Tag Archives: fyi

Just So You Know!

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Just So You Know!

Hello! Johnny and I got married on June fourth and, as many of you know, we very much wanted to have a Halloween reception. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we just weren’t comfortable with this but are aware that our friends and family wanted to send us gifts. We never bothered making a registry, which we probably should have lol but we are accepting donations to our honeymoon/new microwave fund! If you would like to send us a wedding present, my Venmo handle is: @Sarah-Mushenheim

We so appreciate the well wishes from everyone and wish that we could have celebrated our big day all together. As always, thank you for your unending support and we love you all! -Sarah and Johnny ❤

Easy Ways To Secure Your Home

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Easy Ways To Secure Your Home

If you’re decorating your home or working on some important home maintenance, then you might be thinking about your home security. However, a burglar can strike at any time and if your home isn’t secure, then you could be at risk. To help you get back to the more enjoyable home tasks, here are some easy ways to make your home is more secure:

Secure The Doors:

Don’t let someone just walk in your front door. More burglars than you’d think gain access through the front door. Check that all of your exterior doors have strong door frames, protected hinges, and a mail slot that can’t be used to reach through to unlock the door. If you’re moving into a home that someone else lived in, change the locks. This means that there won’t be strangers out there with keys to your home. You can also make sure that you have the best locks available.

There are some other easy reinforcements you can add:

  • Install a deadbolt
  • Add a strike plate
  • Upgrade to smart locks
  • Buy a video doorbell

Reinforce Sliding Glass Doors:

Sliding doors are loved by burglars, so make sure that yours are properly protected. You could use a window bar or a dowel in the track to prevent the door from being forced open from the outside. For a more high-tech solution, you can add a door sensor or a glass break sensor. These will alert you if someone tampers with the door, and the loud noise could scare off an intruder.

Tend to the Garage Door:

A garage door that isn’t functioning as it should is a huge welcome sign to burglars and provides an open invitation into your home. Finding a team that specializes in garage door repair should be done immediately to get it back in working order and provide peace of mind. If you have to wait for the repair to take place, ensure that any doors leading into the home from the garage are locked at all times until the garage door can get fixed.

Lock Your Windows:

Windows are another entry point for intruders, as they are often left shut but unlocked by homeowners. If you’re considering replacement windows, make sure you take security into account. Manufacturer latches on windows aren’t always effective, and can often be quite flimsy. If you don’t think your window latches are secure, you can add new locks to them or key-operated levers to make them more secure. There are some other upgrades that you can make to:

  • Reinforce the glass with window security film
  • Install window or glass break sensors
  • Add window bars
  • Plant prickly bushes under first-floor windows

Light Up The Landscape:

Intruders don’t want to be caught in a bright light. You can discourage would-be intruders by using plenty of outdoor lighting. Place lots of lights around your front and back yards, along any pathways, and near the garage and other outdoor structures. These lights will make intruders less likely to approach the house, but you’ll also reduce the risk of stumbling yourself when you come home at night.

You can make your outdoor security lights even more effective with a few other tips:

  • Use motion-activated lights
  • Save power with solar-powered lights
  • Use a smart outlet to put outdoor lights on a timer
  • Set up schedules with smart light bulbs

Keeping your home secure and safe doesn’t have to be complicated. Some simple, affordable upgrades can help you to keep things more secure, so you can feel much safer in your home.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

5 Reasons Why Being A Sports Fan Is Great For You

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5 Reasons Why Being A Sports Fan Is Great For You

Many of us have a love of sports and there is something so exciting about following your favorite team as they make their way to the championship. Whether it’s cheering on the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL or Liverpool in the premier league, watching your team achieve greatness is the best thing. In fact, there are many benefits to being a sports fan, and some studies show that being one has positive psychological, emotional, and social benefits like the following:

Sense of Community:

The sense of community is a key component to what makes sports so popular. It’s a way for people who might not have much in common or from different parts of the world to connect. In our society, sports have become a way for different people from various cultures and backgrounds to come together and share in the excitement. The power of cheering and support from other fans in the stadium is amazing. It’s great being part of a big community and sharing sports news through sites similar to https://sportnews.in/.

This sports fan community really is there when you think about it on a smaller scale too. How many times have you worn your favorite Steelers or Cronulla Sharks merchandise and then got engaged in conversation from a stranger? Whether it’s playful banter about whose team is better or which player is looking good this year, your sports merch is inviting a chat with anyone who loves the game. You might make a new friend from something as simple as wearing a team jersey!

Help To Deal With Stress:

Sports have always been a great way to relieve stress. Watching sports helps to relax, distracts you from your problems, and gives you something to talk about with other people. We all know that there is nothing better than watching your favorite team win. Watching your favorite player score a goal or make an awesome play is so inspirational. It’s easy to be transported when watching a big game and having something to focus on and cheer for is a perfect way to shake away stress.

Happiness:

When it comes to the team’s fans, they have their own set of reasons to cheer on the team. Some may have been born into sports fandom like Stephen Troese Jr, some may be cheering for their favorite player, or they could just be cheering for the joy of being in a good mood. One study found that 50% of participants reported feeling more energetic when it comes to baseball games and 41% felt more relaxed after watching the game with happy spectators. Those numbers speak for themselves!

Increased Self Esteem:

Overall, sports fans not only get to reap the social benefits but also the psychological benefits as well. We often feel down on ourselves and forget about our accomplishments. It’s easy to get caught up in the negative aspects of life. But cheering for your favorite team has been found to boost self esteem and make you feel better about yourself.

Make Some Money:

Sports betting has become an increasingly popular hobby and can be quite lucrative. Whether it’s a small wager among friends or using an app or website to bet, it’s important to be smart about it. Do your research of the team and all of its players, look into the buzz on Champions League Predictions or the next big game coming up, and only make a bet with an amount you are comfortable with losing. While this is not for everyone, it can be a bit of fun and might provide some extra pocket change.

If you enjoy sports betting, be sure to keep your finger on the pulse of big changes in your preferred sport so you can make informed decisions. You will want the most current information while also being well versed in the past performances of players and the franchise as a whole. Looking up “football predictions today“, for example, can help you start considering your bets for the night’s big game. The most accurate information is also beneficial as it gives you the opportunity to think about all possible outcomes before laying your money down.

When a sports fan cheers for a team, they are not only boosting their own self esteem but also supporting their hometown or country’s success. It’s a common trend for people to be more connected with the community when they are enjoying a game all together.

Featured Image By: Jimmy Conover on Unsplash

Simple Ways To Cut Down Home Ownership Expenses

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Simple Ways To Cut Down Home Ownership Expenses

Owning a home is a significant investment move. But, unfortunately, the costs involved do not end after your final payment. Whether you paid fully for your home or working with a mortgage, you will still face various home ownership expenses. Some of these are pretty much predictable, while others can take you by surprise. And unless you already have some financial cushioning, these expenses can be a source of stress. So, are you drowning under these waves of home ownership expenses? Use these tips to cut down on how much you spend:

Switch utility and insurance providers:

Suppose you’ve used the same home insurance company, utility provider, or electric company for over a year. In that case, it’s time to shop the market for alternatives, as you may be overpaying at this point. You will be pleasantly surprised by how much utility providers and home insurance providers vary in their price range. Take the time to check out other providers like Coverage Cornerstone (or a similar company in your local area) and compare their prices and other special offers they may have, and settle for the ones that give you the best deal in terms of service and price.

Try refinancing your mortgage loan:

If you have a mortgage on your property and it’s eating chunks off your income, then you might want to consider refinancing. Thankfully, getting a refinance mortgage quote is easy, as you can do it online. According to some experts, the average interest rate on a fixed-rate loan for 30 years is 3.14%. So, if your current rate is even a fraction higher than that, opting for a mortgage refinancing could help save you hundreds of dollars every month.

You can also speak with a mortgage broker to determine what rate you can qualify for if you refinance or get a refinance mortgage quote online. However, you need to note that refinancing may come with some fees. So, be sure that you intend to own your home long enough to recoup the expenses saved.

Generate income from your home:

An effective way to reduce your expenses is to generate income from your property. Depending on where you are, the size of your home, or your special interests, various options are available to you. One option is to rent out rooms in your home. You can also rent out spaces in your yard for small home dwellers looking for land space for their tiny homes. Another option is to register for short stay hospitality services like Airbnb or rent out storage space in your garage.

Find out if you can reduce your property taxes:

There is always a chance that your property tax is not being assessed correctly. And that’s not all, as you can also enjoy tax breaks for various reasons. Property tax is probably one of your most significant expenses as a homeowner, so it pays to find if there are tax breaks for you or if you’re overpaying.

^^^ Pexels Image

Saving money where you can when it comes to your home will save you lots of stress in the long run. These extra savings will sure come in handy for home ownership surprise expenses that can’t be avoided!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Customers Refusing To Pay? Try This

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Customers Refusing To Pay? Try This

Nothing is more disconcerting than a customer who refuses to pay for quality services rendered. You’ve worked hard, but you’re not getting the reward. It can be heartbreaking. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to ensure that you get the money you’re owed, no matter what your industry. Check out our ideas below:

Stop Working:

If a client refuses to pay you according to the schedule you initially set out, stop working immediately. Don’t continue toiling in the hope that you will eventually get paid. The reason you should stop working is because it helps you set clear boundaries. Clients who believe that you are a pushover may continue to ask you to work, even in the absence of any pay.

Leaving a project unfinished puts the client in a tricky position. They could try to find a workaround, but usually that’s not possible. It improves your bargaining position and makes it clear that their actions are unacceptable.

Charge Late Fees:

You can also try charging late fees. Late fees encourage clients to get their act together and to pay payments on time, instead of waiting for fines to accrue.

Work With An Industry-Specific Collection Service:

You can back up your efforts by working with a company that specializes in recovering payments. Many CBD firms, for example, use a cannabis collection agency since they understand how the industry works. Collection agencies reduce the hassle of collecting payments yourself. You don’t have to personally call clients and demand money (which can be emotionally draining). Instead, experts do it all for you.

Use Factoring:

You can also use a factoring model. Here, third-party companies buy your accounts receivable off of you and then pursue money collection themselves. Prices for this can be quite high. Usually, you’ll receive around seventy percent of the value of the invoice. However, at least it provides you with cash immediately, instead of having to wait for months, meaning that it is great for cash flow.

Make Contracts:

Making contracts in advance helps you to avoid late payment problems. By spelling out precisely what each party can expect, you have legal recourse should your customers fail to pay you at a later date.

Ask Why:

If customers won’t pay you, find out why by asking them. They could provide all manner of reasons – and you won’t necessarily know what they are in advance. In some cases, they might cite their own poor cash flow, in which case, debt collection might be the only option. In others, they might tell you that they’re not happy with the quality of the service. If there is a problem, try to find out specifically what it is so that you can correct it. Often, once you solve customers’ problems, they are more than willing to pay you.

Non-paying customers can be stressful. But, fortunately, you have many options. You can explore the issue more, find out what’s gone wrong, create incentives to pay on time, and even hire legal help.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

4 Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before Surgery   

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4 Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before Surgery   

Do you know what questions to ask your doctor before surgery? When you are deciding if an operation is the best fit for your medical needs, it is important to have all of your questions answered. There are many different factors that will determine if surgery is right for you or not. Here are some questions that should be asked before any decision is made on surgical treatment options.

What type of surgery will I need?

Getting your doctor to answer this question is often the first step in determining if a surgical procedure is right for you. There are three types of surgeries that can be done depending on your medical needs:

Major Surgery:

This includes any invasive process where an incision has to be made into the body and tissues, muscle or fat has to be removed, and some bone has to be cut or modified.

Minor Surgery:

These include operations which do not require major surgery but do require an incision and/or removal of tissues, muscle, or fat.

Reconstructive Surgery:

This type of surgery is performed to correct a problem that has occurred as the result of another condition such as disease.

It is important for you to know about the type of surgery you need since doctors can misdiagnose you. If this happens, don’t hesitate to get help from medical malpractice attorneys so you can be compensated.

What are the potential benefits/risks of surgery?

Ask your doctor about the potential benefits of surgery as different surgeries will offer different benefits based on your needs. For example, if you have a herniated disc in your back that has caused pain for several years, there may be some relief after having an invasive surgical procedure to remove part or all of the damaged section.

Whether it be a major or minor surgery, there are always going to be risks involved. Surgeons are human and mistakes can happen or you might react poorly to the procedure. For peace of mind should something go wrong, you might want to look into lawyers for surgical error claims beforehand. The last thing you want is to scramble to find a trustworthy lawyer after the fact.

Will I be able to go home after surgery? 

Whenever someone has surgery, there is a chance that they can go home from the hospital on the same day as their operation or within 24 hours of being admitted for treatment. However, some patients are required to stay in the hospital for up to five days after surgery. You should know ahead of time what your recovery plan will be so that you can prepare yourself and ensure that proper arrangements are made if necessary.

Will I need a follow-up appointment?

If you have been advised by your doctor to get any kind of surgery, it is important for them to outline a plan for your recovery. This will involve a list of instructions to follow during the first few days after surgery and it is very important that you adhere to these so they can be sure that all goes well with the healing process.

A follow-up appointment should also be scheduled shortly after being discharged from hospital care in order to collect test results, check your recovery, and answer any questions you may have.

If you need to get surgery, the best thing you can do is ask a lot of questions. Make sure you know everything that will be happening to your body before you consent to any procedure. Being informed is the only way to get peace of mind before you have an operation.

Featured Image By: Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

Top Tips For Looking After Your Teeth

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Top Tips For Looking After Your Teeth

The ABCs of oral health is brushing, flossing, and rinsing, but they’re not the only measures to take. In order to achieve a sparkling smile, you should go beyond squeezing toothpaste out of the tube – you should get started with the tips below:

Visit The Dentist:

The reason you don’t see the dentist often is likely to be a dental phobia, financial constraints, or just plain neglect. Visit your dentist regularly (the ADA recommends twice a year), and you’ll detect problems like decay, gum disease, trauma, or cancer earlier when they are more manageable, not to mention easier and less expensive to deal with.

Recognize The Age:

Most parents tend to overlook the oral health needs of their toddlers and elderly relatives, but they require regular dental visits just as much as the rest of us. Before they’re coordinated enough to tie their own shoes, children should be seen by a dentist by the age of one. The elderly have their own oral health issues too. As people age, their saliva production decreases, resulting in more tooth decay and discomfort for people wearing dentures. Arthritis and dental decay can make brushing and flossing difficult.

Drink Less Soda:

Having an extra fizzy drink is fun, but it is also partly responsible for the bad effects soda has on our teeth. Carbonated soda contains phosphoric acid and citric acid, both of which act to erode the surface of your teeth. Even though one can or more of soda a day won’t harm your teeth, drinking more than one of them makes them more susceptible to cavities. You can add flavor to water by slicing citrus, crushing berries. or adding mint leaves.

Mind The Sugar:

Tooth decay is caused, in large, by sugar consumption. Plaque forms in your mouth and consumes your tooth enamel and gums as it fuels bacteria. When you indulge in sweetened coffee in the morning or ice cream at night, your pearly whites are bombarded with twenty minutes of acid production. Try cutting down on sugary treats and brushing and flossing every time you eat or snack to avoid being one of the twenty percent of Americans who suffer from tooth decay.

Use The Right Toothbrush:

It is best to use a brush with soft bristles. A brush this size should last for two to three months with proper care. Whenever you notice bent bristles, it’s time to replace it – but don’t wait too long. It is possible to damage the teeth and gums even if a straight bristle tip does not become rounded.

Practice Proper Technique:

While most people know that they should brush their teeth at least twice a day, a lot of people don’t bother thinking about how they should do it. Make gentle, short, circular motions with the toothbrush at a forty-five degree angle pointed toward the gum line. Be sure not to over brush each tooth. Over brushing damages teeth and erodes the gum line. If you are practicing proper brushing technique and are still noticing discoloration, you might want to consider a website like Teeth Whitening Direct which can ship whitening strips and kits straight to your door. Incorporate them into your oral hygiene routine to fast track the whitening process for a brighter smile.

Good Flossing:

A healthy mouth and teeth are nurtured by flossing. It can cause friction and damage your gum line when you don’t floss properly, just like brushing. Keep about two inches between your fingers as you wrap floss around your index fingers. You can use an automatic flossing device to break up plaque and keep your gums healthy. If not, make sure that you unroll fresh floss for each tooth while keeping it tight against the tooth.

This guide should help you to look after your teeth and keep them healthy for bright, radiant smiles all of the time! 🙂

Featured Image By: George Becker from Pexels

Roof Upgrades Your Home Could Need   

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Roof Upgrades Your Home Could Need   

When was the last time you checked out the roof on your home? Most people don’t look too closely, preferring to call in a roofer from time to time to check it out for them. The roof on your home may be an afterthought, but if you live in an area where your roof could be affected by harsh weather, you should be checking it frequently. The roof is somewhere you should be paying attention to so that you can ensure that you are spending the right money on it when you have to.

Your roof could need the best elastomeric roof coating, extra tiles or shingles. The roof could even have a hole in it and you wouldn’t know. If you are in need of assistance with your roof, type in a search for “roof replacement huntington wv” (or your local area) to find an expert who can help. Here are some other upgrades that your roof might need:

Add a chimney cap:

If you don’t already have one, an airtight chimney cap could be the best upgrade that you can add to your roof. These are there to save energy and keep your roof looking tidy. If you don’t use your fireplace, you’re going to find that the warm air in the house is going to leak right out of the chimney cap! Make sure that you talk to a company in your local area about installing an airtight chimney cap and get them to do it ASAP. You want to make sure that you don’t have animals finding their way into your home. For other chimney maintenance or repairs, the team at roofers luton, or a similar company elsewhere, can ensure your chimney remains in good condition and functions properly.

Add eave flashing:

You may have experienced harsh winters, but if you have ever experienced an ice dam, the best thing that you can do is to invest a little more and install eave flashing. This won’t take long, but it’ll form a watertight seal around the eaves so that you can stop your roof from being vulnerable.

Work on ventilation:

Your attic may be something you are planning to upgrade one day but you won’t want to spend time up there if it becomes like a furnace in the summertime. While the heat outside is lovely, your home is not designed to feel as hot as the sun! You should have adequate ventilation in the roof and you should consider installing some sort of ventilation, whether that’s in the form of a new skylight or a new vent in the side of the roof. Skylights are not only great for additional ventilation but are also aesthetically pleasing. You can check out this guide on frameless vs framed skylights so you can select the right style for your needs and personal taste.

A new skylight can transform your home from the outside in and has a variety of different styles to explore. You could go for your classic rectangular shape or think outside the box with roof lanterns that are incredibly chic and trendy. If you need inspiration for a skylight shape to elevate your home, take the time to browse a site like Addlite (or a similar company in your local area). Just remember to really think about where it will be located in your home. For example, a skylight in a bedroom or a chill space like the living room might provide too much light for the rooms that you want to relax in.

Get your gutters upgraded:

You need to have gutters that will have enough space for water to flow down. Gutters get blocked from time to time, but if they are wide enough, this shouldn’t be an issue. Get your gutters upgraded and make sure that you have ones that allow rainwater to travel down them!

Your roof is very important – make sure that you get your roof upgraded as often as it needs!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Adults Can Rock Braces Too   

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Adults Can Rock Braces Too   

If there is one thing that we’re noticing more and more of, it is adults getting braces. After all, is there anything more attractive and confidence boosting than a beautiful smile? If you are self-conscious because you have crooked teeth, it is never too late to put it right. A lot of people assume braces are only for children, but this could not be further from the truth. Read on to discover how orthodontists can help you to achieve the perfect smile with adult braces:

Why have adult braces become so popular?

With every generation that passes, our teeth are staying stronger. However, just like the rest of your body, the challenges of aging can take over. We tend to assume that our teeth only really move when we are kids and we are still growing, but that’s not the case. Our teeth can shift naturally or because of the medication that we have taken. Therefore, more and more adults are turning towards braces to help them with this. We are also noticing more adults wearing braces for purely cosmetic reasons. It seems that we are now more concerned with our smiles than we have been. We want to feel amazing and look amazing too.

There are, of course, adults who are getting braces today simply because they didn’t get them when they were a child. Such issues that can be corrected include the likes of a jaw joint disorder, incorrect jaw position, cross-bites, under-bites, overbites, crowded teeth, and crooked teeth. If these problems are not treated, they can cause issues with chewing and speaking, earaches, headaches, TMJ, gum disease, and tooth decay. Even if you are an adult, it is still better to get braces now rather than never getting them at all!

How long will you need to wear braces for?

Everyone is different so the best thing to do is book an appointment with an experienced orthodontist who offers a range of dental services and will be able to advise on this. Nevertheless, most people do tend to wear braces for around eighteen months. Generally, the time spent wearing braces is a lot shorter than it used to be. The installation process is quicker too, usually taking between an hour or two. It is advisable to visit your dentist on a regular basis so that the braces can be adjusted as needed, ensuring that your teeth are being gently pushed in the right direction.

So there you have it: an insight into adult braces and how they can be beneficial today for a straighter smile and healthier teeth.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Kicking Off A Keto Lifestyle   

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Kicking Off A Keto Lifestyle   

If you’re looking to start a keto diet, then you had better be prepared to commit to it. It can take some time for the effects to start showing but, once they do, you will be surprised at how much you might lose. However, before you jump into it head first, it’s best to plan your approach and make sure that you’re not inadvertently setting yourself up for a harder journey than you should. Here are some tips on how to start:

What is a keto diet?

Keto diets are all about keeping your food intake low in carbs, high in fat, and with good protein content to better control your blood sugar levels. This is to encourage the body to switch from burning glucose to burning fat as fuel. When your body starts to rely on burning fat for fuel primarily, you can reach weight loss goals more easily.

Get tracking:

One of the better things about keto diets is that you don’t need to necessarily track calories. You can if you want, but what you want, instead, is to focus on your macros. These are the nutrients themselves that are in the food you eat, with carbs, protein, sugar, and fat being those that are tracked primarily. There are keto macro trackers that can help you track those macros and see what foods might push you over the balance you’re aiming to maintain.

Find keto recipes:

As mentioned, a keto diet will involve you eating fewer carbs, eating more fats, and maintaining a moderate amount of proteins. It’s not like a carnivore diet, in that vegetables and certain grain based foods are still allowed. However, you want to find low carb varieties of foods, like this recipe for keto pancakes available here. There are plenty of keto recipe sites on the net. You should do some scouring, find enough to get you through a week’s worth of meals, and experiment to see what you like.

Learn to love keto snacks:

When it comes to snacks, we tend to reach for the high sugar or high carb things first and foremost. Clearly, this isn’t possible on a keto diet. But that doesn’t mean you have to cut out snacking entirely. While it’s always smart to keep it to a managed level, being unable to indulge cravings at all makes it a lot easier to quit out on a diet early, so you can look at these low-carb snacks featured here for some ideas of what you can have instead.

Keep up with water:

When you’re in a state of ketosis, burning through fat for fuel, you will find that you excrete fluids a lot more. You will sweat more during exercise and are also more likely to go to the bathroom more often. As such, you can easily find yourself dehydrated and feeling awful if you aren’t also increasing your water intake.

With the tips above, starting a keto diet can be a lot easier. It’s not “easy”, but it can definitely be more manageable.

Featured Image By: Pixabay