For many homeowners, the idea of downsizing can be frightening — and for a good reason. With the rising costs of real estate and mortgages that require a larger down payment, buying a home is getting more expensive every year. 

Once you accept that you’re not going to upgrade your home in the near future, the next question is how to go about downsizing. Depending on your lifestyle and budget, there are several different ways to downsize your home. Here is how you can go about it.

Downsizing Is Not the Same Thing as Moving

Many people think of moving when they hear “downsizing,” but in truth, several types of moving involve downsizing — including buying a condo. “Moving” is one of the most common forms of downsizing, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to change your address or zip code.

In fact, many homeowners simply decide to move to a new area within their existing home state. This can allow them to maintain the same lifestyle and save on mortgage cost and home maintenance.

Many people dread downsizing because they imagine having to completely throw out all their stuff and start from scratch, which can be a very expensive ordeal at times (especially if you need professional help). However, if you don’t want to do that, there are other ways to downsize without destroying your home.

Most homeowners choose not only to sell some items on their own but also use services to buy items by consignment or make offers based on purchases made by others to keep some things around while selling others off. There are several ways you can downsize in your life.

One of the best ways to get started downshifting is by looking at your possessions and seeing if you need something. If you don’t, then look for other options. If you need something, look for ways to adapt and use it the next time.

For example, instead of going out and buying a new coffee maker every year or so, try brewing coffee in your French press instead of your coffee maker. Instead of ordering food from your favorite restaurant once a week, consider making it in recipes so you can control what goes into it. 

When downsizing, you will need to clean the home, the surfaces, as well as using the correct cushion cleaning and storage methods. This will help you to reduce the clutter in the home.

If you’re planning to move but don’t want to pay for a move-out cleaning service, you could make the most of your time and money by storing your things while you are gone.

If you have a family, it can make sense to even have someone else take care of this process. This saves money on actual moving costs and helps eliminate the hassle of trash removal, storage, or packing in general.

​When you imagine a new home, it can be tempting to picture yourself living there. But your home is more than just an architectural backdrop for your life. Your home is also an investment: a place where you will live, grow old, and pass down traditions to future generations. 

If you’re looking to affordably break even, downsizing your home might be your answer.

Obtaining your driver's license is a huge achievement and one that you should be proud of. However, with all of the excitement comes a lot of responsibility.

Now that you are on the road, you must know how to maintain and care for your vehicle. Even if you don't consider yourself an expert, some items are essential.

Below we are going to take a look at just five things every car owner needs.

Are you interested in learning more? Then let's get started!

One critical item that every car owner needs is insurance. In fact, it's so important that most states require some type of coverage by law.

When choosing your options, remember to consider the overall price and the services you will receive. It can also be worth looking at something like one of these GMC extended warranty plans.

Not sure of the difference? Insurance will provide coverage for accidents such as collisions, while a warranty assists with costs associated with breakdowns and repairs.

You may have already thought about investing in car seat covers and new floor mats. However, one of the simplest and handiest things to have at all times is a sunshade for your windshield.

Alongside protecting yourself from painful burns in the heat of summer, it will keep the interior of your car in excellent condition. This means you'll be able to sell it for more in the future.

​You don't have to be a mechanic to own a car, but it's still wise to have some basic tools in your trunk. Even if you don't know how to use them, someone else may be able to give you a helping hand.

Jumper cables, a tire jack, a lug wrench, and a quality multi-tool are just a few things to have. You can look into other items if you want to take on more responsibility.

Even if you plan on taking your car to the wash every week, there will always be a time when you need to clean it yourself. You would be surprised at how dirty they can get, especially if you've been driving for more than a few hours.

You don't need to go overboard either. Car wash liquid, glass cleaner, a bucket, sponge, and a set of microfibre towels will do the job just fine.

Lastly, while an emergency kit can seem like a rather extensive thing to include, it is important. Items such as a torch, first aid kit, water, and thermal blanket won't just help you out of a sticky situation but may even save your life.

If you're not sure where to get started, check out this list here. Just remember to keep the size of your vehicle in mind, as you don't want to take up too much of your trunk space.

​And that's it! These are just five things that every car owner needs. 

What do you think? Do you have any other essentials that you would recommend?

Nursing homes provide safety, assisted living, and round-the-clock care to senior citizens. This allows them to enjoy quality health care without putting a strain on their families. But even with these benefits, senior citizens in nursing homes can suffer depression and live unhappy lives.

Happiness is critical for senior citizens; its absence can significantly affect their physical and mental health. Happy seniors who maintain a positive attitude towards aging are less likely to develop dementia and have a lower mortality rate. They’re also more likely to recover from illnesses.
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Meanwhile, you can do several things to keep your senior loved one happy in a nursing home. Here are four of them:

You can keep your seniors happy by meeting their health care needs in a nursing home. Most seniors in nursing homes have an illness or condition that needs long-term medical care. As such, they’d only be happy if these needs are met by their relatives and staff in the nursing home.

If you have a senior loved one living in a nursing home, checking on them regularly and staying involved in their lives are some of the most effective ways to keep them happy. On the other hand, senior citizens may suffer neglect and nursing home abuse under the care of angry or frustrated staff.

Therefore, you can make your loved ones happy by monitoring them closely and observing their behavior or changes in appearance. Consequently, you can raise any concerns you have about their well-being with nursing home staff, and if nothing improves, take action. 
If you suspect abuse, file a report with a state or local investigator. If your senior loved one relies on you to meet their health care needs, it’s important to ensure they receive the best care. To be sure, you can keep an eye on them on a regular basis.

Moving to a nursing home is a stressful step for any senior citizen. The transition can make them feel like they need to care for themselves. As a result, they’re reluctant to leave the comforts of their own homes. You can ease the transition of your senior loved one into a nursing home by explaining how the move will benefit them.

Consider bringing objects like furniture and photos that can add a homely feeling to their room. If your senior citizen has a spouse, check whether the spouse can move to the nursing home with them. Moving into a nursing home with someone close to them, like a spouse, can boost their mood and protect them from mental decline.
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Significantly, to deal with this anxiety and make the transition smooth, seniors need help. In addition, seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s may have challenges understanding why they need to move into a nursing home.

Another way to keep senior loved ones happy in a nursing home is to encourage them to nurture relationships. When you visit them, encourage them to build connections. Nursing homes offer senior citizens great opportunities to strengthen existing relationships and tend to new ones.
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Meaningful relationships can boost their happiness and improve their health as they prevent physical and mental decline over time. In a nursing home, your senior loved one can interact and build friendships with people in the same age bracket and the staff who care for them.
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On the other hand, you can help your senior citizens to stay happy by visiting them often and encouraging them to interact with other seniors during your visit. Also, you can encourage their old friends or neighbors to see them in the nursing home and share any concerns or questions they have with the nursing home staff.

The other thing that can keep seniors happy in nursing homes is living an active lifestyle. They can do this by engaging in activities that keep them in shape, both physically and mentally. Often, nursing homes have activities that all senior citizens, including those with dementia and disability, can engage in throughout the day.

These activities include reading, listening to music, walking, arts and crafts, bingo games, and cat or dog petting. As you help your loved one settle into a nursing home, find out which activities interest them and work with the staff to customize them in order to meet their needs.

As people age, they become vulnerable and in need of care. Nursing homes provide safe spaces for senior citizens to receive care. However, being away from the home environment and family members can take a toll on seniors, costing them their happiness. If you’re taking your senior loved one to a nursing home, doing the above four things can keep them happy.

Developing good habits is a perfect way to ensure that you live a great and successful life. You want to be fulfilled at the end of each day and ingraining health habits into your mind is the one size fits all solution to what ails you. But what exactly could qualify as being a good habit? Sure there is great importance in always being on time and having good manners but could you go deeper?

Is there something that can be changed about the way that you view the world or your work? And could this change reap you the benefits that would merit the time spent learning this new mindset? The answer is an absolute yes and time has everything to do with it.

Read dozens of books and autobiographies based on the most successful people of our world today and you will find quite a few constants among them all. A willingness to learn, a hunger to always keep moving upwards, and the ability to learn from one's own failures but there is a greater trait that is always looked past.

Time management. How you manage your time says everything about you and your future fortunes or lack thereof. Picture this, you are given a surprise assignment by your professor or teacher. The professor expects his students to write an essay in only a couple of days. Essay writing is no easy task, especially for young students that are barely getting a grasp on writing and essay writing as a whole.

At this point, you have got only two choices. Spend the next two days researching, writing, editing, and stressing, maybe getting a few hours of low-quality sleep here and there. Which doesn't sound like a pleasant experience at all or you could find a time-effective solution to your problem. A solution that allows you to hang out with your friends, an activity that studies have shown to be of great benefit to your health.
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This is where the EssayExpert comes in.

For the busy student, essay service is the perfect, full counter to the dreaded essay and essay writing as a whole. They are an online service that provides premium and custom essays at an affordable price. They have years of collective experience writing and researching for their more than 50,000 satisfied university students.

No business in the world can amass 50,000 plus customers, much less students, without at least having a clear and concise system that prints out quality work. It doesn't stop there, the Essay Experts even have an entire squadron of workers dedicated to tackling thesis and dissertation projects. In this category, they have helped more than 15,000 graduate students meet deadlines and impress their superiors.
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It has been the world's top-ranked essay writing service for more than 20 years now and they don't show any signs of slowing down. Within just LA county, they have more than 10,000 students on their customer list. Proving that their quality work is unrivaled and unmatched by anyone else in the industry.

​With easy order forms that save you time on project submissions to an essay editing service that is designed to help students that have written their own essays but merely want a second opinion. Surely, there must be something else to this service.
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The tens of thousands of students that rely on their work and dedication would like to say otherwise. The best part about great sites like this one is that the laundry list of customers speaks for itself. What greater proof can there be of your talents than tens of thousands of comments heaping praise upon this company.

​As a student in the modern world, essays and the very act of essay writing can make you tear out your hair. Sure, essay writing can be done but what about the time lost? Hours of potential great experiences were thrown away because you had to write an essay on a subject that is neither interesting nor important.

It’s midnight when everyone’s fast asleep.

The pitter-patter of feet can be heard from someone rushing to the kitchen.
It’s you from the past.

When you were young, you would hoard all the chocolate from the cupboard and not worry about any potential consequences.

Those sweets would quickly melt away after you played with your friends after school. Or would go away because of your solid teeth and professional brushing skills.

But times change, and people age, unfortunately.

Now you feel worried when someone offers you a bunch of hard dark chocolate.

“My teeth might fall out!”- you think to yourself.

And you have every right to be concerned since several eating problems affect the majority of the elderly population.

Everyday activities of chewing food can become difficult because of various issues.

Loose teeth, jaw pain, reduced saliva secretion are significant contributors to affecting your chewing abilities. Hence, it’s recommended for the elderly to be careful when it comes to what they eat.

For example, if you’re going to choose what type of grains you can eat, it’s best to go for oatmeal and noodles. For fruits, choose banana and ripe apricot. While for vegetables and meat, opt for tomato, spinach, minced meat, boiled eggs, and salmon.

Also, remember to chop, puree or blend your food for easier consumption. And don’t forget to visit your dentist regularly.

​Part of the eating experience that makes it pleasurable is to smell and taste what delicious platter you have in front of you.

If your taste buds are not working correctly, you won’t enjoy eating. Many elders skip meals because they lose the ability to taste a wide variety of food.

While some cases might be due to aging, others can be directly attributed to smoking. Nicotine in cigarettes can cause functional changes in your taste buds that would alter their functionality altogether.

If you’re a chronic smoker, it would be better if you stopped smoking for the sake of your poor taste buds.

On a final note, to bring more flavor to your cooking, add herbs and spices like oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, ginger, and garlic. You can also toss some spring onions and squeeze some lemon juice to enrich your salad.

​Many elders suffer from dehydration because of reduced abilities to seek water. Past 70, the elderly brain receives fewer signals that indicate the need for hydration, thus causing dry mouth.

Dryness of the mouth can also occur because of decreased saliva production. For this reason, it’s advised to eat more soups, mix pureed food with gravy, and always have a cup of water next to you as a daily reminder.

A lot of elders get anxious when they think about transitioning to a care home also because of eating issues. But don’t fret since there’s assisted living in Eugene OR, that will help you with your nutritional needs. They offer customized meal plans that will cater to your taste buds!

Ultimately, when it comes to dealing with dry mouth spells, you can try to suck on lozenges, candies or sour pickles, or fresh lemon slices to stimulate your saliva.

Whether you're in a financial predicament or not, a high mortgage loan repayment amount can consume a massive portion of your income. And it might become tricky to cover other bills and financial obligations with what's left. 

It's typically recommended that your mortgage repayments should not consume more than 30% of your total monthly income after taxes. If your mortgage costs are any higher, these mortgage repayment reduction tips might help you make ends meet each month more easily.

The most straightforward way to minimize mortgage costs is to extend the repayment term. By extending the term, you'll be paying a smaller amount of money over a longer period of time. 

Extending the repayment term may even allow you to purchase a second home. Moreover, having a second home offers a few financial benefits, so you might find yourself browsing Florida real estate listings shortly after freeing up more of your income with this simple approach.

You also have the option of refinancing your mortgage loan. Refinancing might promise you a lower interest rate, which can reduce your repayment amount significantly. 

You will need to have good credit to refinance your mortgage loan and save. Current refinancing rates are down about 20%, so you'll stand to save substantially on lower interest by refinancing now. Refinancing is a money-savvy way to avoid high-interest rates.

​This solution is only plausible for those who have not yet purchased a home with a mortgage. While saving for your down payment, be a bit more patient and save more than the minimal 20% of the property's total value. In doing this, you'll need a smaller mortgage loan in the long run, which means more affordable repayments.

​While a lender might insist that you opt for private mortgage insurance when securing your loan, you can later opt-out of this policy. Avoiding this policy can save you a small fortune in the long run.

Alternatively, you can pay for the private mortgage insurance policy upfront, which might entitle you to discounts.

There are a few federal loan modification programs available if you're a homeowner battling to make mortgage repayments due to financial distress. These programs can help reduce your repayments through your chosen lender. However, you'll need to meet specific criteria to be eligible for these programs. 

In addition to the above, it's worthwhile to consider ways of reducing property insurance premiums. By lowering these premiums, you will also save each month substantially. Shopping around and comparing insurance deals is the best way to reduce your premiums while you can also increase your deductible and be sure to keep your claim number low. Moreover, maintaining a good credit score and keeping up with home maintenance are also effective ways to lower your property insurance premiums. 

That said, if you're a senior, you can also consider the option of a reverse mortgage, which is a type of loan that pays you a lump sum or a monthly amount to the value of your home. 

With the rise of travel rewards programs, it can be hard to decide which is right for you. Cash back programs offer a simple way to earn money back on the things you buy every day, while travel rewards programs offer more opportunities to save money on your trips. But which is the best for your spending situation? Here are a few things to consider.

A travel rewards program is a type of loyalty program that allows customers to earn points for every purchase they make. These points can be redeemed for rewards, such as free flights and hotel stays. Some programs also offer exclusive discounts on travel-related products and services.

Cash back programs are a great way to earn rewards for your spending. They work by giving you cash back in a statement credit, which you can use to reduce your monthly debt payments.

Pros of cash back programs:

1. Easy to use: Cash back programs are easy to use. You can earn rewards simply by spending your money at the stores and websites you use every day.
2. Rewards are often higher than travel rewards: Cash back rewards tend to be higher than travel rewards because cash back programs generally offer larger rewards for a greater percentage of spending.
3. No redemption fees: Unlike travel rewards programs, which often charge redemption fees, cash back programs don't charge fees.

Cons of cash back programs:

1. Rewards are sporadic and may not always be worth the effort: Although cash back programs offer high rewards for a significant percentage of spending, they may not always be worth the effort to earn them. For example, if you're earning rewards for every $1,000 you spend, but the reward you're earning is only worth $50, it may not be worth your time to participate in the program, especially if you're accruing massive amounts of debt just to hit your spending goals. If you end up in a situation like this you should immediately stop making unnecessary purchases and consider using a consolidation loan calculator to get back on track.
2. You may lose your rewards if you stop spending: Unlike travel rewards, which often stay with you even if you stop spending, most cash back programs generally don't have any built-in protection against losing your rewards and can expire.

​There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best choice for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. However, if you're looking for a more flexible rewards program that can be used to save or spend as you please, cash back may be a better option.

Which program is right for you depends on your goals and preferences. If you're looking for a straightforward way to earn money, a cash back program may be best. If you're interested in more opportunities to save money on your trips, a travel rewards program may be better suited.

​So you're ready for a new car, but you're having a hard deciding between buying a used car or doing a full restoration. Do you notice the shiny new cars packed with the latest technology, features, and comfort, but your mind draws you to the classic silhouettes and gleaming chrome of a fully restored vintage car? Trying to decide between buying a used car and doing a full restoration can be difficult. Here are some things to consider when making this tough decision. 

New cars come with increased reliability and improved technology. This can be a big plus, depending on your specific needs. A new car can help you get to where you need to go quickly and efficiently without worrying about whether it will startup.

Statistically, newer cars are safer to drive. They can also decrease the chance that you'll be in an accident — thanks to collision avoidance systems, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot detection, and adaptive cruise control.
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Is the latest and greatest technology your style? Want a large touch screen and air-conditioned seats? How about a car that parks itself? Interested in a massage while you drive? These are all real features that are available in the newest cars. Stay up-to-date with the latest automobile news for the best new car models and their features.

Maybe memories are more important to you than memory foam seats. Classic automobiles can help you recapture better days of bygone eras or connect you to a simpler or happier time. Just you and the road.
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Not to mention the pride and satisfaction of finally scoring that car you've wanted since you were a kid but couldn't previously afford it.

Most passion projects take more time and attention than we allow for in our schedules. Take a moment and think about your other commitments. Do you have the time to invest in this project?
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Additionally, restorations usually end up costing more than expected, as you start poking around. 
But if cars are your passion, then you probably can't think of anything more enjoyable than getting under the hood every weekend.

When it comes to car insurance, there are a lot of choices to make. You want to ensure you get the best coverage for your needs and budget. There are a variety of policies available, and each has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Here are a few ways to get the best auto insurance for your needs.
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Shop around. Compare rates from different car insurance companies. You can usually do this online or by calling around. Be sure to get quotes for the same amount of coverage for each vehicle type so you can compare apples to apples.

Classic car insurance is usually less expensive than a new model's, as the car is driven less frequently. Note that a vehicle has to meet several requirements to qualify, including age and annual mileage.

For most, purchasing a new car is the simplest and most cost-effective option. You know exactly what you're getting and the history of the vehicle. With a restoration, you'll get the satisfaction of knowing exactly what went into your one-of-a-kind model. Only you can decide which is more important!

It's a pretty common issue — entrepreneurs and innovators want to start some new business, but don't have a lot of money to do so.

The good news is that these intrepid pioneers now have a lot of options in today's lending economy.

Here are some of the key ways that business leaders can get started, without spending a lot of upfront capital on their dreams.

The grant process can be cumbersome, but it can be instrumental in giving business leaders upfront money to put into a business plan.

In general, your business documentation is going to be a big aspect of grant success. It's also important to know the landscape of these grant programs, and understand what they're asking for, up to and including the format for applications.
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Grants can be a way to get started thinking outside the box for funding a company that's new and doesn't have a big war chest.

Here's where these new business leaders have a lot of choices.

In the old days, traditional business loans involved going to a bank and getting a specific financing plan in place through an individual application. The borrower had to work hard, in many cases, to prove themselves to an individual lender who then decided whether or not to get involved.

Today, through the power of the Internet and cloud, as well as cryptocurrency and fintech, borrowers have many different options involving peer-to-peer and crowdsourcing lending. They may, for example, get microloans from many small donors, instead of venture capital funding from one big firm. They have new ways to reach angel investors, and new ways to prove their collateral or secure a loan.
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With that in mind, it pays to think about lending in a whole new way and spend more time figuring out the particular types of lending that will best serve your new small business. You may want to go the traditional route with seed rounds of funding, or you may want to go to a new peer-to-peer or crowdsourcing platform.

Here's another way to bootstrap business finances.

Invoice factoring involves selling outstanding invoices for money. The buyer takes on the payment process in exchange for upfront funds.

How does this work for a new small business? Let's say that the business needs capital, and has completed some initial projects or services, or sent products to clients. The invoices are outstanding, but they haven't been paid yet.

Invoice factoring unlocks that money for the company. The buyer gets a premium in terms of the eventual payout, but in return for a reduced revenue, the startup gets the money immediately, and that can make the difference in creating the financial runway that business leaders need.

Another major tip is to start small, and only take on what the business can handle financially.

It can be tempting to want to tackle the world in one great leap, but that's the way that a lot of businesses get in trouble financially. Specifically, for a business without a big budget at the startup, it makes sense to build small, and steadily grow the coffers in order to branch out and expand more confidently (and on better financial terms) later.
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This also helps you to blaze a trail in the precise way that benefits the business the most, not just ‘buy it and hope it works later.’

In some cases, changing the business structure is also a way to grow funding.

For example, there is the S Corp. or C Corp., but there's also the LLC that often connotes a partnership. If the business can include more partners at its beginning, that is its own kind of crowdsourcing that can also lower the capital requirements for each partner.

Here’s an additional tip: as you look at your various options and types of loans, you'll find that some are better suited to your own financial strategy. Where are the lowest interest rates and most favorable repayment terms? Who are the lenders who seem most amenable to or excited about your project?

Many lenders would say that there is a human element in the relationship between the lender and the borrower. Shopping around for options gives you more of an idea of what loan will serve you best in the long run.

As you go, think about options for using a more scaled-down startup process. What do you absolutely need at the beginning of your business cycle, and what can wait?

All of this can help in preparing for small business success at the outset of your venture. What do you think? Leave your comments below and get involved in planning your business well.