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Health is the new wealth

Tips for Choosing Tyres that will Keep Your Car Running Efficiently

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Before I learnt to drive I literally had no interest in cars or, if I’m honest, even how to drive them. I only took lessons because I was pregnant and the idea of having to haul a pram on a bus became the less desirable option. Driving just has never been ‘my thing’ and even since passing my test all those years ago I still don’t really like it. There’s too much that could go wrong, too many other drivers that could cause hazards, and too many bits and pieces on the car that need attention. But the thing is- hiding your head in the sand is never a good idea, no matter what you’re hiding from. It’s a little cliche but knowledge really is power.

After suffering a burst tyre on a lonely country road and relying on the kindness of a stranger to change it for me so that I could make the 100 mile trip home (with two small children in the back), I decided enough was enough. I needed to learn more about my car, and how to stay safe. All of this is to say: there are other things worth learning about when you take your driving test. It’s not just about how to manoeuvre the vehicle, its about keeping it safe and working optimally too. Here are three tips to follow when it comes to choosing car tyres that will keep your car running efficiently.

Tips for Choosing Car Tyres that will Keep Your Car Running Efficiently

Do your research

You’re not the expert, so don’t try to be. Unless you have a serious interest and thirst for knowledge of course. There are plenty of tyre experts out there ready and willing to help you choose the right tyres for you car, so don’t sweat it if you really don’t have the time nor inclination to learn for yourself. But that said, it’s worth having at least some knowledge of what you’re doing so a little research never hurts. Get online, talk to friends, hell- check out a library book! There’s no excuse for not knowing at least a smidgeon about how effective the right tyres are for helping to keep your car running smoothly.

If you want to get your tyres online then check out Jet Wheel Tyre– their website has a simple and handy tool to help you find the perfect match for your vehicle and resources like this can be invaluable if you’re short on time.

Be prepared to invest in your tyres

It doesn’t always pay to go for the cheapest option, and in my opinion when it comes to car tyres it’s always worth remembering that you get what you pay for. I would much rather spend a little more on a decent tyre that I know will last longer and be able to withstand the pressures of driving on modern- and not so modern- roads. That blown out tyre I mentioned previously? Driving along a winding, pot-hole laden country road in Essex, I truly believed I was safe and sound in my car. I was in a big car, for goodness sake. I was safe in my vehicle… until I wasn’t. You never know when you’re going to need a change of tyre or when you’re going to need the reassurance of a decent knowledge of them too- and this experience is testament to that.

I was lucky not to have to have called for roadside assistance and even more lucky that I had a spare tyre ready to go. Luckier even still that the man who stopped was a) a nice man and b) able to change my tyre free of charge. I was then ultimately more lucky that my common sense prevented me from scrimping on my replacement tyre the next day. I spent what was at the time a fortune on a new tyre but it was worth it. Invest in your tyres, invest in your safety.

Make decent car tyres a priority

Your own and your family’s safety should always be a priority. You lock your doors at night, you use stair gates and cupboard latches. You close windows, you use zebra crossings… and so making sure your car tyres are safe should be just as much a priority too.

Check them regularly. Change them when they need changing. Invest in decent quality tyres. Hire professionals to help you choose and fit them. Don’t drive around in a car that is not safe- especially when there’s so much at stake with your precious cargo each time you ‘nip to the supermarket’ or head off on the school run. Decent car tyres are a priority, not a second thought and realising this is vital to ensuring you and your passengers enjoy safe and efficient road trips for many more years to come.

The Importance of Tyre Safety

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The Importance of Tyre Safety

Anyone who knows me will know that driving is not ‘my thing’. I was never concerned with passing my driving test until I was a lot older than 17, and pregnant with my first child. It was only the thought of taking a pram on a bus that prompted me to learn, and since passing my test I’ve never really enjoyed driving at all. Longer, unfamiliar journeys are always a source of anxiety for me, and I tend to obsess over getting lost, breaking down, or running out of petrol! As funny (or annoying) as this is for my husband, I don’t actually think that my fears are a bad thing. There really are many things that can go wrong when you’re behind the wheel of a 7 seater 4×4, so my caution is probably a good thing! In particular, I’m always worrying about the state of our car tyres, and I tend to ‘go on’ (apparently) about the important of tyre safety too. But it’s important! Here are three reasons why you should be taking the importance of tyre safety seriously too.

Unsafe tyres cause accidents

Around 20% of accidents on UK roads are cause by unsafe tyres. If your tyres are worn, you won’t have enough friction in order to brake properly should you need to. And if you can’t brake properly when it really matters, the results can be serious. Is it really worth putting yourself and others around you at such risk, when a simple car tyre safety check is so easy to do?

Check for minor signs of wear regularly- look for signs of bulging, cuts and tears. Take your car to the garage if you find any of these signs. It’s also important to consult your car’s handbook to find out what level of inflation is required- an under inflated tyre is also very dangerous and can lead to a blow out if left untreated. Ultimately, don’t put it off if you need new tyres. Get your car tyres near Basingstoke at Headley Tyres and protect your peace of mind.

You’re not insured if your tyres are illegal

The Importance of Tyre Safety

A staggering percentage of UK drivers simply do not realise that illegal tyres (those with a tread depth lower than 1.6mm) invalidates your insurance- so if you’re involved in an accident, your insurance company will not pay out. And if you’re pulled over and your tyres are checked, you’re in trouble. These rules exist for a reason!

You can easily check your tyre tread depth with a handily named tread depth gauge (or ask your local Basingtoke garage to check for you!). Its important to always check the tread depth in three different places on each tyre, plus check the tread wear indicators found between the grooves of the tread too- this can be a handy indication of how ‘healthy’ your tyre is and how much wear is present. If in doubt, ask a professional to help- there are plenty online if you google Basingstoke garages.

Tyres that are worn are significantly less safe and lower the performance of your car, meaning that if you do find yourself in a tricky situation or having to drive in hazardous circumstances, you may not be able to manoeuvre your vehicle sufficiently. The thought of this terrifies me! If the idea of not being in control isn’t enough, then perhaps the thought of those worn tyres costing you ££££ is?

Unsafe tyres: failed MOT

Unsafe tyres means that your car is simply not road worthy. Not only does this mean you risk endangering yourself and others, you risk being pulled over by the police, footing the bill if an accident occurs, AND your car will fail it’s MOT. That’s quite a collection of bad karma right there! All you need to do is learn how to keep your tyres in tip-top condition, check regularly so you know when you need to replace them, and stay vigilant to wear and tear and accidental damage. The alternative can be costly, in more ways than one. Visit the Tyre Safe website for more comprehensive details on how to perform safety checks, and why its so important.

Develop a More Positive Mindset with These Five Changes

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Develop a More Positive Mindset with These Five Changes

Do you struggle to keep a positive mindset? Life can be extremely stressful, presenting what can often feel like a never-ending barrage of stresses and challenges. When you’re exhausted from your hectic lifestyle, staying positive certainly isn’t easy. The good news is, there are ways to boost your positive mindset and live a happier, more fulfilled life. Here, you’ll discover five changes you can make to develop a more positive mindset right now.

1. Write a daily list of things you are grateful for

One of the best ways you can begin to develop a more positive mindset is to write a daily list of the things you are grateful for. Practising daily gratitude helps to boost your positivity as you start to focus more on the positive aspects of your day. 

Take time either first thing in the morning, or before you go to bed, to write a list of at least three things you are grateful for. 

2. Switch your negative self-talk into a positive

It’s not always easy to recognise negative self-talk. It’s also difficult to stop it once you’ve become used to thinking more negatively. The saying that negativity breeds negativity is certainly true, so if you want to stop it, you’re going to need to learn to identify when it’s happening. 

Whenever you start to notice your mind focusing on something negative, make an effort to turn it into a positive. For example, if you notice your mind thinking you’re not good at something, turn it around by telling yourself that once you practice more, you’ll be great at it. 

3. Ensure you have a comfortable, pleasant environment

Develop a More Positive Mindset with These Five Changes

It’s hard to stay positive if your environment is cluttered. Ensure you can fully relax and rewind by creating a comfortable and pleasant environment. De-clutter the room and keep it organised. Add a pleasant scent to the home too as this really helps to relax the mind. You’ll be amazed how much difference a clean, tidy home can make to your mindset. 

4. Incorporate more exercise into your life

If there’s one thing guaranteed to boost your mood, it’s exercise. Even if you don’t really feel like exercising some days, force yourself to do even just a little workout. It boosts the feel-good hormones in your brain, lowers stress and helps you to get a better night’s sleep; all of which contribute to a more positive mindset.

5. Focus on right now

You can’t maintain a positive mindset if you’re constantly thinking of the past or worrying about the future. Learn to focus on the right now. By enjoying the moment, you’ll develop a lot more positivity and enjoy your life a whole lot more.

These are five of the best tips you can follow to develop a more positive mindset. The more you practice and persevere, the better you will become at focusing on the positives.

This is a collaborative post

The Daytime TV Classics Which Have Helped Every Parent Through Tough Days

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One of the great things about blogging is talking honestly about the times when being a parent to young children is a struggle. Because, as we all know, there are days when it just seems like more work than you could ever realistically handle. 

Those days when we’re stuck in the house, chasing after little ones with scarcely a moment to sit down and relax can be tough. So, thank god for British daytime TV because when it comes to light-hearted entertainment, we do it like no nation on earth. 

Taking an hour out of your day to sink into the sofa with a cup of tea and a naff – but fun – TV programme is all the tonic most parents need to get back on their feet and regain a little sanity after a frantic day. But what are the daytime TV classics which have given us strength over the years? Join us as we run down some of our favourites: 

Deal or No Deal 

A true classic of the daytime TV genre, Deal or No Deal ran for over 3000 episodes – each rich with drama, laughter and no shortage of heart-stopping moments. 

Each day, all of the twenty-two contestants would be given a box with a random sum in it up to £250,000. Then, one of those contestants would be chosen to come up to the hot seat and select boxes to open, negotiating with the ‘Banker’ every few boxes. They could either take his offer, which could be higher or lower than the value in their box or push through to the end and take home whatever the value of their box was. 

Ending after 11 glorious years, Deal or No Deal lives on in many forms, including an online iGaming variant, the Deal or No Deal Game. There are slight variations, but this version provides the opportunity to win a large sum of real money as the show did. 

Countdown

Countdown Kids TV can leave you feeling pretty slow, so thank the heavens for Countdown. It was the very first programme to be aired on Channel 4 in November 1982 and it’s been in our life ever since. 

Making the longest words out of nine random letters is always a fun challenge, and alongside the numbers round where you must reach a given numerical total with six given numbers, it proves for a vital head scratcher between bouts of Dora the Explorer and In the Night Garden. 

Escape to the Country

Although most of us don’t quite have the finances to make our own escape to a palatial abode in the splendour of the British countryside, that’s no reason to stop us enjoying a little Escape to the Country in our downtime. 

Each episode follows the story of wealthy city types looking to make a go of life in the countryside. It’s a whistle-stop tour of gorgeous country homes and often features some glorious fretting over just how luxurious a couple want to go. 

It’s a daytime TV classic – now, who’s going to lend us the money for our own countryside escape? 

What’s your favourite daytime TV show? Let us know in the comments below!