There are a plethora of various driving instructors, driving schools and training centres out there, all claiming to offer a quick route to success. But how do you ensure the one you choose will provide you with the best chance of passing your test? Each individual instructor has their own unique style, methods and personality, and it’s vitally important you choose one that will best suit you. So in a competitive market such as this, what do you look out for?

1. Personal Recommendations – In my opinion, the most important thing to consider whilst choosing a driving instructor. Ask members of your family, and friends who they learnt to drive with. It’s likely that they will have similar personalities to yourself, so if they found a particular instructor’s style and personality to be effective, there’s a high chance you will too.

2. Driving Test Pass Rates – Unfortunately, the DSA does not publish driving instructor pass rates. So whilst instructors may choose to quote a high pass rate at you in order to get you on board, the truth is that the legitimacy of these pass rates can be questioned. It’s also important to remember that success is rarely measured in a consistent fashion. Are they counting first time passes, second, surely everyone passes at some point?

3. Check What Grade They Are – Do all driving instructors teach to the same the standard? The answer to this question is no, and this is why. Some larger multi-car driving schools will use potential driving instructors, or PDI’s to teach students. Whilst they are not qualified, they are allowed to charge for lessons, however you most likely won’t be told they are PDIs. Once instructors are qualified a grade system applies, which is regularly monitored by the DSA. These grades range from 1-6, most UK driving instructors are graded 4.

4. Are they friendly? – There is no denying learning to drive can be a stressful experience. Taking this into account, it’s vital you have a driving instructor who is patient and makes you feel at ease when behind the wheel. As with any profession, different people adopt different methods. Some instructors may try to chat with you, which is a great way to help you relax behind the wheel, whilst others may opt to keep the small talk to a minimum in order not to draw your attention away from the road. It’s important to gauge which of these tactics brings out the best driver in you, and choose an instructor accordingly.

5. Cost – Seldom is the cheapest driving instructor the best. It’s a simple fact that everybody has a budget, and we will all naturally make decisions based on price. However, these people will be responsible for teaching you one of the most important skills you will ever learn, and it’s important they are good at what they do so that you are safe.  Another thing to consider is do they do discounted block bookings?

Obviously we all want to pass our test and get out on the road ASAP. To do this it’s important we find the driving instructor that is best suited to our needs. As well as taking the above into consideration, it’s also important to keep other questions in mind:

Will you have the same car for every lesson?

How old are the cars?

Do they do 1 hour and 2 hour lessons?

Do they work weekend?

Can you be picked up from work or school etc?

Christmas is coming, the adverts are in full swing and we are starting to hear Christmas songs on the radio. It is getting to that time of year when you need to find the perfect tree, start your shopping and decide what you are doing on the big day.

Now, there seems to be a bit of a taboo about buying second hand gifts for people. But we say, why wouldn’t you go second hand? If the gift is right, then it really doesn’t matter if it is brand-spanking-new, or has been owned by five other people, if it fits the bill then buy it. Friday-Ad is a mecca for second hand shoppers who are looking to save a bit of cash on some new furniture or an appliance, but it is also the home to many hidden gems that could just make the perfect Christmas present for someone you love.

So shake off that image of tatty second hand clothes and broken toys, if you are going to go second hand at Christmas you can certainly do so in style. Here are just a few of our suggestions for great second hand gifts that you can find on Friday-Ad.

A new car
If you have the money then there really are some special cars to be found on Friday-Ad. You can buy your teenager a used car so they can begin learning, or if you have a bit more money then you can browse around and find the perfect model for your wife or husband.

Not only are there some splendid bargains to be had, but there are also some awesome sports cars and convertibles that could make the perfect gift for a friend or loved one.

For example, this Renault Clio 1.2 16V Expression is available at just £1,390 and would make the perfect gift for a first time driver. And, on the other end of the scale, if you are well off and money is not an issue, then why not buy your loved one this metallic black Porsche 911 Turbo (pictured)which is available at £49,990?

Find a cheap holiday
Believe it or not, some people are still not aware that you can buy cracking holidays on Friday-Ad. So, when it comes to looking for a great gift for your partner, why not take them away somewhere nice in the new year?

Go to the ‘Holiday’ section of the site and have a browse. One that we think looks great is this restored Windmill (pictured)that is available to rent in Devon for a long or a short stay.

Or you could go for a week in Madeira staying in the 5 star Royal savoy Hotel for £500. Whether you are looking for a cheap deal or a nice getaway gift, we will have what you are looking for. So go on, surprise your loved one this Christmas with two tickets to somewhere nice.

Tickets to something special
As opposed to going away, you could always browse the ‘What’s On’ section of Friday-Ad and buy your loved one some tickets to something special. You could take your husband or wife to the theatre or buy your kids tickets to a gig taking place early in the new year. Remember a gift doesn’t always have to be something you can wrap. Simply pop the tickets in an envelope and watch their face light up when the see what’s inside. Tickets to a gig, or an exhibition are always a good alternative to your usual gifts, so break the mould and make this Christmas one to remember.

Try something unusual?
The ‘Bizarre Bazaar’ section of Friday-Ad is awash with weird and wonderful objet d’art, trinkets and other bits and bobs that may well make for a great gift. If you are looking for a decent present available at knock-down prices then this is the section for you.

It features a cool ‘New Home’ Hand Sewing Machine which is available at just £29; a stunning Honda fireblade CRB954 (pictured) motorbike which costs a competitive £2,900; and plenty of other good gifts to be bought.

The Christmas ads are now on TV – they get worse and worse every year it seems – which means it’s time to get ready for the festive season. It can be quite an expensive time of year what with all the presents, food, drink and other bits and bobs you have to buy, so you had better have saved up these last few months.

If you are a little short of cash going into the festive season, then you can always sell some of your unwanted bits and bobs on Friday-Ad. Now I am not talking about drastic measures. I don’t want you to sell all of your worldly possessions just so you can buy your mum that coffee machine. All I am saying is, if you have some stuff lying around that you have been meaning to get rid of, then why not take this opportunity to make a little extra cash?

You can sell pretty much anything on Friday-Ad, so whether it is old abandoned furniture, that old bike that has been in the shed for a year collecting cobwebs, or a box of old books and CDs, you could be sitting on some potential money. Money, that will come in very handy over Christmas.

Selling online has never been easier…
All you need to do is click Place An Ad, and follow the simple instructions laid out before you. Your ad can be online in minutes, and you can even book your item so it features in the next printed edition of the Friday-Ad. This gives it a little bit more exposure and means it will be seen by a larger audience.

Placing an ad online with Friday-Ad is quick and easy. However, you should always remember to include as much information as possible to help you to sell your items quickly. The more photos of the item the better as they tend to bring your advert to life. People are often put off buying an item if the ad has no photos with it, and are equally perturbed if the pictures included are of a poor quality.

If you don’t have a photo available at the moment, then you can always place the ad now, and then come back later to add the picture using our handy ‘Manage My Ads’ feature. Oh, and if you are looking for more response to your ad, then you can take advantage of some of our cracking features including Top Ads, Highlighted, Flashing and a number of great print upgrades.

So there you have it. Christmas is coming so rather than scrape together your last pennies, make a little extra cash by selling that breadmaker you haven’t used for three years, or those golf clubs you have never used. You could even get rid of that second car, you don’t drive since you moved house. Go on, you know you want to…

We interviewed Cliff Jones, a local Friday-Ad seller about his fascinating Crazy Golf Course and his motives for selling it.

Can you explain a little bit about yourself?

I’m a conceptual artist living and working in Brighton.

What is the item you’re selling?

I’ve recently advertised my Crazy Golf Course on the Friday-Ad in the Bizarre, Bazaar section. I was given the opportunity to create something for an outdoor arts festival about space and used the opportunity to build a crazy golf course where the golf balls were planets and the design for each hole was based on a specific black hole.

Each hole was different – one was shaped like the Milky Way with the central galactic black hole in the middle, another represented a star cluster using a large amount of mirrorballs and another used local chalk to build a model of a galaxy using material as old as the light from that galaxy. I really enjoyed taking such gigantic unimaginable structures and turning them into a competitive and interactive game – enabling people to engage with science and art through the undeniable pleasure of crazy golf

Why are selling this item?

The golf course means a lot to me as it has enabled me to teach a lot of people about black holes and contemporary physics, but i am having to sell it as I am leaving the country to go and work in Georgia. I am hoping to get somewhere between £500 and £750 for the course, but would be open to negotiations as long as it goes to a good home.

Who would you like to see buy the course?

It’d be great if someone who was interested in engaging with the concept of art and space bought the item, but I think it’d be fun for anyone who has a creative background and looking for some good harmless fun.

If you’re interested in buying Cliff’s Crazy Golf Course – you can take a look at it and contact him here.

A bit of planning can help you make yourself some extra money or save you a ton of cash when it comes to buying or selling on Friday-Ad. Here’s your comprehensive guide on the best items to buy or sell this September….

Bicycles: New models come out at the end of the month, which means you can sell your old bike and make some cash before winter comes around.

Cars: New cars usually come out at the end of the summer, and with the new registration plate coming into effect in this month, it’s a good time to start to thinking about trading in your old vehicles for something new. Friday-Ad motors is a great place to sell your car – so if the time has come to say goodbye to your old motor, head on over to the site now.

BBQ’s & Outdoor Equipment: The weather won’t be warm for too much longer, so now’s a good time to start thinking about cleaning out some room in your garage for winter by getting rid of any camping gear, BBQ’s or outdoor equipment you won’t need for another year.

Patio Furniture: Make room for your winter gear by getting rid of gardening furniture and things like lawnmowers which will just sit in your garden getting rusty. Out with the summer, in with the winter.

School Supplies: Now that summer is over and schools are about to start, why buy all your books and school materials brand new? Also, if you wait until the end of the month it’s likely stationery stores will be having a clear out, so anything you don’t need the first week of school can be bought in September for even less.

If you have any of these items lying around and are looking to make some fast cash – why not place them on Friday-Ad now. It’s completely free to do so, so you’ve got nothing absolutely nothing to lose.

Selling online with Friday-Ad is easy, but there are a few things you should know before you get started in order to maximise interest in your item. We’ve put together our rough guide to selling online with us which will help ensure that you sell your items quickly and efficiently to get the most out of your unwanted items.

• Choose the right category and price - Do your research for similar items to see what categories people use to get a better idea of current selling prices in your local area. This can also help you choose keywords to use in your title too.
• A picture is worth 1000 words – People like to see things before they buy them. For successful selling on Friday-Ad, make sure any products you list are accompanied by a professional looking photograph.
• Writing of your listing – When selling on Friday-Ad, you need powerful copy which is going to encourage users to buy your item. Make sure you use search engine friendly  phrasing with concrete details about the product
• Take the Top Ad – Ads fall down the listings quite quickly on Friday-Ad. In order to avoid this, it’s best to take our Top Ad option, so that your ad appears at the top of the search field for a small fee. If you have a high value item that you want to sell fast, this option is a must.
• Specify times and dates that people can view or pick up an item, as well as delivery or local pickup-only details in the text of your ad. This will save time in answering basic questions.

Now that we’ve let you into a few of our top selling tips, why not put these into practice and start maximising your cash by advertising your items on Friday-Ad now.

Becoming a student can be tricky. Leaving home for the first time is hard enough without the daunting task of trying to adapt to a low-cost living lifestyle. We’ve all done it and learnt from our mistakes, now Friday-Ad is going to let you in on a few secrets to frugal living at University.

Top  Tips For Living Cheaply…

• Shop at pound stores for the essentials such as food items and toiletries.
• Use sites such as Friday-Ad to get freebies, such as clothes, bikes, books and furniture.
• Stop using public transport and walk or cycle everywhere. If you don’t have a bike, try and pick one up for next to nothing on Friday-Ad.
• Join local libraries which will help cut down on the amount of books you have to buy. If you have to buy the books then make sure you buy them second hand.
• Place a free ad on Friday-Ad offering free conversational English lessons in exchange for an evening meal or a few drinks. This way you’ll get to meet some amazing people and still feel like you’re getting paid.
• Download Skype so you don’t have to pay for long distance phone calls to your friends and family.
• Find out the times supermarkets reduce the price of products such as bread and stock up and freeze it if possible.
• Become a mystery shopper. It pays well and you get lots of nice freebies.

The MailOnline has collected some of the best and most bizarre facial expressions of Olympians competing for gold in the diving, with everything from grimaces to grins. Which one is wackiest?  Germany’s Sascha Klein get the gold for best face in our books! We just wish there was sound to go with them.

Check out the photos on the MailOnline website.

Or visit the Friday-Ad website to browse sports equipment for sale.

So you are thinking of buying a used raft? I don’t blame you, who wouldn’t want a raft? Well luckily I am here to help with some advice on buying a used raft.

There are a number of aspects that you will need to to consider before you make the purchase. By carrying out a series of small tests on a raft for sale you can save yourself a lot of time and hassle and even money. You should always make sure that the raft you are looking to buy is in good condition and safe, so for a guide on buying a used raft, read our following tips.

• The first step you should take when you are looking at a raft for sale is to inflate it to its maximum hardness. You should fill it up with air and then ensure that once it is full there are no wrinkles. It is also advised that you ensure that it stays firm when pressed on.

• Next up you should check that the D-rings and other extra parts are attached solidly to the raft. If there are any parts that may need re-gluing you should consider whether that is something you are willing to do. It is not a serious issue and is relatively easy to solve, but it should also bring down the sale price.

• You should always check for any pinholes in used rafts. A good way to check for these is to spray soapy water over the entire raft. Then, any pinholes will be highlighted by a foamy bump that will form over the top of them. It is worth marking these out with a pencil.

• You should also inspect all the seams on a used raft. Older rafts for sale may have seams that have been glued together. If you think that the seams are going to need gluing, it may be worth steering clear as this can take quite a lot of effort and particular knowledge to be done properly. With the soapy water check there are no leaks at the seams.

• The fabric is another thing that should be checked before you make a purchase. Quite often the fabric may be worn out, particularly on the bottom side. Areas that looked rubbed down could eventually lead to cuts and leaks. These cuts can be patched over simply but it depends on whether you want to make repairs or not.

As long as you follow the advice above, then shopping for used rafts should be made a lot easier and you should also end up with a raft that won’t let you down.

To look into buying used rafts head on over to BoatsandOutboards.co.uk.

With Apple having just launched the latest version of the iPhone – the iPhone 4S – we thought it would be a brilliant idea to take a look at why we’re all so bonkers about it.

Not that we think it’s a bad thing of course, we’re suckers for the iPhone – and why shouldn’t we be? It does pretty much everything. It’s a personal computer, a phone, an entertainment system, a tour guide – it’s even got Sat Nav apps if you lose your way whilst driving!

Having said that it is very easy to let this little machine take over your life – when its battery dies you can easily feel like your sinking into a pit of loneliness with no way of contacting the outside world – let alone checking your Twitter updates.

So just how has Apple managed to keep so many millions of us happy for such a long time with the iPhone?

Well let us first of all examine the appearance of the iPhone – it’s sleek, modern and very good looking, even the iPhone 3G is pretty nice, despite it looking like the iPhone 4’s ugly stepsister, we know a lot of you would choose it over a ‘standard’ mobile.

Apart from it being beautiful to look at, owning an iPhone gives you automatic membership to the ‘Apple club’ (please note this isn’t an actual club people – just a metaphorical one!)

There is a feeling of exclusivity when you get sucked into the Apple phenomenon – despite knowing that millions of others are also aboard the iPhone boat.

The fact that Apple software is only compatible with Apple devices and vice versa will probably annoy you, but deep down you know you wouldn’t
trust plugging your iPhone into a ‘non Apple’ piece of software, would you?

One of the other things Apple have really hit the nail on the head with is tapping into all of the things we as the user want from a phone – the iPhone is anything but ‘just a phone’ in fact the ability to make calls and send texts from it doesn’t even scratch the surface.

Take ‘Face Time’ for example – similar to Skype I guess, but you can call someone else with an iPhone and have a face time conversation – brilliant
if you’re away from your loved ones or calling to see a special event.

Then there’s the sheer amount of entertainment available right at your fingertips – you can watch movies, play games, download songs straight from your iTunes, mess around with your photography skills and drive yourself crazy with Angrybirds.

Basically Apple have managed to encompass pretty much everything the average person would want from what is essentially a multimedia
device – if only they’d sort out the rubbish battery life, eh?