Monthly Archives: November 2018

Want To Speed Up Your Savings?

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Saving up for things can take a long time – but what if you don’t have that time? Most people resort to loans in these instance, but this doesn’t always have to be the solution. Here are a few tricks that could help you to save up money faster and meet your savings goals.

Choose the right account

Putting your money in a high interest savings account will allow you to accumulate funds more quickly without contributing more money. There are some savers out there that offer as much as 5% interest. Believe it or not, there are even checking accounts that collect interest and pay rewards allowing you to earn more money in your main account – you can check out this site for the best banks for checking accounts. Online banks tend to be able to offer more interest as they have less overheads than brick and mortar banks. Online investment vehicles are good, too. Alternatively, you might even want to consider investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) – in case you were not already aware, ETFs are similar to mutual funds but can be traded like stocks – accordingly you can learn more about ETFs including welche Cannabis ETFs kaufen (which Cannabis ETFs are worth buying) by taking a look at some of the reviews on the ETF Sparplan website.

Make temporary cutbacks

By cutting your expenses, you’ll have more money to throw at your savings. These cutbacks only have to be temporary until you meet your savings goal – the bigger the cutback, the quicker you’ll save money. Some people go to the extreme of downsizing their property or doing without a car for a few months. Other less extreme options could include budgeting your food shop, eating out less often, watching your energy usage and cutting back on unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking.

Sell your clutter

Everyone has unused possessions in their home that could be sold for cash. The money gained from selling these items could go towards your savings. Consider old clothing, old books and reminders of past interests that you’re no longer into. You may be able to find a local second-hand store to sell these items or you could consider selling them online where you may be able to make more money.

Throw surprise earnings at your savings

Occasionally, we all earn money that we weren’t expecting. This could be money in a birthday card, a tax rebate, prize money for a competition or even money you just so happened to find on the floor. Rather than spending this money, invest this money into your savings so that you can reach your savings goal sooner – it’s money that you never planned to have, so you won’t miss it by putting it into your savings.

Collect spare change in a jar

You can also save up money outside of a bank account – you could use a piggy bank or a jar for collecting any spare change in your wallet. Some people manage to save up for vacations and Christmas presents simply by saving up coins and dollar notes. Make sure that the jar is sealed so that it can’t be dipped into unless you physically smash it open.  

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Taking Responsibility for Poor Decision Making on the Roads

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We all make mistakes from time to time. But making a small mistake on the roads can have drastic and even fatal consequences. So, it’s extremely important that you take responsibility for yourself and for others’ well being by always making the right decision before getting behind the wheel and by taking constant steps to improve upon yourself as a driver. Here are a few areas to focus on.

Poor Driving

There are various things that people can do which renders them a poor driver. Maybe you have been away from the wheel for a while. You might take to the road without glasses when you need a slight prescription. You may decide to drive when you are tired or have a weakened immune system. Each of these decisions can have potentially drastic negative effects for you and other road users. But there are steps that you can take to improve your driving. If you feel a little rusty, consider a few accompanied drives with a driving instructor. Always leave a pair of glasses in your car and never take to the wheel without them. Have a rest before long journeys. Take public transport if you feel unwell.

Driving Under the Influence

Driving under the influence is illegal for good reason. Drink and drugs are substances which significantly inhibit your behaviour and your decision-making abilities. By driving while under the influence you put yourselves and others at risk. If you are charged with DUI, you will need to seek legal help. A representative will survey your case and determine what is the best course of action for you to follow. If you face prison time, community service, or fines, you need to comply with these. Once time has been served or you have paid your fine, you can put the incident in the past and learn from it. You should also sincerely consider undertaking some sort of therapy or counseling that will help to prevent you from making this poor decision in the future.

Ignoring Issues With Your Vehicle

Many of us ignore seemingly minor issues with our vehicle. We will turn a blind eye to warning lights on our dash and convince ourselves that we will rectify problems later. But you need to tackle issues with your vehicle head on. Book in with a garage as soon as you notice a problem. Driving a vehicle that has problems can prove extremely dangerous, so you need to take on the responsibility of having it repaired as soon as possible!

These are just a few areas to focus on for now. What’s most important is that you always take responsibility for your own actions when taking to the roads!

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Could Your Side Hustle Be Serious?

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When you hear the word side-hustle, it doesn’t always sound that serious. It can sound like something you do when you want to try and kill your boredom, or as a budding entrepreneur. But it really doesn’t have to be boxed into either category. It can simply be defined as a passion that you’re pursuing. Or something that you’re working on to make extra money. Or, even, a career path that you’re building in your own time, with a hope that you’re going to be able to take things full-time in the future. And if you know that you have a huge passion for something that you’re doing in life, this could be exactly what you need right now. And yes, it could totally be serious. Here’s how.

Committing The Time

First of all, you need to make sure that you’re actually committing the time. Because if you’re not able to allocate any time in your day for your side hustle, it’s never going to get serious. And this is mainly because it may not even grow at all. So first of all, if you are committing the time to make this grow, then yes, things are definitely getting serious.

Getting A Return

And if you know that you’re starting to make money from this, it’s always a good sign. Sure, that return does then often mean that you’re going to put it back into the business. Because you may need to get more accurate manufacturing cost estimating and quoting or manufacture yourself, more staff, or just buy more stock. But the sign of making that money in the first place shows that this is getting serious.

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Building A Customer Base

When your customer base is starting to grow, and your customers love what you do, then you can also say that this is really starting to get serious. So you may be at the stage where you want to start allocating more time, effort, and attention to actually making something of this.

Getting Notoriety

From here, you may find that you’re starting to get traction with what you’re doing. Customers are loving what you’re doing, you’re making it into the media, and you’re really starting to take off. The more that your name and the businesses name is mentioned, the better. Because when you start to get noticed, it often means that your sales and media are going to skyrocket. So yes, this can be incredibly serious.

Being Able To Do It Full Time

And then, you may find that you’re at the stage where you realize that, yes, you can absolutely look to take this full-time. But it can be a tough climb until that point. Because you’re going to be working super hard in any free time that you have, and you’re going to be working hard at work. And something has to give. But when you’re making money and business is going well, you’ll be at the tipping point where you can walk away from your day job and do this full-time.

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3 Mishaps To Avoid For A Happy Healthy Holiday

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As we stifle a turkey and stuffing flavored burp and hit the treadmill to make up for our over-indulgence this Thanksgiving, and nurse the bumps and bruises we’ve picked up in the unfettered and lamentably violent rugby scrum that is the Black Friday sales, it’s only natural for our thoughts to turn to Christmas. While the festive time is the most wonderful time of the year for many, it still has its seasonal woes and a unique set of risks that we must all sidestep in order to be as happy and healthy as possible over the holidays. As any boy scout knows, the trick to a happy and uneventful holiday season is to be prepared. As such, here we’ll look at some commonly encountered seasonal mishaps and the measures you can put in place to avoid them…

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Don’t see in the new year with a DUI

Christmas is a time traditionally associated with festive indulgence. While for many of us this means throwing the diet books out of the window for a few weeks and enjoying the food that they love as often as they like, unfortunately many of us will be drinking too much this season. It goes without saying that a festive attitude to alcohol and driving home do not mix. Although the kind of criminal defense detailed in the Alpert Schreyer website can protect you from harsh sentencing, these experienced attorneys will be the first to agree that prevention is the best cure. Be sure to abstain if you know that you will be driving or participate in a designated driver scheme with your friends and colleagues.  

Over indulgence needn’t be unhealthy at Christmas

We have gotten into the habit of expecting a little weight gain over the holiday season. While we should absolutely enjoy the food we eat over Christmas this is not to say that we must resign ourselves to an unhealthy Christmas dinner. There are many ways in which we can cut the caloric cost of the food we love without compromising on flavor.

The traditional fare of a stuffed turkey and mountains of veggies is pretty healthy, while non-meat eaters can find a plethora of healthy vegan Christmas recipes. When we limit our intake of saturated fats, sugar and other refined carbohydrates as well as moderating our alcohol intake, we needn’t feel the guilt for our festive binge all the way through March!

Unsafe driving

Most of us will likely be spending a great deal of time on the road over the holidays and so we must ensure that both we and our vehicles are fit for purpose on the road. Take your vehicle into your local shop for a winter inspection and possibly some new winter tires. Make sure that you plan rest breaks when travelling; 15 minutes for every 2 hours at the wheel is recommended. Drink plenty of water to ensure that you’re alert and responsive and try to eschew coffee as it can cause your energy levels to spike and dip erratically throughout your journey.

Be smart and stay safe this holiday season, dear reader!

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The Road Trip Of A Lifetime

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Do you ever just get that urge to jump in your car with a couple of things for the day, and just drive anywhere? No? Well, we get why. Sometimes driving is just a nightmare, but that’s usually because you associate driving with going to the worst places, such as work, or sitting in traffic to go and pick the kids up. The nightmare of driving just seems to grow and grow as the years pass. But, what happens if you inject a little fun in your reasoning to go for a drive? Well, you just can’t wait to hop in the car and go and do something. We think road trips are the best thing to do when you’re looking to fill the day with random fun. Because you don’t just need to head to somewhere where you know. You could literally just go on a few twists and turns, and before you know it you could end up somewhere completely magical. So, if you need some more convincing, here’s how we think you can have a road trip of a lifetime.

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Go With The Best People

There’s no point you going on a road trip and being bored out of your brains. You have to make sure you’re going with the right people if you want the right amount of fun. In our eyes, your friends are going to be the best people you can go with. They’ll allow you to let your hair down, create endless fun for the day, and you simply just might not do crazy things like this anymore. Sometimes it’s easy as friends to just meet up every so often to do the same thing, which is usually going to the pub. If you do something a little different like this, it truly will be the road trip of a lifetime, just because of the people you’re doing it with.

Never Let It Be A Fail

When you think of a road trip, you probably imagine songs blasting, laughs flowing, and the odd chime in of a satnav. Wrong. Sometimes you could have this big idea planned out in your head, but everything can go wrong. One thing we’ve noticed that happens a lot when you pile people in to a car, is that the car gets ruined. You should try and get things like all-weather floor mats, seat covers, and definitely have a no sloppy food rules. As soon as people start eating something that has a ton of sauce in it, it just seems to fly all over the car. Only dry foods, and keep drinking drinks without a top on to a minimum. You also need to make sure the car is ready for the road trip. Ensure the tire pressure is right, and there’s enough oil and coolant.

Have A Sense Of Adventure

Finally, you really do need to have a sense of adventure if you’re going to enjoy a road trip. You’ve got to not mind sitting in a car for a couple of hours, and going where the wind takes you. Or, in this case, the sat nav. If you hate going out to places you don’t know, then this definitely is not the idea for you.

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Investing In Our Passions, And Getting Them To Make An Investment For Us

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We live in an age where we can feel our creativity get stifled. We may be in a job that demands we devote all of our time, efforts and energy to the cause. And every hour that ticks by, you’re excited about the end of the day, where you can rip that lanyard off and do what you want to do. But should we make more of a concerted effort to follow our true passions if we feel like this?

Does A Side Hustle Cure All?

You might have heard this term floating around numerous blogs, and for many people, setting up a small business on the side of what they do Monday to Friday from 9 to 5 can provide that extra income, but also that additional meaning. A side hustle is something that works on numerous levels, it gives you the opportunity to focus your creativity into something that you care about, but it also provides that positive reinforcement that you’re doing something worthwhile. This is something that so many of us need, especially when we’re feeling weighed down by The Grind. And while, for many people, it’s simply the idea of working from home put into practice, if you find something that gives you meaning, it can impact every other area of your life. You will feel that your job isn’t so bad, because there is an escape, an outlet.

Nurturing These Passions Into Something Tangible

Creating a side hustle doesn’t have to be about earning money, but it’s an extension of following your passions, and if you chase the passions, instead of the money, you will feel rich despite what your bank balance says! You may find that it’s an incredibly successful endeavor, and so you will see you that the amount of work you put into this increase, while the full-time job you’re doing during the week slowly begins to decrease. And before you know it, you’ve set up your own business! It’s something that you created with your own two hands.

Making Your Passion Pay

This is the hardest piece of the puzzle. Once you’ve got to the point where you are relying on this thing that started as a way for you to communicate your passions, it’s now essential that you work at making this viable. Technology is the key component, especially when you have got to the point that you need to branch out and actually hire people. Hunting for the best VPS (virtual private server), anti-virus software, and various items of technology have become part of the essential processes to ensure that your passion is financially viable. And from there, you see this exercise in creativity expand into such a behemoth that you can’t quite believe how much things have changed.

We have to invest in our true passions, and when we are struggling with the 9 to 5 daily grind, the creativity we put into something like a side hustle or a part-time project can ignite a spark in us we didn’t know was there. Our true passions in life can get quashed, and the necessity to earn money becomes the priority, but if we don’t invest in our true passions, how will we know if it makes an investment for us?

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Discovering Your Happiness In Life: Making “The Friend Cull”

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We change. This is a given in life, we develop new goals, new approaches to our existence, but we don’t always envelop our new personality with open arms. There are so many things we hang on to, friends being one of them. And when we look at our group of friends, has it got to the point where it’s time to bid goodbye to some of them? This can be incredibly intimidating, but for so many out there, making the cull is an essential procedure. Why should we do this, and how can we do this?

The Threat Of Toxic Friendships

There’s no need to overcomplicate things, when we are in some sort of toxic relationship it negatively impacts us. That is the bottom line. But we still procrastinate, and do our best for the other person, even if they drain our resources. You could find that they talk about their problems, with no thought for yours, or you could find yourself in a social circle, with the same people, talking about the same old things, again and again, every Friday and Saturday night. Sometimes we feel we can’t escape these because we’ve known them for so long, or we’re caught in certain behaviors. Social activities, like drinking, becomes the distraction that masks our true feelings of these people. And if you get caught in a pattern, it’s very difficult to escape from. Toxic environments result in you feeling inadequate. If you feel like this, it’s time to make a break for it.

Implementing The Cull

Sometimes it’s not about being harsh and cutting someone out of your life, you could find that you’ve hit the point in your existence that you want to try new things and change your lifestyle habits. For many, discovering how to stop drinking by changing your goals to encompass exercise and a clearer mindset could be all it takes for you to realize that the people you’ve been swanning around with aren’t good for you anymore. When you have discovered that these people are bad for you, it can be stressful to implement the cull. Why? Because what if you’ve got no other friends? It’s a very natural concern, but when you weigh up the balance, what would you rather be? Alone and happy, or acquainted and miserable? When it’s someone you’ve known for a long time, it can be difficult to explicitly say that “I’m done”. And if you feel unsure if you’re about to do the right thing, all you have to do is arrange to meet up. This one meeting will likely be more than enough for you to confirm in your mind what you need to do.

If there’s one person in your life that is bad for you, it can take some time to see this. After all, we all share mutual passions and adventures in life, but after a while, these are all we have to talk about with them. And when you’ve moved on and you don’t want to hit the clubs, or talk about the same thing that happened a decade ago, making the call to cull will be the best thing that ever happened to you.

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Doctors: What Makes You The Go-To Expert?

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In most professional environments, becoming an expert doesn’t happen overnight. While on the one hand, you’re expected to build your portfolio and gather relevant experience on the workplace, it’s not enough to establish yourself as an expert. Becoming the best reference in your community requires additional training. In the business world, additional training is synonymous with dedicated degree or master courses, or any other kind of certification. For instance, in the digital marketing world, you need to pass Google Analytics and AdWords certifications, if you want to be taken seriously in your niche. To become a better leader within your company, you can register to a management school to learn some of the best tips.

But not all professions have the opportunity to boost their reputation through additional studies. Doctors, for instance, tend to change career when they pass a new degree, meaning that they constantly change niche. That’s precisely why this article is entirely dedicated to the medical body. What happens when you want to spread your expertise without changing function?

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You work closely with a mentor

The idea of getting a mentor is typically associated with landing your dream promotion. But, in essence, a mentor is someone you can trust with their experience. In the medical world, you don’t need to turn to the clinic manager to find support. An experienced doctor who has been in the field for several years can provide the sounding board you need to improve your medical opinion and know-how. Additionally, it’s a person who can actively introduce you to new network communities, making sure that your name and function are known to others. If you’re working in a small clinical capacity, you’ll find that a senior doctor looking to retire can also benefit from mentoring you, as they can ensure continuity for their patients.

You know the tools you need to serve your audience

Small medical practices often fail to retain patients, not because they lack knowledge, but because they lack equipment. As it happens, doctors are often forced to recommend external experts who can provide the ultrasound system necessary for a diagnostic, for example. But investing in the tech you need from the start can go a long way. From MRI machines to CT scanners as well as x-ray machines, a small practice that can offer friction-less diagnostic can ensure for itself the loyalty of the local community.

You share your knowledge with your target audience

Vlog about misunderstood symptoms

A good doctor is a doctor who helps patients to manage their health. Of course, you don’t want to share all your medical expertise with your audience. But publishing regular content to warn your community about seasonal diseases and risks can act as lead generation tool. You can encourage patients to get unusual symptoms checked with a powerful storytelling vlog, for instance. Similarly, you can use a blog to make people aware of the best preventive tips against the winter cold. The more you educate, the sooner people see you as the go-to expert.

Relationships are at the core of building your expert reputation as a doctor. From finding a mentor to ensuring you keep most of the patients’ journey in-house – by investing in diagnostic equipment –, you can become a doctor people trust. A doctor who, ultimately, can save more lives.

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Do You Still Need a Resume? Yes, Even in Good Times!

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Resume and Cover letter for Res Business. 7/4/2016

As I write this, the economy, especially where the availability of jobs is concerned, times are good in the U.S.A. right now and may be in a number of countries around the world as well.

Yes, when I look at Craigslist or simply look around me from day to day, I see lots of signs saying things like, “Now Hiring!”, “Help Wanted”, and “Positions Available!”.

Does that mean you can simply walk into any business establishment and they’ll simply give you the job you want if you simply ask?

No, times have probably never been that good for the job seeker. There are still things you need to do, and one of them is to have a resume.

Any employer, no matter how desperate for workers they are, will still want to know something about you before they make a hiring decision. And a resume will help you in this area.

A resume gives the prospective employer needed information about you

Remember, even if you are the only candidate for the job, the prospective employer will never be desperate enough to hire you on the spot when they know absolutely nothing about you! And, even if you are the sole candidate for a job opening, that is not likely to last long, even in the greatest economic times.

A resume tells them some basic information and gets your foot in the door. And remember, a resume allows you to “toot your own horn”! And in these good times, it can still put you ahead of the game when other competing candidates decide they don’t need a resume and can cut back on the things they felt they needed to do when job hunting was tougher and jobs were scarce.

And, having that resume in hand gives the prospective employer something tangible to work with when deciding whom to hire.

Having a resume keeps you prepared for bumps in the road

So, what if you have a job that you like and plan to stay with? Should you even hang onto your resume?

Well, today, there’s no such thing as a secure job, and it has always been this way to some extent. Even if you’re the best employee in the world, your employer could go out of business, or retire, the company can be bought out and the new owner may want to replace the staff with his or her own, and oftentimes, while times may be generally great, small “spot” recessions can come up, which can mean layoffs.

So, Yes, hang onto your resume and remember to update it periodically, even if you have a job. Just having a resume, even an old one that needs updating, is better than none at all.

And, especially as you gain more work experiences and achievements, it will help you to keep track of what you’ve done and what you’ve achieved over the years. You’ll be less likely to forget that one achievement that could get you that job you’re going for now.

Also, if you are trying for jobs in differing fields, or that emphasize different types of duties, you may want to have several resumes that emphasize your different skills and experiences. Even having an old resume that hasn’t been updated will provide a foundation for creating additional resumes.

So, if you don’t have a resume, get one now. And if you do have one, be sure to update it.

Happy job hunting!

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What to Do When You Experience a Power Outage

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You don’t realise just how much we come to rely on the energy that powers our homes until it cuts out. Once the power goes, we cannot light our properties, cook our food, shower or complete our beauty regime, or entertain ourselves with television, games, and laptops. An extended outage can cause stores to close, disrupt communications and transportation, cause food spoilage, and even prevent use of medical devices. It’s not all too surprising that this can cause serious disruption to our lives and is a relatively daunting situation to face. But not to worry. Here are some steps that you can take in order to tide yourself through a power shortage as effectively as possible.

Preparation

Seeing as you can never be entirely sure when a power outage will occur, it can prove to be a relatively difficult situation to deal with. However, there are a few preparatory steps that you can take which will help to see you through the situation seamlessly if you do experience it down the line.

Invest in a Generator

The first, and perhaps most effective, step that you can take is to have a power generator installed in your home. This works as a great back up supply of energy that can simply be switched on and used as and when needed. This will quite literally allow you to carry on about your day to day tasks and business without having to wait for power to return. Make sure to have your generator installed by reliable professionals, such as Assurance Power Systems. This will give you the best chances of your generator working properly and always being something to fall back on in times of need.

Stock Up on Candles

If you do not intend to invest in a generator, there are other steps that you can take. Consider stocking up on a bag of tealights and a few lighters or boxes of matches. While these will not power your standard electrics, they can be used to light up your property when your electric lights shut out if it starts to get dark. This way, at least you will be able to find your way around your home! Just make sure that candles aren’t left lit unsupervised, as this poses a safety hazard.

Purchase a Portable Charger

You may need to get in touch with various different people when you experience a power outage. The first number that you should call is 105. This is a nationwide number that will connect you to your local electric network operator. They will be able to inform you what is happening and when power will be restored. Next, you may want to call for family or friends to let them know what’s happening. This won’t be possible without any charge on your phone. So, purchase a portable charger and ensure it is full at all times. This can then be used to boost your phone’s battery levels.

As you can see, preparation is key when it comes to dealing with a power outage. So, start taking steps to secure yourself today!

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