Monthly Archives: May 2019

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Hope for Family Caregivers Who Give So Much

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Originally posted by the Silvernest Team on their blog, Apr 9, 2018 1:52:56 PM

The Support and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act offers some help for family caregivers

By Carol Marak

Back in 1998 through 2007, my sisters and I cared for our parents. Our mother lived with several chronic diseases, and father lived with Alzheimer’s disease. We were among America’s 40 million family caregivers. At the time, I was working full-time but both sisters were retired.

It’s difficult to combine caregiving and working because both are full-time. I’ve often heard the saying, “There’s no leaving the job at 5:00 PM, an employee will always bring the workday home.” I found out as a caregiver, the same goes for elder care, “A family caregiver never leaves the worry and stress about parent care in the home, they’ll bring the concerns and issues with them to work.” That was my story. It was difficult to separate the two.

Each day, I prayed to win the lotto so I could be with my parents, since their care demanded a lot of assistance. I asked HR for Family Medical Leave but was rejected. Back in early 2000, HR didn’t get how elder care was such an issue, however, they could relate to child care much easier.

In June of 2017, I praised Congress for passing the bipartisan Recognize, Assist, Include, Support and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act.” Hooray for families! And on January 22nd, the US President signed into law the RAISE Family Caregivers Act. It’s the first step in creating a national strategy aimed at the relatives and partners who provide care.

How the Support and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act can Help

One of the goals of RAISE is to increase financial security for family caregivers — it’s a much needed support for those of us giving care. I know the types of financial supports I’d like to have seen back in my caregiving days, like earned credits in Social Security if I took a leave of absence. Also, work-related strategies like telecommute, or part-time and flexible hours would have been a big relief. But that was early to mid-2000’s. Today, employers and HR departments tilt in favor of elderly caregiving.

Here are other examples that the Seniorcare.com Aging Council hope to see in the near future:

Advice from home care experts

How experts feel the RAISE Act can help

  • “Provide a Social Security earnings credit to family caregivers who take unpaid time away from employment, either by leaving their job or reducing hours. This prevents future Social Security benefits from being penalized due to caregiving. 2) Expand government programs that pay family caregivers. 3) Expand benefits programs and tax credits that help with out-of-pocket caregiving expenses.” Connie Chow, DailyCaring.com
  • Many family caregivers give up jobs to be able to care for an aging or ailing family member. Being able to access Medicare or another medical insurance program would allow them to take care of themselves as well as someone else. Further, if a caregiver, usually a woman, stops working, her retirement is jeopardized. Most programs for the elderly/caregivers are for those who qualify for Medicaid, thus eliminating benefits for those who are over the Medicaid limit and they are the ones who need help the most.” Donna Schempp, LCSW At Home with Growing Older.
  • “One of my clients who works for a large law firm has a HR department that does many of the phone calls and research family caregivers often need to do during work hours.” Margo Rose, BodyAwareGrieving.com
  • “A lump sum policy can be used to pay relatives or partners providing home-based custodial care. Since Medicare does not pay for custodial care, we recommend lump sum first diagnosis (cancer/heart attack/stroke) insurance and/or a whole life policy. A whole life policy that has accumulated cash value can also assure financial security for family caregivers and allow seniors to remain in their home.” Maureen Fitzgerald, Ph.D., BestMedigapRate.com
  • “The problem with the current support services and financial reimbursement for caregivers is that it all runs through the Medicaid system. You have to be already impoverished to get the little bit of help offered. Opening Adult Day Care centers and offering financial help through unemployment insurance or social security to people above the Medicaid limits would go a long way to provide financial security. It doesn’t seem possible though with Social Security already under attack.” Caren Isaacs , GetHealthHelp.com
  • “Financial security will become a major problem in the United States given current demographic predictions. Individuals are outliving their retirement savings and have, in general, not saved enough for the astronomical cost of home care. I believe that advanced planning is advised so that as many contingencies are covered as is possible. Working with a professional financial planner as early in the aging process as is practicable would be wise.” Marci Lobel-Esrig, Silverbills.com
  • “One of the biggest issues that arise when relatives and partners step in as caregivers is that they typically have to give up some earning capacity. They’re investing hours to care for loves ones and sacrificing compensation as they do. There must be formal measures in place to help make up for that lost income, and it would seem that tax incentives and tax credits would be a natural place to start.” Wendi Burkhardt, Silvernest.com
  • “Education! Every family should understand the financial implications associated with caring for an elderly or disabled loved one. Education should at a minimum include estimates of realistic costs associated with care, general information about the differences between Medicare and Medicaid, and the importance of purchasing long-term care insurance well in advance of any potential need.” Eboni Green, CaregiverSupportServices.com

The RAISE Family Caregiving Act is finally here and one that America’s first responders in elderly care are eager to see what’s next.

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Creating The Right Working Environment In Your Business

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There are a myriad of reasons why it’s crucial to create the right working environment in your business, including maintaining high productivity and motivation, retaining the best staff, and avoiding accidents, as well as lawsuits. Happily, you can read all about how to create such an environment below.

Managing health and safety

Firstly, when it comes to creating the right environment in your business, it’s essential that you look after your employees’ health and safety. Of course, this can require quite diverse strategies, but the main idea is that your workers aren’t put in danger because of the tasks you ask them to do, or the behavior of anyone else on site.

To that end, health and safety may deal with things like adequately training and educating employees on the safe way to operate machinery, or enforcing a zero tolerance policy of drug use.

The latter being something that you can use testing facilities to help you achieve. After all, if you make it clear to all of your employees that there are regular drug tests the incidence of use and so the risk involved with this in the workplace will be significantly reduced.

Dealing with bullying

To create the right working environment, you also need to look after your employee’s psychological well being. One of the most important ways of doing this is to deal with any incident of bullying in the workplace, as this can not only affect your workers mental well being but also have a seriously detrimental effect on moral as well.

Of course, the key here is to empower people to be able to communicate effectively and resolve problems before they turn into victim-perpetrator situations. Although, once past a certain point, intervention by another party that reminds each party what company policy is, how they need to behave, and the consequences of not doing so can also be useful.

Employing the right people

Next, if you want the best working environment possible, it’s essential that you put some extra effort into screening and recruiting the right people.

In fact, this can be beneficial in several ways. In particular, in that by thoroughly assessing potential recruits personality type as well as their qualification for the job you can get a better mix of people on each team. Something that can make communication and interaction between them much more straightforward.

Praise not blame

Lastly, if you want the best environment possible in your business making an effort to change the culture is crucial. What I’m talking about here is a move away from a blame culture were the first thing that happens when something goes wrong is that one person or team gets thrown under the bus.

Instead, the idea is to work towards a culture of responsibility that is enhanced by encouraging praise for a job well done. This being something that can be an incredibly motivating and morale-boosting tool.

Of course such as seed change will take time to achieve. Yet, it’s well worth the effort as it can result in a fantastic working environment that will benefit both your employees and your business.

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What Does It Take To Make Humans Fly?

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When you think about it, the leaps human beings have made in the science sector are truly incredible. We have all kinds of new technology under our belts, the kinds we only ever thought could be miracles sent from God a couple of hundred years ago, and they’re all thanks to a bit of modern science and its ability to experiment here and there!

And one of the biggest technological advances in the past hundred years or so has been the invention of the airplane. We can take to the skies now and fly as far as the fuel tank will take us, thousands of feet over the rest of the world. And yet, human beings were never made to fly!

Which is why it takes a lot for something like this to happen. So let’s explore the effort it takes to keep an entire plane in the sky, cruising on to different destinations all across the world.

It’s always a picturesque image, but how does it happen? (Image)

A Specialised Engine

The first thing that needs mentioning, when it comes to powering an airplane, is the engine. Jet engines are big affairs, are made by specialist (and often designer) manufacturers, and have a lot to answer for. After all, if you’re going to be flying through the air at a couple of hundred miles per hour, and you’re going to do so steadily with little turbulence, you need to have a warhorse of a core processor behind you!

Of course, a lot of things can fly without an engine, but they don’t tend to go very far, nor very high in the air around us. So by adding an engine into a winged vehicle, we have the capability to take to the skies, reaching speeds high enough to take off from the ground and keep going. The wings take it from there, and actually take us off into the sky above us,

The Right Tools

Next up we have the tools used to put an airplane together. It’s not something you’d immediately wonder at when thinking of flight, but they are a crucial part of the process.

Of course, you have your software tools first of all, to put together the entire design of the plane and make sure all the calculations for keeping you in the air are correct. But after that, when it comes to actually putting all the metal together, you’re going to need items such as Aerospace Cutting Tools. These include tools such as speed handles and magnets and mirrors, and a few standard wrenches and strong pliers here and there.

Sticking The Landing

Of course, what comes up must come down, so this means the plane has to be able to land as well as move around on the ground. This is where good tires come in so as an aircraft owner or builder, you’ll want to look for airplane tires for sale. While wings are used much more than tires in flight, good tires are crucial for safe takeoffs and landings.

After that, it can just be a matter of using your local mechanic’s tool kit to get the job done. The inside of a car looks a lot like the inside of a plane, so there’s an idea of versatility here. Technological providers are all about accessibility!

Making humans fly is expensive and hard, but it’s a wonder of technology we should be thankful for.

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Simple Eco-Friendly Changes You Should Know About

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We are living in a great time, every year there are more products created that make it easier to live a greener, more eco-friendly life. And who doesn’t want to get in on that action? Let’s face it, the world needs some help, and we are in the position of knowledge now, we know what is good and what isn’t. From cleaning supplies to toothbrushes and shampoo bars, there are a million little ways that you can cut back and make changes that will have a positive impact on both you and the planet.

You don’t have to change your life completely to be able to make an impact either. Changing a single product in your routine will work, of course, the more, the merrier though!

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Why You Should Swap

The idea of eco-friendly products can seem like a bit of a minefield, but the truth is, they tend to be more simple in terms of ingredients and usage – once you are used to it of course. They have less of an impact on the planet, and in some cases, they even make significant contributions. Like the companies that plant trees, recycle and donate to green charities if you buy their goods. Going ‘green’ can be more economical too.

Hydrate and Reuse

Reusable water bottles. The chances are you aren’t drinking as much water as you should be anyway, but by getting a few reusable water bottles, and setting timers on your mobile phone, you’ll be hydrated and happy in no time. This cuts out the need to buy water bottles on the go too. Simple and effective. You can buy ones that are slightly more expensive that have reminders built in.

Clothing

Ditch the fast – fashion market and opt for more eco-friendly alternatives. They might cost a little bit more in price but they will last for a considerable amount of time and not only that, there are some cutting edge fabrics and designers. Coconut leather anyone? You can also check out a lyocell material consists of cellulose fibre. Tencel is being seen more often in high street stores too. It is produced in a sustainable way and is very versatile.

Straws

There has recently been a bit of backlash over a well known fast food chain swapping from plastic to cardboard. But, wouldn’t it be better if you were to carry your own mental straws instead? They’re easy to clean, usually come in a range of colors and designs and the best part is you won’t ever need to use a single-use plastic straw with a paper wrapper again.

By putting your money where your mouth is, you are making an impact on the world around you, and there is no ‘too small’ in this case. Taking control of what you use, and how you use it matters a great deal. There is an eco-friendly alternative to almost anything, it simply takes a spot of research and knowledge about the difference it makes.

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Transform Your Backyard Into A Party Space

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Want to throw lots of parties in your backyard this summer? Making sure that your home’s outdoor space is well equipped for socialising could be important for ensuring that all your guests have a good time. Here are just a few ways in which you can transform your backyard into a party space.

Image by Pexels

Create a designated social area

If your backyard is just a lawn, you may want to consider adding a designated social area. Most people position this area right next to the house for easy access, but you may decide to locate it at the bottom of your backyard if this area gets the most amount of sunlight.

Creating a hard, dry, level surface for this social area could stop people’s feet from getting muddy and offer a stable surface to place furniture. The three main choices of surface tend to be gravel, patio and decking – each type of surface has its pros and cons.

Gravel tends to be the cheapest option and requires little maintenance – you may only have to rake it to keep it looking neat. It’s not always the most stable surface, but it will keep guests’ feet dry. Gravel may not be a good option with young kids – infants may try to put the stones in their mouth and it could hurt to fall on.

Patios tend to be the most favourable option. Laying a patio can be a little more expensive than laying down gravel and you may want to hire a professional to do it as it can require more precision. Patios require little upkeep – you can simply sweep them to keep them clean. Over time, they may start to get discoloured with dirt, in which case you may want to use a pressure washer to clean them.

Wooden decking is another popular option that you may want to consider. Decking can be easily elevated to keep it level, making it the most suitable option for sloped yards. It can be the most expensive option and the most time-consuming to build. That said, wooden decking is easy to clean and maintain – it may only need to be refinished every few years.

Invest in good quality outdoor furniture

Having good quality outdoor furniture is important when hosting backyard parties. There are many different materials that you can choose from, each of which has its advantages.

Wood tends to be a good weatherproof option, providing that it has been sealed. It can also be lightweight making it easy to carry. That said, you may want to protect wooden furniture in a storm to stop it getting carried away.

Metal outdoor furniture can be a little more resilient against winds. Cast iron generally won’t budge in a storm, however its heaviness means that it’d more difficult to manoeuvre around. Materials like cast iron are also prone to rust in the rain and may need to be regularly painted to keep them looking presentable. Aluminium could be a better option for offering something lightweight and waterproof.

Synthetic materials can also be good choices. You should avoid cheap plastic which is likely to flimsy and easily carried away by a strong wind. Instead, opt for premium synthetic materials. Such options may not be suitable for those that want to keep their backyard natural and eco-friendly.

Provide shelter from the elements

It can be worth having the option of shelter to hide under for when it starts raining or for when the sun is too intense. There are many different types of canopy that you can look into.

Umbrellas are the most basic form of shelter. These tend to sit in the middle of tables, although you can get large freestanding umbrellas. Umbrellas tends to be there purely to offer shade – in the rain they may not offer suitable enough shelter to keep your guests outdoors.

A gazebo or a marquee could be a better option for providing shelter against the rain. These are large fabric canopy structures that everyone can huddle under. Some people keep marquees up permanently in their backyard, whilst others use them as a temporary measure.

There’s then the more luxury option of an opening roof. This is a canopy fixed to the side of your house that can be opened or closed to provide shelter for when you need it. This can be the most effective form of shelter, but it’ll cost you the most. The most basic opening roofs are retractable fabric awnings that are pulled out manually, whilst more premium opening roofs can be operated via a button or even smart controlled.

Add some outdoor lighting

A good party is likely to continue long into the evening. For when the sun sets, you’ll need some form of outdoor lighting so that everyone can still see each other.

Candles are the most basic form of lighting and could help to create a soothing atmosphere perfect for when the party is winding down. You could even put these candles in lanterns to protect them from getting blown out by wind or rain.

Another affordable option could be solar lighting. Such lighting is powered by the sun, saving you the need to use batteries or trail cables out whilst also saving you money on energy bills. Solar lighting can come in all forms from fairy lighting to fixed wall lighting.

If you’re looking for something more substantial, you may want to get something that runs off the mains. There are spotlights and floodlights that can buy cable of lighting up a whole backyard. Just make sure that your lighting isn’t do bright that it annoys the neighbours!

Upgrade your barbecue

No backyard party is complete without a barbecue. Upgrading your barbecue could help you to cook more in less time, which could be useful for large gatherings.

The most basic barbecues are charcoal barbecues. Some people prefer these for the distinctive taste that they give to food. They do however take the longest to cook on. Buying a large grill could allow you to cook more at once, which could make this style of barbecuing more convenient.

Gas barbecues are easier to get going and you can adjust the heat more easily. They tend to be more expensive than charcoal barbecues and buying gas may work out more expensive than buying charcoal. That said, for many the convenience makes up for the cost.

Electric barbecues are some of the most expensive grills. These tend to run off the mains and don’t require any fire. Like gas barbecues, they can be convenient allowing you to easily adjust temperature.

Offer some outdoor heating

Having some outdoor heating could also be handy for when the temperature drops in the evening. There are many types of outdoor heating that you can try.

Fire pits are the most basic form of outdoor heating. This involves building a designated area for lighting a fire. Some neighbourhoods may have restrictions on fire pits and they could dangerous if you have kids.

Chimineas are another option. These act as portable outdoor fireplaces allowing you to position them in the best suited place. They may not offer as much warmth as a fire pit and they may still have some of the same safety concerns, although neighbourhoods are less likely to have restrictions on them.

Electric and gas patio heaters are another option to look into. These forms of heating don’t use an open flame making them safer and are usually fairly portable. They will however cost you more to buy and to use.

Take anti-pest measures

When throwing a party, you may also want to deter unwanted visitors such as bugs. There are many anti-pest measures that you can take to keep your backyard critter-free.

When it comes to warding off wasps, you could try using wasp traps – these can be made using empty bottles containing a sweet substance to lure in wasps and trap them. Hanging up a crumpled paper bag can also sometimes deter wasps by making them think that it is a rival nest.

As for mosquitoes, citronella candles are a popular way of warding off these critters. Mosquitoes may also be attracted to still water where they like to lay their eggs – if you’ve got a pond, adding a filter or a fountain to keep the water flowing could stop mosquitoes nesting there.

Ants could also ruin your party by getting at food. It could be a good idea to keep sugary foods wrapped up. Getting rid of any ants nests in your backyard could also help to solve the problem.

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The True Cost Of Renting Your First Office Space

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Managing your finances is absolutely key when you’re running a business. If you don’t keep your overheads under control, your profits will suffer and you might end up running out of money completely. One of the most common reasons that new businesses go under is that they simply spend too much before they’re bringing in enough revenue to cover their overheads. Renting an office space is one of your biggest costs so if you’re starting to grow the business and you’re looking at moving into an office, you need to work out whether you can realistically afford it. However, a lot of business owners go wrong here because they just consider the rent on the office, which isn’t the only cost that you have to bear. This is the real cost of renting office space.

Utilities

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You’ve considered the monthly rent of the office and you think that you can comfortably afford it, but what about all of the utility bills? The cost of running an office can be incredibly high because you’ve got a large space with all of the lights and heating, then you’ve got to consider all of the computers and other equipment that you’re running for 8 hours a day. Those costs quickly add up and a lot of businesses find that, even though they can afford the rent, they can’t actually afford the cost of operating the office every day. When you’re looking at offices, it’s important that you ask the real estate agent what the average monthly cost is likely to be. Factor this into your financial projects and make sure that you’ll actually be able to afford to keep the office running before you sign the lease.

Waste Removal

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Businesses create a lot of waste and you need to put it all somewhere. There are certain things that need to be disposed of properly and can’t just go into landfill, and that will cost you a bit extra as well. When you’re trying to calculate your costs, make sure to include the price of bin hire and removal. You also need to think about any extra costs involved with disposing of electronics because you’ll usually have to pay more. If you just throw them in with the normal rubbish, they’ll cause damage to the local environment.

Waste removal is a very important part of your public image and if you’re creating a lot of waste, that doesn’t sit well with potential customers. Environmental responsibility is a big concern for most consumers these days and if you’re seen to be a very wasteful company or you’re not disposing of waste in an environmentally friendly way, it could seriously hurt sales. That means you might need to invest more money in using recyclable materials around the office to reduce waste, so you need to factor that in as well.

Maintenance

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Maintenance is something that business owners always forget about but it’s a big problem, especially if you’re renting an older office space. Ideally, you’d rent a brand new office that isn’t likely to have any maintenance issues but most businesses, especially new ones, probably can’t’ afford to do that. You can save yourself a lot of money on rent if you use an older office but be aware that you might end up paying out more in maintenance costs.

If you have issues with the plumbing or electrics in your building, it can be incredibly expensive to fix. If, for example, you have a leak in the building, you’re going to have to call out an emergency plumber to sort it out. They’ll charge a premium for coming out right away and then you’ll have to deal with all of the damage, which will cost you as well. If you have a problem with the electrics and the building is unsafe, that will need to be sorted out immediately as well. As well as the cost of the repairs, you have to consider the loss of earnings as well. While this maintenance is being carried out, you’ll have to shut the business down. Depending on the severity of the problem, you could be out of action for a while and that’s all lost revenue. A single maintenance issue can cost you thousands and you’ll have to find that money from somewhere, so just be aware that a cheaper office isn’t always cheaper in reality.

The best way to avoid this is to pay for regular checks of the building at least once a year. If you can fix smaller problems as and when they come up, you can avoid any serious damage that is going to cost you a lot of money.

Furnishing

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If your office is going to function properly, it needs to be properly furnished. If you’re moving into a new office, this isn’t as much of an issue because you’ll have a lot of that furniture and equipment already. However, you’ll most likely be moving into a larger office so you’ll still need to buy some things. If you’re moving into an office for the first time and you have to start from scratch, it’s going to be expensive. All of the simple things that you take for granted like desks and chairs will cost more than you realize. On top of that, you have to equip all of your employees with computers and printers etc. It’s not just a one off cost that you have to bear either because those devices become obsolete every 5 years or so and need replacing. Consider that the average computer costs around $500, if you’ve got an office with 10 employees, that’s $5000 you’re paying out. That’s before you’ve even paid for the software licenses that you need, so it can quickly add up.

If you don’t invest in all of this stuff, your employees won’t be properly equipped to do their jobs and you won’t be in a position to operate the business effectively.

The cost of an office space amounts to a lot more than the monthly rent. If you don’t consider all of these costs when you’re budgeting, you’ll find that you can’t afford to operate an office and you can quickly run out of money.

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Is It Time To Grow Up?

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The relationship that many of us have to the concept of adulthood can be kind of strange. Previous generations had very clear lines in terms of what constituted the move into adult life. They would leave education, head into work, buy a house, get married, and that was basically what was expected of them. Younger generations have moved away from those expectations and it’s now much easier for people to carve out their own sense of who they are and who they want to be. However, that’s also come with the downside of often leaving a lot of people unsure of how to navigate the complexities of adult life. A lot of people in the modern era end up feeling like they’re no longer kids but they’re not exactly grown-ups either. This can end up causing a whole lot of stress and difficulty in many people’s lives as well as potentially impacting everything from their mental health to their relationships. With that in mind, here are some things in your life that you need to start taking control of if you really want to grow up.

Your car

One of the most common things that leaves a lot of people feeling like they don’t know how to be a “real adult” is that they often have no idea how many of the things in their life actually work, choosing instead to just put it in the hands of someone else. There is no better example of this than your car. If you’re constantly in a position where you’re having to call your parents to give you advice on what to do with your car or you have no idea what a mechanic is saying to you, it’s time to get educated. There are plenty of places online where you can learn basic car maintenance and a lot of it is far simpler than you might think. Of course, there will always be things that need to be dealt with by a professional so make sure you have the number for a great mechanic like Aarrow Transmissions. That way you can be sure that your car is in safe hands, even when things go wrong.    

Your health

When you’re really young it’s often easy to feel like you’re totally invincible. Of course, the moment that you enter the adult world it becomes pretty clear just how untrue that really is. Because of that, a lot of people tend to try and ignore any issues with their health. Whether it’s a persistent cough or some aches and pains, sweeping it under the rug is always going to be a bad idea. Make sure that you’re going for regular checkups with your doctor and if something is wrong, get it looked at straight away. Just because no one else is going to call the doctor for you doesn’t mean that you can just ignore any issues.

Your bills

Money is a serious cause of stress for just about everyone. That’s just the nature of the society we live in. If you want to do anything, you’re going to need the money for it. However, if you’re not keeping track of your finances in a clear and consistent way then you’re setting yourself up for a whole lot more stress and anxiety than you really need. Keeping a budget isn’t that complicated, it just requires a decent degree of dedication. The same goes for monitoring your spending and trying to put some money away in a savings account.

Your communication

One of the main signs that someone is struggling to really act like an adult is that they are unable to communicate with the people around them. If you really want to feel like a grown up then the first step is being able to express yourself clearly to the people around you and be honest with them. Hiding your emotions or letting them out in aggressive outbursts are the behaviours of children, not responsible adults.

Of course, one of the most important things to remember is that there really isn’t anyone out there who’s going to define what “adulthood” means for you or for anyone else. Sure, the things in this list are great starts to help you begin to feel more like you have a sense of control over your adult life. However, if you really want to figure out what being an adult means to you, that’s something you have to come to on your own. That can be a pretty scary prospect but that’s the trade-off for the freedom that comes with it. And it’s a trade that many would gladly make.

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Getting the Best Deal When Buying a Used Car

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Buying a used car can be one of the best ways to buy a car, as the depreciation on brand new vehicles can be really high. Plus, buying a used car can also help to save you lots of cash compared to buying one that is brand new. The good news is that there is no lack of choice with a used car, as there can be things from your dream sports car to a great family wagon; there is a lot of choice in the second hand car market. But there can be tricky things that can put you off buying a used car, with the likes of unclear car histories or hard-nosed salesmen. When you don’t know what to expect, then it really can feel like a bit of a minefield. So with that in mind, here are some tips and tricks that can help you to get the best deal on a used car that you can.

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Even One Year Old is Better Than Brand New

If you think about the average price of a new car of around £30,000, then even by the time it is one year old, it can lose £10,000 in value pretty quickly. The next year of depreciation isn’t as steep, so it can be such a good idea to pick a car that is one year-old, rather than brand new, as it can quite dramatically slash the cost. So if you want to get good value for money, then that is what you should be looking for, rather than getting something brand new.

Choosing the Right Time to Buy

When you know what car you want to choose, then you need to know how to get it for the best price properly. Believe it or not, one of the things that you can do is buy your car at a specific time; there are some times that are better than others. Dealers and car dealers often have targets to meet, and for the salespeople, there will often be things like bonuses up for grabs. It can depend from country to country, and from dealership to dealership, but going on the quarterly sales is a great way to go. So think about the months of March, June, September, and December as good times to buy.

Doing your research is something that is so important too. You need to know what repairs the car has had, as well as seeing what else you can get for the car, such as tax paid and so on.

If you are choosing to buy a used car from a private seller, then it is unlikely that there will be a ‘good’ time to buy, as they will not have targets to meet and can wait for the price that they want. So if you are buying this way, then it is a good idea to keep an eye on the prices for a few months before you actually go to buy. Then you can see if the prices are going up or down and it can help your decision of when to buy, easier.

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The Benefits of Owning a Pickup Truck

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Shopping for a new car can be tricky. You have to consider things like your budget, where you live, how much you drive and what kind of terrains you drive on. If you have young children, you might also have to consider their safety, the ease of fitting a car seat, and how easily you might be able to get things like pushchairs in and out of the trunk. You might spend time looking at family cars, small city runners, larger vehicles, sporty numbers, off-roaders, and pickup trucks.

If you’ve never owned or driven a pickup truck before, you might find the idea a little overwhelming and cross it off your list without too much consideration. But, looking at a Toyota Tundra for Sale can be worth it.

There are also other models to choose from, also. Checking out the Silverado 1500 inventory or those of other models to see what best suits your needs is a good idea, too.

Many people drive pickups, and you’ll often find that once people have made the switch, they never drive a different kind of car. But, why is this, what are the benefits of driving a pickup? Let’s take a look.

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It’s Versatile

Some cars are great for driving in the countryside, but only on roads, they aren’t quite as good when taken onto rough terrains. Some drive well on city streets, but just don’t have the power for more adventurous drivers and certainly wouldn’t be capable of towing a caravan. A pickup can do it all. It’s versatile, which allows you to be more spontaneous.

There’s Plenty of Space

Space is a big pull of a pickup truck. If you are fed up of struggling to get everything into the trunk of your car, or you find yourself playing enthusiastic games of Tetris to try to get all of your shopping into the back, around any other equipment that you might need, you might find a pickup a complete game changer. The extra space is ideal for many people and can make life much easier.

It’s Perfect for Outdoor Activities

A pickup truck is a perfect car for anyone that likes to spend time in the great outdoors. Whether you enjoy camping, hiking, skiing or any other outdoor activity, a pickup gives you plenty of storage and a powerful car to get you to where you need to be.

Safety

Most modern vehicles are packed with up to date safety features to protect you and your family, and any new car had to undertake plenty of testing before it’s released to the public. But, pickups still have a few advantages over most of them.

Firstly, you sit higher up above the road. This gives you much better visibility when you are driving. You’ll be able to see more of the road and keep yourself safe. Secondly, if you were involved in an accident, the sheer mass of your vehicle would help to protect you.

You’ll Gain Respect on the road

When you drive a truck, you look like you know what you are doing. You appear to be a confident driver, that handles power well and other people treat you as such. You’ll gain respect on the road, and your confidence will grow.

Life Will Feel Like an Adventure

When you are in a truck, you’ll always feel as though you can go anywhere at any time. Driving like this makes your life feel like one big adventure.

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Getting Started With Gantt Charts

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Before any new project begins, it is critical to have some sort of roadmap in place. There are many different charts and graphs you can use to illustrate the key steps that need to be taken, and one of this is the Gannt chart. Gantt charts are often taught about in project management training courses, as they can play a critical role in managing your team. With that being said, read on to discover everything you need to know about them.

So, let’s begin by taking a look at what Gannt charts actually are. They were developed in the 1910s by Henry Gantt, and thus you can see where the name comes from. They give you the ability to visualise the project from the beginning to the end. A Gantt chart is an important type of productivity tool, which reads from top to bottom and right to left. The running length of the y-axis is tasks. Their order is irrelevant, and most people tend to go for chronological order. The x-axis is time. So, this covers what the task is and how long it will take. But, the third component of a task is who is going to do it. This is revealed by a colour-coded system, indicating what business department or person is responsible for getting the task in question done.

How do you get started with Gantt charts?

  1.    Choose a template – The first step is to select a template. Of course, you do have the option of building one from scratch, although this is not always necessary. Most templates come via project management software, or you can find them on the Internet. Once you have a suitable template, you can reuse it for every project.
  2.    Make your milestones – Now that you have a template ready, you need to add your milestones. What is a milestone? This is a marker that indicates that a section of the project is complete. For example, locking down the wireframes is usually a milestone when it comes to website creation. It is a good idea to plot all milestones before you move onto the next phase.
  3.    Add tasks, events, and generate dependencies – Now that you have followed the information above, you need to create dependencies, and also add tasks and sequence events. Talk to the individuals that are going to complete the task to get a proper understanding of how long there are going to take. When it comes to sequencing events, remember, you can schedule multiple events to be finalised at the same time, so long as they are not carried out by the same individual. Finally, once you have put the tasks on the chart, as well as the sequence, you need to create dependencies. You need to be very careful about plotting what tasks are dependent on others. If you get something wrong, it can cause issues later down the line.
  4.    Collaborate – Last but not least, it is important to collaborate with everyone on your team if your Gantt chart is to be a success. This is where workflow consulting can help. Everyone working on the project in question needs to have the ability to view the chart. They should also update their progress too, as it can help other assignees if a task is completed before the scheduled deadline.

Hopefully, this will help you to use Gantt charts effectively at your business.

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