Whilst her property empire was and is common knowledge, it is easy to miss her entrepreneurial talent and indeed how much she did to pave the way for women in business today. Having bought her first property at a time when women basically were not allowed to do so was a feat in itself. Following her marriage, she went on to build up a property business in which she was always actively involved. Again, something women simply didn't do back then and so for many years she broke the mould and for that, I for one, am truly grateful

I learned much from her and even in very recent years found myself up a ladder examining roof tiles under her guidance which still makes me smile.

So, thank you Nora ...

If you have a driveway or garage sitting empty, why not rent it out and earn up to £17,000 a year? Parking in urban areas costs a fortune, so offer commuters and visitors a bargain and pocket yourself some easy cash. If you live near a train station or a popular entertainment venue, your space could be a hassle-free second income! Moneymagpie’s article has everything you need to know.

The Imagination Library is a book-gifting scheme, created by Dolly Parton, for under-fives. This provides children in the UK age-appropriate books once a month until they reach their fifth birthday.  The books are personally addressed to the child at their home address.

Sarah Jayne made a personal promise when she met DOLLY PARTON HERSELF that she would hold this event when they met during Dolly’s World Tour.

Cosyhomesonline.com are privileged to sponsor this fantastic event and urge you support this brilliant cause. Full details at http://www.dollygolfclassic.co.uk

Even if you cannot attend, you can still do your bit as cosyhomesonline.com are proud to provide on-going support and you can make your clicks count in raising much needed funds as we aim to help them carry on doing great things for these kids but…. we cannot do this without YOU. Every new Member Zone Registration will trigger a donation to the Fund so if you’re not a Member, get clicking now and PLEASE help us to spread the word by simply clicking the button to the right and forwarding this to someone else. This is simply an email from you and we do not collect this data.

With a mission to make us all money savvy, Jasmine says "www.bubsydogdiy.com is a website that I like and recommend to you. Enjoy!"

According to experts, however, 2012 will be a different matter. Knight Frank predicts that the market will experience an extended period of low transaction numbers and price falls in real terms, resulting in a 5% price drop across the country – regionally, that’s a 6.7% fall in Wales and a 4.1% fall in the south east. Even London will feel the pinch, with a 3.7% overall fall in property prices.

However, as many economists are pointing out, price prediction in the housing market is an uncertain business. While low interest rates may mean that house prices remain flat or dip slightly, the long-term trend is still viewed optimistically by many. One of the main factors in the equation will be the availability of mortgage finance during 2012. Lenders have certain become more cautious in the wake of the credit crunch, but banks are still prepared to lend to individuals with good credit records – and low interest rates mean that there are some fantastic deals to be had.

If you’re considering buying a house this year, then the first step is to work out approximately how much you can borrow by using an online calculator such as the Santander calculator for mortgageassessment. This will help you to establish how your earnings and the deposit you are able to put down will impact on how much you can borrow.

If the amount you are able to borrow appears less than ideal, then don’t panic. A mortgage calculator may not take into account individual factors such as your credit rating and whether you have other property that you can borrow against. It’s therefore a good idea to talk to a mortgage advisor in person to discuss your own circumstances.

The benefit of the calculator is that it can give you a ball-park figure that will enable you to estimate what sort of property you might be able to afford. You can up that amount by saving for a larger deposit or by reducing your other financial commitments. However, you should always make sure that you can afford the repayments before taking out a mortgage.

First we called in the experts as we wanted tried & tested (as well as  legal and honest!) ideas. This was harder than we thought but then we found the Magpies....the Money Magpies that is and we have learnt some of the strangest things but some brilliant ideas too. Sooooo each week Jasmine Birtles and the Money Magpies team will be telling us all about their tip of the week (and lots more) with a simple link from here so keep an eye out won't you?

Ill also be trying my hand at day trading and will be letting you into the results and my head(!!) as this unfolds - much the same way as youve seen with the projects (uh oh<lol>)

Meanwhile, let me know what you're doing and if it works (and you agree) we can pass it on!

Sadly, this wasn't the  case for everyone with the worst tale we've heard (so far) was an elderly lady being charged £450....and still no real inspection of the pipework carried out.

Don't get caught out...use reputable, vetted tradespeople whether is be from http://www.bubsydogdiy.com/trade_search.php or other reputable sites. We only include regularly vetted people and its nothing new but we DO mystery shop and when we find someone exceptional we let you know.

Make sure too that you know where the stopcock is so that in an emergency you can turn off the water. Equally make sure it works...BEFORE you need to use it! If you need a hand as to the how and where of it all, Bubsy is on hand and can guide you through so check out her trade secrets today at http://www.bubsydogdiy.com/trade_secrets/plumbing-burst_pipes_100100.php?

Happy New Year!!

There are two key features of personal loans that are essential to grasp for those researching all of the possible options for financing a renovation.  In technical terms, personal loans are unsecured, and pretty much always come at a fixed rate of interest.

Perhaps the easiest way to define the ‘unsecured’ part is through comparison with a ‘secured’ loan.  Mortgages are one of the most common forms of secured loan.  The mortgage loan is granted on the understanding that if you stop making repayments for any reason, the bank can repossess the property, enabling it to recoup some - if not all - of the money it loaned out to you through the mortgage.  Thus, the property provides security on the loan for the lender.

Unsecured loans such as personal loans are not set up with a fixed security arranged from the outset for the lender, should you default on the loan.  If you stop making loan repayments, the lender will of course take measures to get back the money that you owe, such as taking you to court if things get drastic.  However, since there is no asset automatically in place to act as security for the lender, personal loan applications are judged carefully, as they are more risky for the lender.

In the simplest terms, personal loans are only granted to people with reasonable credit histories.  The better a proposition you look in terms of being able to repay, the better terms you will be offer on the deal – or in other words, a lower interest rate.  If you have had a problem with repayments on credit products in the past, however, your application will not necessarily be declined - the loan will most likely offered at a higher interest rate. 

Once this interest rate is offered, following the banks assessment of your financial health, it will then be fixed for the life of term of the loan.  Thus the repayments due on personal loans are predictable, which must be welcomed in the face of all the other uncertain factors that can crop up during renovation.  This fixed rate on interest is again in contrast with secured loans, which almost always come with a variable rate of interest (at least over the long term).  For more information, try looking at the impartial advice provided by the government on personal finance at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/
Consumerrights/ Personalfinance-yourconsumerrights/index.htm.  
 

Winter bedding is not necessarily any thicker than summer bedding, but the materials used and the way the bedding is formed are better at insulting and keeping the heat under the duvet. Additionally, it’s important to get breathable sheets, as despite a drop in temperature, you still sweat during the night in the wintertime.

Here is a short and sweet guide to winter bedding to help you make the right decision. 

Tog rating

The tog rating is a measure of thermal resistance or insulation. The higher the number, the better the insulation. Winter weight duvets should have a tog rating of between 12 and 13.5. However, you can now get ‘combined’ winter and summer duvets with a light 4.5 summer duvet attachable to a mid-weight spring/autumn duvet with a tog value of 9 to 10.5. Together they make up a winter duvet with a tog value of 13.4 to 15. 

Breathability

You need to let your skin breathe whilst you sleep otherwise you will sweat and when you do the sweat will stay trapped on your skin and will actually cool you down if your sheets aren’t breathable. Sheets made from natural fibres are generally more breathable than those made from man-made materials. Cotton is the best, but it does cost more. You can go for a cotton-synthetic mix to maximise breathability on a budget. 

Thread count

Thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch. The higher the number, the better the quality of the material. Sheets with a thread count over 200 are ideal, and if you can afford sheets with a thread count of 500 you will be rewarded with truly luxurious, hard-wearing but soft sheets. 

Feather fillings

Duvets filled with natural fibres use bird feathers from either ducks or geese. Duck feathers are heavier than goose feathers, but both offer the same insulation and breathability. Down are the softer, fluffier feathers found underneath the outer feathers; they provide greater insulation and are softer and smaller. The higher the percentage of down, the more luxurious the duvet but you will have to pay for the luxury.