Here is why it is Time to Shift to Vanilla Visa Card.

 

We've done our homework. Vanilla Visa Gift Cards are still an excellent option for anyone who values choice, convenience, security, and versatility.

Here is why it is time to shift to Vanilla Visa Card:

What is the Vanilla Visa Card?

It is a prepaid credit card. You can get one from Visa or Mastercard. You can shop with it online or visit stores with it. Most stores accept Vanilla Visa cards.

The Vanilla Visa card is not a charge card. It is not a credit card.

 

You cannot borrow against a Vanilla Visa Card. Prepaid Visa Cards do not affect your credit rating.

You cannot withdraw money from your Vanilla Visa card. You can only use it for purchases.

You can operate a prepaid card without a bank account. They make it so simple.

A Vanilla visa card is a lot like a debit card. You can pay bills with it and shop. The only thing you cannot do is withdraw it for cash.

 

The Vanilla Visa Card is Secure

The Vanilla Visa Card gives shoppers an opportunity to make purchases without using their actual credit card information. Prepaid cards are a low-risk money management solution.

If you want to give your child a plastic card, a prepaid card like the Vanilla visa card is perfect. Use it to teach them about money without the risk of them borrowing money.

Prepaid cards are also perfect when you find that you cannot follow a budget. You may or may not eventually opt for a credit card.

Good for Kids

We’ve already mentioned this, but there are many reasons why Vanilla Visa Cards are ideal for children. This topic deserves more attention. So here goes:

You can get a Prepaid Vanilla Visa Card in smaller denominations. The amount can be as low as $20 and as high as $500.

You only load the card with as much money as you want your child to use. Your child cannot spend more than what is already on the card.

So Vanilla Visa Cards are a good tool for teaching your child about creating a budget and sticking to it. Once they spend the money, it is gone.

Choose the Vanilla Visa Card to teach your children independence and responsibility. They practice making financial decisions.

Teach your children how to enter the correct payment information and mailing address. Allow them to get some of the things they want.

Your child has to make sure that the money on her card is enough for what she wants to buy. They have to learn to manage their own money.

If you want to disburse a weekly or monthly allowance, you can request a reloadable vanilla visa card.

No Expiration Date

The funds in your Vanilla Visa Card never expire. The user has plenty of time to use the card. It is convenient.

A lost Vanilla Visa Card is easy to replace. Call the card issuer immediately. Once you report the card stolen or lost, they will freeze it. The issuer will provide a new card, allowing you to spend the balance.

Vanilla Visa Card Security

Your safety matters most when you shop online. The Vanilla Visa Card protects your personal information.

None of your information gets shared when you shop on the internet. Someone who steals your card number will not access anything beyond what is in your Vanilla Visa Card.

Shopping online with this card does not expose you to additional risks of fraud.

 

The Difference between Credit Cards and Vanilla Visa Cards

A credit card is a line of credit. It is a loan, even though it can hold deposits. You can spend a lot more than what you have in the account.

Debit cards are different. The Vanilla Visa Card limits spending to what you have in your account. As a result, you do not have to worry about going into debt.

Credit card spending comes with extra costs. Your monthly payments on your credit card will include interest on your loan. With a Vanilla Visa card you don't have to pay this interest.

While credit card holders end up paying a monthly bill, Vanilla Visa cardholders don't have monthly bills to pay.

A credit card allows holders to improve their credit score and borrow more money.

No Extra Fees – Free Usage

Prepaid gift cards like the Vanilla Visa Card or the American Express Gift Card attract a one-time activation fee.

After you have activated the card, there are no other fees. The user does not have to pay anything more.

Depending on when you buy the card, you may be able to get out of paying the activation fees. Sometimes the issuers run promotions allowing customers to save on activation fees.

Credit Cards are Expensive

Credit Cards accrue several types of fees. They include annual fees, balance transfer fees, foreign transfer fees, or late payment fees.

Some of these fees are avoidable. Some are not. Here are a few examples:

·         Annual fees – you pay this fee every year even if you don’t use the card.

·         Interest Charges – if you don't pay off your balance at the end of the billing cycle, you will pay interest on whatever balance remains.

·         Late payment fee – Paying late may attract an extra fee

·         Foreign transaction fee – a fee you pay for swiping your card outside the United States

·         Balance transfer fee – a charge for transferring debt from one card to another

·         Cash advance fee – some credit cards allow users to withdraw cash advances which they pay dearly for

·         Over-the-limit fee – when you spend more than your credit limit, you pay an extra fee

Individually, these fees may not seem like much. But they can add up to a lot of money collectively and in the long run.

There is a reason why credit card companies try to get people signed up as children. They are lucrative. People often overestimate their ability to pay back the money they are spending.

Consumers aren’t always making informed decisions. Crucial pieces of information often hide in the fine print.

Interest rates often seem deceptively low. But that is only in the short term.

Vanilla Visa Cards are Excellent Gifts for Special Occasions

The Vanilla Visa Card makes a fantastic gift for any occasion.

Vanilla Gift Cards offer a range of flexibility. Recipients can use them anywhere Visa cards are accepted.

Use them anywhere in the US and in many places outside the US. They work for online and in-person purchases.

You can spend the money in Mexico as well as the United States. You can even use it to make mail orders.

Use it for birthdays, weddings, Mothers/Fathers' day, Graduations, and any other special occasion that warrants a gift.

If a transaction requires a plastic card, you may not get to use it.

When you buy a Vanilla Visa Card, you get a gift card and an optional gift box to go with it.

The Virtual Visa Gift Card

Conveniently deliver a Virtual Visa Gift Card via email. Unlike plastic cards, this one arrives immediately in the recipient’s inbox.

You purchase the card within seconds. It arrives in your inbox immediately. The recipient can start spending the money online within 24 hours after activation.

The Vanilla virtual gift card works for paying into digital wallets. Use your Vanilla visa gift card for Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay.

To do this, see that the balance on the card is sufficient to cover the amount. Select the 'Debit' option instead of 'Gift Card.'

The registration must be complete first to avoid inconveniences.

 

How Vendors Authenticate Vanilla Visa Cards

Credit cards are more widely accepted because they link to the user's address .

If you are working with a Vanilla Visa Card, you can solve this problem. Register your name and valid address with the issuer of the card. Put down your correct zip code information.

Once you confirm your information, eCommerce websites like Amazon can authenticate your card. Online stores will authenticate your card and securely authorize purchases.

Mastercard Gift Cards

 

Gift cards save you from having to choose a gift yourself. A Visa Gift Card is just as good as cash. Use it for entertainment, shopping, and eating out.

The cards are customized. Choose an appropriate design for the occasion.

Vanilla Mastercard Gift Cards are all licensed by Mastercard International.

Use Mastercard and Vanilla Visa Card to get more the rewards on your credit card expenditure.

For a one-time gift, you can buy a fixed denomination prepaid card. You can also buy a variable-load card that lets you load more money.

Vanilla Visa Card Security

To keep your Vanilla Visa Card or Amex card secure, you must register it first.

Protect the serial number of your debit card. Do not share this number. Do not share pictures of the card or its purchase receipt with anyone. If someone you don't know is asking for this, they are probably scammers.

If you lose your gift card, call Vanilla Visa immediately and report the loss.

Do this to keep your card secure.

 

 

 

15 Ways on How to Get Cash From a Visa Gift Card - What Actually Works

What if you cannot use your visa gift card online like you want? Sometimes you need cash. So how do you get cash from a MasterCard gift card?

First, there is no direct way to turn it in for cash.

But there are some roundabout ways of doing it. You can turn in some Visa Gift Cards for cash but not others. Now we are going to explore them in detail.

1.     Buy Something and Return It

This is one possible method to get cash from a Visa Gift Card. But it is not always that simple.

It may or may not work depending on how the store’s point-of-sale system works. Some stores will automatically return the money to the card that paid for it.

Be sure to ask first. Don't assume that you will get cash when you return a purchase.

Some stores try to prevent these types of transactions.

Move Money from a Visa Gift Card to your Bank Account

You can move money from your MasterCard gift card to your bank account. Find out exactly how.

You can do this via PayPal, CardCash, Venmo, Money Order, or Prepaid2Cash.

2.     Sell the Visa Gift Card on CardCash

There are websites just for this. Visit a website like CardCash. CardCash facilitates  trading in gift cards.  

There is also GiftCardGrannny, which serves the same need. Here you can exchange any gift card. Visa gift cards like the Vanilla Visa Gift Card are acceptable.

Trade your gift card in for cash on this website. Receive as much as 90% cash in exchange for your card.

Here is how the process goes:

·         Visit the website

·         Choose an offer that you can accept

·         Pick a MasterCard gift card with a balance sufficient for the trade,

·         Submit your card

·         Get verified before the transaction can go through

You get your money at the end of the exchange. Doing this online gets you more money than trying to sell it at a kiosk that buys gift cards.

Bear in mind that this does not work for all Visa Gift Cards.It works for some Vis debit cards.

The difference between CardCash and Raise is that Raise lists your gift card. A third party buys it. CardCash buys the card directly from you.

With CardCash, you get your money much faster. You don’t have to wait for someone to buy it.

With Raise, you can sell the balance on a partially used Visa Gift Card. Raise is a convenient way to cash gift cards online.

 

3.     Sell your Visa Gift Card Directly to another Person

You could always go the direct sales route. Find someone ready to pay the card's value.

Talk to your closest friends and family members first. Does one of them plan to buy something soon? You can ask them to buy it off your card.

Selling to someone you know is your best chance of getting value. Strangers will want to buy at a discount.

Your other options are Craigslist, Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, and VarageSale.

Look into a gift card exchange. If you cannot get a better offer this way, then sell it to your friend.

Go for the option that gives you a better offer.

4.     Add the Vanilla Visa Prepaid Gift Card to your PayPal

You can add any prepaid card to your PayPal. You can add Visa Gift Cards too. Money in your PayPal Wallet is as good as cash.

Moving the money to your PayPal may help you avoid incurring additional fees.

Follow these steps:

·         Sign up on the Vanilla Visa website.

·         Link the card to your PayPal.

·         Now move the money on your gift card to your PayPal.

·         You have your cash now.

The whole process may take up to five business days. Standard transfers do not attract any fees.

Some methods may lead you to pay as much as 3% as a fee. Look out for these fees to be sure. You also want to see that your bank will not charge you more.

This method only works when you have already registered your card. Make that your first step.

Your Visa Gift Card is now part of your PayPal wallet.

Here are four things you can do with the balance on your visa gift card online:

·         Use it to buy the stuff you want.

·         Move the money to a debit account linked to your PayPal.

·         Send the money to a friend or family member.

·         Pay for services with it.

5.     Move the Money to your Venmo

Venmo has 50 million users at least. Venmo is super popular with Millenials. Venmo transaction fees range from cheap to free.

If you have issues with PayPal, you can always look into Venmo. Venmo is a payment service that is much better for moving the balance from gift card to bank account.

This online payment service links to your bank account. The whole process takes not more than three business days.

The best part is that you do not pay any fees. You can have an instant transfer for a fee.

If your gift card seems suspicious, Venmo may decline it. If this happens, you will need to provide the correct personal information. Names and addresses should match up.

6.     Use it to Buy a Merchant Gift Card

One way to 'cash' your visa gift card is to exchange it for a gift card at a store you like. Buy the gift cards on sale to get more value.

With the best deals on visa gift cards online, you can save as much as 20%. An $80 gift card may cost $100.

You can find gift card deals on Amazon. Prime members can compound benefits by leveraging their membership.

7.     Gift Card Exchange Kiosk

If you have seen a machine resembling a casino slot at a grocery store, you might have seen a gift card exchange slot. It sounds like a casino slot, too.

To use this, punch in the number on the card and its expiration date. You can now select from the cash-back offers available.

Print the voucher that comes out and present it to the cashier. You will receive cash for it. Ask for help if you need it.

Many grocery stores don’t have gift card exchange kiosks.

Kiosks give you your money immediately. Their rates are not the most favorable. So you should avoid this method if you can. You might need to carry an ID.

8.     Pay Bills with your Visa Gift Card

If a service provider takes Visa Gift Cards, use your card to settle bills. Call the service provider first to avoid complications.

Clarify with customer service that they accept Visa Gift Cards. Companies like AT&T have clarified that consumers can pay with Visa Gift Cards.

Paying your card balance into a bill may not be the same as cashing it in, but you will use it as cash.

Visa Gift cards can go towards bills as long as there is still a sufficient balance on the card. A Visa Gift card works better than other gift cards for utilities.

Bills come up every month. You can use the card immediately.

The advantage of using it to pay bills is the ability to spend the balance. Putting it toward a beats selling. You may realize a lower value when you sell.

9.     Sell your Visa Gift Card on an App

The good thing about using an app to sell your Visa Gift card is that you can do it almost immediately. But there is a downside to this method of getting cash from a visa gift card. It is one way to cash gift cards online.

Apps are fast. But they are also expensive. You will get fewer dollars because the commissions are so high.

Don’t do this without looking into the other options first. Check out:

·         Prepaid2Cash

·         Gift Card Granny, and

·         Raise

Most of these apps let you get a quote without committing yourself. You can compare offers.

Raise is a popular app for people who want to get cash from a Visa Card. You will typically rceive 85% of the value of the card value.

Raise has now partnered with Prepaid2Cash for now. Prepaid2Cash serves both iOS and Android users.

Prepaid2Cash pays as much as 92% of your balance. Compare them and choose the best offer.

 

10.                       Use your Visa Gift Card to Buy a Money Order

A money order is like a check. You can get a money order at grocery stores too. Not just at banks.

You can buy a money order with your Visa Gift Card at Walmart or Western Union.

Different issuers of money orders all have their own sets of conditions. Your Visa Gift Card is as good as a regular debit card. It can pay for a money order.

Your Visa Gift Card should have enough money to buy the money order you want. After you get the money order, you can cash it or deposit it into your bank account.

To deposit the money order at the bank, endorse it at the back and present your ID to the cashier.

If you bank with Alliant Credit Union, Citibank, Chase, or TB Bank, use their mobile apps for a mobile deposit.

11.                       Buy a Merchant Gift Card with your Visa Gift Card

Maybe you cannot buy what you want with your Visa Gift Card. There is a way around this.

Use your Visa Gift Card to pay for a merchant Gift Card with your desired store. Your Visa Gift Card becomes more valuable. It can pay for what you want.

Wait for a sale to get the most from your reloadable gift cards. If you can get the card for 20% off, you will be getting significantly more value for your money. Look for offers when shopping online.

You can use Gift Cards for Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, and others.

 

12.                       Buy Stuff and Flip It

One more method is buying an item and flipping it for cash. This method is for some people and not for others.

You have to find someone willing to pay for the item. Go for it if:

·         You enjoy selling things for a profit.

·         You have time. Selling is time-consuming

If you hate selling, you won't like this method. You might end up stuck with things you can't sell.

A little research will help you find the right items that would sell. Pick popular items.

If you can find something that is on sale, it will be even better.

Check out:

·         liquidation sections. Find these inside stores and online.

·         thrift stores besides retailers.

When buying something for resale, research the market price, shipping fees, and transaction costs. This research will help you to avoid running into losses.

13.                       Re-gift your Visa Gift Card

Maybe none of these options work for you. In that case, you can recoup the cash by re-gifting it.

In this case, you are not cashing in on the card but saving what you would have spent on a gift.

But you want to avoid any awkwardness. Get rid of any identifying information on the vanilla gift card. Don't show that it was a gift to you first.

Use them for upcoming birthday parties and other events. Try to make it so someone will enjoy using the reloadable gift cards more than you.

Re-gifting is even easier than going to the store to buy a gift.

14.                       Cash Gift Cards at a Pawn Shop

Pawn shops will give you instant cash. But they will not provide value for money.

A pawn shop will probably give you the worst deal of all these options. You might get as little as half the value of reloadable gift cards.

This needs to be the last option for this reason.

15.                       Use Square to Cash in on your vanilla gift Card

 

Square is a payment platform. Businesses use Square to receive payments. Use the Square to get cash from a Visa Gift Card.

Here is how to do it:

·         Register with Square and create an account

·         Add your Visa Gift Card to your Square account

·         Transfer your Visa Gift Card balance to your bank account

You will have to pay a fee of 3.5-2.75%. It will depend on how you do the conversion.

 

This way of cashing gift cards might not go through for all Visa Gift Cards.

Conclusion

You have a choice of 15 ways to cash gift cards. Choose one that meets your unique needs. Do you need to get the money urgently?

Do you want the exact value of the Vanilla Visa Gift Card? Can you part with some fees?

Do you want to try and turn a profit on your vanilla gift card? Are you looking for convenience?

There are trade-offs to be made.

 

 

 

 

Gardening for the Birds and the Bees

 

Gardening used to be about taming the environment and shaping it into beautiful extensions of our homes. Now, more and more gardeners are keen on creating a space they can share with little creatures native to their neighborhoods – like birds and bugs.

So here is how to do it:

Favor Native Plants

Some exotic plants look amazing in our gardens. But if you really want to make native insects and birds feel at home, you want to grow native plants.

Deciding to work with native plants might seem restrictive at first. I mean, you want to grow have a choice of shapes, colors, as well as arrangements. But it is still possible to achieve a work of beauty with native plants.

The best thing about it is that native plants are well-suited for the climate and therefore often easier to grow.

Every native plant has evolved to play a unique role in your native ecosystem.

Should you work with Exotic Plants?

The most eco-friendly gardens favor native plants. But does that mean doing away with exotic plants altogether?

Exotic plants have the potential to create ecological problems in your garden because they are new in that environment. Some native plant species provide food for some vital insects and birds.

If an exotic plant crowds out the native species without fulfilling the same role that the native plant did, there will be consequences felt across the ecosystem.

Plants that provide food for native insects are indirectly feeding the birds. Both year-round residents and migratory birds rely on the local flora for food directly or indirectly.

The birds and insects that most interact with native plants are pollinators. If they do not prosper, this will hurt other organisms, like fruit trees.

One of the best examples of this is the monarch butterfly which specifically feeds on Milkweed and also cocoons on milkweed.

Without milkweed, monarchs cannot survive.  Golden Alexanders also host insects, while hummingbirds rely on cardinal flowers.

Like all living things, birds need food and shelter. They take shelter at different levels: low level, as well as medium and high.

By feeding insects or caterpillars, you are providing food for baby birds. Some baby birds eat around 6,000 caterpillars by the time they fly off the nest.

Sumac and holly produce bellies that directly feed birds.

 

But some exotic plants are not necessarily harmful to the local flora and fauna. Lavenders, crab apples, or mints are good for pollinators because they flower heavily all through the season.

Any plant that is likely to reproduce beyond the garden is invasive. Shrubs and vines tend to escape, as do perennials.

Matters Bird Feed

Popular wisdom has it that you should feed your birds in winter, but experts advise feeding birds even in spring. Birds have already eaten their winter stash of food and they have to get busy rebuilding their nests. It is harder to find food at the beginning of spring because there aren't too many insects crawling or flying around.

Bird Feeder Positioning

A bird feeder needs to be well-positioned as well as well-stocked. Elevate the feeder a little higher up, near a bush where a bird can easily take cover from predators.

Birds are more likely to use a bird feeder if it is as high as a tree canopy. If it is made of metal and equipped with a spring-loaded trap, this will keep squirrels out of your bird feeder.

If you want to see birds at close range, set up a plastic one that sticks to your windows. Birds won’t collide with the plastic feed trays. They are more to fly into glass windows when you hang the feeder way off from the window.

Cheap is Expensive

This rule applies to bird feed as well. Be careful about cheaper bird seed mixes, which tend to contain more hard wheat. Birds are not particularly fond of hard wheat.

Birdbaths should be shallow and out of reach of cats. Cats are the natural enemies of birds.

Lady Birds are your Friends

A good garden is well supplied with pretty butterflies and ladybirds. The enemy of your enemy is your friend, and Ladybirds are natural enemies of aphids, which are garden pests.

To keep ladybirds happy, invest in some marigold, dill, yarrow, or chives. Aphids can damage plants by sucking the sap out of them.

This is why you need a healthy ladybird population to keep your aphid population under control.

Invest in a Log Pile

Log piles and fallen leaves might not seem very useful, but they are an excellent investment for someone who wants to have a bird-friendly garden.

Leaf piles and log piles provide worms, millipedes, woodlice, and centipedes with somewhere to hide. Log piles may also attract animals like hedgehogs.

The best gardens are not 100% groomed. When you allow a section of your garden to grow wild, you allow leaves, stones, and twigs to become a home not only for insects but also for other wildlife forms.

You can also consider building a compost heap that will feed and shelter insects as well as feeds your soil.

Hedges

Hedges don’t just mark spaces; they are entire ecosystems in themselves. Hedges provide safe spaces for butterflies to lay eggs, and some plants that grow in hedgerows are good for them too.

Plants like hazel, hawthorn, field maple, and blackthorn are good for butterflies. Hedges also provide cover for hedgehogs as they move from field to field.

Birds also nest in hedges because they feel safer there.

 

 

 

 

Better Sleeping Habits for a Perfect Healthy Lifestyle

 

A good night’s sleep is just as important for your health as eating healthy and putting in some exercise. The secrets to better sleep and healthier lifestyle are surprisingly simple but often ignored.

A good night’s sleep can help to reduce overeating, help you concentrate and be more productive, improve athletic performance, reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease, keep type 2 diabetes at bay, ward off depression, improve immunity, reduce inflammation, and even help you manage your emotions and relationships better.

Consistency

Our bodies love routine. Having a set time for going to bed in the evening and getting up in the morning is one of the ways to develop better sleeping habits for a perfect healthy lifestyle.

Try to maintain this consistency should stay in place even during weekends or when you are traveling. Whether you are traveling on business or a family vacation, try to plan your trip in such a way that you still get to sleep at the same time and get up at your usual get up time. Your bed time needs to come early enough to give you 7 hours or more of sleep.

At bed time, you want to switch off all your devices, starting with your phone.

Your eating habits should also be conducive for a good night’s sleep. Don’t eat a large meal just before dinner, because you can relax better when your stomach is not too full.

Stimulants like coffee can also make it harder to sleep. Avoid any stimulating drink when you are going to sleep. Both alcohol and coffee may interfere with your bedtime.

Environment

Your sleep area is your sanctuary. Maintain a clean, cool, and comfortable environment in your bedroom.

People spend almost a third of their lives sleeping, and it pays to invest in the most environment you can. Read new content from Real Simple to learn about mattresses that are recommended by sleep experts.

Your room needs to be as quiet, relaxing, dark, and comfortable as possible. If you can avoid having a television in your bedroom, do so as it will help you sleep better.

A quiet environment helps you sleep better because you can relax better with no noise. A dark environment is also better for your relaxation. This is your body produces melatonin, a sleep hormone, when you are not exposed to light.

Part of creating a sleep-inducing bedroom is investing in quality bedding that makes it easier for you to sleep. This isn’t a one-size fits all and you want to get the kind of mattress and bed linen that is designed to meet your unique needs.

Switching off all artificial light will help you fall asleep faster. You don’t want to be exposed to bright light at bed time.

Exercise

Sleep, diet, and exercise are all intertwined. Putting in some moderate exercise in the morning or afternoon, will help you sleep better at night.

Exercising helps to reduce insomnia and helps you fall asleep faster. Aerobic exercises like walking, running, swimming, cycling, or dancing, work best. You may still need medical treatment for insomnia, but it is clear that some exercise will not hurt.

Physical exercise also stops you from falling asleep during the day and this saves precious sleep for later on when you need it more.

So if you find yourself lying awake at night, consider some aerobic exercise during the day. It might even save you from having to take sleeping pills.

People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea could also benefit from daytime exercise because it helps to reduce weight and indirectly reduces the symptoms of OSA. Obesity is responsible for more than half the cases of OSA.

Ritual

One of the things that make it much easier to fall asleep faster at bedtime is to create, and stick to, a bedtime routine that takes 30 minutes to bed.

A bed time routine helps you wind down and relax. Your bedtime should be uniquely designed to fit into your lifestyle and personality.

You can consider incorporating some reading, a warm bath, essential oils, journaling, skin care, and even meditation.

Some people use their beds to watch TV, play video games, or browse social media. But you definitely want to avoid doing these things in bed, especially in the evening. Ideally, your bed should be for sleeping and sex only.

Essential Oils

Consider experimenting with essential oils at bedtime. Try diffusing lavender oil starting one hour before bed time. You might also rub some into your pillow, feet, wrists, or temple. A mixture of lavender and witch hazel in water can be sprayed lightly over your bed. Cedarwood blends well with lavender.

You can also experiment with essential oils in your skincare routine. Add a few drops of frankincense to your steaming water. This is great for your face as well as your lungs. 

Chamomile oil is relaxing and you can add some to your lotion or take some chamomile tea to relax.

Food and Drink

As for eating and drinking, keep it light before bed time. Go for small snacks and no stimulating drinks. Tea is good.

A warm bath certainly doesn’t hurt. Music too, has power to help you sleep especially if it is relaxing.  Breathing exercises and stretching can also help you relax before bed.

Reading

Bed time reading is a bedtime routine that started in childhood for most people, and it might help you relax as an adult, too. Reading a chapter or a few pages of your favorite book at bed time can help you wind down and relax.

Journaling is a relaxing bedtime activity for most people. Sit down to plan the next day’s activities and organize your thoughts in your journal. If you can write down a to-do list, it will help you to sleep better because you won’t be worrying about your next day.

 

 

Why you Never Stop Marketing, No matter what

 

When business is booming or you are expecting a busy season, it makes sense to invest more resources in marketing your business.

 

But what happens when sales are not as high? Do you keep on sustaining your marketing efforts? Do you scale down or stop altogether?

 

Cutting down marketing costs seems less painful because it does not involve firing anyone.

 

During recessions, you can fall back on your loyal customers to give you some cash flow and maybe even open up some new revenue streams.

 

At this time, you have to be careful to discern which marketing costs are absolutely necessary and which you can do without.

 

You don't want to hurt your business further instead of saving it. Continuing to spend money on marketing that doesn't add to your bottom line is a waste.

 

On the other hand, if your effort to save on marketing ends up costing you money, then you are sabotaging your own survival.

 

A strong brand that consumers find familiar and trustworthy is more likely to survive in the long run.

 

Take a market downturn as an opportunity to get rid of any advertising spending that is yielding low returns on investment. It is not a good time to hang on to less effective advertising tactics.

 

It is also a time to look for more efficient and innovative ways of meeting the needs of your customers.

 

Going Digital

There is no evidence that online sales alone can carry a company. But what we have seen from 2008 and 2020 is that online sales generally stay high during downturns.

 

In the recession of 2008, online spending only went down by 2% compared to a drastic drop in overall spending. From the 2020 experience, Amazon has not only made more money but has also become even more powerful (if you can imagine that), from the pandemic of 2020 that has left so many people out of work.

 

The fact that Amazon is scaling up at a time when most other retailers are cutting down is proof that online sales are not as badly affected as offline sales.

 

Adjust your Goals

Obviously, not every business is going to grow during an economic downturn. The goal, as some have thoughtfully opined, may be to just survive. Growth is a bonus.

 

For others, the goal might be just to avoid firing people. Some businesses are celebrating because they are making 70% of their usual profits at a time when others are doing far worse.

Stay Agile

When the economy is down, there are new challenges and new opportunities for business. Don’t just ride it out passively in hopes that you will survive the storm. It puts you in an extremely vulnerable position where you are more likely to become a victim of change.

 

Taking a proactive approach to your marketing may be the difference between making it or not making it.

 

Anticipate different scenarios and ensure that your team is prepared for all of them.

 

Understand your Customer

With all the upheaval that is going around, there is a chance that the needs and wants and motivations of your customers have also changed. This means that any time you invest in understanding your customer afresh is not in vain.

Why Hydration Matters so much, and how to tell whether Someone is Dehydrated

 

https://veritascare.co.uk/hydration-is-important-old-age-2/

Water as a source of Nutrition

We all know that water keeps us hydrated and alive. But we often forget that water feeds us because it carries important nutrients. 

 

Besides its normal function of keeping us alive by facilitating the regeneration of body cells, water does so much more. Here are just some of the functions of water in the body:

 

• Calcium - water is one of the sources of calcium for the body. 
• Calcium - water provides copper which has antioxidant properties
• Magnesium - water provides magnesium which is crucial for the health of the cardiovascular system and strong bones
• Potassium - we get our potassium from water. Potassium facilitates biochemical processes like blood clotting
• Selenium - Selenium is an important nutrient for a healthy immune system. It is also an antioxidant
• Sodium - sodium helps to balance the concentration of water within and outside of the cells. WE lose sodium when we sweat too much.

 

The human body can go for more than three weeks without food but no more than 3-4 days without water. This shows just how important water is for the health of our bodies.

 

The body of an adult is up to 65% water. The amount of water your body can hold varies depending on your age, fitness level, and age.  Because your body holds so much water, you have to stay hydrated to function as you should. 

 

How to Know for Sure if you are Dehydrated

Losing water happens naturally as we go through our days, but healthy individuals drink fluids and eat food that replaces the water they are losing. 

 

When you are losing more than you are taking in, you are dehydrated and this loss of water makes it difficult for your body to function as it should. 

 

You can become dehydrated for any of the following reasons:

• Not drinking enough water
• Diarrhea
• Frequent urination
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Kidney ailments
• Medication and its side effects
• Excess sweating

 

Symptoms of Hydration

• Headaches
• Arm or leg cramp
• Nausea
• Fainting
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Dry skin and mouth
• Low blood pressure

 

Lesser-Known Signs of Dehydration

• Loose skin which does not bounce back after you pinch it
• Extreme thirst
• Yellow urine or little urination
• Faster than usual heart rate
• Sunken eyes

 

Why Seniors are More Likely to be Dehydrated

Older people don’t feel the sensation of thirst as keenly as younger people, but their bodies are just as likely to get hydrated. This means that they are more likely to get dehydrated as evidenced by the fact that dehydration is one of the frequently occurring reasons for individuals older than 65 to be hospitalized. 

 

Seniors just don’t feel thirsty enough and this makes them vulnerable to dehydration. This means that carers and family members have to watch out for the symptoms of dehydration as well as the causes of dehydration and make sure that the seniors in their lives stay well hydrated. 

 

Why Preventing Dehydration in the Elderly is so Important

While it is possible to help a dehydrated senior, it is still far better to protect them from becoming dehydrated in the first place. 

 

Whenever you suspect that an older person might be dehydrated, you must seek medical intervention immediately because a glass of water alone may not be enough to address more severe symptoms like a quickening heart rate or stomach cramps.

 

Because preventing dehydration in the elderly is so important, here is how we can get the older people we care about to consume more water:

 

• Offer water-rich foods like Juicy Fruit or Soups
• Provide a water bottle within reach
• Add fruit slices, lemon, or cucumber slices to water to make it more palatable
• See that they consume water gradually throughout the day and not all at once
• Minimize intake of alcohol or caffeine which have diuretic effects

 

Watch Out for Heatwaves

Seniors are more vulnerable to dehydration because their aging bodies start to lose their natural power to maintain body temperature regardless of environmental factors.

 

Seniors also don't sweat as much as younger people and they, therefore, struggle to keep their body temperature cool when it is hot. This makes them vulnerable to overheating.

 

On hot days, seniors are in danger of being exposed to heatstrokes and heat exhaustion, both of which are an imminent risk when they are exposed to high temperatures. 

 

How to Protect Older People from Dehydration on a Hot Day

 

• Provide plenty of fluids for them to drink
• Keep them out of the sun when it is at its peak. Schedule walks in the early morning or evening. 
• Provide light and loose-fitting clothing in lighter colors that reflect more heat instead of absorbing it.
• Discourage energy drinks, tea, alcohol coffee, and soda among other caffeinated drinks
• Arm them with wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen to protect them from sunburn that does not allow their bodies to cool down as they should

 

If an older person reports weakness or dizziness when it is hot, immediately take them indoors or to a shaded area. 

Immediately provide water to replace lost fluids and use a damp towel to lower their body temperature. 

If the symptoms worsen or do not reflect any change in an hour, seek medical intervention.