BusinessVoice News Network

Not everything in a thrift store is a smart buy. Do pick up cheap sweaters because you’ll save big on retail prices for something you might wear a few months of the year. Don’t buy shoes that may have stretched out to the former owner’s foot shape and could be uncomfortable. Bargain hunt for baby clothes but avoid used toys that may not conform to safety standards. Source Link

To start a good conversation with someone new, avoid questions like, “What do you do?” or “Where are you from?” Instead, get them talking with an opener like, “What’s your story?” or “What makes you smile when you get up in the morning?” or “What’s the most important thing I should know about you?” The goal is to make the conversation about the other person. Source Link

For better self-esteem, look for ways to build on your strengths instead of just fixing the weaknesses. Discover what skills make you feel best about yourself and find activities to stimulate that. If it’s critical thinking, go to lectures or take a class. Creatives can start a new project and or you can strengthen perseverance by taking on a new responsibility on a short timetable. Source Link

You can make your Amazon shopping easier with some simple tips. Save search time by creating wish lists for yourself for items you want but won’t buy right away. Use the Amazon Assistant web browser extension to find deals. If all else fails, search with the words, “Gifts for…” and include the recipient, like “mother, wife, husband” or anyone else. Source Link

When you’re trying to save something to memory, count to eight. Studies have shown that concentrating on something for eight seconds is the minimum amount of time it takes for a piece of information to go from your short-term memory to long-term memory. Taking time to concentrate can help you remember what’s important. Source Link

Can a downward dog help you get that high blood pressure down? Researchers found that people who added a 15-minute yoga session to aerobic exercise five days a week could drop their upper blood pressure number by as much as 10 points. Yoga was more effective than stretching exercises in reducing blood pressure. 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

You might save yourself a call to the tech help desk with these easy fixes. Powering down a wireless mouse or keyboard that’s not working could solve a broken connection to your computer. You might speed up a slow computer by removing applications from Startup or getting rid of unnecessary browser extensions. And check to see if Caps Lock is on when that password you’re typing doesn’t match. Source Link

Get ready to be creeped out by what you’re carrying around on that smartphone. A study found that phones often have allergens, bacteria and fungi on the screens that we touch all day long. An alcohol wipe worked well to get rid of those bugs but cleaning your phone screen with a dry cloth didn’t make a dent in the dirt. Source Link 

You may not need a special brain training program to improve your memory because a century-old game might work just as well. In a study, people who completed crossword puzzles scored better in memory testing than those who used special apps or programs. The process of completing a crossword puzzle exercises the part of the brain connected with memory. Source Link

If you’ve always got your mind on your money, give yourself a break by automating your budget. Experts say you can manage your money without the headaches by using direct deposit of your paycheck with automatic bill payments and automatic transfers to savings. And if you budget correctly what’s left is money you can spend any way you’d like. Source Link

Remember these numbers when shopping for a new laptop. You need at least 8 gigabytes of memory to run multiple Windows programs at the same time and 16 gigs is your best bet. A 500 gigabyte hard drive is okay but 1 terabyte will serve your needs for years. And look for a quad core processor for faster performance. Source Link

Creating a professional social media profile is different from your personal pages. Use the right blend of entertaining, educational and promotional content and remember that humor isn’t universal. Play nice with competitors and never get into an argument; be responsive, but not reactive. Give credit to sources and use just a few relevant hashtags in each post. Source Link

When you need time away from your phone, use these built-in settings to help you disconnect. On an iPhone, turn on the Screen Time setting, select apps and add Downtime periods for every day or a custom schedule. On an Android phone, you can do the same with Digital Wellbeing to set how much time you can spend in an app. Source Link

How can you speed up your metabolism to burn more calories? Evenly-spaced meals let your body avoid the starvation mode that stockpiles calories and staying hydrated helps you burn more calories. Watch alcohol intake because it diverts the liver from burning fat and get enough sleep to regulate the hormones that affect hunger. Source Link 

A favorite household cleaner can also stop hard water stains in your dishwasher. Put a cup of white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe bowl on the top rack for each load to prevent stains. You can also use vinegar the same way with a cup in the top rack to clean an empty dishwasher while running a hot water cycle. Source Link