do to assist them, and yourself before you even leave the scene of the accident.
For a public liability compensation claim to be awarded, you need to prove that the accident was not your fault but that the owner of the property where you were injured was the one responsible.
The first thing you (or someone who is with you, if you are too badly hurt to do it yourself) should do after seeking the relevant medical aid, is to report the accident to the owner of the property or a member of staff and ask to put a record of the incident in their accident book. If it is possible to gather the names and addresses of anyone who witnessed the accident, then it is best do so.
It is also a good idea to take photographs of the area where the accident occurred (your mobile phone is useful for this as many these days have in-built cameras) and if it was a trip then try and put something next to the hazard to help gauge the height/depth of the fault later. Ideally this should be a ruler, but a coin also works well and is something you are more likely to have upon your person at the time.
If you have any visible signs of injury then make sure you photograph those too, this includes any bruising that may develop later on – again using something like a coin to help show the size of the wound/injury.
If once you have spoken to a personal injury solicitor they have advised you to claim for expenses as part of your public liability claim, you should make sure you keep any receipts for travelling costs and prescription charges.
You can find a solicitor a number of ways, either using the phone book, or by looking for public liability solicitors online. Many will take the case on at a “no win, no fee” basis.
Saving for school fees
17 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Family Information Tags: Paying for eduacation, Paying for Private school, School fees
Nothing about being a parent comes cheaply, from the off, there are nappy, clothes, furniture and a multitude of other things to buy for your precious bundle of joy, but it doesn’t stop there, as your child grows, so does the amount of money they require, school uniforms, after-school clubs, and so on and if you have decided to give your child the best possible start to their long and happy life, and send them to a private school, well the bills can be staggeringly high as many top private schools can easily cost £30,000 a year or more.
The advantage of private school fees over some of these other expenses is that you know they are coming, they aren’t an unexpected bill to land in your lap, you have the luxury of checking out the various options before you have to commit.
There are several ways you could tackle this task – and the route you choose could vary a lot depending on how much time you have left yourself. For instance, if you have just had your baby, you have 10 years “grace” to save up in, if however, you have decided to send them to private school when they are already 5, time is not on your side.
The most realistic options you have when approaching how to cover the school fees for your child are:
1) you could put aside a lump sum to cover the cost of the fees – in the present climate though, more and more people are finding they are having to dip into their nest eggs for everyday living, so this isn’t always possible.
2) you could spend 10 years saving – you can take advantages of saving schemes, ISA’s, or even dabble on the stock market. If you take the stock market route, you may want to keep a minimum of 2 years worth of fee’s somewhere safer incase the gamble doesn’t pay off.
3) you could approach a company that specialises in easing the burden of school fees via a school fee finance program. There are companies who pay the school fee for you and you pay them back at a monthly rate, breaking the sometimes huge bills into more manageable chunks.
As well as making the payments more manageable for you, the school fee finance programs tend to be flexible enough that you can easily add in any extra’s like music lessons, or other extra-curricular activities during the term time. It takes the pressure off of you a little and allows you to enjoy your child’s development without the worry of how you can pay for it.
The process couldn’t be simpler either – you contact the school and say you wish to use a school fee finance company, the school will then provide you with a credit agreement that you fill in and return to them (if the school you choose doesn’t deal with a company, they may still be open to it as there are benefits to the schools as well as the parents who use these schemes) – once the credit agreement has been returned and approved, the company then pays your full term fee’s as well as any extra-curricular charges that have been agreed, the company will then contact you and let you know when and how much you need to pay for your child’s education.
Whichever route you choose, saving for your child’s school fees is something that requires a lot of time and effort to make sure you get it right for your family so make sure you shop around to find what solution will work best for your individual circumstance.
Flashed by a speed camera?
09 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Driving Tips, Legal Tips Tags: Flashed by Speed Camera, Speeding, Speeding tickets
Speed cameras – The bane of the motorist’s life… We have all been there, going along the road, minding our own business and then we think we see a flash, the instant of tension as we wonder was it us or some unfortunate other that has been flashed by a camera. Then as the miles melt under the wheels, we almost forget it – till a week or so later, the envelope lands on our doormat.
What happens next?
The letter will ask you for information regarding who was driving the car, simply fill this in and return it to the police. If it wasn’t you driving and you aren’t sure who was, you can ask for a copy of the picture and if you can identify the driver you should give their details as it is a criminal offence not to and may result with you receiving a 12 month driving ban. After this there are a couple of things that could happen depending on how many points you have on your licence.
The first option is that you may just get a fine and three points, but if you already have nine points on your licence, or were driving well above the speed limit it is more likely that they will issue you with a summons for court. This has to be done within six months of the offence, or they cannot prosecute you.
Going to Court
Going to court can be really worrying, and it helps to have someone who knows what they are doing there to advise you. This is the time to seek out a reputable motoring lawyer , such as Richard Brown and Co, who can guide you through the whole process, answering your questions and concerns and attend the hearing with you.
They can play a vital part in helping you keep your licence by pleading your case if you need your licence to keep your job or to assist disabled relatives with their everyday lives.
Do I really need life insurance?
03 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Consumer Tips, Family Information, Health Tips Tags: do I need insurace, Life insurance
None of us like to admit we are growing old and may need to think about life insurance, but sadly with the exception 
of Peter Pan, it is something that happens to us all. As part of getting older, we have to take responsibility for our own finances; this especially comes into to play when we have a family of our own or buy our first home. In the excitement it is easy to overlook the boring but essential details. When you are playing with your new baby, or standing in your new hallway, the last thing you are thinking (although somewhere in the back of your mind you probably know you should be) is what would happen if anything un-expected were to happen to you or your partner – if you haven’t already, now is the time to be thinking of getting life insurance.
The truth is, less the half the UK population currently hold life insurance policies, which when you consider the peace of mind it could give their loved ones, is a simply mind-blowing figure. So why do so few of us have it, especially when the premiums can be very reasonable.
Well, lets face it – it isn’t exactly the most exciting thing to buy, and with all the press horror stories about companies that wouldn’t pay out for this or that, we kind of let slip from our minds the positive benefits it provides. This combined with our “it will never happen to me” attitude is why so few of us bother, putting off till tomorrow what really should be done today.
So, you, like many others are probably sat here thinking, “Ok, so maybe it is important – perhaps I should look into it…” but now where. Luckily there are a multitude of helpful and friendly sites to help you work out what policy, and level of cover is best for you, your family and your situation. Companies are starting to wise up to the fact that one of the main reasons people don’t take out life insurance is because it all seems just too complicated and are more increasingly using site designs that allow you to just feed your details in and it gives you a quote. Which if, like me, you are easily confused are ideal and as they only take a few minutes to fill out, removes the “I haven’t got time” excuse.
No more long, boring meetings with financial planners, no more confusing jargon, just you, a keyboard and a mug of coffee (or tea if that is your preference) during a break and you are set. It really is that quick and easy to arrange your life insurance, so what are you waiting for…
Getting the Best from Your Makeup
29 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Beauty Tips Tags: Make-up Accessories, Make-up tips, Using Makeup
Cosmetics play an important role in the lives of almost all women, but even the best makeup can’t apply itself – which is why cosmetic accessories are so important. Without a good quality sponge or brush, even the highest end brands of foundation can appear patchy so it’s important that you choose the appropriate accessory when applying makeup. Eyeshadow brushes can also make a big difference; not only does the finished effect appear much more professional and long-lasting, having several brushes in varying sizes can make the applicati
on process itself quicker and easier!
NBR Sponges are now the most common kind of cosmetic sponge. Free from latex (making them ideal for anyone with a latex allergy) they are oil resistant and hard wearing. Most modern NBR sponges are anti-UV which prevents any discolouring if left in the sunlight, and anti-bacterial though bacteria can still grow inside sponges so it’s advisable to wash them with soap regularly; at least once a week. Most manufactured sponges are also anti-copper as well, meaning that washing them in regular tap water won’t cause any damage or discolouration whatsoever. It’s also best to let the sponge air dry, as this won’t damage it meaning that it lasts for longer. However, you shouldn’t expect your sponge to have a lengthy life; as soon as any signs of fraying or shredding at the edges appear, you notice a strange smell or any warping of the shape of the sponge, it’s time to buy a new one. Triangular sponges are best for applying foundation around the nose area to avoid patchiness or lines, whereas larger, round sponges are more appropriate for sections of the face such as the cheeks or forehead in order to achieve a smooth, even finish.
Cosmetic Brushes come in a variety of different shapes and sizes and all have different uses. When choosing a makeup brush you should also consider the material that it is made from; synthetic bristles are better for applying oil based products such as foundation or crème cosmetics, whereas for powder based cosmetics you should use natural bristles. When choosing a brush for applying face powder, you should choose a flat, round-edged brush with a silky texture. If the brush is too large, too much powder will be dropped all over your face without reaching the areas which need it the most. Natural contour, highlighter and eyeshadow brushes are also useful, and various brushes for lipstick, blusher and bronzer are also available. If you’re confused by the different kinds of brushes available, it may be advisable to invest in a complete set which will include all the brushes you will need for day to day cosmetic application.
Cleansing Sponges can be made from a number of different materials, the most common being cellulose or PVA. PVA sponges are the best for deep cleansing and makeup removal as they are very absorbent, soft and smooth. Non-woven polyester or polyurethane sponges are best for exfoliation, while cellulose (made from wood pulp and cotton) is a biodegradable, natural alternative to PVA sponges.
Staying Safe From Rogue Traders
25 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Consumer Tips Tags: Door-2-Door, Keeping Safe, Rogue Traders
They have always been with us and probably always will be but how do you stay safe from rogue traders?
You know the ones, the doorbell rings and when you open it there is some one outside offering to tarmac your drive / fix your roof (there always seems to be a tile missing) / tidy your garden / double glazing / kitchenware / electricity/gas sales persons (not meter readers) or they have seen something else that needs doing. Or it may be that they are “from the water board and need to check the water pressure” (the author knows several people that have been caught by this one include elderly family members).
Listed below are a few “do’s and don’ts” that will help to keep you safe from doorstep callers :-
1. The most important thing is if in doubt don’t let them in.
2. Don’t keep a lot of cash in the house – one of the reasons that older people are often targeted is that they tend to keep large amounts of money in the house. You should think about keeping the money on a bank / building society or even the Post Office.
3. Fix a security chain to your door and make sure you use it before answering your front door, another method if you have a dog of a reasonable size is take him/her to the door while holding their collar.
4. Make sure you ask for identification and check it is genuine. Does it look correct – most will have a photo on them
- Is there a telephone number on the card ?
- Tell the caller that you will ring their company to check that they are genuine (and check the phone number in the telephone book, not from the ID card)
- If you have registered with some utility companies they operate a password scheme – does the caller know the password ?
5. Never be pressurised into having work done or buying goods – a genuine trader will allow you a cooling off period. If you feel you have been pressurised into agreeing something, then call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 to report them.
6. By law you must be given cancellation rights for goods or services over £35 – even if you have agreed to the visit beforehand.
7. Consider paying for goods and services that cost over £100 by credit card – you will have extra protection and most repetable companies will have the ability to take a credit card.
8. You can always say “No I don’t buy at the door” and ask the seller to to leave – if they refuse ring the police.
9. Think before you buy, ask yourself the following:
- Do I want it?
- Can I afford it?
- Do I know and trust the seller?
- Do I know how to contact the seller or have I only got a mobile telephone number?
- Do I have the right to cancel?
- Is this offer too good to be true (they rarely are) ?
Some local councils and police forces operate a “no cold caller” scheme that can give you a sign for the window that explains that you do not buy from people that call at your home, experience shows that people see these signs and do not even attempt to ring your doorbell. It would be worth contacting your local trading standards office to see if such a scheme operates in your area.
Buying Multi-Trip Travel Insurance
21 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Consumer Tips Tags: Buying Travel Insurance, Multi-trip, Travel Insurance
When you are getting ready for your holiday, if you are anything like me, you tend to almost forget about your holiday insurance and rush out last minute to pick up a policy to cover you for your trip. For one-off trips this is fine, however this is time consuming and unnecessarily expensive if you are a frequent traveller.
Annual multi-trip travel insurance is aimed at those of us who for work, or pleasure travel on international trips at least three times a year, but if you hunt around some providers can provide you with multi-trip insurance that can even be cheaper than buying just two single trip policies.
By buying multi-trip insurance, you are covered for an unlimited number of trips, providing the trip falls within the time limit specified by the insurance provider – the sort of limits can be for specified areas of the world, certain activities, and length of trips.
Getting a policy like this works particularly well for people who are asked to go away suddenly for business trips on short notice or who regularly take advantage of last minute deals and may not have time to organise insurance before they go. Some advantages of taking out annual multi-trip insurance include:
- Time is saved booking insurance before each trip
- The insurance can be more suited to the adventurous traveller than other types of insurance, as standard Annual Multi-trip policies provide cover for eventualities that may not be deemed likely to occur for single trips
- There are very often discounts given for couples and families with some providers even offering attractive “kids go free” deals
- The cover is continuous: once it is taken out travellers can rest assured that it will last the whole year regardless of where they go or how often they travel
- Multi-trip insurance usually covers a wide range of sports and activities for a limited amount of days (e.g. golf, weddings, winter sports) although year-round cover for these activities can generally be added under a more expensive premium.
- Multi-trip policies are very flexible and allow travellers to customise the cover according to their own specifications
- Many providers allow multi-trip insurance to be combined with family policies, so that family members travelling regularly are also covered
Some disadvantages of multi-trip insurance include:
- Some policies can have hefty excess levels
- Many providers have a blanket exclusion policy for all terrorist activities and “acts of God” such as disruption caused by ash clouds for example
- Manual workers are usually excluded from business cover options
- If you go on a small number of sporting trips (e.g skiing, rock climbing) it may work out cheaper to buy single trip insurance as annual cover for activities can be very expensive.
- Many multi-trip policies won’t cover people over the age of 65 unlike single trip policies which rarely have an age limit
- Multi-trip insurance can work out unnecessarily expensive if fewer trips are made than predicted at the beginning of the policy
Many insurance providers will offer to cover different “extras” under your policy for an extra fee. The sorts of areas that these could include are:
- Emergency assistance 24 hours a day
- Hospital benefit
- Wedding cover
- Cover for mugging, hijack or other situations
- Acts of terrorism cover
- Business cover
- Scheduled airline failure
- Trip postponement
- Travel delay
- Stolen or Lost luggage
- Loss of valuables
- Pet care if you have to extend your holiday due to unforseen circumstances
- Cost of skiing if missed through illness (usually only applies with extra Winter sports cover)
- Piste closure (usually only applies with extra Winter sports cover)
In addition to the various “extras” covered by different policy providers, each insurance company offers different way of customising the multi trip policy, again for a fee, which varies depending on the customization required. These could include:
- Winter sports cover which includes piste closure or ski costs incurred through illness or injury.
- Golfing cover.
- Wedding cover.
- The option to exclude cancellation and curtailment, baggage and/or personal money cover for a discounted rate.
- The option to customise the number of days trips can last for (e.g. 45 days/ 60 days as opposed to the standard 31).
- Increased personal baggage cover.
- Cancellation top-up cover.
- Couple or family insurance (this normally works out cheaper than policies for two individuals).
- Option to waive excess.
So the benefits of an annual travel insurance policy are fairly clear, and well worth looking at if you have two or more trips planned for the coming year. There are several ways you can get insurance quotes these days, going into a broker’s office, calling various companies by phone, but perhaps the most common way these days is to go online and get online travel insurance quotes – which tend to give you a faster response, and many brokers allow you to buy your insurance online as well.
The Ultimate Banoffee Pie Recipe
18 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Recipes Tags: Banannas, Banoffee Pie, Deserts, Dulche De Leche
Banoffee pie has long been a favourite desert around the world, particularly in America and the United Kingdom, but what is the secret of the ultimate banoffee pie?
Quite simply, the secret, such as there is one, is choosing the best possible ingredients for your pie. For me, one of the key ingredients is that lovely sticky, sweet toffee that you find in the pie. You can use tinned toffee, or make your own Dulce de Leche, or if you are making it on a large scale, you may want to consider approaching a Dulce de Leche supplier.
Banoffee pie takes about two hours to cook, and this recipe will serve 8 to 12 people.
To make the ultimate banoffee pie you will need:
- 9oz of Digestive Biscuits
- 3oz of Melted Butter
- Tin of condensed milk (397g)
- 4 banannas
- 284ml of lightly whipped double cream
- Coco powder for dusting
The Method
- Start by greasing a 20cm (8inch) loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
- Crush the biscuits to a fine crumb (you can blitz them in a food processer if you want to) and then place into a bowl.
- Melt the butter over a low heat, ensuring that it doesn’t burn, and gradually add the melted butter to the crushed biscuit crumbs.
- Press the mixture into the base of the tin and up the sides of the tin by about 4cm (1 inch) to give you a biscuit crumb “bowl”.
- Place the base in the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
- Place the unopened tin of condensed milk into a pan of boiling water and boil for an hour and a half. (There is no need to pierce the tin, it won’t explode while cooking). Ensure that the pan doesn’t boil dry during this process.
- Allow the tin to cool slightly so that it is easier to handle, but do not let it go completely cold. Carefully open the tin and spread the filling over your previously prepared biscuit base.
- Place the base and filling back into the fridge for about an hour, or until the caramel is firm.
- To serve, remove the pie from the tin and place on a serving plate. Slice the bananas into rounds and then fold hold of them into the lightly whipped double cream.
- Spoon the cream and banana mix over the pie base and then decorate with the remaining banana pieces and sprinkle with coco powder.
This desert is really simple to make, and goes down well with all ages. We hope you enjoy this ultimate banoffee pie, and if there are any other recipes you would like to see on the site, please contact us and we will see what we can do.
