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Here are a few ways that smart lighting can improve your daily life. Boost Your Energy Levels Lighting systems can align with your circadian rhythm and mimic natural light throughout the day, which can help maintain your sleep schedule naturally. Energy Efficiency By utilizing energy-efficient LED bulbs, smart lighting systems use significantly less energy than traditional lights. Take Control Being able to control your lights from anywhere via your smartphone is an extremely handy feature. Mood Lighting Smart lights are an excellent way to set the tone for any occasion, be it a formal dinner party or a night in with a book. Published with permission from RISMedia.
For many people, mornings are stressful, even chaotic. Rushing and feeling anxious first thing in the morning can set a negative tone for the rest of the day. Some simple (but important) changes can make a world of difference. Prepare for the Day Ahead You can eliminate much of your morning stress by taking care of as many things as possible the night before. Check the weather forecast and pick out clothes and shoes for yourself and your kids. If anyone will need an umbrella, coat or other items not generally worn, put them with each person’s clothes. If you and your kids take lunches to work or school, make them in the evening. Put them in the refrigerator in labeled or color-coded bags. Fill your gas tank in the evening so you won’t have to make a detour in the morning. Plan Your Day and Week Make a to-do list for the day ahead, but be realistic about how much you can accomplish. Prioritize items so you get essential tasks done and know which ones can be saved for another day. If there are any special events, medical or dental appointments, athletic competitions, teacher conferences, or other things that are not a regular part of your weekly routine coming up, write them on a calendar. Check it before the start of the week so that you can make any necessary adjustments to your schedule in advance. Don’t Stay in Bed Too Long Many people experience morning stress because they get out of bed at the last possible moment. Resist the urge to do that. Don’t hit the snooze button. You won’t get any more quality sleep, but you could be groggy and fall behind schedule. Before you get out of bed, take a moment to think about things for which you are grateful, things you have to look forward to that day, and what you hope to accomplish. Don’t check your email, texts, social media accounts or newsfeed until you have gotten ready for the day. Reading about other people’s problems or requests could cause you to begin your morning on a negative note. Fuel Your Body Eat a healthy breakfast that includes protein. Avoid sugary foods that will provide a quick boost of energy followed by a crash. If you typically skip breakfast, try eating a small morning meal each day for a week and see how it affects your mood and energy level. Expect the Unexpected Build an extra 10 or 15 minutes into your schedule in case you spill something on your shirt, find that a pet knocked over a plant, or hit a traffic jam. Something will inevitably come up at least once a week. Budgeting extra time for those situations can help you avoid becoming frazzled. Change Your Routine Mornings don’t have to be stressful. Knowing what you need to do, accomplishing as much as you can ahead of time, and being prepared for last-minute hiccups can make your mornings much more relaxed. Published with permission from RISMedia.
Published with permission from RISMedia.
Published with permission from RISMedia.
Many Americans are burdened by debt and have little or no retirement savings, and people who want to get out of debt and save money for the future often dont know where to begin. Some financial experts might offer general advice that doesnt fit every situation. The correct approach depends on several individual factors. Burdens of Debt and Benefits of Saving High-interest debt, particularly from credit cards, can weigh you down. Interest can keep building up month after month, and making only minimum payments can cause you to feel as though you’ll never be free. Paying as much as you can every month can help you eliminate debt faster. On the other hand, the key to building up a retirement account is time. Making regular contributions, even small ones, and allowing interest to accumulate for decades can help you build a sizable nest egg. If your employer matches your contributions, your savings will grow even faster, especially if you contribute the maximum allowed. Which Approach Is Right for You? If you’re relatively young and saddled with high-interest debt, it makes sense to tackle that first. Doing so will allow you to stop spending money on interest and then focus on other long-term priorities. Once your debt has been eliminated, you’ll still have several decades to save for retirement and will be able to contribute a significant amount each month. If your debts have low interest rates and you have little or no money saved for retirement, contributing to a 401(k) or IRA first makes sense, especially if you’re getting older. The more time your retirement savings get to accumulate interest, the better off you’ll be down the road. The amount of money you’ll gain in interest on your savings will likely be much higher than the amount you’ll pay in interest on your debt. If you have debt with moderate interest rates, some retirement savings and decades left to save, strike a balance between paying off debt and saving for the future. Look at your monthly income and expenses and create a plan that addresses your priorities of saving for retirement and eliminating debt so you can work toward both goals simultaneously. Figure Out What Makes Sense for You When it comes to financial questions, one-size-fits-all advice isn’t appropriate. Whether you should save for retirement, pay off debt first or do both at the same time will depend on the amount of debt you have, your interest rates, how much you have saved for retirement and how much longer you plan to work. Consider your individual circumstances to decide which approach is right for you. This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional or legal advice. Published with permission from RISMedia.
First, establish eye level, which in most houses is 57 to 60 inches from the floor. The center of the picture should be at this point. Second, consider your space. Is your artwork landscape or portrait? Coordinate that with the space, or hang portraits side by side and landscapes one on top of the other. Third, keep it neat. If you’re creating a gallery wall, align them on a grid. You can also begin with one in the center, and arrange outward. Above all, look for symmetry. It’s important that everything is even throughout your home. Published with permission from RISMedia.
Other than your Social Security number, birthdays are one of the worst things to share online when registering for an account. If youve also given up your mothers maiden name, you might as well give online thieves a link to your bank account with the password. Stealing your identity is how scammers open fake credit or debit cards in your name and buy all sorts of things before you learn of the crime. Your date of birth is one of the most important pieces of personal information to keep secret online, and theres an easy way to protect it"lie. When signing up for a product or service online that requires registering as a user, give the site your “unbirthday.” That is, a date you select that isnt your real birthday, but a fake one you can use over and over again online. For example, you can still use your real year of birth so that its easy to remember, but change the day and month. You may want to select Jan. 1 or April 15 (Tax Day) to make it easy to remember. Websites may want your birthday for a few reasons. It can be used for security to verify you are who you say you are when you forget your password and cant log in. Most likely its for demographic information the site sells to advertisers. Some sites have a legitimate need to know your real birthday. If youre applying for a credit card, your birthday and other personal information will be used to verify your identity and check your credit score. Debt collectors may also use it to verify your identity. On sites that youre uncomfortable giving your birthdate, such as a site where youre not buying anything, you can also give a fake name. If the service is ever hacked, its less information that scammers will have about you. Even when buying something online, a site doesnt need to know your birthday, mothers maiden name or other personal information. All it needs is your payment and accurate billing and shipping information. One word of caution"some sites such as Facebook will kick you off their service for lying to them, even if its only a fake birthday. Its your call if you want to try to get away with a fake birthday on a site that only wants it for demographic purposes. Published with permission from RISMedia.
Published with permission from RISMedia.
When it's time to move, you need someone who markets your home, knows how to find the right buyer, negotiate on your behalf, oversee the inspections, handle all necessary paperwork and supervise the closing. We take care of everything you need buy or sell your Scottsdale home, from start to close.
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