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Are Alt-Coins Really An Alternative To Bitcoin? 

Source: Medium

Bitcoin is still considered the flagship cryptocurrency and for all the right reasons. Bitcoin (BTC) is one of the oldest and most well-known digital assets, but there are over 1,600 cryptocurrencies out there. These cryptocurrencies are typically referred to as an “Alt Coins”, and are competing alongside Bitcoin and each other for the ultimate domination.

With so many cryptocurrencies in circulation, how do you opt for one with a low price so that you can make some sizable profit in case you’re looking for an alternative to Bitcoin?

In this guide, we’ll give you the best Bitcoin alternatives based on features and current values. Whether you’re looking to diversify your cryptocurrency portfolio or simply want to pay goods and services online, these are the best Bitcoin alternatives. You can find a full list of trusted altcoin exchanges at brokerchoices.com.

A Lot Cryptocurrencies Cease To Exist, But That’s Hasn’t Stopped Developers From Creating A Better “Altcoin.” Today, it’s estimated that there are well over 5000+ cryptocurrencies in existence. The combined market value of all these digital assets is around $285 billion according to market valuation websites such as markets.bitcoin.com, and coinmarketcap.com.

Bitcoin still reigns supreme when it comes to overall market capitalization with its net value capped at $183 billion, which is about 63% of the global market. However, the market capitalization of today’s top ten cryptocurrencies is a lot different than they were a decade ago. As per coinmarketcap.com, BTC’s overall valuation was around $13 billion in December 2013, the market of the top ten altcoins has also changed tremendously.

The top three altcoins are:

  • Ethereum (ETH)
  • Litecoin (LTC)
  • Ripple (XRP

The 3 Best Alt Coins To Bitcoin (BTC)

1. Ethereum (ETH)

Source: UKTN

The first altcoin on our list is Ethereum. Ethereum is a decentralized software platform that enables ‘Smart Contracts’ and ‘Decentralized Applications (DApps)’ to be developed without the need for any interference, downtime, or control from a third party.

Ethereum is considered as the best performing digital asset after Bitcoin. When first released in 2015, it was currency was worth single digits, but soon its value soared to more than $1,200. In terms of handling transactions, it also happens to have a higher ceiling than Bitcoin at least for now. In early 2018, daily Ethereum transactions were more than four times that of Bitcoin, and the transaction rate was also higher than Bitcoin. Transaction costs are also significantly lower as opposed to Bitcoin, which results in notably low transaction fees when dealing with multiple trades.

Currently, Bitcoin is valued between $9,000 and $10,000 as of May 11, 2024. If you’re someone not familiar with Bitcoin, it means that the profits from mining Bitcoin transactions have been reduced to 50%. There has been plenty of speculations that this latest event can skyrocket the value of a single Bitcoin to high as $50,000, it has not yet materialized. Meanwhile, Ethereum is hovering at around $200 at present, and some cryptocurrency analysts and speculators are expecting that it could be worth over $10,000 per coin. Furthermore, there is also speculation that Ethereum can gain a 25% market share in the future.

However, despite all the rosy predictions, experts are still bullish that Bitcoin will remain the de facto cryptocurrency today and in the future. The value of Bitcoin is only expected to rise in value and become more useful in the years to come. Of course, just like most other cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin is facing some challenges. Ethereum and newer Altcoins are free from some of the potential difficulties plaguing Bitcoin, at least in the short term.

It will take some time for Ethereum to hit the price ceiling of Bitcoin. The transaction fees are still comparatively low when compared to Bitcoin, and with the integration of additional features like smart contracts—Ethereum and its currency, Ether, is poised to become the preferred cryptocurrency for many industries in the days to come.

2. Litecoin (LTC)

Source: Bitcoinist

Like any other Altcoins we mentioned, many cryptocurrency investors hoped they’d bought plenty Litecoin when it first came out in 2017. In January 2017, a single Litecoin was available for $4, but at the end of the same year, Litecoin reached its peak when investors had to dish out $350 for each Litecoin.

Although nobody can tell when the price of Litecoin or any other cryptocurrency for that matter will one day reach or even surpass that price point, it is currently being offered at about $46 at the time of writing this article. This makes Litecoin a popular investment choice for its relatively low price.

As opposed to Bitcoin, Litecoin is a better choice for regular transactions as the block time is said to be 75% faster than Bitcoin. The transaction fees at a fraction of a dollar. Furthermore, developers and merchants are increasingly accepting Litecoin for their products and services.

We can’t escape the fact that Litecoin doesn’t have the same potential as Ethereum, especially when it comes to building new transaction platforms.

3. Ripple (XRP)

Source: Crypto News Flash

Although Ripple has its share of critics for being a centralized cryptocurrency in a famously decentralized space, it’s only fair to say that Ripple has the potential to be a rising star in cryptocurrency category—thanks to its increasing value and industry support.

Launched initially in 2012, Ripple’s value skyrocketed at the end of 2017 from around $0.20 in October, to over $2.50 at the end of the same year. The market value of Ripple tends to rise and frequently fall, which isn’t often seen in other significant market-value cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum.

Ripple, known by its transactional protocol, XRP, is a sound investment that promises a lot of potentials. It is also supported by a lot of large organizations such as Santander, American Express, RBC, and other major banking and financial institutions. This has positioned Ripple as one of the best-performing cryptocurrency in the market. Additionally, Ripple technology is being used by some groups for international wealth transfers such as Money Gram which has partnered with Ripple Labs in 2018 to use XRP as its payment gateway.

Why Does Altcoins Exist?

Source: CCN.com

People often ask why Altcoins exist. The definitive and most logical answer would be simply because some people, developers, and groups believe they can create a better cryptocurrency that will outpace Bitcoin. They also want to see a cryptocurrency that offers better compatibility and different features than BTC, such as better privacy, anonymity, and more decentralization.

Furthermore, people interested in Altcoins want a cryptocurrency that caters to a specific industry like entertainment. Now that Pandora’s Box of cryptocurrency is open, there’s no going back, and we will only see newer Altcoins in the days to come.

Business Image – Why Should You Care?

Source: entrepreneur

First impression, the phrase usually used on meeting people and product introduction. Fact is, people judge you the second they in contact with you or your product. That’s why capturing the heart of your consumers in first contact is important to pro-long your business.

Although many factors affect business success, such as productivity, management, and quality control, your upfront business image needs to be prioritized first. If nobody is buying your product and service, no matter the amount of hard work you put into your productivity, management, and quality control, they will never be profitable ever.

But wait! What exactly is the business image? Don’t worry; here, we will discuss how and what you should consider when optimize or building a trustworthy model for your business.

1. Branding

Source: ourbusinessblogs

We are not talking just about your business logo; branding includes your product appearance and how they will print a significant effect on potential consumers. First off is the use of text or typography on your business logo, ok, we all want that timeless logo but to achieve that, you’ll need a right and reliable choice of typography and decide what you want to represent with your logo brand. The word “keep it simple stupid” or “K.I.S.S” had been the following trend when it comes to rebranding, many businesses slowly adopt a simpler logo for their business, take Yahoo and Google, for example. Both company rebrand transition from an old school serif font to a bolder, reliable, and modern sans serif font in recent years.

One of the reasons to adopt a simple but recognizable logo is for the implementation brand on your product. What I mean is your product packaging design, a simple and printable logo design is more suitable to apply in packaging such as product box, flyer, company t-shirt, banner, or even on the selling product itself. For example, did you notice in every iPhone, there’s an apple logo, no text on the back of the phone, that’s how product branding should be executed?

2. Website

Source: ft

Imagine if your product is of high quality and many consumers search them through search engines, but when they land on your website, they immediately lost interest and click away. Why? Simple, you have an ugly website, a site that looks like it’s infected with a virus, well not really, just a figure of speech.

First off, we’re not living in the 90s anymore; we do not need to cramped all the information in one single page, all the text format squeezed together whatnot. There’s a reason why web 2.0 design principles were a hit and trendy back in the 2000s. A brighter color schemes, bolder and more extensive text, jQuery implementation on website UI…among others. People want to read without squinting their eyes on each paragraph line from your site.

that being said, your website needs to look professional and trustworthy for the consumer to feel secure when browsing or purchase your product from your online store if available. Stick with 2-3 color variations from your logo color when applying a color scheme to your website. You don’t want to have a different color between logo and website that might confuse visitors that interested in your product.

3. Social Media

Source: Articles Times

Let’s face it; social media is not just an interaction tool anymore. Social media is becoming a collaboration tool for businesses. There’s nothing faster than getting your business exposure from social media; all the viral content or video originated from social media sharing platforms.

Therefore, your business should utilize the use of social media; 3 of the most popular social media platform below can help your communication and collaboration with potential customers.

Facebook

Source: techcrunch

The best platform to promote your product and business. With the average age of Facebook users around 30-60 years old, this is what we called a spender age. The possibility of this group age purchasing your product is around 60%, according to statistics. With the Facebook ads campaign, you can efficiently utilize paid promotion according to your monthly budget and target audience and even filter target by country or regions, so if you only want to target your nearby shop neighborhood, it can be done with it.

Instagram

Source: unsplash

Instagram is best known for social image interaction; However, this platform mostly uses for sharing selfies or events photos, and it can also help businesses engage with a potential customer; communication through Instagram is much more comfortable according to user data. People tend to interact with each other on Instagram rather than on Facebook, maybe because Facebook more like a business-ish and Instagram more like social-ish.

Twitter

Source: magisto

Twitter usually used to convey short updates or messages. I see many business owners or management employee posted a quick update on store status like “Today 50% off on all our product, hurry!” message so their followers can retweet it and spread the words. Yes, the retweet is a quick and straightforward click re-sharing function that is better than other platforms. The #hashtag usage of Twitter might be one of the reasons why Twitter still favor by users when it comes to spreading awareness and news updates.

Final summary

Whether you’re running a small or corporate business, what people see and think about your establishment is essential, a stranger can become your potential customer, sometimes a loyal customer can last for years, imagine 1000 loyal customers purchased your product every month, your continuing revenue will expand or help to grow your business over the time.

This is one of the reasons why businesses have PR (public relation) department to handle any situation that might affect the business image, good or bad. You can visit mkels.com for more web and business development tips.

The Secrets of a Successful International Company CEO

Source: unsplash

Starting and building a company is challenging. There are many obstacles to consider. There are even more challenges for those that are trying to grow further and take their brand from a local success to an international giant. There are a few things that you have to emphasize when it comes to growth on a global scale for those that are open to challenges.

Here are some essential tips to focus on that will help you with your company’s growth.

Marketing

Source: pixabay

Marketing is one of the most important factors when it comes to the success of any international company. Marketing is so important because it will allow your company and brand to expand much further than your local market. Different marketing using online resources and platforms help you extend the reach that you would generally get from typical advertising routes and market towards a more global audience. The different opportunities you have for marketing expand from social media content to email and text messaging. There are plenty of means to market but choose your methods wisely, as https://messente.com/ recognizes that some communication methods are more personal and effective than others. Your approach on how to market will have to combine both aspects of earning new customers while making sure you retain your returning clients as well. This will provide a safety net to fall back on and be especially necessary for the first few months or years of your transition.

Communication and Relationships

Source: medium

Along with marketing, it is essential to begin building relationships and open lines of communications, not only with your customers and clients, but with your business partners and those that you will be working with on various areas such as marketing, production, and manufacturing. You will want to learn languages or have the people around you that can help translate your speech and your passion into an international success. Establishing these lines of communication early and maintaining a good and professional relationship is ideal for making a global or cross-country transition easier, but it will be necessary for the longevity of your relationship, as well as the growth and future of your company.

Resources

Source: yourthoughtpartner

With all the difficulties of expanding your brand worldwide, there are plenty of opportunities that you can and should take advantage of as a business owner. Many countries want to promote the growth of businesses locally and encourage and boost their local economies. Because of this desire for inner growth, funds are often available for different businesses in the form of startup funds, bursaries, and grants. It would be wise to learn about everything there is to offer for companies in the areas you are interested in growing and see if there are any available opportunities catered to your brand. Finding mentors is another important aspect of utilizing your resources around you. Going to meetups to seek out those that will be able to help you grow your business are valuable opportunities that are available if you take the time to research and find them.

Strategy

Source: hbr

Going into anything requires planning. Similar to how you start a company locally by doing your research first and having an ample amount of knowledge regarding the desired industry before you invest your time, money, and energy, you have to take a similar approach when it comes to building an international brand. If you have already created a local company, the good thing is that you have the knowledge to start, and you are not beginning from scratch. However, you will face plenty of new challenges, so having a strategy is important to anticipate them. Build international contacts and get a gauge of the local market. Learn about the demands for your company and if there is an opportunity there, set timelines, and budgets. It is better to be overly prepared and not needing the information going into business than it is to be unprepared and caught off guard.

Persistence and Patience

Source: unsplash

One of the hardships of taking a local company and transitioning into a more global and international market is that opening new locations and stores, or even extending your online options is the amount of time that you need to dedicate to this new expansion. It will feel in some instances as if you are starting over, as you won’t be sure about the demands and interest of the new market. Making this transition, you will have to have patience and understanding that it won’t always be as easy. There will be new obstacles and challenges that come into play, and some of the hardships may be new and ones you have not had to deal with before. Taking your company from a local level and seeing local success and trying to establish a global and international brand will be a long and tiring process that you will have to make sure you are prepared for.

Business laws

Source: libertyvilleins

Understand that when you are opening a new business in a different country, there will be different laws that you have to deal with. The laws and legalities you are aware of from your home country will not always translate to opening a new company in a different locale. It is a good idea to have a professional or a lawyer that will be able to give you legal counsel on your business practices and matters. The last thing you want to do is expand your business and fall into trouble with certain practices or legalities that end up costing you more than you make or can afford. This would put all your time and assets in jeopardy. Being uneducated about the local laws will lead your brand to failure before it even has the opportunity to grow.

For those that are seeking success on an international and global level, the process and journey are a long and difficult one. But it is possible. You have to come in with the right mindset to meet all your challenges head-on and tackle them with creative solutions. Your hard work, dedication, and persistence will create avenues to your goals and will lead you to success.

How to Choose the Right Air Conditioner for You

Choosing the right air conditioner for you and your family can be very difficult at times. When you are going out to purchase an air conditioner you should give it some due diligence and make sure that you are purchasing the right air conditioner for your home; purchasing air conditioners is not as simple as just picking one and buying it, rather you have to be sure what you are purchasing and make sure it will be a welcome addition to your home. Your home and your family come in all shapes and sizes, as do air conditioners, and there would be little point in purchasing an industrial air conditioner for a two-bedroom apartment, nor any point in purchasing a small low-specification air conditioning unit in a twelve-bedroom mansion.

When purchasing your first unit, or your second, or your third, you must be sure to make sure its specifications mesh well with your own. Climate also plays a big part in deciding whether or not you purchase a specific air conditioning unit, as it is important you purchase one that will provide you relief from soaring temperatures, as after all that is its purpose.

Some air conditioning units are not well suited to extremely high temperatures, and therefore in this situation, you must be careful which you are buying. So, here is a full, comprehensive guide, on how to purchase the right air conditioner for you, your home, and your family.

Source: pixabay.com

Whichever You Choose, Keep It in Good Condition

Whenever you do go out and purchase an air conditioning unit, you should be certain to make sure that you keep it in the best condition you possibly can. Servicing a unit, or just cleaning it yourself, is relatively cheap and easy. Whenever you are having your unit serviced it is important that you hire respectable, peer-reviewed tradespeople, and not just anybody. Your air conditioning unit will often keep you in good health and able to withstand scorching temperatures, so it is important, it is treated equally well and given the care that it requires. If left to fester and clog up, it will certainly break, and thereby leave you to deal with the side-effects of hot temperatures, such as heat stroke, heat rash, and others. You can also clean it yourself for free, and it can take no more than a couple of hours.

You should always clean your air conditioning unit. The professionals of billyaircon.com.sg specialize in cleaning and servicing units, and if you cannot do it yourself, be sure to hire somebody who can. Cleaning your unit can be as simple as removing the filter and vacuuming up the dust and bacteria within, then following that, you should make sure that you soak it in water, then spray a power shower on it so that you can clear away any stubborn bacteria or debris. Give it a wipe with some antiseptic, then it’s good to go. Keep it clean, after all, you will be breathing air from it.

Source: ICE Ltd

Can You Afford to Go Solar?

Using a solar air conditioning unit can be a great way to save money on energy and keep yourself cool. Very often, if you live in a climate that requires an air conditioning unit, or rather you simply are experiencing a summer with soaring temperatures, you likely will be exposed to a lot of sun. This then is a perfect reason to forsake a more conventional electric air conditioning unit and use a solar-powered one. Solar-powered air conditioning units have become all the rage in recent years and many professionals recommend them over more conventional units.

A solar-powered air conditioning unit is not only environmentally friendly, but they can actually save you a lot more money in the future. Air conditioning units are known for sucking up electricity and causing sky-high electric bills. You can circumvent this by using a solar-powered air conditioning unit, which is virtually free, other than upkeep. Rather than paying for energy, you simply use the sun’s natural energy to keep your air conditioning unit functioning. They can be very cheap and very effective.

This is perhaps the best option for those who want to become environmentally friendly and cut down on their electric bill, and if you are buying an air conditioner for the first time, seriously consider purchasing a solar-powered air conditioning unit. You should be able to find them at a home appliance store or a specialist website.

Source: wagerengineering

Make Sure You Choose Effectively

When you are picking an air conditioning unit it can be hard to know exactly what you are purchasing. Their packaging is often inundated with jargon the layman may not understand, and thus, you may end up purchasing a unit that is unsuitable for your home. Certain air conditioning units also have an air clean function, and this function can be a fantastic way to keep the air that you breathe clean. If you live in a dusty old house this may be a perfect option for you, so pick one up.

If you live at a very hot temperature, it may be worth buying a high-specification air conditioning unit that can withstand scorching heat. Some air conditioning units are built for more temperate climates, but some are not, and it is important you buy one that is specified strictly to your climate.

In recent years many people are beginning to find themselves suffering from heatstroke and heat rash, so if you do and you cannot withstand hot temperatures, you should make sure that you purchase an air conditioning unit that can keep your entire house cool. If you have a big home, it would be worth picking up a few, or a big one, so that you can keep your entire house cool and not have to worry about the unwanted nasty side-effects the sun can offer.

When you employ a contractor to set up your air conditioning unit you should endeavour to make sure they are well-reviewed and held in high regard. You do not want to risk having cowboy builders coming into your home and damaging goods or stealing things. Only let respectable, peer-reviewed tradesmen do work on your home.

8 Ways To Relax After A Stressful Day At Work

Source: medium.com

Everyone talks about stress and how dangerous it can be. But no one mentions how to decompress or properly relax after a stressful day at work.

Truthfully speaking, it is our professional lives that generate the most stress. With the current pandemic still looming over our heads, a lot of people are fearful for their jobs, leading to more and more stress buildup.

But not only that, some people have crappy bosses and that’s something that contributes towards making our days a lot more stressful.

In this article, we are going to help explain the 8 ways to relax after a stressful day at work. We understand the need for such a topic as this is something that every person on the planet can benefit from. Another way to relax is to use a bath bomb while soaking in your bath tub. Bath bombs are full of soothing epsom salts that will help relax muscles and soothe away stress. You can get some of the best bath bombs at the market by visiting Nectar Bath Treats.

So, if you happened to have a few minutes to spare, this is the ultimate article on decompression.

1. Take a Deep Breath

Source: LiveWell Louisiana

Getting home from work can be a salvation for many people. That first step when you get inside is met with a relief of emotions that only our stressful jobs can do to us.

But to properly decompress, the first thing you do is take a deep breath, hold it for ten seconds, and let it out.

This is quite possibly one of the easiest ways to release tension from your body and even feel it as it goes through you. One breath is not enough and you should repeat this step for a total of ten times.

2. Massaging

Source: tantranectar

If you have someone living with you then a great way to relax and decompress is to have them give you a massage. While this isn’t always possible since many of you probably live alone, it is still one of the best ways to relax after a stressful day at work.

The best areas for massaging are the shoulders, neck, and lower back. A lot of people love massaging their heads since the head can be the place of a lot of tension buildup.

If you’re under a lot of stress from your day job, then do consider getting yourself a massage at least once a month.

3. Go For A Walk

Source: bustle

Take 5; very simple and very self-explanatory. Everyone has bad periods and periods of their work when things are more stressful. For many people, this is their normal day-to-day dealings and that’s certainly unhealthy.

If you’re under a lot of stress recently, then why don’t you simply take 5? Go for a walk in the park or even around the building. It will loosen you up and release a lot of bad energy. Also, you can practice the previous methods and combine them. What I’d like to do is stroll around the building for five minutes while also practicing the breathing technique.

Combining multiple methods into a single one is quite possibly one of the best ways to release tension and stress.

4. Watch Something Mesmerizing

Source: As We Awaken

Have you ever seen those aquarium videos and cannot help but feel mesmerized? Did you know that these types of videos are used as a proper way of releasing stress and tension?

Watching something mesmerizing, whether that’s fishes in an aquarium or sounds of forests can greatly help you with this problem.

The thing here is that you need to fully immerse in the video for it to take effects. Luckily for you, these videos come in all shapes and sizes. The bigger the size, ex 4K videos, the more it will affect your mind.

So, if you happened to own a 4K TV and need something mesmerizing to watch to help cope with your stressful job, then make sure to click here.

5. Exercise

Source: verywellmind

Just like taking a walk, exercising is a great way to loosen up and forget about your crappy day at work. People love exercising before going to work, but they also love doing it afterward.

Depending on what works better for you, you can either get up at 5:30 AM and do your daily exercise or do it after work. The bottom line remains that you should exercise none the less.

Feeling stressed shouldn’t be the tipping point as to why you should exercise, as there are tons of advantages of living a healthy life. As it stands, there is yet to be proven a better way to release stress and tension from our bodies than by exercising.

6. Take a Day Off

Source: The Jakarta Post

Sometimes all we need is to simply take a break. Sometimes we are put under so much stress and tension that it’s only a matter of time before we explode.

Not in a literal sense, but it’s very easy to have a mental breakdown from all the stress at work. That’s why a great way to cope with your stressful job is to take a break from it once in a while.

Call your boss and try to explain to them how you feel. If your boss doesn’t allow the break, then maybe it’s time for a change of plans and even a change of careers.

It’s not worth compromising your health for the sake of someone else’s business.

7. Read a Book

Source: Time Magazine

Sometimes, reading a book is a great way to get your mind off things. If you feel as your job is preoccupying your thoughts every day, then why not read a book?

It’s been medically and scientifically proven that books are a great way to get people’s minds off negative thinking. If your job is the main contributor to negative thinking, then throwing yourself on the couch and reading a good book may quite possibly be the best cure for it.

8. Meditate

Source: cosmopolitan

Meditation is a cure for the body. But not only that, meditation cures the body by affecting the mind and soul. Meditation is a great way to loosen up tension and stress after a hard day of work.

It is also a great way to disconnect from the world and focus on self-improving and self-healing. Through the teachings of mediation, you will practice breathing exercises that help you cope with the negativity surrounding your job.

Through the teachings of mediation, you will practice breathing exercises that help you cope with the negativity surrounding your job. For more information check https://www.mindpanda.com/morning-meditation/.

9 Must-Have Cooking Supplies for Your Kitchen

Cooking can be an extremely tricky or a pretty cathartic process, depending on one’s mental state. However, it can be extremely exhausting if you are moving into a new setup, say if you are setting up your own home, or you are moving into a bachelor’s pad. It can be a daunting task if you have absolutely zero help setting your own kitchen, now that can be an ordeal. Here is an entire list made for you curated by the best minds and hands working in the kitchen.

Nine unmissable things you need to keep in the kitchen are as follows:

1. Knives: This one goes absolutely without going, you have to have a knife in the kitchen to survive in the kitchen. Idealistically, you should be keeping a set of three knives, according to experts. A serrated knife to slice down bread or cakes, a paring knife to mince, or slice meats and a chef’s knife to do most of your basic cutting, chopping, dicing and slicing. You could either buy a set of these three, or you could choose a knife which could be a mix of all these three together. If this already sounds confusing, check out Cookinglife.eu to simplify it all.

Source: CNet

2. Cutting / Chopping Boards: You obviously would not be chopping on glass and stone surfaces (and you shouldn’t be either). Doing these can make your knives blunt and they can lose their longevity. According to our bereft cohort, you could get at least two chopping boards, one made of plastic and another made of wood or bamboo. Always make sure to keep a damp cloth underneath your boards to prevent it from slipping because you could be at a high chance of cutting yourself.

Source: etuHOME

3. Mixing Bowls: People might not agree, but mixing bowls are actually necessity items while setting up a kitchen. Not only can you mix and mash things into it, but if and when necessary, you can eat out of those bowls as well! Jokes apart, it is useful and advisable to get mixing bowls made of glass, since they are microwave and dishwasher proof, and washing them can be an easy task to achieve.

Source: West Elm

4. Measuring Spoons and Cups: Yes, we know that you are thinking why would this be possibly into a must-have list, but once you make this purchase, you would be thanking us. There is a high chance of you messing up any recipe with volume measurements, which can often change and falter according to places. Weight measurements and measuring spoons/ cups could be a great alternative to it.

Source: Sur La Table

5. Can Opener / Bottle Opener: A can opener or a bottle opener could be a lifesaver at times when you have people over and cannot manage to open a bottle cap or a can of soda or beer. To save yourself from embarrassment, you should definitely be thinking of buying one of these babies. Also, if you are someone who is fond of keeping your nails long and are not interested in broken finger-nails, a bottle or can opener should be your savior.

Source: 1061evansville.com

6. Colander: a colander can be a great friend, you could be draining pasta or vegetables, or if you are making a rice-based dish, it is a great equipment to wash and dry your rice. It is again advisable to get a set of them, for light, medium and heavy duty rinsing and straining jobs, especially for broths, when you just need to liquid to be separated from the other things.

Source: Amazon.co.uk

7. Vegetable Peeler: A vegetable peeler is an actual must-have since it can get extremely hard and difficult to peel and slice your vegetables, and by peeling your veggies with a chef’s knife or a paring knife, you run a greater risk of cutting your finger or injuring yourself. So, it is advisable to use a peeler to peel your veggies. Peelers can be a great alternative to graters and do a better job at prepping your salad. It is so much better to be using a peeler as compared to a grater or knife.

Source: Serious Eats

8. Spatulas, Spoons, Whisks and Tongs: It is a no brainer that if you are setting up a kitchen, you ought to be having something to stir and serve them in. It is an essential part if you are about to cook anything and should be stored in a proper manner. Wooden spoons and ladles are the best way to cook stuff like sauces and soups. They are unbeatable when it comes to the functionality and can uplift the look and feel of your kitchen in an instance. Whisks can be used for roux-based things like gumbo, or to mix up all your salad dressings. Spatulas could be of silicone since they do absolutely zero damage to your non-stick cooking utensils as well as give a clear scrape to whatever you are trying to get rid of. Tongs are obviously an extremely useful tool to agitate pasta, or to flip steaks, or keeping a distance while frying anything.

Source: New Hampshire Bowl and Board

9. Towels Along with Pot-holders: If you are not a great fan of burns and scalds, then you should definitely invest into towels and pot-holders. This not only protects you from getting your hands burnt, but it also prevents any sort of spillage. You should get a few of these in a varying amount of colors, because not only would give you a lot of options to use them, but in case you washed one pot holder, you could still cook without waiting for the washed cloth to dry out, but it also makes your kitchen look incredibly colorful.

Source: Etsy

Conclusion

We sincerely hope that this apparatus list helps you set your kitchen a little bit easier, if not anything else. Afterall, setting up a kitchen is not an easy job to do, and if not done properly, it could either prove to be fatal, but it could also seriously mess up your time schedule and make life extremely difficult.

6 Ways to Do Shopping Without Leaving Your Home

The coronavirus pandemic has hit modern society extremely hard with practically the whole world experiencing lockdown, and most people knowing somebody who has suffered at the hands of the virus. Whilst some of us are healthy enough to be able to go to the shops using social distancing measures, the elderly or those with underlying health conditions are advised to stay at home. Indeed, many healthy people are also choosing to stay at home and this has meant that people have had to get creative when it comes to their shopping. Highstreets are also falling out of popularity as they have become more difficult to get to and the price of goods can be prohibitively high. Here we are going to take a look at 6 ways of doing your shopping without leaving your home.

1. TV Shopping

With more and more of us spending time in front of the television it is little wonder that this has now become a prime medium for people to buy goods. Obviously it is not going to be practical for your weekly food shop, however, for higher value items it can be a great way to shop. There are television channels that operate like a catalog, they will explain to you in-depth the pros and cons of products and then will often have a certain number available at a reduced cost for the people who are quickest to order. This is the main reason it is so popular because real bargains can be found and it also allows for huge online communities to be built allowing further reviews and discussion about the products that are available.

Source: WVLT

2. Cashback Shopping

This could be considered online shopping but there is a big difference as you can earn money or free goods while shopping in this manner. How on earth do I do that? Basically, you sign up with a rewards company and then carry on shopping as normal. Experts from kickback.com.au advise that your rewards company will partner with hundreds of the most popular brands, and every time you shop at one of those brands you will receive a discount, a special offer, or best of all cashback. Any cashback is credited to your account which you can then save up and transfer it into real cash, or for vouchers that can be spent at your favorite stores. Furthermore, you can often receive extra bonuses for introducing friends and family to the scheme, so what are you waiting for, sign up and start saving those dollars that can help to pay for a new dress or can contribute to your next summer holiday.

3. Online

The internet has become ubiquitous in the 21st Century, nearly the whole world is connected and as such it has become a prime medium for shopping. Bricks and mortar retailers face increasing costs on the high street so many now have an online presence where they will sell their wares at much cheaper prices. Customers love it because they can browse products from the comfort of their home and then have them delivered direct to their door, often as soon as the following day. Why would you not buy online if you knew it was cheaper and more convenient than taking a trip to the local shops?

Source: pixabay.com

4. Mail-Order Catalogs

Mail-order catalogs have been around for over 500 years with the first being credited to a Venetian publisher who compiled a catalog of all the books he offered for sale. Over the centuries the range of products has expanded but the business model is exactly the same. Catalogs are picked up in stores or sent to homes directly through the post, customers can peruse the catalogs at their leisure and then complete a form with all the items they desire. They then send this with payment to the supplier and the goods are dispatched by mail. What could be simpler?! Obviously the internet has curtailed this form of shopping somewhat but many elderly people still rely on catalogs for their Christmas shop, or for buying gifts.

5. Over the Phone

Many purchases require a bit of negotiation and if you can’t do this face to face then the best way is over the phone. Let’s say you are in the market for car insurance and your current provider has given you a renewal quote. Well, after comparing costs with different providers on the internet it is then advisable to give your current provider a call. Explain to them the situation and you will be surprised how willingly they will match or even undercut the other quotes you received given they don’t want to lose your business. This strategy can be adopted for all kinds of policy renewals. You don’t even have to do any research, just call them and bluff, you’ll normally get a better deal!

Source: MYVIGOUR

6. Personal Shopping

Personal shopping was once the preserve of the rich and the famous but it is now accessible to people with varying budgets. How does it work? Well, you’ll first meet with a personal stylist who will come to your home and discuss with you what styles and trends you like. They will also assess your personality and what sort of clothes or furniture would suit you or your home, you then give them a budget and they will hit the shops on your behalf. You can then sit back and relax until they return with their offerings that you can either try on or see if they work in your home, with absolutely no obligation to buy. Shopping for the laziest from the comfort of your own home!!

Shopping from home has never been easier and it does not have to involve the internet. Picking up the phone and negotiating can be a great way of purchasing your home or travel insurance, and TV shopping channels allow you to become part of a community. Mail-order catalogs hark back to a bygone era but cashback shopping brings you right up to date. There is a way of shopping from home for every budget and taste, so give it a go!

Why an Air Conditioner Is Something You Need

As the long summer months creep upon us, you might be mulling over whether or not you need an air conditioner. Yes, buying an AC unit sounds like a no brainer as it can make the scorching summer heat more bearable. However, you might be working through the cons of getting an air conditioner, including cost, maintenance, installation, dealing with a small space, and so on. It can be a difficult decision to make, but it does have many benefits that make it worth the time and money. According to Cielo, using smart devices to automate home cooling not only increases your comfort but also helps save up to 25% energy. If you’re on the fence as to whether or not purchasing an air conditioner is a worthwhile investment, here are a few compelling reasons as to why this is something you would definitely need.

Source: Medium

Overcome the Pandemic Blues

Let’s start with a fairly obvious reason; you are probably spending a fair amount of time at home these days given the stay-at-home order. As temperatures rise, and our ability to spend time outdoors remains considerably hindered, there is a premium placed on staying cool while self-isolating and working from home. The more comfortable the home environment is, the less likely you or your loved ones would be to risk your well being by venturing outside to another enclosed space where many people are gathered.

Increasing Property Value

A good air conditioning or cooling system in your home – whether it is a relatively modest one or a more advanced HVAC system – will inevitably increase the value of your property, especially that many new air conditioners on the market are manufactured with energy efficiency in mind. Most prospective buyers look for these kinds of appliances nowadays, and if you install one in your house, the investment will pay for itself eventually, one way or the other.

Source: Edge Heating and Air

Make Your Small House More Comfortable

You may have your hands tied if you live in an especially small space. If your apartment is tiny, like most city apartments, it probably gets incredibly stuffy in the summer. Suffering through the sweltering heat in the middle of summer in what feels like a sardine tin is the definition of misery, which is all the more reason to get an air conditioner since, obviously, a fan won’t cut it. Paradoxically, the conventional wisdom dictates that an air conditioner is too big to install in a tiny space. However, this is no longer the case. As the dedicated reviewers from this website point out, you can find numerous AC models that are micro in size yet highly effective. These are definitely worth the investment, and will undoubtedly make living in a tight space far more comfortable.

Protect Your Belongings

The summer months can be brutal on paper documents, books, vinyl records, and pretty much anything that might be of value in your home. It is a well-known fact that direct sunlight and excessive heat can heavily damage most precious belongings — that explains why archives are usually kept in climate-controlled rooms with low humidity settings. An air conditioner will not only keep you comfortable, but it will also help ensure that your important and valuable documents are in safekeeping, and will not deteriorate due to the heat.

Source: pixabay.com

Safeguard Your Health

Stuffy, hot air that is unfiltered is terrible for those who suffer from allergies, respiratory problems, sinus infections, and other health conditions. Cold air makes people feel more comfortable and helps alleviate many of the common illnesses caused by breathing in unfiltered air. Furthermore, excessive exposure to heat can lead to other, more serious problems, potentially causing heat strokes or aggravating nascent heart problems. Various medical conditions necessitate living in a cool environment, and a cooling system is essential in filtering out dust, allergens, and other terrible particles that may increase the symptoms.

Lower Humidity

Low humidity is essential for keeping your body’s equilibrium at its optimum. If the space is too humid, then you will be sweating excessively, which messes with your bodily functions. Not to mention, you will be more exhausted, and find yourself short of temper – probably because having clothes stick to your skin is not a comfortable sensation. An air conditioner will absorb the water from the air and expel it outside, leaving only cool, dry air to flow inside the house, thereby lowering humidity and ensuring a more comfortable living space.

Source: Hartford HealthCare

Prevent Skin Rashes

You might not realize this, but most common skin conditions are a result of exposure to excessive heat. Rashes, hives, and other issues arise simply due to being exposed to too much unfiltered hot air, which causes you to sweat, exposes you to bacteria, which inevitably creates problems with your skin. Another reason why cool air is something you need.

Concentrate on Work Better

Whether you are working from home like millions of people these days, or studying and preparing for school or exams, you need an environment to help you concentrate better. Air conditioning provides you with the necessary energy to stay alert, work hard, and simply focus. When the house is overheated, you will have trouble achieving desirable results. Whereas in a cool, comfortable environment, working will be a lot easier.

Source: Gorenje International

Save Money

It might be hard to believe, but relying on fans actually forces you to spend far more money in the long run. Installing an air conditioner can help save you money on electricity bills, especially if you are currently relying on more than one fan. Simply installing an energy-efficient unit will help you a great deal. If you compare the costs of running two fans versus a single air conditioner, you might realize that the long-term savings are far better than you initially imagined.

Even though this is bound to be a fairly difficult summer in many ways, there’s no reason to stay indoors in the sweltering heat. Investing in an air conditioning unit will undoubtedly make things feel far more comfortable. It is better for your health, concentration, and the general atmosphere of your home. With a reliable AC unit, you will be avoiding plenty of health-related problems and enjoying a far more relaxing summer.

Top Benefits of Using Skin Care Products

Source: medicalnewstoday.com

Who does not want to have flawless, healthy skin? Of course, everyone wants. Flawless, healthy skin is a dream of every male and female. But unfortunately, not all of us get it right! Most of the time, we become confused about whether we should take proper diet for healthy and flawless skin or use skin care products. So the answer is that you should do both.

Skincare products are as crucial for your healthy skin as the proper diet. We are here to break the stereotype that you should not use the skincare products and tell you about the benefits of using skincare products from reliable brands like Boost Balm. If you have been wondering about what you should do to get healthier glowing skin, then you should hold on and read this post till the end. It is dedicated to you, and I hope you will get enough knowledge from it. Without any further ado, let’s get started!

No skin irritation

Source: byrdie

Sometimes, we are allergic to some things. Our skin shows negative reactions against them. In such cases, your skin may be hurt, and you may feel rashes or irritation on the skin. There are many products available in the market that reduce the skin irritation and help you get rid of the troubles. Not only because of allergy, sometimes, due to extreme weather, but your skin also shows a reaction, for example, sunburn. To deal with such skin irritation, you should buy a good-quality skin care product so that you may avoid these painful irritations.

Control and help breakouts

Source: theskincareedit

Due to some skin issues, our skin starts breaking out. This breakout may be in the form of flaky skin or patchy skin. The organic skin care products help you to control these breakouts and help treat them in a better way. Sometimes, your skin starts to become flaky from the face, or sometimes, you have to face the cracked heels. In all such cases, skin products available in the market make you deal with these problems.

Adopting A Daily Skincare Routine Can Slow Down Aging

Source: bestproducts

Aging skin is never liked by anyone. Almost everyone wants to stay young for long, but actually, that’s not possible. But, skincare products make it possible. If you adopt a daily skincare routine and follow it strictly, then you can slow down your aging and stay young. If you want to look young even after 40, then you must adopt a skincare routine with some high-quality skincare products.

Not only this, skincare products include so many healthy products that nit only slow down the aging process but also adds the glow to the skin, and your skin looks radiant. If you want to get young skin even after 40 or 30, then your skincare routine must include cleansing, exfoliation, and moisturizing. These three processes are not very much time consuming, but their effect is incredible. You should clean your skin daily with good –quality cleansing milk, then exfoliate your skin with a scrub and then apply a moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. By following this routine daily, you will be able to beat down your age and look younger than your actual age.

Daily Skincare Routines Make Everything Easier

Source: marieclaire

Daily skincare routine makes your skin habitual of different beauty products, that’s why everything else becomes easier for you. For example, if you follow a skincare routine, your skin will become smoother, and you won’t have to apply the layers of foundation to conceal the marks and dark spots. In this way, your makeup will become easier for you.

Furthermore, if you follow a skincare routine, your skin becomes fresh and looks healthier, so you don’t have to put on makeup every time you go out. It helps you get rid of wearing makeup all the time, and you can look as beautiful without makeup as you look with make.

Peace of mind

Source: skincare

Before everything and above everything is the peace of mind that you get when you follow a daily skincare routine, and your skin starts getting better day by day. If you have peace of mind, you have everything. Psychologist says that your mental health also affects your skin condition. If you follow a daily skincare routine, your skin’s condition gets better day by day, and this thing brings peace to your life. Imagine having glass skin with a fair complexion and flawless face, what one can desire for after having that!

So, if you follow a daily skincare routine that comprises of healthy skincare products, you will get peace of mind that is the most essential thing that you need. We strongly recommend you to choose a daily skincare routine so that you can get crystal clear skin and peace of mind, of course!

Fewer skin issues

Source: skincare

Some of the skins types are more prone to issues as compared to the others. For example, oily skin is more prone to acne, and dry skin is more prone to itching. In both of the cases, skin care products play a vital role in treating those issues and making your skin stay healthy. If you follow a skin routine, your itching and acne can go away, leaving you happy with your healthy skin. If you are also one of them who are struggling with their skin issues, then you should immediately reach for your skin specialist and ask him/her to suggest you the best skin care products that can help you get rid of your skin problem.

Ending note

There is nothing impossible in the world, nor having healthier glass skin. Only what you have to do is to stay determined and use the certified and tested skincare products. Don’t ever compromise the quality of the products that you are going to buy. Saving money is good, but when it comes to your skin health, don’t act closed-fisted, for it can harm your skin. Don’t use sub-standard products and try to consult your doctor before starting using any skincare product. Reach for your consultant now and start a daily skin care routine!

How to Select the Best Hair Transplant Clinic?

Source: veraclinic

A hair transplant is a kind of operation or surgery that takes hair from one part of the body to another. It takes hair from the crowded area of the root or other portions of the body and leads it to the thin or bald part of the scalp. Hair transplants are generally more effective than above-the-counter hair renovation products.

The process of hair transplantation is among the most advanced cosmetic surgeries that need highly correctness, medical knowledge, artistic skills, and skill to execute the process. Selecting the best hair transplant clinic is itself a complete study that requires careful evaluation, self-examination, and research to make the correct decision at the proper time.

If you wish to undergo a hair transplant process, then you can check the best hair transplant clinic first. Selecting the best Hair transplantation is necessary for the victory of the interference. Below provided factors will assist you in choosing the best and right hair transplant clinic:

Board-Certified Clinic

Every hair transplantation clinic should be board-certified. You need to select those clinics only that performs the surgery with an enormously satisfying result. The top hair transplantation clinic, such as Capilclinic, always follows the standard measure of giving safety and cleanliness concerns for the hair transplant process. The accredited clinic severely manages the necessary care in terms of executing the procedure with strictly satisfactory results. The best clinic should have recognition from the country as well as a global hair repair society.

Source: chandigarhmetro

Safety & Hygiene Concern

Every clinic of hair transplantation must follow the standard measure and hygiene concern to do the simple and infection-free operation or surgery. Every reputed national and international clinic has to follow the safety measure while performing the hair transplantation surgery. The process of hair transplant executed at the renowned clinic that never compromises with the superiority and, therefore, always provides satisfying results.

Education Documents or Credentials

To achieve proficiency and knowledge in holding hair follicle parts, it needs years of training, creative method, and in-depth medical experience. It remembers that we choose a doctor who has a suitable education and experience to execute this problematic and technique sensitive process. The surgeon should possess required qualification from a recognized university, college, or institutes.

Source: beautytravels24

Success Rate of Patients

The success rate of the hair transplant’s patient is essential in considering the selection of the doctor. High success rates are tough to achieve. An extremely skilled, qualified, and experienced doctor only can perform the process professionally with a high success rate. It checks from the reviews for the doctors or can directly take the survey from the surgeon’s past hair transplantation patients.

Facilities or Services Provided In The Clinic

The procedure of hair transplantation needs the latest technologies, and every hair transplantation clinic should provide the best facilities and services. It is a familiar element in the lack of essential apparatuses and equipment required for the hair transplantation process; even the most excellent surgeon cannot perform the procedure successfully. A consultation appointment must be planned at the clinic and inspect the facilities and services available at the clinic. There must be adequate measures to keep the apparatus used for surgery up to date, disinfecting, and operation theatre germ-free.

Source: healthideas

Equipment and Technology

The apparatus and the new technology used by the hair transplantation clinic always receive significant attention because it assists in doing the operation or surgery faster, along with meeting the preferred necessary objective of the surgery. The accredited clinic uses both progressive and higher magnification lenses at 20X & 200X magnification to separate grafts when there is no single option for damage.

Experience of Specialist

As mentioned above, the surgery of hair transplantation is a susceptible and complicated surgical process. To perform this surgery, you need to consider the experience of the surgeon. Besides, the number of hair transplant patients effectively treated by the specialist must be taken into consideration, which is hugely significant than expertise over many years. Only an extremely experienced surgeon must select for the process. The staff of the clinic must be well skilled, kind, agreeable, and alert.

Source: myhairtr

Price

You need to consider the cost of hair transplant surgery before selecting the hair transplantation clinic. After the completion of the hair transplantation process, it is very tough to correct it using a defective method. These offers and unreasonably low costs are provided by many clinics that are not strictly up to date and do not have skilled and qualified surgeons. The charges must be reasonable based on the experience of the doctor and the services offered by the clinic.

Which Procedure is Best for Hair Transplantation?

There are three kinds of hair transplantation: Follicular Unit Transplantation, Follicular Unit Extraction, and Advanced Trico Pigmentation. FUE stands for Follicular Unit Transplantation. It is a prevalent method and includes using satisfactory blades to collect hair follicles from the thick part where the hair stays longer.

As hair roots will move separately, this procedure takes a very long time than Follicular Unit Transplantation, but it does not leave a mark, and it is slightly offensive with slight downtime. With the help of Follicular Unit Transplantation, a bit of hair will take, and then distributes it into a separate or small portion of hair glands, which will move into the bald part.

It is faster and less expensive than Follicular Unit Extraction. ATP stands for Advanced Trico Pigmentation, and it is a type of tattooing on the profusion of beard with a different ink that continues up to eight years, and it is the best and recommended for men with short or smooth hairstyles.

Source: cxbcoordination

Conclusion

Selecting the best hair transplant clinic is a very challenging task. Generally, we can say that choosing the best clinic to achieve the process itself a critical job that encourages us to discover many things and features associated with the process. While finding a certified clinic to get the process, both online and offline assistance you can take. It would be best if you kept in mind the above-provided factors while choosing the best hair transplant clinic.

Anastasia Malkina

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