10 Ways Veterinary Apps Are Changing the Medical Field

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Veterinary Apps are changing the veterinary world for everyone.

Pet owners can now schedule appointments in a matter of seconds, veterinarians can keep track of important information easily, and students have unlimited information on their phones.

But lets backtrack. What are veterinarian apps?

Take a look at this quick veterinary app guide and find out how theyre making a difference.

What are Veterinary Apps?

There are a lot of veterinary apps out there, and they all do different things.

For example, some apps are created for veterinarians specifically and help them keep track of and complete their day to day tasks. Others are designed for customers looking for veterinarian help.

There are even apps out there tailored to veterinarian students. These apps provide them with valuable information that gets them through school and prepares them for their career.

Each of these apps takes a lot of stress out of veterinarian life and animal health. In case you dont know about all the benefits from these veterinary apps yet, well break them down for you below.

1. Schedule New Appointments

With an app, scheduling an appointment takes just a few minutes.

Instead of calling a veterinarian clinic or pet hospital and maybe getting put on hold, you can make the appointment yourself on your phone. You dont have to go back and forth about what dates work for who. You can just pick a date and time yourself.

All you have to do is open the app and press a few buttons.

You can even get reminders for your pets check-up appointments, something that is otherwise dangerously easy to forget about.

2. Get Important Information Easily

If your pet gets sick or has some other medical emergency, you dont want to waste time Googling what you should do.

Many veterinarian apps will keep emergency information available for you. If you need to rush your pet over to an emergency appointment, theyll have their address and contact information somewhere easy to find.

3. Order New Medical Supplies

If your pet is on medication or has a special prescription diet, this feature is especially useful.

When you notice your pet is running out of food or needs a refill of medication, you can just hop on the app and make the order. Instead of finding a time to sit down and call them or drive to the vet in person, you can just order the supplies right as you notice you need them.

4. Use In-House Call Veterinarians

This is perhaps the best part of veterinary apps. You can schedule appointments with different veterinarians for in-house calls, taking a lot of stress out of your vet appointments.

These in-house appointments can be very flexible because they are available anytime between eight in the morning and eight in the evening. (Some apps may be different.) When you book an in-house appointment, the vets can usually see your pet that same day.

Some of these in-house services even include grooming.

Unfortunately, these types of apps are location-based, and only a few cities have them. For example, Treat.co is a veterinary app that is based in San Francisco while VetPronto also covers places like New York and New Orleans.

However, due to their popularity, these apps will probably keep being made for other places.

5. Keeps Your Pet healthy and Calm

Obviously, taking your pet to the vet or refilling their medicine keeps them in good condition, but some animals have a hard time going to the vet.

A lot of animals are afraid of going to the vet, either because they dont like the traveling to the vet or because they dont like being handled by the vet.

Cats especially have a difficult time at the vet.

Roughly 85% of cat owners dont take their cats to the vet because they are afraid of being put into a carrier. A lot of pet parents have a hard time taking their pets to the vet because they have to spend a great deal of energy trying to find ways to calm their pets down (learn more).

In-house visits make vet appointments easier for the animals, the owners, and the vets. The animals will be calmer in their natural environment, and the veterinarian wont have to inspect a worked up dog or angry cat.

6. Helps Manage Clients

With an app, a veterinarian can easily keep track of what pets they are seeing on any particular day. They can check the time for each appointment, look at the details of the visit, and stay on track with all their clients.

7. Keeps Everything They Need to Know Close

Some veterinarian apps work just like a desktop computer. Everything thats stored on the computer is now available for the vet on their phone, making looking things up easier and faster.

8. Gives Vets More Flexibility

Like Uber, veterinary apps allow veterinarians to find extra work alongside their normal jobs. This benefits both them and their customers because they are able to make in-house visits when they arent working at a clinic.

9. Provides More Job Opportunities

It can be hard to find a job in a pet hospital or clinic, so these apps allow vets struggling to find a job a way to work.

10. Keeps People Learning

Students going through vet school now have the ability to keep all the information they need on their phone.

Some of these apps are expensive, like Merck Veterinary Manual and iDEA, but they let students find information whenever they need it, not just when they are in class.

Veterinary Apps Making the World Easier

Veterinarian apps help students, veterinarians, and pet parents alike. They make keeping track of appointments, scheduling new appointments, ordering new medical supplies, or studying for the next test as simple as pressing a few buttons.

Interested to learn more about life-changing apps? Take a look at how these online medical apps are changing the medical world.

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10 Untapped Places must to Visit While Travelling to India

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India is a land of Gods and Goddesses. In India there are many pilgrim places to visit and people from all over the world come to visit India. Indian culture is the most different culture in the world. There is another mind boggling and exciting part of India known by few people. India is known for its Forestry and Wildlife, Adventure and Leisure.

1) Forestry and Wildlife: 

The wildlife in India comprises a mix of species of different types of animals. Apart from a few farm animals like Cows, buffaloes, pigs, goats, poultry animals and camels, India has an extraordinarily wide variety of wild species like Bengal Tigers, Asiatic Lion, crocodiles, monkeys, snakes, antelopes and the  Asian Elephant.

In India, there are many places to sit back, relax and keep gazing at these endangered species like lions, tigers, peacocks, Rhinoceros, crocodiles and many other wild animals. Few untapped places are:

Gir National Park, located near Talala Gir in Gujarat, which is the only home of the endangered Asiatic Lions and is a place worth a visit for travelers who love wildlife. The best time to visit Gir is from October to June.To know more about Gir National Park, visit http://www.girnationalpark.in

Ranthambore National Park is one of the largest national parks in the northern India located in Rajasthan which is known for its tigers to be seen in their natural habitat. Here, tigers are spotted during the daytime too. Along with tigers, wild animals like leopards, nilgai, hyena, chital can also be spotted. The best time to visit Ranthambore is from November to March.To know more about Ranthambore National Park, visit http://www.ranthamborenationalpark.com

Keoladev National Park was formerly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is located near to Ranthambore in a district called as Bharatpur in Rajasthan. Keoladev is very famous for its Avifauna (Birds). It is a home to 366 bird species, 379 floral species, 50 species of fish, 13 species of snakes, 5 species of lizards, 7 amphibian species, 7 turtle species, and a variety of other creatures.To know more about Keoladev National Park, visit http://keoladeonationalpark.com

2) Adventure: 

To all the expeditions, India is the best place for adventure by all the means from Skydiving to Scuba diving. India has the best scenic and adventurous locations to turn your stay into an adventure. Moreover, there are some untapped adventurous destinations in India.

Flyboarding: Flyboarding is the latest, coolest and the newest adventure sport started in India.Goa is the most happening place for water adventure sports in India. Flyboarding is a sport that makes a normal person think of him being a Superhuman. Flyboarding helps to fly with a rapid force in water and this experience is just mind blowing. After Flyboarding, relax on the seashores of Goa and talk to your beloved ones through this Cheap International Calling app named Tringme.

Caving: Caving is one of the best adventure sports in India. This adventure activity is done in the huge caves of Meghalaya. These caves are an adventure because the caves lie between the beautiful green forests and the serene waterfall that it will be fascinated by many.

Bungee Jumping: Rishikesh is one such place to start the wackiest adventure sport in India Bungee Jumping. Bungee Jumping is the craziest sports one can ever think of. Jumping from a mountain into a valley is so freaking insane to be done. Bungee Jumping is a sport to bring your Adrenaline rush.

3) Leisure and Luxury: 

When it comes to Luxury, India is the richest. India is known globally as a land of Rajas and Maharajas. India has many barren places where it is believed that the places have been cursed, and now these places are haunted.

Kasol: Kasol is a hill-station located in the Himachal Pradesh, which lies on the northern part of India. Kasol is a beautiful tourist destination where the majority of its population are Israelis. Kasol follows European culture. Most of the travelers come to relish the beauty of nature. Kasol is a place to be traveled with your friends, family, colleagues, and even Solo. Kasol never disappoints their travelers. The villages near kasol are also too beautiful and still untouched by the modern lifestyle.

Munnar, Kerala- Gods own Country: Kerala is the most beautiful place situated on the southernmost tip of India and is famous for its scenic beauty and land of Yoga. Munnar is a place located in Kerala which is very famous for its tea plantation gardens. Chandys Windy Woods is a property in Munnar which is famous for its unique kind of luxury. Chandys Windy Woods is a five-star property which has its own artificial forest. Towering over a rocky slope hewn from concrete, gnarled roots extend out and downwards out of an enormous trunk that pushes right through the middle of the structure around which the common areas are designed. An artificial miniature waterfall flows through the roots and over the rocks. Munnar is a heavenly place to relax and rejuvenate a human soul.

Bhangarh Fort: Bhangarh Fort is located at the border of the Sariska Tiger Reserve in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. Bhangarh Fort is a 17th-century fort and is famous for the paranormal activities that take place in the dark of the night and is the Most haunted place in India. The fort is so haunted that even the Archeological Survey of India has forbidden the tourists and the locals from entering the fort at night. This fort has a riddling story to tell. Bhangarh Fort is a tourist attraction during the daytime and is a haunted place during the night. This fort is famous for its negative aura and the heaviness of the winds that blow during the nights. This fort holds a good experience to the travelers for all the wrong reasons, and it is also believed that residing at night inside the fort is dangerous and breathtaking.

These are some untapped places in India one will remember throughout their life. Being and exploring these places in India usually, cannot let your loved ones know about your experience. To share your traveling experience with friends and family, use calling app such as TringMe to make cheap international calls to your home country.

10 Mold Solutions to Prevent and Remove Mold from Your Home

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Respiratory symptoms, respiratory infections, and exacerbation of asthma are just a few of the health concerns that occupants of damp or moldy buildings may find themselves facing. Mold is the root cause of many of these health concerns so mold solutions are all-important.

Here are 10 solutions to mold buildup to help keep your home clean and safe.

1. Increase Ventilation

A hot, steamy shower is great after a long day, but enclosing the heat and damp will cause condensation to build up. If not adequately ventilated this environment can easily lead to mold.

2. Clean Regularly

Mold is found on surfaces and in the air we breathe but it can also grow in dust buildup. Keeping your home clean is a great way to prevent mold.

3. Keep Surfaces Dry

Damp surfaces are molds best friend. Wiping down bathroom and kitchen counters after use of sinks is one of the top mold solutions.

4. Use a Dehumidifier

The Australian national asthma council recommends a humidity of between 30 and 50 percent. If your house is climbing above this, that can be an ideal breeding ground for mold. A dehumidifier is a great way to keep humidity levels under control.

5. Dry Water-damaged Carpet Quickly

If carpet becomes water-damaged, dry it within 24-48 hours. If its left wet for longer than 48 hours, its practically a guaranteed hotbed for mold.

6. Remove and Replace Any Area Affected by Mold

This is especially prudent advice for areas that may be water-damaged after a flood. The remove and replace method is often the only way to ensure mold doesnt grow and spread.

7. Use Hospital Grade Disinfectants

Home remedies such as vinegar and bleach are okay for small patches of mold, but anything above that will need something stronger. Hospital grade disinfectants are anti-fungal and sporicidal and are one of the best mold solutions available.

8. Use a HEPA Air Scrubber or Filter

A HEPA air scrubber will remove mold spores from the air in your home. This solution is best paired with one of the other points on this list to remove the affected area itself.

9. Use Antimicrobial and Antifungal Paints

There are certain paints on the market which are specifically tailored to prevent mold. There are also anti-mold paint additives which can treat otherwise normal paint cans.

10. Hire a Professional

Professional services like Biological Health Services will perform onsite inspections that involve taking air quality and surface samples of the affected area. They then use various methods of microbial decontamination tailored to the specific contamination level, site access, and usage of the area.

If mold is a particular worry for you or the area is affected severely, a professional is the best way to go.

Mold Solutions For a Healthier Household

No matter how healthy your lifestyle is, mold can put a dampener on anyones wellbeing. With these few tips and tricks, youll be able to keep your house clean and mold-free. Your family and your health will thank you.

Does your house have more problems than just mold? Heres a post on how to save a condemned house.

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8 Recruiting Solutions to Help You Find The Right Employees

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Did you know that 33% of American employees are actually engaged in their careers, costing the national economy over $350 billion in lost productivity? Thats a staggering figure, isnt it?

Streamlining your job candidate search can feel overwhelming. For one, youre busy. For two, you certainly dont want to hire the wrong employee. Luckily, there are several worthwhile recruiting solutions to consider in your employee search.

Lets get into the top ones!

Understand Your Needs

Before you delve into hiring, its important to understand what exactly youre looking for. Do you need someone full time? Are you willing to meet with independent contractors? Can an existing employee move into this role?

As an employee, its frustrating to enter a role without clear, distinct expectations. As an employer, this strategy is often wasteful of your time, money, and resource allocations.

Your best bet? Narrow down what you want! Figure out all the expectations, requirements, and qualifications before even crafting the job ad. Ask your company to see if there any gaps or missing needs.

Targeting your needs allows you to increase your focus and make your job search productive.

Network. Network. Network.

In an evolving world of online recruiting and digital marketing, theres still a time and place for good old-fashioned word-of-mouth referrals.

In fact, LinkedIn estimates that employers fill 85% of jobs via networking.

What does this mean for you? It means that you should start with your current employees and colleagues. Ask them if they know anyone who can fill the role. Ask if they have any recommendations.

The benefit of networking? Its real answers, not just generic online recommendations.

True professionals wont recommend someone they cant vouch for. It would reflect poorly on them and their reputation.

With that said, using the tried-and-true recruiting solutions means you might not have to look any further.

Craft the Right Job Ad

If you want to avoid a vast sea of job applicants, be specific with what youre looking for. This means outlining the job description. Highlight the prior experience or qualifications you are seeking.

And keep this in mind: The job ad should be exciting and captivating. If you feel confused or bored reading it, your potential applicants will too!

Unsure where to start? Look at what your competitions posting. Check online for job descriptions for jobs similar to the one youre seeking to fill. Ask your current employees what they like about their job. Integrate these principles into your posting.

Consider Professional Job Boards

Its easy to put up an ad on Craiglist or Monster and receive thousands of job applications. Do you really want to parse through all of them?

Heres a better idea. Look into the professional networks relevant to your industry. Most of them have both local and statewide chapters, classified ads and Facebook or Linkedin pages, so dont overlook those avenues!

Even if it costs money to post, itll be well worth your time. Youll be more likely to attract qualified candidates rather than random people looking for any kind of work.

But Dont Ignore Classified Ads

Classified ads and job boards absolutely have their necessary place in the world. For example, you might be interested in targeting a specific demographic, such as MCA. You might be seeking a local candidate in a local region. Or, you might be interested in someone overseas for a virtual position.

Classified ads are great for widespread exposure, especially if you work in a unique niche industry. If youre looking to cast a wide net, these might be the best places to look.

Dont Overlook Small Details

Does the resume have a ton of spelling errors? Does the candidates background check results make you cringe?

These are definite red flags that could present with major problems later on. While nobody is perfect, you want to know risk factors before making hiring decisions.

As an employer, youre allowed to be picky about your recruiting solutions. After all, you dont want to give someone the benefit of the doubt only to be totally disappointed with them a week in their work.

Nail Down the Interview

Nothing beats actual human interaction when it comes to maximizing your recruiting solutions.

Conducting a good interview is an important skill just as important as knowing how to interview well yourself.

As a good rule of thumb, you should identify exactly what youre looking for in your potential candidates. Have questions on hand and written down to maximize your time and efficiency.

And, dont feel like you have to do this alone. Having 1-2 other employees or HR personnel can help you narrow down your choices.

And, rather than asking generic interview questions, ask questions that assess the potential employees attributes and strengths. For example, Tell me a time you had to deal with X situation or, How would you handle Y if it happened to you?

These questions show critical thinking skills and overall competence in the potential position.

Follow Your Gut

At the end of the day, the most important recruiting solutions come down to you. Someone can look amazing on paper and have all the right credentials but still give you bad vibes. Dont ignore that nagging voice.

On the other hand, even if someone doesnt perfectly fit every requirement, if you have an amazing feeling about his potential, consider that in your hiring decision!

You want to think about the added value of your company. For example, the employee might be highly receptive to training. He might fit in well with the company culture. He might have out-of-the-box thinking. These values might benefit you more than someone with the right credentials can.

Final Thoughts on Recruiting Solutions

By following these tips, the hiring process doesnt have to be stressful. With the right questions and patience, your next perfect employee is just around the corner. Heres to happy hiring!

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8 Reasons You Should Have an Escape Room Party

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Another birthday rolling around and still have no clue how to celebrate?

If youre tired of the same old birthday party options renting a bowling lane, going out to a restaurant try something different this year. Escape rooms are all the rage, and they make for a perfect place to party.

Below, weve given you eight reasons to throw an escape room party.

1. Having an Escape Room Party Is Unique

When you send out your birthday party invites, chances are youll be one of the first people to invite your guests to an escape room party.

Many people have not even been to an escape room yet, much less attended a party themed around one. Throwing an escape room party is a unique way to celebrate your birthday. It will be a sure hit and your guests will remember it for years to come.

It may not be a trip to Italy, but youll have so much fun it wont matter.

2. Youll Bond With Your Friends in a New Way

Can you imagine being locked in a room with your friends and family, having to work together to find a way out?

Of course, theres no real danger, so the frantic mystery-solving is half the fun. Everyone plays his or her part to find clues, decipher hints, and think creatively to figure a way out.

You may see your guests use their talents in new ways. Perhaps your best friend is a genius at solving puzzles, while your mom is a whiz at cracking codes!

You will learn things about your closest companions that you may not have found out any other way. Bonding like that doesnt occur at most standard birthday parties.

3. It Requires Teamwork

One of the main reasons youll bond so much at an escape room party is because teamwork is necessary. Theres no way youll find your way out of the room if you all work individually!

Coming together as a team is part of the process. You will have to divvy up tasks and trust that your teammates are all doing their part. You have to rely on others skills and strengths to make up for your weaknesses, and vice versa.

No other kind of party requires quite the sense of camaraderie that an escape room does. Youll be talking, laughing, and helping each other out in no time. Theres no need to plan all sorts of things to try to break the ice.

4. Its a Thrilling Adventure

Another reason escape rooms are getting so popular is that they are both scary and exciting! No one is in any true danger, but the adrenaline will be running high all the same.

The feeling of your heart rushing as the clock ticks down from an hour can be truly invigorating. Your brain will be kicked into high-gear as you frantically try to find your way out and solve the mystery!

Moreover, it doesnt require extreme physical activity or cause undue exertion. Unlike hosting a birthday party at a theme park with roller coasters, those who are older or have impaired mobility will still be able to join in the fun.

5. Everyone Will Have Fun

No more of those parties where the non-dancers sit in the corner and some people leave early and the non-bowlers keep their flip-flops on. Sleepovers are great, but someone always ends up feeling left out.

When you throw an escape room party, everyone gets involved! Because youre locked in a room with a small group of people, everyone must come together and work as a team.

Theres no room for anyone to not participate. Moreover, they wont want to! In an escape room, everyone can choose a different role or goal and play a part. This makes sure everyone is having a good time.

6. Its Good for Your Brain

At their core, escape rooms are just larger-than-life puzzles.

The same creative thinking and problem-solving skills you need for puzzles and strategy games are what you need to solve an escape room.

Escaping from an escape room in less than an hour requires you to explore many different possibilities. You have to assemble pieces of information in a way that makes sense. You have to think outside the box and make sure all your bases are covered.

All of these alternative ways of thinking are great for your brain health. These kinds of activities can help to boost memory and creativity, and can even help to reduce stress and anxiety.

7. All Ages Are Welcome

Unlike most birthday parties, escape rooms are truly fun for everyone.

Groups of kids love it. Groups of adults love it. Festive events from childrens parties to bachelorette parties are frequently held at escape rooms.

At an escape room party, you can invite everyone you love, both young and old, and trust that they will truly enjoy themselves. Escape rooms are great family fun.

Some rooms are harder than others, and thats okay. Consider dividing your guests by age and letting the younger crowd do an easier escape room, while the adults try the hardest level.

Who knows? A surprising group may earn the bragging rights!

8. Youll Be Excited Either Way

By the time the clock is up, you will either be on your way out of the escape room or youll be making desperate attempts to try one last thing in order to get out.

That feeling of figuring out the puzzle and pouring out the door together will put a huge smile on your face! Your night may end in a thrilling victory. Even if you dont manage to escape the room, youll have had so much fun that it wont matter.

Compete with other rooms to see who can get out the fastest, and use those bragging rights youve earned if your team finds their way out while another team doesnt.

The Bottom Line

Theres no party as fun and thrilling as an escape room party, and your guests are sure to leave with warm memories of laughter shared and celebrations well spent.

Want more lifestyle advice? Browse our blog for other interesting topics!

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7 Tips Home Sellers Increase Your Homes Value

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Home sellers there are things you can do to increase the value of your home. It is based on the 3R's. The basic rules are clean, clutter-free and color. Let us review the tips. Easy ways to increase the value of your home.

TIP ONE: Painting

A fresh coat of paint will make a room look clean and more spacious. It will make it shine that much more. Be sure to pick a paint color that is neutral as that will appeal to the most people. I have seen many buyers walk into a home with rooms painted the seller's favorite color (green). Prospective buyer just walks out because they hated green!

TIP TWO: Carpet

Weary or dirty carpets will make a buyer think that there are other issues wrong with your home, even if there are not. So be sure that the carpets are clean. If they are thread-bare consider getting them replaced.

TIP THREE: Energy Costs

These days, most home buyers will ask me "What is the average monthly utility bill cost of homes they are looking at to buy. Most utilities offer free energy audits. Take advantage of this as it can help you. Save money now it can help you down the road when you are ready to sell your home! Purchasing appliances before selling your home? Purchase energy-saving appliances. Buyers favor homes that have lower monthly utility costs.

TIP FOUR: The Kitchen

In most homes, buyers will spend the most time in the kitchen. Make sure your kitchen is ready. If you have appliances that are dirty or old, get them cleaned immaculately. Make sure the interior and exterior are clean. Consider replacing them. You do not need to spend a lot of money replacing your stove or refrigerator with top end appliances. Replace with energy-saving appliances. And do not forget the countertops, drawers, and cabinets as buyers will open these! Make sure interiors clean and items in orderly fashion. Counter tops check for missing tile. Are there sections that need re-grouting? Replace old fixtures.

TIP FIVE: The Bathrooms

Your bathrooms will also get the drill sergeant review from buyers. Similar to the kitchen, make sure that any old fixtures are replaced. Floors, bathtub, toilet, shower, and walls should be CLEAN. You can replace bathroom fixtures easily these days without spending a lot of money. And a fresh coat of paint can go a long way here as well. Replace old towels and brand new towels. Add a brand-new soap dish and candles.

TIP SIX: Curb Appeal

Home sellers the first impressions count. Similar to a fresh coat of paint for a room, a yard that has the grass cut nicely goes a long way. Walk outside and look at your front yard and the front of the home. Does the front of the house need to paint or siding? Are there any broken windows, screens or shutters that need repair? Does the yard need maintenance? You do not need to hire a landscape architect. However, you want to make sure that your yard looks manicured, clean and nice. Be sure to pick up any items in the yard, position trash bins so that they are not visible to the street.

TIP SEVEN: De-Clutter

If you are thinking about selling within the next year, start this now. I have seen buyers walk through homes that have piles of stuff in every room. They comment, "just looks unkempt." When a buyer thinks a home is untidy. They figure that there are other problems with the home as well. This is something, that notwithstanding I deal with sometimes as we just get so 'used to things laying around. We do not in spite of seeing see them anymore. They almost become invisible! Tips on a clutter-free home in two stages.

Stage One:

Get everything that you have not used in last few months (or years!). Items do not anticipate using in the foreseeable future. It can be boxed up in closet, garage or in the basement. This would include clothes that you have not worn in a long time, dishes, toys, appliances that you have not used in forever. Something's can be thrown away or donated. Alternatively, put items in storage. Be sure to label all boxes. Most home buyers purchase for more space. Home may have to be decluttered because of furniture. Rearrange furniture so rooms more spacious.

Stage Two:

This is when you are getting close to listing your home for sale. Now you want your home to be ready for buyers to walk through. Have a good impression so that they think to themselves, "This is a clean and neat home. The owner must take care of it!" Remember Clean, Clutter-free, Color (fresh paint). This will also help make moving day easier.

Conclusion

Increasing Your Home's Value. Do it yourself home staging ideas. The following tips will increase your home's value. Home-improvement tips that you can do yourself. Home seller needs elbow grease and time. Supplies needed are cleaning supplies, paint and a screw driver. In some cases consider replacing kitchen appliances. Remember the three main things clean, clutter-free and color. The color applies when painting walls and ceiling use neutral colors. Your home is your major financial investment. It is worth getting it in top shape before listing. The results will increase your home's value.

7 SEO Strategies for Promoting Your Virtual Calculator

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The number one thing that makes SEO the king of marketing is the fact you can use it to promote any and everything. It doesnt matter if youre opening up a new bakery or selling spiritual readings you can optimize your content to draw in your target audience.

Theres no industry not suitable for search engine optimization. And for this reason, we highly recommend using it for advertising your virtual calculator.

Now, there are many ways you can make SEO work to promote your app. Lets take a look at seven methods you can start using today.

1. Make Sure Youre Adding Value

There goes an unintended pun create a calculator that adds value. And yet, its very true you need to ensure your calculator is actually useful to your audience.

For instance, with the CalcuNation app, users can calculate all sorts of things. This includes GPA scores, scientific formulas, heart rates and a lot more.

It appeals to all sorts of people workout enthusiasts, math students, scientists, businesspeople and the layperson. Theres plenty of value add with this app. If youre considering creating a virtual calculator, then make sure in-depth and appeals to one or more groups of people.

2. Teach People How to Use Your Virtual Calculator

Content is very important for driving forth your SEO strategy. After all, its what you need to optimize for search engines.

In the content you create, you should focus on developing pieces that educate your audience. For instance, you can show them different ways to make use of your virtual calculator.

For example, if it helps determine mortgage payments based on real-time APR rates, then you can walk them through the steps. Give examples of how to use the calculator, whether its to finance or refinance a home, condo or commercial property.

The same goes for whatever other ways your calculator app can be used. Maybe folks dont see all the options and end up overlooking it as a helpful tool.

If the content is valuable, its more likely to be shared, which will help your SEO.

3. Create Video Tutorials

Trying to explain how an app works in words is possible, but definitely a lot easier in video format. People are consuming hours upon hours of video each day on YouTube and social media platforms like Facebook.

Creating video tutorials for your virtual calculator not only helps your audience but also boosts your SEO. Google owns YouTube, which gives some weight to your video content. Make sure to optimize the video title, tags, and description, so it shows up in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

4. Build a Landing Page

Before you begin advertising your valuable virtual calculator, its a good idea to craft a special landing page. And on this landing page, there should be a lot of great details about the benefits (not features) of the app.

This will give users all the info they need to make the decision to download your calculator. You can use this landing page in conjunction with your pay-per-click ad campaigns, as well as your blog posts.

The content you create surrounding your app should include a link pointing to the landing page where readers can download it.

If you have more than one calculator, then each one should have its own landing page. And, of course, ensure you optimize the landing pages with keywords, calls to action and imagery.

Speaking of images

5. Ensure All of Your Images Are Optimized

Its good to include photos, graphs and other images inside of all your content. But rather than simply using it for visual appeal, its also helpful for optimizing your site.

All of the visuals you have on your website and blog should have Alt text that includes relevant keywords. Say you have a post about using your calculator for solving complex fractions. You can include an image of a fraction problem and include Alt text like: solve complex fractions with a virtual calculator.

Or maybe you decide to create an infographic. You should optimize it so that it appears in image search results in Google. In this case, it can help draw more traffic to your site.

6. Get Real Testimonials and Reviews

Maybe youre starting to see success with your virtual calculator. If so, start soliciting users for online reviews. These can be in the form of text or video.

When people research your app, they will find these positive reviews. And thatll help them decide whether to download it as well.

But the best way to get more of these testimonials is to ask for them. Dont expect your users to do it on their own. You can include a pop up in your app that asks them for a rating and written review. When they click it, it should take them to the site, so they can complete the review.

Make it as easy as possible for them to create reviews.

7. Find Problems and Resolve Them

As you continue to craft content and improve your app, you want to ensure youre addressing pressing problems your audience has. One way to learn more about this is to engage in conversations with them.

Head to social media platforms they use to ask questions. Or simply sit back and read through the conversations theyre already having. See if your current or upcoming calculator app can help resolve it.

If so, you can promote your app through your content, social media comments and video content.

Get Help Crafting Your Content

Youre great at building useful virtual calculators, not writing content. Thats where professional writers come into play. If you thought you couldnt afford one think again.

At Article City, we connect you with experienced freelance writers that are reasonably priced. You choose how much content they write based on your budget.

This way, you can continue on creating and improving your apps, while still moving forward with your SEO. Browse around our selection of writers to see if you can find a match for your campaign!

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7 Questions To Consider Before Selecting A Perfect Destination For Corporate Events

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A meeting planner needs to take a lot of decisions before planning an event and this includes picking an appropriate meeting venue and hotel, selecting right beverage and food, sourcing proper transportation services and hiring best speakers. However, choosing the right destination is the biggest point and with so many cities, arriving at the right destination seems a daunting task. However, consider few key points that are the checklist and decide on.

1. What is of importance to the group? Your corporate event destination should be chosen considering your attendees. What do they like, a cheaper meal option or have a desire for gourmet restaurants. Do they like walking or just wish to be shuttled. Are they concerned about mainstream attractions or want a regional destination and do they prefer traveling to long distances. Give importance to the tastes and preferences of your attendees.

2. Will the group fit into the destination? No matter how popular a city is. It is very important to know if your corporate group will find the destination a good match. Check for the destination to fulfill these:
Is there enough physical spaces
Enough hotel rooms and sufficient square footage
Is it a great center of attention even in a small city
Now that you know the group, ask for yourself, if it is okay for the group to have the corporate event.

3. How to get around? Evaluate the capabilities of your attendees, will the city offer easy access, are there non-stop flights, transportation costs to the destination. Is there light rail or mass transit or do the attendees need to spend on cabs to reach the destination. Narrow your search and check on related amenities to make it a perfect destination.

4. What is the infrastructure? Many destinations claim to offer the best fit, whether you plan a hotel for in-house meeting or consider a convention facility. Understand the spaces of meeting arranged, do the layout work for the event, and are the hotel away from the convention center and do they connect with some walkways.

5. Is there enough things to do? Find out if the destination has lots to offer, is it fun, unique and interesting, do they have amenities away from the meeting space, including culture, restaurants, entertainment and outdoor activities. Is everything located conveniently from the property and are they within walking distance? Is the city safe on foot to explore, particularly in the evening hours?

6. Is it worth spending? Comprehend the overall cost and value of holding a meeting. Is this place the right destination or is it worth going to some affordable city less attractive, but may cost less.
What is your meeting ROI to that destination? consider the meeting attendees number to decide the tier of the city and considering affordable does not mean looking for cheap alternatives.

7. Does the destination have an appeal? The destination should have something that people would love to visit. The first tier cities offer broad appeal, while the second and third tiers have allure to fair share. Thus, research a destination, know its culture and ensure it is special and unique.

5 Ways to Create More Data-Driven Content for Business

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67% of consumers say branded content drives their buying decisions. Thats why around 80% of marketing firms now invest heavily in it as part of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.

But not just any content has this kind of power. In fact, 37% say their strategies arent effective at generating qualified leads. And theyre not converting leads into actual revenues.

That takes a documented and data-driven content creation strategy.

Lets explore how to create data-driven content for business in 4 basic steps.                                   

 1) Know Who Youre Writing For

Its marketing 101. Know your customer. And yet, for many who are creating content, this integral part of developing content for business got lost in translation.

Every content piece should be written to one specific target customer. If you were trying to get more real estate clients, you wouldnt market to your buyers and sellers in the same. You cant properly connect with either one of them if you do.

The same is true with web content. Whether youre marketing plastic surgery or landscaping, its all about the customers.

The Customer Persona

Create several detailed customer personas to add to your inbound marketing toolkit. Use real customer data to help develop these whenever possible. And revise them over time as you learn more.

When writing each content piece identify which persona this specific video, blog, infographic, etc. is for.  And use the detailed persona to connect with that person.

2) Establish Your Marketing Objectives

When creating content for business, each piece needs a clear objective. Are you trying to increase brand awareness? Do you want them to make a micro-conversion to get a customer to start buying in? Are they ready to invest in your larger product or service offerings?

Set a clear KPI (key performance indicator) for the piece. Your ultimate goal is leading people through the Buyers journey until you create and keep a loyal customer. But you need to know how to get them there through data-driven content.

Measure its success based on its ability to meet its objective.

Whether youre working with a Nashville content writer or one in Mumbai, make sure theyre clear on the content marketing objective. They need to be able to build a piece around it and your target customer, using SEO and content writing best practices.

3) Select Topics Your Customers Actually Care About

If your target customer doesnt care about the topic, you have a piece of worthless content. Being data-driven is all about minimizing the worthless and maximizing the awesome content to get the right ROI.

How do you select topics that people care about?

Browse your reviews. Identify likes, dislikes, questions, and misunderstandings. Good or bad, these are the things people care about. They make great topics.

Talk to your sales and customer care teams. Theyll have a lot to say. And you can actually make their jobs much easier by answering common questions they get.

Thats just another perk of content for business.

People today prefer to find answers online before they contact your company. Make this information available to them.

This helps all kinds of businesses get results. It doesnt matter if youve got an eCommerce site or a dental practice.

4) Analyze and Optimize

Analyze your data. Identify your winners and losers. When topics meet their objectives well, create more content like it.

Continue to listen to your customers. Optimize everything from your landing pages to your social media headlines to your meta descriptions. Everything must be optimized to get the right ROI on your inbound marketing efforts.

Creating Data-Driven Content for Business

To get results in content marketing you must utilize data to develop content that works. It should connect with a specific customer. It needs a clear and measurable objective. Only publish topics people care about.

Optimize everything.

Want to learn everything there is to know about inbound marketing? Follow our blog.

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5 Tips You Can Do at Home to Help Cure a Sinus Infection

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If you have ever suffered with a sinus infection, you know how uncomfortable they can be... and how they seem to never go away.

Your doctor might have even put you on antibiotics and the stubborn sinus infection still won't go away.

Do you want to know why it most likely won't go away? Because antibiotics don't cure the sinus infection. They just put a bandaid on it.

Research done in 1999 showed that fungus was present in the mucous of 96% of patience who had chronic sinusitis.

So if antibiotics don't cure the sinusitus most of the time, what do you do?

Well, you can try an alternative cure. Here are some options. They will help kill the fungus which is contributing to the sinusitis.

One, drink raw apple cider vinegar. I recommend using Raw apple cider vinegar as that it the only one I know works wonders... as I use it often for many things (Braggs apple cider vinegar). You can typically get it at your local health store. (Note: Do not use regular vinegar as studies have shown that white vinegar can actually be harmful to your health.)

Why does Apple Cider Vinegar cure sinus infections? It breaks down the mucous ... and cleans it all out.

One way to treat the sinus infection is to gargle with apple cider vinegar morning and night. I know it does not taste so great... and if you are just starting out, please do yourself a favor and dilute the vinegar with half water... as the taste (and smell) might be too much for you to handle at first. Keep in mind as your face twists when you drink it, that the strength of the vinegar is a good thing... it is helping to kill the infection. Believe it or not, in time, you will get used to it.

Another alternative way to treat a sinus infection is to drink the apple cider vinegar. (Now gargling with it doesn't seem like such a bad idea, eh?) The recommended dosage is 1 TBS, 2 times a day in a small glass of water. At first, this might be too strong for you, so only try 1 to 2 tsp. in a glass of water. You can mix it with honey if you'd like... or what one man prefers is to put the vinegar in a glass of apple juice or grape juice instead. He said it hides the strong taste.

However, some people like the taste of vinegar so in that case, just put it in water and drink it that way. But I know a lot of people don't like doing this.

A second option to treat sinusitis would be to eat garlic or take garlic supplements. Studies have shown garlic to be beneficial in treating sinusitis.

A third option would be to drink raw coconut oil. Use this to cook your vegetables or to drizzle over your salad. This can be purchased at your local health store.

A fourth thing you can do to help get rid of sinusitis is to stop (or at least limit your sugar and carbohydrate intake) for a while. Like most of us, fungus loves sugar and carbohydrates. It actually craves both of them... which could be why, if you have a bad sinus infection, you are craving sugar and carbohydrates. However, on the flip side, like most of us, fungus does not like not having sugar and carbohydrates, either. It will "run away" if it doesn't get them ... so at least for a while, try to eat more protein (eggs and nuts are a good source).

A fifth thing you can do is to eat broccoli. Brocolli has an anti-fungal affect and will help get rid of the sinus infection.

5 Tips to Overcome Challenges of Working from Home

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The idea of working from home is one that is desired by many of us due to its numerous benefits which includes independence, reduced commute time and the ability to spend more time around loved ones to name a few. Working from home is an idea that is commonly associated with freelancers for example those providing translation services. It is a very common occurrence when translators receive work form a translation agency that they work from home as such projects often require individual attention with limited interaction with others. Although that is the case some companies still require their freelance workers to work from their offices for a number of reasons including the fact that the equipment used to perform certain work tasks are fixed at the place of work and on other occasions to monitor and ensure that the employee is performing set tasks in a timely manner.

In spite of the many benefits of working from home those that have had the privilege of doing so can testify that although this style of working has its challenges which can sometimes leave you demotivated and cause you to lose focus which can lead to non-completion of work.

So what can we do to overcome some of these obstacles faced when working from home? Below are 5 steps which can help you be more productive with your time.

1. Set boundaries Very often people who work from home have a computer and chair in their bedrooms or simply use their dining area as work space. In places like London where house prices and rental rates are very high many of us do not have the luxury of an extra room to use as an office. This can pose a challenge at times especially when you are tired which can lead you to give up on work and just go for a nap easily, something you wouldnt be able to do had you been working in an office environment.  To combat this it can help to create a space within your home dedicated to you doing your work only. Treat this space as you would working in an office and only include items you need for work in this space to avoid distractions.

2. Ignore house chores When working from home it is very easy to slip into doing your house chores during your working time. Things like forgetting to do your laundry the night before can lead you to use your work time to complete these tasks. The problem with that is once you begin to divert your attention away from work you tend to not be disciplined in other aspects, you find yourself tidying your room or hoovering your carpets and before you know it youve lost hours from you work time. Having a to-do list and structure your day around this will eliminate such occurrences. Try and stick to your set tasks as best you can and you sure will be more productive with your time.

3. Dedicate break times Another challenge working from home is that you tend to take more breaks than if you were working with others in a place of work. Its so easy to slip into the kitchen for a light snack here and there. Not saying dont do it but dedicating break times/kitchen times will help you focus more on the task at hand. This one is hard to strictly follow but do it consistently for a few days and your productive time will increase.

4. Find an alternate work space One thing about working from home is that you dont necessarily have to be working at your home especially for jobs that are online-based. At times working from the same place constantly can limit creativity especially for people in professions such as creative writing. The beauty of technology these days allows us to work in several places as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection and laptop. Try working from your local Starbucks or visit your local park. Another alternative is to work from your local library. Youll be amazed how much changing your work environment can be for your creative juices. Just remember to at least buy a coffee when you visit a coffee shop!

5. Dont work too late This is something that happens frequently. Often times it is a result of not managing your time accordingly. Postponing tasks is also a major negative contributor for people working too late. To conquer this ensure you stick to your daily set tasks. One tip is to conquer the tasks you do not particularly enjoy first as this will help you ease through the rest of your work load without dreading the tasks ahead. Set yourself work time and leisure time and try and stick to this as best as you can. It is sometimes inevitable that you will need to work late but if the task at hand is not necessarily urgent allow yourself to stop and switch off from work.

Working from home has its challenges but if you can discipline yourself following the above steps you will find yourself maintaining a positive work-life balance, have more time to relax and be more productive with your workload.

Have you worked from home? What are some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them? Share with us below.

5 Tips On Building Content For Your Blog

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Building an effective content strategy for your blog is key if you want to excel in converting visitors. This goes for whether youre trying to get visitors to come back, sign up for your e-newsletter or purchase a product or service.

Content has shown to be a great tool for increasing conversion rates, but the key is first improving your click-through rates (CTR). Because if no one is clicking on your posts, then you wont be converting anyone.

So lets review what you need to do to ensure youre building content that will help you reach your business goals.

1. Pay Attention to Whats Popular

Hopefully, you already have an analytics software youre using to keep track of your content. This way, you can continue building content based on whats already proven effective.

For instance, you may see that a specific topic or word counts get higher views and interactions. If thats the case, you need to continue creating more content like that.

2. Research Keywords to Use in Your Content

Theres no denying it organic search is the bees knees. But only if you know how to work the search engines.

In order to do this, you need a keyword list based on your audience and business.

Its important to select keywords that are low competition and highly relevant. You can use Googles keyword planner to conduct your keyword research. Just make sure you dont keyword stuff!

3. Determine the Best Content Format for Your Audience

All users are not the same some enjoy watching short videos, while others prefer reading a long blog post. If youre not sure which type of content your audience prefers, you can experiment a little.

Try creating different versions of content to see what performs best. You can even create spin-offs of content already created. For example, making a video piece on a topic you wrote about on your blog, and vice versa.

4. Gain Traction by Posting at the Right Frequency

Now, theres such a thing as posting too much and posting too little. Either way, you go could potentially annoy your visitors. And in some cases, they may stop coming to your site altogether.

Where you post to will also be a determining factor. For instance, social media requires you to be more active than a blog. You could get away posting once per week on your blog, but not so much with social media.

On social platforms, your followers are expecting you to post at least once daily.

5. Create Valuable Content

What topics should you be covering for your audience? If youre in the health industry, you may find that covering products like Naturally Kratom would draw in traffic.

The key is to create content that will add value to the lives of your visitors.

What problems do they have that you can offer solutions to? Do you have advice and tips on how to achieve their goals? Then share it.

Building Content with a Pro Content Marketing Team

Sometimes, you need a marketing expert or two to help you with your content marketing. If thats the case, you should consider bringing aboard a knowledgeable professional to help create your strategy.

On Article City, you can build a team of content writers that produce quality pieces for your blog. Stop by today to begin putting together your freelance team!

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5 Recommendations to Save Money When You Are On Winter Holidays

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Are you a newly married couple and want to make upcoming winter holidays more special? Well, spending holidays is always a good idea especially when you recently married with your soul mate. You can either take pleasure of upcoming ski season or can desire for a sunshine break during the cold weather. Or, you might have other holiday plans too, such as going abroad to take delight of snowy escape.

The figures are rapidly increasing of those people, who want to travel around the exotic destinations that would turn their winter holidays during Christmas among the most memorable days of their life. Apart from recent economic roadblocks, the travel industry here is now enticing all travel lovers to book their exciting packages, particularly for the upcoming holiday season.

Planning for the holidays should be done three to four months before to avoid any last minute hassle. As far as the preparations are concerned, most of the people worry about the expenses that they will have to pay during the vacations. In fact, holiday spending has become a matter of concern, unlike few years back. Perhaps, people know that the value of pounds has been dropped recently especially compares to the euro. They may not be able to enjoy their holidays as they have desired for because their focus can shift on saving the money, during the winter holidays.

The travel companies are also facing the impact of national economic imbalance, particularly after Brexit. As a result, the cost of holiday packages has been on the higher level. However, it does not mean that one should not plan for holidays. According to the recent study, the level of inflation at the worldwide level has also affected the travel industry.

The rates of travel packages may go higher, but there is no need to cut short your holiday budget. Fortunately, people now have the access of Christmas loans to fund their holidays with no financial worries. But still, you can follow these few simple steps to save some cash from your own efforts:

Recommendation #1

Act early and never wait for later. When you see the cost of a travel package is somewhat less than usual, you should grab this opportunity and confirm the booking at earliest. But at the same time, it should not be done in a hurry. You should use online tool to search down and compare the affordable flights, and then analyse the accommodation rates of varied hotels and resorts. Try to finalise these expenses once you are sure that you can pay them.

Recommendation #2

Holding cash while travelling is quite risky as well as difficult. You must use your credit and debit cards to pay the expenses. If you use the card overseas, it may charge up to 3 percent or more per transaction. It means you pay than the usual rates. You should know that there are some special credit cards, which do not have any charge for cash withdrawals at overseas or in some places, they do not have foreign exchange fee.

Recommendation #3

Do not plan everything without comparing the prices of travel insurance, package for holidays or car hire. Try to bargain for rates as much as possible because it can save your money, which you can spend on the necessary expenses. Another thing that you should be aware of that sometimes companies show cheapest rates but hide the extra costs, particularly on the travel insurance. Try to refer only those sites where the actual rates are showing without any hidden charges. Alternatively, you also have the alternative of holiday loans to enjoy more with paying less.

Recommendation #4

It may look odd for you, but it is a fact that you can save your money with your mobile too. How it can be possible? It is practical with turning off your mobile data or roaming and keeps the Wi-Fi on. Almost all the hotels allow its guests to use free Wi-Fi hotspots that you can use to make a call or to search something important. With such process, you can come back to your home with less mobile bill amount.

Recommendation #5

Many financial experts suggest travel vacationers to book only for a complete holiday package, as it is usually offered with special discount. Few travel companies can make arrangements for flight tickets in combination with accommodation at the hotel or car rental service. Paying the charges of such expenses separately would cost you more, and on the other hand, an inclusive travel package would be cheaper (100 can be saved) and it saves your time too.

As the holiday season is marching closer, you would like to spend it at such a destination where you have a chance to accumulate some of the best memories of your life. If you follow these simple suggestions, you definitely have a pleasure of British winter without any cash crunch.

5 Real Estate Advertising Tools That Can Help You Sell Your Home

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If youre thinking new tech hasnt quite reached the real estate industry, think again. From drones to social media, there are plenty of fresh and modern ways to help sell your home fast.

Our recent advances in technology have given us the tools to advertise directly to our consumers. So, whether youre a homeowner or agent, you have what you need at your fingertips.

Here are five real estate advertising tools that can help you sell your home faster than you could have just a few years ago.

1. Professional Photos

Buyers are using laptops and mobile devices to view available homes more than ever. Want to get them past the screen and through your door?

Make sure your listing includes high-quality professional photos of almost every room. That means iPhone snapshots wont cut it.

Studies show that listings with professional photos sell quicker and for more money than listings without.

But if youre dealing with a highly competitive market, consider going above and beyond professional photography. Read on for more ways to set your listing apart from the crowd.

2. Drone Photography

Since nine out of ten home buyers use the internet as a primary research tool, eye-catching content is essential.

High-quality professional photos are important but its becoming more and more common to see. Drone photography is a new way to get your listing to stand out.

Marketing a real estate property isnt easy. Drone photography can provide your listing with beautiful, dramatic, sweeping shots of your property.

It can also be the best way to showcase the surrounding landscape and layout. Both of which are effective selling points and deserve to be a part of your advertising strategy.

3. 3D Immersive Video Tours

Are you a tech nerd? Well, get ready for this. If professional photos and drones arent enough for you, consider a 3D immersive video tour of your home.

The Bigger Equity site says we are currently in a sellers market. But that doesnt mean you cant get creative with your real estate advertising strategies.

Virtual tours have provided the kind of exposure we used to only dream about. With a 3D immersive video tour, anyone in the world can tour your property for as long as they want. From wherever they want.

The investor in China has the opportunity to tour your home without flying back and forth. The military wife moving cross-country gets a better chance at picking the right house for her family, without any inconvenience.

Great pictures and videos are essential, but buyers need to find your listing first. Heres where to get eyes on your property.

4. Social Media

Ever thought to post your listing on Facebook, Twitter, or even Pinterest? These sites are the perfect place to share your amazing photos and video.

Many agents are encouraging their sellers to share their listing with their friends. And to get friends and family to share your listing with their networks.

Social media isnt just a place to waste the hours away. Its a great selling tool that you should be taking advantage of.

5. Dont Forget Real Estate Advertising Basics

You cant go wrong with these real estate advertising tools as they have stood the test of time.

Make sure your home is listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) site. Complete with a full description and professional photos. This is the first place many buyers and agents will be looking for available homes.

Also, post your home on all the major real estate sites. Here is a list to get you started:

Zillow
Trulia
Redfin
Homes.com
Curbed
Hotpads
ZipRealty
Auction.com

Finally, print good old-fashioned flyers, pamphlets, and postcards to hand out at open houses. Include your best photos and major selling points.

When youre selling your home, make sure to use real estate advertising tools to help speed up the process.

Check out our blog for more advice on real estate and marketing tips.

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5 Items to Add to Your Drugstore Shopping List

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You might be surprised at some of the things you can pick up for a great price at your local drugstore.

If youre in need of any of the items below, head to your nearest 24-hour pharmacy.

Milk

Milk is often put on special offer in drugstores. These deals make it into a loss leader meaning that its low price is used to entice shoppers into the store, in the hope that theyll also buy some more expensive items during their visit.

Dont feel that you have to pick up something pricier. You can just take your milk and leave. And dont worry about the other dairy products unless theyre on sale too.

Washing Detergent

Big drugstores like Walgreens and CVS frequently have sales on large packs of laundry detergent. This can be a fairly expensive purchase, though infrequent.

You can often find massive savings on branded products such as Tide. Stock up if you see a sale, and think of it as an investment in saving money later down the line.

Diapers

If youre a parent, you know that the cost of diapers can really stack up.

At drugstores, there are regular discounts and sometimes buy-one-get-one-free sales (Walgreens offers this a few times a year). Time your purchase right and you can even beat the big supermarkets for the price.

Body Wash

While you can also save yourself a few bucks by buying drugstores own-brand body wash, these stores put on great sales for branded products too.

If its not sale time, you might be better heading to Walmart or another big store. But if it is, the prices will be slashed heavily, and you would be wise to take advantage.

Candy

Are you looking to treat yourself? Drugstores regularly put discounts and buy one get one free deals on bags of candy, gum and other treats.

So if youve got a sweet tooth, make sure to take a trip down the candy aisle before you leave the store.

In the build-up to Halloween, the prices drop even further, so its quite possibly a better option to stock up for trick or treat in the drugstore rather than the supermarket.

Once Halloween is over, make sure you go back to stock up for your own cupboards. The prices are slashed even further to make room on the shelves for the next holiday. Youll likely spend cents, not dollars, for candy.

Use Coupons and Join Loyalty Perks

Keep an eye out for other surprising deals while youre in the store, and remember to use any coupons or points deals you can accumulate.

Walgreens and CVS both have loyalty programs thatll help you cut even more off the cost of your items, and theyre both free to join.

They also have a wide range of coupons available on their websites. Some of these will cut the cost of products, while others will help you to collect points even faster to use in the future.

Take advantage of your nearest drugstores deals find it at 24hrlocator.com.

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5 Hulu Alternatives

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As great as Hulu is, its not available for users outside of the US, even if you are paying for the service and happen to just be traveling internationally. Take a look at five alternative streaming services equipped to meet your needs while traveling abroad.

When it comes to online video streaming, only a few names tend to come to mind. But did you know that there are alternatives available? Hulu, in particular, is one of the more popular online streaming sites, but leaves much to be desired, even when you pay for their subscription service, Hulu Plus.

One problem with Hulu is that if you like to travel often or are located outside of the United States, its pretty much off limits. You arent able to use it internationally, even if you are paying for the service and happen to be traveling outside of the U.S. at the time.

So lets take a look at some other streaming services that can serve as an alternative (Hulu only has so much to offer anyways):

Netflix

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If you havent already considered using Netflix, its probably time that you do. Though it still doesnt offer TV shows as theyre released by your cable provider, it does have a good selection of movies and shows to choose from. One of the biggest pros to using Netflix is that there is a wide variety of categories to browse through, so its likely that theyll have something to please even the pickiest of viewers.

Netflix can be used on several different devices, so youll still be able to watch shows and movies while on the move or visiting friends or family. It also works on game systems, and like Hulu, Netflix only costs $7.99 per month, though you can add SHOWTIME (yep, the same SHOWTIME as your cable provider offers) as an add-on to your subscription for an additional $8.99 per month.

Another thing that Netflix has in common with Hulu is that you wont be able to watch it in every country.

Amazon Instant Video

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Chances are youve ordered something from Amazon before, and if you order often, Amazon Prime might be a good option for you. Not only will you save some money because they offer sales that are exclusive to Prime members and a handy Subscribe & Save service, but youll have access to videos and TV shows as well. Youll automatically gain access to Amazon Instant Video when you sign up for Prime membership at $99 per year ($49 if youre a student).

As far as pros and cons go, the downside is obvious with this one: its not going to save you any money if you dont order products from Amazon on a regular basis. Theres also less of a selection compared to Netflix or Hulu, as Amazon offers a lot of the videos as 24-hour rentals instead of free streams included with your membership. On the bright side, you do get 2-day shipping on your Amazon orders with Prime, and if you tend to order things online, it could be worth it just for the fast shipping and availability of a wide variety of products. The videos can just be a bonus added on to something you already use!

Vudu

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Vudu is primarily a rental service, but you also have the option of buying the videos so you can re-watch them without having to pay again. Rentals cost $5.99 and under, depending on the film or show and in which resolution you choose (SD, HD, or HDX).

Never heard of HDX before? Vudu created it, and the overall viewing experience is close to the quality you would expect from a Blu-ray movie. The benefit of using Vudu compared to Netflix or Hulu is that youll have access to new releases without having to wait. As soon as the DVD is released, Vudu will have the movie available for you to view.

A useful feature that Vudu has that isnt offered elsewhere is the ability to convert the physical DVDs you already own a digital copy and store the files in the Cloud. This is particularly useful if youd like to have access to your movies while youre visiting friends and family but dont want to carry around a bunch of discs.

Crackle

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Owned by Sony, Crackle is a free video streaming site that is compatible with a variety of different devices (everything from phones and tablets to game consoles and streaming players such as Apple TV). Crackle doesnt offer as large of a selection as some of the other streaming services on the net, but who can complain when all of their content is free to watch? Just as the others, they offer both movies and TV shows.

Despite this service being free, the quality of the videos is quite good, though you cant expect to view them in HD when youre viewing for free. However, depending on the size of the screen you use to watch, the quality can appear to be nearly as good as the quality offered by paid services. Because its free, I would definitely recommend that you check it out. It might even save you a few bucks!

YouTube

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Yes, you read that right: YouTube. Even though its packed full of user content and silly videos, you can also find movies and TV shows on it. The unfortunate part (for the viewers at least) is that YouTube has been cracking down on the free content lately, so its not likely that youll be able to find free movies on the site, though you could in the past.

If youre lucky, you might be able to find some of your favorite shows for free, but when you cant, TV shows cost between $1.99 and $2.99 per episode, or you can buy a season pass to have access to the whole season (typically costing anywhere from $9.99 to $14.99). Movie rentals tend to cost around $3.99, but the price varies. Theyre also available for purchase.

Streaming

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Paid services will give you the highest quality streams, but they can drain your wallet pretty quick (especially when youre paying per video). There are free services available, many of which cover only a specific genre, but youll have to dig deep to find them. Browsing through new sites can be risky, though, so keep that in mind on your search.

5 Healthy Fruits to Eat in Moderation

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Fruits are hardly nutrition villains.

They are in fact uber healthy, naturally sweet, and rich in essential nutrients and antioxidants.

Fruits are frequently recommended by almost all health professionals including nutritionists and dietitians and make a daily appearance in nearly all types of diets including wildly popular military diet.

However, just because fruits are healthy in nature doesnt mean they should all be treated equally.

Some nutritious fruits come at the cost of high calories while others contain barely any calories. If you are on a healthy weight loss diet with a calorie restriction, be sure to check out this list of 5 calorie dense fruits you should eat in moderation.

Lets get to it.

1. Apple

Apples are no doubt a nutritious fruit.

In fact, one study discovered that women who eat at least one apple a day are 28% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who dont (1).

Its a fruit known for its effectiveness in controlling your blood sugar and richness in antioxidants called flavonoids, which are believed to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease.

While the size of your apple matters when pinpointing the correct calorie count, FDA shows one large apple can contain as many as 130 calories. For a small apple, it may be anywhere from 80 to 100 calories per fruit.

While these numbers may not sound overly high, comparing to other fruits like cantaloupe (50 cals / medium) and strawberries (50 cals / 8 medium), you can end up packing in more than double the calories by having a whole apple for a snack.

Its one fruit you may want to keep in mind that their calories are not as low as you think. Especially if you like a tablespoon or two of peanut butter to go with your apple, making half an apple as one serving size may help manage your calorie intake from otherwise a healthy, nutritious snack.

2. Bananas

Its not a secret that bananas are calorie dense. Its also one of the few fruits with a medium glycemic index.

Calories in a banana do vary size to size, but a typical medium banana contains 105 calories. A larger one can contain slightly more - 120 calories.

Though they are higher in calories, many health experts vouch every one of the calories in a banana is worth it.

Thats because bananas are a rich source of potassium offering 422 mg or over 20% of your daily recommended intake in one fruit. Its also a decent source of numerous vitamins and minerals including dietary fiber and vitamin B6 and C.

If you are trying to manage your daily calorie count, serve yourself a half banana at a time.

3. Avocados

Unlike almost all other fruits, avocados are loaded with a whopping 25 to 30 grams of fat each.

Despite that fat being a healthy monounsaturated fat, it naturally brings up the calorie count of this rich and creamy fruit.

In one whole fruit, avocados provide about 275 calories. For a serving size of medium, its about 55 calories.

In the fruit group, avocados are at the highest on its calorie chart.

This is not to say its by any means necessary to ban avocados from your diet. In fact, they should be part of your diet.

Though its undeniable that avocados are one fruit you should probably eat in moderation.

To get the most of avocados nutritional power, add some chunks to your salad as they lower the glycemic index of your overall meal and up your bodys ability to absorb some of the essential nutrients like carotenoids.

4. Mangos

In the U.S., bananas may be the most consumed fruit, but around the world, its the mangos that are quite popular and widely consumed. With its tropical taste that goes with anything from salsas to morning smoothies, its not hard to understand why.

USDA reports, this golden-yellow tropical fruit, mango contains 201 calories. Though a serving size is usually one cup, which provides about 99 calories.

Despite mangoes also known for their high sugar content, containing 46 grams of sugar per fruit, they offer over 20 nutrients that make them a healthy choice.

According to Megan Ware RDN, LC, mangos are linked to reduced risk of colon cancer, better digestion, and improved bone, skin, and nail health.

Despite its high health quality, mangos do contain more calories than others. Be sure to keep the count in mind and eat this fruit in moderation and with mindfulness.

5. Raisins

Raisins are every kids favorite snack choice.

Im certain most of us grew up carrying around a couple of little raisin boxes in our pockets as we headed off to school and to the nearby park.

There is something about nibbling through the red box of raisins that brings everyone a smile and good old childhood memories.

Even though raisins still are a healthy snack we can all enjoy, its good to know that each of the little 1.5 oz boxes of raisins comes with 130 calories.

If you are used to going through a few boxes at a time like me, you may want to reconsider pacing yourself. With just 3 boxes, you can easily pack in as many as 390 calories, which is surprisingly equivalent to 6 Subway Sandwich.

Instead, the same fruit but the fresh version, grapes offer far fewer calories with added benefits of vitamin C, which gets destroyed by the heat in the drying process.

If you are still in favor of raisins, be sure to pick a unsweetened variety with no artificial flavors.

Final Thoughts

There, your list of five fruits to eat in moderation!

These fruits are undoubtedly healthy and nutritious. They often bring far more benefits to your health than the bad. However, as a food source, they do contain calories, and since they are sizable, its good to know their numbers and know what would be an appropriate portion for you.

Despite most fruits containing minimum calories, not all are qualified to be called almost calorie free.

Before you make your meal plan for the week, be sure to check out some of your favorite fruits nutrition profile to stay within your calorie budget, especially if you are trying to lose weight and improve your overall health.

References:

Magic foods for better blood sugar: live longer, supercharge your energy, lose weight, and stop cravings. Readers Digest, 2007.
Food Composition Databases Show Foods List 09040, ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list?qlookup=09040.
Food Composition Databases Show Foods List 09176, ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list?qlookup=09176.
LD, Megan Ware RDN. Mangoes: Health benefits, nutrition, recipes. Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 22 Aug. 2017, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275921.php.

5 Fire Extinguisher Types You Should Know

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In 2015, 1,345,000 fires were reported in the U.S.

Each year, fires cause billions of dollars in property damage. To protect yourself from unintentional fires, a working fire alarm system is a must.

However, you should also invest in a fire extinguisher. Portable fire extinguishers can save property and lives. They can be used to contain small fires.

If a fire broke out in your home or office, would you know which kind of fire extinguisher to use? Did you know that there are several fire extinguisher types?

Keep reading for information about the most common fire extinguisher types.

5 Must-Know Fire Extinguisher Types

There are five classes of fire, and accordingly there are five different fire extinguisher types. You can check the label on the fire extinguisher to determine which type it is.

In homes and offices, youll often find a multi-purpose extinguisher.

Knowing which material caused the fire is useful when choosing the appropriate extinguisher.

Here are the five fire extinguisher types.

1. Type A Ordinary Combustibles

Type A extinguishers have an A on the label inside of a green triangle. These extinguishers work on combustible fires caused by:

Wood
Paper
Trash
Cloth
Rubber
Plastics

The primary chemical used is monoammonium phosphate, which will smother the fire.

2. Type B Flammable Liquids

These extinguishers are marked with a B inside of a red box. Dealing with a fire caused by a flammable liquid? If so, youll need a type B extinguisher.

Fires that have ignited because of oil, gasoline, paint or tar require two ingredients to put out. Type B extinguishers use monoammonium phosphate to smother the fire. Then, they use sodium bicarbonate to extinguish it.

3. Type C Electrical Equipment

Extinguishers with a C inside of a blue box are for electrical equipment fires. This type of fire can be caused by:

Machinery
Faulty appliance
Wiring
Circuit breakers
Fuse boxes

Because these items have electricity running through them, non-conductive materials are a must. Type C extinguishers use monoammonium phosphate and sodium bicarbonate.

4. Type D Combustible Metals

Type D extinguishers are identified by their marking of a D inside of a yellow star. Combustible metals pose a different fire threat.

Use a Type D extinguisher to put out fires involving:

Titanium
Zirconium
Potassium
Sodium
Magnesium
Lithium

Because these metals are combustible, a dry powder material must be used. These extinguishers are ineffective on other fire classes.

5. Type K Combustible Cooking

Type K fire extinguishers are labeled with a black K.

This handle fires that involve large amounts of grease, including animal and plant-based fat. This type of most often used in kitchen fires.

Do you require more heavy-duty fire suppression items? If so, contact a professional company such as Cold Fire Tactical.

How Else Can You Protect Your Family?

Of course, having the right fire extinguisher on hand is just one of the steps you need to take when it comes to emergency preparedness.

Sign up for an account with us to learn more about the best ways to protect yourself and the ones you love during any disaster. Youll feel better knowing youre prepared for anything.

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5 Filshie Clips That Have Many Negative Effects

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Tubal ligation is done through different techniques like using rings and clips, burning the tubes and cutting it. Filshie clips are used in the tubal ligation to tie the fallopian tubes. It is a common technique of tubal ligation which was approved to be used in the USA in the mid of 1990s. It is a small titanium clip lined with a slim silicone cushion. The use of Filshie Clips was considered as the improved technique of tubal ligation as compared to the Yoon Falope Ring and the Hulka Clip. Its application was easy and less risky because the complications were rare and it destroyed only a very small part of the fallopian tube. The Filshie clips are placed by laparoscopic surgery and they can also be used at the time of cesarean delivery.

Laparoscope

The procedure is that a small cut is made near the navel and a laparoscope with a thin instrument, is entered through the incision thus making it possible to view the fallopian tubes. A filshie clip is placed with the help of a special Filshie Clip applicator on each fallopian tube. The clip occludes the tube to prevent the eggs from entering the uterus for fertilization with sperm. The Filshie Clip squeezes the fallopian tubes very softly. It is an approximately a 20 min procedure

Method of Birth control

Some people think tubal ligation is not reversible and is the permanent birth control method but actually, Filshie clips reversal is possible.

When Filshie clips are used, only a small part of the tube is squeezed. The squeezed part does not receive the blood supply and then goes through avascular necrosis. The fallopian tube is then divided in half and then the clip is placed in between the two divided ends.

Filshie clip tubal ligation

Filshie clip tubal ligation is a safe and effective method but some women complain that these clips hurt a lot. In many cases, women complained about pain immediately after the surgery. Swelling and pain in the uterus are the common side effects and some women experience heavy bleeding. Filshie clips hurt because they are made of titanium and have a silicone lining. The general reason of pain is that the organs are soft. And when the body moves the clips give pain. A great number of women feel terrible after they have clipped their tubes so they need to remove it. There are many allergic reactions of the use of silicone. When women develop scar tissues, they also cause terrible pain.

Idea about Filshie clips

People usually think that the Filshie clips can be removed very easily to reverse the tubal ligation process. Unfortunately, tubal reversal when Filshie clips are used is not as simple. The clips are removed through microsurgical techniques and the closed ends are opened. It is easy in a way that only a small part of the tube is damaged. The patients after tubal reversal of the filshie clips have greater chances of pregnancy.

Miscarriage

Miscarriage is a situation when the pregnancy ends up on its own. It is common in the first few weeks of pregnancy. Women miscarry before 20 weeks of the pregnancy but usually it happens in the first 12 weeks. Sometimes miscarriages happen very early and a woman doesnt even realize that she was pregnant.

Women who miscarry once usually miscarry again but it is very rare that she miscarries the third time but if she does, it is important that some tests should be done to know the cause.

Conclusion

Some women explain that after removing the clips, they felt a huge difference in their condition.