Home

Month: December 2018

  • Affordable Ways to See a Broadway Show

    Affordable Ways to See a Broadway Show

    Who doesn’t love a great live show? The songs, dance, pageantry and costumes are so very amazing, and we all love a good, or even average musical. Getting all dressed up and walking down 7th ave can be a glorious experience. There’s no shortage of enticing Broadway or Off-Broadway shows these days, but the steady rise in ticket prices has made it harder for theater lovers to take advantage of what New York stages have to offer. Broadway tickets aren’t necessarily cheap, but when you compare them to other forms of live entertainment, they are very clearly a bargain.

    The prices may seem daunting and unreasonable, and may even discourage you from attempting to see an acclaimed play. Don’t fear!  Discount Broadway tickets are everywhere, and modern technology makes it easier than ever to find cheap seats. From lotteries to apps, let me teach you how to find the most affordable ways to see a Broadway show.

    Lotteries

    You know how a lottery works already; you submit your name and pray that it gets drawn. There are two types of lotteries: in-person and digital. For in-person lotteries, you show up about two hours before the start of the show and put your name in a bucket. If your name is drawn and you’re present, you then claim your tickets. It’s that simple.  Digital lotteries are offered by the shows themselves or via an app.

    A digital lottery is your best chance to see the very popular “Hamilton” for cheap, like $10 tickets kind of cheap. Also “Hamilton” just made it even easier to see, as the show recently began offering double the number of $10 seats for each performance. I found Show-score.com keeps an updated list of digital lotteries. Try your luck, and let us know in the comments below if you happen to win!

    Broadway Roulette

    One of the newest ways to get cheap Broadway tickets is through Broadway Roulette. This is an easy way to get a last-minute deal, but you must be open and flexible to what you are seeing. You and your child pick the day and time and describe to the team at Broadway Roulette what kind of shows you like and don’t like.

    On the morning of the show, Broadway Roulette lets you know what you are seeing. The beauty is that all tickets are just $49 to 59 and picking up tickets is simple.

    Same-day Broadway Discount tickets?

    Last minute? Want to catch a show before you leave NYC? Try this: there are three TKTS Booths. Two in Manhattan (one in Times Square and another downtown near the South Street Seaport) and one in Brooklyn that offer discount Broadway tickets. Matinee tickets are available the day before at the downtown and Brooklyn locations, but same-day tickets are available at the Times Square booth.

    Pick Cheap Broadway Tickets Without Reducing The View

    Of course the best seats in the house are the most expensive, because everyone wants to be located center orchestra. But these are never the cheapest – most Broadway shows are actually charging extra for them, making them much more expensive that a regular orchestra seat. The cheap Broadway ticket solution is to choose the seats that are in the transition area (i.e. the $110 seats that are located next to the $250 seats).

    All that is required is a little bit of study of the seating map; some shows will even show you a map of the pricing . Ticket brokers do this everyday to get the cheapest tickets in the best location so that they can resell them for a higher amount.

    Try Off-Broadway

    New York City is home to some of the best non-Broadway options in the world, and there are theater companies dedicated to working for children and families. Check out and consider joining theaters such as the New Victory Theater and the Vital Theatre Company for discount Broadway ticket options.

    Note: any off-Broadway production in NYC is still better than your hometown’s best theater.  Don’t let the stigma stop you from catching a surprisingly brilliant show.

    Rush Lines and Standing Room Only

    Rush lines shows generally release day-of-performance tickets as soon as the box office opens. Prices vary by production, but if you’re willing to wake up early and stand in line at the theater, tickets can be under $50 each. Not too bad. You can also try standing room only. Typically, when a Broadway show is sold out, the box office sells discounted standing room “seats”.  These standing positions are usually located at the back of the orchestra.

    The Final Thought

    There is always a way to get into whatever show you want to see. The question is how much do you want to see this show, and how far are you willing to work towards procuring a ticket? Priorities people!  Let everyone fight over Hamilton and Aladdin tickets, while you go see Beautiful, or Dear Evan Hansen.

  • Educational Trips that Won’t Bore the Kids

    Educational Trips that Won’t Bore the Kids

    Kids are on Christmas break and are getting bored. What to do to entertain and enrich their little lives? Educational trips. Whether they’re a history buff or a drama queen, an animal lover or a budding chef, enriching travel experiences adds a learning component for a vacation truly worth remembering. Help your little ones gain new insights and new interests by embarking on these ten best children’s educational trips in the United States.

    Washington, D.C.

    When it comes to American history, our nation’s capital has it all. You can’t stop learning brilliant and exciting things about everything in D.C. It is almost like Aristotle himself designed a city. With D.C.’s bounty of museums and monuments, it is an obvious choice for an educational family vacation, especially with the Smithsonian Museums and the popular National Museum of Natural History. These are as good as it gets for knowledge-building with little ones. As my little one said on our way to the Air and Space Smithsonian… “Ain’t no air in space!”

    From memorials, to the Capitol building, Arlington, and the museums, it will blow your children’s minds. You can even take a short day trip to Williamsburg for the colonial experience. Step into the 18th century at Colonial Williamsburg and sign up for the Continental Army, play colonial games, attend a grand ball, or even meet some of our Founding Fathers in person. The boulders of Gettysburg’s Devil’s Den, which once served as a battlefield site for sharpshooters now also double as a natural playground for visitors. There’s even a living-history museum full of buildings dating back to the 17th century and lively volunteers who reenact what life was really like in the era. No better educational trip than on to D.C.

    Plus, each year on select dates from late May to late August, kids can go with a parent to the National Museum of American History for a sleepover with the Smithsonian Sleepovers program. Imagine having a PJ party while doing crafts, projects, catching an IMAX film, and sleeping under Phoenix the whale in the Ocean Hall. Guests can also take part in solving a mystery or becoming a presidential candidate! Just bring along a sleeping bag, a toothbrush and a keen sense of adventure.

    National Parks

    The Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Parks are at the top of the list to visit with your kids. The natural wonders of both are too fantastic to miss and should be seen first by young eyes. Adventures riding donkeys to the base of the Grand Canyon can be treacherous and frightening. At the same time can be enlightening as you take in the enormity of the space. Yellowstone is an amazing sight to behold.

    There are over 10,000 geothermal features and over 300 geysers including Old Faithful. Take a tour or teach your kids about the earth’s crust and how volcanoes work as you explore the park’s wildlife.

    San Diego Zoo

    Home to over 3,700 rare and endangered species, the San Diego Zoo is a world-class interactive wildlife park for animals. From Amur leopards, Chinese alligators, and the ever-favorite African animals to endangered species such as giant pandas, Malayan tigers, and the Mang Mountain Viper. The San Diego Zoo has an impressive collection of wildlife.

    Not only does this zoo have an amazing array of animals, they also have dozens of activities and programs for children and adults. Sign up for early mornings with the pandas, have breakfast with the koalas, or take a private VIP tour of the park and even see off-exhibit areas.

    Kennedy Space Center

    Orlando is the kid fun capital of the world. It is home to Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney World. Never-ending theme parks and elaborate attractions.While all that fun is great, educational fun is even better. For this,  Orlando gives you the Kennedy Space Center. Like dinosaurs, space is a natural fascination for children young and old. It only makes sense for those with the inclination to visit the best space centers in the country. Kennedy Space Center is located near Orlando, Florida.

    It is open for tours, lectures, exhibits, and displays, with interactive hands-on activities for kids with an added interest. Kennedy Space & Rocket Center is home to one of the largest collections of rockets and space memorabilia in the world as well as the famous Space Camp.

    Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is the U.S. launch site that has been used for every NASA human space flight since December 1968.  The main Visitor Center is an expansive complex that resembles a modern-day amusement park.

    It’s attractions feature an Early Space Exploration exhibit, Rocket Garden, children’s playspace, 2 IMAX shows, an Astronaut Hall of Fame and Astronaut Memorial, the popular (with the younger set) Angry Birds hands-on exhibit, multiple cafes, gift shops, and much more. A bus tour will take you outside the Visitor Center to catch views of the legendary launch pads and up to the Apollo/ Saturn V center.

    If you time your trip right , you could even see one of the greatest sights a kid can ever see – a rocket being launched into space. Truly a bucket-list worthy sight!

  • The Secrets To Getting Better Gas Mileage

    The Secrets To Getting Better Gas Mileage

    Holidays are a prime time to travel. You have time off work and family and friends are anxiously excited at the chance to see you. Its a great time for a road trip. What about the gas? Although gas is much cheaper this Christmas season, they’re still not giving it away. So it pays to improve your mileage the best you can, especially if you can do it for little or no money.

    No matter what kind of car you drive, you can be getting better fuel economy than what you’re getting now. Did you know you can get better mileage by never filling up your tank? Lets take a look at a few other ways to improve your gas mileage.

    Mileage… Keep Track

    Knowing what your consumption looks like from tank-to-tank is important, but that’s really not enough. Knowing what mileage you’re getting in real time–being able to compare it to what you got yesterday or even 10 minutes ago, is the new way to drive these days. Get an app or go the ecomodding way and add a scangauge to track mileage.

    Luckily, ecomodding combines the love of saving money and adding gadgets to your car. People with cars made after 1995 have it relatively easy: All you need to do is throw some money at a fuel-economy computer like the Scangauge, and you’re instantly instrumented. For older cars, you may need to get your knuckles dirty by installing a vacuum gauge, which measures how hard the engine is working, or explore the growing world of DIY fuel-economy electronics, like the arduino-based MPGuino. Either way, a conscious mind combined with instant feedback should get you that instant 10 percent.

    Most passenger vehicles require unleaded fuel with an 87 octane level, but always check your owner’s manual or gas cap for your vehicle’s requirements. A higher octane fuel will not benefit a car that is built to run with a lower level octane level and could add up to more than $100 per year in additional costs.

    Change Fluids and Maintain Steady Speed

    Make sure to get your oil changed, it does lower your gas mileage. And, although it doesn’t affect gas mileage, you might as well top off your coolant while you’re at it, to beat the heat. At the same time studies show that the more erratic your is driving, the more gas it burns – up to 37% more! Keep your driving consistent and steady. Drive proactively. Rapid acceleration and hard braking can lower your mileage by up to 37%. Look at the road ahead, and try to use your brake and gas pedals as little as possible. However, you may be surprised to hear that cruise control isn’t necessarily the answer. That’s because the terrain varies, which affects how hard your engine will accelerate.

    Don’t idle. When you’re sitting still, you get zero mph. Duh, you say, until they realized that turning off an engine rather than idling could increase overall fuel efficiency up to 19 percent. Consumer Reports suggests turning off your car if you’re going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds. As for taxing your starter? They say it won’t hurt it.

    Keep Your Tire Pressure Spot On

    One of the biggest areas in which manufacturers compromise fuel economy for comfort is in tire pressure. That 32-psi rating is mainly there to make the ride smooth as silk, even as you run over potholes and pedestrians. It can be controversial, but believe it: To get the best mileage out of your car, up the pressure to the maximum listed on the sidewall. The ride will get a bit rougher, but your rolling resistance will be reduced and you’ll get better gas mileage.

    We know we’ve covered the importance of having properly inflated tires before. But it really is that important. For every tire under-inflated by 2 pounds per square inch (psi), fuel consumption increases by 1%. Try to check your tire pressure every couple of weeks to ensure you have the optimal rolling resistance. Also don’t just do it once and forget about it! Make sure to check your tire pressure every other time you fill up, or you could be leaking air and losing MPGs. Another option is to invest in low rolling resistance tires. They can add 1-2 miles per gallon. Look for highly rated tires that provide reliable traction.

    The Final Gas Mileage Thought

    While most tips sprout from a kernel of truth, many produce so little effect they’re not worth considering. On the other side if you can improve 2 miles per gallon, that’s an extra $5 per tank in your pocket.

  • Reduce Your Risk for a Serious Fall

    Reduce Your Risk for a Serious Fall

    Older Americans are at much greater risk of suffering serious falls than they think. One in every three people over 55 takes a serious fall each year. That’s over 30 percent of people over 55! Of those people, about 30 percent suffer moderate-to-severe injuries, such as broken hips or serious head trauma. Even if they aren’t badly hurt, people who suffer serious falls take a hit to their mental well-being, potentially raising their anxiety and impacting their quality of life.

    If you’re an older person or a caretaker for an older person who is at risk of suffering a serious fall, you have options for reducing the risks. Here are some things you can do to make your or your loved one’s home safer from serious falls.

    Reduce Your Risk for a Serious Fall

    See Your Eye Doctor

    At least once a year you need to take a visit to your eye doctor and make sure your prescription lenses are all up-to-date. The easiest way to avoid taking a serious fall, after all, is by seeing obstacles or hazards before you bump into them or trip over them. It can be really hard to see potentially dangerous hazards if your glasses aren’t the right prescription anymore! If you have less than ideal vision or you’re beginning to lose the use of your vision, then it’s time to take further precautions.

    Review Your Medication

    Sit down with your doctor and go over all of your medication and any potential side-effects they may have. If you take a number of medications that could impact your balance or your ability to walk steadily then you might need to consider taking further precautions in and around your home to make it safer for you. After all, your home should be the safest place you can go!

    Modify Your Home

    It’s your home, after all, so it should be somewhere you feel safe. Take steps to make your home more safe for you and eliminate opportunities to take a spill. If you have a stairwell in your home, consider having more handrails added. Anywhere there’s a step up or down, add handrails nearby that you can grip as you maneuver.

    Consider adding extra lighting in areas that are particularly tricky, such as landings and stairs. Additionally, arm bars or hand rails in the shower and near the toiled could be helpful in preventing serious falls. Arm rest for the toilet can also make it easier to stand, making falls less likely.

    Install Helpful Appliances

    If you have a stairwell in your home that is particular falling-prone, consider buying a stair lift. Stair lifts are safe alternatives to walking up and down the stairs and allow you to safely go back and forth between upstairs and downstairs. Stair lifts have seats attached to powered rails that allow you to safely traverse your own home.

    Similarly, if you find getting into and out of the bathtub to be hazardous, you could have a walk-in tub installed. These reduce the amount of stepping up you have to do to enter your bathtub and make it much easier to get in and out of the tub. Many walk-in tubs also double as spas or soaking baths, making them as much of a fun treat as they are helpful appliances!

    Stay Active

    It might sound counter-intuitive, but staying active is one of the best ways for elderly people to prevent falls. If you engage in activities like tai chi, regular walks, water workouts and the like then you’ll reap the benefits. Not only will you feel better as your body needs exercise, you’ll have more strength and coordination.

    It’s much harder to suffer a serious fall if your muscles and coordination are more developed. Not to mention, balance and flexibility go up with regular exercise programs, making them ideal for someone worried about taking a spill in their own home. As always, make sure to discuss any potential exercise plan with your doctor to make sure its right for your lifestyle.

    Keep Your Home Clean

    Don’t allow clutter to build up throughout the house. Homes are much less safe when there is a ton of debris lying about. Old newspapers, electrical cords, boxes, plastic bags and the like can all constitute serious tripping hazards. Work to eliminate as much clutter as possible from your home, and especially from walkways.

    Finally, make sure you use common sense. Don’t go out for a walk when it’s icy, and make sure you wear shoes that are the right size and keep the laces tied up. The last thing you want is to take a serious fall in your own home!

  • Tips for Saving Big on Your Next Car Rental

    Tips for Saving Big on Your Next Car Rental

    When you take a trip out of town, one of the expenses you have to keep in mind is your car rental. However, you don’t have to break the bank just to rent a decent ride to get you around town! Today we’re going to help you save big on your next car rental. Save your money so you can afford to do more fun things on your trip or vacation! Trust us when we say you’re going to be thankful you read this list the next time you travel out of town.

    Tips for Saving Big on Your Next Car Rental

    The Basics

    Most major car rental companies offer coupons for their services that you’d be remiss to not take advantage of. If you’re anything like us, you love finding great deals lurking around the internet. Use some search engine mastery or a plug-in like Honey before you fork over any cash for the next car rental you pay for. There are many sites that collect coupons and codes from many of the biggest car rental companies, so saving money could be a few short clicks away.

    Another basic thing you can try is to simply ask for a discount. You’d be surprised at how many companies offer discounts for various organizational affiliations. For example, if you’re in the military or a retired veteran you may get a discount. Many places offer discounts for AAA members, or AARP members. It never hurts to ask what kind of discounts you can get! The worst that could happen is they simply tell you that they don’t have any discount programs.

    Frequent Flyer Miles

    Another discount you might find could come through your frequent flyer miles. If you’re a member of a frequent flyer program, such as through your credit card company, you might be eligible for discounts on rental cars using your miles. Sometimes frequent flyers don’t even realize these savings are available through their rewards program! Additionally, your rental company may be able to offer you miles in return for renting through them. As always, it never hurts to ask!

    Rental Car Loyalty Program

    Much like with frequent flyer programs, it might be a good idea to look into a car rental loyalty program if you’re out of town and renting cars rather often. Many of these loyalty programs are free to join and give you tons of benefits for sticking with your favorite rental company. Often these programs will allow you to store up points the more you use the company in question for car rentals.

    Once you have so many points, these programs typically allow you to cash them in for upgrades to your rental, or even outright free rentals. While these programs might not occur to you right away when you’re thinking of savings, they’re a stellar way to keep extra cash in your wallet. After all, if you’re often out and renting cars, then you might as well get rewarded for it!

    Shop for the Best Price

    Make sure you do some research beforehand if you plan on heading out for a vacation or distant trip. After all, it can be difficult to find the best price on a car rental when you’re standing in the airport. Instead of getting caught out like that, do your research at home before you set foot on the plane.

    Many websites, like Kayak and other price aggregators, allow you to see a number of car rental prices side-by-side. This allows you to pick and choose which prices look the most appealing to you. This ensures that you not only get the best deal, but it also means you know what you’re in for when you land in a distant airport.

    While you’re online, you should also consider prepaying for your car rental. A lot of people don’t realize that you can save as much as twenty percent if you opt to prepay for your rental car before you go to pick it up in person. This requires a bit of planning ahead on your part, but it will save you a decent chunk of change.

    Consider Avoiding the Airport

    When it comes to car rentals, you should consider avoiding picking up in the airport. While it is very convenient to step off of the plane and get your rental car right away, it could be costing you as much as thirty percent more. If you take a cab into town and rent from there, instead, you could likely save a lot of money (even considering the cab fare).

  • Tired all the Time? You Might Not be Getting Enough Quality Sleep

    Tired all the Time? You Might Not be Getting Enough Quality Sleep

    Do you find that you’re always yawning? Do you doze off whenever nothing stimulating is happening? Are you generally just tired all the time? If these things are the case, you might not be getting enough sleep. Or, you might be getting enough sleep, but not enough quality sleep. Here’s the thing: you shouldn’t need a cup of coffee every morning to have enough energy for the day. You should have that naturally. Here’s how.

    How to Make Sure You Get Enough Quality Sleep

    What Happens When I Don’t Get Enough Quality Sleep?

    A number of things happen when you can’t get enough quality sleep. The first and most noticeable thing is that you find it hard to roll out of bed in the morning. People who suffer from sleep deprivation often hit their alarm multiple times in the morning, sleep in to the last minute and find themselves very groggy and unresponsive for half an hour to an hour after waking. Generally, people suffering from sleep deprivation have high caffeine dependencies to help them throughout the day.

    Those experiencing sleep deprivation often doze off when they aren’t being directly stimulated. For instance, when in a meeting or watching TV, they might simply nod off. More dangerously, some people with extreme sleep deprivation symptoms may find themselves nodding off behind the wheel on their way to work or back.

    Additionally, those who don’t get enough quality sleep are often in miserable moods. They tend to be irritable, easily distracted and more prone to getting depressed. In short, being sleep deprived puts you in a terrible mood.

    What is Quality Sleep?

    If you’re not getting enough quality sleep then you’re going to feel drowsy and groggy all day. That’s no way to go through your life! But, you may ask, what constitutes quality sleep? Generally speaking, quality sleep is sleep that is uninterrupted for 8 straight hours or so. Sleep tends to be more restorative in a quiet, cool, dark room. Constant interruptions, extreme hot or cold in the room you sleep in, or flashing lights (such as televisions) can make your sleep lower quality.

    You might be saying that many of these things are unavoidable. However, we’re here to help you figure out how you can make your sleeping space better for your quality of life. Take bake your sleeping space so you can regain your waking hours!

    How to Get Better Sleep

    Firstly, you should try to stop drinking as much caffeine and alcohol. If you already avoid those substances, good on you! If you don’t, however, it’s time to cut back. Many people find they need a cup of coffee or an energy drink to keep going throughout the day. These drinks are downright terrible for your body and you should avoid them altogether. They can also interrupt your circadian rhythms and make your sleep much more troubled.

    Likewise, alcohol is terrible for your sleep schedule. If you often drink heavily, it could be having profound negative effects on your liver and heart, as well as your intestines and brain. If your sleep is fitful and you find it hard to stay asleep through the night, try cutting back on alcohol.

    Other Tips

    When you lay down for bed, cut off the TV and all lights in the house. In fact, consider taking the TV out of your bedroom. Your bedroom should be a place designed for sleep, exclusively. When it’s bed time, cut your phone off and put it across the room. If you live with noisy neighbors or roommates, invest in some earplugs or a white noise machine to help you tune out the distractions.

    Shut your door to block lights or sounds from outside your room. Consider investing in large, blackout drapes to hang over the windows for when you sleep to keep outside lights out and to dampen outside sounds. While these aren’t foolproof methods, they are steps in the right direction.

    Lifestyle Changes

    If you do shift work for a living, such as working alternating nights, opening shifts and closing shifts, consider changing your line of work. Shift work is terrible on your body, causing you to interrupt your own circadian rhythms and typically resulting in overreliance on caffeine to maintain unhealthy sleeping patterns.

    Remember, your quality of life isn’t worth a few dollars. Try to find work with a company that cares more about you than one that will put your health on the line for a quick buck. You’re worth more than that.

  • 2020 Ford Bronco: What We Know So Far

    2020 Ford Bronco: What We Know So Far

    In 1996, the last Ford Bronco was released, much to the dismay of many outdoors-y enthusiasts. After the rugged, off-road capable 4×4 went off the market, many of Ford’s faithful mud-lovers ended up switching over to brands like Jeep. After all, the Jeep Wrangler has largely kept the spirit that made the Bronco such a hit alive.

    Well, there is good news for those who love to go off-roading: the Ford Bronco is coming back soon. As soon as January 2020, if some rumors are to be believed. This new model still has a lot of questions surrounding it, even including what it might look like as a finished product. However, one thing is certain: fans of the Bronco are ecstatic.

    2020 Ford Bronco

    Rock Solid

    The Bronco’s legacy is that of a rock-solid vehicle that could tackle even the most demanding off-roading challenges. The 2020 Bronco looks set to follow expertly in those footsteps. Body-on-frame 4×4 vehicles are no joke, and you need look no further than the Jeep Wrangler to see that. The Bronco will be no exception. Additionally, the Bronco promises solid front and rear axels and enough ruggedness to make a grizzly bear look like a ballerina.

    Rumor has it that the Bronco is going to share a frame with the Ranger pickup, making it a solid choice for outdoors-types. Likewise, the Bronco is likely to be constructed primarily of aluminum, which allows Ford to keep the body light while not sacrificing on pure power. What’s not to love?

    Looks Like…

    As far as looks go, there are a few guesses out there. Pictures have been snapped of the new Bronco in the wild, and, though it’s covered by specifics-obscuring tape and deflectors, we can get an idea of the appearance. It looks like the design for the smaller Bronco is mostly based on the Ford Escape. However, some sources have indicated that a few of the Bronco’s designs and layouts will be more strongly based on the Ford Ranger.

    From rumors we’ve gathered that the Bronco looks to be a sub-brand for Ford, likely paying second fiddle to brands like the F-150 and other, more established lines. As for inspiration into what kind of performance and handling it can have, many have pointed to the Ford Troller and Jeep Wrangler as examples. These are all stellar design choices on which to base a 4×4, so we can safely say the Bronco is going to look rugged when it rolls out in 2020.

    Under the Hood

    If the Ford Ranger Raptor is any indication, expect to see an Eco-Boost engine under the hood of the 2020 Bronco. Ford is nothing if not consistent, and they’ve been putting the Eco-Boost in everything from the Raptor to the GT Supercar. Our best guess for the engine is that it churns out no less than 325 horses and puts up comparable torque to the Raptor. That means at least 370 pound-feet of torque across the solid front and back axles, meaning this is your go-to vehicle for getting deep in the mud.

    Keep in mind, of course, that this is all speculation based on Ford’s other recent vehicles. Ford themselves have made no indications as to what we should expect when the Bronco arrives in 2020. These are our best guesses, and though we feel they are likely, they could turn out to be inaccurate.

    How Much, and When?

    Again, it’s still a good bit of time away from releasing, so these are estimates at best. However, our best guesses for the eventual price and release date are based on rather credible rumors and educated guesses. Since the Bronco is being produced in Detroit and on the same body as the Ranger, we can make some safe assumptions. The first is that it will have many similar capabilities to the Ranger, and the second is that it will cost around the same.

    That means we can safely peg the price in the low-to-mid 30’s, depending on trim level and other factors. As for when you can expect to see these, we could expect around January 2020. It’s worth noting that we’re likely to see the “baby” version, based on the Ford Escape, hit dealerships first. It likely won’t be until a year after that, in 2021, that we could expect to see a full-sized iteration of the Bronco.

    Keep in mind that none of this is set in stone. Even if these are Ford’s current plans, they’re still more than a year away and could change at any time.

  • How to Save Money When You Upgrade Your Smartphone

    How to Save Money When You Upgrade Your Smartphone

    There are constantly new smartphones coming out. Every year the biggest smartphone manufacturers release new flagship phones full of great new features. If you’re not careful you could end up spending a ton of money trying to keep up with the latest tech trends. If you’re looking to upgrade your smartphone without breaking the bank, you need to have a plan on how to save money.

    There are a number of strategies you can use to try to keep your costs down while you’re trying to keep up with the latest tech. If you follow these tips you should save money and stay cutting edge all at the same time!

    How to Save Money When You Upgrade Your Smartphone

    Consider Switching Carriers

    Smartphones are a very competitive business. Carriers are always vying to lure customers of their competitors away with a number of cost-cutting tactics. Use their rivalry to your advantage! The last thing you need to do is pay full-price for anything. Pit carriers against one another when you look for the best deal on a new smartphone. If your current carrier has a worse deal on the newest smartphone than a competitor, make sure they know about it.

    If you threaten your cell phone carrier with the prospect of switching to get a better deal, they pay attention. Often you can even get discounts on your bill or a credit to your account as an incentive to stay with your current company. Don’t be afraid to play hardball with your carrier, and if they won’t help you save, cut them loose. You have no obligation to spend more money just because you’ve been using them for longer.

    Check Retailers

    Often, big-box stores like Sam’s Club, Walmart and Target offer deals on new smartphones. These could range from gift card promotions to savings on buying two phones at once. Either way, keeping your eyes peeled for deals in unlikely stores often pays when you’re trying to upgrade your smartphone for cheap.

    When it comes to smartphone shopping, you’re not stuck with just your wireless carrier for finding new phones. Between big-box retailers, online shopping and upstart phone companies, there are always ways to save. For instance, many tech-heads find it’s much cheaper to buy unlocked smartphones from the manufacturer and then get cell service added to them, rather than buying straight from the carrier.

    It’s important to remember that you have the power as the customer: your carrier only exists to serve you. Don’t let them fool you into thinking otherwise!

    Trade-Ins

    Most phone retailers will allow you to trade your current phone back in for a credit to your next upgrade. Depending on the carrier you could even find yourself paying nothing up front to pick up a brand-new phone when you trade-in. The biggest factor to keep in mind is the age and condition of your current phone. If you have a seven-year-old phone with tons of cracks and scratches it’s unlikely you’ll fetch much (if any) trade-in credit.

    However, if your phone is newer and of a well-known brand like Apple or Samsung you could find yourself saving a ton of money when you trade-in. Remember, not all carriers offer good trade values. Make sure you do research on your current phone and know what a fair trade-in price for the phone is. If the retailer won’t offer you a decent trade-in credit, simply opt for selling it yourself, or even switching carriers. Know your phone’s worth!

    Sell Your Old Phone

    This requires a bit more research and work in your part but it could be a great way to recoup some of the cost of your new phone. If you’ve got the time and patience to list and sell your old phone yourself you might get a lot more for it. Even selling your old phone for a few hundred dollars less than its MSRP could result in some bargain-hunter buying it off of you.

    This, in turn, frees you up to make sure you get what your phone is worth. The cold, hard cash you get selling the phone yourself allows you to turn the savings into money for groceries or other bills, too. Whether you choose to sell to a private individual or a retailer is your call, though you often get more when you sell it to a private individual.

    Just remember, before you sell someone your old phone you need to factory reset it. You don’t want some stranger having your contacts and pictures! Make sure you also take the old SIM card out of it if you haven’t already.

     

  • How 5G Speeds Will Impact You

    How 5G Speeds Will Impact You

    5G speeds are very nearly a reality for millions of wireless customers. Hype surrounding this next jump in cellular communications technology has been building for years. After all, it’s the next step in how our devices wirelessly communicate with one another. Everything from cell phones to self-driving cars will benefit from the new wireless infrastructure. So, how will 5G speeds impact you? What will 5G speeds mean for your devices?

    How 5G Speeds Will Impact You

    Where Will it Go Live First?

    5G speeds will likely roll out slowly at first, so don’t expect to see it any time soon unless you live in a major metropolitan area. If you happen to live in New York, Atlanta, LA or some other large city hub, you may be using 5G before everyone else. If not, it likely won’t be until late next year or even 2020 that you see 5G hitting your region.

    That’s because 5G represents a pretty major departure from 4G LTE and previous iterations of wireless infrastructure. This new wireless system will require a pretty major overhaul of existing cell towers and will require new hardware devices o take advantage of them. As such, the most populous areas will be the natural first pick for rolling out the service.

    Sprint has promised to have 5G networks up and running by early 2019. T-Mobile, likewise, has plans to go live in around 30 cities before the end of 2019. Take these estimates with a grain of salt, though: Verizon was talking about 5G field tests back in 2015. It may still be until 2020 or later that we see 5G on a large scale.

    What to Expect Early

    If you are one of the lucky few who sees 5G speeds hit your region early, don’t expect to be blown away by speeds hitherto undreamt of. It’s more likely that the fledgling system will have some growing pains before it begins to really show its strengths. For an example we can look to immediately, Verizon has launched a home 5G internet service in markets like Los Angeles and Dallas.

    Verizon’s home 5G broadband is certainly fast, and indicates a pretty big step up from previous internet speeds. However, the company isn’t using the industry-standard definition of 5G, leading many to criticize the company’s use of the 5G moniker. Even in their limited case, though, it’s clear that the 5G system won’t be revolutionizing telecommunication. Not right away, at least.

    5G Phones?

    There are currently no 5G phones in existence. If there are prototypes floating around, they’re still in the earliest stages. As of right now, 5G is more a benchmark that companies are trying to hit than a reality that is just weeks away. While we may see some early forays into 5G in the next year or so, the front half of 2019 is unlikely to have any proper 5G coverage. Well, at least not through phones.

    What you’re more likely to see early in this technology’s existence is “pucks,” or wireless receivers, that have 5G capabilities installed in major cities. These pucks would then process the 5G signal they’re receiving and turn it into a Wi-Fi signal. This would allow customers of various wireless companies to use their carrier’s 5G service through a puck on a phone that isn’t equipped to send and receive 5G signals.

    The Phones, Though

    “I don’t care,” you say, “I just want to know when I can get my hands on a 5G phone.” Well, there’s no definitive answer to that question yet. However, you’re right if you’re assuming you’ll likely never use a 5G puck. Pucks were used in the early days of 4G LTE coverage, but they were weird even back then. In today’s era, it’s unlikely you’ll encounter these. That means that, for the average person, their first encounter with 5G will be through a 5G-enabled phone.

    As for when we can expect to see the first of those, we’re not entirely sure. A conservative guess would be early in 2020, though many smartphone manufacturers are claiming that as soon as mid-to-late 2019 they’ll ship 5G phones. The truth may be somewhere in the middle of these two estimates.

    The earliest 5G phones are likely to inherit a lot of the problems that early LTE phones had. Phones like the Thunderbolt, one of the earliest LTE phones, had issues with short battery lives, overheating and poor performance. It’s reasonable to assume that the earliest 5G phones will experience similar growing pains as these earlier models did.

  • Best Value for Used Mini Vans in 2019

    Best Value for Used Mini Vans in 2019

    When it comes to mini vans, the first thing you want is a good value. If you’ve got a big family with a lot of kids and want to cart them all around comfortably and affordably, you’re looking for a value minivan. As everyone knows, one of the best ways to keep the costs down is by buying pre-owned.

    If you’re on the lookout for a good used minivan, it might be difficult to find the right one. After all, there are a ton of options out there. Which year, make and model is the right choice for your family and your budget? Today we’re looking at a few of the best used mini vans on the market.

    Best Value Used Mini Vans

    Why Buy Used?

    If you’re looking into buying a minivan in order to get the whole family around town more easily then you’re probably looking to save money. While buying new cars can be great for making sure they have no existing defects, buying used has some serious upsides. Namely, used cars are much more affordable! When you’ve got a ton of kids to feed and clothe, this is a pretty major consideration to keep in mind!

    Chrysler Town and Country

    With tons of standard safety features and a very reasonable price when used, the Town and Country is a solid vehicle for families. While the last production year was 2016, the vehicle remains an excellent value as a pre-owned minivan.

    The Town and Country does have a few issues that are worth noting. The powertrain isn’t the most reliable, making t a little more expensive than some others in this category for maintenance. The safety ratings aren’t quite as high as some of the competition, as well, which makes the vehicle a little less reliable.

    A drawback worth noting for the budget-conscious is the lower-than-average fuel economy. If you’re looking to save money, it’s not ideal to have to keep gassing up your vehicle. That said, the Town and Country does have a few things going for it. Plentiful standard features like lane assist and emergency braking make up for the lower safety ratings.

    It also sports a rather powerful engine for its size, making it a fun drive. The average price for a used Town and Country is around $20,000, making it a solid choice.

    Toyota Sienna

    The Toyota Sienna is a great pick for people looking for value in a minivan. Between the various years that this line has been on the market it has released some stellar vehicles for families. Notably, the Sienna offers a comfortable, sooth ride with plenty of interior room for the whole family.

    The Sienna has a plethora of great features for the price. The Sienna is huge and comfortable, so everyone from the driver and front seat passenger to kid in the third row will be plenty comfortable. There’s all-wheel drive available, which is great for getting out of sticky situations like mud or snow. There’s also a large area for storage which is impressive for a minivan,

    The only drawbacks are in the engine. When pushed a bit too hard, the vehicle sounds a bit rough. Additionally, at some trim levels the Sienna offers a somewhat rough ride at higher speeds. However, these are minor quibbles. When purchased used the Sienna is usually around $23,000, making it a great value for the family.

    Honda Odyssey

    The 2016 Honda Odyssey is an exceptional minivan for the price. As for value, this is one of the best on the market. Sporting one of the best safety ratings of minivans in its class, the Honda Odyssey is a great pick for your family.

    The cabin is spacious, durable and well-built. Everyone knows how destructive kid tend to be, but the Odyssey was made to be kid-proof. If your little ones tend to be terrors, you won’t have to worry about them in this vehicle!

    The Odyssey gets reasonable gas mileage for a minivan and is relatively easy to maintain. Being a Honda, it’s not surprising that this vehicle was built to last. Even when buying used you can count on a Honda to be reliable! When it comes to getting your family safely from place to place, that reliability is impossible to put a price on.

    If you had to, though, a used Honda Odyssey tends to run about $25,000. If you’re looking for a reliable and easy-to-maintain minivan that will safely get your family around town, the Odyssey is the one for you.