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  • Tackling a Kitchen Remodel? What You Need to Know

    Tackling a Kitchen Remodel? What You Need to Know

    No house is a home without a great kitchen. If you’re looking to remodel your home’s kitchen, you’re likely wondering where to start. How much will it cost? What kinds of renovations should you be looking to get done? There are a lot of factors with a kitchen remodel.

    Don’t sweat it, though, because we’ve got you covered. Today we’re going over the top things you need to know when considering a kitchen remodel. Let’s get your house looking brand-new with a great new kitchen.

    Top Things to Know When Taking on a Kitchen Remodel

    Expected Cost

    The cost of any given remodel will directly depend on just how much you want to get done. Are you getting entirely new cabinets, or just replacing the doors? Do you want your countertop refinished or do you want an entirely new countertop? Will you be upgrading to new appliances to modernize your kitchen’s look?

    Make sure you have a good idea of what you want before you talk to a contractor or remodeling company. Make yourself a list of the changes you want to see. That way, when you go to them for a quote they can give you an accurate estimate of what the labor and materials will cost. You can then adjust what you’re looking for accordingly.

    Research the Contractor

    Before you dive in with a contractor or remodeling company, do a bit of research. You don’t want to immediately start signing contracts with a company or contractor after just meeting with them. You’ll want to look online at detailed background on what the people doing the work have done in the past. Do people like them? Do they do a good job? Are they prompt and professional?

    Importantly, you’ll also want to make sure whoever is doing the work has experience with the kind of work you’re asking them to do. If they’ve never redone cabinets, or the ones they have done are of lower quality, you might want to go with someone else for the work.

    Another thing you need to keep in mind is what kind of price you’re paying for the work. Does the contractor charge a fixed rate, or do they give estimates up front? If cost is a concern, consider going with a contractor who offers you a flat fee for specific jobs. This allows you to have a better idea of what you’re paying.

    Further, make sure you ask about their policy in case something unexpected comes up. What if a contractor breaks the pipes in the sink, or causes other damage to the house? What if some unexpected damage existed before the contractors even arrived? You’ll want this info up-front.

    Get a Time Table

    Before the contractors get started, you’re going to want to know just how long the project will take. A professional contractor should be able to give you an accurate time table, though you should also be prepared for delays should unexpected things arise.

    For instance, if a contractor falls ill or has a family emergency, this will naturally slow the process. Likewise, some contractors occasionally find themselves working faster than their estimate, pleasantly surprising themselves or the remodeling homeowners. In fact, some contractors will give a “worst-case” time estimate in order to prepare you in case something goes wrong.

    Another important question to ask is: will any parts of the home be inaccessible during the remodeling process? Often, more complex remodeling projects will result in the kitchen or other parts of the home being accessible only to contractors. Get an idea of when this will be and be prepared to schedule around it. If you don’t know when this will occur, you could be caught off-guard and unsure what to do for dinner.

    Other Important Info

    Make sure your contractor service is fully accredited. Pretty much every place in the US requires any contractor work done by a third party requires accreditation. If you’re unsure, ask them right away to see their accreditation and licensing.

    Not only is this licensing required, seeing it up to date and ready to go shows that the company in question is responsible and dependable. If the company doesn’t have this licensing, you should simply walk away. It’s unlikely a company unwilling or unable to go through this process is trustworthy enough to do work on your home.

    You’ll also want to know how updates to the project are going to be communicated to you. Will there be a group text, or will updates be recorded on a sheet in the home? You want to know before you go ahead with the work.

  • Is Networking on LinkedIn the Path to a New Job?

    Is Networking on LinkedIn the Path to a New Job?

    LinkedIn is a social platform, much like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, but it has a distinct edge over those platforms for job-seekers. While Facebook and the like are inherently casual and mostly for wasting time (sorry, Facebook) LinkedIn could help you score a new job.

    No, seriously! LinkedIn is a professional networking app that allows you to make connections and make your name known amongst professionals in your field. If you’re not using LinkedIn to expand your professional network, you’re missing out on a huge help to your career prospects.

    LinkedIn and Job Prospects

    What is It?

    LinkedIn is, at its core, a professional-minded social networking app. The stated purpose of the site is to help connect professionals. You can upload your resume, work history and connections and make yourself more well-known in your field.

    Unlike Facebook and Twitter, profiles on LinkedIn are professional first. Recruiters and employers often first look to a candidate’s LinkedIn profile to see how the candidate stacks up. It’s a quick way to pull someone’s work history and resume without having to go through the formal hiring procedures.

    Networking

    If you’re a freelancer or someone looking to break into a field, then the networking offered by LinkedIn is a huge boon. Hiring managers and recruiters often set apart time of their day to browse LinkedIn connections. By increasing your network’s size, you make it that much more likely that hiring managers can see you in their normal scouting.

    You can’t predict just how big of a role networking could play in your job-hunting process. Just because you know someone, you might get an inside track on a job you didn’t even know existed. If you’re gunning for a competitive position, the benefit of knowing someone in the field can be impossible to pass up.

    Job Listings

    Another big part of LinkedIn is the job listing section. If you’re actively hunting for a job, you can make managing your LinkedIn a full-time job! There are always new listings going live on this tab, so you can rest assured that you’ll find new opportunities on the site every day. In fact, many people get messages about open positions if they simply maintain their LinkedIn.

    If you’ve become recently unemployed, LinkedIn can be a huge boon to your job search. It puts you in the loop regarding what jobs are open in your field and gives you a structure to searching for your next career. The listings can be sorted based on pay, field and requirements.

    This allows you to stay up-to-date on just what options are available to you. If you’re keeping tabs on your LinkedIn profile, then you make it that much more likely you find the work you’re looking for. It almost acts like a headhunter agency that doesn’t take a cut of your pay when it finds you a job!

    In the Know

    Another huge aspect of LinkedIn is the active job article section. The articles can keep you in the loop on various industry trends, changes in the company or companies you’re interested in getting work in and showing you what behaviors led to various CEOs and execs getting ahead. It helps to know what got the people at the top to their positions and just how they keep their position in their field. After all, knowing is half the battle!

    Personal Brand

    LinkedIn is also important in managing ones own personal brand. If you apply for a job and the employer looks up your LinkedIn profile, it can help solidify your professional legitimacy. If people who know you have endorsed your skills and put their name behind you, it makes you that much more desirable than the candidates who don’t have such guarantees.

    There are numerous skills you can list on your profile, such as Photoshop or Microsoft Excel. Some people list skills like “sales experience,” “customer service experience,” or “writing talent.” Any of these types of skills can be endorsed by your LinkedIn connections, including your prior managers and coworkers.

    Is LinkedIn Right for You?

    So, you’re looking for a better job and you don’t know where to start to get yourself a leg up. Well, maybe it’s time to download LinkedIn and get your profile up. It’s not that hard to list your skills connect with your coworkers and former managers, and get validation on your personal skills.

    When you’re competing for positions in highly sought-after fields, every little bit helps. Put yourself in a winning position by getting a LinkedIn account.

  • Suffering From Dry Eyes at Work?

    Suffering From Dry Eyes at Work?

    Tears, sometimes you just need a great cry. Tears of joy. Tears of laughter. Even tears of pain, sorrow or loss. Crying is a reaction remedy for any emotional overload. Natural human crying is “a complex secretomotor phenomenon characterized by the shedding of tears from the lacrimal apparatus, without any irritation of the ocular structures”, according to all available information. That basically means, it feels good and relieving to shed salted water from your eyes.

    Tears have some very vital components. First is water, you know, for moisture. Tears also have natural oils in them for lubrication. Oil makes water wetter, if that makes any sense. They have mucus to ensure they spread evenly and special proteins and antibodies, that keep infection in check. A magical cocktail of soothing as I like to think of them. Your body makes this easily, naturally, and constantly. If that’s the case why are my eyes so dry all the time?

    Dry eyes could mean something in your body is off. Are your eyes giving you a gritty feel? Do you constantly feel like there’s something in your eye, like an eyelash? Got itching, redness, blurry vision or light sensitivity? especially at work? You could have an issue in your tear-flow system. Don’t panic, odds are its something simple like your air conditioner, fan, or heater that are causing your dry eyes

    Dry Eye Causes

    But what if it isn’t any of those things? First, we will want to rule out some of the other simple explanations. Menopause and the natural human aging will cause your eyes to dry up. So will certain antihistamines and conditions that don’t allow your eyelid to fully shut. Even things like our blood pressure medications or viagra can cause an imbalance in your tears. Then there are more complex issues like Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and collagen vascular diseases. These diseases affect your eye’s tear making capabilities.

    None of those?  It could be the bright lights, dry air, and computer screens of your office. The office environment is a prime place to dry out your tear film. There are a lot of reasons your office environment is causing your dry eyes. Staring at your computer for long periods of time will cause you to blink less often. Couple that with the glare of your computer and overhead fluorescent lights and that dry office air, it’s no wonder your eyes are red, dry, irritated. It’s your office causing your dry eyes…

    Easy Natural Solutions

    Fortunately, this isn’t a very complex issue, and we can solve it pretty easily. First, take breaks from your computer. Use the 20-20-20 rule. This is something experts recommend not just for dry eyes but your overall eyesight as well. They say, every 20 mins take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away. In all honesty, we should all be doing this, even from just our phones.

    Next, ditch the contacts and go with the glasses look. The glasses will act as a shield protecting your eyes from wind as well as dry air. The glasses will also slow down the tear evaporation process. Water, add more water daily. It’s just common sense and helps a multitude of other issues. Lastly, adjust the lighting in your office. Cut down the over headlights, and add a few soft LED lamps. Or try one of those cool himalayan pink salt lamps that look so cool I just want to get one.

    Hit Them With Chemicals

    As much as we bash our chemical use in today’s world, they do work. Just look at my lawn and fish tank. Chemicals can solve all life’s problems, like dry eyes. With your dry eyes being a mild issue you can get an artificial tear solutions. You can use these to supplement natural tears. Artificial tear solutions are a great solution and don’t have preservatives or additives that can cause more eye irritation.

    If those don’t help you can get a small bit of silicon implanted in your tear ducts to conserve tears. It sounds a bit extreme but keeping your natural tears is a good way to reduce your dry eye issues. The gel-like plugs are inserted in your tear ducts and you can easily remove them to let the tears out when needed. Your optometrist can also prescribe an omega-3 fatty acid teardrop nutritional supplement to increase your tear production.

    Lastly try prescription eye drops or ointments, warm compresses and lid massage, or eyelid cleaners. This will reduce the inflammation around the eyes and boost tear production. I like to call this the kitchen sink approach.

  • What You Should Know about Blood Thinners

    What You Should Know about Blood Thinners

    There are a number of anticoagulants, or blood thinners, on the market. These medications, like warfarin and coumadin, these keep clots from forming in your blood stream. That’s why they’re called anticoagulants, as they keep your blood from coagulating. However, you might be surprised to learn about some of the facts regarding blood thinners potential effects on your health. Are blood thinners safe for you to take?

    Facts You Need to Know About Blood Thinners

    What are Blood Thinners Prescribed For?

    Generally speaking, coumadin, warfarin and the like are prescribed to treat issues like blood clots, atrial fibrillation, pulmonary embolisms and various heart surgeries. They are also often prescribed for procedures like hip replacement. Contrary to popular conception, despite being called blood thinners, these medications don’t actually thin out your blood. Instead, they keep your blood from clotting. This can cause issues in some patient.

    The most commonly prescribed forms of these medications are coumadin and warfarin. They work primarily by blocking K vitamins from operating in the blood. Vitamin K is the molecule responsible for causing platelets to clump together and clot. The use of this medication in recent years has widened to include treatment of atrial fibrillation.

    Other Forms of Blood Thinners

    Warfarin and coumadin are the most common types of blood thinners prescribed, but they’re not the only medications out there for those with atrial fibrillation and the like. Since 2010, in fact, several notable medications have been released. These include Xarelto, Eliquis, and Pradaxa which can also treat conditions like deep vein thrombosis.

    Warfarin and coumadin require frequent blood tests in order to check on the patient’s liver. Unlike those medications, however, these newer medications have no such restrictions and are generally considered to be “safer” on the liver.

    Blood thinners like these are often taken in pill form, and they need not be taken with food in order to be effective. This is a commonly misunderstood aspect of anticoagulants. However, unlike coumadin and warfarin, these new medications don’t interact with as many foods.

    For instance, on traditional blood thinners, you need to be careful about eating foods that can include Vitamin K. Additionally you should also avoid ibuprofen and aspirin, as well as alcohol. This isn’t the case with these newer medications.

    Side Effects

    No anticoagulants are completely without side effects, of course. Whether you’re prescribed traditional anticoagulants or newer ones, there are a few things to keep in mind about these medications. The most major side effect to keep in mind is that these medications keep your blood from clotting even when you are injured. Remember, blood clotting is how your body stops itself from bleeding.

    So, in general, you need to avoid becoming injured in such a way that you would bleed. This probably sounds like a “well, duh,” piece of advice, but it’s worth noting. You don’t usually seek out injuries that will cause you to bleed, but while on blood thinners you need to double down on avoiding the sharp ends of things.

    In the evident that you do become injured or get cut, you need to apply pressure to injury right away. Apply constant pressure following the event until the bleeding subsides. This replicates your body’s normal processes to keep from bleeding. This is the simple one: more serious injuries are the ones that result in internal bleeding.

    If you incur a fall or something similar that could result in internal bleeding, keep your eyes open for unusually swelling and seek medial attention immediately in the case this occurs. If you don’t you might experience serious injury or worse.

    Non-Injury Side Effects

    There are other side effects related to anticoagulants that aren’t tied up in injuries. For instance, upset stomach, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues are occasionally reported while taking anticoagulants. Other effects include headaches and dizziness, fever and aches, and general flu-like effects.

    Due to these types of side effects, it’s widely recommended that those on this medication wear identification that explains they’re on anticoagulants. This is because, in the event of injury, doctors need to know that your blood won’t be clotting. If you go into surgery and the doctors don’t know that your blood isn’t going to clot then you’ll likely not survive the procedure.

    Hopefully this information is helpful to you. Remember, never take medication that you aren’t prescribed by your doctor, and only take the amount that you’re directed to by your doctor. If your doctor thinks anticoagulants are right for your condition, discuss potential side effects, foods to avoid and behaviors to engage in while on it.

  • They Left the House, Now What?

    They Left the House, Now What?

    It’s been a long 36 years since you first got that pregnancy test results back in the early 80s. You watched your child grow and blossom, TCBY’s come and go, grunge music, and then they finally turned 18 and graduated high school. That was gonna be it, time to take your life and home back, or so you thought. College came and went, along with relationships, but they just seemed to stay around. Then the crash of 2008 happened and you thought this was it, they will be home for life. All of theirs, or the rest of yours.

    That was ok though, you almost took some comfort in it. No shame in the game, all of your friends still have their middle-aged kids at home too. It’s like a whole new culture thing and you got pulled in to it. Then as quickly as it the situation evolved, times turned in America. Jobs and money are flowing like the 50s and the stock market is doing incredible things with everyone’s money. Just like that, your precious 35-year-old couch potato is employed, buying a house and a car, and moving out to start his life. They are gone now.

    Meals for two again, quiet, serene peace. It’s almost frightening. Time seems to be fast forwarding and days melting together, all the while nothing feels like it’s being accomplished. Am I getting close on this one? Are you suffering from an unanticipated empty nest long after it should have been emptied? So now what? I’m glad you asked that, let’s talk about what is next.

    Do I have Empty Nest Syndrome?

    Depression, alcoholism, identity crisis and marital conflicts can all stem from the unexpected sense of loneliness you will feel with an empty nest. There is no real reason this has to become you, you can use this empty nest to solve and alleviate family and work-related conflicts. This will, in turn, improve the quality of your life.  Once a child leaves the home, finally, leaves the home, parents can find the chance to reconnect with each other.

    Take the time to quiet your mind and rekindle those long lost interest you once had. This will offset the loneliness and avoid you falling into the empty nest syndrome.

    Yoga

    By the year 2050, the senior population will expect to double.  Medicine is getting pretty scientific. It is great for keeping us alive. That’s not quite good enough, I want to get old without the pain. My dream is to give my body back to the earth without the complaints.  That’s where Yoga comes in. We all need to get into some Yoga stretching. Yoga classes for seniors include poses in forward bends and twists that protect the fragile bone system. There are classes designed, supported and taught with seniors in mind. The benefits include pain management, balance, spirituality, and graceful aging.

    Take the best of modern, evidence-based medicine matched with the ancient wisdom, experience, and tradition.  Yoga teachings for seniors can vastly improve your quality of life. Seniors come across a lot of issues that yoga can help, including reducing high blood pressure, easing back pain, enhancing sleep, as well as greatly improving your mood. I can’t stress enough how much Yoga will help improve your aging process as well as help you cope with your newly found empty nest.

    Find a Challenge

    There is one constant in all life advice. Its challenges and victories. It is a universal theme that can combat whatever is going on in your head. Stop the deconstructive behavior, challenges yourself,  and bask in the mini victories. This will inevitably change your perspective and get you over any tumultuous issues in your life. Empty nest syndrome is no different. It is simple. First set out to ease the sense of loss and loneliness by taking on a new and unrelated challenge. Have fun with it, do something you have always wanted to but never could justify.  Whether you’ve dreamed of completing a marathon, finish your degree,  or remodel your bathroom, today is your day to jump in.

    You can even get really crazy with it,  like volunteering with habitat for humanity build or spend time with sick kids. This will help you focus all that parenting wisdom to someone that could really use it. Set yourself up to achieve what I like to call mini victories, give a sick kid a smile and a toy, your first yoga class, install a new sink,  a weekend getaway or an afternoon on a job site for charity. These will all give you these mini victories. String a few together and like magic, you will find yourself transforming into the you that you had had always thought you were.

  • Best News Apps to Manage your Prescription Schedule

    Best News Apps to Manage your Prescription Schedule

    No one loves having to keep up with a complicated schedule of taking prescriptions on time. After all, you’re a busy person with a lot going on. It’s hard to remember when to take what! However, your health relies on you taking your medicines on time. If you’re having a hard time keeping up with your medication, you can try some of these helpful apps that can manage your prescription schedule. It’s important that you take care of yourself by keeping up with your medicine! If you happen to save a bit of money with some of these apps while doing it, all the better!

    Best New Apps to Manage Your Prescription Schedule

    Medisafe

    The first app we’re looking at is called Medisafe. This is a handy app that’s available for both Android and Apple devices and it’s great. Not only does it help you track your prescriptions and when you’ll need a refill, you also get tracking for your doctor’s appointments. If you’re forgetful like us, these are fantastic features to have in a smart phone app. The app is easy to use, incredibly handy and imminently easy to personalize.

    Some great features include safety ones such as emergency contacts who can be notified if you miss a dose. This is a way to make sure you’re safe and could even safe your life! You can set up fun alert sounds, too. There are a number of characters and celebrities you can choose from for the voice to alert you that it’s time to take your medicine. Who ever said that prescription schedules couldn’t be fun? Well, everyone, but, that’s okay.

    PillPack

    If you’re anything like us, you probably hate having to go to the pharmacy. It’s boring, it’s slow, it takes forever and you’d really rather be somewhere else. Well, that’s where PillPack comes in. This app, available on Apple devices, is a fully-licensed pharmacy that you can access from your smartphone.

    Not only does PillPack ship your medicine right to your door, it also pre-separates it out for you into handy baggies. All of the medication you need to take on one day will be in its own bag. When you combine this with Medisafe you get the double benefit of both reminders and helpful medication sorting!

    The package you get from PillPack is totally personalized for you, as each pill has a photo next to it and a chart to tell you which is which. Any special instructions are printed out for you, and it’s very easy to tell which pill you should take when, and how. If you often forget which of your medications you need to take, and for what, PillPack is a great service for you.

    The best thing about PillPack is that it’s very easy to get your medicine refilled. If you set it up, the app can coordinate with your healthcare provider and insurance and make sure you get your medicine on time. You only pay your standard co-pay! While the app is currently only available on iOS, it’s also on the way to Android devices soon!

    GoodRX

    Everyone hates having to pay high prices for medicine, but not a lot of people know about the best ways to save. One of the best ways you can save money on your prescriptions is by going through GoodRX, an app that helps you find the very best prices from all stores in your area. If you’ve ever used GasBuddy, this is sort of the same idea, but for medicine instead of gas.

    When you search for a medication on GoodRX you’ll see the prices of medication at various retailers in your city. This allows you to compare and contrast at a glance and make sure you’re finding the absolute best prices in your area. Why spend more when you don’t have to?

    You can search for either single medication prices or for the pharmacy that gives you the best overall price on your prescriptions together. You can also set up reminders for when you need to refill to ping you through the app! There are even coupons on select medications available through the GoodRX app, which helps you to save even more money on your medications!

    Currently the GoodRX app is available on both Android and Apple devices. The best part is, the app is totally free. It’s hard to beat the low price of free for an app that could potentially save you a ton of money, in our book. Don’t hesitate to start saving with GoodRX today.

  • Great Jobs that Don’t Require a College Degree

    Great Jobs that Don’t Require a College Degree

    Just because you didn’t go to college doesn’t mean you can’t find a great job in an exciting career field. In fact, there are a number of great career opportunities that people without degrees can pursue. If your biggest concern is landing a great job that will pay you well and has room for growth, you’re not out of luck if you didn’t go to college. Here are some of the best jobs you can find that will hire with just a high school diploma.

    Great Jobs that Don’t Require a College Degree

    Web Developer

    Generally speaking, web developers don’t need to have college degrees to find work. If you’re good with computers and can design a great website, whether you went to school won’t really matter. Some web developers work for one company as a full-time employee, covering their web needs, creating and maintaining their website, handling their backend tech issues and more. This is a great job for tech-savvy people who might not have the money or desire to go to college.

    Other web developers work as independent contractors and handle web services and backend for numerous companies. These contractors are technically self-employed, which makes education less important than portfolio. Contractors can set their own hours and take work at their own pace. And as creating stylish websites is a highly sought-after skill, this is a very safe career path choice. The internet isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

    Hotel Manager

    Working for a hotel is a great way to make good money without needing a college degree. Hotels generally need all the help they can get, and management positions at these positions often don’t require you have a college degree. Even if you’re not immediately placed into management, hotels are full of great career paths that could be uniquely suited to your strengths.

    For instance, if you’re a people person you can easily find work at the front desk of a hotel. If you’re a night owl, you could get a night audit position. If you like driving, you could drive the shuttle to and from the hotel and various attractions in town. Then, if you perform well, hotels often promote from within. As such, positions within a hotel often lead to management positions over that department. Front desk, catering, housekeeping: there are tons of departments within hotels that require managers to oversee them.

    This is a great way to sort of slide into a solid career by just starting at the ground level. If you keep your head down, work hard and impress your managers, you could likely find yourself in a position to manage the entire hotel by the time you’ve been there for ten years. And those intervening ten years will have you making solid money in a good field while you climb the ladder.

    Executive Assistants

    Nearly every office building needs assistants. It might sound like a very unfun job, but hear us out. Assistants play a vital role in most offices. Between those who act as receptionists, helping visitors and managing calendars, to those who help coordinate executives’ activities, assistants are a huge support role. Additionally, work as an assistant is often full-time and has a lot of opportunities for career growth.

    A few things about getting hired on as an assistant make it a great back-door into a career you want. For one, you don’t often need a college degree to get hired on as an assistant. For another, you’re working directly with a major boss of the company, so any great work ethic or talent you show is observed directly by the person who has a say in promoting you. Further, once you’ve proven yourself a valuable asset to the company, you’ll likely find yourself promoted into a position you really want and deserve. That’s literally the definition of career growth!

    Retail Management

    If you can stand the absolute drudgery of retail floor work, retail management is a good career field to enter into. Often times you’ll have to start out on the ground level, especially if you’re coming in with no degree, but that’s life. Generally, retail work is rather unforgiving, if relatively boring. For the first bit on the ground level, you’ll likely spend more time just trying to keep customers happy than anything.

    However, those who work hard and show skills with people and coworkers will likely find themselves fast-tracked to management. Smart people, with or without college degrees, can expect to move up the ladder into management positions that come with benefits and solid pay.

  • What is the Best Way to Save Money On Baby Formula?

    What is the Best Way to Save Money On Baby Formula?

    It’s a glorious time in your life. The dream you have had as long as you have been a conscious human being it about to be realized. Waiting for your whole life to do something meaningful and the time is now. You are going to be a parent. Maybe even a good parent.

    Back to reality, babies are expensive, needy, and very expensive. On top of that, everything they need is expensive. Diapers, food, clothing, toys, educations, hobbies, entertainment, sports, travel sports, college. It just keeps escalating out of control.

    How can anyone afford a whole other person? Let’s take it one step at a time. First, you want to make sure your new baby has food. For starters, babies like mothers breast milk. That’s easy you make it for free. Unless you don’t, or can’t breastfeed. Then it’s onto formula.

    Like all the other things you are stressing about with your newborn, formula cost is a major concern. I’ve compiled a few easy ways to save some money on your new babies formula. While they may seem minuscule and not worth the time, remember your baby will need a lot. This will add up quickly.

    Samples at the Dr’s Office

    It is a great big marketing world we live in, aggregated with our free market economy, that results in large companies vying for the chance to be your formula supplier. You are going to, for lack of a better word, milk this opportunity. Start by asking your doctor or nurse for samples.  Formula companies know the best way to win over a mothers formula loyalty is to get the doctor to recommend their brand.

    They do this by buying the doctor’s office lunch, telling them why their brand is the best, and giving the office loads of free samples. It’s a simple conversation with your doctor, just ask what they recommend, you will go home with at least 2 weeks worth of free samples.

    Cash the Formula Checks

    Now that you got the free sample from the doctor, look inside for the company insert. It is usually in a plastic pouch. Most discard this but don’t. It is full of goodies. In this pouch will be formula checks that can be used like cash to buy formula. How amazing is this? Before redeeming these, go check out the company’s website. It will be in the info in the plastic pouch. Register with them.

    These products are expensive, the companies know this, and are making a fortune selling it. These formula manufacturers like to make coupons and sample packs available to parents. Once you are linked up online, they will shower you with more coupons, checks and additional incentives on other related baby products.

    After you have tapped the online resources, make a  phone call or send an email reaching out to their customer service department. These companies love positive notes, boast about how much you love their product and how your baby loves them. You will be surprised how willing they will reward your gracious appreciations with some valuable coupons in the mail.

    Social Media

    Take to social media and Facebook. There are thousands and thousands of garage sale, mommy, and swap pages you can comb through and find all sorts of precious and modestly priced baby products. Remember people get a lot of coupons in the mail, even people without babies. Some of them even receive formula samples from brands that they don’t prefer or just don’t like. You will be blown away on the coupons or stockpiles of formula you can get from social media.

    Amazon Mom

    Want to save 20% off of diapers and formula? With Amazon Mom Subscribe & Save subscription for moms you can. Plus they throw in additional $1 to $3 e-coupons. You will get the prime shipping free and Amazon will always match Walmart’s prices. Pit them against each other.  20% off formula and supplies is a massive saving. You will save on formula easily with an Amazon Mom membership.

    Also, you will also get a 15% baby registry discount and your first 30 days is free. There is also the option on Amazon Mom to buy diapers and wipes that are returns or that have damaged packaging for less than the regular price. It’s a moderate risk, but there is the option. Desperate times?

    Dads’ To The Rescue

    There is also another great way to load up on formula before the baby is born. It is a new phenomenon called “the dad shower”. Like a baby shower for moms but a lot more fun. Dads get together around a pool or televised sporting event. The new dad-to-be supplies beer and food. Traditionally pizza or bbq. Invites all his buddies and co-workers, in turn, they all bring a gift of diapers or formula.

    It’s an easy, low key good time,  and very beneficial for new parents. You would be surprised how generous single men without babies are. Also, we have no idea what a baby actually consumes so we tend to grossly overcompensate. Free beer, why not.

  • These Window Treatments Help Keep Your Home at the Perfect Temperature

    These Window Treatments Help Keep Your Home at the Perfect Temperature

    Everyone is struggling with energy cost and keeping their home at the ideal temperature. We have upgraded the AC, got thermo smart-filters, and added a Nest thermostat, but what else needs to be done?  The next step is to reduce the energy loss through the windows. The Department of Energy says “about 30% of a home’s heating energy is lost through windows. In cooling seasons, about 76% of the sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters to become heat.” That’s a lot of temperature fluctuation.

    In reality, any type of window treatments will result in energy savings. That’s not quite good enough for us here at goodfind.guru, we want the exact savings. Getting a better idea of the numbers depends on how the attachment is used,  the type of attachment, the season, and of course the climate. Let’s talk about blinds and custom window treatments to help improve your energy use.

    Windows are great and terrible for energy loss in your home. They are terrific in gabbing the suns heat for warmth, but a terrible waste of leaking cooled air, Naturally as you would think, that hurts your energy bill. Windows can increase your energy consumption by up to 20 percent due to the cool or warm air loss. Unacceptable! How do we control this? Let’s take a look at some great options.

    Cellular Shades

    Cellular shades fill a need for window coverings that would reduce consumers’ energy use at a reasonable price.  They started to pop up after the energy crisis of the 70s. They use a  honeycomb shaped cells to trap air. This allows the cellular shades to add a layer of insulation. You will want to use double shades rather than a single for better results. They do have without a doubt,  the highest efficiency value of all window treatments.

    This makes them the best choices for energy efficient window treatments. You will want to use the top-down bottom-up style. This will allow for maximum light control and thermal efficiency. They do this by allowing you to control the amount of sunshine that comes in throughout the day. While the energy savings are terrific, they are an elegant and classic design. So even though they are at a low cost and provide the best thermal results, they still look amazing. Can’t go wrong here.

     Shutters

    Now onto the shutters.  Shutters are installed tightly to the window itself. This results in less of a gap, which adds to their thermal efficiency.  Louvered adjustable panels, with a great custom fitting, are a great way to prevent cooled inside air from escaping to the outside. Shutters in the winter will create a seal to keep your warm air in. This will save you in both the winter and hotter months energy bills.

    Closing your shutters during the summer will block sunlight.  Creating a barrier against the intrusion of that warm, moist and sultry summer air. Plus they look fantastic. Enhancing the aesthetics of your home with a classic and wonderful style. If you are looking for a great way to improve the value of your home, control the outside light, fabulous insulators that will save on your energy bill, as well as look fabulous, just get shutters.

    Its Getting Hot in Here, So Install Solar Shades

    For those of us below the deep south, we need to talk about solar shades. Solar Shades utilize an opaque material that allows you an outside view while still creating an energy efficient barrier against UV rays. With an array of transparencies, even a glorious blackout option, there is a great look for every room in your house. Here in Florida, you will want to install them to the exterior of your home to block UV rays before they penetrate inside.

    Don’t worry about a lack of privacy if you go with solar shades either, they can still give you total privacy from the outside in while giving you a full view from the inside out.

    Onto Window Film

    A great way to save your energy is to add sheets of self-adhering plastic that are applied directly to window glass, like window tint. This is called window film, You can use window film to add decorative touches. Create nice and stunning looks like cracked glass or my favorite,  stained glass windows. Or go hardcore with a dark tint, specifically to block heat transfer and solar gain.

    Energy-efficiency tax credits may even come in to play. You can also get a mirrored look for an additional privacy layer. The best part about window film is they can be used in conjunction with any or all of the above-mentioned window treatments.

  • Top Food for Natural Teeth Whitening

    Top Food for Natural Teeth Whitening

    There is no truer statement than the fact that the absolute first thing people usually notice about you, is your smile. They base their lasting first impression from your teeth in your smile. The obvious conclusion is the more attractive your smile, the more likely it is that you’ll be sought out, noticed,  liked, and remembered. It is simple logic, better teeth, better smile, which in turn increases your instant likeability. A study was even performed, and the results show the more attractive your smile, the better you’ll do in your job or career.

    So with all this being said it should seem obvious, you need to have a vested interest in your smile and teeth. The best way to improve your smile is to whiten your teeth. The most effective way to whiten is an in-office whitening. However, this is also the most expensive. Not to mention the chemicals and ultra-violet exposure. We are getting enough harmful chemicals all day every day, do we really need to add more for vanity?

    Fortunately, we do not. There are tons of effective ways to naturally whiten your teeth, which as we talked about will improve your smile, resulting in better first impressions, that will eventually lead to career advancements. Let us take some time to discuss some of the top foods for natural teeth whitening.

    The Foods That Clean

    Let’s start with some foods that will naturally clean your teeth. You remember these from your childhood. Parents and doctors were way ahead of the internet on these, demanding they be eaten daily for good health and good teeth. Apples, celery, and carrots. Sounds familiar? This is mostly what horses eat and they always have beautiful smiles. As a matter of fact, I have never met a horse that didn’t make a great first impression.

    There has to be something to this. These healthy fruits and veggies act like natural a toothbrush. They help in boosting saliva production, and we all know saliva is the mouth’s self-cleaning agent. They work to kill bad breath by eliminating bacteria, and scrub the mouth clean. Also, they are extremely and unreasonably delicious.

    The Natural Mouthwash

    After we have done our carrot/apple tooth scrub, it is time to rinse the mouth with a natural mouthwash. Yep, you probably guessed, there is a great natural mouthwash. Citrus fruits. Oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and pineapples. Tart or sour fruits will again increase saliva production.

    The mouths natural self-cleaning agent, remember? These fruits, their pulp, and juices, along with the extra saliva they produce will wash your teeth clean naturally. The lemons can be a bit harsh, proceed with caution.

    The Strawberry Toothpaste

    Strawberries are full of an enzyme called malic acid. Malic acid helps remove surface stains on your teeth. Try mashing up strawberries and rubbing them on your teeth, or try this natural toothpaste, mashup strawberries and add baking soda and peroxide.

    Blend until smooth. Use a soft toothbrush to spread the mixture onto your teeth. leave it for a few mins, then rinse. You may need to floss after, strawberry seeds everywhere.

    Let me add to this by explaining the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Baking soda neutralizes acids that are produced in plaque. Due to its grainy abrasive nature, it also works as a high powered scrub brush. The Hydrogen peroxide is another safe whitening agent due to its bleaching qualities.

    Cheese

    Cheese and smiles just go together, that is why you yell “cheese!” before a picture. Everyone loves cheese and instinctively smiles, try it, it always works. Cheese and dairy get blamed for a lot of bad breath as well. I mean who wants cheese breath? Well,  I do, dairy is great for teeth whitening and protection.

    Dairy products contain lactic acid. Lactic acid can help protect teeth against decay. They also are rich calcium and protein, these help to build your tooth enamel. Even one step further, yogurt is believed to bond to your teeth, protecting it from cavity-causing harmful acids.

    Broccoli

    High fiber veggies like broccoli are great for your mouth health. Broccoli can reduce inflammation in your mouth. You will need to eat it crisp and raw to get the full effect. The broccoli will clean and polish your teeth. Broccoli is also high in iron.

    The high iron veggie has an added benefit of providing a wall of protection for your teeth against bacteria and its enamel eroding effects. Broccoli will also prevent stains and cavities.