Planes, trains and, er, cars: Christmas travel update

Millions of men and women could be caught up in Christmas travel chaos as road and engineering functions threaten to disrupt journeys by car and train.

Don’t expect a smooth journey on the roads. Motoring organisations are predicting a staggered getaway due to school closures and a mid-week Christmas, but there are main roadworks on several of the country’s busiest routes.

The crucial will be to time your journey to keep away from peak periods, if achievable, or to pick a route that avoids an impacted stretch.

Up the junction

Numerous stretches of the M1 are affected, but the region among junctions 29 and 31 near Chesterfield could result in especially serious disruption. Watch out, too, amongst junctions 17 and 18.

There could be problems on the M18 in between junctions 2 and 3, as well as the exit slip at junction 5.

Motorists must also take care if they are traveling southbound between junction 1 and the M1.

Highway to hell

Difficulties are forecast on the M25 amongst junctions 24 and 28 in both directions. Disruption is also expected on the M5 southbound in between Junctions 3 and 4A.

There are full information of all current and planned road operates at the government internet site www.highways.gov.uk

Slow train coming

Those of use using the train over Christmas might be robbed of a portion of cheer as Ne2rk Rail is warning travellers of main works on several lines during the festive period.

Some 11,000 workers are scheduled to carry out £200m worth of vital engineering projects.

The business has apologised to passengers but defends the timing of the shutdown, as the number of daily rail passengers drops from 4.5m to 2 million more than the festive season.

London calling

Engineers will start to lay new track and replace 2 platforms at London Bridge on December 20 as part of the £6.5bn Thameslink programme.

There will for that reason be no Southern or Thameslink solutions calling at London Bridge in between December 20 and January 5.

The installation of overhead energy gear at King’s Cross will also outcome in adjustments to train services at the station.

Work is due to continue on the upgrade of the signaling method at Watford, which signifies there will be no Virgin Trains to or from Euston station for 4 days more than Christmas.

Reading between the lines

Commuters can count on disruption about Reading, too.

The £45m Reading viaduct is one particular of the final phases of the redevelopment project that will separate quick moving trains between London and the west from slower moving freight trains travelling among the south coast and the Midlands.

The viaduct need to be in use by January 5, but train services will be impacted more than Christmas.

You can uncover detailed data about train services over the festive season at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Leaving on a jet plane

Crowds could be the issue at the country’s airports as record numbers of individuals are anticipated to jet out of the UK more than Christmas.

Airports are currently acquiring ready for the festive flee when more than 5 million folks are organizing to arrive or depart the UK.

Heathrow predicts that Friday will be its busiest day – and is hoping to stay away from any more laptop glitches. A city break to New York is the airport’s most common trip, followed by winter sun in Dubai.

Come fly with me

Gatwick will want to keep away from a repeat of the chaos of last Christmas when thousands of passengers missed their flights due to a energy reduce at the airport. It expects to deal with 1.6 m passengers from Friday 19 December to January 5.

Sunday December 21 is tipped as its busiest departure day with 63,000 passengers flying out of the airport. The most common destinations are Geneva, Barcelona, Dublin, Amsterdam and Tenerife.

You can check flight timetables and access any updates by contacting your flight operator, but often enable lots of time for your journey.

Planes, trains and, er, cars: Christmas travel update

Planes, trains and, er, vehicles: Christmas travel update

Millions of men and women could be caught up in Christmas travel chaos as road and engineering performs threaten to disrupt journeys by vehicle and train.

Do not count on a smooth journey on the roads. Motoring organisations are predicting a staggered getaway due to school closures and a mid-week Christmas, but there are significant roadworks on many of the country’s busiest routes.

The crucial will be to time your journey to avoid peak periods, if achievable, or to select a route that avoids an affected stretch.

Up the junction

Different stretches of the M1 are impacted, but the region in between junctions 29 and 31 close to Chesterfield could lead to especially serious disruption. Watch out, as well, among junctions 17 and 18.

There could be trouble on the M18 amongst junctions 2 and 3, as nicely as the exit slip at junction 5.

Motorists ought to also take care if they are traveling southbound among junction 1 and the M1.

Highway to hell

Problems are forecast on the M25 in between junctions 24 and 28 in both directions. Disruption is also expected on the M5 southbound among Junctions 3 and 4A.

There are full particulars of all existing and planned road performs at the government website www.highways.gov.uk

Slow train coming

These of use using the train more than Christmas might be robbed of a portion of cheer as Ne2rk Rail is warning travellers of significant works on a number of lines during the festive period.

Some 11,000 workers are scheduled to carry out £200m worth of crucial engineering projects.

The firm has apologised to passengers but defends the timing of the shutdown, as the quantity of daily rail passengers drops from 4.5m to 2 million more than the festive season.

London calling

Engineers will start to lay new track and replace 2 platforms at London Bridge on December 20 as component of the £6.5bn Thameslink programme.

There will as a result be no Southern or Thameslink services calling at London Bridge in between December 20 and January 5.

The installation of overhead power gear at King’s Cross will also result in adjustments to train solutions at the station.

Operate is due to continue on the upgrade of the signaling program at Watford, which signifies there will be no Virgin Trains to or from Euston station for 4 days over Christmas.

Reading among the lines

Commuters can expect disruption about Reading, as well.

The £45m Reading viaduct is one of the final phases of the redevelopment project that will separate quick moving trains amongst London and the west from slower moving freight trains travelling between the south coast and the Midlands.

The viaduct ought to be in use by January 5, but train services will be affected over Christmas.

You can locate detailed data about train solutions over the festive season at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Leaving on a jet plane

Crowds could be the difficulty at the country’s airports as record numbers of individuals are expected to jet out of the UK over Christmas.

Airports are already acquiring prepared for the festive flee when far more than 5 million folks are arranging to arrive or depart the UK.

Heathrow predicts that Friday will be its busiest day – and is hoping to steer clear of any a lot more laptop glitches. A city break to New York is the airport’s most common trip, followed by winter sun in Dubai.

Come fly with me

Gatwick will want to avoid a repeat of the chaos of final Christmas when thousands of passengers missed their flights due to a power reduce at the airport. It expects to deal with 1.6 m passengers from Friday 19 December to January 5.

Sunday December 21 is tipped as its busiest departure day with 63,000 passengers flying out of the airport. The most well-liked destinations are Geneva, Barcelona, Dublin, Amsterdam and Tenerife.

You can verify flight timetables and access any updates by contacting your flight operator, but always allow plenty of time for your journey.

Planes, trains and, er, vehicles: Christmas travel update

C30 C60 C90 – Christmas Playlist/Festive mix tape

Is it just me, or does it not actually feel like Christmas this year?

Thoughts you, the nagging be concerned that I’m just not receiving Yuletide like I utilised to seems to surface every year now, so maybe it actually feels dead Christmassy but I just do not want to admit it.

It’s just me is not it?!

Anyway, existential crisis to one particular side, here’s a Christmas playlist to get even the most curmudgeonly into the festive spirit…

Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody

1973 was the year that gave us the 3-day week, VAT and Slade’s Merry Xmas Everyone. And although the 3-day week remained in the mid-1970s, the other 2 have carried out their utmost to ruin several a Christmas shopping trip ever considering that – why does it have to be on in each and every single shop?

[embedded content]

Wham! – Final Christmas

A cautionary tale about not purchasing a dead expensive Christmas present for a person you’ve not been seeing that lengthy.

I presume George Michael’s wrapping up, sending and providing of his heart was purely metaphorical. Either way, it ended up in a box at the back of the cupboard with an unopened fondue set and a box of dominos.

[embedded content material]

Half Man Half Biscuit – All I want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague Away Kit

A song about that mate who often had greater stuff than you. It’s not truly a festive season song – there’s no mention of Christmas in the lyrics – but it qualifies due to the title and the truth that it is dead excellent.

[embedded content material]

Jona Lewie – Stop the Cavalry

Envision. You have penned a song that is not only got Christmas quantity 1 1980 written all more than but is also a Trojan horse, containing an anti-war protest message in amongst the mentions of Christmas and Salvation Army-sounding brass arrangements.

You release it, it is headed straight for the top – and that month some idiot goes and shoots John Lennon, prompting not one but 2 reissues which push your Christmas number a single to number 3.

[embedded content material]

The Jackson 5 – I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

A song about infidelity and crushed childhood innocence as the poor kid on the stairs is not only left questioning why on earth his mum has copped for Father Christmas but also has no concept where his dad is (pub, almost certainly).

[embedded content material]

Kylie Minogue – Santa Infant

This is what happened moments prior to the kid in I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus crept down the stairs…

[embedded content material]

John Lennon – Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

Not only did John Lennon beat Jona Lewie to the Christmas quantity 1 spot in 1980, he also beat him in the Christmas-hit-as-protest-song stakes – releasing this in 1971.

[embedded content]

Shakin’ Stevens – Merry Christmas Everyone

The Welsh Elvis, a man who had it not been for his pointing and gyrating would certainly have just been plain, old Stationary Stevens, put back the release of this by a complete year so it didn’t clash with the release of Band Aid’s Do They Know it’s Christmas – presumably because the guilt of keeping a charity record off the quantity 1 spot would have been also considerably to take.

And it worked as Band Help bagged the 1984 Christmas number 1 and then Shaky bagged 1985’s festive top spot. Job accomplished.

[embedded content]

Cliff Richard – Little Town

This O Tiny Town of Bethlehem/Twinkle Twinkle Little Star mash-up gets the nod more than all of Cliff’s other Christmas hits purely due to the fact it sounds like he’s undertaking that factor where you try to place words to Tv programme theme tunes.

[embedded content]

What would make your Festive playlist? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook or Twitter when you share the article with all your mates…

C30 C60 C90 – Christmas Playlist/Festive mix tape

C30 C60 C90 – Christmas Playlist/Festive mix tape

Is it just me, or does it not really feel like Christmas this year?

Mind you, the nagging worry that I’m just not getting Yuletide like I used to seems to surface every year now, so maybe it actually feels dead Christmassy but I just don’t want to admit it.

It’s just me isn’t it?!

Anyway, existential crisis to one side, here’s a Christmas playlist to get even the most curmudgeonly into the festive spirit…

Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody

1973 was the year that gave us the 3-day week, VAT and Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody. And while the 3-day week remained in the mid-1970s, the other 2 have done their utmost to ruin many a Christmas shopping trip ever since – why does it have to be on in every single shop?

[embedded content]

Wham! – Last Christmas

A cautionary tale about not buying a dead expensive Christmas present for someone you’ve not been seeing that long.

I presume George Michael’s wrapping up, sending and giving of his heart was purely metaphorical. Either way, it ended up in a box at the back of the cupboard with an unopened fondue set and a box of dominos.

[embedded content]

Half Man Half Biscuit – All I want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague Away Kit

A song about that mate who always had better stuff than you. It’s not really a festive season song – there’s no mention of Christmas in the lyrics – but it qualifies due to the title and the fact that it’s dead good.

[embedded content]

Jona Lewie – Stop the Cavalry

Imagine. You’ve penned a song that’s not only got Christmas number one 1980 written all over but is also a Trojan horse, containing an anti-war protest message in among the mentions of Christmas and Salvation Army-sounding brass arrangements.

You release it, it’s headed straight for the top – and that month some idiot goes and shoots John Lennon, prompting not one but 2 reissues which push your Christmas number one to number 3.

[embedded content]

The Jackson 5 – I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

A song about infidelity and crushed childhood innocence as the poor kid on the stairs is not only left wondering why on earth his mum has copped for Father Christmas but also has no idea where his dad is (pub, probably).

[embedded content]

Kylie Minogue – Santa Baby

This is what happened moments before the kid in I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus crept down the stairs…

[embedded content]

John Lennon – Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

Not only did John Lennon beat Jona Lewie to the Christmas number one spot in 1980, he also beat him in the Christmas-hit-as-protest-song stakes – releasing this in 1971.

[embedded content]

Shakin’ Stevens – Merry Christmas Everyone

The Welsh Elvis, a man who had it not been for his pointing and gyrating would surely have just been plain, old Stationary Stevens, put back the release of this by a whole year so it didn’t clash with the release of Band Aid’s Do They Know it’s Christmas – presumably because the guilt of keeping a charity record off the number one spot would have been too much to take.

And it worked as Band Aid bagged the 1984 Christmas number one and then Shaky bagged 1985’s festive top spot. Job done.

[embedded content]

Cliff Richard – Little Town

This O Little Town of Bethlehem/Twinkle Twinkle Little Star mash-up gets the nod over all of Cliff’s other Christmas hits purely because it sounds like he’s doing that thing where you try to put words to TV programme theme tunes.

[embedded content]

What would make your Festive playlist? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook or Twitter when you share the article with all your mates…

C30 C60 C90 – Christmas Playlist/Festive mix tape

Eight issues not to feed your dog this Christmas

No matter whether it’s meals, drink or spending, most of us overindulge at Christmas time. So do our pets!

But while we could endure no far more than a stomach ache, sore head or scary credit card balance as a outcome of our transgressions, some festive foods can seriously injure – or kill – your fur infant. The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) warns against these 8 foods, among others:

1. Chocolate. Most pet owners are effectively-conscious of this currently, but it’s an easy one particular to neglect at Christmas. These bars of Toblerone or boxed of Cadbury Favourites, wrapped nicely below the tree, can be hugely toxic to your dog (or cat), even in tiny quantities

2. Nutmeg. Adding a dash of nutmeg to your eggnog this Christmas? Don’t fling it about – it’s really one particular of the lesser identified poisonous foods. The AVA warns that nutmeg can cause dogs to endure from tremors, seizures, concerns with the nervous method and even death.

3. Grapes and raisins. Thanks to the standard plum pudding, Aussies probably consume more raisins at Christmas time than by means of the complete remainder of the year! Both raisins and grapes, even though, can trigger acute kidney failure in your dog.

4. Avocadoes. It is avocado season and they are a common Christmas meals. But they also contain a hazardous toxin which can harm the heart, lungs and tissue of numerous different animals, like Fido. Luckily the impact in dogs is usually mild – certainly preserve avocados away from any pet birds even though!

5. Macadamia nuts. These common Christmas nuts can also be toxic to dogs. Symptoms typically present within 12 hours and can include vomiting, hyperthermia and elevated heart price. Keep in mind any nutty treats wrapped under the tree!

6. Onions and garlic. It’s wonderful what some dogs will crunch into each onions and garlic can result in gastric irritation and anaemia if eaten in huge quantities, so be mindful of this when preparing turkey stuffing or Christmas vegetables.

7. Turkey skin, pork crackling, sausages and fatty meats. All delicious, but they can all lead to inflammation of the pancreas due to higher fat content. They’re not the great for owners, either!

8. Alcohol. Christmas tis the season to be jolly and we have a tendency to do it with beer, wine and bubbles. According to the AVA even though, even tiny amounts of alcohol can kill a pet. Half-empty glasses, spilled drink – even fermented foods -  hold them out of reach.

“Vets treat numerous pets with digestive troubles throughout the Christmas period,” stated Dr David Neck from the AVA. “The ideal treat you can give your pet more than Christmas is good quality pet treats from your vet clinic, pet store or supermarket that contain the correct nutrients to keep them healthy.” One more “treat” to acquire for your pet for Christmas is potentially a excellent-top quality pet insurance coverage policy – just in case.

If you suspect your pet has eaten anything toxic you must make contact with your veterinarian quickly.

Eight issues not to feed your dog this Christmas

Competition Time: Merry Christmas from Very first Insurance coverage!

Christmas is coming, the goose is acquiring fat… and the elves at First Insurance coverage are giving away some excellent prizes! With Christmas just a few weeks away we have decided to treat one fortunate winner to a bundle of mini Christmas stockings filled with sweets!

These small of bundles of joy are perfect to spoil your pals or family members with, or just to have about the home to nibble on while you take pleasure in the Christmas festivities! For your opportunity to win these mini-stockings all you have to do is Like and Comment on our Facebook competitors posts.

Competitors closes Tuesday 16th December at midnight. Great luck every person and Merry Christmas!

T&Cs

Entrants need to be 18 years or older and based in the UK.
Winner will be selected at random and announced on Facebook once all the entries have been counted.
Prize must be claimed inside 7 days or the winner will be redrawn.
If original prize is not accessible then an additional of the same or equal worth will be offered.

The post Competition Time: Merry Christmas from Very first Insurance coverage! appeared very first on 1st Insurance coverage Weblog.

Competition Time: Merry Christmas from Very first Insurance coverage!

Will your pet be pampered this Christmas?

It seems that Santa Claus is fond of pets, with ING DIRECT’s latest Household Financial Wellbeing Index finding that 16% of households plan on buying the family pet a Christmas gift. That’s double the rate of those who plan to buy a gift to donate to charity.

As to how much we will spend on our fur-babies, we spend around $ 780 million on pet pampering over the course of a year – it’s reasonable to expect that a chunk of that would be Christmas-season related. According to the Australian National Retailers Association, the average pet-related Christmas gift spend in 2013 was just under $ 22.

“Pets really are part of the family clan and the growing trend of including them on the Christmas shopping list each year is becoming the norm,” said then CEO of ANRA, Margy Osmond. “Of those who will buy a gift for the family pet the average spend will be around $ 21.63 and men will spend one and a half times more than women on gifts ($ 27.77 for men compared to $ 17.75 for women).”

And an RSPCA poll in the UK last Christmas found that around one in 5 pet owners expected to spend more on their pet than their mother-in-law at Christmas. Ouch.

Mind you, the ING DIRECT survey found that in Australia as well, the family pet is more favoured than a number of other gift recipients, with the people we collectively plan on giving a gift to ranking as follows:

Gift recipient	Percentage of households
Immediate family – parents, children, grandparents	43%
Friends	35%
Family pet	16%
Provide gifts to charity	8%
Provide cash donation to charity	8%
Neighbours	7%
School teachers	4%
Boss at work	4%
The postie	2%

Source: ING DIRECT Financial Wellbeing Index

It’s a shame to see posties so neglected when it comes to seasonal giving – they have, after all, had a pretty tough year.  And some of them do have to put up with some of our pets – particularly dogs!

When it comes to the idea gift for our furred or feathered companions, the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) has compiled a useful list.

For dogs…

For dogs, the AVA suggests:

• A fancy dog tag and comfy collar is a great gift. It can also help provide a source of identification if your pooch escapes the garden


• A new Frisbee or rubber ball means both you and your best friend can spend time together and get exercise.


• A pair of Doggles. For the discerning hounds, consider a pair of Doggles (sunglasses for dogs).

For cats, the ASVA suggests:

• Cats love cat caves – they take cat beds to a whole new level and many are made from eco-friendly material.


• Cats also love scratching, so a new scratching post or hanging catnip toy in the shape of a fish or mouse.

For birds, the AVA suggests:

• A new bird swing or mirror. In fact why not go all out and redecorate the cage?


• A healthy hanging munch ball can be a yummy Christmas treat.

The good news is, none of these options are very expensive, perhaps leaving more $ $ to put towards some of the more neglected gift recipients on your list.

Will your pet be pampered this Christmas?

Will you be buying in shop this Christmas?

On the internet purchasing is steadily growing as an industry, but about this time of year we see shops continuously complete of people undertaking their Christmas purchasing. So do our purchasing habits favour in-shop getting about the Christmas period?

Not so significantly. NAB’s On-line Retail Sales Index for September 2014 indicates that that online retail is steadily increasing, possessing improved 1.1% since August, and 12.8% since this time final year. It is worth noting however, that on-line retail’s price of growth has slowed over the final handful of years, and traditional retail is also displaying development, albeit at a significantly smaller sized rate (.4% greater than July, and 2.9% larger than this time last year).

However there are issues that this little rate of development is not adequate to save standard retail from the threat of on-line purchasing. Minister for Little Organization the Hon. Bruce Billson lately encouraged Australian shoppers to get their gifts from local retailers rather than foreign on the web retailers, saying that ‘the retail sector is one particular of the key drivers of Australia’s economy.’

“The retail sector has been operating in a challenging environment and undergoing immense structural adjust in recent years and it is essential that we help neighborhood business huge and small, in store and online” he said.

His comments come as component of the Australian National Retailers Association recent efforts to drive support for local retailers during the Christmas period, a time of year anticipated to generate 39,000 further Christmas jobs.

Nevertheless in spite of the efforts of the ANRA and Mr Billson, info from McCrindle Study suggests that even if Australians do select to shop in-retailer, some of them will be spending significantly less in an try to save cash.

22% of Australians stated that they plan on spending significantly less money compared to last year and 66% of Australians mentioned they planned on spending about the exact same quantity of cash they spent last year. Only 11% of shoppers plan on spending far more this year than final.

The individuals who strategy on spending significantly less primarily cited purchasing less presents as their way of saving cash, with other strategies which includes only providing presents to children and not going overboard with meals.

Will you be buying in shop this Christmas?

Christmas Gift Thought

One thing for your Christmas list….. A perfectly timed release for this years festive season, is this personal account Autobiography of an Owner Driver from Southampton by the name of Chris Nicholls. I got this on email from Chris over the weekend

“For 23yrs in between the late 6ties and the early nineties I was an owner-driver working out of Southampton and traveling both UK and Europe. I have spent the last 2 yrs writing about my experiences in a book entitled THERE AND BACK A JOURNEY Around MY LIFE. This went reside on Amazon 48hrs ago. Tonight I have been informed its 76th in its catagory of about 160, 4 areas above JAMES Could. If there any lads out there stuck on a loading bay or obtaining a evening out in some cold lay-by and need a excellent laugh, this book could be the answer.”

The book is currently obtainable for downloading as an e-book onto your Kindle, if your cool sufficient that is! Click Here. If your like me you’ll have to wait til mid December and buy it in paper book format. I for 1 have place it on my list from the rotund man in the red suit, so hopefully if I can behave for a small longer, I may possibly just get my copy for Turkey Christmas day.

About these ads

Christmas Gift Thought

Don’t let drink-driving play merry hell with your Christmas

Yes, it is that time of year once more. So let’s eat, drink and be merry. But let’s also leave the vehicle at property.

In 2012, there were 230 deaths due to drink driving – and the number of casualties is greater in November and December as the Christmas party season gets underway.

More than the limit

The law is strict about alcohol limits for drivers. The legal limit is

• 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 25 millilitres of breath


• 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 25 millilitres of blood, or


• 107 milligrammes of alcohol per 25 millilitres of urine.

In Scotland the limit will be 50 milligrammes of alcohol in 25 millilitres of blood (and equivalent measures) from December 5 onwards.

Measure for measure

It’s impossible safely to translate the limits into precise measures. Alcohol affects men and women in diverse approaches and depends on your weight, age, sex and metabolism.

The sort of alcohol you are drinking, whether or not or not you have eaten and your tension levels can also have an effect on your potential to tolerate and approach the demon drink.

In other words, your buddy could get behind the wheel soon after one particular glass of wine, but you could be more than the limit.

Slow reactions

Even a modest amount of alcohol can impair your driving ability.

It makes it more challenging to judge distance and speed and our reactions are also slower, which probably explains why a large proportion of drink-drive accidents take place within 3 miles of the start off of the journey.

Easily completed

Drink-drivers do not typically conform to the stereotype of the raging boozer who can barely stroll let alone handle a car.

Far more often than not the miscreant is the mum who takes the car to her friend’s residence, has a few glasses of wine, but decides to risk the short journey property.

Or the man who nips into the pub on the way back from operate, has one particular too several, then gets in the auto.

That is why most professionals suggest that you steer clear of all alcoholic drinks if you are driving. Take pleasure in a soft drink, non-alcoholic beer or a mocktail instead.

Morning soon after

And do not picture you will be sober by the morning, either.

It requires time for alcohol to work its way out of your method and no quantity of coffee or cold showers will support.

Did you know, for instance, that you shouldn’t drive for 13 hours after downing a bottle of wine or 4 pints of lager? If you stop drinking at midnight, you need to not therefore get behind the wheel till the afternoon of the following day.

Resist temptation

It is less difficult to resist temptation if you strategy ahead. Take benefit of any public transport. Carry taxi numbers or book a taxi in advance so you can often get house.

Alternatively, you could designate a driver if you are with a group of close friends – and make sure they abstain from alcohol.

Harsh penalties

Drinking and driving can have a devastating effect on your life and the lives of other people – you could, of course, injure or even kill a person.

The penalties if you’re caught driving over the legal alcohol limit are also harsh:

• at the really least, you will be banned from driving for a minimum of a single year


• you could be fined up to £5,000


• you will end up with a criminal record


• your licence will be endorsed for 11 years


• you could even be sent to prison for up to 6 months, based on the severity of the offence.

The police will also process your case just as they would any other criminal or suspected criminal. So, if you fail a roadside breath test, you will be arrested and taken to a police station. You will then undertake further tests and could be charged. It’s definitely no enjoyable.

Higher value

There are financial implications of drink driving, also.

Insurers certainly do not like motorists with earlier convictions, so your insurance premium will most likely rocket. You could also shed your job if it includes driving and you could be denied access to other nations, including the USA.

The Institute of Sophisticated Motorists reckons that a drink drive conviction could cost in between £20,000 and £50,000 if you take into account fines, legal charges, vehicle insurance and unemployment – and that is a lot of money for a handful of glasses of wine.

The message is clear. If you are out this festive season, it must be a case of none for the road rather than a single for the road.

Don’t let drink-driving play merry hell with your Christmas

Do not let drink-driving play merry hell with your Christmas

Yes, it is that time of year once more. So let’s eat, drink and be merry. But let’s also leave the automobile at property.

In 2012, there were 230 deaths due to drink driving – and the quantity of casualties is greater in November and December as the Christmas celebration season gets underway.

Over the limit

The law is strict about alcohol limits for drivers. The legal limit is

• 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 25 millilitres of breath


• 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, or


• 107 milligrammes of alcohol per 25 millilitres of urine.

In Scotland the limit will be 50 milligrammes of alcohol in 25 millilitres of blood (and equivalent measures) from December 5 onwards.

Measure for measure

It is not possible safely to translate the limits into precise measures. Alcohol impacts men and women in different ways and depends on your weight, age, sex and metabolism.

The type of alcohol you are drinking, no matter whether or not you have eaten and your anxiety levels can also impact your potential to tolerate and approach the demon drink.

In other words, your buddy could get behind the wheel right after a single glass of wine, but you could be more than the limit.

Slow reactions

Even a small quantity of alcohol can impair your driving capability.

It makes it a lot more difficult to judge distance and speed and our reactions are also slower, which most likely explains why a big proportion of drink-drive accidents happen inside 3 miles of the commence of the journey.

Very easily done

Drink-drivers don’t typically conform to the stereotype of the raging boozer who can barely stroll let alone handle a automobile.

A lot more frequently than not the miscreant is the mum who takes the vehicle to her friend’s property, has a few glasses of wine, but decides to danger the short journey property.

Or the man who nips into the pub on the way back from function, has one also many, then gets in the auto.

That’s why most experts advise that you steer clear of all alcoholic drinks if you are driving. Enjoy a soft drink, non-alcoholic beer or a mocktail as an alternative.

Morning right after

And don’t picture you will be sober by the morning, either.

It requires time for alcohol to operate its way out of your technique and no quantity of coffee or cold showers will support.

Did you know, for example, that you shouldn’t drive for 13 hours following downing a bottle of wine or 4 pints of lager? If you stop drinking at midnight, you need to not as a result get behind the wheel until the afternoon of the following day.

Resist temptation

It is less difficult to resist temptation if you plan ahead. Take benefit of any public transport. Carry taxi numbers or book a taxi in advance so you can always get home.

Alternatively, you could designate a driver if you are with a group of pals – and make sure they abstain from alcohol.

Harsh penalties

Drinking and driving can have a devastating influence on your life and the lives of others – you could, of course, injure or even kill somebody.

The penalties if you’re caught driving over the legal alcohol limit are also harsh:

• at the extremely least, you will be banned from driving for a minimum of 1 year


• you could be fined up to £5,000


• you will finish up with a criminal record


• your licence will be endorsed for 11 years


• you could even be sent to prison for up to 6 months, depending on the severity of the offence.

The police will also approach your case just as they would any other criminal or suspected criminal. So, if you fail a roadside breath test, you will be arrested and taken to a police station. You will then undertake additional tests and could be charged. It’s undoubtedly no enjoyable.

Higher price tag

There are economic implications of drink driving, as well.

Insurers definitely don’t like motorists with earlier convictions, so your insurance premium will most most likely rocket. You could also drop your job if it includes driving and you could be denied access to other countries, including the USA.

The Institute of Sophisticated Motorists reckons that a drink drive conviction could expense amongst £20,000 and £50,000 if you take into account fines, legal costs, vehicle insurance coverage and unemployment – and that is a lot of funds for a couple of glasses of wine.

The message is clear. If you are out this festive season, it should be a case of none for the road rather than a single for the road.

Do not let drink-driving play merry hell with your Christmas

A Christmas spending survival guide

What a fantastic time of year it is. The G20 is completed, it’s summer time (if not officially, then at least temperature-wise), there are lots of public holidays on the horizon and individuals are more probably to be in a good mood – what’s not to really like about the lead-up to the festive season?

Possibly the only tiny cloud attached to the seasonal silver lining is the quantity of credit card debt we will stack up more than the summer time break.

If you’d rather not start the New Year with a new debt,  here’s a rapid Christmas spending survival guide, to help you smarten up your spending in the 3 principal seasonal places, which are:

• Presents: Many of us have a quantity of gifts that we require to get – some large and some modest. A single way to support manage the cost of presents is to have a list of present recipients and a budget per individual. Then – get on with it. If you leave your gift shopping until the last minute you’ll finish up spending a lot much more than you intended, most likely on your credit card. Spread your purchasing out over the next few weeks, or jump on-line and finish it off now. And resist the urge to buy a gift for the particular person you enjoy most – oneself.

• Holidays: Unless you are camping, a summer break holiday can be pricey, so set your self a careful spending budget. If you’re going away, appear for a bargain on web sites such as Lastminute, Wotif and Stayz . And do not overlook to issue food and travel charges into your budget – they can add up to a large chunk of the general expense. Also pack very carefully – little things such as forgetting to take sunscreen or your hat can equate to a lot of added cost even though you are away.

• Parties: It’s known as the silly season for a cause. How considerably can you invest on exciting? Generally whatever is left over after almost everything else is paid for. When you head out, take the plastic out of your wallet and stick to money. Run out of money? Stay residence. The prospect of missing out on a exciting weekend can assist preserve a lid on any impulse buys in the course of the week.

A Christmas spending survival guide

Holidaying at Christmas? Don’t get scammed

Travel scams have been hitting Australians tough this year, with the ACCC receiving 1,650 complaints, and $ 100,000 reported lost.

These scams have largely taken the type of offers for holiday vouchers, or hugely discounted fake tickets for trips to overseas destinations, and according to ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard these scams usually appear to be completely legitimate.

“Sometimes scammers will provide authentic-searching tickets and itineraries but when it comes time to travel, these documents are useless and the company cannot be contacted,” she stated. “Watch out for these fraudsters cold calling and announcing that you’ve won a travel prize, ranging from discount accommodation vouchers to entire holiday packages.

“To redeem the prize, you will be asked to offer private data such as your credit card and drivers’ license specifics just before they can send it to you,” Ms Rickard stated.

Several scams incorporate being asked for credit card details in order to ‘unlock’, ‘process’, or ‘access’ a fraudulent prize this is never a excellent thought.

One more increasingly typical tactic being employed by scammers is approaching overseas travelers in individual and supplying them fake travel club memberships, which can finish up costing the victim numerous thousand dollars.

Reports from many victims detail huge (upwards of $ 2,000) initial deposits becoming required by means of credit card, and then several stick to-up payments being necessary to access ‘full membership”. These scammers have been reported operating in hotels and bars in the Asia Pacific region, and victims described being approached by ‘non-locals’.

Keep in mind to protect your self, and workout intense caution regarding anything monetary when on holiday overseas.

Nonetheless it’s also important to don’;t forget to preserve your house and house secure when you’re on vacation this post information a couple of techniques to make sure your residence just as safe as the belongings you take with you on holiday.

Holidaying at Christmas? Don’t get scammed

How to save $1,000 by Christmas

Christmas is an expensive time of year. According to Lonegran Research the average Australian spends $ 475 on Christmas gifts. Then add food, decorations, travel and parties and it is very easy to blow your budget. So instead of building up debt before the New Year has started, try to set aside some extra cash to reduce your financial stress. Here are 6 easy ideas to get you started:

1. 
   

   Pack your own lunch

   
   

With the average takeaway lunch costing between $ 8 – $ 15 (depending whether you include a drink) you can easily cut your lunch bill by 50% making your own.

Potential saving by Christmas: $ 260

2. 
   

   Brew your own coffee

   
   

The average takeaway coffee costs around $ 3.50 per cup, save yourself $ 175 by Christmas, by brewing your own coffee during the week. Why not treat yourself to one café coffee on the weekend when you have the time to enjoy it.

Potential saving by Christmas: $ 175

3. 
   

   Avoid ATM fees

   
   

If you use an Independent ATM to get cash-out it will cost you around $ 2.50 – $ 2.80. So if you are in a pub or restaurant and need cash try to make it to a free ATM or use your debit card to purchase something at a convenience store and get your cash out for free.

Potential savings by Christmas: $ 28

4. 
   

   Sell your old stuff

   
   

It’s a great time of year to do a clean out and inventory of your clothes, home-wares and jewellery. Everything you don’t use sort through and either sell in a garage sale or online through ebay or Gumtree. Recently I made $ 375 selling things I didn’t even remember I had.

You might even find something of value lying around the house that can net you enough to use for your Christmas gift shopping.

Potential saving by Christmas: $ 375

5. 
   

   Make your own cleaning products

   
   

You can spend anywhere from $ 3 – $ 8 on an all-purpose cleaner depending on the brand. If you go through one a month that’s up to $ 16 you’ll spend by Christmas.

Making your own will save you almost 90%.  Just buy a bottle of white vinegar (around $ 1.20 for 2 litres) and mix it with water in a spray bottle – an instant all-purpose cleaner. Read more about vinegar’s cleaning powers here.

Potential savings by Christmas: $ 14

6. 
   

   Save on Groceries

   
   

Groceries are one of our biggest weekly expenses and according to the ABS the average family spends $ 270 per week on food and drink (not including alcohol). Try these tips and aim to save at least $ 20 per week.

 Potential savings by Christmas: $ 200

7. 
   

   Stop buying bottled water

   
   

Buying bottled water is a waste of money. Get organised and always pack a reusable bottle of water with you wherever you go. If you usually buy 5 bottles a week at $ 1-$ 2 you could save $ 5 – $ 10 per week.

Potential saving by Christmas: $ 100

Christmas is a wonderful time to enjoy being with your family and friends and to celebrate the end of another year. So enjoy the festive season and start the New Year without financial strain by saving where you can and spending within your means. It will put you in a great position to get started with your financial goals for 2015!

How to save $1,000 by Christmas

Are you transferring cash overseas this Christmas?

Speak with anybody who has transferred income overseas and you will rapidly discover out that it’s a entire diverse ball game to your normal account transfer. There are so a lot of much more variables to consider. You have exchange rates, transfer fees, recipient fees and if you are unlucky you may possibly even be hit with yet another charge just by enquiring how the transfer is coming along!

I located out all about this when a couple of years ago I had to transfer some cash overseas to a loved ones member. I just went through my everyday bank and was in the end surprised at how much it cost me. It wasn’t just the costs either, it was the exchange price that was the heavy cost-hitter. It genuinely does spend to do your investigation when seeking to transfer cash overseas. In fact, it can pay a lot.

In our 2014 International Income Transfer star rating report, we evaluate the highest and lowest exchange prices that we surveyed more than a 4-week period and have calculated what that potentially indicates in dollar terms. We also give you an concept as to how significantly the transfer is going to price you in costs.

We have also for the second year undertaken a complete evaluation of the international

cash transfer offerings in Australia and identified those who are providing outstanding worth. If you are organizing on travelling, or require to send cash overseas for any other purpose (and there are lots of reasons), it is certainly worth a read.

Are you transferring cash overseas this Christmas?

Are you transferring funds overseas this Christmas?

Speak with anyone who has transferred cash overseas and you will speedily discover out that it is a entire distinct ball game to your standard account transfer. There are so several a lot more variables to take into account. You have exchange rates, transfer charges, recipient fees and if you are unlucky you might even be hit with yet another fee just by enquiring how the transfer is coming along!

I identified out all about this when a few years ago I had to transfer some funds overseas to a loved ones member. I just went through my every day bank and was in the end shocked at how significantly it expense me. It wasn’t just the charges either, it was the exchange rate that was the heavy expense-hitter. It genuinely does pay to do your analysis when searching to transfer cash overseas. In reality, it can pay a lot.

In our 2014 International Income Transfer star rating report, we evaluate the highest and lowest exchange prices that we surveyed over a 4-week period and have calculated what that potentially implies in dollar terms. We also give you an concept as to how significantly the transfer is going to expense you in costs.

We have also for the second year undertaken a extensive analysis of the international

money transfer offerings in Australia and identified these who are providing outstanding worth. If you’re preparing on travelling, or require to send cash overseas for any other reason (and there are plenty of factors), it is certainly worth a study.

Are you transferring funds overseas this Christmas?

Are you transferring money overseas this Christmas?

Speak with anyone who has transferred money overseas and you will speedily locate out that it is a entire diverse ball game to your common account transfer. There are so a lot of more elements to consider. You have exchange rates, transfer fees, recipient fees and if you are unlucky you could even be hit with another fee just by enquiring how the transfer is coming along!

I identified out all about this when a few years ago I had to transfer some money overseas to a loved ones member. I just went through my daily bank and was in the end shocked at how a lot it price me. It wasn’t just the costs either, it was the exchange rate that was the heavy cost-hitter. It genuinely does spend to do your study when hunting to transfer funds overseas. In fact, it can pay a lot.

In our 2014 International Funds Transfer star rating report, we examine the highest and lowest exchange rates that we surveyed over a 4-week period and have calculated what that potentially means in dollar terms. We also give you an concept as to how considerably the transfer is going to expense you in fees.

We have also for the second year undertaken a complete evaluation of the international

income transfer offerings in Australia and identified those who are supplying outstanding value. If you’re organizing on travelling, or want to send funds overseas for any other purpose (and there are lots of motives), it is undoubtedly worth a read.

Are you transferring money overseas this Christmas?

Are you transferring money overseas this Christmas?

Speak with any person who has transferred money overseas and you will rapidly locate out that it is a entire distinct ball game to your standard account transfer. There are so a lot of far more variables to contemplate. You have exchange prices, transfer charges, recipient charges and if you are unlucky you might even be hit with an additional fee just by enquiring how the transfer is coming along!

I identified out all about this when a couple of years ago I had to transfer some cash overseas to a loved ones member. I just went by means of my every day bank and was in the end shocked at how much it cost me. It wasn’t just the costs either, it was the exchange rate that was the heavy cost-hitter. It really does spend to do your analysis when hunting to transfer funds overseas. In truth, it can spend a lot.

In our 2014 International Funds Transfer star rating report, we evaluate the highest and lowest exchange rates that we surveyed more than a 4-week period and have calculated what that potentially indicates in dollar terms. We also give you an concept as to how a lot the transfer is going to price you in fees.

We have also for the second year undertaken a comprehensive evaluation of the international

funds transfer offerings in Australia and identified these who are providing outstanding worth. If you are arranging on travelling, or require to send funds overseas for any other explanation (and there are a lot of causes), it’s surely worth a read.

Are you transferring money overseas this Christmas?

Limited-Edition Centennial Maserati Ghibli Tends to make this Year’s Neiman Marcus Christmas Book

October 10, 2014 at 6:14 pm by Jens Meiners | Photography by Robert Kerian and the Manufacturer

Some of us get bitten by the new-car bug fairly usually. The symptoms are continually surfing the net, asking buddies for suggestions, and spending the weekend at dealerships examining and test-driving a plethora of vehicles. The search is element of the enjoyable, and it gets better for these of us in the industry for a premium model. We get pampered.

But other people would rather skip the entire process and turn straight to trusted sources of life style suggestions. That’s exactly where stuff like the annual Christmas catalog of the department-shop chain Neiman Marcus comes in, as it has a history of supplying special versions of autos among its collection of exotic gifts.

This year, prospective buyers get a chance to purchase one of 25 units of a specific 100th Anniversary edition Maserati Ghibli S Q4. Priced at $ 95,000, it expenses $ 18,900 more than the model on which it is based. But it packs so significantly added equipment that the premium is virtually neutralized.

Amongst the functions incorporated in the all-wheel-drive, 404-horsepower sedan are gray exterior paint, brown leather interior, a Bowers & Wilkins stereo technique, and a season-proper winter package with heated windshield nozzles, heated front and rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. Created to commemorate Maserati’s 100th birthday, this Ghibli is fitted with bespoke wheel centers and a numbered plaque placed on the center console.

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Neiman Marcus promises an extraordinary driving expertise to its Maserati consumers, who will be in a position to transport their holiday cargo at up to 175 mph. “Ubiquitous German luxury sedans turn into mere site visitors in your presence,” the Christmas Book gushes. This presumably includes the numerous BMW models presented by the shopping chain in the past.

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Limited-Edition Centennial Maserati Ghibli Tends to make this Year’s Neiman Marcus Christmas Book

Fall in Christmas drink-drivers - Confused.com

17/01/13

By Angela Rees

The Christmas anti-drink-drive message appears to have got through to motorists as fewer men and women failed a breath test than the year ahead of.

Regardless of police testing a lot more drivers in England and Wales in December than the identical period in 2011, the failure or refusal price fell from 7,124 out of 156,569 tested (4.55 per cent) to 7,123 out of 175,831, down to 4.05 per cent.

The figures incorporated a fall among young drivers aged 20-24, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) stated. Far more than 1,000 much more drivers in the age category have been breath-tested in December 2012 compared with 2011, but with 104 fewer young drivers failing tests.

Even so, the 2012 figures all round have been nonetheless larger than in December 2010 when 6,662 (3.91 per cent) failed or refused out of a total of 170,552.

ACPO’;s roads policing head, deputy chief constable Suzette Davenport, said: “It’;s good to see that however once more the majority of drivers are accountable and sensible. Our outcomes show that by far the majority of drivers stopped did not drink or take drugs and drive. We made it definitely clear to drivers ahead of Christmas that we would be stepping up our efforts to breathalyse them. It is encouraging to see the message has got by means of to even a lot more drivers than final year.”

Regardless of the achievement of the Christmas campaign, she pledged that police would continue to concentrate on the “modest but considerable” number who believe they can risk their own lives, and the lives of other individuals, by driving under the influence.

AA president Edmund King stated numerous campaigns appeared to have had a positive impact more than Christmas but issued a note of caution, saying the number of young drivers failing breath tests was nonetheless as well higher and police tactics varied considerably up and down the nation.

“Even though there was a reduction in the quantity of below-25s testing optimistic, the proportion of optimistic tests (5.27 per cent) was higher than for the over-25s (3.39 per cent),” he said. “The North Wales force, which represents a population of 675,000 men and women, tested much more than 18,000 drivers. In comparison, the South Wales force, which represents 1.2 million men and women, only tested 3,703.”

Road security minister Stephen Hammond warned motorists that they should be in no doubt that if they get behind the wheel after drinking they danger losing their licence, as nicely as facing a fine and even a prison sentence.

He mentioned the Government is organizing to streamline enforcement and tighten the law so drink-drivers will have “nowhere to hide”, and that the figures show the police are “cracking down on the irresponsible minority who continue to ignore the law”.

Fall in Christmas drink-drivers - Confused.com