I have spent quite a lot of time looking for new web site hosting provider over the past few weeks and have been a bit overwhelmed by the amount of choice out there. Not knowing an awful lot about web hosting it can be a little hard to know who to choose. Obviously the most important factors are reliability and uptime and also the level of support that is available when there are any problems but the problem is not knowing this information before signing up. That’s where comparison websites such as Web Hosting Geeks can come in really useful. They offer information and review about hosting providers so you can get a better idea about how they perform. They also highlight which hosting providers perform best in certain categories, for example the best budget hosting or the best blog hosting. Each hosting provider is reviewed with a short overview of the service and bullet points highlighting the main features of the service such as how much storage space you get, whether they offer multiple domain hosting, what sort of support is available and how much bandwidth you get. There are also individual reviews from customers who have used each hosting provider so you can find out what their current customers think. It’s all very useful stuff and well worth checking out if you are looking for help with choosing a hosting provider.

If you are looking for a new furry friend then you might want to contact Battersea Dogs Home. Whilst it might not be the first place you would expect to find cats, they do in fact also re-home other animals as well. At the moment they simply have too many cats with 143 of their 145 cat pens being full and 174 cats waiting for a place at the home. The shelter has blamed the recession for the 20% rise in the number of animals being dumped but there are also 10% fewer people who are taking on cats leading to the huge backlog. Some of the cats have been waiting for a new home for as long as a year. Unfortunately I already have fours cats so don’t have room for anymore but if you have room for another kitty in your life then you might want to contact them, you can see some the furries here.

Its a busy time for students as they receive their A Level results this week and there has been lots in the news about record pass rates and those students that have received all A grades. With headlines like this is easy to forget that not all students are lucky enough to get enough points for their chosen course. Whilst it might seem like the end of the world if you can’t get on your chosen course there is lots of help available when looking into alternative. That’s where the UCAS Clearing system can help. The University of Bedfordshire has already opened up their Clearing 2009 vacancies and have a variety of different courses available. If you need help you can contact the University of Bedfordshire Clearing 2009 hotline on 0800 013 0925 and see how they can help you.

This is interesting its an idea for laser guided cars that do all the driving for you. The cars would allow the driver to do something else whilst still being behind the wheel meaning you could sleep, read or perhaps catch up on some work. They would work using sensors and wireless technology which would lock the cars together in a convoy with each vehicle following the one ahead. The car at the very front would be manned by a professional driver and all the other cars would simply follow. Drivers would pay a subscription for the service and would need to book ahead in order to secure a place in the convoy. They would then join the end of the convoy at the allotted time via a slip road and when they choose to leave their car would be guided off onto their chosen slip road. I’m not sure I fancy it, it seems to bring back memories off getting stuck behind a tractor for some strange reason.

Royal Mail has launched a tamper proof stamp which should stop people pealing off old stamps and reusing them. The problem whilst it might seem minor costs Royal Mail tens of thousands of pounds every year. Although stamps are franked when they go through the sorting office, the markings on them are not always noticeable and often stamps with little markings on them are peeled off and used again. The new stamps, however, should make it impossible to reuse them. They have two oblong strips on either side of the stamp so that when the stamp is peeled off the strips are left behind. This leaves a useless stamp with two holes in it which should now be unusable.

According to this article Sky has struck a deal with Microsoft that will see their content offered through the Xbox. Under the deal live football, TV and films will be available through the Xbox. It is likely to be available in the autumn although no details have been released on how much it will cost. There is likely to be some deals available for people who already subscribe to Sky offering them content at a reduced cost but once again no specifics have yet been released.

If you want to lose a bit of weight are not quite sure how to go about it, then you might want to check out The Truth About Abs. The program has been devised by a certified nutrition specialist and personal trainer and shows you how to tone up your body to get the shape that you want. It includes a range of exercises combined with diet and nutritional advice. If you are unsure about the programme then there is a 21 day trial programme available with nothing to pay straight away so you can try it first to see if it’s for you.

There are so many companies offering webhosting that it can be a little daunting deciding which one to choose. We recently switched our hosting to another provider and I spent a lot of time looking around at website like Web Hosting Geeks which offer reviews from people who already use the hosting providers. The website contains useful information such as the top 10 web hosting providers as rated by their users. It also gives awards for categories like the best budget hosting, the best blog hosting and the best multiple domain hosting. This in itself is quite useful especially for someone like me who doesn’t really know much about web hosting but the website also provides lots of other information. The awards not only allow you to see which hosting providers perform best in each of the categories but also provide a useful overview of the service detailing things like how much storage space the provider gives you, how much bandwidth and what level of customer service you are likely to receive. In addition to this you can read the reviews by current customers who are already using the service. All of this makes me feel a little more confident about choosing a hosting provider, after all if a provider has lots of reviews from happy customers then they must be doing something right.

If you are considering having laser eye surgery then you might want to have a look at this useful article from The Daily Mail. The article sums up the main types of laser eye surgery with the advantage and disadvantages of each and the cost of each treatment. It also looks at the risks involved and the mistakes that could occur. You might also want to read my account of laser eye surgery detailing my experience of Wavefront treatment which I had back in 2005. The article describes this treatment as as individualised treatment tailored to the patient and personally I have been very satisfied with the results.

If you want to get married but simply don’t have the money then this idea might be for you. Its a scheme being offered by St Hild and St Helen’s church in Dawdon, County Durham. Under the scheme couples are being offered a virtually free wedding including and organist and outfits for the bride, bridesmaid, bridegroom and mother of the bride. The only condition is that couple take four pre-marital lessons prior to the wedding at a cost of £50.

According to this article ministers have backed plans to give restaurant workers fair pay. Under new rules restaurant workers could face jail or a £5,000 fine from October if they use tips to make up staff wages. Currently some restaurants pay workers a low wage but use staff tips to make the wage up to the legal minimum. In some cases waiters are being paid as little at £3 an hour by employers and have to rely upon tips to make up the rest of their salary. It is estimated that around 60,000 staff could see their salaries increase after the new rules come into force.

Live Nation and Ticketmaster are to join forces in a move that will see the world's largest concert promoter and the biggest ticket seller becoming one. The planned merger which is worth about $800m has sparked competition concerns within the US with come saying it will create a near monopoly situation in music ticketing. The deal with be scrutinised closely by regulators but if it does go ahead the combined group would have revenues of $6bn and would sell more than 150m concert tickets a year. Under the merger, Ticketmaster investors would get 1.384 Live Nation shares for each Ticketmaster share. The Live Nation shareholders would be left with 49.99% of the combined group which would be called Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster shareholders would hold 50.01%.

British Gas have announced that they will cut the price of its standard tariff by 10%. The reduction will come into force in February and will affect 75% of customers, that's around 7.5 million homes. The news should come as a welcome announcement for those who have been struggling to pay high gas bills  during the current cold spell. The cuts will mean that an average customer will save about £79 on their bill.

The ticket website paperticket.co.uk has been closed by the Metropolitan Police due to fraud fears. The site sold tickets for a number of shows including Barry Manilow and The Killers. It was closed last Friday on suspicion of fraud. Customers who have purchased tickets from the website have been advised to contact the Consumer Direct advice service  on 08454 04 05 06 for more information. People that brought ticket with a credit or debit card may be able to obtain a refund from their card issuer.

It seems that everything is getting more and more expensive recently and it can be tough making it through until pay day. That’s where a short term loan like a payday loan can help. Basically a payday loan is a loan that you can get quickly with a short approval process and there are no credit checks involved. You just need to have a regular job and be over 18 years to apply for one. It is designed to as the name suggests help you through until your next pay cheque. You can apply for an Easy Payday Loan online and it often be approved in as little as 24 hours. 

Tesco is planning a move into the mortgage market as loans from traditional lenders become fewer. With the recent mergers of some of the larger banks like Lloyds and HBOS customers now have much fewer choices when looking for a home loan. Tesco will offer mortgages through a Tesco branded retail bank which will be launched after buying the other half of its Tesco Personal Finance venture from the Royal Bank of Scotland. The deal to but out RBS is expected to be completed in November.

This is interesting, its a firm that allows companies to produce pictures of their advertising in space. What the company called JP Aerospace does, is launch a billboard into space that contains the advertisers logo and message and then take pictures of it. They use specially constructed balloons to send the billboard 20 miles into the air. Then they take hundreds of pictures of it and return it to Earth by parachute. The result is something like the picture on the left.

A dental surgery has opened in a supermarket in Manchester. The surgery has been opened at the Sale branch of Sainsbury's becoming the first dentist clinic to open in a UK supermarket. It will be open seven days a week and follows a similar initiative to open a GP surgery in a supermarket. The dental surgery will charge £16 for a check up which is slightly less than the current NHS charge of £16. It is hoped that it will make dental treatment more accessible and convenient for the patients. 

If you still haven’t secured a university or college place for the current year then you might want to check out the University of Bedfordshire’s clearing service. They still have places available through their clearing system and can offer you advice even if you are not sure what course you want to apply for. They have a dedicated University of Bedfordshire - Clearing 2008 team who are on hand to offer advice and talk through the options with you. You can give them a call on 0800 013 0925 and can also check out the list of available courses online before hand to see if there is something to suit you.

The online ticket company Xclusive Tickets is about to go into liquidation. Around 4,329 people who brought tickets from the company are likely to be left out of pocket. However, those who paid by credit card should get a refund. The company hit problems after 18,000 tickets for the Reading, Leeds and V Festivals and the Beijing Olympics did not arrive. A creditors meeting has been called for next month and a helpline will be set up offering advice and information for customer.

Boots has opened its first drive through chemist on the site of a former McDonald's outlet. The chemist aims to fill prescriptions in under two minutes whilst customers wait at the window. It is targeting busy mothers and commuters who need to pick up their drugs quickly. Whilst drive through chemists are common in the US, they are relatively new here in the UK. This branch in Colchester will run as a pilot. If it is successful Boots are likely to  open other branches across the UK.

If you have a lot of outgoings that need to be settled before you get your pay check, then you might want to look a payday loas The loan as the name suggests is a short team loan designed to give you a bit of extra cash to see you through until you get paid. You can apply for a payday loan online using the three minute application form and it can often be approved within the hour. You just need to have proof of a steady income, proof that you have a bank account and proof of residency. Because Payday Loans are different to personal loans they do not require a credit check so even if you have a poor credit history as long as you meet the criteria you should still be approved.

BT is going to invest £1.5bn in fibre optic cables to give around 10 million households access to faster broadband. Under the plans 40% of homes would be able to receive a faster service by 2012. They are also planning on putting fibre optic cables into 1 million homes giving those customers an even faster service. Remaining customers would be offered broadband speeds of between 40 and 60 megabits a second.

I was thinking of getting a new car, perhaps something that has a lower fuel consumption to try and cut down on the fuel bills. Before I consider the car itself I thought I would check out an auto loan. Looking around I came across this website called up2drive that specialise in auto loans and say they can lower my payment. They finance all makes and models and have no hidden cost or application fees. You simply complete their secure online credit application and submit it online. The website also has a handy payment estimator so you can input the loan type and amount that you require and get an idea of what the rate will be before you even apply.

Laws banning hidden costs on air fares are likely to be in force by the end of the year. The move would mean that airlines would have to include all airport taxes, fees and charges in the basic ticket price they offer to customers. The laws would mean that all costs must be clearly set out making it very clear the final total that the customer will pay. The new laws are currently waiting the final approval from Euro MEPs.

Boris Johnson has quashed the proposed rise in the London congestion charge. The former mayor Ken Livingston has planned to raise the daily charge from £8 to £25. Boris Johnson has said that the £25 charge would hit small businesses and families the hardest and this is why he is scrapping the rise. He also said that his aim is to achieve a "fairer and more effective congestion charge".

If you are looking for a new pair of prescription glasses you might want to check out zennioptical.com. They have a wide range of frames includes tinted sunglasses, bifocal and progressive frames and even goggles. Personally I quite liked their range of rimless frames. Most of their frames come in a choice of colours and once you have selected one you can also select the lens size and shape, add an anti reflection coating, choose whether you want a lens tint and also add a clip on sunshade. You also need to enter your prescription. They currently ship within the US at a cost of $4.95 per order and most orders are received within two weeks of ordering. 

The AA has scored rather badly in a survey of roadside breakdown firms coming just seventh out of eleven. The poll included 32,000 drivers and rated breakdown firms on value for money, friendliness, helpfulness and overall service. GEM Motoring Assist came out top with Churchill coming bottom. In response the AA has said that 95% of people would recommend the service to family and friends. Personally when I have used the AA I have also found the service to be very good.

The full list, in order of overall rating, was:

1. GEM Motoring Assist;
2. Autonational Rescue;
3. RAC;
4. National Breakdown;
5. More Than;
6. Green Flag;
7. The AA;
8. Norwich Union;
9. Tesco;
10. Direct Line;
11. Churchill

I found this website the other day that sells a range of personalised jewellery. One thing that they have which is slightly unusual is a section devoted to medical ID jewellery. The nice thing about this site is that you can pick a medical id bracelet and then customise it. You start off by selecting the bracelet type from a traditional design or a charm bracelet. You can then select what sort of chain you would like to have on your bracelet and you can even select which clasp you would like. You can also choose the length of the bracelet and can add an alert charm. The next stage of the process allows you to choose what you want engraved onto to your bracelet. Once you have entered the text to be engraved you can run it through the spell check and preview it before checking out. Despite the fact that all the items are made to order you can still get them fairly quickly, the standard service takes approx 3 weeks or the rush service costs £5 extra and items are made with 3-5 days. Shipping to the UK costs an additional £4.00 by Royal Mail first class or just £8 on the DHL express option.

Carphone Warehouse will offer a free laptop with broadband. Customers will be able to choose from six different models of laptop when they buy a broadband package from one of seven providers. Customers will be able pay more if they want a higher spec laptop. The offer is currently available at 100 of their stores but will be rolled out across all 800 stores this summer.

I read this article the other day that suggests its worth shopping around for your car insurance. Apparently lots of people fall into the trap of staying with the same insurer rather than looking for a better rate. The problem is that often the insurance company will only offer its best rate to new customers so people, who stick with the same insurer year after year, tend to lose out and often end up paying more. The only problem I have is finding the time to look around for a better deal. Comparison websites such as www.autoinsurance-4u.com can save quite a lot of time. You just have to enter your zip code and the website brings up a whole list of cheap auto insurance companies in your area. Then you just fill in the online form to complete your quote.

HSBC are latest company to admit to losing customers’ personal data. The information was on a disk that was password protected but was not encrypted. The disk contained the personal details of 370,000 customers including names, dates of birth, policy numbers and details about their insurance cover. The disk was lost after being sent by courier to the groups Southampton office.

BT has been named as the worst landline provider in a customer satisfaction poll. In a survey of 11,000 customers BT got the lowest score for all but two categories for home phones. uSwitch.com claims that around three million of BT’s 10 million landline customers are dissatisfied. Other surveys have found that BT offer poor value fro money and fail to sort out problems. Citizens Advice also found that 89% of all landline complaints are about BT.

Just five months after putting 200 lines of clothing on its Tesco Direct website the group has abandoned the service. Tesco say that they only intended to sell clothing online for a trial period but will not say whether the service will resume.

If you want to improve your time management skills then you might want to have a look at timethoughts.com. They have a lot of useful information on personal goal setting including 15 useful time management tips to help you manage your time better. They include advice such as writing things down on a to do list and prioritising your list so that you can spend your time on the things that are most important. There is also a useful section on setting your career goals. There is plenty of useful information on the website but if you feel you need more help they also offer a free start up kit which includes a video and workbook.

I have been aware of payday loans for some time but until now I thought they were only available in the United States. It appears that there are now companies such as Payday UK offering the service within the UK. For those that haven’t heard of the term a payday loan is basically a short term loan that is designed to help you though the month until you get paid, hence the name. The idea is that you can get immediate access to cash and the amount is fully repayable on your next pay day.

To get a payday loan all you need to do is fill in an online application form detailing your income, how long you have been with your company and how often you are paid and within a few minutes you will know whether or not your application has been approved. Then you just enter your bank details and you should receive your money within 48 hours. You can borrow anything from £80 up to £750 for a small charge, just £25 based on a £100 loan. On the agreed pay day your bank account is then debited for the balance of the loan. If you do need to defer the loan then you can also do this but you need to repay the charges on the original loan.

Scottish and Southern Energy will raise its domestic energy prices by an average of 14.2% for electricity and 15.8% for gas. The company is the last of the big energy suppliers to announce a price increase, following announcements by Npower, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, British Gas and E.On. They blame the increases on the rise in wholesale energy prices. The increases mean an average electricity bill will rise by £50 whilst a gas bill will increase by around £85.

The Sat Nav trolley could soon be coming to Britain. The device will help shoppers by guiding them around the store to the items they want to buy. It will also suggest recipe ideas based on the food that you put into them. The trolley is made by Media Cart in conjunction with Microsoft and could be in UK supermarkets by 2009. It will also be able to download your shopping list and plot the quickest route around the store, depending on what you want to purchase. The trolleys are fitted with a location device so they know where in the store, they can they work out what the best route is from the current location to the product the customer requires. It seems like an interesting idea, I wonder how well they work in practice.

If you play a lot of golf you might want to consider getting some golf insurance especially as there are around 12,400 golf related injuries every year. Golf Care offers a package that covers you against damage to property, personal injury and personal liability. It also covers you against the theft, loss or damage of you equipment. The prices start from only £29.99 a year for their bronze package which includes cover for equipment of up to £1,250 and personal accident cover of up to £50,000 as well as cover for third party equipment and dental treatment.

Household water bills are set to increase by 5.8% on average across England and Wales. The regulator Ofwat said that the increases will mean the average combined bill will be about £330 a year, a rise of about £18. However, in some areas of the country the combined bill rise is as much as 8% although the increase is actually lower than last years average price increase of 7%. Customers of South West Water will see the smallest rises of 3.7% on their annual water bill meaning and increase of £18. Southern Water customers will see an increase of £26, whilst Wessex Water customers face an increase of £29.

PC2Paper have just launched their virtual printer. The product has launched initially at a beta version but if early indications are anything to go by, it should make sending a letter from your computer much easier. Previously you had to log in and go through the process of uploading your letter or writing it online. The virtual printer, however, acts just like a desktop printer. Once you have installed it you simply select the PC2Paper printer option from your list of printers, add the address you want the letter to go to and choose your print options from the different types of paper and formats available. Then just enter your user name and password and the letter is automatically transferred to PC2Paper who take care of the printing and posting for you. What a great idea.

Weather balloons could be used to provide mobile phone and broadband services to rural Britain. An American company called Space Data has already used small phone masts attached to balloons to provide wireless internet access to remote areas. The group has supplied military and commercial clients for four years but is now preparing to link with broadband companies to offer services to residential customers. Space Data has patented the service in 41 countries and is now considering the US as a potential market. The service uses a small transceiver attached to a balloon which then rises to an altitude of 30,500m after it has been released. The company says that one balloon can beam a signal to an area equivalent to 80 mobile phone towers. The service does have one drawback, the balloons only last for 24 hours before bursting which means a constant supply has to be released to maintain the connection and the radio equipment on the burst balloon has to be retrieved by a team using location devices.

Vodafone and Orange have announced a plan to share mast sites. The deal will see the two companies working together to ensure better coverage for their customers. Sites across the UK will host both Orange and Vodafone equipment. Both 2G and 3G coverage will be involved in the scheme which is likely to mean that the total site numbers are cut by about 15% meaning 3,000 fewer masts. The move is not a merger and both companies will continue to compete with each other.

T-Mobile and Orange are to launch a new service that will give customers a live TV service on their mobile phone. They aim to start a trial service in west London in the summer. They plan to broadcast 24 TV channels and 10 digital radio stations although have not yet said what sort of tariff customers would pay for the service. The service will offer both conventional TV channels and some premium channels.

The energy provider E-On has put up its gas prices. The German owned company has said that from tomorrow gas prices will go up by 15% and electricity will go up by 9.7%. The announcement follows price rises from other energy providers including British Gas, Scottish Power, Npower and EDF. The rise means that a customers annual fuel bill will go up from £931 to £1031.

A new high speed train has been launched in France. The train which is called the AGV will replace the TGV. The new trains will travel at a top speed of 224mph compared to 186mph, the top speed of the TGV. This would mean that the journey on Eurostar from London to Paris would now take only 1h42 minutes compared to the current 2h15 minute journey. Eurostar whilst interested in the new train have no plans to replace its current fleet of trains for the next ten years, so those who are looking forward to getting to France in less than two hours will have a to wait quite some time.

A new website has been launched to help people claim back money from forgotten bank accounts. The website www.mylostaccount.org.uk will allow users to cash in 52 building societies, 42 banks and National Savings accounts. If you think you might have a bank account you have forgotten about all you need to do is complete an online forms giving details such as any previous addresses. The form is then passed onto the bank or building society. Sadly I don’t think I have any forgotten money hiding anywhere.

BT has announced that it will give all of its customers free weekend calls. Its not all good news for customers though as they plan to raise charges elsewhere. Line rental will go up by £9 a year whilst daytime calls will be 23% more expensive. Customers will pay 4p a minute rather than the current 3.25p per minute. BT have also scrapped its evening price cap meaning an hour long weekday call will cost 90p rather than the previous 4.5p. The changes are likely to mean a huge increase in BT’s income.

There seems to be a debate going on at the moment between doctors and ministers regarding whether GP’s should extend opening hours. The government is pushing for longer hours because it says it will meet patient demand. Doctors, however, say that longer hours could affect patient care during the day. I think most people would agree that doctor’s surgery should be open at least one evening a week or perhaps a Saturday morning. There is nothing more frustrating than to arrange to take time off from work to see a doctor especially if the appointment is for something routine like a check up. Often the time taken amounts to half a day by the time you have travelled to and from the doctor’s surgery and this is usually time that your boss at work will require you to make up elsewhere.

I read this article that suggests millions of BT customers could reclaim charges imposed on them because they do not pay via direct debit. The charges were brought in last year and mean that customers who not pay by direct debit are subject to a £4.50 quarterly fee. However because many of these customers were with BT before it implemented the charges they may be able to reclaim them. The Office of Fair Trading believes customers who were with the company before it brought in the charges have a strong case to argue against paying them.

EDF have announced a 12.9% price rise for gas and a 7.9% increase in electricity prices. They are the second firm to announce they will raise prices, following npower’s announcement that will raise prices by up to 27%. EDF blame the increasing wholesale and distribution costs for the rise which it says will add about £1.92 each week to the average fuel bill. Other energy providers are not expected to follow suit with similar announcements.

It can be difficult to know who to turn to if you need a loan but have credit. That’s where websites likes BadCreditOffers.com can help. They specialise in offering bad credit loans from many of the major loans providers. Their website offers a free resource for consumers who have a poor credit rating. It allows you to compare different loans from several different providers so that you easily work out which is the best loan for you. They also cover a range of different types of loan from home and auto loans to loans that can help you repair your credit rating. The website also allows you to apply online for a no obligation assessment.

NHS dental fees rose last year although the number of patients dropped. The amount paid by patients rose by £60 million last year, which is up 15% on the previous year. Figures show that patients paid £16.91 each in NHS dental charges in 2006/2007 compares to £14.58 the year before. This article suggests that people now have less access to NHS dentistry, that there are fewer resources and higher charges.

There is always a lot in the news about celebrities battling with drug addition. The most recent story involves Brittany Spears who was released from hospital today after being admitted two days ago allegedly for being under the influence of an unknown substance. Whilst incidents like this are widely publicised I often wonder where ordinary people go to get help when they have a drug addition problem. I was looking at this website for a drug addition treatment center that provides drug free rehab.

They are called DrugRehab.net and are one of the oldest drug rehab companies in the United States. Their rehabilitation program involves a four stage process starting with a complete sauna based detox program to cleanse the body of drug residuals so that the person no longer experiences the adverse effects of the drugs they have taken. The second phase includes a course of therapies which are designed to help the addict learn self control and focus on real life goals. Stage three addresses issues of self esteem and aims to cure the need for drugs. The final stage then works on helping the former addict back into society and helping them to lead a drug free life. Their results certainly look impressive with 76% of  their graduates going on to remain drug free and becoming productive members of society.

As someone who has both a BA and an MA I am familiar with the stress involved in getting a last minute essay completed. One service that I came across recently allows you to buy essays that are basically custom papers written for you. Their essays help service cover anything from term papers, research papers, coursework and dissertations. They can even match your own writing style by looking at your past work. It’s a very interesting idea, although personally I like the sense of achievement I get when I finish a piece of work, so its not really for me.

I have been trying to get all my Christmas shopping done early this year so I don’t have a last minute rush. So far I have done most of it online which saves quite a bit of time. One website that I came across that has a really good range of gift ideas is Optics Planet. They sell cameras, binoculars, Ray Ban sunglasses, microscopes and MP3 player, just to name a few items. They have a useful gift guide where you can filter by price, category and occasion which is great if you want some ideas. They also offer free shipping within the US on an order of more than $29.95.

I came across this website the other day that sells fine jewellery. They have an extensive range from diamond engagement rings and wedding rings to coloured stones jewellery and loose diamonds. One feature I really liked on the website is the ability to design your own ring. You can choose the setting and the shape of the stone and what type of gold you require before selecting your ring size and purchasing the item. The nice thing about this feature is that the picture on the website updates as you change the options so you can see exactly how the finished ring will look. The earring section of the website has another nice feature where you not only have a good clear picture of the earring but also a 3D view of the earring when you click on it. Many websites are let down by small or unclear pictures of items but here you can see every detail of the item before purchasing.

I buy and sell items on ebay on a regular basis and so far have not had any major problems, other than a few items being lost in the post, which have always been promptly replaced. I do however; tend to assume that most ebay users are honest. This article made me rethink that. Sheryl Johnson sold items on ebay that she did not actually own and managed to make £800 from the exercise. Police traced her because she had given her victims her name and address so they could send her cheques. She admitted to two counts of fraud and has been given a twelve month supervision order.

With Christmas coming up and finances getting a little tight I have been looking around at Loans. I found this website that offers a good loan comparison service. They have various types of loans including unsecured loans and homeowner loans. Their best buy table shows you the top loans that are available now. They show the amount that you can borrow, the typical Apr and also give you more detailed information. The most useful thing about this website is being able to compare the important things like the loan amount and the Apr across a range of products and companies.

I was looking around at garage flooring and found this website called cayguygarage.com that has a range of floor tiles and other flooring solutions. They have a good range of grated garage flooring that is perfect for workshops and garages. It is slip resistant when wet and not affected by hot tyres. It also comes with a 12 year warranty and free delivery within the US.

It has emerged that some phone companies are charging customers as much as £195 reconnect their phone when they move house. Previously phone companies could charge people to connect their phone when they moved to a newly built property. Now many customers can sign up for a land line service from a firm who rents the line from BT. The problem with this is that when customers want to switch companies when they move house they are charged £125 to make the switch at the local exchange. Some so called exit fees work out as much as £195.

This is an interesting concept but so simple it make me wonder why all pizza places don’t already do it. Papa John’s restaurants in the US have started taking pizza orders by text. You first have to register online to create an account; you can then set up several favourite orders that you can text in, anytime you are feeling a bit peckish. I wonder whether this will take off in the UK.

A new fleet of hydrogen powered buses has recently been purchased for the London transport network. The fleet will include 10 buses in a deal worth around £10m. They will come into service in 2010. The buses produce no pollution or carbon dioxide and are clean and efficient. The mayor hopes that by 2015 around 5% of all public sector fleet vehicles will be hydrogen powered.

I found this website that sells a range of paintball packages. The packages include everything you need for a game of paintball including a paintball gun, spare parts kit, battery and charger, heavy duty pods and a mask with no fog lens, just to name a few of the items in the basic pack. For the more advanced paintball players they also stock an impressive range of paint ball guns and upgrades for your existing gun. They also have a range of heavy duty clothing, gloves and elbow and knee pads as well as a range of paintball tubes at very reasonable prices.

I was looking around at web hosting and found this company that specialise in small business web hosting. Their plans include hosting, email, virus protection, DNS manager, a blog and a wiki. Their basis plan starts at $13.50 a month and includes 2,000 MB of disk space, 40 GB of traffic, 80 email addresses, 10 domain aliases and $35 of Google Adwords credit. If you require more disk  space you can get 5,000 MB for $37.25 a month or 10,000 for $67.95 a month. These more expensive plans also offer more email address and domain aliases and increased amounts of Adwords credit.

I have always been a bit cautious about taking out loans mainly because I worry about whether I am going to be able to pay money back. Despite that it does seem there are times when taking out a loan or putting something on the credit card is the only option. I found this website that allows you to compare loans online. It looks at various different types of loans including personal loans and secured loans. It has over 500 loans to choose from including loans for those with bad credit and should help you find the best deal to suit your finances.

If you are looking to arrange a mortgage you might want to have a look at Irish Mortgage Brokers. They are a Mortgage Broker that claims to focus on their customers best interests. All of their mortgage brokers hold either a Mortgage Diploma, a Law Degree of a Qualified Financial Advisor Diploma. They cover a range of different mortgage products so whether you are an investor or a first time buyer they should be able to find the mortgage that is best for you.

BT has claimed its place as the UK broadband market leader. It has added double the amount of new customers that its nearest rival the Carphone Warehouse has in the last three months. BT now has over 4 million broadband customers compared to the Carphone Warhouse which now has around 2.5 million.

If you need an Auto Loan you might want to check out autoloansmania.com. They are a US based company and they offer loans for both new and used vehicles. They can offer you a loan no matter what your financial circumstances are and also welcome customers with bad credit. They have bad credit loan specialists who can help you find the right auto loan for you and also guide you in how to restore your credit card rating. You can fill in a form online which is sent to one of their loan experts who will help you find the loan you need. 

If you want some tips on how to improve your golf you might want to check out twominutegolfpro.com. The website has some really tips on how to improve your golf club grip. It helps you to look at your current golf grip and shows you what you can do to improve it. It also looks at the alignment of your feet, shoulders and hip and shows you how it can affect your swing and the flight of the ball. To try it out for yourself you need to sign up as a member and then you can through the personal golf swing analysis and see whether it works for you.

I have read a lot of articles recently about Payday Loans but to date in appeared to something of a US trend. I came across this UK payday loan website the other day, the first one I have found so far. They offer payday loans from £80 to £750 depending on your circumstances. All you need to do to get a loan is to fill out the form online to get approved for your loan. You must be over 18 and in employment to qualify. If you are approved you can often receive your money within 24 hours of filling in the application form.

It was my Dads birthday a few days ago and as I wasn’t able to see him on the day I sent him a gift. I used this website called realbeerbox.com. They carry a range of beers and real ales from some of the smaller, lesser known breweries. My Dad is always keen to try new ales so I ordered a case of mixed bottles. It’s the second time I have used them and I have been impressed both times. They delivered when they said they would and according to my Dad the bottles were wrapped securely in a large box. He seemed very impressed. I will definitely be using them again.

If you are having trouble being approved for a credit card you might want to check out this website. They have a section that specialises in credit card for people with bad credit who are finding it difficult being approved for a regular card. The website is for US residents and has a credit card application online. The featured cards provide the best chance of being approved if you have a low credit score, limited credit history or even if you are looking to get you credit back on track. Although it takes seven years to remove bad credit marks from your credit history these cards can help you make a start.

The Post Office is due to launch a broadband service. The service is aimed mainly at first time users and will be targeted at home phone customers. The service will be launched with a £10m advertising campaign featuring Westlife. The Post Office currently has around 400,000 home phone customers and makes around 10% of its earnings from this side of the business. It will be interesting to see whether this takes off.

If you need a loan you might want to have a look at Magic Loans. They offer Home Loans, consolidation loans and secured loans. You can use the form on the website to see how much you monthly repayments are likely to be on the loan you need. If you are not sure what sort of loan is best for you they you can request a call back and one of their advisors will help you. They will take into account your personal circumstances to find a loan that suits your requirements. You can also used the loan budget calculator on the website to calculate how much you can afford to pay each month.

Virgin Media are testing a new fast broadband connection that could be twice as fast as BT. Customers in Folkestone, Ashford and Dover are taking part in a pilot scheme that provides a connection at 50 megabits per second. Virgin Media are able to use their cable network to handle more information than traditional phone lines, therefore providing a much faster connection.

If you are looking around for van insurance you might want to check out Autonet Insurance Services. They offer van insurance for commercial use meaning you are insured to drive in any EU country up to a 3.5 tonne van. The Autonet Insurance Group has a reputation as a low cost, high quality insurance provider so should be able to give a Cheap Van Insurance quote. The company has formed relationships with many of the UK’s leading insurers so they can offer you the best possible rate. If you do manage to find a cheaper quote elsewhere for the same level of cover they also offer a full money back guarantee.

I was reading this interesting article about UK cosmetic surgery companies and how ethical they are. In the article a slim 27 year woman went to three London based companies for a consultation about Liposuction Surgery. The interesting thing about her case is that she probably didn’t need the surgery at all as at 5ft 9 and only 9 stone 5lb she was around her ideal weight. Two of the companies were prepared to do the surgery with only one recommending exercise rather than surgery. The article certainly makes an interesting read, and if you are considering cosmetic surgery you might want to go with Make Yourself Amazing, the company that advised against the surgery in this case.

If you are looking around for an unusual gift you might want to have a look at this site that sells Funny Vanity Plates. They have a large range of plates to suit almost anyone. You can choose a design from some of their more popular plates and customise it with your own text or alternatively you can use the novelty and picture builder to create your own design. You can also add badges, slogans, surrounds and backgrounds to the plate.

If you want to customise your own plate then you can do that do. You can choose which background you want from a number of popular designs including popular football clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur and less popular football clubs like West Ham, or if you prefer you can simply leave the background blank. You can also customise the font by selecting a typeface, colour and size and entering your own text. If after you have customised the plate you can’t get it quite how you want it then you can also upload an image of your design with your order and describe which parts of your design you want to appear on the plate. They guarantee to dispatch your order within 1 working day and delivery is either next working day by courier or Royal Mail Recorded Delivery.

Tesco has had to suspend its property sales after the Office of Fair Trading ruled it was acting as an estate agent and would need to abide by the relevant laws. The site was launched in July and offered customers the chance to sell their home for £199. They have offered a full refund to all their customers and are now considering launching a full online estate agency in the future.

McDonald’s are going to introduce high speed wireless internet access to most of its 1,200 UK restaurants by the end of the year. Customers will be able to use their laptops, mobile phones or games consoles within the fast food outlets. There are likely to be no restrictions on how long you can use the service for.

If you like horse racing you might want to check out www.dailynaps.co.uk. The website offers free horse racing tips. They gather together all of the best tips from the top racing tipsters around the UK and put them all in one place, so it’s easier for you to work out which horse to back. The tips come from tipsters based at the leading newspapers such as The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph so they should take some of the guesswork out of placing your bet.

If you are looking to further your career in finance, you want to take a look at www.accountancyjobsabroad.com They specialise in placing candidates in lucrative tax free locations such as Bermuda, Dubai and the Cayman Islands. The business is run by two qualified accountants who have extensive contacts in the industry and in particular in dealing with offshore locations. So whether you are newly qualified and looking to gain further experience or have many of years and simply want to relocate, they are sure to be able to help.

I have heard a lot about cash advance websites recently but not really being sure what that was, thought I would check it out. It seems that it’s basically a short term unsecured loan. They are often called payday loans due to the fact that you are most likely to take them out when it is nearing payday and you are a bit short of cash.

You can apply for a loan through the internet and can borrow anything from $100-$1500 (it appears most of these types of loans are currently US based). Often the loan will be approved straight away and needs no credit check and the money is sent to your account overnight. It seems like an interesting alternative and I can see how it might be useful if you have an unexpected expense come up. It seems to me that if you pay the loan off quickly it could work out quite well, but I think the catch is if you fail to pay the loan off after the agreed time. I could be wrong here but from my reading it looks as though the fees are doubled if you need to roll the loan over until the next payday. Still, its quite an interesting concept.

Following the launch of the Barclaycard OnePulse card, other banks are also going to offer tap and go payment cards. The cards allow you pay for cheap items with a tap of a card rather than having to look for loose change. Halifax and Barclays are expected to launch tap and go debit cards next month, followed closely by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

PayPerPost are hosting an event called PostieCon on the 10th of November. It is basically a one of a kind blog conference in Las Vegas Nevada at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It has targeted sessions aimed at helping bloggers to market themselves, as well as how best to use the PayPerPost website to their advantage. The conference will have a host of experienced bloggers who are willing to share their knowledge with you. Topics will includes things issues such as how to build traffic, how to monetise your blog and how to build up readership.

Among the bloggers attending are Shirley Frazier who will talk about building your niche blog; David Ponce who will discuss turning visits into cash; Sherry Heyl who will talk about why you should live your life online and Paul Lewis who will do a session on connecting with advertisers. All of these talks sound like really useful stuff that should help anyone who has a blog make a success of it. The session I think would be of most interest to me is one by Jim Kukral on the secrets to long-term blog success. Registration for PostieCon is free but places are limited so if you want to go, you need to register your place soon. If you are one of the first 100 people to register you can also get into BlogWorld for free.

Unfortunately for me being in the United Kingdom it is a little far to go for the event. I wonder whether PayPerPost might make the main points of the conference sessions available online for people such as myself that are too far away to attend. It would be also be interesting to see if PayPerPost might think about arranging some United Kingdom or European PostieCon events for their international base of bloggers.

If you are trying to eat healthier food but feel you need a bit of help you might want to try mysupermarket.co.uk In addition to their price comparison service they have now launched a service that allows you see nutritional information about your shop including the calories and fat and salt content. It then asks you if you want to switch any of the foods that are high in calories for a lower calorie alternative. They claim that using the service could knock around 4,000 calories off a families consumption.

A new payment card has been launched that combines an Oyster travel card with a payment card. It is called the Barclaycard OnePulse and can be used to pay for items that cost less than £10 without the need to input a pin number. It can also be used for purchases over £10 but these transactions will require a number or a signature to be authorised.

Pingo is a company that offers a virtual calling card with really low rates. They have a number of different plans including Pingo Mobile which is designed to save you money on calling international cell phones. They also offer a Pingo Business plan which allows you to buy a long distance service directly from iBasis, one of the largest carriers of international phone calls.

You can currently use Pingo in 35 countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. When you sign up you receive $5 worth of free calls. They currently have a special phone card discount coupon if you quote the code ppp3. This entitles you $3 off at Pingo. They offer come of the best competitive rates worldwide including a cheap calling card to India. Their international calling cards have a small monthly fee of 98 cents a month but no additional fees. Their service also includes Pingo RateWatcher which means they are always looking for ways to reduce their costs and pass these savings onto their customers. In additional if you can receive a $5 bonus for every friend you refer to Pingo, and if you refer three friends they will give you an added $5 bonus, so you get $20 worth of calling time.

Score Learning centres offer a resource for parents whose children are behind at school and who are looking for a way to catch up. They cover a wide range of subject areas including maths, reading, spelling and writing and have an Innovative Tutor that can help you with all of these subjects. They offer a variety of programs from personal academic tutoring to summer and fall programs, so whether you require short term tutoring or an intensive course they are sure to have just what you need. They currently have a 10% discount on all fall programs, so now is a good time to sign up.

It’s always good to get a recommendation when looking for a restaurant or an evening out. I was looking for a good london restaurant the other day and cam across this site called TrustedPlaces. There users share their opinions on places they have been to and let you know what they thought of them. You can search by area or even by the sort of restaurant you require and see reviews from real people before you go, which is really useful.

Nokia are to launch a new handset which they hope will rival the iPhone. The N81 will allow people to download music directly onto their phones. In addition Nokia have also launched a new web music service which should make it easier for its customers to use their Nokia handsets as music players.

If you are planning your wedding you might want to visit Visit Wedding Bitz r Us Ltd. They have a wide range of products including napkins, confetti, cake serving sets, toasting sets, guest books and party favours. The website makes is easy to choose matching products, for example when you click on a guest book, you also see recommended co-ordinating items. The prices are quite reasonable and they also offer venue decorations, so you can buy everything in one place. The site is based in the UK, so all orders are sent via recorded delivery and they have a 14 day money back guarantee.

I found this really interesting website that supplies 3D artwork and floorplans. The website www.locationmaps.com has specialised in online digital mapping and map printing services since 1989. Initially they supplied quality maps for organisations throughout the UK and digital mapping to a global market but they have now also moved into providing 3D maps. Their 3D maps go one step further than a normal printed map. They are hand drawn to give an artists impression of your premises so are great for promoting a business.

To produce a 3D map they start by conducting a full photographic survey of your premises. They take hundreds of photographs of the establishment. From this they agree create some rough drawings based on the photographs. They then agree a rough perspective with you. The next step is producing a proof of the map for your approval so you can see what the final product will look like. The final illustration is then created by working both from the rough designs and the photographs to help ensure the colour is applied correctly and that all the detail is correct. The finished article is something like you see below, in the example of a map created for Worth School.

The Royal Bank of Scotland has launched a touch and go payment card. The card can be used for purchases of up to £10 and is designed for customer making small purchases. The card is swiped over a reader for purchased of £10 or less cutting down on the need to carry change. Currently it can only be used in a few outlets but more are planned soon.

I was looking around at cosmetic dentist services, mainly because my teeth are discoloured due to fluoride damage.  Unfortunately when I was growing up, my dentist suggested I had fluoride supplements as well as fluoride toothpaste and this combination as well as drinking water with fluoride in it, has left me with permanently yellow tinged teeth which I hate. One website that I came across was a San Diego cosmetic dentist and although it’s a little far for me travel to have the work done, it made me think that perhaps I should get a similar treatment done closer to home.

I came across this website called webbyplanet.co.uk. It’s basically an online community that is designed to help shoppers save money. The website has product reviews which are updated by the staff and other members of the forum. It also has a voucher search so that you can download internet vouchers for stores that you already use. I have seen a lot of similar websites out there that are aimed at US users but it is really nice to see someone has come up with one for people in the UK. Among some the retailers they currently have vouchers for are the Body Shop, Woolworths, Currys, Comet and Flying Flowers. I will certainly be visiting this site in the future to try and save myself a bit of money.

UVme is a new social networking site which is due to be launched in September. Once you have registered on the site you will be able to play the skill games for money. The winner can choose to keep the money or use it to play other people. You will also be able to make money by promoting the skill games site. For every member you introduce you will be paid a commission. The site will also run games tournaments where each player will pay a small fee, going into the prize fund, which the winner then takes. Registration is free, up until launch day.

TCA is a company that specialises in computer cables, network cabling and power cords. They have USB cables, Firewire cables, DVI and HDMI cables and also have a range of peripherals including keyboards, mice and graphics tablets. All items are shipped the same day by UPS as long as you order before Noon, otherwise they are shipped the next business day.

If you already have a blog and want to start getting paid to blog, then you might want to have a look at Smorty. They are a service that connects advertisers and bloggers. Basically an advertiser can sign up and advertise on blogs by paying bloggers to write a review of their site or a particular products. The advertiser will specify relevant keywords and request a link to their website.

As a blogger you can sign up and submit your blog for approval. There is no limit to the number of blogs you can add, the only specification is that they are at least 30 days old. Once you have added a blog and it has been approved you can start blogging for money. Simply log in to your Smorty account to see what opportunities are available. All you need to do then is to choose which opportunities interest you and write at least 150 words on the subject. Once the post has been approved Smorty pay you by Paypal after seven days.

Nokia may have to replace around 46 million batteries in their phones due to reports of them overheating. The problem affects BL-5C batteries made by Matsushita between December 2005 and November 2006. Batteries made by other manufacturers are not affected. The problem is caused by a short circuit in the battery which causes it to overheat.

If you dabble in the stock market you might want to have a look at Wizetrade. They have an interesting blog that has some useful tips on the stock market and securities. The blog covers issues you might come across such as creating a trading plan. Much of the blog is focused towards helping you get the most out of their Wizetrade stock trading software. Looking at the blog the software seems like a really useful tool. The programme allows you to conduct stock market analysis and chart potential entry and exit signals on any stock symbol. They also provide a Wizetrade Trading Workshop in a city near you, so you can find out how to get the most out of their software.

PC2Paper, the website that allows you send real letters from the internet has just been named one of the top 100 travel websites on The Times website. The website was highlighted in the travel essentials category.

PC2Paper allows you to send real letters from the internet to anywhere in the world. They have recently added a new feature to the website that allows you to upload your contacts as a spreadsheet file. They also have a useful mailbox service where they give you a postal address to send your mail to and any letters received are scanned and made available for you to read online. A great service to use whilst travelling.

Pilgrim Shoe and Sewing Machine Co., Inc manufacture and distribute high quality parts and supplies to the shoe industry. They have been in the business for over 50 years and have built up a trusted reputation. They offer shoe repair machines and parts, buffing machines, polishing machines, stitching oil and brushes. A small range of their products is on the website but because they stock so many products they can only show a limited amount. You can request a catalogue to see the full range. They ship both within the US and internationally and offer a 30 day money back on all their products, so if for any reason you are unhappy with a product you can return it.

I came across this website called Spokeo. It’s basically a new social networking site that allows its users to keep up to date with their friend's blogs, photos, videos and music. The website checks up on your friends so you can see which of your friends have added new videos to their favourites on Youtube, posted new blog entries or uploaded new photos to MySpace all in one place. You can also use Spokeo as an RSS feeder by importing all your friends and feeds into one place so you can stay right up to date on all the latest news.

 

If you are looking to buy North Cyprus Property, you might want to try Wellington Estate Ltd. They only build on land that they own outright meaning you can buy with complete confidence. You can also meet with them in the UK so you can examine all the paperwork at home. If you want to move quickly they have properties that are already completed, so you can move in straight away. They also offer a white goods package where they will furnish your home for you.

The recent floods here in the UK are likely to push up the cost of insuring your home. Insurance companies are currently facing a bill of around £2.5 billion. This means that they will need to offset the cost of the flood claims against a general rise in household insurance. The average premium is £200 for buildings and £150 for contents. This has remained unchanged for the last ten years but it now likely to go up considerably.

Now this is an interesting idea, a sock vending machine. I’m not quite sure why you would use it; personally I have never forgotten to leave the house without first putting on a pair of socks. Still, it quite cool and stripy too.

There is a growing trend towards western men looking to meet women from abroad. Chance for Love is a website devoted to Russian brides. They offer a professional service with a dedicated customer service team to assist you. Their service was recently featured in a BBC documentary about Russian dating. Their service allows you to browse the ladies on the website once you have signed up. You then pay a fee depending on how many address packs you wish to receive. Prices start at 15 Euros for one address up to 125 Euros for 15 addresses. You can then send letters through the website forwarding service or if you prefer you can send an SMS or arrange a phone conference with an interpreter.

One thing that is useful about this website is that they also have a service that allows you to find Russian dating scammers. This part of the site shows details about Russian dating scammers and lists many agencies that have been blacklisted. It also gives you tips on how to make sure you are not the victim of a dating scam. Things to watch out for include if you asked to send money or if the picture looks too good to be true.

If you are interested in making new friends online you might want to chat at WireClub.com. They offer a free online chat room, so you can chat with existing friends or meet new people online. You can join an existing chat room or if you prefer you can create your own. You can message other people directly and chat with instant messages. WireClub has users from all over the world including the US, UK, Australia, Egypt and South Africa, just to name a few.

The website does a bit more than most other chat rooms in that it also allows you to create a free blog that you can share with your friends. If you are looking for friends in a particular country you can narrow the search options or alternatively if you like to chat to people on the other side of the world, you can do that too. You can also search for users who have similar interests. Some of the most popular interests listed are currently football, basketball, music and reading. You can join a club based on what interests you and upload pictures and post news and events. The site is free to join, so to get started all you need to do is create an account and then you can start chatting.

Starting a business can be stressful and confusing, that’s why it’s often best to get some advice from an expert. IncParadise.com is a Texas business that specialises in doing just that. Their website is a useful source of information for anyone who is thinking of setting up a business in the US. It has a useful article explaining the difference between a Corporation (INC) and a Limited Liability Company (LLC). The information is designed to help you to figure out which is the best solution for your business. Their small business blog also contains a wealth of information related to setting up your small business. If you can’t find the answer to your question, you can always just drop them an email.

Once you have decided what sort of business you want to set up, IncParadise can help you by checking the name availability, preparing the state approved Articles of incorporation, filing Articles with state and pretty much everything else you need to get your business up and running. They offer incorporation in over 50 states including Tennessee Incorporation. They can also provide you with corporate kits to help get you organised. Once you have set your business up they can also help guide you through the taxation process, helping you with your annual tax returns.

If your child is struggling with their reading, you might want to give Score Educational Centers a try. They have 15 years experience in providing children with a fun way of keeping up with their studies. They have various programs including a customized curriculum that adapts to your child’s specific needs. You can also take advantage of one of their reading tutors to help your child realise their full potential.

I found this interesting article on The Independents website. A new mobile phone company called Blyk is going to offer free voice and text services to customers who sign up to receive adverts on their phones. I can see how this service may appeal to people wanting to cut their monthly phone bill. Personally I rarely use my mobile phone and have it on a “pay as you go” contract so for me large bills are not a problem. I have noticed that recently I am receiving frequent text messages advertising services that are of no interest to me. There is nothing more irritating than reading through your texts thinking they might be important and finding they are what I have started to refer to as phone spam. I get enough spam through email without starting to get it on my phone.