How Much Is My Car Worth?

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You find yourself ready for a new vehicle. You've found the car of your dreams. You've done your research thoroughly and your finances are in check. The only thing you have to do next is to find a good price value for your old car.

Before you put up your used car for sale, make sure you take some steps to bring your car up to shape. Thoroughly clean the interior and exterior of your vehicle. Check if there is a need minor repairs like windshield wiper replacements, brake fluid or engine oil change.   

Once your vehicle is picture perfect and mechanically sound, you now have to decide on a selling price. Then that question hits you - "How much is my car worth?"

Did you know that cars.com is the leader in online automotive classifieds where consumers like you are given access to resources and other information needed to make the best buying or selling decision? 

At cars.com, you can take advantage of a used car valuation tool that provides a fair resale value range for your vehicle. Simply fill in the details and click the "get estimate" button. You can now decide if you'd want to sell your vehicle privately, or to a dealer, or trade it in. 

So whether you're selling your car for cash or using it as a downpayment for a new vehicle, make sure you check out cars.com. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out what your car is really worth.

The Benefits of Being Financially Aware

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There are many reasons why you might want to write a financial plan. You might want to get a better grip on your own personal finances, or you might be thinking of starting a new business.Being on top of your finances will reduce stress, make you feel more confident and make you far less likely to unwittingly fall into debt.  With that in mind, here are the benefits of being financially aware.

Understanding Your Finances

The first thing that you are going to want to do is fully understand your finances. How much money is going in and how much is going out. What are you buying and what are you being paid for. A good thing to do is to start by making a list of how much you make and what you spend money on side by side. You don’t need to worry about how much each of these are at this stage, but doing so can save you time in the future. The idea here is to understand both sides of your finances and make sure that nothing is forgotten about. If you are running a business, then you should probably look up what net working capital is defined as, as this will helpful in the future. Understanding what you are spending money on will help you to see which purchases are unnecessary and which aren’t. You will see what is important and what isn’t. Make sure to do this step before jumping ahead.

Forecasting

Forecasting is planning out what you expect to make and what you expect to spend money on. It is often best done on an Excel spreadsheet, but it doesn’t have to be. What you want to do is put all of the spending and income that we mentioned above and work out the difference between them. You will want to do this for each month of the year. There are templates that you can find online that will help you to structure your forecast. Doing this will show you exactly how much money you have left after buying all the things you would normally buy in a month. It is always worth putting money into savings and having a space for this in your forecasting. Doing this will give you peace of mind that you are financially stable and let you plan for larger purchases such as saving money for a holiday or saving for a house. This will let you plan and let you know how much money you will have throughout the year. 

Budget Monitoring

Budget monitoring is like an extension of your forecasting. Instead of planning what you are going to make and spend, you are putting your actual income and purchases down on paper when they happen. If you make a food shop, then you mark that in the cost collum. If you do some extra work and get paid some more this month, then log that income. This way, you will be able to spot in advance if you are likely to go over budget for a month before it actually happens. If you follow all of these tips, then you can avoid debt and live a happier life.

Getting Rid Of Bad Smells In Your Home Is Easier Than You Think!

Do you often walk around your house or enter a particular room and get a face full of a bad smell? It happens to me from time to time, I smell things that just aren’t pleasant at all, and it ruins the overall way your home feels. 

No one wants to have a smelly home, but it’s hard to avoid certain scents from time to time. Places like the kitchen and bathroom are prone to smells that can stink up your house. Luckily, while you may be unable to prevent the smells, you can certainly cover them up effectively. 

Here are my top tips for getting rid of these smells and making your house smell a lot better: 

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Light Candles

Candles are one of my favorite ways to get rid of bad smells. This is because they’re very effective at covering up scents and filling a room with the smell of the candle. The fact they burn for a long time is a bonus too, so you can have hours of fragrance when the candle is lit. Plus, you kind of get the smell of the flame when it’s first lit too. There’s a slight smokiness that helps negate any other smells in the room and makes way for the lovely candle. 

Use An Aroma Diffuser

Some people like to use air freshener sprays to try and cover up different smells in their home. This may work a little bit, but these sprays are bad for the environment, and you have to manually use them. But, with home fragrance diffusers, you have a good alternative. These things can sit on a shelf or bookcase and automatically diffuse a nice scent into the air. There’s no aerosol cans involved or any harmful things; the fragrance comes from different oils. It’s a safe way to make your home smell nice, and it will provide constant fragrance at all times.  

Put An Odor Blocker In Your Fridge

This tip is specifically for the fridge in your kitchen. This is often the culprit when it comes to bad smells. People leave food in the fridge for days, and it begins to smell bad. Strong cheese smells are commonly found in the fridge, as are things like seasoned meats and curries. Regardless of what’s causing the smell, you can get rid of it with an odor blocker. These are little things you stick in your fridge, and they absorb the smells from all the different food. So, your fridge won’t stink, and your house won’t get any of the bad odors either!

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Leave Your Bathroom Door Open After Washing

One last tip for you; keep the door to your bathroom open after you’ve had a bath or shower. All this does is allow the lovely smell of your shower gel and shampoo to drift throughout your house. It’s a really clever way to fill your home with nice smells before guests come around. 

Say goodbye to all those gross smells that trouble your nostrils from time to time. With these tips, your home will constantly smell nice, and be more appealing as a result. I often find that improving the way your home smells is one of the cheapest, yet most effective, home improvements you can think of. 

How To Survive Being On Your Feet All Day

It’s a tough world out there, and sometimes you have to be tough to survive in it. If you’re a parent, then it’s doubly tough because of how much responsibility you have, and it can feel like you never get a break. If your job requires you to be on your feet all day it can feel like an absolute blessing when you get to come in from a hard day’s work and kick those shoes off. However, as a parent, your day doesn’t finish when you get in from work. You may still have errands to run, kids to pick up, jobs to do round the house. Your weekends are probably even busier than your working week. All this rushing around you do can start to take its toll on your body: Sore feet, aches and pains, lethargy, blisters, all will put a dampener on your day and leave you struggling to make it through the next one. Below are three fool-proof ways to make sure that having a busy lifestyle and being on your feet all day doesn’t leave you drained and dreading the morning anymore.

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Shoes

If you are on your feet all day, you are going to need to invest in quality footwear that is up to the task. You are also going to have to sacrifice some form in favour of function. Those stiletto heels may look great, but after an hour or two you’ll regret picking them out, and by the end of the day, you’ll be wishing you didn’t have feet. Pick something that is smart and stylish, but above all, comfortable. This may mean buying from somewhere that is more expensive than your usual shops, but when you can take your shoes off at the end of the day and feel fine, it’ll be worth the extra money. Invest in a good insole too. Companies like biopods.com offer sturdy insoles that will work with your shoes to provide comfort and support all day long.

Move around

If your job dictates that you are on your feet, but you are usually standing in one spot, like being a cashier or something similar, you need to move around once in a while to get the blood moving. Standing still for long periods of time not only makes your joints feel seized and sore, but it can cause the blood in your body to struggle to get around effectively and could lead to you fainting. Get your legs moving and your heart pumping every now and then to ensure that you don’t become fatigued by standing in one place all day.

Take breaks

Taking a break can be easier said than done sometimes, especially when you have so much to do. However, you can’t expect yourself to get through a whole day or work and activities without a break. Take some time every hour or two to sit down for five minutes just to relax and take the weight off your feet. Just a small break like this can help you to recuperate a little and help make the day all the more manageable.

Hopefully, these tips have helped to arm you in the struggle against tired feet and busy lives. Remember to take it easy on yourself and remember that you’re only human.

Bringing Natural Lushness To Your Home

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Decorating your home is a wonderful thing to do. It helps you express your personality completely in an area that is completely, totally and unequivocally yours. For many people, this is an exciting feeling that allows for some true freedom and utility in how they experience their home. Still, we should never think that we have all of the answers. Some of the best and most gorgeous home decorations that work for you might come through decors you haven’t tried applying just yet.

We’d argue that the most universal of these are the natural implements you house in your home. These furnishings offer a story, are authentic, and trump anything you can buy at a simple home comforts store.

But what implements should you bring into your home? Let us explain:

Amish Quilts

We all know that the Amish are against modern forms of manufacture to a degree. This affords them the integrity of making most of their clothing and fabrics by hand. For this reason, the amish quilts they make are some of the most incredible, soft and durable items you can use as a throw, or a blanket for your bed. These are heavy, mostly made of wool, and are thick yet breathable. Not only that, but they often come with a beautiful array of patterns. This can allow for a gorgeous and expressive piece in your home that you just know has had love poured into its crafting.

Himalayan Salt Lamps

If you’re looking for lighting with a twist, Himalayan salt lamps can provide this to you. These crystallized structures look gorgeous, are completely unique, and offer a warm and inviting spill of light. There is also talk that these can reduce the electrical static in a room, allowing for a much more relaxing presence within. Reading reviews of these products show that some find this immensely useful, while others believe it to be placebo. At any rate, the lamps are gorgeous, one of the most interesting and alternate features you can have in a room. If you’re looking for an excellent focal point, this could just be it.

Reclaimed Wood

Of course, no wood is artificial, but some ways of producing and varnishing furniture can certainly make it seem uniform and boring. If you’re looking for wood with a certain historical significance, then finding reclaimed wood can help you craft furniture of outstanding unique value. For example, using a thick and raw piece of wood to make a coffee table with will allow you to see the rings of age in the central component. Pointing to your companion and expressing that this ring in the coffee table is older than your house, and maybe older than your grandmother can certainly stimulate some interesting discussion.

These forms of furniture offer a rustic appeal, so there’s no argument as to why they are so popular. If you feel your home needs a new piece of furniture, why not make this one of the main staples? You might just craft something no one else has.

With these tips, your home is sure to be a wonderful place of natural furnishing implements.

Has An Injury Turned Your Life Upside Down?

Has an injury turned your life upside down?

The Mess

When it comes to injuries, they can be downright life-changing. It can vary a lot based on the severity of it, but in most cases changes would need to be made in order to get you back on track. It can be hard to see clearly in these times because if the accident was someone else’s fault, you might be left with emotional effects too! There’s a lot that goes into your recovery, and a lot of it relies on you; as you may even be put out of a job. It’s not an easy journey to get back on your feet, but there are plenty of methods you can use to make that path a lot smoother.

Your income

If you’ve been put out of work due to your injury, you might want to look into different methods of making money. Sadly those bills are going to keep coming, and you may receive money from the government, but that doesn’t always cut it. There are many routes you can take when you want to make money outside of your job, and each of them has their own kinds of benefits. Some of them might even be more effort than others, but it all depends on your skill set and capabilities. 

Firstly, you can actually get by on creating media content. There are many content creators out there who produce to an audience and find different forms of payment from them. An example; https://mediashower.com/blog/how-content-creators-can-make-real-money/ digital artists often sell commissions and high prices to fans who like their style and want something of their own to be drawn. It can be quite a good income if you’re getting enough exposure as there are many people out there who can’t do that kind of work themselves; however, not everyone is suited for that kind of work! It can be a difficult talent to pick up, especially if you want to do it professionally, but it can be worth it if it’s something you enjoy doing.

Secondly, there are many jobs you can get online. Like before, this depends on your skillset too, and most of them will involve working with a computer and certain software. An example would be data input, where you essentially spend your time working with numbers and spreadsheets. These kinds of jobs mainly require a lot of writing and experience with their prefered software, so if you’re already a tech savant this might be the ideal role for you! There’s no specific line of work for working online; some will be easier than others; the main struggle would be the availability of jobs out there.

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Online courses

If you’re no longer able to do the job that you used to be working at, then it might turn to plan for something new. There are many online courses out there you can take if you want to start your life in another direction. While it might feel like everything is a mess right now, this could actually be a good opportunity to experiment and try new things. Many people seek these kinds of changes in life, and it’s not always because they’re forced to. Not just that, but online courses are usually quite flexible with times; which makes them a lot less stressful.

Compensation

Not all cases need legal action, but if you've had an accident that wasn’t your fault, it might be time to do something about it for yourself. Many people out there seek compensation for their injuries, and it can be quite a significant amount of money, which might actually be essential to help you put your life back together. You should see https://www.hupy.com/offices/madison-wi-personal-injury-lawyers.cfm if you feel you need professional help. There are many benefits when getting help from a lawyer, and it can save you a lot of time and effort. You get access to many different tools available, and their complete experience with similar cases; which makes you much more likely to build a compelling case.

There’s no good time or reason that you should suffer the consequences of someone else’s mistakes, and you shouldn’t let it go away unsolved. It can be hard enough to recover from your state without the extra money from compensation, and there’s no reason for you to go without it. You may even find yourself in debt from medical bills, which means working from home might not even be enough to keep your finances balanced. You don’t have to let your injury beat you, take the steps you can to get on top of the situation and don’t let your life fall away in the background.

Standing On Your Own Two Feet

When you’re becoming more and more of an independent adult, one of the main things you want to do is get your own place. However, that comes with a lot of considerations! Making sure you’ve taken everything into account may need a bit of double checking and then checking again, so here’s a list to help you out with the things you’ll need to keep in mind. Your would be party lifestyle depends on it!

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Making Sure You Pack Everything

Even if you don’t have all the furniture for your new place yet, that doesn’t mean you have nothing! If you can pack everything you know you own in a few boxes well before you move, you’ve got a good heads start on the seating, sleeping, and dining situation. The rest will follow suit when you get the money to have a shopping spree! 

Try and get the details out of the way first, as the small but essential items need to be taken over to your new place straight away. Your toothbrush and clothing for example, as you’re going to need them as soon as you get going, and you don’t want to be digging in the bottom of your cardboard boxes right before bed when you’re out of energy already!

Know Your Amenities

When you’re out of milk and it’s 2 in the morning, you’re going to need to know where the nearest 24 hour shop is. Waiting until the morning and then going for a look around is the last thing we want to do, so explore the area surrounding your new place before you settle in. 

Is there a supermarket nearby? Can you easily park your car near your house so you can run errands easily back and forth between the two locations? If not, get an action plan together! Only you know your own limits, so don’t trick yourself into thinking the 20 minute walk each way is always going to be fine. 

If the Money Matters Get too Much

There’s a lot you have to pay for when you’re looking to move, and that often puts up a huge barrier and stops us. However, when you can immediately get a ballpark figure over what you’re going to need to afford each month, you can immediately start budgeting. It’d also be a good idea to sock some savings away in larger amounts; the furniture won’t buy itself after all!

If there’s no other option for you when concerning finance, it’s not a bad idea to take out a loan. You can make the money back enough to pay small installments, or your can turn to  https://debtconsolidation.co/debt-relief/. This way everything is pooled together and made a lot more manageable as a result; it’s a great solution if you have nowhere else to go. 

Use this advice. There’s a lot to think about before moving yes, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it when you know you have the means to do so! 

Why Is Your Credit Score Important?

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What is your credit score?

A credit score is a value which is calculated by lenders to judge your credit at a certain point in time. It is used to assess how likely you are to repay any loan you are given, and therefore whether they should take the risk and give you the money. 

There are three different credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and these each calculate the credit score slightly differently, but based on the same financial factors. There are five main factors which come into play when calculating your credit score and how likely you are to be accepted for a loan:

• Payment history: a record of all payments relating to credit which you have paid
• Outstanding debt: any debt you have which hasn’t been paid
• Length of credit: how long you’ve had credit, the longer the better because it shows stability
• New credit: any credit you are pursuing
• Types of credit: the type of credit you have

Can I improve my credit score?

There is always a risk in life that something will happen that makes paying back your credit near impossible, and due to this there may be a few bad records on your credit report. But don't fret: it could be a mistake on your report, which you can get a best credit repair service to help you with, or it could be something that you can change and manage. 

There are a few ways you can save yourself some money and improve your credit score:

• Cut back on your spending
• Pay off any existing debt which may be affecting your credits score
• Closing multiple credit cards
• Start saving and budgeting

Credit counseling

If you are really struggling with paying back your debts and managing your credit score you can always ask for help from a credit counsellor. These are non-profit companies and will provide you with different services depending on your needs. They will work with you and your lenders in order to find the best solution for your issue and the best way forward. Most lenders are willing to do this because they will receive some of their owed money back, so it is a win win for them to be involved and help you solve your issues. 

Monitor Your Credit

Think of your personal record and how that follows you all the way through your life, your credit history is exactly the same. Whether you have a high credit score or a low one, it is crucial that you take the time to monitor your credit situation so that you can either improve on your score or maintain it at a high level. You have the right to request your copy of you credit report for free, so take advantage of this and take a look through it to make sure that it is all in order.

Do you need perfect credit?

No. It is not a common occurrence for people to have a completely perfect credit history and score. Lenders are simply looking for evidence that you have paid off your credit most of the time and that you are likely to back what they lend you within a timely fashion. 

Coping With Your Age Worries

Every year we get older, and considering we’re in the new year now, it’s probably on the forefront of our minds how much time is moving on. You’ve got your resolutions in tow, However, there’s nothing wrong with feeling your way through your worries, although there are ways to work around them! Don’t sweat out already!

It’s been found that a lot of people don’t worry about the situation they may find themselves in later in life until they’re at least 50, but considering the amount of time we have in our lives now, that’s still fairly young! So if you really are worried, no matter what your age is, here’s some some tips for you to think on when it comes to working with the new year. 

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Opportunities Exist Everywhere

Hopefully you’ve been putting savings in an account every time you’ve been handed a paycheck and now you’ve got yourself quite a sizeable fund to fall back on in the case of an emergency. Or maybe you’re using it to save up for a holiday, or maybe you’re looking for investment opportunities to try and make twice the return on your efforts. In all ways, the fact that you’re already in these good habits means you’ve got a lot of skill up your sleeve!

You can still go on holidays with this money in some of your later years, whether that’s backpacking across the Alps or kayaking down the Amazon. Your hobbies will still be there for you to indulge, and we all change with our tastes the more of the world we’re exposed to. So the long and short of it is: you can keep up with everything you want to do as long as you prepare for it now!

There’s Plenty of Care Out There

The idea that our health will fail is a big worry for everyone, but it doesn’t have to be any more than that at the end of the day. Getting in shape and staying in shape isn’t hard when you’ve got a routine down well and you know how far you can push your body. Keep at it and you’ll be doing similar things for years to come!

Even for the much bigger worries over memory, there’s a lot you can look into to make any health concerns go a little smoother. They’re always going to be a rough ride of course, but when the most common fret is over whether or not alzheimers care services will take you in, you can do a lot for yourself to simply know your options in the case of anything life changing occurring. 

It all sounds like a serious matter but it honestly isn’t. Aging is a part of life and we all do it well; let yourself enjoy the new perspective and success you might find as you get older! You’ll become a better person, and staying positive in that way is key to making sure your health ages just as well with you!

Your Car Accident Might Have Done More Damage Than You Think

Cuts and bruises

It’s pretty easy to feel you escaped your car accident with just a few scrapes, but how do you know for sure if everything inside is okay. It can be hard to identify any internal injuries straight away due to the shock of everything, but it’s always recommended to seek medical attention as soon as possible. You may not know about any concussions or brain damages caused by an impact, and the sooner you identify them; the more there is that can be done.

It’s quite common in severe crashes that the victims seek more than just medical attention to help them get past it. If you’ve been inflicted with serious injuries while going about your daily life on the road, you’re not going to be so eager to get back behind the wheel of your car. Even thinking about it is enough to make some people anxious. Seeing a psychologist might be a good idea for you if you feel you’re suffering from similar symptoms. Counselling doesn’t promise a cure, but it can help you to ease the intensity of your feelings. Not everyone will experience these mental effects, but when you do, it’s not always obvious. Without consideration, these kinds of fears can stop us in our everyday lives; many might neglect the option to go out if they feel unsafe; which is a slippery slope to becoming reclusive!

Taking action

While it won’t help with your injuries, taking legal action against those who caused your state can help to cover any costs and inconveniences that they caused. There are specialists out there for anyone, as long as the accident wasn’t your fault, you should be eligible for a claim. Investing in the services of a personal injury attorney is the best option for you if you’re unaware of how to deal with the legal actions yourself. Not only that, but you’re opening up a variety of choices for you that could make the ordeal a lot simpler. Your lawyer may help you come to better and more suitable deals for both parties, meaning that everyone is satisfied with the outcome; therefore offering a solution. 

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While health should be the primary concern, there’s the matter of costs, too. The amount you might have to pay for repair fees, or medical expenses might drag you under in your finances; and if you’re seriously injured, you’re not in a position to work. Car accidents can ruin lives, so it doesn’t hurt to try and make the best of an unfortunate situation, even if it does mean claiming against the other party. Some accidents can be lethal, and may even leave the victim disabled for the rest of their life, that’s something you just can’t give back; no matter how much money is paid. There’s nothing you can do to compensate taking such an important part of their life away, but a claim is at least something that can be used for recovering!