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On The Road Again- Our October Expenses 2019

Thursday, October 31, 2019


We left home almost 3 weeks ago.. keeping track of some bigger expenses once again, like RV gas, propane, groceries and the like.
We have found already that compared to last years expenses during the same month we were very comparable with everything...(see past posts under rv living). We also found that groceries back home- up north/Canada- were twice as expensive as here in the USA!
Since part of the trip was in Canada before we hit the border- 400 miles north, our expenses while driving through Canada and before we left were as follows:

Propane- $157.39
Gas for RV-$561
Take out-$40.43
Groceries-$22.76

Our expenses while in the USA and until we reached Arizona were as follows and for the balance of the month while here:

Gas for RV- $865
Water and dumps- $20 ( nice to look for spots that allow free dumps/water fills as do as much as possible)
Laundry- $10
Propane- $18.80
Take out- $56.03
SUV Gas- $40.00
Food- $315.87


Selling Your Home For More

When you are in need of selling your home, there are many things that you want to be able to say about the whole thing. Most of all, however, you want to know that you got as much as you can possibly get for it. As long as that is the case, you know that you have done what you need to, and that you will at least be happy on a financial level with it. But making this come true is challenging, and something which you are going to find takes a lot of trial and error to get right. In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the things that you can count on in order to ensure that you sell your home for more. As long as you do these things, you should find that this happens much more reliably and easily.


Use A Service

One of the easiest ways to sell your home, and to make sure that you get a fair price for it, is to use a dedicated service explicitly designed for just that very thing. There are plenty of these that you might want to look into, and as long as you can find one that is going to be suitable for your needs there is no reason why you shouldn’t consider this. Most of all, you will want to find a service that is going to offer you the price you need, and it has to be one that operates in your area. So if you are in Memphis, you’ll need to look for a service saying We Buy Memphis Houses in order to get it right. With such a service on your side, you should have more luck with selling your home.


Value It

You will need to have your home valued if you are to be able to sell it for the right price, otherwise you simply won’t know what the right price actually is. This is a simple case of getting a professional valuer to come around and tell you what they think, but remember that it is always worth asking more than one, especially if you feel that you are not happy with the figure you hear and you want to double check it. It is your responsibility to make sure that you know what kind of value your home really has, so make sure that you are looking into this early on in the process.


Keep It In Good Repair

The most important thing you can do in the home itself is to make sure that you are keeping it in a good state of repair as much as you possibly can. That means that you don’t let it fall apart and that you are going to do whatever you can to ensure that it is clean and tidy when people come around to see it too. You are much more likely to be offered a fair price for it if you do that.

Topping Up The Money Pot

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Even with the best of intentions, sometimes life can kick you in the butt. You check your account and see a nice round 0.10, and you have groceries to buy, a flat tyre, the roof is leaking, and it’s just a bit too much. 


There are a few things you can do to help the situation - and have backups.

Bank

Check online to see if you can get a deal for swapping your bank account. Sure, the cash won’t be in for a week or more, but you know it’s coming. The other thing you can check is the interest rate or any other special offers. Read the terms and conditions ahead of making the switch to make sure you can cash out. On the subject of money, you can use online installment loans to bridge small gaps too. 

Surveys

Being as you have a flat tyre anyway, this might be a great excuse to spend the day taking surveys. There are many survey sites that offer between $1-$3+ per completed survey, and many don’t last too long either. Here are some options:


There are many other options, of course, but these are a great place to start. People make a reasonable side income per week when signing up to multiple survey suppliers. 

Change Your Search Engine

Did you know that you can change your search engine to benefit you? Yes. There are a few options, but if you are signing up or are signed up to Swagbucks, then it is a great option. You can use it just like you’d use Google, except you earn for every relative search you do. 100 Swagbucks is a dollar or more too. 

Watch TV

Yeah, this one is a little bit amazing. You can watch TV or read emails and InboxDollars will pay you to do it. You have to answer a few questions, and there is a $5 sign up bonus too. It is a cash-only system, so you won’t end up with vouchers for somewhere you never go. 

Share

If you already do much of the things above, start really pushing your referral codes. You can find forums that you can post referral codes on, as well as using your social media to share too. The more people that sign up, the more cash you’re about to make. 

Fast Sell

Scoot around the house and look for things that you don’t need or want and sling them on the Facebook market for a quick sale. Share it on your normal status, too, and you are more likely to get a few fast buyers. 

Micro Jobs

If you have some time, and a little bit of skill, you can earn between $3-$100+ taking on small jobs. Here are a few places you can check out:

  • MTurk - Amazon
  • Swagbucks
  • Fiverr
  • Gigwalk
  • TaskRabbit

Spend a few hours checking all of these each day, and you’ll always have a back-up pot of cash in the future. 

4 Easy Ways To Save Money On Your Water Bill

If you are trying to be better with your money, trying to save on energy bills is the best place to start. We hear a lot of advice about cutting back on energy use by switching off the lights and swapping out appliances for more efficient ones, but we don’t talk about water bills as often. Most people pay more than they need to for water because we don’t really think about how much we are using. We take it for granted and end up wasting a lot, which means that our bills are a lot higher than they need to be. But if you make these simple changes, you can easily save a lot of money on your water bills. 


Maintain Your Plumbing Properly 

Water waste is sometimes down to you, but you could also be wasting a lot of water through leaks. Old pipes that have small leaks will lose a lot of water over time, and you’re paying for all of that water, which is why it’s important that you maintain your plumbing properly and plug any small leaks. If you have water supply insurance, you can get the cost of these repairs covered for you, so it’s worth paying the monthly premium because it could save you more money on water bills in the long term. Regular maintenance will also stop bigger problems like burst pipes in the future. 

Collect Rainwater 

Collecting rainwater is a great way to cut back on your water use in a big way. If you install a rainwater tank (like these ones at https://www.nationalpolyindustries.com.au/) you can collect water and reuse it for things like washing the car or watering the plants. If you invest in a filtration system to clean that water, you can also use it for showering and drinking, but that is going to be quite expensive. 

Take Shorter Showers 

Taking shorter showers is one of the simplest changes you can make. If you are the kind of person that spends ages standing under the shower, you’re wasting a huge amount of money. If you can cut your shower time by 4 minutes, that could save you up to $100 each year. 

Install Low Flow Fixtures 

As well as taking shorter showers, you should also consider installing a low flow shower head. They can decrease the amount of water that you use during a shower by as much as 50 percent in some cases so, combined with the savings that you make from taking a shorter shower, you’ll be saving a lot of money. Visit https://www.trustedbeasts.com/ for a great list of the best low flow shower heads. You can also get low flow taps and eco-friendly toilets that use a lot less water with each flush. If you invest a bit of money in these eco-friendly fixtures, you will save a lot of water and a lot of money. 

If you want to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle and save a lot of money at the same time, follow these basic tips to help you cut back on your water usage.

2019 Holiday Wellness Gift Guide

Tuesday, October 29, 2019


This holiday season, give the gift of health and wellness.
We have some great ideas for you.



For portable, targeted pain relief, these easy-to-use heat patches can be applied directly on the skin. The patches have 3 heat settings and are powered by a hands-free control unit, with a battery that provides up to 8 hours of heat with one charge. Great for anyone that has those aches and pains and needs some relief!



**Watch this spot for more great gift ideas- coming soon!

Puerto Vallarta Celebrates the Mexican Tradition of the Day of the Dead



Preparations to Puerto Vallarta's annual homage to the “Dia de Muertos” or Day of the Dead, one of Mexico’s most well-known traditions and a celebration of those who have already left are already on the way in Mexico's Pacific Coast cultural beach destination.
The artistic soul of Puerto Vallarta is at a high during the “Día De Muertos” celebrations which will take place until Nov. 2nd, and there are many activities taking place, including art exhibitions, folkloric ballet, Mexican nights, mariachis, and catrinas contest, allowing locals and visitors to experience the traditional and modern cults to the people who left us.
Puerto Vallarta’s Malecon itself becomes an open-air art gallery with many of the destination’s hotels and restaurants decorating the boardwalks many palm trees in Dia de Muertos characters and building shrines to loved ones.


The popular belief is that the souls of the loved ones who left us return from beyond the grave during the Day of the Dead. For this reason, they are received with an offering where they place their favorite food and drink, fruit, sweet calaveritas and, if necessary, toys for the children.
A very important part of this tradition involves visiting the cemeteries. Either during the day or night, families come and place candles on graves as a way to illuminate the path of souls on their return home.
Something inevitable at each dinner and offering is the delicious pan de muerto (bread of the dead). There are different styles and forms. The most popular is round, covered in white or red sugar, with strips that simulate bones.
In 2008 UNESCO declared Día de Muertos as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of Mexico. According to tradition, the deceased children are celebrated on November 1, and adults are celebrated on the 2nd. However, for the Catholic Church, day 2 is for everyone, since the 1st is the Feast of All Saints.

What To Consider Before Plastic Surgery

Monday, October 28, 2019



Plastic surgery is a big decision to make. Whether you want to unburden your body of excess fat, get rid of some wrinkles, or something more drastic: plastic surgery is something that needs to be thought about and considered carefully.

Before you make a decision to change anything about yourself today, we want to take some time to talk about some of the most important questions you need to ask yourself as well as things to think about.

1. Will it change your self-image?

One of the main reasons people choose to have plastic surgery is to improve their confidence and self-image. However, even a procedure might not be enough to change your mental health and well being, and it might be a big risk to take if it won’t make you feel better about yourself. It is important to take time before changing your physical appearance to try and work on your mental health. See a doctor and get some advice, therapy might be a good way to help you see yourself in a new light and feel more confident without going under the knife.

2. Seek advice from your doctor

Your doctor is the person you should trust most in the world with medical and sensitive matters and it is important for you to go to your GP when thinking about anything invasive because there may be other ways to change and improve. Talk to your doctor about your concerns and they might give you some great advice on changes you can make to your lifestyle. It may even be the case that your doctor doesn’t believe you are medically fit for a procedure and it may be dangerous if you undertake it.

3. Don’t look for bargains

Saving money is such a habit for us in the rest of our lives that it is no surprise we want to save money on plastic surgery too. However, if you want to spend your money on a procedure that you trust you must never scrimp on cost. The cost of a plastic surgeon will often reflect their legitimacy and you want to choose a surgeon who is trustworthy. Make sure to find a high end surgeon who has many great reviews and is well known in the field.

4. Get 2 consultants at least

When you go searching for a medical procedure, it is important to get quotes and opinions from more than one person. It is never a good idea to blindly follow the first consultant you see because their way of practice might not be the best or the safest. When shopping around, see a few different consultants and see what they all say. If they all suggest the same things, this is a great sign: but if they are all wildly different from one another this can be a real red flag. Be sure that the advice you are receiving is medically sound and not money driven before you go.

5. If in doubt, don’t

This should be the number one gospel rule that you follow when it comes to plastic surgery. If you are looking for a procedure to make you feel happier and more confident in yourself, you need to be 110& sure that this is what you want because often these procedures cannot be reversed. If you have ANY single shred of doubt in your decision, don’t do it. Unless you are certain this is what you want, you have found a doctor that you trust, and you have the financial capacity to cope: you should never go ahead.

6. Know the risks

Every medical procedure comes with risks. Whether you are having open heart surgery or having your ears pierced: anything that involves surgical procedures needs to be researched thoroughly. When it comes to plastic surgery, take the time to read up on every single aspect of the procedure from start to finish, watch cosmetic surgery videos and speak to your doctor. Understand every possible side effect, long term risk and small niggle in the procedure so that there aren’t any surprises when it comes down to it.

7. Results might not be immediate


It is important to consider how desperately you need a change to be made to your body before you think about plastic surgery. For example if you want to get rid of excess fat, this can be a slow process with multiple appointments spread over a few weeks, and it might be no different than going on a diet and hitting the gym. Results are not always immediate and there is often not a miracle cure out there, so be sure that you understand this and manage your expectations ahead of time.

Switching Careers? Top 5 Industries Hiring Right Now and How to Train

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Our grandparents may have stayed in the same career from high school to retirement, but the average person now switches jobs as many as fifteen times in their lifetime. 

And there are lots of great reasons move on if you’re not fulfilled in your current profession. It is important to feel challenged and satisfied with your work. It is not too much for hope for career progression and an increase in income as you move forward. And you shouldn’t have to live with chronic stress, or a work schedule that doesn’t fit around your lifestyle. 

If you want to start afresh, now is as good a time as any. But switching from one career into another can be daunting. You want to be sure the industry you are moving into is going to be a better fit, and that there will be jobs available when you start. 

Of course, you can’t control all the variables. But check out the list below for some ideas on which industries are currently hiring, and the way to train to get a foot in there.  

   
Information Technology

IT is a big, varied industry providing many different sorts of jobs in a multitude of different businesses. You can work independently, as part of a department, or as an employee of a specialist IT company. 

But one this is for sure - the number of available roles for those trained in computer skills are many and only increasing day-by-day. Almost all businesses now have an in-house IT department or outsource to a specialist IT company. It’s one of the most common available roles in job searches and those jobs aren’t going anywhere. 

So if you are already computer literate or could see yourself retraining, IT is one of the most secure industries you can move into. There’s plenty of room to move up into bigger salaries, you can hop between different companies to keep things interesting if you tend to get restless in one place. 

There are a few certified technical skills you will need to get you started, a bachelor's degree in IT will open you up to more options, and for management roles, you might need to bolster this with business qualifications

Health Care 

As the population continues to grow rapidly, so do the health industries that care for us. If you like working with people and having a positive impact on the lives of others, health care is an incredibly fulfilling industry to move into. 

With the over-60 population being larger than ever before, there is currently an urgent need for health-care professionals (check out urgent care jobs for more information). So if you do move into this industry, you can be guaranteed a career and a steady flow of work to support yourself in the future.

The necessary qualifications depend on the specialization you intend to work in. If you want to train as a physician or top level medical professional, you’ll need to look into medical school - something which does tend to be expensive but a fantastic investment if you know this is the right career for you. 

Careers in community and social care - including therapy and counselling - have their own specialist qualifications or on-the-job training, but are in equally high demand in most areas.   

Skilled Trades

Skilled trades include anything from being an electrician, carpenter, machinist, mechanic, welder or plumber. If you’re good with your hands and like solving practical problems, training in a skilled trade could be perfect for your temperament.  


These jobs also tend to be quite active - as opposed to an office job in front of a computer - and better for your health in the long-term. 

Whilst less practical university degrees can be difficult to apply to a long-lasting career, training in a skilled trade will set you up with a job for life that only becomes more fulfilling and better paid as you learn and establish yourself. 

Most trade jobs are learned through apprenticeships or require a qualification which is much quicker and cheaper to complete than a degree. And because you’re training on the job, you are also paid right away, whilst you are learning. 

Skilled traders are in demand all over the country, so if this sounds like the career for you - go ahead and find yourself an apprenticeship

Transportation 

Are you into cars, trucks, trains, boats and planes? Love a long drive? If so, transportation might be the right industry for you. 

As trading further nationally and internationally becomes bigger and bigger business, the transportation booms along with it. 

And it’s currently a great job to get into as a young person. Baby boomers occupy a large percentage of senior management positions in transportation and logistics companies.  In all modes, global and local industry associations have launched programs to attract, recruit and develop young professionals. 


Opportunities for advancement in the transportation industry will be abundant in the next five to 15 years. Enter the industry now and gain the experience you will need when opportunities are plentiful.  

Again, qualifications depend on the role. But a clean driving record (and specialist licence for certain vehicles), mechanical knowledge and passion, and in-work training are all useful if not essential. However, on the whole - you won’t need a costly university degree and there are lots and lots of opportunities available.  

And there we have it! If you are unhappy in your current job and looking for something a bit more “you”, now is as good a time as ever. Use these ideas to get you started on the road to a more fulfilling career.

How To Boost Your Chances Of Getting A Pay Rise

Friday, October 25, 2019

Working hard is something we wanted to be rewarded for. When it comes to your job, there are many things that you can do to impress your employer. With life ticking by, there may be a pressure to improve your finances, and that might come in the form of a pay rise. Here are some tips to boost your chances of getting a pay rise.



Do Your Research On Pay Of Similar Roles
When it comes to your current role, there’s plenty of people out there who probably have the same titles as you but in different companies. Of course, their annual salary may be different from yours in terms of their experience, the size and financial profit of the company they work for, or what they’ve done to get to that position. However, if you’re someone who is looking for a pay rise, then it’s worth looking at what your paid and find out what others are being paid for those who do the same job. This can make it easier to help argue your point if your boss turns around and asks you for reasons why. 


Any business should be looking at offering pay rises for those staff members who deserve it, and if you feel like you do, then you should be matching those who are earning more. It also gives you a bit of a bargaining chip when you mention other companies because it tells your employer that you are looking at other companies. Whether you decide to change companies is up to you, but they will likely want to offer a pay rise in order to stop you leaving.

Offer To Take On More Work
It’s important to show your commitment to the company and to show willingness in the role. For that reason, it might be worth sitting down with your boss and offering your services if they seem like they’re needed. With pay rises it’s all about timing, and if you see your department struggling or you think that there’s more that you can handle in terms of the workload, then it’s certainly worth fighting your corner to take on more work. For them, it means they don’t need to think about full cycle recruiting or having to outsource any tasks if they can get it all done in-house by someone who already works for the company. It might not always be possible to take on the extra work but lend a helping hand when you can and ensure your manager is aware of that work you do above and beyond your current role. It won’t go unnoticed, and if it get forgotten about, it’s something you can easily refer back to.

Use Your Annual Review As An Opportunity
Your annual review is something that most businesses will give their employees in order to give them the opportunity to discuss with their line manager about anything they’ve got issues with and to review the work they’ve done over the year and to set goals for the following year. This is, in fact, a great time to state your case about potentially getting a pay rise. You have your manager alone in the room with you, and it can be a good opportunity to talk through what you’ve done for the company so far and the reasons as to why you deserve a pay rise. A lot of the time, a pay rise is warranted when there are enough reasonable reasons and evidence that you’ve helped in the growth of the business. It’s best to ask, even if you feel like it might not be something that’s possible. You could be pleasantly surprised.


Keep Track Of What You Do And Achieve
If the annual review doesn’t come to anything, then continue to keep track of what you’re doing for the company. If not for you trying to give a reason for a pay rise but to show you how much you’re doing. If the business hasn’t given you a pay rise in a while, yet everything you do for the company is increasing, it’s probably a good time to stop and ask why. There might not be enough financial opportunities to do so, but if you see huge growths in the business and no pay rises, it’s good to ask and express your thoughts on leaving if it doesn’t happen.


Boosting your chances of getting a pay rise is something you deserve to do and to give yourself a chance you deserve. Fight for what you deserve!
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