BusinessVoice News Network

You can add utility companies to the list of those being impersonated by scammers who want to steal from you. The imposters will call and threaten to cut off service unless a payment is made immediately. If this happens to you, hang up and call the utility company directly and never provide payment information in response to this kind of call. Source Link

“White coat syndrome” is when your blood pressure spikes every time you visit the doctor, but there are ways to help prevent it. Sit quietly and take deep breaths for a few minutes before the reading is taken, or bring someone with you because squeezing a loved one’s hand can reduce stress. And monitor your blood pressure at home to compare to readings at the doctor’s office. Source Link

A 529 plan is a state-sponsored way to pay for a child’s educational expenses with savings that are free of federal income taxes. The money can be used for elementary, secondary or college costs, and up to $10,000 can go to pay off existing student loan debt. You’ll pay a 10-percent penalty and face federal taxes if you withdraw money from a 529 plan for non-educational use. Source Link

When it comes to paying the tab during your vacation, you should be packing the plastic. A credit card can be frozen if lost or stolen and many cards include benefits like travel accident insurance and coverage for lost luggage or trip interruptions. Just be sure to pay off the balance completely when you’re back from your summer getaway. Source Link

Trying to save money with discount cosmetic dental work could erase that smile and leave you with lifelong pain. Unlicensed technicians are offering cut-rate veneers that are lower quality and may permanently damage your teeth. Avoid any provider who works from beauty salons, hotel room or private home. Source Link

Saving on the high cost of printer ink can be as simple as adjusting a few settings. Use less ink by changing the print color to #010101 that will look like black but is mostly gray. Try fonts like Courier New or Garamond that use less ink and consider printing in Draft Mode if it’s something you don’t need to give to someone else. Source Link

You can make the most of house hunting when you go off the beaten path during an open house. Head for the basement to look for obvious signs of dampness or aging HVAC equipment or take a walk around the block to see what the neighborhood is like. And don’t be fooled by expert staging or distracted by the pleasant smell of fresh-baked cookies. Source Link

The combination of two successful diet plans could be just what the doctor ordered for your brain. The MIND Diet combines elements of the Mediterranean Diet and DASH Diet to focus on brain-healthy food groups including vegetables, berries, beans, whole grains, seafood, poultry, and olive oil to reduce the risk of cognitive impairment. Source Link

Knowing this number can help you drive safely. Find the 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number of your car on the lower driver’s side of the dashboard and plug that into the government’s auto recall listing at nhtsa.gov/recalls. And be sure your address is current for your car’s registration so you can receive mail notices from the manufacturer about recalls. Source Link

Protecting your hearing means knowing how loud is too loud. It’s too loud if you have to shout so that others can hear you within an arm’s distance, or if you have a hard time hearing for a few hours after exposure to the noise. It’s also too loud if hearing it makes your ears ring or hurt. Source Link 

The sun can be your friend or foe when managing that home energy bill. It’s a seasonal thing, so keep drapes open in winter to let the sun shine in and warm your home for free. And in summer, you can use less AC by keeping drapes closed during the day, especially for south-facing windows. Source Link

There are two simple steps to better health that are practically free. Commit to drinking water as your go-to beverage for better hydration and fewer calories, and eat more fruits and veggies that are high in water content. And aim for seven hours of sleep every night by starting with an alarm that’s set for when you should be going to bed. Source Link

There are many things that offer quality and a better price when bought used. Jewelry, musical instruments, office furniture and bicycles can be fine when they’re used. And fitness equipment, computers and laptops, and clothes for special occasions are also great second-hand choices. Source Link

The DASH diet is top-rated for heart health and lowering blood pressure, but what’s in this plan? A typical person eating 2,000 calories a day would need 6 to 8 daily servings of grains, 4 to 5 servings of vegetables, 4 to 5 servings of fruits, 2 to 3 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy, plus 2 to 3 servings of fats and oils. Sweets are limited to one serving a day. Source Link

Your hand will thank you if you break this habit when holding your phone. Balancing the phone with your pinkie on the back can cause painful compression of a nerve that runs from your armpit to your elbow and into your hand. Avoid that bad balancing act by using a pop-out holder and take breaks from scrolling to rest the muscles in your fingers. Source Link

Many of us have a desk drawer full of old dead phones but be careful they don’t come back to life in a bad way. Old batteries can swell up and may catch fire, so remove any phone like this and dispose of it safely. If you plan to keep an old phone as a backup, charge the battery to 50% and then turn the phone off and check that charge every six months. Source Link

It’s a home appliance you may not think about, but one mistake can make a water heater a serious fire risk. Gas and oil-fired water heaters use a flame that could cause a fire if flammable items are too close to it. Never store anything on top of a water heater and keep at least three feet of clear space around it. Source Link

The “Miles Per Gallon” rating is what most people use to measure a car’s fuel efficiency, but there’s another number that’s a better gauge for that. The “Gallons Per 100 Miles” rating makes it easier to quickly compare how much gas you’d use on a typical trip. That rating for every vehicle is available at FuelEconomy.gov. Source Link