Monthly Archives: August 2020

News

Loving Earth’s Oceans, the eco-subscription business, marks first birthday with B Corp status

Loving Earth’s Oceans – LEO’s Box for short – has today been awarded B Corp status, recognising the organisation’s commitment to meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

LEO’s Box was launched in 2019 in response to society’s over reliance on non-recyclable plastics and aims to provide consumers with eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives to popular household and personal care products. The boxes and their contents are 100% recyclable. LEO’s Box has also developed a charitable link with One Tree Planted, helping customers ‘give back’ in the knowledge that for every box purchased, another new tree will be planted.

Lysander Bickham, the company’s now 17-years old Founder, launched LEO’s Box after partaking in a school sustainability project.

B Corps form a community of leaders and drive a global movement of people using business as a force for good. The values and aspirations of the B Corp community are embedded in the B Corp Declaration of Interdependence.

Lysander Bickham, Founder & CEO, Loving Earth’s Oceans, comments:
“Celebrating the one year milestone is great, and to be recognised with official B Corp status, for all our efforts on sustainability, is just fantastic.
“It has not been without its challenges, and I will always thank my first customer for having faith in us to subscribe. One of the consequences I dread from coronavirus is that we are potentially taking steps backwards in how we tackle plastic use and waste. I know it has been really tough for many people in ways we didn’t expect, but we must also tackle the most critical crises facing us, that of climate change.

“Currently 91% of the plastic we use is non-recyclable, meaning it just ends up in landfill or worse, in the oceans, where there are currently 8.3billion tonnes of plastic waste. This has to stop and I’ve just tried to take small steps to contribute, while giving customers a new way to enjoy quality products, with everyday household uses without compromising the planet.”

Children and Childcare, FInance, News

Beanstalk App Launches to Let Whole Family Save for Children’s Future

Brings Junior ISAs into the digital world – Open and manage savings and investments for your children from your smartphone in just 2 minutes with £5

Parents, relatives and friends can make regular top-ups, ad hoc contributions or round up everyday payments

London, UK – 30th July 2020 – Beanstalk, an app-based child savings and investment account that lets the whole family put money aside for their kid’s futures, launched today. It allows parents to open and manage Junior ISA accounts for all their children from a single app in just 2 minutes with only £5 – removing the barriers of traditional alternatives which often require visits to a physical bank branch with separate paperwork for each child and/or minimum contributions. The app is available for download for Apple and Android devices.

Beanstalk offers stocks & shares ISAs and Junior ISAs, so any returns are tax free and requires no minimum or regular contributions, combined with a 0.5% fee – one of the lowest on the market – meaning more is saved for you, your kids and their future. It allows parents to invite grandparents and other friends and family members to link to the children’s accounts and send/receive gift messages. When linked, family and friends can use their own apps to contribute in a way that best suits their own circumstances, including ad hoc top-ups and regular contributions. Beanstalk also supports round ups on everyday spending, money back on shopping through a unique integration with KidStart.

Case Study – “When I buy a coffee or go shopping, I’m saving for my child’s future”

Veli Aghdiran, 35, “I looked at setting up a savings account for my daughter, Carmen, when she was born, but it always seemed too complicated, with too many choices to make, I had no idea if I was doing the right thing or not. I’ve found Beanstalk to be very straight forward, I just downloaded the App and in two minutes it was all set-up. It’s so simple that the grandparents can quickly and easily contribute to Carmen’s future with none of the hassle of having to pay birthday or Christmas cash or cheques into the bank. The KidStart savings and round up functions mean that our shopping is adding to her savings, and even buying a coffee or sandwich can top up the account.”

“Today’s young adults are facing ever bigger expenses for their education and to get on the property ladder, and this is going the same issue when today’s children reach 18,” said Julian Robson, CEO and Founder of Beanstalk. “Junior ISAs offer a tax-free way to save for your kids futures, but the current products are all too complex and hard to set-up. We are bringing Kid’s savings into the App-age allowing the whole family to contribute and offering the simplest sign-up making it easier than ever-before to start saving for your children’s futures.”

The app removes the complexity of choosing how savings are invested, by providing a simple choice of the percentage split between a global shares fund and a cash fund in whatever split parents want and which can be changed at any time using a simple slider interface. This represents a significantly easier and more accessible experience than alternatives which provide users with a list of complex and confusing investment options which turn off inexperienced investors.

Beanstalk has been created by the team behind KidStart, and builds on this heritage and experience gained over the last 10 years of helping thousands of families save millions of pounds for their children on shopping at over 2,200 retailers.

The Beanstalk Account is a simple and flexible account through which any contributions are invested at your choice in the funds on offer. The Beanstalk child account is a Stocks & Shares Junior ISA and requires no minimum contribution from the parent to open. A Junior ISA is a tax-efficient way to save or invest for a child’s future as all income and capital gains within a Junior ISA are exempt from UK tax personal tax. There are two types of Junior ISAs: Cash or Stocks & Shares. A child, who must be a UK permanent resident, can only subscribe to one of each type during their childhood, and children cannot share a Junior ISA. Beanstalk JISAs are open to children under 16 at the time of application; if a child already has a Stocks & Shares Junior ISA or a Child Trust Fund, the existing account can easily be transferred to Beanstalk.

For more information on how to open a Beanstalk Account and start investing in a Junior ISA for your children’s future, please visit https://beanstalkapp.co.uk

Cleaning & Facilities Management, COVID-19, News

Germs on Keyboards, Computer Mice, and Other Workplace Electronics

Employees are putting themselves at risk of illness by not frequently sanitising their household and workplace electronics, new research has revealed.

Media packaging provider Neo-Online investigated why we should be cleaning our electronics, how often we should be doing so, and the process we should be using to sanitise them. To gather expert insight, Neo-Online collaborated with Lisa Evans, spokesperson from MyJobQuote, Henry Paterson, Senior Operations Executive at Housekeep, and Lynsey Crombie, Queen of Clean:

  • Earphones should be cleaned once a week, or before each use if you take them out of the house. Cleaning with a cotton wool bud and disinfectant spray will keep any germs and bacteria away. Make sure to avoid spraying directly into the electrics and remove the earphones from any power source before cleaning
  • Headsets should be cleaned every two weeks, or before each use if you wear them 5 days a week for work purposes.  Using a disinfectant wipe when the headsets are not plugged in. Make sure to dry them efficiently before using.
  • Chargers should be cleaned every week. Wiping them down with a disinfectant wipe will prevent the build-up of germs around the household. It’s important to clean chargers when they’re not plugged in as you don’t want to get a nasty electric shock
  • •Mobile phones should be cleaned regularly – wipe down your phone screen and around your case at least once a day. You’ll want to remove your phone case and wipe the back of the phone every few days, as well as thoroughly cleaning the case. You probably won’t need to clean the ports out daily, but should do this once a week or so.

o When cleaning your phone screen, use a lint-free, soft cloth, and an alcohol wipe. Unplug all power sources and avoid getting moisture in any openings
o To clean your phone case, a disinfectant wipe will be fine. Remove the phone from the case before disinfecting and ensure the case is dry before putting the phone back in
o To clean your charging ports, use a toothpick, or a compressed air can. Don’t blow down them, as your breath holds a lot of moisture which could cause damage to your phone

• Computer mouse should be cleaned monthly at minimum if infrequently used, but before and after each use if excessive daily use

o Cleaning your mouse with an alcohol wipe will stop an accumulation of bacteria and germs. Wipe the underside of your mouse from dirt and debris, otherwise it can prevent your mouse from working efficiently too

  • Computer keyboard should be cleaned monthly at minimum if infrequently used, but before and after each use if excessive daily use.  You can do this by using a disinfectant wipe and sweep it over the keyboard gently. Make sure the keyboard isn’t plugged into a power source before doing this. You can then use a cotton bud to go in-between the keys and clear any debris

Thomas Jones, spokesperson from Neo-Online, commented:

“With ‘high-touch’ and ‘high traffic’ surfaces, which includes household electronics, cleaning if more important than ever. TV remotes and mobile phones are especially infamous to harbour germs, dirt and bacteria – mobile phones can become dirtier than your toilet seat!

“Many studies have shown that a variety of household items can carry viruses (including coronavirus, as well as cold and flu viruses), fungi, bacteria, mould and other microbial life forms – some living on these surfaces for as long as 72 hours! Once household electronics have become contaminated, the germs can linger for days, so it’s possible to fall ill or contract a nasty infection via contact with contaminated surfaces.

“It’s imperative these household electronic items are cleaned regularly, as well as practising good hygiene and social distancing – practice thorough hand-washing, and more regular cleaning of these items if they are taken out of the home or shared with others”.

For more information on the research, visit: https://www.neo-online.co.uk/articles/how-often-to-clean-your-entertainment-equipment/

Home Improvements, Homeowner Advice, News, Property

Changes that will really add value to your home after COVID-19

In these uncertain times, what can homeowners do to shore up the value of their properties? David Knight, Digital Manager at Roof Windows 4 You, shares changes that can increase the potential asking price of your home.

The COVID-19 outbreak and resulting lockdown has brought about huge shake-ups in the housing market, and many homeowners are becoming concerned that house prices could be the next victim of the virus. Last month, The Centre for Economics and Business Research predicted that house prices will fall by 5% this year and a further 10.6% in 2021. The CEBR also warned that prices might not bounce back until at least 2023 (This Is Money). So, if you were hoping to sell your home at some point in the next few years, you might be looking for ways to help boost the value, so you can achieve a higher asking price. In this article, I’ll share four effective ways you can help to increase the value of your property.

Increase your kerb appeal

It’s a cliché, but it’s true: first impressions count. The exterior of your home is the first sight that will greet prospective buyers when they come for a viewing, so it pays to make it look as welcoming as possible. Ideally, your front door and any pathways or garden areas should look better than those of your neighbours — this will make your home seem like it’s worth more than the other houses on the street, which can help push up the asking price.

You don’t need to spend a fortune to make this happen, either. If you can’t afford to fully replace the door, then simply adding a lick of new paint and a new handle and knocker can make a big difference. Then, you should clear any weeds, disguise cracked paving with some gravel or slate chips, and add a few potted plants — before you know it, your home will be the pride of the street. These changes are very cost-effective to implement, but they can really create the impression that your home is one of the best in the neighbourhood.

Extend your home to add an extra room

Homes in the UK are getting smaller. Modern new builds are now almost 10 square metres smaller than those built in the 1950s, meaning that space is becoming a real luxury for today’s homebuyers (LABC). So, if you want to increase the value of your home, one thing which could make it much more desirable to potential buyers is adding an extra room.

Remember, the increase in value should outweigh the costs of the project, so you’ll need to budget carefully. Do some research on similar homes then crunch the numbers to see if an extra bedroom or reception room is profitable.

If homes in your area with an extra bedroom are selling for more, then the most cost-effective option is likely to be converting the loft space. When designing your loft conversion, be sure to prioritise adding lots of natural light using roof windows or a dormer, as this will appeal to buyers. Or, if you think that a reception room will add the most value to your home, you could convert a garage into a cosy living space. If neither is an option, you could also consider merging two existing rooms — like a kitchen and dining room — to create a spacious, airy living area.

Give a dated kitchen a facelift

A dated kitchen can be very off-putting to buyers, and this can seriously affect your potential asking price. But, fitting an entirely new kitchen often isn’t the most cost-effective solution, because the price of a complete refurbishment can be more than you’ll gain in terms of real value. So, how can you improve the look of the space without spending a fortune?

The answer is to find clever shortcuts that look expensive but aren’t, so you don’t need to get entirely new units and white goods. For example, tired old cabinets can be updated with a fresh coat of paint and some modern knobs or handles, while installing a shiny new tap can transform an old sink. Re-tiling splashbacks — or even using inexpensive tile stickers — can change the look of your kitchen, but they don’t cost too much to install. You can also add new countertop appliances, like kettles and toasters, to give the space a more “premium” feel (plus, you can take them with you when you move). All of these little changes are fairly inexpensive compared to getting a new kitchen, but they can make it seem much more expensive that it actually is!

Make your home more energy efficient and eco-friendly

Today’s homebuyers are increasingly eco-savvy, so they’re more likely to notice if your home isn’t energy efficient. So, if your home is a few years old and the EPC rating isn’t great, it’s well worth finding ways to improve it. Adding insulation, draught-proofing, an energy efficient boiler, and a smart meter can all help to increase the value.

You could even consider installing an electric vehicle charging point—while the upfront cost can be pricy, they could add as much as 2% to your asking price, according to GoCompare. Given that there are plans to phase out the sale of new traditional fuel vehicles by 2035, this could become a massive selling point in years to come.

Plus, there are various grants and allowances you can take advantage of that will make these changes all the more cost-effective. The recently announced COVID-19 recovery package will see up to £5,000 in vouchers made available to homeowners that can be used to cover the cost of various energy efficient updates.

With the forecast for house prices looking bleak, it’s well worth finding ways to shore up the value of your home. Consider implementing some of the changes I’ve outlined here, and you could be able to make up some of the expected shortfall.