A mortgage is a home loan which you can borrow to purchase a new house.

The term for a mortgage can be shorter or longer but most run for 25 years. Until the loan is paid off, it is secured against the value of your home. The lender can take back your home and will sell it to get their money back if you cannot keep up with your repayments.

Working out on what you can afford

To keep up the repayments if you think you will struggle, then don’t stretch yourself and also think about the expenses such as insurance, maintenance, council tax and household bills. Certain expenditure, income proof and if you have any debts will be checked by the lenders.

They can also ask for the information about personal expenses, child maintenance and household bills, also if in case, the interest rate rises they would like to check the proof if you will be able to keep up with the repayments or not. In any case, if the lender thinks that you will not be able to afford the mortgage, then they might refuse to offer you a deal.

Where to get a mortgage?

Directly from a building society or bank, you can apply for a mortgage by choosing from the range of products. You can also select the independent advisor or a mortgage broker who will be able to compare mortgages not offered directly to the customers and different mortgages from the market.

It would be best to take an advice if you are not experienced in financial matters particularly in mortgages. Without receiving any advice it is possible to choose a mortgage known as the execute-only mortgage under limited circumstances. The lender will confirm by writing that you have not received any advice and to see if the mortgage is suitable for you, it will be assessed.  For some cases, you will need to confirm that you are happy to go ahead and also you are aware of taking the mortgage without receiving advice.

To find the mortgages tailored to your needs, you can also use the comparison websites but remember that you must make use of more than one site before making any decision for the mortgage. Doing some research for features as well as the type of product you need to purchase, it is important to do some research.

The process of applying for a mortgage

It is often a two-stage process while applying for a mortgage

First stage –

Couple of questions such as for how long you want the mortgage and what kind you want, will be asked by the mortgage broker or the lender. Without going into too much detail about your financial situation they might try to work out. All these information generally will give you an idea about how much amount a lender is ready or prepared to lend you and might give you the important information about the product, services and the fees if applicable.

The second stage –

Your application will begin at this stage where you’ll need to provide evidence of specific expenditure and income as well as your financial stress test. The lender will provide you with the binding offer and documents explaining terms and conditions of your mortgage along with the period of 7 days to make comparisons and accept your lender’s offer whereas some lenders will give you more than 7 days to do this.

The size of your deposit matters

A deposit will be needed to be paid while buying a property. Your interest rate will be lower if you have more deposit. You might hear about a loan to value (LTV) while talking about mortgages.  LTV might sound complicated to you but in simple words, it is the secured amount against a mortgage compared with the amount of your home you own.

As the lender takes less risk with a smaller loan, the interest rate will be found to be lower due to the lower LTV.

What are the different types of mortgages?

The different types of mortgages come with variable interest or fixed interest rates. Basically, for two to five years your repayments will be same in case of fixed interest rate mortgages. Whereas in the line with a base rate of Bank of England, the rate which you pay could vary with the market rates.

Working of a mortgage

It will depend upon whether or not you want to pay interest only or both capital and interest. After you borrow the money called as capital the lender will charge you interest on it until capital is repaid.

Interest only mortgage – In this type of mortgage you pay nothing off the amount you borrow called as capital but you will need to pay the interest for the loan. The regulators and lenders are worried about homeowners having no way of repaying the amount and left with a debt so these type of mortgages have become much harder. At the end of the term, you will need to have a plan separately for repaying the original loan.

Repayment mortgage – The part of a capital and the interest is paid every month in this type of mortgage. You should manage to pay all the capital and own your home at the end of the term.

To make sure people can cover the cost of any riding-related damage, the motorcycle insurance is required by law. The cost of repairing, or replacing your bike if it is stolen or damaged can be covered by the right motorbike insurance. Riding without it is against the law. Also, your insurance will pay for the repairs to another vehicle if you crash your bike into someone else. If you are looking for a suitable policy, then it is most important for you to understand what cover you need.

What does it cover?

If your bike is stolen, damaged, or you are involved in a road traffic accident, then a motorbike insurance covers it for you. It will also cover you if you damage the property or injure the members of public or other road users. You can take out temporary cover if you only ride your bike during the summer, or if you hire the bike. This policy usually last for 12 months.

Also, it depends on the policy you choose:

• Comprehensive – Along with the protection for third party damage, theft and fire, it will also cover vandalism and malicious damage, accidental damage to your bike, medical expenses following an accident and a temporary bike replacement if yours need repairing after an accident.
• A third party, fire and theft – This offers almost the same cover as third-party insurance and it will also pay you if your bike is damaged by fire or if it is stolen.
• The third party only – This cover is of minimum level required in the UK and it covers damage to other people’s property, damage to third party vehicles and injury to third parties including passengers. But it does not pay out if your motorbike is stolen or vandalized and also it does not cover injury to you caused by an accident or damage to your own bike.

Extra options included in motorbike insurance:

For an additional pricing, most of the bike insurer offers the option to add an extra cover to your policy. These extra options are

• Lost keys cover
• Helmets and clothing
• Personal accident cover
• European breakdown cover
• Legal cover and overseas use

What doesn’t get covered?

The most common exclusions of motorbike insurance are given below:

• Theft of your bike if your keys are left in the ignition
• Theft of your bike by a family member
• Bikes used in racing or competitions
• Loss of value following repairs
• Damage to helmets and protective clothing unless you have added a cover

To understand what you can claim for, you must always check your policy documents for what your insurer cannot cover.

What is the cost of motorbike insurance?

The cost will depend upon other factors:

• The age of your bike, its value, the size of the engine and any modifications you have made will affect the price of an insurance.
• Some jobs are considered morally riskier to the insurers as young riders pay more for motorbike insurance. One of the good examples is a stockbroker, they will be paying more than a teacher.
• To save money on your insurance premium, tell your insurer about any extra security you have in place. Because most of the insurers offer discounts for additional security devices such as alarms, immobilizers, ground anchors and disc locks.
• You will pay more for your insurance, if you had made any insurance claims in the last 5 years, have criminal convictions, or points on your license. However, you will get money off in case you have a no claims discount.
• The things like crime rates, and how much traffic is on nearby roads will affect the price. You may get discount on premiums if your bike is kept in a secure garage.

How to find cheap motorbike insurance?

There are many things you can do to keep down the cost of motorbike insurance and also there are many other things that can push up the price. To get a cheaper cover you can try to change any of the points such as:

• On your premiums, the security or a safety mod can earn you a discount. But if the appearance or performance of your bike is changed, then it could increase the price of insurance.
• It could cut the cost of a modest motorbike if you are born to be mild. Often the big engines and higher horsepower could rise up the cost of motorbike insurance.
• Depending on whether you want to carry a Pillion or not. The rider’s claims history you are insuring, the age and experience can affect the premiums.
• Add alarms and locks to your bike and keep it inside the locked garage because safe bikes will make insurers happy.

How can we claim it?

You should contact police and get a crime reference number if your bike has been stolen or vandalized. Then your claim can be settled with the help of your insurer by paying for repairs at an authorized garage, by sending you a check or by covering the cost of replacing your bike.

As your insurer pays your claim, he will deduct your policy excess from the final amount you get.

The annual National Burger Day 2018 went off with a bang yet this time. Yesterday was a big day for all UK foodie citizens. Hundreds of restaurants across the country were offering 20% off discounts and even special burgers to join in the celebrations. Some restaurants still have special prices going on. If you went out on the street yesterday, this day couldn’t have escaped your notice. A day to indulge in delicious, lip-smacking burgers is a surely a treat for the tongue. But, do we really know what a burger is? Let’s find out what ingredients go into your tasty burger.

What Goes Into Making a Burger?

A burger means a hamburger in the traditional sense. However, the country saw many UK citizens ditching meat-based products on National Burger Day 2018. To cater to their needs, veggie burgers were being sold in many cities. A burger has two main components: a patty and a bun.

The bun is a key ingredient (forming 69% part) of any burger and it’s often the first thing you notice. The bun speaks a lot about the type of the burger you’re eating, say UK consumers. At the National Burger Day UK, one could see all types of buns from cheaper, smaller and flatter sesame seed buns to premium high-quality buns. Obviously, the prices were set wide apart but were quite affordable given the discounts.

The patty is made of ground beef that has been pan-fried, barbecued or flame broiled. This patty lies inside two halves of a bun. Sounds plain, doesn’t it? We forgot the condiments and toppings that went to make up the mouth-watering burger you ate yesterday at National Burger Day 2018. A hamburger includes condiments such as mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup and relish, as well as toppings such as onion, tomato, lettuce, pickles, bacon and cheese.

What Variations Of Burgers Are Available in the UK?

Earlier, hamburgers were all the rage on each National Burger Day. These days, burgers are available in every possible variation in line with customers’ unique palates. Turkey burgers, veggie burgers and bison burgers have made their appearance and are selling like hot cakes.

Who Invented The National Burger Day UK?

The story behind the National Burger Day UK is a lesser known one. This day dedicated to the burger was brought into existence by Mr Hyde. This was sometime around the turn of the 19^th century. It was a consequence of the massive popularity boost the humble burger got at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. From then, people living in the UK have been celebrating National Burger Day on August 27^th from 2013 to 2015. There was a minor change in 2016 and now the Day of the Burger in the United Kingdom is on the Thursday before the UK August Bank Holiday. That was yesterday and we hope you didn’t miss the celebrations!

Where Can I Find Hamburgers on National Burger Day?

Nearly every fast food joint and diner serves hamburgers these days. Even high-end restaurants are fast catching up. To talk about the past, White Castle started offering their customers burgers from 1921, Kewpee Hamburgers from 1923, Big Boy from 1936 and McDonald’s beginning from 1940. Did you know that the name ‘hamburger’ comes from the city of Hamburg in Germany? And hamburgers made their first appearance on customers’ plates in the USA.

Burgers For Vegans on National Burger Day?

Yesterday was National Burger Day 2018 and the country witnessed many non-vegans take to veggie burgers. You might think that there’s no equal to meaty patties topped off with bacon, mayo and cheese. So should vegans grapple with solid FOMO and stay at home? There’s good news. With veganism on the rise, food joints are finding an alternative for our animal-loving friends. Restaurants are increasingly adding plant-based burgers to their menus. For years, veggie patties were just dry and lentil-based which was sad. Food engineering is changing the way veggie burgers are made. There’s a lot happening on this at the moment. Now, vegans can take as much delight in their burgers as their non-vegan friends.

How Does One Observe National Burger Day?

As the name says, you should spend the day and sometimes, also the next eating some sort of burger. You can either visit a diner or make one at home. Even if you’re a vegetarian, you can celebrate with equal enthusiasm. You can visit Mr Hyde’s website and search your town or city on their Venues page. While there, you can also check out their Burger Map to find nearby restaurants that are taking part in the fun. Then you enter your mail ID and a voucher will land in your inbox. You take the voucher when you go. Mr Hyde has also joined hands with select fast food joints to offer a number of specials just for National Burger Day. They include Byron, Shake Shack and Five Guys.