It’s that time of year again, the two most expensive times of the year – Christmas and New Year are finally behind us and they have left us feeling a little bit lighter in the pocket.

With the UK spending an eye-watering £1.7bn on unwanted gifts last Christmas and the average Brit receiving a total of £31 worth of unwanted present’s, now is the perfect time to cash in or simply de-clutter your home. So to give you a helping hand we have pulled together a few tips to ensure that your Vivastreet ad stands out.

Select a category
It is important to select the correct category as it will ensure that the right people are looking at your ad.

Posting Title
Having a catchy title is a great way to stand out from the other ads. Try to keep it short and sweet whilst highlighting exactly what you are selling.

Posting Description
Do not be vague, include as many details as possible. This is the perfect place to state the benefits or the attractive qualities of your product, and why other Vivastreet users should purchase your product (or service).

Include a photo whenever possible
Vivastreet users can upload photos for free, so ensure that you do. As the saying goes, a picture tells a thousand words.

Modes of contact
Provide as many modes of contact as is conveniently possible. Methods such as email addresses, and landline/ mobile phone numbers will make sales transactions easier. However, do make sure that the proper security and safety precautions are taken.

Additional features
Upgrade to a premium ad. There are different types of upgrades available: ‘Featured’ ads which will place your advert on top of the regular ads and will be marked ‘Featured’ for exclusive and increased visibility or ‘Highlighted’ ads which highlight your ad for 30 days with a coloured background to make your advert stand out.

We surveyed over 2,000 people across Britain and found that on average, each person celebrating Christmas in the UK this year – 87% of the population (53.99m people)[1] – received up to two presents they did not want with their average total value reaching £31, this means that a whopping £1.7bn was spent by the British public on unwanted Christmas gifts this year. Our research also found that only 16% of people will try to cash-in by selling their unwanted items.

Those of you who are not planning on selling your unwanted gifts could be missing out, with the continued government cuts in 2012 every penny will count, so the stigma attached to selling unwanted gifts is one that needs to be broken, remember there is nothing wrong with raising some extra cash by selling things you don’t want or need online. Over the last five years, those Brits who did sell unwanted gifts online raised a total of £4.6bn[2] .

On the other hand, when it comes to giving gifts us Brits have been relatively good this year when compared to some of our European cousins. In Italy, the average total value of unwanted gifts per person was £46 (€55), while in France each person received £60 (€72) worth of presents they didn’t like. When compared to the UK that’s an increase of £15 in France and nearly double in Italy – £29.

The largest proportion of unwanted Christmas gifts (37%) were either clothes or jewellery, while 31% of unwanted presents were personal care products such as cosmetics and perfumes, with in-laws giving the worst gifts, closely followed by friends and children.

So remember, if you want to cash in on an unwanted Christmas gift, sell it on vivastreet.co.uk – it’s completely free and will guarantee you access to thousands of potential buyers.

Good luck! Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year!

_________________________________________________

[1] Based on the latest ONS population figures excluding religions that do not celebrate Christmas
[2] Based on the number of people who have sold unwanted gifts in the last five years and how much they have raised on average – Vivastreet.co.uk Unwanted Gifts Survey and ONS population data

We are pleased to announce that the winner of our Facebook “Worst Christmas Present’s” competition is Sarah Morris from Birmingham. She’s won £50 worth of shopping vouchers after Vivastreet Facebook users selected her gift of crayons wrapped in newspaper given to her by her little sister as the worst gift.

After hearing the great news Sarah said “I was very excited when I found out that I had won. It was very unexpected as there were many other great entries and I wasn’t expecting to win. I plan on splitting the prize with my younger sister, after all, it’s thanks to her that I won the vouchers! I’d just like to say a big thank you to Vivastreet for holding the competition and giving me the opportunity to win, I’m extremely grateful!”

We hope you enjoy your vouchers Sarah!

Last month we brought you our Random Acts of Happiness by randomly selecting an ad each day and giving away £50 worth of shopping vouchers to each luck Vivastreet user. All of our winners have been notified by email, so check your inbox and email us back if you are one of the lucky ones.

Congratulations to:

• saadispeeder
• naleds
• arthursprivatehire
• kakawas
• britasia
• avolkov
• e4efthymiou
• rhyse
• moo-la-vache
• anthonygarner588
• ukcleaningagency

One very lucky user also received £1000 in shopping voucher’s, congratulations to Vadim Arkhipov

We hope you all enjoy spending your shopping vouchers.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2012.

The Vivastreet UK Team

Its officially 16 days till Christmas and the panic has started to set in. I’ve not bought any gifts or had time to decorate the house or even get the house ready for the onslaught of relatives that will be gracing us with their presence.

So to get myself organised, I pulled together a list of exactly what needs to be done and in priority order. Number one on the list is Christmas presents for the kids, I know exactly what needs to be bought but I don’t think I can face the crowds so I did what I usually do in times of a crisis, head to Vivastreet.co.uk.

My boy’s Josh and Matthew both want bike’s, so I popped on to the site and within five minutes had found two bike’s that were perfect. One is a blue mountain bike and the other is green with multi-coloured beads on the spokes.

Natalie is a typical teenage girl and is constantly reading fashion magazine and trying out the latest trends so she will love the Ugg boots and faux fur coat that I found, and Peter will be getting tickets to see his favourite band.

All I need to do now is arrange to collect them all, but luckily they are all within 30mins from my home.

So the Christmas shopping has been sorted in half an hour all from the comfort of my home. Next I need to get the house decorated. I wonder if they have anyone on Vivastreet that can do this for me…

The countdown to Christmas has officially begun, and with only 3 weeks to go it got us thinking of how Christmas has changed significantly through the decades and has evolved to symbolise different things to different people.
For some the festive period symbolises relaxation, reflection, spending time with the family and eating excessive amounts, whilst for others it is an extremely stressful period that is spent cooking, cleaning and entertaining with no time to rest and spend quality time with family members
In order to make the Christmas period run smoothly Vivastreet has a number of tips that will make planning the perfect family get together a doddle.

1. Plan ahead
If you have family and friends coming to stay, it is essential that you co-ordinate what days and approximately what time they will be arriving. Take into consideration exactly how many people your home can accommodate, as it might be better for some members of your family to stay with neighbours or in a nearby hotel.

2. Designate Tasks
Ensure that everyone chips in, planning the perfect Christmas reunion should not be the responsibility of just one person. Assign roles to everyone, they should include: keeping the children entertained, setting the table, prepping veg. It’s fantastic because it allows the family to bond throughout the day and avoids stressed out and resentful individuals.

3. B.Y.O/Order in
If there are a significant number of you, sometimes it is easier to hire a caterer or order in from a restaurant. Another option is to encourage family members to bring food, this is especially helpful for people who have dietary requirements, and it helps to take the pressure off you and your cooker.

Hopefully integrating all of these tips into your usual Christmas routine will make the holiday period run smoother than usual.

Vivastreet is the FREE Advertising site that brings you an affordable Christmas!

Everyday Vivastreet is bringing you random acts of happiness by giving away shopping vouchers to our customers. At the end of each day over the next 4 weeks (end date 5th December) Vivastreet will randomly select an ad and give away £50 worth of shopping vouchers to each lucky customer. All you have to do to take part is post an ad!

Remember posting and ad is FREE

Visit http://www.vivastreet.co.uk for more information

As a mother of four children – two under the age of 10, and two in their teens, I am constantly on the move. My day is a flurry of trips to and from school, music classes, sports classes, cooking, cleaning, wiping snotty noses, stopping arguments and so forth, the list of things I do on a daily basis is never ending.

After some thought I decided that it would be nice to have a little bit of help every now and then, especially when it comes to keeping the house clean. Having three boys in the family and a pubescent teenage girl, one of the greatest challenges I face on a daily basis is tidying up after each and every one of them.

During one of my daily Mother’s catch up at the school gates I mentioned to a friend that I was looking for a cleaner, and didn’t know how or where to begin my search. She recommended Vivastreet.co.uk, as this was where she’d found her cleaner.

So that afternoon, during a very rare quiet period in my day I decided to check out the website for the first time ever, and I’m so glad I did. The choice of cleaners available was incredible, I was spoilt for choice. There were a few cleaners who really stood out so I gave them a call and discussed my needs with them and decided on one called Anna. She seemed honest, reliable and had lots of experience, and to top it off she gave me the numbers of her previous clients who all gave her a glowing reference.

Going on Vivastreet.co.uk really was the best thing I ever did! Anna popped round last week to give my house a good going over, and I’ve never seen my house look so clean. The kids thought that they were in a different house, and to top it off I now have a few extra minutes all to my self – Sheer bliss!

Battersea Dogs & Cats home issued a warning last week to all potential pet owners following a significant number of inexperienced owners purchasing cats and dogs online only to abandon them soon after.

Liz McWalter, head of Animal Intake, stated: “A quick search on the internet reveals just how easy it is to buy a pet cheaply and quickly without giving any real thought to the life-changing decision you are making. Buying a pet is not like buying a new iPod.” She also went on to highlight that Battersea Dogs & Cats home is now having to accommodate the increasing number of deserted pets, which is putting added pressure on the charity.

At Vivastreet, we would like to think that our users are all responsible pet owners and breeders. However if you have never owned a pet before it is important to carefully consider the essentials of owning a pet before taking the plunge.

Being a responsible owner is more than just feeding your pet and taking it to the vet if it’s feeling unwell. You should be fully equipped for the extra responsibility that owning a pet will require.

When purchasing an animal online ensure that:

• You don’t buy a pet on impulse, take into account how much of your time and finances your new pet will require.

• Always take into consideration the size the animal will grow to, especially with dogs or reptiles such as snakes.

• Consider your routine – are you the type of person who has a balanced lifestyle, or do you usually spend long periods away from home. If so, it’s best to carefully consider which pet, if any, you get. Cats and dogs for example require a lot of love and attention

• Speak to the breeder prior to collecting your new pet, ask for as much information on your pet’s background including: behaviour, history & temperament.

And if you already have pets:

• Ensure that the new addition to your family will interact well with your existing family members. Both human and animal!

Those of us that are extremely organised have already begun spending time and energy carefully planning the right gift for their loved ones. Like so many of us however they may be faced with the possibility of unwrapping their present on Christmas day and be confronted with a gift that is so horrific it makes us wonder if the person who gave it to us secretly dislikes us.

Well we at Vivastreet want to turn what was a hideous gift into a pleasant surprise. All you need to do is tell us about the worst Christmas present you have ever received and why you disliked it. If you have pictures of the offending item, please upload them to our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/vivastreet.co.uk. The top entries will receive £50 worth of shopping vouchers.

Good luck and get posting!

That’s where HomeForStudents.co.uk comes in. Launched earlier in the year, the site offers a quick and simple way for student tenants to find a student flatshare. Similar in nature to a social networking website, students can upload pictures, along with their details and preferences as to who they’re looking for as housemates. Landlords, too, can upload their rooms to rent, look for suitable tenants and then make contact.

Students using the site are able to browse properties from both landlords and letting agents, for whom the service is currently free to use. A paid service for is planned for a later date once the site is firmly established, but students will never be charged for using the service.

In a similar vein to EasyRoommate, all content on the site is kept up to date to help keep it safe and scam-free. Outdated ads are quickly removed to prevent misrepresentation and an artificially inflated database, and the website also has an advanced search facility along with dedicated 24/7 customer support.

Annette Edwards and rabbit Alice, who is three and a half stone

This isn’t any rabbit. It is the world’s largest bunny measuring 4-feet long and weighing over 14-pounds. The £70,000-a-year job is to help Annette (a.k.a. Jessica) with Alice’s world tour. Annette’s transformation into the female star of the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit means she can no longer handle the enormous bunny while in character.

Annette had received over 2,000 applications for the job but in the end only 14 people had turned up or the actual judging. It was held on April 1st and she fears most thought it was just a prank. It might as well been with a judging panel that included a David Beckham look-a-like, a tanning “expert” and a witch.

“Because of April Fool’s day a lot of people thought it was a joke. We will never again do something like this on April 1,” she said.

Annette Edwards paid £10,000 to look like Jessica Rabbit

There will be eight more regional try-outs with the finals being held in London. If you want to accompany both Annette and Alice around the world then heed Annette’s advice.

“The winner needs to love animals, he needs to know how to behave on television and how to handle the press,” she insists.

Our advice, get a furry costume that looks a lot like Roger Rabbit.

Here are some amazing deals to spoil your mum this Mother’s Day.

• Glasgow – Award winning, professional make-up artist offers make-up lesson gift vouchers. Each voucher is £75 and comes in a gorgeous gift box, tied with ribbon and can be mailed to any location.

• Cheshire – Italian Restaurant in Cheshire presents exclusive Mother’s day adoration lunch and dinner. Each Mother will be spoiled by an exquisite glass of Bellini cocktail or their legendary Sicilian Emporio red or white wine!

• Cambridge – Very unique flat tree aromatic candles in four different scents: ocean, apple, orange and lemon.

• South Shields - Spoil your mum with a private chauffeur driven Alfa Romeo and a free bottle of champagne.

• Croydon – Brand new vintage silk scarves from only £5.

We know how tough it is out there at the moment for the all those people out of work, but don’t give up, there are definitely jobs out there which could match your skills. VivaStreet.co.uk has seen the number of new full-time jobs posted on the site increase threefold in the past six months and that’s positive news for those of you out there actively looking for work.

We currently have a huge variety of jobs on the site, both full-time (2,624 new jobs) and part-time positions, from childcare and nanny jobs to marketing and accountancy jobs.

And for those of you specifically looking for part-time positions, we have 7,151 new part-time jobs currently posted on the website.

Finally, don’t forget you can post your CV on the website for free and create alerts so that you’re the first to hear whenever a hot new job is posted on the website.

Good luck!

So, what makes that perfect Valentine’s evening? The truth is it’s not about what you do necessarily but how you do it. The key to success is forward planning – which means if you haven’t actually planned your Valentine’s Day evening yet, time is running out!

A lot of people like the “I can’t tell you where we’re going tonight, it’s a secret” approach, but this is fraught with dangers, particularly if you think you know your partner, then you take him/her for a night at the dogs, only to find out they hate dogs and gambling – ouch! It’s probably much better to plan your evening together, so that you’re sure whatever you do, you’ll both enjoy it. Also, a word of advice on the cash front boys – the reality is that girls still like a little chivalry; so put your calculators away for one evening, and pay for the whole thing. Believe me, she’ll love you for it… and isn’t that the point of the whole evening!?

Now if you’re planning a simple evening out – a meal followed by a film perhaps, then you’d better book up somewhere the moment you’ve stopped reading this rather amusing blog! Valentine’s Day is probably the busiest evening in the calendar for restaurants and cinemas . So, you need to book in advance, or you’ll be having your romantic evening at a Little Chef off the M25, lovely.

Depending on how adventurous/romantic/brave you are, will determine how much time and effort you put into the whole Valentine’s Day experience. If you prefer to play it safe, then a nice meal, a bunch of flowers, then home in time for Match of the Day… oops, sorry, I meant, Dirty Dancing on ITV2 … could be the perfect evening!

However, the more adventurous amongst you, have probably already booked ahead, and are planning to whisk your loved one off to Paris/Grimsby/Stoke Newington for the weekend. If that’s the case, make sure eveything’s in place, the flights, hotel, things to do while you’re away.  Believe me, a little consideration like this goes a long way to ensuring that everything runs smoothly and there are no needless arguments. This is meant to be a romantic weekend, not three hour delays, stuck at one of Ryanair’s “in the middle of no-where” airports, 200 miles from Paris.

Finally, have a little Valentine’s Day gift ready to surprise your partner with during the evening… if everything’s gone swimmingly, then it will be the icing on the cake. It doesn’t have to be much, but trust me, it will cap off the perfect evening!!

To be honest, if they could get away with it, most men would happily just buy their girlfriend/fiancee/wife a box of choccies and a cheap card from the local service station, on the way home from work. Unfortunately, there’s no avoiding it chaps – your loved ones will want sooooo much more than choccies, naff cards and a bunch of roses bought over the counter at Tescos! Don’t worry, it’s not too late to save yourself from spending a night in the doghouse… if you act now!

And because over here at Vivastreet, we care about the welfare of our users and particular those male users who could be spending a night in the doghouse, we thought we’d lend a helping hand if you’re in desperate need of some Valentine’s gift ideas inspiration. Vivastreet has set up a special category for one week only dedicated to love!!! Yep boys, your salvation, and more importantly a happy girlfriend, is just a click away. So, don’t delay, find a Valentine’s gift today, in our special category, which is listed in our Buy and Sell section on the Vivastreet Homepage.

Good luck!

What you need to do:

1. Be a fan of our Vivastreet Facebook page, and be a resident of the UK.
2. Tag yourself or your friends on ONE of the photos. Whichever one. The winner will be picked from the list of “Tagged in this album” names, so in the end whether you are tagged in once or 20 times you will only appear once on the list and have as many chances to win as anyone else. This is to keep the competition fair, we don’t want someone tagging all the photos and then other fans can’t enter.

Good Luck!

• Time – Take your time looking round the property
• Ask Questions – Don’t be afraid to ask direct and blunt questions about the property
• Photos – Take pictures of the property so that you can look over them later with fresh eyes.
• Measuring up – Take a tape measure with you to calculate the size of each room, or get a rough idea of floor space in a room with furniture by looking at the ceiling size.
• Bills – Find out what is the cost of Council Tax and the average costs of other utility bills such as electricity, gas and water.
• Damp – Is there a smell of damp or any other sign such as the walls feeling damp, wallpaper peeling, paint bubbling, watermarks or mould.
• Power – Make sure there enough power points - how old do they look?
• Internet & Phone – Ask if the property has a phone and internet connection and where are the connection points.
• Electrics, plumbing and heating – Ask the agent or the owner to confirm that the boiler, electrics and plumbing in the property are all in decent working condition, and to see copies of guarantees and service certificates. Have there been any problems with the boiler; when was it last serviced by a Gas Safe engineer?
• Planning permission – Ask if permission has been granted in principle for an extension or other home improvement. Can you put up pictures or redecorate?
• Exterior – Don’t forget to examine pipes, drainage and the condition of the roof.
• Insurance – Check if there have been any recent claims on the property’s buildings insurance – including flooding – and ask for details.
• Neighbours – What are the neighbours like – are they noisy

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

• Become a Vivastreet FAN on Facebook
• Tag yourself or your friends on one of the photos on Facebook
• By all means, share this with your friends that can qualify for an iPod as well

Win an iPod with Vivastreet

For more information click here.

Good luck! xXx

The new year is a good time to consider relocating

With the new year comes an opportunity for fresh starts and new beginnings, and in our previous post we showed you lots of ways you can dust off those cobwebs and kick start a brand new you.

However some of us may be considering a bigger life change than simply losing a few pounds or getting a new hairstyle. Maybe you’re thinking about a complete change of scene, and upping sticks and moving homes. Well, the new year is the perfect time to think about relocating as more people put their homes on the market once the chaos of Christmas is out of the way.

Here at VivaStreet we have a wealth of properties for sale and for rent, from tiny pied-a-terres and studios to this luxury five-bedroom house. Perhaps you have had enough of city life and have always dreamt of living near the sea. We’re happy to report that you could go and make that dream a reality with this lovely 1930′s property in Devon, complete with panoramic sea views. Or for those who prefer a more tranquil water location, then take a look at this gorgeous house which has its own canalside private mooring. Heaven!

For the more ambitious, we also have a section specially dedicated to land for sale for those looking to build their own home. If you are in the fortunate position of having a sum of spare cash you’re looking to invest wisely, you could do much worse than considering purchasing land. Take a look at our investment land section where you will see an array of different types of land for sale from building plots on the Scottish borders to cheap land in Bulgaria.

Which leads us smoothly on to the option of relocating abroad. Our overseas property selection is extensive, with properties for sale in Europe and beyond. We list a huge number of homes on the market, from farmhouses in Italy and France, to ski chalets in Austria and villas in Cyprus. This farmhouse in Brittany kills two birds with one stone, as it comes complete with an established cattery business – ideal for those wishing to relocate asap!

So what are you waiting for? You may be saying au revoir to cold Blighty before you know it!

Let VivaStreet help you write this year's New Year's Resolutions

It’s that time of year again when it’s out with the old, in with the new. The start of a new year is the perfect excuse for a spring clean in all areas of our lives. For most of us it’s time to make some changes as we resolve to get healthy, tone up that ever expanding waistline, and sort our lives out. So whatever your New Year’s resolutions are – and even if you haven’t decided what they are yet – VivaStreet is here to help you firm up your very own realistic and achievable goals for 2010.

One of the first things we all think about doing after making a pig of ourselves over the festive season, is to shed those extra pounds. Here at VivaStreet we have all manner of ideas of how you can get in shape. Perhaps you’re thinking about getting your diet in check by joining WeightWatchers. You can find your local group which meets in your area right here on VivaStreet. But the food is of course only one aspect. We need to get our backsides off the sofa too! Whether you’re into circuit training, boxing, or maybe getting yourself your own personal trainer, you’ll be tightening up that belt buckle or dropping a dress size in no time. And how about (perhaps for the more uninhibited among us!) belly dancing, or even pole-dancing! There are all sorts of ways you can get yourself looking trim.

Another thing many of us want to do with the coming of a new year is to ditch the cigarettes. Well instead of going down the tried (and often failed) route of nicotine patches, why not try hypnotherapy? It has worked for many people wishing to kick the habit once and for all. While you’re at it, you can use these electronic cigarettes to get you through the tough moments en route to quitting.

If you feel like you could do with taking a look at your whole life, then have you ever thought about enlisting a life coach? By having a few sessions with one could really help you identify and unlock any issues you have been having, and give you some tips as to how to improve your life.  But if all that’s a bit much, then you could begin with some self-help books to get you started.  This self-help e-book is a great way to begin exploring for yourself whatever stresses have been getting you down.

And finally, the new year provides the perfect reason to give yourself a kick-start and learn a new skill. How about brushing up on your IT know-how by taking  a computer skills course? Or how about French or Spanish classes? Check out which courses are being run in your local area and you’ll be Parlez-vous-ing francais before you know it, and speaking like a native in time for 2010′s summer holiday!

So however you want to improve your life, just remember that there’s no time like the present, and that you will always miss 100% of the opportunities you don’t take!

Grab yourself a hat and scarf to stay warm this winter

We’re all feeling the cold here at VivaStreet as the weather has suddenly plummeted and a seriously chilly spell has taken over the country. It even looks like we may be in for a white Christmas!

While we’re all trying to keep warm and avoid coming down with the sniffles, we still want to look stylish in the big freeze. So instead of digging out your holey old winter woollens from the back of the wardrobe, why not take a look at our large selection of winter wear to help get you through this cold snap.

We’ve got everything to help you feel cosy, from cashmere scarves for your extremities to this gorgeous thermal vest for what’s underneath.

You can’t help but feel toasty in one of these gorgeous fleeces, but how about a sheepskin coat? No longer the reserve of dodgy car salesmen from the 1970′s, they can’t fail to keep you warm and they guarantee to make you look stylish at the same time.

Ski gear is the perfect way to make sure you don’t catch cold when the temperature drops, and despite its name it doesn’t have to be reserved for the slopes. Check out this ski jacket, for example, which promises to keep you warm without looking out of place while you’re wandering along the high street.

Meanwhile, let’s not forget our feet! You can’t go wrong with Ugg boots to ensure your tootsies don’t freeze. Even though they’ve been around a few years, they’re still all the rage and look so stylish with jeans, leggings or a skirt. But this year why not check out the latest line in Uggs….. cardy Uggs. A cardigan for your feet = perfect!

But this cold weather isn’t just affecting our own bodies. Don’t forget poor little Fido, who wants to keep warm this winter too! Have a look at these cute little dog coats and make the pooch in your life happy.

Hopefully this cold weather will be gone as quickly as it has arrived. In the meantime, wrap up and stay warm!

This Christmas hamper would make the perfect festive gift

Christmas is about many things; giving and receiving gifts, singing Christmas carols, spending time with the relatives and watching yet another James Bond film being just some of them. Well, there’s one thing the festive season most certainly is about, and that’s eating! Yes, it’s that time of year when most of us have to resort to loosening the belt buckle by a notch or two after some serious over-indulgence.

If you’re the unlucky one lumbered with the task of having to cook for the extended family on Christmas day and you’re dreading the thought, then don’t despair. VivaStreet is Santa’s very own little helper, and can advise on everything from where to buy turkeys, to how to cheat and buy a ready-made Christmas cake! It’s your veritable one-stop Christmas food shop!

We have some gorgeous luxury hampers on offer, which would make the perfect gift and guarantee to keep the family quiet for several days. They contain all the Christmas essentials, from cranberry sauce to Christmas pudding, and come as a fantastic reusable woven wicker basket.

If you need a little bit of guidance on how to rustle up the perfect festive feast, then why not pick up this Gary Rhodes cookbook, which is full of tips on how to impress your guests. Of course you can use it long after the Christmas season has passed.

Admittedly, even with the help of dear old Gary Rhodes, some of us just aren’t as au fait in the kitchen as we would like to be. We don’t know about you, but here at VivaStreet the mere words ‘dinner party’ are enough to get us into a tizz! But yet again, there’s no need to panic. VivaStreet has just the thing. Have you ever thought about what it’s like to hire a chef? This could be the answer to your prayers – let them sweat over the Christmas spread while you sit back and relax with your glass of mulled wine. We love this idea too – cookery class gift vouchers. They make the perfect Christmas present for a loved one who has always dreamed of being able to cook like a pro.

But let’s not forget one of the most important things…the grog! Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without some mulled wine, and Santa will never forgive you if he doesn’t get his annual glass of port or sherry. VivaStreet’s food and wine section has endless ideas for what booze to fill up the cupboards with. This case of wine, for example, will keep the family happy until the supermarkets re-open.

So make the most of the opportunity to over-indulge before you make your New Year’s resolution to lose those extra pounds. Bon appetit!

You don't need to build a huge wind turbine to save energy in your home

The Climate Change Conference is going on in Copenhagen as we speak, where world leaders are gathering together to discuss setting targets for cutting carbon emissions in order for us to clean up our act and save the planet.

There is much that should be done on a national and international level, but there is also a lot that can be done on a smaller scale, and that starts with each and every one of us making changes in our own homes.

As well as small things like turning off lights in empty rooms, using energy saving light bulbs and taking showers instead of baths, did you know that there are ways we can actually CREATE our own energy in order to help the planet?

Probably the most well-known methods of creating energy are wind and solar power. But don’t worry, you don’t need to set up huge wind turbines in your back garden to get started (the neighbours probably wouldn’t be too impressed anyway!) First of all, making your own solar panels is surprisingly easy. You can easily start generating energy in your home by placing some simple solar panels on your roof. Get your hands on this step by step guide to see what we mean.  And did you ever think you would be able to build your own electricity generator? Well, it’s not as difficult as you might think. You can choose between solar or wind power, or both, and can work towards one day ‘unplugging’ your house from your electricity supplier, and generating all of your own energy. And we’re talking renewable energy here, as it’s straight from mother nature herself. Imagine being able to save money AND save the planet at the same time!

But it’s not all about solar or wind power. Did you know that you can also create electricity to power your home by using magnets? We have guides on the site on just how to make your own magnetic power generator, which create free energy and don’t require a resource like wind or solar energy to function.

So if you feel like you’d like to give renewable energy a go, but just want to test it out on a small scale first, then take a look at these solar powered garden lights. They recharge by sunlight during the day and then contain enough energy to switch on at dusk. Impressive stuff!

Clearly there’s no time like the present for each of us to do our bit to fight global warming, and that means starting by saving, and even creating, energy in our own homes. There’s plenty that we can all be doing to cut our fuel consumption, which is not only good news for the planet but also great for our wallets too!

We’re witnessing a new trend within the property market which is impacting on landlords and tenants alike.

The so-called weekday renters, or ‘tempers,’ are those for whom the daily commute to work has become a bit too much of a drag. Perhaps the journey is a little too long or expensive, public transport is too unpredictable, or even long working hours are making the journey home at the end of the day almost pointless. Whatever the reason, property owners across the country are seeing a surge in demand from professionals looking to rent a room from Monday to Friday. Landlords are cottoning on to the idea, and have started to make available weekday rooms for those looking for a place to crash after a long day in the office.

As people choose to hang on to their jobs, at least until the recession is thoroughly behind us, property ‘temping’ is becoming a great option for those who, faced with a significant daily commute, want to spend a little less time staring out of the train window. It’s worth bearing in mind that flatshares have come a long way from the outdated notion of having to pay over the odds for a thin-walled dingy bedsit, and in fact they are increasingly becoming the smart choice for professionals. Luckily here at VivaStreet we have a number of flatshares to suit every budget and location.

As well, why not explore whether your budget stretches to renting a property on a more full-time basis, in case long working hours on a Friday (or even after work drinking!) make the idea of sleeping over close to work a little more appealing, and a lot less tiring.

And finally, for those for whom even a weekly or fortnightly commute is still too much, then don’t forget we have a huge amount of properties for sale if you’re considering upping sticks completely.  It’s clear that whatever your budget, location or working situation, VivaStreet has a range of options to suit your needs, so there’s no need to put up with an exhausting daily commute any longer!

Looking for love? Vivastreet is here to help ...

It’s that time of year again when everyone seems to be talking about how they’re going to spend the festive season, and, more importantly, who they’re going to spend it with. Families make plans to get together and couples look forward to snuggling up with each other under a cashmere blanket in front of a roaring fire. Well, as much as we love Christmas and all the fun and good times that come with it, we know that there are some people who perhaps haven’t been too lucky in the love and romance stakes this year, and who are not fortunate enough to be able to curl up with a loved one this winter.

One thing’s for sure, it’s not easy to meet that special someone, especially when everyone around you seems to be already married or sprouting offspring. Are there any good ones left?!

Well, VivaStreet is here to help. We have a huge amount of singletons on the site all looking to meet a friend, lover, or soulmate.  We have men looking for women, women looking for men, women looking for women, and so on. It’s so easy to sign up and – most importantly – it’s all free! Currently, the number of single men looking for love is far outweighing the amount of women we have signed up, so come on single ladies, what are you waiting for… you could make some man a fantastic Christmas cracker!

Online dating is what all the cool singletons do these days, and it’s as normal as swapping numbers with someone down the local boozer. So if you are single, then why not give it a go. We may not be able to promise that you will meet the love of your life, but you will certainly get chatting to some new people  who may become firm friends. And for those of you who are already in a relationship, then don’t worry, there’s still lots of opportunity to make new friends, as many people sign up to VivaStreet who are just looking for friendship.

So why not give yourself the best chance possible of meeting the future man or woman of your dreams?

Just remember to stay safe. VivaStreet encourages users to be very cautious in giving out personal information, and to always tell a friend where and when you have arranged to meet someone.

This year we’re all feeling the pinch a little more than normal, and the majority of us are not looking to be uber-extravagant with the Christmas gifts. This is especially the case as we still have to buy presents for the whole family, including brother Ben, sister Emily, Mum and Dad, old Auntie Maude and Spot the dog… So why not let VivaStreet do the hard work for you in suggesting the top ten affordable Christmas presents to get your hands on this year.

1. First of all, we’ve got loads of cheap Nintendo on offer, and it’s the perfect gift to bring the whole family together and have fun. Get your hands on the Wii Fit so all the family can start to work off those one-too-many mince pies!
2. Brother Ben will just love this Canon EOS 35mm camera, complete with accessories including flash, zoom lens and carrying case.
3. This cool go-kart will be perfect for little Harry to show off to his friends, and will provide many years of fun, lasting him until he’s about 12 years old.
4. Why is is that all boys dream of being rock stars? Let cousin Jack indulge his musical fantasies with this fantastic second-hand drum kit…although the neighbours may not be so pleased!
5. How about treating your sister to a piano lesson gift voucher? You know how she has always dreamed of playing along to her favourite tunes. Choose from a range of instrumental and singing teachers and give the gift of a lesson for Christmas.
6. After working hard to cook Christmas lunch for the whole family, Mum definitely deserves some pampering. You’ll be forever in her good books with this cheap spa break.
7. Auntie Maude will just adore this antique tea set, in fine bone china.
8. Dad will love this! Take a look at these personalised gifts, ranging from personalised magazine and newspaper covers, to fantasy images, where, by simply emailing in a photo of your Dad, you can have him transformed into a Medieval knight, a footballing legend, or a Star Trek captain!
9. Perfect for uncle Pete, this “Really Stupid joke book” is  only £3!  If it’s all getting a bit tense being stuck in the same small living room as the entire family, then let Pete break the tension with this collection of silly jokes.
10. And finally not forgetting the pet pooch, Spot, because it’s his Christmas too. He wants to look cool among his doggie chums in the park, so why not treat him to some professional grooming from this mobile dog pampering service.

Happy Christmas shopping!

England's 1966 World Cup

Thousands of football fans will be glued to television screens across the country at 17.55 GMT this evening, as the World Cup Finals draw takes place in South Africa. As usual the English media has already started speculating as to whether this will at last be the World Cup when we put to bed the 1966 label…
Hopes are high, but of course every team needs a little bit of luck and it would help the England cause if:

1. Brazil send their Under 21 team to the World Cup Finals
2. Germany forget how to take penalties – because we know for certain that we’re going to draw them in the quarters or semi-finals
3. We avoid Portugal, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Ivory Coast
4. Rooney or Beckham don’t break their metatarsals six weeks before the World Cup kicks off
5. It rains all tournament!

So, what about the draw? Who do we want to avoid and who would raise a smile on every England football fan’s face? The first stage is to avoid the Group of Death – which this time around would probably comprise of Portugal, Ivory Coast and the USA/Mexico. Ideally we’d like to draw New Zealand, Slovakia and Algeria – but you just know the draw is going to throw up some hum-dingers… so don’t be surprised if Death is wearing an England shirt and sharpening his scythe on Rooney’s head come 6pm!

Just to enter into the spirit of the day, we’ve been trawling the Vivastreet site for anything World Cup related. How about a night out in the company of some of the England 1966 World Cup winners.

Or, if you’re planning to head out the World Cup Finals next year, it’s probably worth booking up your World Cup accommodation in South Africa now before it’s too late.

Lastly, once tickets for the World Cup go on sale, they’ll be snapped up in the first 24 hours…. so be quick! If you miss out, don’t worry, check out Vivastreet for World Cup 2010 tickets – you just might be one of the lucky ones who gets the chance to watch England lift the World Cup in South Africa.

Go on boys – make us all proud… and we’ll even forgive you for earning ridiculous amounts of cash, having beautiful WAGS and living the perfect lives, while the rest of us earn pittance, doing jobs we despise haha….. jealous? – absolutely!!