Easy Ways to Try and Prepare your Home for Winter

Winter is just around the corner. For this reason, it is more important than ever for you to prepare your
home. If you want to get some great hints and tips then you can find out everything you need to know
right here.

Invest in Weather Stripping

You need to start out by checking your home’s doors and windows for any cold air leaks. If you want to
do this then you can easily use an infrared thermal gun. This will help you to detect any leaks instantly
and it will also save you a lot of time. If you aren’t able to invest in something like this then you can
easily move a lit candle around the door frame. The flame will blow towards you when there is any kind
of breeze. If you do know that you have a draft then you need to use some weather stripping. This is
very easy to get hold of and you can even get some at your local hardware store. This will come with its
own set of instructions, so you have nothing to worry about at all there.

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Door Sweeps

Believe it or not, door sweeps are fantastic at stopping any draft from entering your home. A sweep is
essentially a piece of rubber, but it can also be plastic. It is fixed onto your door’s lower edge and this is
usually done via a strip of aluminium. This will stop any additional heat from escaping your home and it
will also help you to stay on top of your energy bills.

Fix Any Attic Air Leaks

If you have gaps in your attic then this could cause as much as 30% of your heated or even your cooled
air to leak out into the great outdoors. This can make your energy bills cost hundreds more, not to
mention that your boiler will also be working overtime. If you aren’t sure if you have an attic issue or not,
then you can pull back the insulation. If you see any cutouts or holes then fill these in. You also need to
look out for any electrical fixtures, pipes, fans and outlets. Holes may have appeared around these and
they may also cause you to lose out on energy. If you want a quick fix, then expanding foam is a
fantastic option.

Smart Thermostats

Programmable thermostats remain to be one of the best ways for you to save energy when the colder
weather hits. A programmable thermostat can save you a small fortune in fuel costs, not to mention that
it can be lowered or raised accordingly as well. WiFi enabled thermostats are very popular, but if you
can’t afford one of these then it is very easy for you to find one that does not come with this as an option.
You can also set the temperature on your thermostat manually if required.

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Hot Water Heaters

You can save on fuel by wrapping an older water heater up in insulation. This is a very easy DIY
project and a beginner can do it. Your utility company will probably give you some instructions to help
you with this. When you are insulating a gas or even a propane water tank, you need to make sure that
you do not cover the burner access panel. If you have a water heater that has already been insulated,
then you have to make sure that you don’t do it again. You also need to check your instructions to make
sure that your heater does not warn against insulation as well. Of course, tankless heaters should not be
insulated either.

Hot Water Temperatures

Usually, hot water heaters tend to be set at a certain temperature. It is more than possible for you to
lower the temperature on your own. When you do this, you can take advantage of the savings and you
can also lower the cost of running your system in winter too. The water will still be more than hot enough
for washing, bathing, doing the dishes and anything else you need.

Pipes

Foam sleeves can easily be snapped onto the pipe in your basement or even in your crawl space. You
can find them at most hardware stores. Before you go, make sure that you get the dimensions of your
pipes so that you can choose the right ones. Cold water pipes should also be insulated 3 feet after they
enter the house. The main reason why you have to do this is because if you don’t then your pipes may
freeze and this is the last thing you need at Christmas.

Thieves

With the festive season coming up, it’s important that you try and keep your home as safe as possible.
Thieves tend to operate most around this time of year because they know that people are going to be
spending the most money. For this reason, you need to try and be careful where you put your recycling.
Don’t leave a huge TV box right outside your house as this will advertise the fact that you have just
received a new one. You may also want to look into a security system as well. When you do this, you
can then feel confident knowing that even when you go out of the house, you are still protected. If you do
want to get a security system installed, then now is the perfect time. You will be all set up in time for
Christmas and it can also give you a lot of peace of mind as well. See page to find out more about
that.

So there are many things that you can do to try and prepare your home for the winter weather and when
you follow the above tips, you know that you will have absolutely no problems in getting everything
ready once and for all. You can also make sure that your home stays as safe as possible as well, and
this is crucial when Christmas comes along.

Iconic Experiences For Your USA Bucket List

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When it comes to your travel bucket list, you probably have the good old USA earmarked as one of your
preferred destinations. And why wouldn't you? With some of the greatest cities in the world, including
those we highlighted here, there is much to see and do within the vast country.

But here's the thing. What should you do? What should you see? Well, if you want to get the full
American experience, you need to consider some of these iconic American past times when working out
your USA bucket list.

Watch a baseball game. There's nothing more American than watching a game of baseball while
slurping on a giant cup of Cola and eating a hot dog. Even if baseball isn't your thing, it's still worth
watching a game to experience the thrill of the crowd. With a whole lot of whooping and hollering going
on, you are bound to get swept up in the excitement, and who knows? You might become a convert!
Just remember to wear the right colors, so you don't incur the wrath of a rabid Baseball fan.

Experience LA nightlife. LA nightlife is iconic, especially for anybody into the party scene. They have
some of the best nightclubs in the world, and because you are in the heart of Hollywood
country, you may well bump into your favorite celebrity while you're doing your thing on the dancefloor.
But it's not only about disco dancing (or whatever the cool kids are calling it these days), as there is also
the Hollywood Bowl to take in, with late evening concerts, and the legendary Sunset Strip, with
steakhouses, comedy stores, and music venues, as well as the famed nightclubs. And for a touch of
class, why not live like the Hollywood elite and use a limo service in Los Angeles when you're traversing
the famed LA streets.

Go and see a Drive-In movie. This has long been an American tradition, thanks to two of America's
biggest crazes, cars and the movies. The first drive-in was opened in the '30s for a mainly family
audience, but it soon became the things to do for teenage lovers, when watching a movie was the last
thing on their mind. If you are visiting the States, and you are a film lover, then you owe it to yourself to
catch at least one movie, so check out this list of America's best drive-in theatres, and then take in a flick
from the comfort of your car.

Do the touristy things. America has some of the most famous tourist attractions in the world, so you
need to see at least one of them. Take the ferry to see Lady Liberty in New York. Get up close and
personal with past US presidents at Mount Rushmore, or try and catch a glimpse of the current
Pres-in-charge on  a guided tour around the White House. Fuel your movie passion with a trip to the
Hollywood Sign, or take a walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame (both in LA). And then say hello to
the face of America. No, not Donald Trump, but Mickey Mouse himself at Walt Disney World.

We have only tipped the top of the iceberg with our suggestions, and we didn't even mention eating a
piece of good old Apple Pie as one of the iconic experiences on our list. Still, you can grab a piece of
pie from anywhere, despite the ' As American as Apple Pie' analogy, but you can't always get to see a
baseball game, so consider that and the other ideas we have here as must-do experiences for your
USA bucket list!

7 Things You Probably Spend Too Much Money on

Running out of money before the end of the month is an issue no one wants to face, but so many people
have to. While you may wonder exactly why you never have any cash, the answer is probably quite
simple - You spend too much of it. When it comes to your personal finances, the small and seemingly
insignificant purchases are just as important as those much larger. They add up quickly in a short space
of time, wreaking havoc on your budget. To help you avoid this and become more financially stable, here
are seven things you spend too much money on.

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1. Christmas Gifts

With Christmas just around the corner, you’ll soon be buying a whole load of gifts for your family, friends,
and colleagues. While this is a kind and selfless gesture, it shouldn’t be one that leaves you without the
money you need to survive yourself. Before you go ahead and buy anything, you should take the time to
shop around for the best price. You should also search for coupons and promo codes. If you exchange
gifts after Christmas, you can save with the Boxing Day sales.

2. Named Brands

It doesn’t matter whether you’re buying clothes, food, or medicine - Buying named brands always costs
you more than shopping generic. While there are some instances where buying branded items makes
sense, more often than not, generic is just as good, but at a fraction of the cost. Take medicine, for
example - All pills must have the same dosage as it states on the box, so, when you buy branded drugs,
the only thing you pay extra for is more attractive packaging.

3. Meals Out

Ordering takeaways, buying meal deals, and eating out all cost you significantly more than you would
have had to pay had you just cooked your own food. These options are usually quite unhealthy too,
which can cost you later down the line if you become sick because of them. For this reason, you should
write weekly meals plans and aim to prepare most of your food at home. You can have the occasional
treat now and then, but you should stop it from becoming a habit.

4. Gym Memberships

We all know the importance of regular exercise, but you shouldn’t have to pay so much for it. Gym
memberships can be a solid investment, but only if you’re getting plenty of use out of them. If you visit the gym a couple of times a week at most, then you should consider cancelling your payments. Instead,
find ways to exercise for less or even for free. You could borrow workout DVDs from the library, jog
around the block, or join a free exercise class somewhere nearby.

5. Utility Bills

Gas and electricity can cost you an arm and a leg, especially throughout winter, but, with some thought
and preparation, it doesn’t always have to. Instead of turning up your heat when you get chilly, you could
throw on a jumper. You can also keep heat in your home better by looking for an
energy efficient choice for patio doors and windows and by installing roof insulation. You should also do
what you can to tackle wasted electricity, by turning things off at the socket.

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6. Cable Television

Cable television is an increasingly costly and useless expense. While there are shows you will want to
watch on cable, you can do so much cheaper by switching to a streaming service instead. These allow
you to watch some regular TV channels, as well as stream thousands of movies and television box sets.
You can usually connect these services to your TV by downloading an app onto a games console,
allowing you can watch how you normally would.

7. Lottery Tickets

We all like to buy a lottery ticket now and then, especially when the jackpot is particularly huge. It’s fun to
take a chance, and, at just a few dollars, what do you have to lose? Unfortunately, over your lifetime, it is
actually quite a lot. While it may only be a few dollars this week, if you add up all of the times you have
bought tickets, it can quickly amount to hundreds. The chance of you actually winning is incredibly slim,
so you’re better off investing your money elsewhere.

Small, but unnecessary purchases may not seem like the end of the world at first, but they can build up
and ruin your finances in no time at all. Instead of wasting your cash, you should look for
ways to cut costs and save money.

Seven Luxuries Your Home Could Benefit From

Did you know that when people choose to upgrade their homes, there’s an assumption that they’re
about to sell? It seems that a lot of people assume that paying out for a home upgrade that adds some
luxury to the home means that you must be ready to put out the ‘for sale’ sign. Here’s the thing:
sometimes, you just want some luxury items that will make your house look fantastic - for you to enjoy,
not for the promise of a sale.

Upping the value of the house - tiny or not - is always a massive bonus, of course, because one day you
may decide that you want to sell up and there’s nothing wrong with having some cash built in. In the
meantime, it’s always nice to check out the many luxuries that you could add to your home and indulge a
little. You’ve already laid out the money and bought a whole new house, what’s the harm in picking and
choosing things to add to make it look and feel fantastic? It’s time to get out the vision board and make a
plan, because below, there are seven luxuries that you need to start working out how to finance!

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Spruce Up The Outside

The patio wouldn’t be somewhere you would immediately think needs a home upgrade, but it’s a place
you could potentially spend an awful lot of your time. The patio in the backyard is a total extension of
your living space, and you should treat it as such. You can decide whether you want to rip the whole
thing out and lay down new patio, or whether you want to install an outdoor kitchen. Either way,
upgrading your patio adds value to your house while giving you a luxury space to enjoy. Even swapping
out the doors that lead to the patio for huge sliding glass doors that take up more wall space can add a
little something to the home and checking out these options can really help you to see that a new patio
will make a difference.

Bubbles, Anyone?

Have you ever dreamed of adding a hot tub to your home? It doesn’t have to be outside, either. Your hot
tub can be installed as part of a bathroom overhaul, and you can turn your entire family bathroom into a
spa. Prefer not to share? Why not convert the en suite into a space that you have into a miniature spa
with a hot tub for one? There are a lot of health benefits of a hot tub so it’s always worth looking into. If
your house is too small, the patio we mentioned earlier could be an excellent space for your new hot tub.

Go Smart

These days, your home isn’t a home without a little bit of a brain, and a smart house is one you can
really get on with. Being able to control parts of your home with an app on your smartphone can make a
massive difference to your house security. You can see who has rung the doorbell, manage the
thermostat for the heating and cooling of your house and you can even open and close the garage door
as you need to. A smart home can connect to things like Alexa as well, and you can make your home
smart, whatever your budget happens to be.

Add A New Suite

It doesn’t matter what size your house is, if you don’t have a spare guest room, you can always add to it.
There is a huge demand for homes that have extra guest bedrooms and most people like the idea of
having a suite for the in laws to stay in when they visit. Think of a home annexe, but actually attached to
the house and with a bathroom attached. You can really enjoy opening up an entire box of creativity
when you decide to have something like this installed in your home, because your inner interior designer
can come right out and you get to splash your imagination all over the space. The initial cost may seem
quite high to start with, but the long term gains can make a huge difference to your home. If you don’t
want it to be a guest room, you can turn it into a play area for the kids - win-win!

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A Wine Cellar

Do you have a nose for vintage wines? Instead of expanding outward, building downward could be an
option for you. You don’t need a darkened closet to hide your Merlot, but you would need a cool, dry
space to furnish your best wines. You could even have an island or table installed in the inside and add a
few comfortable chairs. It makes for an excellent entertaining space as part of your home, and if you’re a
collector of expensive wine, you’ll love this idea.

Just Keep Swimming

Going back to outside the home, have you ever considered what it could be like to have a swimming
pool installed in the yard? You don’t need something huge and full of fountains and waterfalls, but you
could need something to relax and entertain in, exercise in and somewhere to lounge in the summer
months. This website could give you some of the best options around, from installation to renovation.
Your home could benefits hugely from a swimming pool installation and it just takes a little imagination to
see what a pool could do for you.

To The Floor...

Lastly, what would it do to your home to rip up the floors and replace them? Look around you: do you
need carpet in every room? Probably not. Could you benefit from a huge change? Absolutely. Upgrading
to a more modern range of flooring can make a difference to your home and the way that people
perceive you when they walk in the door.

You don’t need a huge house to have a huge impact with luxury upgrades. Check out what you could do
to make a difference to your space.

3 Reasons Why You Need A Camper

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If life isn’t for traveling, adventure and experiencing new things, what is it for? If you’re pondering the
idea of whether to buy a mini house on wheels you’ve arrived at the right post. Below are the three
reasons why you need a camper and how it will improve your camping trips.

Pet-friendly

Your pets are apart of the family, and if the thought of leaving them for a week or two while you’re on
vacation fills you with sadness and guilt, you’ll most likely either not leave them at all or spend the
majority of your vacation feeling down and worried that your pets okay. Sadly the truth is, for pooches in
particular, that they are very dependent and attached to their owners. Which means leaving them with
someone else when they’re so used to your company can make them feel pretty down too and even
unwell. Luckily there is a way to prevent this fiasco transpiring, buy a camper and whenever you want to
go traveling your pets can come along with you for the adventure too.

Home On Wheels

If the idea of setting up a tent when it could be wet, cold or extremely windy has you squirming away
from the idea of camping you’re not the only one. With a campervan, you don’t have to build a shelter to
sleep in because it’s already there. With fancier models, such as camper trailers like the
Rockwood campers, there are usually pull out sections to extend the size of your portable home once
you reach your destination. With some being able to fit up to 10 people. Which is perfect for a big family
and even the pets. Most campers are also equipped with a shower, toilet, cooker, dining area, and a few
sleepings and essentials such as sockets for charging your laptops and phones. Which means you don’t
have to traipse to the portaloos or on-site camping showers for a wash or fret when your phone is has
reached low battery. The added benefit of choosing to buy a trailer above a tent is it’s more stable and
secure. This will give you peace of mind when you leave your trailer to go for a walk or to do some
outdoor activities. Not to mention the construction and quality of the materials used on your trailer will
protect you from harsh weather.

Freedom

With most popular family vehicles and SUVs being sufficient enough to pull a trailer, all you need to do is
attach your trailer on the back, pack your essentials, and you can go and camp anywhere you like. You
could plan the perfect road trip across America in the summer holidays, visit some of the beautiful
national parks or take it on a long journey to meet your family in a different city, this way can stop
halfway there and use your mobile home for a nights rest. Not to mention the freedom you have to
travel in your camper is no longer restricted by you having you fork out lump sums for flights and
accommodation.

With a home on wheels fit to cater your family in comfort, luxury and safety using a travel trailer is
deemed as a better convenient alternative to using a tent. As mentioned above, you can also bring along
your pets to enjoy your holidays with you, and once you have the trailer, it’s with you for life to travel
where and when you please.