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Fun with…Paper Clips!?

It’s amazing what people can accomplish when they’re bored. Take the everyday paper clip, for example. With a little creativity and time on your hands, you can be quite productive, even during a time of severe procrastination! Though you may want to spend your time a little more wisely, here are a few unbelievable things you can do with simple little paper clips.

Have a dirty keyboard? Is one of your keys not working properly or sticking every time you try to hit it? Bend and unfold a paper clip and insert one side of the clip under the edge of the key you wish to remove. The key can then be easily removed, cleaned properly or replaced.

If you are an artist or just have an artistic flair, try using paper clips for creative purposes or to add to something you’re currently working on. Words can be spelled out with colored paper clips or you can create animals or structures by bending and molding multiple clips.

Extra crafty individuals can create necklaces for their friends or family. Add other crafts to the project like beads or pendants and let the paper clips serve for the base of the necklace. Mix and match colored paper clips and beads for a bright, vibrant homemade piece of jewelry.

Using a few simple supplies and an indefinite amount of creativity, you can let your imagination run wild and create things you never thought possible.

Stop Counting Calories

Counting calories making your head spin? Don’t despair – according to WebMD, maintaining a healthy weight isn’t achieved using a magic caloric formula. In fact, there are better things you can do that will help you maintain a healthy weight or achieve your fitness goals. Skip calorie counting and try these methods instead:

Eat smaller portions – Eating smaller portions undoubtedly affects your calorie intake. We’re conditioned to measure portion sizes by assuming the food we’ve been served throughout our lives is appropriately sized. Larger portions at restaurants exacerbate the problem, making us (and our bodies) believe we need the same size servings at home. Monitoring portion sizes puts you back in control.

Eat energy-burning foods – Selecting foods that burn more calories is a sure way to limit calorie intake, because they require more energy (calories) to digest and metabolize. Put simply, your body will burn off the calories you consume, instead of adding to your daily count.

Eat only the best calories – Your body needs calories – what it doesn’t need are the kinds that come from sugary drinks, sweet desserts and alcoholic beverages. Opt for fruits and veggies, which are not only highly nutritious, but also have less calories overall.

5 Home Upgrades to Consider This Season

While many homeowners dream of a huge remodeling job (hello five-star kitchen!), simple home updates that can be completed in a timely manner—without breaking the bank—typically offer the best return on your investment. If you’re itching to upgrade your home this season, whether with your own two hands or by bringing in a certified contractor, consider the following ideas.

Change the Hardware. By simply replacing the hardware (drawer pulls, knobs) and faucets, you can create an entirely different look. If you’re feeling really adventurous, and in the mood for a more drastic effect, you can even paint the cabinets. Or, dress up the kitchen with a decorative backsplash that ties the whole room together.

Add a Little Paint. Do all the rooms in your home blend together because they’re painted the same color? Painting an accent wall is a great way to help a room ‘pop.’ Whether it’s in the kitchen, living room, dining room (or any other room in the home), an accent wall is a simple way to incorporate a color you love into the space without going overboard. If you’re content with the walls just the way they are, another popular alternative is to paint the ceiling.

Update the Entryway. An inviting entryway is just as important for creating a good first impression among visitors as it is among prospective buyers. Wow your guests—and even your family—with an updated facade. From (re)painting the front door to incorporating vinyl door decals to welcome visitors in style, updating the front of your home is a surefire way to create a welcoming environment.

Install Hardwood Floors. Hardwood floors are a popular choice among homeowners looking to update their space, and with a little elbow grease and know-how, avid do-it-yourselfers can complete the look with their own two hands. Tongue-and-groove flooring that fits together like a puzzle is a safe bet for anyone looking to get their hands dirty in home improvement projects this season.

Add a Porch/Patio. Whether they’re semi-enclosed, attached to the home’s front entrance or built at ground level, the addition of a porch/patio extends a home’s living space. From adding value to your home to upping its curb appeal, if you have the space, this is one project you should move to the top of your to-do list.

Buyers May Face Hidden Costs for Homes with Solar Power By Kerry Smith

“Solar-powered home” sounds like a great money-saving deal, but buyers should study possible costs before committing. Not all property insurance companies will cover solar panels, and the ones that do have a wide-ranging set of rules and inconsistent coverage pricing.

ORLANDO, Fla. – According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, solar panel use in Florida jumped 57% in 2020. Beyond a desire to save the planet, increased demand sprang from low interest rates, pandemic-locked homeowners who targeted improvement projects, tax rebates and lower costs for the technology.

As a result, more homebuyers see listings that offer solar power and the promise of long-term savings on their power bills.

However, potential savings could be offset by another higher cost: property insurance rates.

“There’s not a lot of history on solar panels. There’s not a lot of data, so a lot of carriers won’t cover homes with solar,” said Christy Wolfe, sales development manager with Florida Peninsula Insurance and Edison Insurance, to the Insurance Journal. “And when you start drilling holes in a roof, it’s problematic.”

Some Florida insurers say they have enough problems already, thanks to the rising cost of supplies for replacement jobs like roofs, and they fear that their ongoing legal problems could become exacerbated if they’re faced with new lawsuits over solar-panel issues.

Some insurers simply include solar panel coverage under Section A in homeowners’ policies, said B.G. Murphy, director of government affairs for the Florida Association of Insurance Agents. Others add conditions, such as not covering photovoltaic panels damaged by wind or hail. And others offer no solar panel coverage at all.

Florida-owner Citizens Property Insurance will cover some – but not all – solar homes, a spokesperson told the Insurance Journal. The state’s largest private insurer, Universal Property & Casualty, will cover solar panels if a roof is in good condition, according to John Lykins, the Alabama and Florida marketing manager for Universal.

Lykins calls liability “the tricky part.” What if solar-panel electricity injures a utility worker, for example?

Insurers’ solar panel considerations

Frontline Insurance won’t cover homes with “net metering,” meaning projects that allow the homeowner to sell excess electricity back to the power grid. That includes almost all solar-powered homes, says Scott Kremkau, a sales representative for Frontline in the Florida Panhandle, unless they only use solar to heat hot water or swimming pools.
A home that generates more than 10 kilowatts of power faces a Florida requirement for $1 million in liability coverage. Many insurers won’t do that, and “something we absolutely won’t cover,” Kremkau says.
Some local utilities require homeowners to name them in their homeowners policy. Some don’t.
Some insurers say that a homeowners’ policy isn’t even legitimate if they sell electricity back to a utility. They claim that makes the home a business. Other insurers disagree, likening that logic to owners who get an insurance discount because they updated their home to withstand hurricane-force winds. Insurers have asked the Florida Public Service Commission for clarification.
Insurers also say that property appraisers often don’t factor in solar panels when calculating a home’s value – but for coverage, insurers must consider replacement costs.

On almost every issue, opinions run hot and cold. However, many Florida insurers, already skittish about current problems they’re facing, choose to err on the side of caution.

Amber Bradford, a We Insure agent/owner in Navarre, Florida, says many Florida insurers require a new roof every 10 years now. If that’s the case, she suggests, get a new roof before having solar panels installed.

She also admits that not all insurance agents are up to speed yet on solar options and the industry’s quick growth. She says it’s led to unneeded liability in some cases and too little insurance in others.

“It is kind of a mess right now,” she told the Insurance Journal.

Source: Insurance Journal, Nov. 1, 2021; William Rabb

Foods Doctors Steer Clear of, and Why You Should, Too

Did you know many doctors practice what they preach when it comes to diet? Business Insider recently interviewed two doctors to get their take on what not to eat, and why. Five offenders:

Candy
Candy and other sugar-laden sweets can have a slew of negative effects on health, even beyond weight gain, due to their added sugars. Men should limit their added sugar intake to nine teaspoons per day; women, six.

Dairy Products
Dairy products, especially full-fat butter and cheese, are loaded with saturated fat and sodium, which, if eaten regularly, can be a precursor to out-of-control cholesterol.

Large Fish

Large fish like halibut, swordfish and tuna tend to have more mercury than other species (typically because they consume smaller fish), which can be detrimental to health; however, fish are essential to a wholesome diet, so smaller varieties—think anchovies, mussels, salmon, and trout—are permissible.

Red Meat
Red meat—generally beef or pork—contains saturated fat, which can have an adverse effect on cholesterol, and, in turn, lead to heart disease. Red meat, especially processed products like bacon and sausage, is also packed with sodium, which can contribute to higher blood pressure.

Refined Grains
Refined grains are nutritionally inferior to their whole grain counterparts, specifically with lower levels of fiber. Cereal, pasta, and white flour, white bread and white rice are all classified as refined grains.

Source: Business Insider

Rowdy Kids on Your Road Trip? Tips to Save Your Sanity!

Road tripping with the kids and not sure how to keep them calm the whole time? Don’t worry; your sanity has been saved! Here is a brief checklist of some important items not to forget while traveling with your kids.

– Antibacterial Wipes: Make sure every travel bag is equipped with wipes to wipe down seat trays, tables, high chairs, dropped toys and little, sticky hands.

– Backpack: Make sure each kid has a backpack filled with books and games to keep them occupied. Some stores have $1 bins with small toys to add to backpacks.

– Emergency Pack: Kids have a knack for getting sick or scraping a knee while traveling. I always pack a small emergency pack, including a thermometer, Tylenol, Benadryl, Band-aids and other ‘just-in-case’ items.

– Stickers: Stickers are a great way to entertain kids for long periods of times. There are many different types of stickers you can get to please every kid, no matter what their tastes are.

– VIA: Coffee is a necessity when traveling with small children. Starbucks VIA is a strong coffee that will surely keep you awake.

– Zipper Bags: The value of zipper baggies should never be underestimated! They can carry almost every small toy and can be easily tucked into carry-on bags. They’re also great for housing damp or sticky items and opened snack items

Happy road tripping!

Source: CN Traveler