Travel Journal No comments yet

Saving Money on Food During Trips

By on May 21st, 2013

I might have imparted you a thing or two about sleeping and general advice about traveling, but I have specific advice about every aspect of traveling. Traveling is fun, especially for those who know how to budget their allowances properly. Here are a few tips I’ve formulated on saving money on food during your trips.

1. Groceries
The number one tip to save money on expensive restaurants and eateries is to go to a grocery and cook your food yourself. Some motels, hostels and apartments have cooking equipment inside the room, which allows tenants to cook the food they buy anywhere. Look for groceries and wet markets, and you’re all set with your food budget.

2. The Meal of The Day
If you’re looking to eat at this great extravagant restaurant near your location but you estimate you’ll get short by a few pounds, you could look at their menus and see what’s the meal of the day. A restaurant features a meal when it’s seasonal, when the ingredients are about to expire or when there’s a surplus of ingredients used to make them. Most of these meals are prepared by top-notch chefs and are more affordable when they’re featured.

3. Working for Food
If you’re boarding a luxury vacation, don’t take this tip. For backpackers and vacation loiterers who wish to stay longer in their location, you could actually work for the food you eat. Aside from board and lodging in Europe, most business owners would actually feed you for the job you did for that day.

Finance No comments yet

Credit Rating Fall may Mean Fall in Pound

By on May 11th, 2013

The UK economy is under further pressure following the decision by Moody’s, the credit rating agency, to downgrade the UK’s AAA rating to AA1. Although the government held the line that this as no disaster and, in the current climate, to be expected, others have suggested that the decision could be a danger to the economy as a whole. The finance world is bracing itself for a fall in the value of Sterling in the wake of the downgrade.

UK Vulnerable – Kenneth Clarke

Former chancellor Kenneth Clarke has espoused the opinion that, contrary to the coalition’s stance, the UK economy could face serious damage in light of the decision. His claims that more years are needed before recovery is possible are as follows, and have been influenced by the recent world finance problems:

“It seemed perfectly sensible to me at the time,” Clarke told Sky News. “It would now if it were not for the fact that it is quite clear that the global economic and financial crisis is persisting, it’s worse than we thought, several more years are required.”
With jobs and benefits cut across the country, schemes including the PPI refunds campaign are very timely. Sites such as www.PPITemplateLetter.co and the PPI claims industry as a whole are providing much needed cash windfalls and jobs for people.

Lord Lawson Speaks

Another former chancellor, Lord Lawson, also expressed concern at the situation, in particular his worries that the situation may lead to a ‘run’ on Sterling:
“That would not be clever, that would not be sensible, that would not be helpful,” said Lawson. “But I don’t think that George Osborne wants that.”

Decision ‘Symbolic’ – Vince Cable

Other government spokesmen have claimed the downgrade to be nothing other than ‘symbolic’, with Vince Cable stating:
“In terms of the real economy, there is no reason why the downgrade should have any impact.”
This view is one that goes largely against the concerns of the many analysts in the market that are convinced the new AA1 rating is a real threat to the economy in times of financial constraint. The continuing problems in the Eurozone have also added to the situation, and will continue to do so, and with the markets watching Sterling closely it will be interesting to see what happens with the world market as a whole.

Travel Journal No comments yet

Tips on Sleeping in Airplanes

By on March 29th, 2013

Sleeping in-transit inside airplanes is a great way to save up money on accommodations and travel in general. Night flights without stopovers guarantee you a 9-hour continuous flight. However, the act of sleeping itself, especially in airlines seats, can be very difficult especially if you have sleeping problems. Here are some tips for sleeping I actually developed while traveling consistently for the past year.

1. Relax
Long-trip airlines offer reclining seats to allow passengers to rest or sleep throughout the entire journey. They even offer eye-shields for sleeping. If these do not help you relax, it would be important to at least lay down and close your eyes, think about what happened during your day and what you hope to achieve upon arrival at your destination. Once these are clear, you could relax yourself. Set them aside and focus on sleeping.

2. Familiar Music
Putting your headset on is a great way to cancel the ambient noise inside the airplane but if you’re listening to a fresh or high-energy playlist, you’ll find yourself having trouble sleeping. Instead, use a low energy playlist with songs familiar to your ear. The familiarity allows your brain to bypass analysing the music, creating an “audio wallpaper” that allows you to concentrate on sleeping.

3. Sleeping Pills
Sleeping pills are actually helpful to get you sleeping while in-transit. These herbal capsules and supplements can make you drowsy and for a great period, help you sleep. Supplements may have side effects; it is best you consult first with your medical professional before you take any sleeping supplements.

Legal No comments yet

Compensation Claims: Situations You Earn Compensation

By on February 28th, 2013

When you live in the UK, you have the right for compensation for any damages another arty caused. At any time of the day, accidents that cause grave injuries could happen. However, you need to learn how to file compensation. The first thing to do is to identify whether you have the right to get compensation for your accident. Here’s a few situations that could get you compensated.

Medical

1. Road Accident
Road accidents are different from car accidents because it does not involve the collision of two vehicles, but only the collision of one vehicle. Road accidents could possibly injure pedestrians because of destroyed property due to careless driving or the careless driving itself.

2. Car Accidents
Most car accidents commonly have the two drives chasing each other from identifying who was careless in driving and who will provide compensation to whom. Car accidents compensation claims usually involve physical injuries and whiplash injuries.

3. Medical Negligence
Medical professionals who do not perform the medical operation smoothly, causing injuries and complications in their patients, are also liable for compensating their victims. Medical negligence is mostly common with childbearing accidents, where the injured party can earn millions of pounds and a lifetime of medical support for their child.

4. Workplace Accident
It is possible to have an accident due to faulty equipment or facilities. Most employer HR departments often handle workplace accident claims for the employees, given that the employer and insurance company provides insurance for their customers as soon as they get employed.

Finance No comments yet

FOS Sets New Record High With 11,000 PPI Claims Weekly

By on February 5th, 2013

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) announced that it received at least 11,000 PPI claims on a weekly basis between October and December. With an average of 1,500 claims on a daily basis, the FOS had an additional 1,000 personnel to its workforce to deal with the increase this year.

Financial Ombudsman Chief Natalie Ceeney says that the increase will never disrupt current operations and the time required to process a PPI claim. However, she calls upon banks to investigate thoroughly every PPI claim they receive. The FOS upholds at least 7 out of 10 PPI claims rejected by banks to be valid claims.

PPI Claims Deadline

The British Banking Association (BBA) became almost successful in having the Financial Services Authority (FSA) set a deadline on PPI claiming. The FSA considered placing a deadline on PPI claims on April 2014, but critical response against the consideration was negative. Consumer groups, forums and critics, such as Martin Lewis of Moneysavingexpert.com, said that the move was unfair and “immoral” as banks had a decade to mis sell the insurance policy. He said that placing a year-length deadline is not enough to refund 3.2 million customers banks mis sold with PPI.

The BBA and the Confederation of British Industries director-general John Cridland proposed a deadline so that banks can finally rebuild capital and help the real economy of the United Kingdom. Other critics implied that PPI had run its course and that it was time for the UK to move from one financial issue to another.

Currently, all UK high-street banks and building societies have provisioned a £13 billion compensation package for the entire country and has successfully refunded £8 billion of the said amount.

Travel Journal No comments yet

How To Save Up On Your Travels

By on January 16th, 2013

Traveling is an expensive hobby, but it is truly enjoyable for anybody, even the couch potato. Saving up for a flight, accommodation and itinerary can be problematic, but today, there are ways to spend less on your travels while you enjoy more. Here’s a list of things that can help you get to your favorite destination in the world while saving enough money in the process.

1. Discount Cards

Usually, travel agencies would accommodate you with grand five-star hotels, but if you favour three star hotels that have international chains worldwide, including your location (for me, in the United Kingdom), apply for a membership card. A membership card can help you get discounts and free items when you accommodate yourself regularly with such hotels. Sometimes, they store points that allow you to get a free room at one time as well.

2. Discount Coupons

The Internet is not just a place to express yourself, earn money or even socialize with friends. The Internet is also a place to get opportunities to save money for travel. Most coupon sites such as Groupon.com and RetailMeNot.com are great ways to get discount coupons for traveling by yourself, with a partner or even your whole family. Always check these websites and make an account. I won a pretty good deal for me and my fiance in traveling to Paris for three days, virtually spending nothing. Give it a shot.

3. Group Packages

If you’re traveling with a group, expenses can be lowered as everyone can pitch in for the expenses. The best way to handle this is to make a good budget for your spending, including the travel tickets, the accommodations and itinerary considered. Present this budget to your group and give them a figure of contribution that is equal for everyone. You’ll be spending less with more people in your group.

4. Baggage

When traveling, only travel light, or travel only with the necessary things you need during your stay. You can leave your laptop at home if you just need to access social media and not work-related items. You can leave heavy clothes that you won’t need if you are only traveling. Traveling light eases the burden off your shoulders, literally and figuratively.

Personal Journal No comments yet

Why Travel?: My Own Reasons For Traveling

By on January 16th, 2013

After reading this blog, I know you wonder why I want to travel so much aside from the fact that it is unusually expensive and you might be thinking that I’m rich. I’m not rich in reality. I’m just a simple guy with a passion for going out and seeing new places. If you’re wondering what inspires a traveler to travel so that you may understand them better, I’ll explain my own reasons for traveling.

1. Culture

Living in the United Kingdom was a blast from my childhood to my post-educational and professional years, but seeing the same sights and interacting with the same culture on a ordinary and routine basis makes it stale and boring. In traveling, I see new culture. I interact with new people, learn new languages, learn their ways, their beliefs and outlook in life. It is all brand new that your mind is occupied with the things that you learn when you get home.

2. Sights

A traveler would certain exchange an arm or leg for seeing a grand and beautiful sight that could only be seen once in your life (or twice if you’re lucky). Geography and the stunning visual skyline of certain cities, sunsets in beaches and other natural and artificial edifices can make your catch your breath and see the beauty that is all around the world (and is usually not in your backyard or you are just tired of seeing such).

3. Learning Experience

When you travel, you learn many things. You learn how to look out for yourself, how to tackle a new culture, how to spend your resources evenly and how to enjoy yourself with new company, places and people. Everything, when you travel, is a learning experience. You begin to see the smallness of man against the Earth and you realize that you are not the only one who sees the world, but also the people around you. What you learn in the place is what you bring home, and that is priceless, even if traveling really costs a lot.

Finance, Personal Journal No comments yet

Increasing Payouts The Fault of Governing Bodies, Not No Win No Fee Cases

By on January 16th, 2013

Most citizens depend on no win no fee claims companies to get justice and compensation for the damages or losses they received due to a system blunder on part of companies, businesses and even authorities, yet these parties often blame claims management companies for increasing the payouts because of their legal fees. In reality, the truth is that these parties cannot pay for all the damages all at once and needs some time to produce their repayments. However, the truth is also that the increasing number of blunders is exploited by the no win no fee case system.

A no win no fee case is where a lawyer does not charge anything to a client if they fail to win the case. However, the client pays for the legal representative’s services by 25% if the claim is won. This particular agreement is included in the English legal system, which allowed many claims management companies to earn properly and exploit errors in industries through the number of claimants they have.

It is normal for claims management companies to advertise their services and occasional “cold calls” may irritate customers and render them as fraudulent or suspicious, but reputable claims management companies such as the NoWinNoFeeCo can earn customers their full compensation considering that every detail of the claim is considered before it is processed.

According to Andy Wigmore, the policy director of the Claims Standards Council, claims management companies only earn through successful claims, and they pitch in claims to companies, business and authorities to find out if their client has a suitable claim. Legal representatives also have the right to charge defendants legal fees upon the victory of their client’s claim.

With the NHS placing a higher risk allocation to their risk pool and banks adding more money for their insurance repayment blunders, clearly, it is not the fault of claims management companies, but the institutions themselves who failed to deliver what they promised to their customers.

Travel Journal No comments yet

Travel Advice: What You Need To Know

By on January 16th, 2013

As a frequent traveler by myself or with a group, there are a few things and difficulties that I’ve encountered that could spare many people the hassle of facing such. Traveling is fun, but it has its own problems. Dealing with them is important and knowing how is essential. Here are a few things you need to know in terms of security, food and itineraries before traveling.

One time, my sister got sick when we were riding the African safaris and enjoying the nightlife in Johannesburg. At that time, her sickness grew worse. The local medical professionals administered a vaccine to her that helped her recover, and thankfully, she had travel insurance that covered the expenses. Insurance is important as it can provide you preemptive or actual medical help during your travels. Foreign places have foreign microorganisms that you might not be immune to, and your travel insurance considers just that.

Insurance for your properties is also important. I’ve lost a phone and some smartphones and laptops while I was backpacking some time ago in Europe, yet the insurance company covered for these items and I only lost the sentimental data and information they stored.

Next up is your food. You can afford to stay at least five days in a location if you know how to use up and allocate your resources properly. Traveling leisurely gives you an itinerary, but at a very high price. If you know how to itinerary on your own, you could spend less on food and accommodations. If you just want to see the place, rent a room in an apartelle and buy your food in local groceries. Also learn to cook your own food.

If you can mix backpacking with leisure travel, you could actually get to see the real sight of your vacation spot rather than the marketed look it has with travel agencies, all for a more affordable price.

Travel Journal No comments yet

Advice for Travelers: Backpacking or Leisure Traveling?

By on January 9th, 2013

From my favorite Carribean Island travels last year, I knew that it was a form of leisure travel. I traveled to see the new things, sites and sounds the place can offer, but only the best ones. In curiosity, I want to find out what a place’s actual daily activity really is, and a friend told me that backpacking is the best way to do this.

What is backpacking? Backpacking is traveling to different places without any itineraries and similarly doing the daily activities and challenges the normal local citizen goes through. While it does not mean you have to go to work in their office, it means that you have to know your way around the city as well as the locals do.

What makes it a challenge is that you can stay for at least two weeks to a month if you can, and you can choose to work for your money, board, lodging or food from individuals, families or small businesses. Backpacking does not present to you the lovely, lush pools that Malaysia and European resorts can give you; it actually drives you down to the nitty-gritty of the situation. Basically, many backpackers know how to improvise and be resourceful, making their entire trip a significant experience in their lives.

Soon, I’d like to try backpacking. I’ll try it once I reach a decision where to visit first, and If I have money to do so. Hehe. Well, I’ll tell you about my plans for it next time.

-Sal