Survivalist Chronicles

Bikes get stolen every day. Thieves break into sheds to steal them, lift them at train stations and generally just lie in wait to steal anything that looks easy enough. They wouldn’t want to break a sweat doing it, would they?

As much as bike thieves are pests, we have to live with them and need to do what we can to make sure we are not pushover victims and make things easy for them! This is where good security measures come in and some sensible added precautions are taken such as getting some good bicycle insurance.

According to the article “Why bike insurance is as vital as your crash helmet!” many place their bikes on their home contents insurance so it couldn’t be easier. If your bike gets stolen you are covered. But lets see the thieves with egg on their faces by collectively tackling our bike security issues!

According to the article “Walkies on a short lead for ‘Nanny State’ dogs!” we are going to need to be more attentive to the dangers on our dog walks! Every year it is estimated a huge 25,800 claims come through on the pet insurance. The worst offenders are those dirty ponds our dogs love to splash about in as well as cuts and scratches caused by our games of “catch!” with old twigs and sticks.

Has the ‘Nanny State’ gone too far this time? Our dogs have always played with sticks and never had a problem so what is all the fuss about?

Twenty five thousand claims were submitted last year and the year before because dogs were hurt during their daily exercise warrants some attention and also for those of us who don’t have any, let’s get some pet insurance just in case!

According to the article “How to outwit thieves when cycling to work!” every minute someone has their bike stolen in the UK.

Not great news when you are about to make the switch from petrol guzzling to cycling to work every day. Don’t however, whatever you do, let this put you off! All that these statistics mean is that you need to take some careful precautions when you take on the might of pedal power!

First off, get some great security locks. Secondly, always park up in an open area in the view of passers by. Thirdly, get some bicycle insurance (check this isn’t already covered on your home contents insurance first). Last but not least, while you are at it, look into some public liability insurance in case of an accident.
The best piece of advice I came across though was to resist the urge to buy a beauty of a bike and to purchase instead something more functional than pretty. Something plain will generally cause much less of a stir within the bike thief fraternity that one that glimmers with hundreds of gears and gizmos! Happy cycling!

Starting University is a big deal! There is so much going on and not only that but you have to get used to the idea that there will come times when it will hit you that no one else is responsible for anything during your day to day existence. Your budgeting, what you eat and keeping your accommodation clean are all (unfortunately) your responsibility!

Before you collapse with panic into a heap on the floor, you can do it all! It may come as a shock at first but everything can be handled with a little preparation. According to the article “No place like home – a sensible student’s guide!” if you go into a new situation with your eyes wide open you can’t fail!

Remember you will need to pay a deposit and usually a month’s rent in advance to your brand new landlord. The landlord you have settled with will belong to a government scheme that makes sure your deposit is protected so unless you wreck your accommodation, its good news because you will get your deposit back at the end of the tenancy.

Some great advice came to me by my nephew who started Uni last year. He said the worst thing you can do is to stay in your room. The best thing is to get out (force yourself out if necessary) meet new people and generally embrace all that student life has to offer! Hope it works for you too!

Going to university is so exciting! All those new experiences, new faces and new places will make the next three years a memorable time for all! However being away from home for the first time can be something of a testing time. No longer will you be cocooned from the rest of the world, with university you will learn responsibility!

According to the article “ Students – get money savvie or else!” university students will have a lot on their plates over the next few years so getting in all the preparation now can’t hurt too much!

The student loan is sadly not a bottom-less pit! If you have to eat out every day because you don’t know how to cook, this money will disappear faster than Usain Bolt down the 100 metres track! The best the new student can do is to spend a bit of time in the summer holidays learning how to cook a simple dish or two. Just a couple of dishes should do the trick, why not have a go at an omelette, a pasta dish and a chilli for starters. Tell mum to hand over her apron for an evening and cook the dinner while you watch your confidence grow saving money right from the start!

According to the article “Ignore the pitfalls of a sea view property at your peril!” homebuyers are throwing caution to the wind and ignoring the threat of flooding all so they can enjoy a great sea view.

People buying homes are willing to overlook the disadvantages of a coastal property because it is a lifestyle choice. The couple which bought their sea view home on the beach near Dover, admit they find the tide a bit scary during storms but are willing to take the rough with the smooth! According to them, the stunning views across the channel are well worth dealing with the risk and worries of flooding. But it costs more to live with a flood risk. Insurance is often costly if providers are willing to offer cover in the first place.

Not even high insurance premiums will put off those discerning sea view property buyers as they tend to want that special view at any cost! People are more keen to take the risk of a coastal property with a spectacular view than to settle for a safe one inland without a view.

Is it a good idea to cancel my life insurance policy in order to save money? According to the article “Insurance – what to keep when economising” you should keep your life insurance going particularly when you have dependants. Additionally, if you cancel now and take out a policy later on down the line, beware that life insurance premiums will go up by such a lot when you are older. Will we actually save any money at all in the long run? You don’t need to cancel insurance policies to gain a few extra pounds every month because there are always better deals to be had out there in the hugely competitive market of insurance.

By not running the risk of cancelling your life insurance policy for now, to save money the best thing to do is to shop around until you get offered a deal that provides the saving that you need.

The credit crunch is a good time to look at ways of economising but most of all there has never been a worse time to do something rash like cancel costly insurance plans (not unless a better one has come along!)

Many of us enjoy nothing better than a shopping trip when we’ve been paid. It’s a reward of sorts! A pat on the back for surviving the month slaving away under the employ of the boss from Hell! Every month or every week off to the High Street we go bargain hunting to the extreme! Some of us can’t afford to spend as much as we do but it doesn’t stop us! In fact, according to the article “Know the value of your designer wardrobe?” few of us are actually put off clothes shopping spending by lack of money and being within the clutches of every shopper’s evil assailant, the credit crunch!

If we are still spending then we are still acquiring so it would make absolute sense to add our new purchases to our home contents values. The reality is that unfortunately few of us actually add our latest designer accessories to our home contents values providing our insurance companies with inaccurate representations of our belongings. Our insurance companies have noticed and urge us to immediately open up those wardrobes of acquisitions new and old, designer and non-designer clothes and put them in the picture. Or we can put it off till next weekend’s assault on the shopping precincts!