Sometimes the best way to find that perfect holiday gift is to search and shop online; it's quick, easy and convenient. And more and more people are doing it: It's anticipated that sales for November and December will grow to $54.5 billion this year, according to eMarketer.
As you venture into unknown online territory in your quest for that perfect gift, it's important to shop with a heightened sense of security. There are undoubtedly countless honest and hardworking sellers who peddle goods over the Internet, but there are also scammers looking to take advantage of unwitting victims.
Help protect yourself from scammers by following three simple rules:
1. Never use a money transfer service to pay for something online.
'Money transfer services are convenient and simple ways to send cash to people you personally know, but you're better off paying by credit card or using an escrow service when you're buying goods online from someone you don't know or you haven't met in-person,' says Shelley Bernhardt, director of consumer protection at Western Union.
Western Union is not an escrow service provider and does not guarantee the delivery or suitability of goods or services. Once you send a money transfer, it can be paid out to the receiver within a short time. After the money is paid, it's gone and the odds of getting it back if the gift you thought you purchased never finds your doorstep are slim.
If an individual seller or online retail website only accepts money transfers as payment, be wary and look elsewhere. And don't be fooled, even if the seller appears friendly and offers a reasonable explanation as to why he or she only accepts money transfers - fraudsters are well-trained in gaining your trust.
2. Never email any financial information.
It's a red flag if a seller asks you to email a credit card number or checking account number. If you're paying for something online, use a secure money exchange service like Paypal or use the secure payment portal on the seller's website.
3. Read product descriptions carefully, including the fine print, and determine exchange and return policies before you purchase.
If the seller or website you bought from doesn't have an exchange policy and the product you buy ends up being something different than what you expected, you're likely out of luck if you try to return it.
You can shop online safely and securely during the holidays or anytime of the year. But make sure you're a savvy shopper and protect yourself from scammers by approaching your purchases with the required amount of scrutiny.
For more information on avoiding common scams, visit www.westernunion.com/stopfraud or www.ftc.gov/moneymatters and click on 'Scam Watch.'
Courtesy of BPT
Healthy cooking tip: To add protein to your Pitazza without the extra sodium, roast a whole chicken. Remove the meat and store in your fridge. Freeze the bones for when you have spare time to make your own, low-sodium chicken broth.
Prep time: 8 minutes
Bake time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2
Serving Size: ½ pita
Calories per serving: 202
Ingredients:
• ½ cup (125 mL) Healthy Choice Garlic and Fine Herb pasta sauce
• 1 90g whole wheat pita, split in half to make 2 circles
• ½ cup (125 mL) finely sliced peppers (red, orange and/or yellow)
• ½ cup (125 mL) sliced mushrooms
• ¼ cup (50 mL) minced red onion
• 2 tbsp. low-fat feta cheese crumbled or your favorite low-fat cheese
Directions:
• Preheat oven to 400F/205C.
• On large baking sheet arrange pita bread
• Spread ¼ cup (75 mL) Healthy Choice Garlic and Fine Herb tomato sauce evenly on each pita half
• Top with ¼ cup (50 mL) each: peppers, mushroom and 2 tbsp.(25 mL) red onion.
• Evenly sprinkle crumbled feta cheese; bake for 12 minutes or until the pita crust is golden.
• Slice Pitazza into two pieces, serve with garden salad.
Tip: Top with diced chicken for an extra protein punch
Tip: Make it Naanzza using low fat, low sodium naan bread
Courtesy of Newscanada
As the leaves start to change color, you may find yourself reminiscing about the hours of enjoyment spent outside on your deck. While warm weather gatherings and summer barbecues are a favorite pastime of the season, the combination of foot traffic, food spills and weather can take its toll on any deck.
Before the chill in the air turns into harsh winter weather, clean and protect your deck to prepare it for the long winter months ahead.
"Smart homeowners recognize that seasonal changes can wreak havoc on decks unless properly maintained," says Fiona Seal, Rust-Oleum Wood Care brand manager. "But with a few simple steps, you can winterize your deck so it survives the onslaught of ice, snow, sleet and moisture that can cause damage during the months ahead."
Here are a few deck survival tips that can keep your deck looking beautiful longer.
* Clean thoroughly: Ground-in dirt and barbecue stains can ruin your deck's appearance and ultimately cause degrading of the wood. Exposure to sun can cause wood to gray and weather and exposure to moisture can create the perfect conditions for the growth of mold, mildew, moss and algae. So it's important to clean your deck thoroughly to remove the remnants of summer and get it ready for winter.
Use a bleach-free cleaner specifically formulated for wood to restore your deck to its natural beauty without the bleaching or yellowing that chlorine bleach can cause. Cleaners like JOMAX Deck Wash loosen and lift dirt, and remove gray weathered wood and stains from mold and mildew to prepare the deck for a new protective coating. And the convenient hose mount applicators make these cleaners easy to use. Just attach to an ordinary garden hose and spray. It's that simple.
If your stained or painted deck has seen better days, consider stripping any faded or deteriorating finish prior to applying a water repellent sealer or stain.
* Apply a protective finish: After cleaning, it's important to apply a water repellent finish to protect your deck against the damaging effects of winter. Moisture such as ice, snow, sleet and rain can penetrate the surface if not protected, which can cause splitting, cracking and warping. Fortunately, there's a wide variety of premium exterior wood finishes that offer protection against the elements, while giving you the opportunity to achieve any look you desire.
For example, if you're looking for a clear water repellent to protect against water damage without changing the color of the wood, choose a product like Rust-Oleum Premium Water Sealer. It will protect your deck against the elements for three years.
Or for maximum protection against water absorption and maximum durability, choose a product like Rust-Oleum Premium Deck and Fence Stain. It's available in both solid and semi-transparent formulas in 22 different colors so you can choose any look you desire. What's more, it's backed by a 10-Year Satisfaction Guarantee so it will keep your deck protected and looking beautiful for years.
Rust-Oleum Premium Deck and Fence Stain also features breakthrough Cool Touch technology, which reflects solar rays to keep surfaces cooler to the touch. It's the perfect preparation for next season's warm summer weather.
For product information or more helpful wood care tips, visit www.rustoleum.com.
Courtesy of BPT
For frequent heartburn sufferers, the abundance of rich food and drink at the myriad holiday gatherings between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve can be trouble. Even those who suffer occasional heartburn can find their mild indigestion flares up more during the holidays.
Contrary to its name, heartburn, which affects 60 million Americans at least once a month, has nothing to do with the heart. It's a digestive problem that is also called reflux esophagitis or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when contents in the stomach flow back into the esophagus. This happens when the valve between the stomach and the esophagus does not close properly.
Heartburn is most often described as a burning sensation behind the breast bone that moves up toward the neck or throat. This occurs when stomach acid irritates the normal lining of the esophagus. People may also experience acid regurgitation with heartburn, which is the sensation of stomach fluid coming up through the chest into the mouth. Less common symptoms that may also be associated with gastroesophageal reflux include unexplained chest pain, wheezing, sore throat and cough, among others.
According to some physicians, planning ahead and knowing which over-the-counter (OTC) treatments may help are essential to keep your gatherings merry and bright.
"I always recommend heartburn sufferers be prepared and bring along a few over-the-counter treatments, like antacids or H2 blockers, when they are heading out for a holiday party," says Dr. Tom Rupp, a Michigan-licensed gastroenterologist. "With regard to specific medications or brands, I would actually recommend patients just go with a store-brand treatment. Store-brand OTCs have the same efficacy as national brands and are approved by the FDA, but cost much less."
Allegan, Mich.-based Perrigo is a pharmaceutical company that manufactures and distributes most of the over-the-counter medications found under store-brand labels at leading retailers, grocers, club stores and pharmacies. According to Perrigo, these products are the primary treatments available over-the-counter for heartburn relief:
* Antacids. Antacids come as liquids and tablets like calcium carbonate (name brands: Rolaids and Tums)
* H2 blockers. Indicated for occasional heartburn, these medications are most effective when taken an hour before eating. Examples include famotidine and ranitidine (name brands: Pepcid and Zantac).
* Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). PPIs are indicated for people who have heartburn at least twice a week. Omeprazole (name brand: Prilosec OTC) won't relieve heartburn right away - and may take up to four days for full effect - so they're not helpful for immediate, temporary relief after you've already overindulged.
"For most people holiday heartburn is nothing to worry about. However, if you're having ongoing symptoms, you need to see a doctor. The worst thing you could do is ignore chronic symptoms, hoping they'll resolve in the New Year on their own," Rupp says.
You can find more information about the symptoms and treatments for holiday heartburn at the National Institute of Health, or the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Courtesy of BPT
What do you do with that extra room in the house? The one that has no real purpose except to collect things? Or you may have an empty room or two when the last of the kids have moved out or gone away to school. We end up with lots of remnants of their lives, but no kids. This room becomes either a shrine with no real purpose or a place to collect all the things we don't know where to put.
We are so often cluttered with the stuff from grown children that gets left behind as they get established elsewhere on their own. They like to have the unpaid additional storage space in a parent's home or they just don't want to make any decision about what to do with their things. So, their things are left taking up lots of precious space, even though the stuff may not be so precious to anyone anymore.
What to do with a spare room:
1. Dump the junk- Don't waste that spare room with an accumulation of junk. It won't go away on its own. Make a plan to clear out the clutter and disperse of the goods to people who can better use them. Your home's square footage is too valuable not to be using it.
2. Guestroom– Create a spa-like retreat for your guests. Include reading materials and brochures for local activities. Have some hotel-like amenities ready to go in a decorative basket so they feel welcome, knowing you have thought of their needs.
3. Craft or hobby room– You finally have a place to do your scrapbooking, sewing, or painting! Let this room be your private studio where creativity flows.
4. Gifting- Have a room just for gift giving. Keep ribbons, gift bags, tags, and wrapping paper in the room along with any items you have purchased ahead of time for gifts. Don't forget the scissors and tape. So whenever you need a present, it will be a snap to put one together.
5. Exercise room- This does not mean you have to have all the big equipment that you find at a gym, but if the area is designated as a workout space, you are more likely to do your yoga, palates, and strength training. Clear out the room and put your yoga mat, weights, TV, audio equipment and workout DVDs in it.
6. Home office- Instead of letting paper pile up on your coffee table or kitchen counter, set up an area to pay bills and answer mail. Put everything you need for these activities in the room including a desk, stamps, stationary and pens. Create a simple filing system and get a jump on tax preparation for next year.
7. Mediation room– Oh to have some peace and quiet–create it! Don't allow anything in this area that doesn't bring you peace and tranquility. Some suggested contents include a water fountain, floor cushions, candles, incense, and chimes. Selected reading and audio materials will also set the mood. A serene start or end to you day, or a quick getaway to rejuvenate.
8. Room to spare, room to share– create that media room, music, pool, puzzle, card or board game room and invite friends over for a night of fun and hospitality.
9. Renovators rescue- Use the empty room as the spare room to hold addition furniture, etc. when you are renovating – flooring especially is difficult as you need room to move all your stuff. When all your renovations are complete, rework your spare room into one of the above suggestions.
Often your spare room can be used for several of these purposes. So next time you walk by that room, stop a moment to think about the possibilities. Take the next steps today to give that spare room some real purpose and turn it into a room that will give you a feeling of satisfaction and relaxation.
“Westerville
is America’s best suburb,” said Randy Nelson, the study’s lead
researcher. “The city’s schools are excellent. The crime rate is low. In
fact, there wasn’t a single criterion Movoto surveyed that Westerville
didn’t excel in.”
"Go big or go home." It's a popular sports chant that's found its way into numerous other aspects of American life. But when it comes to home decor, going big at home may not seem like an option, especially if your budget is less than grand.
Borrow a designer's trick
Real Estate agents
Worldwide real estate companies directory and property buyers and sellers guide.
