Gifts Suitable for Acquaintances and Co-Workers

There are often people on your gift giving list that you feel obligated to buy for, but you may not know them on a personal level. This could be co-workers that you do a gift exchange with, a neighbor you appreciate, or the kids’ teachers. You don't want to skip over these people, but what do you buy for them. The following are a few general categories that are appreciated by anyone.

Food

Many people that you need a present for are not close friends. You might not know their personal style or interests, but this doesn't mean you have to skip over them. Food is always a safe option. Consider food gift baskets for neighbors or homemade cookies for your coworkers. Candy and chocolates are also a lovely token of appreciation during the holidays. You will find many boxed sweets available in decorative packaging or collector tins that can become a keepsake.

Candles

A candle is both functional and beautiful. There are several scents and colors to choose from. You will even find layered candles that offer multiple scents in one candle. If you want something truly unique, consider a battery operated candle. They are safe around pets and children, and many include timers.

Christmas Decor

Give Christmas decor to those hard to buy for people on your list. Stick to items that will fit in with a variety of decorating styles. Fresh greens are perfect. A wreath or swag made from fresh cuttings can be used indoors or outside. They have a wonderful scent that immediately reminds one of the holidays, and they are a luxury one doesn't often buy for themselves.

As long as you pick out gifts within these general categories, you will be sure to be purchasing a present that anyone can appreciate. Food is always welcome, and candles will suit a variety of styles and tastes. If all else fails, Christmas decor is a safe option for anyone on your gift list this year.

Car covers for indoor and outdoor uses

A car cover is a product made from large sheet of fabric and is used to cover a car to protect it against the surrounding elements. A car cover is needed when the car is not in use for a certain period of time and needs to be kept from dirt and dust. Even if a car is kept in a garage, dust and dirt can still settle on the car surface. If a car is kept outdoor, then it should be covered with a custom car cover to prevent the sun rays, weather elements, and surrounding elements from damaging your car.

An indoor car cover is great for keeping dust and dirt off the car surface. And if you have young children playing in the garage, it could protect from the little hands and fingers, and against scratches or knocks. If you are shopping for indoor car covers, look for custom indoor car covers that are breathable and with good ventilation to allow moisture to escape. If it is not breathable, moisture trapped under the car cover could cause molding and could be damaging to the car.

Even if you are using a custom Chevrolet indoor car cover, it is good to check frequently or uncover the car to prevent any mold or mustiness from forming whenever possible. Before covering your car with an indoor car cover, always make sure that the car surface is clean and dry.

An outdoor car cover will be able to protect a car against paint fading but an improper fitting car cover could cause more damage than protection. A loosely fitted car cover could easily move about and rub against the paint surface to cause fine scratches whenever there is strong wind blowing. Outdoor car covers are designed to be water resistant and the covers could easily trap dirt and moisture if it is not properly fitted. With the outside heat and moisture soaking under the car cover could promote fading of the paint surface.

Some car owners would suggest that a good cleaning, drying and proper waxing of the car before putting on the car cover. A good quality custom fitted car cover that allows ventilation or designed to allow vapour out from under the car cover, can effectively prevent damage to the car. Depending on your preferences, there are car covers to go over only the top of the car to protect the leather inside the car from the strong UV light.

Home Maintenance Tips: How To Avoid and Repair Cracks In Your Driveway

We often overlook how common concrete is. It makes up virtually all roads in the United States. Most city streets are lined with sidewalks made of concrete. Residential driveways, garage floors, and industrial-purpose floors are made of concrete as well. There being so much concrete across modern society, the likelihood of some concrete being cracked in any given location is reasonably high.

You most likely don't know that cracks are caused by a myriad of factors. They're not all simply cracks, as different originating factors of cracks are most effectively treated in different ways. Let's brush over the most common types of cracks that sidewalks, driveways, and other concrete structures endure.

When the Ground Settles, Bad Things Can Happen

This goes without saying, but concrete sits on dirt, rock, or a combination of the two. When the ground beneath the concrete wasn't settled before the concrete was poured or installed, large cracks can and often will split driveways, sidewalks, and slabs in halves, quarters, and potentially many more pieces. Cracks formed as a result of settling can also rear their ugly head if trees or major plants have recently been pulled.

Have You Heard of Heaving? It's a Phenomenon, That's for Sure

Tree roots can reach out from trees for hundreds of feet. They can also grow to be quite thick, displacing things like sidewalks if they were once poured near growing trees. Cracks that are caused by heaving involve concrete - it's almost always sidewalks that are affected - slabs breaking clean in two and one of them rising several inches over the other. Over time, the gap grows. The only way to fix heaved concrete is to remove trees or pour new concrete.

Plastic Shrinkage

Plastic shrinkage refers to the process by which moisture leaves recently-poured concrete, causes the slabs to crack, and slide towards or away one another. These types of cracks are by far the most common in concrete.

Concrete is everywhere. Most people don't think of concrete repair, however. Knowing what type of concrete crack you're dealing with can make concrete resurfacing in Charlotte, NC infinitely easier.

Tips and Tricks that will Help you to Make More Money from your Property Sale

Selling your home can be a difficult decision. After all, you have to think about where you are going to live now, how your family are going to feel and even if it is the right choice to move. If you end up getting less for your home than you originally planned, this can put even more pressure on you financially and this is the last thing you need when you already have so much going on right now. Luckily, there are a couple of things that you can do to try and make way more money from your home sale by following these top tips and tricks.

Stage your Home

77% of real estate agents believe that it is much easier for a buyer to visualise themselves in a staged property. It doesn’t cost much to stage your home when you look at the value it could add, not to mention that it is also essential if you want to show your home in the best possible light. It’s so important that you are able to stage your living room, bathroom and master bedroom, as these are generally the most desired rooms in a family home.

Target your Buyer

Different types of property will attract different types of buyers. Each type of buyer will have their own individual needs, and if you are able to meet these needs then you will see the price of your home rocket. If you have a rundown property for example, there is a high chance that you will be targeting an investor who is looking for a project. For this reason, you need to try and spend your time advertising the house towards this type of buyer. When you are able to take things like this into consideration, you can then make your home way more appealing because you can find out exactly what your buyer is looking for. Little things like this can make a huge difference, not to mention that it also gives you the chance to have much more control over your sale.

Boost Appeal

When you own a property, you probably won’t spend too long looking at it from the outside. You might not notice any cracked paint, chipped windowsills or even mould growth. Your buyer on the other hand, absolutely will, so outside appeal is a very important concept for you to take into consideration. Think about replacing the door if it is looking a little worse for wear, or even think about pressure washing the walkway to your property. If you have bushes, shrubs and trees overgrowing your home then cut them back and really open up the space. Little things like this can add thousands to the value of your home, and it gives your buyer a good first impression from the moment they enter the property.

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Landscaping

As mentioned above, trimming back your greenery can make a huge difference to your home’s appeal. Studies show that a home that is well landscaped can sell for up to 12% more. You don’t have to spend a lot of time upgrading your garden, you just need to make sure that your lawn has been cut recently and that your patio area is clean and free of grime. Quality garden furniture can also go a long way when it comes to your landscaping as well, so if you can, you should always invest in this. You may even be able to make a deal with the buyer to sell them the furniture, adding even more value to your property.

Upgrade your Kitchen

A minor kitchen remodel can really help you to boost interest. The kitchen is often thought as being the most important room in the house for a lot of buyers and for this reason, you need to make it stand out. Steel appliances and granite countertops are considered to be the most sought-after. If you want to step things up to that next level then consider painting over your dated kitchen cabinets with some glossy, white paint. You can also invest in some new tile flooring if you want to bring everything together, as it is easy to maintain and even easier to clean.

The Bathroom

A bathroom renovation can be very costly and it can also be incredibly time-consuming as well. When it’s done right, it can make your lives way better and it can also be very attractive to a potential buyer. Mid-range bathroom remodels can increase the value of your home by over 3.8% and this is certainly something that you will want to take advantage of if you want to sell your home for more money.

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New Hardware

If you can’t afford to upgrade your kitchen or even your bathroom then consider investing in some new hardware. This can include new doorknobs, cabinet pulls and even drawer handles as well. This can have a huge impact on your market potential and it is great if you are on a small budget. They can also add charm to your home if you choose them carefully. If you feel as though your bathroom or kitchen needs more of a boost then look into cabinet refacing and even new lights. When you have these installed, you will soon see that they can drastically change the look and feel of the room without bumping up the price too much.

De-Clutter

An organised and a very clean home can really give you the impression of a well-maintained property. If you have a bed that isn’t made, a spare room that is full of clutter or even blinds that are covered in dust, then this can give a really bad impression of the home. Tidy rooms also appear way bigger as well, so this is well worth doing. When you are trying to improve your home, you need to wipe down your baseboards and cabinets. You also need to dust everywhere and get rid of any clutter. This will have a notable impact on the viewability of your home.

Smart Technology

You may think that it is daft to install smart technology when you are due to move out but this is not the case at all. Smart door locks and even thermostats can really make your home stand out. Consider having your home security system, foyer light, carbon monoxide detector and more hooked up to your smartphone. This is usually very cheap to do but it also gives you the chance to advertise your home as being “smart”. On top of that, buyers will remember your home for all the right reasons as well so there are numerous benefits to getting this done.

Decorate!

A lot of homeowners spend so much time looking at their walls that they don’t realise when they become faded or dated. A lot of wallpapers and even bright colours can also be a real turn-off for potential buyers. If you have wallpaper in your home then it is a good idea for you to remove it. Studies have shown that most buyers in this day and age actually prefer something with a much broader appeal and this can include neutral-coloured paint.

Ceiling Fan

People love to have a ceiling fan, and this is especially the case in the master bedroom. Most people are also willing to pay way more for them as well. To make things even better, they are generally very cheap to install so you won’t have any issues there. If you are having a problem trying to afford everything you need in your home then it may be worth you looking into OnlineCash4Payday® | installment loans online for good and bad credit.

Update your Flooring

Old carpet can be a real eyesore for buyers. It can also be a hazard if you have allergies as well. if you want to try and make your home as appealing as it can be then hardwood floor is certainly the way to go. If you cannot afford hardwood then don’t be afraid to go with laminate. Of course, if you have a hardwood floor installed right now then instead of ripping it out, consider getting it refinished. When you do this, you can then add thousands onto the value of your property and you can also really make the most out of your renovation.

Natural Light

The more natural light you can let into a home, the better. Consider cleaning the windows, opening up the blinds and then turning the lights on. This will instantly brighten up the room and it can make it look bigger as well. Most buyers look at lighting when they look around a property, so if you can, you should try and invest in some new lighting as well as this can really boost the appeal of a room.

So, there are many things that you can do to try and sell your home for more money and when you follow the above tips, you will soon find that there is no reason why you can’t do most of these upgrades yourself.

Walk Don't Run: A New Way To Get Your Kids To School In The Morning

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There are a whole wealth of articles out there which shout about the health benefits of walking your kids to school instead of driving. As can be seen from sites like www.bistromd.com, those benefits include things like maintaining health and building confidence. That’s good news all around, don’t you agree?

Sadly, a look outside any school gates reveals that the benefits mentioned above aren’t enough for many. We all want our kids to be healthy, of course, but we assume they achieve this through play and physical education. If we’re walking kids purely for health, then, it doesn’t always seem worth our while.

But, what if we were to tell you that it isn’t only health benefits you’ll experience from a change like this. There are practical reasons to get your walking boots on instead of reaching for your keys. If nothing’s won you around thus far, then, the following pointers could be the things to do it. Read on, and you may find you start walking in no time. 

An increased chance of being on time

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Your kids may be able to get physical exercise elsewhere, but they only get one chance to arrive at class on time. The chances are that you already know how difficult it can be to achieve that simple goal when you come by car. Congestion, accidents, and weather all play a part in determining when you arrive. And, let’s be frank; nothing makes you feel worse than making your children late through no fault of their own. By comparison, walking to school removes many of these variables. You won’t need to worry about how busy the roads are, or whether the weather makes visibility difficult. You’ll be able to walk on those clear pathways come rain or shine. And, guess what; your kids will probably be on time as a result.

Removing the risks of the road

The delays mentioned above aren’t the only risks of the road, either. Busy roads and frustrated drivers can also result in accidents. Rates of road-based crashes often skyrocket around school time, and it’s easy to see why. With many parents choosing large family cars like SUVs, there’s also an increased risk of severe incidents like rollovers. While you could contact lawyers like those found at www.gbw.law if this happened to you, that wouldn’t make up for putting your kids at risk. By comparison, walking is a reasonably safe affair. As long as you stick to crossings and designated walkways, it’s unlikely you’ll stumble into trouble.

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More money for the family

If even the above isn’t enough to convince you, consider that driving to school can also cost a fair amount. Fuel alone can soon add up when you’re crawling along behind a stream of other parents. Not to mention general maintenance costs for your vehicle. That’s worth noting given that keeping costs down always matters when you have a family. By comparison, walking doesn’t cost a penny. With that in mind, which option do you prefer?

What To Look For In POS System For Gas Stations

When running a gas station, the POS (or point of sale) system needs to be a bit more advanced than that of a grocery store POS system. So what needs to be considered when searching for one? Read on to find out! 

The first thing that needs to be considered is how well will the system work with the safety mechanisms in place to prevent people from pumping the fuel first and then driving off? In this day and age, almost all fuel pumps are pre-paid only, meaning that if the consumer is going to pay at the pump, they need to "swipe" their card first and then choose what grade of fuel they wish to put in their vehicle. Depending on the type of card used, there may be a hold placed on a larger amount than what is actually pumped. This hold will be released according to the policies of the card's issuing bank. The gas station pos systems texas will need to differentiate between the different grades of gas as well as alternative fuel options such as E85 and diesel. In addition to these recognitions, the software needs to be able to add or deduct any points due to any kind of loyalty program the gas station offers. 

When dealing with gas station purchases, there may be differing taxable amounts from purchases made within the convenience store, which almost all gas station have nowadays. Purchases may include packaged food, cooked food, tobacco, and alcohol. All of these items will have differing purchase and taxing restrictions based on what region the station is located in. These are just a few of the things to think about when looking for an initial pos system to purchase or if an upgrade is needed. Remember to consider all options before committing to a system to avoid any kind of breach of contract issues in the future.

4 Tips for Remodeling Your Bathroom

Are you ready to remodel your bathroom? Before you start stripping the tile, there are a few things that you should know. Here are just four tips for making changes, improving appearances and avoiding common remodeling mistakes. 

1. Don't Touch Your Plumbing 

It can be ridiculously expensive to alter or upgrade your plumbing. Between water lines, gas lines and pipe lines, there's a whole labyrinth in the walls of your home. Making adjustments isn't impossible, but it will eat up a good portion of your budget, so most remodelers decide to simply work around their plumbing. Think long and hard before you decide otherwise. 

2. Consider Different Materials 

You don't have to buy stainless steel fixtures just because stainless steel was already installed in the bathroom when you bought the house. You can shake things up by choosing an entirely new material to work with, and the results can make your bathroom seem completely transformed. If you've always dreamed of brass faucets, now is the time to buy them! 

3. Replace the Big Things First 

You might be tempted to remodel smaller things first since they'll be less of a strain on your pocketbook. In reality, however, you'll just be putting a glossy shine on an old car. It's better to take your money and spend it on something big like floors, lights or total bathroom refinishing Baltimore Maryland. You can always make your minor changes at a later date. 

4. Have a Theme 

Having a theme will give you something to decorate around. Instead of haphazardly throwing rugs and shower curtains into the mix, you can sit down and figure out what bathroom features will accentuate the look that you're trying to create. The end result will be an organized, well-decorated bathroom that follows a consistent decor. These are just a few tips for remodeling your bathroom. It isn't always an easy endeavor, but it's one that can pay off in a big way when you create a space that you love. Use these suggestions to build the bathroom of your dreams!

Where To Spend And Where To Save During A Kitchen Renovation

The cost of home renovations can quickly spiral out of control so you should always be looking for ways to save money when you’re doing work on the house. The kitchen is probably one of the more expensive rooms to do because there are a lot of appliances and things that cost quite a bit. If you’re renovating your kitchen, there are plenty of simple ways that you can cut the cost, however, you’ve got to be careful. If you cut corners in the wrong places, you’re going to end up with a poor job and you’ll probably end up having to do it again in a couple of years. If you want to do a great kitchen refurbishment but you don’t want to spend too much money, you need to know where to save and where to spend.

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Save On The Sink 

If you want a big feature like a farmhouse sink, you might have to spend a lot of money on it. But if you aren’t too worried about that, there’s no need to blow a lot of money on the sink. A standard stainless steel one gets the job done and it still looks great. 

Spend On Cabinets 

The kitchen cabinets make up the majority of the kitchen so you don’t really want to cut corners. If you buy low quality ones, they’re not going to last that long. But if you go to a professional company like A+ Construction Pro and get some decent quality ones, they’ll last you a lot longer. It’s also best to spend more on custom cabinets rather than going with off the shelf sizes. If you get custom, you can have the exact design you want without having to make compromises. 

Save On Tiles 

Tiles are an important feature in the kitchen because they’re both functional and cosmetic, but you don’t need to spend a lot of money on them. There are a lot of expensive tiles in high end kitchen showrooms but if you look around a bit, you’ll be able to find a very similar style for half the price and they’ll do exactly the same job. 

Spend On Appliances 

The appliances are the most expensive part of the kitchen usually so it makes sense that you want to find the cheapest ones possible. However, you’re not actually going to save yourself money in the long run. If you buy cheap appliances, they’re not going to be as energy efficient. When you’re fitting your kitchen out with the essential appliances, look for the ones with an A+ energy rating and get them, even if they cost more. They’ll save you money on your energy bills in the long run. The other major benefit of spending more money on appliances is that they won’t be as likely to break. It’s going to be a lot cheaper to buy one appliance that lasts you 10 years than it would be to buy 2 cheap ones that last you 5 years. 

Knowing where to spend and where to save during a kitchen renovation is the best way to make sure you do a good quality job without breaking the bank. 

How To Cook Healthy, Delicious Meals With Less Effort

It's really easy to get stuck in a rut with your cooking style. If you're used to cooking with lots of lard, butter and oil, you might really enjoy it. However, it's not the healthiest way to cook. In fact, this is a great way to dig an early grave. Instead, consider these three ways to make your cooking healthier. 

1. Stop frying your foods. Even though there's nothing like the taste of fried chicken, you can cook chicken in other ways. You can bake it. You can throw it into a slow cooker. However, it's best to focus on trying a healthier option instead of frying. If you prepare certain foods in a certain way and bake them, you can still get the crispiness you'd achieve with a frying pan. Plus, you'd get all the flavor minus the fat. 

2. Use more seasonings. In order to make sure your foods don't taste bland, make sure that you utilize great seasonings. Whether it's chicken seasoning for your chicken pot pie or cumin for your guacamole, find out which seasonings work well with the different dishes you plan on making. Do a little bit of research to learn more about which foods and spices work well together. With Indian cuisine, you'll want to purchase seasonings like cumin, curry and saffron. If you're preparing Italian dishes, become more heavy-handed with seasonings like parsley, garlic and chives. As you master the art of using the right seasoning blends, you won't need as much salt. Too often, people rely on salt to flavor the foods in ways that are detrimental to the body. Seasonings offer delightful flavors and are good for you. 

3. Add more fresh ingredients. It's a great idea to use more fresh ingredients like fruits and vegetables. You'll always want to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your meals because they are packed with healthy nutrients. Other fresh ingredients include fresh herbs and spices. You can easily pick up some fresh cilantro or parsley in the produce aisle of the supermarket. You can also decide to grow your own herbs and spices. If you grow a small mint plant in your garden, it'll be easy to pick and use in different meals.

Minimizing the Cost of Gifting Over the Upcoming Months

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Sure, it may only be September, so many of us would argue that it’s way too early to start thinking about the festive period. But anyone with a host of people to buy for will be familiar with the stress and cost of buying gifts for Christmas throughout December. Seeing as the majority of people leave buying presents until the last minute, you can find yourself forking out more to get what you want for the big day. But not to worry. There are a few different ways to save money and minimise the costs of what can be a relatively expensive period. Here are just a few steps to achieve this!

Coming Up With Ideas

First, create a list of all of the items that you want to buy for your loved ones. This means that you know exactly what you need to pick up, and can prevent you from purchasing unnecessary bits and bobs. So many people waste huge sums of money getting little items that they really don’t need to. Whether you intend to buy a toiletry bag, an e-reader, perfume, or luxury skincare products, note them down. Creating a list minimizes unnecessary spending and also means that you can keep an eye out for good offers on individual items.

Start Shopping Early

High demand items tend to completely sell out over the festive period. This means that you have to resort to purchasing goods from third party resellers with significantly higher costs. If you start shopping early, you can bag items for their original price, saving yourself stress and extra cash down the line. As well as saving cash, starting early also frees up your time, giving you more time to enjoy the festive period yourself rather than rushing around shops.

Make the Most of Black Friday

Black Friday falls on the 23rd November every year. It started as a trend in the United States, as it falls on the day after Thanksgiving celebrations, but now it is engaged with around the world. Essentially, it is a day when retailers host huge sales, cutting the prices of their stock in order to draw as many customers in as possible during a period when there is generally a slump in sales. Make the most of this day when it comes to buying gifts. You may have to store them away for around a month before you can hand them to their recipients, but you might as well grab them while they have a low costs, rather than waiting a couple more weeks and paying double the price or even more.

These are just a few ideas that can help you to minimize spending over the upcoming season. Sure, some people would argue that starting plans this early is over the top. However, just think of all of the money that you could save! This could be used for extra treats to make the holiday season particularly memorable, such as meals out, ice skating, attending Christmas markets, and much more. Alternatively, you could save your extra cash for the January sale season.

Bringing A Little Extra Income Into Your Household - Can It Be Easy?

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When we think a little extra spending money would be necessary, the next important step is to start conceiving ideas that potentially yield this ability in the future. Bringing a little extra income into your household may not be a complete walk in the park, but with a little extra time and effort, you might find it’s perfectly possible. To begin with, you will need to decide what kind of assets you have on hand. Are you skilled in a certain discipline? Do you have money saved you may wish to potentially grow? Are you in possession of coveted items? If so, you might consider the following options in order to build more of an established income stream, to raise your quality of life and help you indulge just a little bit more:

Investing

Learning how to invest can be a great method of slowly building up your profitable portfolio as the months pass on. This can seem very overwhelming for people who have yet to experience their first steps in this field, but there’s really nothing to be afraid of. There are multiple very worthwhile investing apps you can download on the Play and App stores, and many of these will offer you fall currency to help you practice your skills of forecasting and prediction. There are many resources online to help you understand basic trading concepts, such as this resource to aid in understanding CFDs. Investing is a fun hobby, and a potentially profitable pursuit, you just need the confidence to start.

Renting

It could be that renting out an asset you have could be worthwhile. You may have a spare bedroom, a full furnished and featured outhouse going unused, or a vacation home you may wish to make money on throughout the year. You may also be able to offer certain equipment if you have it, such as lending large speakers to students for house parties provided they’re willing to pay a large deposit and sign your terms that have been ratified with a legal business council. Renting your assets and valuable items may help you make long term income on something that may be going unused, helping you develop more appropriately.

Freelancing

It might be that freelancing is the best way to both practice a hidden talent and help make use of your free time. Many often think this space is limited to artistic or writing talents, but you can freelance anything. You might offer your business experience as a consultancy online, or perhaps reupholster furniture. You may verify the legitimacy of certain antiques, or perhaps become an expert in a field you’ve worked in your whole life, providing knowledge and direction to those who may need it. With the internet, almost every skill is easy to market and earn from, provided you exercise a little patience and market to the right communities.

With these simple tips, bringing a little extra income into your household is sure to be easier than expected.

Keeping The Costs Down When It Comes To Your Kids

Children can be expensive, and there is no hiding away from that fact. But we all know that children need things on a day to day basis. They are always growing, their interests are changing, and their needs really need to be met. But with an eye on the costs how do you ensure that those children don’t break you financially? I wanted to share with you some of the ways that you can start to keep the costs down when it comes to your kids. 

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Make invested choices with things like toys

Toys are one of those things you can think you have enough of, but as interests change from time to time, you may find that you are inundated with more things on a monthly basis. Not to mention the birthdays and Christmas additions to add to the mix. Sometimes the best advice is to make more invested choices with your purchases, looking into a more interesting toy that will stand the test of time, rather than something plastic that they may lose interest in after a few weeks. 

Keep things for future siblings to enjoy in the future

You may not want to hoard things, but often keeping certain things for future younger siblings is a great way to send less in the future. Tyds, clothes they have outgrown, it can all come in handy for when and if you have more children in the future. Once you are doine, you could then utilise platforms like eBay to sell any unwanted things and give your bank balance a healthy boost. 

Seekout bargains online and use codes and discounts

It is always a good idea to do plenty of research ahead of making any purchases, especially online. There are always discount codes and vouchers you could use, as well as people sharing knowledge on some of the best places to make certain purchases. The name of the game is to have more money in your back pocket, and so utilizing these tools could considerably reduce your overall spend. 

Buy in bulk

The next thing you may want to think about is how buying in bulk could save you on bigger costs. For example, when you favourite childrens clothing shop has a sale, you could buy the next size up at a discounted price. Helping you to feel organised in the future. Buying in bulk works for other things such as school uniforms or even drinks and snacks in your home. 

Encourage eating as a family to help with the food bill

Finally, children can be picky, especially at meal times. If you let them, they will have you making different meals for everyone, and in the long run this ends up costing you. Make a new rule that you will make one thing for the family to enjoy, it keeps the cost down and allows you to lead by example when it comes to eating to help avoid the fussy eating stage getting any worse. 

I hope that these tips help you to keep the costs down when it comes to your kids. 

How To Find Hidden Water Waste in Your Home

Water waste is often the cause of a change in the water bill, and you may not realize the problem until you find yourself faced with charges that are much higher than what you normally pay. While meter error is sometimes to blame, hidden water waste, such as leaks and poor drainage, may also be an issue. Targeting this problem does not have to be difficult, and there are several strategies you can use to find and resolve it.

Perform a Dye Test on Your Toilet

A toilet with a faulty flapper may be a hidden leak that is raising your water bill. However, there is a simple test you can perform to gauge whether your toilet is malfunctioning. To begin, add a teaspoon of blue or green food dye to the water in your toilet tank. Replace the lid, then wait about 20 minutes. Once the time is up, check the bowl water for any signs of the dye. If the water there has any color to it, this means you have a tank water leak.

This type of leak can usually be fixed by replacing your toilet’s flapper. Fortunately, it is a simple repair that you may be able to perform on your own. Ask your local plumbing supply or hardware store about the tools and parts you will need. 

Inspect Outdoor Water Lines

Outdoor irrigation or sprinkler systems can malfunction and cause leaks that you may not detect right away. This can be especially troublesome if the lines are not visible or have been installed underground. Leaks can be caused by aging lines, freezing temperatures, or backyard pests interfering with the system.

If you suspect an outdoor water leak, walk your yard carefully and look for damp spots or grass that seems to be growing faster than the rest of your lawn. While this can lead you to the source of the leak, you may need to call in a professional plumbing contractor to have the lines exposed and repaired.

Check Under Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets

Not all leaks are fast or instantly noticeable. In fact, some can occur so slowly that you might never become aware of them until they get large enough to cause a change in your water bill. Leaks that are hidden by cabinetry fall into this category, especially when the cabinets were installed specifically to hide the plumbing and are not used for storage.

The presence of mold can clue you in to a slow water leak because many types of fungi do not require sunlight in order to grow and spread. Many species can be found in dark, damp environments and may produce a musty odor once patches start to thrive. This odor may guide you to leaks under your kitchen or bathroom sink, although it is wise to have mold removal specialists come in to remove any fungi before you call a plumber.

Change Your Laundering Habits

Not all water waste is caused by leaks. You and your family could be wasting a great deal of water without realizing it, especially when it comes to doing your laundry. Top-load washers tend to waste more water than front-load models, and washing small or incomplete loads can also contribute to water waste. If you live in California and want to learn about how to conserve water, the Cadiz Water Project twitter page can be an informative and educational resource for you and your family.

Water waste can lead to skyrocketing water bills and costly home repair bills. Knowing where to look for hidden leaks in your home can help you control what you spend on water services and prevent the needless waste of this precious resource. 

Emergency Savings: Why They're Important And How To Find Them

Everybody knows that saving money is important, but people often put it off when they’re younger because they think that the main reason for saving is to prepare yourself for retirement. That is important, but you also need a good savings account to use as an emergency fund. Life is always unpredictable and from time to time, you’re going to be hit with unexpected bills. They might come from serious issues with the home or a broken down car. Whatever it is, if you have to pay out a load of money and you don’t have an emergency fund there to cover the cost, you’ll end up having to borrow money. That’s going to make it harder to save money and lead to financial problems in the future. You can stop all of that from happening and alleviate all of your money worries by building a good emergency fund. Here’s how you can get started today. 

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Find The Right Savings Account 

The first step in any savings plan is finding a good savings account. There are a lot to choose from so it can be difficult to decide which is best. Most people focus on the interest rate which is important, but it’s not the only thing. As well as finding an account with a high interest rate, you also need to think about the fees. High fees are going to eat into your savings more than you realize. Luckily, there are plenty of accounts that don’t have high fees. Most of the top online savings accounts have low fees and decent interest rates so they’re probably your best option. You should also think about how easily you can access the money. If you’ve got a savings account that you can easily dip into, you’re more likely to struggle with your saving. 

Set A Savings Goal

Now that you’ve found the perfect savings account, you need to start filling it up. If you don’t have a solid savings plan, you’re not going to get that far. Set yourself a savings goal, about half a years worth of expenses is a good number to aim for. Then you can start looking over your finances and work out how much you can afford to put aside. As soon as you get paid, put the money in your savings and forget about it. 

Save Change 

Saving up change doesn’t sound like the most effective way of building up a good emergency fund but you’d be surprised. Putting all of your extra change into a jar is a start, but what you should really be doing is cutting out the small purchases that you make throughout the day and putting the money in a change jar instead. Things like coffee or sandwiches that you waste money on every single day quickly add up over the weeks and months. Even if you saved $1 a day, that’s $365 in your emergency fund every year. 

If you don’t build an emergency fund right away, you could easily land yourself in financial trouble when disaster strikes. 

Tax And Your Freelance Business: Everything You Need To Know

If you’ve spent years in the rat race, working a job you hate to survive, you know the incremental frustration that builds up week upon week, month upon month and year upon year. You know how spirit crushing it can be to slave away in a boring, repetitive and meaningless job while the skills you spent your formative years developing go to waste. This isn’t the adulthood you were sold. You were told that all of your hard work, study and endeavor would pay off. Yet here you are, years later, spending 8-12 hours a day in a cubicle under fluorescent lighting wondering if anyone even knows you’re there.

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Yet all this living death is almost worth it when you’re able to shake of the shackles of corporate wage suppression and the anaesthesia of the 9 to 5 (or increasingly, 8 to 6) and go into business for yourself. If you’ve recently begun freelancing it can be extremely intoxicating being able to make a living doing something you love and working on your own terms. Just make sure that, in lieu of a payroll department, you’re honoring your tax commitments. Running afoul of the IRS could not only be damaging to your reputation, it could see you stuck with a hefty fine that could seriously cripple your operation. 

Here are some things you need to know about tax and your freelance business...

Even if you only freelance as a side hustle, it’s still taxable income

Many freelancers begin their career as a side hustle in their free time so that they can build their experience and establish a healthy client base while still enjoying the steady income from your day job. Just keep in mind that even if you’re side hustling the income from your business is still taxable and must be declared. Even a small amount needs to be declared to the IRS. The rule of thumb is, if in doubt, always declare. The IRS is far more lenient with those who are open and honest with them. 

Invest in an accountant

Even if you have a good working understanding of how to fill out your tax returns, it’s still advisable to invest in an accountant. Sure, they may represent a significant overhead, but they provide the peace of mind that comes with knowing your accounts are in safe hands. A good accountant will also generally save you more than they cost.

Accounting for your earnings

Needless to say, if the IRS is to accurately gauge your income, it’s your responsibility to keep an accurate record of your earnings and that means keeping an up to date account of your invoices. If any labor you undertake is of a casual nature and your client is unable to validate your invoice, use this paystub generator. An accurate and up to date account of your earnings is essential to keep the IRS on side. 

Keep track of your expenses

Finally, it’s important to remember that you are taxed not on your earnings but on your profits. Thus, it’s essential that you keep an up to date record of all expenses incurred throughout the running of your business. An accountant is especially useful here as they may be able to help you get a clear picture of what can and can’t be claimed for business purposes. 

Tricked By The Trade: Fighting Your Corner As A Consumer

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As a consumer, it should be fair to assume that you’re always safe when you’re spending your money with a company you recognize. There are strict laws in place across the world which make it hard for businesses to take advantage of their customers, and most simply wouldn’t want to damage their reputation by upsetting the people spending money with them. Of course, though, it doesn’t always work out this way, and a lot of people find themselves in bad positions when they trust the wrong company just a little too much.

Where Do You Stand?

When you think a business has done something bad to you, the very first thing to do will be figuring out where you stand. The law won’t always be behind you when you’re starting a fight like this. In other cases, though, you might have a very good leg to stand on, and it will be worth figuring this out as early on as possible. A quick Google search or two should be able to reveal other users who have had similar problems, giving you access to people who can serve as evidence of your potential success.

Researching The Issue

The research doesn’t stop here, though. Instead, when you’re doing work like this, you’re going to need to put a lot of time into research, as this will help you to understand the problem you’re having in greater detail. In some cases, you may find that the potential return from a consumer fight is far too small to make it worth doing anything. This won’t always be the case, though, and your web-based research could show you the true extent of the company’s mistakes.

Finding Solutions

One of the hardest parts of this sort of process is finding the solution you’re going to use. Whether you’ve fallen in a store and they’re refusing to help you, or you bought a product a product and it simply didn’t arrive, know which direction to go in can be impossible. With the help of a highly experienced and respected law firm behind you, this part of the job should get a lot easier, especially for those with no experience with legal issues. The solution you choose could take awhile to work out, but will be worth it in the end.

Spotting Signs Of Trickery

Finally, as the last area to consider, it’s time to think about how trickery might be spotted going into the future. It can be hard to rely on trust when you’re buying products from a big business. You assume that you can expect to get what they tell you they will provide, but they won’t always pull through. One of the easiest ways to solve this issue is through reviews, as most companies which are willing to trick their customers will have done it before.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start working harder on the time you put into fighting your corner when you come up against a big business. This sort of process can quickly become a big challenge, especially when you’re dealing with a very large corporation, and you will have to use everything you can to make a difference.

Improve Your Home's Energy Efficiency Today

How efficient your home is is one of those things we all think about from time to time. It is useful to pay attention to for a number of reasons, some of them personal and some a little wider than that. Clearly, the more energy efficient your home is, the less money you are having to spend on your maintenance and energy bills, and sometimes that means that spending a little upfront can be worthwhile. Similarly, if you home is more energy efficient then you are not making such a great impact on the environment, which is definitely something to be proud of as well. In this post,m we are going to look at some of the really simple and yet highly effective ways in which you can ensure that your home's energy efficiency is going to be increased and improved in no time. All of these simple acts are likely to make a considerable difference.

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Replace The Windows

If your windows are even ten years old, you will find that they are just not holding in heat as well as you would hope. It is always worth having them checked out, and if they are less than perfect, you might want to call out a paint and glass window replacement service to re-fix them for you. You will find that this immediately makes the home warmer, and that you are therefore spending much less on energy bills straight away. You will also be able to essentially feel safer in the home, which is a bonus that everyone can appreciate, as your windows are one of the major safety concerns in any home. Replace The windows and you will generally improve your home in a number of ways, so it is definitely worth your while.

Reduce Water Consumption

If you really care about utilising the energy in your home, you will want to pay attention even to the amount of water you are using. People often think of this merely as an issue of the waste of water itself, but actually it is more than that. When you use water, you are effectively using the energy of the suppliers who bring it into the pipes into your home. Likewise, if you use heated water, that will be using energy in your own home as well, which is going to work against what you are trying to do here. You can easily use less water by being constantly and consistently aware of your usage and cutting down where appropriate. Just make sure that you do so and don’t let it falter, and you will find that you can really make a huge difference here.

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Insulate

If your home is not already well insulated, you will want to think about doing so in order to make sure that you are only using the energy necessary to keep the home warm. It’s very simple - the better the insulation, the less energy you have to use. With that in mind, it’s worth ensuring that you have the best insulation you can afford throughout your home.

Nasty Scams You Want To Watch Out For

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As much as we wish life was flying unicorns, cakes for breakfast, sleeping in cloud-like beds and never shedding a tear, it’s not. There are little niggles, hiccups, bumps and lumps that we need to do battle with more and more, and a prime example of this are scams. It’s something we all have to be wary of and dodge on a day to day basis nowadays, and it totally sucks. But playing ignorant is not going to save you, which is why we want to do a little post on the topic and focus on the kind of consumer scams that we are all susceptible to.

The reason for this is simple: just this morning, we received an email receipt from Uber for a fare that apparently cost is $329.42. That sort of thing has become commonplace, but it still makes us wonder what the angle is, whether our card was used or whether this is the scam itself. It’s frustrating and frightening. 

So, without further ado, here is a list of the most prolific scams out there right now. If knowledge is power, hopefully, your journey through laugh will see these nasty people wasting their time with you and everyone else, as you stand your ground.

1. Jackpotting

Believe it or not,  hackers have found a way to hijack ATMs so that they then spew out cash, and they do it with bad actors disguised as repairmen who then install some sort of malicious software that causes the machine to cough up all its cash. So, if you see a machine that’s clearly haywiring, you can guarantee it’s been hacked. 

2. Secretary of State

Another scam that has been doing the rounds is regarding an email from Rex Tillerson, former Secretary of State, emailing people with regards to an $1.85 million payment that you are owed after being falsely investigated by both the FBI and the CIA. The hope is you’ll believe these fakes are official government officials and hand over your details so that you can claim your compensation. Don’t do it. 

3. Disability Insurance Fraud

We received information from LongTermDisabilityLawyer.com about more and more people receiving long-term disability benefits even though they are unusually healthy. And it’s a worry. These people are claiming they can’t work their desk job, but there are photos of them all over Instagram of them at Disney World last week. Trust us: disability fraud is a very severe and illegal move to make. 

4. Shimmer Scam

Another one that is reportedly on the rise involves thieves "skimming" your ATM card and stealing your details from the magnetic strip (yes, that strip does something). This is where fraudsters use devices called "shimmers", popping them in the card slots at ATMs and then take your card data from the chip, which can then be used to create a clone of your card and rack up charges. It’s dreadful but very real. 

5. Phishing

Email phishing is still a big scam and one that is getting more sophisticated by the minute. Like we aid, we received one from “Uber”, while fraudsters have been pretending to be Apple and Amazon over the years too. The problem is, they look so real these emails. Thankfully, clicking on their email address will display one that’s far from legit. That’s how to test. 

How to Choose the Perfect Theme for Your Room

If you have a room that you want to decorate then it is so important that you choose a theme. If you do not choose a theme then your room may end up looking the opposite to what you want and you may even find that you are just not able to bring certain decorations together either. Luckily, choosing a theme for your room has never been easier or more convenient.

Pick a Theme you are Passionate About

A lot of people confuse their interests with passion. If you start decorating a room with a certain theme then you can’t have a change of heart halfway through. If you do then this will cost you time, money and extra effort. For this reason, you need to stick with the passions that you have because they will last much longer when compared to your interests. Your passion could be to do with anything, but when you do make your decision, make sure that you are happy to be surrounded by it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Buying your Products

 

This may sound daft, but if you pick a theme then make sure that you aren’t limited to one shop when decorating. It’s helpful to be able to buy things from your local market for example, as this can save you a ton of money and even more time. If you have to order everything in online then this will make it even harder for you to finish the job and you may even find that you lose interest halfway through as well so do keep that in mind.

 

Make Sure that the Theme fits with the Space

 

Certain themes or designs will require far more space when compared to others. Some themes are suited to smaller rooms and others are suited to much larger rooms. Don’t try and copy a style blindly and don’t try and force a style to fit in with a room that is just not suitable. This will cause you a ton of problems later on and it will also make it much harder for you to get a good result out of it. If you want to get budget items then consider checking out habitathm.ca/restore/ as this is a great store that can provide you with whatever you need.

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Plan for your Budget

 

Remember that you do not have endless money to spend on your theme, so try and choose something that gives you the chance to decorate your room without going out of your budget. You also have to make sure that your theme does not compromise your comfort or even the utility factor of your room. After all, a room that looks great but isn’t comfortable isn’t really good for anything and you don’t want to be throwing money down the drain either.

 

Of course, there are so many things that you have to take into consideration when choosing your theme and when you are able to make the right decision with it, you know that everything else will fall into place.