Top 15 Tips For Saving Thousands On Your Bills - Hifow

Read article : Top 15 Tips For Saving Thousands On Your Bills - Hifow

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Saving money is the hot word at the moment as the world economy gulps for air. Here I give tips on how you could save thousands by making a few changes to your home and lifestyle. The items are listed in no particular order, and the amounts I personally saved by trying these tips is listed at the end of each segment. Enjoy!

Holidays are often seen as a necessity, but luxury holidays can work out more expensive than they are worth. Traveling to other countries for your holiday can be full of hidden costs, such as airport taxes, insurance, and even the price of a passport, so one thing to consider is just how far do you need to go for have a few weeks of fun?? At the bottom end of the scale, camping holidays can be enjoyed for the price of a tent and a food budget, and a well planned trip could mean you are waking in a new location every day. Similarly, consider hiring a camper or motor-home – and take a tour of the wilderness. Holidaying in foreign parts may still carry a note of prestige, but who needs prestige when you’re broke? Average yearly saving (£): Over £2,000 ($3,000).

Buying ‘New’ costs more, and even more so when considering buying cars. A car can lose up to 50% of its worth in just 12 months, so the second-hand car market is ripe with good quality almost-new vehicles. At the bottom end of the market, a good car may cost as little as £1,000 and could be just as comfortable, reliable and economical as a brand new equivalent. The second-hand hard goods market is also awash with good quality gear. Online auction sites are by far the best places to buy gifts and gadgets at a fraction of the cost of their retail counterparts. For example, a one-week-old computer processor was found for just £90 on EBay – saving £60 – £80 on the price of a brand new one. Charity shops can be gold mines for clothing, drapes, toys and dvds, and because charity shops almost always insist on goods being of the best order, whole outfits can be bought for next to nothing. Average yearly saving by not buying new (£): Unlimited.

Many items have a higher price tag even though they may be carbon copies of other brands; simply because they have a popular label. Many motor manufacturers rebrand imported products to sell the same thing for a higher price. Many clothing manufacturers do the same. So if you can swallow your vanity and shift the ego, there really is no need to wear a label in order to look smart. If you must do, why not just buy a box of sew-on labels and do it yourself! On the shopping front, you may have to ask why you always buy Pepsi when multipak cola feeds the same need for less? Ok, so it might taste better, but it also costs… Again, if you must be suckered into wearing named brands, there are many places which sell the same things for less; and charity shops always have a nice selection of pristine labels on offer. Average yearly saving (£): £250 ($380).

The second most expensive single item on this list is a wedding. Weddings happen to most people, and most have to save for years to get what they want. However, there are always alternatives. One way would be to organize your own wedding using one of the many priests in your area. For example, I asked a Shaman to marry myself and my wife-to-be in a special clearing by a river; I created my own vows; and the whole thing came to under £400. There are many people willing to marry folks for the fraction of the price of a church service, and getting married on a beach, or in a forest – or having a themed wedding – may prove much more memorable and special. Collective saving over a church wedding (£): Over £2,000 ($3,000).

Perhaps the most controversial item on this list is the Rent vs Mortgage argument. In a lot of cases, renting can be as low cost as getting a mortgage and comes with a number of benefits. Firstly, you won’t owe £150,000 to be payable over 40 years! This means these debts wont be passed on to your next of kin should you die before you pay for the house. Renting means you can move to a larger or cheaper place as and when you like – or to a new area altogether. House maintenance should be taken care of by your landlord, and even some utility bills may be thrown into the price. If you fail to keep up your mortgage repayments, the banks will move pretty swiftly to boot you out, but many rental agencies or private landlords can often be paid much smaller sums in order to keep the roof over your head. Finally, if you are lucky enough to get help with your housing costs, many agencies will pay more to rented tenants than mortgaged individuals. Buying a house may still be seen as a good investment should the housing market go up in price – but at the moment it’s going down! – turning the whole thing into more of a gamble. Average lifetime saving (£): Variable.

With Gas and Electricity prices rising all the time, by far the easiest way to heat a home is to go back to the old ways – with a wood burring stove. Stoves can be bought relatively cheaply, and one will pay for itself in a couple of years. Fuel is never a problem (and often free) as long as you live near a wood yard, a coppice project, a paper mill, a saw mill, or even a dump (where wood is available by the skip load). A cheap circular saw can be bought for as little as £10, and means you can chop up tables, cabinets, dressers, and just about anything else. Sick and tired of all that junk mail? Bung it in, and make it heat your home! Endless stacks of paper products?, cereal boxes?, packaging? Recycle it the original way and save the planet. Supermarkets are also a good source of material – and are usually more than willing to see the back of banana boxes and all kinds of packaging. On top of all that, a good stove burner could be adapted into the water system of your home; so you can use it to take a bath. Stoves can also be cooked upon too!. Finally, they are great for giving a home that natural heat that helps you feel drowsy and have a good nights sleep. Average yearly saving (£): Over £140 ($210)

With the advent of the Internet, technology now allows a cheaper viewing experience. If you are lucky enough to live in an area where most of the material on TV is available online and on demand, there really is no reason to pay for TV anymore. In the UK, the cost of a TV license can be over £100 a year. With a good graphics card on your computer, you should be able to connect your TV to it; meaning ANY output from your machine can be directed to play on the big screen with the touch of a button. This also means that your television watching habits can be tailored to your own on-demand needs, and you won’t be paying for all those waste-of-time shows which clog many networks these days. Finally, with the advent of shared downloads, you can now have your favorite shows on your hard drive and play them direct – saving you buying or burning all those DVDs. Average yearly saving (£): Over £120 ($180).

Now this had to come up at some point, but this could make a HUGE difference to your expenditure over a year. By far the easiest way to budget is to type in all your outgoings and bills in monthly columns on a spreadsheet. Below these, enter whatever income you have – and then take the outgoings amount away from your combined income. Hay presto! Your disposable income pops up at the bottom. Budgeting a whole year in advance can show you what shape your bank account will be in during the months to come; helping you save more if things look tight, or to afford those little luxuries without fear of going into the red. A budget can also help you as you tinker with the figures – shaving money off here and there – allowing you to maximize whatever money you have available to you. Average yearly saving (£): Unlimited.

On several occasion I have house-shared as a means of cutting the house-hold bills in half. A paying guest can ‘lodge’ for any price you set – and many are happy to pay as much as you would pay to rent the house on your own. Similarly, many are willing to split the rent and the bills; resulting in a very much less expensive way to live. Of course, house sharing does have a few drawbacks; such as privacy;
but at the end of the day it’s up to you whether you want to keep them or to send them on their way. House mates can also be very good company, very good partners on a night out, may be great (free) babysitters, and may be a convenient way to car share. Average yearly saving from a house-share (£): £3800 ($5,800).

In some parts of the world, water bills are calculated on the average usage in your community, or at least on your block. That is fine if you use as much as everyone else; but not so good if you live on your own or prefer to smell nasty from not taking baths! For singles or students then, having a water meter installed could save you a small fortune as it means you will only pay for what you use. So, by not washing the car, or by doing the dishes in a bowl rather than in a dish-washer, or taking showers instead of baths – you can save on your usual water bill. For quite a few household jobs – such as watering the garden and washing the car – the water you need comes from the sky – for FREE – and is worth collecting if you have a water meter. Average yearly saving (£): Over £120 ($180).

Running a car can be a very expensive business, so fuel economy can be an easy way to save those extra penny’s. First of all, keeping your car in shape is by far the quickest way to start saving. For example: ensuring the tires are inflated to the correct PSI and have plenty of rubber, changing the air and oil filters, removing excess weight, and driving carefully; can mean your fuel can last at least 10-20 MPG longer. Race starts, revving the engine, and driving over 70MPH (112kph) uses up fuel quickly, and could only result in saving you minutes at the other end. The best speed for fuel economy is 56MPH (90kph). Buying a diesel or a car with good fuel economy (over 50mpg) is also a big consideration, and could cut the average fuel bill by half over a year. Car sharing is great as it means you are sharing the cost of driving between you, and if you alternate between each others cars it could mean you are traveling half as often in your own car. Small journeys eat into your fuel reserve more than long ones because of the time it takes the car to warm up. If you reach your destination before the ‘choke’ switches off you will have used an extra 10% of fuel in your journey. For this reason, it is better to shop around all in one day rather than popping into town every day for little bits. If you can, walk. Walking is free, and every trip saved is an extra trip you can make on the same tank of gas. Average yearly saving (£): Over £100 ($150).

Now this might sound obvious, but eating take-outs can be far more expensive than eating your own home cooked meals. Take-outs; although often very tasty; can contain materials which actively make you hungrier or thirstier – causing you to consume more as a result. Ordering out for food or going out for meals can really make a big difference to a shopping budget, and can turn one of life’s greatest luxuries into a taken-for-granted habit. Saving take-outs for special days (i.e. Saturdays) and special occasions can make the experience even more exciting, even more sumptuous, and a whole lot cheaper. Average yearly saving by eating less take-outs (£): Over £120 ($180).

If saving on food is a little beyond your comfort zone then this next classic will have you screaming. With the credit crunch propaganda infiltrating the airwaves of late, many are left wondering how they will afford the basic household bills. One way is simply to economize on life’s luxuries – and by far the most common (and most expensive) luxuries are those concerning cigarettes and alcohol. For example, if you were to smoke 20 cigarettes a day, your yearly expenditure may average around £1800 ($2,800). If you were to cut down from 20 cigarettes a day to 10, this would go down to £900 ($1,400, a saving of £900 a year – or x30 fuel bills!). 7 cigarettes a day, and the cost goes down to around £550 ($850) a year; quit smoking and you could save the full £1800 ($2,800). Alcohol is very similar in that a single night out may cost anywhere between £20 and £60; so by going out just once a week less often; you could save between £960 (1,470) and £2880 ($4,400) over a year. Average yearly saving after quitting drinking and smoking (£): Over £6,660.

There are many ways to cut the shopping budget down to size. For starters, choose your shops carefully. If it can be ordered and delivered cheaper online (i.e. hard goods, media), this could save up to 50% on retail prices. As far as food goes, one supermarkets’ prices may not be too unlike anothers’, but there can be huge saving to be made if you are willing to shop around for the basic items. Convenience stores often hike their prices thinking that consumers will shop there anyway and swallow the difference. Milk, for example, may be a third more expensive at your local shop or gas station than it may be at a superstore. Over the year, these expenses mount up. However, if the price of a cheaper loaf of bread would cost you more in gas money to drive over and pick one up, then this would be false economy in that it would cost more overall for the same result. Average yearly saving (£): Over £480 ($).

Finally, why not maximize your income by eating healthily! Contrary to what you may think, eating veggie is very VERY cheap, and a full weeks worth of food may cost from as little as £10 ($15) a head. By far the cheapest way to have the best quality vegetables for your pot would be to grow your own. For the price of a packet of seeds (or a few carrot tops and sprouting potatoes) you can grow and rotate your stocks to provide an endless free supply of basic foods. A good steamer unit, an oven, and a magimix (for soups) will also save hours of gas or electricity bills as neither of these use too much juice to run. Eating veggie doesn’t necessarily mean avoiding meat – that’s up to you – you don’t have to be a vegetarian to eat veggie! Meat, fish and chicken can be used as you like, along with eggs, cheese, sauces, pickles and spices. The point is to avoid shopping for pre-packaged foods; in whatever variety they come; and simply eat fresh. Aside from fresh being far less expensive (even totally free!), fresh also contains far less additives, comes with far less packaging, and is FAR more beneficial for the mind and body. Average yearly saving by growing your own veggies (£): £900 ($1,400) per head.

Summary: So there you have it. If you invest in a good budget and a wood burning stove to heat and cook on, get a suitable house mate, cut down or cut out the cigs, booze and the take-outs, get a water meter, don’t pay for TV, and grow and eat veggie – you could save a fortune. I did all the above, and although I didn’t sacrifice too much of my social life I still managed to save… £12,700 year-on-year ($19,500).

Contributor: Lifeschool

Read more: http://listverse.com/2008/11/30/top-15-tips-for-saving-thousands-on-your-bills/

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Akron Ohio News - West Side Police News & Notes

Read article : Akron Ohio News - West Side Police News & Notes

8/24/2017 - West Side Leader
     

By Staff Writer

WEST AKRON: Burglaries were reported in the 800 block of Lawton Street Aug. 16; the 1700 block of Dominion Drive Aug. 17; the 300 block of West North Street Aug. 18; the 400 block of Bacon Avenue Aug. 19; the 1700 block of Cromwell Drive Aug. 19; the 900 block of Mull Avenue Aug. 19; the 700 block of Work Drive Aug. 19; the 400 block of Bacon Avenue Aug. 20; the 100 block of Charlotte Street Aug. 20; the 1100 block of Hardesty Boulevard Aug. 21; the 800 block of Storer Avenue Aug. 21; and the 1800 block of Cromwell Drive Aug. 22.

On Aug. 16, an officer driving on West Market Street past Casterton Avenue noticed a man sticking up both middle fingers at him as he drove by and in view of children on the sidewalk and people dining nearby, according to the police report. The officer stopped and advised the man his actions were offensive to those around him, and the 30-year-old West Market Street man said he did not like police and asserted it was his right to make the gesture. He did it again, and the officer charged him with disorderly conduct and issued a court summons.

A 23-year-old Mercer Avenue man was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle Aug. 17. He was driving on a suspended license when officers stopped him for a traffic violation at Norway and Beechwood drives. When he was placed under arrest, officers found a loaded handgun in his jacket pocket.

Officers were on foot patrol in the parking lots of Weathervane Lane bars Aug. 17 due to a recent increase in drug and alcohol violations and crimes of violence when they came across occupants in a parked car who had an open bottle of tequila in plain view. Officers also said they smelled a strong odor of marijuana. After the driver, a 25-year-old South Akron man, appeared to reach for a gun, officers ordered him to show his hands and removed occupants from the car. When officers patted down the driver, they discovered he had more than 8 grams of fentanyl and no weapon, and he was charged with trafficking in and possession of drugs and taken to the Summit County Jail. One passenger, a 23-year-old Greenwood Avenue man, was charged with possession of drugs for having two Percocet pills in his pocket and also taken to jail. Two other passengers were not charged.

A 41-year-old Cleveland man was stopped at a Summit County OVI checkpoint at West Market Street and Bryden Drive Aug. 19. He had an open bottle of beer in a cup holder and a bottle of brandy in the driver’s side pocket and was driving under suspension. Officers also found marijuana and a grinder in the car. He was booked into the Summit County Jail.

A 35-year-old Goodyear Heights man was arrested Aug. 19 on warrants for abduction, domestic violence and theft stemming from a July 26 incident that occurred in the 300 block of Noah Avenue.

On Aug. 20, a gas station in the 1600 block of Copley Road was robbed. An employee said a man with a gun entered the gas station and demanded that money be put into a plastic bag. Once he had the money, the man ran around the side of the building, got into a vehicle and fled. Officers are seeking a black male, 15 to 25 years old, who was wearing a white mask, blue hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490.

A 25-year-old Kingsley Avenue man was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, having weapons under disability and obstructing official business Aug. 20. The man was standing outside a parked car in Downtown Akron as officers drove by and noticed something in his hand. They ordered him to stop and show his hands, but the man ran from them and threw the handgun down. He was soon apprehended.

BATH: Employees of a North Cleveland-Massillon Road residential facility reported Aug. 12 an elderly patient had walked away. Officers searched the Montrose area, located the man at a cemetery in Fairlawn and returned him to the facility.

Following a traffic stop on Ira Road Aug. 12, the driver was arrested for driving under multiple license suspensions and released with a court summons. The vehicle was released to the owner.

An off-duty Norton Police Department officer notified police of a suspicious vehicle at a Medina Road gas station Aug. 13. The driver pulled the vehicle, which had a flat tire and front-end damage, into the gas station from Springside Drive, nearly struck the building and remained inside the vehicle, yelling. Police responded and ordered the driver to exit the vehicle. He was reportedly extremely agitated, sweating profusely and unable to respond to officers’ questions. He was evaluated by EMS after police determined he exhibited signs that he was under the influence of an unknown drug. The man reportedly admitted he had ingested kratom, an herb that is legal in Ohio but under investigation by the FDA. Police located a plastic bag containing a substance believed to be kratom and sent it to a lab for testing. The driver was placed in the back seat of a cruiser and continued to rant and spit out the vehicle window. He experienced a panic attack and was taken to the police station and arrested for DUI. His vehicle was towed.

Police were called to a Montrose store Aug. 13 after two females reportedly concealed items and left the store without paying for them. An employee reported she confronted them outside the store and demanded the merchandise. One female reached into a large purse and gave her two shirts. The second suspect reached down her pants, pulled out a T-shirt and returned it to her. They both fled in a dark-colored Lincoln SUV. Police gathered information from employees and witnesses and were able to get the vehicle license number.

On Aug. 14, employees of a Medina Road hotel reported a woman had been in the lobby for an extended period of time. Police arrested her on a warrant and released her to the Munroe Falls Police Department.

COPLEY: Police were searching an area of Bender Lane for a red Ford Focus Aug. 11 after a man reported he and his brother were walking along the road and the driver of the vehicle struck him with the car and left. The victim was evaluated by EMS and declined transport to a hospital.

On Aug. 11, the Silver Lake Police Department arrested a man wanted on a Copley warrant for trespassing. He was charged and taken to the Barberton Jail.

A woman staying at a Rothrock Road motel was arrested for prostitution Aug. 11 and released with a court summons.

Police investigated the theft of a trailer and Kubota tractor from the parking lot of a Rothrock Road motel Aug. 12.

Officers responded to a disturbance at a Terrier Drive residence Aug. 13 after a woman reported her ex-boyfriend and a male acquaintance attempted to break in. Police located the men in a vehicle outside the residence and arrested them for attempted burglary. The driver was additionally charged with improper handling of a firearm while intoxicated after a loaded gun was found in the vehicle and taken to the Summit County Jail. The passenger was released with a court summons.

On Aug. 13, a Karl Drive man reported a DeWalt air compressor was stolen from his garage.

A Westview Drive man reported Aug. 15 someone shot a pellet gun that damaged an upstairs window of the home.

Police responded to a report of a dog at large at a South Cleveland-Massillon Road residence Aug. 16, cited the dog owner and advised her of ways to control the dog.

Following a traffic stop on Earhart Avenue Aug. 16, police arrested two men for improper handling of a firearm in a vehicle and took them to the Summit County Jail after a K-9 officer indicated the presence of contraband in the vehicle and police recovered a revolver. Neither the driver nor the passenger would admit possession of the weapon, and they were both charged.

FAIRLAWN: Detectives are investigating an Aug. 4 report that two males attempted to cash fraudulent checks drawn on the account of an Embassy Parkway business.

An Akron man reported he went to a West Market Street parking lot Aug. 11 to sell an iPad for $450 to a man he contacted via a social media website. The man was in his 20s, with dark hair and eyes. He pulled up beside him in an older model beige vehicle with a Florida license plate, handed him a roll of money and took off with the item. The victim determined the roll contained only $28, and he has been unable to contact the man.

Police arrested an Akron man for criminal trespassing Aug. 11 after he was located on mall property despite being banned indefinitely. He was released with a court summons and again advised to stay off the property.

Two Akron males ages 15 and 16 were arrested for theft of headphones worth $600 from a mall store Aug. 11. They were taken to the Summit County Juvenile Detention Facility.

Officers reviewed video surveillance of a jewelry counter following a reported theft Aug. 12. A man allegedly stole diamond earrings worth $2,200 and left in an older model GMC Jimmy with tinted windows.

Employees of a West Market Street store reported Aug. 16 an intoxicated female was staggering in the store and falling, exposing her buttocks. The Akron woman was evaluated by EMS, charged with disorderly conduct and taken to a detoxification center.

A Kenridge Road man reported Aug. 17 he found a dog in his yard and called a number on the dog’s tag to advise the owner. He stated the owner was too intoxicated to come for the dog. Officers went to the dog owner’s address on Morewood Road to ask that he retrieve his dog, but he appeared to be intoxicated and incoherent. Police retrieved the dog, returned it to him and cited him for having a dog at large.

A 16-year-old Akron female was arrested for shoplifting merchandise worth $114 from a mall store Aug. 17. She was banned from the store and taken to the Summit County Juvenile Detention Facility.

NORTON: A Neitz Drive woman reported Aug. 9 two juveniles threw a homemade slime concoction onto the roof of her shed. Police located the youths and spoke to their parents.

Police responded to a report of suspicious activity in the parking lot of a Newpark Drive business Aug. 10 and found an employee sleeping on his motorcycle. He was arrested for felony possession of drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia after officers located methamphetamine in his possession. He was taken to Barberton Municipal Court.

On Aug. 10, police went to a Hametown Road residence to serve a felony warrant on a man and spoke to his girlfriend, who told them several times he wasn’t there. Officers found him hiding inside the home, arrested him on the warrant and released him to the Twinsburg Police Department. The woman was charged with obstruction of official business and released with a court summons.

A Caroline Street woman reported Aug. 11 someone entered two vehicles the previous night and stole her wallet and an ignition key from one of them. The wallet was recovered in a neighbor’s yard, but the key is still missing.

Police stopped an erratic driver on state Route 21 Aug. 11. He appeared to be under the influence of a substance, failed a field sobriety test and was charged with DUI. A urine sample was sent for testing and additional charges were pending those results.

Officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence on Union Street Aug. 12. A male and female at the residence gave conflicting information about the incident and the parties were separated for the night.

Following a traffic stop on Interstate 76 Aug. 12, a woman was charged with drug abuse and released with a court summons after she reportedly surrendered marijuana to officers who questioned her about the odor of marijuana in the vehicle.

A driver stopped for speeding on Hametown Road Aug. 12 was arrested for consuming beer in a motor vehicle and released with a court summons.

RICHFIELD: An employee of a Kinross Lake Park business reported vandalism to her vehicle, which was parked in the lot while she worked. On Aug. 4, she reported the front emblem of the vehicle had been pried off and on Aug. 7, she discovered the passenger side of the vehicle had been scratched.

On Aug. 9, a Galloway Drive woman reported a package delivered to her address by UPS on Aug. 2 was stolen.

A woman reported Aug. 9 that her child’s father failed to return her daughter following a visitation and she was unable to contact him.

A Hawkins Road man reported Aug. 10 that his girlfriend moved out of their residence and took a vehicle they shared and some other items.

Police were called to a Townsend Road residence Aug. 10 by a man who reported a small plane has been flying low, just above his tree line, and he provided information regarding the date and time of each incident. He asked that police document the information.

An erratic driver speeding on Interstate 77 Aug. 11 was stopped by the Independence Police Department. Richfield officers arrested him for driving under suspension and released him with a court summons, and the vehicle was towed.

An employee of a Streetsboro Road business reported Aug. 12 he paid $300 for tickets to a concert at Blossom Music Center sold by an unknown male on Craigslist. The exchange took place at the business, and he later found the tickets were fraudulent. He also told police the seller may have been photographed by the business’ surveillance system, and police asked that he forward any photos or video to them.

Police responded to a disturbance at a Brush Road residence Aug. 13 and spoke to a woman who said she is the ex-girlfriend of one of the residents. She went to the residence with her girlfriend to get some of her belongings and she said her boyfriend’s father began yelling at her and opened her car door when she tried to leave. Officers spoke to the man, who stated the woman is welcome to come for her belongings when someone is home, but she showed up with people he didn’t know and he was upset. Police remained at the residence while the woman and her ex-boyfriend sorted through some boxes she was taking.

Officers located the owner of an iPhone 6 found on the ground during a community event on Broadview Road Aug. 13 and returned the phone to him.

The Akron police reports were compiled by Ariel Hakim and the remainder by Maggie DeMellier.

     

Top 6 Trends in Faucet Technology in 2017 for Kitchen & Bath

Read article : Top 6 Trends in Faucet Technology in 2017 for Kitchen & Bath

Staying ahead of industry trends can help trade professionals boost their businesses. Plumbers, builders and remodelers in the pro trade industry can increase their perceived credibility in the eyes of the customer by introducing them to the latest faucet technology for the kitchen and bath. Whether you’re working on a residential bathroom remodel or need faucets for a cutting-edge commercial kitchen, implementing a technologically-advanced faucet will help you exceed customer demands. Discover the kitchen and bathroom faucet technology trends for 2017 and see how these advancements will help you grow your pro trade business.

1. Kitchen faucets that deliver filtered water on demand.

   Imagine telling your customers that they can pour a glass of water that is safer to drink and tastes delicious every time. Three plumbing brands have made that a reality with faucets that feature water filtration technology in their functionality. Kohler offers the Carafe® kitchen faucet, which features a built-in water filtration system. The Grohe Blue® faucet incorporates a chilling system, carbonation and water filtration to give users the option to pour a glass of crisp, chilled fizzy water whenever they want. Pfister offers two faucet models with Xtract™ technology, which increases water safety by removing chlorine, lead, pesticides, mercury and select pharmaceuticals from the water.

   Contact your local Ferguson for more information about faucets that filter water.

   
2. A shower head that changes function with a simple touch.

   You can help your customers enhance the way they shower with an advancement that will soon be available on the market from American Standard. Instead of manually adjusting their shower head, users will be able to change the shower head spray pattern by simply touching the shower head or via a wireless remote button. This will make it easier for your customers to adjust their shower to their personal preference, and will be especially helpful for those with limited height or mobility. Adding this functionality to your customers’ bathrooms will give them a customizable showering experience, and they’ll have you to thank. Check for this product with your local Ferguson this coming fall.

   Connect with your local Ferguson for the latest information about plumbing advancements.

   
3. A kitchen faucet that turns on with your feet.

   Much like car doors that can be opened with the tap of a foot, Grohe has introduced a foot-activated kitchen faucet that is conveniently turned on and off by tapping a sensor mounted at the base of the counter. This faucet is the answer to busy moments in the kitchen where people find their hands full and messy. Because of the hands-free activation, you can offer this technology as a way to improve the overall cleanliness and sanitation of your customers’ kitchens.

   Find your local Ferguson to request this faucet or shop our online offering of other Grohe faucets.

   
4. A shower system that you control through Wi-Fi.

   Sell your customers on the idea that you can bring their showering experience into the digital age with a Wi-Fi enabled showering system. Available at your local Ferguson, the new U by Moen promises to deliver the perfect shower based on customizable settings that users control through their smartphone. Your customers can choose their shower temperature and have it warmed up and ready before they step in all through the U by Moen app. Offering this technology will help your business because you can market yourself as a smart home automation plumbing expert.

   Get more information about the U by Moen from your local Ferguson or shop our online offering of Moen products.

   
5. A faucet that will keep kitchens splatter-free.

   You can give your customers a cleaner kitchen with a faucet that incorporates the futuristic ShieldSpray™ Technology from Delta Faucet. The stream is a unique elliptical shape that the manufacturer describes as working like a shield to prevent splatter. You can provide your customers with the benefit that their kitchen counters, and their clothes, will stay clean and dry no matter the size or shape of any dish they wash.

   Contact your local Ferguson to get this technology, or browse our online offering of plumbing supplies from Delta Faucet.

   
6. Kitchen faucets that sense when they’re needed.

   Impress your customers by giving them the ability to turn on their kitchen faucet simple by holding your hand near it. While this might seem like magic, several quality faucet brands have made this a reality. American Standard, Kohler, Moen and Pfister have developed several pull down kitchen faucets that incorporate this technology. Hand-free faucets will give you the advantage of increasing the level of sanitation in your customers’ kitchens.

   Visit your local Ferguson to explore our offering of hand-free faucets and check out or online offering of kitchen faucets.

   

Scott Watts

With over 24 years of experience in the plumbing supply industry, Scott Watts leverages his extensive product knowledge to help trade professionals make the best purchase decisions to grow their businesses.

2 bedroom bungalow for sale in John O'Gaunts Way, Belper, DE56

Read article : 2 bedroom bungalow for sale in John O'Gaunts Way, Belper, DE56

Key features

• Modern two bedroom semi detached bungalow
• Re-furbished in 2016/2017
• New central heating system in 2016 and all new PVCu windows and doors in 2017
• New fitted kitchen with integrated appliances and bathroom with a steam shower and whirlpool bath
• Low maintenance rear garden with a garage and driveway to the rear
• Close to Belper leisure centre and public transport

Full description

This exceptional two bedroom semi detached bungalow has been completely re-furbished within the last year and boasts, light and airy modern accommodation with a fabulous fitted kitchen with integrated appliances, stylish bathroom with a steam shower and whirlpool bath, new central heating system, new carpets and floorings, private garden to rear and a garage with a private driveway. The property must be viewed to be fully appreciated so call us today to book your viewing!

From our Belper Office, proceed along Chapel Street to the Morrisons roundabout turning left onto New Road. Continue through the traffic lights and past the Market Place, which becomes High Street and then Spencer Road. Turn right at the mini-roundabout onto Short Street and left at the next mini-roundabout onto Kilbourne Road. Follow this road, eventually taking a left-hand turn, sign posted for John O'Gaunt's Way and the property will be found on the right-hand side clearly identified by our distinctive 'For Sale' sign.

ACCOMMODATION 
The bungalow is approached via a half glazed PVCu double glazed entrance door into:
PORCH 
With a glazed door into:
ENTRANCE HALLWAY 
Having a wall mounted upright radiator, fitted carpet, access to the roof void and new internal doors fitted in 2016 to:
LOUNGE/DINING ROOM 
10.3ft x 16.0ft
A light and airy room having two wall mounted upright radiators, PVCu double glazed window to the rear and a fitted carpet. There is a square archway to:
FITTED KITCHEN 
8.2ft x 9.2ft
A stylish modern fitted kitchen appointed with a range of modern fitted gloss cream base cupboards, drawers and eye level units with stainless steel; effect edged top work surfaces over incorporating a one and half stainless steel sink drainer with mixer taps. A range of integrated appliances include an electric oven, gas hob, extractor hood and a fridge/ freezer. Plumbing for a washing machine, vinyl flooring, PVCu double glazed window to the rear , ceiling spotlights, PVCu double glazed stable door to the rear and a concealed wall mounted gas combination boiler.
MASTER BEDROOM 
13.0ft x 10.6ft
Having PVCu double glazed window, fitted carpet and wall mounted upright radiator
BEDROOM 2 
9.4ft x 9.0ft
Fitted with a range of built-in wardrobes with shelving and storage, PVCu double glazed window and a wall mounted upright radiator
BATHROOM 
Appointed with a modern three piece suite comprising a Alto steam shower and whirlpool corner bath with integrated radio, lights, seat and body jets, wash hand basin with base drawers and a low flush wc with a hidden cistern. PVCu double glazed opaque window, heated towel rail and vinyl floor covering.
OUTSIDE 
To the front and side of the property are lawned gardens, which wraps around the property. A driveway from the side provides ample car parking and leads to a detached garage with double vehicular doors. To the rear of the bungalow is a low maintenance garden which is mainly laid with patio slabs and has a boundary brick wall with wrought iron railings and an outside tap.

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To view this media, please visit the on-line version of this page at www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67010504.html

Colourful Coasts cruise review aboard Thomson Spirit

Read article : Colourful Coasts cruise review aboard Thomson Spirit

“Have you cruised before?” Anyone who has shared a dining table on a luxury liner will have heard this sentence on more than one occasion.

To some the words can be nothing more than shrill, however, if you like a little bit of holiday one-upmanship then it will be music to your ears.

Our recent holiday aboard Thomson Spirit was our fourth cruise and my other half, John, and I had great pleasure in crowing about this.

I try not to be too blasé about it being our ‘fourth’ cruise because I am well aware of the fact that it wasn’t so many years ago only the rich and famous took to the high seas for a week or two taking in sunnier climes.

Now the rich and famous can afford to buy their own yachts so there is little chance of celebrity spotting.

There is, however, usually a star turn aboard each liner including guest speakers, comedians and some cruise companies employ the cast of Strictly Come Dancing to encourage bookings.

Whenever I mention to anyone on dry land that my next holiday will be a cruise I get a look from them as if to say: “You’ve got some money …” and I would like to dispel the myth that lounging around on a liner for a week or two is pricey. It can be as reasonable or as expensive – as you wish.

Seasoned cruisers will be well aware that you have to be quite careful to make sure you know what is included in the price you originally pay.

Sometimes the amount of ‘add-ons’ after you think your holiday is all bought and paid for can be a bit daunting. Every cruise operator is different – and so is every ship.

In the past John and I have holidayed with Cunard, Uniworld and P&O, each very different and all with unique selling points. But be sure to read the small print to see what is, and what isn’t, included in the price you are paying. Some operators charge a set amount per day per person for staff tips, and if you are booking a ‘cruise only’ trip you may need to arrange transport to and from the port which could include flights and overnight stays.

For cruise number four John and I opted for a fly cruise and as we were holidaying in mid-November The Canary Islands looked most favourable.

After flicking through more brochures than you can shake a stick at and trawling the internet for hours on end we chose for a seven-day cruise with Thomson – the Colourful Coasts, aboard the Spirit.

Why I hear you cry? Why would you want to cruise on a 30-year-old ship without any balconies? Don’t worry, you’re not questioning anything we already hadn’t asked ourselves.

Cruising with Thomson is a great introduction to this style of holiday as the ships are smaller and less intimidating than the huge liners which carry more than 5,000 passengers. Spirit’s capacity is 1,250.

Currently Thomson has four ships in service – the Dream, Celebration, Spirit and Majesty – and the joy of booking with this travel company is the price quoted includes an inside stateroom, flights, food and tips. It is then up to the individual how they choose to tailor the trip.

Colourful Coasts was chosen not only for its value for money but also its destinations and the promise that the weather would be better than here in England.

We flew from Birmingham to Tenerife, sailing from Santa Cruz to some delightful islands including Gran Canaria (Las Palmas), La Palma (Santa Cruz De La Palma), Madeira (Funchal), Morocco (Agadir), Lanzarote (Arrecife), and then returning to Santa Cruz before flying back to the UK.

We upgraded to a deluxe outside plus stateroom on deck eight/nine which gave us a huge 19 square metres to waft about in all week. We had a peak into other staterooms and they all seemed more than adequate and I wouldn’t have been disappointed spending my week in any of them.

Ours had ample wardrobe and dressing table space, and the largest bathroom we have experienced while cruising with an actual bathtub and a decent shower.

Because John had done his homework reading up on many cruise review websites we were aware of what facilities the rooms would and wouldn’t have.

There is no need to pack shampoo, soap, shower gel, tissues, towels (including beach), shower caps or a hairdryer as these were all provided.

Obviously if you prefer to take your own you can do so but when you are limited to 20kg hold luggage and five kilos of hand luggage you need to be a bit savvy with your packing – which I am not. I managed to fill both my cases to full capacity and will know next time there is absolutely no need to pack an iron …

The most useful thing I did take with me was a four-plug extension lead. There are limited plug sockets in the room and by limited I mean one.

When you think about it, when the ship was built in 1984, all that was needed to be plugged in was curling tongues as a hairdryer is provided. Thirty years on we are a nation of technophiles with mobile phones to be charged, iPod docking stations to be plugged in, along with laptops, straighteners, heated rollers, kettles and irons.

Next time – and I am hoping there will be a next time – I will also take my own coat hangers as I seemed to do battle on several occasions with the ones provided.

Our room was spotlessly clean – as were all the public areas – and was cleaned and tidied each morning with an animal crafted out of a beach left on our bed. Every evening there was a five star turn down service which included chocolates placed on the pillows. The cabin staff were wonderful and nothing was too much trouble.

The cruise offered excellent sailing times and most days we left port late afternoon or early evening and travelled through the night.

With only one day at sea, for the majority of our holiday we woke up each morning at a new destination. Marvellous. Once you are aboard the ship it is entirely up to you how you spend your day – and your money. Photographs are taken more discretely than some on cruises; shops which stock a lovely selection of duty free products including handbags, perfumes, watches and jewellery, and a selection of shore excursions.

The excursions available were excellent value-for-money and we while we were in Madeira and Morocco we chose to join a guided tour rather than going it alone. These were booked online in advance but can also be organised through a travel agent or once on board the ship.

In Funchal we chose ‘A Taste of Madeira and Cable Car’ tour which was a half day trip and included a cable car ride from Funchal up to nearby Monte. Then it was decision time – did we slip and slide down the narrow streets in a toboggan, or rejoin the bus for a more sedate journey down the hill?

Sitting in a wicker basket mounted on wooden runners, two drivers guide the sled down through narrow streets, using their rubber-soled boots as brakes was thrilling and Ernest Hemingway once described the experience as ‘exhilarating’. After our ride we wandered around Funchal’s tranquil Botanical Gardens before visiting Funchal’s farmers’ market.

In Agadir we opted for another half day trip and this time it was to Touradant.

Surrounded by olive trees, palms and sweet-smelling citrus groves, the walled city is a real gem. On our drive to and from the destination we had the thrill of seeing camels and tree-climbing goats. Although John was the only one who saw the latter – I thought it was more likely to be a carrier bag flapping in the wind. Once we had arrived at Taroudant our guided tour took us around a daily Berber market and the Arab souk (market).

There were many of our fellow cruisers who refused to leave the ship as they felt Morocco wasn’t safe, however, we have visited the country twice without incident.

As our learned Agadirian guide pointed out: “There are good and bad people all over the world.”

One major concern we had when we booked the cruise wasn’t whether we should get off the ship in Morocco, it was be whether I would miss the balcony.

When cruising with P&O I sat on ours most afternoons, had breakfast on it most mornings and found it to be a perfect extension to our room.

Did I miss not having this extra space on the Spirit? Being totally honest, just once, and that was when we had our one day at sea. Cruising aboard a liner which looks akin to a block of flats, with more balconies than you can shake a stick at usually means many of the public rooms are in the bowels of the ship, hence the need for a balcony.

On the Spirit there are fabulous views from every public room and there was always plenty of room on the lido decks.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty who love the larger ships and it’s a case of ‘the bigger the better’ for many.

Not for John and I, we prefer a smaller, more intimate ship. Is it really necessary to have to choose from 24 different dining experiences?

In our world, no! Aboard Spirit there are four dining options available – the lido self-service restaurant; the outside terrace where we ate breakfast and lunch most days; the Compass Rose restaurant with waiter service or Sirocco’s, an intimate a la carte restaurant.

On previous cruising holidays, dining in the self-service restaurant has proved to be a nightmare for us both and we have found the only way we can organise ourselves is to find a table and then tag team our food and drink. Not very romantic – and not very pleasant if I am perfectly honest.

Each time we dined in Spirit’s Lido Restaurant the staff are so well organised that there was never a problem finding a table, no matter what time of day we chose to eat.

Even on the morning of disembarkation the set up ran smoothly and this is all down to the organisation of the staff.

Once everyone has been fed it’s time for them to be watered and there was an excellent selection of speciality teas and coffees, soft drinks, beers, lagers, wines and spirits available.

While food was included in the price of the cruise, this type of beverage, wasn’t. There are drinks packages (DP) available to buy if you like a tipple and if your cruise is booked early enough, some are included in the price. However when we booked our trip an all-inclusive DP would have cost around £199 per person. With the best will in the world – and we both like a drink – there is no way we would have got through almost £400 of alcohol between us in just a week.

Well, not without staying on the ship 24/7 and me doing a good impression of Esme Cannon in the film Carry on Cruising.

There was no need to fret as we were able to purchase a DP to suit us on our first evening.

What really sets Thomson Cruises apart from its peers is its staff. From the maintenance team to the ones with the posh pips on their shoulders, nothing was too much trouble. Each and every one of them had time to smile, chat and be as helpful as possible to the guests – and it didn’t matter what rank they were, everyone mucked in an got on with the job in hand.

It was their friendliness and the relaxed atmosphere aboard Spirit which really made our holiday special. At no point did John or I feel as if we were an inconvenience and any questions we had were always answered.

One niggle we have had on all our cruise holidays though is the lack of internet access. Okay so there is access on the Spirit but it’s quite expensive so when the ship docks the first thing John and I usually do is head off to a café which offers free WiFi.

Nowadays, so many people have smart phones that if Thomson wants to get ahead of its rivals, it should look into offering complimentary Wi-Fi. Even if it’s only for half an hour each day, at least it would mean that we could brag on social media networks about where we are – oh and upload lots of ‘selfies’!

Our latest jolly jaunt was by far our favourite cruise and there would be no hesitation in travelling with this cruise line again.

From booking at Thomson’s, in Burton, to the towel animal left on our bed each day – everything was absolutely perfect. Now where did I put that brochure? ...

Travel Facts:

The Colourful Coasts cruise is available with flights from East Midlands and Birmingham airports.

A seven-night cruise, including flights, starts from £799 per person until April 2104. The cruise resumes in November and continues until April 2015.

For more information pick up a brochure from Thomson in Station Street, Burton, or via the website here .

La Salle, Chadwick Street, Hunslet, Leeds LS10, 2 bedroom flat for sale - 43385380

Read article : La Salle, Chadwick Street, Hunslet, Leeds LS10, 2 bedroom flat for sale - 43385380

***fabulous leeds dock apartment on the fifth floor*** two bedrooms, two bathrooms, larger than average living space, dual access wrap around corner balcony, dock chain, must view to be appreciated!
Parklane are delighted to bring to market a lovely apartment in la salle, leeds dock. The apartment boasts a large open plan living space with a fully fitted high spec modern kitchen, large floor to ceiling windows allowing in plenty of natural light with access on to a wrap around corner balcony with a view of the dock. There are also two well proportioned double bedrooms, one with an en-suite shower room and a separate house bathroom. The master bedroom also has floor to ceiling windows with access on to the balcony. Leeds Dock has various weekend craft markets with pop up restaurants and bars. Walking distance to the City Centre situated in a pleasant area. There are weekend river boat taxis taking you to the other side of Leeds. A state of the art on site gym, local supermarket and multi storey car park. EPC Rating: B

Leasehold: 135 Years remaining
Quarterly Service Charges: Water - £101.70, Estate - £106.25, Service - £313.21
Ground Rent: £250.00 pa

Hardwood flooring, wall mounted electric heater, intercom telephone system, two inset ceiling spot lights.

Spacious L shaped open plan living space with floor to ceiling sealed unit double glazed windows and door to wrap around corner balcony looking over the dock, hardwood flooring throughout, wall mounted electric heater, eight inset ceiling spot lights. The kitchen area comprises of: Modern fitted wall and base units, granite work tops with matching up stand and splash back over the hob, under cabinet lighting, fitted ceramic hob, electric oven with stainless steel extractor hood over, built in microwave, full sized integrated fridge freezer, integrated washer/dryer, integrated dishwasher, circular stainless steel sink unit, six inset ceiling spot lights, smoke alarm.

Floor to ceiling sealed unit double glazed windows covering the width of the external wall with door leading to corner wrap around balcony showcasing dock views, wall mounted electric heater, four inset ceiling spot lights, carpeted.

Double shower enclosure with rainfall shower head, wall mounted WC and hand wash basin, double mirrored inset bathroom cabinet, chrome wall mounted towel heater, partially tiled walls, tiled flooring, two inset ceiling spot lights, extractor fan.

Floor to ceiling sealed unit double glazed window, carpeted, two inset ceiling spot lights, wall mounted electric heater.

Bath with shower over, shower curtain rail, wall mounted hand wash basin and WC, two wooden framed inset bathroom cabinets and shelves, two inset ceiling spot lights, extractor fan, partially tiled walls, tiled flooring, chrome towel heater.

Top RVs, campers and tents of 2014

Read article : Top RVs, campers and tents of 2014

Another year, another few dozen ways to escape urban life and set up camp in the wild ... 2014 has been an interesting year for campers. From the heavy-duty off-road machines of Overland Expo to ultralight bicycle campers, and from familiar campground designs to new concepts of sea and air camping, the year has seen a large variety of innovative designs from around the world. Here are our picks for the best tents, camper vans, trailers and mobile homes of 2014, in no particular order.

Tentsile Vista multi-story tree tent

Since we first featured Tentsile in 2012, the company has continued to impress us with its suspended tents. Other manufacturers offer hammock-based tents, but Tentsile makes large, spacious aerials that are more like canvas treehouses, none more so than the all-new Vista. The non-weather-sealed nature of the design isn't for everyone or all conditions, but the available multi-floor layout is certainly an interesting twist on the tree tent. The primary Vista tent protects three campers with a combination of detachable insect mesh and removable rain fly. The really cool part of the design is that you can add extra floors to make a suspended, multi-level "portable treehouse" for nine or more people. The basic tent without extra floors costs US$595.

SylvanSport GO-Easy ultralight camping trailer

A compact, 275-lb (125 kg) gear trailer, the SylvanSport GO-Easy is designed to give the smallest cars and motorcycles the ability to haul all kinds of sports gear and tools. To add overnighting capabilities, SylvanSport teamed with Roost tents to create a flip-top tent camper with underbody storage. When you don't need a tent, remove the foam mattress and canvas sides and Roost's innovative two-person clamshell becomes a gear box. To add some of the comforts of home, SylvanSport offers options like Goal Zero solar power systems and the Road Shower. Combine the $2,000 price of the GO-Easy with the $3,000 price of the Roost tent, and you have an ultralight, ultra-versatile camping trailer for around $5K.

Tonke Fieldsleeper International expedition vehicle

Prior to 2014, we knew Tonke as the Dutch company behind some the most stylish wooden trailers we've ever seen. This year, it added one of the most stylish aluminum trailers on the market not named Airstream. The Mercedes Sprinter-based Fieldsleeper International is built as an expedition vehicle, available in both 4x2 and 4x4 drive options. Its aluminum skin creates a more modern exterior style, but the interior still features the warmth of mahogany wood.

Tonke attempts to give Fieldsleeper International owners more off-grid autonomy by eliminating the liquid propane systems typical in RVs in favor of a roof-mounted solar array and auxiliary diesel tank. The 400- to 600-watt solar system powers onboard equipment like the refrigerator, stove, lighting and even air conditioning. The five-person camper includes a washroom with sink, shower and cassette toilet.

When we covered it earlier in the year, the International was offered with a 190-hp Mercedes Sprinter 519Cdi for $192,000, but now it's listed with a 160-hp Sprinter 516Cdi base for a bit cheaper – $154,576.

XVenture XV-2 penthouse trailer

Simple problem, simple solution. The military-grade Xventure XV-2 makes the most of its small trailer form by pushing the pop-up tent high above the cargo box below using an elevated rack system. The adjustable height opens up more storage space in the cargo box – enough for an ATV, even – and makes everything inside that cargo box easier to access. As a few astute readers pointed out, it looks like the configuration could prove quite chilly in the winter, when the thin floor of the XV-2 could use the added insulation value of a trailer directly below, but that shouldn't be as much a problem in the popular warmer months, or with a heavier sleeping pad. And if it is, you can always adjust it to one of the lower settings on the six-setting rack. The pricing information we received earlier in the year put the XV-2 with elevating rack system and roof tent at around $14,500 to start.

Wide Path bicycle camper

There are dozens upon dozens of camping trailers on the market, but the overwhelming majority of them are designed to be towed by vehicles with motor. The slim, 88-lb (40-kg) Wide Path Camper, on the other hand, is built to be towed by leg power alone. The bicycle camper offers enough sleeping space for two adults and one child and includes a basic but functional interior with a folding table, convertible bed/seats and 300 liters (79 gal) of storage capacity. Add a few select pieces of gear like a propane stove and portable toilet and suddenly you have a fully functioning mobile home on the back of your 12-speed.

The Wide Path Camper was still in the prototype stages as of last month, but its Dutch designer hopes to have it ready for sale next year, starting around $2,500.

Amok Draumr hammock tent

While not quite as common a sight at the campground as a dome tent or RV, the hammock shelter is a widely available camping option offered by brands like Hennessy Hammock and Grand Trunk. Typically, these hammocks are strung between trees end to end, but the Amok rotates the Draumr around 90 degrees, creating a side-to-side hanging structure. This construction creates a flat, sleeping pad-cushioned bed designed to deliver a more comfortable night of sleep. With a few tugs of the adjustment straps, it also turns into a suspended chair.

The ISPO BrandNew Award-nominated Draumr is available now for $379, which includes mosquito netting, straps and a rain fly, but not the required sleeping pad. All in, the Draumr weighs less than 4.5 lb (2 kg).

MVP Aero MVP seaplane camper

We're already suckers for amphibious vehicles, so throw in a convertible overnight package, and you get one of our favorite vehicles of the year. Billed as the "world's most versatile plane," the MVP, which we checked out at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2014, is part seaplane, part fishing boat and part floating/flying camper. The tri-phibious plane can land on dry land, snow or water. On water, it can motor along and act as a boat, and slide the canopy back and it offers a flat deck for fishing and observation. The wings also fold up, adding to its maneuverability on water.

At night, the MVP's instrument panel lifts out of the way, creating a large, flat floor with the help of a four-panel origami deck that slides over top the seat wells. Tent fabric secures over the entire cockpit area, providing shelter for two occupants. A fitted inflatable mattress offers added comfort, and there's also a hammock that sets up between the engine pylon and the tail.

The MVP isn't exactly a practical camper for the masses, but one can certainly dream of using it on some pretty epic adventures. The aircraft is still in the prototype stages, but for those that simply can't wait, it's available for reservation at a price of $189,000. Delivery is not expected until 2018/19, however.

Audi-Heimplanet Q3 tent camper

Two innovative German brands teamed up for something a bit different at Volkswagen's 2014 Wörthersee festival. Heimplanet custom-fit its inflatable tent technology to the hatch of an Audi Q3 2.0 TDI. The design created an extended car-tent living space with vestibule and also allowed for a freestanding tent set-up. The inflatable tent and Q3 combo certainly wasn't the most rugged camper design of the year, but it was rated up to wind speeds of 43.5 mph (70 km/h).

The Audi-Heimplanet inflatable car camper was clearly designed as an eye-catching showpiece (a role it filled quite nicely), and we don't expect to see Audi dealerships advertising the Q3 "overnight package" anytime soon.

2014 EarthRoamer XV-LTS xpedition vehicle

A beastly, intimidating contradiction on wheels, the 2014 EarthRoamer XV-LTS combines one of the more rugged 4WD expedition vehicle platforms out there with a carefully-detailed, luxury-level interior and front porch. In designing the truck, Colorado-based EarthRoamer fortified a commercial-duty F-550 chassis for rough, off-road use, bolted a composite living module to the back and outfitted it for comfortable off-grid living. The design includes a cozy six-seat living room, sleeping space for four to six and a bathroom with a sink, full-height shower and cassette toilet. Occupants are furnished with utilities by way of a solar-driven electrical system, engine-powered dual alternators and a 90-gallon (340.7-L) fresh water tank. It appears to be an extremely cozy space to retire to after hard days of fighting through mud, boulders and dust with the 300-hp V8 turbo diesel and 37-in tires. The model we stepped inside at Overland Expo even included luxuries like a wine cabinet with engraved wine glasses, slide-out Keurig coffeemaker, and exterior tailgating package with retractable 46-in TV.

The 2014 XV-LTS sold out, but EarthRoamer is now advertising the 2015 model at prices between $312,000 and $560,000.

ADAK Trailer

It's not at all rare to find a gritty, all-terrain expedition vehicle furnished like a luxury apartment on wheels. In fact, there are two on this list, including the EarthRoamer we just looked at. When you're spending six or seven figures on a large, motorized toy, there's no reason you can't have it all.It is rarer to find that mix of any-terrain readiness and luxury in the far more modestly priced camping trailer segment. Most off-road trailer manufacturers we've covered seem to put all their R&D money into building a bombproof chassis and body ready to take on everything Mother Earth can throw at it, leaving live-in accommodations to a simple fold-out tent or small, spartan teardrop interior.Built by a group of outdoorsman tired of inferior campers quitting when the road got rough, but too seasoned for a skimpy, uncomfortable shelter, the ADAK Trailer offers an admirable combination of rugged exterior and spacious, comfy interior. The design uses a mix of aluminum and composite to hold up to rough, choppy roads and off-roads. Inside the trailer's 116-sq ft (10.8 sq m) cabin, campers find three beds, a bathroom with toilet and shower, a tankless hot water system designed to work in the middle of winter, and available wood flooring and cabinetry. When we originally covered the ADAK earlier in the year, pricing started at $49,000.

Volksleisure T5 camper van

After more than a decade of focusing on camper conversions for vans from manufacturers other than Volkswagen, Wellhouse Leisure presented its first production-ready VW camper van this year. The first offering from the brand's VW-centric subsidiary Volksleisure, the little people mover packs enough versatility for both everyday and holiday use. It's Wellhouse's electric rear bench that makes the Volksleisure camper a van that you can overnight in on the weekend and get the kids to school in come Monday morning. The bench slides the length of the cabin, allowing it to work as a live-in camper, regular people mover or big-item hauler. The camper van offers sleeping space for up to four people, along with a kitchen area, refrigerator, dining table, and 35-L (9.2 US gal) fresh and waste water tanks. Volksleisure's T5 camper is currently listed at a £47,850 ($75,000) base price.

Safari Condo Alto R1723 teardrop pop-top

Combining two timeless camping-trailer concepts into one seamless family tag-along, the Alto R1723 by Safari Condo is a pop-up teardrop camper designed to get the family outdoors. The 83-in-high (2.1-m), 1725-lb (782-kg) teardrop design gives the Alto R1723 drag-cutting aerodynamic performance on the road and garage clearance during storage. The electric aluminum roof pops up at camp to offer 82 inches (2.08 m) of interior headroom, more than enough for the average person to stand up and walk around, a convenience that smaller, lower teardrops lack. The trailer sleeps three or four and includes home-like comforts such as a flush toilet and shower. The large windows let you experience the grand scenery of the outdoors while remaining under the roof.

The Alto R1723 starts at around CAD$28,500 (US$24,500), and Safari also offers the smaller R1713 for CAD$1,000 less.

Knaus Travelino camper concept

Much like automakers do at every major auto show, German manufacturer Knaus Tabbert has been using the annual Düsseldorf Caravan Salon to showcase ideas for the future of the industry. It followed up last year's much talked about Caravisio concept with the 2014 Travelino trailer.

While we aren't really sold on the odd, broadsided shape of the black-and-white Travelino, the real highlight is the interior. The caravan offers very versatile use of its limited space through carefully designed and placed equipment. In place of a dedicated bathroom, a folding-panel wall and slide-out cassette toilet provide indoor privacy without permanently occupying floor space. The indoor and slide-out outdoor kitchens share a portable camping stove, eliminating the need for fixed cooktops.

The Travelino launched as just a concept, so there was no accompanying price information, but it's easy to see how some of its features could find their way into production camping trailers.

Marco Polo Activity light camper van

Manufacturers around the world have come up with very clever ways of packing all kinds of amenities and comforts into small, portable vehicles. But there's really only so much equipment you can fit into a camper while keeping it light, spacious and comfortable. And not every overnight trip requires a full bathroom, kitchen and living room. If you're sleeping in a ski resort parking lot or adjacent to a surf break so that you're in prime position to take advantage of first tracks/early morning waves, you don't necessarily need a fully equipped RV, just a roof and a comfortable place to sleep.In that spirit, Mercedes-Benz dropped some of the usual camping equipment to make a lighter, simpler camper van in the form of the Marco Polo Activity it revealed in Düsseldorf. The Activity has a three-seat bench that extends clean across the width of the van thanks to the absence of the kitchen unit. That bench folds down into a bed for up to three, and two more people can sleep below the pop-up roof. If you need to cook your own meals, you can slide the bench forward on its rails and store a stove, cookware and plenty of other gear in back, then eat on the included folding table in the cabin. What you give up in equipment and amenities, you gain in versatility and spaciousness. The Activity was released at a starting price of €38,960 (US$49,000).

Action Mobil Global XRS 720 6x6 camper

Our second rolling, all-terrain luxury apartment, the Action Mobil Global XRS 7200 introduced at the 2014 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon was this year's exercise in no-expense-spared expeditioning opulence, the type of vehicle one only considers if the very thought of "roughing it" is a much bigger deterrent than a seven-figure price tag. The 720-hp, 18-ton MAN-chassised 6x6 is eager to travel to any part of the world and stay there about as long as its occupants can handle. Once inside the spacious, climate-controlled cabin, they'll immediately forget about whatever harsh, desolate reality surrounds the exterior walls. The cabin is appointed in materials like stone and metal, includes a master bedroom, is hydrated by a 720-L (190-gal) fresh water tank, and keeps everyone entertained with a multimedia system that's more impressive than what many people have in their living rooms – 40-in HD TV, satellite internet, Apple TV, Bose audio, and a large-capacity hard drive for storing multimedia content. There's even a bidet and washer/dryer. Not a bad living situation for the middle of $#@#$in nowhere.

Pricing info out of the Düsseldorf show put the XRS 7200 at €850,000 (US$1.1 million) to start.

Look through our gallery for a closer look at the interiors and features of each of these campers and tents. And if you're wondering how this year's designs compare to last year's, take a trip back in time with our best of 2013 camper round-up.

View gallery - 108 images