Brain Wave, Family and Home living, Life in general

Could You Become Accustomed To A Custom Home?

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Like more big things in our life, we have an imaginary perfect home. Every detail right down to the shape of the door handles, we’ve thought about incessantly. Alas, 99% of our dream home is custom. You couldn’t find it anywhere else, except in your mind. Well, if you have money and willpower, you can create a custom home. Be warned, however, once you see how incredible your home begins to look and you feel the new attitude it takes on, you will want to have more of it. You will yearn to become accustomed to a customized home because it’s your soul that you’re living in. That’s what a perfect home is all about, living in a cocoon of your own desires.

The wonders of light

Before you begin to change large parts of your home, adhere to the wonders of light. A well-lit home brings to life corners that were previously dead, shaded areas that were melancholy and nooks that were neglected. When you enter the home, the first thing you’ll notice are the stairs, foyer, hallway and the lighting. Consider placing LED lights in the wall beside each step, so the staircase is lit up by itself. It becomes an entity on its own. Taking a few bricks out of the wall and placing a candle dome inside the gap, would spray the light of a flickering flame on your foyer and hallway. For each room, buy a side table, on which you will place LED lamps of different styles. The oriental, Persian, Victorian and oil lamp styles speak of timeless elegance.

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Brain Wave, Family and Home living

Make Your Home Your Biggest Source of Stress Relief

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As we navigate the trials and tribulations of the COVID-19 lockdown, we’re all focusing our efforts on the home. After all, we’re spending virtually 23 hours a day indoors. Your home has become so much more than just your living space. It’s also your gym, your workplace, your restaurant, your cafe, your bar. It’s the new social hub around which you live your life. We may bemoan the restrictions that the lockdown places on our lifestyles or pine for the simple pleasures like going to the movies or sipping a latte in a coffee shop. But now more than ever it behooves us to light a candle instead of cursing the dark. With a little love and care, your home can be your refuge from the world’s woes. A haven of tranquility, calm and stress relief. Here are some tips to help your home ease your troubled mind and sleep easy every night…

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Let there be light… natural light

Artificial lighting costs money. Even if you’re using handy dandy energy saving bulbs. It can also have a detrimental effect on your mental health. Especially if you’re transitioning from a stressful day’s work right into having to deal with understimulated kids who finished all their schoolwork an hour ago. Artificial light can actually elevate your stress levels. So try and focus on maximizing your home’s natural light levels.

Investing in awning windows, making sure all windows in the home are sparkling clean and switching out heavy drapes for blinds can all help to flood your home with natural light. Not to mention helping to balance your household budget. And knowing you’re not wasting money is a great form of stress relief!

Plant power = positivity!

We need plants now more than ever. First of all, keeping plenty in your kitchen cupboards, freezer and refrigerator can help you to enjoy peak immune function throughout this crisis. A mostly (or entirely) wholefoods plant based diet is loaded with protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals which can help to improve immune function, and boost your mood.

But it’s not just the plants you eat that can have mood boosting properties. House plants also help to reduce stress and elevate mood by bringing the outside indoors, oxygenating your space and creating a feeling of calm, wherever you put them.

They really are essential oils!

It isn’t just the things we see that can help us to combat stress. Our sense of smell actually has a profound effect on our mood. Invest in an essential oil diffuser and some oils and you’ll enjoy less stress at work and more restful nights. Use jasmine or lavender to help you sleep, cedar or sandlewood to help you relax in the living room and citrus or mint to help you concentrate in your home office.

Keep it natural, keep it neutral

Finally, try to use natural materials such as wood, stone and natural fabrics like cotton in your home decor. Synthetic materials like plastic, chrome and man made fibers can actually help us feel less comfortable and relaxed. Natural materials and a neutral color palette (with the odd splash of color) are far more helpful in helping you to feel calm… come what may!

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Brain Wave, Family and Home living, Money matters

The Best Ideas To Get Your Household Budget Back On Track

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It can be hard to handle the household financial budget. There are always bills leaving your account and unexpected spending that you need to do. Which is why we can all face problems and let our finances get a little out of control sometimes. However, with a few tips and savvy ideas implemented, you can get your household budget back on track. With that in mind, here are some suggestions to help you do it.

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Take a look at your current budgets

One of the main issues could be hiding in your current budgeting situation and the bills you pay. So take some time out to analyse your bank statements and look at what goes out each day and what comes in. You will be surprised by how many times you go to the food store, or even bills that you thought were canceled still leaving your account. Just doing this exercise alone can help you make some valuable savings to your income.

Are you entitled to any additional aid?

Some people are just not able to work as much as they would like, or simply can’t get in to do the job they once did due to a disability. These situations can often leave you struggling to make ends meet. There are often cases where people didn’t realise they are entitled to some financial aid, that could help you sort your finances out. This can also be researched and explored when it comes to debts. Getting help to enable you to clear things off and get more stability with your finances.

Could you save money by switching providers for your common bills

Sometimes we can find ourselves sticking with the same supplier of household bills for things like energy and insurance products. However, sticking with the same companies doesn’t always mean we are paying the best rates. Which is why switching them over to new companies could provide you with huge savings. This works with things like energy, buildings or contents insurance, or even mobile phone and broadband providers. You could also explore websites such as Prepaid Bill which could help you to see where a change of the way you make payments for certain bills like a phone bill could help you to make some savings. How much money could you save yourself each month?

Think about ways to save on your spending

Sometimes we have control over some of our outgoings like buying food, for example. However, this sort of spending can be reduced if you implement different habits such as meal planning, batch cooking, or simply writing a list before you head to the store. Other things that need to be bought can be children’s clothes or even spending for birthdays and Christmas. Consider using discount codes or coupons to reduce your outlay and bring the overall cost down.

Could you improve your situation in other ways?

Finally, there may be other ways to improve your situation financially. You could consider a different job role with better financial opportunity. You could even think about ways to make money online or in your spare time. There are many ways you can boost your income, but one of the biggest places to start is on your current habits and outgoings.

Let’s hope these tips help you to get your household budget back on track.

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Brain Wave, Money matters

Investing Even When You Have No Cash

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Many investing gurus talk about how recessions are the best time to invest. Currencies are in freefall, and stocks are in decline, providing ample opportunities to pick up a bargain.

But there’s a problem with this idea. It assumes that you have cash available.

“Buying the dip” is one of the great ironies of investing. Right at the moment when assets are at their cheapest, you don’t have money in your bank to snap them up. You want to take advantage of the low prices, but you can’t. It seems like you have to bite the bullet and watch the opportunity pass you by.

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But do you?

In this post, we’re going to take a look at all the ways that you can invest if you have no cash. Some of these are high-risk strategies, so consider yourself warned. Also, this does not constitute advice. It is merely some thoughts on how you might make money when your bank account is relatively empty.

Bet The House

If you have a mortgage and a house, then it is likely that you have built up a considerable amount of equity. One option, therefore, is to go to the bank and take out an equity release plan. You can then use this freed-up cash to invest in other assets that are on sale right now, such as stocks. Remember, it is likely that stocks will recover faster and further than house prices in the coming months and years. So, by the end of the process, you should be in a much better position financially.

Lever Up Your Forex Account

Even if you don’t have much money in your forex account, you can always approach your forex broker and ask for leverage.

The concept here is simple. You borrow money to take advantage of opportunities in the market, and then you pay it back out of your winnings. The idea, therefore, is similar to equity release, except here the loan is unsecured. The organization managing your trading account sends you extra cash. You then attempt to make money on the foreign exchange markets. And then when you do, you pay them back.

Of course, if you decide to go down this route, you need to understand what you’re doing. If you don’t, then you could see the value of your investment fall, making it more challenging to pay back the original loan. If, however, you have a track record making money on the currency markets, then, by all means, lever up. It could amplify your returns.

Buy Part-Shares

Buying a single Google or Amazon share is expensive. Just one slice of the pie can cost you more than a thousand dollars. A lot of people just don’t have that kind of cash lying around.

Now, though, you can buy these stocks via a third party. That organization buys up a bunch of shares and then sells ownership rights to part of them. When you issue a sell order, they give you “fair value” by selling out of cash reserves or liquidating their holdings.

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Brain Wave, Shopping and Merchandise

Dressing Up and Owning It

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What is the right dress for an special occasion? Birthdays, weddings, funerals, job interviews, parties, and any other special event or occasion there is. The answer is it depends. One factor is the dress code, the degree of formality of the event or occasion. It it formal or casual? Are there guests who are up there in the social ladder who will be gracing the event?

elegant dress

It is best to keep elegant dresses in the closet. I believe there is a saying that it is better to be overdressed than underdressed. Is that right? An elegant dress can go a long way in an event or party. It is a matter of dressing up and owning it! Imagine wearing an Elegant Shift V neck Pleated Embossed Statement Midi Dress with minimal accessories so the focus will be on the dress alone.

Going to a holiday or cocktail party, a dinner event or a gala will require something dressier than your average attire. These occasions will give you the pass to push the glitz and glamour of what to wear. A midi dress, something with sequins, a flashy skirt, or a dress with embellishments.

green dress

Flattering a woman’s curves and accentuating her good angles are very important in choosing what to wear. A green dress with 3/4 sleeves A-line and embroidered will give the woman an illusion of a small waist and longer posture.

Always dress accordingly for whatever occasion or event you are going to. For elegant and lovely dresses, affordable, too, there is kis.net where you can get it from. There are so many lovely dresses to choose from, all dresses made to highlight a woman’s beautiful body. There is a dress for every occasion.

A tip for every woman out there: make sure you have an elegant dress sitting in your closet for a special occasion. You just never know when you will need one.

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Brain Wave, Life in general

The Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make If You Get Into A Road Accident

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We all like to think that it will probably never happen to us, but that’s simply ignoring the statistic probability. The stats say that all drivers get into at least one collision on the road and, for the majority of people, it won’t be too major to really concern you. However, there’s no point taking chances. You need to be prepared. As such, here we’re going to look at some of the most common mistakes that people make after getting involved in a car accident and what you should do instead.

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Don’t say “sorry” or accept blame

Emotions might be running high and you might be truly concerned about the safety of the individuals in the other vehicle. However, do not let that concern take over and make you say “sorry” or things like “it was my fault.” Anything you say, even in the heat of the moment, can be held against you in a claim. The other party’s insurance company will do what they can to avoid making the payout after an accident, which can include making your insurance provider payout instead. Make sure that they’re okay, but don’t put your foot in your mouth. In fact, try to keep any unnecessary discussion with the other party to a minimum just to make sure you don’t trip yourself up.

Don’t walk away from the scene

The laws differ from state to state, so you have to be sure that you’re extra careful to break any of your own state statutes. For instance, statute § 10-102 dictates that any drivers involved in an accident to stop immediately at the scene or close to the scene of the accident. Simply driving off can put you in danger of being charged with a hit and run. This can turn a simple insurance dispute into a misdemeanor or, in the event of serious damage or injury, a felony. You might want or even need to get out of there as soon as possible, but you don’t need it more than you need to avoid getting charged with a crime in the getaway.

Don’t neglect to inform those who need to know

Regardless of whether they’re going to have to pay for it, it’s important to let your insurance company know that the accident has happened. If you don’t, then that failure to inform them can be used against you later. Similarly, it is not only a bad idea to not inform the emergency services, but it may be against the law in some states. O.S. § 10-107, for instance, requires you to notify the policy, county Sherriff, or nearest State Highway Patrol as soon as possible. As mentioned, you shouldn’t leave the scene of the accident either, as you may have to be questioned. Simply put, if you get in an accident, be prepared to stay there for as long as is necessary.

Don’t talk to their insurance company alone

As mentioned, it’s important to watch what you say. This applies not only to the other party involved in the accident, but also to their insurance company. They may get you to try to enter in an unfair settlement agreement even when they know their client is at fault. A low-ball offer may be their way of cutting their own costs in dealing with the accident. As such, it can be risky to speak to their insurance company without a lawyer advising you on how to handle the case. A lawyer can help you get the chain of events straight, as you will have to recount them to the at-fault insurance company at some point. If you misspeak or agree to something they say, they may later use it against you.

Don’t neglect to take what evidence you can

After you have made sure that everyone is safe and you have notified both the emergency services and your insurance provider and made steps to get in touch with a lawyer, your next step is then to take a closer look at the scene of the accident. Be as safe as you can, not getting too close to any risk. However, if you can take pictures of the scene, they may later help support you if you were not at fault. Similarly, if there are any witnesses that have stayed around, you should consider asking them if they would be willing to give you their contact details and make a statement about what they said. Gathering evidence to support your story can lend a lot of viability to your case.

Don’t neglect to get yourself checked out

First of all, it’s important to talk to your doctor as soon as you can because even if you feel fine, there may be injuries under the surface that have yet to make themselves clear. It’s important to be as safe as possible when it comes to a car accident. Furthermore, when it comes to making a claim, you are going to need evidence that you did, in fact, sustain an injury. If injuries later appear and you try to make a claim on them, but you didn’t get checked out after the crash, this can be used to plant doubt that your grievances are legitimate or related specifically to the accident.

Don’t lose your cool

As mentioned, after an accident, tensions can be running high indeed and you might be feeling anger or disbelief. If the other driver is being non-communicative and uncooperative, that might even get you more upset. However, losing your cool can lead to a lot more harm than good. For one, your first concern should be that everyone is okay and, if not, that they get whatever help they need. The other driver might be disoriented or injured so that should be your first thought. Second of all, their emotions are likely to be running high, too. If you antagonize them in any way, it leads to a more dangerous situation. Road rage can lead to violent interactions, so it’s important to maintain your cool and follow the steps detailed here above all else.

Don’t file a lawsuit without help

Anyone has the opportunity to file a lawsuit after a car accident. You don’t necessarily need the help of a lawyer to do that. However, doing it by yourself is highly discouraged. A mistake anywhere in the process, even a small one, can result in not only having the case dismissed but could also lose you a lot of money in the process. Make sure you have the help you need.

Don’t forget to take stock

Once the accident is over and any legal issues are all dealt with, it’s important that we try to learn from the incident to prevent it from ever happening again. Even if you were at no fault, it should drill in the importance of safe driving and what risks to avoid on the road, such as drowsy or aggressive driving. Be mindful of your mental and emotional state after the accident, as well. It might take a while to manifest but a lot of people exhibit signs of stress, anxiety, and even PTSD during the recovery from a car accident. It’s important to identify when you need help and to find it.

Try to keep the above in mind and memorize it. If you do ever end up getting in an accident, then perhaps you can stop yourself from making one of the mistakes that could see you not getting the compensation you deserve or, even worse, getting the blame for it.

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Brain Wave, Family and Home living

5 Things to Consider Before Having a Baby

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Hoping to start a family soon? Here are some steps you could take before trying to conceive that will likely make things easier for you when the baby comes along.

Career and finances

Working around raising a family isn’t the easiest, high living costs means that families often need two working partners just to make ends meet. If you’re not big on the idea of putting your child into childcare every day then finding a flexible work-from-home career could be the best way to balance the both. Home based businesses, blogging and freelancing are all ideas of ways you can earn money from home, spend some time before starting a family getting yourself set up with this so you can continue earning this way later down the line.

Living arrangements

Is the place you live in right now suitable for raising a baby in? If you’re in a tiny apartment for example or have lots of stairs to go up with no elevator then getting a pram in and out will be close to impossible. Maybe you’d just like a bigger or nicer house with a garden before having a family. If you’re able to move and get settled before children come along then this will be much easier than moving later down the line.

Health

Getting your physical and mental health up to scratch before having a baby is no bad thing. Speak to your GP, have anything checked out that you’re not sure about and get yourself onto the right treatment and medication if there are any issues. You might want to lose weight, improve your fitness and give your diet a boost for a year before trying to put yourself in the best position possible. This will help both with conception and having a healthy pregnancy.

Relationship

Many people make the mistake of having a baby to save a failing relationship, this isn’t the right thing to do. Babies put pressure even on the strongest relationships, if you’re already having trouble then things will almost certainly get worse. Go to relationship counselling, or ask yourself if this is really the person you should be doing this with before you go ahead.

Other issues

Sometimes it can feel like it’s never the right time to have a baby, and admittedly things might never be ‘perfect’. But there are a few things that are worth waiting to resolve until bringing a child into the world, ideally. For example, if you’re in lots of debt you might want to pay that off first. If a loved one is very unwell then waiting until you feel less stressed about what’s going on might be an idea. Maybe you’re even working with a company like Wall & Wall Attorneys At Law PC to resolve legal or criminal issues- it’s best to wait until these kinds of things are resolved before trying. Have a think about whats going on in your life and ask yourself if it’s the right time.

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