June 18, 2016

The Age Old Debate: Should You Buy New Or Used?

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There is a lot to think about when you are in the process of buying a car. Most motorists find that this process is something which they definitely do not want to rush. However, that doesn’t mean that you want it to take forever either. The problem is, usually when you are buying a car it is because you are in desperate need of one now! That means that you don’t want to spend time worrying about details which don’t matter to you. At the same time, everyone wants to do their best to save as much money as they can. Finding a healthy balance between these two can be difficult - but it is well worth the effort. One of the main things you need to ask yourself is whether to buy new or used. If you can work this out sufficiently, then you have managed to find that elusive balance. With that in mind, let’s take a look through the various pros and cons of each.


New - Pros

Buying a new car is, without a doubt, the most enjoyable way to go about it. There is nothing quite like driving away from a dealer with your New Honda or whatever you have gone for. When you buy new, you have the obvious advantage of having a car which has not been driven at all. This means that it is likely to perform very well. You also probably have a warranty - a great feeling of security which you don’t get used. There is nothing quite like buying new.

New - Cons

But it’s not all a walk in the park. There are some downsides to buying new, too. Depreciation is a real concern for many motorists buying a new car. Depreciation simply means that the car loses value over time. The truth is, your vehicle loses thousand off its value the moment you drive it off the forecourt. There is also the fact that insurance is likely to be just that little bit pricier. And, of course, you have the upfront cost - much larger than when you buy used.


Used - Pros

If you are trying to keep an eye on your financial situation, then there is good news from the used category. If you buy a used car, you are unlikely to spend that much on the upfront costs. What’s more, you will probably find that insurance is considerably cheaper when compared to buying a new car. The process is also often that much faster. The used market is sprawling with just about every model you can name, so you are sure to be spoilt for choice.

Used - Cons

However, buying used does have its drawbacks. First is the fact that a used car is not necessarily going to last you a long time. It is likely that regular visits to the mechanic will be in order. Running costs will probably be much higher, and tax might be an issue on the older cars. With a used car, you also have no way of knowing just what kind of state it is really in. It is a bit of a risk - but it’s up to you whether that risk is worthwhile or not.


June 02, 2016

Music Apps That Will Blow Your Mind

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Back in 1997, Napster launched. Ultimately the pirate music website was taken down. But not before it changed the way that we consume music, forever.

Now the marketplace is flooded with legitimate music apps. These promise users everything from their favourite hits to random, home-made beats. And because there are so many of them, they can be quite tricky to navigate. In this post, we're going to take a look at some of the more interesting music apps out there. You never know, some of them might blow your mind.

woman listening to music

Apple Music
You can't have a list of the best music apps without including Apple Music. Apple Music builds on the backbone of popular iTunes platform. But it does more than this. As it is a streaming service, many of its songs are free.

music


What's more, the app actually learns the type of music that you like, and it can construct playlists based on your preferences.

If you get fed up with all the free stuff - which is unlikely - you can pay a $9.99 a month subscription to get access to all 30 million songs.

Pandora
Pandora is an app with staying power. This little music app has been around for years and has managed to survive the Apple Music storm. Part of its success is down to the fact that it is always getting better. The app is highly customizable. And it lets you create whole stations dedicated to your favourite artists.

pandora

What's more, the previous 40 hour-per-month limit has finally been removed, meaning that Pandora can truly be your go-to app. Learn more about the apps other features and suitability for children here.

Rhapsody
For a long time, Rhapsody wasn't the most attractive music app out there. But now, thanks to a facelift, it can finally compete with the best.

But the app is more than just a pretty face. Rhapsody has been going for years, and over time has built up an enormous library of songs. The library of music, combined with the fresh interface, now makes it one of the best music apps out there.

Like Pandora, Rhapsody allows you to create your own radio stations, dedicated to your favourite artists. And like Pandora, it has a premium service that allows you to go ad-free.

Qello Concerts
They say that if you want to truly experience music, you have to go to a live event. Qello Concerts recognises that that isn't always possible, so it tries to do the next best thing: bring the event to you.

qello concerts


Rather than streaming individual songs, Qello Concerts specialises in streaming whole music events. For a small monthly payment, you can transform your smartphone into a full-blown auditorium. You can watch full-length concerts and documentaries on command.

iHeartRadio
The last music app on our list is iHeartRadio. This nifty little app combines the convenience of a smartphone with the randomness of the radio. It's like a regular radio, but with a twist. You can customise it to deliver tunes, broadcast over the radio, that reflect your listening habits. With this app, there's a song for every occasion.
June 01, 2016

Cars VS Bikes: The Age Old Debate

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The debate over which is better, cars or bikes, has been raging for as long as cars and bikes have been around. But recently, thanks to the internet and blogging, it's gone into high gear. Numerous websites now devote enormous tracts of column space to answering this question. And nobody seems to have a clue which way the pendulum swings.

In this post, we're going to strip away all the nonsense and look at some of the facts on both sides before coming to a balanced conclusion. In the battle of bikes vs cars, who will prevail? Let's take a look at some of the reasons why you might choose a car.

Cars Are All-Weather Vehicles
Bikers often wax lyrical about the joys of riding their motorcycles on the open road. But, of course, that only really applies on a sunny day in California. Most of us aren't fortunate enough to live in such favourable climes. And even in California, it's not perpetual summertime.



When it's raining, it's cold, or it's snowing, riding a motorcycle is not fun. Many motorcyclists report that hail stings, even through leathers. And of course, it's hard to stay warm when temperatures dip below zero.
In a car the hail is kept out, the heating is turned on, and windscreen wipers do a good job of getting rid of the rain. Bicycle helmets don't have windshield wipers so good luck seeing where you're going.


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