Budget Tricks To Add Style To Your Home

Renovating your home can be an expensive business.  Adding touches of glamour or putting your own stamp on your home can prove costly; but there are ways to bring your personality to your home without it having to cost the earth.

 First Impressions

They say that first impressions count and in your home, that first impression is your hallway and stair case.  

Family photographs on the wall gives a warm to the home and a glimpse into who you are.  In terms of decoration, flowers at your doorway and a pop of colour with a stair runner adds interest and a touch of elegance.

Think of your entrance way and staircase as another room and decorate accordingly.  Simple touches make the world of difference.

Fake It Till You Make It

So you live in a town or a city but you dream of country living?  Large fireplaces, stone walls, exposed brick; all the features that come as standard in the country but not necessarily in a standard two up two down or city apartment.

If you want to bring some country chic to your home, why not try brick slips?  They can be used anywhere from your kitchen and bathroom to your living area and even outside.  They are inexpensive and so effective to create the look you are going for.  You can find some great examples at https://ukfeaturewalls.com/collections/brick-slips

Feature Walls

If you buy a new build these days you are often faced with white waters, laminate flooring and somewhat of a cold looking interior, with no personality.  

The changes that you make to this kind of interior don't need to be major.  A brightly coloured or patterned couch, a plethora of interesting cushions, vibrant lighting design or perhaps a wall mural.

If you a large expansive wall, a wall mural can be a perfect choice and add a really interesting element to the home.  The bonus being that as they are relatively inexpensive, you can take them down easily and change at your leisure.

How do you change up your home?

Buying a New Car? What Factors Influence the Cost and How to Keep the Cost Down

A Modern Convenience

The vast majority of American households have at least one car. Cars provide a modern convenience to people, who rely on their vehicles for a variety of purposes - the daily commute, the school run, visiting family and friends, shopping; American people love their cars.

But sooner or later the time will come when you want - or need - to buy a new vehicle. However, you should take the time to consider what factors influence the cost of buying a new car in order to get more bang for your buck.

Insurance Premiums

These factors all have a bearing on your vehicle insurance premium- one of the most variable costs when purchasing a car.

•   The Age of the Driver - Younger drivers pay much more to insure their vehicle - particularly if they are buying a new car. This is often a hidden cost for young people who haven’t considered all the different options.

•   License Points - Points on your license can have a huge effect on the price of your premium - especially if you are a younger driver.

•   Annual Mileage - The higher your annual mileage, the higher the price of your insurance!

•   Geography - The local geography in which your car is registered influences the cost of your car insurance. Factors such as the prevalence of crime in the local area are taken into consideration.

•   Profession - Your car insurance premium may be greater if your work requires regular travel.

•   Marital Status - Strange as it may seem, your marital status can have a bearing on the price of your insurance.

Time of Year

In addition to the cost of insurance, the cost of maintenance on your old car should be considered when choosing when to buy your new car. More inclement seasonal weather can lead to breakdowns and high repair costs. As fall goes into winter, the onset of bad weather can put stress on an older vehicle. The number of breakdowns goes through the roof in the colder months of the year. Therefore, making an investment in a new car before the winter months can actually save you money in the long run.

There are many factors which affect the overall cost of buying a new car. Your insurance premium often represents one of the most significant and variable of them all. However, the cost to insure a brand new vehicle may be disproportionate to your expectations.

Therefore, why not replace your old car with a quality used car? This can represent a good and cost-effective investment. Used cars are easily available online from trustworthy suppliers such as AA Cars, and they often give you much more bang for your buck.

You may not be able to change your age or life circumstances to reduce the overall cost of buying a car, but looking for a quality used car may help you to get great new wheels for less!

What are your next wheels going to be?

6 Steps to Build a Healthy Family

Remaining healthy in today’s world is not as easy as it was in the past, because there are temptations everywhere you look. Almost every food item is loaded with sweeteners, sugars, and fats. Moreover, you will come across many distractions that make it hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

As a parent, you need to lead by example if you want your kids to be healthy. Staying healthy as a family is not easy but it can be fun if you try it together. Here are some steps to build a healthy family:

Stay Active Together

Instead of spending your time as a family indoors watching television, you should consider spending that time outdoors to stay active. You can engage in lots of activities and sports as a family. For instance, if your kids have always wanted to visit the Houston Zoo, you can Charter Flights to Houston Texas. You can also plan a fun family weekend and learn new hobbies such as kayaking. Such activities will have a positive impact on your family and encourage everyone to remain active.

Educate Your Family

The best way to keep your family healthy in this age of confusing news is to keep them educated. You need to be proactive when it comes to learning more about the foods you eat and how they affect your health. You need to avoid following the food pyramid, as it might not be the best way to keep your loved ones healthy.

The more you know about exercise and nutrition, the more prepared you will be as a family to make the right choices. For instance, once you learn about healthy sweets for your kids, you can schedule for candy delivery once a month.

Eat Better

As a family, you can make the choice to eat better every single day. Your kids will look up to you for decisions about their diet. This means that you should start preparing nutritious meals for your family to keep them healthy. However, you should keep in mind that eating right does not necessarily mean that you have to eat boring.

You can spruce up your veggie servings by making them appealing for everyone; otherwise, your children will not eat them.

Slow Down Meal Time

Mealtime is one of the most important times that a family spends together. Not only should you focus on preparing a healthy meal for your family, but you should also take the time to wind down with everyone. When your family members rush through mealtime, they are more likely to chew their food incorrectly and overeat.

If you want to practice healthy mealtimes you should encourage your family to eat slowly. You can do so by telling stories at the dinner table to make mealtime fun for the kids. Moreover, you should restrict the use of electronics such as phones and video games because children rush through meals to go back to their rooms and play with their gadgets.

Practice Moderation

Kids who are not allowed to eat snacks and sweets do not end up learning about moderation. From a young age, you need to teach your kids to eat sweets in moderation if you do not want them to eat them behind your back. You can do this by planning a monthly family outing where you take your kids to eat ice cream and special candy.

Just because you want to live a healthy lifestyle does not mean that you cannot enjoy candy occasionally.

Be Positive

A healthy family is a happy family and parents are responsible for teaching their kids how to eat healthy. Children who learn how to eat healthy at a young age are more likely to carry the behaviors into adulthood and live long, fruitful lives. For this reason, you need to be positive when teaching your family how to live a healthier lifestyle if you want the new habits to stick.

The above tips will come in handy if you want to build a healthy lifestyle. Through purposeful commitment and investment, you and your family will be able to enjoy great relationships and lead healthy lives. Good health will allow your family to thrive in all areas.