Buying a Car?

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1 in 4 used cars* are revealed to have finance owing against them, making it the biggest risk to used car buyers today. Now shoppers can avoid the danger with the help of a new vehicle history check service which includes finance data – carstatuscheck.co.uk.

Following on from the successful launch of the Car Status Check app on iTunes and Google Play, vehicle information experts HPI have now launched the service online, which provides three levels of protection, allowing used car buyers to choose the level of protection they need, at a price to suit them.

To get an instant picture of a vehicle’s past; users simply tap in the vehicle registration number (VRM) at carstatuscheck.co.uk to immediately get basic details, such as vehicle make, model and year of manufacture for free. The user then decides how much information they want to buy on their next used vehicle.

Buyers can purchase the ultimate peace of mind with the Platinum Car Status Check for just £9.99, which provides a full history of the vehicle, including if it has been stolen, declared a write-off by an insurer or has outstanding finance registered against it. In addition to this data, the Platinum check is supported with a Guarantee of £10,000 should any data be inaccurate or incomplete.

For those who want the full picture of a vehicle’s history without the Guarantee, the Gold level check is offered for £7.99, which provides a full history check and includes a finance check as part of the service. “We recognise that more cars than ever are bought on credit. If shoppers buy a car that they later find out is on outstanding finance, they stand to lose both the vehicle and the money they have paid for it,” comments a spokesperson from Car Status Check. “This is because the finance company may be the legal owner and have the right to reclaim it.”

Finally, for used car buyers who need to count every penny, but still want an idea of a vehicle’s history the Silver level Car Status Check is offered for £4.99, which provides vital information, including if a car is currently recorded by the police as being stolen, has been written-off by an insurer or it is at risk of being sold illegally.

All Car Status Check customers receive a report for them to download and keep for reference. This confirms if the car is ‘clear’ or not, and includes a CO2 Certificate giving emission ratings, fuel and Vehicle Excise Duty costs.

The spokesperson concludes, “The Car Status Check provides history check information for people on the move. Consumers are offered a choice on the level of vehicle data they need, with price points to match. Knowing the full history of a vehicle is crucial when buying a car, and with all the information available in just 90 seconds – used car buyers are a just a click away from potentially saving themselves from an expensive mistake.”

Prestige, pre-owned watches made affordable thanks to The Watch Expert

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Watches are so huge that Vanity Fair dedicates an entire supplement to them.

A prestige watch is something many people dream of owning, but aren’t quite able to afford. Now thanks to new online retailer The Watch Expert the dream can become a reality.

TheWatchExpert.co.uk – part of jewellery chain Herbert Brown which has a 170-year High Street heritage – is dedicated to offering top quality, pre-owned Rolex, Cartier, Omega, Breitling and Tag Heuer watches at much lower prices than they were originally bought for.

For instance, an Omega Seamaster for men, manufactured in 2007, has a replacement value of £2,700, but is sold by The Watch Expert for £1,995, and a Rolex Datejust, manufactured in 1991, has a replacement value of £8,110, but is sold at more than half that price for just £3,395.

A woman’s Omega Constellation, manufactured in 2002, has a replacement value of £2,600 and is offered by The Watch Expert for £1,495, and a 2010 TAG Heuer, which has a replacement value of £1,810, is priced at just £1,350.

The Watch Expert has hundreds of stylish, pre-owned watches across a number of price brackets available at any one time, all of which come with a 12-month warranty.

What’s more, the online retailer offers the personal touch that you would enjoy in store but from the comfort and convenience of your own home. There is the opportunity to speak with watch expert David Beasley to ensure that you buy only the best watch at the best value. All interested customers need to do is send an email via TheWatchExpert.co.uk and they will receive a call back from an expert to discuss the watches of interest and answer any questions. What’s more, The Watch Expert offers a special sourcing service so if a customer already has a watch in mind, The Watch Expert will make it their business to find and refurbish it.

The Watch Expert’s David Beasley, who has 40 years’ experience of working with prestige watches, says: “In launching The Watch Expert we aim to make beautifully crafted watches more affordable. Prestige watches are generally thought of as things only the wealthy can afford, but this is no longer the case as all our pre-owned watches look, feel and work no differently to new watches, they just come at a much cheaper price.”

Sounds pretty cool to us!

Found! The most tight-fisted male daters in the UK

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Frost exposes the most tight-fisted male daters in the UK

Male daters from Bolton are less willing to splash the cash in the search for love, according to FlirtFinder

Mobile dating service FlirtFinder.mobi, has revealed that Bolton boys are the most stingy when it comes to romance. According to the results, they are only happy to pay to respond to one in four messages implying that they would rather keep their wallets tightly sealed.

Based on the 1.2 million conversations that have been initiated by the female members of FlirtFinder, the results revealed that the lads of Llandridnod in Wales reply to over half of the messages that they receive from women, suggesting that they are happy to invest a few pennies in the search for their perfect partner.

 

Tightest daters in UK Most generous daters in UK
1)    Bolton 1)    Llandrindod Wells
2)    Ilford 2)    Telford
3)    Torquay 3)    Halifax
4)    Twickenham 4)    Carisle
5)    Sutton 5)    Dumfries
6)    Harrow 6)    Inverness
7)    Truro 7)    Worcester
8)    Huddersfield 8)    Gloucester
9)    Durham 9)    Taunton
10) Portsmouth 10) Reading

 

Justin Battell, managing director of FlirtFinder says, “When we looked at the differences in how our members use FlirtFinder, we found the areas where the men are most receptive bears no relationship to how affluent that region is.”

“There also doesn’t appear to be any evidence of a north and south divide, or any truth in commonly cited regional stereotypes, as the tightest and most generous areas include towns from all over the UK.”

The results are based on the probability of male members buying a message credit and replying to a woman who has contacted them directly.

FlirtFinder is a pay as you go mobile dating service where members buy credits only when they need them, rather than charging a recurring monthly subscription fee.

For more information on FlirtFinder, or to become a member, please visit: http://www.flirtfinder.mobi/

The Rise of the Staycation – Top Destinations 2012

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The Staycation is going to be biggest since the recession began with the UK tourism industry set to benefit by a record £8.7billion

 

Cornwall is the top Staycation destination for 2012

 

In spite of 2012 being a tough year for many Britons, the one thing they are refusing to give up; is their summer holiday according to Travelodge’s annual holiday index out today.

 

The hotel chain surveyed 5,000 British adults to investigate their summer holiday intentions and discovered that 41% of Britons are holidaying at home this year (up 6% on last year) with the average week’s holiday costing  £433.47 (Up £10.78) on last year). This investment is set to benefit the UK tourism industry by £8.7bn (Up £1.5bn on last year).

 

The travel report also revealed that 48% of Britons will be taking four domestic breaks this year. (Up on the average of three breaks taken last year). The top three summer Staycation destinations for 2012 are: Cornwall, Edinburgh (Jumping to second position from fifth position from last year) and the Lake District.

 

Listed below are the top ten Staycation destinations for 2012 and 2011

 

           

2012 Destinations

 

2011 Destinations

1

Cornwall

1

Cornwall

2

Edinburgh

2

Lake District

3

Lake District

3

Devon

4

London

4

L ondon

5

Scottish Highlands

5

Edinburgh

6

Devon

6

Scottish Highlands

7

North Wales

7

Wales

8

Glasgow

8

Blackpool

9

Yorkshire Dales

9

Great Yarmouth

10

Blackpool

10

Scarborough

 

 

The annual holiday index also revealed that a third of adults are reliving their childhood and taking a traditional British seaside holiday this summer. Whilst 30% of Britons are taking a UK city break and a quarter of Britons are planning to explore the British countryside. Just one in ten Britons are taking a thrill seeking theme park holiday.     

 

Nearly half of British adults (49%) have waited until now to book their summer break due to financial budget constraints. Sixty five per cent of Britons have had to make major sacrifices to their household budget; in order to afford a holiday this year. Some of the financial cutbacks have included:

 

  • Not going out for a meal or drinks with family and  friends
  • Buying cheaper groceries and cuts of meal
  • Not buying new clothes
  • Not buying a present on a special occasion for their partner 

 

Around a fifth of Britons have relied on selling goods on eBay to cover the cost of their holiday this year.     

 

Grant Hearn, Travelodge, Chief Executive said: “It’s fantastic news that the Staycation is going to be bigger than ever this year despite British household budgets being attacked by a second recession. Our research highlights even in difficult financial times, Britons will make the necessary sacrifices in order to have a summer break. I guess everyone needs something to look forward to during these difficult times.”

 

“2012 is such a momentous year for British tourism and it’s a great bonus that the economy will be further boosted by £8.7 billion due to more Britons holidaying at home this summer”.

 

Further findings from the report revealed that over a third of British families (36%) are breaking up their traditional one week Staycation holiday into three shorter breaks, at different locations this year; so that their children will think they have gone on lots of holidays. 

 

A third of Britons are using their Staycation break to catch up with family and friends. One in ten Britons reported that taking a UK weekend break with friends was cheaper than a night out at home, whilst a quarter of couples surveyed stated they are taking more UK short breaks, so that they can spend quality time together.

 

Findings also revealed that 72% of Britons will travel to their Staycation break by car. Just 12% will go by train, whilst four per cent will choose to travel by coach and six per cent will opt for air travel.


Malibu Limited Edition | Cool things

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Frost Magazine love the design for this limited edition Malibu.

Inspired by the vibrancy and feeling of summertime, this season will see the launch of the Limited Edition Summer ’12 bottle by the original coconut rum, Malibu.

Following the success of their first limited edition bottle in 2011, Malibu have continued to show their support to up and coming British designers by collaborating with acclaimed illustrator Sophie Harris-Greenslade. Hot off the catwalk, the bold, bright and beautiful techno-colour inspired print is this summer’s ultimate fashion statement, and this limited edition bottle is no exception. This impactful design is a one of a kind collectible which will be available in all major supermarkets from 1st July 2012.

After graduating from Kingston University with a degree in illustration and animation, Sophie Harris-Greenslade has worked on a variety of style shoots including French Elle, Now, W magazine, Disorder and Stylist and worked with numerous celebrity clientele including M.I.A., Cate Blanchett, Nicole Scherzinger and Keisha Buchanan. Sophie has also achieved great acclaim via exhibitions, which have earned her recognition in top publications such as i-D, Stylist, the Guardian and the Observer, as well as her regularly updated blog.

Sophie Harris-Greenslade says, “I wanted to create a vibrant and impactful design which captures the feeling of summer and stands out on the shelf! I usually work on a much smaller scale, so I wanted the patterns on the bottle to reflect the intricacy of my illustrations. The fluidity of the shapes also reflects Malibu’s easy going and fun filled attitude”.

The Limited Edition Summer ’12 bottle is part of Malibu’s 2012 campaign which kicks off this summer with the second Malibutique, following the success of its debut in 2011.

www.facebook.com/malibuuk and for more information on Sophie Harris-Greenslade, please visit theillustratednail.tumblr.com.

One Of These Days Festival – First announcement

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8th + 9th December 2012
Winter Gardens, Blackpool
www.oneofthesedaysfestival.com

One Of These Days will capture the essence of Field Day, Oya Festival, Melt!, Kendal Calling, Glastonbury Dance Village, Electric Elephant, End of The Road, DFA Records, SWN Festival, The Warehouse Project, Now Wave, Free Rotation, Eden Sessions, Fiber Festival, and Shambala to create a truly unique experience in the suitably elaborate and legendary Blackpool Winter Gardens, in the shadow of the Blackpool Tower. One other major international festival’s participation is yet to be announced.

One Of These Days will be two days like no other in the international festival calendar. Never have so many of the world’s best events come together to create a one-off spectacular and the look and feel of each event will be distilled and brought to Blackpool and allowed to explode aurally and visually into the many rooms of the Winter Gardens. Each festival will bring their unique ethos and style to their own individually designed space at the legendary multi-venue indoor complex, curating a line-up that reflects their own celebrated events. From the spectacular Cubehenge light installation of Glastonbury to the indoor forests of End of the Road and the Croatian beaches of Electric Elephant, each festival will bring a taste of the place they call home to Blackpool.

From the big stage draws of Melt! Festival and Eden Sessions to the electronic innovation of The Warehouse Project, Glastonbury Dance Village and DFA and the folk inclinations of End of the Road and SWN Festival, you’re sure to find plenty to explore. With over 150 bands, artists and DJs, not to mention interactive art and film installations, an emerging talent strand and our exclusive Winter Market, One Of These Days promises to end the year in spectacular fashion.

One of These Days will help kick start the cultural redevelopment of Blackpool, it aims to bring this world first event to the seaside town and utilise Blackpool’s existing infrastructure of beautiful Victorian theatres and bars that stretch the coastline.

“We were going around the world to many different festivals seeing really unique ways of doing things. We decided to invite these wonderful festivals to the party. Our vision is to have one site where each space within it is filled by a micro-version of each festival, not just musically, but visually – capturing the essence of each festival. We aimed high and asked the festivals we love to come to Blackpool. They said yes…”
– Ruth Daniel, Promoter, One Of These Days

Weekend tickets from £59 now at www.ticketline.co.uk 0161 832 1111

Buy tickets or register for line-up info here: www.oneofthesedaysfestival.com

Wayne Rooney: is he thinning again?

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After spending £30,000 on his hair transplant in June 2011, Wayne Rooney’s hair transplant is always making headlines with recent being that it appears to be thin again. However Harley street hair loss expert Warren Vaheeswaran thinks otherwise. He thinks that Wayne’s Hair transplant has changed the UK hair industry for the better. A year on Wayne’s hair has shown good steady progress. The FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) method that was used on has been a great favourite with celebrities and sport stars flocking around Harley street just like popping around to the dentists to get their teeth whitened says Warren.

Just 12 months since the procedure was done, concern for the condition of the transplant has been highlighted in the media as getting worse which surprised Warren. He emphasised that hair transplants will never give a full head of hair. Wayne had a good transplant done and used hair loss fibres to thicken it up. Its medically impossible to have a full head of hair unless you take a non surgical hair system route. So when he was filmed without the fibres long hair the media highlighted it. But the real truth is he has had a very good 7000 to 8000 hairs transplanted over 2 days in Harley street & using fibres to keep it thick summarises Warren.

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