My Advice Blog

[hadessiac-blog]

Making the most – great holiday tips

We've had our holiday time at work allotted and it's fair to say the tendency to plan has hit us full force! The opening months of the year are a popular time for people across the world to start pencilling in just when and were their next escape will be. Whether you're solo or travelling with a partner or family you'll want to make sure that your efforts are focussed well and have you covered in a financial sense.

It's not rocket science, planning a suitably priced holiday. It does, as with many things in life, come down to being consistent with your budgeting skills and following a few key pointers that we'll happily list here for your benefit. Taking a stringent approach to your planning can seem to be a buzz kill when all you want to do is get jet-setting, but you'll feel the benefit when you come back home to your bank account and you're also guaranteed to have a much “cleaner”, more guilt free time of your trip abroad when you know you aren't cheating your future self in any way to do with money.

So let's cut right to it and lay out the best way forward.

The B word – don't avoid that budget!

We regularly and consistently recommend being in control of your finances at all times – we're all adults and we all need to do it.

Budgeting isn't too complicated a task by itself, but an important point we'd like to bring to your attention for your benefit is how easily accessible your budgeting information is.

It's well and good having a complicated Excel spreadsheet tucked away in a corner of your home PC, but what good is this really to you if you're out and about and need to make a snap decision should the opportunity arise?

This premise applies to general shopping but is also true as far as travel goes; the more in tune you are with your finances and the easier it is for you to access important financial details, the better your decision making will be.

It's a case of being clear and level headed with it – if you can instantly say “yes, I can afford to spend on this treat and still hit my other goals”, you'll enjoy every single moment of your travel all the greater. If, conversely, you aren't quite sure but need to make a call either way, the pressure of knowing you might have compromised the piggy bank can weigh you down and put a damper on an otherwise lovely excursion.

The take-home? Work on a budget, then keep your budgeting management close and easy to access. You'll thank us for the advice once you put it to practice!

Insurance

It's good to think about this if you're taking more than a bus down the road. Travel insurance is a big deal and you can sit happily knowing that you have some sensible and reasonably priced options available to you as a UK citizen. While many opt for the free government provided travel insurance EHIC option, it can also be worth considering other paid routes.

You'll want to view this as an investment and not just a cost – ask ten people who have been on travels recently and you'll be sure to get a few that have nightmare stories about luggage lost or illnesses suffered that can disrupt a lovely time away. We know – it's not nice paying for something you might use. We aren't disputing that! What we are saying is that it's simply necessary if you want to avoid trouble. Pony up, do your research and get yourself covered before you zip away on your adventure of choice. You'll feel better for doing it!

Use the web to go local with recommendation

You may or may not be aware of the phrase “tourist trap”. It means certain areas in travel hotspots where the locals know people from overseas will be there and with money in their pockets, ripe for being charged more than is fair compared to the local economy.

Tourist traps can be a nasty surprise, with many falling into the scam of ponying up more than they need to for goods and services.

We recommend taking a look at online review sites for areas that can be filled in by the local or the experienced traveller. It'll help keep your actual expenses in line with your expectations before you arrive.

Lastly, if you're committed to your trip but are coming short then don't delay. Come have a chat. We're here to help and we do it how it suits you best. Can't argue with that!

[hadessiac-blog]

Habits and practices of the fitness elite

It's easy to say to yourself that you'll do x and y to lose weight and improve your fitness, and you certainly should! What you can do, however, to help increase your chances of success even further is to analyse the habits and common daily activities of those who have already “made it”.

You'll need to be sure that you tailor your own rules and regimes to suit your own personality. This will always be the most effective way to ensure that your goals are realistic and easily kept to on a week by week basis. The power of looking at the acts of others is that it can guide you in tailoring your rules in areas you may not have thought of before. The combination of these two paths of thought will give you a robust and feasible plan of action that is both well suited to you and also refined by the paths others have already tried and had success with.

So what are some common themes we can see in the actions of the successful when it comes to fitness? Here are a few that you'll almost always see crop up when you ask.

Water

Called “liquid gold” by some, the power of water is near unbelievable and its impact on your physiology and mental well being is staggering. Research shows clearly that drinking sufficient water can, among many other items, help you digest your food, improve your levels of energy and even your sense of well being and happiness.

Of all the themes common to the fitness elite, drinking water consistently throughout the day in larger amounts than most is the most prevalent. In practical terms you can help get the most out of your carefully chosen food in a nutritional sense, as well as having the extra water keep your sense of satiety (how full you feel) topped up. It's a double whammy of keeping to your diet and health and then some. Do it!

Sleep schedule

It's not an easy one to keep to, but you'll see it appear again and again in the schedules of the successful. Going to bed and waking up at the same time is a critical aspect of managing the routine or regime necessary for a high level of fitness. If it's an area you haven't worked to improve in your life so far, don't worry. Instead of viewing it as an obstacle to your success that you aren't looking forward to tackling, view it as an opportunity to succeed even more; you've come this far without the benefit of a strict sleep schedule and you've already done so much!

An aspect of proper sleep regulation that many also overlook is that of reliability and repeatability. A large part of becoming fit to a high level is that of slowly dialing in your diet and life. We're all different and the best data is that which you have experienced yourself. If you feel like you get sick often during the week or feel drowsy and you don't wake up and go to bed at the same time, you'll find it very difficult to pin down accurately what the problem is. By increasing the granularity of your weekly routine further you can over time make success steadily easier.

Making your own lunch

This may appear a seriously simple point for some, but the truth is that all too many of us are guilty of buying pre-made food from supermarkets and stores when lunchtime comes around. It's a fair matter of immediate convenience, but it's also a habit that is rare among those who have been there and done that when it comes to achieving their body goals.

Aside from the issue of higher cost, being beholden to the supermarket to provide your food gives you less control over your calories and nutrition. Sure, you have nutritional information on the packet, but what if you have a specific fats, carbs and protein quota to balance against your daily calorie allowance? You might find yourself settling for a simple choice that doesn't give you what you truly need to feel happy and full while still fueling your body appropriately.

If you want to add another strong point to your arsenal of success, you should address the subject of making all your own food.

Source: Every Day Loans Ltd

[hadessiac-blog]

Body language basics

We all desire to be relaxed and fluid when it comes to people skills and for good reason! Many business moguls have lauded the importance of working with people above any technical capability they may have. Studies prove repeatedly that powerful people skills can lead to tremendous success in life. Dale Carnegie himself interviewed hundreds of successful business owners who state clearly that it was only their ability to make people like them that gave them success.

So how can we tap into this practically? It's no insurmountable obstacle and as with many things in life the best progress is made by honing your ability at a few key items before progressing further. We've compiled here today a set of basic pointers on body language that will help ease you into social situations and aid in avoiding simple mistakes that can have negative consequences when meeting and greeting.

Serve up a smile

A smile is one of the most powerful tools you own! Often quoted as the key to lighting up the day of others, a sincere smile can be extremely effective in endearing yourself to others. Studies show that when we see somebody smile at us, our brain's neurons are stimulated which leads us to return the smile – before we know it and on an entirely subconscious level, we have been involved in a mutually positive moment.

The key to keep in mind when working on being an open, easy to smile individual is to be sincere. A genuine smile makes us feel at ease and instantly makes you like the person; a fake smile is one of the surest ways to alienate yourself from a person. You'll benefit from this point particularly well if you cultivate an open and compassionate state of mind. Before you know it you'll be rewarded with new friends, all thanks to a few muscles in your face. Not bad!

The handshake

Long a traditional masculine talking point, the handshake remains an important part of portraying yourself positively when meeting somebody. Usually offered as sage and tired advice for an interview, the handshake earns its place as a common talking point for good reason. The response of a good handshake in our brains is an increase in the sense we have of that person's capability and how much we can trust them.

You'll want to ensure that you don't overdo it. A firm handshake is appropriate for a man to man greeting, but you'll often find that women will extend a weaker handshake as a matter of course with no “squeeze”. Relax in the moment and allow the other person to guide you; you'll respond instantly in the right way without overthinking it!

Crossing your arms

This is one of the most common and revealing body language tells. Shown by research to indicate subconsciously that the person is anxious and may be uneasy, crossing your arms is often simply done by people not sure of how to hold themselves physically when talking. It's an issue worth correcting as you can be perfectly at home with yourself in a discussion, but can be appearing very differently to those speaking with you.

Relaxing is again the key here. There's no straight way to handle things and it will come down to context, but you can ensure that you avoid any negative perceptions by taking deep and slow breaths to help you feel at ease. Placing one hand in a pocket when standing, or a hand in your lap and the other free to gesture when seated can help you gesture appropriately and feel natural and at ease.

The theme

As you can tell, being relaxed and sincere is the key. Being anxious and attempting to appear in a certain way will make you come across as fake – not good! Meditation and an open and relaxed mind will help you not only open up physically, it will help you sincerely guide yourself further from a solid foundation. People are attracted to “genuine” people in a powerful way; work on clearing your mind and afterwards guide yourself with points like the above to achieve the most powerful results.

Source: Every Day Loans Ltd

[hadessiac-blog]

How to Save Money at Christmas

 It’s a question faced by just about all of us each year: How can I save money at Christmas? There’s a deeper issue at play here; saving alone is easy. What we really want to do is save that money without losing any of the magic of the occasion. Particularly for those of us with families, we’re very conscious that Christmas is most magical in the early years. The thought of saving money at the expense of a dull Christmas that our kids will remember for years to come is too much to bear!

 We’re here with good news, though. We’ve collected a few pointers for trimming down the costs while still retaining that magic in each moment. As always, a few well adhered to points is all you need to keep your wallet and loved ones happy.

 Trim the presents

 Easy, now! We’re not advocating stockings filled with oranges! What you can do to keep the magic alive and save costs is to set consistent limits on both price and who you buy items for.

 There’s a few different avenues you can go down for this one, and it might depend on your family and friends as to which you choose. The first popular choice to cut costs is arrange a Secret Santa. While most commonly done for work, it can be a great way to ensure everyone gets something and has a personal feel to the occasion.

 If that doesn’t sound like the ticket, you can go with simple limits on present costs and smart limits on sending them to, for instance, only immediate family members.

 Ditch the brand and swap your supermarket

 This is one that just about every one of us can work with. Brand loyalty is a real thing in life and the strongest area it applies to for most is food! This is a particularly true fact when you are growing up. How many of your fondest memories of family and home are to do with mum and dad’s cooking and the shops you used to tag along with them to? These warm memories can make us tremendously loyal to certain supermarkets, even if we are paying through the nose every time we go to one!

 The reason this is such a good tip is the recent diversification of the supermarket industry. Nowadays more and more low cost alternatives such as Lidl provide a great level of quality with slashed prices. If you aren’t quite happy swapping entirely you can instead consider dropping a “level” of quality in your supermarket of choice, such as opting for the Essentials range in Sainsbury’s.

 While you might have a drop in some areas of food quality and taste you are certain to cut a serious amount out of your food budget for the period. You’ll often have the pleasant surprise of the above two options sometimes resulting in a lower bill with zero noticeable drop in taste and quality – winner!

 Still coming up short?

 Let us know if we can offer some assistance. The magic of the moment is the most important part of Christmas; we’re here to help if you need it.

  Get inventive with the IOU

 This is a fun little thing to do with families and close ones. Instead of forking out for even a small gift and card which will mount up, offer a special task in the form of an IOU card. You can get inventive with these; it’s a great laugh and a sincere offering and bonding item to give the promise of a free cooked meal, errand run or a lift given on short notice. You’ll save a lot of money and also cement your friendships with those you provide them to – always a result of providing a bespoke gift.

 Involve your friends and share the meal cost

 Potlucks are a great choice for Christmas meals. The key to keeping this fun and affordable is to provide the core items yourself; that means that you’ll have to pay up for the set pieces like the turkey or vegetarian main course. You can then invite others to get inventive and share their very best festive meals as sides.

 It’s a great way to get people excited about cooking and to involve and bond the group together further. As long as the main pieces are provided nobody will bat an eye and you’ll save big time. Can’t argue with that!