July, 2011

Eco — No Comments
27
Jul 11

Buying an Eco Friendly Home

Recently because of the economy there has been a decline in the price of real estate.  There has also been an increase in energy costs brought about by many factors including the situations in the oil producing countries of the Middle East.  Because of these factors more and more people are looking into buying eco friendly or green real estate.

In the past if you wanted a green home you were probably looking at paying an additional 10 to 25 % on the purchase price.  Presently you may only pay an additional 3 to 5%.  The good news is that these additional costs can be covered in the long term by savings on electricity and other utilities.  For example an eco friendly boiler can save you in the region of $500-600 annually.

Many traditional homes have lost value with the current economic situation.  However green homes have held their prices and in fact many have increased in value.  An eco friendly home will on average appraise for 10 to 15 % more.

This makes the purchase of a green home attractive to home buyers around the country and the demand for them is increasing.  Currently around 10% of new homes constructed are now eco friendly.

So what makes a home green or eco friendly?  Well there are many things that fall under this category.  The impact on the environment, the use of materials that have been recycled are non polluting, energy efficient  design, insulation, fluorescent lights, Energy Star appliances, lo flo water reducing toilets, etc.  Whit that being stated there are no set requirements for a green home therefore buyers should be aware that some homes may be stated as being eco friendly just to increase the price.

If you are looking to buy a green home check out the local codes to see if they include eco related features.  If you know what is required then you will be able to understand what you are paying for in green upgrades.  Also talk with local experts on the subject.  Certain real estate companies and mortgage brokers specialize in these types of properties and can be a wealth of knowledge.

Energy efficient mortgages are available for those looking to finance a green property.  These federally recognized loans are in place to help finance the increased cost of going green.  The savings in utilities can help when faced with an increase in monthly payment – you pay when you save.  Your debt to borrowing ratio can be increased and so you can get a larger loan amount.  These types of mortgages are available through certain lenders such as Freddie Mac, and the Veterans Administration.  An energy audit specialist is necessary to document the energy saving potential of the home.

For help with figuring out the financial aspects of buying your new home visit Mortgage Calculator a tool which will help you determine the mortgage that meets your needs.

Health — No Comments
8
Jul 11

Fitbit Wireless Personal Trainer – Review

The Fitbit Wireless Personal Trainer is Inspiring Weight Loss!!

Fitbit Fitness TrackerOne of the most inspiring things when you are working to achieve a goal is the ability to clearly see your progress towards reaching that goal. Everyone pretty much at one point or another has thought about losing weight or leading a healthier lifestyle. Though, for many people living a healthy lifestyle and losing weight is one the hardest goals to work towards. People often fall out of diets and fitness routines because they can’t see any visible signs of improvement. In many cases the benefits of a proper diet and regular exercise routine are not evident until weeks or sometimes months later. It’s difficult to find the inspiration to continue a strict diet and difficult exercise program when it doesn’t seem like anything is changing. To stay inspired, some people turn to personal coaches and friends when trying to losing weight or eat right, but nowadays there is a simpler solution and it’s called Fitbit.

Fitbit fitness tracker cliped on a pocket

The Fitbit fitness trackers is a small gadget that is sort of like a fitness coach, nutritionist, Somnologist (a sleep doctor), and a personal assistant all rolled into one little high tech clip that is no larger than a quarter.  You can wear the Fitbit anywhere on your body that you can clip it onto: a pocket, a belt, or even a bra. Once you clip the Fitbit on it immediately starts tracking your fitness, and it continues to track it throughout the day even if you happen writing a review about how great it is. The Fitbit tracks how many steps you’ve taken during a day, how active you are, calories burned, distance traveled, and even your sleep patterns. Inside the Fitbit is a small accelerometer and gyroscope that makes it possible to track your steps and movement in three dimensions. And the Fitbit accurate tracked activities such as walking around the house or going out for a job perfectly. All of the data that the Fitbit tracks is wirelessly synced to the included base station, which also double as a charging cradle, and to the Fitbit tracker website.

Fitbit Daily report

The Fitbit website, which is free for everyone to use, clearly visualizes all of the data that a person’s Fitbit clip has been tracking since he or she first started using it.  There is one small downside to the Fitbit to be honest, though; since it isn’t actually magic, the Fitbit cannot actually track your calorie intake automatically. To track caloric intake Fitbit owners are expected to record the calories of the meals that they eat during the day on the Fitbit website. Thankfully, Fitbit has made it effortless to record those calories by providing users with the ability to search for foods by name, brand, and even restaurant. It couldn’t be easier to find out what your daily calorie intake is for each day.

If you’re planning on swimming off some of those calories with the Fitbit though just remember to leave it behind. Unfortunately, at this time the Fitbit is only water resistant not waterproof, which means that while you can get the Fitbit wet occasionally it would best to avoid the swimming pool or baths while wearing it.

Fitbit Sleep report

When your day has come to a close and your ready to get some sleep the Fitbit is still useful. If you want to track your sleep patterns then all you have to do is place the Fitbit into the included wristband and press and hold the small button on the device for about two seconds. While you are sleeping the Fitbit will measure how many times you awoke during your rest and sync it to the wireless base station, along with your other fitness data. From the Fitbit tracker website users can see what times during the night they were tossing and turning or sleeping soundly.

 Fitbit Charger

The entire Fitbit trackers runs on a small rechargeable battery and in our tests, the Fitbit was fully charged after only an hour after connecting it to its base station, which is the only time you’ll have to actually physically connect it. Though it not much of a hassle, you should only expect to have to charge your Fitbit once a week since a fully charged battery  lasts for about 8 to 9 days.

We all need a little encouragement or inspiration to reach our goals in life and if your goal is a healthier lifestyle then let Fitbit be that inspiration for you.

Buy one now at a great price here -Fitbit Wireless Personal Trainer

Aesthetics / Home — No Comments
2
Jul 11

Redecorating A Room Can Be Therapeutic

The decoration and arrangement of a room can affect a person’s mood or outlook on life. Redecoration of a room can be rather therapeutic, as it represents a change from an old way of life or mindset into a new and fresh way to live life. To change the mood or vibe of a room does not need drastic change but rather a few carefully planned adjustments will make a world of difference.

Color has been proven to have an effect on mood. Bright, warm colors such as yellow, red and orange usually give off a warm, inviting, and cozy vibe, whereas cool colors like green, blue and purple create a relaxing and serene feel. Changing the color of the room is a great idea because it will change the way you feel about the room as well. If the room was previously a boring or drab color then why not add a pop of color which will give the room more of a personality. There are also ways to play with multiple colors in a room, a great way to do this is to paint three of the walls one color and then paint the fourth wall a different color. Utilizing more than one color will add an aesthetic appeal and will bring out the furniture and accessories in the room.

Lighting is also a great way to set the tone of a room. A bright, cheerful room will lift spirits and will provide motivation. One great way to add lighting to a room is to get new blinds. Window blinds will block out the sun when you don’t want it to fade the furniture but will let it all shine in when you need a little sunshine. New blinds will also make the room look new and fresh. There are many window treatment companies such as, Next Day Blinds, which offer many different styles of blinds to fit the motif you are looking to create. Putting in new lamps as well as overhead lighting is another great way to light up a room. They will add the necessary lighting but will also add to the design and flare of the room.

A room can be a place or relaxation or rejuvenation but it should never be a cause of sorrow or depression. It’s time to take that step in the right direction and make a change that will affect your mindset and mood. Taking a room and transforming it into a place you want to be in instead of a place you dread to be in.

Self Help — No Comments
2
Jul 11

Making the Laws of Attraction Work for You

Throughout college, I bartended and worked odd jobs to accommodate my class schedule. Upon graduation, I found that I could not find a job in my chosen profession, and was forced to continue working what was beginning to feel more and more like a meaningless job. Apparently, there’s not a need for writers when unemployment is in the double digits and the economy is unstable.

Despite my personal disappointment, I continued to plug away at my job. Thankfully, the hours were conducive for job hunting, and I spent long hours on the Internet looking for writing positions. I applied at newspapers, online writing websites, and various companies that were hiring ghost writers, only to be turned down time and again. I even resorted to using a resume service to critique my CV, despite the fact that I pride myself in my abilities of articulation and presentation. Insecurity can breed paranoia, which can breed nervousness, which can breed incompetence. That’s when ‘outside help’ comes in handy!

It was around this time, during my many hours spent online, that I stumbled across the concept of “Laws of Attraction.” By coincidence, my roommate had been talking about it, so I grilled him about it. It seemed too simple to be possible. Think something into existence? I have always been a skeptic, and this was no different.

All of this changed last November. After my shift, my spineless manager pulled me into the office and informed me that I was being fired. I was offered no explanation, other than that I was no longer a good fit for the company, and was escorted out to avoid trouble. When I finally made it home, I sat at the computer, as was my habit, and stared blankly at the screen.

It was at that moment that I remembered the conversations that I’d had with my roommate. I was feeling really desperate, so I searched the Internet for information about how to implement the laws of attraction. When I didn’t find enough information to satisfy my curiosity, I awoke my roommate and asked him question after question.

Essentially, what I learned was that it was possible to think about something so much and in such a way as to make it happen. My roommate attributed this to mystical explanations, but I think it has more to do with the power of the human mind, and untapped potential. I decided to put the knowledge I had gained in my overnight session into practice the next day.

I decided I wanted to put my education to use. I had no desire to punch a time clock everyday and work in an office setting. Instead, I envisioned working from home, writing about things that I was passionate about, and creating my own schedule and work environment. Since I am a writer, I wrote out the exact scenario that I wanted, and read it over and over, committing every detail to memory. I posted this narrative on the bulletin board over my desk and read it every day.

Thankfully, due to the way I was fired, I was eligible for unemployment; this enabled me to not stress about money as I gathered my resources and started working to make my dream a reality. Since my goal was to write, I started doing just that. Every time I ran out of things to write about, I would look up at my bulletin board, re-read what I had written, and return to my writing. Within a week, I began submitting my work to various blogs and writing outlets on the Internet.

I decided I had to take a realistic approach to my goal, and offered to post my work for free on most of the sites I contacted at first. Because I was able to humble myself in this way, I soon found many blogs that were willing to accept my writing, and my portfolio started to grow. I continued to visualize myself as an established, professional writer, and was eventually able to start submitting my work to sites that paid.

It has been seven months since I lost my job, and I am freelancing steadily enough that I am now able to support myself without the aid of unemployment. I am pleased to report that I have a positive balance in my checking account and a more or less constant demand for my work. I still read my statement every day, and what I have noticed is that, thanks to the laws of attraction, I have pretty much fulfilled my dream to the letter.

Photos courtesy of Google Images