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Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

truck bed liner

8 Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Bed Liner for Your Truck

It’s no surprise that pickup trucks are among the most popular vehicles in the United States. In fact, 2.8 million trucks sold in 2017 alone! Though those trucks get used for both business and daily life, there’s one thing all truck owners have in common: the desire to protect their ride. And installing a truck bed liner is one of the best ways to upgrade and protect your truck. But there’s more to buying a liner than picking the cheapest option. You need to find the right type for your needs. Starting your search? Here are a few things to consider when browsing through your options. 1. Budget: Some truck bed liners cost more than others. Simple spray-on liners can be more affordable than the removable trays or heavy-duty permanent liners. Before you start considering your options, think about how much you want to spend on the liner. This will help you narrow down your options. Remember, even a light-duty liner is better than an exposed truck bed. No matter what your budget is, installing even the most affordable liner is in your truck’s best interest. 2. The Condition of Your Truck Bed: Corrosion is a major problem for any metal truck bed. And it forms quickly. Once the paint and protective coatings get scraped away, the metal underneath loses its protective moisture barrier. That moisture leads to rust which eats through the metal and weakens the structural integrity of the truck bed over time. If your truck bed still has the protective layer of paint and clear coat, you’re fine with any liner option. The spray-on truck bed liner will act as an additional protective barrier for the bed. And the bed itself is strong enough to support the load without help. But if you have rust buildup in your truck bed, you’ll want to look at a liner that offers additional structural support. Hard rubber and plastic liners hold their shape. This helps spread weight throughout the bed when carrying a heavy load. The less weight on those rusted and damaged parts of your truck, the longer the truck bed will last. 3. How Much Maintenance You Can Handle: Some bed liners last longer than others. And some are virtually maintenance-free. Spray liners can wear away over time and you’ll have to reapply them every few years. If the bed gets scratched and damages the spray liner, you’ll need to reapply the liner to cover the damage. Rubber liners are far more durable and require minimal maintenance. All you need to do is remove them a few times a year to give them a good cleaning. You don’t want to clean the liner in the bed as it can trap water between the metal and the rubber itself. This increases your risk of corrosion and rust. Though removing the liner is time-consuming, they require less maintenance in the long run. You can spray down polyethylene or plastic liners right in the truck bed, saving you time and energy. They’re uniquely durable and resistant to cracks, making them incredibly low maintenance. 4. Removable vs Permanent Liner: Some people prefer the convenience of removable liners. They’re easy to clean and can be switched out between trucks with similar bed sizes. Others prefer a permanent liner. Permanent liners can be lower maintenance when they’re installed correctly. But they can’t get switched out from one truck to another. If you plan on selling your truck in the near future, a removable liner might be the best option. But if you go with a permanent liner, you’ll increase the resale value of your truck. Either way, it’s a win-win and the right choice is really a matter of personal preference. 5. How You Use the Truck: Different liners work best for different tasks. Before you decide, think about how you use your truck. Do you regularly haul heavy equipment that needs to stay put in transit? Then a textured permanent bed liner will be the best choice. It will help keep those heavy loads in place when the truck is in motion. If you haul small loads or make frequent deliveries on your own, a smooth liner will make unloading easier. Items will slide right down the bed to the tailgate so you can unload quickly. Regardless, spray-on, permanent plastic liners, and removable rubber liners are all impact-resistant. You’ll still have protection for those unexpected potholes that jar your entire load. 6. Ease of Installation: Are you looking to install the bed liner on your own or do you want to have someone install it for you? Permanent liners are best installed by a professional. This helps protect your truck’s paint job and guarantees that the liner itself fits the bed perfectly. Most spray-on liners and permanent plastic liners should be installed by a professional. But if you’re looking for an easy installation you can handle yourself, removable rubber liners are the way to go. Drop-in truck bed liners sit flush against the truck bed and installation takes a matter of minutes. 7. How You Store Your Truck: All liners last longer when the truck is kept in a covered parking spot like a carport or garage. But if you leave your truck outside in the elements, you’ll want to invest in either a spray-on liner or permanent plastic liner. These options protect your truck bed from moisture, plant matter, and sap which can all damage the paint and metal underneath. Keep in mind that the materials may break down more quickly if the truck stays parked in the sun most days. But if you keep your truck in a covered parking area, any liner will work just fine. 8. What Color Liner You Want: Truck liners used to be plain black and boring. But modern liners come in almost any color you can imagine. Think about whether you want to match the paint job for the truck bed or if you’re fine with a contrasting color. There’s no right or wrong answer. But color can impact the price you pay. Some colors may cost more than the standard options. Upgrade Your Truck: A truck bed liner is a great way to upgrade your truck and protect your investment. But there’s more you can do to improve your ride. Check out our latest posts for more helpful tips. Read Also: Things To Do Before Bed For A Perfect Night’s Sleep Seven Simple Ways For Achieving Cozy Bedroom Environment: For Perfectly Night Sleep

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Garcinia Cambogia

What is Garcinia Cambogia and how it can help your health?

There are a plethora of weight loss products on the market and if you feel dizzy by the amount of choice that you have, don't worry, science even has a name for that. And you wouldn't be the first person not to know what is Garcinia Cambogia. It is rather new on the market and its name is yet to be shone by the highlight of popularity. So what is Garcinia Cambogia? What is Garcinia Cambogia? Garcinia Cambogia is actually a former scientific name for Garcinia gummi-gutta (also known as brindleberry, Malabar tamarind, and kuda puli). It is a tropical pumpkin-like plant, native to Indonesia, and it has been used as a traditional cooking ingredient in its native lands of south-east Asia. Its name became known outside of its native habitat since 2012 when first claims of its natural weight loss effect came into the spotlight after celebrated Dr. Oz introduced first scientific evidence. So it is only in this decade that it has been used and researched, but the effects are evident. It may seem that people are rushing to capitalize on this plant, and your skepticism is justified. Not everybody rushes to buy new drugs on the market, and we won’t be promoting it. But by far this plant has shown a lot of potential benefits and only minor side effects (hydroxy citric causes some of them to the unlucky ones, like nausea, headaches and so on). But if you don’t suffer any side effects from it, it will definitely speed up the shedding process. Treatment: Well everyone knows that losing weight can’t be done by pure magic, you have to be persistent and active. Of course, exercise and a proper diet are two essential things you have to do, and weight loss products are only there to accompany these 2 and eventually accelerate the process. Drink a lot of water and incorporate supplements in your diet. We all know proteins and amino acids are essential so try including complete whey for all supplements that your body may demand. And at the end, sleep well and use Garcinia Cambogia. How does it work? It is still new to medicine and all of its properties are yet to be discovered, but by far, its fat burning effects are well known. Garcinia Cambogia is actually an appetite suppressant, it also inhibits the production of the new fat in your body, by not being able to produce it, your body thus burns fat that is stored inside you. To put it more scientifically, it inhibits lipogenesis, being the right tool for fighting obesity. The Hydroxycitric acid mentioned above, raises the level of serotonin in your brain, therefore suppressing appetite. Serotonin is actually responsible for your happiness (as well as for sexual desire, social behavior, mood, appetite and so on), so by addressing one thing (depression), it affects its side effects (overeating). So Garcinia Cambogia has a lot of additional useful effects on your body which can’t be a bad thing since a lot of weight loss products only focus on peeling fat. What to know when buying one? There are many of Garcinia Cambogia products on the market, and some in combination with other ingredients (like apple vinegar), which may be desirable and effective (or not), so we advise you to be cautious and consult your doctor beforehand, but we can tell you what to look for. First of all, look for the proper amount of hydroxy citric acids, you don’t want to overdose. With ingredients that support bioavailability such as potassium, and other minerals and vitamins that may suit your dietary needs. Vegetarian or vegan options. Researched products and naturally, FDA approved products. Right now, best options are NatureWise Pure Garcinia Cambogia; Pinnacle Nutrition Pure Extract with Potassium; BioGanix 100% Pure Extract and so on. Be persistent and with Garcinia Cambogia, results will be stunning! Read Also: Why Have A Diet Chart For Weight Loss? 5 New Year’s Resolutions For A Healthier You In 2019

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Social Security Card

How To Replace Your Social Security Card Online

Your Social Security card is a very important document and you need your card for a variety of things. If you want to apply for Social Security retirement benefits or disability benefits you are going to need a copy of your card and you also need a copy of your card to get other types of benefits as well. Your Social Security card is one of the most important documents you own and you need to keep it somewhere safe so it doesn't get lost. Your Social Security card isn't something that you need to show often, but your Social Security number is something that you need to use often. Memorize your Social Security number and that way you won't need to use the card. The Social Security card is small and it is printed on thin paper which makes it easy to lose or damage. If you have lost or damaged your card you are going to need to get a new one. One of the most convenient ways to get your Social Security card is to apply for it online. If you apply for a replacement card online you won't need to leave the house and you won't have to go to the Social Security office. The Social Security office can be a true nightmare, especially if you don't like standing in line. It can take forever to be seen and the office is always crowded no matter when you go. You have to take a number and wait, and wait, and wait. Sometimes it can take hours to be seen. It is much more convenient to get your social security card online because you won't need to wait at the office and you can fill out the application at any time. You don't even save time by going to the office because they won't issue a card on the spot. You have to wait for it to come in the mail no matter how you apply so you might as well get your card online. You will have to prove your identity when you get your replacement card. You need to prove your age and citizenship. You will need your driver's license and birth certificate to prove your age and identity. The birth certificate has to be a certified copy or an original. If you don't have the right documents you won't be able to get your card so make sure that you have the documents you need. You might also need to provide additional documents. You can get a list of the documents you need on the Social Security website. If you are missing even one document you won't be able to get your card so make sure that you have everything you need before you start the application. If you are missing a document you won't be able to get your card so make sure that you have everything you need before you begin the application. It can take some time to gather the documents so give yourself plenty of time to get the documents together so you are ready to get your new card without any problems. There can be a lot of problems when you are applying for your card if you are not prepared so make sure that you have everything you need and that you are prepared to get the card. You can get a replacement card for free. You won't have to pay anything for it and it will come in the mail. It doesn't matter whether you apply for your card in person or you apply online, the card is going to come through the mail no matter what you end up doing. It takes about three weeks to get your card so you need to make sure that you have an idea about when it is going to come. If your card gets lost or stolen you could end up becoming a victim of identity theft and if this happens your life is going to be difficult. The only thing an identity thief needs to steal your identity is your Social Security number. They can easily steal your identity with your Social Security number and start opening up lots of different accounts in your name. They run up the credit cards and leave you with the bill. You could end up getting sued by the creditors and your credit score is going to be destroyed while you are trying to clear your name. You will have to file police reports and do many time-consuming things to clear your name. If you have your identity stolen and you need to buy a car or you were planning on buying a home you won't be able to do the things you want because your credit score is going to be low. Straightening out a case of identity theft can be difficult and it can also be a lot of work. You are going to have to work hard to clear your name and it can take a long time to get things fixed. If you don't get your replacement Social Security card when you are supposed to get it to make sure you that you report your card as stolen or missing. The Social Security Administration will send you out a new card. Once you get your card you want to make sure that you keep it in a safe place. Memorize your Social Security number since you need to use it for many different things. The card you rarely need to show so be sure to keep the card in a drawer or safe. You don't want to end up losing the card again. Getting a replacement Social Security card is very easy as long as you have the right documents. You have to be willing to show the documents you need and you want to keep an eye on the card in case it gets lost. Your Social Security card is an important document and you are going to need it when you retire. Read Also: Why DRM Is The New Standard For Document Security “Which Backend Keys Makes Social Networking Sites & Apps Works Smoothly?

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living in Seattle

Cost of living in Seattle

Seattle is considered to be one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. It has been estimated that the population will grow with more than 200000 people over the next 20 years. This has strongly been attributed to the tech scene as well as its vibrant culture. This collectively causes the city to become expensive. Studies by the Council on Economic and Community Relations have pointed out that Seattle is 24% more expensive than any normal city in the United States. This means that someone earning an annual salary of $40000 will have to earn $49600 to maintain the standard way of living in Seattle. These costs have been attributed to factors such as home prices, cost of transport and other essential costs. Housing in Seattle: The prices of homes in Seattle have shown to be one of the most expensive in the United States and do not seem to be coming down anytime soon. This may seem like good news to citizens who already own houses in Seattle, but it is a nightmare to those who don't own one and want to own one. Prices of houses according to a 2010 survey indicate the price ranges between $216000 and $440000 depending on the number of bedrooms. It has also been indicated that if these prices keep growing at the rate of 20%, the prices will surpass the $1 million mark in the next 25 years. Read more: Buying Or Selling A Home In Seattle? Average rent in Seattle: Renting has been discovered to be more favorable compared to buying. However, it is not a cheap venture. The average rent in Seattle has been estimated to be $2109 which is roughly 80% higher than the national average. Some neighborhoods in Seattle have shown to be more expensive than the others. For instance, a neighborhood like South Lake Union, a one-bedroom is rented at $1900 per month. Cost of food: Seattle is known for its exquisite seafood which is sold at the Pike Place Market. However, if you earn little income and survive on a tight budget, then you may not be able to enjoy the cuisines. It has been estimated that the average cost of dining in a typical Seattle restaurant will cost you $30 which is 30% higher than the average or typical price range countrywide. This goes for groceries too where it has been estimated the cost of acquiring groceries in Seattle is 11% more than the average cost of the same products. Transportation cost: Most people who live in Seattle rely on road transport to facilitate their movements. It comprises of car owners, public bus transport and even cyclists. The price range of a single bus ticket ranges between $2.50-$3.25. This is more convenient because it has been proven that Seattle traffic is one of the worst in the country. Its fuel prices are also said to be 10% more than the national average price. Other costs: According to digitalexits.com internet service providers offer options to ensure proper communication which is essential nowadays. This costs can rise to $75 per month which contribute to the monthly costs you may incur while living in Seattle. Read Also: What Are The Costs Of Our Aging Infrastructure? 5 Awesome Advantages Of Buying A Smaller House

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Code Reader

Why You Should Have A Code Reader For Your Car

If you've owned a car for many years, you've probably encountered a flashing check engine light at least once. If you haven't, then you should know that this light indicates trouble. It signifies that there is a problem somewhere in the car. The trouble is, you don't know exactly where it is, and with all the technology people have in their cars nowadays, it's even more challenging to figure out. Thankfully, code readers were invented. A code reader is a portable tool that you can plug into a vehicle, and it shows you precisely what area needs fixing. Sounds incredible, right? Here are more reasons why you should have a code reader in your car. Helps You Save Money: Getting your car into a shop costs money and face it, not all mechanics are honest. Having access to an onboard diagnostic 2 (OBD2) tool like a code reader can be handy when you're experiencing troubles with your car. More modern cars have what they call OBD2 ports wherein you can plug your diagnostic devices. This port is found just below the dashboard on the driver's side. Plugin your code reader into the port and refer to your obd2 scanner guide to check what the light means. Take, for example, when your gas cap is loose or missing, the check engine light will start to blink. Taking it to a mechanic will cost a few hundred dollars, but with a code reader, you know exactly what you need to do. If it's loose, you can tighten it. If it's missing, it's still a few dollars less than a visit to a mechanic. Prevents Problem During Cold Weathers: During extreme cold weathers, your car can experience several problems. You've probably experienced sitting several minutes on your driveway waiting for your car to heat up only to find out there's a problem and you're stuck in freezing weather. Here are several things that can happen to your vehicle during cold weathers: Your car fluids such as your oil, transmission fluid, and even brake fluid can thicken which will make it difficult for your car to run. Your car battery could fail you during cold weathers because it's going to exert more effort in starting your car. Be sure to check the health of your car battery even before winter season arrives. The tire pressure can be significantly affected in freezing temperatures. Fluctuating tire pressures can result in uneven wear and tear of your tire and worst cases, a tire blow out. Your spark plug becomes unreliable and starting your car can become difficult. With a code reader handy, you will easily be able to know what's wrong with your car even during extreme weather conditions. Knowing what needs to be repaired helps you keep your vehicle running safely. They're Portable: More than being able to save money on repair costs and expensive auto-mechanic fees, a code reader is a portable device that can help ease your mind. This is especially true when you frequently use your car on road trips or vacations. For example, if you have a recreational vehicle that your family uses a couple of times a year, you would want to have a code reader with you during the trip just in case something happens. If a problem is fixable, you can do it on your own and avoid a costly detour to the mechanic. Moreover, people who like to drive cars are usually keen on taking care of their own vehicles. It gives them that sense of pride when they can fix the problem with their own hands. More importantly, code readers are compatible across many types of vehicle,  which means you can buy a single tool for all of your cars. Keeps You Safe: You don’t want to be going on a vacation with your family in the car while the check engine light is on, but you also don’t want to be ruining a perfect vacation by immediately taking it to the mechanic. Having a code scanner in your car will help give you a more reasonable explanation as to what the problem might be. Driving your car without knowing the severity of the problem can cause accidents Conclusion: A code reader isn't just a reasonable investment. It's a device that can help bring you peace of mind while on the road and will help you save tons of money on repairs and maintenance. What most car owners don't realize is that some car problems could have been prevented if they were able to spot it immediately. Now, with a code reader finding the problem before it becomes a nuisance is made easier. Read Also: 10 Reasons To Purchase A Used Car How Car Detailing Can Keep Your Vehicle In Top Shape

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self-parking kiosks

Everything You Need to Know About Self-Parking Kiosks

Self-parking kiosks make managing carparks easier and better than the usual parking facility. The main advantage of parking kiosks for business owners is their ability to make the customer's parking experience better. Long parking queues are eliminated, and payments are always secured. Additionally, modern self-parking kiosks like Aria are made interactive to address customer needs better. Here’s everything you need to know about this amazing technology. Offers Secured Way of Paying: Self-parking kiosk systems vary from one manufacturer to another, but one thing remains the same—their level of security. These kiosks are made to provide secure payment solutions not just for the customers but for the business who owns the machine. Payments can be made through a mobile application, via credit card, or by scanning the barcode on the ticket. Because most people are now leaning towards a cashless economy, it only makes sense to offer cashless payment options. Here’s how credit card payments are processed: The customer selects the duration of stay. The customer inserts or swipes the credit card into the machine. The customer waits for the machine to dispense a parking ticket. The customer collects the parking ticket and places it on their dashboard so attendants can easily spot them. Customers who wish to cancel the transaction can do so by pressing cancel before the machine dispenses a parking ticket. Here is how mobile payments are processed: A customer selects the duration of stay and chooses a mobile payment option. They wait for the machine to dispense the parking ticket. They can scan the barcode on their ticket using their smartphone. The barcode should direct the customer to the mobile application or to a website where they can pay for the parking fee or apply validations. These steps may vary, but this is essentially how these payments are being processed. Customer Service Ready: A reliable self-parking kiosk should offer a system where businesses can manage parking customers. The system's dashboard gives parking supervisors and attendants an overview of the parking traffic and how many tickets are dispensed. Moreover, the dashboard also generates reports when you need them. Some self-parking kiosks have cameras and speakers installed into them so that attendants can quickly assist customers who encounter a problem. The system can also take a photo of the car for future references and security reasons. Here are some other customer-service-related tasks you should be able to do on your dashboard: Offer online reservations Change parking rates Open and close parking gates manually Review transaction history Customize data views View other parking garages with self-parking kiosks Gives You Important Data: In this day and age, data is everything. When you have data, you have power over your business. You might be wondering as to what information a self-parking kiosk can provide. Data such as wait times, duration of stay, occupancy rate, and payment types can be gathered from these kiosks. These data can be correlated to customer behaviors. For example, if you have a hotel business and have installed a kiosk in your parking garage, you can get the data as to when there is a high demand for customer parking. You can then use this historical data to create a more effective pricing strategy just like what you see with ride-sharing services who react based on the demand present. Customizable: These things aren't just a large metal box hanging out in your parking garage. You can customize your kiosks so that it reflects your branding and shows your logo. Having a customized kiosk will prevent confusion from your customers, especially if your parking facility is in a high-traffic location. Here are other things that you can customize: Screen idle display – You can customize the idle display so that it uses your branding colors and shows your logo. This kind of customization helps increase brand awareness and reliability. Advertisements – You can also place ads on the screen while the kiosk prints out the ticket. Customization like this helps you generate additional income. Text and button sizes – Establishments who frequently cater to senior citizens or persons with disability will benefit significantly with this kind of customization. They can make the text sizes on the screen bigger and make the buttons easily understandable for their parking customers. Conclusion: Parking is part of the overall customer journey, and if your customers’ parking experience is poor, they may have a bad impression of your establishment already even before actually doing business with you. It's time to take your business to the digital age and start employing self-parking kiosks. They don't just make parking more comfortable. They also help elevate the customer experience. Read Also: Removal Of Android Screen Lock With ISkysoft Three Essential Techniques To Form Lasting Customer Loyalty

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Startup Business

Startup Business Management: How to Effectively Incorporate Use of SEO

While it’s certainly a challenge to try to start a business in your chosen industry, maintaining a business and keeping it afloat during the first few years can be much trickier as you often will have an excellent service or product, but nobody knows the name of your brand or your company. This is the main reason why developing an online presence is essential if you want your business to flourish in its early years. That said, there’s more than one way to develop a presence online. While social media gives you a platform that bridges the gap between employee and consumer, it’s not the only way you can succeed in developing a digital footprint. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a viable strategy, especially for startup enterprises. From local SEO to video SEO, discover what SEO could do for your startup business and how to effectively incorporate it into your marketing strategy! Outsource SEO for Your Startup to a Reliable Company: Often time a startup will shy away from utilizing SEO because of the effort that comes with building an in-house department. Fortunately, it is easy to outsource to an seo agency for startups to save time and money. By leaving it to the professionals, you won’t have to worry about training a team to tackle the complex nature of efficient search engine optimization. This allows you to concentrate on the core competencies of your business while a third party gets the job done for you. So long as you hire the services of a reliable company, outsourcing is an excellent choice for startups! SEO Will Build a Solid User Base for Your Business Over Time: The first priorities of a startup company are staying afloat and building a solid user base. There are very few methods that can help a new company build up its user base outside of search engine optimization. All that quality SEO requires is patience as you watch your website gain a higher standing in search engines over time. The more users are able to easily find your website during a Google search, the more your company will be exposed and verified by Google, and this will continue to increase your rank. With enough time, you'll have so many customers that it might even be overwhelming! SEO & Social Media - Hit Two Birds with One Stone: While your white label SEO company manages improving organic traffic to your website and increasing your position on Google, you can concentrate on improving your social media presence, hitting two birds with one stone. By developing your online presence using these two avenues, you will cement your digital footprint and make it easier for potential clients to find your company. Begin growing your startup’s online presence and find a reliable, experienced company you can outsource your SEO needs to. This is an important aspect of building a business and ensuring you are able to reach your audience online! Read Also: What You Need To Know When Outsourcing SEO 7 Growth Hacking Ideas That Will Boost Your Startup

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Web Hosting

6 Things To know Before Choosing Web Hosting For Your Website

No matter how awesome your products are, a powerful web hosting solution is the most for your ecommerce store. Surprisingly, this is not a decision that you can rush into. Ensuring that your ecommerce store is offering a hassle-free experience is necessary. While a solid web hosting can work as a fuel to ignite the growth, a bad one can make your customers leave and never come back. Your customers want an experience, and being an entrepreneur, you need to ensure that it is a good one. The type of web hosting you choose will affect your website speed, uptime and ultimately the overall performance. Only the right web hosting has the capabilities to ensure a smooth customer experience. In this article, I am going to share some of the things you must consider while choosing the right hosting for your ecommerce store. 6 Things To Consider Before Choosing Web Hosting For Your Ecommerce Website: 1. Analyze ecommerce software capabilities: Shopping cart functionality is one of the most crucial parts of every ecommerce store out there. You need to provide your visitors the quickest way to add products in the cart and check out whenever they want. Additionally, your website must handle customer’s payment details very safely. These are some of the common standards that must be followed by every com software. While some web hosting solutions already have these features included, some others expect you to buy separate software products for the same. No matter which one you go for, you must ensure that your web hosting plan provides the compatibility to add these features. Lastly, the less the hurdles, the better is hosting. 2. Security is your customer’s priority, make it yours too: When you are dealing in an ecommerce niche, customer data security should be your topmost priority. One err... And your customers won’t feel for you. At every stage of the customer journey, their sensitive information like bank details, credit card details, etc. must be encrypted. The best way to ensure this is to implement an SSL certificate in your store. Most of the time bundled SSL certificate is already provided with a web hosting package. Although, many reliable web hosting solutions provide SSL certificates without charging anything extra. You just need to choose a hosting package that offers a free SSL certificate in their package. 3. Ensure that uptime is high: Being in an ecommerce business, you understand the importance of website accessibility. Every minute your visitors are not able to access the website, you could be losing sales. While choosing a hosting solution for your ecom store, analyzing servers of your hosting servers is a must. Uptime is the portion of time your websites are up and running. Although every hosting server needs to go offline occasionally for maintenance. But if it happening more often, you need to stay away from this one. A hosting provider whose servers are not maintained well will face issues on hardware glitches, hacker attacks or even weather problems. This means, whenever your visitors will arrive on your website during this period, they will get an error message. And this is not at all good for your business. Ideally, you should go with a web hosting solution that provides at least a 99% uptime guarantee. The more, the better. Also, make sure to verify these claims by taking third-party web hosting review sites like Sitegeek too. 4. Lightning-fast speed is must: We all know, website speed is a huge factor in search engine rankings. Additionally, it also impacts how long the visitors will stick around the website (which is not very long if your website is too slow). According to data by Unbounce, the total cost of shopping cart abandonment is estimated to be around $18 billion a year and slow website speed was the major reason for 18% of those who abandoned carts. Having a slow e-commerce store can result in losing visibility among your customers. Even those, who are able to make it to your website, will bounce back at the first chance. Although, there are 100th of ways you can improve your website speed, choosing the right hosting is the most effective and important one. An ideal web hosting solution must be able to handle the traffic without affecting performance. So before settling for any plan, ensure that it fits your website needs. Also, keep checking your website speed at regular intervals, so that you can upgrade as soon as required. 5. Keep a check on backup policy: Have you ever seen your screen freezing up while working on something really important? Well, then you know the importance of backups. In an e-commerce website, you have spent a lot of time and effort designing and writing your web pages, listing the products, maintaining inventory and much more. Now, what if your website crashes? You don’t want all of the efforts to go into vain, do you? Yes, you can take manual backups from time to time, but what if, only once you forget about this task? Well, automated backups are your answer. Most of the hosting providers automatically provide automated backup functionality which takes the burden away from your plate. 6. Scalability is crucial: Your e-commerce store is destined to grow over the years. It will grow in terms of visitors, orders, staff, products and much more. There are high chances that the web hosting you have chosen today, might not work in the next 5 years. Ideally, you should look for a solution that allows you to scale up whenever needed. The plan upgrade process must be very quick and smooth. Choosing the right hosting now will save you from big troubles over time. A good e-commerce store has the capacity to earn you huge profits and choosing the right web hosting is the base of it. Make sure to follow these basic yet highly important best practices while choosing the web hosting for your e-commerce business. Read Also: 5 Reasons To Use Magento For Your Next Ecommerce Website Starting An Ecommerce Website? Take 5 Steps To Make It Secure

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getting rid of clutter

7 Tips for Getting Rid of Clutter in Your Home

Are you guilty of hanging on to items you don't need anymore? Is your home starting to look more like the dwellings of a pig than a person? It can be easy to let clutter creep up on you. One minute all of your rooms seem spacious and empty, but the next you realize your entire floor is covered with items. Getting rid of clutter is an important step in having peace of mind. This article will give you seven tips on eliminating clutter so you can start to think more clearly. 1. Begin With the Bedroom: Your bedroom should be a sanctuary for you. It should be the place you can go to relax and get away from the world. If your bedroom is full of junk, it's not likely to be relaxing. Start by putting all of your items in a pile. This will enable you to take inventory of what you have. Get two giant trash bags, one for trash and one for donations. Put all the items you want to throw away in one bag and put the items you want to donate in the other. Once you get rid of all the useless junk you don't use anymore, you'll be able to find places to store the items you really value. Getting your bedroom tidied first will motivate you to fix the entire house. 2. Kill the Clutter in Your Kitchen: Your kitchen is where you prepare your food, so you want to make sure it's a clean environment. Begin by throwing away any food that is expired. Look through your pantry and toss and spices or soups that may have been sitting there for decades. Make room in your cabinets by throwing out extra Tupperware. Only keep the Tupperware that has a lid. Make sure every base has a matching lid. Discard any old pots and pans that go unused. Cleaning out your kitchen will ensure you don't develop a pest problem. Rodents, roaches, and other insects won't want to make a home in a clean kitchen. 3. Get the Family Involved: Decluttering doesn't have to be a one-man job. Send in some recruits, aka your children and spouse, to help you. Turn banishing clutter into a game for your kids. Set up trashcans like basketball hoops and see who can get the most useless items inside. Give them incentives for donating old clothes and toys they don't use anymore. Tell them they can't have any new toys until they donate some. Your children need to learn the art of letting go as much as you do. You can't keep accumulating items into your home unless you take some out of it. Otherwise, you might end up a hoarder and need serious hoarding help. 4. Put on Some Music: Any task can be made easier with the right music. Put on music that motivates you and watches as your body kicks into overdrive. Before you know it, your entire house will be clean. Dance around as you clean to burn some extra calories and have a blast doing it. 5. Use the KonMarie Method: Marie Kondo has become famous for her method of getting rid of clutter. She says you must think carefully about each and every item in your home. Hold it up to your chest and ask yourself if it "sparks joy." If it does spark joy, you keep it. If it doesn't make you feel happy, you should thank it for its time in your life and then discard it. This method causes you to be more mindful of your belongings. It makes you think about what items you care about. 6. Don't Get Overwhelmed: The easiest way to give up on your de-cluttering journey is to try to do too much at once. You can't possibly tackle your entire house in one day and do a good job. Instead, focus on one room at a time. Schedule in time to clean in your day so it doesn't take away from other responsibilities. If you schedule in 20 minutes a day for a week, you'll notice big progress at the end of the week. You're less likely to give up that way then if you tried to do several hours in one day. Slow and steady wins the race and the clean house. 7. Keep it Clean: If you don't want to have to go through the stress of cleaning everything all over again, take steps to keep your home under control. As soon as you're done using an item, put it away in it's designated storage place. When you're done eating, do the dishes. When your laundry is done, fold it. When the trash is full, take it out. When you do these small chores every day, they won't pile up on you. You must commit to the habit of tidying up after yourself. It will make you feel better and make your home look better for guests. Start Getting Rid of Clutter Today: The key to getting rid of clutter is commitment. You have to want to eliminate clutter and set realistic goals to get there. Picture how great your house will look once you've cleaned out all the excess. Close your eyes and envision how easy it will be to find something when everything has its own place. You'll be able to save so much extra time in your day because you won't be sifting through things for hours trying to find what you need. Enjoy this article? Want to tell us some of your best tips for eliminating clutter? Please contact us here. Read Also: 5 Tips To Add More Zen To Your Home 5 Ways That Ensure That Your Home Is Safe For Living

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employee productivity

7 Ways to Boost Employee Productivity and Create a Positive Culture

Most people will spend roughly 40 hours per week at their workplace. Yet despite spending so much time at the office, the average worker is only productive for less than three hours per day. Less productivity means wasted time and less profit. Additionally, an unproductive workplace is often caused by a lack of happiness. If your office is struggling with employee productivity, it may be time to look at some ways to boost it by creating a positive culture 7 Ways to Boost Employee Productivity and Create a Positive Culture: Here are seven ways you can promote a happier, more productive workplace. 1. Set a Good Example Through Body Language: When it comes to office decorum, we often think about things like polite conduct. But one of the biggest signs that employees are unhappy may not be verbal at all. Often, unhappiness manifests in physical ways, such as body language. Psychologists believe that the way we present ourselves physically through our body language has a major impact on how others see and interact with us -- even if we aren't always aware. If you've noticed a change in employee morale for the worse, set a good example by focusing on creating a warmer, happier environment through physicality. Something as simple as making eye contact to show interest or smiling can have a big impact on the work environment. 2. Facilitate Team Activities: To reach peak potential, an office must be a well-oiled machine. Every employee must do their part to put out the highest caliber of a workday in and day out. For some, though, they may feel less like a team and more like a series of individuals. Reinforce teamwork through regular group activities. Once a month or so, take the team out for a night out. Getting to know one another in a semi-professional manner outside of the office can instill a sense of belonging that many offices lack. 3. Provide a Space to Relax: The day-to-day grind can wear even the most dedicated of employees down. According to the American Institute of Stress, workers are more stressed than ever, with 46% of workers chalking their stress up to a burdensome workload. You can combat workplace stress by providing a safe, relaxing environment where employees can take a quick break. Consider building a rec room. For those who prefer fresh air, implement a community garden or talk to Shelters Direct about smoking shelters. 4. Let Employees Voice Their Opinions: A good employer is someone who listens to what their employees have to say. Make sure that employees feel they can voice their opinions and that they feel heard by their bosses. 5. Offer Incentives: Another great way to encourage employee efficiency is to offer out-of-office incentives. Partner with local businesses like gyms and health clubs to offer discounts or free memberships to employees. Perks matter more than employers think. 6. Choose Team-Building Language: Many managers aren't sure how to treat employees. Should they be stern or friendly? While the solution lies somewhere in the middle, how an employer talks to their employees does, in fact, matter. Use team-oriented language with words like 'we' and 'us' to create a stronger sense of community. 7. Give Employees The Tools to Succeed: Productive employees can only be productive if given the proper tools. That includes providing a clean and safe workspace, as well as up to date software and hardware. If you're not sure what employees need to be as productive as possible, simply ask. Improve Employee Productivity With These Great Tips: In order to establish a happy, efficient workplace, where employee productivity is at an all-time high, you'll want to follow these tips. Remember, you as a manager have the ability to make a difference, so the change starts with you. For more great tips on how to lead by example, check out our post on people management tips. Read Also: I’m Being Overworked By My Employer – What Should I Do? Staying Safe In The Office: 8 Workplace Safety Tips Everyone Should Know

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motivated

Here Are 10 Tips On How To Get Motivated For Work, School, or Life

They say it is all in your head. whether you are trying to lose weight, get a new job or otherwise improve yourself. Often your biggest obstacles are psychological. It's hard to get and stay motivated, especially if you have gotten knocked off track a few times. Many of us start feeling a decline in confidence and an increase in hopelessness when we fail to achieve our goals over and over again. There are many ways to stay motivated both long-term and immediately when you feel that drive start to ebb. If you are looking on how to get motivated, try some or all of these ideas to kick start your ambition and get you back on the road to success. Here are ten ideas for improving your motivation. 1. Set a Goal: Sometimes you need to be clear and specific in articulating your objective in order to achieve it. Instead of just hoping to "lose weight," give yourself a specific target: "this year I will lose 20 pounds." You might write it out in an inspiring sign to paste on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror, to remind yourself every day to stay focused. 2. Lay Out Achievable Steps: Not only must you define what you are going for, you need to layout steps that will get you there. If your goal is to open another office, you will want to set out a budget and timeline to help you work towards that result. Many goals are the accumulation of actions, so you need to be clear what steps you need to take along the way. Before you can improve your stamina, you need to join a gym or engage a personal trainer. Before you can meet the man of your dreams, you need to join a dating app in order to start meeting people. 3. Check in with a Mentor or Friend: Another important component to getting motivated is to be accountable.  It's less easy to slack off when you have to report your progress to someone else. By setting professional goals with a mentor or supervisor,  you give yourself the motivation to report your progress back to them.  If you think people are expecting something of you, you are more likely to work harder to please them and get the job done. You may also receive the added bonus of feedback: others can buck you up when you are feeling discouraged, and give you alternate ideas to try when your strategy is not going well. 4. Ingest Some Caffeine: Don't overlook the physical factors involved with motivation. It is hard to keep going if you are hungry, tired or depleted. Many people need a cup of coffee to get their engines revved in the morning. Caffeine can actually improve memory, productivity, and performance. If you are looking for a quick fix to your motivational blues, a cup of joe or a bite of chocolate may perk you up to get your short term goals accomplished. 5. Take a Walk: To change your mind you often need to move a muscle. If you are in a rut,  change your perspective by literally getting out of your house or office and going for a walk. Many cultures extol nature as a way of cleaning out the mind and reinvigorating the body. The Japanese call this practice forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku. Being in nature can reduce stress and help you regain focus and energy. 7. Eat Something Healthy: Lack of motivation may be a sign that you are physically run-down, or you are failing to keep your mind and body properly fueled.  By incorporating healthy nutritional habits into your daily routine, you will be better able to face the ups and downs of work and life and stay more focused on achieving your goals. You may need to examine what you are eating as well. Maybe eating too much dairy or gluten is sapping your energy. As our bodies get older, we may no longer be able to process certain foods the way we used to. By cleaning up your diet to include fewer toxins and more fruits and vegetables, you are likely to experience higher energy levels. 8. Try a Nutritional Supplement: Some people need a boost to keep their bodies functioning at maximum capacity. Many take nutritional supplements to increase their memory function, energy and wellbeing. This website shows the kinds of products available called nootropics, which are intended to assist with a mental performance by supporting creativity, focus, intelligence, and motivation. Some ingredients used to enhance brain function include bacopa Monnier, an ancient herb used in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance information processing and reduce reaction times;  Rhodiola Rosea, an herb that helps your body handle stress more effectively, ginseng root, which reduces fatigue and helps with high-level problem solving; and ginkgo Biloba, which improves memory and reduces stress-related high blood pressure. 9. Keep Going: Sometimes you may not be as inspired as other times. Sometimes a deadline will not wait and you just have to rally. Perfection can be the enemy of the good. That means: don't let your own perfectionism stand in the way of just getting your task accomplished. You may not achieve your objective with the highest marks and the best results that you might have liked, but often getting something done is an achievement in and of itself. Maybe tomorrow you will come back with renewed insight and innovative ideas. By pushing yourself, you will eventually get to where you want to go. You may not get As all the time, but by refusing to give up you will eventually persevere and triumph. 10. Take a Break: A lack of motivation may indicate a deeper issue. Maybe you are no longer inspired by your line of work. Maybe you need to try an alternative route to your ultimate destination. When scientists tackle problems, sometimes they have to give up and come back to the problem at a later time. Sometimes only time and persistence can give you the perspective you need to either solve the challenge or move on. You may realize that you really want to focus on a different goal. You may decide that your energy should be channeled in a different direction. How to Get Motivated- Physically and Mentally: Searching for how to get motivated may lead you to question the goals towards which you are directing that energy. You may ultimately find in yourself the reasons why you are struggling to achieve something and new strategies for attaining that mission. On the other hand, you may also discover that you would prefer to focus on that motivation elsewhere. For more tips on improving your physical and mental fitness, check out our blog. Read Also: Summer Body Inspiration 6 Ways To Promote Healthy Brain

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Chain Survival

What Is the Chain of Survival?

When it comes to administering first aid to people, it is always best to leave it to professionals. However, there are certain instances when you simply cannot, or should not wait for them to arrive. There are some studies which show just how important it can be to administer first aid to a person until professionals arrive. First aid experts at Advanced Healthcare Education share with us what the chain of survival is and why it is so important, that it is taught in all health courses approved by the American Heart Association. What Is the Chain of Survival? In the simplest terms, the chain of survival is a string of important actions which need to be taken in order to maximize the likelihood of survival of a person who experienced a cardiac arrest or similar problem. If you know what the links in this chain are, you are far more likely to be able to help someone, no matter if you have any medical experience or not. Links of the Chain: The first and perhaps most important step in the process of saving someone’s life is recognizing that there is an emergency and that action needs to be undertaken. If this ever happens to you, you need to call 911 immediately. Even if the situation turns out to be less critical than you originally thought, it is always better to be safe than sorry. If you are at a place which has an automated external defibrillator, have someone bring it to the person in distress. CPR and Chest Compressions: Once the emergency services have been alerted to the situation, the first link of the chain has been completed. However, this is not where your help ends. If you have any BLS training, you can actually administer CPR and chest compressions. Even if you are not skilled in basic life support, the 911 operator can guide you through it and you can greatly improve the chances of a person’s survival until help arrives. You should continue with CPR until professionals arrive. Rapid Defibrillation: If you have an automated external defibrillator (AED) at hand, it is another step you can take in order to help a person in distress. The machine needs to be placed next to the person you are helping. There are clear visual and audio instructions on the device itself which will help you attach the machine to the patient. The machine itself will inform you if the shock is required. If so, make sure nobody is touching the patient and administer the shock. Some of these machines can actually help you administer proper CPR and chest compressions. Basic and Advanced Care: This fourth step in the chain refers to the trained medical professionals who should be able to provide not only the basic medical support you could but also more advanced treatment, such as administering medication. Additionally, medical professionals are trained in advanced respiration procedures which can help provide oxygen to the patient even if they are unconscious and not breathing on their own. However, in order for the medical professionals to respond to an emergency, the first link of the chain is crucial – someone needs to contact emergency services. Advanced Life Support: Finally, advanced life support is largely left to the professionals. If the situation with the patient is that critical, the patient needs to be taken to the hospital where a team of different medical professionals can take care of them. Even though you can help someone without any medical training, you can be much more effective if you have simple BLS training. This course is relatively simple, but it instills some of the crucial points about saving lives, including the chain of survival. Read Also: Seeking A Healthy Career: 10 Tempting Medical Careers To Check Out 5 Important Considerations To Get Supply Chain Management On Cloud

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