Dragon Boat 07 – Saving and Money Tips

We have two common types of solar panels in the market which include, solar-thermal, and photovoltaic panels. These two panels play an essential role in the generation of free electricity, and they enhance this through the conversion of sunlight into electricity or through the transferring heat from the sun to ventilation and heating systems. There are several benefits realised when solar energy is used in the generation of energy like reduction in the costs incurred with electricity generation. Another vital role associated with solar panels is that they enhance the provision of pollution-free power sources, in addition to affording new independence levels to those consuming energy.

Reduces pollution

Solar panels are essential when it comes to the reduction of air pollution that comes from coal power plants. It is true that coal plants do filter their emissions, but some amounts of toxic usually do penetrate through the filtration system and get their way to the atmosphere. Among the pollutants that penetrates from the emissions of the coal power plant, mercury is one of them, which lead to contamination of the local ecological systems, harms human inhabitants, wildlife, and plants. Since power from solar panels is emissions-free, it is safer to the communities, and the environment is neighbouring the arrays from solar panels than the case of coal power plants.

Conservation of the resources

No any other source of fuel is required by the solar panels to perform their role since they work by converting the sun’s light into heat and electricity. Nuclear power systems, oil, natural gas, and coal depend on the non-renewable sources for the generation of power.

Preserving habitats affected by mining

Here we’ll look at uranium and coal mining which are an inherently devastating issue to their local environments. Disruption of the local habitats in large-scale, waste products, and heavy products are in a position of rendering the land that surrounds a mine barren and the unusable when the mine is not under use anymore. Another dangerous issue to the workers operating the mines is coal mining. Thus, with the solar panels, the possibility of these dangers get eliminated to both the environment and the miners.

Reducing the pressure for nuclear power

Mostly, nuclear power is ranked as the source of energy that is both clean and green since it does cause any pollution. However, the bad thing with nuclear power is that it generates harmful waste. Also, the nuclear fission reactors are ranked to be controversial due to the production of long-lasting waste. Moreover, with nuclear fission reactors, there is the possibility of the catastrophic events.

Costs reduction

With solar panels, you reduce the financial costs incurred when using electricity. All this is because sunlight is always available and you don’t have to pay any fee to get it. Also, solar panels do not rely on fuel processing and expensive mining. After building a solar, it starts operating without applying any other energy or paying for it.

Solar panels offer a significant benefit in some applications where it is used in the supplementation of the existing power sources for the reduction of total energy cost. Moreover, for the case of power systems, the electricity they use, they essentially supply it from solar and other sources of renewable energy like hydroelectric, and wind. Therefore, it can be seen that they generate electricity without incurring any cost through the aid of solar power.…

How an Inspection can save your $1,000’s

December 13, 2018

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The importance of a building and pest inspection

Are you thinking about purchasing a new home or property in Gold Coast? Before you make a purchase it’s normally advisable to have a building and pest control carried out. These entail a building inspector or if the property is bigger a team of building inspectors who investigate the building or a home and look for any defects which might prove to be a potential risk in the long run.

There are several reasons why a building and pest inspection is necessary, these include:

A building and pest inspection can help detect any problems with the property and give a warning to have those problems resolved before things actually get worse.
When it comes to buying new property, you are already spending a few million dollars. Getting an inspection of a few thousand dollars done can save you from a great deal of headache later on. Imagine buying a property only to discover that there are structural problems within it or the wiring is faulty and needs to be replaced. Maybe the building has a pest infestation. Pest like termites and rats can eat into the wiring and the wood work of a building and cause a great deal of damage.
Normally pest infestation is not visible to a lay person. There could be no visible signs as such. It is only an experienced building inspector who could actually help and find out any problems and check out for pest infestations.

Also a building and pest control could help you negotiate better. While purchasing the property you can include this inspection as a part of those negotiations. If any defects or problems are found you can actually use these to bring the price down. Make sure to ask for a reduced price before you make a purchase. The key is to hire a building inspector before you actually make any big promise. When the seller knows an inspection is part of the negotiations plans they will be prepared s well and there would be no sudden surprises or disagreements involved.
These inspections could also help you save money in the long run. Any structural or pest issues in a building could pose to be a major problem once you have moved in. sometimes the cost can go up to almost ten thousand dollars and even more. However this can be avoided if your building inspector already discovers this problem before you make a purchase. Just a visual tour of the home is never enough. There is a dire need of a keen eye for any minute issue which aren’t apparent to just anyone.
Also a pest inspection could help detect the problem early on and help save you lots of money in the long run. An infestation which is too deep is often more expensive and also a great deal more difficult to get rid of.

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All About Saving Money on Landscaping

June 17, 2018August 1, 2018

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Keeping costs down is one of the toughest landscaping challenges faced by a majority of homeowners in the country. In fact, planning to buy soil, plants, wood, rocks, and other landscaping material is not the easiest thing in this day and age. You will find a huge variation in prices among various sources and regions. That is why you should be cautious when investing in essential landscaping materials on the market. Most of the time, the prices of these materials will fluctuate seasonally and quickly. There are many things that you need to consider when shopping for items for your landscape. This article provides money-saving landscaping tips for your garden.

The most important thing is to plan before you buy. You should sketch the landscape design on paper before you start building and planting. It is important that you know what you exactly need and where you are going to put them. This will help you save money in the process. Many homeowners try to do most of the work in designing their garden space by themselves. In fact, they plan to save a few bucks in the process. But this may not the best thing to do unless you are an experienced landscaper yourself. For example, it might be less expensive to build a patio by yourself. But if you find the result so unappealing, you may not want to use the building. That is where an experienced designer comes in handy. It might be worth to pay for a design that you will use over time than doing it yourself and finding the final result unappealing.

On the other hand, only a few homeowners have the financial resources to landscape their entire property at once. That is why it is important that you divide the project into several phases and pay as you go with the funds available at that particular moment. That way you will save a lot of money on loan or credit costs. You can also evaluate the progress of the project and adjust the plan if required. You should take advantage of a home improvement warehouse in the area to buy your landscaping stuff in bulk. In fact, you can bargain on common annuals and perennials when you buy in bulk. These are important things to consider when saving money with your landscaping project.

Shopping online for rare plants and specialised products is one of the best ways to save money with the landscaping project. In fact, online shops may provide lower prices compared to brick and mortar stores in the area. They don’t have too many overheads similar to brick and mortar stores. Hence, they can easily offer lower prices for landscaping products. You save a lot of money in the process.

Keeping the costs down is not an easy task when it comes to landscaping. You will find a huge variation in prices among the various sources and regions. The aforementioned article provides information on how you could save money when designing your landscape.…

The Best Ways To Save Money When Renting A Truck To Move

May 25, 2018August 1, 2018

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If you have purchased a house that is quite a distance from your current home, and you need to move all of your belongings, you may need to rent a truck or two. Additionally, you may have a business that you need to transition from one office to another. You may have friends or family members that are willing to help you. They may have a van, truck, or other vehicles that can help with this transitional process. However, if you do not have a truck available, and no one else can help you, it’s very easy to rent one that you can use. The companies that offer these trucks can be found in the local phone directory, or you can locate them on the web. Here is the best ways that you can save a lot of money when renting a truck to move.

How To Search For These Companies Online

If you need to find these companies quickly, and you only need one truck, it’s very easy to get a quote. They may even be able to provide you with this information by calling them on the phone. It is often better to go to their website. You can see the different trucks they have available. This can help you make the right decision. By getting quotes on virtually identical trucks from each of the companies that you find, you will know which one is offering you the best deal. In some cases, you will get exceptional prices from a company that is willing to undercut their competitors. Just make sure that it is large enough to provide you with enough room so that, when you move, you can make fewer trips as you transition to your new home or office.

What If You Need To Rent More Than One Truck?

If you do need to rent more than one truck, which is quite common with many people, you can get estimates on several trucks at the same time. Larger companies will almost always have a fleet of vehicles. You can choose from all of the trucks that they have to offer. When you get quotes from all of the companies, make sure that you are getting estimates that are reflective of trucks that are similar in size and style. By doing so, this will give you a more accurate understanding of how much it will cost to rent multiple tracks from one of these businesses.

Always Confirm That They Will Have These Trucks Available When You Need Them

A common mistake that many people make is they will rent these trucks, but they will not verify that those specific trucks will all be available on a particular date. In some cases, these companies will try to substitute other trucks for you to use, but they may not be the ones that you need to make the transition as quickly as you would want. They may only have the smaller models, and this means extra time that you will have to spend as you are moving things from one location to the next. If you can verify that the exact trucks that you are renting are going to be available on the day that you need them, this is going to help improve your chances of moving as quickly as you can.

If you do need one truck, or if you need several, you can get quotes from companies that will have very similar rentals for you to choose from. Always verify that those particular vehicles will be available on the days that you need them. Finally, always get estimates on similar trucks to make sure that you are paying the lowest possible price. By using these tips, it will be very easy to save money when you are renting a truck or two. The company that you choose should also be very reputable, preferably with numerous positive comments that have been made by individuals and companies that have use them before.…

Practical Tips On How To Save Money On Accommodation When Travelling

May 10, 2018April 29, 2018

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Accommodation costs are among the most significant cost items in just about any travel budget. Finding ways to cut the cost of your chosen accommodation option can translate into massive savings; you can spend the extra cash on other fun travel activities.

It’s worth mentioning that the accommodation option you end up choosing is determined by your budget, personal interests and preferences, travel destination and number of participants.

It is true that you can simply ask the attendant at your chosen accommodation option about any available discount offers; after all they will only say no if nothing is available. However, following the tips below will definitely make it easier for you to secure travel accommodation discounts.

Which Season?

When choosing the season when to schedule you trip, remember that it has a bearing on the applicable accommodation cost. Travel accommodations tend to be more expensive during popular travel periods due to high demand as a result of high traveller numbers.

Planning your travel during the shoulder seasons, when conditions are still favourable, will raise your chances of finding discounted accommodation. During this period travel accommodation service providers usually turn to discounted prices to attract customers.

Days Of The Week

It is true that hoteliers charge different prices for their rooms depending on what day of the week it is. Hotels in business districts are usually busy during weekdays, and deserted during weekends. Booking your stay to coincide with the weekend might help you save some cash.

Hotels in big cities also tend to be busy during weekends, so be sure to avoid them as room prices are usually at their highest. You can follow room prices using available online applications to find out what the trend is for your specific travel destination in advance.

Location Matters

The location of the accommodation option you end up choosing has a significant bearing on the prices charged. In most cases, travellers can find cheaper accommodation options farther away from city centres.

It is however worth noting that you should remember to consider the implications of staying away from the city. including applicable commuting costs. Be sure to choose a location that is centrally located to avoid losing the savings you make on accommodation to huge costs associated with commuting to airports or attractions.

Accommodation Options

There are different accommodation options, all with charging different accommodation costs. Hostels, apartments and family suites are among the more affordably priced accommodation options available out there.

Before choosing any of the alternative accommodation options available above, be sure to check out whether they are available in your intended travel destination. Furthermore, check whether the available facilities and their condition meet your preferences.

Making Your Booking

The means by which you make your travel accommodation booking influences the cost you end up paying. Some credit cards have reward schemes that offer significant discounts for travellers using them during travel.

When making a booking you can also check out any reward programs ran by the hotel chain you plan on staying in. Frequent travellers who use other hotels in the chain might qualify for discounted stays as well.

With the above tips in mind, you will have an easier time finding discounted accommodation during your trip.…

How A Pressure Washer Will Save You Money

May 10, 2018

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The fact is that there are many benefits to using a pressure washer as compared to a traditional garden hose. One of its leading benefits is its ability to save your money. For example, did you know that pressure washer helps cut down on waste water? Yes! Just imagine it. With an ever-increasing cost of water and growing demand to cut back on usage on wastewater, a pressure washer is a great investment, especially in a business setting.

With so many efficient pressure washers on the market, choosing the best as per your need is a tricky business. as such, it helps if you do a bit of research. First, it is important to note that an industrial pressure washer should be different to a home pressure washer. Industrial pressure washers are more powerful and pack a punch compared to a home version, and therefore getting the right information is paramount.

How does a pressure washer save you money? This is the million-dollar question. Well, below are 4 ways it will save you money.

1. Heavy Duty Outdoor And Indoor Cleaning

The truth is that cleaning a company or manufacturing company is a big deal and take more time. Furthermore, seeking the services of a professional cleaning company that can offer heavy duty outdoor and indoor cleaning services will cost you more, compared to buying an industrial power washer.

Well, for a fact; an industrial pressure washer can cost you anywhere from $500 to $5000. This may should expensive, but consider what you are cleaning with it. For example, garages, gas stations, and manufacturing companies can benefit more from industrial pressure washers because heavy duty cleaning is necessary.

2. Cleaning Machinery

Have you ever asked yourself why do car wash service providers use pressure washers and their services are always affordable? If you have not, then you should know that it not only makes work easier but save time. As a car owner, you understand the importance of regular car cleaning. Grime and mud build up inside the wheelbase and it will reduce the efficiency of the machine and make them work improperly. If left for long, it may lead to damages.

At the same time, if you own a boat, you understand how they pick up different kinds of water critters and algae; and cleaning it helps increase its lifespan. Now because you have invested money in these machines, you can save a lot of maintenance cost by simply performing a simple cleaning routine using pressure washers.

3. Time Is Money

Time is money and this is a fact. With this tool, you will be able to save time to get back to work or focus on other important things. As such, if you are a company owner, you will not experience loss revenues due to cleaning.

4. Saves Water

Did you know that pressure washers save water, which means affordable water bills? Let’s do the math for a better understanding. Pressure washers are known to use less gallon of water per minute as compared to your traditional garden hose. In a matter of facts, a garden hose output is 8 gallons per minute and pressure washer output is about 5 gallons per minute. This is made possible by the simple fact that pressured water allows less flow of water.…

Building A Home? Save Money

April 24, 2018April 30, 2018

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If you are embarking on the adventure of building your first home it’s a good bet that you are taking that first step towards a dream. The dream of that perfect household where you and your family will enjoy love, life and laughter.

But there is one inescapable fact. Whether its a single or 2 storey home, it’s going to cost a whole lot of money. And that expenditure is going to not only put a strain on your bank account – it’s also going to put a whole lot of strain on your personal relations with your loved ones.

So are there ways to save when you are committed to building that first dream house? There are and here are some of those.

First it is absolutely essential that you build that you build that bank account to fully fund the building of that dream home. One of the easiest ways of doing this is to sell your existing home yourself. If you go through a realtor you will be paying a commission of up to 6%. It may take some time and a bit of patience but that money is in your pocket – rather than someone else’s.

Secondly – apply for a credit card with zero percent interest. If your credit rating is clean then this should not be an effort. You’ll avoid paying interest for between a year and two years. That’s a huge saving when it comes to payment for both planned and unexpected costs.

If you are not willing to part with your existing property then get in touch with realtors that specialize in rentals. You can readily offset the costs of building that new home by simply renting your old one. If you have friends or family who are willing to put you up for a short period while you find finance then take advantage of that relationship. Just be sure you have a room available in your new home to welcome them.

Planning is also everything. If you think that you know what you want from your new home – think again. Mistakes in planning can be costly. Visit homes on the market and see how they are designed. This will help clarify your thoughts – and make that dream home closer to what is actually needed than the dream you have.

One of the most essential steps to getting that dream home is to find an architect who offers value for money and has experience in the area where you will be building.

Then that all important aspect – the building. You simply must find the builder who is best suited to your unique needs. That have to be certified and they need to have an understanding of what you are trying to achieve. Without a competent builder you are going to be facing an uphill battle to have a home where you and your family will be able to move into.

Building a new home is always going to be a challenge, but with the right partners and planning the pain and expense can be reduced to a minimum.…

That Moment when you Realise that Money Defines your Life; That is the Moment when You Become a Money Grown-Up

December 15, 2017December 12, 2017

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| Blog, the moment you realise that money defines your life that is the moment you become a money grown-up

Becoming a financial adult does not have anything to do with age in years. You might also never become a financial adult. The specific financial, grown-up moment will come with the realization that money defines your life.

The defining financial adulthood moment differs for everyone and can come at any age.

Defining growing up moments can come when:

You have to pay your first taxes. You knew there were taxes payable sometime, somewhere, but did not make time to find out the whole of it. And then the time came, and you did not plan for it and do not have the money.
A tooth repair cost you the whole of next month’s rent and the electricity bill. You thought that health insurance will only be for when you are older because you never get sick. That thought only held out until you broke your tooth and had no emergency savings or health insurance.

And then also when you suddenly realise:

I need to start thinking about Tomorrow. When you look at the people around you and find that everybody has a contingency plan for retirement, health, and emergencies. And they are not afraid of thinking of retirement or vehicle repairs.
When someone gives you Advice and you realise it is good advice. Following that advice and getting the results was the awesome awakening moment that you can do finance.
When you take Control of your Finances. Starting to plan, work out a budget, saving some money and taking care of retirement and health and life insurance, defines an adult financial attitude.

Whether you like it or not, money will have an influence throughout your life. How you are going to keep a balance will depend on how you approach money and financial matters.…

Experiencing Financial Burnout? How to go Back to the Basics of Financial Know-How

December 8, 2017December 12, 2017

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| Blog, xperiencing financial burnout? How to go back to the basics of financial know-how

A good motto for everything in life is to never overdo anything. Moderation should be your keyword for all you do. That also includes your finances.

Most people seldom do moderation, going from one extreme to another in all things they do. For example; from turning over every penny and keeping count of all you spend, to making a roundabout turn, and start spending if tomorrow will never come.

When you’re stuck in this in-betweens and extremes, you should go back to the basics.

Going back to the basics:

Take a Look at your Goals; review the goals you set earlier, are they still relevant to you today? If not, you should take a fresh look at what you want to achieve, and how you want to achieve it. Make a new list, with new dates, how long will it take you, what will be needed to get to the goals, and how much money you should put aside towards your goals.

Make a New Budget; it may be that the budget you made before is not valid anymore. Your situation changed, there might be more money available, or you made more debt. Both ways, be realistic and set up a new budget. And then, keep to your budget.

Pay off Debt; especially those high-interest debt needs to be paid off as soon as possible. Something like a home mortgage should not be a bother if the interest rates are low.

Think About the Future; everybody gets to a retirement date. You need to plan for that date. It might seem silly if you are still young but look at the elderly people around you. Do they live a good life or are they struggling? The earlier you start saving, the less stressful your retirement will be.

But, Also, Live for Today; plan sufficiently for retirement, health and life insurance, and all those future things. But remember to also live today. Spend time and money on the things that are important to you right now.

Your money should be a benefit to you and all and everything that is important to you.…

5 Financial Tips to Help Change the Way You Use Money and the Manner in which you think About Money

December 1, 2017December 12, 2017

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| 5 financial tips to help change the way you use money and the manner in which you think about money, Blog

Starting out on our life’s journey we don’t always think too much about money and retirement, or even just next month, or next year. We have money now, and we use it now. Retirement is too far in the future, anything after tomorrow seems too far in the future.

That non-thinking about money for the future might cause some serious problems later in life. Rather take a minute a day and just think about next year, the same date a year later, will you still be just where you are now, or would you like to be someplace other than this?

5 Tips to help you Change your Money Habits and Thought Processes:

Make Time for a Money Minute Every Day: Somewhere during the day, take a minute each day to check your financial status, the transactions you made, and on what you spend your money. You can immediately identify where you might be going wrong, spending too much, and maybe spending on the wrong things.
Work out a Budget: In this budget you should include everything that you need to pay and spend money on; your monthly payments, rent, electricity, transport, Internet, etc. and then also things like clothing, food, and luxuries, eating out, buying a book, go out for a movie, and more.
Set up Financial Goals for Bigger Buys: Describe what you see yourself doing with your money. Use specific dates and numbers, not only words. Specify what you wanted to save, the amount in numbers, by which date, also numbers, or what you wanted to buy, when.
Take a Specific Goal and make it your Money Spending Mantra: Before you spend money on an unplanned item, ask yourself the money spending mantra; is this purchase going to be better than the cruise ship next summer?
Learn to Savour: This actually just means that you should appreciate what you have and to enjoy it to the fullest. Things do not make you happy. You do not need to buy things to be happy.

Banish toxic, negative thoughts about money. Find positive mantras. Value yourself, and get your body, mind and finances in shape. All of these are good life-habits which will not only help your health and life but also your finances.

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