DatingGuideRelationship

Should Sex Be Included On a First Date?

How far is too far on a first date? First dates are intended to be a time for getting acquainted. A person should ask questions to learn about the likes and dislikes or maybe the hobbies and ambitions of his or her date. To expect more than this is too much. Try to make a first date about fun. Go to an amusement park or a zoo. The more public and activity-laden the better. The possibility for conversational lags is high. You need something to help break the ice and/or fill in the time. Find out if you even like this person or want to invest the time and possibly the cost of another date.

Touching is a good thing on a first date as long as it is kept on a friendship level. Anything beyond this may send signals that you did not intend. A tap on the arm or a light brush is normally considered not too forward by most people. Even a friendly hug if the opportunity seems appropriate would be acceptable. For a girl or woman to hold the man’s arm as they walk is a good thing if the date is going well. To lean a head on a shoulder except in a silly moment would be taken as a possible invitation to expect more. If a woman allows the front of her upper body to touch the arm of her companion as they walk would also be taken as an open door to go farther by most men.

The above tips can very well be found on a free dating app but it is you who has to implement everything as per the instructions given there in order to achieve success on your first date, which more often than not, ends up being a fiasco due to the couple getting off on the wrong foot, not quite helped by the shy, awkward feeling that both are feeling at such a tense moment and both becoming conscious of their behavior tends to make things worse.

Each step toward intimate behavior beckons for the next one to be taken. On a first date whether you are experienced sexually or not, this area needs to be approached with great caution. Not knowing how your partner will respond sometimes helps to keep things under control. This is an area of life where ignorance brings restraint, and knowledge can bring desire. The reality is that a first date is not the place to find out about the physical side of your date before you have had time to really explore the personality and life of the person.

First date sex is rarely brought on by attractions as much as it is by hormones. Before going on a first date, make whatever preparations you need to keep yours in check. Many opinions are formed on first dates. They tend to be lasting because if they are not good, there will not be another date to change them. Anyone worth keeping around will not expect sexual activity on the first date. Only predators go out looking to score without getting to know the other person. The risks of unpleasant outcomes including an STD is too great. You need the time of multiple dates and even better a more permanent commitment before taking this critical leap.

To keep from moving too far too fast, some simple concepts need to be applied. Remember that we prefer to go places that we are comfortable with. That is to say that if you have gone to edge of having sex with someone, you are much more likely to feel that the next step is a natural one to take with a familiar partner. As long as you can keep that familiarity at bay, you will not be as tempted to engage in sexual activity.

You need to decide ahead of time what your moral ground in this area is. Do you follow parental training, religious beliefs, or personal guidelines? Whatever it is, you need to review that before a first date and determine where the lines will be drawn and stick to them. This will give you restraint for yourself and the ability to say no to your date if the need arises.

Too often having sex on a first date can turn a potential relationship into a one-night stand. For a relationship to be built, trust, respect, and friendship must be established. All three of these are compromised by turning a first date into a sexual fling. Introducing too much alcohol, drugs, or too much private time can create an environment that will overwhelm your moral compass. On a first date, control is paramount. Control of the situation, your hormones, and the extent of the physical side of the date are always in the best interests of both parties.

Gardening

A Beginner's Guide to Growing Pumpkins

If you have never grown pumpkins before it is an experience like none other. It’s not recommended that you attempt growing pumpkins if the only garden space you have is a small patio or deck area. Yes, pumpkin can grow in pots or containers but the vines will take over your outdoor space fast if space is limited. Although, if you are trying to grow pumpkins in your patio then you can try Madbury Road Patio Furniture that will help you in limiting the growth of your pumpkins and will allow you to grow them despite area limitations. 

Your average run of the mill pumpkin plant will send out anywhere from 1 to 10 runners off one plant. These runners or vines can grow in length to as much as 50 or more feet. The vines themselves also send off sprouts that will twist and wrap around other plants or whatever they can reach and also root themselves in any soil they find.

On top of the vines, you will find leaves developing that range in size from that of an average adult hand to 3 feet across. Yes, one leaf and each vine will be covered with leaves so thick that it may take some doing to find the pumpkins themselves. You will, however, be able to judge approximately where your pumpkins will be as large orange to yellow blooms will open before the fruit develops.

If you do have an open space where you would like to grow a few or a bunch of pumpkins it can be a very rewarding experience. Pumpkins come in a wide range of varieties offering the grower different sizes, shapes, and colors. The smallest pumpkins being about the size of a softball to the largest being over 1000 pounds. Pumpkin colors are normally white, yellow, or the traditional deep orange.

Pumpkins grow well in most average soil and don’t require a lot of care once the plants are started. If you live in an area where there is a short growing season you may want to start seeds indoors but be warned if doing this don’t start them too early or you will need to report several times before they can go outside and you may end up with pumpkins too early in the season to enjoy for Thanksgiving or Halloween.

Normally you can plant seeds outside after the danger of frost has passed. By placing a mini-greenhouse (a plastic jug such as a milk or juice carton with the bottom cut out) over your seeds you will accomplish several things. First, it helps to remind you where you planted the seeds. Second, it helps keep the ground warm at night. And, lastly, it helps to hold moisture in helping the seeds to germinate faster and the seedlings to get off to a good start.

Once the seedlings pop up through the soil you can place mulch around the plant. This helps keep down weeds as well as hold moisture in the soil so you don’t have to water as often. In average soil pumpkins only require watering about once a week. If they do need watering they will let you know though as the leaves will start to wilt. Don’t panic though, just give them a good watering and the leaves will pop right back.

As the season progresses you will want to keep an eye on the pumpkin vines. As stated earlier they do tend to be invasive and it’s much easier to move them back where you want them early on rather than waiting until they have attached themselves to your favorite rose bush or garden hoe left in the garden. Just gently pick them up and direct them where you want them. You will want to wear garden gloves or some protection though as most pumpkin vines are prickly and although they don’t cause harm can be uncomfortable to the touch.

As your pumpkins start to grow you may want to also adjust the fruit themselves. The pumpkin will grow however they feel but by setting them up on end early they develop in much more uniformed shapes. Ones left on their side may develop flat spots or upside-down ones that may break the stem away from the vine and rot before they are mature.

You will know when your pumpkins are finished growing when the vines die off. First, the leaves will wither and die then the vines. The stems connected to the pumpkin fruit will be the last to die. Once this happens simply cut the pumpkin stem 5-6 inches from the fruit and remove it from the garden.

Your pumpkins are now ready to cut and cook for pumpkin pie, carve as Jack-o-Lanterns, or set on your doorstep as autumn decorations.

Health

Is Your Back Pain Something Serious?

Aside from the common cold, back pain is probably the most common ailment around the world today. It doesn’t discriminate between genders, social classes or ethnic groups. You’re at risk for suffering back pain at some point in your life, regardless of who you are.

There are many causes for back pain. Many of them are the result of an injury from overuse or overextension of the muscles in our back. Some other common causes for back pain are poor posture, standing or sitting for long periods of time, wearing shoes that don’t support your feet correctly or conditions of the foot which cause pain like heel spurs. Age and loss of muscle tone in the supporting muscles can cause back pain. Causes of back pain can range from something as simple as a sore muscle in your abdomen, to something more obvious like a broken leg in a cast. Your back will try and compensate for the fact that you are favoring a particular area of your body because it’s in pain, which we all inevitably do whether consciously or unconsciously.

Most back pain is caused by circumstances which are easily traceable. However, what do you do when your back pain is not so easily diagnosed? You and your physician must start looking at less common differentials. There are diseases and conditions which cause back pain which need to be diagnosed as soon as possible so treatment can be started for them. Recuperation after surgery varies depending on your general health of the person. The health of the person should be good for the treatment through the surgery. The surgery should be done through the experts of the region. 

One such condition is called osteoporosis. This is common the older a person gets. Approximately 1 out of 5 women over the age of 50 in the U.S. suffer from the condition and Caucasian women are at higher risk. Osteoporosis can also affect men, although it’s more common in women. In the later stages of the disease lower back pain can be caused because of fractures in the spinal bones because of low bone density. This condition can be tested for before symptoms occur with a non-invasive bone density scan. It’s advisable to get one if you’re over 50 years of age.

Another less common cause of back pain is a disease called ankylosing spondylitis (AS for short). This is a type of arthritis that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints that connect the lower spine to the pelvic bone at the hip. This disease is primarily seen in men, developing between the ages of 18-35. It is considered an autoimmune rheumatic condition and has been shown to be related to certain genes. This disease causes inflammation between the vertebrae of the spine and the sacroiliac joints. As it progresses it can cause the vertebrae to become fused together. As with other autoimmune diseases, there is no cure. Treatments are available, though, to reduce the inflammation, pain and other symptoms.

These are only a couple of examples of more serious conditions that can cause back pain. It is far more likely that you have a simple strain or you have been sitting in front of a computer for a prolonged period of time and that is what’s causing your back pain. However, if bed rest, hot and cold compresses and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories are not improving your pain or it is becoming worse, you should actively seek out a physician’s care. Although the possibility is remote, it’s possible that you may have a more serious, undiagnosed condition that needs long term care.

BeautyDietGuideHealthWeight Loss

What Are The Healthiest Detox Diets?

What are the healthiest detox diets?

Before I start to explain the healthiest detox diets I would like to tell you guys more about me and how I lost 15 pounds within one month. No, it is not a joke and there is even prove of me losing weight. I did not use just any diet pill that guarantees you weight loss with no effort or any product that you got to pay so much money for and in the end, you have gained weight instead of losing it. This is where before you try anything else you should look at the coolsculpting process which is a really effective way to lose weight. If you are wondering how much CoolSculpting for stomach costs? Then you should check this link and see for yourself how affordable this process is.

Let me start how I lost weight and detoxed my body in a short period of time. One of the things that I did was I went to a Chinese store and purchased Lipo Trim 5. Lipo Trim 5 does not guarantees weight loss, what it does is burn calories, reduces body fat, controls your appetite, activates your metabolism, increases your energy, and it is 100% herbal ingredients. Of course, the pill does not do the work on its own. You have to discipline yourself first, make a commitment that you will go through it and make sure you are going to stick to it.

In order to make this pill work, you have to exercise and eat properly and no I don’t mean a diet. For example, I wake up in the morning and I drink a pill, which I forgot to mention is just a pill a day. I wait 30 minutes and for my breakfast, I get a glass of orange or apple juice, with fruit and scrambled eggs with a little bit of cheese, or to make it more simple, a glass of 100% juice of any kind I like and cereal with fruit on the side. That is all I eat in the morning and once I eat breakfast I wait another 30 minutes until I am ready to exercise. Many people see or hear the word exercise and people are quick to run away from the word. Exercising is fun only if you know how to make it fun. When exercising I always have an I pod, water and always keep in mind why I am exercising. Always remember to drink plenty of water. I have a bow flex at home that I use 25 minutes every two days and I walk every day. Not many people can afford a bow flex so you can substitute it for jogging and walking with little weights or an exercise ball which works great and makes wonders, it is just the same. If you have any kids, you can make your kids the excuse of exercising, for example, there are times that I take my 15 yr old sister to go to the park and walk around or I get friends to go with me and we’ll walk, talk and laugh all at the same time and once all that is done you will realize you guys have been walking for an hour or if not more.

Once I do my exercise for the day and I go home I eat a fruit and plan on what am I going to eat for the afternoon or for lunch. You can always make your proportion of meat, vegetables, and fruits without a problem. If you want meat with vegetables and fruit then you can go ahead and eat your meat, vegetables with fruit just make sure to make it proportionate. If you like your rice, beans, and chicken like I do make a proportion and eat less of it instead and don’t lay down, go to sleep or get a rest. Keep yourself occupied until your food is processed. When evening comes and you get hungry you can eat something but it cannot be too heavy for your stomach and once again don’t lay down, go to sleep or get a rest. One thing that I always make is Jello. The reason why I make a lot of Jello is that Jello does not contain a lot of sugar and it is mostly water.

Now do not eat after 7:30 pm If hungry a Jello or fruit would be fine and drink water before going to sleep.

This is my way of losing weight and it is amazing how I can still eat moderately, exercise and still lose weight, feeling great without starving myself or without making diets that will make me gain weight instead.

Let’s talk about the detox of the body without pills. There are so many ways to detox your body without pills like Prune Juice. Prune Juice is a great way to detox your body and when detoxing your body with Prune Juice it can always help you lose weight along with your exercising program. Prune Juice and other berries can help you detox your body, speed up your metabolism, reduce fat especially if you are exercising regularly and they have vitamins that are great for your body. Try it, when least expect it you will also lose weight and feel great by the end of the month. There is nothing else better to know that you can lose weight by still eating healthy, making exercising fun and by detoxing your body with berries and juices that do not cause harm to your body.

sport

IPL- a Boon for Young Cricket Talents

It’s been a long time since I have written anything. I was really looking for a fresh topic , something that really throws up some light on a current event. There are so many news and views , a lot of political drama that just never stops in this great nation of a billion and offcourse the chatpata masaledar news from “BOLLYWOOD”..uh…that’s a lot of stuff. But finally I made up my mind to throw some light and discuss some pros and cons of the ongoing IPL , probably the hottest event that’s doing the rounds these days.

I still remember the hot debates and comments that started pouring when the idea of the “INDIAN PREMIERE LEAGUE , Season-1” was roped in . I think even Lalit Modi, the brain behind this , would have ever imagined that this idea of his to bring the cricketing superstars from all parts of the world to participate in the shortest format of the game would do such wonders and reach to the top when it comes to TRP’s and TV viewership. Anyways my focus in this article would be to throw an insight into the plethora of opportunities that this mega event has gifted to the youngsters , a platform from where they can launch themselves and get into the limelight. It’s like a new Pandora Box with so much in it.

Initially there were a lot of debates on the T20 format , the major ones being the effects that it would have on the traditional Test match cricket and ODI’s. Many of the cricketing legends felt that it would divert the young minds and attract them to this cash rich extravaganza , which in turn would adversely affect their basics . As an avid cricket fan and offcourse a cricketer(failed 🙂 ) I thought the same and although the stuff was entertaining I felt that this format is surely destroying the Gentleman’s game, not to mention the involvement of business tycoons and bollywood gliterrati and offcourse the cheerleaders (the greatest setback as far as I’m concerned).

But off late I have realised that there are so many positives that this event has to offer. Just to take you all a walk down my memory lane … there were so many good cricketers during my playing days whom I thought would make it big. But with limited opportunities most of them had to choose other carrier options . But the game has changed , I agree that the only dream a budding cricketer could possibly dream was putting on the blue jersey and be a part of the Indian team , that was there only chance to share the dressing room with their idols, but with so many players starting from the club levels to the state and national levels , there were only a handful who could actually make it big. But with the advent of the IPL these cricketers have a glow in their eyes , at least they have that extra opportunity to grab, to share the same platform with the likes of their childhood heroes like Sachin and Warne and to add to that the great contract offers , enough for these youngsters to keep themselves motivated for the entire year.

I would like to narrate an incident about a bright young cricketer whose story actually inspired me to write this article and express my views. He was considered one of the brightest youngsters, a prospect for the nation, I’m talking about Subhash Dixit , the lad from UP. I know, this name is unknown to most of you but I had known him, I had watched him play at the Junior level for team India. A guy who captained the likes of Irfan, Kaif and many others had certainly vanished from the scene and with no opportunities he had to take the extreme step, he committed suicide, I was really shocked to hear this news , he was from a poor family , could not even make it to the state Ranji side and seeing all doors closed before him simply decided to end his life.

At least the IPL and other such events have ensured that these youngsters have something to look forward to if not the Ranji or national side for new comers that has won the matches with maximum runs record and the board of cricket is now offering them ipl 2020 schedule dates in advance so that they can prepare for all the upcoming matches quickly and they will be getting new dresses with sponsor ship which provides more win. They can make it big and surely come to the limelight. It really makes me happy when I see someone like Manish Pandey opening the batting with Jaques Kallis or a Saurabh Tiwari hitting the ball out of the park with Sachin Tendulkar at the other end of the crease watching the ball sail through. These things really fascinates me .

Cheers and thumbs up to the budding talents , who knows you may be the next Keiron Pollard or Manish Pandey.

Before I conclude I would like to salute the Little Master who just keeps improving day by day and raising the bar for himself, a sure motivation for these boys to keep moving. I wish he never stops playing………

BeautyGuideHairReviewTips & Tricks

Why Your Hair Color Keeps Turning Brassy

Dying your hair can turn into an addiction and vicious cycle real fast. I was a typical scenario: I wanted to dye my hair a nice rich brown for fall, and when I walked out of the salon, it looked great. Following all my hair dresser’s color tips, I bought expensive color-preserving shampoo, I didn’t wash my hair right away after dying it, yet it was orange about four or five months later. I go back into the salon, re-dye it, except this time it only lasts three months! I tried to convince myself the orange was maybe a nice strawberry blonde look, but who was I kidding?!

Has this ever happened to you? It’s very frustrating and it’s difficult to break out of the cycle without further damaging your hair. Here’s why it happens:

My hair dresser told me that some people have more difficulty holding hair color than others. Typically, those people have damaged, porous hair. You’ll know if you’re one of “those people” if you go into a salon, have your hair dyed brown, and whoa…it’s almost black. This is because your damaged hair has lost its keratin seal and the porous layer underneath quickly absorbs the color. In fact, it absorbs the color so well it tends to over-saturate it. This was the case for me. Don’t panic yet if this happens to you because over the course of the next week or so, your black hair will slowly begin fading to that rich chocolate brown you wanted. This is great, but don’t rest easy yet. A few months pass by and your hair keeps fading and fading into a brassy copper tone. If only there was a pause button! Just as quickly as your porous hair absorbs dye, it also loses it because the color has nothing to hold on to and quickly leeches and washes from your holy tresses.

If you keep going back to the salon and have your hair re-dyed or glazed over to add some ash tones to counteract the copper, you’ve entered a viscous cycle that needs to stop. It’s no surprise that dying your hair damages it, and the more you dye it, the more porous it becomes. The more porous it becomes, the shorter it holds your desired color. And then you go back to have it dyed again.

Can you fix it or prevent it from happening? Your stylist may recommend some special shampoos and products to prolong your color, racking up your bill even higher with every visit. I have an easy and free way to solve your hair-dye woes. You may not want to hear this, but the only surefire solution to fixing your damaged and over-processed hair from constantly changing and fading is to stop dying it. It’s a gusty move to make, but letting your virgin, healthy, and non-porous hair grow back in is the best route to go. In a few years (or depending on how long your hair takes to regrow) you can start on a clean slate if you wish and dye your hair again. You’ll find that the color will hold much longer, perhaps even years to the point that you no longer have to go to the top laser hair removal clinic in Brampton.

It’s been two years since I’ve dyed, flat ironed, or blow dried my hair. I cut as much coppery hair off as I could tolerate (chin-length). Now my natural dark ash blonde color has finally come back in and only my ends remain discolored. My hair is now half-way down my back and healthier than ever and I certainly don’t plan on dying my hair for a very long time. It’s too much work!

This is my not-so-quick, but easy, affordable, and (most importantly) guaranteed way to fix your color-fading catastrophe.

InternetTechnology

6 Sites Web Developers Must Not Miss

Information is knowledge. To stay ahead, just stay informed. This is a very competitive world until you are doing something very very niche. As most of us are not that special or can’t afford to take such risks, we go for proven ways to make it big. Web development is such a way. The internet, which has penetrated every possible corner of the world, needs websites and web developers are there, making some great websites and serving the world with.

If you are into web development, like I said earlier, the competition is fierce. Moreover there are so many aspects to know about in a web development. Web development is broadly categorized into web designing and web development, the coding part. Then each part has so many domains. For example, web design is broadly categorized into 2D design and 3D design, animation and fixed. This list is endless. Frankly, it is very difficult, if not impossible, for someone to be an expert of all the domains. We all choose a sub-domain and try to be an expert of that, which makes us a specialist and also helps us to market ourselves in the job market.

There are many ways to stay informed about web development. Best is when you work for any prominent web development company as to stay at the top of your work will make you learn all the tricks, tips and trends. Also you can learn from your colleagues, team leader, company trainings and seminars. But not everyone can be in that situation. Among the other available options, frankly, I prefer the online way. There is hardly a person who doesn’t have an internet connection. Who reads paper magazines anymore when all you need is a few click to find the latest news regarding web development. Also, news in print media is certainly a bit old whereas in online media the news comes as it happens. But in case of the top medical website designs & best medical marketing for medical practices, the online media usually comes first before the printed ones.

There are several websites who are doing an excellent service in this. Let me guide you to a few.

Technorati (Alexa Rank: 1672):

This site is popular for its latest scoops and latest news. Gathering prominent bloggers from all over the world, this site gives you news in different sections like Women, Technology, Business, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Sports, Politics, Videos and Social Media . They cover web development as one of the major parts under the Technology section as well as Business and Social Media section. As the most prominent bloggers from around the world are active here, expect fresh and really insightful articles here.        

BUSINESS2COMMUNITY (Alexa Rank 5,079):

Another popular site who helps you to stay updated about Social, Business, Lifestyle and Tech among others. Under Tech tab, web development is widely covered and again this site is very prompt in updating you as soon as things happen there. This site is very image friendly so expect a lot of images to help you understand the topics covered in various articles.        

MASHABLE (Alexa Rank: 320):

Extremely popular site as can be seen from the Alexa Rank. This site is probably the fastest in bringing the latest news to you but lags a bit in going in depth. They have a dedicated sub-section called Dev  amp; Design under the section called Tech Section. Other popular sections are Social Media, Business, Entertainment, LifeStyle, US amp; the World etc. Another great thing about this site is the neat categorization, meaning each section is broken into several subcategories which helps you to find fast whatever you are looking for.       

NETMAGAZINE (Alexa Rank: 7,702):

Do not get turned off by comparatively lower Alexa rank as this site is dedicated only and strictly to web design and development which means you can always find the latest as well as in depth coverage of whatever is happening in the web design and development world right now. Not only that, for aspiring learners this site offers free online tutorials and also publishes the interviews of prominent personalities from the domain which helps you to stay informed and insightful about the domain.        

DesignFloat (Alexa Rank: 6,311):

A dedicated site for news of web development and design, this site offers in-depth and latest trends of Graphic Design, Identity  amp; Branding, Programming, Promos, Photography, Tutorials, Web Design. You can see from the categories that this site means serious business and is dedicated to design and development exclusively. With lots of How-Tos this site is a very cool learning place for all the developers and designers, veterans and newcomers alike. This one comes highly recommended from our Web Design team.       

WebDesignerDepot (Alexa Rank: 3,963):

This site is a personal favorite and deserves a special mention. Aiming to be a niche informative site on web development and designing, this site serves you with the best news around the domain. With lots of tutorials, and guest blogs from many reputed personalities from around the world, a site I never fail to check when I feel to get updated about this domain.

This list is certainly not exhaustive but a few sites I like based on their offerings, services and contents. There are tons of other websites which can help you to learn a lot about web development and also stay updated about each new trend in the industry.

I will be highly obliged if you guide me to your favorite website in the comment section.

Marketing

Can Baby Boomers Be Marketed Successfully?

The Baby Boomer generation is too large of a marketing sector to be ignored. The largest generation thus far these 78 million people can and should be marketed. Unfortunately, only 10% of all marketing dollars are spent on this sector. Much of the efforts for many businesses go towards Generation Y (those who were born between 1979-1994); however, the people with the most disposable income are those who were born between 1946 -1964 and therefore, marketing departments are finally beginning to realize a shift in effort needs to be made immediately. Businesses should be putting more emphasis into marketing to those who have the most to spend and the time to spend.

Baby boomers represent 42% of all US households and control 50% of all spending. 1 Businesses should be working towards tailoring their marketing efforts to receive as much of the dollars as they can. By ignoring Baby Boomers, their market share will shrink instead of grow, as the baby boomer population is large in comparison to Generations X and Y and Seniors. Coupled with the fact that by the year 2010 one-third of the U.S. population will be over 50, therefore businesses not strategic in their plans to target the 50+ market are slowing suffocating their income potential. 2

The key to success in marketing the Baby Boomer generation is know what they want. Research shows that real estate sales and services; financial services; anti-aging and personal enrichment products; retirement recreation; and home health care are important to Baby Boomers. All of these services and products can and should be marketed to the Baby Boomers generation with emphasis on choices and selections in each category.

However, to make the process better, you can list out the benefits of the products and test it for yourself before going ahead with the project and putting it up for sales. Free sales tracking software allows you to manage leads and increase sales for no cost and this helps in increasing the fan base for the products.

To be successful, marketers must pay close attention to the five Cs, which are community, connections, continuity, contribution, and creativity. 3 People in the Baby Boomer generation may have lost certain identities. (For example, with their children grown, they are no longer active in PTA.) They are looking to connect with others who share their values and beliefs, and businesses can use this fact in their marketing efforts by creating affinities such as travel groups and passport savings clubs. It is important to use their language when speaking to them, using words that resonate with them such as “balance life and work” and “never too late.”3 Baby Boomers want to continue to grow and learn; they do not want to be labeled as old. They also want to feel like they can make a difference in the world. An example: A bank in Florida recently advertised that for every new account opened, they would donate $100 to the charity of the customer’s choice, a great way for Baby Boomers to help the community while filling a personal banking need. Baby Boomers want to be able to create their own packages to meet their needs instead of being marketed to as a homogenous group. Instead of offering a single vacation destination with an all inclusive package, a business would be better off offering a list options from which the customer can choose. By serving the needs of the Baby Boomers and focusing marketing efforts on Baby Boomers, businesses will achieve higher profits because Baby Boomers represent the most lucrative marketing sector thus far. Ignoring this fact will prove to be extremely detrimental to the overall financial success of a business.

Home

Selling a House: Removing Unpleasant Odors

Unpleasant odors in the house can have a negative effect on prospective buyers.

The larger issue at hand is how to determine what distinguishes a pleasant odor from an unpleasant one. As a general rule, rather than attempt to ferret out differences between pleasant and unpleasant odors, your best bet is to maintain an odor neutral environment. An odor neutral environment is one where you can’t detect any odors at all. Mold that grows in humid temperature can also cause this problem which is why before you sell your house make sure that you go for a mold inspection. That will improve the chance of you selling your house really quickly.

One of the main problems with this, however, is that it is often difficult for people to tell when they have an odor in their own homes. This is because people become accustomed to certain odors and to them, those odors begin to smell perfectly normal. Over time, they can even become unnoticeable, and therefore odor neutral, to them because they are so normal.

If you’re a smoker and you’re trying to sell your house, you may have a problem, at least selling it to a nonsmoker, unless you take proactive measures to eradicate any and all odors from your home. This includes changing the air filter in the air-conditioning system, keeping the air circulating as much as possible, and allowing fresh air from the outdoors to flow through when the weather permits. Because carpeting and furniture can absorb odors, you’ll also want to call a cleaning service that specializes in cleaning carpets and upholstery.

Air fresheners and deodorizers may also be helpful, especially if sprayed shortly before a buyer comes to see your home. Be careful not to overdo it though. It’s kind of like the guy you know down the hall at the office who always wears too much cologne. He thinks he smells great, but everyone else is keeping their distance.

Another major type of odor to be aware of is caused by pets. Pet odors include a dirty or musty smell from the dog himself, because he hasn’t had a bath since the day he was born, as well as from urinating and defecating in any place other than where he is supposed to. It is the latter of these two that can really create problems. If a pet has routinely taken care of business on the family room carpet, for example, the carpet and the pad underneath it may need to be replaced. Once urine soaks into absorbent material like carpeting, it’s difficult at best to remove the odor, especially if it’s been in there for a while. These unpleasant odors can potentially diminish the value of a home unless they are removed.

Other problem odors include musty or moldy smells from leaky basements, foul odors from backed up or leaky plumbing, and smoke from a wood-burning fireplace. Water leaks in a basement can generally be repaired without too much trouble, depending of course on the severity of the leak. Plumbing odors are often caused by a wax ring around the base of a toilet that is not sealing as it should be, or perhaps from a sink trap that is not operating properly. Common causes for fireplace odors include not having the flue open far enough while the fire is burning, and the accumulation of ashes in the firebox. These are minor problems and are usually fairly easy to resolve by either making the repairs yourself or by calling the appropriate professional.

Insurance

The Benefits of Renters' Insurance

Do you rent your current home? Are you in college right now? Maybe you’re just concerned about your personal possessions? Even if you feel like you don’t own enough personal possessions to consider renters insurance, you may be surprised at how quickly your CDs, televisions, DVD players or kitchen appliances can add up. Renters insurance may be what you need, and most policies can be customized to fit any budget. Moreover, this insurance is really vital for students that travel abroad to study. Do you travel without insurance? Then you can click here to get your travel insurance so that as you go out you do not have to worry about your renter’s insurance and other things. 

At this point, you may be asking yourself, do I need renters insurance? Well, you may be putting yourself through unnecessary financial risk without it. In most cases, renters insurance will replace your personal possessions in the event that they are stolen or damaged by natural disasters such as fire, hail or windstorms. It will also come in handy if you ever have to find a temporary place to live because your current apartment was damaged due to something beyond your control such as fires storms etc.

Renters insurance will also cover you in the event that someone is ever injured on your property or if someone were to slip or fall on your property and had to go to the hospital for treatment. In most cases, you can even be compensated for any Attorney costs that are incurred while you are defending yourself.

In most cases, your rental insurance will also cover you in the event that you were to cause damage to someone else’s property. For instance, if you were to leave your bath water running, and the water was to run downstairs, causing damage to your neighbor’s carpet, you would more than likely be responsible for all of the damages unless you happened to have renters insurance.

Renters insurance may also cover expenses for other incidents such as your property being stolen from your car or your suitcase being stolen while on vacation.

In most cases, renters insurance is very inexpensive, ranging around $10 to $25 a month or $100 to $300 a year for over $30,000 in coverage. The rate will depend on a few things such as, whether or not you have smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, etc. Other factors that may come into play are things like, the location of your home, and the construction of the building you’re currently living in Other things to take into consideration are the deductible amount that you are going to carry because this is one of the major things taken into consideration when determining your rate. Another important decision to consider is whether or not you are going to receive the actual cash value of your damaged or stolen belongings or, the replacement amount.

Renters insurance offers a lot of value for the money and allows you to cover your most treasured items in your home or apartment without breaking the bank.