A 6 month money plan for US interns
This guest article was provided by American blogger Ashley Roberts. This article is ideal for those interested in how to find an internship or job in the States or for any American readers considering an internship or graduate job! Ashley writes on the situation in the USA – her views do not reflect those of Inspiring Interns.
Once upon a time interns used to earn nothing and new hires earned just above that. Today interns earn meagre stipends and new hires earn…well, their wages haven’t changed much. But fear not! There are things that you can do to get through that six month internship (or your first six months at a new job) without having to depend upon ketchup packets for nourishment.
Step one: Find roommates. If you are able to do your internship or start that new job while still living at university and taking advantage of the dorms and meal plans there, more power to you. If you aren’t that lucky, though, having roommates can really help cut down on expenses. You can cram four people into a two bedroom apartment comfortably. Do it!
Step two: Start building your credit now. You want a low APR and a reasonable repayment plan. If at all possible, you should aim for one of those cash back business credit cards. This way you can earn points on the purchases you make (the best points programs allow you to turn in your points for gift cards that you can use anywhere).
Do not charge everything to this card! Use it for only what you can afford to pay off in cash as soon as you get home. Use the card once or twice a month and pay it off each time. You’ll build a solid credit history and score for yourself that you can use to your benefit later on. So start shopping around for the best deals on credit cards.
Step three: Grow or make your own. Growing your own veggies, fruits and herbs saves you hundreds of dollars a year on groceries at the store. They taste better too. Make your own meals instead of eating out. Homemade meals are healthier than fast food and cheaper to make. This is especially true of your lunch—you can save hundreds of dollars a month by bringing a bagged lunch from home instead of hitting the closest fast food joint.
Step four: Learn to love your library. Instead of buying books and movies and subscribing to lots of magazines, utilize your library! You can sit and read magazines for as long as you want without anybody bugging you about buying them. You can check out books, movies and even CDs to read watch and listen to at home. Sure you have to take them back but you won’t have to worry about wasting money on something you might not enjoy as much as you had hoped.
Step five: Walk, bike or take public transport. Cars are expensive. A monthly transport pass costs a small fraction of what you’d pay on loan payments, maintenance costs, gas and insurance each month. Walking and biking are also healthier for you than sitting in your car.
Most importantly: Save every penny you possibly can. Money left over after bills and groceries should go into your savings account, not to the mall. Set aside at least 10% of every payslip you get, no matter how meagre. Having a savings account/emergency fund on hand will save your sanity. Trust me on this.
Good luck! In the future, you’ll look back at your period of scrimping and saving fondly.
Renting in London – fighting back on behalf of generation rent
This article was provided by Will Harrigan, founder of Deposit Doctor – leading the rental revolution for tenants across the UK.
With more than 50% of Londoners now estimated to be living in rented accommodation the demand for rental properties in the capital is greater than ever before. Given the limited supply of properties on the market, the balance of power has shifted in favour of landlords who in many cases are just out to make a quick buck. The increase in demand over the past few years has put landlords in a position to charge spiralling rents for properties which don’t always meet the requisite standards. Indeed, it is estimated that 39% of privately rented properties do not meet the Government’s decent home standard. The Government itself has described the rental market as ‘the property industry’s Wild West’.
However, price is still the main concern for many renters, and according to a survey by lettings group LSL, the average rent paid by private tenants in the capital was £1,057, compared to £725 for the UK as a whole – a difference of more than 31%. The high cost of renting in London is being felt in particular by students and interns. According to a recent survey by studentbeans.com, 8 out of the UK’s 10 most expensive universities for student housing were in the Capital. Those without the luxury of university accommodation to fall back on can often find themselves paying over the odds for a property due to a lack of familiarity with the capital and its pricing structures. Amongst the most likely to be taken advantage of by overcharging landlords are thought to be international students and interns who have little knowledge of how to rent in the UK or of the potential pitfalls involved. According to the same survey, two-thirds of UK-based students and interns felt they had been taken advantage of by landlords and estate agents. 50% of students and interns renting properties from private landlords do not receive back their full deposit while one in 10 receives nothing back at all. As our largest financial outgoing seeking rental assistance is strongly recommended.
At Deposit Doctor we are revolutionising the way we rent property and working to ensure that more is being done to protect tenants’ rights in the UK, and shift the balance of power away from landlords. Our team of friendly Deposit Doctors are able to utilise their understanding of the UK rental market and letting law to make sure that your rights are being upheld. Our services include:
• Deposit negotiation
• Rent negotiation
• Tenancy Contract negotiation
• Tenancy management
• Rental relocation
We are a small but perfectly formed outfit, comprising friendly ARLA and RICS qualified experts. We provide a bespoke service to our clients and pride ourselves on being able to solve any rental problem or need. Unlike letting agents who represent landlords we represent you and are fast becoming the #HomeOfTenants.
For further information call our rental hotline for free advice on 020 7207 9053. Alternatively email info@deposit-doctor.co.uk or visit www.deposit-doctor.co.uk for more information.
Quote ‘Inspiring Interns’ and you will be entitled to a 10% discount if you choose to use Deposit Doctor’s services!
Mother’s Day in London
Treat, pamper and spoil your mum this Mother’s Day with these unforgettable gift ideas and memorable days out in London.
Afternoon tea
What better way to treat your hard working mum than to take her for a traditional, elegant and relaxing afternoon tea in a grand London hotel or quirky tea room. Here 3 options for a something a little bit different in London:
Sanderson Mad Hatter Tea
Location: Berners Street London, W1T 3NG
Style: Mad Hatter Tea party themed with the menu taking inspiration from Lewis Carol’s topsy turvy tale.
Cost: £35 each
Days and times: Sat-Sun 1pm – 5.30pm
The Tea Rooms
Location: Stoke Newington Church Street, London, N16 0UH
Style: A delightful venue for a homely afternoon tea. Decorated with bunting, vintage china and knitted knick knacks, you’re instantly transported from the hustle and bustle of London life.
Cost: £20 or £23 with glass of Prosecco. Mothers day special tea is £25.
Days and times: Tea is served from 11.30am and last sitting is 4.30pm. Open 11am-6.30pm and must be pre-booked.
Soho Secret Tea Room
Location: Soho
Style: Tucked away above the historic Coach and Horses pub, you have to ask the barman to let you go behind the bar and up the hidden stairs to find this vintage-chic spot. With its delicate mismatched porcelain teacups and impressive gramophone whistling out jazz in the corner, this is the perfect spot for some tea and scone-related indulgence for a day out.
Cost: £18 per person.
Cooking classes
If you and your mum enjoy cooking together then why not do it under the guidance of a professional chef. You will not only pick up some cooking tips to take home but get to enjoy the fruits of your labour with a glass of bubbly!
Sutra Kitchen
Location: Carnaby St, London, W1B 5PW
The class: You and your mum can cook and eat a lovely seasonal meal under the guidance of Head chef and owner Jay Morjaria.
Cost : £25 per person includes a free glass of bubbly on arrival.
Times: Choose from 3 time slots: 3.00pm-4.00pm, 5.30pm-6.30pm and 8.00pm-9.00pm.
L’atelier des chefs
Location: Oxford Circus
The class: Hands-on, interactive cooking classes run by professional chefs. Choose between 3 classes; brunch with bloody marys, coffee, toast, perfect sunday roast, mastering french cuisine.
Cost: Between £49-72 per person.
Times: Three time slots depending on the experience you opt for; 10.30 to 12.30am, 1.30pm to 3pm, 4pm to 6pm
Tastings
Is your mum a wine lover? Cheese enthusiast? Does she enjoy a good cocktail? Whatever her preferences there will be a tasting class in London to suit her palate! Here are a couple we found:
Cocktail tasting at Four o’ Nine
Location: Clapham Rd, SW9
The experience: Clapham bar Four o’ Nine has teamed up with Sipsmith distillers to host an afternoon tasting session, 5 cupcakes & cocktails & some all-important time with mum!
Cost: £30 per person
To book: rsvp@fouronine.co.uk
Wine tasting at Vinopolis
Location: Bank End, SE1
The experience: Vinopolis is offering a special tasting with wine expert Susy Atkins from Saturday Kitchen and The Sunday Telegraph. She will take you through her own pick of wines as part of her masterclass, then give you the chance to explore your new knowledge over a two-course lunch.
Cost: Tickets £50
Site seeing
Does your mum love the sights and smells of London? Show her the beautiful views of the City with these site seeing ideas…
Lunch cruise
Location: Departs from Tower pier
The experience: 3-course lunch, glass of bubbly and beautiful sights along the River Thames.
Cost: £39 per person
Times: 11:30 Boarding, 11:45 Departure and 14:00 Return – 2 hour and 15 minute river cruise.
Canal cruise
Location: The boats are moored alongside the towpath around the southside of Brownings Pool and the Dingwalls Dock in Camden Lock Market.
The experience: Find a picturesque, quieter side to London by taking a traditional narrow boat from Camden Lock to Little Venice along the Regents Canal. This is a memorable afternoon that you don’t have to save up for.
Cost: £10.30 for an adult return.
Treasure trail
Location: All over London
The experience: Discover London with a treasure hunt, spy mission or murder mystery! These routes will lead you and your mum through a variety of London locations, where you will discover views, buildings, parks and places you never realised existed!
Cost: £5.99
View from The Shard
Location: London Bridge
The experience: The Shard is an iconic, landmark building on the London skyline, designed by Master Architect Renzo Piano. At a height of 1,016ft (310m), the tallest building in Western Europe, the viewing platform is almost twice the height of any other viewing platform in London.
Cost: £24 per person
Times: All day – but book up quickly it is selling out fast!
Pampering
Your mum deserves to relax and be pampered on Mother’s Day. Take her to on a tranquil spa day or book her in for a treatment.
Foot spa & pedicure
Location: Queensway
The experience: 45 minute Fish Pedicure with ipad and internet use and application of OPI moisturiser following fish pedicure.
Cost: £24
Pamper Day with treatment & bubbly
Location: Health Aroma at Thistle City Barbican Hotel
The experience: Full body exfoliation with a choice of scrub, glass of bubbly each and full use of the spa facilities.
Cost: £59
Get crafty at Pottery Café
Location: Fulham Rd, SW6.
The experience: If your mum is creative and loves being hands on then take her to Fulham’s Pottery Café. They are throwing a Mothering Sunday special, where you can decorate mugs, teapots and more fuelled by complimentary cupcakes and tea.
Cost: Prices start at £5.99 for a mug.
Sunday Lunch at Pig & Butcher
Location: Liverpool Rd, N1.
Lunch: Treat your mum for a slap up meal at Pig & Butcher. The main meal includes a whole roasted Norfolk free range chicken (or pulled pork) for two to share with all the trimmings and quirky and delicious drinks.
Cost: Chicken, £15.95pp
Hannah is a Digital Marketing Executive at Inspiring. She blogs about food here: datedinners.com and tweets about food here: @misshana_. She squeezes in time for graduate careers advice and commuting rants too.
Inspiring Interns infographic: The graduate journey
We used our own research from surveys we have conducted along with findings from ONS and IntaPeople to create this infographic about the graduate journey between leaving university and finding a graduate job.
We reveal the salary difference between graduates who have completed internships and those who haven’t, the amount of graduates keen to work in London, how many graduates are vying for each graduate job, and more.
Check out our infographic: The graduate journey below:
Hannah is a Digital Marketing Executive at Inspiring. She blogs about food here: datedinners.com and tweets about food here: @misshana_. She squeezes in time for graduate careers advice and commuting rants too.
Starting from SCRATCH: Phil Pinnell
Entrepreneur Phil Pinnell started SCRATCH a few years ago when he saw a gap in the market for complete fresh meal kits in a range of flavours for one person. Now the brand is in several supermarkets namely Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado and growing rapidly. He talks to Inspiring about the SCRATCH journey…
1. Where did the idea for Scratch come from?
Out of frustration really. Whilst at university I did an internship in Brussels which was the first time that I lived in a one bed flat. Working hours and the social side of the city could be unpredictable so I found such a run of the mill thing as what I ate in the evening a daily battle. I starting cooking but had to spend a fortune stocking up a spice cupboard and then – as everything is sold in multi-packs – I would end up wasting so much. Life descended into a haze of ready meals, McDonalds and restaurants which I couldn’t afford. So really I felt that there had to be another way for single people like myself cooking a meal from scratch and having something healthy and really tasty.
2. What are some of the biggest challenges that you’ve faced while running the business?
Right at the start of the business I had just come out of university and I think quite a few people are dismissive because of your age and inexperience. As soon as you start building up a track record of achievements – however big or small – and demonstrating the viability of the business people treat you on a very different basis.
Finance is never an easy thing to get right and in the recent economic climate the pitching to investors or other sources of finance has to be done in the right way.
3. What has been your proudest moment while running the business so far?
I think seeing the product on supermarket shelves is always a proud moment. We always thought that we had something really applicable and relevant to people so it’s amazing seeing people put our meals in their shopping baskets.
4. What are your plans for SCRATCH moving forward?
We’ve got such a long way to go in fulfilling our vision of revolutionising the ready meal and transforming weekday evenings. This year is all about growing the number of stores that we sell the product, building the brand and strengthening our team. We’re determined to continue to try new things, evolve our product, get stuff wrong and become a truly brilliant business.
5. How did the collaboration with Michael Roux Snr come about and how important has this been for SCRATCH?
We met through a mutual contact of ours who thought that we were interested in a shared challenge of how we can improve cooking and the food that we put on our table. It’s been great for us as a business and me personally. Michel brings a tireless and expert eye on what we do which is challenging but great for our development. He is not only a chef who has had three Michelin Stars for twenty five years but also someone that has set up and very successfully run businesses so he is also invaluable from that perspective as well.
6. What advice would you give to entrepreneurs currently starting a business?
Tons of people disagree with me but I think get to market and talk to customers as early as you can. Instead of spending all your time and money making a ‘perfect’ product in a dark room talk to people and evolve it really early. Other than developing a stronger proposition it has so many other benefits like creating an interested user base before launch, helping create a story for investors/banks etc. and will give you confidence and validity in what you believe to be the greatest thing ever.
Visit the SCRATCH website to find out where you can pick up one of their fresh meal kits.
Where to celebrate Burns Night in London
Burns Night, the celebration of Scottish poet Robert Burns’ birthday falls on Friday 25th January. Are you looking for somewhere in London to celebrate Burns Night? There are plenty of London restaurants digging out their kilts, brushing off their bagpipes and preparing to say the address to a haggis. Here is a list of places in the capital holding a Burns night:
Min Jiang
Fancy something a bit different? Min Jiang is a Chinese restaurant perched ten floors up above Kensington Gardens are offering a Chinese-Scottish fusion. Their ‘Chinese Burns’ deal for two (£30) includes; a whisky sour cocktail each and a range of haggis dim sum, yes, haggis dim sum!
Blueprint Café
The Blueprint Café near Tower Bridge is serving a Burns Supper set menu of Scotch broth, haggis croquettes, and roasted haunch of venison with whisky and juniper costing £20 for two courses, £25 for three.
The Narrow
Limehouse gastropub will honour Robert Burns with a special menu of Scottish broth, followed by haggis, neeps and tatties (or roasted bream), and rhurbarb crumble with whisky and ginger ice-cream. This is part of Gordon Ramsay’s fortnight-long restaurant festival GR2013. The set menu costs £20.13 per person, with £2 going to charity Help for Heroes.
York and Albany
A traditional menu of cock-a-leekie soup, haggis, neeps and tatties or Scottish salmon and cranachan with Highland raspberries is on offer at this elegant Camden dining room, part of the Gordon Ramsay empire. This menu costs just £20.13 per person, with £2 donated to Help for Heroes.
Kettner’s
If you don’t want to go for the full meal then Kettner’s is offering both set menus (£20 for two courses, £25 for three courses) and individual dishes if you just fancy a taster.
Green’s Oyster Bar
If you want to go the full hog with pipers, tartan and poetry then book a table at Green’s Oyster Bar. They are promising that ‘no other Burns night supper in London will compare‘. Their hearty Scottish inspired menu will make for a fabulously traditional evening.
Lady Ottoline
The Inspiring office is just around the corner from this lovely pub and restaurant and the team can’t recommend it enough. Their Burns night supper will kick-off with a short introduction to whisky and its history over a welcome ‘dram’ and canapés before digging in to a traditional four course Scottish meal. Expect all the trimmings of a traditional Burns night including; pipe music, the Selkirk Grace and the Bards ‘Address to a Haggis’.
Fancy holding you own Burns Night supper? Here are a few essentials:
Haggis, neeps & tatties
• Scotch whisky
• Traditional Scottish music. If you know a bagpipe player then great, if not then a CD of Scottish music will do!
• Copies of Burns’ work to recite on the evening, such as: Address to a Haggis, Selkirk Grace and Immortal Memory.
• Tartan and lots of it. Kilts, table cloths, napkins, hats, brooches…the lot!
Happy Burns’ Night!
Hannah is a Digital Marketing Executive at Inspiring. She blogs about food here: datedinners.com and tweets about food here: @misshana_. She squeezes in time for graduate careers advice and commuting rants too.
Year Here’s first Backyard Bootcamp of 2013
Guest post written by Year Here. Year Here are a new type of gap year that challenges ambitious and entrepreneurial young people to a year of tackling social issues in their own backyard.
This Friday is Year Here’s first Backyard Bootcamp of 2013, in partnership with the Cabinet Office, and will challenge participants to use social innovation techniques to advise on government policy.
We’ve designed a day-long bootcamp that will be interactive, challenging and fun, getting you out of a stuffy lecture theatre (despite the theme) and into the real world. We’ll be looking at how higher education can catalyse social change – from preparing the next generation of students to become social entrepreneurs to finding the smartest ways to measure social impact.
We’d love for you to come with us and:
• Immerse yourself in a real social challenge, and try your hand at understanding the issues from a user-centred perspective, developing interviewing and focus group facilitation skills as you meet with student social entrepreneurs and experts across London.
• Get going with post-it notes and creativity and have a go at designing the solution, in a highly interactive innovation session – feeding back directly to the Head of Social Investment and his team at the Cabinet Office.
• Have a chance to network with some of London’s top employers in social entrepreneurship and the nonprofit sector in Student Hubs, On Purpose, the Emerge Venture Lab and Finance Matters.
The event will start and finish at the Cabinet Office in Westminster and will involve travel to other parts of London – so you will need a few pounds on your oyster.
We have two different ticket types for this event is – please register according to whether you are a prospective applicant for the 2013 Year Here fellowship or not. We welcome those that are not prospective applicants but please note that we are prioritising spaces for those that are.
There is a limited number of spaces so participation in the event carries a small charge to guarantee your spot and to ensure that you are committed to attending.
For those that are not currently earning, let us know on hello@yearhere.org and we may be able to cover your travel expenses.
Top 6 things to do when it snows
Britain awoke to minus temperatures and a sprinkling of snow this morning, prompting a snow epidemic on social media, with people tweeting their snow pictures and weather updates. With more snow forecast to fall this week we have created a list of things to keep you entertained on a snow day.
Whether you are a lover or a hater of the white stuff, here is our list of things you can do when it snows:
1. Stay in and get cosy
Not a fan of the cold weather? A snow day is the perfect excuse to wrap up in a cosy jumper and blanket with your favourite film. I recommend something fun and light-hearted or something that transports you far away from the snowy weather outside.
2. Be pro-active
If you get snowed in then use the opportunity effectively. Start that blog you have been telling yourself you will start for months or get your CV up-to-date.
3. Be creative
Want to outdo your neighbour’s standard snowman? Why not create a snow castle or igloo? Or try one of these creations:
Two feet of snow
Homer
You could even get creative with the location. Maybe in a phone booth or up a tree?
4. Get cooking some homemade food
There is nothing better on a cold day than the warmth and smell of home cooking. If you can’t get to the shops then be imaginative and create something from the food you have in your cupboards or fridge. A homemade soup or stew is always a good winter warmer. Try these recipes:
Broccoli and Stilton soup
Roast carrot soup with pancetta croutons
Beef bourguignon
5. Get active
If the snow doesn’t bother you then wrap up warm, grab your wellies and go for a walk. With the lack of cars on the road the snow creates a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. If you are feeling brave then try sledging in a nearby park or start a snowball fight.
6. Take some photos
Are you a keen photographer? Snow can turn the ugliest surface into a glistening beauty. Get out your camera and take some snaps. From pictures of wildlife to close-ups of branches you can create some beautiful imagery.
Hannah is a Digital Marketing Executive at Inspiring. She blogs about food here: datedinners.com and tweets about food here: @misshana_. She squeezes in time for graduate careers advice and commuting rants too.
Happy 150th birthday London Underground
We want to wish the London Underground a very happy birthday! Our dear subway system turns a grand old 150 today.
Here are some interesting facts about the London Underground:
• Early Tube lines used to follow the road rather than go under buildings to avoid paying compensation to owners. The Piccadilly Line is an exception to this rule as it comes into South Kensington from Knightsbridge. The reason for this was to avoid a plague pit.
• The average speed on the Underground is 20.5 miles per hour including station stops.
• TV presenter Jerry Springer was born in a Tube station during the Second World War as people sheltered from bombing raids.
• Every week, Tube escalators travel the equivalent distance of going around the world twice.
• To celebrate the big birthday tourists and Londoners will be able to board classic period trains and relive the first Tube journey (13th and 20th Jan).
• Here are 150 other fascinating facts from The Telegraph.
To celebrate this massive milestone, we have put together a list of the weirdest things left on the Tube over its 150 years. Transport for London finds almost 200,000 items on the City’s transport network each year. We are baffled how some of these items fitted on public transport, let alone how they were forgotten about:
Breast implants
A courier accidentally left a pair of breast implants on the Circle Line while on his way to a Harley Street clinic in London. The well-traveled implants were soon claimed back at the London Underground lost property.
Two human skulls
London officials discovered a bag holding two human skulls on the Tube. At first the police were shocked by this grim find but the skulls later turned out to belong, quite legitimately, to a university professor who used them in lectures.
Stuffed eagle
A pretty weird thing to carry around with you but each to their own!
Samurai sword
It must take a very unique type of person to not only carry a sword on public transport but to leave it there. The Samurai Sword was found at a Tube station and safely taken to the lost property office.
Wedding dress
We are not sure how one of the most important garments a woman will ever wear could be left behind on a Tube. Luckily for this particular owner the person who found this Peruvian wedding dress returned it to the London Underground lost property.
14-foot boat
Firstly, how could this possibly fit on the Tube? Secondly, how could something so big be forgotten?
Other things found include:
False teeth, false eyes, replacement limbs, two-and-a-half hundredweight of sultanas/currants, lawn mower, Chinese typewriter, four-foot teddy bear, theatrical coffin, wheelchairs, crutches, divan bed, outboard motor, water skis, park bench, grandfather clock, bishop’s crook, garden slide, inflatable doll, jar of bull’s sperm, urn of ashes, three dead bats in container, gas mask, Tibetan bell, stuffed puffer fish, vasectomy kit and harpoon gun.
What unusual things have you left behind or seen on public transport? Tweet your suggestions @InspiringIntern with the hashtag #tubediscovery to win an Inspiring hoodie.
Hannah is a Digital Marketing Executive at Inspiring. She blogs about food here: datedinners.com and tweets about food here: @misshana_. She squeezes in time for graduate careers advice and commuting rants too.
Brazilian football legend to study in London
Throughout his 18 year playing career Ronaldo scored over 330 goals, made over 470 professional appearances and won countless trophies. One of the greatest footballers of all time and two-time Ballon D’Or winner, he is notorious for his goal-scoring record, dodgy haircuts and eating too many burgers.
Following his recent successes on a Brazilian weight-loss reality TV show, Ronaldo, now 37 pounds lighter, is set to move to London to become an advertising student where he’ll study under WPP (the world’s largest advertising organisation) founder Sir Martin Sorrell. 
Speaking to Meio e Mensagem newspaper , he said that “eighteen years have passed and I’ve hardly studied at all. I feel a great need to become a student again. I’ve learned a lot in life, travelling, living abroad, just in the school of life. But I also have to immerse myself in something. Learning from Martin Sorrell will be perfect. I won’t leave him alone, I’ll be asking him questions the whole day, just like a striker. He’s going to have to tell me everything.”
We’d like to wish you the best of luck, Ronaldo! If you need a hand finding an advertising internship after your studies, you know who to call…
Alex, or Towners as he is affectionately known, has been at Inspiring since December 2010. He enjoys sport, cinema, sharks and supports Arsenal. Alex occasionally blogs on plainhelvetica.com and tweets @agtownley