BusinessVoice News Network

How can you put five minutes to good use to improve your mood? Try focused breathing or meditate by silently repeating a word or phrase. Five minutes of brisk movement can help too and you can recharge by unplugging all devices for five minutes and let your mind wander. Source Link

There are warning signs when scammers steal your child’s identity for credit fraud. Keep an eye out for any bills or credit card offers addressed to them. If debt collectors are calling about your child, someone might have made credit purchases in their name. And always add a credit report freeze for every child to prevent any stolen information from being used. Source Link

Your paycheck is showing that new raise but be sure to pay yourself first before upping your lifestyle. Your savings plan should grow with every raise so you’re putting away more money for that home down payment or saving for retirement. And consider switching to a high-yield savings account to earn more interest on your savings. Source Link

If you’d rather not have your digital life harvested for sale by data brokers there are some steps to shut it down. Begin by making your Facebook, Instagram and X accounts private and then go to privacyrights.org to search for data brokers that allow you to remove your information from their service. Source Link

Election anxiety is real for many people but there are ways to ease your worries. Use social media sparingly, maybe just a few times a day. Substitute with pastimes like reading a book, or taking part in personal hobbies. And have respectful discussions with people on the other side. Don’t preach but do listen to understand their perspective. Source Link

It’s Medicare enrollment time when scam artists are calling and here’s why you should hang up on them. Medicare will never call to confirm your address or say they need to send you a new Medicare card for next year. And Medicare cards do not have an embedded chip, so don’t fall for someone claiming they need to send a new chip card to you. Source Link

Just like a dryer, your washer has a filter that needs to be cleaned regularly. In most top-loading machines, the filter is in the center of the agitator, on the top rim of the washer tub, or at the end of a drainage hose. Front loaders have the filter on the front or back of the machine, and high-efficiency washers typically don’t have a filter. Source Link

Most cellphones have lots of duplicate photos on them and they’re easy to find and delete. On an iPhone, select Albums in the Photos app, choose Duplicates, select All and tap the Trash icon. With an Android phone you can use the “Files by Google” app to select Clean, tap to Confirm Junk Files and then Clear. Source Link

Fake charity scammers want to tug on your heartstrings and your wallet, and here are some red flags to watch for. They may call from a local number for a false sense of security or claim that you’ve donated before, and may never say exactly how the money is being used. And beware of scam charities with names that sound like a well-known one but aren’t quite right. Source Link

You don’t need to have a little one at home to put baby wipes to good use. They’re great for cleaning computer keyboards, removing makeup and wiping away excess nail polish, cleaning switch plates, removing latex paint from your hands, and cleaning stains from clothing and carpet.. A baby wipe can even sub for a Swiffer sheet the next time you sweep. Source Link

Could people who suffer with anxiety and depression get a boost by being kind to others? Those who started adding small acts of kindness into their day showed an improvement in symptoms and better feelings of social connection. Being kind to others may help people with mental health symptoms stop being preoccupied with suffering. Source Link

When you’re aiming to reorganize and reduce the stuff in your home, don’t purchase these things before you purge. Baskets, bins and dividers are great for organization but don’t buy new ones until after you’ve sorted. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself filling those new containers with things that should be going. Source Link

Frozen pizza can taste like the best takeout with a few simple hacks. Start with a good brand and season the crust with melted butter, garlic powder or parmesan cheese. Add fresh veggies and more cheese for a homemade supreme, and use a pizza stone that you preheat in the oven for crispier crusts and more evenly cooked toppings. Source Link

You can get a brighter smile with home teeth whitening, but there are some caveats to keep in mind. Teeth that are brown or gray may not respond well to a home whitener and whitening will not work on caps, veneers, crowns, fillings, injured teeth or those changed by medications. Source Link

Using that snooze button could be good for you. In a study, about 20 minutes of snoozing appeared to boost the ability to think quickly and clearly upon waking for the day. The benefit was seen the most in those who go to bed later and snoozing did not affect mood or raise levels of the fight-or-flight hormone cortisol. Source Link

Resistance training can be an important part of any weight loss plan. It lowers the percentage of body fat in healthy adults and builds muscle that burns more than twice as many calories as fat does. Weightlifting also speeds up metabolism, improves testosterone levels for men and boosts bone density in women. Source Link

More screen time for kids at age 2 can mean more problems with communication and daily living skills by age 4. That’s from researchers who say the wild card is more outdoor play time. Youngsters who spent more time playing outdoors improved their daily living skills but it didn’t alter the negative effects of screen time on communication skills. Source Link 

Your dishwasher needs some help getting things clean and the solution may be in the soft drink aisle at the grocery store. A monthly acid bath using unsweetened powdered lemon Kool-Aid can help remove lime scale, soap scum and other stains. Put one package in each detergent cup and run the empty dishwasher for a complete cycle. Source Link