Monthly Archives: June 2013

5 Ways to Help Your Children Financially Prepare for College

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As secondary education continues to get more expensive, teaching your children financial responsibility, as well as helping them out with the monetary burden of college, becomes crucial. While you always want your children to have it better than you did, teaching them how to budget and handle money is important not only in saving you some cash, but developing them as productive people. Here are a few simple way to get your child financially ready for university life.

1. Have Your Child Get a Job

Financially Prepare for College

Ways to Help Your Children Financially Prepare for College

Image via flickr by Waponi

You should have your child get a job in high school. This teaches him responsibility and how to make money. By the time he reaches college, don’t just hand over money. Offer to supplement his income for spending money, but only if he gets a part-time job.

Although college does require studying and class work, there is still a lot of downtime for your child to pick up a 10 to 20 hour a week job. By being employed and earning some of his own income, your child will learn to appreciate the money he gets.

2. Prepare a Budget

Before your child heads off to college, sit him down and show him how to make a budget. Demonstrate the differences between wants and needs and mention that he doesn’t have to pay for other people, be it food or entertainment. List all the different categories of expenditures and what percentage of his money should go to each piece of the pie. This will teach him not to overspend on frivolous things.

3. Utilize Apps

Smart phones offer quite a variety of apps to help money management become simple. Mint is just one of many free apps that allows you to view your bank accounts, income, and expenditures. It also has an alarm that goes off when you are reaching your spending limit. Because the younger generation is glued to their smart phones, why not give your child a constant reminder of budgeting if he is going to be on his phone anyway.

4. Teach About Investing

Often, parents will just give their children money or a credit card when they go to college, but this is actually counterproductive. If you feel you must hand over money, make it into a learning experience. Give them $500 to invest in stocks. The sooner they learn about the risks and benefits of the stock market, the better. Exploring the best aggressive growth stocks can offer insights into companies with high growth potential, such as NVIDIA Corp.

You can even make them read about financial investments. One such book is Fisher Investments on Materials, which can benefit both new and seasoned investors about the materials market, which is ever-changing and growing.

5. Take Out a Student Loan

While this may not seem like the greatest option, the learning value is incredible. Even if you don’t have your child take out a traditional student loan, have him pay you back some of the money. You don’t have to make him sign an official loan with you, just put forward all the information.

Your child will learn about interest and how to pay for a loan on a monthly basis. This will prepare him for the real world when he purchases a house or a car.

Teaching your child fiscal responsibility is a difficult task. But the sooner you teach him the ins and outs of handling money and meeting financial obligations, the more able he’ll be to deal with it once he is on his own. College is just the first step of taking off the training wheels.

Women ‘reluctant’ to believe pregnancy and oral health link

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Pregnant_woman2More than 20 million women in the UK are reluctant to believe the existing link between poor oral health and pregnancy complications.

In a new survey, two in every three (67 per cent) of women said they did not think the two problems were related while only one in four (25 per cent) said they would take steps to improve their oral health despite knowing it could cause complications during pregnancy.

In the last 12 months the Foundation has reported on a number of scientific studies showing possible links between the two health problems. Research has revealed a 34 per cent reduction in risk of preterm births for expectant mums suffering with gum disease if they underwent simple treatment at the dentist or hygienist.

Further studies have also shown mums who are more able to handle stress in their environment had children with better oral health. Karen Coates, Dental Advisor at the British Dental Health Foundation, encourages all women not to ignore the wealth of evidence suggesting a link.

Ms Coates said: “Taking care of your own oral hygiene is important at all times, but none more so than when you’re expecting a baby. As many women will testify, the significant changes to the body mean taking extra care, and that includes oral health.

“There has been a lot of research that shows poor oral health can lead to complications during pregnancy, and it should not be overlooked. If a good oral hygiene routine means mums to be experience less problems during their pregnancy, it is important to educate this particular group about how they can go about doing just that.

“Many women find that hormonal changes cause their oral health to get worse during pregnancy. Some women find their gums bleed more easily, while people who already have gum disease may find that it progresses more rapidly.

“If you are pregnant, it really is vital to take extra care of your mouth. You should brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, and take extra care that you are brushing for the full two minutes and clean every surface of every tooth. You should also clean between the teeth using interdental brushes or floss. Visit the dentist regularly as often as they recommend, and cut down on the frequency of sugary foods and drinks.

“NHS treatment is free for expectant mothers up until their child’s first birthday. All you need is to be an NHS patient and to have a current maternity exemption certificate.”

The findings have been revealed as part of National Smile Month, a month-long campaign run by the British Dental Health Foundation. The campaign, which draws to a close on 20 June, promotes three key messages for oral health:

– Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste,

– Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks,

– Visit the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.

Justin Timberlake’s return to UK stage is Justified

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~ Demand to see Justin live soars by 447 per cent following Capital Summertime Ball ~

 

Justin Timberlake fans have flocked to viagogo, the world’s largest ticket marketplace, searching for tickets to see him live, following his storming performance as host of the Capital Summertime Ball yesterday. The actor, singer and husband of Jessica Biel certainly has been growing a large following since his Mickey Mouse Club days.

Justin Timberlake

Fans hoping for a chance to rock their bodies with JT once more this summer have been snapping up tickets to The Wireless Festival.  Demand for the Friday date (12th July), which Timberlake will headline, spiked by 447 per cent overnight for the one day festival. Although tickets are sold out at the box office, they are still available on viagogo’s marketplace.

 

And with the announcement that he will tour in 2014, ‘Justin Timberlake’ was the most searched term on the viagogo site over the weekend.

 

viagogo spokesperson Steve Roest comments:  “Justin Timberlake reminded his fans yesterday what a brilliant showman he is, so it’s no wonder they are desperate to snap up a ticket to see him live this summer.  This adds to the anticipation already building for his 2014 tour, the 20/20 Experience, which could give One Direction’s Where We Are tour next year some real competition.”

Ólöf Arnalds, St John on Bethnal Green | Live Music Review

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I’ve been to a lot of strange places on a Tuesday evening but church in Bethnal Green wasn’t previously on that list. I say strange because at first glance going to a gig in a church is a slightly odd thing to do but in reality it couldn’t be a more perfect space to watch some lovely Icelandic folk. The place is by no means full but judging by the reaction of those gathered as Ólöf bounds onto the stage, along with longtime collaborator Skúli Sverrisson, they’re ready and willing to be blown away.
From the off they, and the venue, didn’t disappoint – the sound being carried around to great and beautiful effect – opener “German Fields” with it’s back and forth “You know I care. Why I see you, all the way through” sends the hairs on the back of one’s neck into a mohawk.
The show being in support of her third album, Sudden Elevation, and her first sung wholly in English, the songs from the record don’t so much disappoint but it’s the older songs, sung in her mother tongue, that really stand out. For all I know she could simply be reading out loud the back of a tin of paint or the terms and conditions for a 2 for 1 pizza voucher but it sure as hell sounds beautiful. Achingly beautiful.
Maybe that’ll be her downfall in terms of taking things to a much bigger level of fandom; that we in Britain don’t go mad for chaps singing in foreign tongues and it’s those older, foreign-tongued tunes of Ólöf’s that are the ones that stand her out from the pack.
Between songs the chatter is laced with nothing but enthusiasm – you can tell there’s nowhere else she’d rather be and that if the audience weren’t there she’d still happily be playing her songs with Skúli to anyone who’d listen. And to be honest, there’s nowhere else this audience would rather have been tonight. Simply marvellous.

Green is the New Tax Break

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Being green isn’t just a good idea because it’s good for the environment. While protecting ecosystems is lovely, a more immediate concern is your pocket-book. The following are a few reasons why being green is money-friendly now.

Valuable Tax Deductions

Tax Deductions For Going Green

Avail Valuable Tax Deductions For Going Green

 

Image via Flickr by KOMUnews

There are several tax deductions that still apply in the realms of electric cars and using more energy-efficient household items. While the deductions aren’t quite as generous today as they were in 2007, there is still a lot of money to be saved if you go aggressively into making your home work better and use less energy. In some cases, you can save up to 30 percent of the cost of installing items like solar panels and wind turbines. While these deductions may not last, they can help to take the sting out of the initial installation costs of some green items.

Lower Energy Bills

It goes without saying that if you make your home work more efficiently, you won’t use as much electricity. It also makes sense that you won’t use as much natural gas if that gets involved in your heating process. As you may have already guessed, this can mean saving a lot of money in heating and cooling your home. In cases where you use well insulated windows to add light, it can even lower your light bill. Alternative power production such as the installation of solar panels also works well to cut down your bills. There are all kinds of ways you can save money every month just by going greener.

More Value if You Sell Later

You may love your home so much that you stay in it for the rest of your natural life. But if you ever decide to move and sell your home, a lot of potential buyers will be impressed by a more efficient place. This works on a couple of levels, and they aren’t just about the immediate cash savings the buyer will get from having lower utility bills.

Naturally, a more efficient home is going to have the lower energy bills you heard about earlier. But what isn’t always so obvious is that a more efficient home usually comes from an owner who cares more about it. This care tends to result in less deferred maintenance and a better home, which will be less likely to need major maintenance early on.

More Comfort During Outages

Sometimes a utility is going to fail. As annoying as this will inevitably be, if you have alternative power generation going on you won’t be totally powerless. If you use a geothermal heating and cooling system powered with wind or solar panels, you may also be able to keep your home comfortable during an outage. If your insulation and blinds are good and you aren’t letting out too much of the air temperature you want, this also speaks of more comfort when the situation isn’t ideal.

There are so many ways you save money when you make your home more efficient. Going green may be the best thing you have ever done for your finances.

BlackBerry targets the best and brightest women in the UK for BlackBerry Scholars program

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aliciakeysBlackBerry Scholars Program – a multi-level strategy to engage young women across the globe in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

BlackBerry is reaching out to women in the UK to urge them to apply for the new BlackBerry Scholars Program, an initiative designed to inspire women globally to enter and develop careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Led by BlackBerry Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys the BlackBerry Scholars program will offer ten full, four year university scholarships to outstanding female candidates. The BlackBerry Scholars Program is available to women across the UK and will provide scholarships to outstanding applicants who are seeking degrees at accredited local colleges and universities in the areas of STEM across the UK.

“Women are underrepresented in fields of science and technology, and we feel strongly that it’s time to drive a change,” said BlackBerry Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys. “It’s important to connect the dots for young women in school and college, and show them that careers in science and technology are within their reach. And when women do land these jobs, it’s vital they receive the mentoring and support they need to advance in their careers. I’m proud BlackBerry is demonstrating leadership in women’s education, both in school and in the workplace, and giving back to its most loyal users in such a profound way.”

Applications are now open to candidates in the UK, who are interested in the scholarship, and will close on June 26 2013. The scholars will be selected by a panel of inspirational and accomplished women, led by Alicia Keys, who will recruit candidates based on their academic merit and passion for entering the mobile computing industry.

This scholarship program is the first step in BlackBerry’s long-term commitment and multi-tiered strategy to engage young women at every step of their education from school to college, and as they rise through their careers. As more than 55% of BlackBerry customers are women, BlackBerry aims to champion this generation of female leaders as they strive to achieve their ambitions in this highly-competitive industry.

For those interested application is now open and will close on June 26, 2013. For more information about the program, eligibility requirements, and how to apply, please visit www.blackberry.com/scholars.  Please spread the word on Twitter by using #BBScholars.

Royal Ascot Style Guide: What To Wear

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Royal Ascot is just around the corner, and for many, the unique dress code, that is so synonymous with the five day festival, can be a sartorial mine field. Fortunately we have a ten step guide to looking your best and avoiding any awkward faux pas.

Royal Ascot Fashion

1)   In general: Sartorial Sage and Former Editor of Vogue, Diane Vreeland once said, “Elegance is refusal” and the same goes for Royal Ascot – understated elegance is always a winner.

2)        Ladies’ hats: An essential accessory at Royal Ascot and from top hats to berets, flying saucers to feathered fancies, hats of all shapes and sizes will no doubt be on display. Show pieces are all very well and it’s fine to be bold but make sure you don’t scare small children, animals, or for that matter, horses. Avoid the much-maligned fascinator.

3)        Morning Dress: Formal gentlemen’s dress from the 19th century and obligatory if you’re in the Royal Enclosure. Make sure it’s well fitting and neither too tight nor too big. In the words of tailor Matthew Cartwright of Noden & Winsor, “If you don’t know your chest size, find out before it’s too late.”

4)        Top Hat: The fit’s key. Not so big it falls down over your ears and not worn at a jaunty angle.

5)        Dresses: You may well end up in a club after racing but the dress code stipulates that daytime dresses and skirts should be ‘of modest length, defined as falling just above the knee or longer. Straps on dresses should be at least one inch wide. It means anything strapless, or that’s too short or tight should be consigned to your wardrobe.

6)        Pants: For men and women are essential, but should never be on show. Ever.

7)        Shoes: Opt for comfort as you’ll be on your feet all day (hopefully). Chaps, shiny shiny, pointy shoes are not a good idea – patent is out and is not due to make a resurgence any time soon. As for stilettos, girls be aware you will sink on turf. Low-heeled courts are ideal and will avoid you having to purchase a cheeky pair of plastic flip flops at the end of the day, because your brand new heels have made your toes bleed.

8)        Umbrella: It’s Britain. In June. It shouldn’t rain but it might so make sure you’re prepared.

9)        Accessories: Diamonds are acceptable, you’ll be pleased to know. But leave the big shiny watches at home. If it’s large enough and shiny enough to blind a small child (or jockey – they’re around the same height) avoid.

10)     Enjoy: Royal Ascot is one of the most glamorous and exciting weeks of the year. Dress up, enjoy the people watching and cheer on the horses in each of the 30 races taking place over the week.

Royal Ascot runs from Tuesday 18th June to Saturday 22nd June. Featuring 30 top class races, including seven QIPCO British Champions Series contests, it will be broadcast live on Channel 4 for the first time this year from 1.45pm until 6pm each day.

Blue Badge Style Founder Named One Of Bright Shiny News’ Inspiring Women

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gbauvkdcmwafay7d5v0qFiona Jarvis, founder of Blue Badge Style, the first app and online guide to a stylish lifestyle for the less-physically-able, has been profiled on Bright Shiny News. In the interview, for the Inspiring Women section of the website, Jarvis talks about how she has overcome the difficulty of needing a wheelchair and continues to live stylishly.

Bright Shiny News is an online woman’s magazine who’s main purpose in life is to entertain readers with bright shiny things! The inspiring women section profiles a different successful businesswoman every week. The article, written by Monique Fok, talks about Jarvis’ life experience: from working in the city to being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and on to setting up Blue Badge Style.

Fok writes: “It is actually an understatement to say that Fiona survived the MS bombshell; Not only has she won the battle beautifully, but she has also established the Blue Badge Style, which provides a website and app guide to the stylish lifestyle for everyone, including people with disability.”

Blue Badge Style is the only company that looks at disability from the point of view of style & design, taking a stylish, pragmatic and cost-efficient approach to inclusive access, working with venue management teams, designers and architects to improve the awareness of disabled facilities. “Style is the overriding premise of Blue Badge Style, along with a positive outlook” says Fiona Jarvis, “disability need not stop you from enjoying the good things in life!”.

The Blue Badge Style website provides style advice to the less-physically-able. Whether it’s the best places to eat and drink, fashion tips or interviews with other stylish less-able people, it can all be found at Blue Badge Style.

The Blue Badge Style free app is the first and only app to give you information on where to go near you based on not only how stylish the place is but how accessible it is for disabled customers.The  app works as a” Michelin-like” star system for the less able. It identifies cool venues near your location and uses a bespoke three tick rating system to grade it out of 5 for each category: 1.Access, 2.Facilities and 3.Style, so that users know exactly what to expect from each venue. You can then easily see the best places near you, read a review, check the Blue Badge Style rating and get directions on how to get there.

Fashion Designer and style icon, Simon Carter explains, “This app can quickly locate stylish restaurants and bars that are nearby. It also warns you if there is a problem with disabled access or facilities. I’m able bodied and I’m going to use it!”.