iPod DJ

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Lugging stacks of dusty vinyl onto the lawn might appeal to purists, but let’s face it: the iDJ oozes gadgety sex appeal, and the potential in a mixing desk for two iPods is mind-boggling. Get your mates to bring theirs and you can blend entire music libraries on your lap, and still sling it all in a rucksack and run for cover if the skies open. All you need is a decent sound system.

This snippet was published in June/July 2006 as part of Lastminute.com’s Smart Summer Stuff booklet, distributed with a 3 million print-run through various publications inc. The Observer, The Sunday Times, GQ, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire

Make £600 in 8 weeks

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Forget the seething masses of summer sun-seekers – sidestep the rush and aim for September. But if your pockets are empty and your cupboards bare, don’t despair: you’ve got two months to lay a golden egg. 

Liquid money

If no-one else will have them, peddle your vital juices to the professionals. Donating to a blood bank may get you a steady conscience and a custard cream, but some labs pay up to £60 for 600ml: six litres later and you’re off to a better place. The only flaw is that you’ve only got five litres in the first place.

Men, of course, can tap a less finite and somewhat stickier resource. If you’re fit and under 40, three sperm deposits a week at £25 a crack will leave you thumbing the cash – until two-dozen kids come knocking for their tuition fees.

Express delivery

Sometimes only the personal touch will do, and courier firms can pay up to £15/hour to transport a package to the remote corners of the Earth, travel and accommodation thrown in. Work is sporadic by nature but one big trip could hit the jackpot – with the hard-earned cash you can fly back and see the sights you missed while playing postie.

Be an extra on the silver screen

Before computers took over, any epic battle worth its salt was packed to the gunnels with extras. Now it’s easier to copy and paste an army as required. But there are still non-speaking parts out there, and if the film’s got a budget to speak of you could rake in between £50 and £200 a day – maybe even see your mug on screen.

These snippets were published in June/July 2006 as part of Lastminute.com’s Smart Summer Stuff booklet, distributed with a 3 million print-run through various publications inc. The Observer, The Sunday Times, GQ, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire

Night climbing Fuji-san

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Japan’s greatest natural landmark, Mount Fuji attracts some 200,000 climbers every year, concentrated around the official season of July and August when snowfall is minimal and conditions are mild.

Camaraderie amongst hundreds of like-purposed people may counterbalance the fact that at peak times there are literally queues in some places. But purists can try tackling the 6 hour hike up the volcano at night: if you time your arrival at the summit to coincide with sunrise you’re in for a spectacle.

This snippet was published in June/July 2006 as part of Lastminute.com’s Smart Summer Stuff booklet, distributed with a 3 million print-run through various publications inc. The Observer, The Sunday Times, GQ, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire

Indian summer skiing

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Why wait ’til winter to cut through fresh powder at the top of the world? The mountains around Manali in Northern India are renowned for some of the deepest snowpacks in the Himalayas. The high altitude makes for superb re-crystallised powder, and slopes around Patalsu and Rohtang stay open well into the summer months. It’s not the cheapest break you can take, but for expert skiiers with cash to thaw and then burn it’s also unforgettable.

This snippet was published in June/July 2006 as part of Lastminute.com’s Smart Summer Stuff booklet, distributed with a 3 million print-run through various publications inc. The Observer, The Sunday Times, GQ, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire

Ghost hunting in Lexington, Kentucky

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Yes, you read that right. Lexington. Dubbed the horse capital of the world, the city is set to host the World Equestrian Games in 2010 and counts amongst its claims to fame a thriving population of Poa Pratensis – bluegrass – that keeps the scenery picturesque and the steeds fighting fit. They also make bourbon there. I give up: you’re only interested in stalking those pesky chain-rattlin’ varmints, aren’t you?

Rookies can start at the bottom with a $50 crash course in the various species of ghoul, their favourite haunts and the gadgets that can help you snare one. But a cool $150 gets an intensive regime that’ll chisel you into a certified Advanced Hunter from scratch.

This snippet was published in June/July 2006 as part of Lastminute.com’s Smart Summer Stuff booklet, distributed with a 3 million print-run through various publications inc. The Observer, The Sunday Times, GQ, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire

Learn a language while you wait

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Rather than thumbing through a dog-eared phrasebook as you garble your way through locating la banque, wouldn’t it be handy to have a little angelic linguist perched on your shoulder, whispering what to say?

Dream no longer. Tipped to become hot property in 2006, lastminute.com and Coolgorilla’s Audio Phrasebooks on your iPod feature over 750 words and phrases in easily navigable categories, from telling the time to medical emergencies. Currently available in German, Greek, French and Spanish, there’s no more efficient way to while away time in the departure lounge – then you can startle fellow flyers with your newfound flair.

This snippet was published in June/July 2006 as part of Lastminute.com’s Smart Summer Stuff booklet, distributed with a 3 million print-run through various publications inc. The Observer, The Sunday Times, GQ, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire

No more hassle: charter a jet

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To really start your break with a bang, hook up with a big group of mates and, unbelievably, it can actually work out cheaper to hire your own wings and split the cost. It’s about exploiting ‘empty legs’ – say a fat cat flies to Milan, his jet returns to the UK then hops back over to pick him up. That’s two flights’ worth of über-plush seats going begging, and it may be possible to cut a deal for as little as £1000 – the flight’s already paid for, so it’s all extra cash for the airline.

This snippet was published in June/July 2006 as part of Lastminute.com’s Smart Summer Stuff booklet, distributed with a 3 million print-run through various publications inc. The Observer, The Sunday Times, GQ, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire