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If you’ve ever spoken to someone about buying a new car, then the typical piece of advice is to buy a second-hand one. Used cars offer more value for money because purchasing a brand new vehicle is never a smart investment. They lose value instantly, and you’ll never sell one for a profit. 


So, from a purely monetary perspective, used cars are the better option. But, there are a few things to consider that might make you think twice about getting a second-hand car. 

 There’s More Financial Protection From New Cars

Arguably, you get a bit more financial protection when you buy a brand new car. Let’s say you’re driving along and realize there’s a problem with one of the parts. In this scenario, it should be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty so you can get it fixed/replaced for free. Furthermore, if the issue caused you to crash your car and get hurt, then you can sue the manufacturer for compensation. This is because it falls under the heading of an auto defect, and you can learn more about this at Hughey Injury Lawyers. With a used car, you’re not really covered in either scenario. It could be decades old, which means there’s no hope of a warranty still being active on it. Plus, if you crashed, there’s no real way to prove that it was a manufacturing fault that caused it because your car is old. 

 They Tend To Run Worse Than New Ones

In a similar sense, a new car should run a lot better than a second-hand one because it’s straight off the factory line. There should - key word being should - be no reasons for any of the above scenarios to take place as new cars are fresh and free from any niggling problems. With a used one, there’s far more chance you have to pay for running repairs after a few months/years. Plus, you shouldn’t ever buy a new car and need to pay for repairs or tune-ups right away. However, this is often the case with a second-hand one. 

 New Cars Are Potentially Safer

Lastly, a new car is safer than an old one for a couple of reasons. Firstly, they don’t have loads of miles on the clock and a possible history of issues. Therefore, there’s less to worry about with regards to something going wrong and causing an accident. Secondly, new cars come with all the latest and greatest safety technology. As you can see from the video linked below, there are some crazy car safety features in modern vehicles. When you buy a second-hand car, you miss out on so many features that could possibly prevent you from getting into an accident.

Now, I’m not saying everyone needs to buy a new car instead of a second-hand one! Instead, I want you to think about your decision a lot more than you may have done initially. If money is your biggest issue, then buy a used car. But, if you can afford a new one and are debating whether it’s worth it, then these reasons prove it could well be.

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You're Never Too Busy To...

The world has gone and gotten itself in a big darned hurry. It doesn’t seem like we’re living our lives any more, we’re racing ourselves to the finish line, propelling ourselves past the quotidian stresses of work or housekeeping or entrepreneurship or parenthood all to cash in a little time in front of the TV or on a date with our significant other before calling it a night, turning it in and hitting the ground running the next morning. Not only is this a pretty poor way to live our lives, not only can all this stress be extremely bad for our health, living our lives as though they’re a sprint can turn us into someone we don’t want to be. It can cause us to be quick tempered, negligent, thoughtless, careless or even belligerent. No matter how stressful or demanding your job, no matter how many extra responsibilities or side hustles you run on the side and no matter how important you are, you’re never too busy to…

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Smile


Why don’t people smile anymore? Everyone seems so wrapped up in their Twitter feeds and Instagram stories that they’re far more likely to rattle off a dozen smiley emojis than they are to actually flash their pearlies at a fellow human being. This is a huge shame because a warm smile can legitimately make someone’s day. It can show ann underpaid barista how much you appreciate the hard work they put in. It can show your employees how much you value their contribution to your business and it can show your partner how happy you are to see them when they come home from work. It costs us nothing but it can genuinely turn even a bleak day around for someone.


Be a considerate road user


Despite living life at breakneck speed we somehow also always seem to be running late. And as we careen down the highway while fixing our makeup or resisting the urge to answer that ringing phone, due care and attention seems like a pesky inconvenience. But unless you want to find yourself seeking legal counsel because you’ve been summoned to traffic court, see here for additional details, you owe it to yourself and other road users to be considerate. This means not just being a better driver, but a more aware and considerate pedestrian, too.


Say thank you


Never does a day go by in which someone doesn’t do something nice for us. From the colleague who was nice enough to fetch you your morning coffee to the guy who made you your deli wrap for lunch. Sure, they were just doing their job, but they made an effort to make your day better. The least you can do is say thank you!


Perform at least one random act of kindness per day


Random acts of kindness make the world go around. They can be bold, sweeping gestures or little tokens. They can be monetary or manual. Whether it’s donating some money to charity or offering your newspaper to a stranger on the train. In today’s increasingly insular and mistrustful world, none of us is too busy to do something nice for another just for the sake of it.

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4 Common Causes Of Accidents You Must Be Aware Of

The roads are a crazy place, and you need to make sure that you are prepared for the dangers. Particularly, if you have little ones in the back. You need to make sure that they are as safe and sound as can be. Well, by learning the common causes of accidents that’s exactly what you can guarantee. So, what causes are we talking about here? There are a few to consider, some of which are in your control and others which aren’t.

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Tired Drivers


Tired drivers are dangerous because their reflexes and reaction times are slower. That means that it’s possible they won’t see or react to a hazard when one appears. Ultimately, this may mean that they don’t warn you of the hazard if they are in front of you. Or, they might crash into you if you are in front of them.


There are a couple signs of a tired driver. The first is swerving. If a driver is swerving, they are either intoxicated, not being attention or tired. All of these issues are dangerous on the road. Sleepy drivers can be avoided by either pulling back or overtaking when it is safe to do so.


Car Fault


The most common car fault that causes an accident would be an issue with the tires. A low level of air in one or more of the tires means that there is less grip on the road. You can handle this issue simply by checking your tires before you hit the road. Giving them a quick kick will allow you to do this and make sure that no air has escaped. Check the tread as well. A deeper tread will ensure that you have the right level of grip for your tires.


Aside from this make sure that you keep an eye on the dashboard. If there is any issue that means you should pull over and stop driving, your dash will typically warn you with a quick light that appears. Generally speaking, yellow lights will mean that car is still safe to drive but red means that you should pull over immediately.


Weather Woes


We often think that other drivers are the greatest danger on the road. But the weather can be just as detrimental. Wet roads could mean that you’ll aquaplane. If this happens, you will lose all control of the vehicle, and a crash becomes somewhat inevitable. You can avoid aquaplaning by making sure that you drive at a reasonable speed on the road. You should also make sure that you change your drive habits based on the weather. For instance, you should be further back from the car in front of you in torrential rain.


Drunk Drivers


Lastly, DUIs are still common and can cause a car accident. To avoid this danger, you need to know the signs of a drunk driver. It’s common to think that fast drivers are the dangerous ones, but this isn’t necessarily true. Fast drivers often know they are in control of the car and are confident in their ability to drive. Drunk drivers will often compensate by driving slowly, and this is a clear sign you shouldn’t be anywhere near them.


We hope this helps you deal with any of the issues you might experience on the road that could cause an accident.

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How to be a Better Driver

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No matter how relaxed you might be behind the wheel, you should always remember that the road can be a dangerous place to be. With cars reaching ever greater speeds, more power and more tech than ever before, they might feel safer, but they are still basically a lot of metal hurtling towards you.

This is why becoming the best driver you can be is so important. In 2015, 254,561 people sustained injuries in 178,669 injury accidents (and you can read more at AitkenLaw.com/car-accidents/ about how people are affected by road traffic accidents) showing that now is definitely the time to think carefully about what it means to be a good driver.

Patience is a Virtue

There are a lot of annoying drivers on the road from the ones who dawdle along at well below the speed limit to the ones who drive right up the back of you and the overtake making rude hand gestures on a corner. These people are not your problem. You can’t shout at them to make them drive more sensibly or explain to them why they are causing problems. All you can do is be patient.

Patient drivers give other drivers on the road room, they slow gently and allow aggressive drivers to overtake where it is convenient and ignore the gestures. They concentrate on the road and stay focused without getting riled up and angry. The more patient you can be, the safer your driving will be and the better a driver you will become. And if it helps, the way that aggressive driver was behaving is already increasing their chance of wrapping themselves around a tree (and not in a good way).

Always Leave Enough Time for Your Journey

If there is one thing that can turn a terrific driver into a terrifying driver within minutes it is looking at the clock and realising that you are going to be late. No-one likes to arrive anywhere late and though it might be tempting to hit the accelerator and whip around corners a bit faster, this is not a smart move. You must avoid speeding.

Sometimes you can’t help being late and this is where patience comes in once again. You need to learn to look at the clock without immediately responding by increasing your speed. Accept that you will be a little bit late and either use voice controls to send a message or pull over to make the call.

Practise Your Skills - Especially in a New Car

Driving is not like riding a bike. Bike technology has remained fairly constant for a long time, whereas cars are getting new updates almost every week. This means that you need to practise your driving skills and this is even more important when you get a new car. Take it out for a drive at a quieter time of day to get used to its size, shape and functions. The last thing you want is to be late, hounded by an aggressive driver and distracted by a radio you don’t yet know how to turn off!

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4 Summer Crafts You Can Do Outside

The one good thing about summer is that when you wanna get crafty you can actually do a lot of craft projects OUTSIDE to keep the mess off your inside furniture.  This is especially great if you have kids because we all know how much of a mess they can make.


So today I wanted to put together a few crafts that you can do outside in the Summer and why they're great ideas!

Sand Art
Sand Art is fun especially for kids but the best part is that it's okay if sand spills and goes everywhere.  You don't even have to vacuum it up afterwards.  When I was a kid my mom always had us sit outback in the yard on a picnic table to do our sand art projects. And if you want to do some adult sand fun consider getting different colors of sand and filling empty bottles or vases and displaying items around your home.  I even use colored sand in my makeup brush storage container so I can just store the brushes sticking straight up out of the sand.

Painting Pots
Whether you plan to use them or not, painted flower pots look amazing in your yard.  I have seen people paint them but instead of filling them with dirt and flowers they just stack them decoratively on a patio or stoop. This is also fun for kids because they can choose their own plant to grow in it and it teaches them about gardening.  I love painting flower pots and I even love when they start to fade over time because it makes them look nice and rustic.

Painting Stones
Painting stones is another fun outdoor project that you don't have to spend much money on.  Look for smooth rounded stones in your own yard or buy a bag at the garden store. You can paint them however you please and leave them around your yard.  Some people mix them amongst other landscape stones they use as mulch.  And if you feel like making someone's day, leave it at a local park for someone to find.

Tie Dye Clothing
Whether it's shirts, blankets, towels, or bedsheets, you can really enjoy tie dye crafts when you're outside. You can even hang things up out there without fear of it dripping inside!


Whatever you choose to do this summer when it comes to crafts, take advantage of the ability to make a mess outside and hardly have to clean it up!


What summer crafts do you enjoy?

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The Small Matters Of Health You Should Always Keep In Mind

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If you search ‘how to become fit and healthy’ in the search engine of your choice, you will likely return millions of results. Most of them will leave at least three important tips that you should adopt no matter who you are. They will likely be EAT WELL, SLEEP WELL and EXERCISE. Who could argue with those three efforts? Taking care of them can help you live as your best self for the longest, and will continue to yield you benefits until the golden chapters of your life, and then some.


However, health cannot be limited to those three things, even though it is fundamentally dependent on them. Small matters of health are important too, and can impede your daily functioning if not attended to.


So where should you start? Well, this article will by no means be an exhaustive list. It cannot. Speak to any recently graduated medical student, and they will often tell you just how complex and crazy and unpredictable and amazing the body can be. However, keeping an eye on the following matters of health can go a long way in helping you stay your best self from day to day, month to month, and year to year:



Eye Health

Something that is commonly overlooked is the health of your eyes. You only get one set so it is essential you are doing everything you can to look after them. If eating healthy and increasing your intake of fruit and veg is not enough then you may need to attend regular check-ups with your local eye doctor or optician. If you worry about the rising cost of living and being able to afford this then fear not. You can sign up to Ok.Vision on a monthly or annual basis, this includes eye checks as well as prescriptions depending on the plan you choose. 

Dental Health


Dental health is exceedingly important. Even adults can suffer from a loss of teeth, mishapen teeth, negative gum health among many other things. It’s not uncommon for adults to look for braces or a retainer via Orthodontist Dr Adam Schulhof in order to both restore the uniformity of their teeth and to promote gum and general dental hygiene. This is important. Not only can well-kept teeth help you feel confident in your smile, but it can help reduce halitosis and further dental issues that may lead to infections or even the need for surgery.


Mental Health


Mental health is by no means a ‘small matter of health,’ in fact, it could be considered even more important for daily functioning than certain aspects of physical health. In order to maintain this, it’s important to learn how to destress by finding an appropriate work/life balance, by heading to a therapist or a mental health professional if experiencing difficulties you cannot understand, by journaling, by socializing with the right people in your environment, by taking care of your financial situation to manage and by working on your mental toughness via meditating and completing challenging tasks. These efforts will be lifelong and require a diligent approach, but can be completed. Check this recommended list of daily mental health requirements to help you function at your peak during your daily life.


Environmental Health


Our environmental health contributes heavily to how we feel and behave. You may not be able to completely clean up the behavior of all those around you and force them to recycle, but you can certainly keep your hygiene at its absolute best throughout all of the days, wash your bedsheets religiously and clean and tidy your living space effectively. It might mean ensuring your pets are as well kept and hygienic as you or learning how to inspect your apartment for signs of damp or decay or even your diet for negative foodstuffs that may have expired. Health is not just you, it’s also what is around you. Taking care to limit exposing yourself to unhealthy items and keeping a healthy relationship to supporting your immune system can help you ensure that the challenges of your environment are dealt with mentally and physiologically.


Health is perhaps one of the vastest topics when it comes to living a great life. With these little efforts, you can support yours in more ways than might initially come to mind.

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