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It’s an undeniable fact that given the opportunity, we would all want to transform our homes into something better. However, because of financial limitations, many of us often delay the idea if not forget about it entirely. But the good news is that you don’t necessarily need to spend a small fortune to get the desired results. You’ll be surprised at how far a modest budget can get you with some careful planning and research. To this end, here are a few money-saving tips for the budget-conscious homeowners looking to improve their homes.

• Don’t spend impulsively

Whether it’s the modern lighting that you need to enhance your home’s interior or landscaping services to add kerb appeal, it’s crucial never to spend impulsively. Instead, take your time and consider all available options before deciding. Tedious as it may appear to be, doing so will give you a better chance of finding inexpensive alternatives and better deals. And as a result, keep your expenditure to a minimum without compromising on the quality of the results.

• Tackle one project at a time

The reason why home improvement is generally associated with high expenditure is that many people give into the temptation of tackling multiple projects simultaneously. Instead, it’s a general rule of thumb to take on one job at a time. Doing so will not only keep costs from spiraling out of control, but this focused approach will allow you to reduce, if not mitigate, the chances of making any potentially expensive mistakes.

• Consider a DIY approach

While some jobs are best left in the capable hands of professionals, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there aren’t tasks that you can do on your own. And if the opportunity presents itself, consider taking a do-it-yourself approach instead. After all, not only will it keep you from spending a small fortune on labour, but it’s a satisfying experience that you’re bound to learn from too.

• Give yourself a financial cushion

When tackling a home improvement project, it’s not uncommon to encounter unforeseen issues and unexpected expenses to rear their ugly heads. As such, it’s good standard practice to have a financial cushion in place. In this way, any potential problems that might arise can be dealt with quickly. More importantly, it will keep your project from any expensive delays, and as a result, maintain a consistent level of productivity throughout the duration of the project.

• Understand your limits

In the interest of keeping expenses low, a lot of homeowners opt to tackle the tasks that the home improvement project entails themselves. However, this can be counterproductive if the job requires specialist work. And you’re far more likely to make mistakes that will be costly to rectify in doing so. As such, it’s vital to understand your limits and leave specific tasks to the experts when necessary.

There’s no denying that home improvement projects can be expensive endeavours. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that it should always be the case. And by following the money-saving tips listed here, not only will you get the desired results, but do so without breaking the bank.

 

 

You need to have a quality presentation to convince the people listening to you. Whether you’re presenting to a large crowd or to a small group of potential investors, your words matter. However, apart from the presentation, you also need to consider these other factors to guarantee success.

Good personality

When you step on stage to speak in front of the crowd, you need to look good. Even if you’re nervous and shaking inside, you still have to appear confident. Try to smile at the people in the room and be optimistic. Sometimes, even if you have something good to say, people will ignore you if you seem scary.

Sense of humour

Don’t take the process too seriously, even if you know that the results of your presentation are crucial. The moment you lose your sense of humour, you will also lose the interest of the people in the room. Therefore, you have to appear calm. Inject some funny lines along the way, especially if your speech could go on for a long time. You want to retain attention by being comic.

Visual aids

You need to have visual aids along with your speech to ensure that people are guided by what you’re discussing. Besides, there’s no guarantee that you can hold everyone’s attention even if you have a good topic. With visual aids, you can gain people’s interest. Make sure that you go to the venue early to check if the equipment you need for the visual aids is ready. You can also invest in an AV mount like the ones sold at www.unicol.com for the clearer projection of your visual aids.

Ability to respond to questions

You can prepare for your speech, but you won’t know the types of questions that will be thrown at you. Therefore, you must learn how to respond to questions. It shows that you know what you’re talking about, and you’re confident of every detail. You can reference your visual aids for clarity. You can also be honest if you have no idea how to respond to the question. It’s better than providing an incorrect response.

Level of engagement

No one wants to sit for several hours listening to you. It doesn’t matter even if you have an excellent topic. People’s attention won’t last that long. Some of them might doze off, while others might stay longer in the toilet. Therefore, your ability to engage with people is important. Find a way to interact with them by asking questions, playing games, and using other techniques. You have to break the monotonous speech. It’s better to pause for fun activities than to keep on talking when no one understands you.

Once you can combine all these factors, you’re good to go. You know that people will pay attention to your speech and understand what you’re saying. You have to evaluate what worked during the presentation so that you can do better next time.

 

 

If you have moved to the city, chances are you are now living in a small apartment. The problem is aside from paying a high monthly rent you also live in a place that has minimal space. It means you need to find ways to adjust to your current living situation and make the most out of what you have.

If you happen to have junk and unused items inside your apartment, better get rid of them fast. Reaching out to cleaning companies for junk removal Delray Beach offers can help you clean up old and damaged furniture, piles of newspaper, clothing, and other things that are unnecessary and crowding your space. Aside from going through the process of decluttering, here are more practical and easy to follow tips to maximize living in a tiny area.

Multipurpose storage boxes

If you still have stuff that you refuse to let go of after decluttering, it leaves you with no choice but to hide it. You can purchase fancy storage containers like wooden chests where it serves as a chair or a center table as well. Look around in various stores that sell modern furniture and see if you can find something that is dual purpose and stylish at the same time.

Install shelves and hooks on your walls

Since space will forever be a problem when living in a tiny apartment, you need to find where to place some of your essentials. Putting hooks in the living room would allow you to hang coats, hats, and bags. Hanging shelves can help you organize your books, personal items, kitchenware, and different kinds of stuff. You will be quite surprised to find out how much space you can save by using these hacks. Also putting things on shelves makes it easier for you to look for stuff than inside cabinets.

Invest in hanging shoe organizers

Some of the things that are hard to organize are small things like toiletries, beauty products, and medicines. Instead of living them exposed in your dresser or bathroom sink, why not place them in a hanging shoe organizer. Hang them behind doors to save space and minimize clutter.

Hide dirty laundry

Piles of exposed dirty laundry can be such an eyesore if you have guests coming over. Make sure to hide them by investing in large baskets that you can keep underneath the bathroom sink. It would help if you did the same thing for soiled towels and sheets. Laundry baskets are a creative yet inexpensive hack to save space and make it look more appealing at the same time.

Organize your kitchen pantry

Make sure to hide all of your groceries items like cereal boxes, canned goods, spices, and condiments inside your kitchen cabinets. If you have a tiny kitchen, it is essential to make it look clean and organized at all times.

Lastly, you should avoid the urge to add more stuff in your apartment. It is easy to build clutter if you live in a tiny space.

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Will you have a party soon? Have you planned for it? Party planning is not an easy task. It is not only time-consuming but also hectic to put everything in order. For starters, there is a need to plan a successful and memorable event. Here is a step by step guide to help you plan a perfect party.

Define your party

The first step is to know that party plans differ depending on the kind of party. Are you planning an anniversary, wedding or birthday party? You may also be planning a corporate party for your employees. The type of party will determine what to prepare for the day. The party should, therefore, aim at fulfilling the ultimate goal of the event.

Know the number of attendees

Party plans depend on the number of guests. The number determines the venue, amount of food, and the activities. You should have a list of guests before planning. In most cases, you need the number of attendees in order to know the budget for the party.

Plan for the venue and date

The site and date go hand in hand. There are several factors you have to consider when fixing a party date. They include the season, guest availability, and your work schedule. Choose a date that will be convenient for you and the guests. In most cases, parties are best planned in the holiday seasons. However, you may choose to host yours in the low season.

After determining the date, the next step is the venue. Although the venue may be affected by the date, other factors determine the best site for your party. They include venue capacity, location, available facilities, and entertainment space.

Have a budget

Always plan your party with a budget in mind. Unfortunately, this might be hard for a beginner. The budget should include the cost of hiring the venue, food, drinks, entertainment equipment, transport costs, and other miscellaneous costs. As a beginner, you should employ one of the many party planners Gloucestershire offers.

Hire a party planner

There are several party planners in Gloucester. These are professionals, trained, and experienced in planning all kinds of parties. The advantage of hiring a party planner is that they have past work to showcase. They will help you with the party theme and ideas. They are also available for advice regarding any of your queries.

Prepare early

The secret to a successful party is to prepare early. Make sure that you search and hire a party planner as soon as possible. You should also shop for items early. The venue booking should be on time. The invitations should be sent first so that guests can confirm their attendance. All these preparations can be overwhelming for a beginner. However, you can ensure everything is done timely by hiring the best party planner.

These are some of the main steps to a perfect party. The success of your event will be determined by your choice of planner. It is, therefore, recommended to involve a professional party planner in your event.

Image https://pixabay.com/photos/christening-event-room-balloon-1499314/

 

Over the years slots game producers have evolved their machines in a variety of ways, all in the hopes of creating a point of difference from other games in order to attract a larger number of players. They have achieved this in a multitude of ways which range from free spins to jackpots, you can play these games over at 666Casino today.

Many slot machines have begun to incorporate a progressive jackpot. This is essentially a grand prize which can be won and usually offers an incredibly large sum of money to the winner.

Casinos these days will often have a large group of different slot machines that will all contribute to the jackpot pool. This means that there are multiple machines on which players can play for the same progressive jackpot. Since the inception of jackpots casinos have been locked in an epic battle to claim the coveted title of who offers the biggest jackpot prize and have increased the number of games that contribute to a specific jackpot pool.

What is a Progressive Jackpot

Essentially, the progressive jackpot is a grand prize which is usually only offered by certain machines. Sometimes these machines can offer their own jackpot or they can be group together with multiple other machines.

The process is simple, every time the reels are spun and the jackpot is not won, the prize number increases by a factor determined by either the casino or the game developers. As you may have guessed, the more machines grouped into a progressive jackpot the faster the grand total will increase, obviously this is due to the fact that more players equals more spins, however, this also means that there are more players competing for the jackpot which basically lowers your odds of winning it. Should the progressive jackpot be won, it will be reset to a predetermined value and the process starts again.

What is a Jackpot Meter

This is the means by which players can keep an eye on the total value of the current jackpot. All machines will have this displayed in a highly visible part of the machine; this is not just a random placement. Jackpots will usually have an impressive pot and casinos know all too well that massive prizes undoubtedly attract players from far and wide in the hopes that they will be the lucky one. These numbers are displayed in bold and are highly lit in order for players to see this from anywhere in the casino, thereby attracting them with the novelty. The meter is usually kept ticking over at a steady pace as this has shown to peak the interests of the passerby.

Players should always be aware of the fact that not all machines will offer a progressive jackpot so it is essential to make sure you have chosen a machine that is either in the pool or offers its very own progressive jackpot. Some progressive jackpots will have a qualifying clause; these vary from casino to casino. Usually players will have to wager the maximum number in order to qualify for the progressive jackpot even though all wagers contribute to the total jackpot.

 

Big sister, little sister, twin sister, soul sister. … They come in all forms to light up our lives. True sisterly love is something you shouldn’t take for granted. A lifetime of bonding, silly arguments, and shared secrets should be celebrated. Life is now, so let your sister know she’s appreciated today. You don’t have to wait until her birthday.

Remember when you were kids, and you used to get some of her stuff for yourself? Well, you might be tempted to do just that with these gift ideas.

Matching sister bracelets

Sisters are known for their inseparable love. Even if you’re oceans away from each other, you’re always thinking about her, and she’s always thinking about you. And what better way to let her know that than getting matching sister bracelets for both of you? 

These bracelets can be customized in color, message, and you can choose between gold, silver, or rose gold. You can even have the simplest message such as “Always Sisters” written in Morse code. With so many beautiful options to make her happy, she won’t even want to argue about who gets to keep which bracelet.

Customized canvas prints

A picture of the two of you is always a good idea. Whether it’s a selfie or a portrait, it reminds you of the good times when you were together. But how about sprucing things up a little bit?

Memories should be kept in sight, and canvas prints are an affordable and sophisticated way to decorate your sister’s place with special moments. Don’t settle for the ordinary. You can customize your own prints with collages, wall displays, pop art canvases, and more. It’s easy and fun — simply upload any picture of the two of you from your computer or social media, select your preferred size, and voilà!

Aroma candles

Scented candles do more than just perfume the air around you. Truth is, they can be beneficial when made with essential oils, thanks to aromatherapeutic properties. 

Aroma candles are a thoughtful gift if your sister suffers from anxiety, insomnia, or chronic stress. Aromatherapy calms us down by letting a stressed out sense of smell breathe in a pleasant scent, like that of chamomile or lavender. On top of that, aroma candles improve sleep quality. This gift will make her dream about what an amazing sister you are.

Assorted chocolate gift boxes

Who doesn’t just love a good box of chocolates? It’s a delicious classic, and we’re sure your sister will savor every bite. 

White chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate … can’t choose? Get them all. We know how unpredictable and picky sisters can be, so you better not risk it. She might love it so much, she’ll even share it with you.

Mini perfume kits

Some people say buying perfumes is a matter of personal choice, and it is, indeed. That’s why you can’t go wrong with mini perfume kits. 

With a different scent for every mood and occasion, your sister will take her own pick every single day from a set that’ll probably last for months, or less time if she really loves it. If she doesn’t like one or two perfumes, you know what to do. Even if you keep some, she’ll still have a lot of scents to choose from.

Handcrafted journals 

It doesn’t matter if your sister isn’t much of a writer. Introducing her to the world of journaling is one of the best gifts you’ll ever give. 

It’s not just about the journal itself. The act of putting your mind to paper is a powerful mindfulness tool, which exercises creativity and sparks up new ideas and solutions we wouldn’t realize were in us if we didn’t stop for a while and worked with our chains of thought. 

As opposed to the ones we buy at stationery stores, handcrafted journals are unique, and will make her experience much more meaningful. 

You don’t have to say “I love you” to express this feeling towards your sister. These gifts will do the job. Don’t be jealous, she’ll return the favor soon enough.

Facing terminal illness and your own mortality does not only affect your emotional, physical, and mental states but your financial capacity as well. It is one of the hardest aspects of life when someone becomes terminally ill. A terminal illness, such as cancer, will bore a hole through your pocket for chemotherapy, radiation, other treatments, hospitalization, and medications. Not included in these are your day-to-day expenses. People who have a limited time to live because of their illness can sell their life insurance policy, so they can use the money to settle their affairs before dying. Viatical settlement providers help insurance policyholders to benefit from their plans. They will pay a lump sum to the policy owner that is more than the surrender value but less than the policy’s death benefit. Here are some reasons why terminally ill patients will benefit from such a settlement.

Benefits

Viatical settlements are cases when policy buyers, called viatical providers, pay the insurance policyholder a sum of money that they can use to live comfortably for the remainder of their life. The provider will then assume the premium payments, and in the event of the original policy owner’s death, the insurance company will pay the death benefit to the provider.

• The lump sum of the settlement is higher than the surrender value. This means that the policyholder will get more money from selling the policy than surrendering it.
• The policyholder no longer needs to pay for the remaining premium payments. The viatical provider will take over the fees. The policyholder can then use the money used to pay the premiums for other things, such as medicines.
• The policyholder can use the funds from the settlement to cover the costs of medication and long term care. They can also use it to settle debts, hire a lawyer, or to fulfil their bucket list.
• There is more money to go around to spend on what matters most.

How much does a viatical settlement cost?

Viatical settlements do not cost the same. Viatical providers base their payments to the policyholder on several factors, including:

• The face value of the policy. The higher the insured amount, the higher the settlement will be.
• The life expectancy of the insured. The shorter the life expectancy of the original policyholder, the higher the amount that they will receive.
• The remaining premium payments. If the premiums are high, the less the money the policyholder will get.

If you or someone in the family is terminally ill, and you are planning to sell your life insurance, you must first consider some things. These are:

• Who will pay the medical bills and other debts in the event of death?
• Will the intended beneficiaries no longer need the death benefit?
• What if the patient recovers? They will become uninsurable, and they will no longer have life insurance.

These are just some of the considerations before deciding that a viatical settlement is the best course of action.

Image: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/07/30/11/03/hallway-867226_960_720.jpg

 

For many Americans, the thought of living in Cypress log homes is a dream come true. From the comfort of a roaring fire in the winter months to the outside appearance, log homes just seem cozy and the place to be. 

If you have been considering purchasing a log home but aren’t sure it’s the right choice for you, read on below for a few of the top benefits to help you make a concrete decision. 

They are energy-efficient 

Log cabins are known to be energy-efficient, meaning that your electric bills will be much lower than they are living in a traditional home. Most homeowners are constantly looking for ways to reduce their energy bills, from buying energy-efficient appliances to keeping their air conditioning unit set on 78 degrees during the summer months. A well-built log home breathes, and needs very little heating in the winter and is cooler in the summer than traditional homes are. The energy-efficient build makes it possible for you to keep your heating and air conditioning bills under control. 

Built to last 

What is more durable when it comes to building than lumber? Log homes are durable enough to last you for many, many years to come. From roof replacement cost to the front porch, it should be easier to keep up with and maintain a log home for you and your family. 

Health benefits 

For people who suffer from allergies, especially seasonal allergies associated with humidity, living in a log home can be a life-saver. This is perhaps one of the biggest benefits of living in a log home and certainly will have an impact on the lives of your family. There are also other ways that log cabins benefit your health — you just have to know where to find them. 

Reduces your carbon footprint 

Building and living in a log home massively reduces your carbon footprint on the earth. If you have been looking to do something big to become environmentally friendly, then this is the right move for you. Going green is something that many people talk about doing, but very few actually go big with their choice. Moving your family into a log home is the right way to go green. 

Fast construction time

Since logs for the home are typically pre-manufactured, it takes much less time to build a log home than it does the traditional homes being built today. A log cabin can go up in as little as a week if the conditions are right. 

Problems are easy to find 

When you live in a log home, problems that are hard to spot in traditional homes are easier for you to spot. For example, a termite infiltration is much easier to spot in a log home than it is in a mobile home or a brick house. If you can spot these home issues faster, you will be able to solve them before they become an expensive problem. 

Saves you money in the long run 

While it might be more expensive in the beginning to build your log home and get it up and running, in the end it’s going to save you a ton of money. From being energy-efficient so that you save on your electric bills to saving you on medicine for allergies and from being environmentally friendly to problems being easier to find, you will save quite a bit of money in the long run. 

These are just a few of the benefits of living in a log home that you should know about. Remember, simpler is better and they are gorgeous, as well.