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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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5 Features of All the Best Credit Cards

You must have probably experienced the worst when you see better offers slip away because you had no cash and you are planning to apply for a credit card.

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The big problem? You are confused about what features are the best to look for when applying for a credit card.

The good news: There are a couple of features you should check when you have made up your mind that you are applying for a credit card.

Below are some of the five features of all the best credit cards you can ever imagine of:

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1. Low interest rates

Perhaps this is the feature most people will look for. Everyone wants to save money. So, there's a need to save it when there is an opportunity. Credit cards that have low-interest rates will give a few perks, but they are the best if you need to save some cash.

The good news is that when you have a good credit score, your credit issuer will offer you lower interest rates. The bad news though is that some credit card issuers will assume the benefits and charge you high fees.

One of the best ways to choose the best credit card is to do some comparison. Thanks to the internet. You can get nearly everything you want from the internet. So, make good use of the internet.

2. Rewards Program

It's no secret anymore that people love free things. You probably want the same. So, why not look for a feature like a rewards program?

Rewards are good, but it depends on how you will use your rewards. There are rewards of offer discounts such as travel, fuel discounts, etc. You can also check some other offers that your credit card issuer has.

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To get the best out of this program, you should pay your balances in full every month. Carrying forward balances month after month will not only deny you the rewards program but will also expose you to some penalties. You can see here to check on best credit cards.

3. Bad credit rebuilding

Do you have a bad credit history? Do you intend to rebuild it? If yes, you are in the right place.

If you want to rebuild your credit card history, then you will need to choose a credit card that regularly reports to agencies. This will help you rebuild your credit card history faster than just taking prepaid cards.

4. Customizable credit cards

People love to choose from a variety. If you are one of them, you need to look for customizable credit cards. Customizable credit cards allows you to select the features that you love. Such features include lower interest rates, better rewards program, or longer grace periods. It's your prerequisite, choose the best features that suit you.

5. Introductory offers

The headline is not a typo error. Yes, there are introductory offers. So, if you are confident that you have a good credit score, then you can check out introductory offers. For example, you could have the offer not pay any interest fee for 6 to 12 months.

If you want to get the best out this offer, you should pay off your debt before the end of the introductory period. This will help you get better rates.

Wrap Up

Going for a credit card is the best decision you should ever make, but you need to choose the best features. The features above should guide you.

The post 5 Features of All the Best Credit Cards appeared first on Punch Debt In The Face.

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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19% of resolution-setters don't even know if they reached their goal last year

I don't do New Year's resolutions. When planning out goals, I focus on “themes” a lot more, since they let me look at the year ahead with a broad lens. Once I know what my theme is for the year, I can start thinking of creative and meaningful ways to drive toward that theme.

Here's an example I like to give: if my theme is “make new friends,” I can plan events to meet new people or think of ways to meet new people at events I already planned on attending (e.g., check the guest list beforehand and email them to grab coffee).

But just like there's more than one way to live a Rich Life, there's more than one way to think about what you do at the beginning of a year to set yourself up for success.

So the team at IWT was curious to hear what YOU think about New Year's resolutions.

Do you set them? What are they about? What do you do to set yourself up for success? DO you actually succeed?

Here's what they found.

We sent our survey to the entire IWT community and wanted the full picture of your 2018 resolutions: the goals, the strategies, AND the outcomes. So instead of asking about what you're planning to do this year, we asked you to reflect on what you resolved to do last year, in 2018.

A few of the key takeaways:

66% of you said you set a resolution for 2018. That's higher than the 44% of people setting New Year's goals this year, according to an NPR/PBS/Marist poll.

Of those who did set a resolution, 44% said they achieved it.

36% said they didn't quite get there.

20% said they weren't really sure whether they met their goal or not.

The most popular areas where you set resolutions were:

Career (23%)

Money (21.6%)

Fitness (16%)

The most popular system used to hit goals:

Creating a schedule (56%)

Getting an accountability buddy (28.5%)

Setting up rewards for yourself (29%)

“Why wait until January 1 to start something new?”

33% of people say they didn't set a resolution last year. The biggest reason: viewing the first of the year as some be-all-end-all of goal-setting is pointless.

“If you want to do something you should start doing it,” one person said. “Why wait until January 1 to start something new?”

That's fair. There are 365 days in a year - proclaiming January 1 THE day to set goals because that's when advertisers break out their best “New Year, New You” banner ads is pretty arbitrary.

And if you missed the New Year's deadline this year and wait all the way until next year to set goals for yourself, all you've really done is cost yourself 364 days when you could be taking action.

Need help following through on your goals whenever you set them? Check out this post on how to motivate yourself.

The “Big 3” resolutions: Career, money, fitness

We asked the 66% of respondents who did set resolutions last year to tell us which category their resolution fell under, and the top three were:

Career (23%)

Money (21.6%)

Fitness (16%)

Those first two categories in particular are pillars of I Will Teach You To Be Rich. Here's more detail at the kinds of career, money, and fitness goals readers are setting - and the results they're getting.

Goal #1: Get out of a soul-sucking job

When it came to career-related resolutions, people talked a lot about wanting to advance in their career. And for most of them, moving up meant moving on.

So long, cubicle.

For some, that meant transitioning out of the corporate world to try their hand at freelancing. (Sound good to you? Learn how to start earning money on the side.):

“I resolved to quit my corporate job to freelance. I assessed my finances, secured some part-time income to supplement my savings early on, and made the leap. I made myself commit to leave by April of 2018. My last day in a cubicle was February 9, 2018.”

Another reader told us about hatching a career plan with a friend over Facebook Messenger that they called “The Escape”:

“Every time one of us would slack on something or show signs of laziness, we would say to each other 'What happened to escaping X company in a year?' … In just under a year, we both landed new jobs. He now works for a bank with a $20K raise, and I completely pivoted industries from finance to marketing at a large media agency.”

Sometimes setting a goal and not quite getting there can be better than not setting a goal at all, since you still wind up farther along than where you started.

One person told us about the work they put into boosting their salary from their current $65K toward a $105K goal:

“I read books and watched YouTube videos, and practiced negotiating skills. I networked and set myself up to be an ideal candidate for 8 different jobs that I wanted … I landed a job that paid $96K. I chose that one because it had the most opportunity for career growth and development in my field.”

Aiming for $105K and landing at $96K might sound like a failure on paper. But the important thing is: they set a goal, they made a plan, and then they TOOK ACTION. They took control of what they could control.

Plus, they're putting themselves in an even stronger position for 2019: “Next year, with my promotion, I am aiming for closer to $120K.”

If a pay raise is on your to-do list for 2019, check out our Ultimate Guide to Boosting Your Salary.

Goal #2: Break down money barriers and go after Big Wins

On the financial side of things, a big theme was taking control of financial situations on two fronts: getting out of debt, and boosting savings for retirement and other goals.

“I made a promise to myself to save a total of $10K by the end of the year between emergency fund and retirement contributions. I put $3,000 into an emergency fund before the end of last year. Now, my e-fund is at $6,500, and my IRA contributions YTD are at $3,500. $10K achieved! On top of that, I was able to pay off my car, double my student loan payments, and go on vacation, guilt-free. Thanks, Ramit!”

We love stories like this, because they're all about focusing on Big Wins. Not how many lattes you can cut or micro-managing your budget to within an inch of its life. Big Wins, like automating your finances and investing early, pay dividends for years after you start them - and they put you miles ahead of everyone else.

You can't print money. It's illegal. But you CAN take control of your finances by focusing on the Big Wins.

There's a limit to how much you can save, but there's no limit to what you can earn. If our survey responses are any indication, it's a lesson a lot of you have taken to heart.

One reader told us about their goal to add $100K to their net worth OUTSIDE their day job by the end of 2018:

“I finally decided it was time to get serious about making money. I set a goal of adding $100,000 to my net worth by the end of 2018 (outside my day job) and I'm on the brink of accomplishing it.”

On top of looking for ways to increase their earning potential, some respondents mentioned financial goals that involved changing their relationship to the money they already have.

For one person, that meant committing to a year of no shopping:

“I unsubscribed from emails from all the brands that I followed (makeup, yoga clothes, kitchen stuff, etc.), and throw out catalogs as soon as they come in the door,” she explains. “I haven't been 100% for the year, but I've determined that what some people call 'shopping' is, for me, 'looking for things to want.'”

Spending money, in and of itself, isn't the problem. The problem is when the way you're spending doesn't line up with what you value (i.e., your Money Dial), or what allows you to live your own personal definition of a Rich Life.

Goal #3: Putting that gym membership to use

On the fitness side of things, the big recurring theme was looking for systems and strategies that get you into the gym - even when every ounce of your energy is pulling you toward the couch.

Here's one respondent who was so determined to make fitness work for them, they picked up knife fighting. KNIFE FIGHTING!

“Fitness can be boring, so I committed to stick/knife fighting, which was lethally exciting enough to keep me engaged for a few months and build up some strength/endurance.”

She's talking about her workout routine, guys.

Somebody else shared how, after more than 10 years of making fitness their New Year's resolution - and falling short every time - they finally found a model that set them up for success:

“The cool thing about having failed to achieve my fitness goals is that I figured out what doesn't work for me … I schedule my sessions, three times a week, and I set them in stone on my calendar. I have had to move a couple sessions, but I have not missed a single workout since I started.”

The lesson here: If a goal is important to you, don't stop pushing because ONE strategy didn't work out. Regroup, rethink your approach - and then try again.

How to follow through: Set a schedule. Talk about it. Treat yourself.

Talk is cheap. There's setting New Year's resolutions - and then there's actually following through on them. According to our survey, 44% of resolution-setters said they succeeded with their 2018 goal.

Here's a rundown of the most popular ways respondents stayed on track to achieve their goals:

Created a schedule (56%)

Got an accountability buddy (28.5%)

Put a rewards system in place (16%)

Digging deeper, we found they're also the top three most effective at helping readers reach their goals:

Created a schedule (56% of successful people)

Got an accountability buddy (22% of successful people)

Put a rewards system in place (16% of successful people)

Put it in your calendar. Or … shower.

“Creating a schedule” isn't the sexiest strategy there is. But with more than half of the successful resolution-setters saying that setting schedules was a secret to their success - simpler can mean smarter.

One reader explained how the act of just committing to a schedule for their weight-lifting goal made it easier to follow through:

“People wanted to schedule things on Tuesday or Thursday night, I didn't have to think about it, I just knew the answer was 'no' because those were lifting nights.”

There are plenty of easy, user-friendly apps out there to help with scheduling. Our readers told us all about their favorites, from OmniFocus to OneNote to JotForm to Evernote.

Dr. Who has an app for that.

One person even told us that finding the right tech solution was the thing that convinced them they could make a resolution stick in the first place:

“I have learned to change my scripts from 'This habit isn't for me' to 'How can I make this habit for me?' And in that arena using tech is my usual go to.”

For others, good old-fashioned pen and paper (plus a laminator) is all it takes to get the job done:

“I had [my goals and targets for 2018] laminated and put it in my shower. The idea was to read it every morning and every night … Having the plan and seeing it daily kept me on track more than not having it at all.”

Hit your goal? Treat yourself.

Good old-fashioned bribery. It's simple, but it works - and many respondents said they put it to work to help them see their goals through.

One person told us how they built a reward system on their phone that transferred money into their bank account whenever they completed a positive behavior.

But rewards don't have to be monetary. For example, every time one respondent followed through on their goal to practice piano more regularly, they rewarded themselves with something simple, like a soda or a piece of candy.

And you can even get creative with this.

“In January, I used a random number generator to pick four numbers between 1 and 52 - I marked those weeks in my planner as 'reward' weeks,” said one respondent.

The randomized reward weeks added spontaneity and surprise along her path to reaching her goal.

Get your friends to ask you: “Hey, how's that goal coming?”

There's value in telling other people what you plan to do solo, according to our survey.

“I shared my goal with multiple friends who I knew weren't afraid to keep me accountable,” one person said. “After having a few of them check in with little to no progress made, it made me want to take a step in the direction of accomplishing the goal.”

Telling other people what you're trying to do doesn't have to mean putting pressure on them to keep you honest either.

“I made sure to tell people about my goal. Not that they would hold me accountable necessarily - but it made me feel like I owed it to them to keep my resolution.”

There's a caveat to having an accountability buddy: only 22% of readers who used this strategy actually succeeded in reaching their goal.

“My friend and I got gym memberships and agreed to start going 4 days per week,” said one person. “It started off well but then came scheduling conflicts and eventually he stopped coming. Guess what? Soon after I stopped going also.”

The takeaway: when you tap others to work toward goals together, things get complicated - you're only really as motivated as the least motivated person in your group. So don't depend on other people to BE your motivation. That's on you.

Learn how to create habits that stick for life

It's easy to be excited about new goals at the start of a new year, when everything is bright and shiny, and there are motivational posts coming at you from all sides amping you up.

But the real test is what you actually do in the boring, ordinary, unsexy everydays that come after.

And that's when things get tough.

One thing to remember - failing to create habits and meet goals is not about laziness. It's about not having the right systems in place to create your own success.

We've spent years studying the systems that set people up for success and put all of our best insights in our Ultimate Guide to Habits.

Enter your email below, and we'll send you the Ultimate Guide to Habits now.

19% of resolution-setters don't even know if they reached their goal last year is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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Easy DIY Eyeglass Storage

In honor of the new year I'm sharing one of my favorite storage projects with you.

Click here to read the rest of this post...

Homeroad

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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3 Important Reasons to Have Your Dryer Vent Professionally Cleaned

You rely on your dryer to make sure your family has clean clothes throughout the week, so when it comes to upkeep, you need to do more than simply throw away the lint in the lint trap. Here is why professional dryer vent cleaning is an important part of caring for your appliance and protecting your home:

Save Money – When your dryer vent is clogged with lint, it runs inefficiently. When it runs inefficiently, it costs you money. Routine appointments with a good professional dryer vent cleaning company will help to keep your dryer operating efficiently.

Protect your Investment – A dryer is a costly appliance. Keep it in good shape by using it according to the manufacturer's instruction, calling on professionals to repair it when required, and ensuring the vents are clear and operating as they should.

Be Safe! Lint buildup creates a fire hazard. Clean out the lint trap after every load of laundry, and don't let lint build up in or around the dryer. Don't keep flammable items near the dryer. And be sure to clean out the dryer vent thoroughly, from the inside of the house AND from the outside the house, in order to keep the vent from getting clogged with lint. Better yet, call on dryer vent cleaning professionals who are trained to remove lint and buildup correctly.

At First Coast Home Pros, we are the cleaning experts, trusted by customers in Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra and along the Beaches, and across northeast Florida. We specialize in dryer vent cleaning, and our technicians are trained to clean the vent thoroughly from the interior and exterior of the house. When the cleaning is complete, we even test the air flow to be sure the system is running exactly as it should be! Keep your dryer in good shape and help minimize the risk of fire by scheduling regular cleaning appointments for your dryer vent.

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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My Spending Has Put Me in Serious Debt. Should I Consolidate?

Dear J.J.,

That “I can't stop spending” feeling isn't just some kind of personal weakness. It's a widely studied psychological phenomenon.

Behavioral economists have figured out that various forms of payment have different “pain” levels. Pain of payment is worst when you pay with cash, because you can see and feel the bills leaving your wallet and entering someone else's register. There's a little bit less pain when you use a debit card and the money leaves your checking account immediately.

But credit? Paying with a credit card is just about painless. Not only are zero dollars leaving your account at the time you acquire an item or service, but you also have the option of putting off that payment for weeks, months, years, forever. Just as much as we love instant gratification, we love procrastinating.

So when you see a credit limit that you have not maxed out, you see a big green light. Go! Do not slow down. Spend it until it's gone. The pain hides until it's time to pay the tab.

You need a big change to get out of the cycle. You need to plot out every dollar of that debt and how you're going to pay it off. Taking a personal loan to consolidate your credit card debt only works if:

The interest rate is lower than all your other debt.

You take out a loan for the exact amount you need to cover your current debt - and not a penny more.

You need to create a financial no-temptation zone. It's time to call in an accountability partner. This is someone you trust and can talk to about money - a friend, a colleague, a cousin. Someone who will scold you gently if you get off track and cheer you on when you hit small goals along the path to paying off your debt. They'll make sure your payoff plans are bold but reasonable. They'll help shoulder the pain of paying off your debt and remind your brain of the intangible, but important, pleasure of having less debt.

This will take years, and I don't mean just paying off your debt. I mean rewiring your brain to live within your means. It's something even the most financially savvy of people struggle to overcome. It's easier to spend money than ever before, especially money that is not truly yours to spend. Paying it back will feel distinctly un-fun.

But if you can envision a debt-free future and the ease it will bring to your life - your accountability partner should help get you pumped up for this - you'll start to see those debt payments as steps toward financial freedom.

Have a tricky money question? Write to Dear Penny and you might see your question answered in an upcoming column.

Lisa Rowan is a personal finance expert and senior writer at The Penny Hoarder, and the voice behind Dear Penny.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

The Penny Hoarder Promise: We provide accurate, reliable information. Here's why you can trust us and how we make money.

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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7 Expensive Rental Property Investing Mistakes to Avoid

My readers and podcast listeners regularly reach out to me to say that they're afraid to invest in rental properties because they don't want to put their life savings at risk on a deal. I get that - but, if you approach real estate investing the right way (with risk management in mind), then you can save yourself a lot of money and trouble, and reap the benefits. After 7 years of being a landlord, I wanted to share some of the common (and expensive!) mistakes I've seen other rental investors make, and how to avoid them. So if you've been considering rental property investing, this is a must-watch. Here's what this video covers: Mistake[...]

Keep reading...

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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My Darling Lemon Thyme top 10 posts of 2018

As the year draws to an end I thought I'd carry on the tradition I started last year of sharing the 10 most popular posts of the year. Last year (as it was the first time I'd shared a pot of it's kind) I shared the top 10 posts of the year, from newly posted recipes, to classics posted years ago. This year however I thought it would be great to see which of the posts I've shared DURING 2018 spoke to you the most. It's always super interesting for me to see which posts were well received, sometimes I have an idea when a post will do great (if something has chocolate, especially if it's a 'healthy' sweet treat, it's usually ok to assume it will be well received!), but a few of them have surprised me, in a good way! I'm stoked to see there are so many of you interested in sprouting and the kinds of recipes you can then make with them. Very cool. Looking at the top posts of this past year, from all the recipes on my site, a few of the all-time favourites showed up again this year... Ginger-roasted pumpkin + quinoa salad […]

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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Environmentally Friendly Grill Cleaning

Having an outdoor kitchen in Arizona is about as important as having a swimming pool. It is a feature that can be enjoyed year round and is a great way to gather family and friends together for a meal. But most homeowners begin to lose interest in their grill when it's time for a good cleaning. Either they decide to stop using the grill as often or they decide to use a harsh chemical to try to avoid the effort involved in scrubbing the grill clean by hand. But now there is another option that is simple, does not require harsh chemical and is environmentally friendly.

The Only Items You Need Are Already In Your Kitchen

All you need to easily clean your grill grates are a few items that are already in your kitchen and cost almost nothing. First, you need a lemon and some table salt. Next, carefully slice the lemon in half, from end to end. It is important to cut the lemon from end to end so that you have a larger surface area.

Then, holding the lemon by the rind side, squeeze it gently so that it produces enough juice to moisten the entire cut surface. Next, sprinkle about a tablespoon of salt evenly over each half of the lemon and wait long enough for the juice to moisten the salt to help it adhere to the surface of the lemon. Finally, gently scrub the grilling surface with the salt covered lemon just as you would with a sponge.

The acidity of the lemon and the grit of the salt will break down any grease and loosen any partials which were cooked onto the grates. After scrubbing the entire grilling surface with the lemon, use a damp towel to wipe the grate clean and another towel to dry the grates.

A Tip For A Non-Stick Grilling Surface

To make grill clean-up even easier there is a simple and affordable trick to make the grates non-stick. Simply cut a regular potato in half and after the grill is fully heated, rub the cut side of the potato across the entire grilling surface. This will coat the grate and keep food from sticking. If you do not have a potato a halved onion or a halved lemon will work, but both of those items can leave a small amount of flavored residue on the grilling surface.

Try both of these tips to make grill clean up easier and safer for your grilling surface and the environment.

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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Organizing Thoughts and Tips for the New Year!

Hello friends! I hope you've all had a great start to 2019! My kids are going back to school tomorrow (today when you are reading this!) and we had such a nice break. I'm really sad to see it end this year! We spent Christmas at home, then went to Utah to visit family, came […]

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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Real Estate Slowdown Rattles Investors: Where Flipping Is Down (and Up) the Most

As the trajectory of the housing market shifts, the realtor.com data team decided to analyze home sales and find the markets where home flipping is up-and down-the most.

The post Real Estate Slowdown Rattles Investors: Where Flipping Is Down (and Up) the Most appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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Top Reasons to Plan Your Spring Landscaping in Winter

In landscaping, winter means spring. The more you plan ahead, the sooner spring will arrive outside your home. Plus, you'll get to spend the season enjoying your outdoor space rather than working on it. Picture it now: You're soaking up the sun on that first warm day-reading and lounging, rather than pulling and planting. If that's not enough to get you inspired, here are the top reasons to start planning your spring landscaping in winter.

Better Scheduling By the time the whispers of spring being in the air begin, your favorite landscape architect's schedule has probably filled up considerably. If you have a design-build project in mind-such as a patio, poolscape or outdoor kitchen-winter is the ideal time to book your desired company and a time frame that is convenient for you.

Pass the Time During the long stretch of winter, we all daydream about the reward of spring and summer. The problem is that doing so tends to make winter feel even longer. Instead of wishing, we can be working-and when we're spending winter working on your vision for when spring finally arrives, the time can fly like you never thought possible. Trust us and try it!

Enjoy the Process Using winter as the prep window for spring also allows you to take your time and enjoy the creativity that comes with landscaping. You can be deliberate with your decisions around plants, hardscaping and other features, without feeling like you're losing the few months of warmth we're entitled to as New Jerseyans. If you wait until spring is in full swing to get started, you could very well find yourself looking to the following spring-a full year down the road-as the one for which your space will be ready to host a bright and sunny get-together.

First to See Spring When you plan ahead, you'll have little to do in April other than wait for that blissful feeling in the air to arrive and embrace the natural beauty that follows. Ready to turn this winter into spring planning? Contact High Tech Landscapes today!

The post Top Reasons to Plan Your Spring Landscaping in Winter appeared first on Hightech Landscapes.

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keithtlamb-blog · 7 years ago

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The latest innovations in lower-toxic pest control

New methods of pest control are based on low-tox solutions that can be more sustainable and effective than harsh chemicals

In recent years, several critical factors have driven the pest control industry and business towards low-tox solutions.

Stringent legislation, such as the FDA Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA) and the EU Biocidal Products Regulation, now regulates the use and development of new biocidal products, driving the innovation of low-tox alternatives.

Businesses, meanwhile, are reacting to rising expectations from consumers, many of whom are more aware of the effect of overuse of pesticides on the environment and health.

The pest control industry itself has also matured significantly. Like many other sectors, we are constantly researching and solutions that are more sustainable, effective and are better for the planet overall.

These are all compelling reasons why pest control is changing. What's also fascinating from an innovation perspective is that these driving forces are emerging at a time when advances in technology are also enabling low-tox solutions that are more targeted and effective than many of the chemical solutions that are still used today.

The advantages of connected technology and the Internet of Things

Many new developments are based on the automation of pest observation. Currently, for example, the pest control industry is embracing the Internet of Things to change the way facilities are monitored. We can now install connected traps and devices to carry out remote monitoring 24/7, so technicians don't have to physically visit a site to see if pests are present. When they do visit a site, technicians don't need to spend time checking traps. Instead they can focus on developing low-tox, preventative risk mitigation strategies instead.

In the agriculture space, we are also experimenting with bespoke monitoring solutions, such as drones fitted with thermal imaging technology, that can survey large areas of crops. The technical capability of the thermal heat and hyperspectral imaging software fitted in these drones is so high that they can view microscopic details and find localised infestations. This enables us to treat small areas and pest problems with low-tox solutions before they spread.

Prevention through predictive analytics

Another major advantage of these new monitoring methods is that they provide us with new data, much of which was not available before. The drones mentioned above, for instance, can monitor the chlorophyll level in plants and predict the damage a plant will sustain before it happens.

We don't just collect data from these devices and use it in isolation. We can now overlay it with public data sources, such as weather records, to start predicting pest behaviour based on different variables. In turn, this is fuelling sophisticated predictive analytics that enables us to apply targeted, low-tox treatments in localised spots, rather than blanket treating facilities with chemicals. In many cases, when you have the right support with innovative applications of technology, there is no need to use any harsh chemicals at all.

New developments in non-toxic heat treatments

Ironically, some of the recent innovations are enhancements of ideas that have been around for centuries. In the 18th Century, early settlers in Australia developed rudimentary ways to use heat to eliminate insects. Today, modern technology is now being applied to the idea to scale it up into a commercial model.

Rentokil's Entotherm, for example, is a new solution that eradicates bed bugs and cockroaches. Rather than using sprays, which often don't penetrate the hard outer shell, the heat delivered by the Entotherm system kills insects from the inside through dehydration and damage to essential physiological processes. This method avoids any risk of the insects developing resilience to spray chemicals and passing on resistant genes to future offspring.

Another benefit is that the heat effectively kills all the life stages of insects – egg, larva, pupa and adult – without needing go higher than 56-60 degrees Celsius. This temperature is high enough to kill pests rapidly, but it doesn't cause structural damage to buildings or objects.

New advances in biopesticides

It's not just hardware and data that is driving low-toxic innovation. Rentokil's Global Science Centre is also currently developing new organic-compound solutions that can repel or destroy pests. One solution we are currently developing, for example, uses fungal spores that attach to the external body surface of cockroaches. The spores then germinate and bore through the outer shell to reach the insects' body cavity, after which they multiply and kill the insect.

Solutions like these have zero mammalian toxicity and only low volumes are needed. Another significant benefit is that unlike chemicals, pests can't become resistant to the spores. This means that we're able to get closer to solving a long-standing problem with how insects learn to adapt to chemicals and pass on resistant genes. It's a clear illustration that many of the innovative chemical-free solutions being developed today combine higher levels of efficacy with reduced environmental impact.

The future of low-tox innovation

A word about the future. What would happen if we could communicate with pests like mice, rather than just monitor them? This is something we are experimenting with at Rentokil now using ultrasound technology. It is an idea borne out of frustration with the fact that current ways of monitoring mice (e.g. connected traps, or fluorescent gels) only pick up activity when the mouse interacts with the solution and activates it. If the mouse is merely nearby, then no pest activity will be recorded.

We're currently developing a solution to this problem that can listen to mice by picking up the high frequencies they emit, which are higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing. As we continue to develop and analyse the potential of this innovative solution, we will also be exploring the possibility of sending messages back to mice to repel them from the area.

Communicating with mice may sound like science fiction for now. But how often does today's science fiction become tomorrow's normal? What we can be sure of is that the need and demand for low-tox pest control is going to continue to increase – driven forward inexorably by rising consumer demand and increasing regulation. We can also be certain that new, continually evolving innovations will help to effectively meet those demands with safer, greener solutions for pest control.

The post The latest innovations in lower-toxic pest control appeared first on The Rentokil Blog.

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