The biggest changes to finance in the last ten years

Finance

Sam Allcock

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9 June 2021

The biggest changes to finance in the last ten years

If you think back to 2009, the country and the financial world was reeling from the greatest economic crisis in a century. For the UK, the following decade was (and still is) a story of careful recovery. Ultimately, banking and finance had to be better – for customers, for society and for the economy.

But since then, mindsets and technology have played a decisive role in quickly evolving the industry. Today, we have many more terms to add to our vocabulary. Fintechs, contactless payments, open banking, cryptocurrencies, algorithmic trading. We’ve seen many changes over the past ten years, but here are some of the most impactful.

Automation

The growth of data and technology to improve efficiency and handle bigger and bigger transactions has to be one of the industry’s biggest drivers of change. From computerisation in the last century, it was in the 2010s when data-driven automation really took off. Automation has become the indispensable sidekick to the financier, whether for algorithmic trading or risk assessments.

The big banks were pushing for this level of automation at least a decade ago, if not earlier. The difference to today is volume. Deutsche Bank had an electronic trading arm for FICC and FX, headed by Zar Amrolia, as far back as 2012. Today, he runs a fintech company, a fraction of the size in headcount, that handles billions of dollars’ worth of trades every day, using data-driven automation. It pays to keep your eye on long-term technological change.

For all businesses, automation has made their finances simple and accurate. In fact, McKinsey found in 2018 that 42% of all finance operations could be automated, and a further 19% partially automated.

Mobile

The launch of the iPhone in 2007 was the harbinger for change in how we manage our money. As smartphones improved, they quickly went from phone-and-browser to something we just couldn’t live without.

Now there are banks that live only on our phones, like Starling, Monzo and Revolut, and the big banks have had to pay attention to keep up. This kind of innovation comes from the maxim that improving the lives of customers will improve your bottom line. It was the reason for the birth and for the success of US mobile payments app, Venmo. Co-founder Iqram Magdon-Ismail said in 2016 “Sometimes building something that directly improves your life is a great way to invent something that improves the lives of others.”

Today we can keep our digital credit cards, debit cards, loyalty cards and membership cards in one wallet app. Handy NFC integration, Apple Pay and Google Pay have made contactless payments a breeze, and apps like Venmo have made repaying friends after dinner a lot less awkward.

Open Banking

A recent happening, but a big one – open banking is revolutionary. It helps people understand and manage their finances and helps financial providers make better products and build stronger relationships. But what is it?

As of 2018, all UK banks must share their customers’ information with other financial providers if the customer gives consent. The Open Banking mechanism makes this secure so data is protected.

For customers, it means a single view of all financial information in one place, no matter how many accounts and policies they have with different banks, pension or insurance providers. And by sharing this information securely with businesses it also makes it easier to send payments directly from bank accounts. Research predicts that in Europe, online banking payments will overtake both credit and debit cards in popularity by 2022.

Open banking marks the beginning of a transformation from banks to financial platforms. Instead of a simple transactional relationship, the opportunity for providers lies in looking outside their own ecosystems. Ultimately, they become the customer’s trusted curator of personalised products and services, educating them on financial health and wellbeing.

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If you painted a vision of today’s financial landscape and showed it to someone in 2009, they would think you a ridiculous dreamer. The proliferation of data-led products and services and automated operations is astounding. And if we look at how far we have come, just think where we will be in another ten years.

Work of Abdulla Al Humaidi Shows How to Seek Out Investment Opportunities

Investment

Sam Allcock

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9 June 2021

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Work of Abdulla Al Humaidi Shows How to Seek Out Investment Opportunities

When it comes to investment, there’s no one right way to seek out opportunities. This can be, in part, due to the fact that different investors or companies may have different metrics for success. Low volatility may be top of mind for one investor while another might prioritize high returns. Whatever your goals, however, it’s important to keep some fundamentals in mind when looking for ways to invest your funds. To better understand some of these fundamentals, we’re turned to the work of Abdulla Al Humaidi, CEO of Kuwaiti European Holding. The business leader has built a career on insightful investment practices and the following look at those efforts can be helpful to investors of all types.

Abdulla Al Humaidi Works Within Existing Expertise

One thing that can be helpful for individuals and organizations to keep in mind is to invest within their area of expertise. This doesn’t necessarily mean that an investor must only purchase assets about which they are an expert, but it does help to at least begins one’s search for potential investments in this fashion. The stronger one’s base of knowledge in a particular area, the more likely they may be to identify a fruitful investment. This can hold true when talking about alternative assets, like real estate, but also when looking at more traditional assets such as stocks or bonds.

When utilizing this idea with respect to the stock market, a savvy investor will do their research about the company in which they seek to invest. To do so, an existing knowledge base about the company’s area of operation can be useful. If, for instance, you know a lot about the mining sector, it can make sense for you to look into mining companies as potential investment opportunities. This initial exploration might later lead you to assets related to precious metals, for instance, or other mineable resources. In this way, starting one’s exploration of investment options within an existing area of expertise can ultimately lead to additional opportunities down the road.

The work of Abdulla Al Humaidi helps to showcase the power of this concept. Since the CEO has existing expertise in the purchase and development of real estate, he has often looked to this area to identify investment opportunities. This has led him to develop a range of properties, including resorts and tourist attractions. This has also allowed him to branch his work out into related areas such as the tourism sector and the field of entertainment.

Consider Your Metrics

As we highlighted at the start of this piece, investing is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Different investors can, and should, have different metrics that they want to prioritize when it comes to their investment efforts. Determining what metrics you may want to prioritize can play an important role in guiding your investment strategies. Once the relative significance of each metric is approximately determined, an investor can look to the specific types of asset classes that may best satisfy their preferences.

Volatility, as we’ve noted previously, can be a chief concern here. While investing is inherently risky, it can be important to identify what level of risk you might be willing to take on when engaging in a search for investment opportunities. Those seeking lower levels of risk might be more satisfied with certain types of bonds, which are often known as more stable investment vehicles.

The above types of investments, however, are often limited in their ability to provide high returns. If high returns are a primary concern then it may be useful to consider stocks or other types of securities. These investments can sometimes provide higher rates of return, however, they come with additional exposure to risk. Deciding which path to take in this regard can be tricky and in order to make an assessment as to which of these investment types might be right for you, you’ll want to think long and hard about what your investing priorities really are.

Abdulla Al Humaidi Builds on Past Success

While investments in stocks and bonds can be relatively hands-off, many types of investments, such as real estate, can require a higher degree of active effort. This is especially relevant to the work of Abdulla Al Humaidi in his efforts to develop properties around the world. Since this type of active investing can be so effortful and time-intensive, it can be helpful to build your investment options by leveraging past successes. In doing so, you can make more efficient use of your time and be more confident that your efforts may amount to continued success in the future.

We see this is in the CEO’s work through his company’s recent announcement of plans to create a themed amusement park in London. The themed park is set to open its doors in 2024 and has already built plenty of buzz around the world. The park will consist of multiple themed lands, drawing comparisons to Disneyland and Universal Studios. The plans have also already showcased a flair for attracting international buy-in that the business leader has honed from years in his field. This has been built on past successes both in property development and in the field of tourism and has helped him focus efforts in a more efficient manner rather than needing to learn key components of his work on the fly.

Know When to Divest

While many guides on investing will focus on when to enter into an investment, it’s less common to touch on the markers that may signal that it’s time to exit an investment. This can be detrimental to your investing efforts because the value of an investment can change over time and if you’re not able to react to these changes, you could be left with an asset that no longer holds the value it once did.

For this reason, keeping an eye on when to divest may be a valuable practice no matter what stage in the investment journey you are currently in. To do this, it can be helpful to be mindful of larger market forces that may have a direct impact on the field in which you are invested. If it seems public sentiment may be turning again the particular sector in which an investment operates, that may be a signal that it’s time for you to move on. Likewise, if the company in which you are invested seems to be underperforming in key areas, that may also be a sign to divest.

The decision leading to divestment can, ultimately, be as varied as the reason to invest in the first place. However, it’s at least important to touch on it here to acknowledge that investments can have a shelf life and that it may be useful for you to consider that shelf life when engaging in your investment efforts.

To close, it bears repeating that investment is not a one-size-fits-all approach. While the above guide can provide you with some key topics to consider when making an investment decision, it’s ultimately up to you to consider what areas may be most relevant to your particular situation. To aid in that consideration, the efforts of Abdulla Al Humaidi provide a great opportunity to draw insights from a business professional with a sizable track record of successful investing. His work with Kuwaiti European Holding can be instructive for investors of all sizes since it exemplifies a solid grasp of investment fundamentals and how one can implement them in their financial endeavors.

Does landlord insurance cover liability?

Insurance

Claire James

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9 June 2021

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Does landlord insurance cover liability?

Yes, landlord insurance typically includes landlord liability insurance, sometimes called property owner’s liability cover. It is important because along with possible injury claims from tenants, landlords are also responsible for any accidents or injuries at a property that involve a third party. Should anyone visiting the property suffer loss or damage resulting from negligence or poor building maintenance, they may leverage a claim against the landlord. To limit their exposure to risk and protect against claims, landlords can obtain property insurance including liability coverage through NimbleFins.

Successful liability claims can often result in large settlement payments, and the cost of a legal defence adds to the expense. Having landlords liability coverage will shield the property owner or landlord from paying costs out of pocket. Without the correct coverage in place, building owners or landlords will be personally responsible for paying any successful claims, and any costs associated with them.

With annual property maintenance costs already running high, it is wise for landlords to protect themselves from additional expenses resulting from legal proceedings. For example, landlords typically spend around £256 on general maintenance a year, £313 on repairing structural damage, and £370 on refurbishment.

The amount of landlord insurance coverage needed will depend on the level of risk assessed. Compensation claims can run into tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds so limits will need to be adequate to meet the expense. Coverage limits for landlord insurance policies typically fall into the £2 million to £5 million range, with higher limits being needed for larger or older properties.

For commercial properties that have a much higher exposure to risk, policies will need limits that are sufficient to protect from any potential claims. In addition, local authorities or other agencies may require landlords to have a policy in place with specified minimum limits.

What is landlord insurance?

Landlord insurance is designed to shield landlords from claims made by renters. It can also cover building damages and provide protections against things such as non-payment of rent, accidental damage. Most basic landlord insurance policies start with building insurance and property owners’ liability insurance. Other protections may be added to the policy and limits are flexible to cover different levels of financial responsibility. For example, a single apartment will require much lower policy limits than a commercial office building.

Landlord-tenant law requires certain criteria to be in terms of maintaining a safe and usable property, but there is still the chance that tenants may bring a claim against the property owner for a number of reasons.

For claims brought against the landlord, having adequate landlord liability insurance in place will limit financial exposure and cover expensive settlement payments. Coverage typically includes protection from incidents like flooding, fire, or damage to the property from third parties. This can include things like breakages or defacement caused by vandalism or burglary. Malicious damage by tenants may also be covered but typically requires a special add-on to the policy.

Does a landlord need property owners’ liability cover?

Although there is a reasonable risk of landlords being subject to injury or accident claims, property owners’ liability cover is not required by law. Acquiring a policy of this kind is completely optional for landlords. However, with the number of risks associated with property rental, most landlords recognise that having protection makes good business sense.

To make a liability claim the claimant has to prove that the landlord was negligent or failed to maintain the building to a safe standard but typically a large number of claims arise from things such as:

Uneven or damaged pathways
Damage or poorly maintained flooring
Falling plaster from ceilings or walls
Worn, loose, or uneven carpeting
Damaged stair rails or loose handrails

Landlords have a responsibility to keep their property safe and free from health hazards, and must perform the required safety inspections for items such as fire extinguishers, boilers, and electrical systems. Failure to maintain the proper inspections can void your insurance policy so it is important to ensure all checks are up to date.

How much does landlord insurance cost?

The average cost of a landlord insurance policy will fluctuate depending on the type of property being insured. Factors like the costs of rebuilding the property and the level of risk are calculated to determine premium amounts. According to NimbleFins, a standard policy for a typical one-family home that includes building and public liability cover only will have an average premium of around £170 a year.

This payment estimate does not cover additional protections which the landlord may choose to add such as:

Rental income protection
Accidental damage
Content insurance

As more policy features are added the monthly premium will rise accordingly. Property location and age can also be a factor, with older properties tending to cost more to insure than their newer counterparts.

Ethereum Code Software – The Next Big Thing in Crypto Trading!

Finance

Sam Allcock

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9 June 2021

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Ethereum Code Software – The Next Big Thing in Crypto Trading!

After the rise of cryptocurrencies during the past few years, there have been many new millionaires. Data shows that the cryptocurrency market is likely to reach $5,190.62 million by 2026.

The success of crypto trading has since attracted more investors from different parts of the world. Right now, there are about 53 million crypto traders globally, who are trying to become rich using various trading strategies. Many of these traders are trading manually and others using automated trading apps.

Not just Bitcoin, crypto trading is now well spread out due to the launch of other crypto tokens, and one of the fastest-growing among them is Ethereum. Luckily, there are specialised trading apps like Ethereum Code that make trading easy and profitable for investors.

The Ethereum Code website was launched in 2017, considering the high potential of Ethereum crypto. The makers of this app include developers, quants, mathematicians, and economists. The purpose of launching this website is to help traders to trade on Ethereum and make consistent income.

Currently, the cryptocurrency market has huge numbers of websites and apps that claim to be the best in terms of generating income for investors. However, it is a daunting task to verify all those claims. The reputation of the Ethereum Code app has been confirmed by existing users and expert reviews, who have given thumbs up to this software.

How the Ethereum Code App Works

Unlike the regular stock market, the crypto market is vastly different and more complex. Usually, in this market, investors need to have fundamental knowledge about crypto trading and should be trading carefully. It is because the market is volatile, and often the price swings are crazy. If investors become greedy, they could end up losing their money. It is never easy to stay up-to-date with this dynamic market, and it can stress you out.

The launch of the Ethereum Code software minimises the risks of manual crypto trading through its auto-trading feature. This unique feature has an accuracy rate of 88 percent. Existing users and experts have confirmed the app’s earning potential and given positive reviews. It shows that the app has fulfilled its promises, and established itself as a reliable and safe platform for trading.

The software has integrated advanced algorithms and gathers data from the entire crypto market, analyses the data, and identifies potential price swings of Ethereum token. The app also provides trading signals and trades automatically.

Experienced traders can opt for manual trading and have to trade based on their predictions. However, it is ideal for beginners to trade using the auto-trading feature and minimise their risk.

The Trading Process Using the Ethereum Code

Registration: You first need to open an account with the Ethereum Code platform. You can do so by filling out an online form by entering your First and Last Name, E-mail, Country, and Phone. Then an account manager will contact you for identity verification.

Minimum Deposit: In the next step, you need to deposit a minimum amount of £250/€250 as trading capital. If you are a beginner, starting with a low minimum amount is better, as you can always invest more after gaining some confidence.

Flexible Withdrawal: Some of the trading apps often take even a week to credit users’ earnings, which is frustrating. Traders should be able to withdraw their money whenever they want. While using the Ethereum Code app, your earnings will get credited within 24 hours of making a withdrawal request.

No Additional Fees: The Ethereum Code app does not charge traders any additional fees, such as registration or brokerage fees. The website only takes 1 percent of traders’ earnings to cover its administrative expenses.

Key Benefits Ethereum Code Offers

Substantial Earnings: You can earn more by using the Ethereum Code app than other apps available on the market. Traders are said to have earned up to $1,300 every day. Initially, maybe you will earn lesser than this amount, but eventually, your profits will also increase significantly over a period.

High Accuracy: The app’s accuracy rate ranges from 88 to 95 percent, which is quite high considering the fluctuating crypto market. The main reason behind the app’s high accuracy is its advanced algorithm that works more efficiently and much quicker than other bots.

Demo Account: The Ethereum Code platform provides an optional demo trading account to users to practice trading before doing live trading. It helps users to decide on their trading strategies.

Undoubtedly, the Ethereum Code has proved to be one of the most profitable and consistent money-making systems even for new users.

El Salvador Assembly Gives Legal Tender To Cryptocurrency

News

ABC Staff

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9 June 2021

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El Salvador Assembly Gives Legal Tender To Cryptocurrency

The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador approved the so-called Bitcoin Law with a qualified majority, becoming the first country in the world to give legal tender to the first cryptocurrency.

This Tuesday, June 8, near midnight in El Salvador, the main legislative body of the Central American country shared the announcement through its Twitter account, ensuring that 62 of the 84 deputies of the country voted in favor of the Law, which was just introduced hours earlier by President Nayib Bukele.

The legal initiative was previously disclosed by President Bukele , also through Twitter. In the document it can be read that bitcoin may be used “in any transaction and to any title that natural or legal persons, public or private, require to carry out.” With this it is understood that not only individuals and companies will be empowered to use bitcoin as currency, but also the organs of the public administration and other entities of the State.

It also establishes that “every economic agent must accept bitcoin as a form of payment when it is offered to him by whoever acquires a good or service”, although later on they exclude from the obligation those who do not have the necessary infrastructure to do so.

The document also establishes that the exchange rate between bitcoin and the dollar will be established by the free market, resulting from the agreement between buyers and sellers of the cryptocurrency. For its part, all prices may be expressed in bitcoins, although the dollar will be kept as the reference currency for accounting purposes.

In tax matters, as the national executive had established in previous days , it is established that “exchanges in bitcoin will not be subject to taxes on capital gains , like any legal tender,” with which El Salvador It stands as the first country to eliminate tax burdens on capital gains resulting from the free variation in the price of bitcoin.

On the other hand, if the resident so wishes, they can pay their tax contributions of another nature through cryptocurrency. And the payment obligations currently in force can also be canceled in bitcoin.

The State will provide education and infrastructure
With the law, the State undertakes to advance the educational campaign essential for the population to have the necessary knowledge to adapt to this new monetary reality. This is extremely important, while ignorance of technology is one of the main limits that citizens have expressed through social networks.

Likewise, the State will provide infrastructure so that the processing of transactions is carried out without difficulties, without limiting the initiatives of the private sector. Similarly, the public sector will offer automatic convertibility from bitcoin to dollar for those citizens who prefer to keep the US currency. To do this, they will create a trust in the Development Bank of El Salvador (BANDESAL).

The guidelines for this conversion will be specified in a specific regulation to be designed by the Central Reserve Bank and the Superintendency of the Financial System. Said regulation will be issued within a period of ninety days after the publication of the Bitcoin Law in the Official Gazette of the Republic, at which time all the aforementioned legal provisions would take effect.

Cointraffic
As disclosed in recent days through CriptoNoticias, El Salvador’s Bitcoin Law seeks to attract foreign investors from the flourishing Bitcoin industry to the Central American country, as well as facilitate the sending of remittances, even in scenarios of financial blockages. Already, many representatives of the bitcoiner space have expressed their interest in opening offices in a country that offers them favorable conditions to develop their businesses.

Since now, President Bukele has begun to establish ties with the bitcoiner community, not only with those who advance Bitcoin Beach in the town of El Zonte, but with companies such as Zap by Jack Mallers and even Blockstream, who put their satellites to access the Bitcoin network available to the country.

Even a few hours after the Bitcoin Law was approved, Bukele participated in a Twitter space opened by the founder of Coin Metrics, Nic Carter, where he gave details to the community about the new legislation.

It should be noted that the only cryptocurrency mentioned in the legal framework is Bitcoin, so it is unknown what the regulatory status of other crypto assets in the country will be.

The Planet Cries Out For Sustainable Housing

News

ABC Staff

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8 June 2021

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The planet cries out for sustainable housing, let’s give it an answer. Tribuna de José María G. Romojaro, director of Architecture and sustainability of Aedas Homes.

June 5 is World Environment Day. Or what is the same, it is the outstanding day to awaken the global social conscience and demand attention for the care and respect of the environment. And here the building sector has a lot to say.

The data is illuminating: construction is responsible for 36% of energy consumption and 39% of CO2 emissions in the world . In Spain it generates between 30% and 35% of the carbon footprint and produces around 30% of total waste.

Faced with this harmful panorama, Aedas Homes proposes design criteria for the homes of the future with initiatives that enhance the sustainability of promotions, including the need to get a vegetation management report, from the manufacture of their materials, the construction of the building, its maintenance, its use, and even its demolition at the end of its useful life. 83% of the homes we delivered last year (about 2,000) had strong sustainability credentials, such as the international BREEAM certificate or the Aedas Homes Green Book , which includes our own Ecoliving sustainability seal .

We have recently approved our ESG 2021/23 Strategic Plan which, being aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is fundamentally a company’s commitment to the environment and a roadmap with a very clear goal, achieve full decarbonisation of the sector.

We have acquired the firm intention of carrying out a policy against climate change with objectives such as that 60% of our promotions have energy certification ‘A’ as of 2023 and that 100% are built based on our Green Book or a external sustainability certification standard . We have set the goal of neutralizing up to 50% of greenhouse gas emissions in our activity by 2030.

But, if we really want to counteract this impact, we have to start by changing the conception of a work and industrializing the construction systems of our promotions following circular economy criteria.

Industrialized homes reduce CO2 emissions in their use by 30%
Industrialized homes represent a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions at the time of construction and 30% in its use , less water consumption in manufacturing and maintenance, a high recycling and reuse of its materials, a minimum production of waste or the reduction from 40% to 75% of energy for air conditioning.

At Aedas Homes we are clear that the future of the planet depends on our projects today, which calls for sustainable housing. Let’s give you an answer.

TIPS FOR HIRING IT EXPERTS

Business

Sam Allcock

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8 June 2021

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Adding people to your IT department can be tough. IT staffing needs to be done thoughtfully as you have to target candidates that have both business and technical skill set.

The world of IT has changed and is evolving with each passing day. This brings in a huge challenge for small and medium sized organizations. Why? Because they don’t have a proper IT department or IT experts who can assess IT candidates for them.

Therefore, if you are struggling with hiring IT staff for your company; a handful of tips will be helpful for you. Assessing the skill set of potential candidates is really important to ensure that you are hiring the right individual or people for your organization.

Deep Resume Insight:

Before looking at the resumes, you need to have a clear insight of what you are looking for. Do you want an MBA qualified person or someone who has a skill set dedicated to technology and IT. There are some key queries that you must ask yourself whilst going through the resumes. Let’s have a look at them.

Does the individual have the skill set that you are looking for? For example, if you are in need of a programmer; are they one?
Are they a beginner or are they a senior? Are you willing to give space to beginners to put their skills to use?
Do they have experience in the industry? It can be internships too.
Do they have the tools that are required to get the IT tasks done?
Are they within your budget?
Have they done any internships or jobs that qualify them for the job you want them to do?

Having a thorough and focused approach while processing the resumes is very important. When you know what you need; you attract it.

Dig deeper in interviews:

Resume is just a baby step towards IT staff hiring; interview is the game changer. You need to dig deeper while questioning the potential candidate during the interview as you don’t want to hire the wrong person. If they have previous experience then you can ask the following questions during the interview:

What roles did you play in the previous job?
What is their technical aptitude?
Judge their business sense through various queries.

Make sure that you listen carefully while the candidate answers and dig deep before you hire them.

Verify their IT Skills:

It is very important to have a tech specialized person before you hire anyone. You won’t be able to gauge and verify the IT skills of a candidate as you aren’t an expert of IT. an expert, with a good insight of IT will be able to judge the person accurately. You can leave it to them to question the candidate about technology and IT related skills. It is best if the tech person shuffles through the resumes too, to make sure that only the best ones come for the interview. It will save you a lot of time and effort and will make the task precise. Lastly, it is very important to check the communication and presentation skills of the individual as these are a must-have while working in any organization.

FINAL THOUGHTS: What if you don’t have an IT expert to manage hiring with you?

Many companies, especially small ones, don’t have specialised IT experts to manage hiring with you. You can either hire an IT expert for this specific project (depending on your budget). Or you can do your research thoroughly and list down queries that will make you seem like an IT expert. Make sure that you don’t fake it. Do your research properly before asking questions; you must have all the answers.

Hiring the right, professional IT candidate is a daunting process. You cannot risk hiring the wrong person as IT is a very technical field and the wrong individual can mess up your organization’s system. To avoid productivity disruptions; take your time and put in the right effort to hire the right person.

The right IT individual, with the required skill set, can be the game changer for your organization.

The Best And Top-Rated Driving Offence Solicitors

Automotive

Sam Allcock

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8 June 2021

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The Best And Top-Rated Driving Offence Solicitors

Let’s face it: driving is not the easiest and safest thing to do. There is a lot that could happen, and you don’t have control over such things. One of the things that could happen is that you find yourself with a driving offense. A driving offense can be something simple or downright fatal. But don’t you worry, help is on the way. Driving offense solicitors are here to your aid. Not only will a solicitor inform you of driving-related matters. They are your lifeline when something goes awry. We’ll cover what solicitors are and what they can do for you. We will also tackle the best and most reliable solicitors you can find. Let’s get started.

A Driving Offence Solicitor?

The term might be new to some, including you, dear reader. But, there is such thing as a driving offense solicitor. You read that right. A driving offense solicitor is an individual who has expertise and knowledge regarding driving and road traffic offenses and felonies. A solicitor can teach about what trouble you can get yourself into once on the road. A solicitor is also your best bet for avoiding jail time.

Driving Offences

A driving offense is something that you commit by driving a vehicle or by being in one, and you break a law. There are driving offenses that happen on roads and road-related settings and areas. Driving offenses do not occur on roads alone. Such offenses can happen in the following locations:

A road division
A public setting
Walkways and paths near a road
Areas for animal crossing
Cycling and jogging lanes
Parking spaces

The Charges

Driving offenses have varieties. Here are some of the offenses below. Take note that each of these offenses has a different penalty. The penalty will depend on the severity of the act or violation.

Drunk driving or DUI(driving under the influence)

This offense is quite severe. Drunk driving and driving under the influence of drugs impose prison sentences. An offender will also receive a driving ban.

Mobile phone driving offenses

Being on the phone while driving is a practice you should not indulge yourself in at all. So it is no surprise that a driving offense for such an action exists. The penalty depends on some factors.

Speeding

Speeding is the most common driving offense. It happens regularly. Speeding brings a couple of penalty points, and the worse you could receive is a temporary ban.

Reckless and dangerous driving

Reckless and dangerous driving rarely ends well. You will get more than just a ban, especially if you end up hurting someone.

Failing to report an accident

Failing to report an accident is a driving offense that can also lead to a ban or time behind bars. Like some of the other noteworthy ones, the penalty will depend on a couple of deciding factors.

Not stopping at the scene of an incident

This offense is similar to failing to report an accident.

No insurance driving

Better have insurance, they say. If you drive without any insurance, you can get a fine and a driving ban. In some cases, an offender can commit the offense without knowing it at all.

Once you are found guilty of a charge, expect to pay a heavy fine. But if the offense or violation is severe, you might completely lose your license and face some time behind bars.

The Best, Most Reliable, And Very Responsive Solicitors

At one point that you happen to commit a driving charge, your next best move is to get in touch with a solicitor. Having one to support and represent you is crucial. That is if you want to prove your innocence and keep driving. You can find a lot of solicitors out there. However, the best and the responsive driving offence solicitor is just one click away.

To Sum Things Up

A driving offense solicitor is your key to keeping your driving license and staying away from jail time. If you have an offense plus a conviction, a solicitor can also help you in reducing the penalty’s severity. But all of this would not mean a thing if you don’t do your part as well. So, you better drive safely and responsibly.

The True Cost of Owning a Pet

Finance

Sam Allcock

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8 June 2021

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When you see a cute pet for sale, sometimes you forget just how much money it costs to own a pet and just take it home. But then, reality hits.

If you’ve never owned a pet before, you might be surprised by how much it costs. Initial costs range from £28-£430 with yearly costs of £19-£734 depending on the pet. And that’s without emergencies.

We’ll look at the cost of pet ownership in-depth for some of the most common pets so you can make an informed choice to fit your budget.

Pet Ownership in the UK

According to a 2020-2021 survey, 59% of all UK families own pets. A majority own dogs (33%) or cats (27%). A small percentage own indoor birds, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, and other pets.

According to the ASPCA, the cost of pet ownership is the least for fish and the most for large breed dogs. But will they fit your budget?

Adopting from a Shelter vs. a Breeder

When buying a pet, the first thing to consider is whether to adopt it from a rescue organization or a breeder.

Adopting from a rescue organization will cost considerably less than adopting a pet from a breeder. You can expect to spend £0-£176 when adopting a pet from a rescue organization.

You can expect to spend hundreds or thousands of pounds adopting a pet from a breeder. The most expensive dog, a Samoyed, will set you back about £9890.

Initial Pet Expenses

The cost of adopting the pet often includes some of the initial pet expenses, such as spaying/neutering, medical expenses, microchip, etc.

Dog: £331-£430

Before you bring your dog home, you’ll need to spend several hundred pounds:

Spay/neuter: £134-£155
Medical: £49
Microchip: £35
Collar/leash: £17-£24
Crate: £24-£88

It’s important to spay or neuter your dog to prevent unwanted puppies. Your dog will need to have a few tests and get up-to-date on vaccines.

Microchipping and a collar with your contact information ensure that, when your little escape artist follows its instincts and digs under the fence, it’s not lost forever.

And don’t forget the crate for keeping your house in one piece while you’re away.

Cat: £400

The initial costs for a cat are less than for a dog, but not by much:

Spay/neuter: £102
Medical: £91
Microchip: £35
Collar: £7
Litter Box: £17
Scratching Post: £10
Carrier Bag: £28

A carrier bag is essential for getting the cat to your car and into your house. You don’t want the cat scratching you and running away before you get out of the parking lot.

You’ll want to make sure you have a litter box and scratching post ready to go when you get home to save your furniture and rugs.

Other: £28-£229

Other pets have less expensive startup costs:

Spay/neuter (rabbit): £112
Litter box (rabbit): £17
Carrier bag: £28
Cage: £28-£70
Aquarium and Equipment: £141

Cages are the biggest cost for small mammals, rodents, and reptiles. An aquarium, stand, and equipment (chemicals, vacuum, filter, heater, lights, decorations) is the most expensive part of a fish setup.

You can certainly spend more than £141 on a fish setup, especially if you’re doing a cichlid or saltwater aquarium setup. I recently helped a friend with a saltwater aquarium setup that started at £7000 (and went up from there as her obsession grew).

Annual Pet Expenses

Once you’ve got your pet home, the expenses don’t stop. You’ve probably thought about pet food and kitty litter, but what about other costs like yearly vaccines, medical expenses, licenses, toys, and treats?

Total Annual Expenses: £13-£734

The annual cost of pet ownership depends on its size. Small dogs and cats tend to cost less in food and medical expenses than larger breed dogs.

Dog: £520-£734
Cat: £447
Rabbit: £336
Guinea Pig: £214
Ferret: £404
Small Bird: £224
Fish: £13

Food: £8-£282

Dog: £149-£282
Cat: £158
Rabbit: £101
Guinea pig: £31
Ferret: £228
Small bird: £135
Fish: £8

Dog food costs vary based on the size of the dog and the type of food that you buy your dog. High-quality dog food with human-grade ingredients costs more, but it can save you on medical expenses in the long run.

The number of calories a dog will eat in a day depends on its weight. You could expect a puppy to eat 43 grams of food a day, a chihuahua to eat 64 grams of food a day, while a boxer or lab might eat closer to 500 grams of food a day.

An adult cat requires 30 calories per 450 grams of cat. A 4.5 kg cat would need to eat 200 calories per day.

Rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, and small birds all fare better with fresh fruits and vegetables mixed in with their diet. I’ve known small animal owners whose animals eat better than the humans in the house.

Some pets also like to eat live food. Some people raise food for their pets, like crickets for lizards, mice for snakes, or ghost shrimp and snails for pufferfish, which can cut down on food costs a little. But you have to feed the feeder animals, too.

Medical: £49-£183

The biggest recurring medical expenses for dogs and cats are vaccines and preventatives like flea and tick medication. Other small pets don’t need vaccines, but they may still end up needing a trip to the vet.

Average yearly pet medical costs are:

Dog: £148-£183
Cat: £112
Other Pets: £49-£60

Don’t expect the medical expenses to stop there. I’ve taken my dog to the vet at least three times this year for various reasons, and it has cost at least £70 each time.

Don’t forget that some full-breed dogs and cats suffer from maladies specific to their breed that sometimes require surgery.

Breed-specific diseases include cancer in golden retrievers, hip dysplasia in Norwegian forest cats, narrow nasal passages in bulldogs, bladder stones in ragdolls, and tracheal collapse Yorkshire terriers. Be sure to research breed diseases before you buy purebred pets.

Litter

Most small animals need litter for their litter boxes or cages. Everyone will enjoy their environment more with more frequent litter changes. Average costs are:

Cat: £116
Rabbit and Ferret: £148
Guinea Pig: £101

Other Costs:

There are other costs you might incur with a pet as well:

Toys and Treats: £17-£28
City license: £10
Grooming: £21-£64 per visit
Boarding: £18-£60 per night
Dog Training: £77
Miscellaneous: £21

While you can train a dog yourself, you might find that dog training is necessary.

Grooming isn’t cheap either. After graduating from university, I inherited a schnauzer who looked bedraggled without a haircut every 4-6 weeks. She looked like a drowned rat the one time I tried to groom her myself, so I lived on ramen noodles so I could afford grooming costs.

Boarding is also a consideration. Some people find that their dogs are destructive when left home alone and opt for daily dog daycare. You also might need to board your pet while you’re on a vacation that’s not pet friendly.

Preparing for the Unexpected

When my husband and I first started dating, there had been such a scare with pet-food-related deaths that my then-boyfriend decided to purchase pet insurance for his dog.

About a month later, his dog got sick and died. Unfortunately, the insurance company refused to pay because he’d only had the insurance for a month. As a result, he ended up paying thousands of pounds on his credit card.

I say all that to say that pet emergencies can be expensive. And the time to buy pet insurance is when you first get your pet.

If you do not have pet insurance or money saved back for expensive healthcare, your only choice may be to euthanize a beloved pet with a medical condition.

Pet Insurance: £123-$158

You can expect to pay £10-£13 per month for pet insurance. If you’re on a tight budget, that might seem like a lot, but it can save you thousands of pounds in credit card bills during an emergency.

Final Budgeting Tips for Potential Pet Owners

The true cost of pet ownership is complex. Before deciding on a pet, you need to decide if owning a pet will fit your budget. If you cannot set aside £700-£1400 for emergency vet bills, pet insurance is also a good option.

Owning a pet is a huge responsibility. Be sure you’re financially ready before taking it on.

2 x Eco-Friendly Brands That Are Taking Off

Business

Sam Allcock

-

8 June 2021

0

2 x Eco-Friendly Brands That Are Taking Off

Eco-friendly brands are on the rise. It seems more and more people are beginning to start taking the care of the planet seriously as the conversations around climate change, deforestation and the overuse of plastic become more prevalent.

Even those with lesser-known eco credentials are claiming to have improved their impact on the planet.

But what about those which have always been eco-friendly since the start and have since taken off as a brand?

Here are two eco-friendly brands that are taking off thanks to their ability to balance people, the planet as well as profit to be better businesses.

The Cheeky Panda

This bamboo-loving brand have bragged about their eco credentials since day one.

They’re an exciting brand who are passionate about encouraging everyone to make the switch from planet-harming paper-based products to those made from bamboo.

They create green home essentials ranging from plastic-free bamboo toilet paper to facial wipes, nappies and bamboo straws. Each product is ‘carbon balanced’, meaning their whole manufacturing and delivery process and any emissions are offset by their donation to the World Land Trust to plant more trees.

The bamboo they use is sustainably sourced in China, where it would normally go to waste, mainly because there’s so much of it and it grows so fast!

The Cheeky Panda also make a number of donations to various charities whose key missions are making the world a better place.

Through their Earth, Ocean and People initiative, the brand helps raise awareness and donations to three key charities: World Land Trust, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and Toilet Twinning.

Like bamboo, this panda-loving brand are growing at an incredible rate as an eco-friendly business.

Want to know more? Check them out here: https://uk.cheekypanda.com/

Toast Ale

The clever beer brewers at Toast Ale use surplus bread to creating delicious, eco-friendly beer!

To date, they’ve saved over 2 million slices of bread, which in turn has saved land, water, energy and carbon emissions due to not having to plant virgin barley.

And by using all of that excess bread, they’ve reduced an enormous amount of waste!

By supporting both the planet and people through charity donations and raising awareness around key topics impacting Earth, Toast Ale are fast becoming the ultimate eco-friendly beer brand.

This planet-saving craft beer company are rising faster than the bread used in their beer, partly because they’re super sustainable, but also because their beer tastes like you’re contributing toward a better planet.

Check them out here: https://www.toastale.com/

These are just two amazing brands who are making a big difference to the planet by being as eco-friendly and as sustainable as possible.

Before you make a purchase, why not check the sustainability credentials of the brand beforehand? You’ll be making sure that you’re buying from somewhere that has put the planet first, rather than profit.

It’s one of the biggest changes you can make in the fight against climate change and other negative effects on Earth!

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To Sum Things Up

Pet Ownership in the UK

Adopting from a Shelter vs. a Breeder

Initial Pet Expenses

Dog: £331-£430

Cat: £400

Other: £28-£229

Annual Pet Expenses

Total Annual Expenses: £13-£734

Food: £8-£282

Medical: £49-£183

Litter

Other Costs:

Preparing for the Unexpected

Pet Insurance: £123-$158

Final Budgeting Tips for Potential Pet Owners

ABC Money 2025 - 1st Edition

Magazine - 2025 Edition