Category Archives: Home, Car, Yard, and Pets

How to Prepare for Unexpected Unemployment – Top 8 Tips

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Nobody likes to consider the chance that they may find themselves unemployed, but due to the current pandemic and possible future recession, it’s a necessity that everyone should start thinking about. No matter how recession-proof you think your job may be, it’s always a good idea to start preparing for unemployment now.

If you’re unsure of how to prepare for unemployment,check this blog about the top eight ways you can ensure you’re ready for unexpected job loss.

  1. Trim Your Budget

Step one in how to prepare for unemployment is to take a look at your budget. How much of your income are you spending? Compare your spending on necessities versus luxuries. If you have any concerns about losing your job in the near future, cut down your budget as much as you can and don’t splurge on an extravagant vacation! Place all the money that you would normally put towards entertainment into your savings to prepare yourself for months with no income.

  1. Build Up The Emergency Fund

You might not have any specific savings accounts at this point, but you should now separate out at least two: an emergency fund and retirement savings. You should apply all of your extra funds towards these two accounts, with a special focus on your emergency fund during the time when your job may be in jeopardy.

Many people stop paying into their emergency fund once they reach a specific goal, but on our list of how to prepare for unemployment, the emergency fund is a critical part of surviving while jobless. Even if you’ve reached your initial goal for this account, keep paying into it until you have at least a year’s worth of living expenses.

  1. Look At Health Insurance

Many people rely on their employers for health insurance. When they lose their jobs, they never even consider what it means for their healthcare costs. You might think that COBRA could pick up the slack until you find new insurance, but this could be a heavy financial burden.

If you’re preparing for unemployment, you should start searching for health insurance options with your reduced income right now, so that you’re ready for whatever comes your way. There are a number of resources through the ACA that can help you find affordable healthcare no matter how much money you’re making.

  1. Speed Up Debt Repayment

One of the biggest burdens for those who are unemployed is still having to make payments toward various debts. Whether it’s a mortgage, student loans, or credit card debt, you should speed up your debt repayment, even if you have a low income. When preparing for unemployment, prioritize debts that have high interest rates or those that don’t offer deferment.

  1. Apply for Deferments

Rent and mortgage are at the top of everyone’s list when thinking about how to prepare for unemployment. The reason it’s not as vital as building up your emergency fund and trimming your budget is due to deferment and refinancing options. In cases like the current pandemic, many companies are suspending eviction and foreclosure to provide relief for people dealing with job loss.

You can reach out to your lender to see if you qualify for deferment; that suspends accruing interest and postpones payments until a later date. Negotiate with your lender to ensure the new payment dates are at a time when you’re sure you’ll have a steady income.

  1. Apply for Unemployment

Part of the taxes taken out of your paycheck is for unemployment insurance, and you should absolutely take advantage of this program if you lose your job. Part of learning how to prepare for unemployment is understanding the application and claim filing process. After you file a claim, it will take the unemployment office several weeks to process your application and attribute the correct Weekly Benefit Amount and Claim Balance to your account. Once they provide you with a claim summary, you can start certifying for your benefits — even if you have to do it retroactively.

  1. Start Networking

While everyone’s employment situation is different, it’s never too early to start refreshing your resume and networking with potential employers. Hunting for a new job can be very stressful and there are a number of preemptive steps you can take to make it easier.

In addition to ensuring your resume is up to date, you also want your social networking profiles to display you in the best possible light. Add all relevant skills to your LinkedIn profile and share successful projects on your Facebook page. Selling yourself to recruiters is critical for those preparing for unemployment.

  1. Find Supplemental Income

Starting a side job while you’re still employed is a great way to supplement your income and save more money. Whether it’s a hobby with marketable skills that you can turn into a part-time gig or a passion that you eventually want to transform into your own business, now is a good time to start building up your experience and resources. Did these tips help you learn how to prepare for unemployment? We want to hear from you! Comment below to start a conversation about the best ways to prepare for unexpected unemployment that we didn’t include in our blog.

Tips for Effective Restaurant Accounting

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When you have a restaurant or planning to have one, you must be crazy about food and making people happy with it. Therefore, you must be excited about gastronomy. Prepare food and provide it to people is all you love.

However, under that simple premise, many complex responsibilities may not be trained or specifically enjoyed. Restaurant accounting is definitely one of the most complex tasks. Restaurant accounting is one of the most important aspects of business success, but all of these numbers can be difficult to track and understand and are often overlooked or avoided. You don’t have to postpone until the very end for fear of restaurant billing. Here are some common tips that will help you in effectively managing the accounting part of your restaurant. There are ways to simplify and streamline the process.

Hire an accountant

People do not born with finance knowledge, they need to learn about it. And when it comes to the food industry, there are many loopholes. You should make sure that you have your finances in check so that you can effectively run the business. But on the same note, it is difficult to be in charge of everything. For this, you must hire an accountant. With the help of this accountant, you can bid goodbye to all those worries about restaurant accounting.

The task can be made very easy for you. All you have to do is hand over the receipts and books to your accountant and the rest is up to them. In addition to managing the finances, they can also help you during the tax filing season and tick another task off your box.

Outsourcing restaurant accounting

Most common problem that business owners have is the employee embezzlement. Therefore, we can see that most of the owners tend to check the finance all by themselves which actually is a huge matter of time. It is quite a common phenomenon that also encourages most business owners to do the task themselves. However, you can easily outsource this accounting to a third-party company that will solely be responsible for your books. This way you can ensure that there are no employees cheating you. It will also save you cost and time and you do not have to worry about being late. Therefore, outsourcing should be your first option when it comes to restaurant accounting.

Keeping track of your expenses

As a restaurant owner, it can be very easy for you to go over budget. This may not only cause losses to you but also hinder the future performance of the restaurant. For this purpose, it is essential that you keep track of all your expenses. Right from purchasing at the farmer’s market to getting beverages from big suppliers, you should have a record of all transactions. This not only helps in better restaurant accounting but also helps you to analyse the places you are spending more.

Using the right tools

When it comes to maintaining the accounts for the restaurant it can be very tedious. There are various options that are offered to the customers which means that their various heads under which the customers make the payments. To have an effective grip on which head is the losing part of the restaurant, you need to segregate such payments. The only way you will be able to achieve segregation is by using advanced and effective tools for restaurant accounting. 

Therefore, as you can see these are some effective tips to help you in restaurant accounting. You should not worry much and hire an accountant to make the whole process easy for you.

Denim – 5 Ways to Style It Up & Dress It Down

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You wake up in the morning, and the last thing you want to do is spend a ton of time getting dressed for the day. Deep down inside, you wouldn’t mind spending an hour or two trying on outfits and experimenting with various looks. Unfortunately, time is not on your side. Not this morning.

That’s why we all honestly love jeans. We can’t get enough of them. Jeans are excellent to wear in so many situations, and on top of this, they are durable—an added bonus. The question is, how exactly do you style up your favorite jeans or dress them down to suit various occasions?

The great thing about denim is that you can change how your jeans look simply by changing up the clothing pieces you wear with them, plus accessorizing to the hilt. If you’ve been wondering how to style denim, here’s a rundown on what you can do to elevate your look each time jeans are the centerpiece of your ensemble.

1. Distressed Jeans and Bodysuits

You plan to wear jeans this weekend, as you don’t intend to do anything fancy. In this situation, you may be wondering how to style denim in a way that will still make your outfit pop.

Good news: Jeans and bodysuits are an excellent pairing for a low-key occasion. In addition, instead of wearing your regular sneakers with your jeans, spring for some leopard mules. Then, pile on some of your favorite jewelry pieces. Two gold necklaces that layer well, along with some statement earrings will quickly separate you from the crowd.

2. Black Jeans and Black Tank Tops

If you love dressing in black, we don’t blame you. After all, black is an ideal color for making you look slimmer. However, a black outfit can easily become stale if you’re lacking in accessories.

So, if you decide to don black jeans and tank tops together, be sure to add a trendy belt to your outfit. Also, incorporate some drop earrings and even snakeskin boots for an impactful and edgy look.

3. Skinny Jeans and Wrap Tops

Perhaps you love the combination of skinny jeans and wrap tops. If you’re wondering how to style denim and wrap tops together, here’s what you should do for both dress-down and dress-up moments.

For the former, simply wear white sneakers with your jeans and wrap top, which will give you a coveted casual-cool vibe. Meanwhile, if you’re headed out for a night on the town, add a handbag with an animal-print pattern to your getup. You could also sport some red heels to amp things up for the evening. A beautiful pendant necklace would be the icing on the cake—the perfect final touch for a memorable night out with friends or that special someone.

4. White Jeans and White Camisoles

When the weather is warm and you’ve got the beach on your mind, you can never go wrong with some sleek white jeans and a lovely white camisole. Now, you need to figure out how to style denim in this situation.

In your all-white ensemble, sneakers are a great addition for a casual environment or event. However, if you’d like to take things up a notch, add a glossy belt to the mix, plus some fresh white boots. You can also add a neck scarf to add even more pizzazz to your outfit and make heads turn with every step you take.

5. Jean Shorts with Various Pairings for Multiple Looks

When summer is still in full swing, it couldn’t be a better time to wear denim shorts. The great thing about jean shorts? You’re never too old to wear them, and these types of shorts will always be in style.

The other great thing about jean shorts? If you’re wondering how to style denim, note that the options for styling these types of shorts are virtually endless. For instance, you can pair your jeans with a blazer for a chic look for the office or even a fun Saturday night. A cardigan can also be combined with jean shorts and western boots for an ultra-cute outfit day or night.

How to Style Denim Today for the Perfect Look in Both Cool and Warm Months

Jeans are widely celebrated for their classic look and simplicity. Fortunately, if you’re wondering how to style denim, you can easily dress up or down your jeans for every occasion with a few accessories. Look for the trendiest jeans and accessories to add to your wardrobe this season.

Layering Dresses When It’s Cold Out

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Your favorite beautiful dresses don’t have to sit gathering dust in your closet when the weather’s cold. It’s super easy to layer dresses in the cold weather so you can show off those sundresses year-round!

Just follow these quick tips for how to stay warm in a dress during winter and you can look frilly and flouncy all season long.

Some Essential Layering Tips for Any Outfit

First, you need to make sure you’re keeping warm the right way. There are a few essential points about basic layering you should know so you can learn how to stay warm in a dress during winter!

It’s possible to look stylishly layered without looking bulky. To do this, keep your thinnest layers inside, and save the frilly fabric for the exterior.

Keep only one or two items that have a bold pattern. If your dress is colorful and bright, for example, wear a dark jacket and tights to not overwhelm it.

Keep your outer layer long. A dress looks much better when the jacket is long enough to suit it.

Under-Dress Basics: Layering Essentials

The items you wear under your dress should be thin, but warm, so that you don’t look bulky. Opt for insulating materials like cotton or wool if you live in a seriously cold place.

Innermost layer: Camisoles/tank tops/undershirts

If you live in a climate that gets seriously cold, like Minnesota or Canada, every single layer is important. If you’re going to try and wear a dress in the winter (you brave soul!) invest in thermal inner layers designed to wear beneath your clothes. They go a long way to protect your skin and keep you warm.

Turtlenecks

Turtlenecks for a layered dress? Yes please! Just not the thick, chunky woolen sweaters with a neck — you’ll look like you’re smuggling a small animal under your dress. We’re talking those relatively thin, form-fitting turtlenecks.

White T Shirt

This is a good look to take you back to the 90s, too. Simply pair it with a corduroy overall dress and you have a timeless Americana look.

Thermal tights

This is our #1 essential item for layering dresses! Numb, exposed legs are the worst part about trying to stay warm in a dress during winter. If you get tights that are still form-fitting but designed to keep you warm, the problem is all but solved.

You probably won’t find thermal tights that are sheer or partially sheer. They’re most likely to be solid colors, like black. That’s not an issue; you want your dress to be the star of the show.

You can also get thermal leggings to do the job, so long as you wear very warm socks. If your feet are cold, it’ll be hard for you to feel warm no matter how many layers you wear.

Warm socks

When it’s cold out, you should wear warm socks and gloves. There’s nothing revolutionary we can really add to that — your mom was right. Don’t forget your warm socks!

Boots

When you’re layering dresses with tights and jackets for the winter, your best bet for footwear is a reliable pair of leather boots. If you have cute patterned socks, you can tuck them over your lace-up boots to show them off.

You can opt for the Bella Swan converse-and-prom-dress look if you want, but in our opinion, that’s a little dated. Up to you!

Over Dress Basics: More Layering Essentials

Experiment with cute jackets and chunky patterned cardigans! Go wild!

Jean jackets, bomber jackets, peacoats

Do you have a funky jacket in your closet that you love, but never have the chance to wear? Now’s your chance. Layering dresses is a perfect opportunity to bring out that kitschy patched up jean jacket from the 80s. Wear it over a plain dress and tights so that the jacket’s the star of the show!

Tip: If you wear a jacket that cinches in the middle, it can go a long way to make your silhouette look curvier when you’re wearing all those layers.

Chunky cardigans

Is there anyone here who can admit they don’t practically live in warm cardigans when they’re trying to stay warm in a dress during winter? They’re not only perfect to live in, but they’re also perfect to layer over a dress. Or, wear your dress as a skirt by pairing it with a warm, cozy sweater.

Scarves, scarves, scarves

Not only can you stay warm in a scarf, but it’s also easy to take off if you get too warm.

Perfect Dresses for Layering

If you have the warm inner and outer layers down pat, you can style almost any dress in your closet! Even summer spaghetti strap dresses and sleeveless dresses can work when you’re layering dresses. Well, you might want to avoid ball gowns and statement pieces you’d see at the Met Gala, for example — but that’s your prerogative.

Moving Across The Country Made Easy

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There is a lot to do and think about when it comes time to move into a new house, especially if that new home is on the other side of the country. If you have a family that you need to bring with you, then the process becomes that much more complicated. The good news is that although it won’t always be fun, you can make a long-distance move with the family more manageable with proper planning, smart packing, and some great tips that we’ll discuss here today.

Proper Packing And Preparation Are Key

There is no way around it. Moving a family across the country will be an expensive endeavor. However, you can make many adjustments to cut unnecessary costs, so you aren’t so financially stressed. One big expense that you can cut is the cost of hiring professional movers and instead, pack and transport your belongings yourself. You can either rent a moving truck, a moving container, or a freight trainer to get your stuff from point A to B.

Packing your house can be a nightmare, so keep the process as organized as possible. Go room by room and start separating items that you want to keep from what you plan to donate or give away. This is a good chance to clear out unneeded clutter. If you are packing any of the belongings in your garage, then make sure to drain all of the fuel from the gas-powered equipment and bundle garden tools together for easy handling. That way, you will have everything together when you arrive at your destination.

Once the truck is loaded, you will want to start planning your trip. This is especially important if you have children that you know will get hungry or tired during the cross-country drive. Take the time to find affordable restaurants and hotels along the way that you can stay at to rest your eyes and wake up refreshed for another long day of driving. Also, consider making your hotel reservations ahead of time so you can just show up and get to your room with little fanfare.

Keep Your Kids And Pets At Bay

A road trip across the country may be fun at first, but as the drive goes on, your kids and pets may begin to get a bit restless. Since you will want to be cautious and responsible when driving, it is important that you ensure that your passengers are safe and entertained.

Safety is key during the drive. Before you leave for the trip, make an appointment to have your vehicle inspected so you can verify that you won’t have an accident along the way. Have them check the brakes, oil, tire pressure, and top off all of the fluids. Also, verify that all seat belts are in good working order before you leave and that kid’s car seats are properly attached.

If you have a dog along for the ride, then it is only a matter of time before it starts moving around, so you will want to help your pet get used to the car and provide them with a comfortable seat. If your pet has never been in a car before, then help them acclimate to the vehicle before you leave and never let them sit on your lap during the drive. It is also a good idea to give your pet a microchip or update your contact information on their tag before you leave so you can find them if they get lost.

When your kids inevitably get restless during the trip, keep them entertained by having them create a scrapbook of the move as you go about the journey and allow them to have their favorite toys, so you don’t have to dig through boxes to find them if the kids get crabby.

Other Tactics To Save Your Sanity

There are other strategies that you can use that can make an already stressful endeavor more tolerable. For instance, if you can afford to pay for hired help, then consider contacting professional movers as they can take a lot of stress off of your shoulders. Many moving companies will help you pack your house, transport the goods to the new location, and then help you unpack or at least put the boxes in the proper rooms when you arrive. Before you contact potential movers, look at online customer reviews to ensure that you are hiring a quality company.

It is very important that you practice self-care during the trip. You may be in a rush to get to your new home, but if you don’t take care of yourself, then you could do more harm than good. When you go to the hotels, get seven to nine hours of sleep, so you don’t get tired on the road. Also, eat a good breakfast and consider spending a few minutes in the hotel gym. Both of these activities will give you some natural energy for the trip.

Finally, although you likely want to make good time, don’t forget that this is an adventure for the entire family, so don’t be afraid to stop at some roadside pit stops where you can either see cool attractions or get a bite to eat at a unique restaurant. Plus, it will give everyone in the car a chance to stretch their legs.

So there you have it. Great tips to make your cross-country move fun, inexpensive, and relatively stress-free. Consider these tips, and you’ll be arriving and moving into your new home in no time.