Archives for 2019

Did you know that the average American is carrying around $40,000 worth of personal debt? And that’s just the average. Thousands of people are stuck juggling hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt and are on the verge of declaring bankruptcy.

If you’re debt-carrier, you’ve got two options to remedy that situation: Make more money or save more money.

We recommend doing a little bit of both!

This article focuses on the saving end of that equation and specifically drills into what many experts are claiming to be the most unique ways to save money that will prove effective in 2020.

If you’d like to start getting your savings strategy in order for the new year, our recommendation is to keep reading!

1. Buy Used

Everybody wants new stuff.

New cars. A new television. A new phone…

The thing is though that new stuff is expensive and a lot of used iterations of the exact same stuff works just as well and are a heck of a lot cheaper.

To that end, we recommend that you shop used before you pick something new up. A quick search on eBay or Amazon should give you a number of gently used options that are worth looking into for wherever it is that you’re trying to buy.

2. Find a Better Financing Offer on Your Car

If you’re like most people in the world, you’re driving a car. Chances are that you also owe money on it.

Depending on how high your interest rate is, it’s possible that by doing something as simple as refinancing your loan, you can save hundreds of dollars on your car payment every single month.

Getting a car loan that’s good can be tricky if you don’t have good credit but it’s worth shopping around to see what offers are available to you.

Even saving $20.00 each month can mean a big difference at the end of the year.

3. Ditch Air Travel When Vacationing

Have you ever tried to fly a whole family somewhere for vacation? If you have, we’re willing to bet that it probably wasn’t a good experience.

Not only is paying for round trip plane tickets for a multitude of people expensive but it’s also stressful if you have young ones that are prone to misbehaving during long flights.

In our opinion you should ditch the air travel, save the cash and road trip to your vacation destination.

4. Revolutionize the Way That You Grocery Shop

People routinely spend way too much on groceries. By making a couple of small adjustments, you might put thousands of dollars back in your pocket annually.

Some quick suggestions to bring down your grocery bill include making a list prior to going shopping, couponing/buying things that are on sale and only shopping at the cheapest grocer in your area.

Those three tactics combined could literally save the financial life of a large family.

5. Plan Cheaper Weekends

Weekend fun is a phantom-money suck on many households. That’s why ditching traditional weekend fun is among the most unique ways to save money.

Think about it: You could go out to dinner this Saturday and watch a movie or you could buy something delicious to prepare at home and rent a few movies.

Both Saturday plans will make for a fun night but the second suggestion will save you a ton of cash.

6. Throw Out Costly Habits

Costly habits are (you guessed it) costly. They can make hundreds of dollars disappear from your bank account each month without you even knowing it!

For example, smoking. Some people go through a pack a day and at $5.00 or so a pack, we’re talking $150.00 per month.

The same is true with buying sweets, wines and other nice to have things that are best enjoyed in moderation (if at all).

Figure out what your habits are and see if you can curb or eliminate them. Cutting down just a little bit could have a huge impact on your savings.

7. Make Leftover Night a Thing

There’s a huge problem in America when it comes to wasting food. You can save money and help crush that problem all in one swoop by just being willing to eat leftovers.

The vast majority of what you prepare on any given night will hold for a few extra days in the fridge or weeks in the freezer so rather than throwing that extra beef, rice, etc. into the garbage, throw it on some ice and enjoy it again tomorrow.

8. Audit Your Subscriptions

Between Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, Epix and all of the other streaming services that we’re subscribed to, a lot of the members on our team are paying more for television now than we ever paid for cable.

If you’re like us, it’s time to start purging.

Figure out which monthly subscription services you’re actually using. If you’re using a certain service just a little or not at all, get rid of it and spend that cash somewhere else.

Closing Out the Most Unique Ways to Save Money in 2020

The new year is coming up fast people and if you want to make 2020 the year where you get your finances in order, you’re going to want to start shopping smarter.

Our list of unique ways to save money is a great place to start but is by no means comprehensive. Challenge yourself to come up with even more savings strategies and start building wealth in the new year.

Looking for more tips on how to afford your life/kids/everything else? If you are then you’re going to want to keep pouring over all of the helpful content that we’ve got waiting for you on our blog!

Approximately 78% of teenagers in the US have mobile phones.

Though it is not permitted to use the devices while lessons are ongoing, teens have found a way to get notifications and alerts under the noses of their teachers and even parents at home.

This is causing such a huge buzz among students. Popularly known as mosquito ringtones, these are ringtones that adults can literally not hear.

These ringtones are not audible to older folk because they emit a high-frequency sound only kids can hear.

The Science Behind Mosquito Ringtones

When we are born, we have a greater ability to detect sound frequency. This ability fades slowly as we age. Sound travels through mediums such as air via pressure waves by compressing and stretching that medium.

The rate at which they compress and stretch the medium per second is frequency.

The unit of measurement for frequency is Hertz (Hz). For instance, a frequency of 5 Hz means that there are five wave cycles or compressions per second. A frequency of 20 Hz means that there are 20 compressions every second.

This means that for the second example, the compressions will be much shorter and closer together.

If the sound waves oscillate at a high frequency, the resulting pitch will also be high.

Your ability to detect pitch depends on how many of the compression changes your eardrum can detect per second. As this number reduces, so will your ability to detect high frequencies.

This is the same case with humans and dogs. Our four-legged friends can detect much higher frequencies than we can. Humans can detect up to 20 Hz, whereas dogs can hear frequencies of 40 Hz.

This is why your canine friend seems to become wild when they hear dog whistle blown and you can’t hear a thing.

However, there are animals that also dwarf a dog’s ability to detect high frequencies. Bats and certain types of moths can detect frequencies of up to 150 Hz.

Actually, bats bounce off these high frequencies against objects in order to move and hunt.

The Irony Behind the Use of Mosquito Ringtones

If you ask any teenager the purpose of mosquito ringtones, they’ll simply tell you it’s a way of keeping in touch with what’s going on without adults knowing.

Though it does allow them to know when texts and notifications come in undetected by adults, the origin of these ringtones is a tool whose sole function is to ward off teens.

In 2005 a Welsh inventor named Howard Stapleton got the ingenious idea to develop a device to ward of teens.

The inspiration came as a result of his daughter being teased by a group of boys at the store.

This device, ‘Mosquito’, emits high frequency sounds that only people under the age of 25 can hear.

He made the tone to be so annoying that it would drive off loitering teenagers. This technology was quickly adopted by business owners as the noise repellent device would help drive loitering teens away.

However, teenagers have found a way to turn the technology whose inspiration is to keep teens away to work against them in their favor.

Kids are now using mosquito ringtones to keep in touch to receive notifications, texts, and calls without adults noticing. All this now happens in classrooms and at dinner tables.

Effect of High Frequency on Humans

Some reports indicate that Very High-Frequency Sound (VHFS) can have adverse effects on people.

Some of the symptoms that have been reported by most people include headaches, pain in the ears, fatigue, and even tinnitus.

Sound at high volumes has been proven to have similar effects that can even be deafening on the extreme side.

Though no study has been able to conclusively demonstrate this, one cannot dismiss such cases.

For instance, some American diplomats in China reported feelings of nausea, headaches, and even hearing loss.

They experienced these symptoms after hearing odd sounds while in their apartments. Similarly, in 2016, a group of 24 diplomats in Cuba complained of the same symptoms also after hearing strange sounds.

Though more research needs to be done, such instances indicate that there is more to learn about frequency and it indeed could affect us.

Sound Only Kids Can Hear: Is it Ethical?

The mosquito device was designed to repel teens. Therefore, the sound emitted was deliberately made to annoy teens and prevent them from loitering.

Though the intentions were good, the challenge is that these sounds can affect many people.

These devices are indiscriminate to all who can hear them. For starters, there are young adults who are above 25 that also get affected by the sound.

Children too are also not left behind. The other challenge is that not all teens loiter or are disruptive to businesses.

Many people and even some humanitarian organizations have raised questions about the appropriateness of such devices. High-frequency sounds have been described as very unbearable and similar to scratching on a blackboard.

There have actually been several cases involving noise repellent devices. In one case in 2010, the Council of Europe which oversees human rights issues in the continent found that the device was a clear infringement on human rights.

In support of their verdict, they stated that the device inflicted acoustic pain on young people.

In an earlier case where Compound Security sought an independent legal opinion, the court found that there was no clear human rights violation.

Though some cities and governments have declared their intentions to outlaw the devices, they are yet to make any conclusive steps.

Are Mosquito Ringtones Safe to Use?

Though there are questions on the effect of high-frequency sound on people, there is no indication that mosquito ringtones pose such a threat.

This is partly due to the fact they are not meant to be annoying but undetectable by adults.

At present, you cannot classify them in the same category as noise repellent devices. These ringtones that emit a sound only kids can hear are simply a way for teens to enjoy themselves.

In essence, this is why it is now referred to as the teen buzz.

Check out our parenting section for more insights on issues affecting children and teenagers and how to be a better parent.

The US dominates world charts when it comes to swimming competitions. The recent 2016 Rio Olympics, when the U.S won 33 medals says it all.

Most Americans have pools in their homes. Sadly, most are in the dark when it comes to swimming pool maintenance tips!

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Are you or someone you love about to go into rehab for substance abuse?

Up to 20 million people in the United States suffer from substance abuse. If you’re one of these people, the best thing you can do for yourself is to check into rehab.

However, you may feel anxious about doing this because you don’t know what to expect when you enter rehab. In particular, what kinds of treatments plans for substance abuse are used to help patients recover.

In this article, we’ll explain some examples of treatment plans for substance abuse which you can expect to encounter in rehab. Check them out below.

1. Treatment Medications

There are many treatment medications used in rehab. These can include the following medications:

• Naltrexone
• Buprenorphine
• Methadone

These are commonly given to people suffering from addiction to opioids. At alcohol rehab centers, patients could be prescribed one of the following:

• Disulfiram
• Acamprosate
• Naltrexone

Individuals with tobacco addiction are given nicotine preparations, such as gum or patches. It is worth noting that alcohol and tobacco addiction is often used in tandem with illicit drug use.

Dependence of illicit drugs can be treated via a number of medications. For example, heroin addiction is treated with Buprenorphine.

However, many illicit drugs can be treated without any medication. For example, cocaine addictions are often treated with therapy exclusively.

2. Behavioral Therapy

The most common type of therapy used at rehab centers is behavioral therapy. However, this isn’t a single therapy, but many therapies.

Behavioral therapies are linked by an emphasis on the causes and consequences of behavior. This can help patients avoid and handle situations of high-risk.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT has been described as the “gold standard for psychotherapy” by experts. It has been widely adopted in substance abuse rehab centers.

Patients develop an understanding of the relationship between substance abuse and behavior. By being able to spot a high-risk situation before it occurs, patients learn to cope better.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT isn’t as well-known as CBT. And yet, DBT has proven highly effective among patients with emotional problems.

It is often deployed in rehab centers with patients who report thoughts related to self-harm or suicide. The therapy helps patients to overcome negative thoughts and feelings. This is achieved through acceptance and understanding.

Techniques in DBT include relaxation practices, such as yoga and mindfulness. The therapy also encourages a more healthy lifestyle.

The Matrix Model

The Matrix Model is also adopted by rehab centers to help patients maintain the abstinence from substance abuse. Most commonly it is used against cocaine addiction or methamphetamine.

The therapy promotes a wide range of tested therapies. These include family therapy and support groups to encourage relapse prevention.

3. Motivational Therapy

Behavioral therapy is the most common type of therapy. And yet, motivational therapy is also widely adopted in rehab centers. Instead of focusing on the behavior of patients, the therapy tries to identify the underlying motivation.

Motivational Enhancement Therapy

An interview process is undertaken with the patient. The therapy attempts to encourage the patient to want change in their life through this.

Many patients enter rehab centers reluctant to engage with the treatment plan. This therapy focuses on establishing the incentive to give up substance abuse.

The therapist does not impose the motivation on the patient. Instead, the therapist encourages self-motivation.

Contingency Management 

Contingency management helps to address the desire for a reward for positive behavior. Abstention from substance abuse during rehab is rewarded with prizes, such as vouchers for food or family visits.

Experts have raised concerns about this treatment. There are fears it may encourage gambling or other addictive behaviors.

4. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Many patients who are substance abusers have undergone chronic stress. This can be due to traumatic experiences. This can further worsen substance abuse conditions.

The therapy helps to alleviate the symptoms of stress disorders. The EMDR therapy helps the patient to reprocess a traumatic event to attach less painful feelings to it.

5. 12-Step Therapy

The 12-step therapy is perhaps the most well-known treatment for people with alcohol or substance abuse issues.

Patients are often encouraged to participate in 12-step programs. This includes Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.

And yet, few people know what the 12-step therapy entails before they participate themselves. There are a number of principles which are central.

These include the assumption that patients don’t have control over the disease alone. Therefore, only through the support of the group can they overcome substance abuse.

6. Alternative Therapy

A growing number of rehab centers are also embracing so-called alternative therapies. Many of these types of therapies take a holistic approach to substance abuse recovery.

Yoga and Meditation

Both yoga and meditation have been shown to promote improved mental and physical health. These practices are not enough by themselves. But, combined with other substance abuse therapies they can help many patients.

In particular, meditation has been shown to help to alleviate the symptoms of stress and anxiety. This is especially important for recovering drug and alcohol addicts who can relapse when under stress.

Animal-Assisted Therapy

People who struggle with substance abuse often experience severe mental health problems. If this is the case for you, consider attending a rehab center which embraces animal therapies.

There are a number of mental health disorders which can be helped by animal-assisted therapies. These include interaction with trained horses and petting dogs.

Treatment Plans for Substance Abuse

Are you or someone you know going into rehab for substance abuse? You need to know about treatment plans for substance abuse.

It can be overwhelming to think of the different treatments to help you to recover from your addiction to drugs and alcohol. However, it’s important to know what to expect before you enter rehab.

Do you have any experience of going into rehab for substance abuse? Get in touch with us in the comments below.

It’s the one call that no parent wants to receive. The call from their child’s school and naming your angel a bully. We all want to believe that our kid is not the bully, but it does happen. Even in family’s that teach boundaries and respect. Why do they do it? What can you do?

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Candles have been scientifically proven to have a calming effect on people. They have a gentle and mesmerizing light that makes them perfect for any relaxation routine. The candle flame, as small as it is, works like a charm when it comes to increasing self-awareness and reducing stress.

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