Monthly Archives: June 2020

Guide for First Time Car Buyers

Buying a car can be a stressful event particularly if you’re doing it for the first time. Unless you’re a millionaire, it involves more than just buying the car of your dreams. There are factors to consider such as getting a good price, researching Toronto insurance prices and finding the car that best meets your needs. Below is a guide for first time car buyers. 

Get the Car to Fit the Person

Believe it or not, all cars are not created equal. They may be created equal, but they’re not a one-size fits all. In the same way that a single person probably wouldn’t want a seven-passenger van, a large person would not purchase a small sub-compact car. Buy a car that fits the person or people that will spend most of the time driving it. 

If you’re buying your teenage son or daughter his or her first car, you might want to buy a reliable used car. They may have their mind set on a fancy sports car like the new Dodge Charger, but it would not be a practical choice. However, this would be a great vehicle for an adult with driving experience. Cars that are classified as sports cars tend to warrant higher insurance premiums, and most teenagers can’t afford the insurance. 

Check Your Budget

Before you even begin shopping for a car, whether new or used, it’s important that you know your budget. Fewer things are more disappointing then to find the car of your dreams only to discover you can’t afford the payments. Know if you’re paying cash for the vehicle or if you’ll need financing. Once you’ve determined that you’ll need financing, establish a budget so you know how much you’ll need for down payment and what your expenses will be. When determining expenses, include not only car payments but also fuel and insurance. 

Do Your Research

If you already have it in your head that there’s a specific car you want to buy, do your research and look at reviews. Just because you like the appearance of certain car doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good car or that it will service you well. Many online sites offer reviews of cars. 

The reviews are generally from consumers who have had that particular car and are willing to share their experiences with you. Some of the features most important to check are reliability, mpg and infotainment features. You’ll also find helpful information on vehicles that may be available in or near your area. 

Safety Features

Don’t underestimate the importance of getting a car with as many safety features as possible. Unless you’re purchasing a very old car, you’re going to find many cars with important safety features. Some of the features Consumer Reports feels are important are:

  • •Antilock brake system
  • •Electronic stability control
  • •Head-protecting side airbags
  • •Forward-collision warning

Other features you’ll find on new cars are cameras, danger warning sensors and automatic seatbelts. Many of these features will also give you discounts on your insurance premiums. 

Know Your Credit

With the price of vehicles today, most people obtain financing when they purchase a vehicle. It can be very disappointing to find the car you want to buy and visit a lender only to discover there is something on your credit report that you didn’t know existed. It could be an error, a past bill that you forgot to pay, or even a bill that was paid but never removed from your credit. Before you visit a lender for financing, get a copy of your credit report so you can see if everything on it is accurate. 

Consumers are entitled to get a free credit report each year, so take advantage of this opportunity. If there are errors or you have concerns, make sure you take care of the errors before you visit the lender. The higher your credit score, the better your chances are of not only getting financing but also getting the best possible interest rates. 

Shopping for your very first car may be stressful, but it can also be a very exciting and rewarding experience. Get everything in order and make the most of this opportunity.

Why most people don’t finish video games

Video games are enjoyed by millions of people around the world. The one thing that most of these gamers have in common is the failure to finish games. Industry experts estimate that a new game will only be completed by 10 to 20 percent of its players. These are the four main reasons most people do not finish video games.

Not Enough Free Time

While kids have a lot of free time built in their schedule that can be dedicated to video games, that is not true for adults gamers. A hectic schedule involving work, kids and taking care of the house leaves very little time to relax. This limited free time then has to be split between video games, watching television, hanging out with friends and other hobbies. An adult video game fan is very lucky if they can spend a few hours a week playing. It is incredible hard to complete a game when you do not have much time to devote to video games. This is especially true now that a lot of premier games have campaigns lasting more than 30 hours. Some open-world role-playing games can take over 100 hours to finish.

Rather Play with Friends

The prevalence of WiFi and high-speed internet has made it extremely easy to play video games online with friends from anywhere in the world. You no longer are forced into a solo experience just because you are not near your friends. Playing a game like “World of Warcraft” with a close group of friends and having the option of using a mythic boost to enhance the character they created is just going to more appealing than completing a single-player story for some people. This is especially true for the younger generation that only know video games as a social experience enjoyed with friends.

Switch to Hot New Game

Video game releases were very limited when the industry first started. Since there are so many developers in the industry right now, several new games are released every week. It also seems like a huge must-own game is released every few months. It can be very tough to stick with an older game when the hot new thing comes out. The new game is always going to be slightly more enticing due to the way our brain works. “Nioh 2” was an excellent game that got rave reviews, but it was likely overlooked by a large number of gamers because “Final Fantasy VII Remake” came out four weeks later. This same scenario happens several times throughout the year.

Do Not Have the Skills

While some video games are designed to be a relaxing experience, other games are meant to punish the players with crushing difficulty. These hard games are specifically designed to reward patience and hard work. Unfortunately, not everyone has the skills required to complete these tough games. While your skills will naturally improve by continuously playing the game, there will come a time when you finally stop progressing. If this moment happens in the middle of a game like “Dark Souls,” then you are never going to see the final credits.

5 Simple Steps for Vape Pen Cleaning

Vape pens can be expensive but using them is arguably safer than smoking and so buying one is often considered an investment worth making. Keeping vape devices clean is essential for proper functionality and can significantly affect how safe they are to use. 

Many people don’t know how often they should clean their vape pens. This will depend on the number of times you use it rather than any specific time frame. 

A good rule of thumb is to clean it after using it about 20 times but some people prefer to clean it more frequently. If you take extra care of each part, any malfunction or defect you experience should be covered by the terms and conditions of a warranty. The following five steps make it easy to keep your vape pen clean and should take you no longer than 30 minutes. 

1. Dismantle your vape pen

At Hemper.co, you can view pen collection and select from many different types of vape pens at an affordable price. No matter what type of vape pen you choose, whether it’s for vaping dry herb or a concentrate, you will need to dismantle it the same way. It helps if you know about all the components before doing this. 

A typical vape pen consists of three parts: the battery, the mouthpiece and the heating chamber. Unscrew all the components, beginning with the heating chamber. Get rid of any residue left in the heating chamber by tapping it into the trash. 

Most herbal vaporizer pens use a heating coil inside the chamber to vaporize dry materials. This is very sensitive and you need to be careful not to damage it while cleaning. 

However, cleaning a herbal vape pen is easier than cleaning one used for concentrate as the residue is less sticky. Wax and oil pen vapes are harder to clean but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. 

2. Brush the parts

A vape pen usually comes with a brush that you use to remove any particles or residue. Don’t use water on parts of the pen as the device has compact electrical wirings inside. 

3. Clean the mouthpiece

It isn’t difficult to clean a mouthpiece but it is the part that attracts most of the residue apart from the heating chamber because it serves as the pathway for the vapor. Some mouthpieces detach and others don’t. If the mouthpiece detaches, you can run it under warm water. Wipe in and around the mouthpiece with a soft cotton cloth or cotton swab to make sure it is completely clean.

For a deeper clean, you can soak a mouthpiece in isopropyl alcohol for about 20 to 30 minutes and then rinse it with hot water. It’s best to check the manual before doing this. 

4. Clean off stubborn residue 

If you have not cared properly for your device, it may need some heavy-duty cleaning. Rubbing alcohol is a harmless solution for cleaning away stubborn residue and a Q-Tip will get into all the hard to reach places. 

Clean the outer part of the chamber or cartridge with rubbing alcohol but don’t use it to clean the inside. A tip is to warm up your vape pen if you’re battling to get rid of any residue while trying to clean it cold. 

5. Reassemble the pen

Once you’ve finished cleaning and drying your device, you can screw it back together. Make sure everything goes back in the right place and is properly attached. Once you’ve screwed it back together, press the same micro button a couple of times in quick succession to turn the device on again. 

New skills you can learn by watching YouTube

We often hear how the internet might be harmful, both to society at large and to the individuals who comprise it. For years, experts have warned that we might be amusing ourselves to death, whiling away the hours engaged in mindless entertainment while eschewing the effort and concentration required by more challenging, productive pursuits. But while these concerns are entirely valid, there is a much more positive side to the internet. The incredible amount of information at a person’s fingertips is unlike anything humanity has experienced before. Just thirty years ago, a person would have had to buy an entire set of encyclopedias if they wanted a wide variety of information available to them. Now, a simple search engine provides more information that an encyclopedia-owner could have dreamed of. Tutorials and how-to videos on Youtube are another great resource, imparting practical knowledge in an easily-digestible form. If you’re hoping to learn something new, Youtube can serve as your teacher. These are some of the best skills to pick up on the internet.

Cooking

Culinary masters have long shared their expertise on television, and now that same format can be found all over Youtube. No matter what type of food you’re interested in, you’re almost certain to find a simple cooking tutorial online. From something as simple to boiling an egg to the intricacies of preparing a baked stuffed lobster, it’s all there for you to watch and learn. To make cooking easier, you can even use Ontiva to convert a video into an MP3, allowing you to take the recipe or tutorial wherever you go as an audio file.

Playing an Instrument

In the past, the only way to properly pick up a musical instrument was by hiring an experienced teacher. Now, Youtube provides countless teachers free of charge, no matter what the instrument. Guitar tutorials might be the most common, but you’ll also find excellent introductions to the piano, clarinet, and whatever other instrument you can think of. Learning an instrument is never easy and always requires hard work and dedication, but these videos can present the starting point for your years of practice.

Drawing

When people are asked about a skill they wish they had, drawing is among the most frequent answers. If you are one of the millions wishing your human figures didn’t look so much like aliens, then Youtube tutorials can help straighten you out. With so many videos available, you can choose what type of drawing you like best. You’re bound to be impressed by the results.

Learning a Foreign Language

In a recent years there’s been an explosion of language-learning apps, but despite this trend, Youtube continues to be the best language resource. No matter the target language or level of proficiency, you are bound to find the type of content you’re looking for. From in-depth grammatical explanations to sample conversations, there is a wealth of material out there. Language classes in the outside world can be time-consuming and expensive. Youtube offers an excellent alternative.

Self-improvement and lifelong learning are crucial to well-being and happiness. There is nothing as gratifying as picking up a new skill. With so many lessons and tutorials available on Youtube, there has never been a better time to expand your skill set.

Relax Parents: Teaching Your Kids Can be Fun

As a parent, you may be daunted by the prospect of having to teach your kids from home. Rather than thinking you’ll never be any good as a teacher, remember that just by being engaged in life and explaining things to them, you can teach them some valuable lessons. There is also a multitude of online resources that can make learning fun. 

It’s important to give your kids routines and continuity but you also need to make sure their activities offer enough variety. They need time to play games and go outdoors as well as to learn. 

Use everyday moments as opportunities for learning

As your kids help you with cooking and other daily activities, this opens the door to talk to them. While cooking, you can teach them about measuring, chemical reactions and nutrition. Simply watching ice cubes melt in a glass is a chance to talk about gases, liquids and solids. 

Something as mundane as an air conditioner or another appliance that needs repair can provide a teaching opportunity. 5 Star Repair Services Inc. offers AC repair Houston and while their top-rated HVAC technicians do your repairs, you can teach your kids more about energy and the importance of proper maintenance. 

Take virtual field trips

There are many places you can take your kids on virtual field trips. Take a digital tour of the Louvre if they’re interested in art or visit Yellowstone’s Hot Springs or the Mud Volcano for an impressive experience of nature. 

Every kid loves animals and the Cincinnati Zoo is live-streaming animals on their Facebook page every day at 3 pm. There are many virtual field trips that will appeal to your kids and you can choose ones you know will tickle their interest. 

Listen to podcasts

Many educational podcasts offer kids the opportunity to learn. But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids is for kids who always ask questions that may not have a simple answer, such as “Why is the Sky Blue?” Each episode deals with questions submitted by kids, usually around a specific theme, and clarifies the questions. 

Stuff You Should Know explains the ins and outs of everyday things and keeps complex topics relatable but is best suited for older kids. 

KiDNuZ is a podcast created by journalist moms that give kid-friendly news, followed by a quick quiz, five days a week.

Create models

Creating a model of working lungs, for example, by using balloons and straws can help your kids to learn about the respiratory system. They can make models of various body parts and learn more about them along the way. 

At this time of Covid-19, you can teach them more about the human body and germs in an age-appropriate way without making them fearful. Even young kids can enjoy using playdough to make body parts. 

Learn to make a Playdough Brain or a Candy Spine to give you some inspiration. You can even play a Human Body Trivia Game to find out how much your kids have learned from making their models. 

Learn science the fun way

There are numerous online resources for learning all subjects but as science is often one of the most difficult subjects to master, here are some resources to help you with science. Bill Nye, the Science Guy’s programs are well worth watching and your kids can even do a science experiment with him. 

The Smithsonian Science Education Center has many valuable resources, including online podcasts, exhibitions and animal webcams. Your kids can learn more about insects or even experience flying around the world in a virtual glider. 

Being financially responsible when shopping

As we all know, shopping is so much fun when faced with huge selections of items you love. However, shopping can quickly have a negative effect if you are prone to spending too much. Let’s take a close look at how to be financially responsible while shopping.

Shopping Lists

Shopping lists naturally help you to be financially responsible. Without a list, it’s easy to be tempted by everything while in the store. You don’t have anything on your agenda, so you’re essentially buying at will. Soon enough, you’ve loaded up your cart with lots of things that you don’t really need. With a shopping list, you know exactly which items you need when you enter the store. This helps you to make rational decisions instead of in the spur of the moment. Create the list at home when you are thinking critically about your finances. This will also help you to know which aisle of the store to go to. Without a list, you will have to walk through almost every aisle, which will only tempt you to buy more than is necessary.

Online Shopping

Online shopping is another fantastic approach. Not only are there more products to choose from online, but these stores have a number of unique features. Technology can help you save as much money when you checkout with your credit card. First, install an app such as Checkout Saver. Then, whenever you make a purchase online, it will automatically apply any eligible coupons and discounts. You hardly have to do a thing except select the item in the first place. Moreover, you receive cashback instantly upon each purchase. Some online shopping sites also allow you to bypass certain taxes due to the country of origin. When you factor in free shipping that is becoming so abundant, online retailers are excellent choices for financially minded shoppers. Most of these stores accept credit cards, debit cards and other payment services, so you have all your normal financial tools at your disposal.

Gift Cards

Finally, gift cards are other great options. When you buy discount gift cards, you’re investing a certain sum of money to get back even more. It’s essentially free cash. As long as you plan to shop at the store in the near future, there’s really no reason to not opt for discount gift cards. In addition, gift cards give you a realistic limit of how much you can spend. As mentioned above, when you’re armed with a credit card and no shopping list, it’s very easy to go overboard with your purchases. With a gift card, you can’t reach this limit of infinity without at least thinking twice about what you are doing. Because you acquired the gift card at a discounted price, you can feel good about your actions at the same time.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s important to be financially responsible while shopping. Although your credit card may seem like an endless supply of money, it’s really not. Choices you make now will come back to bite you later, so use your best discretion when making purchases.

Psychic Readings Explained

Most of us have a longing to know what the future holds for us because then we can act in a certain way and also prepare somewhat for what’s going to happen.

Some people like to imagine they’re psychic and will take your money to tell you a lot of hogwash, so if you want to have a psychic chat, make sure you book yourself a ’date with the future’ with a proper psychic and not a fake one. 

Visit a psychic online

Psychics know that the desire for cosmic trends has increased during COVID-19 and a free online psychic chat during a time when you’re feeling trapped can provide you with enlightening opportunities.

Just sign up for a user account, enter a psychic’s chat room and begin communicating. As the pandemic has evolved, psychics do their readings through chat, email, video, and phone. Most people just want a psychic reading with a clairvoyant of many years of experience. They want their pound’s worth of advice on travel, their social life, relationships, jobs and health.

Many times, you provide a birth date

Those visiting a psychic will often need to provide their birthday, name and address, and the psychic tunes into the aura of the person that they are reading for. Some psychics prefer to know nothing of the person they will read for. 

You ‘connect’ once again with loved ones

They psychic connects with the spirits of those who have passed on as well as with those who are still on earth. The psychic communicates with these friends and family who have passed on and delivers messages about you and your loved ones. 

The psychic is clairvoyant, clear-seeing, can see spirits and hear voices. You will hear them talking to you in your thoughts and even sense their emotions. 

With a good psychic, to get a good reading and experience, it’s a good idea to have a bit of focus – like wanting to know about your job possibilities or health instead of vacillating between lots of topics. 

The spirit world is in control of these readings and the psychic is the messenger. You must never try to direct the reading or the spirits. If a person is rushed, aggressive or demanding, the spirits may simply stop communicating.

Some information that comes through in the reading may not make sense to you at first, but it by no means indicates it is wrong – the events unfold in the following weeks. 

Spirits won’t be coaxed

Most of the time, the person that you want to come through, will. Sometimes a spirit won’t come through for certain reasons. You can communicate with your loved one, particularly in a private reading and they may offer you their advice. You have to remember than when a psychic opens up, they don’t know who will come through. 

Some clients aren’t bothered about communicating with spirits but are wanting clarity in their lives for the future. People always want to know what is going to happen based on where they are in their life. The job of the psychic is to provide insight into the choices you’ve made in life.

Comfortable and convenient online psychic readings

Online psychic readings can be a positive experience for you. They can be done in a number of ways, so it is important to find an online psychic experience that will work best with you.

One thing is sure it is both comfortable and convenient for you to get a psychic reading conducted online as it is quiet and discreet. It may be awkward to talk about ‘issues’ with your parents or friends, and it can be more soothing to ‘visit’ a psychic online. 

By coming online in peace and with an open mind, you can ensure the results will be more accurate and the psychic can help you assess what is important at the stage of life you’re in and guide you with decisions for the future.

8 Tips for Keeping Your Oral Health in Top Condition

Knowing that you should brush and floss your teeth regularly is the cornerstone to having a healthy mouth. However, there’s a lot more that goes into keeping those pearls so white. Here are eight tips to make sure they stay that way:

1) Floss like you mean it!

Flossing twice a day ensures that your gums and teeth will be healthier. Period. Wrap it around your fingers and run it through the crevices of your teeth, making sure each tooth is properly taken care of by breaking up plaque.

2) Have your technique down-pat!

Brush at roughly a 45-degree angle towards the gumline. Make sure to use gentle, circular brushes in the same area no more than 15 times or so as to not put excess wear on the enamel and gums.

3) Use a proper toothbrush!

Make sure to select the right toothbrush for your mouth. You will want soft bristles, but electing for an electric brush can be better for those who have problems with motor control. Although there are brushes sold that have stiffer bristles marketed for stained teeth, it is better to reduce the stains by brushing more frequently rather than risk damaging the enamel.

4) Don’t be a chimney!

Smoking is one of the worst things that you could ever do to your throat and teeth, not to mention the rest of your body. Smoking turns your teeth yellow, causes gum recession, and leads to oral cancer.

5) Skip the sugar coating!

One of the main perpetrators of tooth decay, sugary foods fuel bacteria that eat away at your teeth until cavities and infections begin to form. Every time your mouth has refined sugars inside of it, your teeth go through a 20-minute acid wash due to an increase in salivary acidic levels needed to dissolve it.

6) Kick the can of soda down the road!

Not merely content to just be loaded with sugar, the acids in soda that give it that signature fizz can easily eat away at your preciou chompers. The occasional soda, when left on the teeth without brushing, is more damaging to enamel than just sugar itself. Ideally, make the switch to water for as many drinks as possible.

7) Pay attention to the youngest and oldest!

Older folks can have problems keeping up with or even remembering to take care of their oral health. Dentures also create more saliva which in turn raises the risks of tooth decay. young toddlers are given sweets and treats just as their teeth begin to come in; don’t allow it to become a bad habit and make sure that they start life with a healthy mouth.

8) Visit your dentist regularly!

If you usually duck your dentist, then your oral health is at a high risk of being neglected as well. A trained dental professional such as a dentist in Guelph has the expertise and technology to spot oral problems and correct them before they become with worse, or even life threatening.

Taking care of your teeth isn’t the most fun or romantic thing to do, especially if you’re tired at the end of a long day or are in a crunch for time. However, carefully caring for your teeth and gums will not only allow you to keep eating the foods you love pain-free but also keep the rest of your body healthy long into your golden years.

How To Market to Asian Consumers

Intro

Marketing is one of the most important parts of any business. A company that attracts a diverse population of clients is destined for a lot of success. Let’s take a close look at how to market to Asian consumers.

Social Media

First and foremost, Asian countries are all about social media. If you thought social media is big in the west, it’s even bigger in Asia. Young adults are constantly sharing ads and coupons with one another on their mobile devices. If you can publish one feature of your marketing strategy, and it goes viral, you’ll be in for a world of success. Asian social media platforms should be targeted on a regular basis. This is why clips on television or billboards aren’t as effective as they are in western countries. While these clips will definitely be seen, people can’t really interact with these advertisements. If companies do opt for these marketing strategies, they’ll often put some sort of QR code that people can scan for more info. In a nutshell, it’s all about engagement. Asian consumers want something tangible that they can explore, no matter how small or tangential the reward might be.

Asian Marketing Agencies

Asian marketing agencies can also assist you with these strategies. While you likely have strong marketing skills on your own, these agencies can optimize your strategies to target Asian consumers. For example, a China marketing agency will have all the latest info on Chinese trends and swings. They’ll let you know which platforms are the hottest at the moment and what clients are looking for in a product. If you are trying to target a Korean or Japanese audience, seek out these agencies accordingly. Different Asian countries have even more subtleties within them that you can exploit. A lot of this stems from the youth. Younger generations generally dictate what sorts of products trend upwards or downwards. Some Asian countries favor bold, unique products while others favor more traditional ones. With an Asian marketing agency, you can get started right away on communicating the intricacies of your product.

Connection

Finally, Asian culture has deep roots in connection and loyalty. Studies have shown that ads centered around family and friends tend to be the most successful. For example, you could create a marketing scheme around wisdom and how it is passed down from generation to generation. Or, create a video about social life in school and how students struggle to overcome obstacles. If you’re able to make these marketing tactics highly relatable, you’ll find an enormous amount of success among Asian consumers. As mentioned before, they will likely share these ads on social media, multiplying your hits every single day. By looking at your target demographic, you can find common themes that consumers will relate to.

Conclusion

When all is said and done, there are many great ways to market to Asian consumers. There are both similarities and differences from Western consumers that you should keep in mind. If you can market effectively, your business will surely reach new heights!

How Much Is My Home Worth?

When you decide that it’s time to sell you home or you just want to get an idea of how much equity you have in it, you’ll need to check what it’s worth. Luckily, there are many resources out there to choose from which can give you relatively decent estimates of your home’s value. We’re going to take a look at what these resources are and what factors help to determine how much money your home is worth.

Online Estimators

The major real estate websites out there all have some version of home estimators. Most are based on algorithms of what recent homes have sold for in the area. These estimators compare the listed bed and bath number of your home with others that have sold recently in your area to get their estimates. Some common sites that people utilize are Zillow and Realtor.

It’s a good idea to search a number of these sites. Simply type in your address and you’ll be given an estimated value for your home. You should take the median value of all the online search estimators that you utilize to get a fair estimate of your home’s value. Realize that these websites aren’t the same as an appraisal, they’re just meant to be a ballpark figure.

Get An Appraisal

Home appraisers are a popular way to determine just what the value of your home is. It’s important to note that the value of a home is going to be highly dependent on what method the evaluator uses for the appraisal and can say depending on who does the appraisal. To have an appraisal done, you’ll need to pay a set fee. Most of these fees run around $500 but can change based on the size of your home, property, and geographical location.

Consult With A Local Realtor

If you’re thinking of selling your home, you can enlist the assistance of a local realtor. Many agencies will have their own system that they use to create an estimate for the value of your home. This estimate usually comes free with the listing from your realtor. Realize that your real estate agent may try to list your property higher than the known value so you should take that into account when assessing the actual value of your home.

Contact A Homebuyer Service

If you’re itching to get out of your home because you took another job or simply just don’t want to live there anymore, you can benefit from contacting a home buying service. Leave The Key Homebuyers will come out to your home and do an on-sight evaluation of its value. Then, they’ll offer you money for the home and tend to close within a week. This is great for those who don’t have the time to wait for their realtor to list their home and have potential buyers visiting at all hours.

Understanding how much your home is worth can be a challenge if you don’t know how to do it correctly. While not all evaluations are going to come back with exactly the same number, the methods above should provide you with relatively similar numbers to go off of. Realize that your home’s value can change greatly over time depending on the market in your local area.