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Competition: Win a Hamper

August 24, 2020

50 Bloggers have teamed up to offer you a great prize, and I am excited to let you know that I am one of them!

We have teamed up to bring you a prize worth £100 – a Marks and Spencer hamper of your own choosing!

Keep reading on to find out who the bloggers involved in this giveaway are (please take a moment to visit their blogs and show them your support) and how you can enter. You can also get 5 daily entries from tweeting about the giveaway, so be sure to come back every day for your extra entries.

The Bloggers

The following bloggers have all teamed together to contribute towards this competition, offering you a fantastic prize.

Please show your support by visiting some of the bloggers taking part just by clicking on the name of the blog below.

The prize

Up for giveaway is a £100 M&S hamper of your choice.

With plenty to choose from you can choose yourself a lovely treat!

Rules & Enter

1. There is one top prize of a £100 M&S hamper of the winner’s choosing.
2. There are no runner up prizes
3. Open to UK residents aged 18 and over, excluding all bloggers involved with running the giveaway
4. Closing date for entries is midnight on 31.08.20
5. The same Rafflecopter widget appears on all the blogs involved, but you only need to enter on one blog
6. Entrants must log in to the Rafflecopter widget, and complete one or more of the tasks – each completed task earns one entry in the prize draw
7. Tweeting about the giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget will earn five bonus entries into the prize draw.
8. 1 winner will be chosen at random.
9. The winner will be informed by email within 7 days of the closing date and will need to respond within 28 days with their delivery address, or a replacement winner will be chosen.
10. The winners’ names will be published in the Rafflecopter widget (unless the winner objects to this).
11. The prizes will be despatched within 14 days of the winner confirming their address.
12. The promoter is www.EmmaDrew.info
13. By participating in this prize draw, entrants confirm they have read, understood and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions

To enter simply complete any or all of the Rafflecopter entry widgets below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Be Inspired & Stay Creative

July 30, 2020

This is a paid collaboration.

There are lots of ways to stay creative. We all need an outlet in our lives to escape to and being creative, with photography, or crafting or maybe baking, is important. How do you go about being inspired every day, inspiring others and embracing creativity in the hustle and bustle of everyday life? Let’s look at some great ways you can be creative and some key events throughout the year which lend themselves to making super fun stuff.

Daily Life

In my daily life, I do a lot of graphic design and image selection for blogging. I also love to create eBooks and online courses which need a certain style of branding in order for them to be marketable. Then there is social media posting, website design and all the other creative aspects of running a business. At home, especially as we are in a relatively new home, putting your own stamp on things is key. Whether that’s selection colours for the walls and units, or choosing wallpaper from a host of samples. It can also be nice to using creative talents to give personality to your home. That could be making posters for your walls or download photos that you adore to fill your frames with. You could even find yourself creating invitations for a house warming or anniversary party. I think staying creative and having a creative outlet for things in everyday life helps your mental health too.

New Businesses

New businesses often need a whole heap of creativity pumping into them. Getting a new business of the ground is difficult and requires lots of hard work, but having some creative assets to hand certainly helps. You need to figure out the name of the business, the branding, the logo,the colours, the packaging of your products and so much more. Lots of us are taking the chance and stepping out in faith, launching businesses that we’ve always reamed of. How about using something in your logo which shows that? You could draw something which matters to you, part of your history or find a downloadable illustration of something significant. How about an eagle svg which you can use on your boxes? “To soar with eagles all you need to do is believe that you can fly.” Could be a great quote to live by in your business life. You might also need some business cards, brochures and flyers.

Christmas

One of the most fantastic times of the year is Christmas. Festive films, holiday treats, twinkling lights and so much more! When you start looking for Christmas downloadables you’ll find easy to use Father Christmas files, Snowman downloads and even a deer head svg which you can use on your Christmas products. Maybe you’re getting creative with crafting with Christmas cards and other festive products which can be sold at a Christmas craft fair? The creation of these things is just step one. The branding, marketing and selling of them is also important. Create a product that looks fantastic and delivers the entire package and your customers will part with their cash.

Birthdays

If you like to plan events and put on the best parties, you can create your own birthday invitations and much more! There is lots of design and crate for a party. From the invites and the banners to the party bags that guests take home with them at the end of the day. Maybe you can make your own personalised birthday card for the birthday boy or girl by using some downloaded assets. Birthdays are always worth celebrating and when you add that little extra personal touch, you’re putting a bigger smile on the face of the recipient. You could even plan other events, maybe even your wonderful wedding invitations, super setting plan and fabulous favours. This could even be the start of a brand new business of wedding planning!

Everything Else

There is loads more that you can do with downloadable products you can find online. From Lightroom presets and scrap booking templates to clothing mock ups and landing pages for websites. Photographs of exotic animals and social media elements to fabulous fonts and presentation templates. You can even find affordable bundles which offer great value for money than buying individual assets. There’s so much content just a few clicks away! You can discover some of the best royalty free Even if you’re not that creative, you can find things online that you can download easily to help give you the creative edge.

Festive giveaway

December 1, 2019

Christmas can be an expensive time of year, and I have teamed up with the UK Money Bloggers to offer some fantastic prizes to 8 lucky winners. Who doesn’t love a festive hamper?

Some of the UK Money Bloggers have teamed up to offer you a fantastic prize selection. There are eight Christmas Afternoon Treats with Flowers M&S hampers up for grabs, worth £50 each. That means eight lucky winners will receive a hamper in time for Christmas!

Meet the bloggers taking part in this giveaway

The bloggers taking part in this festive giveaway are:

The prizes

There are eight Christmas Afternoon Treats with Flowers M&S hampers up for grabs, worth £50 each.

If the hamper is no longer available when the winners are drawn then the winners will be offered an alternative hamper from M&S worth £50 each.

Enter to win

To enter simply complete any or all of the Rafflecopter entry widget options below.

The competition closes at midnight on 14th December 2019. If the hamper selected is sold out then we will offer an alternative M&S hamper worth £50. You can see the widget for the full terms and conditions of this giveaway.

There are plenty of ways to enter this giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Essential Steps To Selling Your Home

July 18, 2019

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Selling a house is a big job. It is something which can take months of your life and there will be many different challenges and hurdles along the way. When the time comes to sell your home, it is important for you to research the steps that you’ll take to sell on your home to a new owner. Today we will give you a quick rundown of the steps you should take this year.

Get your finances ready

As you will know if you are a homeowner, houses are expensive. You need to make sure that before you think of selling, you are in a stable financial condition and able to keep up with the payments.

Start selling first

When you decide to move house it is important that you start the selling process first. The reason for this is that it usually takes longer to sell a home than buy one. Make sure to get your sale in order and on the market before you start searching for a home and this will make the process easier later on.

Get a few valuations

The biggest decision you will have when selling your home is what price to sell it for. You are the one who will decide the price of your home, however it is important to get some advice from elsewhere before you make a decision.

Find an agent

It is even more crucial when it comes to selling a house to find the best possible estate agents. The reason for this is that they will be involved in the process and they will be doing a lot of the work for you. How good they are will make a difference to how fast you can sell your home.

Prepare your home

Once you decide to sell your home you will have a lot of things to do to prepare your home. It is important for you to think about cleaning and tidying for the photos, and during the process of this you can start to clear out items you no longer want or need in the house. This is a great idea and it will make an impact on how easily you can move.

Choose a solicitor

When choosing a solicitor ask family and friends for recommendations and also make sure that you meet with a few to get an idea of what they are like and how they can help you.

Accept an offer

Now the next step you will need to take is accepting an offer. Never sell at a price you are not comfortable with, but if a reasonable offer is brought forward and you can handle a small loss, go for it if you want to move swiftly.

Sign a contract

Now will be the time where you fill in the contract with details of the home such as energy provider, gas and electric details and features, and send it off to the buyer. Take time when creating this contract and be sure to check it 3 times.

3 Ways To Use Your Home As Financial Leverage To Pay Off Debt

July 14, 2019

For some, simply watching what you spend and budgeting well isn’t enough to get your debt under control. Whether your interest rates are sky high or your debt total completely swamps your income, sometimes extra measures are necessary. If you have tried everything else, but unfortunately still couldn’t manage to get the situation under control, don’t worry. You still have some options left. These may only apply to you if you have tried all other options, so don’t take these lightly for your circumstances.

Loan to value

One of the best tools you have for fighting debt, is your property. It’s an incredibly powerful and versatile tool which you can use to your advantage. Selling a property to pay off debt is the absolute last resort but there are other methods. Remortgaging and equity release are two excellent options which you can use your home for to restructure debt or simply gain a loan to value. The former option is probably the best option if you have a debt amount that is equal to or smaller to the remaining value of your home. Speak to Conveyancing lawyers, Bannister Preston which offer this service to learn more. Essentially, if you have a property that is worth $200,000 but your current mortgage that is yet to be paid off is $100,000, that means you can get out a loan based on the remaining $100,000.

Creditors are now offering a maximum of LTV ratio of 95%, which means you would get $95,000. This lump sum can then be used to quickly pay off any debt that is becoming too much trouble. You can use this money to improve the home, and add more value to it. By the end of your improvements the property might then be worth $350,000, giving you even more financial leverage.

Home reversion

In the USA it’s called a joint ownership and in other parts of the world it’s called home reversion. When it’s all boiled down, it means you will sell a portion of your property for a cash lump sum. This also means that you’ll be selling the land you have and not just the property. Although you still have the right to own half the property, the contract you sign is going to determine who gets what. Since you are the property owner, you can decide what portion of the home is going to be sold. Depending on the portion, you could get up to 60% of your home’s true market value. Understandably, this is because you will still be living in the property and they do not have sole ownership. You and the new portion owner will become neighbors while living in the same house, thus you cannot expect to get full market value as if you were selling your entire property.

A new roommate?

A spare room that isn’t being used is nothing short of a financial faux pas. It’s simply going to waste while you could be making a decent amount of money from it. You can have a tenant and landlord living in the same house. Lodging is a great way to make good use of a spare room. You have full control over the contract and it can be adjusted rapidly to suit your needs. If you would rather have a long term lodger, then you can leave the contract open by not putting an end date. Unlike tenancy agreements for apartments, this is quite common.

You can also offer a lodging room to someone who is travelling. It’s not just young professionals that are looking for apartments, but travellers that want a room to stay for a few nights, a week or perhaps longer. If you live in a popular city, then travellers might take up the spare room for a couple of weeks while they explore and go sightseeing. Young and old will both take a liking to a spare room that is reasonably priced and close to the city.

There are so many ways you can use your home as leverage to pay outstanding debt. Joint ownership is a drastic but solid method to gain a large lump sum which you can then use to pay your debt.

5 Great Tools to Use on Your Debt Free Journey

June 21, 2019

When you are on your debt free journey it is important to have some support around you, both practical and emotional, in one form or another. Whether you find it in family and friends, books or through an online community, having support in place will ensure that you stay on track and achieve your financial goals. Here are 5 great tools to use on your debt free journey.

The Total Money Makeover Book

The Total Money Makeover is a book that I have spoken about on a number of occasions before and one that I will always recommend to anyone on a financial journey. It is the first of the great tools to use on your debt free journey. Dave Ramsey’s book takes you through a number of steps designed to help you get out of debt, secure your finances and plan for the future. Whether you are at the very beginning and in need of someone to hold your hand or you are well on your way to becoming financially free, this book can help you.

Dave also has a Youtube channel where he shares snippets of his radio show as well as many great advice videos. These are fantastic to listen to as they allow you to hear stories from others in the same position. The comfort of knowing that you’re not the only person in your situation is invaluable.

The Debt Free Community

When you find yourself faced with a mountain of debt and feel like there is no way out it can be incredibly lonely. Most people don’t talk openly about money and it can be very isolating. Thankfully there is an entire community online that speak openly about their money troubles and the steps they are taking to become debt free.

Predominantly found on Instagram, the Debt Free Community can be found by searching #debtfreecommunity. Many accounts even choose to share their financial figures openly. This is not only reassuring but motivational. Watching others make progress, whatever speed they are moving at, encourages you to be honest with yourself and motivates you to do something about your own debt.

A Physical Budget

It goes without saying that if you want to make a difference to your money habits and clear your debt you are going to need a budget. This is possibly the most important of all the great tools to use on your debt free journey. Whether it is something simple that helps you to keep track of your income and outgoings, or an in depth system such as the zero based budget that Dave Ramsey promotes, knowing exactly what you have and where it is going is the only way to take control of your finances.

There are so many different budgeting systems available. Personally I prefer to put pen to paper and write out my budget by hand each month. It forces me to think about each item that I’m writing down and allows me to be very conscious of the money that I’m bringing in and the money that I’m spending. There are a variety of paper money planners available, but I like to use this one.

The Cash Envelope System

Setting up your budget can really help you to handle your money well but sometimes we need to take things one step further. It is great to have the intention of managing your money as you should using your bank account and bank cards but if you struggle to stick to your plan, using cash envelopes may be a great additional tool for you.

The cash envelope system is something I’ve written about before. At the beginning of each week or month cash is withdrawn and placed in envelopes allocated for specific expenses in your budget. One might be for food shopping and another for filling your car with fuel for example. Having your budgeted amount in a physical capacity will help you to stick to spending that amount only and stay on track with your finances.

A Simple Saving Method

Whilst the main focus of your debt free journey will be paying down the money you owe, it is also really important to have a good savings method in place. Whether you are pulling together your emergency fund or preparing for upcoming costs, having money set aside will help you to avoid getting further into debt.

There are a number of approaches you might take but when money is tight I find that it helps to keep things simple. My favourites are skimming for digital saving and keeping a jar in the kitchen for loose change.

Different tools and forms of support work for different people. The important thing is to explore them and find something that suits you. Facing a debt mountain is hard, but when you have the right people around you and a good method of tackling your finances your debt journey becomes far more manageable.

How To Secure Your Family’s Financial Future

May 17, 2019

How to secure your family’s financial future

From Pixabay

When you have a job, a family, and a home that all need your time and attention, it’s very easy to get caught up in the here and now. However, it is important that you look towards the future too. After all, in just a few short years, those that rely on you right now might not have you around anymore. Getting your affairs and family finances in order can be a daunting task, but it’s one that you can’t avoid. With that in mind, here are six ways to secure your family’s financial future.

Pay Off Your Debts

Before you start to plan what to leave behind for your loved ones, you should consider the things they might not want. Almost everyone has debt in one form or another, but, if you don’t clear your debts now, they may fall on the shoulders of your kids and partner later. To prevent this, you should figure out exactly how much you owe and create a plan of how to pay these bills off. If you do nothing else to secure your family’s financial future, leave them with nothing to worry about.

Secure A Retirement Plan

When you’re only young, planning for your retirement can seem unnecessary. However, it makes sense to start as early as possible. After all, the more time that you have to save, the more money that you’ll save up. You’ll also earn more interest on those savings. By seeking pension options now, you will have something to fall back on so that you can retire when you want to.

Write Out A Will

Most people assume that, when they pass on, their money and assets will immediately go to those they want them to. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. For this reason, you should work with experts, like Worrall Moss Martin Lawyers. They will be able to offer advice and solutions, guiding you through the process of planning your estate and writing your will.

Start Saving For School

Education does not come cheap. If your children choose to attend college or university in the future, they will have some pretty big bills to pay to earn their qualifications. This is why many parents decide to lend a hand. Depending on how many kids you have, you may want to start saving for school now. This way, they will have more money to split between them.

Encourage Your Kids To Work

Giving your children money whenever they need it might make them think that it comes easily. However, as you will already know, it definitely doesn’t. To teach your kids the value of money, you should encourage them to get jobs as soon as they can. This also means that they’ll have their own money to fall back on when you’re not there to offer them yours.

Protect Against Unexpected Costs

Whether it be a job loss or a house fire, just one disaster can destroy your finances, shattering the image of the future that you’d created for your family. Thankfully, you can protect yourself and your money against most unexpected costs. There are many different types of insurance that allow you to do this. You can also start to build up an emergency fund, just in case.

By following the advice above, you can ensure that you are making the best effort to secure your family’s financial future.

Tips for New Drivers

May 9, 2019

Welcome to this article of tips for new drivers. No matter your age or the amount of practice you have has, being a newly qualified driver can be scary. It’s all well and good being in the car with your driving instructor. No matter how far on in your lessons they always have the option to take control of the car and bring you to a stop before anything bad happens. You’ve also go the added bonus that it’s not your car that you’re driving, so if anything does happen to it you don’t need to worry.

As soon as you pass your test and get your own car however, you’re opened up to a new world of driving, and we know just how scary it can be. Hopefully these tips will prepare you for the troubles you might face, the dangers you need to avoid, and how you can be a better driver!

Tips for New Drivers

Image Source

Sort Out Your Insurance

This might seem obvious but I want to add it just in case you are unaware of the importance of car insurance. This step isn’t a choice. It is a legal obligation to have insurance in place for your car. The downside is that it can be expensive. The upside is that it will put your mind at rest, should the worst happen.

There are so many factors to be aware of when choosing your insurance package. I would always recommend starting by checking a comparison website. Study the packages available and the items included in each. Things like breakdown cover and a courtesy car aren’t always included but will make the world of difference if you ever need them.

When You Breakdown

There are many troubles that you might face when you first get on the roads, but it’s so easy to overcome them, and you definitely won’t be the only one facing them. One of the biggest problems that people have, is when a car breaks down. The first time it happens it can be scary. Just make sure to have your breakdown cover number on hand so that you can call someone out to rescue you.

As a first time driver you will most likely be going for a secondhand car, which is great! Unfortunately the older the car, the more prone it is to needing a fix or two. Common parts that people search for, are Peugeot Parts, Renault, and Fords. As the car is older, the parts are usually cheaper to source which is always handy. If you choose to go for a brand new car for your first car you might find that replacement parts are a lot more expensive.

Prepare for Bad Weather

Many people laugh at me when I talk about this one but it always puts my mind at rest. During the winter months, it is sensible to pop a few extra items in your car. Especially in countries which experience bad weather like we do here in the UK. Personally I always have a tub of salt, a small shovel, a small torch, extra windscreen cleaner and de-icer. This might seem a bit much, the shovel in particular. My attitude however is that I’d rather pack it and never need it than be stuck without. My car is quite small after all and isn’t the best at handling the heavy weather.

How You Can Be A Better Driver

This might also seem like an obvious point but there are a number of ways you can ensure you are a good driver. Making sure that your car is in perfect driving condition by checking your oil is topped up and you have windscreen wash in is always the best place to start. It’s also so important to make sure you yourself are in good condition. Driving whilst tired or distracted can be very dangerous. It goes without saying that you should never drink and drive.

We all fall into our own bad habits the longer we drive. This might be a less obvious tip, but sticking to the lessons your driving instructor has taught you is a key way to ensure that you drive well. You may no longer sit bolt upright with your hands precisely at 10 and 2. Simple things like checking your mirrors before you pull away will make a huge difference however.

Hopefully this article of tips for new drivers has helped to put your mind at rest as you venture into the world of driving.

The Practical Side Of Entering Into A Partnership

April 24, 2019

There are various signs of success in business. One of them is when you need to expand your office to accommodate the increase in employees. Another is when you are contacted by another company who likes what you do and wants to enter into a deal. The classic case of two businesses working together is when a distributor contacts a product company in the hopes to stock their product and sell it in their retail stores. But what are the practical challenges to this kind of joint venture? Here is an insight into the practical side of entering into a partnership.

First of all you will need to have serious meetings in which you negotiate a price for your partnership. However the logistical side is where the real uphill struggles can come in. Things like manufacturing a certain agreed amount, storing and packaging the products safely, and assuming any costs for damages or late arrivals are just a few.

Quantity demand and raw materials

In many joint ventures that require you to increase your production rate, there is the added challenge of acquiring more and more raw materials. For example you make a product that uses a lot of steel. As a common practice for a business of your size and funds, you are making just enough to not stretch yourself too thin. Now that a distributor wants to stock the shelves of three or more of their stores, you need to suddenly buy more steel.

How do you do this immediately and not run into debt? Bulk buying materials is the solution that many small businesses turn to. Yes you will be getting a large discount but you also need to calculate how much of the material will be made to good use. You don’t want material to not be used and end up being wasted. This would negate the bulk buy discount you get from industrial materials manufacturers.

Being treated fairly

Small businesses often have to fight their corner extra hard as compared to larger businesses. Because of your size, some joint ventures don’t yield in your favor or even a split 50/50. To make sure you are being treated fairly hiring business solicitors is a great idea. They know business laws like the back of their hand. They can oversee or even have a direct hand in writing your demands as part of the contractual agreement.

Remember that joint venture contracts are a combination of agreed terms so each party involved need to create their half of the contract. In the wording, you need to make it clear what share of the profits you will want, what kind of fallback position you will have if those profit margins are not met. This will avoid your venture causing you to go into debt, and dragging you down.

Joint venture partnerships are usually very successful if both parties come to the table with good intentions. Make sure you’re ready to increase your production rate and bulk buy to save as much money as you can. Being prepared for the practical side of entering into a partnership, creating a solid contract with the help of business solicitors will assure your business of never being dragged down when things don’t work out.

How To Make More Money On Property

April 6, 2019

It’s no secret that investing in property is a smart way to make money. Why? People will always need houses, offices will always be let out, and stores will always have a high demand. Investing in property is more than simply flipping for a profit. The buying and reselling process can be long and take a lot of effort, however the rewards can really make the process worth it. Check out these tips on how to do make more money on property.

How To Make More Money On Property https://www.pexels.com/photo/architecture-balcony-building-clouds-534182/

Become a landlord

Sure, a nice big bulk of money in one go is a great way of investing in property. However, once that money has gone, you’ve got to find a way of raising money again. Turning your property into residential lettings would allow you to make a side income for as long as your property is up for rent. Depending on where your property is, you could make anywhere from £400-£1500 pcm on your property!

Obtain professional advice

If you’re new to the property investment scene, it’s always good to seek professional advice before taking any action. Companies such as Montague Property can help you turn your investment into something even larger. They can give you professional advice on how to best turn your assets the kind of profit you’re after.

Renovate property

A great way of making large amounts of profit from property is by investing that little bit more money into it. You can easily find homes that need some TLC for a low price on the market these days, so why not buy one, renovate it to high-quality decor and fixtures, and then either re-sell or rent out for a very tidy profit. Sometimes it pays to spend a little more if you want a larger return.

Let out a room

Perhaps the property that you own is your home, and the above options don’t really apply to you? If you’ve got a spare room, you could still make some money from your home. Letting out your spare room to a lodger could bring in an extra couple of hundred pounds a month depending on what’s included with the room (such as en-suite, utility bills, use of kitchen etc). It can be quite daunting letting out a room in your home, so check out everything you need to know about letting out a room in your home so that you can be sure you’re doing everything above board.

Vacation rentals

Finally, everybody loves travelling somewhere hot and sunny – so consider purchasing a property abroad in a popular tourist spot. Match your fees to similar properties and each year you’ll have a steady income from holidaymakers!

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