Cruise holidays are becoming increasingly popular and there are many last minute cruises available for people looking for a luxury holiday in the sun. There are several cruise lines out there to choose from. Here are two of the best known:

P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises operate with seven cruise ships departing from Southampton to a wide range of destinations. This historic cruise line has been transporting passengers across the globe since 1844 and has a reputation as an industry expert. This popular cruise line blends high standards of safety with exceptional customer service with a strong emphasis on employing highly trained staff that can deliver outstanding service.

P&O Cruises for 2012 is offering some exceptional cruise deals. Leaving from Southampton one of the most popular routes is the Mediterranean cruise where people can enjoy the vibrancy and beauty of Greece, France, Italy and Spain. For something truly memorable cruises to Norway to the fjords will literally take your breath away with fantastic views of some of the world’s most stunning natural landmarks.

Princess Cruises

Another well-known cruise line is Princess Cruising which started out in 1965 taking passengers to Mexico. Now the cruise line is the third biggest globally and is rated for its advanced ships, high standards of customer service and fantastic choice of on-board facilities and entertainment.

Princess Cruises is known for their expertise in cruising across the globe and their fleet of 17 cruise ships offers a vast range of destinations. In 1977 Princess Cruises enjoyed celebrity status when one of its cruise ships, Pacific Princess, won the star role on ‘The Love Boat’, a TV series that was to become a worldwide hit. This popular series can still be seen today and it has been claimed that its success fuelled the growth of the cruise holiday industry.
Princess Cruises offer a wide range of last minute cruises for those looking for a quick getaway.

In today’s cash-strapped economy, it makes sense to become as savvy as possible about managing your personal finances. That goes for taking responsibility for what you spend and save and also becoming aware of the strong forces that are in play every time you go into a supermarket!

The fact is, as a consumer, you are constantly bombarded by the forces of marketing and advertising. Most of us have gone into a particular supermarket in response to something we’ve seen in the media, on an outdoor advertising board, or become aware of via a different marketing channel.

Once we enter the supermarket, the real psychology kicks in. Everything, from the minute we park up at the store, to when we leave with our bags, is designed to encourage us to part with as much of our cash as possible.

Retail psychologists are employed by supermarkets to analyse every aspect of the shopper’s experience, to understand their feelings, motivations and attitudes towards purchasing and gently manipulate variable environmental factors to encourage that purchase decision.

Firstly, the supermarket will be designed to make you linger. It won’t be logically laid out and products will frequently change around to force you to hunt them out and possibly spot new products to become tempted by instead.

In-store demonstrations are an example where supermarkets encourage shoppers to linger and engage with new products, to see examples, demos and tastings and pick up a new product in the process.

Shops place their most profitable items on the shelves where a customer’s eye naturally falls, so value ranges will tend to be on the bottom shelf where they are trickier to reach. You’ll need to reach or bend to get the best deals!

Supermarkets also know to assault the shopper’s senses as they go in to create a pleasant experience designed to help them spend. This will range from the smell of fresh bread wafted through the store, to the colourful displays, soft music and comfortable temperature. Free samples might be given out, to allow the shopper to taste or experience a small part of the product and decide to buy it.

Surprising additions are other ways that supermarkets engage customers by eliciting a response of joyful surprise, such as finding a new product line or interesting new product category.

This is one reason why supermarkets extended so widely into complementary and lifestyle lines such as clothing, home wares, electronics and more.

Good customer service is a genuine way in which stores will try to encourage customer loyalty. By offering friendly and helpful staff and till packers, the customer associates the shopping experience with speed, friendliness and convenience.

The store may also delay the customer more as they are paying. Whilst waiting in a queue there will usually be other lines to look at whilst lingering, such as magazines, sweets and personal items. These will frequently be picked up as an impulse buy.

At the purchase point, the customer service agent may prompt additional sales, such as signing a customer up to a reward scheme, mentioning a finance product or offering extras such as stamps.

Even after the sale is made, staff may be on hand to delay the customer with vouchers and other promotions for a return visit.

Certainly, the psychology behind shopping is very powerful and most customers are manipulated into buying what supermarkets want them to. This can lead to overspending which, in turn, may mean that you need to take out a loan to cover your payments, click here for more information on loans and interest rates.

However, if you make sure you go shopping armed with knowledge and a clear list, (and not necessarily a credit card) you can avoid becoming one of the over-spending masses!

Gourmet Burger Kitchen is a bit different from most burger places you’ll find. It’s not really what you’d call a traditional fast food joint and should be thought of more as a restaurant instead. By using the freshest ingredients and creating classic and innovative flavour combinations they aim to provide their patrons with ‘the best burgers in town’.

Everything is made freshly to order, so as well as picking from the menu, you can ask for something to be added, or left out to make it just as you want it. Buns are made by an artisan baker, and beef patties are made from Aberdeen Angus beef. Sauces are made freshly every day, and all the kitchens are on view so you can see your food being cooked from beginning to end.

The first Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) was opened in Battersea in London in 2001 by three New Zealanders, and since then, this restaurant has spread and there are over 50 restaurants which can now be found right across the UK from Brighton to Edinburgh, as well as a number in other parts of the world from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, to Greece, Turkey and other places.

The burgers themselves are a beauty to behold – and even better to eat! You can choose between original size and small size for most of the burger options, so that taking kids along isn’t ever a problem.
One burger which doesn’t come in a ‘small’ however is the Kiwiburger – this amazing combination is stacked with beef, beetroot, egg, pineapple, aged cheddar, salad, mayo and relish, It’s not a cheap burger coming in at £8.95 which is the third most expensive item on the menu, but, whenever you buy one a donation is made to help save the Kiwi too. The most expensive item is ‘The Mighty’ burger. This comes with 2 beef patties, aged cheddar, streaky bacon, garlic mayo, salad and relish, and is a meal all on its own without any extras.

All this wonderful food sounds quite expensive, but there are cheaper options on the menu, and you can also get printable vouchers from the internet, which can reduce the cost substantially. Vouchers vary, but can be along the lines of ‘Burger, fries and drink for £10’, or ‘Buy 1 burger or main course salad, and get a second for £1’, or even ‘Any burger for £5.95’. Vouchers like these can save you quite a lot of money, and mean that you can treat the family for a very reasonable sum indeed.

Powwownow is the leading free conference call provider in the UK and was founded seven years ago. They offer instant conference calling that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with as many participants involved as you require across over 100 countries around the world.

The Powwownow system uses its own teleconferencing technology and operates with low overheads to make it more cost effective for conference calls to take place world wide. Within the standard service that they provide, they don’t charge any kind of fees, so each caller only pays the cost of their own call making it substantially cheaper to use than virtually any other conference call provider.

Powwownow also offers a great premium business service with tailor made business solutions for customers. They aim to understand what their customers need and build conference packages to suit all their requirements while at the same time providing an excellent level of service, innovation and support.

The biggest difference between Powwownow and other conference call competitors is that they don’t charge a bridging fee – this is the fee that most conference call providers charge the chairman of a conference call for chairing the call. Because of this, powwownow can save business customers who regularly use conference calling hundreds if not thousands of pounds while still providing a level of support which is extremely high.

The premium business service offers an automated, reservation-free service where meetings can be held 24 hours a day 7 days a week with no pre-booking required and without the assistance of a call operator unless you wish for assistance.

The service that is provided by Powwownow includes a variety of features that many companies don’t offer, or charge extra for. Amongst other things, you can receive:

Unlimited number of conference calls
Unlimited pairs of chairperson and participant PINs allowing concurrent conference calling
A choice of dial in numbers and rates (such as shared cost, geographical and freephone)
International access to over 100 different countries
Secure call recording so that conferences can be reviewed and shared
Real-time reporting on all your calls
A simple to use scheduler tool to make it easy to invite callers to conferences
Web conferencing

Overall, using powwownow can save your business money, and allow you to add another dimension to your business by bringing together many people for effective communication without requiring face to face meetings.

When you visit London, there are several excellent choices for hotels, fine dining, live entertainment and of course, popular attractions. Because London is a world-class destination and a very large city, it is helpful to plan ahead prior to visiting some of the popular tourist spots.

This article will focus on two famous London sites, Kensington Palace and Hyde Park and what you can do and see when you are there. These two sites border each other so it’s conceivable that you can see both sites on a single day. If you are planning on staying in this central location then both Kensington apartments and Hyde park executive apartments can offer a cost effective way of staying and exploring the area.

Some of you may recall that Kensington Palace was once the official residence of Lady Di, the Princess of Wales and Princess Margaret, but the palace is rich in history and has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the early 1600s. In fact it was the birthplace of Queen Victoria, who became Queen of England in 1837. Kensington Palace is on the grounds of the beautiful Kensington Gardens and was the royal palace before there was Buckingham Palace. It was here where Lady Diana’s body was returned after her tragic accident in Paris in 1997. Thousands of cards, letters and flowers were brought to Kensington Palace in honor of her memory. Her body was eventually taken to Westminster Abbey by horse-drawn carriage to her funeral.

One of the top attractions at Kensington Palace is the Enchanted Palace, which is in a newly remodeled section that might alter your perception of what a royal palace has to offer. Here within the Enchanted Palace, rooms have been transformed into visual memories of what they may have looked like during that era. In one room, you might see Princess Victoria’s room before she became queen and another room might display many outfits from Lady Di’s wardrobe.

Nor far away from Kensington Palace is the grand and glorious Hyde Park, where there are plenty of activities to choose from. Hyde Park is the among the 7 designated Royal Parks, originally owned by the monarchy of the United Kingdom. Popular activities include swimming, hiking, jogging, tennis, row boating and of course perhaps the most recognized activity is at Speaker’s Corner, where people from all walks of life have a public forum in which to speak openly on subjects such as religion, politics and war. In the same section of Hyde Park is the famous Marble Arch, which is made of one of the most expensive types of marble, Carrara from the city in Italy, which bears the same name. The park also has some great 8 places for food and beverages.

Hyde Park has also been home to many notable rock concerts with artists such as the Rolling Stones, the Who and Queen, performing there over the years. Next year, during the 2012 London Summer Olympics, Hyde Park will host the triathlon and marathon swimming events.

Hyde Park and Kensington Palace are both located in central London, northwest of Westminster. It is easily accessible by the London Transport and staying in any central London apartments when you are in the city will mean you have a great base to to explore from. Between visiting Hyde Park and Kensington Palace, you are certain to have an enjoyable day, bringing back a lifetime of wonderful memories.

Student life can be expensive – the government says around £11,000 a year! With all the fees and rent and things there’s often not much left over to spend on your social life. However, with a little bit of care you can write a budget that will be workable and let you spend a bit on you too and limit the amount of debt help you may need when you leave University.

Write a Budget Sheet
Start by putting pen to paper and write down all your income and expenses. (two columns). Make sure you include everything you spend money on such as library fees, food, laundry etc. not just rent and bills.

Organise your Income
Expenses can be daily, weekly or monthly, and income may be the same, or may even be in lump sums once a term. You might work in the holidays and then not during term time. If you can, set up one account for all your rent/hall fees and don’t use this for daily expenses. Divide your remaining money into even chunks for each week/month it has to last so you can see clearly how much you have to live on.

Maximise your Income
Working to give you extra is a good way to help maximise your income – it won’t hurt your CV either, but don’t try to work too hard or your education might suffer. Full time work in the holidays can sometimes lead to part time work through the term. You might be able to earn £50-100 extra per week this way.

Get Discounts
Look for places offering student discounts – restaurants, bars, cinema, etc. Sites like studentbeans.com can tell you about some of these, and the NUS Extra card can get you money off in shops too.

Learn to Cook
Cooking for yourself is cheaper even than the college canteen. Make coffee and carry it in a flask, buy cheap vegetables and fruit on the market, and own brand supermarket products and a decent cook book and you’ll save yourself a fortune. One person can easily live on £20-£25 a week and less with care.

Buy & Sell
Second hand stores and sites can save you money on things like text books, and if you’ve finished with the item then you can sell it on and make some of your money back. Ebay and other similar sites can also be good for selling on other unwanted items too.

Avoid Debt
Overdrafts, credit cards, store cards – all are often on offer to you as a student, but before you accept any of these, think carefully about whether it’s worth it. A low interest overdraft can be extremely useful towards the end of the term, but you should avoid taking on any unnecessary debt. Keep an eye on your finances and use cash where you can. Never take out more than you need and stay in control.

Don’t Overspend
Ok this sounds obvious, but if you’re in a shared house, you don’t EACH need a TV licence, just one between all of you. If you’re living in private accommodation you may not need to pay council tax, and if you can get a cheap washing machine instead of using a laundrette you’ll save £’s.

Image courtesy of Images of Money

Going on holiday, at home or abroad, is expensive enough before you’ve even jetted off with your nearest and dearest. Nobody wants to be concerned about money when you’re supposed to be kicking back, enjoying a bit of much-needed rest and recuperation and having some fun in the sun. However, you can watch the pennies and have a stress-free time by factoring in the following money-saving tips.

Book up early
For the best deals possible on things like accommodation, flights and travel insurance, try to book as far in advance and do it online if you can. When it comes to getting reduced holiday insurance over 70 different quotes are potentially just few clicks away on price comparison websites so it’s important to shop around. Last-minute sites also offer enticing discounts so there are pros and cons to either sorting out a holiday months before you go or leaving it late.

Carry on surfing
Don’t forget to stay connected to the Internet when you’re away as there could be online discounts and vouchers relevant to wherever you are in the world. Major tourist attractions will, no doubt, have their own websites that can sometimes have offers available to people that book in advance on their website. Take the London Eye, for instance. You can save up to 18 per cent on a standard ticket for a family of four simply by booking online 24 hours before you plan to take in stunning aerial views of London.  This means that ‘daycations’ can now be a little bit easier on your pocket.

Get back to basics
You need to get around on holiday and that usually means hiring a car, hailing a taxi or jumping on and off public transport. Yet, there’s a lot to be said for seeing as much of a city or resort as possible by foot. For starters, it’s free, then there’s the fact that it’s a great way of exploring and finding out more about the culture and customs in a different country. Plus, the fresh air will do you no harm, will it?
Be picky at meal times
Eating out a couple of times every day will decimate your holiday budget, so either go self-catering or cook your own meals whenever you can. Nobody is suggesting you need to slave over a hot stove three times a day, every day, for the duration of your break. Rather, you could keep dining out to a minimum and perhaps only venture out for your evening meal. Breakfast and lunch tend to be pretty basic meals anyway and you can quite easily pick up some local produce and prepare something yourself with the minimum of fuss. You’ll only end up paying over the odds if you don’t, just like you will if you don’t recycle and reuse water bottles.

The price of car insurance – and especially modified car insurance – is creeping up to such an extent that more and more people are now giving serious consideration to selling off their pride and joy and turning to public transport instead. If you are struggling to afford to stay on the road then at least you can find some solace in the fact that you’re not alone.
So, what can you do to get cheaper cover? Read on to find out…
Surf the web
Image courtesy of Mike L
Regular visitors to Discount Tart will know how highly we rate the Internet when it comes to unearthing a bargain or two and it’s no different when it comes to getting car insurance at a reduced price. There are plenty of price comparison websites available for motorists to log on to, input all their details and then get a real range of quotes from countless companies. With it being such a competitive market, you’re well placed as the consumer to take advantage of insurers constantly undercutting their rivals. Another interesting feature on these types of websites is the fact that it makes clear the difference in prices if you pay in one lump sum or if you opt to pay on a monthly basis, with the former usually a few hundred pounds cheaper.
Take care on the roads
Image courtesy of Nooniverse
No matter how competent you think you are behind the wheel, the chances are high that you still get distracted from time to time. And what happens if you have a crash and are forced to claim? Or you’re found guilty of committing a crime on the roads? Yes, you guessed it, the price of insurance rockets and you may be slapped with a fine and maybe even points on your license. Recent research has suggested that anyone convicted of driving without due care and attention – and just under 16,500 people are in Britain every year – will pay an average of £202 more for car insurance annually, although that figure could rise to as much as £402 in some cases. This just goes to show what could happen if you lose concentration and the benefits of always playing it safe. By avoiding harsh accelerating and braking and sticking to speed limits you can also mitigate the general wear and tear on your vehicle, which should in turn save you money.
Get security conscious
Image courtesy of Deb Silver
An alarm or immobilizer on your car will not only put off any potential car thieves, but also lower the price of car insurance. Where you park during both the day and night is another factor that insurers take into account. If you’ve got a drive or garage then make sure you use them. Failure to do so could prove crucial in the event of having to make a claim.
Stay off the roads
Image courtesy of Grant McDonald
Okay, this might initially seem a little drastic, but reducing your mileage means that it works out cheaper overall to get your car covered – so that’s cheaper to insure and, indeed, cheaper to run.
Increase your excess
Image courtesy of Images of Money
There’s a certain risk factor associated with raising your excess, yet it can be offset by the fact that it should lead to a discounted insurance premium. Obviously, make sure first that you can afford to pay the excess should you need to before you start making radical changes to your policy. Perhaps the best thing to do is to talk to the insurer first to see what they recommend and if you live in a household with more than one vehicle ask about the possibility of starting a multi-car policy.

Image courtesy of Andrew Malone

How much easier life has become since the World Wide Web arrived in homes and offices. Every time you had a renewal for anything like car insurance or home contents insurance cover there was a rather shaky choice of: one, just accept the new figures and settle without hassle, or two, spend days on the phone or in a broker’s office seeking out alternatives that might be a little cheaper even if not necessarily better in value. But now thanks to the power of information technology insurance companies actually come to us at the touch of a button.

Home insurance cover is one of those areas that generates natural confusion on a large scale. In the bad old days you would receive lengthy policy documents in legalese that you would have to plough through without nodding off and hope to understand. Now you can ask for quotes on line and tailor your cover quote by answering a simple yes or no to a series of questions aimed at helping you through this quagmire. You can even do the same en masse if you like by using one of the comparison websites and then just choose the policy that best meets your expectations at the lowest cost.

Of course once you have decided which home insurance cover to go for you can expect to receive hard copies of all the relevant documents and policies. So you are so much better off all round. First, the computer does all the hard work chasing round for quotes – you put your feet up. Second, you get a clear easy to read quote or choice of comparative quotes from which to decide who to go with. Third, you press a button to confirm which home insurance cover policy you have elected to take on. Fourth, you save a small forest in only having the documentation for the policy that you finally select. And finally, when next year comes around you will be confidant in knowing that you are not tied to your current insurer simply because changing your provider is too much hassle – your friendly World Wide Web will provide a free service to you; same time next year. So you can rest assured that insurance companies will be kept on their toes and be economically obliged to compete for your custom so that you can expect consistently improved terms and value for money.

No one will ever want to pass up on the chance of being able to save themselves some money If you check for a Money Saving Spy Promo Code, you could end up saving yourself a significant amount of money. There is no real limit as to what you could save money on either, whether it be those shoes you’ve had your eye on for a while or a meal out at a nice restaurant. Make sure you always check first before you spend those valuable pounds.