The Dos and Don'ts Of Keeping Your Home Safe

Your home is your castle. While for some fortunate people, that is literally true, for most of us it's a figure of speech. However, it is one that holds true. If you feel that your home is under threat, then you feel threatened to the core. After all, if you can't feel safe and secure in your own house, where can you? It is often said by people who have been burgled that it is the most invasive experience they can imagine.

As we can all agree, the prospect of it happening to us is a genuine nightmare. Many of us will do anything we can to prevent it. There are countless tips available - online, from friends and from law enforcement. Sometimes, the biggest question we have is which ones actually work, and which ones are not worth the paper they're written on.

Do: Purchase Strong Locks For Doors And Windows

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Burglars look at the locks on a house, and often there and then decide whether or not to go ahead with an invasion. The idea that there are locks won't turn them off - they are used to picking and bypassing locks. But if they are of good quality, these locks can persuade them not to try.

Don't: Plant Large Hedges And Bushes

While some bushes wouldn't be a bad idea - anything with thorns near potential entry points can be a deterrent - there are drawbacks. A large bush provides a potential concealing place for an experienced burglar. Especially late at night, they can use any shade and structure to hide.

Do: Have A Motion Sensor Light Installed

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Darkness is a burglar's friend, and the moment it is fractured by light they become less at ease. When a light flicks on late at night, if you are at home you'll notice it. If you're not, your neighbors might well. Most burglars won't want to wait to find out. Certainly, they won't want to break in when they're all lit up.

Don't: Make Your House A Prize Target

If you have recently bought expensive appliances, dispose of all packaging yourself. Don't leave the cardboard boxes out for the recycling or garbage trucks. If you do that, you're telling burglars "my house contains some trophies for you - go right ahead".

Do: Buy An Alarm

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A good burglar alarm will alert people far and wide if you're being burgled. One word of advice, though. If you have a sticker in the window saying the home is "protected by ADT Security", it gives burglars a clue to how they may disable an alarm. A generic sticker saying the house is alarmed is a better idea.

There are other tips you'll hear from speaking to people. Some of them are good, some bad. The key is to remember that there are simple things you can do - and others you should avoid like the plague - to keep your home safe. It's much more likely that you won't be targeted than that you will. But there are always things you can do to tip the balance further.

8 Sure-Fire Ways To Create A Grown-Up Room For Your Teenager

It’s hard to believe the baby you had is now a fully grown teenager. The years seem to fly by, and they are now an independent human being. Now they are a teenager, they feel like they are grown up (they will remind you so at least twice a day). They will want to change their bedroom, so it’s more ideal for their age. Here are eight sure-fire ways to create a grown up room for your teen that they will love.

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You need to give them some seating

Your teenager will want their bedroom to be somewhere they can go with their friends and hang out in peace. You can make their bedroom the ideal place to do this by adding some great seating in there. You should add a sofa or a couple of chairs for them to chill out on. You could even go for some bean bags for some unique seating that they will love. They may now want their friends to stay over too now they are a bit older. You can ensure they can do this by choosing a sofa bed for their room, so their friend has somewhere convenient to sleep.

You need to create a study area

It’s so important that your teenager can study in peace at home. However, it can be hard to find somewhere quiet to do it with their siblings running around the home. They need to be able to concentrate as the work becomes a lot harder as they age. Therefore, you need to create a study area for them in their bedroom. You should find a good sized desk which will enable them to work with plenty of space for their books and worksheets. You can visit PlumGoose.com/arteriors/, and other sites, to find suitable desks for their room. You should ensure it has a drawer for storage so that they can keep all their stationery suppliers in there. As this feature on amara.com explains, you could go for a white desk which will suit any bedroom scheme and is easy to maintain. Your teen can then go for bright accessories to make the space more personal for them. You will also need to buy them a cool chair which will be comfortable to complete their work on.

You need to get them a larger bed

Although your kid loved their bunk beds when they were younger, it’s not very suitable for a teenager. The beds aren’t very big which is not good for your growing son or daughter. Their weight as a teen may also be too heavy for a bunk bed. You should look for a larger bed which will ensure they have a good night’s sleep. If you have space, you could get your teen a double, so they have plenty of room in the night to spread out. It also means they can have friends stay over without much inconvenience. However, if you can’t afford a double, you can still get some single beds which will look great in their room.

You should get them book shelves

As much as teens love their Kindles and eReaders to read the latest books, nothing does beat a traditional book. A bookshelf which can hold all their favorite novels is a lovely addition to their room. It will make the room look more sophisticated and grown up. They can also keep all the books they need for educational purposes in there. If there is limited room, you could add display shelves over their bed where they can put their books. That way, it won’t take up any floor space in the bedroom.

You need to give them plenty of storage facilities

You will be surprised how much stuff a teenager has. It ends up all over their room and can create a big mess. Therefore, you need to give them plenty of storage, where they can hold all their belongings. You should consider getting them some drawers for underneath their bed where they can put their stuff, so it’s not on the floor. You can also add some shelving above the bed and on the walls. You could also get them a double wardrobe so that they have more room for their clothes. If you have a teen daughter, you will know how many clothes they accumulate over time that they won’t get rid of!

You need to add posters and art

Having posters in your room is part of growing up. They will want to have pictures of their favorite movies and crushes all over the wall. You can create a memory wall for them, where they can have all their favorite pictures and mementos from their favorite films. It can make the room look personal and grown up. They can also add pictures of their friends and family on there to make it look even nicer. Also, let them have some art on the walls to make the room look more sophisticated and grown up.

You should change the paint and add some wall decor

They might want to change their room color now they are a teenager. Baby blues and light pinks are never good for their age. They will want to go for a darker color which they love. As much as they want the room to be bold, you should stick to natural colors which you know they won’t get bored of over time. You should consider adding some wall décor to their room. As this article from homedit explains, it can express a teen’s individuality without taking up loads of space.

You need to change the bedding

Your teen will also want to have a cooler bedding in their bedroom to make it appear more grown up. They will want to avoid characters and movies for now, so they can make it look more age appropriate. You may want to go for neutral colors bedding, and then they can add cushions to make it more fun. You can find more ideas to make the bed look more grown up on this site.

Remember if you have limited space in your home, so siblings have to share, you could put up a curtain or a screen to separate the room. That way, your teen will feel like, despite the fact that they are sharing, they have their own grown up area to chill out and have some privacy!

Quick Ways To Get Cash Without Borrowing

Life somehow manages to throw us a curveball when we least expect it. And that curveball often throws us off balance in a big way! A broken-down appliance, a big utility bill, or even getting sick will drain our financial resources in a second. But if you don’t have enough to cover an essential cost, you may find you need to borrow some money to get you through the tough times.

You might not need to borrow. Those of us with a bad credit rating would find it difficult to find an affordable loan in a hurry anyway. Fortunately, there are several alternatives that may suit you better. The first is to find the solution to some quick cash in your own home. Start by sorting through items you never use. This unwanted clutter can be sold to raise the cash you need. It might include unworn clothes, LPs, or even gadgets. You can learn more from Cards2Cash about how to raise some much-needed funds from unused store gift cards too.

It’s best not to sell anything that holds sentimental value. You simply can’t put a price on that. Jewelry may offer a lot of cash, but you may never get the piece back. Instead, you could put your art and craft skills to good use. Selling your own hand-made accessories and jewelry could raise much-needed cash. Of course, you may need to factor in the time it takes to make them.

This photo courtesy of 401kcalculator.org at Flickr.com

Could you live without your car? Most of us can comfortably walk a distance of 2 miles in about half an hour. If there are public transport routes that serve your commute, or you have a bicycle, why not sell your car? Cars cost a fortune in parking, maintenance and fuel. Not only could you raise some cash in a hurry but you may be able to save ongoing too.

If you have the time, and there’s one available, a second job could be ideal. Pick something that pays weekly so you can get your first paycheck in hand quickly. Alternatively, you may be able to ask your boss for a pay advance. This may leave you short for the rest of the month, though. Be sure you can afford to pay your bill this way. Why not offer to do some odd jobs around your neighborhood? A little cash here and there can soon add up.

Selling your hair or blood plasma is another option you might be interested in pursuing. Of course, this can feel quite invasive if you’re not entirely comfortable with these options. Taking back recently purchased items like gadgets, appliances and unworn clothing could help bring in some cash in a hurry too. Refunds are sometimes refused so check your terms of sale first. Did you know that metal is a valuable commodity? If you have anything ready for the scrap heap, try to sell it at the scrapyard first.

Earning or selling are the easiest ways to raise much-needed funds in a hurry. Borrowing can be expensive and unpleasant. How have you raised cash in the past?

Fun And Educational Home Activities To Keep The Kids Amused

When you have five kids at home like me, it's pretty challenging and expensive to go out all the time. That's why it's vital to do some fun activities with the kids at home as well. Activities at home are memorable and fun too. Read on for some great ideas on how to keep your little ones amused and out of mischief :-)

Peer-led teaching

The first activity is fun for the older kids, and the younger ones alike is a peer-led teaching exercise. That mean that the kids teach each other. There is no better way to learn something thoroughly, than having to explain it to someone else. So not only does the child being taught get the benefit, the one doing the teaching does too.

You can do this on any subject that you fancy. It might be better to assign topics so there is no arguing or the little ones don't end up picking something they already know lots about. Then you can be sure that they are using their trading and research skills. Good examples of how this can play out include asking the kids to find out five facts about a topic, or how something like a vacuum or a light bulb works.

You can get them to present their findings verbally, in pictures which they explain or even in a song or video format. Use whatever catches their enthusiasm. Then those that are listening can score the presenter on their facts, presentation style and question answering.

Quizzes

Another great activity for the whole family is a quiz. There are a few ways of doing this depending on how much time you have. The first is to download a ready-made quiz with answers from the internet.

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The second is to come up with your own questions and answers. You can theme these around a certain topic, which works well for assessing their learning. Or you can make them about particular holidays like Christmas and Easter.

The last way of creating a quiz is to split the kids into two teams and get them to research and write a quiz for the other team. This is a magnificent way of getting the maximum amount of time and entertainment from one activity. To really up the ante you should offer trophies and awards to the winners. This will help to motivate the kids to do well and help them get into the spirit of friendly competition.

The catalog project

An incredibly fun and practical task that you can do with the kids is budgeting using a catalog. The idea is that you set them a scenario, like moving house or redecorating their bedroom. Then you get them to search through a catalog to find all the things they would like and need.

They then cut these out and stick them on a piece of paper with the price underneath. The aim of the game is to not go over the budget you have set them. Its teaches them all sorts of skills like budgeting, selecting and weighing up pros and cons. It also helps them to get to grips with the real value of money, which can be tough for children.

Outdoor Spaces: Why Summer In A House Beats Apartment Living

In the eternal battle of what is best - simple apartment living or having a house - there are so many differing viewpoints. Those of us who favor an apartment point out that it's more self contained. You're more insulated from the outside. And if you live in a high-rise, you're way above all the noise. Meanwhile, Team House will point out that they don't share a mailbox and their sitting room isn't up some stairs.

Pressing home their advantage, House people will point out that they have gardens. Feeling they've spotted a glaring error, Apartmenters will say "Good! I don't want to have to weed, plant, water and mow. I win!". And if you're a House person, you might momentarily agree. Until you reach into your bag and pull out the winning card. "Summer", you say with a grin. And you have won. Summer in an apartment sucks. In a house with an outdoor space, it's wonderful.

Social Life: Garden Parties Make Summer Worth It All

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If you've hosted an event in an enclosed space in summer, you'll know how quickly a party can become a hellscape. A lot of bodies close together means body heat. An enclosed space means it accumulates. C&C Music Factory may have announced they were "gonna make you sweat", but they should have admitted that's not a good thing. Take the party outside, however, and as the sun goes down it gets cooler. You can party for longer if you aren't dehydrated.

Relaxation: Better If You're Not In A Big Glass Box

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We all like to take time in the summer to just sit and enjoy the sun. In an apartment you can throw the windows open and maybe let a breeze in. Then you realise it's just recycling warm air, and your apartment still feels like a furnace. Meanwhile, in the garden, you could be reclining in a chair reading a good book with a glass of something cold next to you. With a parasol, you can even get a bit of shade.

Working: Fresh Air Makes Everything Better, Even Work

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Being hunched over a laptop in the summer, you start to think unreasonable things. Like "my grandparents worked twelve hours a day in a factory, but I bet they were never this uncomfortable". Yes, we've all been there. We're wrong, but the heat does things to people. Take your laptop out on to the porch, and with help from The Rocking Chair Company you can enjoy the breeze and shade. If you're in an apartment? No porch, no fun.

Sure, sometimes the garden will feel like it's the source of more stress than it's worth. Having an outdoor space can mean more tidying to do, as people's litter has a way of finding you. But in the summer months, sitting rocking outside or welcoming friends for a party, you'll be glad you have it. With the right furniture and accessories, getting out of the house in summer can be bliss. And it doesn't mean you have to lose the comforts and convenience of home.