Notepad Corner

Early retirement is an ambitious and worthwhile goal – and despite the doom and gloom in and around financial markets since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), early retirement is possible. All you need is a well thought out plan and some clearly defined action steps to set you on the road – and then it’s just a matter of following your course and staying focused until your goals are reached. Below are five steps to planning your early retirement – why not get started today? image source: pixabay.com Be Clear About Your Goals Take some time to get very, very clear about what you want to do in your retirement. And how early is ‘early’? Are you thinking of travelling? Starting a business? Just doing up your home, or alternatively upsizing or downsizing at all? Think carefully about these questions, as your answers will inform your plan and how you go about executing your roadmap to early retirement. Once you know where you’re going, you can work out the best way to get there. ...

Moving into a new house or condo is often a fairly disorienting process for most people. The new surroundings are typically sterile and devoid of personality, which makes it hard to love the space. Turning a mere house into a real home takes time and a little forethought. If you'd like to jump-start the process, these quick tips provided should prove helpful. image source: pixabay.com Spice Up the Color Palette For practical reasons, most houses boast muted beige or gray tones in spades to avoid putting off potential buyers. Once you've moved in, you can remake the new house in your own image using your preferred colors. Even if you like understated shades, repainting the walls to reflect your own tastes is the easiest way to put your stamp on the place. Lay Down a Few Throw Rugs One of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to make any house more inviting is by slapping down some unique rugs. Avoid mass-produced items purchased from big-box stores ...

Every year thousands of college students graduate and are eager to join the work force, only to discover an unfortunate reality. While a college degree is often required for many of today’s jobs, lacking practical work experience can leave a young graduate’s resume looking paper thin. It is essential for college graduates to market the skills they have learned in school effectively in order to stand out to prospective employers. Image courtesy of phasinphoto at FreeDigitalPhotos.net Be Practical Employers today often require relevant experience for entry-level work. Though this sounds like a difficult conundrum, an effectively written resume can overcome this obstacle. To best market your skills, frame what you have learned in college in a practical application. For example, a graduate with a University of Florida business administration online degree might say he or she “implemented marketing strategies to attract new customers to the campus bookstore.” This provides a le...

Maintaining a clean home each day without spending a fortune can quickly become overwhelming without the proper planning and supplies. Using a few tips and tricks can ensure your home remains bacteria-free and an enjoyable living space for both you and your guests. image credits to: photostock - freedigitalphotos.net Clean Up and Sweep Daily Cleaning each room by picking up clutter and sweeping or vacuuming daily is a way to avoid deep-cleaning needs less often. Simply taking the time to wipe counters, toilets and other surrounding appliances rids larger messes that require more time to clean entirely. Invest in cleaning wipes and sweeping products that allow you to quickly sweep and mop with minimal effort, keeping spills at bay while allowing you to ensure your home is clean and safe for children and pets at all times. Rid Clutter and Excess Items Rid the clutter from your home and living areas to create a more serene and enjoyable living environment. Thro...

You want a dream home, but what happens when that dream home is located in a sub-par neighborhood? Many people focus on a home's size, style and amenities, but not everyone focuses on the traits of the neighborhood it is located in. If you are planning to call a house your home for the long-term, it is important to live within a community that is both inviting and caters to families with children. Here are five traits you should never overlook on your mission to find the best property for your family to reside in. Image courtesy of winnond / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Quality Schools Are Essential If your children will be attending public school, it is essential that you check to see what school your child will attend when living in a specific neighborhood. Do not just consider their grade-level now, but also consider their grade level in the future. You should check to see how the schools in the region compare to others in the area, and stay away from those with poor test...

Your plumbing is one of the most important components in your home. You want to keep it working at all times, and you want to prolong its lifespan as long as possible. If you want to keep your plumbing in good shape for years to come, follow these five tips to take care of it and prevent it from breaking down. image source: http://www.sgiordanopandh.com/ _images/pl3.jpg 1. Don’t Flush the Wrong Things One of the most common ways that people damage their plumbing is by flushing things they shouldn’t down their toilets. Don’t flush anything other than human waste and toilet paper down your toilet. You especially need to avoid flushing things like paper towels, sanitary napkins and baby wipes. 2. Fix Clogs Right Away According to Always Plumbing & Heating , one of the most common ways that people damage their plumbing is by letting clogs fester for too long. If you have a clog that keeps coming back, you need to get professional help to get rid of it for...

Each year, over one-fourth of Americans report being dissatisfied with their repairs from a mechanic, with costs being the biggest source of satisfaction, followed by improper repairs. In fact, unnecessary car repair is consistently ranked among of highest causes of consumer complaints in the United States, and repair costs have been estimated to be in the tens of billions- even as high as $40 billion. These expenses pile up on top of all the other costs of owning a car. Owning a car can cost an average of $9,122 for sedans (which comes out to 60.8 cents per mile over the vehicle’s lifespan) to $9,795 for a minivan (65.3 cents per mile) to $11,599 for an SUV (77.3 cents per mile). Maintenance costs increase the cost of owning a car even more; upkeep cost Americans an average of 4.97 cents per mile in 2013, equivalent to about $750 per year. Interestingly, these hundreds of dollars of repairs stem from the same few areas of your car. Your engine, for example, is the most importan...