Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7

Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
My Dad repaired most of our shoes believe it or not, I can hardly believe it myself now. With 7 pairs of shoes always needing repairs I think he was quite clever to learn how to “Keep us in shoe Leather” to coin a phrase!

He bought several different sizes of cast iron cobbler’s “lasts”. Last, the old English “Laest” meaning footprint. Lasts were holding devices shaped like a human foot. I have no idea where he would have bought the shoe leather. Only that it was a beautiful creamy, shiny colour and the smell was lovely.

But I do remember our shoes turned upside down on and fitted into these lasts, my Dad cutting the leather around the shape of the shoe, and then hammering nails, into the leather shape. Sometimes we’d feel one or 2 of those nails poking through the insides of our shoes, but our dad always fixed it.

Hiking and Swimming Galas
Dad was a very outdoorsy type, unlike my mother, who was probably too busy indoors. She also enjoyed the peace and quiet when he took us off for the day!

Anyway, he often took us hiking in the mountains where we’d have a picnic of sandwiches and flasks of tea. And more often than not we went by steam train.

We loved poking our heads out of the window until our eyes hurt like mad from a blast of soot blowing back from the engine. But sore, bloodshot eyes never dampened our enthusiasm.

Dad was an avid swimmer and water polo player, and he used to take us to swimming galas, as they were called back then. He often took part in these galas. And again we always travelled by steam train.

Rowing Over To Ireland’s Eye
That’s what we did back then, we had to go by rowboat, the only way to get to Ireland’s eye, which is 15 minutes from mainland Howth. From there we could see Malahide, Lambay Island and Howth Head of course. These days you can take a Round Trip Cruise on a small cruise ship!

But we thoroughly enjoyed rowing and once there we couldn’t wait to climb the rocks, and have a swim. We picnicked and watched the friendly seals doing their thing and showing off.

Not to mention all kinds of birdlife including the Puffin.The Martello Tower was also interesting but a bit dangerous to attempt entering. I’m getting lost in the past as I write, and have to drag myself back to the present.

Fun Outings with The camera Club
Dad was also a very keen amateur photographer, and was a member of a camera Club. There were many Sunday photography outings and along with us came other kids of the members of the club.

And we always had great fun while the adults busied themselves taking photos of everything and anything, it seemed to us. Dad was so serious about his photography that he set up a dark room where he developed and printed his photographs.

All black and white at the time. He and his camera club entered many of their favourites in exhibitions throughout Europe. I’m quite proud to say that many cups and medals were won by Dad. They have been shared amongst all his grandchildren which I find quite special.

He liked taking portraits of us kids too, mostly when we were in a state of untidiness, usually during play. Dad always preferred the natural look of messy hair and clothes in the photos of his children.

$5,000 Personal Loans With Bad Credit: Consider Some Alternative Solutions

Getting cash injection from time to time can be hugely beneficial when trying to get through the myriad of financial demands of everyday life. But with bad credit rating, getting approval for even modest loans can be tricky. However, it is possible to get even a $5,000 personal loan with bad credit.There is no doubt that a sum of $5,000 can prove to be extremely useful. It can finance a vacation, pay for college fees and also be used to clear some existing debts. But securing loan approval is impossible if the basic criteria set by the lender is not met, and tricky if the application is not approached correctly.People with poor credit ratings also need to accept some compromises if there is to be a chance of these personal loans being approved. But there are alternative loan sources to traditional banks that offer better terms.Family LoansLenders can place a number of conditions when granting a $5,000 personal loan with bad credit, ranging from higher interest rates to strict repayment schedules. The problem is this ensures the pressure is on to make repayments on time every time. But there are more informal loan options.Going to a family member, for example, can be a better choice. For a start, securing loan approval is easier because a family member is unlikely to turn another down. The only question is whether a member of the family has $5,000 to lend. Also, in most cases, there is no interest charged on the loan, making it also the most affordable loan option.But remember, it is a good idea to write the terms of any family loans down, and have both interested parties sign it. That way everything is kept clear and there is no risk of confusion. Such personal loans should not end up coming between family members.Consider Payday LoansThough rather expensive, one of the best loan options when in a hurry for fast cash is a payday loan. Getting a $5,000 personal loan with bad credit is pretty simple, with no credit check needed, and the lender approving the application within a hour. That means the financial emergency can be dealt with within 24 hours.However, the size of the loan can be a problem. Many lenders are reluctant to lend any more than $1,500, unless there is a special arrangement made with the borrower. Sometimes, borrowers may need to take out a series of payday loans instead. This can prove extremely expensive with each loan having interest as high as 30%.On the plus side, securing loan approval is almost guaranteed, and the repayment term is so short that there is no lingering debt over a number of years. In fact, 90 days is usually the longest term on this kind of personal loan.Consider a Company LoanOften, this is the last option considered by those seeking a $5,000 personal loan with bad credit. But, in fact, it is probably the most logical one. Your boss may be willing to advance the equivalent of 2 or 3 months salary, since it will have to be paid anyway. They may even be able to make a slight profit by charging a small interest rate.In terms of getting their money back, they can simply deduct the due repayments from the salary check each month. But securing loan approval is not just a good thing for your boss. As a bad credit borrower, the interest rate will be lower than that charged by any lender. Therefore, costs are lower and the loan itself is more affordable.On the down side, however, repaying this personal loan will have no effect on your credit rating, as the loan did not come from a recognized lender.

Raise Capital With Private Investors

If you have launched your own startup, your first biggest challenge is to raise capital. Fortunately, you choose from a lot of options to raise the funds your business needs. Among all the sources, crowdfunding is one of the best ones as it helps redefine how startups can get off the ground. In this article, we are going to help you know the benefits of raising capital with private investors through a crowdfunding platform. Read on to find out more.

Benefits of raising capital with private investors

1. Funding is not equity-based

First of all, crowdfunding is not necessarily equity-based. Although startups have the liberty to use the equity in order to catch the attention of potential investors, It’s not required to give up ownership to collect capital.

The good news is that some platforms allow their members to apply a reward-oriented approach in order to raise capital. For instance, if your business deals in a specific product, make sure you hand over a few units to your prospective investors before you roll it out for the ultimate users.

2. Attracting potential investors is easy

With crowdfunding, you can attract a lot of potential investors without putting in a lot of effort. Although you can try for angel investors, keep in mind that this process can cost you a lot of time. The reason is that you will have to pitch your small business concept several times.

On the other hand, if you use a crowdfunding platform, you will have to post your business pitch in only one place. And this page will be ready by hundreds of investors from across the globe.

These platforms have a lot of useful features that may help startups collect funds from investors. So, attracting potential investors and raising capital will be much easier using crowdfunding platforms.

3. Higher visibility

Crowdfunding can help you make your startup more visible. Since marketing may consume a large chunk of your budget, it makes sense to use a crowdfunding platform instead. For potential investors, it’s easy to fund a crowdfunding campaign.
And these activities can help boost the visibility of your brand. Plus, you can also attract investors for your next funding rounds.

The Bottom Line

If you want to raise funds for your startup, crowdfunding can be the best choice. All you need to do is become part of a crowdfunding platform and you will be able to tap into the pool of potential investors. And this will help you kick start your business and make it a success in the industry.