Critical illness insurance for the self employed

June 9, 2010 - 8:52 am No Comments

The self employed are subject to a lot of work pressure. This can take a serious toll on one’s health. Lack of mobility and exercise, rushed eating in a hurry to complete work, the stress associated with taut deadlines. Small wonder that some self employed people are statistically believed to suffer more health conditions, like a heart attack or stroke than their permanently employed counterparts.

Of course advanced medical technology and treatment can help cure many illness’s, but if your unfortunate to suffer from bad health how will you pay the mortgage and support your family? Being self employed means there is no ’safe heaven’ if you fall ill, because if you  don’t work, you don’t get paid-if you are the single earner, the income stream into your household will stop.

Many of the Critical illnesses covered include:

Heart attack, Stroke, Advanced cancers, Blindness, Deafness, Traumatic head injuries, Major organ transplant, 3rd degree burns, Kidney failure, Coma and many many more

This is where self employed critcial illness insurance can help. In return for a minimal monthly premium, critical illness insurance will pay out a lump sum amount, regardless of most medical conditions or your speed of recovery. The lump sum will be paid out as soon as the condition is diagnosed so you don’t need to worry about financial affairs whilst you are in a reduced state of health or on the road to recovery. You can find both ’fixed term’ and ’entire life’ policy options, underwritten by the UK’s top insurers who have an impeccable record on paying out on claims.

Prolong your Laptops battery life

June 8, 2010 - 2:11 pm No Comments

Cheap Laptops and notebooks tend to lose their charm quickly when you’re constantly looking for the nearest power outlet to charge up.  How do you keep your cheap laptop battery going for as long as possible?  Here are 15 easy ways to do so.

  • Defrag regularly -  The faster your hard drive does its work – less demand you are going to put on the hard drive and your battery.  Make your hard drive as efficient as possible by defragging it regularly. (but not while it’s on battery of course!) Mac OSX is better built to handle fragmentation so it may not be very applicable for Apple systems.
  • Dim your screen – Most laptops come with the ability to dim your laptop screen.  Some even come with ways to modify CPU and cooling performance.  Cut them down to the lowest level you can tolerate to squeeze out some extra battery juice.
    Read the rest of this entry »

The many different types of Cheap Laptops

June 4, 2010 - 10:25 am No Comments

Acer Aspire LaptopCheap Laptops were created to be portable so people could carry their computer anywhere without having to haul around a huge desktop computer. The actual level of portability depends on the size and weight of the laptop. The smaller the computer, the less space available inside, which ultimately means power and functionality are comprised. The six general categories of laptops are thin and light, desktop replacements, ultra portable, net books, cheap acer laptops and “luggables”.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bridlington beach proudly retains Blue Flag award.

June 2, 2010 - 2:11 pm No Comments

Bridlington beach retains it's blue flag awardBridlington North Beach is 1 of just 71 beaches around the country that can boast it’s Blue Flag award yet again for another year.

The awards are given by ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ for a high score in:

  • Clean sands
  • Clean water
  • Litter free shores
  • Good facilities
  • High standard of safety.

The town of Bridlington can feel even more proud in the knowledge that its neighbouring towns of Scarborough (except it’s North bay beach) and Filey could not achieve Blue Flag standard and received Quality Coast Awards (This award was also achieved by Bridlington South Beach).

A spokesperson for Bridlington commented on how it is vital for it’s tourism trade to have a clean and safe beach to attract tourists and to complement it’s other attractions including Sewerby Hall and Gardens, Bridlington Harbour and the newly redeveloped  Bridlington Spa Theater. Read the rest of this entry »

Purchasing Over 50 Life Insurance Online

May 26, 2010 - 9:40 pm No Comments

As both the internet and technology constantly evolve and improve, so does the process of purchasing your life insurance online.

Many years ago, using the internet to buy your insurance was not always a straight forward task and was not always the most effective way.
If you knew your products and which one you require then it would be pretty straight forward. On the other hand, if you are not sure which products best suit your requirements or how much level of cover you require then you would need to speak to an independent advisor who could provide a more in depth service when compared to purchasing your over 50 life insurance online.

Now days, comparing over 50 life insurance quotes and purchasing a policy online is a much easier process. Many brokers now offer an online service and many companies operate only online. Insurance websites are now bursting with information and FAQ’s to help you understand it all more and make it possible to make well informed decisions about your over 50 life insurance.

It is however recommended that if you have any special medical conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes then should you should really seek advice from a local independent advisor who understands the underwriting process and can easily compare a range of quotes as opposed to the lengthy process of applying to many online sites to find the best price.

Burlington School is 100 years old.

May 6, 2010 - 9:22 am No Comments

2010 is going to be an important year in the history of Burlington infants and Burlington junior schools.
It is one hundred years since the school first opened back in 1910 and there are some special events planned to help celerbrate the occassion.

Sunday 23rd May – Priory Church Thanksgiving Service
This thanksgiving service will be lead by both the Bishop of Hull and the Right Reverend Richard Firth.
Children from both of Burlington Infants and Junior schools will be performing songs such as ‘Jesus loves the little children’ which was a song performed by the children of Burlington School when it originally opened in 1910.
This thanksgiving event is hoping to be a fantastic event for the whole School community and everyone from Bridlington and afar is welcome.
There will be party clothes and refreshments afterwards.

Monday 24th May – Centenary Day
This will be their 100th Birthday ‘Party Day’ when both the infants and junior schools will travel back in time to celebrate the day Burlington School opened back in 1910.
There are plans to recreate the opening ceremony which took place a century ago which will also include a playground party for the children and some games during the afternoon.
All Children and staff are being encouraged to dress up in olden day clothes such as pinafores and black dresses for the girls and waistcoats and flat caps for the boys.

Friday 9th July – Centenary Summer Fair
Planned to run from 3pm to 5pm, there will activities, stalls and games for everyone to enjoy including face painting, costume making, photography, a visit from Sams Safari, Tombola, cake stall, plant stall, games run by the children and performances from many of the different Burlington School groups.
Both the Burlington infants and juniors schools which are based in Bridlington will be open for pupils, parents, governors and staff from both past and present to visit as well as hopefully the new extension.
This will include displays of memorabilia including old log books,  old registers, newspaper articles and photographs.

Life Insurance without a medical

May 3, 2010 - 4:45 pm No Comments

A lot of people can qualify for life insurance without any exam necessary, even people who hold off to apply in later years. They can get life insurance without any exam up until age sixty-five. As you age and become older you would usually see the life insurance purchasing process as a task. You seem to always need a medical checkup, maybe even two. They normally want blood or urine to examine. This is no more so, that is, if you’re in a fairly healthy state.

In today’s existence we generally tend to live longer because we have started to take better care of ourselves. Everybody appears to be observing what they consume and are undertaking more exercise. With effort we are making a better job maintaining our weight at a healthy level.

This results in us staying healthier for longer periods of time. The common high blood pressure problem which exists amongst the population is much more easily controlled. Among the great concerns though is the hereditary conditions like cancer. However, these can be effectively handled if discovered early enough.

One more important thing to think of is that access to information is much simpler than it used to be due to the internet. Counting all these things has allowed life insurance providers to sell policies to a larger quantity of people without them having to under go a medical checkup.

All that is required is the usual non medical questionnaire for a lot of cases. This has always been offered to those of a younger generation but now It is also available to people up until age 65. Some companies have actually reduced the form whilst making sure that all areas are covered.

Are they offering less competitive life insurance? It is quite a surprise that these non medical life insurance policies are quite competitive, even for over 50 life insurance. Life insurance providers are in business to make a profit. They make certain that they choose the risks that qualify.
So If you are aged between age 18 and 65 and are relatively healthy which includes a fairly healthly lifestyle then you should apply and see whether you can obtain a policy or not. You don’t require a health check, just a couple of directed health queries answered.

The policies can be issued online if you decide. It can usually take up to 20 minutes for the life insurance provider to verify the information contained in your application and to assure themselves that you qualify. Upon approval you should be able to print out your insurance policy right at that moment.

The policies offered are usually 10, 15, 20 and 30 year level term life insurance policies but these can normally be tailored to suit your requirements. Being a Term Life Insurance policy means that the death benefit will remain at the same value throughout the whole lenght of the policy. It will remain at the same level of cover unless you choose to cut down your coverage. The premiums also are level throughout the term period.

If you application is a borderline case then the insurance provider may ask for a medical but don’t worry. This usually shows that they are considering your application as opposed to just simply rejecting it.

Purchasing your life insurance online without a medical examination is now a very popular way for people to obtain life insurance coverage.

Over 50s Bridlington residents get free IT lessons

April 30, 2010 - 3:26 pm No Comments

The well know charity organisation Age Concern are offering people over 50 the opportunity to learn more about the internet and IT.

In what is being publicised as their ‘Silver Surfer’s Day’, the over 50s residents of Bridlington are being offered free help, advice and tips to help them get online and enjoy the many benefits of the Internet.

Taking place at the Bridlington North Library, there will be many volunteers on hand to give one to one help and support during the sessions which will each last for approx 1 hour.
It is happening on Friday 21st May and the slots will be available from 10:00am to 3:00pm.

The sessions will demonstrate to the over 50s the basic steps in using computers or cheap laptops as well as accessing the Internet and also the services and benefits it has to offer.

Mark Rounding of Age Concern quotes: “The Internet is the future and can give people access not only to essential services but also information and entertainment opportunities”.

These sessions / lessons are free of charge but booking a slot in advance is recommended.

Is the property market still an uncertainty?

April 27, 2010 - 9:17 pm No Comments

Mortgage payment protectionHouse prices climbed 4.5 per cent over the last year, leaving the average property in the UK worth £166,587.

That’s according to the March Halifax House Price Index, which also reported that prices actually fell in February by 1.5 per cent. But does a monthly fall mean further declines are likely?

‘No’, says David Newnes of Your Move Estate Agents. “We always knew the recovery in the housing market would have bumps along the way, but don’t assume this heralds the start of a new downturn.
The arctic weather conditions and the hangover from ending the stamp-duty holiday have taken a temporary toll on prices,” he said. And that’s likely to be the story of the year.

Election hampers housing market

Property expert, Nigel Lewis of FindaProperty.com says: “With an election coming up and buyers waiting to see who will be in charge, it’s bound to be a stop-start year for lending.”

“This means we’ll see monthly rises and falls in house prices as demand and supply fight for supremacy – but we’re likely to end the year in the same position we started.”

So anyone thinking of buying or selling their home this spring is going to have great difficulty getting the timing right. The ideal situation, of course, is to sell on a wave and buy on a trough, but trying to play that game and guess the right conditions is a gamble which is easy to lose.

In fact, the rise in property prices since last year has led to an increase in the number of people remortgaging, says Ray Boulger of John Charcol, the mortgage advisory firm.

“The bounce in property prices since the low nadir early last year has increased some borrowers’ equity sufficiently to make remortgaging worthwhile,” he says. “On top of that, more competition and a modest reduction in some funding costs for lenders has resulted in lower rates for both new fixed and tracker mortgages.”
Remortgage or wait for better deals?

The question, then, for many borrowers is whether to remortgage now or wait for potentially better deals, but that may depend on what happens to base rates. They have remained at 0.5 per cent for a year but a May general election could be the catalyst for interest rates rising.

The next monthly rates decision is due on 8 April, but most experts agree that the Bank of England will make no changes at that time. In fact, a poll of economists in February predicted that a rise in the base rate to 0.75 per cent won’t happen until the fourth quarter, so around October to December 2010.

The uncertainty surrounding interest rates could be an argument for fixing your mortgage now, says Martijn van der Heijden, head of mortgages at HSBC. “The next few years are going to be difficult to predict in terms of mortgage rates and some volatility for borrowers may well be unavoidable,” he says. “The message for borrowers is that if you couldn’t afford an increase of up to three per cent on your mortgage, you should seriously look to fix your payments.”

Also worth noting is the rise in sales of mortgage payment protection insurance policies which cover you mortgage re-payments should you be unable to work due to an accident, sickness or unemployment.
People opting to fix

Mortgage broker Countrywide says it has noticed an increase in the number of people opting for fixed rate loans
“As speculation mounts over house prices and inflation we’ve seen a marginal uplift in the volume of fixed mortgage applications,” says Grenville Turner, Countrywide’s chief executive. “The forthcoming election could unsettle the market and impact any economic recovery and customers are increasingly looking for the certainty of a fixed rate mortgage.”

Although fixing your mortgage can add certainty to your monthly outgoings, you should still look carefully at the costs and penalties attached. Application fees on the best deals are high, and many lenders look to tie you in with high penalties if you decide to switch before the fixed rate period has ended. It means it’s essential to do your sums before signing up for a new deal.

Maintaining your Laptops Printer

April 27, 2010 - 8:59 pm No Comments

These days, there are so many reasons that you need to have a printer around, it’s inconceivable you wouldn’t have one or even two. People use them for many important reasons, like school and work, so the last thing anyone needs is a printer failure. Hundreds of companies today transport their documents through various electronic media but still print them. Although purchasing a good printer will always have its benefits, the maintenance of the machine is just as important.

Acer Aspire LaptopProperly maintaining your printer can add years of life to the unit as well as assure flawless printing of your most important documents. However important maintenance may be for your printer, it is often overlooked. Many people have a common misconception that printers simply need the ink changed every so often and that its components might need replacement eventually.

Although this is true, proper maintenance needs to be performed every few weeks to make sure that the printer continues to run properly. All printers are not the same; they come in various different types, shapes and sizes so naturally your printer’s maintenance will vary according to the type of printer you have.

Laser and Inkjet Printers
The two major printer types that are available for Cheap Laptops are the laser printer and the inkjet printer. The laser printer can print higher quality pages. As a result, laser printers are more costly than inkjet printers. The inkjet printer is still a very good printer to use but only if you are the type that doesn’t have the need for printing at a high capacity. Printers that are used in an office setting are the ones that will require more frequent maintenance, regardless of their type.

Printers that are used at home will require less maintenance, depending on the types of print jobs that you run on average. If you are the type that prints a lot of pictures and design sheets then your printer may require more frequent maintenance. If you do simple word document printing or other text type printing then your printer will not need as much attention. When it comes to the maintenance of the laser printer and inkjet printer, the two of them require different kinds of attention. In the case of an inkjet printer, it is going to require maintenance on mainly the printing heads.

The printing heads contain several miniscule pores from which the ink is distributed (sprayed, actually) onto the paper. Over time, dry ink can accumulate on the surface of these pores which in turn causes them to become blocked. You can easily avoid this issue by removing the cartridge and wiping the print head clean with a moist cloth. Once you’ve allowed the head to completely dry, you can then replace the cartridge and continue printing. Replacing the cartridges when they are low is another important step in maintaining the printer’s life. Be sure and use quality ink replacements that are specifically designed for your printer model.

Important Components
Laser printers are the most commonly used in office environments. They are known to have a few components that require a little care. Cleaning of the rollers periodically is the main thing that needs to be done. You can clean them with a damp cotton cloth. You may also vacuum the inside of the printer in order to remove resident toner particles that may have collected there. A special HEPA filter based vacuum cleaner is best when cleaning the laser printer. After you have made over 100,000 prints, the fuser that melts the toner on the paper might need replacement. Replacing these items in a timely fashion will allow the printer to continue to function properly.

Since computers are linked directly to your printer and the printer will usually come with a utility program for cleaning and maintenance, you can run that every so often as well. The best way to avoid unnecessary and unforeseen breakdowns of your printer is through the use of a printer maintenance kit which will definitely come in handy. These kits can be purchased at any retailer that carries your particular printer. The kits contain the parts that tend to wear out over time. They can also save you the trouble of having to wait for a technician if your printer decides to break down. Practice proper maintenance and keep a maintenance kit handy. These are great ways to ensure that your printer stays functional and clean.