Focussed Inspiration

People seem to fall into one of three groups where holidays are concerned. There are those who have no real interest in holidays and don’t really care if they go at all, those who are very interested and know exactly what they want to do…and then a third group who are very interested, but don’t really know what they want to do. It’s for this third group that Wanderfly was set up – a website which aims to offer ‘tailored inspiration’ by focussing on three variables…budget, timeframe and interests.

Users enter their details on the site and are then presented with suggested trips complete with flights, accommodation and itinerary which can be booked through site partners such as Expedia and Lonely Planet. There’s even a connection to Facebook to locate friends in any of the chosen destinations!

We’re  telling you about this for three reasons:

1. It may be a service you’d like to try out for yourself. 
2. It’s evidence that there are still new opportunities in what is a very mature travel market.
3. Travel is just one market in which consumers face an increasingly large and bewildering range of choice. There is scope in many fields for someone to come along in an advisory role, provide inspiration, and help the consumer  home in on the most desirable options for them. Might your market be one of those where this might form the basis of a viable business?.
    

Cash For Technojunk 

Here's a quick tip to cash in on all those old gadgets you have lying around unused and unloved - Old mobile phone's, laptops, MP3's etc.
 
www.mirrorgogreen.co.uk
 
Will pay you hard cash for these unwanted items. The site (which is backed by the Daily Mirror)is very easy to use, you get an instant quote and there is no messing about. It's a great site. Take a look.

Credit Reference Quirks

Earlier this week, we ran some information and advice on credit reference agencies and how you might ‘work the system’ to your advantage; all legally and above board of course. Here’s some additional advice.
 
Check your credit reference agency files by ordering copies of your files from Equifax.co.uk and Experian.co.uk. Do apply for both files. The information that is registered at each agency will vary. Some lenders subscribe to one agency, others to the other one. They then submit information to and access details from only that one agency.
 
What this means is that one would-be lender will probably only see part of your credit history, not all of it. If you have one minor blip – say a default on an old loan – there’s a 50-50 chance that the lender will never see it. Some crafty borrowers with less than perfect histories try to discover which agency a lender uses and then apply accordingly.             
 
Notices Of Correction
 
If you see incorrect information on your file, you are entitled to have it corrected. The credit reference agency will provide a step-by-step guide with your file. Note: the agency is not responsible for what is in your file. The lenders submit, correct and remove information. The agency will provide relevant contact details.
 
If information is correct and negative (late payments, defaults etc), don’t just leave it as it is. It is worth adding a notice of correction, explaining what happened. You can submit up to 200 words direct to the agency. This can be helpful with small, misleading details. For example, perhaps you underpaid the minimum payment by a few pence and this has registered as one missed payment. Explain this.
 
It is also useful if you had short-term problems (redundancy etc) which have since been rectified. Some lenders will be sympathetic if you have explained yourself and payments have been brought up-to-date since then.               
 
Tips & Tactics
 
Having a good mix of credit can be a plus. Lenders like to see would-be borrowers with credit (as long as it is managed well). If you have no credit at all, this can be a black mark with some lenders. Positive applications – to improve a home etc – are viewed more favourably than negative ones; to consolidate debts etc.
 
Avoid applying for lots of different credit in a short space of time. This can make you seem desperate. Lenders' views vary and you should apply common sense to your own circumstances. If you have just moved house, you might expect to have more credit at that time. If you are applying for loans and credit cards every two or three months, this will often be regarded unfavourably.
 
Check your files at least every three months and keep in touch to make sure nothing turns up that shouldn’t be on there. The alternative, with older debts, is to leave the information there and defer your borrowings. Information is deleted automatically after six years.

And Finally...

When a guy's printer type began to grow faint, he called a local repair shop where a friendly man informed him that the printer probably needed only to be cleaned. Because the store charged £50 for such cleanings, he told him he might be better off reading the printer's manual and trying the job himself.

Pleasantly surprised by his candor, he asked, "Does your boss know that you discourage business?"

"Actually, it's my boss's idea," the employee replied sheepishly. "We usually make more money on repairs if we let people try to fix things themselves first."