Modern Living

Telephone Banking Facts

Most of us use telephone banking these days and rightfully so. Telephone banking such as RBS Banking is a safe way to conduct many banking operations that can be done without the presence of a real person to assist you. Here are only some of the examples of transactions that can be completed using this form of banking and here is what you can do :

1. Check your balance.
2. Pay your bills.
3. Trace your bank deposits.
4. Block your credit or debit card in case it has been stolen.
5. Stop payment on a check.

Of course, the list goes on and on and many banks still work on expanding their telephone banking service based on how popular it has become over the years.

Telephone banking is easy to use and probably this is why it is so popular these days. All you need to have in your possession is the type of phone that allows you to input numbers and you are ready to conduct a number of transactions without even speaking to a real person. All you need to do is to listen and then at the right time provide the right numerical answers.

In the past, some people were concerned about the safety of online banking. What makes a huge difference is the fact that most banks constantly work on improving this kind of service adding more and more ways to ensure that their system is safe. The introduction of unique numbers for each transaction is only one example of how far online banking safety goes and just another reason to opt for it instead of talking to a real person.

Telephone banking saves everybody time and money. The banks are happy to have an automated system that handles most queries that people have, and the clients save their time not having to wait in queue for their phone call to be answers. In other words, it is a win-win for everybody.

If for some reason your concerned cannot be resolved with the help of telephone banking only, most banks give you always the opportunity to handle any case in the presence of their representative.

A beginners guide to greenhouses

Even though we are coming into the Winter months and gardening has slowed down, now is actually the perfect time of year to think ahead and plan your garden and any accessories you may want to purchase for the year ahead. The types of vegetables and fruits you want to plant in the Spring, any new items you want to purchase to help you grow your produce such as shed, greenhouses…etc.

Your greenhouse should be placed in a location where it will get the most possible sunlight. This will almost always mean that you will want to build your greenhouse so that it is sitting south or southwest on your property. This will allow for the most direct light each day. It is essential that you position your greenhouse near a water supply of some kind so you can water your plants with ease.

Greenhouses allow you to grow plants and crops that may require warmer more sheltered conditions than our UK gardens may offer. Installing a thermometer will ensure you can effectively monitor the Greenhouse temperature. Ideally greenhouse should be frost free with a temperature from at least 2 degrees centigrade, or for delicate plants, the temperature needs to be above 13 degrees. You could use heaters to warm your greenhouse, a layer of bubble wrap on the inside of your Greenhouse can protect from winter chill and draft.

Circulation and ventilation are important if you want to avoid fungi attacking your plants and heating your Greenhouse can increase the risk of this. In the summer even with our unpredictable British weather it can be difficult to maintain good ventilation. Keeping wall and roof vents open should help. You could install a small fan if needs be.

Leaving adequate space between plants also helps avoid poor circulation of air. Reducing moisture in the air also prevents damage to benches – ideally use metal or treated wood benches if possible.

The normal sowing period in UK is typically March to April. Start off with starter pots, cardboard egg cartons, tubes or even egg shells are all great containers to get things growing! Now is a good time to do some Greenhouse maintenance, clean your shelves and pots. Clean the outside of your Greenhouse and remove muck and debris and maximise light for your growing season.

A Greenhouse is a great addition to any garden and will extend your gardening calendar through the winter months, or at least give you a good head start! When deciding what type or size greenhouse to go for, make sure you have measured up well beforehand and that the area you have in mind get sufficient sunlight for your veggies. The average size is 6×8 greenhouses for sale although they do come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Why Your Business Needs a Lawyer

Starting a business is stressful, and no more so than in the early days. In the opening stages of running your own business, you’re laying the foundations of something you hope will grow and grow for years. Making a mistake at this key stage could have terrible consequences, not the day after, or the week after, but months or years down the road.

It’s important to make sure that when you set up your business that you have the right structure to grow; are registered in the right category to accurately describe what you do to avoid incorrect charges and taxes; and are also compliant with all aspects of business law.

One of the people who can best help you with this is a good business lawyer. You may be able to find one on the high street in the town where you work, especially if you have a good professional network who can recommend someone specific to you. Another option is to look for an online law firm: you may find this more convenient and cheaper, which is definitely a consideration in your busy and budget conscious early days.

A lawyer can help guide you through the process of setting up your business to ensure you lay the optimal foundations for your future success. They’re also useful to keep in contact with: As you secure your premises, your raw materials or products and your staff, having a lawyer available to review their contracts will make sure you get the best deal and avoid nasty surprises later. If you haven’t had a lawyer review your contract you might find that when you come to rely on a clause later, it doesn’t protect you in the way you thought it did.

If a lawyer is involved in your contract drafting and review process you can be assured that the contracts you’re creating accurately describe and enforce the terms you need, and also that you understand the contracts you are signing. For example, when you are signing the lease on your premises, a lawyer can review that contract and ensure you are getting all the use out of the building that you need: that there are no restrictions or additional responsibilities falling to you that limit your ability to use the premises in the way you need.

This means that you can start running your confident that everything is set up just as you need it to make a success of your new venture.

Social Care: A Growing Industry

If you’re thinking about social care, whether you’re considering training for the first time, or in the middle of your career and looking for new social care jobs you must wonder about the state of the sector. It’s often talked about as being overburdened, or under resourced, but social work is the hidden engine of our aging nation, there has never been a better time to commit to it.

Experts estimate that adult and child social care add around £50 billion to the UK economy in wages, supplies and even profits. If you factor in the additional value added by relieving the burden on family members to allow them to work and support themselves, and ushering children through the care system and into society it’s value is incalculable.

The UK has an aging population, so in the next decade, more and more resources will have to be devoted to caring for the aged who are no longer able to care for themselves. This doesn’t just mean more traditional carers. This opens the door for new innovative kinds of occupational therapy and people delivering workshops to help make sure those in care homes aren’t left isolated and bored: art and drama therapy groups, even ceramics can help to boost the quality of immeasurably for the elderly, even those requiring full time care.

This also creates opportunities for social carers in rural communities: social funding is traditionally concentrated on big cities, but there are aging populations in need of care right across the country, including smaller towns and villages that don’t normally figure on budgetary agendas. David Powell’s report calls for more localised funding that wouldn’t just ensure provision of care for the elderly away from urban centres, but also lead to an economic regeneration in the isolated, rural areas that are so in need of it.

Funding initiatives like ‘Community Catalysts’ in Somerset point the way forward to how local schemes that serve the needs of the community and build on its strengths can attract the money needed to get off the ground. It’s entrepreneurial ‘social start ups’ like this that point the way forward to a bold and exciting future for the social services in these otherwise embattled times.

If you grew up in a rural community and are considering social work, this could be the best time and get in on the ground floor of the coming revolution.

The Strangest Ways Students Have Saved Money

When you’re a student, money can be tight. We all have memories of pinching pennies and living on beans on toast because we’ve spent our budget on beer. Some students take savings above and beyond though, with epic work arounds to avoid big costs.

The Rent is Cheap, but the Commute’s Murder

One of your biggest costs as a student is accommodation. It varies widely depending on where you are studying: University of Huddersfield accommodation can be had for as little as £70 a week, whereas in London prices can stretch into hundreds of pounds.

One way to get a better deal on accommodation in a big city is to live away from the centre of town and live with a long commute into lectures, and many do this, but one student has taken things to the next level.

Jonathan Davey, an anthropology student studying at the University of London could have been paying nearly £900 a week to live nearby. Looking further afield, he found a great deal on a flat. In Poland.

Rather than cycling in to study, he flies 1000 miles from Gdansk to Luton every Monday, getting in at 6am and staying with friends or in cheap hostels through the week. On Friday, he flies 2000 miles home again. Paying only £35 a week for his room in Poland, his entire rent and transport bill comes to only £2100 a year, the cheapest for any student in London.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Train tickets are extremely expensive for long journeys across the UK. Going from London to Edinburgh can cost more than £150, which can make going home for the holidays tricky to budget at the end of term.

Blogger and Student Jordan Cox was on his way back from Sheffield to Essex and found a train would cost nearly £50. A bit of creative googling later, Jordan found he could save money and see a bit more of the world by travelling from Sheffield to Essex via Berlin.

Flying from East Midlands Airport to Berlin, exploring the city and then flying to Stansted came in at £3 cheaper than the train. Obviously this isn’t the most eco-friendly way to economise, but a journey like this certainly gets you some added value if you have the extra time to enjoy exploring an exciting European city into your trip.

Do X-factor’s runners up do better than winners?

Received wisdom dictates that to not win the X-factor is better for your career than to win it – but is that actually true? We’ve taken a look at some of the show’s best known stars to find out:

Little Mix

Now one of the biggest bands in the world, Little Mix started their career with a win on the ITV talent show in 2011. Runners up Marcus Collins and Amelia Lily, meanwhile, have been less successful.

Rebecca Ferguson

A firm favourite with viewers, Rebecca Ferguson nonetheless lost out to Matt Cardle in the final of the X-Factor in 2011. Coming second has not held her back, however, and she has released several successful albums, has a regular slot on Loose Woman and is in constant demand for private performances with her booking agents. In the same year, One Direction placed third, before going on to become the biggest boyband in the world!

Olly Murs

In 2009 Olly Murs lost out to Joe McElderry in the X-Factor final, but while the former is now a big name in the world of music and presenting, the latter has not seen much recent success. In the same year, Stacey Solomon placed third, and she too has found success as a TV personality.

Leona Lewis

A huge celebrity who is especially in demand in the US, Leona Lewis won the X-Factor in 2006. Her runners up, Ray Quinn and Ben Mills have since disappeared into relative obscurity, while her star is very much still on the rise.

Book Rebecca Ferguson

If you’re after an X-Factor alumni on the books of a talent agency to perform at your next event, Rebecca Ferguson is a cracking choice. Her soulful voice and charismatic performances are sure to make her a big hit. Contact her booking agency, MN2S, to find out more about when she’s available and how to book.

Storage Units

If you are a homeowner and have been at your address for some time, you probably know by now that not everybody can store all their belongings at home. We all buy things all the time, but probably the last thing we can think of is where we are going to store all this new stuff or what we are going to do with the old stuff. I am sure that you have some things in your possession that you do not always need such as books you do not normally read for example.

Sometimes, the only thing you can do about all your things is to transport them to a safe place where you can have access to them at all times. Storing everything you have at home might be tricky, especially if your family is expanding or if for some reason you keep buying more and more things. If this is the case, you will be thrilled to hear about storage units such as those storage units Des Moines.

Let me tell you about storage units for rent. You might have tried self-storage units before. If this is the case, you might want to try them over and over again and benefit from them as much as it is possible in your situation. My advice is to only look for the best self storage units. Do not settle on something that is not good for you. You will be a lot happier if you decide to store your belongings in a better place. You will be a lot happier, because you are going to know that you decided to improve something in your life. If your belongings are going to be safe in one place, you can always come back to them later in case you need them. This can be especially convenient if you happen to live close to a storage unit as you might want to drop by at any time.

One piece of advice I would like to offer you here is to check in what sort of conditions your belongings are going to be store. Watch out for any signs of damp as even a little bit of moisture can cause your belongings to get damaged over time.

How Storage Facilities Can Work For You

Storage facilities are springing up all over the country, on the outer fringes of towns, and wherever enough cheap space in cities can be found. They’re a major growth industry, and if you don’t use them yourself, you might be asking why. They actually a range of extremely useful services to different kinds of customers, and finding out some of the ways you can use storage facilities to make your life easier, or even help your business turn a profit might help you to realise not only why they’re so successful but that now is the time for you to look into renting a storage facility.

Moving House

The most obvious use for a storage facility is to make a house move easier. Just because it’s well known, you shouldn’t discount it: putting some of your bulkier items in storage can help make moving day much more manageable.

Also, if you’re moving out of one house and don’t have another immediately lined up, you may want to put everything except a single suitcase of essentials into storage until you’ve signed a contract for a permanent home. Sofa surfing is on the rise, especially among those in their 20s, and finding a cheap storage facility is a safer alternative to storing possessions with a variety of friends across the city, in damp cellars and cupboards.

Some storage facilities also offer pick up and drop off of your stored items, so you can use them as a partial removal service as well, making the move to your new home even easier!

Business Options

If you’re running a small business it’s a waste of resources to take a long term rent on big warehouse space. While you might need lots of storage when you’re at peak capacity, at quieter times it’s a waste of resources to have warehouse space you’re not using. For seasonal businesses, finding the right storage solution is one of the most important problems to solve.

Storage facilities offer a perfect solution to this: notice periods are short, and there’s a great deal of variety in the capacity of units available, meaning you can shift to one that meets your needs quickly, maintaining the agility that’s vital for your business’ success, and at a budget that works for you.

If any of this has helped to pique your interest in how you can make storage facilities work for you and you’re looking for storage London has plenty to offer the curious.

A History of Athleisure

Athleisure is a trend that simply won’t die. Before its rise the worlds of fashion and activewear were kept almost completely separate, but since it became so popular they are being drawn closer and closer together and it seems there is no going back for either of them.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where the trend for athleisure clothing really began: before it was a fashion movement, it was a simple grassroots preference many people had for casual exercise wear. It was low maintenance, allowed people to signal their fitness through their clothing choices and perhaps most importantly, comfortable. Even at its most high fashion, Athleisure remains focussed on comfort, whether that’s a carefully engineered exercise outfit designed to wick away perspiration so you can exercise with the minimum of hardship, or a lazy Sunday morning ensemble of soft wools to allow you to relax in luxury.

Athleisure began to coalesce as a distinct look in late 2013 into early 2014, but if you had to choose a moment to call the beginning of Athleisure, October 2014 is probably the best one. This is when Beyoncé partnered up with Topshop to announce a high street Athleisure range called Ivy Park, and the word was suddenly on everyone’s lips. One particularly popular piece was Kristin Rice Studeman, writing in Vogue. She pointed out that Athletics and Leisure are really polar opposites and despite admitting a personal bemusement over the trend was forced to admit that it was taking over the world.

Since then Athleisure has only bedded in: there’s no sign of it passing out of popularity. Maybe because keeping healthy is always in fashion and this lets people show their commitment to a healthy lifestyle even while keeping on trend, maybe because the clothes are simply comfortable and that will never go out of fashion.

Now, in 2017, you can buy high street Athleisure clothing as where Beyoncé’s Ivy Park lead the charge many others have followed, you can see Athleisure inspired collections from the high fashion world on catwalks and you can buy high end Athleisure clothes from small, select labels. Chinti and Parker offer some cashmere sweatpants  among other things that exemplify the values of the luxury end of the Athleisure scale.

Remodeling Your Basement

If you are considering basement remodeling Northern VA areas of Hamilton, Fairfax, Reston, Centreville, McLean, Loudoun County, or surrounding cities, turn to a well-experienced company to accomplish your custom project. That remodeling will not only give you an additional useful room in your home but will also add value to your property once you bring that dream to life.

What would you and your family like to see that would enhance that empty basement space and give a lot of enjoyment? Perhaps an entertainment center, an extra bedroom, a children’s playroom that is fun and safe, a home theater, an exercise room, a game or theater room, a wine cellar, a home office, a man cave or a lady’s retreat, or a studio for your hobbies or arts or music practice?

The possibilities for the basement remodeling project are endless and are only as limited as your imagination and creative abilities along with the aid of a properly certified and extremely knowledgeable construction company that specializes in this type of addition. Make sure it is also one that is familiar with all of the local zoning laws and building code restrictions so you can be assured that everything will be code compliant and long lasting.

You also want to deal with professionals who can install the new plumbing and electrical, the lighting, the flooring or carpeting, the proper drains and sump pumps needed to keep the area dry and sealed against water seepage, the painting, and use high-quality materials for all the features.

Even an experienced “weekend warrior” or a normally-competent “DIYer” would find such a large remodeling project daunting and beyond normal knowledge and expeience, and it is indeed a job for professionals.

Contact the well-experienced Total Construction Company to discuss your affordable remodeling and renovation project in Northern Virginia. They work with architects and designers to squeeze every inch of space from your sub-terrain area. You will also gets lots of ideas from browsing through their home remodeling portfolio and thus see for yourself other projects of any scope that they have inspired and completed.

The Total Construction Company will pay careful and serious attention to your budget, taste, and desires so that you will get the perfect custom basement quality remodeling job that you and your family will love and participate in for many years.