Why Online Adult Education is the Hot New Thing

Heading off to college, getting your bachelor’s degree, and maybe even earning your Masters is an exciting time in life. But what if you are an adult returning to education? Perhaps you want to work towards gaining a postgraduate degree for better work opportunities. Or maybe even for your own self-satisfaction. As adults, we have more responsibilities than we used to. These include work, family, and financial constraints, all which make online learning more inviting. So today we’re going to look at the option of taking online courses to further your education.


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Why Learn Online?

Online adult education allows flexibility and interactive study, straight from your home. It’s cost effective, means you can continue working and also set your own pace of study. Distance learning also means you can achieve your degree no matter where you live in the world. Not only is it a more affordable option, but because you have invested the money into your learning, you will find you are much more dedicated to reaching your goals. Undergraduate, postgraduate and professional levels of courses are all available for online study. And in an age of advanced technology, it means courses are far more interactive.

Things You Can Do When You're Feeling Blue

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If you're having a bit of a hard time, it can be hard to lift your mood. When things go wrong, it's easy to get stuck in a rut and only look at the negatives. There is so much around you that can make you feel positive, though! It's the little things that can make a difference. By simply mixing up your routine and letting yourself have a bit of fun; you could completely change your frame of mind. You just need to cut yourself some slack and focus your energies on something super positive.

Watch something comforting

When you're feeling a little bit low, you need to put the serial killer documentaries away and watch something that will feel like a big hug. If you used to tune into Disney movie as a youngster, stick your favorite on and get cozy. If Gilmore girls is your thing, kickback and remember the good Stars Hollow times. If you like to be busy, you might, at first, feel like this is a waste of time. But it's essential you relax your mind.

Get your bake on

Not only will cooking something give you an enormous sense of pride, but you also get to eat it after. Trying new things in the comfort of your own home can be seriously soothing. The smell of a freshly baked cake is divine and sharing what you've done with other people will help you break the cycle of being quiet and sad. Treat yourself to a new cookery book and get baking!

Update your living space

If you haven't changed around your furniture in an age or you're a little tired of where you're living - a great idea is to invest in some new furniture. If you can't afford new furniture, a great idea is to visit http://www.mylightingsource.com/Quoizel_Lighting_s/1832.htm and give yourself a little light update. Whether you opt for a more soothing light bulb wattage or you make a feature with a beautiful light shade; the change will really perk you up.

Make some moves

As tempting as it is only to stay in bed and watch Netflix, it's essential that you do get outside for some fresh air. Moving your body, even a little bit can't give you a new lease of life. If you have a dog, give it a little walk and if you can, get yourself to a relaxing yoga class. Moving around will get the blood pumping.

Enjoy your own company

Doing things on your own can be incredibly satisfying. You might not feel like doing it, but wandering alone with your thoughts can be very eye-opening and calm. If you've had a hard time of late, you might need the space to clear your head. If you don't want to go to the movies on your own, you could take a trip to the seaside or visit a museum. Give it a go; you might not regret it and it could do you the world of good.

4 Vital Financial Habits To See You Through Tough Times

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We all want to be in as good a financial position as possible. This is something which many of us are struggling with day to day. The trouble is often that we get into poor ways of behaving around money which then leads to further problems. This is how the vicious cycle is created, and it can be a real pain for many. Fortunately, however, there are ways out of this cycle. The trick is to try and forge positive habits instead. When these habits stick, you will find that some dramatic changes start to come about pretty fast. Let’s take a look at four of the best financial habits that you should be adopting today.

Budget For Everything

It is unfortunately easy for your finances be in a poor way if you are not entirely sure of everything that you are spending. This might sound basic, but so many people do not know fully what goes out of their bank account. If you want to be in a better financial position, then you seriously need to consider budgeting for things as much as possible. You should sit down once a week and work out exactly what you have to spend on what, and what you don’t. The trick is not to leave anything out. It is by leaving out even small things that you end up making big mistakes. Therefore, make sure you include everything you can possibly think of.

Learn How To Shop Around

Too many people have forgotten the art of bargaining. The fact is, if you want to be in a better financial position, you need to shop around. Shopping around is something which does take a lot of practice before you get really good at it. But it is essential if you want to make more of what you are getting, and to ensure your money goes further. Remember that this habit applies to practically everything that you might purchase. It might be finding affordable card insurance with great customer service or it could be buying a house. Whatever it is, spend some time shopping around to ensure you end up with the best deal.

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Put Some Aside

Saving money is essential if you ever want to be in a better place permanently. With that in mind, remember the importance of putting some aside. There is a good rule of thumb, which is that putting aside 10% of what you take in is going to keep you level overall. However, putting aside any more than that is the way to get rich one day. It really does make a huge difference. Turn it into a habit which you do automatically, and you will notice a huge difference in no time.

Treat Yourself

Finally, remember the importance of treating yourself occasionally. There is no need, after all, to deny yourself of any such treat if you want to enjoy your life. Plus, allowing yourself the occasional luxury means that you are much less likely to get overly stressed about your finances. Ironically enough, treating yourself helps you to save money overall.

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Need Home Decor? Go Through #Swagbucks First!

 

 Now that the holidays are in full gear, a lot of people are already getting started on decorating their homes for the season. If you're in that same boat, you can get great deals and cash back for shopping through Swagbucks! Just go here and see all of the great cash back you can get from some of your favorite stores. Here's how it works:

1. Click here to see the stores offering deals and cash back.
2. Click through to the store(s) of your choice and do some shopping!
3. Get cash back in the form of points (called SB) that you can redeem for free gift cards so you can stretch your holiday (and decorating) budget even further!

As an extra bonus, if you're not a Swagbucks member and join through my link above (or you've joined through my link this month), you'll get an one time 200 SB bonus when you spend $25 or more in any of the Swagbucks Shop stores before December 1st! Swagbucks is a great site where you earn SB points for doing every day things online like shopping, discovering deals, taking surveys, watching videos, searching the web, and more. The SB you earn, the more gift cards you can get, which are a HUGE help this time of year.

**You can do all sorts of online activities on Swagbucks to earn SB, including other offers like this one! Then you can turn your gift cards in to PayPal cash or gift cards to places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Starbucks, and more!

Stay Informed, Stay Safe: Five Ways To Protect Your Home

In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have to take steps to protect our homes. We all dream of living in the sort of neighborhood where we can leave our doors and windows open all day with no fears or worries. Unfortunately, that isn’t the sort of world that most of us live in and as such we need to take steps to make sure our homes are safe and secure. Here are some of my best tips on how to do that.

Don’t Advertise That You’re Away

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In this age of social media it’s easy to advertise to far too many people that your house is empty. From photographs of yourself in a pool on Instagram to countdowns on Facebook to when you get to go away, there are a lot of ways that you can give the game away. Make sure that you keep quiet on social media until your vacation is over – then you can make everyone jealous by posting your photographs from your wonderful break away! Get a neighbor or family member to put out your trash and pick up your mail, and put your lights on timers.

Get A Burglary Alarm System

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Home security systems will ensure that if an intruder does enter your home, they’re more easily caught and stopped. Look online for tips about which system is best for you, learn about Protect America, and make sure that when you pick one, it’s visible from the outside so thieves are deterred from coming to your home. You can use window decals for this.

Prune Your Shrubs And Plants

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Not only can they prevent you from getting a clear view of what exactly is outside your windows, overgrown shrubbery and plants can give intruders places to hide while planning or escaping from a break-in. Ensure that your windows and doors are visible to passers-by and neighbours by pruning back your plants, so they can see and alert you if anything suspicious is going on. Cut back any trees that might go near windows and use good quality security lighting with motion sensors so you can tell if someone’s moving around near your house.

Take Care Of Your Doors And Windows

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Make sure that your doors and windows are locked at all times, and invest in new, modern technology to make sure your home is as secure as possible. Make sure your windows are shining and your door is repainted regularly with your locks on full display – a lot of burglars are opportunists, and your house looking obviously secure and hard to get into will deter them from making an attempt. If your house upkeep is good – no cracked paving slabs, a tidy front yard – then any opportunistic thieves will assume that your security system is similarly up to date and leave your house alone.

Hide Your Valuables

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It’s common sense to make sure that your more valuable possessions are not visible through windows. Invest in blinds or net curtains so it’s harder to see in from outside. Inside, keep your TV and other electronics inside cabinets, or behind artwork. If you have good storage, less of your possessions will be out on display, meaning that thieves will be less tempted to break in.