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C&C Group CEO Niraz Buhari and Graham Proud of Lighthouse Describes Relevance of Insuretech and Hyper Personalisation

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Due to ongoing technological advancements, there is now a new level of personalization that has been given the name “hyper-personalization.” This level of personalization is especially helpful as customers spend more time online. A recent survey found that the average amount of time spent by an individual has doubled over the past few years, and this trend is not going away any time soon. Because more people are spending time online and using apps, there will be an increased demand for online information that is of a higher quality and more pertinent than ever before. This trend will be particularly noticeable in the fields of financial services and insurance.

LIIFT 2022 is an exclusive insurance event for the leaders of change in our industry. Leadership teams from product, claims, technology, data, and customer functions will determine next steps to increase business efficiencies and transform client experiences. A major theme of the event is ‘What blend of talent and technology is creating genuine impact?

As CEO of The Lighthouse Group, I would like to personally recognize the work of our industry in the last 12 months and celebrate that in NYC. We welcome Asurit as part of that conversation as a leader in their own field.

If you work in marketing, you’ve probably been using traditional personalization strategies to entice website visitors, keep their attention, and convert them into paying customers. These strategies can be helpful in all three of these areas. If you address customers by their first names in outreach emails or say “Hey, Kevin!” as they log into your website, you are showing that you care. Niraz Buhari said that “The Insurance Intermediaries like Smart Cover started benefitting the hyper personalisation since the beginning of 2022”. 

The attention of businesses has been drawn. According to Gartner, seven out of ten boards have accelerated their digital business initiatives, and nearly half of all boards anticipate that the epidemic will change the way in which they conduct business. In order for businesses to stimulate growth, they will need to better understand their most valuable customers, who are defined as those who use the internet on a more regular basis and are willing to pay for goods and services that meet their requirements, and connect with these customers. The provision of personalised services, with the intention of gaining the attention and financial support of internet users, will be the primary focus.

The concept of personalization in and of itself is not something brand new. The rapid development of AI and machine learning technologies has resulted in the availability of tools that are easy to access. Data is generated in large quantities as a result of interactions that take place online. In addition, customers are showing a growing willingness to part with their personal information in exchange for practical benefits such as enhanced levels of personalization in the interactions they have with businesses. To create more personalised experiences for their customers than ever before, companies can now use and analyse the data they collect from their customers in real time.

The Netflix Method is a model of excellence in this regard.

The use case of Netflix is a very good example because it creates highly personalised experiences for its customers by leveraging real-time data and artificial intelligence. According to the consulting firm Accenture, forward-thinking businesses are currently focusing their attention on a cutting-edge method of marketing that is commonly referred to as “hyper customisation.” The constant availability of customer information, which is a prerequisite for hyperpersonalization, must be provided.

When it comes to the nuts and bolts of the process, it is essential to devise a personalization strategy first by analysing consumer needs and designing unique paths for each individual. After the plan has been developed, it is necessary to locate the appropriate data, technology, and architecture before beginning implementation.

But the loss of one’s privacy is undeniably the most important issue that should be taken into consideration. The gathering of additional customer information is required for personalization, and this can happen with or without the customer’s consent. Even when the user gives their consent for their data to be shared, they still risk having their privacy compromised. Businesses have an obligation to carefully consider whether or not compromising customers’ personal information is absolutely necessary to accomplish their strategic objectives. What specific kinds of data are needed, as well as how much of them? The trade-offs between personalization and privacy are something that needs to be carefully considered and openly discussed.

Traditional marketing is falling further and further behind, particularly as digital, data-first, and businesses that sell directly to customers continue to gain market share. In the cutthroat arena of digital marketing, hyper personalization presents a potential opportunity for companies to break through the clutter and provide customers with precisely what it is that they might be looking for.

In a nutshell, hyper-personalization refers to the process of displaying to customers carefully curated items and content by making use of artificial intelligence (AI) and real-time data. It enables businesses and retail establishments to provide a one-of-a-kind customer experience that is tailored to the specific tastes and preferences of each individual customer by treating customers as individuals with distinct tastes and preferences.

How to Identify Reputable Forex Brokers

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Fraud is a problem in all areas of finance. Wherever money is involved, there are scams, and forex trading isn’t an exception. Scams related to forex trading can often cost people thousands of dollars since forex trading involves large amounts of money. A trader’s life can be set back several years by something like this.

One of the most popular forex scams today is the increasing number of fake forex brokers. In this article, you’ll find out how you can tell fake forex brokers from legit ones.

What is a Forex Broker?

Brokers are independent financial companies whose main product is the forex trading platform. They provide traders with trading software, which makes it easy and flexible for them to access the forex market.

Brokers provide services to traders, such as leveraged trading, and make it possible for traders to buy and sell currency pairs. In turn, brokers gain money from the spread, which is the difference between the buy and sale prices. Brokers also generate money from additional costs, such as commission charges.

How to Check if a Broker is Reputable

To confirm if a broker is reputable, look out for the following:

Regulation

Regulation is the first and most important thing to watch out for. A broker registered and regulated by an international or regional regulatory body is called a “regulated broker.” Not one group is in charge of regulating all forex trading worldwide. Instead, these bodies are made up of governments and regional groups that work together to protect the interests of traders.

Regulation is also the hardest to fake. And that is why you should check it first; it will save you time and money.

Broker’s Website

Another fool-proof means of identifying a reputable broker is their website. What are the things you should look out for on a broker’s website?

Regulation information

As discussed in the last section, you must ensure the site is registered. Check the regulatory body it belongs to. The website should show the Registration ID, BSE, or NSE number. Some of these websites can be a clone of an existing broker, so you should check properly.

Suspicious Marketing

Only fake brokers or scams make false promises and suspicious marketing on their websites. Some will even include fake testimonials from non-existent users. If it sounds too good to be true, be careful.

Legal Information

The site should tell traders everything they need to know about taxes, trading rules, and other compliance measures and how the broker meets these requirements.

Background Information

With whom have they worked before? Many brokers with a lot of experience work for big, well-known companies. In addition, they have a history that extends back to at least five years. Try to find any official statements of profit and loss.

Contact Info

A legitimate broker’s website will have their address and ways to contact them. It could be emails and/or phone numbers. Not often do these details get left out.

Immediate and High Returns

When a broker promises you high returns immediately, that is the first sign that you are about to be scammed. Even for professionals, Forex is not a way to get rich quickly. No broker in the world could ever promise you those kinds of returns.

They do this to lure in new traders or people who need money but are having trouble getting it. It is one of the sneakiest scams because it takes advantage of real needs.

Online Reviews

Another important step is to read user reviews. After checking for other information, read what users have said about them. Many users tell their sad stories and experience with such brokers through their reviews.

Conclusion

When trading online, you need to use a safe and secure service. The first step you should always take is to look for licenses. Only regulated brokers protect traders from scams and hackers and provide fair and clear services. Also, user reviews can help you find the best service providers who care a lot about the user experience.

Ultimate Guide to SMILE, LASIK, and PRK/LASEK Procedures

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SMILE, LASIK, and PRK/LASEK are the three most common types of laser eye surgery that you need to know about.

To differentiate what is effectively the same treatment, though packaged slightly differently, clinics come up with brand names such as UltraLASIK, Accu-wave LASIK, Custom LASIK, UltraLASIKplus, Zyoptix, and Wavefront LASIK. An example of this is offering LASIK as a standard treatment and an optional technology, such as wavefront measurement, as an add-on.

Laser eye surgery works pretty much the same despite the treatment you choose. A laser reshapes the stroma or tissue that makes up the cornea, the eye’s front window.

It eliminates refractive errors such as shortsightedness (myopia) and longsightedness (hyperopia) by making the cornea steeper or flatter depending on the prescription.

Bacteria and debris cannot enter the eye through its epithelium, which is its invisible barrier. Despite its strength, thickness, and ability to regenerate, it is incredibly thin. It is necessary to remove the epithelium or lift it out of the way so the stromal tissue can be exposed during laser eye surgery. Treatment types differ in how this is accomplished.

Differences between SMILE, LASIK, and PRK/LASEK

A PRK involves the complete removal of the epithelium. This way, a laser eye surgeon can reshape the permanent layer. A contact lens is applied for several days as a bandage, allowing the epithelium to re-grow underneath and populate again.

Unlike LASIK, LASEK only temporarily pushes the epithelium to one side rather than discarding it. The permanent layer is then reshaped underneath, and the epithelium is moved back. As the new layer forms underneath, a contact lens is applied to the surface to protect it.

Contrary to PRK/LASEK, LASIK creates a thin flap with a laser that includes the epithelium and a small portion of the stroma, the permanent tissue. As the flap is replaced afterward, the surgeon can reshape the permanent layer through this doorway. Only the flap edges must be sealed over, and no contact lenses are required.

The anatomical keyhole created by SMILE is the result of creating a tiny, connected tunnel that runs from the surface through the epithelium to the target tissue. LASIK creates a doorway in the epithelium, while SMILE creates a keyhole in the epithelium. This way, the epithelium is little affected, and the eye heals rapidly.

Here are the pros and cons of each.

ReLEx SMILE:

Laser Eye Surgery generally only corrects prescriptions up to -8 or -10. Because we do not make a flap from the corneal surface, patients with thin corneas and prescriptions higher than -10 can benefit from ReLEx Laser Eye Surgery at the North American Lasik Centre in Dubai.

ReLEx (refractive lenticule extraction) and SMILE (small incision lenticule extraction) are the most up-to-date approaches in laser eye surgery. A tiny keyhole incision in the cornea is all that is required to perform the minimally invasive procedure, which was introduced in 2011.

This is possible because SMILE uses a state-of-the-art laser, the Carl Zeiss VisuMax, to complete the procedure. SMILE can only be performed with the VisuMax femtosecond laser, the only femtosecond laser to offer such precision. In addition to its low-pressure increase, it is also the laser with the smallest amount of discomfort experienced by the patient. By placing pulses within the cornea, the laser creates bubbles no wider than 1/1000th the width of a hair and outlines the tissue to be removed, forming connections that can remove it.

The North American Lasik & Eye Surgery Centre does lasik smile eye surgery. Even though it sounds complicated, the process takes less than 4 minutes.

In addition to being smoother and faster, the treatment is also more comfortable. Furthermore, it is suitable for patients with very high prescriptions, drier eyes, and thin corneas since it has a shorter healing time than conventional LASIK.

The Pros of ReLEx SMILE

Treatment and Recovery time:

With SMILE, Laser Eye Surgery can now be performed in minutes using minimally invasive techniques. The tissue can be accessed and removed through tiny connecting tunnels in the outer cornea without requiring significant healing.

Safety and Comfort:

A new level of patient comfort is achieved with SMILE Laser Eye Surgery. As a result of SMILE, dry-eye symptoms will last approximately half as long over the recovery period as they would with other procedures. By replacing the flap with a keyhole, it also maintains corneal strength.

Suitability and High Prescriptions:

With SMILE, patients who are told they are not suitable for other treatments may be a good candidate because of its keyhole nature. It is impossible to remove enough tissue after making a flap in many patients for LASIK patients because their corneas are not thick enough. By using a very small and exact hole at the side of the eye, ReLEx SMILE can treat more demanding prescriptions because it leaves the front part of the cornea intact.

In summary, PRK/LASEK is an oldie but a goodie if you’re not a good candidate for newer procedures. In the short term, LASIK remains the most popular and sought-after treatment however, SMILE is gaining traction and will likely take the top spot as the most popular procedure. By April 2019, 2 million SMILE surgeries had been completed worldwide.

The Most Notable Funding Rounds that Happened in July 2022

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Another month, another sweeping wave of seed funding that looks to support some of the most intriguing and innovative businesses in the UK and Ireland. Well known as a hotspot for earning huge sums in funding rounds, Britain has, once again, emerged as Europe’s leader in July.   

With over 200 rounds securing a combined €433 million (£372 million), it wasn’t an overly active month, but still a significant one, with exciting projects in the realms of health, climate, and travel receiving significant funding in July. 

It’s clear that the process of receiving seed funding is becoming more streamlined, particularly in the UK, enabling inventive startups to grow and scale with relative ease. These are the businesses that have been able to make the most of the UK’s strong startup and seed funding environment in July 2022. 

Shackle, Suvera and Altruistiq headline July’s funding 

Kicking off the highlight reel of July’s seed funding is Suvera. Based in London, Suvera created a virtual care platform that works with GPs to help patients to get remote care. Specifically looking at chronic conditions, Suvera helps those with hypertension, diabetes, and the like. As reported by UKTN, their seed extension round brought in £5 million from the Google for Startups programme. 

Over in Ireland, Mark Abraham and his business, Shackle, attracted €5.4 million (£4.6 million) in funding from a whole host of big names. Guillaume Pousaz, the founder of Checkout.com, Li Fan, former head of engineering at Pinterest, Brad Bao, co-founder of Lime, Conrad Whelan, founding engineer at Uber, and Frontline Ventures all contributed to the seed funding of the Irish hospitality tech company, per BusinessPost

Raising the most among these UK and Ireland-based businesses in July 2022, Altruistiq also became one of the best-funded climate tech SaaS startups in the world, according to EU-Startups. Based in London, the business is looking to make the carbon reporting model effect more beneficial to climate action. Leading the funding was Molten and Norrsken, and joining them were Sir Ian Cheshire and Mudassir Sheikha. 

UK’s options put the country ahead of the curve 

Source: Pexels 

As noted, the UK is massively leading the way in seed funding when comparing what gets raised in each European country. In July, the €134 million secured by UK businesses more than doubled that of the next closest, Germany, with its haul of €66 million. 

While the innovation of the company founders cannot be understated, there’s also something to be said for the ease with which UK businesses can now get help to secure funding. For example, legal tech provider SeedLegals  helps startups create all the legal documents they need to start, raise and grow their company cheaper and quicker than a law firm. 

As online services are so accessible, businesses seeking to enter into seed funding can eliminate the stresses that come with the traditional middle man role; finding them, trusting them, and waiting for them to do their work.With a more streamlined approach, business owners can focus more on growth strategies and scale. 

July proved once again that the UK’s startup space is thriving and that those with the money to empower innovative businesses are certainly taking notice. 

Do You Work From Home? Here Are Simple Ways You Can Improve Your Productivity

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It is safe to say that in today’s day and age, more and more people are choosing to work from home instead of commuting to an office every day. And while there are many benefits of working from home, such as being able to spend more time with your family or not having to deal with a stressful commute, there are also some drawbacks. 

For example, working from home can sometimes make it difficult to stay focused on your work, as there are many distractions at home that you wouldn’t have if you were in an office. Also, working from home can also be quite isolating, as you don’t have the chance to interact with other people on a daily basis. 

This can cause you to be less productive when working from home. Today we are going to show you simple ways you can improve your productivity at home.

The Best Ways To Avoid Distractions When Working From Home

It can be quite challenging to stay focused and productive when working from home, especially if you live in a small space. There are so many things that can serve as distractions, from the TV to your bed. 

One of the best ways to avoid distractions is to create a dedicated workspace. If you don’t have an extra room that you can use as an office, try to find a corner in your home that you can turn into a makeshift office. It should be a space where you can comfortably work without being interrupted. 

If possible, try to keep your work area separate from the rest of your living space. This will help you mentally transition into “work mode” and make it easier to focus on your tasks. If you don’t have the luxury of extra space, try to at least create some sort of wall between your workspace and the rest of your home. For instance, you could use a screen or a curtain to divide the two areas. 

Another great way to avoid distractions is to set some ground rules for you and your family or roommates. For example, playing video games or games you can find at casino sites like https://no-deposit-bonus-casino.org/ are fun, but you should not play them during your work hours. When it comes to your family or roommates, let them know when you’re working and ask them not to disturb you during those times. You could also ask them to respect your workspace and not use it for anything else when you’re not working. 

Finally, make sure that you take breaks every now and then. Working non-stop will only make you more prone to distractions. Get up and take a short walk every few hours, or take a few minutes to step outside for some fresh air.

Create A Schedule That Will Work For You

There are a few things you need to take into account when creating a work schedule that will make you more productive when working from home. First, you need to be realistic about how much work you can actually get done in a day. If you try to pack too much into your schedule, you’ll end up feeling overwhelmed and stressed, which will lead to less productivity. 

Second, you need to make sure that you allow for some flexibility in your schedule. Things will inevitably come up during the day that will throw off your plans, so it’s important to have some wiggle room built in. Otherwise, you’ll end up feeling frustrated and like you can never get anything done.

Finally, it’s important to create a schedule that works for you. Everyone is different and has different needs, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach here. Take some time to experiment and figure out what type of schedule helps you stay focused and productive. Then, stick to it as best as you can.

Get The Right Equipment

Working from your home office can be comfortable and pleasant, but only if you have the right equipment. Many people do not plan for having a home office and they improvise. That can be good enough, but if you want to be productive every single day of the week, you simply need good equipment. What does that mean? It means that you need to get a comfortable chair, a good desk, and, of course, a good computer. That way you will feel like you are at the office when working from home.

As we said, there are many benefits to working from home, but only if you can manage to be productive every day of the week. That is a challenge, but if you do the things we discussed today, there is no doubt that you will be productive.

Cryptocurrency Scams and How To Avoid Them

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With the rise and ongoing evolution of cryptocurrencies, there has been an increase in the prevalence of crypto scams and fraud where people are defrauded of all their money (investments) due to cyber security hackers. Crypto investments like any other financial investments can be pretty risky, hence it is essential to know exactly how cryptos work along with their rules, regulations, and security behind whichever currency. Here’s a list of common cryptocurrency scams and how to avoid them:

1.     Fake Websites

As more people join and invest in the Crypto-verse, there has also been an increase in scammers who create fake versions of official websites and official crypto wallets in order to con investors. These fake websites usually have the same domain name as the official website but have slight differences and symbols that would make it difficult for a user to recognise that the website is an illegitimate version of the real one.

These fake websites seemingly run and function as efficiently as the true websites in the beginning. The scammers would most often display fake testimonials of trading records as a way to lure and convince those visiting the site that it is legitimate. Based on the fake testimonials, one would be convinced into investing money. In the initial stages, the scammers would allow a few people who invested to withdraw a bit of money in order to make their scheme seem lucrative and legitimate. However, once people invest more money and try to withdraw their profits, the website shuts down or declines the request. Tracing such people and even retrieving your money is virtually impossible.

2.    Website & Voice Phishing Scams

Similar to the above, scammers can use fake websites as phishing scams to attain credentials, passwords, recovery passwords of your crypto wallet along with other important financial details.  Attaining these details enables them to defraud you even further and won’t stop at conning and clearing out your crypto wallet.

There are also voice phishing scams where scammers contact and introduce you to a non-existent crypto company to invest in with promises of making great profits in a short period of time. Based on first-hand experience, after a few months of making an investment, the scammer would make contact and state that you have made profits and that they need to “send your earnings.’’ However, in order to retrieve your earnings, you have to give them your bank card details and additional credentials. The mistake we made was allowing this person who posed as a representative from a certain crypto company my mom had invested with to send a link that leads to a site where you enter your details. Unbeknownst to us, the link was actually merging whatever was on our computer to the scammer, so they could see whatever details we were entering. Thankfully we gave details to an account that contained no money and one which we do not usually use, of which we immediately contacted the bank and froze the card because of our feelings of distrust. Trusting my gut and taking the quick action of notifying my mom’s bank and changing all passwords really helped us evade the situation.

A List of Fake Crypto Sites:

Tip: Press Ctrl+F to search

  • btc[.]imtoker[.]cn
  • imtokenhot[.]com
  • imtoken[.]im
  • 1mt0kem[.]me
  • imtoke-n[.]me
  • apisglass[.]com[.]cn
  • imtoken-lm[.]cn
  • imtoikne[.]net
  • app-imtoken[.]com[.]cn
  • xz[.]app-imtoken[.]net[.]cn
  • xz[.]imtoken-app[.]org[.]cn
  • imtokenhk[.]com
  • imtoken[.]net[.]im
  • imtokenn[.]ee
  • imtoken[.]ms
  • imtoken002[.]com
  • imtoken006[.]com
  • imtokenwallet[.]biz
  • bgj[.]im
  • irn-tokan[.]com
  • green[.]im-tokens[.]store
  • metamasuk[.]io
  • dapp[.]tokenpocket-app[.]me
  • wangshangtouzhuxianjinwang[.]
  • sz51ly[.]com
  • xn--metamask-ul5o017z[.]com
  • rneta-rnask[.]com
  • xn--metamsk-rgc[.]com
  • app-token[.]im
  • imtokenhot[.]com
  • api[.]imtoken1[.]app
  • appapi[.]tokenpro[.]pro
  • token-lon[.]pro
  • facai[.]im
  • btc[.]imtoker[.]cn
  • max[.]aguagua[.]com
  • hnbaishihengtong[.]com
  • www[.]tp-imtoken[.]top
  • dapp[.]tokenpocket-pro[.]orgdapp[.]
  • Token-pockets[.]pro

3.    Fake Crypto Apps

Counterfeit trading apps’ icons, compared to the icons for real versions of those apps.

Similar to fake crypto websites, there are fraudulent crypto applications that are being passed off as legitimate. Scammers are taking advantage of the fact that there is no third party such as a bank or centralized authority to flag suspicious transactions made with cryptocurrency and that once an investment or transfer is made, it cannot be undone or reversed, giving scammers even more leeway to defraud people.

According to the FBI, over $42 million has been stolen from investors using fake crypto apps in under a year. How was this possible? Well, it starts with the marketing and ads on social media and different websites that promote an app that resembles an official crypto website. The marketing then lures and persuades investors to download a fake crypto app. As mentioned previously, the same scheme is used where illegitimate trading records are depicted in order to attract more investors. Most importantly, these counterfeit applications use similar names, symbols, and icons to that of legitimate apps, and only have slight differences which would be difficult to be aware of. The most difficult part is that these counterfeit apps can also be found on official sites such as Apple’s App store and Google Play, although both companies are constantly making means to eliminate apps that impersonate bona fide apps and those that engage in illegal and fraudulent activity.

The usual process that leads to the defrauding of investors is often through the use of social media and marketing these fraudulent pages there. Most of the time, fake trading and crypto social profiles and pages will target people by engaging in conversation with them and introducing them to an actual legitimate crypto site such as Coinbase, which they can invest in. The victim would then be convinced to buy cryptocurrency from the legitimate company and have it exchanged through a “mediated” app such as Metatrader, which can still be found on both Apple and Google official stores. From there on, the scammer will pose as though the investor has made profits, and once one tries to withdraw their earnings, they are blocked and unable to.

An investigation was conducted where a server was found that hosted numerous fake trading, banking, foreign exchange, and cryptocurrency apps. Within this server were fake apps posing as major financial firms and popular crypto trading platforms including Barclays, Gemini, Bitwala, Kraken, Binance, Bitcoin HK, Bittrex, and TD Bank. Each of these fraudulent apps had a specific website tailored to look similar to the impersonated brand in order to attract, convince, and defraud victims.        

How to Spot & Avoid Crypto Scams

  • Do not send your credentials to anyone who claims to be from any cryptocurrency brand. As much as we all know that financial investments are risky, it is even more imperative to take the necessary precautions in order to not be defrauded. Always probe, ask questions, and conduct more research if a person or company approaches you (often with something that seems too good to be true).
  • There will always be differences that’ll help you spot a legitimate website or app from a fraudulent one. In most cases, it’s always in the spelling, font sizes, colors, and shapes of icons used along with the placing of icons.
  • Check if the app has a Google Editor’s choice badge — a distinction provided by Google Play to help recognise developers and apps with outstanding quality. Apps with this badge are less likely to be fake.
  • If a company or site advertises high and quick crypto returns, it is most probably fake.
  • Credible and reputable crypto applications have millions of downloads and reviews on App Store and Google Play Store. Any application with a low figure of downloads, posing as a popular brand or trade name, should be considered cautiously.
  • As mentioned previously, research and educate yourself on the ins and outs of crypto including how things work. Bitcode Method, a credible news source, offers guides that help crypto investors and those interested in cryptocurrencies to know more and navigate the world of crypto.
  • If you are unsure about an application or website, contact support through the company’s official website. This could help you avoid potential financial losses and you falling victim to fraud.
  • In Germany, the buying, selling and trading of cryptocurrency is still fairly new as people could only invest after a new law was passed on the 1st of July in 2021. Since then, more means to regulate and secure the market have been applied.
  • One of the means applied to regulate and secure the crypto markets in Germany consists of the use of Bitcoin machines like an ATM in some locations within the country, which allow an investor to legally purchase Bitcoin. These machines are an improvement that inherently helps to advance trust and the feeling of security about cryptocurrencies to potential investors and is a more secure way to help protect investors from fraud and being scammed.

With the rise in the popularity of cryptocurrency, scammers are continuously finding new ways to defraud people. It is thus vital to know as much as possible about cryptos along with which sites are credible. The world is in a frenzy, and difficult life situations happen which lead to people being in desperate need of money. Though understandable, it is important to not fall for the promises of great income at a fast rate as the chances are that you’ll be scammed. Apart from the pointers mentioned above on how to be aware of and avoid crypto scams, it is also important to trust your gut instinct and intuition. If something feels off and you aren’t feeling settled about a website or app you’re thinking of downloading or investing in, lean into that and trust your instinct while further taking the necessary action of conducting in-depth research. This could help save you from potential loss of money and you falling victim to a scam.

What Do You Need to Know When Leasing a Car?

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In today’s market, the allure of buying a brand-new car has lost its shine. It’s the second largest financial commitment you can have, only usurped by buying a house. With that, you run the risk and have the burden of keeping it in ship shape after tens of thousands of miles on the clock.

However, leasing is a great way of being able to drive a new car without the major expense.

If you’ve heard about car leasing and are interested in what it has to offer, but perhaps unsure about the details, this article will give you a roundup of everything you need to know.

A personal lease is essentially a long-term loan contract for a brand-new car. You get full use of the car for a set amount of time and mileage, and in return, you pay a monthly fee and sometimes an upfront deposit. Because it’s a new car, you won’t have to worry about an MOT test for 3 years, and some leasers include road tax as part of the deal. Insurance is not included.

Business leases are very similar to personal leases but are, as the name suggests, only available to businesses. Furthermore, business leases strictly limit the use of the car to work purposes, so if you are looking for a company car that doubles up as a family run-around, it may be best to go with a personal lease instead.

Let’s look at the key parameters you need to consider when searching for a car lease.

Term Length

The term length is the length of the lease contract. The most popular lengths are 12-month, 18-month or 24-month contracts, but more extended contracts of up to 48 months are available.

Once the contract length ends, you simply return the car to the lease dealer, and are free to choose another lease should you wish to. Providers like Pink Car Leasing offer flexible lease options with various term lengths to suit your needs.

Initial Deposit

Perhaps the most important factor in the search for a car lease, the initial deposit is the upfront fee that you pay the lease dealer to secure your agreement to the lease monetarily. This is usually done with an advanced payment of a set amount of months. For example, paying 3 months-worth of the lease in advance, and then once that time has elapsed, returning to the normal monthly payment.

Longer leases often have larger lump sums of up to 12 months, but there are many deposit-free leases out there that simply negate any advance payment, which can be great for those who are unable to or uncomfortable with parting with such a great deal of money all at once.

Annual Mileage

Car leases are based on a fixed amount of mileage. Because you don’t technically own the car, leasers are keen to ensure that their vehicle does not come back with hundreds of thousands of mileage on the clock, which likely means it is in a drastically different condition.

To navigate this, all lease contracts have an annual mileage range that the customer must not exceed, else they will suffer an extra charge for each additional mile travelled. This can prove to be quite a costly mistake, so before you set out on the search for a lease, it’s best to calculate a rough estimate of how much you believe you will travel in a year. It’s always best to have too much annual mileage on the contract than too little!

Interest Rates Continue To Rise But UK Inflation Barely Slows Down

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It has long been known that inflation in the United Kingdom has been skyrocketing out of control for the past few months.  There are a number of forces at play here, not least the country re-opening up after the Coronavirus pandemic so there has been extra strains on a supply and demand front, but Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine certainly has not helped matters, particularly with that further influencing the current energy price crisis.

Whilst those factors can, and have certainly been blamed for the current state of affairs the country faces, both the Bank of England and the United Kingdom Government also share in that blame given their own handling of things and a severe lack of planning and swift, urgent action.

Inflation now sits at a 40 year high and the BoE have already warned that that it could top 13% this year, and their late answer has been to raise interest rates in an effort to stem that growth.  The Government has finally outlined plans for an energy price cap, but they are unwilling to fund it via a windfall tax on the energy companies and that will not go down with the vast majority of the country mean they are already paying more for everything, even though petrol and diesel prices continue to fall – which is not reflected in the growing prices.

Whilst it is expected that the energy cap plan will temper inflation, it certainly is not coming down yet and it is not expected to for quite some time.  For those who like a flutter betting sites are bound to have a few economy related odds somewhere that people can dabble with, as it certainly feels for many that Prime Minister Liz Truss is gambling with their futures with her decisions so far.

Jack Leslie, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation recently explained.

“High inflation continues to drive Britain’s cost-of-living crisis, but the outlook has brightening considerably over the past week. The Energy Price Guarantee should prevent a second winter surge in prices. However, high inflation is set to be with us for some time, particularly for low-income who continue to be hit hardest by high prices.”

Food prices continued to spike over the month of August, heavily driven by necessary basics such as milk, cheese and eggs and the rate of the rise was the highest since 1995.  With the prices of services suffering its own inflation effects, it obviously means that the counter effect on a real life wage reduction for the majority of taxpayers continues to further widen the gap and create hardship – even for those who have been lucky enough to secure some kind of employment pay rise.

It was widely expected that the BoE would raise interest rates again last week, but following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, that decision was delayed and the Monetary Policy Committee is now expected to make that announcement on September 22.

Chief economist at the Institute of Directors, Kitty Ussher explained that rates would likely continue to rise in the more foreseeable future.

“The fact that the falling headline rate is due to changes in the price of petrol and diesel, which is driven predominantly by the international price of oil rather than by domestic factors, means news is unlikely to alter expectations of a rise in interest rates.”

This news, and continuing expectations for the direction that inflation will continue to go in will not calm worries and tensions amongst those already struggling to put food on the table – and that will not get any easier as we move into autumn and winter and the cold weather hits.

The Best Autumn Activities

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Autumn can be a tricky one. Summer is officially over, Winter is near but not quite here yet, and everyone feels sort of stuck in between seasons. For some, Autumn is a highly favoured time of the year. The leaves begin to turn brown and pollute the streets (which can be extremely aesthetically pleasing), the darker nights come crashing in, and oh, the most important part of the season change, Starbucks brings back their Pumpkin Spice Latte. You cannot deny that nothing screams Autumn quite like a warm pumpkin-flavoured drink. However, many others feel lost. What to do now that the summer fun is out of the window? Well, you can rest assured that the fun does not end in summer. If you are struggling for ways to fill your time as the darker months approach, here are our recommendations for the best Autumn activities.

Have a Movie Marathon

If you have just finished having a crazy summer, now might just be the perfect time to relax. After all, saving money may just be your main priority at the moment. Why not throw a movie marathon into the mix? Inexpensive, yet extremely fun! If you have an account with a streaming service such as Netflix, Disney Plus, or Amazon Prime Video, then your options are endless. However, some timeless classics can also be found directly on live TV. Click here for TV aerial installations. Now relax, grab some snacks, and press play as your Autumn movie marathon commences.

Get Conkers Ready

When Autumn approaches, so do the conkers! Conkers typically ripen and fall to the ground during September – October and are the perfect way to occupy small children! Take them on a long walk/ adventure trail and allow them to collect as many conkers as they can. They can either keep them as a collection, use them for arts and crafts, or play with them in the traditional game of conkers. Simply attach your best conker to a string and attempt to annihilate your opponent!

Get Creative in the Kitchen

No matter whether you have kids or not, getting creative in the kitchen is one of the best Autumn activities that can be sure to keep you occupied for hours. There are many recipes online that are perfect for the Autumn months and after all the kitchen is the perfect location to shield yourself from harsh weather conditions. If you are not quite a Gordan Ramsay or Jamie Oliver, there are plenty of easier alternatives than starting from scratch. For example, if you are baking with the kids, many supermarkets offer baking kits with all of your already measured materials inside!

Prepare Yourself for Halloween

For many people, Autumn simply means Halloween, and we cannot blame them, this holiday is a personal favourite of ours. Pumpkins, scary costumes, trick or treating, and of course, the unique and creative decorations, Halloween is an exciting one. If you have young kids the holiday does not need to be as scary as it seems. Hosting a kid’s party, taking them around the block for tasty treats, and pumpkin picking and carving can truly get them in the spirit. Oh, and if you’re an adult, it can still be fun too! Scary old-school movies, decorating the home in an aesthetically pleasing yet spooky way, oh and getting drunk with your friends who are now unrecognisable are truly the best parts of this holiday for the older gen!

Take a Shopping Trip 

As Autumn tends to be a more chilled-out month for the vast majority, why not treat yourself and head out for some retail therapy? As many shopping centres are indoors, especially across the UK, this can be a perfect place to spend your free time. Shopping trips are also a great way to meet up with and spend time with family and friends and are the perfect weekend activity when you have nothing else on your agenda. After all, do you not need to update your fall wardrobe?

Look Out the Board Games

A day filled with board games is one of the best Autumn activities especially when it is too dull and damp to venture outside. Gather the family together, or invite a few friends over to revisit some of your old childhood favourites. Don’t knock it until you have tried it, a board game night can be perfect when the darker nights approach! The nostalgia will come rushing back and it can be a lot of fun! If you are a competitive individual, you will truly be in your element with this activity!

Start a cleaning Spree

Autumn can be the perfect time to start decluttering. Summer is over and you may now have more free time than ever! No holiday organising, keeping kids occupied, or tying all of your time up in the gym to get that well-sought-after summer-body figure. Dedicate your time to cleaning up your home. With Christmas fast approaching in the upcoming months, if you are a parent especially, you will want to make sure that your home has as much free space as possible for all of the incoming toys and gifts. Although decluttering and clearing out can be a daunting task, we can guarantee that it will be worth it in the long run! Trust us!

Best interior design techniques

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There is more than meets the eye when it comes to making a house seem like a home. It might be challenging to put a space together and change its elements such that it is both practical and fashionable while yet feeling cosy. There are numerous factors to be taken into account, from determining what paint works best in various areas and lighting options to where to place the furniture. The assistance and knowledge of an interior designer are important in this situation. These useful DIY and decorating hints are not to be missed, whether you’re remodelling a whole house, cleaning up the kitchen, or adding a dash of colour to freshen up a living room. Whatever method you choose, it’ll be sure to give your home a nice glow-up as today we’ve compiled a short list of the best interior design techniques, so without further ado, let’s get straight into the list!

Make it your own

Remember that it’s your home, so you can style it however you want, you could even try to add a little bit of your own personal likes in your home and add things, places or certain celebrity memorabilia that you like. Everyone has the ability to create their own house; it just takes developing an eye for it. There are no right or wrong choices in interior decorating. Keep in mind that you are in charge; it is important to consider current trends, but you should always add your own unique touch to develop something unique. You spend most of your time at home, therefore it should represent your personality. Adding some of your own likes and personality to your home can really make it your home and put you at peace in your own sanctuary that is your home, therefore it definitely makes it on this list for the best interior design techniques.

Get inspiration from style boards, Pinterest and other websites

By compiling motivational imagery from books, Instagram, Pinterest, and other sources, you may transform your dull decor into something fresh. You’ll start to visualise the aesthetic you want after you have a sizable collection. Using your imagination to reveal any hidden design ideas you may have unconsciously spotted is a terrific approach to using style boards. If you wanted a more hands-on approach and felt like just looking at websites wasn’t doing the job and you needed to visualise the style in person then you could collect photographs, samples, and samples of the textiles, wallpapers, furniture, and flooring that you might wish to utilise on a large foam board that you can get at your neighbourhood art or stationery store. In this manner, you can visualise how they would all fit into the space together. It is crucial to enhance textures using materials like floors, carpets, and velvet, wool, and tweed. Place the mood board there and spend some time with it and you’ll be sure to come up with the perfect style for your home, making this one of the best interior design techniques.

Mount the TV to your wall

It would be a good idea to try to get rid of that old TV stand taking up all your room. To lessen clutter, mounting your TV is a terrific idea. Your room will seem more modern as a result, and mounting your television against the wall will surely make it look a lot more sleek and stylish. Your room will appear a lot nicer and maybe be much safer if you decide to make this change. It’s never a good idea to install large TVs on top of units if you have pets or young children since they pose a safety risk. Even if no one is hurt, your TV might still get damaged from you trying to mount it to the wall by yourself. Click here for professional TV wall mounting services.

Acoustic movable walls are innovative partitions designed to seamlessly transform and adapt open spaces, offering the flexibility to create private, sound-isolated environments or open collaborative areas as needed. These are an excellent addition to TV rooms.

Add new furniture

Over time your furniture gets used and worn down, and your couch, bed, other seats and tables within the house get used on a daily basis and pretty constant therefore it’s only natural that they’ll run out of life after a short while. Select the pieces of furniture you want for your space. Consider scale; a huge sofa is required in a big space. The majority of interior designers advise having one significant statement piece in even tiny spaces, even if it is only a headboard in a bedroom. A pleasing living area will be produced by a balance of large and little things. Regardless of the furniture you use, after getting long use out of your old furniture, it will begin to look dingy and run down and it’s important to update your furniture after a while, making it one of the best interior design techniques you can use to give your home a glow up.

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