There is nothing more rewarding for parents than spending quality time with the kids on a family vacation. Snapping pictures, exploring and discovering new territories while blazing new trails can make for great family fun. After all, isn’t that what a family vacation is all about anyway? Just being together, sharing, laughing, talking – creating some of life’s most memorable moments. All too often though, the hopes of a rewarding vacation or day trip with the kids can slowly dwindle into a day of frustration and disappointment. The kids get hungry, then they’re thirsty, they get tired and cranky, now they want to argue and of course the ever proverbial “are we there yet”…coming from the back seat of the car feels as though it will forever be ringing in your ears. Is this bonding? Well…in a sense – yes.Certainly, years from now when the kids are grown you can reminisce and laugh about the trials and tribulations of the family vacation and day trips you used to take. But wouldn’t it be more rewarding knowing that you can actually have fun with your kids in the present moment! Why wait until they’re all grownup to reminisce about the good ol’ day trips gone by.When my family and I take an Arizona vacation or go on a day trip we like to think about bonding with the kids in the present moment. Have fun now, talk with the kids now and share in that hilarious belly laugh now – so that when we all get home we can immediately begin to reminisce about the fun times we had on this family vacation.No matter where your travels may take you and your family the following travel tips will help get you there with your peace of mind in tack so that you can enjoy all of your wonderful “present moments” with your family.Advice and Tips for Arizona Travelers and Vacationers:- Check Your Vehicle: A breakdown could spell disaster for a fun filled day. Whether you are in your own car or a rental, always take a look before you start. Make sure the tires look properly inflated and check the windshield washer fluid. Fill your tank. You can always go to Arizona Day Trails to find out where to buy fuel in Arizona for the least amount of money.- Pack a Cooler: Purchase a small Styrofoam cooler available in any grocery or convenience store for just a few bucks. Pack it with bottled water and a few light snacks. Avoid sweet drinks because they tend to dehydrate you in the Arizona heat. Water will keep you hydrated and feeling good. Keep a box of crackers and Nilla wafers handy because they are easy on the stomach. And drink plenty of water during your day. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty.- Dress Properly and Comfortably: Flip flops and sandals are great around the hotel or pool, but on your Arizona day trip wear durable, comfortable footwear. Pack some sunscreen and wear hats. It doesn’t have to be a Stetson; a baseball cap will do fine. The Arizona desert can get cool in the evening and downright cold at times so keep jackets handy.- Keep the Kids In the Loop: Rotate seats in the car so everybody gets a window. Let the kids help decide things like where to have lunch and spend time at the things that interest them. When our son was 8 or 9 years old he could spend what seemed like all day observing reptiles and other animals at the various places on our day trips. It wasn’t necessarily our idea of heaven but today he is a Biologist preparing for his P.H.D. in Zoology. Who would have guessed? So let the kids pick a place or two to go visit. With a little guidance from you, you may be surprised to find a P.H.D. in your kids too.- Create Family Memories: Pick up small mementos along the way to remind the kids of the places they’ve been and the great things they have experienced. You don’t have to break the bank. It’s the small things that make a difference and are great conversation starters with your kids!- Take Lots and Lots of Photos: When you get back home and are sitting around with the kids, looking at your photo collection, it will hit you. Arizona is so amazingly beautiful- sometimes it just doesn’t sink in until you see it in print.- Don’t Try to Beat the Clock: You can only move as fast as the slowest one in your party. Different size families with kids of various ages travel at different paces. Your family may want to spend more time at one place or another or at one particular activity. Go with the flow and enjoy. Arizona’s wonderful places have been around a long time and they will be there tomorrow. Believe me, you and your kids will be happier enjoying the things you get to do than having the day become a nightmare by trying to rush.- Travel Safe: If you are doing all the driving remember to give your eyes a rest. There are plenty of scenic areas to park and stretch your legs. Take advantage of them. You are going to see some of the most amazing natural beauty on Earth. Take the time to drink it all in. July and August is monsoon season in Arizona and afternoon thunderstorms occur regularly. Be prepared, they usually only last a short time.- Talk and Laugh a Lot: Talk to one another about the things you are doing and the marvelous sights you are seeing. It’s a great time for the kids to use their imagination and express themselves. Listen to them. You will learn things about each other that may surprise you and you will be better off for the experience. Laugh, laugh and laugh some more! Leave your stress and cares behind and have fun. You owe it to yourself and your kids. Life will be waiting when you get home.- Bend the Rules: Extend bedtimes. Take an evening dip in the hotel pool. Have that extra ice cream cone. Whatever it is that is different from the everyday. Step outside late one night with your kids and look up at the sky. The night sky in Arizona is filled with stars to wish on so get out there and look up! City dwellers will be amazed.We hope you keep these hints in mind during your visit to Arizona or wherever you and your family may travel. My wife, Ronnie and I have spent over 30 years traveling throughout Arizona and have found these tips to be true for our family. We know they will be true for yours too.We’ll see ya on the trail! And remember to always be good to each other and your mother Earth. Take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints.
Will Your Rental Property Increase In Value If You Use A Property Manager?
When you own property that you rent out, there can be many headaches and issues and unless this is all you have to do, hiring a property manager may be worth the money.Just right from the beginning when renting a property, there are laws and restrictions which can vary from city to city. Landlords have responsibilities and tenants have rights. Knowing those details can be overwhelming for some people.If your rental property is hit by a natural disaster or man-made disaster, a property manager will have the information and skills to handle the matter for you.This would include finding the tenant temporary housing if needed, finding contractors to make repairs or replacements if needed and in some cases, you can arrange for them to handle any insurance claims for you as well.When it comes time to finding tenants, a property manager will have necessary forms and procedures in place to screen prospective tenants. This screening process will make certain that your property is protected by doing background and reference checks.A property manager will know the questions they need to ask as well as what answers may be cause for concern.In some cities, a rental property must go through an inspection prior to renting it out.A property manager will know what needs to be done to pass those inspections. If there are things to be fixed up that don’t pass the inspection, they will get picked up and the manager will have a list of reliable contacts they use to get those items corrected so that they will pass inspection.A property manager also handles all financial matters with the tenant so that you don’t have that headache.From collecting the initial deposit prior to new tenants moving in and thereafter being responsible for collecting the rent each month and making sure the tenant stays paid up current.It is often the case when you manage your own property and you are faced with the situation where the tenant is behind in the rent. They will come up with all the excuses in the book and if you have a good relationship with that tenant or your personality is more inclined to be a bit gullible you can get caught out.This is a situation where a property manager comes from an unbiased position and will stick to the guidelines you set forth and not have these problems with late rent.Property managers also keep maintenance up on your rental property, both inside and outside.Keeping your property in top condition is a must if you want to protect your investment.When electrical or plumbing problems are addressed and repaired in a timely manner, it is a far better thing than letting something drag on that will cause further damage and cost you more money in the long run. And of course you are unable to rent the property out until it’s in A1 condition and passes the inspection report.In the winter, properties need to be winterized and property managers will have a crew that keeps everything neat and tidy so the property maintains or increases its value.Repairs and maintenance are put on a routine schedule, whereas a property owner will have to make time to inspect the problem, make time to purchase supplies and arrange a tradesman to get the job done.A property management company will have a crew in place to do the job quickly and efficiently thus protecting your property from further damage.For example having pipes burst can cause a lot of damage to a property and in turn decrease the value of your home until it has been repaired or replaced.By letting a property manager handle your rental property, you are putting a little bit of money into one of the largest investments you have, as well as saving yourself aggravation and mental stress.
A Healthy Lifestyle is Man’s Best Choice
Building a healthy lifestyle is a cornerstone to living a full life. Living a healthy lifestyle is more than just cutting calories to lose weight or taking the stairs. A healthy lifestyle is one based on maintaining physical, social and spiritual well being. Remember, a healthy lifestyle is about balance, calculated choices and motivation. A key component to living a healthy lifestyle is exercising on a regular basis.
Exercise
Over the years, research has shown us that diet and exercise play an important role in the prevention of heart disease. Before developing an exercise plan, discuss with your health care team what exercises, if any, would be good for you. Exercise can be fun and the best way to make sure it’s habitual is to incorporate an activity you enjoy into your lifestyle, such as a favorite sport or a nice walk. Regular exercise that makes you sweat is important for detoxification and improving general health.
Physical aerobic exercise is critically important, because it gets oxygen, sugar (as glucose), and nutrients to the brain. Eat a variety of healthy foods from all food groups Drink plenty of water Exercise 30 minutes or more most days of the week. Whatever kind of exercise and nutrition plans you opt for, do not become discouraged if the pounds refuse to drop off right away.
Healthy Diet And Exercise
Healthy diet and exercise are the cornerstones of proper weight management. Healthy food should be eaten as close to the way nature made it as possible; and in this author’s eyes that means RAW. At the farmer’s market or vegetable stand, watch for tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, blackberries, blueberries and watermelon as all are high in anti-oxidants to keep you healthy. Cooking method is extremely important if you are eating healthily because what’s the use of choosing healthy foods then unwisely cooking them by adding excessive oil and fats.
By making healthy nutrition and exercise choices early in life, you may be able to avoid serious health problems when you are older, such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Cut down on the amount of meat you eat, or consider switching to healthy vegetarian eating. Eating small snacks between meals can be a healthy way to add good nutrition and keep your energy up during the day. The key with snacks is to have healthy stuff on hand.
Multivitamins
As you age multivitamins become especially important because multivitamins can help you maintain the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Multivitamins are the safest things that anyone can take and are even safer than drinking coffee, an expert panel has discovered. Multivitamins are an easy way for Americans to garner the vitamins and minerals they need every day to better their health, and general well being. While multivitamins can be a valuable tool to correct dietary imbalances, it is worth exercising basic caution before taking them, especially if any medical conditions exist. Liquid multivitamins don’t have to be digested so they are absorbed within the system a lot quicker than pills. Liquid multivitamins naturally go down easy and are available in a variety of flavors (children enjoy this aspect).
Conclusion
Man health issues need to be taken seriously. Living a healthy lifestyle is not an impossible goal. Living a healthy lifestyle is one of the best choices you can ever make and those who have and continue to do, never regret it.
Video for Small Business
Video presents your business with a new opportunity for marketing. It has the ability to get millions of viewers worldwide. Imagine how this can benefit you. Perhaps you have a small to medium sized business and are wondering if video is right for you. If you use video for small business needs then you are bound to see an increase in subscribers and conversions.
I suspect you may have heard of a site called YouTube. This is a site now owned by Google and allows you to upload your video content. People around the world can then get the chance to view your video. YouTube runs second to Google now in the most popular search engines to use.
The advantage of small business video marketing does not only lie in its global reach. You will find video for small business purposes offers a low cost method of advertising.
All you need for producing good quality video content is a camcorder or some recording device. Also a computer is useful for editing the video content.
If you have an iPhone for example you will find it produces great high quality video content.
Before moving forward with video for small business, there are a few things to be aware of. Although we still use the computer to look at the internet and video, there are also other devices that have become popular. For example, smartphones and iPads are popular. More and more people are accessing the internet on the move these days.
Video marketing experts
No doubt you have a good marketing strategy already. If you want to enhance it further there are people who are capable of creating video for small business owners. This is quite useful for local internet marketing also.
A good strategy is to convert any static text sales pages you have into video sales pages. Articles and publications are other candidates for video content. You will be keeping ahead of your competitors by focussing on strategies like this. You can enlist various services to handle this kind of work for you.
This represents a great marketing strategy when creating video for small business purposes. You can use your video on blogs as well as YouTube in order to spread your message wide.
Sometimes it is better to let others with expertise in video content handle the work for you. This enables you to focus on other areas of your business while they work on creating your videos.
Video marketing tips
On YouTube you will find a variety of video content, some good, some not so good quality. More business owners are using small business video production in order to promote their product or services.
The great thing about YouTube is the massive worldwide audience it has. This is something you need to be a part of as you could be leaving sales on the table by not doing so. This has to be the best video marketing tool to take advantage of if using video for small business. There is no way you could have done this in the past.
Online video allows people to see what you have to offer. Educate and inform them about your products and reap the rewards as a result.
If you create a video for small business you will find it pays dividends for you. People who like your content are bound to come looking for your website. You can gain customers and make sales at the same time when you have more website traffic. Things are not so easy if you don’t.
It can be time consuming to write articles about your products. You need to deliver something that has value and is persuasive to customers. A better way is to convert that article to video content.
Creating video for small business will allow you to use your imagination to create something that has value and connects with your audience. It is not always necessary to show yourself on camera. You could just bring the article or sales page text into the video and narrate over the top. You can be persuasive and show your personality. This is much harder to do in plain old text sales copy.
You have a choice of video formats these days to choose from if you intend to create a video for small business. It is better to go for a camera that is able to record in MP4 or Mov format.
Ensure that it has a socket for an external microphone also as sometimes noise can be picked up from the camera motor. The inbuilt microphone cannot always handle this well. Read the reviews of the camera before investing in it though.
Alternatively, you could use a professional company to get the video made for you. They will be able to make a video for small business and will have the right camera, lighting, computer software etc.
It may be expensive to use a company for the work however, even though the results could be pretty good. Think carefully if you intend to do things this way.
If you want to try and keep online video production costs low then look for someone affordable. The truth is video for small business is affordable. The final output may be better than you expected and you may end up with the video for small business that you were expecting.
You don’t always need ultra-professional quality. I myself prefer to see a slightly amateurish approach as it seems more honest. What is the point of lots of dazzling effects if the video does not deliver on the important content?
Hopefully these tips will stand you in good stead in your video for small business strategy. Get involved with video and push your business ahead.
Conclusion
If your business has an online presence then you should be looking at what video can do for you. Think of the impact video for small business can have on your sales. Video sells things better than plain old text. We prefer to watch rather than read. If you can present visual content you will be branding yourself and getting future sales. Take a look at how best you can incorporate video in your marketing strategy today.
Self Employment Ideas With Low Start
People who are looking for self employment ideas with low start can find a lot of opportunities in many places. They simply need to have some information on how to begin and gather all their knowledge to reach out to the people who will be most interested in their line of business.Coaching is one of the best self employment ideas that has low start up cost. If you’ve always been interested in sports and know a sport inside out, then why not try out being a sports coach? You can coach your neighborhood kids or a local sports club. Or get into coaching a school team if you can manage that.If you like to write and have a flair for language and enjoy creative writing as a pastime, you can turn this into a lucrative career for yourself. Do some freelance writing for a local newspaper or magazine or even write articles or a blog about things you like. This is also one of the best self employment ideas with low start, as you’ll be happy with your job and will get paid for something that you enjoy doing.Online trading is a great idea. The goal is to offer an item and then trade it for something of higher value. People can also try the online buy and sell business. They can put up one or more items for sale on social networking sites and free marketplaces on the internet and then once they get the profits, look for more items to buy and sell online. It’s good to have an eye for things that will eventually increase in value over the next few weeks. Self employment ideas with low start usually involve businesses that are service related.People can offer plumbing services, auto repair services, electrical services, cleaning services, and other professional services at a certain fee. Contractual jobs will render a large amount of income. It will be better to supplement these ideas with a great marketing campaign so that customer demand will grow and the business will also result to extra income and increased reputation for the business owner. Individuals can also try to setup their own website and focus on a particular niche. For example, some people setup a website that offers home cleaning and maintenance services. Aside from the offered services, they also sell home cleaning kits and items and provide articles and good content for people to keep referring back to.
Fire Pits – An Alternative Means to Health and Fitness
Fire, one of the classical elements, has been a source of life since the two proverbial sticks were rubbed together to ignite the first flame. It was used by ancients civilizations to produce warmth in the winter, to keep animals away from camps at night, and to cook food as far back as 1.9 million years ago. Along with water, air, and earth, life as we know it could not be possible without fire. Using a fire pit allows us to take advantage of this powerful alternative life source to help us get on the right path to good health and fitness, on our own terms.Tai Chi, Yoga, and Reiki are ancient forms of exercise that are still practiced today. They combine the union of the body with the mind. Practicing these alongside a fire pit are said to help balance the chakras, which is believed to be a group of 7 centers of spirituality within the core of the body that interact with the rest of the body and mind. In addition, relaxing by a pit while watching the flames dance and feeling the warmth of its energy promotes deep breathing, which is the ideal breathing pattern for encouraging healing from within. These items are widely used during spiritual and religious ceremonies to represent the cleansing of the soul, the life giving energy of a live flame, and the transcendence and new life of the spirit. In some modern Catholic churches, members have the opportunity to list their sins on paper, present them to the clergy, do the recommended penance, and finally drop their list into the fire and watch as the paper burns, creating a visual representation of absolution of sin. Most cultures around the world believe that being relieved of the burden of guilt gives way to inner healing and personal growth, which leads to better mental health and physical fitness.Some variation of the fire pit has been in existence since the first spark was discovered. This old idea has been reinvented and popularized, allowing anyone with access to the outdoors to enjoy this life giving element in a controlled environment. The large variety of pits on the market offers consumers a vast assortment of shapes, colors, and styles to fit an individuals taste and personality. Their popularity has made them accessible to most budgets, so it’s no surprise that their use has gained popularity among those who seek alternative and traditional paths to health and fitness.
Digital Photography – Digital Cameras and Its Benefits
Although photography has been in the market for quite some time, some people still ask “how much it’s going to cost me?”, “what a digital camera can do?” and “why do I need photography?”Let’s look at each of them in detail:As digital photography is getting more popular, things are going to get cheaper. One of the reasons is that manufacturers are competing for market share and they are more likely to launch cheaper cameras with more functions. Just look at the compact digital camera in the market now, you can get a camera with at least 9 megapixels and 10x optical zoom at the price of less than $300. Even the DSLR cameras nowadays are getting more and more affordable.Also when competitions are getting stronger, manufacturers will try to make cameras with as many features as possible. It is like an unwritten rule that compact digital cameras nowadays must be able to record video and audio. When you launch a point and shoot camera without this feature, your potential clients might not even want to look at it.Also some digital cameras nowadays are equipped with sophisticated editing software and touch screen capability. You can now add stars, fog it up or add other wacky stuff on the camera.Since you can operate your camera with touch screen, you can expect that one day, you will see the LCD screen big enough to occupy the back of your camera. Can you imagine how much fun it is to look at your pictures in such a big screen and it will be more breath taking when the manufacturers throw in wide angle lens together.Now, when you are going into digital photography, it is only logic that you have a digital camera. Photography is more than a hobby. It is about keeping the memory of that special moment. You want to remind yourself that you were once there at that period. You want to be able to show your child that you were young once and how life was back then. It is a different experience when you look back at your photos 10 years ago. Go have a look at them now.
A Laptop Lifestyle
Let’s start by looking into the meaning of the term “a laptop lifestyle”. Leading a laptop lifestyle means your entire job or business, and thus your income, can be controlled and managed with a laptop. In other words, you can do your job or run your business anywhere and anytime, as long as you have a laptop and an internet connection.This aspect in itself usually results in you having much more time freedom, since you completely eliminate any amount of time lost during transportation to and from the location where your job or business is located. Furthermore, you can now decide for yourself exactly “when” you want to perform the necessary tasks, and you don’t have to do it in a single stretch. You can manage which task you’ll do at which moment of the day.On top of it all, most online activities can be automated to a very high degree, meaning your own work load will be dramatically reduced, and instead of working 8-10 hours/day you could very well be working only 2 hours a day!Most people tend to think this kind of lifestyle is only for the rich, the celebrities or for the technically gifted.But what if I told you this lifestyle could be obtained by almost anybody? What if I told you, that YOU TOO can create a laptop lifestyle which would enable you to spend most of your time with your family and friends, doing whatever you really like to do?What if I could show you a way to start making money online within 6 to 12 weeks? And what if I could than show you how to scale that income to a 4, 5 or even 6 figure income within the next 6 to 12 months?I know, for most people, this will sound too good to be true, especially considering you could run this business from anywhere in the world, as long as you have an internet connection and a laptop or a computer.What does it take to create a laptop lifestyle?This is where it gets a little tricky, because most people have a wrong idea about what it takes to create such a laptop lifestyle. Many people think you need to be a computer genius or a marketing guru to make this possible. Many people also tend to think it takes loads of money before you can achieve this kind of life.Nothing could be further from the truth!What you really need to create a laptop lifestyle, is the will and the ability to “learn by doing”, to follow the advice you’re given by the masters, and the right mindset.And although a certain background knowledge and some financial means will definitely help you to progress at a faster pace, these things are not absolutely necessary to succeed!The main ingredients for success are to realize that you want or need a change, and TAKE ACTION to start creating a laptop lifestyle for yourself!
Travel Insurance As Protection Against Political Instability in the Modern World
A lot of people travel but unfortunately, not all of them are covered with travel insurance. This is a big mistake considering the current status of the world today with wars, political instability and even natural disasters sprouting left and right. For cases like this, travelling with insurance is necessary in case delays, unrest or even problems in paperwork are encountered during a stay.Why sign up for travel insurance?Statistics have shown that political instability has become more and more frequent for the past ten years. Just take the situation in third world countries as an example. Locations like Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have recently battled out or are still in the process of clearing the political crisis in their locations. During all this time, foreigners who are supposed to take a vacation in the said countries have encountered difficulties and may have been injured during a crisis.Should one have travel insurance, then this type of injuries will be covered by the insurer, allowing a person to save on their medical expenses. In some cases, the insurer will also pay for medical rescue service as in the case of helicopter rescue.The same holds true for economically unstable countries or those that are deemed as “third world”. Although most of these boast of natural wonders that make them a favorite destination for Europeans, the fact is that the crime rate is fairly high in these areas. For this reasons, travel documents ranging from credit cards to passports must be protected – ideally through an insurance policy.By being prepared for whatever eventuality, travelers can at least feel relatively safe when exploring another country of interest. Although it is always better to settle for a country that has no hint of being in turmoil, a travel insurance would at least be a possible solution should there be a problem.How to Choose a Travel Insurance ProviderOf course, in order to reap the benefits of comprehensive travel insurance, vacationers must choose a good insurance agency that would represent them. This usually means assessing exactly what the insurance companies offer and at what price.More importantly, applicants should ask for a copy of the contract for study before actually reading it. Even asking the opinion of a lawyer regarding the stipulations might be a good idea. Should there be any confusions regarding the fine print, do not hesitate to ask.Travel insurance would only be an effective protection if an understanding is met between the insured and the insurer. Hence, never fail to read the fine print and ask for clarifications for the insurance “jargon” to be understandable.Of course, there are a lot more reasons why a person should always avail himself of travel insurance regardless of where he or she goes. The fact is that political upheaval can happen in any country at any time. This means that every traveler must be prepared whenever they visit a location. For this matter, getting annual travel insurance might be better in the long run to cover all trips abroad.
Something to Keep in Mind When Considering Automotive Solutions
What with troubled financial times and everyone needing to keep a tighter reign on their budgets, people are often tempted to look for cost efficient ways of addressing their automotive solutions, they cut costs, go to the cheapest mechanic and very often only discover the true costs of their decision at a later stage.They very often realize that a decision such as this can cost them far more in the long run when their timing belt snaps and the vehicles valves get bent or the engine is a write off, all of this to save a couple of dollars on a substandard seal or gasket. Is it really worth it at the end of the day?The true secret to correct automotive solutions is for people to begin to understand that they need to understand the cost implications of being able to own the vehicle which they have and these cost implications should include the servicing, maintenance and safety of the vehicle.Taking the short cuts and cost-effective options when it comes to automotive solutions can cost your pocket and your emotional state dearly at a later stage. Not only can system or part malfunction on your vehicle set you back financially, but also emotionally should this failure resort in injury or loss of life.So when you decide to buy a new vehicle, do not simply look at its price tag on the sales floor, take into consideration the maintenance costs, part pricing and technology which will be necessary in order to be sure that the vehicle is in good condition and running properly.This decision when it comes to automotive solutions might not only save you a couple of dollars, but quite easily also the life of a loved one or yourself, so be sure to make the correct decisions and do not let them be purely financially based.