LIFESTYLE: WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN BUILDING YOUR OWN HOME

Building your own home comes with all kinds of benefits. It allows you to ensure your home is perfect and offers everything you’re looking for because you’re the one who’ll be making the final decisions on how it’s all laid out and designed. However, it’s also a very challenging process and there’ll be hurdles along the way. Here are some of the things you’ll need to consider if you want to build your own home.


Make the Most of More Affordable Space


One of the great things about building a home of your own is that it tends to be more affordable in terms of the amount of space you get for your money compared to if you were buying on the open market. This is something that you should definitely try to make the most of when planning and designing the home.


Leave Extra Room in Your Budget


When putting together a budget for your new home, you should definitely think about how you’re going to make it go as far as possible. But you can never be sure of how things will pan out and which additional expenses might need to be covered. That’s why you should leave some extra room in your budget, around 10%, to cover those costs.


Consider Package Deals to Save on Land


If you want to save some money on the costs of building a home of your own, you might want to consider house and land packages. These are useful because you pay less by bundling those two things together and it means that there’s less searching to do when it comes to finding the perfect piece of land. It’s definitely something to consider if you haven’t explored this option already.


Consider Your Long-Term Needs


As well as thinking about what you need from a new home right now, you should also take the time to consider your long-term needs as well. How might your needs change in the future? You’ll want to make sure that the home is able to carry on meeting your needs even as things change moving forward into the future. For example, you might plan to have children or more children in the future, and you’ll need space to accommodate that expansion.


Choose Contractors Carefully


When it comes to planning out the actual process of building the home, you’ll want to make sure that you choose the contractors you’re going to work with very carefully. You want to only hire professionals you know you can trust and rely on to get the job done as well and as efficiently as possible. There are lots of options out there so get recommendations from people you know and ensure you’re choosing contractors with a trustworthy reputation.


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As you can see, there’s lots to consider and many important points to keep in mind. You definitely don’t want to rush the process because that’s when you end up making bad decisions and that’s simply not what anyone wants. Be sure to make the most of the information discussed above.

LIFESTYLE:Buying A New Home Without All Of The Added Hassle

 Buying a new home without all the hassle that comes with it is the dream. You have probably seen people go through this process time and time again, noting how annoying and long it can be. But, it doesn’t need to be this way if you are clever about it, and we are going to be looking at how in this article. If you would like to find out more, keep reading.


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Speak To An Estate Agent


First, you should speak to an estate agent. People who use estate agents tend to find what they are looking for a lot faster than if they were searching on their own. We know that this is extra money, but it is money that is worth it. If you tell the estate agent your preferences and what you want/don’t want, they will start looking for you. This takes the stress of this job right out of your hands which is always a huge bonus. House hunting is hard, and if you are the one searching through the listings, you may not have access to as many as an estate agent will.


Don’t forget that from the second you hire this professional, they are on your team. They will try to find you the absolute best they can, and try to get it at a price that is perfect for you. They may even try to get you some land, because sometimes when you look at the house price, compared to a house and land package, it’s worth the extra little bit.


Have A Budget In Mind


It’s important when you are buying a house that you have a budget in mind. You can’t just go shopping for homes unless you have an unlimited amount of money to spend on one. However, there are likely about 9 people in the world who can properly do this, and you’re likely not one of them so you need to work out your finances. Think about how much you need to pay in fees and then add an attorney onto this. Think about how much you have total, take this all off and then that is what you have left for a deposit, or to buy outright if you can afford it.


Do not look at houses that are out of your price range because the chances are that’s the one that you will love more than anything. Then, you either have to let it go, or you have to find the money. Either one adds hassle and stress to the process.


Don’t Compromise On What You Need


The final thing that you need to think about is the fact that you should not compromise on what you need. This means that you know what you need from a home, and you must get it. This isn’t the same thing as the things you want such as a patio, it’s things like a specific amount of bedrooms and a large family area.


We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you are going to need to do if you want to go about buying a new home without all of the added hassle. It can be an absolute nightmare to try and buy a home if you are not being careful about what you are doing throughout this process. Hopefully now, you know what to do. We wish you the very best of luck with this.


LIFESTYLE: How To Help Your Little Ones With Their Education

 Entering into education is a big step for children. Spending a large portion of their day away from their familiar surroundings can be a frightening experience, but it can also be a great chance to gain more confidence while learning. As a parent you have a responsibility to help your littles ones get the most out of their education, so it's important that you can take the appropriate steps to ensure they feel calm and content each and every morning when heading to school. Fortunately it doesn't have to be as difficult as you might expect to help your children love learning, as there are in fact just a few key tips and tricks that you can make the most of to have a considerable impact in no time at all. So, if you're interested in finding out more, then simply read on! 


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Always Take An Interest In Their Learning


Ensuring that you can always take an interest in your children's learning is absolutely vital, as having an extra pair of hands to help guide them through any struggles or confusion they encounter will make learning far more enjoyable. Discussing their daily lessons whenever they arrive home from school can also be extremely beneficial, as it provides them with the chance to recap what they've learnt and subsequently have a better shot at remembering the information. Taking an interest in what your little ones actually get up to at school shows them that it's an important place that they should not take for granted, so there's no time like the present to start quizzing your little ones on their education! 


Get Extra Support


Thanks to an increase in population without an increase in schools or educational opportunities, you may find that your child ends up in a classroom with more than 35-40 fellow students. This can soon become a nightmare, as it's going to be impossible trying to get sufficient attention from the teacher when they have so many other people to support. In such a scenario, you must make an effort to seek our extra support in the form of a private tutoring service to ensure your littles one can learn everything they need to know. Private lessons are some of the most amazing options to explore when it comes to children's education, as having a 1 on 1 session without any distractions is exactly what little ones need to thrive. If you notice as a parent that your child is suffering in certain situations due to a result of something that can be improved with a little attention then always seek out the necessary support, whether this means exploring speech therapy, attending social or friendship lessons or anything else. 


Helping your little ones to make the most of their education has never been such a simple task when you can take the time to utilize some of the brilliant tips, tricks and ideas that have been carefully described above. So, what are you waiting for?


LIFESTYLE: KEY WAYS TO ADD VALUE TO YOUR HOME RIGHT NOW

 Being able to add value to your home is so great for being able to improve the home as an asset and get the most money from it when you finally sell. Now, there are a lot of options you need to consider when it comes to making the right choices with this, and it is important that you focus on the best ways of being able to add significant value to the property as much as you can.


You have a lot of steps you can take that will allow you to improve this process and add value to the property. And you have to make sure you are focused on the best steps and ideas that you should take that will help you achieve success here. There are so many ideas that will allow you to add value to the home, and these are some of the most effective options to keep in mind right now.


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Lay a New Drive


There are a lot of ideas that you need to make sure you put in place in order to add value to your home, and laying a new drive is one of the best ways of doing this. You can make the front of your home look more impressive, whilst also adding a more practical element to it as well. Try to make sure you hire experts to ensure that you are able to lay a new drive in the best way you can, and get the best possible outcome from this process. This is something that you need to try to make the most of when it comes to improving your life and adding value to your home right now. 


Revamp the Interior


Revamping the interior of the property makes such a big difference to the appeal and value of the home. In many ways, changing the interior of the home is going to help when it comes to boosting and improving your home, and this could be something simple, such as repainting the property, updating your furniture, and finding the best shutter blinds to add some flair and edge to your home. This is something that you need to try to make the most of when it comes to improving and enhancing this, and you need to try to ensure that this is the perfect interior to meet your needs. 


Extend the Property


Making sure you extend the property is one of the simplest ways of being able to add value, and this can help you significantly when you are looking to improve the way the property comes across, as well as how much value you can add to the home. Extending is the perfect way to create space in your home, as well as being able to improve convenience and increase the size of the property. And this is why it is so important to be able to improve and extend the home as much as possible. There are so many ideas that you should be thinking about when it comes to adding value to the property, and extending is one of the best ways of doing this. 


These are just a few of the best ways you can go about achieving success when it comes to improving your home, and you should be looking to add value as much as possible. Make sure you make changes and updates that are going to help you improve your property and add significant value to it when you do finally come to sell. 


LIFESTYLE: GIFT IDEAS FOR THE BEAUTY LOVER IN YOUR LIFE

 If you are a big beauty lover and are looking for some inspiration for Christmas, or equally, you have a beauty lover on your list of people to buy for, then where do you start? There are so many different ranges and brands out there to choose from, which can be great as there is something for all budgets. But you can be tied trying to decide what will be best to choose, especially if the gift is for someone other than yourself. So with that in mind, your girl has got your back to help. Here are some beauty gift ideas for the festive season to give you some ideas.


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Fragrance gift set

Who doesn’t like to smell good? Getting something that will help them to change up their scent (or yours) is always a good idea. You’re likely to have a good idea of the kind of scents that they like to go for, or you could consider getting them a discovery fragrance set that are in many department stores at the moment. 


Natural deodorant

If the beauty lover in your life looks for quality beauty products, then no doubt they choose many vegan and cruelty-free brands. One other thing to consider getting them is a natural deodorant which won’t cause them any harm. You can get subscriptions, as well as one-off purchases. But with different cases and sets to choose from, as well as being able to personalise the case, there will be something for everyone. 


Hair products

Something to use on hair is always a good idea. It could be a travel set of their favourite shampoo and conditioner, or perhaps a new hairbrush or hair accessory like a curling iron. Choosing something like hair extensions for them can be a good idea too, especially if you know their shade. Then they can have longer and thicker locks in no time, all ready for new year celebrations. 


Sanitizer travel set

We need to face it, that we are going to be sanitizing our hands for the foreseeable future. So why not get your friend a gift set to help them on their travels? When you choose ones made with quality ingredients, they won’t harm their hands and they can smell good too. A bit of a win-win, if you ask me.


Brush set

Choosing a mascara or a lipstick for someone can be tricky, especially if you don’t know the shade that they like best. However, any beauty lover wouldn’t be without makeup brushes, so getting them some more is always a good thing. Choosing a set of brushes that have a range of sizes makes it a really versatile choice, as they can be used for powders, creams, and on both the eyes and the face. If you can, choose a vegan product that is well made, so that the brushes don’t start to disintegrate after only a few uses.


What would you add to the list? It would be great to hear your top festive beauty picks.


LIFESTYLE: Great Tips For New Drivers This Winter

 

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Driving is one of the best feelings you can get as an adult. If you have spent much of your life taking lifts of family and friends or fighting for a seat on public transport, getting behind the wheel is one of the most freeing feelings. 


As you become a new driver during the winter months, there are a lot of things you need to know as well as consider. Passing your test in the autumn means that your first days on the road will be contending with ice and snow and dark nights, and this can be a challenge. 


However not all is lost, and today we want to share some helpful tips for you as a new driver this winter. 



Choose a reliable model 



The first thing you need to do once you pass your driving test is head over to a car dealers and take a look at your options. Most people will say that you should buy a cheap run around for your first car, however it is important to also consider your safety and security behind the wheel. This is why choosing a model that is maybe a maximum of 5 years old and has some safety features is a better choice for you. You need to be sure that your car is fit for purpose and this is the best way to ensure you’ll be safe on the road for your first winter as a driver. 



Avoid snowy days 


It is a rule for any driver, no matter what level you are, that you should avoid the snow. Snow is incredibly dangerous for motorists and if you want to stay safe as a driver this winter, you should not be driving in heavy snowfall. Snow impacts your grip on the road massively, and it may even be hard for you to turn your vehicle and keep control of it in these conditions. If in doubt, don’t drive and stay at home if your workplace allows it. 



Take the pass plus test 


As a new driver straight out of your test, one of the most daunting things on the road will be the motorway. During your regular driving lessons you won’t have been taught how to drive on the motorway and this is why you should now take some extra training to make you feel comfortable on bigger roads. There is a course called the pass plus where an instructor will take you on the motorway and this will help you to overcome any apprehension you may have had about being on the highway. Remember, the motorway is just a bigger road! 



Pack a car sos kit 


Everyone should have a few key items in their car such as a water bottle, blanket, batteries and a flashlight. When you head out on the road as a new driver consider packing yourself a little sos kit that will stay in your trunk until you need it. This can include anything from blankets and coats to water and snacks, and a first aid kit will never hurt either.