What's The Best Debt Solution For Me?

By Tom Doerr

Many people in Britain, particularly in the last few years, have found themselves with increasing debts and an inability to make repayments. Millions of people have lost their jobs and have struggled to make ends meet let alone repay their mortgages. When monthly outgoings exceed income it's time to look for a solution for your debt and there are several main options to choose.

If you simply have too many monthly repayments and you even find the quantity of them hard to keep on to of, you might benefit from a debt consolidation loan. The idea of borrowing even more money might sting but this kind of loan can allow you to reduce your monthly outgoings, spread your payments over a longer time and manage just one monthly repayment. Consolidating your debt won't even affect your credit rating, as long as you keep up with your repayments, you will be seen as a responsible borrower. Depending on who you buy from, there will be interest added to your debt but unfortunately nothing is free and this is the price you will need to pay to manage your debts.

If you cannot get a consolidation loan, the next best thing is to try and get help with a Debt Management Plan. There are many financial advisers who may not charge for setting up a debt management plan, they can do all the negotiating between you and your creditors and reduce your repayments into a figure you can manage. Although they cannot freeze interest or charges, they can allow you to decide when you pay and how much you can realistically afford. Your credit rating may be affected as a debt management plan is a negotiation of repayments different to an original contract, but this is not always the case.

If your debts are too large to be considered for a Debt Management Plan; you may need to seek approval for an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA). An IVA involves considering a debtor's capital, income and priority payments. To arrange and approve an IVA requires an insolvency practitioner and the arrangement must be approved by the creditors and can be arranged post-bankruptcy. You may wish to consider an IVA as, unlike bankruptcy, your credit rating is not as damaged, you will be able to continue trading and your property will be excluded from the arrangement.

If all else fails, there is one last option; to file for bankruptcy, this can be voluntary or involuntary depending on the size of the debt. Becoming bankrupt can immediately free you from debt repayments but it does come at a price. All of your assets will be shared equally among your creditors and you cannot act as a lawyer, accountant, justice of the peace, Member of Parliament and many other professions. There are severe consequences for your credit rating for many years after the annulment and you will have to obtain special permission to obtain credit over the value of 250. Some people see bankruptcy as the end of the road but it is a legitimate method of escaping damaging debt, after all its only money. - 32196

About the Author:

Tips When Looking For Apartments For Rent

By Adriana Noton

Looking at apartments for rent can be tricky. There will always be something you over look or some question you forget to ask before you sign the lease. The trick is to know the really big issues that people often forget about in their search for the right size at the right price. These things are, of course, the most important. But certain apartments that are 'a steal' could be cheap because they present their own problems. You may want to pay a bit more for a smaller place and actually be happy there.

One thing to figure out is how this is going to affect your commute to work. Drive through the area to experience morning traffic. Find out if the roads get plowed and salted in the winter. Look for bad intersections that could be dangerous or traffic lights that stay red for an annoyingly long period of time. You must think of your car, since it is the other huge purchase apart from a place to live. There should be gas stations and car garages near by that you trust and are reasonably priced.

Find out all you can about the neighborhood for your apartment rentals. Look at the list of crimes in the paper and see if your town is the residence of any of these offenders. Is the school good? Are there street lights on the street? How far is it from the police station? Drive around at all hours to see what you think of it.

One of the ways landlords can take advantage of you is by not providing many services and sticking you with hidden costs or not taking care of you properly. Ask not only about what utilities you have to pay but if the landlord takes care of trash removal, house repairs, snow plowing, and on-site washers and driers. Check out the house's insulation to make sure you will not be throwing your money away on the heating bill.

Get a very specific list in writing from the landlord about what you can and cannot do in a house. You do not want to be surprised by not getting your security deposit back when you move out. Some do not like pictures or shelves to be nailed to the wall, but they will not tell you because then they can keep an extra month's worth of rent. Ask about growing gardens, pets, smoking, and painting.

Good apartments should come with a few appliances like a dishwasher and fridge. If there is room, a washer and drier should really be included. Some may even give you a vacuum cleaner in order for you to keep the apartment well maintained. Make sure to look at the stove and find the fire alarm. If there is no fire alarm, do not move in. Inspect the plumbing--the sinks and the shower should all be clean and in good condition.

How much space do you have in your current home? Do you need more? Measure your big furniture and check for closet space in the new apartment. Is there room in the basement to store things? Does the kitchen have enough cabinets? You should have ample space in linen closets and the medicine cupboard.

The landlord is another aspect of the apartment. This person must be willing to take care of your needs and respect your space, just as you will respect his or her property. If you do not like the person or have heard bad things about him or her, consider finding a different place. Ensure that you have multiple ways of contacting said landlord in the event of an emergency. - 32196

About the Author:

How To Find The Perfect Apartment Rentals

By Adriana Noton

Finding an apartment can be one of the most exciting things that you do. Apartments can signal independence, and the next step in life. Or maybe you are moving to a new city, or simply changing from an old apartment. For whatever reason you are moving, apartment rentals can seem a bit overwhelming. How many bedrooms do you need, anyway? What type of neighborhood do you want? What amenities are you looking for? These are all good questions to ask and answer before beginning your hunt for the perfect apartment.

First, decide your price range. You may often be able to find great deals on apartments, but be sure that they are within your budget. No need to have a five bedroom six bath if it is just you, even if it is a steal of a deal. Be practical.

Next you need to find the place you want to look at. Check newspaper listings and the real estate section. Look for websites that guide you in your renting endeavors. Make a list of available places and rank them.

Pick apartments in an area that is good to you. If you commute, look for a place that is near your office. If you have kids, do not neglect to check the schools in the neighborhood. Ask the locals about the area to see if it is a good neighborhood or not.

Next, you must decide what size apartment that you want. If you are all alone, a studio or efficiency apartment may be a good choice. They have just one big room, making it ideal for those who do not need extra room. If you are a young couple, this may work as well.

Another couple friendly choice is a one or two bedroom apartment. One bedroom will perfectly suit your needs, while the two bedroom gives you a room to turn into a study, work room, extra bedroom, whatever you want.

There are a few other things to keep in mind as well. Many places are not quite as pet friendly as you might hope, so if you have a little Fido you take with you, ask them about their pet policy. There is often a weight or size restriction, as well as added rent per month. Check and see what each complex offers. Do they have a pool? Does your unit have a dishwasher? What about a washer and dryer? Hint: going to the laundromat every week gets very annoying, so try to find a building with this feature!

Finally: signing a lease can be scary. Find a lease that works for you. Month to month can be great if you are on the go, however, you will probably end up paying less if you do a six month or year lease. Ask about the utility bills as well. Are they included? What is a rough estimate of the monthly bill? Once you know these factors, finding apartment rentals is simple. Good luck and enjoy your new home! - 32196

About the Author:

Thinking Of Lending Your Motorhome To Festival Goers? Make Sure You're Covered!

By Timothy Simons Grimshaw

If you are anything like me, your getting on a bit and you probably think you've seen the last of your summer music festivals with sweltering and uncomfortable tents as your only place to sleep. However, if you're still into your music (I particularly like early 70's bands like Soft Machine and Caravan) then you could always bring your motorhome (or someone else's) along to a music festival and enjoy the music and the atmosphere without the rough sleep under canvas. You can listen to Caravan in your caravan!

Many people have found that the motorhome route is the one to take if you want the best of both worlds. You get all the atmosphere of the festival with the added bonus of a shower and a cup of tea in the mornings, there's no queue for the loo and the bed is guaranteed to be dry and warm, or at least it will be as long as you don't leave the sunroof open in a downpour!

Many motorhome owners rent out their motorhomes for just this type of event with most not realising that any such hiring of their motorhome for "hire & reward" purposes will not be covered under their standard motorhome insurance policy.

I remember seeing a couple at Glastonbury last year, blissfully leaving their motorhome in the sunny early hours of the morning having breakfasted under the awning, only to return late at night to find that one of Glastonbury's famed monsoons had filled the awning with water causing it to twist, break and generally be ruined, That's about 1000 worth of damage and all uninsured if the vehicle had been hired out without the authority of the insurance company.

If you are thinking of letting your motorhome go to Glastonbury or any similar music festival this year, is well worth thinking about insurance.

If you're not going yourself, it is probably best to start by loaning your motorhome to friends or family rather than people you don't know because adding friends or family to an existing insurance policy is by far the easiest way to go. So you can watch the festival from the comfort of your own home, safe in the knowledge that your motorhome is being looked after and even if it isn't, you'll know you have the right insurance to cover it. - 32196

About the Author:

The Versatility Of Caravan Insurance

By Timothy Simons Grimshaw

"For girls who go plump in the night" is the rather strange title of an album by 1970's rock band Caravan, which is not the kind of thing you would expect an insurance man to know, even if he does actually own one, (a caravan I mean!) An insurance man in a caravan is probably not that unusual but an insurance man in a caravan listening to Caravan? Surely not!

Although I'm not entirely sure why I start thinking about this, I'm pretty sure it's because I was looking back at some photos of last year's Glastonbury festival the other day and I noticed just how many caravans were there in one get-up or another. Being an insurance man, I was of course thinking about the cover they had and whether or not the underwriters knew exactly what they were being used for.

Caravans were being used for almost everything you can think of that needs a sturdy shelter, i.e. people were living in them, some were being used as resting places for tired musicians, some were being used for paid showers and some were being used shops by refreshment vendors, and I still mean proper caravans, not mobile catering units.

Over in the camping fields there were caravans sheltering security staff from the rain, acting as the temporary weekend home for ageing rockers (some may have even been fellow caravan fans who knows?) and as the meeting point for lost festival goers.

Of course, another big user of caravans at music festivals are the musicians themselves. They usually have massive ones with an extra wheel at the front for steering and they use them for changing in, for hosting after-show parties in and doing whatever it is that rock-stars do.I dread to think. Saying that, I'm not sure if Caravan ever used one, that'd just be too good to be true wouldn't it? Caravan in a caravan listening to their first album (which is called, you guessed it, "Caravan"). Or even better, maybe they went along in a convoy with their friends - a caravan of caravans including a caravan with Caravan in it, listening to Caravan!

But anyway, before I started ranting about rock-stars in caravan convoys I was thinking about whether or not these caravans had the correct insurance cover and lets be honest, the answer is probably not. If you are considering taking your caravan along to a festival this year then it is well worth thinking about getting proper insurance cover for it. Caravans can be damaged in all kinds of ways, especially at festivals where the fun loving, free-partying atmosphere can sometimes cloud people's better judgement and out of control festival goers and crowds and the like can do a lot of damage to your caravan, whether it is intentional or not. It could simply slide off on its own if the mud gets too wet, they can flood, catch fire, get blown away, and almost anything you can think of can happen. Fortunately you can insure caravans against more or less anything that could happen to it, even if it gets rammed into by an uninsured caravan being used as a refreshment stand! - 32196

About the Author:

The Importance Of Having Caravan Insurance

By Timothy Simons Grimshaw

Chester Cooke was a man who one day decided that he wanted to have a caravan on the banks of the river Avon in a perfectly situated caravan site that was professionally owned, well maintained and had all the amenities that he could ask for. However, he wasn't the type to go spending the best part of twenty grand plus annual services on a caravan without properly thinking it through.

So he then called his broker and said that he was looking for some caravan insurance. His broker then told him that that shouldn't be a problem and he would be more than happy to get him a quote. So Chester gave his broker the details of the caravan and where it would be situated.

It was only a few minutes before the broker called him back and said that he unfortunately could not find him any caravan insurance. The reason was that although the caravan site itself was fine, it was the particular spot that Chester wanted that was the problem. It was next to the river Avon, right at the water's edge, and last year it had flooded which caused lots of insurance claims, meaning that now, insurers are unwilling to offer any insurance to caravans places right on the water's edge. If he was going to buy the caravan, it was going to be entirely at his own risk.

This news meant that Chester would have to re-think his ideas about buying a caravan. Since it was highly likely that the Avon would flood again at some point, he couldn't afford to risk placing it there without insurance. He asked his broker what the "normal criteria" of a caravan site was so that he could bare it in mind if he was still going to go ahead and buy his caravan.

In terms of insurance, the ideal caravan site should be a registered CaSSOA site, this is because these sites have security standards that all caravans must meet. If the caravan is to be placed less formally, for example, on a farm, then the caravan should have its own compound with a defined perimeter. Some insurance providers insist that a caravan site has a minimum number of caravans. A sort of, "safety in numbers" logic. Another thing to look for in a caravan site is a defined boundary that is secure and would not allow uninvited people to come and go as they please.

Before this, Chester hadn't really given much though to caravan insurance. He didn't think it was going to be such a big part his decision to buy a caravan. All he knew was that he was grateful to have a good broker who knew how to take care of it all because after all, all he really wanted to do was enjoy his caravan. The insurance was just to take the worry out of owning it. - 32196

About the Author:

Lawn Mowing Company Forms, Contracts, Templates and Standard Letters

By Steve Sutherland

Running a lawn care business, like any other business, requires a great deal of administrative paperwork. Having relevant business forms, agreements, templates and standard letters available for every situation that you come across regularly in the day-to-day running of your business can save you from having to create a whole new document from scratch every time.

You may assume that the task of preparing all the paperwork that you will need for your business will be a major effort, but don't despair. There is now a huge amount of lawn care business related paperwork available online that you can borrow and adapt to your needs.

In this article we look at some of the forms, documents and various other paperwork that you will need to start up and operate your lawn business successfully. Then we let you know how you can go about accessing some of these resources.

1) Finance and Cash flow - You will need to be meticulous in the way that you record all cash flows coming into and flowing out of your business. It will be extremely helpful if you can view samples of business forms and letters that other lawn care professionals have been using so that you can put together your own set of documents for invoicing, receipts and chasing debts]overdue client accounts.

2) Client Relations - It is important that your lawn care business maintains good relationships with its clients so that you can keep customer accounts for many years and benefit from 'word of mouth' referrals. You should have letters that cover every aspect of your relationship with them, from welcoming them, letting them know about changes to your service and sending them a letter thanking them for their business at certain times of the year.

3) A Service Agreement - You should also have a standard service agreement that can be entered into with each one of your clients. Having access to a basic agreement that you can base your agreement on can give you ideas on some of the clauses that you should add.

4) Marketing and Other Documents - Having templates of promotional flyers that have shown good results for other lawn care businesses can also save you headaches and expenses related to testing. With permission you can just change a few details on the flyers that they provide you with on your computer in order to create your own company advertisement. Other documents useful to a lawn mowing business can include vehicle mileage forms, maintenance logs for tools and equipment and forms for managing crews of employees.

Having a great set of business forms, agreements, templates and ready-to-go standard letters can save you time and ensure that you get your lawn business off to the best possible start in a professional manner.

There are quite a few experienced lawn care business operators who sell 'start up' guides online that are designed to help entrepreneurs start up their own businesses. A lot of these guide books also come with other free resources that can be downloaded and used such as standard letters and lawn care business forms. Get your lawn care business off to a good start by developing a great set of business forms and letters that will help you to manage your business productively and get rid of some of your paperwork headaches. - 32196

About the Author:

Sign Up for our Free Newsletter

Enter email address here