Do you look in your garden and feel there is something missing? Could it possibly be that that missing thing is a swimming pool? A swimming pool is the perfect addition to your home, the thing which takes your home to the next level. Of course we have to accept that not everyone has the space – or the money – for one, but hey, we can still dream right? We all enjoy a splash in a pool, but why do you actually need one?

A swimming pool is a proven health benefit, with most doctors agreeing that a pool is an excellent source of exercise. This is because of the amount of muscles at work when you swim. The water resistance provides something for all your muscles to be working against. A good cardiovascular workout can be done by swimming lengths, water weights or aerobics or even just going out there for fun. The great thing about this is that swimming in itself is fun (though I know a lot of people would disagree with that!), it’s not something like running where you feel like you have to force yourself out of the door every time. Keeping yourself fit in the pool can also only be a good thing for your personal/love/sex life… I am sure you have all heard of the famous ‘swimmer’s body’? That can be you.

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

If you aren’t into lengths, there are a number of games to play in the pool, which can be entertaining for both children and adults. In fact, that is another great thing about a swimming pool – most age groups can enjoy them. A good game can be found with the simple addition of a ball, they are not just for playing football (which would be pretty impossible to play properly in a pool) but you can always play volleyball. Okay, so you need a net too, but it’s hardly expensive and if you’re already considering a pool then I am guessing that you have some extra money to use. Pool volleyball is a fun game for anyone of any age, whether it’s a bunch of kids playing or a party activity for adults. Don’t go thinking that is the only game though, you can also buy some basketball hoops and play basketball – though admittedly bouncing the ball has the same problems as playing football in the water, but that does not stop you from trying to score a 3 pointer and becoming the Michael Jordan of your pool. I have only highlighted two games to play, but there is a plethora of games to play in your pool, the scope of your imagination provides no limits. If you are intent on playing games in your pool – (and let’s face it, why wouldn’t you be!) – then you need to consider effective channel drainage solutions to help drain away all the excess water that will no doubt be splashed out of the pool during those games!

[Photo courtesy of Toni Cuenca/pexels.com]

Still not convinced? Well how about the simple fact that it’s a swimming pool. Think about that for a second, think about how awesome it would be to say that your house has a swimming pool. You will instantly become that much more popular. Sorry, but it’s true. It would be just like the first time you got your new huge HD television, you would just stand there and marvel at it. Yes there are a lot of things which need to be thought out before you dive in to a final decision and yes a pool is a large investment, but it’s an investment – not an expense. An investment means that it should just keep giving and giving.

It safe to say get this not as much money in the buy to let market as they used to be. The days when you could get great rates for a property to rent out and make money being a landlord? They’re pretty much long gone. However, it can still work even if it’s not on home soil.  Many savvy people have started investing in holiday homes abroad to make more of their money. They’re all banking on the vast amounts of cash to be made from the inflated prices charged for weekly rental rates during peak season. Most holiday operators put a premium on their prices during the highest demand periods. For example, think school holidays, Christmas and new year. And why wouldn’t they?

[Photo courtesy of Max Vakhtbovych/pexels.com]

Out of season, the property could sit empty for weeks or even months at a time. And the mortgage and running costs still need to be paid.  You need to be able to offset those outgoings to make sure you can pay for them all year round. If you are thinking about investing in the holiday lettings market, then you need to be careful. It’s time to think long and hard about all the extra money and work involved, which will be more than your typical buy to let in your hometown. One of the reasons that people pay such a high amount to stay in lovely holiday properties is they want to go somewhere a little bit different to home.

Therefore, you need to decide where the best place to purchase is. It could be as close to home or as far away as you like, but remember to make sure you can afford to get there if there’s a major problem. You could plump for a luxury place like the Four Seasons Nevis in the West Indies for something entirely different. If that’s just too far away, stick to a cheap holiday apartment in a less exclusive resort. It all depends on what sort of cash you want to invest.

[Photo courtesy of Rachel Claire/pexels.com]

Running a holiday property is not a piece of cake. There’s a lot of work involved and you have to ask yourself if you are prepared to do it yourself. If not yet going to have to pay someone to do it for you and that’s going to take a chunk out of your income. There is a reward for all of this extra effort, though. Yields will be much higher, and you could make yourself more money in the long run.  Another benefit adding to the long term appealing investing in a holiday home is that you should receive tax benefits. This means you could make even more profit.

You also need to consider how you are going to get your hands on the funds to buy a holiday home. Unless you’ve got substantial savings, you going to need to borrow some money. You are not going to have as many options as if you were looking for a traditional buy to let mortgage. Calculating how much income a holiday home is going to make can be  little more than guesswork, so lenders are often hesitant.

Have you invested in property overseas? We’d love to hear your stories and tips! Please leave them in the comments below.

People  have less and less free time to relax and do something that would entertain them, with busy family lives as well as coping with everyday tasks at work , and around the home. It was indeed stressful to work five days a week and instead of resting and relaxing on the weekend you have to look after a mischief kid.

Having kids at home is amazing, but it constantly make some interesting challenges and problems, from homeschooling them to leisure time and to even asking them to sleep. The good thing today, technology can help to entertained the kids at home. Yes, now a days, technology became a big part of baby sitting , especially when it is too difficult to look after a kid that generally causing mischief around the house.

Our home was built to have a second floor, but due to financial constraints the construction of the second story was halted, and the stairs going up there, became a huge problem to us. My toddler niece always run to places and the stairs is her favorite space to play, it was quite dangerous because there are still no railings for support and it is a bit high for a toddler to play around.  With the thoughts that accident might happen anytime, my father decided to built  a temporary blocked, so my niece can’t run upstairs especially when she is unsupervised.

With a little bit of creativity I found ways to entertain my niece at home when she is bored. Here are some options, you can also try.

Selecting an Activity

There are many activities available for kids to do at home, but the best way to select an activity is to consider the age of your child and her interest. My niece love indoor activities like arts and crafts, so we bought a sketch pad and color box for her, since she love doodling and coloring too.

When she is bored with her color and sketch pad, she loves to play around, so we played hide and seek, and we played with her toys too. For her to be more entertained I bought simulation toys for her, like the food and kitchen simulation toys.

Watching TV Programs Design for Kids

When my niece is tired playing toys and doing arts and crafts, for a short period of time we let her watch TV  shows design for kids, which is safe and friendly. We don’t want her to imitate bad behavior from watching unhealthy TV programs, so we are kind of strict on what shows she has to watch.

Dancing and Singing

This activity is advantageous for children, because it engages their brain and it allows them to express themselves and teaches children on how to interact with other people. My niece loves to dance and sing, so it comes to the point where I am the one who gets tired singing when she keep requesting to repeat the song again and again.

Some Outdoor Activities

Of course, everyone needs a little bit of sunshine so when the weather is good.  My niece and I walked inside the compound, and I let her play and explore her surrounding with the help of our dog, who also loves to play and walk with her. Just to be safe I don’t let her hold the leash in more than three minutes, no matter how she beg and cried for it.

Safe media streaming

Watching a streaming website which was built to be a fun, family-friendly place for kids and families was very helpful too, because my niece learned a lot of songs from it.  It allow kids to explore their interests on a whim, deeply, easily, and with great entertainment.

Educational Online Games

Kids enjoy games on mobile phones and most parents can attest to that, whenever my niece is tired watching shows in the streaming website she always loves to play online without our knowing, so I searched for websites that doesn’t need an applications to play and I stumbled to plays.org, a website that offers educational games for kids and kids alike online. They have hundreds of free games across every genre, which  you can play directly in your web browser with no app downloads and each game has a set of instructions that are pretty easy to understand.

Other people might think that playing games online for kids is unhealthy, but actually it is not, it was only bad for for kids health when they play too much without doing other things, and without eating.  According to research playing and winning online games releases dopamine which can boost motivation and determination to achieve a goal.

At plays.org kids can play  a colorful and fun musical game, they can learn to play the piano, drums, xylophone, and harp and since my niece loves music and musical instruments she really love this one, as well as few other games like the Neon Invaders , a space shooting game,  the  Pocket Racing Game which is a motorcycle obstacle course game, Foot Chinko Game which is like an online soccer game, my niece loves to kick and play ball so no wonder she love this game too.

The attic is the place that everyone knows is there, but no one wants to touch. Except that organizing your attic can be far more useful than you think. Though many people have a hard time getting up there and cleaning it, when you do you will find that it is one of the best storage places. Utilizing your attic space opens up room in the rest of your house.

Don’t let your attic go to waste; use it for all that it’s worth.

On the bright side, it’s not too hard to get your attic to where you want it to be; it is just about a will and a plan at this point and we’re going to help you get there. Here are some tips on how to keep your attic in good shape by using storage space that is readily available in most homes:

Don’t Be Afraid

Of course it seems scary, you don’t know what has been living up there for these past few months and you can’t see a thing. The first step would be to set up temporary arrangements. Start by giving yourself some light and hang up some temporary illumination with a strong binding like mil-spec-wire, which will help you string the lights across the wall.

[Photo courtesy of Emre Can Acer/pexels.com]

Now you can see. Here comes the situation analysis part, where you get to see if your attic needs a complete makeover or just a little organizing. If there are loads and loads of unmarked boxes and other junk you may need to call in some help. Just remember that this should be done over time. No one has walked up into a attic and completed a complete renovation of it that same day.

Set a Goal Time

Setting a time window for yourself will keep you on track with your attic organization. You should know exactly how much time you have and want to spend on this project. See what is in your attic and if there is any type of prior organization system, if there isn’t much then you can cut your timeframe down. Although set it in stone once you see what needs to be done.

Setting a timeframe also keeps you focused on the goal because there are many things in the attic that are likely from years ago and might bring up memories and stories that you have forgotten about. These time capsule like things are likely to distract you from the goal of organizing the attic. Here are some alternative tips to cleaning out your attic:

Write it Down

Take an inventory of the things that you have and the contents of those boxes. Be specific and precise in your approach, write down the number of boxes that don’t have labels and set them in a certain group. These groups should be full of items that are of the same category. For example: children’s books, holiday decorations, and memorabilia.

Narrow it Down

Once your things are sorted and you have completed an inventory for yourself, now comes the time when you narrow things down into three solid groups. You have to honestly ask yourself what you need and don’t need, which can be difficult because people like to hold onto things. Narrow the groups into things you never use, things you sometimes use, and things you definitely always use. Be strict in the selection process for these groups.

[Photo courtesy of Sümeyye Yazıcı/pexels.com]

Don’t forget about donations when you are throwing things away. Donating is a great way to put things to use that you were just about to get rid of.

Go Organize!

Now that everything is on a checklist the next step is to start organizing! If there are too many boxes on the floor, get a shelf system so that you can find things easier and everything is accessible. Finding things in your attic is easy when everything is accessible; you have to be able to walk from the door to the back and have reach to each box or bin.

Label all boxes. Label everything because you obviously won’t remember later. Group similar items together in their boxes so that when you are looking for a certain thing then you know which general area it is in. Also, anticipate a roof leak or rodent in the attic and go with plastic bins and boxes rather than cardboard boxes. If you are making any other household renovations like your basement, here’s how to Improve Your Basement at a Low Cost.

Attack the attic; it is waiting to give you a great deal of storage space that you don’t even have to see. Use our tips and take on the task. We are positive that the benefits of a functional attic space will leave the rest of your home in better shape.

Many people are having difficulties with their finances at the moment because of the pandemic, and if this applies to you then you certainly aren’t alone. The pandemic affected many lives and businesses like the residential real estate market, because of health concerns and issues, the physical distancing, stay-at-home orders and economic uncertainty, many cities experienced a noticeable drop in home sales. The unemployment rate during the pandemic was high, so many homeowners have struggled to pay their mortgages and many of them reconsider their household needs.

Despite the large drops in home sales due to the pandemic brought by COVID-19, real estate activity began to improve today, potential home buyers started to increase their housing search and purchase activity.

If you are one of those homeowners who is planning to purchase a new home or do some home renovations today, it is important that you put plans in place, so you aren’t spending unnecessary money on high-interest repayments.

It is true that mortgages can be a highly efficient way to borrow money as the rates are always lower than those on other products such as personal loans or credit cards. The downside is that mortgages can last for an awful long time, typically 25 years and sometimes more. With the age of first time buyers increasing to nearly 40 for those without any parental help, it can mean years of saving for a deposit and then paying off a mortgage into your sixties or beyond. There are, however, some things you can do to save on the cost of your mortgage.

[Photo courtesy of Jessica Bryant/pexels.com]

Review your current mortgage

The first thing any mortgage holder should check is that they are on the best mortgage deal. Rates are historically low and it may well be possible to switch to a cheaper product, doing so could save you many pounds every month.

Check for any early redemption charges that may apply to your existing mortgage and fees on a new mortgage. Even if they do apply, it may still be cheaper in the long term to move, so do your sums carefully.

If you do find a cheaper deal, it’s well worth the admin involved to switch, so don’t be afraid of the perceived hassle. A little bit of paperwork could save you thousands over the term. New buyers should always shop around and seek out the best mortgage with low rates and flexible terms.

 Switch to a repayment mortgage

If you are on an interest only mortgage you may want to think about switching to a repayment mortgage. Whilst this will probably cost you more each month, you can be sure that at the end of the term, you won’t be left with any outstanding debt to pay off.

If, at the same time, you are able to move onto a product with a lower rate of interest, it may not even cost that much more and you have the peace of mind of knowing that your mortgage will be fully paid off at the end of the term.

[Photo courtesy of RODNAE Productions/pexels.com]

Overpay your mortgage

The most effective way to save on your mortgage is to overpay. Paying off more than the required amount means you pay less interest overall and your mortgage ends sooner. Assuming the interest is calculated daily, any overpayment starts working for you immediately.

Work out how much extra you might be able to afford paying each month, say  75 or  100 and then ask your lender to calculate what impact that will have on your mortgage. They will be able to tell you how much time you would shave off the length of the mortgage and how much you would save in interest payments. You can do the same with a lump sum payment.

[Photo courtesy of Oleksandr Pidvalnyi/pexels.com]

An added benefit of overpaying is that it will increase the equity available in your home which may help you re-mortgage onto a product with lower interest rates, therefore saving you more money.

Whatever you decide to do, these straightforward steps should help you on your way to save on your mortgage and even become mortgage free sooner than you’d hoped.

When you want exceptional carving knives with razor sharp edges it can be daunting to determine which knife maker offers the best knife. Professional chefs spend a lifetime building and caring for their knife portfolio; as an amateur chef or home cook it’s hard to know what exactly makes a knife worthy and which knives will perform well over time. It’s always a good idea to begin with a known manufacturer – Kershaw brand knives for example, when choosing fine cutlery because you know a reputable manufacturer will stand behind the goods they design and make.

[Photo  courtesy of Mikhail Nilov/pexels.com]

Regardless of maker the materials and the design of any knife are what determine the quality and performance. Craftsmanship is essential – there should be no irregularities of any kind and all joints should be seamless; the connection of the bolster and the tang should be perfect. Any irregularities can harbor germs and bacteria and any loosening or wiggle room is an invitation to disaster. Should any of your current knives have such deficiencies it would be a wise idea to replace them as soon as possible for both safety and hygiene reasons.

Look for knives which are ergonomically designed to ensure a good grip and to allow for easy use – professionals who spend hours slicing, dicing and mincing food day in and day out know that hand and wrist fatigue can be a problem. It’s critical to select a knife that feels good and fits your hand nicely. The knife should be well balanced and the handle proportionate to the blade. Some folks prefer one-piece knives which are typically made of stainless steel – with a one-piece knife there is less chance of failure plus they are very hygienic and easy to keep clean.

It was around 2009 when I left the Philippines to be reunited with my then husband (now ex) under the dependent visa, which means I have no freedom nor privilege to work in Korea. Left without a choice, I search for alternate way to earn money from home and online, I found few choices.  At first, I started joining paid to click sites, just to earn cents and a few dollars for almost  a month of clicking adverts. It was good, but I yearn for more and that’s where I created a blog in blogspot upon finding out you can earn decent money from just writing your own thoughts or from blogging.

Working from home and earning from it. doesn’t work like magic. I have to learn how to do SEO and established good connection from fellow bloggers, read a lot and find more creative ways to boost traffic to my blog. Then a trend came where most of my fellow bloggers starting to purchase their own domain name, with the help of my ex bribing him to buy me a domain as birthday present, was able to purchase my own domain and that’s where more online opportunities pour in, I am able run adverts to my blog and received pitch from direct advertisers who are interested to put adverts, links and articles into my websites, yes with in a year of blogging, I am able to manage three to five blogs, with a different niches or topics.

As if, three to five blogs were not enough I purchase more domain especially when there was a sale, the more blog I had the more chances of earning from them.  The comes a time that several websites like Intellifluence arises, I joined a handful of them where I earned a decent money, more blogs means more responsibility and when the trend came where blogs has a unique and personalized templates and theme, I jumped into the bandwagon with a degree in IT and wanting my blog to become more presentable I learned how to tweak my themes and templates and that’s where I attracted other bloggers.

I started receiving request from fellow bloggers to create and tweak their blog templates and theme for  money and as no kid to look after, and with a freedom and independence to work from home I started collecting lists of blogs from fellow bloggers, and finding work or writing gig for them. I met a few link builders online and provide link services to them, yes I worked as a link broker, and when the new trend of owning a self-hosted wordpress came I move to cpanel hosting and left blogspot for the better.

One of the best thing I enjoyed working from home is you can work anytime you want and you can do more chores at home, but of course working from home requires self-discipline and motivation to manage your time responsibly which sometimes I failed to do so.

 

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Anyway, as the year went by lots of changes happened in blogging, Mr. G’s constantly changing algorithm created an impact among bloggers, direct advertisers became less  and lots of blogger I knew from the blogging community applied for a day job and blogging became a past time only to them.

 

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When I went home to Philippines, blogging became a burden to me because of a bad internet connection, I have to go to town just to be connected. Fast forward, lots of changes happened in the Philippines, new innovation and technology were innovated and today having a great connection, I am able to continue to write again and found new opportunities to earn online and learn new trends in blogging, I found out that today doing reviews and receiving products is trendy than it was back then.

How about you? What have you learned from todays blogging trend?

There are a great many reasons why it is very important for you to have your home furnished as soon as possible with a state of the art home security system. But did you know that you can gain an extra layer of much needed protection by going the extra mile and getting your home or business equipped with an alarm monitoring system. Homes that pack this potent double punch of security are among the safest, least troubled properties in the nation, and for very good reason.

Getting Your Property And Family Fully Secured Is A Must

One of the very best things you can do for your home, your business, your accumulated property and valuables, and your family is to get yourself properly secured with an alarm system combined with a monitoring service. The moment you do this, you will be protected by a live operator who will be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in order to assist you in the event of a break in or emergency.

[Photo courtesy of HONG SON/pexels.com]

Get Yourself Full Protection Even When You Are Away From Home

Adding a full system of alarm system monitoring to your regular home alarm is a must for precisely this reason: Without it, even if your home alarm does go off in the event of a break in or other disaster, it may not do you any good. It may well scare off a home invader but, without proper monitoring, it may simply continue to ring and ring for hours, especially if you are injured and unable to respond, or if you are away from home on business or a vacation. It’s simply better to be safe than to come home and be sorry.

It’s High Time To Lower Your Monthly Property Insurance Payments

One of the major advantages that adding a system of home alarm monitoring can accomplish is the lowering of your monthly insurance premiums. A home that sees few, if any, break ins during a long enough period of time is a home that will be judged as a very low security risk. The more secure your home or business is proven to be, the better the benefit for your wallet. This is one benefit of installing a home alarm monitoring system that even the most thrifty home owner can easily relate to.

Spring cleaning is something that needs to be done in everyone’s house. For some people it seems as though they actually look forward to this time and being able to get their house back in order and things cleaned up. For others it seems like an impossible task to get everything done with the busy life that they live. Regardless of how you feel about spring cleaning you will be happy to learn some great green tips to help you reduce your environmental impact.

Make Your Own Cleaners

Did you know that it is really possible to make your own cleaners? Simple ingredients that you already have around your home like distilled vinegar, Borax, olive oil, baking soda, liquid castile soap, and essential oils are all that you need to replace nearly every single cleaner in your home.

[Photo courtesy of Nathan Cowley/pexels.com]

Choose Eco-Friendly Cleaners

Thankfully, for those who do not want to make their own cleaners, there is a huge selection of eco-friendly cleaners on the market today. These can guarantee you the clean that you are looking for without the harsh chemicals that are dangerous for your family and harmful to the environment.

Line Dry Laundry

One of the biggest things about spring cleaning is that you are going to be doing a lot of additional laundry. This is the time when you should be washing curtains, blankets, and other linens that you might not wash all of the time. Line drying these items will save a lot of energy and will give them the wonderful scent of spring.

[Photo courtesy of PNW Production/pexels.com]

Use House Plants

Did you know that house plants can work like your own air filter? That’s right, having plants in your home can really help you to have cleaner air to breathe for your whole family.

Get Rid of Things You Do Not Use

De-cluttering not only helps you to feel better and more refreshed but it can also help you to have a more efficient home. When you are getting rid of things like clothes consider which ones you can cut up and reuse as things like cleaning rags. Also decide which ones you can sell or donate.

Invest in Reusable Mop Pads

[Photo courtesy of Tima Miroshnichenko/pexels.com]

There are many great companies on the market today (or you can shop handmade marketplaces) where you can find reusable mop pads. This is much better for the environment than the ones that you use once and throw away.

Have Your Attic Professionally Cleaned

Did you know that animal feces and contamination in your attic can make you sick? It is important that you clean up and remove potentially harmful contamination when you are spring cleaning. Make sure that no surface is left untouched during this time of deep cleaning. Just make sure that you pick a company that will work with you for green cleaning and will not be using harmful chemicals to get rid of these contaminates.

Resist the Urge to Use Paper Towels

While paper towels can be handy, they mainly just contribute to landfills and cause there to be a need to cut down more trees. Resist the urge to use paper towels in your spring cleaning and if you must choose environmentally friendly options.

Open Your Windows

Fresh air is a great way to make your whole house smell better. It is also a great way to make your green spring cleaning go easier.

If you really dread spring cleaning you can try some fun spring cleaning activities like these. You might even find that you are more motivated than before and able to get things done quicker.

Your kitchen is one area of your home that is used a number of times on a daily basis, by most members of the family. Whether your teenager is rushing in to grab a piece of toast before school or your preparing a family dinner, there is a great deal of foot traffic in the kitchen. If you’re lucky enough to be building your new home or are undergoing some renovations, you should create a kitchen that will last a lifetime. Your kitchen has so many different aspects that need to be considered, from your floors and countertops to your appliances and your cupboard space. Read on to discover some helpful hints on how you can create a timeless and hardwearing kitchen in your home.

Floor Coverings

As aforementioned, the kitchen is home to one of the highest volumes of foot traffic in your home. If you are creating a kitchen to last a lifetime, you should always choose a durable and hardwearing surface. Not only do your surfaces need to withstand foot traffic, but they should also be able to measure up to various spills and dropped jars. Tiling is often a popular choice for kitchen floor coverings, as it provides a durable surface, while still remaining to be aesthetically pleasing. Tiles are also easily cleaned, making it great for those accidental spills!

[Image courtesy of Mark McCammon/pexels.com]]

Bench Surfaces

While floors take a great deal of foot traffic, countertops also experience a great deal of usage. Your bench surfaces should be constructed using a durable material and quality design. Quartz kitchen bench tops are now a popular choice amongst many reputable home builders, as they offer a sleek and sophisticated appearance, while still maintaining their longevity. Your bench tops should also create a great deal of workable area within your kitchen, so be sure that the design maximises your use of space.

Timeless Appliances

Appliances are a major part of most kitchens and should be considered when designing or revamping this new area of your home. Stainless steel appliances are a great addition to any kitchen, as they provide a timeless look that won’t easily become out-dated. Choosing quality appliances will make a noticeable difference to your cooking experience, with the quality evident with use.

A Usable Space

Finally, when creating your new kitchen, you should ensure that you are designing a useable space. While you may want to add absolutely everything to you kitchen, keep in mind that you don’t want any area that is cluttered an unusable. Smart storage solutions are a great way to get the most from your kitchen, with modern options including utility towers that offer a great new way to effectively use your space.