Category: Frugal Living Tips

When you grow up, your parents take you to the doctor when you get sick. As a result, many people utilize western medicine exclusively to keep their health in good shape. Western medicine, however, is quick to prescribe pharmaceuticals to treat medical conditions when there are other options available.

Alternative medicine is a great way to stay healthy and treat ailments without invasive surgeries or expensive prescriptions. In fact, there are a ton of benefits! Read on to learn about the benefits of alternative medicine.

1. It’s an Effective Compliment to Western Medicine

Many people consider alternative medicine to be ineffective, but even traditional doctors will admit that’s simply not true. Therapies like acupuncture have been around for thousands of years and are actually quite effective. Probiotics are actually great for gut health, and yoga has been proven to help ADHD and soothe irritable bowel syndrome.

Places like this advanced alternative medicine center can help heal or ease the symptoms of common diseases like cancer, Lyme disease, and arthritis. These treatments are non-invasive and help you feel better faster in many cases.

It’s important to consult with your regular doctor or go to the ER if you feel like you are experiencing a medical emergency. Always remember that alternative medicine is complementary. 

2. They Help You Feel in Control

It’s no secret that western medicine is complex. This can make a visit to the doctor feel overwhelming, and like you have no control over your care. Alternative medicine helps patients regain control of their treatments.

When you receive a diagnosis from your doctor, you can visit an alternative medicine practitioner to learn about your options for care. They might prescribe therapeutic massage or even meditation, but the choice is yours about the path you take.

3. They Can Help Prevent Common Diseases

This is where the real strength of alternative medicine comes in. Many common diseases are the result of things like the standard American diet or even stress. Alternative therapies are then used to help counteract those factors and reduce your likelihood of suffering from things like heart disease or diabetes.

In fact, practices like yoga and meditation are great for preventing diseases like high blood pressure. High blood pressure is often brought on by things like stress and sedentary lifestyles. Yoga gets you moving, and when practiced along with meditation, you have the prescription for relaxation and better health.

There Are Many Benefits of Alternative Medicine!

It’s true, there are countless benefits of alternative medicine, especially when used along with western medicine. When used in a preventative manner, it can even help you save on expensive medical bills by keeping you healthy! Now’s the time to consult with an alternative medicine doctor to learn how they can help you!

Want to learn more about saving money and caring for your family, too? Look no further! Check out the rest of the blog for everything you need to know!

Humans contribute approximately 2.6 million tons of waste each year, which wreaks havoc on the planet. If we don’t learn to protect the environment around us, it can mean severe consequences for us all in the future.

If you’re looking to take and stand and do something to save our beloved planet, continue reading. There are tons of things that you can do to help preserve and improve the present state of the world.

1. Volunteer

When you’re looking for a way to help the planet by using environmentally friendly clothing and check out places near you that allow you to volunteer. Volunteering means that you’ll be helping raise awareness about the condition of the earth by participating in clean up days.

Various organizations allow volunteers to sign up for one of the many clean up days they offer throughout the calendar year.

2. Limit Water Usage

Have you ever left the water on while brushing your teeth or doing the dishes? All of us have contributed to water waste at one time, but if we want to improve then conserve the amount of water you use.

This may mean that your family takes shorter showers and turn the faucet off until you’ve finished tasks like brushing your teeth.

3. Use Reusable Shopping Bags

People use 26.8 million plastic bags each year, mainly when we visit the grocery store. Instead of using plastic when you go to the grocery store, opt for reusable plastic bags.

This will limit the amount of plastic bags that end up in landfills, and you don’t have to worry about filling your garbage can with the bags because you can reuse them. There are bags for every personality in various colors and patterns.

4. Educate Yourself and Others

One of the best ways to save the planet is to educate yourself about the causes of harm. When you educate yourself and your family members, you can then begin making better decisions.

There are many times when people aren’t able to do better because they don’t have the knowledge to improve their behaviors.

5. Plant Trees

This may seem like such a simple solution, and it is, but it’s also a solution that carries a high impact. When you plant trees, you’re providing the environment with crucial oxygen that it and you need.

Not only do trees provide oxygen, but they also help to stabilize the changing climate, improve the air quality around us, and save energy. Therefore it’s recommended that you take some time to plant a few trees.

Some organizations set aside days to go out into the community and plant trees.

Protect The Environment

If we all do our part, we can protect the environment. When we take care of the environment, it will do its part and take care of us.

We appreciate you taking the time to read this article, and if you’d like to read some of the other items we’ve published, visit our blog section.

Only 26% of Americans say they know most of their neighbors.

A fantastic way to bring neighbors together is by hosting a block party where everyone can bond for the day.

If you’re eager to throw an unforgettable block party but are stumped for block party ideas, you’ve come to the right place.

Here are five fantastic block party ideas.

1. Outdoor Movie Night 

Not sure what to do to have a block party?

After using technology for organizing an event, start planning an outdoor movie night. Before the date, ask your neighbors for movie recommendations and get them to vote for their favorite.

Once decided, encourage people to bring movie snacks so there’s enough popcorn, hot dogs, and nachos for everyone. You can either rent a giant inflatable movie screen or project the movie on a garage door. 

2. Bonfire Night 

Bonfire night is one of the best ideas for block parties to round off a night. A major plus is how everyone can bring their favorite toppings for s’mores and roast them over an open flame. 

If it’s cool at night, you can even have a hot chocolate neighborhood party so everyone can unwind with a yummy cup of cocoa.

3. Photo Booths  

There’s no better way to commemorate your neighborhood block party than by hiring a photo booth.

All you need is a curtain, a stool, and some polaroid film. If you don’t have the materials, consider renting instead.

Or try framed photo booths. Create large picture frames and grab funny props so your neighbors can snap pictures with one another.

4. Neighborhood Pizza Party

One of the top tips for throwing a block party is keeping your neighbors well fed. 

Invest in a pizza oven, plenty of flour, and toppings so your neighbors can make their favorite pizza. Adults on the block can take shifts to be top chef and get the little ones to help make the bases. 

Or try a “Build A Burger” block party because nothing says summer better than sizzling burgers on the BBQ. Invite your neighbors to bring a range of gourmet ingredients and create the ultimate burger. 

You can even see who can stack their burgers the highest!

5. Bicycle Parade

Neighborhood block parties need a theme so have a vote before the special day. Before the big party, get the kids to decorate their bicycles to fit in with the theme, for example, superheroes. 

Dedicate time to have a bicycle parade where kids can show off their creativity. You could even make it a competition to see who has the best bicycle design on the block.

Those Are Our Favorite Block Party Ideas

Now you have five awesome block party ideas to inspire you.

There are many options available, whether you want a food-filled day or dedicate an evening for movie night. Either way, get the block involved and use this as an opportunity to bond. Have fun!

Did you find this article helpful? If so, check out our articles on Thrifting and Family.

So, you’ve made the switch from PC to Mac. You like your new Mac computer so far, but the change is a bit more than you anticipated and you’re not sure how to work everything quite yet.

Well, there are a few MacBook tips (that will also work on all Mac computers) that new Apple users should know. And once you know them, and commit them to memory, you’ll find that working on a Mac is a piece of cake!

In this article, we’ll break down 7 helpful tips and tricks for new Mac users. We’ll also tell you how to get the most out of your Mac, as well as how you can speed up your workflow when working on one. 

Now then, let’s get started!

1. The “Spotlight” Feature Is a Lifesaver

When it comes to getting the most out of your Mac computer, knowing how to use the “Spotlight” feature is a great place to start.

The Spotlight search tool is without a doubt the best way to find something on your Mac in a hurry. So, if you want to speed up your workflow, utilize the command+space shortcode often so you can find what you’re looking in record time. 

On top of that, Spotlight is loaded with other useful features too. For example, it also works as a calculator and a conversions tool, both of which can be helpful if you deal with numbers often.

2. Taking Screenshots Is Super Easy

Do you need to take screenshots often for work? What about video screen recordings? If you’ve got a Mac computer, doing both of these things is super easy if you know which shortcuts to use!

Using the command+shift+3 shortcut, you can take a screenshot of your entire desktop. The picture will save on your desktop too, making it easy to find afterward.

Command+shift+4 will give you the option to select a particular area on your screen to take a picture of. Command+shift+5 will do the same thing but will record video, which is a pretty neat feature. 

3. You Can Utilize Splitscreen When Multitasking

One of the most useful Mac tips out there, especially for multitaskers, is the ability to split your screen in half.

So, how do you do it? 

Well, once you have two applications open, hold down the green fullscreen button in the top right-hand corner of one of the apps. You will then be prompted to select which side of your screen you want that app to stick to, as well as asked what you want to have open on the other side of your screen.

If you need two apps open at once to work, or if you just want to watch YouTube while you scroll online, keep this trick in mind when using your Mac.

4. Shaking Your Mouse Cursor Enlarges It

One negative to having too many apps open at once is you can often lose your mouse cursor amidst the chaos. While it’s not the end of the world, it can slow you down, which isn’t what you want when you’re working on a deadline.

One awesome Mac feature that helps you deal with this issue is the ability to enlarge your cursor so you can easily find it. To do this, simply shake your cursor around in a circle for a few seconds. It will enlarge, and thus, be easy to spot on your screen.

5. Use Comand+Option+Escape to Close Apps

If you’re a former Windows PC user, you probably miss the ctrl+alt+delete keyboard shortcut. It’s a lifesaver when your computer crashes and a quick way to close out programs you’re no longer using.

Well, Mac computers have a similar shortcut, command+option+esacpe, that does virtually the same thing. It’s a quick way to close out applications and can even save you from disaster when something freezes.

6. Pick Which Apps Load on Startup

When you first start up your Mac, you want to be able to start working as soon as possible. But if you have too many apps loading at startup, it can really slow your computer down and be a headache to deal with.

The good news? You can change which apps open on startup in the “System Preferences” area of your Mac. Simply load System Preferences, then Users & Groups, and you’ll see the Login Options screen pop up.

There you can decide what apps you want to load upon startup, allowing you to pick two or three that you need and delete the others.

7. Look Up a Word Without Leaving the Tab

Ever find yourself needing to open up a new tab on Safari to look up a word? Or maybe the Wikipedia page for something? You don’t have to do that anymore now that you know about the command+control+D shortcut!

All you have to do is highlight the word or phrase you want to lookup. Then, use the shortcut, and you’ll be given the definition and Wikipedia page of the highlighted phrase within your application! 

Bonus Tip!

With all of the different file types out there, you’re bound to run into one you’re unfamiliar with every now and then. RAR files, for example, are relatively uncommon, but important. They’re actually containers capable of holding several different files by compressing them.

Luckily, there are plenty of useful guides available, such as the one created by Setapp, which can be found here: https://setapp.com/how-to/open-rar-files-on-mac. It will help you learn how to open RAR files on your Mac computer!

Helpful MacBook Tips for Beginners

Well, there you have it! Those are 7 helpful MacBook tips for beginners! So, if you’re new to Apple computers, keep these ideas in mind so you can get the most out of your Mac going forward!

Remember, shortcuts are going to make your life way easier and speed up your workflow. Memorize the ones we’ve mentioned in this article, and research more, so you can speed up your workflow!

Looking for more tech advice? Check out our blog!

Looking to make some extra money? Chances are, you have stuff around your home that is worth more than you think. In fact, some of your unused items may be worth a fortune. 

Whether you bought something on an impulse or have simply found that you don’t need everything in your home, you can sell it for a quick profit. So if you’re wondering “where can I sell my stuff?” this article is for you. Check out these pointers to give you a little more wiggle room in your home and a lot more financial freedom in your wallet. 

Where Can I Sell My Stuff?

When you’re looking for the best places to sell your things, you’ll want to consider your audiences and what you’re selling to find an ideal marketplace. In doing so, you’ll have better success at selling your items (and selling them quickly). If you don’t select the best market for your item, you may find yourself out of luck for buyer bites. 

So what’s in your market? Check out these categories of home items and the best markets to sell them at.

Clothing, Accessories, and Home Goods

Got any of these items laying around the house?

• clothing
• shoes
• makeup or skincare products
• home decorations
• kitchenware and glasses

Save yourself a trip to the consignment store and post these items online for fast cash. If these items are lightly used (or better yet, not used at all), you can sell them fast on online marketplaces.

Some of the major sites include PoshMark, ThredUp, and Tradesy, but don’t stop there in your explorations. There are hundreds of other online marketplaces where you can post your products – many of which cater to specific styles of clothing and design.

Art and Craft Items

Got an artistic side or a hidden craft talent? If you’ve created arts or crafts that you’d like to sell, look no further than Etsy. This site is made for crafty developers looking to sell their products independently.

From wood carvings to recycled art projects, there is truly no end to the creative listings on this website. And with thousands of buyers exploring Etsy every day, you’d be surprised what unique pieces people are looking for. 

So whether you have imaginative art from years ago or a project that’s taking up space, you can send it to a new home at an affordable price in exchange for more money in your pocket. We consider it a win-win for everyone. 

Land and Water Vehicles

According to NerdWallet, the value of a vehicle depreciates by 15-18% every year. If you have unused vehicles of any type lying around your property, now’s the time to sell it.

How? The first step is to weigh out your available options.

Look into local dealers near you to see what they’ll offer for your vehicle. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance method that provides fast cash for your vehicle, you’ll also want to consider pawn shops – many of which specialize in land and water vehicles. If you live in or around the Miami, Florida area, a viable option is Miami Boat and Pawn, which offers quick payouts for a plethora of vehicles. 

Bulky Items and Home Repair Goods 

We all have items around the house that we are hoping to use – but chances are, they’ll just continue to take up space. Paint, fencing, and other home improvement goods are in high demand because of their cost benefits. Used goods such as electronics, furniture, and exercise equipment are frequently sought out because they can also be purchased at a fraction of the cost of their retail value.

Rather than kicking these items to the curb, earn some money back by selling them through a local marketplace. And when you mark your items as pick-up only, you can save time, money, and stress by having the buyer come to you. Some local markets to look into are Facebook’s marketplace, yard sales, 5miles.com, Nextdoor.com, and Craigslist. 

Niche or Alternative Items

If you have items that cater to select audiences, such as collectibles, art, and other eccentric goods, eBay is your go-to guy. While Amazon is on the forefront for some sellers, eBay is the prime marketplace for rare items and niche goods.

By using this platform, you can easily market your items to the audiences who desire them the most – no matter where in the world they’re located. Best of all, you can use eBay as a bidding zone for interested shoppers. Just set the price you’re willing to sell it for and see how much people are truly willing to spend on your home treasures. 

Make a Profit From Your Unused Goods

Now that you know more about the ins and outs of the used product marketplace, you’re likely no longer wondering “where can I sell my stuff?” but how do I get started?

It’s easy! Just follow these simple steps: 

1. Find your product’s estimated value
2. Snap some great photos of your items
3. Write up a winning description to convince your audiences
4. Select the best marketplace(s) for your product. If you find more than one appropriate marketplace to sell your item, speed up your selling process by cross-listing it on more than one marketplace platform.

Next, post your items for sale and voila! In no time at all, you’ll have more money in your pocket and more space in your home. So get selling and good luck!

Want to learn more about business and sales? Check out more of our articles to find the best tips and tricks to boost your success.