Keep Your Vehicle Safe

When you drive a vehicle, safety should always be your top concern. You not only need to think of your own safety, but the safety of those around you as well. You need to think of the people who may be in the vehicle with you, and also the people in other vehicles. There are many simple things that you can do to keep your vehicle as safe as possible. Let's discuss some of them that are well worth keeping in mind.

Image Credit - CCO License

Lock It Properly

This may seem like common sense, but one of the most common reasons vehicles are stolen or broken into is because they were left unlocked. Even in quieter neighborhoods, opportunistic theft happens all the time. Always double check your doors and windows before walking away, and never assume your remote key has locked the car without confirmation. If your vehicle has keyless entry, be mindful of relay theft. Store keys away from doors and windows at home, ideally in a signal blocking pouch, to prevent criminals from amplifying the signal. This is going to help you keep it safe and secure.

Choose Safe Parking Spots

This is something that people don’t often think about, but it’s really important if you're going to make sure that you're keeping it as safe as possible. Where you leave your vehicle matters. Park in well lit areas with visible foot traffic. If you have access to a garage, use it. At home, installing motion sensor lighting around your driveway can add another layer of deterrence. When out and about, consider car parks with CCTV and controlled entry. It may cost a little more, but it reduces your risk significantly compared to leaving your vehicle in a secluded area.

Image Credit - CCO License

Keep On Top Of Maintenance

This is probably the most important point listed here. A safe vehicle isn’t just protected from theft, it’s also mechanically sound. Regular servicing, brake checks, tires and fluid top ups all contribute to safety. For instance, ensuring your tyres have proper tread depth and pressure reduces the risk of blowouts and improves the handling of your vehicle. Faulty brakes or worn suspension components can turn minor hazards into major incidents. These are simple acts and precautions that can save you a lot in the long run. So it’s worth paying attention to.

Secure Your Documents

You might not have thought about this one, but it’s a really important part of the whole thing. Never leave vehicle documents in the glove compartment, especially the V5C logbook. These documents can make it easier for thieves to sell the car. Keep personal information at home and carry only what’s legally required. This can effectively act as a kind of deterrent against theft, so it’s something that is much more powerful than you might have thought.

These are just a few of the things that you can do to keep yourself, your vehicle and the people around you as safe as possible.

This is a contributed post.

How To Do A Dopamine Detox

It seems like more and more people these days are feeling anxious and are looking for ways to relieve their anxiety.  A lot of people are stressed out and suffering from depression as well. Thankfully these issues no longer carry the stigma that they once did. There is a trend currently going around called a “Dopamine Detox”, which could help many people find relief. We know that our brain needs dopamine, but like serotonin and other endorphins, it's good when it is released as well. 

Image Credit Found on pexels

A hard reset for a brain that’s been living on nonstop stimulation sounds like a good idea. But you need to do it the right way. Many people just immediately try to stop doing anything that would give them a hit of dopamine. They stop everything: no phone, no music, no snacks, no anything. And then they’re shocked that it doesn't help. If anything, it leaves them feeling more miserable than they did before they started the detox.

Convenience Culture Makes it Worse

People are drawn to the convenient lifestyle most of us enjoy. We get instant gratification in everything these days. Entertainment is instant, food is instant, shopping is instant, attention is instant. This convenience culture has basically trained our brains to expect a little reward hit for existing, and then being online makes it louder. It’s not just content, it’s constant content. It's always available right at your fingertips. You get whatever you want, whenever you want it. So naturally it's hard to just stop.

Instead of stopping everything cold turkey, you should just try to lower the noise a little. Adapt a lifestyle that doesn't rely on instant gratification.

Convenience Culture Trains the Brain to Expect Constant Hits

We've already mentioned that convenience culture trains your brain to expect everything instantly and constantly. This is very important. It isn’t just about delivery apps and same day shipping from Amazon, (that’s definitely part of it). It’s also about how your brain has been trained to expect relief immediately. Everywhere you go, people have their phones out instead of interacting with the world around them. Any time you’re bored for ten seconds, you get your phone out and open an app. 

If you’re slightly uncomfortable, you might search for something to buy. If you’re feeling low, you grab a snack. And when you're feeling stressed, you might start scrolling. When you feel tired, you give yourself a boost with caffeine. When you're feeling lonely, you check social media to see what everyone else is doing. But that somehow makes you feel worse. It's like this for nearly everyone, regardless of age.

The Brain Wants More and More

You’re probably all too familiar with the fact that the brain doesn’t stop at one hit, either. It wants the next one, it wants novelty too. So your regular life can start feeling weirdly flat. Your life is not necessarily boring, it's just that the baseline got cranked up. Over the months and years, it just got cranked up way too high. To the point where quiet hobbies feel slow. 

Conversations can feel slow and boring too. Reading feels slow. Watching a show or movie can be boring as well, if it isn't delivering a new plot twist every eight seconds. So when people say they’re “doing a dopamine detox,” what they’re usually reacting to is that feeling that “nothing feels satisfying anymore unless it’s loud, fast or instant.”

How Can You Properly Do a Reset?

As we mentioned before, the problem is that people take it as a literal detox. They remove everything enjoyable and replace it with nothing. Then they sit there thinking about how bored they are, which turns into frustration, which turns into giving up, which turns into going straight back to the exact same overstimulation cycle. So that isn't going to give you the result you are after.

You can try this instead: swap high stimulation input for low stimulation comfort. For example, try listening to something calm when you go for a walk, instead of listening to rage bait. Listen to some slow and soft music while you sit peacefully on the couch and enjoy your shroom vape. Leave your TV and phone off for a change. Put your phone down when you cook. And when you clean, have soft music playing instead of something intense. 

Other examples are reading, doing a jigsaw puzzle, take a dimly lit shower, do a little cleaning and organizing, write down your thoughts in a journal... anything to just slow everything down and relax. You don’t want novelty, you don’t want fast pace. You want things that feel good, that feel enjoyable, and most of all, they feel slow and relaxed.

Yes, “Boring” Should Become Safe Again

Maybe the things listed above sound a little boring, with no crazy thrill to them. But seriously, boredom is actually where the brain starts recovering. Not boredom as in staring at a wall for hours, but boredom as in giving yourself space. 

There needs to be some space for a thought to finish. There needs to be space for a feeling to settle. And space for your nervous system to stop bracing itself. At first you’ll feel restless. That’s normal. But just be patient and you'll soon feel better. 

How Can You Make this Stick?

How to make it stick is the question, because the cold turkey approach just won’t stick. But these slower pace options, when done the right way, will help you to make it stick. Pick one daily time window, even if it's only 45 minutes, with high stimulation content is off the table. Meaning no rapid fire scrolling, no doom content, no endless hopping. 

Then pick one low stimulation activity that still feels good: shower, walk, stretch, tidy up, cook, read, journal, talk to someone... anything that’s not frantic input. It’s entirely up to you to stick to this, but try and work up to one day doing this, and then slowly add more time, an hour, two hours, and so on. You can do it! 

This is a contributed post. 

What To Look For When Choosing A New Car

Buying a car is always a very time consuming and often overwhelming process. A car is a very large purchase, and no matter what you're looking for, you'll be spending a significant sum of money on it. This means that you need to approach it in the right way in order to make the best choices. Let's discuss some of the things that you should keep in mind when choosing your next vehicle.

Car image found on Unsplash

1. Staying Within Your Budget

It's important for you to figure out exactly how much money you are able to spend so you can stay within your budget. So it's important to only consider models that you can afford. You don't want to be tempted to spend too much and end up getting yourself into financial trouble.

2. Investing in the Latest Model

Many people only want the latest model available. If this is you, make sure that you can afford it. A slightly older model will be much cheaper, but if you like things to be new with all of the latest features, developments and technology in a car, you can check out the latest BMW models for sale or whatever brand you prefer. A new car can be a good investment because everything is brand new, it has fewer miles on it and it’s likely to last longer.  And they come with a warranty.

3. Finding Something Reliable

Choosing something reliable is one of the most important parts of the whole car shopping experience. The last thing you need is to buy a car that breaks down or something goes wrong with it after just a few weeks or months. So make sure that you consider makes and models that have good reviews for reliability. Consult the opinion of trusted your car experts when considering making a purchase. 

4. Ticking Your Boxes

It's also very important for you to make sure that whatever car you choose ticks all of your boxes. The best way to do this is to have a checklist of what you're looking for.  That way you'll know that any vehicle you are considering will suit your needs. Whether it's the size of the car, how roomy it is, how economical it is to drive or the features it comes with, it’s important to make sure that it will fit your needs. 

5. Having the Right Experience

Having the right experience when you're buying your next car can make all of the difference in the world. If you're interested in a luxury model, make sure that you get the right customer service from start to finish. With the amount of money that you will spend on a car, it's only right that you get the level of service that matches the cost. Ensuring that you have a smooth experience from browsing to purchasing, as well as the use of your car once you buy it will make the whole thing better. And receiving excellent after sales service just makes everything better.

This is a contributed post.

Shopping For A Used Car

It makes total sense to shop for a used car if you’re wanting to watch your financial health. It will cost you a lot less money than a new car, and you'll probably be able to pay for everything up front, which will let you avoid those sketchy financing deals. And depending on where or who you buy it from, there might be some other positives too. There’s something about a “freshly cleaned” used car that makes your brain want to relax immediately. If it smells clean, the seats look tidy and the dashboard isn’t covered in dust, you might think you've found your perfect used car.

Image of Driving Found On Pexels

But to be brutally honest, that’s where people get in trouble and miss important details. A clean car feels reassuring. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good car. It’s easy to confuse “this looks nice” with “this will be reliable.” Read on for tips on how to tell the difference.

The “Looks Great” Stuff Can Still be a Red Flag

This probably doesn’t make any sense at all when reading it. Because you would think it would be reassuring if it looks nice, clean and tidy. But it could be hiding some serious flaws. So don't let that pristine look distract you from your inspection and make sure it runs well.

Look for things like wear patterns that could be the result of problems. Take a look at the steering wheel. If it’s worn smooth, sticky or peeling, it may not be the end of the world, but it could be a clue pointing to there being something wrong. It's the same with the pedals. If the pedal rubbers look heavily worn, the car’s had a lot of use, even if it’s presenting well. You should also look at the seats, the flooring, the lights and everything else. 

Look for things like panel gaps not matching, paint that looks slightly different across the panels, overspray around the trim or headlights that look mismatched. All of these could be indicators for underlying problems that should be thoroughly checked out.

Check the Service History

While you can doll up a car, the actual truth is going to be in the service history of the car itself. What you want to see is a boring, consistent service record with dates that make sense, mileage that tracks and receipts for brakes, tires, headlights and things like that. Even if you look into something like Jaguar approved used cars or buy from a car dealership, you should still be able to get the service history for any vehicle you're interested in. And the advantage of buying from a dealership instead of a private individual is that they usually inspect the vehicles they sell. So that's just an added bonus for your peace of mind. 

A Test Drive Can Tell You Enough

Although test drives can feel awkward due to you being in the vehicle with the seller, you still need to do it. Ignore the awkward silence and focus on how the vehicle handles, how it feels. If there's anything that feels off, don't ignore it. Ask questions. Inspect things, or have someone that you trust who is knowledgeable in car mechanics to inspect it for you. Basically, there shouldn’t be any alarm bells that go off when you’re test driving a car.  If there are, then thoroughly inspect it to make sure you're not potentially buying a lemon.

This is a contributed post.

Improve Your Long Term Financial Health

Money might not be the most important thing in this world, but maintaining good financial health should be a priority. That doesn’t mean you should fear spending money, though. Instead, you should focus on calculated decisions and using your finances wisely. Here are five smart purchases that can work wonders for you in the long run.

Image found on pixabay

 

1 - A New Car

Purchasing a vehicle may feel like a significant expense. And it is. When you search for the best new car deals, you can get exceptional value for your money. While you should be prepared for the vehicle to lose some value, it can still be a wise investment. After all, your outdated vehicle is currently costing you a fortune in repairs and taxes due to not being eco-friendly.

Upgrading to a newer vehicle does cost money, but the sale of your old motor softens the blow. And when you take the long term running costs into account, it begins to make a lot of sense.

2 - Green Home Grades

Running a home is very expensive, the least of which is not the high energy costs. However, you can significantly reduce those costs by adding energy efficient features like Solar roof panels.  This is a big investment, but they can potentially bring your energy bills down to zero. This also significantly reduces your carbon footprint while adding value to your home.

Other green home updates include energy efficient appliances and smart home tech. When coupled with smart habits, you’ll save money and the planet at the same time.

3 - Investments

Purchasing investments can be risky. And you're unlikely to see any financial rewards for a while. But calculated investments can see your capital grow at a rapid pace. This can work wonders for your future, and can be a good addition to pension plans and other retirement saving plans. When your portfolio includes liquid assets, you’ll have flexibility for exit strategies as well.

Investments can focus on your passions or or you can simply follow the money. And even if you take an active approach of passively copying other investors, the opportunities are huge.

4 - Wellness Purchases

Not all wellness purchases are worthwhile. But the best solutions actively help you save money in the long run. Because if you stay as healthy as you can, you’ll spend less on medications and treatments later in life. Adopting a healthy lifestyle helps you appreciate the simple things. A new mattress, healthier nutrition and fitness tools are all good options. Your future self will thank you.

Nothing is more important than your health. If that fact doesn’t make these types of purchases a smart investment, nothing will. 

5 - Learning Opportunities

Sometimes, the best investment you can make is in yourself. Learning new skills can unlock new doors in your professional life, leading to far greater financial returns in the long run. Whether it’s academic courses or leadership training, working towards better positions is a good use of your capital. Not only does this make you a more attractive candidate, it boosts your self confidence as well.

The opportunities that surface may not even link to the skills that you’ve worked on. But the added qualifications and talent can only have a positive influence on your future financial health.

This is a contributed post.