BusinessVoice News Network

Trying to earn rewards points or cash back by paying your rent using a credit card could be more expensive than you think. Putting your rent payment on plastic increases the risk of ballooning debt if you don’t pay the entire card balance each month and landlords can charge a service fee for using a card. And that rent payment may be late unless you allow time for the credit charge to clear before the due date. Source Link

What causes the dreaded “brain freeze” when you eat something cold too fast? The sudden exposure to cold triggers blood vessels in your mouth to rapidly narrow and widen, sending pain signals through nerves in the head and face. Eating that ice cream or milkshake more slowly can prevent brain freeze but if it happens, press your tongue to the roof of your mouth to warm it up. Source Link

This is promising news if you’re a person who’s always anxious about making a good first impression. Testing found that most people in first meetings underestimate how much the other person liked them. The so-called “liking gap” is important because being over-critical might stop you from wanting to make a new friend. Source Link

You use it to wipe down many things in your kitchen but what’s the right way to clean a sponge? Put a damp sponge in the microwave for one minute or soak it for 60 seconds in a quart of water with a half-teaspoon of bleach. You can keep a sponge cleaner if you wring it out completely after every use and let it dry in a spot with plenty of air circulation. Source Link

There’s a good reason to resist that urge to get just a little more gas in your car’s tank after the pump clicks off during a fill-up. An internal overflow of gas can saturate and damage filters in the car’s vapor recovery system. This can reduce engine performance and fuel efficiency and may lead to a costly repair. Source Link

Is a vegan diet good for a dog? There’s little scientific evidence of this but dogs can get the nutrition they need while eating vegan. They need a lot of protein and a vegan diet should be more carefully crafted to meet that goal. Talk with your veterinarian about your dog’s nutritional needs and which products will meet them. Source Link 

Cleaning up after your dog does their business can be easier with these tips. Save those fast food cardboard French fry boxes because they make great disposable poop scoopers when you walk the dog. Or spread non-toxic squirrel repellent on the parts of your yard that you don’t want your dog to use as a bathroom. Source Link

Giving a child an allowance can be the foundation for a lifetime of smart money management. Having their own money forces kids to think about how to spend it and learn the difference between needs and wants. And using an allowance for savings, donations and spending can teach self-reliance in kids. Source Link

You should think twice before scanning a QR code with your phone. Scammers are using fake QR codes for rip-offs that range from bogus parking meter payments to fake online portals for bill payments and even romance scams. Always confirm that a QR code is legitimate before scanning it and avoid any that come in an email you weren’t expecting. Source Link

How do you prioritize cleaning if you have just a few minutes to do it before guests arrive? Cut the visible clutter by putting things into a laundry basket that you can stash, fluff up couch pillows and quickly wipe down visible surfaces like a kitchen countertop, a bathroom vanity or mirrors. And give your place the scent of clean by lighting a lemon or orange-infused candle. Source Link

Asking Siri, Alexa or another voice assistant for quick directions on how to do CPR could have a deadly outcome. Testing found that nearly half of responses were unrelated to performing CPR, only one-third provided CPR instructions and only one in ten gave verbal directions. The best option is to call 9-1-1 and ask the emergency dispatcher for directions on how to do CPR. Source Link

It’s easy to eat healthy anytime when you stock your freezer with these items. Frozen shrimp or fish filets are rich in protein and low in fat and frozen vegetables can be as nutritious as fresh. Frozen berries make a great smoothie and whole wheat flatbreads or tortillas will keep in the freezer for months. You can even satisfy that sweet tooth with frozen 100 percent fruit bars. Source Link

There are some smart ways to get rid of items you don’t want or need. Keeping the tags on not-so-great clothes you got as a gift makes resale more profitable and go beyond eBay to specialty sites that can pay more. And if you keep things for fear of needing them later, use the “20-20” rule – don’t save it if you can buy it again in 20 minutes for less than $20. Source Link

You can help your child improve their reading skills with encouragement and the right approach. Make reading fun and engaging by choosing books that align with your child’s interests, including comics, graphic novels or magazines. Read aloud together and stick to a consistent routine with reading every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Source Link

In the fight against Alzheimer’s and memory loss, you can start with your heart. The same steps that promote heart health can protect the brain. That includes losing extra weight, eating a healthy diet, managing blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, getting physically active and not smoking. Source Link

The carpet in that new home probably needs to go if the former owner was a smoker. Researchers found that tobacco smoke clings to carpet fibers long after smoking has stopped, and ozone generators that purify air and surfaces can’t remove it completely. This so-called “thirdhand smoke” can linger for years and sometimes transform into a new type of dangerous contaminant. Source Link 

You can prevent delays during the security check on that next family flight by packing a “flagged” bag for carry-on. Put everything that might require a closer look into one bag to speed the process and avoid having anything left behind after multiple bag searches. This includes all electronics, snacks, medications, tools like nail clippers and all liquids in 3.4 ounce containers. Source Link

Think of it as spring cleaning, except it happens in fall and the chores are outdoors. Store your lawn mower safely by draining the gasoline and replacing it with a special fuel mix that has no ethanol. And speaking of draining, don’t forget to winterize that sprinkler system by blowing out all water from the lines and from any sprinkler heads. Source Link