July 31, 2020

The road to being happier can take many paths that all lead to the same goal. You can volunteer to help others or a friend. Count your blessings by writing down everything that’s good in your life. Get exercise regularly to help keep depression at bay. Forgive and forget to free yourself from negative thoughts and challenge your inner critic when it takes control of your mood. Source Link 

Forgetfulness is common as we get older, but how can you tell if it’s just aging or the onset of Alzheimer’s? If memory loss makes it hard for you to handle your daily tasks or you’re really struggling to do things like follow directions in a familiar recipe or keep track of bills the way you used to do, those could be warning signs of memory problems. Source Link 

If notifications on your phone are too distracting there are ways to cut down on the digital chatter. In your Settings look for a Notifications tab that lets you go app by app to shut off any unwanted reminders and take advantage of the “Do Not Disturb” feature for times when you need quiet. And when you install an app think twice before automatically allowing it to push notifications to you. Source Link 

July 30, 2020

Are you guilty of making one of these password mistakes that hackers love? Like not using special characters or forgetting to vary between upper and lower case letters or reusing the same passwords or using ones that are just slightly different. And hackers love it when you ignore news about website security breaches that may have compromised your information. Source Link 

Water plays an important role in weight loss but don’t fall for some of the myths. Drinking more water than you need won’t help you lose weight because that only burns a few calories. But drinking a glass of water before you eat is a good idea because sometimes people will eat when they’re actually thirsty and water has zero calories. Source Link 

If you really want to remember something, it’s best to share the experience. Testing showed that people developed more vivid memories if they described the event to someone or wrote about it afterward. The process of rehearsing the event in your mind in order to share it can build a stronger memory. Source Link 

July 29, 2020

If hot summer weather has your electric meter spinning like crazy you can slow it down and save with these tips. Many electronic devices continue to use energy even when turned off so unplug them. A when you use your ceiling fans you can turn down the AC and still feel cool. Source Link 

Why should you have a will? Everyone needs to communicate end-of-life preferences to their family, whether or not you have a lot of money. A will can make clear your wishes about finances and property distribution so your family won’t have to spend countless hours with probate courts and attorneys. Source Link 

Having a dog could be good people training for young children. A study found that preschoolers with dogs at home had fewer problems with their peers and were likely to be more social. A dog can provide unconditional love and help teach children about responsibility through caring, training and looking after the pet. Source Link

July 28, 2020

Besides the snapshots of your family, what pictures should always be with you on your phone? Carry photos of your car’s license plate number and VIN number and your driver’s license and passport, along with photos of medical and dental insurance cards, bank account number and routing number and the serial number for a laptop that travels with you. Source Link 

Getting to zero might be the smartest way to create an effective home budget. With zero-based budgeting, your income minus what you spend and save each month equals zero. Besides living expenses, you can assign money to pay off debt, contribute to savings and investments and set aside some just for fun until your available money is down to zero. Source Link 

For the most refreshing daytime nap, remember these three L’s. Plan your nap for no later than 2 pm to avoid interfering with your body’s normal sleep cycle. Limit your nap to no more than 30 minutes to avoid falling into a deep sleep and find a location that’s dark and cool but don't worry about having a flat surface because an easy chair or reclining your car seat will work fine. Source Link 

July 27, 2020

Need to downsize your diet without feeling the pain on your dinner plate? Some simple ways to cut 50 calories include swapping vanilla extract or cinnamon for sugar in your coffee or making that chicken or tuna salad with low-fat vinaigrette instead of mayo. Go easy on the barbeque sauce when grilling and use an oil spritzer when you’re cooking with olive or sesame oil. Source Link 

We’ve all had times when you’re bored and don’t know what to do, so here are some simple suggestions. Write a to-do list for the next few days, week or month. Visualize completing your next big task, try five minutes of exercise or keep a file of short articles to read in your free time. And a few minutes of dusting can be an easy accomplishment. Source Link 

You clean out the trunk of a car before selling or trading it in but don’t forget to do the same with the infotainment system. Many of these systems store copies of all your text messages, emails, contacts, and even photos from your phone. Read the owner’s manual and perform a factory reset to erase all of that and also ask the dealer to do a separate data wipe. Source Link 

July 24, 2020

You feel like you’ve aced that job interview but don’t blow it with any of these post-interview mistakes. Instead of pestering them later ask during the interview when the employer plans to make a decision. Don’t change your salary expectations after the interview because you think you have the job and don’t follow the interviewer on social media to seem more friendly. Source Link 

If you’re worried about privacy when using your smartphone you can take some steps to blur that digital trail. Check which apps have permission to use location tracking or your camera or microphone and turn off what’s not needed. You can shut down Google’s ability to track your web and app activity or use a browser like Firefox or Brave that doesn’t track your history or searches online. Source Link 

Can binge-watching your favorite TV shows be bad for your teeth? Those marathon sessions on the couch often include plenty of sugary drinks or red wine with acids that aren’t good for your smile. Try flavored water and air-popped popcorn that’s easy on the salt and butter and maybe swap the fast-food delivery for a binge break to cook a healthy meal. Source Link 

July 22, 2020

How do IT professionals avoid being hacked? They keep social media accounts as private as possible and ask friends and family to do the same. They hover over links in emails to see if the destination address matches what’s in the text. And they change a router’s name and password to make it harder for cyber-thieves to break into a home network. Source Link 

It’s not just how you live that makes for longer life, it’s also where. A study of people 100 years old found that your neighborhood plays a big role too, especially if it’s a mixed-age community with a high percentage of working people. It’s also helpful to live in a neighborhood with streets that are more walkable. Source Link

With a few simple hacks, your backyard can be made in the shade all summer long. Angle an umbrella over a sitting area or hang a sail shade between the roofline and poles. If you have a pergola you can make shade by using vertical blinds as you would on a window and tall grasses or shrubs planted in containers can shade a deck or patio. Source Link 

July 21, 2020

If every meal seems like a race to clean your plate, try these tips to slow down. Eating with your non-dominant hand can help and set down your fork for 10 seconds between each bite. And use smaller plates and bowls that empty faster to make it look like you’re full even when you’ve eaten less. Source Link 

How do you know when you’re addicted to your smartphone? Experts say people with a cell phone addiction check their phones constantly, feel impatient or irritable if they’re not holding it, and think about their smartphone when they’re not using it. And when cell phone use interferes with work and makes it hard to focus on tasks, it’s time to get help. Source Link 

A good knife is an essential tool in the kitchen and you don’t need a drawer full of them. An eight to 10-inch chef’s knife and a serrated knife and a shorter paring knife can tackle almost any cutting task. Select a quality knife that feels comfortable in your hand and has a heavy, strong handle with a longer metal tang that goes through the end of the handle. Source Link 

July 20, 2020

Where there’s a will, there’s a better way to protect your family and make sure your wishes are carried out when it comes to guardianship for children or how to give away your possessions. Review your will annually and after big life events like a divorce or when children become adults. And consider a living will that lists the care you do or don’t want if you become seriously ill. Source Link 

Take care to avoid these things that can shorten the battery life of your smartphone. Using vibration for calls and notifications, giving location permission to apps that don’t need it and not using auto-brightness for your screen can drain a battery faster. And leaving your phone under your pillow at night or out in the sun can cause it to overheat and damage the battery. Source Link 

Before you pack your bags for that road trip, be sure to pack your car with some safety essentials. Along with your cell phone, AAA recommends a flashlight with extra batteries, a first-aid kit, a basic toolkit with tire pressure gauge and adjustable wrench, and jumper cables and emergency reflectors. And bring drinking water and extra snacks for people and pets. Source Link 

July 17, 2020

Dealing with a lost phone could be a disaster when traveling but you can prepare for the worse. Before you leave, print out travel documents and write down important phone numbers and passwords. And make sure the GPS-enabled “find my phone” feature is turned on before you depart. Source Link 

It’s a twist on the old idea to beat sleeplessness by counting sheep. If you suffer from insomnia caused by stress, try counting every breath you take and count up as far as you can. Another technique to get back to sleep is to stare at a point on the wall until your eyelids get so heavy you have to close them. Source Link 

If a home move is in your plans soon, try these tips to save time and money. Begin culling household items you rarely use and pack room by room ending with the kitchen. Look into more affordable alternatives like using a container to ship your goods and schedule your move for mid-month to avoid the end-of-month rush and higher prices. Source Link 

July 16, 2020

If you’re ready to make the switch to whole grains be sure you’re getting all you want. Many foods that are labeled “made with whole grains” or “multigrain” could be using a tiny percentage of whole grains while the rest is refined flour. Only foods labeled “100% whole grains” use just that. Source Link 

You can do strength training at home without any weights or other equipment. Jumping jacks can be a strength and cardio workout and squats use your body’s weight. Or press your back into a wall and slide it down the wall as you walk your feet out in front of you, bending at the knees. Source Link 

How do you raise kids who are smart about money? Build their financial awareness by pointing out prices on a menu, comparing labels at the supermarket and explaining the costs of living like paying for a house, car, and utilities. And use that magic word “no” to teach budgeting and demonstrate the difference between wants and needs. Source Link 

July 15, 2020

If you want to train your brain, put away the apps and pick up a musical instrument. Studies have found that that musical training enhances verbal memory, spatial reasoning, and literacy skills. Learning to play an instrument uses information from the senses of vision, hearing, and touch, as well as fine movements. Source Link 

You can put your spending in perspective with your earnings by finding your true hourly wage. Take your annual after-tax income and subtract costs like transportation and then divide by the number of hours you worked, commuted or attended work events. Use this to determine how many hours you’ll need to work to make a purchase. Source Link 

Follow these tips for safer house cleaning. When working with liquid cleaners, wear gloves to protect your skin and consider using a diluted vinegar solution or baking soda instead of stronger chemicals like bleach or ammonia. And remember to open a window and get fresh air in while you’re scrubbing with a strong cleaner. Source Link

July 14, 2020

You might enjoy a longer life if you make helping others a part of it. A study found that people over 50 who volunteered about two hours a week were more likely to live longer with fewer health problems. They also had a greater sense of purpose and well-being and fewer feelings of loneliness and depression. Source Link 

Here's how to get double duty from some of your favorite kitchen tools. A salad spinner can also serve as a colander and that french press will brew some tea. A rolling pin can be used to pound meat, a strawberry huller can remove fish bones and an ice cream scoop is perfect for measuring cookie dough. Source Link 

Good posture can make working from home more comfortable. When sitting at a desk, rest your feet flat on the floor with your thighs parallel to the ground and your head level and in line with your torso. The top of your computer screen should be at or slightly below eye level and at arm’s length from you. And a small pillow or towel roll can give you lower back support. Source Link 

July 13, 2020

The power of positive thinking could extend far beyond your emotional wellbeing. Researchers found that negative thinking in later life was linked to cognitive decline and more of the harmful proteins responsible for Alzheimer's disease. It’s believed that things like meditation might help to promote positive thinking while reducing negative thoughts. Source Link 

Summer heat and face masks aren’t a great combination for comfort but there are ways to make safety more bearable. A lightweight disposable surgical mask might be easier to wear than a cloth face covering and keep more than one on hand in case it gets sweaty or damp. And stay hydrated to keep your body as cool as possible. Source Link 

What goes into picking a safe PIN? Avoid your birth date, a year in the 1900s, or an obvious numerical sequence. You can go with the birthday of a close friend, the date of your favorite holiday, or the current time and change your PIN periodically, especially when you hear about a data breach. Source Link 

July 10, 2020

When you need to take someone’s temperature, all home thermometers don’t measure up the same. Earwax can interfere with the accuracy of an ear thermometer and pacifier thermometers and fever strips are not recommended. A digital thermometer placed under the tongue is the gold standard but doesn’t work as well in the armpit. Source Link 

Being hunched over your phone isn't just a bad look -- it’s also bad for your body. Problems with headaches, digestion, breathing and even fatigue can be associated with bad posture. Besides less phone browsing, adjusting the height of a computer screen, using a stand-up desk or just standing up to stretch at least once every 30 minutes can help to straighten things out. Source Link 

If you own a car that’s less than 10 years old it probably takes care of this maintenance chore for you, but don’t expect it to work forever. The TPMS or tire pressure management system alerts you to low air pressure in a tire. It runs on a battery that lasts between five and seven years and is not replaceable, so you’ll need a new sensor for each tire. Source Link 

July 9, 2020

There’s one simple thing you can do to improve the odds that you’ll hit your retirement savings goal. People with a written retirement plan were 60 percent more likely to increase their 401-k contributions and twice as likely to stick to their savings plan. Only one out of four people say they have a written financial plan. Source Link 

You can make common sense choices about staying safe amid a pandemic by creating an exposure budget. A once-a-week grocery trip or exercising outdoors uses less of that budget but an indoor dinner party or a haircut uses more. And you blow your budget completely if you spend time in a crowd. Source Link 

It doesn’t have to be the “earlybird special” but eating your last meal of the day well before bedtime has real health benefits. Researchers found that people who ate dinner within a few hours of going to bed had higher blood sugar levels and increased stress hormones while they slept. Source Link 

July 8, 2020

A favorite pastime of childhood might be one of the best exercises to fight the effects of aging. Jumping rope is a great aerobic workout that has other benefits. Perfecting the coordination needed to jump rope can train your mind and muscles to work together and that can lower your risk for slips and falls. Source Link 

Here are a handful of easy steps that can help you eat better. Shop on a full stomach to avoid junk food cravings in the store and trade the processed sugar in candy for naturally sweet fruit. Skip the butter on your toast and use mashed avocado with healthy fats and choose colored plates that contrast with your food so you can easily see big portions. Source Link 

Think your email account may have been hacked? Check your “Sent” and “Drafts” folders for emails you didn’t write and search for terms like “password reset” in your emails for changes you didn’t make. And look at your read emails to see if any of these are ones that you haven’t opened. Source Link 

July 7, 2020

How can your smartphone help you declutter your house? Testing showed that people were more likely to donate an old unused item with sentimental value if they took a picture of it. Having a photo of the item served the same purpose to help people remember the moment. Source Link 

You may not be doing your feet any favors when you slip into flip-flops. Doctors say the go-to summer footwear offers no heel or arch support and can even alter your natural stride and cause shin splints or stress fractures. They’re okay for use at the beach but look for a pair that offers some arch support and a cushioned sole. Source Link 

Getting a workout at your local gym will be different in the post-COVID world. Big group exercise classes are out while social distancing means room for less equipment and some clubs may require reservations. And you’ll go home sweaty because showers are being closed to limit possible exposure to coronavirus. Source Link 

July 6, 2020

If you’re feeling ill and wondering should you go to work today, let the calendar answer the question. You’re most contagious during the first 48 hours of a cold or the flu, so stay home at the first sign of symptoms. A wet cough, a runny nose, fever or aches are things that should encourage you to call in sick. Source Link 

Frozen vegetables can be as tasty as fresh and easy to use when you remember these tips. Be careful not to overcook and try defrosting frozen vegetables in a colander under cold running water instead of using a microwave. You can add vegetables directly from the freezer in soups, stews and chili and in that breakfast smoothie. Source Link 

Learning skills to manage money can be fun and games for kids. Playing games like Monopoly or chess can teach your child to plan ahead and play to win. And if there’s a Fortnite fan in your family give them an allowance for in-game purchases to help them learn how to budget their spending. Source Link 

July 2, 2020

You change bedsheets to keep sleep time feeling fresh but do you know the right way to clean a mattress? Using a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment or soft brush is a fast way but you can also sprinkle a box of baking soda on the mattress and leave it to sit there for a day. If you can flip your mattress, remember to do it every three months. Source Link 

They say it’s the small things that count and that’s true when it comes to budgeting. Most of us worry about the “pop” of big expenses like when an appliance breaks down unexpectedly but those “streams” of smaller spending can have an effect on your budget too. For example, a $5 latte every workday equals $1,000 a year that you could save to afford a new refrigerator. Source Link 

Are you a digital hoarder? You’re not alone. Just over half of people surveyed said they’ve never deleted any files, apps or other content from their devices. About four in ten people actively avoid deleting photos or videos and one-third say they have files on their devices that are more than 10 years old. Source Link 

July 1, 2020

Need another reason to always have the toilet lid down? It will help keep your bathroom free of viruses. Testing showed that a large cloud of virus-laden droplets can be released high into the air when you flush a toilet and it can hang around long enough to be inhaled by others so always close the lid before you flush. Source Link 

A newly popular healthcare tool could help more people lose weight and keep it off. Telehealth counseling after weight loss may provide the support that people in rural areas need to maintain their weight loss long-term. In a study, those who had individual telephone counseling maintained all of their weight loss for one year. Source Link 

There are some simple steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of online scammers. Beware of opening document files attached to emails that might include hidden hacker code and keep your router’s firmware updated for the latest protections. And consider using a virtual credit card that generates a one-time-use number for every online purchase. Source Link