Thursday, January 4, 2018

12 Ways Adults Can Have More Fun


The fun doesn’t have to stop now you’re an adult. There are plenty of ways you can add a little laughter, creativity, and spontaneity into your life. Simply read the following twelve ways adults can add a little more fun to their lives.

Break Free from an Escape Room
An escape room isn’t your average game. It will put your intelligence and instinct to the test, as you will solve puzzles and crack codes to escape the room within 60 minutes. You will feel a buzz of adrenaline in your body each time you crack a code – and a great sense of achievement if you break free from a Pittsburgh Escape Room.

Host a Games Night
Board games are for kids, right? Wrong. There is nothing better than gathering your friends together to host a games night. Stock up on plenty of food and drinks, as well as a variety of games to test their knowledge and ingenuity, such as Monopoly or charades. There will be much laughter throughout the night, as you each enjoy a little healthy competition to become the winner.

Join a Sports Team
If you have a passion for a sport, consider joining a sports team to embrace your love for a game and have a little fun. Find an adult sports team that will help you to connect with others, and it will even provide you with an opportunity to enjoy more exercise. It’s a win-win.

Buy Adult Coloring Books
Most kids experienced hours of fun with coloring books. You might be happy to learn this is one activity that doesn’t have to stop once you reach adulthood. There are now a variety of adult coloring books on the market, which can be a relaxing activity following a busy personal or professional life. So, whenever you feel a little stressed, pull out your pencils and coloring book to create a work of art.

Enjoy a Movie Night with Friends
Many adults have busy lives, as they are juggling cooking, cleaning, and decorating with a hectic career. It’s therefore easy to feel a little stressed once the working week is over. For this reason, you should try to enjoy a little downtime – and there’s no better way to do so than with a movie night with friends. Chill with those closest to you to simply unwind as you watch a gripping drama or hilarious comedy, which will make all the tension melt away from your body.

Invite Family to a Summer BBQ
Food and drink is the ultimate way to bring people together to talk, laugh and make memories. For this reason, you should consider hosting a BBQ on a sunny day in your yard. You will love the smell of a delicious burger sizzling on the grill, while your parents, siblings and cousins laugh while enjoying a variety of good food, drinks, and music. You know that sounds good.

Visit a Museum
Adults love to learn as they get older. That’s why you should boost your knowledge by visiting a local museum. Go along to a museum alone or with your partner, friends, or children to explore different artifacts and learn more about a topic. You never know, it could help you to develop a passion that turns into a fun career or full-time hobby.

Plan a Karaoke Night
Whether you rank yourself with BeyoncĂ© or you can’t hold a note to save your life, you should plan a karaoke night so you can sing until your heart is content. Show off your vocals by belting out your best songs, or have fun as you prove you’re more than a little tone deaf. You don’t need to be talented to enjoy karaoke, and it’s a great way to come together with friends. Just make sure there’s plenty of food and drink flowing to make those off-key romantic ballads bearable.

Hold a Dinner Party
Make time for your loved ones by holding a dinner party, which will fill your home with both love and laughter. It’s an ideal way to talk about anything and everything with your nearest and dearest, as you will laugh until you cry. You can even provide your guests with sharing dishes, which will bring you all closer together over the dinner table. It’s one of the best ways to make fun memories with those you love the most.


Try Something New
Staying within your comfort zone can be more than a little bit boring. Add variety to your life by trying something new. Even if you don’t particularly enjoy the experience, you will have fun trying new things and performing different activities. It can help to keep boredom at bay and could open your world to a whole new experience, activity, or flavor. So, jump out a plane, experience a new cuisine or do something you wouldn’t ordinarily do. You’ll be glad you did.

Do Something Spontaneous
Adults can often become restricted to the same routine each day, so are less willing to be a little spontaneous. As a result, they can easily feel stuck in a rut and bored with the same schedule. Shake things up a little by doing something a little spontaneous, which will add a touch of excitement to your lifestyle. For example, you could say yes to going for a drink with a colleague after work, or you could pack a suitcase and buy flight tickets at an airport.

Find a New Hobby
Hobbies can help prevent daily boredom. If life is becoming a little dull, you should consider finding a new pastime. For instance, you could develop a passion for exercise, can start drawing or painting, or you can write short stories or plays. You can even attend a local cooking class to develop a new skill or passion for a cuisine or could embark on a college course to broaden your knowledge and skillset.

Have you got any top tips for having a little more fun inside or outside the home? Simply share your advice by posting a comment below.

Monday, January 1, 2018

5 Power Tools Every Beginner Woodworker Should Have


As a beginner woodworker, you should buy the most important tools first. With the right tools, you will be able to complete your projects and, more importantly, gain valuable experience. With that in mind, here are five woodworking tools to get you started.

Circular saw
Used primarily to make straight cuts, a circular saw is a must-have tool even for a beginner working on a budget. With a circular saw, you would not necessarily need to buy a table saw because a circular saw can perform most of the work performed by a table saw. For instance, you can use a circular saw to make bevel/miter cuts, as well as make straight accurate rip cuts, including long rips. Moreover, with the right blades, you can use a circular saw in fine woodworking projects.

Miter saw
With a bevel angle ranging from 0 degrees to +45 or -- 45 degrees, a sliding compound miter saw is specifically designed for cutting wood and other materials at different angles accurately. For this reason, a miter saw is an essential tool for woodworking projects that require angled pieces. Examples of such projects include making picture frames, ceiling trim, decorative wall panels, cabinet molding, crown molding, wall panels and baseboards. Miter saws are generally classified into two main categories: compound and non-compound miter saws. Compound miter saws have a blade tilting (bevel) system in addition to the mitering system, meaning they can make compound cuts. A compound cut is basically a combination of both a bevel and a miter cut. The cost of a miter saw depends on its size and features. Hop on over and read Protoolzone's top miter saw buyer's guide for your woodworking projects.

Jigsaw
Similar to a band saw, a jigsaw is used primarily to cut curved and circular patterns in stock. Moreover, when fitted with the right blade, a jigsaw can cut other materials including drywall, fiberglass and steel. Beyond cutting patterns, you can also use a jigsaw to make bevel and compound cuts in materials. Jigsaws are available in both corded and cordless models. While both models are portable, the latter model can be used virtually anywhere on a job site, making it popular with contractors. If you are looking for versatility, you should go for an orbital-action, corded jigsaw with a quick blade change system.

Table saw
This is arguably the most important and versatile tool in a typical woodworking shop. You can make a table saw to make a variety of cuts including rip cuts, cross-cuts, dados, tenons, as well as miter/bevel cuts.  This means that a table saw will likely be the centerpiece around which you use or organize all your other tools, so you should not skimp on this important woodworking tool. Table saws generally fall into one of three categories: hybrid saws, contractor's saws and cabinet saws. Some of the most important considerations when buying a table saw include the size, voltage requirements, fence system, safety features and dust collection system.

Cordless drill
A cordless drill is a versatile and useful woodworking tool that you can rely on for both big and small woodworking projects, from remodeling projects to installing fixtures. Some of the important considerations when choosing a cordless drill include the type of batteries and motor. Drills with lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are generally more powerful and run longer between charges compared to drills with nickel-cadmium batteries. Similarly, drills with a brushless motor generally last longer and generate more power compared to drills with other types of motors.

Conclusion 
Some of the most important tools for a beginner woodworker include a cordless drill, table saw, miter saw, jigsaw and circular saw.  Consider these items to be some of the best gift ideas for the husband, brother, father, son, friend on your shopping list for any occasion!

Uncovering the Essential Concept of Debt Consolidation to be Debt Free


Are you under tremendous pressure because of the piling up debt? Well, debt consolidation may be the best refuge for you in this situation. However, it is important that you should have a clear idea about the concept of debt consolidation.

Debt consolidation means that you should combine all of your unsecured debt into one monthly payment. You can easily manage debt consolidation with the help of a debt consolidation loan.

Different Methods For Debt Consolidation

Managing Consolidation with a Home Equity Loan

If you decide to consolidate with a home equity loan, then this can turn out to be a risky option. The reason is that the unsecured debt becomes secure by your house. Let us assume that you are unable to make the payments; then in this situation, your house can be foreclosed. This is something which you would not want to happen at the end of the day.

Using a Line of Credit to Consolidate Your Debt

You can also use a line of credit to consolidate your debt if your bank gives the approval. The line of credit is usually secured by your house. If you have a good income, then, in this case, the bank may offer an unsecured line of credit also.

Hiring Professional Assistance

You can also think along the lines of hiring a professional debt consolidation company. When you hire a professional company, then, in this case, your payment is consolidated, but the debts are kept separate. What you have to do is send one single payment to the debt consolidation company. The company will manage the division of the payments and send it to the respective creditors. Now, the important thing you need to know is that the debt consolidation world is full of scams and you need to be on your guard. There are debt consolidation companies out there that push you into paying high-interest rates. The result is that you end up paying more in the long-run. There are also companies out there that fail to send your payments to the creditors. This is why it essential that you should evaluate a debt consolidation firm and choose a reliable company to consolidate debt.

It is also vital that you do not misuse the concept of debt consolidation. What generally happens is that when you consolidate your debt, then it helps to acquire free credit. Many people have lured to avail this free credit. As a result, they end up piling new credit on top of the existing one. If you have decided to seek professional help to consolidate your debt, then make sure that you have a good credit score. The reason is that the credit score is the deciding factor in the rates that you will have to pay for consolidating the debt. Another factor that decides your rate for debt consolidation is the collateral that you are willing to offer. Ideally, you should have a clear strategy in mind if you have decided to consolidate your debt. This can help to avoid the problems in the future.

Saturday, December 30, 2017

2018 Means Big Bonuses on Swagbucks ... Cha-Ching!


Looking for a way to rebuild your finances after the holidays? 

If you haven't tried Swagbucks before, you can get a bonus $3 for signing up as my referral during January. Swagbucks is a rewards site where you earn points (called SB) for things you're probably doing online already, like searching, watching videos, discovering deals, and taking surveys. Then you take those points and exchange them for gift cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, Target, or PayPal cash. 

When you sign up through me this month, you can earn a $3 bonus! Here's how: 

1. Sign up using this link 

2. Earn 300 SB total before 2/1/18. You'll get a $3 (300 SB) bonus for it! 

3. If you want even more bonuses, you'll get a $10 (1000 SB rebate) bonus for making your first shop purchase! That's in addition to the SB you earn for every dollar you spend.  

That's it. It's super easy, and Swagbucks is for real. I use it myself, and I've earned 111,401 Swagbucks since joining and usually just cash out in PayPal so I can then use the cash to pay for my Hulu subscription, buy Christmas and birthday gifts, and the other day I bought a bunch of Trim Healthy Mama goodies because I just found out I'm prediabetic and I need to drop about 10 pounds to reduce my risk of diabetes. Swagbucks do SO MUCH!

Friday, December 29, 2017

A Parent’s Guide to Swaddling


Swaddling is the practice of wrapping a baby in a blanket to keep her warm, safe, and secure. It helps prevent babies from inadvertently waking themselves up with their startle reflexes and will keep them cozy and comfortable until their internal thermostats activate.


Most babies respond well to swaddling until they turn about 3 months old. Some of them continue to
enjoy being swaddled after that point, but many of them prefer to have their arms and legs free when
they get a little older.


Swaddling provides many benefits, and it’s an easy way to comfort a newborn.


Reduces the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)


Swaddling reduces the risk of your baby developing SIDS. Most parents know not to put their babies
to sleep on their stomachs, but some babies figure out early how to roll into that position without any
help. Swaddling makes it very difficult for them to flip onto their stomachs which improves sleep safety.


Swaddling also prevents infants from pulling blankets and/or clothing over their faces and covering
their mouths and noses. This also helps decrease the risk of SIDS.


Plays an Important Role in Soothing


Swaddling plays an important role in soothing an infant. If your baby gets upset while you’re swaddling
her, don’t give up. An infant will often get frustrated while she’s being swaddled but will calm down after
you’re done. Go ahead and swaddle, and then add an additional layer of soothing. You could provide a
pacifier, turn on some white noise, or rock a crying baby. The swaddle will help them relax and fall
asleep.


Improved Sleep Quality


Swaddling improves babies’ quality of sleep. By preventing random arm movements, babies are less
likely to wake themselves. Newborns are notorious for taking short cat naps all day, and swaddling can
help turn a short nap into a longer one. This gives the parents time to rest and helps a baby’s mood
and development.


Swaddling Blankets


When you’re choosing swaddling blankets, pick materials that are breathable. You want to keep your
child warm, but you don’t want her to get overheated.


Muslin is a good material for swaddling blankets. It’s a finely woven, lightweight, breathable material
that parents have been using for many years to keep their babies comfortable and safe. It’s also
durable and will get softer with each wash.


If you decide to shop for muslin wraps online, consider ones made from organic cotton. These blankets
are made without the use of pesticides, which is good for your baby and the environment. There are a
variety of designs to choose from, so you’ll be able to find blankets that suit your personality and that
your child will grow to love.


Takeaway

Parents have been swaddling their babies for centuries. It helps keep them calm and relaxed while
improving their sleep length and quality. Swaddling blankets should be lightweight and breathable to
keep babies from overheating. By swaddling your child, you and your baby will enjoy longer, better
naps, and you’ll be able to relax because you’ll know he’s warm, comfortable, and safe.