Daily Archives: November 1, 2016

Do You Love To Travel? The Pros And Cons Of Buying A Vacation Bolthole

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If you love to travel, buying a bolthole abroad may seem like a fantastic idea. For many people, having a vacation home is a dream. But it’s not always plain sailing. Here are some pros and cons to consider if you’re thinking of buying a holiday hideaway.

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The pros

Convenience

Do you love to visit the same places time and time again? If so, what could be more convenient than taking a vacation at your own holiday home? All you have to do is work out when you want to go, and how you’re going to get there, and your vacation is planned and sorted.

Value for money

Investing in real estate can often be hugely beneficial for your bank balance. You’ll be buying something that is likely to increase in value in years to come. You’ll also be saving money on hotels and condos every time you go away.

Lifestyle

Have you fallen in love with a vacation spot because it offers you a more relaxing lifestyle? Do you enjoy being close to the sea or up in the mountains? If you have a retreat to escape to, this can improve your mindset and help you to deal with stress and anxiety in day-to-day life. Having something to look forward to can make a massive difference to your mood.

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The cons

Upkeep and maintenance

If you’re planning to use a holiday home a couple of times a year, you’ll have to think about upkeep. How are you going to make sure that everything is ok? Who is going to take charge of those maintenance tasks? If you’re renting your property out, you could enlist the services of an agency that will take care of everything for you. As you spend more time there, you may find that you can ask friends to take care of jobs like mowing the lawn and collecting mail.

Travel limitations

Are you a self-confessed globetrotter? Do you love to experience different countries and cultures? Have you got a wish list of destinations as long as your arm? If so, buying a vacation home may affect your ability to travel. Your finances may be a consideration. But also, you might feel that you’ve got to go to your second home rather than somewhere new. You may feel pressured to get the most use out of it now that you’ve completed the purchase.

Novelty factor

When you buy a house somewhere you’ve holidayed before, there’s always a risk that it won’t live up to expectations. When you’re on vacation, it’s different to living somewhere for a period of time. For starters, you’ll be running a household, rather than staying in a hotel. In many hotspots, the seasons can also have an impact. You may find that if you visit a beach resort in winter, for example, the town is deserted.

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Image from https://pixabay.com/en/lake-house-vacation-lake-blue-712126/

If you love to travel, it may make perfect sense to buy a vacation home. However, this is not always the best option for everyone. Weigh up the pros and cons, and make sure you visit several times before you buy. You need to get a proper feel for the place and make sure it is somewhere you want to return time and time again.

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Incredible Strategies To Boost Your Freelance Career

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While many people dream of the opportunity of working freelance, it isn’t all a bed of roses. Striking out on your own is tough, and it takes a lot of hard work, persistence, and ability to take rejection to succeed.

There are more freelancers than ever in this modern world – which just adds to your problems. With so much competition, it has never been more important to stand out from the crowd than it is today.

With this in mind, I thought I would pull together some excellent tips for boosting your freelance prospects. Read on to find out more!

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Develop a niche

First of all, think about developing a niche for yourself. There are hundreds of other freelancers in your area and field, all offering general business services to anyone. The result is that you are up against a lot of competition, and wasting a lot of time on wooing clients that just hire someone else. So, think about your skills and knowledge, and try to establish yourself in a niche instead. You will find you can target customers much more accurately, for a start. And, your speciality service will give you a wealth of opportunity you have never even considered.

Develop deeper relationships

As a freelancer, you will offer your clients a particular set of skills. But what if you could offer them more? There are two ways of doing this. First of all, reach out to complementary businesses in your field and start developing relationships with them. For example, let’s say you are a copywriter and your client needs some on-site SEO performed. If you know a reputable SEO freelancer, it’s a simple case of recommending them. Meanwhile, your SEO friend is recommending you for the copy on their client’s site.

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Invest in new skills

The second idea is to learn those skills yourself. Find some suitable courses and develop your skill set over time, and you will have more to offer your clients. There are courses in any subject you can think of, from computer training to specialist products. Training Connection recommends face-to-face instruction, but there are other options. You might consider signing up for an online course or e-learning qualification, for example.

Focus on profit-making tasks

There is so much to do as a freelancer – without ever meeting a client or doing any paid work. Invoicing, accounts, marketing – the list is endless. The trouble is that the more time you spend on paperwork and admin, the less time you are out earning money. So, think about getting some help. A virtual assistant could help you complete all your basic admin duties – and will likely do it better, too. A bookkeeper can help you organize your taxes. And hiring another freelancer or agency can help you with your marketing. Of course, this costs money. But, if it enables you to earn more, it is always going to be worth it.

OK, so that’s all we have time for today. I hope these ideas have helped all you budding freelancers out there!

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Are You Crying Out For A Fresh Start?

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Are you stuck in a rut? Are you bored with doing the same things with the same people all the time? Or are you anxious that time is flying and you’re not getting making headway with your list of life goals? Sometimes, we all have days when we wonder if we could be doing more. Life is for living, after all. If this sounds familiar, it may be time for a fresh start. Here are some ways you can boost your mood and get motivated in the months ahead.

Is work getting you down?

Most of us have days when we’d much rather stay in bed than trek to the office or serve customers all day. Work isn’t supposed to be fun all the time. But you should take a degree of enjoyment out of it. If you’re bored of work, or it’s making your stressed, consider a change of environment or a new career. What do you want to do? If somebody asked you what your dream is, what would you say? If you have goals, try to make them happen. It might take a long time, but you can start taking baby steps. Perhaps you want to get into presenting, for example. If so, fire off some cover letters and CVs and find out about work experience opportunities. Look into internships or go back to college and take relevant courses.

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Do you suffer from body confidence issues?

Body image is one of the most pressing concerns for young people today. If you suffer from body confidence issues, there may be ways you can increase your self-esteem. Firstly, think about why you lack confidence. Are you heavier than you’d like to be or do you struggle to put on weight? Changes to your diet and lifestyle can often have amazing benefits for your health and your self-confidence. If you want to lose weight, try to change what and how much you eat, and take up exercise. If you struggle with a sweet tooth, try using products like miracle berry. You can add tablets to your food to make it sweeter without increasing its calorie content. If you want to put on weight, ask your GP for advice. It may be as simple as eating more or including more calorific foods in your diet.

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Image credit https://www.pexels.com/photo/healthy-beach-woman-girl-56615/

Are you craving a change of scenery?

Are you constantly looking at pictures of amazing places on Instagram and Facebook? If so, why not stop looking, and start doing. The world is your oyster, and there are so many places out there to explore and discover. Travelling can broaden your horizons and open new doors. If you dream of jetting off on an adventure, start saving up, and plan your trip. Seeing the world can give you a new lease of life and help you decide what you want to do in the future.

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Sometimes, life can become stagnant. You reach a standstill, and it’s hard to get out of a rut. If you find yourself in this situation, it may be time to make changes. Think about getting a new job, or working on your self-confidence. Spread your wings and see the world. A fresh start may be just what you need.

 

 

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