Vacations That Don’t Cost the Earth: Is the Eco-Lodge the Holiday of the Future?

English: Eco-Lodge Situated around Brompton Lakes. A side elevation of a lodge. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you’re a real super-saver, it’s likely that you already have many ways to save money when it comes to going on vacation. In fact, we’ve got a whole host of great money-saving travel tips right here on the site that you may be able to use. But it’s not just about a change in the way you take your holiday; there are in fact completely eco-friendly alternatives to a more traditional vacation. Looking at recent trends it looks like the next big thing in green vacationing may just be the ‘eco-lodge’. So let’s look at these in a bit more detail to help you decide if this may be the way you’d like to spend your next big vacation. 

What is an eco-lodge?

It only seems right to start at the beginning, so let’s first find out where the eco-lodge concept came from and how exactly we can define an eco-lodge. Well, the first good examples of eco-lodges came about in the early 2000s in Europe, when the European Union began to designate hotels with their ‘eco-label’. This is essentially a sign to travellers that this place is eco-friendly. Around this time was when the real boom in the popularity of green vacations really began, making its way to the USA soon thereafter. There are a number of characteristics that premises should have in order to be classified as an eco-lodge. Here are just a few examples:

• Sustainable energy used throughout (wind and solar power, for example)
• Sheets, towels and other fabrics made from recycled materials
• Air exchange system
• Re-usable dishes and cutlery
• Organic soaps and other household chemicals
• If vehicles are provided, they are generally ‘green’ (bicycles or hybrids, for example)

The benefits of a green vacation

For the keen money-saver, it can sometimes be a difficult change to go from a thrifty lifestyle back home to a more decadent one during a holiday break. By choosing a holiday at an eco-lodge or similar green vacation property, you can enjoy all of the traditional benefits that such a trip brings – relaxation, getting a break from the everyday, spending time with loved ones – without the burden of worrying about electricity use and other unsustainable expenditure. Even better, staying at an eco-lodge can in many cases be more affordable than staying in comparable accommodation without these green features. Of course, if you want to go all out in 5-star style and stay eco-friendly, the price tag may well increase – but there are other ways of getting access to a quality eco-property, as we’ll discover.

Investing in your own green property

You might think that owning an eco-lodge or similar of your very own is nothing but a pipe dream, but it’s actually becoming quite achievable via schemes such as time-share properties. These aren’t just for ski resorts and sunny beaches anymore! By exploring the many time-share properties that are available on the market, you can in fact find a number of them which are eco-conscious and have the features that would fall into the category of an eco-lodge. If you’re interested into locating a time-share property that you can either turn into a sustainable haven – or one that already has these features – be sure to check out the many online resources on time-share properties. Of course, the best part of all of this is that, because you’re sharing the cost with a number of other people, you can enjoy all of the benefits of a 5-star eco-lodge at a price that won’t break the bank – or cost the earth.

Examples of popular eco-lodges

If you’re not quite ready to own an eco-property of your own, there are plenty of green hotels out there for you to explore and test the waters of. And because the concept has become such a phenomenon, your choices are now literally global. Examples include the Pole Pole in Tanzania, the Bushman’s Kloof Wilderness Reserve in South Africa, and the unique Concordia Eco-Tents in the Virgin Islands. These are just a handful of examples that we’d recommend you look into in more detail – but there really is a world of eco-lodges that you can look into. Who knows – you might just discover a life-long passion for sustainable accommodation, and maybe even snag one of your own one day. Happy trails!

Ask Bert Griffin: Some Tips for New Stock Investors

English: Phillippine stock market board (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the wake of the financial recovery and the resurgence of the stock market, stocks have returned as one of the more popular investment vehicles for independent investors. And for good reason – if you have funds set aside that you’re looking to invest more aggressively, stocks can offer a great opportunity for strong returns. However, with that said, becoming active in the stock market offers far more risks and uncertainties than other investment avenues, especially for those who are new to stocks.

But, knowledge goes a long way, particularly in the investment world. Which is why I thought it would be worthwhile to share my thoughts in this ‘Ask Bert Griffin’ article on what I think needs to be known when someone first considers investing in the stock market. 

Background research and knowledge is critical

Here’s the thing – if you’re new to buying and selling stocks, then you’re probably also new to the workings of the stock market and to the full range of stocks available for you to purchase or trade. Which is fine. However, it does mean that performing background reading on not only the stock market in general, but also the different types of stocks traded in the market is imperative for any sort of success.

Now there are entire books and classes devoted to different stock purchasing and trading methodologies. If you do not have time to take these sort of classes, then try to do some sort of background reading on how the stock market works before making any sort of purchases. Furthermore, once you have an idea of what stocks you would like to buy, be sure to complete detailed research on both the history of the company you’re investing in, as well as its stock. 

Never be surprised at the volatility of these kinds of investments

One of the things you have to be mentally prepared for when becoming active in the stock market is that stocks can be very volatile vehicles for investment. Unlike mutual funds or other forms of investment, when you buy stocks, you’re directly investing in the daily performance of a company. That means there’s no cushion or anything else protecting you from the performance of that company. Thus, if the company you buy stock from begins performing poorly or if their stock becomes ill-favored on the market for some reason, this will be reflected in the stock price – and not several days or a month later, but immediately. Additionally, even if the financial market is doing well, the stock(s) that you choose to invest in may perform poorly (and of course, the opposite is true too).

In short, the value of stocks can fluctuate wildly and when beginning to make your first investments, you need to be prepared for potential volatility and remain confident in the intelligence behind your stock picks.

If interested in more conservative trading, then consider stocks from major corporations like McDonalds or Coca Cola

Now that doesn’t mean that every single stock traded on the market should be deemed high risk. Yes, stocks of start-ups and small companies doing business in unproven industries are certainly more risky investments. However, stocks of such global, big-name companies like McDonalds, Coca Cola, Pepsi, IBM, Intel and Google, to name just a few, can be seen as far more stable investments. 

 However, there’s some caveats to be had here – first, stocks of these kind of established companies are typically more expensive; second, because these big corporations have relatively stable value, you’ll most likely not see any sort of wilds gains when buying their stocks. Yes – in the investment world, ‘no risk, no gain’ is a phrase that proves true more often than not.

Never forget that buying and trading stocks is a high-risk form of investment

I always advise those clients of mine who purchase and trade in the stock market to never forget the risk that comes along with it. As much as I want my clients to succeed financially, there’s a potential danger that comes along with enjoying success in the stock market – namely, a person can become complaisant or they can forgot the risk they are taking. 

 And, in a worse case scenario, all the success they have enjoyed can come crashing down in a matter of hours or days, and a lot of assets can be potentially lost. That’s why I repeatedly remind my clients that knowledge, confidence and a continual awareness of the stock market and one’s activity in it is imperative for success.

Three Major Steps Involved in Wine Investments

How well do you know the wine business? Are you thinking of becoming an investor? Whether you’re 20 years old or 40, it’s paramount to know wine prior to spending any money on a purchase. As a liquid asset, wine is the sort of investment that gives people diversity. Together with equities like art, fast cars, and commodity investments (silver, gold, oil), people have finally started to see wine with a different pair of eyes. To begin with, we have to point out that investing in wine is no longer an alternative type of investment. Recently defined as a commodity, fine wine is starting to become a more conventional type of investment than cars and art.

Young entrepreneurs looking to get started in this business should abide by some basic rules: never expect to make a fortune fast, be patient (you’ll reap some benefits in 5 about years, and great benefits in 10), and pay attention (to storage conditions, market prospects, and more). If you’re looking to make huge profits without taking any big risks, the best strategy is to opt for a medium-long investment. Wine gets better with age, yet that’s not a guarantee. Are you wine lover interested to make a sensible investment? Very well then; the following 3 steps are essential if you want to thrive.

Invest in functionality

Although wine is a liquid asset, it’s not liquid enough to provide real-time pricing. Specific types of wine have more profound liquidity than others. Let’s see an example: the famous Bordeaux wine is preferred by most potential investors because of its historical past. Over the years, many people invested in Bordeaux wine and ended up making great money. Everything we know so far about this type of wine can be easily proven, so there are little chances for investors to fail if they buy Bordeaux. You can also view price charts online, assess vintages, regional prices, and compare the wines using multiples sources such as the FTSE index of Liv-ex.

If your goal is to trade fine wine, the key to being successful is transparency. As an asset, fine wine is non-fungible: the buyer is the one to have the last word, always! General prices for traded and collected wines – Bordeaux in particular – increased tremendously in the 1st decade of the 21st century. Hence, the numbers managed to attract plenty of buyers (even buyers who were not that interested in investing).

Technological advances

In the wine business, it’s not always about how much you want to invest, but about the way you’re planning to invest your money. Making use of advanced technology to get started in the business is a step we just can’t ignore. Having a website for your business, making it as responsive as possible, being socially active, and updated with the latest changes, and thinking of new ways to make your investment thrive, are just a few guidelines you have to consider to have a successful business.

Has technology improved the wine production? Definitely, and as a matter of fact, it shouldn’t be seen as something new. Owners of Bordeaux Chateaux have already started to upgrade their viticultural practices. They started to invest in storage rooms and new wineries, and then they began adopting machines to help them with the harvesting process. Drones and satellite images are also at high demand because investors want to stay constantly updated with everything that happens on their properties. You may or may not have the means to make such investments, but it’s wise to be aware that advanced technology can help your future business thrive.

Authenticity and Storage

Authenticity and provenance are crucial aspects in the wine business. With millions of wine bottles circulating the market (particularly high-value wines), scammers and fraudsters are everywhere. As a new investor, it’s paramount to get informed prior to spending a dime. Blue-chip wines can only be bought in excellent conditions, so try not to buy from a stranger because you can’t know for sure if their product is genuine. After you found a trusted seller, your next step would be to store the wine in optimal conditions. Otherwise the quality of the wine will deteriorate and its value will automatically decrease.

Wine investments can be extremely profitable, even for starting entrepreneurs looking to enter the current wine market. The key to succeeding in this business is to have patience. Get to know the market really well, learn as much as you can about wine, and don’t hesitate to ask a professional for assistance. 

How to Raise the Money for a New Car

There comes a time when an old car is no longer road worthy. It may have been damaged in a crash or simply run its time on the road and is now more expensive to repair and maintain than it’s really worth. With maintenance and spare part costs continuing to rise above the official rate of inflation, everyone needs a little help with their finances.

With many families finding it difficult to cover living expenses the need for a new car can be disappointing and stressful. However, when needs must there’s nothing you can do but work out how you’re going to be able to replace your four wheels. If you’re worried about the cost, here are some useful tips you may find helpful in helping you to finance the expensive purchase. They are in no particular order; rather, let them serve as a guide to helping you get the best car at the best possible price.

Raising Money in a Hurry

You may be tempted to look for payday loans or something similar but it’s always better to avoid these options. Short term loads can cause a lot of extra financial strain, and if you’re unable to make the payment on the deadline, the amount you need to pay back will rise quickly. Payday loans have been vilified in the press as being nothing short of ‘legalised highway robbery’ so do not fall in to the trap and become a victim.

Rather than opting for these short term loans you may be better off seeing how much money you can raise from what you already have.

For example you can:

Sell or part exchange your current vehicle and use the money towards the new vehicle
Ask your employer to give you some overtime; you’ll pay more tax but at least you can raise a deposit more quickly should you need to
Clear out the home and sell everything your family no longer needs or uses. Check for old electronics, phones, clothing, CDs and DVDs as well as furniture that you’re simply storing rather than using. 

Car Finance Options

It’s also worth looking at leasing a vehicle or using car finance as an option. Car finance can be sought even if you have a relatively poor credit rating, although the interest will be higher. Car finance deals are usually spread out over three to five years, making the monthly payments much more affordable and manageable.

Before you begin looking for car finance deals you’ll need to establish how much you can afford to pay each month out of your current income. Be brutally honest with your spending and err on the side of caution to ensure you really can afford the cost. Once you know your monthly limit you’ll be able to ask for quotes and find out what amount you’ll be able to borrow before you begin looking for cars.

Avoid the Depreciation Hit

When you buy a new car, even on finance, you immediately lose money within the first twelve months of ownership. This is money you won’t be able to get back or replace even if you sell a car that’s relatively new. Even if you are able to buy a new car using car finance it’s probably better to look for a second hand version instead. You may be tempted to go for what is known in the trade as ‘nearly new.’

Nearly new and used cars are a sensible option as the original buyer took the depreciation hit for you. If you buy from a dealership you’ll still be able to use car finance too, helping to spread the cost over the years without having to pay through the nose.

Image attributed to: freedigitalphotos.net –marcus-

How to Get Your Boiler Ready for Winter

With the cool, damp days of winter upon you, it’s time to have your boilers on-line and working up to maximum capacity efficiently. The demands on the boiler system will be increasing as you move forward through the winter months and you want things to go smoothly and without any downtime. There are some things that you should do to prepare your boiler for winter and if you haven’t already, now is a good time to have inspections to assure that your company and employees can continue to work without interruption and costly downtime.

Hire the Professionals

If your company’s maintenance team can’t do the appropriate maintenance on your boiler system regularly, it’s best to hire a professional who knows what he’s doing, is well-trained, and has years of experience of working with units similar to yours. You can schedule maintenance inspections and checks so that you’ll be able to prevent costly repairs and replacements at the last minute. Establishing a working relationship with a local company is the best solution for all of your boiler needs; they will be available for installations, service, and repairs and will have knowledge of what you have and how it works. This can save you time and money and get the work done quickly for your company.

What You’ll Need to Do or Have Done to Your Boiler

Your service technician will have a list of the appropriate guidelines that are developed for your specific boiler system. He should clean the low water cut-off and inspect it for any developing problems, be sure to have him use new gaskets when he reassembles the boiler unit. He should perform a safety pop test on your boiler’s relief valves, do a leak test, and perform flame checks as well. Other things that you should request or make sure he is doing are to check the following so that he can repair or replace them if needed:

• All gaskets
• The oil gun assembly
• The flame detector
• The main gas valve and regulator
• Strainers
• All hoses and cables
• Pilot valves
• All of the gauges and instrumentation

Gather baseline information, your staff can compare their daily recordings to this data to ascertain if the boiler is continuing to work up to its best level of operation.

Use Only Qualified Technicians and the Right Parts

You’ve made a rather large investment in your company’s boiler system so using qualified professionals and the proper replacement parts is a must for any inspection, repair, or installation work that you have done. The company with which you partner should be gas safe register approved, insured, and have the appropriate accreditation for your unit. You’ll want prompt, reliable service that has no hidden charges or fees that will harm your budget. Click here for further information about types of service that are available and what you need to get your boiler ready for winter or to bring it up to specifications right now.

Avoiding downtime at your company due to boiler problems will keep your employees happy and working, and your inventory rolling out the door efficiently.

Image courtesy of: FreeDigitalPhotos.net –Marcus-

Eminent Tips To Be Noted Before Renting The Apartment

English: Rental Apartment Towers in Newport, Hudson Waterfront, Jersey City, NJ with Newport Marina in foreground. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The need of a new place is taking a serious change as the population is growing to an all new level. It is an inevitable truth that buying a new flat need a lot of investment and it becomes quite difficult for middle-class people to get such services. However, during such instances only rented apartments can be your one stop solution. With the help of this service, you can enjoy the comfort of your own home, by paying a stipulated amount of money to the landlord every month, just like the renting fees. This is surely going to help you save some extra money, without any hassle.

Know more about tenants

It is a known fact that maximum tenants do not want to spend more than 30% of their annual income behind house renting services. Thus, you should focus on the renting value accordingly. However, there are some major points to be noted down while selecting the renting value of your place. Look for the location of your apartment and the nearest spots available. This will help you to make a realistic budget plan for your apartment. If you place is located near any hospital or shopping mall, then the price of your rented apartment will surely increase. On the other hand, to get an idea about the latest renting value of your surrounded area, you can visit the official websites and research well.

Rental services can be of two types. At one, place, you can only ask for the rental fees of the house, and in other cases, you will ask for a complete rental package fee, which include electricity bills, water bills and more. However, nowadays, people mainly ask for the rental fees without electricity services. There are separate electricity corners for the tenants, where they have to pay their own bills for electricity usages. However, if you plan to include the electricity bills with the rental fees, then the monthly salary value will increase incredibly. 

Points to check

· It is ideal to check the background of the tenants before giving them the keys of your house.

· Moreover, you might have to focus on the ID proof and criminal background of the tenants, before making any final decision.

· You must follow the legal norms and regulations of your place to avoid any sort of negatives later.

· Check for the neighborhood areas of your place before finalizing the rental fees. People will not like any lousy neighborhood, and that might hamper the reputation of your apartment.

· In case you have a parking lot or garage, attached with your apartment then your rental salary will get hiked to an all new level. Tenants can take the help of your garage service, which will add more income to your monthly budget plan.

Register with an online site

Always remember that you need to have a good reputation as people will judge your credibility, as well. They will ask for your identify proof and your credibility before renting your place. However, you can register your name and apartment details with any reliable and official site, which is known for providing best rental places to the navigators. This will help you to come in direct contact with the prospective buyers, without problem. They might even ask for your credentials by checking the nearby police stations. Only a good reputation can help, in this regard.

However, you can take the help of online rental professionals who can offer some of the best tips and advices, which you must follow before renting your apartment. Follow their steps religiously for gaining maximum profit. This can be a serious helping hand for all.

Author Bio: Mark Benson will provide the best possible solutions when it comes to Dallas apartment locators, with years of experience under his sleeves.