BusinessVoice News Network

The long weekend is a favorite getaway and these tips can help you save on your mini-vacation. Book your rental car as far ahead as possible to get the best rates but consider waiting to find last-minute deals on unsold hotel rooms. The same strategy might also work with a short-term rental property that still has an opening a few days before you plan to leave. Source Link

Looking for an alternative to help you kick the soda habit? If you like the fizz, try sparkling water with a lemon twist, lime twist, crushed raspberries or a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Cola fans can switch to iced redbush tea to get the same taste and if you like ginger ale you can make your own with seltzer water, freshly grated ginger and a half-teaspoon of the natural sweetener stevia. Source Link

You can make it easier for your child to be ready for the arrival of a new brother or sister. With toddlers, you can read picture books about new babies but preschoolers need more involvement. Encourage them to help plan for the new baby, let them play with their old baby toys before they’re handed down and assure them they won’t be loved any less because of the new sibling. Source Link

Being bored can boost your creativity and brain power but only if you do it the right way. Don’t confuse relaxation with boredom, which can happen when you’re doing a familiar activity that requires no thinking or you’re just sitting quietly. The key to reaching boredom is letting your mind wander without stimulation from anything like music or a screen. Source Link

A vacation from work can help you reset and do a better job when you return and the same is true for your phone. Restarting ends background processes, clears the cache and RAM, and speeds up things. Some people never turn off their phones, so make it a habit to hit “restart” at the beginning of each day. Source Link

You can get the most out of your air conditioning with the help of a garden hose. Spray down the outdoor condenser unit to remove any dirt or debris that might stop it from pushing out the hot air. A regular hose and nozzle does the job but don’t use a power washer because that strong stream can damage the tiny ventilator fins in the condenser unit. Source Link

That next grocery shopping trip can be faster when you follow these tips. Take stock of what’s in your pantry and fridge and make a shopping list before you go, and pick up canned or frozen produce if you don’t eat the fresh kind fast enough. Don’t shop when you’re hungry and go it alone so that kids or your spouse don’t add more to the shopping cart. Source Link

We love our shoes and have plenty of pairs, but how many do you really need to pack for vacation? The magic number is three. For example, a business trip may call for flats, heels and sneakers. Or you can visit with the family by packing a pair of sneakers, boots and dress shoes. Don’t pack more than three unless you have a specific need for multiple pairs. Source Link

When you’re looking for a car that will go the extra mile – and then some – there are many that can easily hit the 200,000-mile mark. In a study, the top five were the Toyota Sequoia and Land Cruiser, followed by the Chevy Suburban, Toyota Tundra and GMC Yukon XL. But it’s not all big trucks or SUV’s because the number-six vehicle was the Toyota Prius hybrid sedan. Source Link

The 50-30-20 Budget Rule can make it easier to manage expenses now and save for the future. Allocate 50 percent of your take-home pay to necessities like mortgage or rent, utilities and groceries. Use 30 percent of that after-tax income for wants, like a new phone or a fresh outfit. The remaining 20 percent is for savings or paying off debt. Source Link

For your next visit to the doctor, be sure to bring some important information on your family. Knowing about conditions like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or cancers experienced by siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles can help your doctor identify if you’re at higher risk and need a special schedule of screenings. Source Link

Your tennis shoes can come clean in the washing machine, with some important caveats. A machine wash works for polyester, cotton and canvas kicks, but leather sneakers should be hand-washed, and any stain may need to be spot-treated separately. And a wash cycle does a better job of killing odor than helping your tennis shoes come clean. Source Link

A young child will get the most benefit if you go low-tech when reading to them. Children whose parents used print books instead of a tablet or other digital device got more out of the experience. Researchers say a tablet can be distracting with its touch features and e-books with sounds and music blocked interaction between parent and child. Source Link

Your phone offers plenty of shortcuts to make life easier. Ask your voice assistant to remind you of something you need to do later when you enter a certain room, or add items to a grocery list as you see that you need them. And when you’re trying to find others in a crowd, show them where you are with the prompt, “Where am I?” and then share that location with your group. Source Link

Eating nuts can be a great tool for weight loss, but be sure to watch your portions and choose wisely. Walnuts give you antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, while peanuts and almonds can curb hunger. Pistachios are lower in calories than other nuts and cashews are a low-fat crunchy alternative to less healthy snacks. Source Link

When it’s time to clean up your act on that laptop make sure you have the right tools to get rid of the grime. Start with short sprays of canned air to blast away crumbs or dirt in the keyboard and dust that’s blocking the cooling vents. Then use a dry microfiber cloth to remove smudges from the screen and add a bit of water to that cloth to wipe down the case. Source Link

Watch for these red flags when choosing a home mover. Beware when a mover gives you an estimate without an on-site inspection of your household items or says they’ll provide a written estimate after they load the truck. Never sign blank documents or put down a large deposit before the move and avoid a mover that demands cash payment. Source Link

Your smartphone’s camera can catch those action shots easily with a few simple steps. On an iPhone, swipe the shutter button to the left for “Burst Mode,” then lift your finger to stop and select the best shots by tapping Burst > Select > Done. To do the same thing on an Android phone, simply hold down your shutter button. Source Link