How to Make Your Home Smarter

Technology is changing the way we do everything, including basic day to day processes at home. The innovation of the smart home is making life more convenient and opening up more and cooler possibilities. Best of all? 

You don’t really need to break the bank anymore to enjoy the latest and greatest home tech. Many homebuilders are making great strides in making affordable smart homes for everyone! Here are some cool inventions that will make life easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable...

Touchscreen Deadbolt

The touchscreen deadbolt series from Schlage makes it possible to lock and unlock your home doors from a remote location. The system can also be programmed with access codes that can expire after a set length of time. For example, you can give the neighbor an access code to take a package inside and then turn off that access code. 





This lock means that you will never need a key to get inside again and the built-in security system will alert you if someone tries to force the door open or tampers with the lock. Modern smartphone integrations also make it an incredible security tool for when you’re gone on holiday or work trips.

Smart Toilet

Smart toilets have been available in Japan for a while, but they will be more readily available soon. Here are just a few of the features that come with a smart toilet:

• Heated seat
• Warm water spraying and air drying (no more toilet paper!)
• Automated seat and lid lower on their own
• Self-cleaning features (no more scrubbing)
• Remote control capabilities
• Music system
• Weight, BMI, blood pressure, and blood sugar monitoring capabilities
• Potty training assistance features
• Sample catcher (no more visits to the doctor’s office to leave a sample!)

What could be better than a hands-free toilet that cleans itself, plays your favorite music, helps monitor your health, and keeps you feeling clean and fresh? We all spend more time in the bathroom each day than we’d like, so upgrading to a smart toilet is one way to make the necessities of life much more enjoyable.

Smart Oven & Range

LG has designed a line of appliances with their new THINQ technology. The THINQ electric oven and range boasts several features that are quite desirable for anyone who spends time in the kitchen. Here are just a few of the key features:

• 6.3 cubic feet of space inside with three racks (LG’s largest oven ever)
• Fastest boiling element on the range
• Infrared cooking technology (same as used on premium outdoor grills)

This smart appliance also comes equipped with several smart features to enhance the cooking experience:

• Use your smartphone to monitor cooking progress while away from the kitchen.
• Verify that all of the cooking functions are off when away from home. No need to race home to make sure you turned the oven off after baking those cookies.
• Use the LG app to browse recipes on your smartphone and then send your chosen recipe directly to the cooking unit. The unit will then automatically set the precise temperature and cooking time needed for your recipe.
• Monitor the self-cleaning functioning while you’re away from home. This means you can clean and run errands at the same time.

Expect to pay about $600 more than the cost of the standard LG oven and range to get these added features. If you love to cook, but also have a busy and demanding schedule, this might be the solution for you.

Phone-Controlled Garage Door Openers

Garage door openers are an often overlooked amenity of your home, but they make a great difference in your quality of life. A secure, quiet, and efficient garage door opener makes your life more convenient, peaceful, and secure. 

Just like any other technology, garage door openers have been impacted by the smart home revolution, as smartphone integrated technology allows you to control your garage from your pocket, with added features of security and customization.

Crockpot WeMo

Do you love using a slow cooker? Having a slow cooker means that dinner can be cooking while you are away all day. However, what do you do when you are away longer than you expected? The new Crockpot slow cooker with WeMo makes it possible to use an app on your smartphone to control your crockpot at home. 

You can also program your crockpot with multiple functions before you leave home. For example, you can set the slow cooker to cook on low for eight hours and then switch to the warm setting until you are home. You can even use your smartphone to turn the slow cooker off. With a capacity of six quarts and a dishwasher-safe stoneware and lid, you can cook for the whole family and clean up easily too.

Sleep Number Dual Temp Layer Mattress Cover

So you are always freezing and your spouse is hotter than a firecracker. Thanks to Sleep Number, your nighttime temperature battles could be over forever. No need to find a happy medium any longer. 

Sleep Number has created a layer that fits on top of your existing mattress and makes it possible to have each side of the bed set at a different temperature. You can use a remote to program your ideal temperature and even set the timer to match your alarm clock.

While this invention may sound like a dream come true, the dream does come with a hefty price tag attached. Then again, when you think about the fact that you spend about 3,000 hours each year on average sleeping in bed, maybe this solution won’t seem quite so expensive after all.

How to Set More Effective Goals

Setting goals is something that is often talked about in corporate settings. Most people who own a business and/or have experience working in a position of leadership recognize the importance of setting goals and the value it brings. While goals are often set and worked toward in the business world, few people make the effort to create and follow them on their own time. 

And when they do try to set goals, they don’t do so effectively because they don’t know how. This is a missed opportunity for many people who either don’t understand the value of setting goals or don’t know how to do it effectively and efficiently.

Why Is Goal-Setting Important?

At some point in our lives, we all have likely heard the theory that when someone is lost in the forest or in the desert, they tend to walk around in circles. While that common expression didn’t originate from any factual evidence, studies have been done to confirm that the theory is true: Without some sort of reference point, people who are lost in the forest or desert do have a tendency to walk in circles.




This is a great analogy demonstrating the importance of setting goals. Goals that are properly set serve as reference points in the future that we are hoping to attain. When we have a clearly-defined goal that we are working towards, it puts our path of life into perspective and gives us more direction than we otherwise would have. 

This is why successful companies integrate goal-setting into their business routines and why you should integrate it into your daily life.

How Can I Set More Effective Goals?

Not all goals are created equally. Some are much more appropriate, reasonable, and effective than others. In fact, some goals are just downright useless. Others, on the other hand, are extremely beneficial. The differences between the two are important. Here are some of the defining characteristics that all effective goals share:

• They are specific. Instead of telling yourself, “I want to be in good shape,” a much more effective alternative is to narrow it down and be more specific. For example, “I want to be able to run a mile in 7 minutes.” The more specific the goal, the better, because it’s much easier to visualize and to know when you have attained it. While it can be difficult to know when you’re “in good shape,” it is extremely easy to know whether or not you can run a mile in 7 minutes.
• They are measurable. As the previous example demonstrated, goals that are measurable are much more effective than ones that are not. If you set a goal to be more productive, at what point do you cross that goal off? How do you track your progress? If, on the other hand, you set a goal to make a to-do list every night and cross at least 4 things off of it the next day, you have a definitive goal to reach and you can measure your progress as you go.
• They are achievable. If you set a goal that is too easy, you’ll accomplish it quickly without stretching yourself. If you set a goal that is too difficult, you’ll lose your motivation and give up on it. Every great goal is easy enough to achieve and difficult enough to stretch you. Always remember that!
• They are relevant. This one’s a bit obvious, but it’s worth repeating that there’s no point in setting goals for things that won’t improve your life in some way. If you have a specific problem—let’s say you’re struggling with a substance abuse addiction—you’ll want to set goals that are recovery-specific. For example, setting a goal to go one month without abusing drugs or alcohol will be much more effective than setting a goal to learn to play the piano (a silly example, I know, but it demonstrates the point well).
• They are time-sensitive. Every effective goal has a deadline. Referring back to our previous example, instead of simply saying, “I want to run a mile in 7 minutes,” it’s much better to say, “I want to run a mile in 7 minutes by January 4th, which is in 5 months.” That way, you have a set time frame and have given yourself a deadline to work toward.

Set SMART Goals

If you’re having trouble remembering the formula that every effective goal follows, remember the acronym SMART:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-sensitive

If you keep those things in mind as you set goals, you’ll be on your way to living a more peaceful and productive life in no time!

How to Invest in Your Retirement

Saving for retirement can be a daunting task for many people. You know it is important to have money set aside for later in life, but you may be overwhelmed by the logistics and unsure of your options.

Actually, like many things in life, investing in your retirement is not so stressful when it is broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks of information. For instance, consider the following three ways to save, invest and plan for retirement:

Take Advantage of Any Matching Options for Your 401K

If your employer offers a retirement plan like a 401K and also matches a certain percentage of the amount that you contribute, by all means do whatever you can to add the max to the retirement account. Any amount that your employer matches is essentially free money, so it’s definitely worth looking into. 

A common scenario in the 401K match world is for your employer to put 50 cents into your retirement plan for every dollar you put in—this is usually up to 6 percent of your gross salary for the year. So, if you earn $40K at your job and contribute $2,400, or 6 percent to your 401K plan, your boss will add in $1,200 more.

Start Your Own Tax-Advantaged Nest Egg

While a 401K is a great place to start, especially if it involves the aforementioned matching option, you should also consider starting your own retirement savings accounts. You can open a traditional or Roth IRA account, and put money into it as you can; this will allow your money to grow tax-free until your start to withdraw it in retirement. 




You can speak with your banker about opening an IRA account or if you have a financial planner he or she can help you as well. There are limits for how much you can contribute to an IRA every year; on the flip side, you can also set aside smaller amounts of money into the account.

Have an Action Plan in Place for Financial Emergencies

In a perfect world, you will continue to work as long as you wish and then live happily off of your retirement savings. Unfortunately, people sometimes encounter severe financial emergencies that can wipe out their savings. For instance, a serious medical condition that requires months of treatment and hospital stays can be devastating for your retirement accounts. 

To help prevent your nest egg from being shattered, you may want to have an action plan ready to go that will help pay for medical treatments and other financial emergencies. One idea is to look into selling your life insurance policy through a company like Coventry Direct. 

This will allow you to gain access to much-needed funds to help pay for medical bills and other financial hardships that may unexpectedly arise as you get older. Again, it is hoped that you will not endure a situation like this, but looking into an option like this now rather than later is a good idea and can give you invaluable peace of mind.

You Will Get There, One Dollar at a Time

Saving for retirement does not have to be a stressful process—in fact, your employer may already be willing and able to help you get there. Start by speaking with your HR department about a matching plan and then head to the bank to see about an IRA. These steps, along with looking into emergency options for cash if need be, will help you to plump up your retirement savings and allow you to enjoy your golden years.

How to Earn Some Extra Cash by Selling Your Collectibles

Collectors of all stripes occasionally need to sell items from their collection. This may be because you have duplicates, because you need the money or because you simply don’t want that particular item anymore. 

No matter the reason, you will want to go about the selling process the right way. Here are some important things to keep in mind when hoping to earn some extra cash by selling your collectibles.

Determine Its Value

After deciding you want to sell a particular item, the next step should be determining how much the item is worth. This will give you a good sense of how much you can sell it for so you won’t ask too much or too little. Ask too much money and you will be unable to sell the item. Ask too little and you will lose money on the sale.

Consider Where to Sell

Next, you will want to consider where you plan to sell this item. Presumably, you want to get top dollar for your collection, so you will want to place the item for sale where interested buyers are most likely to find it. 


To sell your coin collection, for example, you may want to go through coin collecting-specific channels to find interested buyers. Do some research and determine the best places to sell certain kinds of items.

Be Honest

You need to be honest and upfront with your buyers regarding the exact condition and type of item you are selling. A good way to do this is take detailed pictures or allow an interested party to inspect the item in person. 

Add details such as information on the exact edition, any defects and how an item has been stored. Dishonesty will only create problems for you down the road.

Ship the Item Carefully

If you have found a local buyer, you may not have to ship the item. However, in many cases you will be responsible for shipping the item to the buyer. Be sure you pack the item securely in quality packaging so it will arrive to your buyer undamaged. 

This is especially important for fragile or very valuable items. Also make sure the package is trackable and insured to protect yourself in case something goes wrong.

Thanks to the Internet, it is easier than ever before to earn some solid extra cash by selling your collectibles. Be sure to do some research ahead of time so you will know where, how and for how much you can sell your collectibles. If you do, you can find the right buyer willing to pay what those items are worth.

Think Ahead: 4 Ways to Keep Your Car Insurance Rates Low

The use of technology makes it much easier for consumers to shop and make purchases. This is true when it comes to buying items and acquiring car insurance. The internet is a valuable tool in this category. It allows you to search for affordable coverage for your vehicle. This can be done even prior to purchasing your car. The ultimate goal is to find rates that are low and budget-friendly.

There are things that responsible drivers can do to maintain their low rates. These involve the way that you drive and are aware of topics, such as traffic law assistance. The more that the average driver knows, the better equipped they are to find good coverage. Knowing the law and following it consistently is beneficial to all drivers. You will get the right insurance by conducting a bit of research.

Bargain Shop

According to Finder.com, the average driver is behind the wheel 13+K miles each year. This includes driving to work, as well as, for pleasure or vacation. Even people who drive fewer miles need to have good insurance coverage. 



Bargain shopping is a terrific way to get the rates that you want. There are many websites that provide qualified drivers with quotes for varying types of car insurance.

Drive Safely

One way to get low insurance rates and to maintain them is to be a safe driver. This considers those who have never receive driving or traffic infractions. These are just a part of the things that insurers use when approving drivers for coverage. Safety involves knowing and maintaining the law. 

The Insurance Information Institute also reports that drivers with good credit records are better able to get coverage. If you receive a traffic ticket, it’s a good idea to get traffic law assistance to see what can be done to rectify the situation and prevent damage to your insurance rates. 

Request Discounts

There is a list of things that drivers benefit from to get discounts on their car insurance. This often has to do with activities, organizations, and additional coverage. These are some potential things that could provide you with a discount:

• Course for Defensive Driving
• Academic Achievements
• Veteran Accomplishments
• Additional Insurer Policies

Increase Deductibles

It is possible to increase your deductible amounts in the pursuit of lower insurance rates for auto coverage. This simply means requesting that your insurer applies a higher deductible rate. In some instances, drivers ask for a $1K deductible, which can lead to a 40% savings in rates. The best way to accommodate this strategy is to set aside money in case you need to file a claim.

How To Get The Most Cash For Your Gold In Brisbane

It seems that gold buyers are springing up everywhere. All these gold buyers claim that they can offer you a better price than any other competitor. Common sense should tell you that this is mere marketing hype to get you to choose a specific buyer over any other. 

It is impossible for every buyer to pay top dollar. So, when you are looking for a gold buyer you should check how true their claims. This means you need to take some time to check out all the gold buyers in Brisbane. 

But before you tie yourself in knots about who Brisbanes highest paying gold buyers are, there are specific features you should be on the look out for:

A physical location

Whilst the idea of selling or buying gold from the comfort of your own home via the internet may sound convenient, be careful of business that only have an internet presence. 

There are horrible stories of people getting either getting paid far less than they deserve or losing their gold in the mail. Most physical buyers operating from actual brick-and-mortar establishments use the internet as an alternative. It's better to have two alternatives.

A well established gold buyer

Gold's dealers who have been in business for long understand that success hinges on the reputation they carve for themselves. A reputable gold buyer will want to offer the best price because that is the only way to get repeat customers and referrals.

Valuations based on assayed and current spot prices

When selling your gold, you should insist on a written quotation. You should also be wary of buyers who are quick to give you estimates without ever seeing the actual gold. These buyers offer low rates because they bank on the seller's need to get cash quickly. 

The buyer should also give you a written quotation. This will help you hold the buyer to his promise or words. Written quotations are also a useful tool when the time comes for you to haggle over the price. 




It helps to have a general idea of what you should be shooting for when it comes to valuing your gold. To do that, simply multiple the weight of your gold by the current spot price. 

So for instance if you have 10 ounces of 22k gold this means your gold is 91.7% pure and the dealer can only pay you for 9.17 ounces. Take that and multiply it by the current spot price. Brisbanes highest paying gold buyers should be able to offer about 95% of the spot price. 

You can even get the best price if you have a large amount of gold or if the dealer is in short supply. Other gold buyers like pawn shops offer low returns. It can sometimes be more than half the bullion content. This is why you need to shop around.

The moral of this story is that, the best way to get the most for your gold sales is to research and educate yourself about the process. Gold buyers are a dime a dozen, but they are not all the same. Proper due diligence will get you the best deal from the best dealers in Brisbane.