Month: March 2021

Categories
Health & Home Home Improvement

5 Home Improvement Projects to Boost Resale Value

Home Improvement Project

Are you planning to sell your starter home and want to raise its value so you can buy your dream home? Are you trying to flip a fixer upper you recently purchased as an investment? If so, keep reading for the best home improvement projects.

We have four home improvement projects for property owners looking to increase their house resale value. Whether you plan to sell immediately or sometime in the future, we are confident that the following these home improvement projects can make your home more beautiful, comfortable, and valuable.

Install Energy Efficient Products

From Houston to Milwaukee, a well-insulated home makes a huge difference in your energy bills. Therefore, many people seek out homes built with energy efficiency in mind. If your home is especially old and drafty, you need to consider replacing your doors and windows before selling your home.

If the siding has seen better days, we recommend that you upgrade the exterior as well. Not only does this increase your home’s curb appeal, but insulated siding makes your home much more comfortable inside. The same can be said for insulated roofing as well.

That’s not all!

You can also make your home more attractive and valuable with new appliances. Though some homeowners choose to take their appliances with them, many buyers love when they stay, especially if they are energy efficient. You can use this as an excuse to replace your washer, stove, or refrigerator!

Renovate Your Kitchen

Speaking of stoves, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms to many buyers. It’s the place where they prepare all their meals and bake with their children. Buyers want it to be functional and beautiful, but kitchen remodels are often too overwhelming for current owners.

You don’t have to do a total renovation, though. There are plenty of small home improvement projects you can do to upgrade your kitchen without investing too much time and energy. In fact, you can expect a great ROI from: 

  • Cabinet Refacing
  • New Fixtures
  • Backsplash Installation
  • New Counter

Install Hardwood Floors

Since carpet shows sign more wear and tear more than hardwood or tile, it quickly brings down the appearance of your home, which makes it less valuable. Many prospective buyers even look at carpet as an added expense because they know will have to replace it. As a result, they may offer less than your asking price.

On the other hand, hardwood floors hold their value for decades. Not only are they elegant and classy, but they are easy to clean. We recommend installing solid hardwood floors in particular because they are tougher and more resistant to dents and scratches. If they do happen to get some damage, however, you can easily sand and refinish them without having to install all new flooring. For all of those reasons, wood floors are very appealing to buyers.

Finish Your Basement

If you own a home in the South, you can probably skip over this step. However, basements can be a huge selling point for buyers in the Northern and Mid-Atlantic states. A finished basement can add up to $30,000 to the resale value of your home.

Why?

Homeowners love having extra square footage, especially if it is heated and livable. Though an unfinished basement still increases your home’s value, adding carpet, drywall, and trim can elevate the space. Whether you turn it into a place for guests, a man cave, or a playroom, it is sure to impress prospective buyers.

Start Increasing the Value of Your Home

If you can DIY some of these home projects, you can get an even higher return on your investment, but even with help from a professional, you can increase the value of your home. We recommend that you assess your home and budget to find the perfect projects for you. You should also speak with a realtor to find out which items are especially important to buyers in your area!

Categories
Dating Health & Home

New Relationship? 12 Tips to Keep it Healthy

Newly Dating Health Relationship

Have you found the one you always dreamt of? Then it is only right for you to feel new relationship anxieties. When you find your soulmate, you want to do everything to protect the relationship from messing up.

Here are fifteen pieces of advice to help you build your relationship into a healthy and strong one:

  1. Keep your past from your new relationship, especially if it is a bitter or sordid one. By keeping your past away, it does not mean you hide essential events of life from your new partner. Let them know everything because relationships you build on honest last for life. However, don’t keep bringing everything from your previous life into your new one. Keep bitter memories and mistakes away.
  2. Accept your partner’s flaws and not just their attractions. You have to live with the entire being for life and put up with their shortcomings.
  3. Discuss your future as a couple and the life you two plan to spend. Let each other know of your ambitions, how many kids you wish to have, where you plan to settle in the future etc. It is important to be on the same page when planning the entire life together. Where plans clash, it causes irreparable conflicts.
  4. Maintain clear communication from the start. Talk about everything, your hurts, your expectations, and your preferences in the intimate life, your beliefs and values, etc. Your partner deserves to know it all.
  5. Step out of your comfort zone for the other’s sake. Does your partner love paragliding, but you never fancied it? Experience it together. Share in each other’s thrills and passion. It does wonders for the relationship.
  6. Never hold back any aspect of your life from your partner. You are not called ‘soulmates’ without reason. The bonding runs soul-deep, and your partner deserves to be a part of every aspect of your life, both good and bad.
  7. Do not glam up always. No one spends their days at home looking like a model off the runway. Let your partner see you in sweats and PJs, doing the dishes, etc. Let them accept you as you are.
  8. Share all the load together, from house chores to financial burdens. When you share the load equally, life becomes easier for both.
  9. Invest in actions more than words. You need not be too extravagant. Simple acts of love, like giving him/her a rose, making his/her favorite meal one day, helping him/her with house chores, etc.
  10. Do not get too clingy out of possessiveness and jealousy, as it can drive your partner away from you. Being needy of his/her presence, time and attention is cute, but only to a certain extent.
  11. Give them his/her space. Let them spend time with their family and friends even if it means staying away from you for an evening. Honor their plans and space.
  12. Listen to your partner. Be curious about their day and their likes and dislikes but all in a healthy way.
Categories
Health & Home Wellness

Keto Diet: The Ultimate Guide

keto diet guide

Are you planning to lose weight but not sure of the right diet? The Keto diet has been among the most popular eating-plans since past recent years, and we have all the information right here.

Keto or ketogenic diet is high fat and low-carb diet aiming to boost your health while reducing weight.  Many people worldwide have claimed to experience remarkable results, which is not surprising considering how clinical studies provide evidence.

The diet promises to have some significant health benefits for Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, cancer, and diabetes.

What It Is

If you know of the Atkins diet, you will have some similarities in keto too. The latter is a low-carb diet that focuses on more protein and fat intake. It aims to reduce your carbohydrate levels drastically and fill you up with fats that will burn faster and provide you more energy.

When the carb levels begin reducing in your body, we call ketosis into a metabolic state. When you reach ketosis, your body’s burning efficiency improves significantly, and you gain more energy.

The diet’s functions include turning the fat into ketones in your liver and supplying more energy to your brain. Among the many health advantages of the diet, the most prominent is the reduced insulin and blood sugar levels.

We all know how increasing ketones while controlling blood sugar and insulin are highly advantageous for our health.

If you are planning to begin on the diet to experience its results, you can select several versions of it. However, before you start executing your eating plan, it is best to seek your doctor’s approval and consult with a nutritionist.

Often underlying health issues coupled with the diet can cause disastrous results, especially if one is ignorant or negligent.

Types of Keto Diet

The types of Keto diet include:

  • High Protein Keto Diet- you will find this quite similar to a standard keto diet, but you have to consume more proteins in this version. This diet’s ideal ratio is 35% proteins, 60% fat, and 5% carbs.
  • TKD or Targeted Keto Diet- in this diet, you can add some carbs to your meals around your workout.
  • CKD or Cyclical Keto Diet- In this version, you go through periods of high refeeds of carbs. For example, you will have to live through five days of a Ketogenic diet and follow it with two days of high carb days.
  • SKD or Standard Keto Diet- This version includes high fat, moderate protein, and low carbs. The typical percentages have 10% carbs, 20% protein, and 70% fat.

Most of the studies have focused on high protein and standard ketogenic diets, owing to the wide popularity. The other versions, including the targeted or cyclical keto diets, are more advanced in the methods and only suitable for athletes and bodybuilders.

Final Thoughts

Keto is a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims to send your body into a state of ketosis. In this metabolic state, your body relies on more fats for fuelling your energy than on carbs. You can reach ketosis faster by observing intermittent fasting modifying your diet.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101#ketosis
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto
Categories
Financial Loans

Student Loans: The Top Loans For You

Best Student Loans

If you are planning to continue your education, you need to have a way to pay for school. College and universities can rack in high costs and many people take out student loans. Depending on what your living expenses while in school are and how quickly you want to get through your program, you may have to take out a lot of loans.

Public loans are an affordable way to get loans but they may not cover everything, especially if you are attending a private school or program. When you need to take out private loans that cover more than public loans, it is advantageous to look at your options.

Earnest

Earnest is a private loan lender that offers student loans to undergraduate and graduate students. With Earnest, borrowers can choose the length of their loan and how much they pay every month. Borrowers can also refinance their loans if they need to.

Education Loan Finance

Education Loan Finance, or ELF, offers loan refinancing options for undergraduate and graduate programs, including medical, dental, and law school. They also offer loans for students at select institutions.

College Ave

College Ave focuses on offering loans with quick approval. Applications are simple and people are approved for loans instantly. Borrowers can borrow as little as $1,000 or cover the full cost of going to school. Borrowers can also make payments while in school, pay only interest, or make flat payments, depending on what works best for them.

Sallie Mae

Sallie Mae is a consumer bank that also offers loans to cover undergraduate, graduate, and specialty programs. They also have savings programs to help families plan for college. They have loans for medical residency, career planning, and studying for the bar.

Discover

Discover has offered private student loans since 2010. Loans can be as small as $1,000 or cover all of your education costs. Discover loans apply to over 2,000 schools. International loans are also available, though they require a co-signer who is a citizen or permanent resident.

Splash Financial

Splash Financial is a student loan refinancing marketplace. They work with a wide network of banks and financial institutions to provide the best rates possible. They work with federal, private, and Parent PLUS loans.

U-fi

U-fi works with Nelnet to provide private loans and refinancing options to students in all states, except for Vermont. Borrowers can get up to 15 years to repay loans with flexible repayment options.

Laurel Road

Laurel Road has worked with KeyBank since 2019 and specializes in graduate loans. They also offer loan refinancing for several kinds of loans, including parent PLUS loans. Loans are available from $5,000 and up.

Summary

No matter what kind of loan you need or how much you need to be covered, there are private loan lenders that will work with you to ensure that you can pay for school. They will also work with you on repayment or refinancing options. Every situation is different and with some research, you can find the right lender for you.              

Categories
Dating Health & Home

5 Romantic Dinner Recipes to Make at Home

5 Romantic Dinner Recipes

Great food and great company can make your romantic dinner unforgettable. So, if you have planned to surprise your beloved with the perfect dinner date at home, you need to try the following recipes. These mouthwatering recipes will make your partner fall for you again.

Let’s have a look at them.

1.    Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Dinner

If you and your partner are on a plant-based diet, then this recipe is ideal for you. This tasty and mouthwatering dish only needs good 15 minutes to prepare. It gives you a delicious flavor of roasted red peppers.

In addition to a combo of some spices, it also contains spaghettis. Plus, people who are intolerant to wheat can use gluten-free spaghetti. Its cooking time is not more than 45 minutes, which is perfect to surprise your bae with yummy food.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • Red bell peppers
  • Shallots
  • Garlic
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Almond milk
  • Yeast
  • Arrowroot or cornstarch powder
  • Red pepper flake
  • Spaghetti noodles or gluten-free linguini
  • Vegan parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Parsley or basil (optional)

2.    Turkey Piccata Dinner

Indeed, scrumptious turkey dishes should not be limited to the holiday season. It is the best, rich, and royal recipe that you can cook for a perfect romantic dinner. Not to mention, you only need to give 10 minutes for its preparation and 15 minutes for cooking.

The ingredients of this dish give it a creamy and cheesy flavor. It is also packed with energy because of the lean protein.

Ingredients             

  • Turkey breast
  • Black pepper
  • Salt
  • Olive oil
  • Almond oil
  • Garlic cloves
  • Almond flour
  • Shallot
  • White wine
  • Chicken broth
  • Lemon juice
  • Cheese
  • Capers
  • Parsley

3.    Cauliflower Gnocchi Dinner

This is another flavorful spaghetti option that you can cook in 30 minutes. The preparation time for this sumptuous dish is also 30 minutes.

Cauliflower Gnocchi is a blend of hearty vegetables that contains a rich and earthy-flavored sauce. It is highly recommendable if you want to go for a meatless dinner but at the same time an exceptionally pleasing dinner.

Ingredients

  • Onion
  • Garlic cloves
  • Carrot
  • Mushrooms
  • Zucchini
  • Bell pepper
  • Tomatoes
  • Water
  • Salt
  • Oregano
  • Pepper flakes
  • Parmesan
  • Cauliflower gnocchi or regular gnocchi

4.    Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Dinner

Looking for a flavorsome chicken treat? If so, then this should be your pick for your fantastic night. This recipe will take 10 to 15 minutes for preparation and around 50 minutes for cooking.

It is all about flavors. You can feel the sweet and edging flavor of the tomatoes as well as the mild and crusty flavor of the chicken.

Ingredients

  • Chicken stock
  • Garlic clove
  • Shallot
  • Tomatoes
  • Sage
  • Arborio rice
  • Prosciutto
  • Chicken breasts
  • Spinach
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Vegetable oil
  • Butter
  • Black pepper
  • Salt

5.    Steak Frites Dinner

Steak has a special place on the dining table. These are not only healthy and highly nutritious but also offer you a mix of flavors at the same time. If you opt for this recipe, you will surely feel that you are dining in a 5-star restaurant.

The best part is it will only need 20 minutes, from preparation to cooking. Just make sure that your partner loves steak.

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil
  • French fries
  • Top loin steak
  • Shallot
  • Mayonnaise
  • Lemon juice
  • Water
  • Tarragon

Bottom Line

So, these are the best recipes that you can cook for a romantic dinner. However, before choosing one of them, try to know what type of food your partner loves. Then, decide accordingly.

Categories
Dating Health & Home

11 Date Nights to Try This Weekend at Home

11 date night ideas at home

Can’t go out for dates anymore because of social distancing? No problem. We’ve got you covered with eleven fabulous ideas for a date night at home this weekend.

1.    Chocolate Party

Wine and cheese are not always fun. It can get boring after some time. A chocolate tasting event, especially for two, is a lot more fun and romantic now. Look for ideas and printables online for this one.

2.    Bake Off Challenge

Trust us; a bake-off challenge is super fun and romantic. Turn your kitchen into a battlefield of cupcakes and delight each other with your baked treats.

3.    Wine Tasting

If you’ve already tried chocolate tasting, then perhaps a wine tasting would be a great idea for this weekend. Buy some fancy bottles be your partner’s sommelier for the evening.

4.    Arabian Date Night

Give your home an Arabian night romantic makeover. There are some great DIY ideas for this one, and you can turn your living room into an exotic dating place for you two.

5.    Play a Game

A game of “would you rather’ can be a lot of fun. You may get to know a lot more about your partner this way, things you never had the opportunity to explore before.

6.    Set a Romantic Spread for two

Yes, turn chef for your partner this weekend. Try to whip up your best recipes and set a romantic candlelight table for two. Put some music on slow, wear a sexy outfit, and charm the socks off your lover.

7.    Karaoke Date

Bring karaoke at home. Sing your heart out with him/her, even if you are both awful at it. If nothing else, you’ll be howling with laughter for sure.

8.    Backyard Theatre Date

Transform your backyard into a romantic, open-air theatre for two. Bring in a screen and put his/her favorite movie on. Keep loads of popcorns, nachos, and other treats on hand.

9.    Virtual Yoga Class

A date where you and your partner get to invigorate your minds and bodies together is a great idea. Try a yoga class for some low-key exercise experience for the two. It will surely be a memorable experience.

10. Spa Date at Home

Lock yourselves in the house, switch off your phones for a few hours and make sure there is no interruption. Then get out the face masks, moisturizers, and whatever beauty products you’ve gathered for the spa.

Slice some cucumbers for your tired eyes and don your sexy robes, it’s time for some rest and relaxation! Also, do not forget the romantic massages and soft music for your partner.

11. Gourmet Meal

Get your recipe books out or search for an exotic recipe or online. It can be anything that catches your fancy. Then roll your sleeves up, top up your wine glasses and cook together. Whether or not you manage to prepare a restaurant-quality meal, you both will certainly savor the fun together in the kitchen.

Categories
Financial Insurance

Car Insurance: 101 Guide to Everything

car insurance 101

Whether you’re on the hunt for better rates or shopping for the first time, car insurance can be intimidating. There are so many numbers thrown at you, and every provider claims to offer cheap car insurance or the most benefits.

How can you possibly choose? In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know about car insurance and how to choose a policy that fits your needs.  

Type of Car Insurance Coverage

Before you can select any policy, you need to know about the different types of car insurance coverage. While some coverage is designed to protect you, other insurance pays for damages and injuries you cause to others. The following are just a few of the most common insurance coverage options:

Liability

This type of coverage is for others. Specifically, auto insurance providers design bodily injury liability to cover injuries or deaths that you caused with your car. Property damage liability covers vehicles or other property damaged by an accident you caused. Almost all states require drivers to carry a minimum liability policy.

Collision

If you want to cover your car’s damage when you cause an accident, you need collision insurance. It covers the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle whether you hit a car,  pole, tree, or another object.

Medical Payments and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Several states also require that drivers carry insurance for medical payments or personal injury. This plan reimburses you for medical costs associated with an accident. They also cover lost wages for you and your passengers.

Uninsured Motorist

In the event of a hit and run, you will be thankful for this insurance. It provides you with coverage when the driver at fault lacks enough coverage to pay for the damages he or she caused.

Coverage Amounts

Once you know what type of coverage you need, you must choose the amount. As with the coverage types, your state often determines the minimum amount of coverage you must carry. It could be as low as $10,000 a person or $20,000 for a single accident. On the other hand, insurance companies can set maximum limits for liability coverage.

Obviously, you shouldn’t choose more coverage than you can afford, so you need to find the balance between your budget and your needs. Since many cars can cost upwards of $40,000, you should aim for at least that much in property damage coverage. If you own a more expensive vehicle, we recommend upping your coverage in case an underinsured driver hits you. These are just a few of the things you should consider when selecting your coverage amount.

Car Insurance Rates

Your car insurance premium can vary greatly from the next person’s—even with the same coverage and deductibles. We know that sounds crazy, but it’s true! Insurance providers don’t base your car insurance quote on those two factors alone. In fact, there are a lot of different things they take into consideration when calculating your payments, including:

  • Location
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Years of Driving Experience
  • Marital Status
  • Vehicle Type and Use
  • Claims History and Previous Coverage
  • Miles Driven
  • And More!

While your claims history and driving experience make sense, you might wonder, “what do my gender and marital status have to do with my insurance?” They are risk factors determined by claims data. For example, young drivers are statistically proven to be the riskiest drivers to insure. Therefore, your rates are much higher when your 16 than when you turn 25.

It’s important to note that while all of these factors are considered, they don’t carry the same weight. Each insurance company weighs them differently, which is why they charge different rates.

Choose Your Perfect Car Insurance Policy

Now that you know more about the types of coverage and factors that influence your rates, you can be better prepared to handle your search. If you’d like to learn more about car insurance coverage or how to lower your car insurance rates, we encourage you to check out some of our other articles.

Categories
Credit Financial

4 Best Unsecured Credit Cards for Bad Credit

credit cards for bad credit

You need a credit card.  You know your credit is not in the best shape but is anybody perfect? Maybe you’ve looked into getting one in the past only to be asked to pay an insane deposit for a “secured” card.  But are those the only type of credit cards you can get?

Of course not.  There are some great options for “regular” unsecured cards, even for those with bad credit.

The Best Credit Cards For Credit Scores Below 650

1.     Capital One Platinum Credit Cards

Why? It’s great for building credit.

This card is an excellent option for building credit because Capital One automatically reviews your account at six months.  As long as you make all of the payments “on time,” it is easy to get a higher credit limit.  You get an instant boost to your credit score so long as you don’t use too much of that higher limit. 

Also, Capital One is known for extra benefits. You’ll never have to buy that extended warranty on electronics.  The one downside is there is no cashback.

2.     Capital One Quicksilver One Cash Rewards Credit Cards

Why? This one gives you rewards.

It gives you unlimited 1.5% cashback on everything.  You can easily earn back the annual fee and more. You also get all of those other advantages Capital One offers.

Be aware that this one does have slightly higher credit standards than the others. It is an excellent choice if you have already started the journey back from “bad” credit.

3.    Petal 2 Visa Credit

Why? There are no fees.

Once your credit score drops, annual fees are usually automatic.  With Petal, there are no yearly fees.  What’s more impressive is that they don’t charge any other fees either. There are no late payment fees, over the spending limit fees, returned payments fees,  or any other fees. 

Of course, this doesn’t mean it’s interest-free, but if your trying to adjust to living with credit cards, this no fees policy is a huge benefit.

It also offers some cashback features.  You start with 1% back on all purchases and graduate to 1.5% once you’ve made 12 payments on time.  They even look at more than just the simple credit score for approval. This makes Petal perfect for those without credit or credit history.

4.     Deserve Pro Mastercard

Why? It has more rewards.

Not only does this card give you unlimited 1% cashback on your purchases, but it also offers bonus rewards categories.  You can earn 3% back on any travel purchases and 2% back on dining purchases.  Just remember that you can only get the bonus rewards for the first $500.

As you can see, unsecured credit card options do exist for those with bad credit scores.  These are far from the only four cards available for this range of credit scores.  Keep a careful eye on interest rates and annual fees anytime you are shopping for an unsecured card, regardless of your credit score.