7 Ways to Boost Your Pension Nest Egg

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Krissyar

Retirement is the time to start all those jobs you have been putting on the backburner for years. Alternatively, you could take off and spend a few months travelling to new places. Whatever your plan for retirement, one thing is certain: if you don’t spend time building a nest egg, retirement is not going to be much fun.

1. Invest in Property

Property is an excellent pension investment. In most cases, property outperforms traditional savings accounts by a wide margin. However, this does depend on the type of property you buy and where it is located. It also depends on how you buy the property. Paying cash is always preferable, but you could also look at hard money loans Virginia from Washington Capital Partners if you don’t have the cash and you want to make a quick purchase.

2. Retire Later

The later you retire the more money you will accumulate in your pension pot. If you are healthy, this is a sensible plan. An extra year working can make a big difference, especially if you make extra contributions during that time.

3. Start Saving Early

Too many people leave it too late to start saving into a pension. You might have more disposable income in your 40s, but it is much too late to build a decent pension pot. Pensions benefit from accumulated interest, so the sooner you start saving, the more interest you accumulate. Ideally, start saving into a pension when you are in your 20s. So tweak your w4 calculator and start saving some money! Yes, retirement is a long way off, but the years soon pass!

4. Spend Less

If you live the high life, whatever pension income you have will soon dwindle. Instead of spending like tomorrow is never going to come, keep an eye on your bank balance and build some savings for a rainy day.

5. Invest in Stocks and Shares

Investing in the stock market is a risky proposition, but if you have a reasonable amount of disposable income and a good knowledge of the financial markets, you could generate some extra income. However, don’t gamble with what you can’t afford to lose and spread your investments across a wide range of different investments to minimize the possibility of a cataclysmic loss.

6. Invest in Art

Do you have an eye for art? If so, look out for up and coming artists and invest in their work. Work by undiscovered artists is usually inexpensive, but if they hit the big time, it becomes far more valuable. Imagine how rich you would be right now if you had bought one of Damian Hirst’s creations before he became famous.

7. Start a Business

A successful business is an enviable pension plan for its owners. By the time you retire, your business could be worth millions and when you eventually sell up, you get to pocket the proceeds. Isn’t that a nice scenario?

Retirement planning is complex and professional advice should always be sought before decisions are taken. Don’t leave retirement planning until it is too late, or you might not have the income you need.

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Help, Rodent’s Infesting Your Home? These Tips Will Help You Keep them At Bay

Posted on July 31, 2016 by Krissyar

It’s one of those things that can send shivers down your spine. Unexpected noises that are coming from the roof or walls of your home. Droppings littered around your house with no explanation as to where they came from. This is where you could be in a serious threat of a rodent infestation. They are never nice.
While it’s always best advised to get in a rodent control company to clear your home from the problem, there are things you can do to keep them at bay. With that in mind, I thought i would share with you some of those tips. Hopefully helping you rid yourself of this problem for good.

mouse

Rodents are attracted to the smell that foods give off. This is what can attract them into your home in the first place. Which is why it is always best to keep your food in sealed containers to avoid any contamination and encouragement.

 

Take care of your outdoor disposal area

 

While it’s just as important to keep food sealed indoors, the same rule applies for outdoor waste. This is where your problem could start. Ensuring your bins have secured lids and that your waste is properly disposed of often is a great way to keep rodents at bay. It’s also a great idea to keep waste disposal areas clean, to avoid attracting unwanted pests.

 

Credit

 

Consider a pet cat

 

While it may not be the best answer, a pet cat can be a deterrent to rodents. They will avoid places where they can feel threatened, and a cat should do the trick here.

 

Look out for any holes in your home

 

You may be very aware of taking care of the general maintenance of your home, but sometimes these things can go unnoticed. Rodents can fit through very small spaces. So look out for holes around pipework that will allow them to gain entry into your home. If needed, seal them up as best you can.

 

Remove potential homes and breeding grounds

 

Rats like to burrow in leaf piles and under bushes where they are sheltered. So try and keep these kinds of things to a minimum. Clear your garden away and keep things tidy and also cut back your bushes. If you struggle with garden maintenance, it may be good idea to consider having a gardener visit regularly. They also consider nesting areas to be things like shredded paper so keep your recycling area as tidy as possible with all bin lids shut.

 

Keep the toilet seat down

 

While this may be an extreme situation rats can swim and round bends. Sp getting up pipework is no problem. You would be a greater risk if you lived close by to rivers or canals, where rodents are more prevalent. So keep that toilet seat down, you have been warned.

 

While some people will struggle with this issue more than others, it’s vital to keep your home and outside areas as clean as possible. This will always be a deterrent to rodents and hopefully, will avoid you having to call out the exterminators anytime soon.

 

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LEGO BrickUniverse Convention Coming to Columbus

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Krissyar

I have received tickets to attend this event in exchange for my time. All opinions are my own.

Who doesn’t love LEGO right? Well the LEGO BrickUniverse Convention is fun for the entire family!!!

LEGO-BrickUniverse3

The LEGO BrickUniverse Convention is coming to the Greater Columbus Convention Center August 20-21! The LEGO BrickUniverse Convention will offer children of all ages an opportunity to build, create and enjoy an immersive LEGO experience through engaging play areas, family-oriented building activities and more.

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Featured activities include:

  • Challenge Zone: the whole family is on the hook to show off their creative building skills in this emceed challenge
  • Building Zones: enjoy a creative build, play, and display area
  • LEGO DUPLO: the youngest builders can explore building their imaginations and so many ways to play with DUPLO bricks
  • Monochromatic Builds: limiting the materials to one color and one size creates amazing results
  • LEGO Architecture: Build intricate and detailed LEGO models using thousands of white LEGO Architecture bricks
  • LEGO Retail: purchase LEGO merchandise and goodies
  • Fan Zone: with creations from some of the world’s best LEGO Fan Builders
  • BIONICLE Warrior Building: construct a LEGO BIONICLE Warrior
  • LEGO Artist Rocco Buttliere: Over 40 different world skyscrapers and landmarks built-to-scale in LEGO
  • BRICK Theater: learn from LEGO experts, artists, master builders, and author in teaching session throughout the day
  • Minifigure Art: Get yourself “legoized” <—- I SO CAN’T WAIT TO DO THIS FOR MY SON (and myself I’m not gonna’ lie)!!!

 

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When:
August 20: 10pm-4pm

August 21: 10pm-4pm

Where
Greater Columbus Convention Center (Hall E)
400 N High St.
Columbus, OH 43215

 

Enter below for your chance to win a 4 pack of tickets to LEGO BrickUniverse!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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A Basic Guide To Keeping Your Home Clean And Tidy, And When To Call In The Experts

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Krissyar

We all like to live in a clean and tidy home, but sometimes it can be difficult to know which jobs to start with, and which are going to need extra help. Here are a few top tips on how to make sure your own home is as clean and organised as possible:

cleaning

Daily Cleaning

Daily chores should be kept on top of before they mount to an unmanageable mess. Usual jobs like wiping down the worktops, making the beds and hoovering through can all be done yourself. But, if you live a busy lifestyle and struggle to keep on top of everything, there are house cleaning services that can help you. The level of service you require can be discussed. So whether you want someone to take care of everything, or just help once or twice a week, it’s worth a call.

 

Carpets and Upholstery

Hoovering carpets and mopping floors regularly will keep most of the dirt and dust at bay. But it can be a good idea to get professional cleaners in once every now and again, to give carpets a thorough shampoo and cleaning. Send any rugs to the dry cleaners to be washed, as they can be damaged if you try them at home. And hard flooring can be steamed or revarnished.

 

laundry

 

Laundry

In a busy family, dirty clothes can quickly pile up if unmanaged. Try to keep on top of it all with regular washes, and make sure they really are dirty before they go in the laundry basket. Services are available to iron if you want, or they can take care of all of the washing from start to finish.

 

Cooking

Meals are a lot simpler when you have pre-planned them. Write a meal plan at the beginning of the week and make sure you stick to the schedule. Writing a grocery list is much easier when you know what meals you have to buy for, and it’s easier to avoid the last minute takeaways when you already know what’s for dinner.

The People's Garden at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington D.C., on Thursday, March 17, 2011. Volunteer executive master gardeners pitch in several times a week, at various times of the day (before or after work hours, or during lunchtime) to weed, mulch, plant, water and what ever it takes to grow a wide variety of produce. Although a few are ornamental, most are destined for charity kitchens. Located on the corner of Jefferson Dr. SW and 12th St. SW, people often stop to ask questions about the garden. Part of the volunteersÕ training is to be a spokes person for the People's Garden Initiative, an effort by the USDA that challenges its employees to establish People's Gardens at USDA facilities worldwide or help communities create gardens. People's Gardens vary in size and type, but all have a common purpose - to help the community they're within and the environment. USDA photo by Lance Cheung

The People’s Garden at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington D.C., on Thursday, March 17, 2011. Volunteer executive master gardeners pitch in several times a week, at various times of the day (before or after work hours, or during lunchtime) to weed, mulch, plant, water and what ever it takes to grow a wide variety of produce. Although a few are ornamental, most are destined for charity kitchens. Located on the corner of Jefferson Dr. SW and 12th St. SW, people often stop to ask questions about the garden. Part of the volunteersÕ training is to be a spokes person for the People’s Garden Initiative, an effort by the USDA that challenges its employees to establish People’s Gardens at USDA facilities worldwide or help communities create gardens. People’s Gardens vary in size and type, but all have a common purpose – to help the community they’re within and the environment. USDA photo by Lance Cheung

 

 

Gardening

Weeding and dead-heading are vital for keeping your garden looking it’s best, especially in the summer when plants are most active. Keep your lawn looking lush with regular mowing, and keep hedges trimmed and neat. There are many gardeners and handymen available if you cannot keep up, so call around for help before you give up on your outdoor space.

 

Cars

Most people use their car nearly every day, and it becomes a lot dirtier than you might imagine. Try not to keep rubbish and belongings in there, and keep anti-bacterial wipes and tissues for any emergency spills. Washing and cleaning your car can be an unpleasant job, but there are many car washing facilities available if you choose to let someone else do it.

 

Windows

During the warmer months, windows can get dusty and dirty. While it’s relatively easy to clean the inside of windows, and the outside of ground floor, cleaning any higher windows can prove difficult. Trying to combine ladders with cleaning difficult areas can be quite dangerous, so if you’re not feeling confident enough call a local window cleaner to help out.

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Gaining the Competitive Edge with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Krissyar

As a professional, getting a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree will help you to become competitive in several ways. Here is a brief outline of some of the ways you can benefit:

  1. You get an opportunity to earn more money as a professional

Many studies indicate that individuals who hold Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees tend to be better off than their Associate-level counterparts. For example, research by PayScale shows that a RN with a BSN earns a median $60,369 a year versus $57,523 for a RN with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). While the money difference starting out may seem small, one thing to keep in mind is that BSN graduates tend to be offered better jobs and have a faster track to management and director positions.

Therefore, when you get a degree in nursing, you tend to increase your chances of earning more money out of the gate than your ADN-degree peers, but even better-positioned to earn more over the course of your career.

  1. You will have access to a wide variety of jobs

In practice, nurses have access to a wide variety of jobs. As a nurse, you may decide to work as a family nurse practitioner, clinical nurse manager or even simply as a nursing manager. The number of job openings that are available for any of these positions usually varies all the time. This means that competition for job openings may get intense at times.

Interestingly, when you have a BSN, you tend to fit in any of these positions. According to the Nurse Journal, individuals who have higher degrees in nursing usually have the advantage of getting more job opportunities that pay more as compared to their counterparts without degrees or with associate-level schooling.

This implies that while your peers with ADNs will be confined to specific positions, you will have the advantage of competing for more positions. This will definitely help you to secure a job relatively easily.

  1. It is easier for you to progress in your nursing career when you have a degree

Like any other career, the nursing career has different levels, which are characterized by different pay rates and types of duties. As a professional nurse, you will definitely want to move from the entry level position to higher positions in your career.

Moving up the career ladder will largely be determined by the level of skills and expertise that you show. Interestingly, getting a degree will help you to get the right skill set that will help you to easily progress in your career. When you look at a typical Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree curriculum, in this case Arizona College’s, it’s easy to see the well-roundedness you’ll be exposed to. Everything from ethics and leadership to critical thinking, natural science and general studies will be taught, in addition to everything about human systems and nursing science. When it comes time to convince your employer years down the road that you are the best candidate to be considered for promotion, you can point to how you hit the ground running from day one, and that just wouldn’t have been possible without a more comprehensive, higher-level degree.

  1. A degree in nursing helps you to be better equipped for a challenging career

In general, a degree in nursing is designed to expose you to a wide range of knowledge areas that are related to the nursing career. This means that when you choose to study for this degree, you will be exposed to a wide range of knowledge as part of your training.

Furthermore, the depth of the curriculum that is used in many schools means that you will gain in-depth understanding of specific aspects that are critical for your professional practice. Gaining such a depth of knowledge and technical skills will not only make you more productive in your work as a professional nurse, but also help you to successfully manage more challenging tasks that you are likely to encounter in the course of your work.

Therefore, it can be seen that getting a degree in nursing will make you very competitive as a professional nurse. This is because it will increase your chances of getting jobs that pay better, apart from equipping you with skills that will help you progress faster in your career.

 

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