There is no more frustrating home décor problem than old, worn-out floorboards. On a budget, you can paint the walls, add accessories, and even replace furniture, but redoing the entire floor is a considerably larger — and more expensive — project.

That doesn’t mean you have to put up with your scuffed-up vinyl or nasty old carpeting. There are many various flooring options available these days, including several that are quite economical. Vinyl, laminate, and several types of tile can all be found for less than a dollar per square foot.

However, you can’t just pick any of these low-cost flooring options and expect it to work in any room. Each type of flooring has benefits and drawbacks, and one that is excellent for one room may be a bad fit for another.

So, before you begin your flooring project, do some research on the various types of flooring and learn about their costs and advantages. Then you’ll be able to discover a floor that works for both your space and your budget.

It’s critical to set aside funds or use the equity in your property to pay for flooring upgrades.

Each form of flooring has its own set of advantages. Assess the needs of each space before deciding on the best types of flooring for your home. Then, by matching your design choices to the size of your budget, you may choose from a vast range of flooring options. This article examines numerous different types of flooring, as well as their benefits and drawbacks, so you can choose the finest flooring for each room in your house.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring is long-lasting and has an exquisite appearance. You can refinish certain types of hardwood floors up to five times and adjust the shine to complement a newly decorated room. Prefinished wood flooring in your house is a perfect choice that will have your home looking chic, modern, and beautiful.

According to Tri Point Flooring, “The look and other qualities of wood floors have endured for centuries. Their timelessness provide the potential for decades of use in your home or commercial property.”

Area rugs are a simple and attractive way to dress up rooms with hardwood floors. Despite the fact that hardwood flooring is one of the most expensive flooring options to install, many homeowners prefer it because of its durability and high return on investment. You can choose to install hardwood flooring yourself, but if you want to save time, you can also employ professionals to do so.

According to Forbes, “Hardwood floors are a timeless look that works well for any kind of decorating motif. Many point to the return on investment of hardwood floors as a selling point if they’re considering adding them, and hardwood floors will pay off in resale value.”

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring has the appearance of real wood, tile, or stone flooring for a fraction of the cost. Laminate comes with its pros and cons. It usually requires less upkeep than these more traditional types of flooring. Scratch-resistant, waterproof, noise-resistant, and heated alternatives are all available in a number of appealing and simple-to-install forms. Laminate flooring has been a popular choice in many homes as a result of these factors.

Vinyl flooring is a long-lasting and cost-effective option. It’s made of plastic, commonly acrylic, PVC, or other comparable polymers. It’s a cost-effective solution for those seeking exquisite style and durability without paying a hefty price. Planks, sheets, and tiles are all options for vinyl flooring. Vinyl flooring is both utilitarian and elegant because it is waterproof, scratch- and stain-resistant, and has commercial-grade durability.

Bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and basements are all good places to put tile flooring because they are high-moisture spaces with the potential to get wet. Tiles are adaptable and require little care to last for many years. There are a variety of tile textures that can be used to simulate wood, stone, or even fabric.

Carpet

Carpet is, of course, an excellent choice for rooms that require additional warmth and comfort, such as bedrooms and family rooms. Because some carpet textures and piles are more durable than others, choose your carpet based on the amount of foot traffic in the room.

For bedrooms and living spaces, wall-to-wall carpeting is a perennial choice. Soft fibers, such as wool or nylon, are pulled through a woven backing, then further layers of backing are glued on to stiffen the textile. It’s installed by nailing it to a layer of padding, which adds comfort and extends the carpet’s life.

A new house with blank walls and no flooring may seem like a nightmare to some. Others, on the other hand, see it as the ideal opportunity to design the home of their dreams.

If you belong to the second group, you most likely already have a vision of your ideal home. The lofty ceiling, the elegant iron railings on the stairwell, and the glass chandelier over the dining table all add to the atmosphere.

But there is one thing that many people overlook, despite the fact that it is just as crucial, if not more so. The floor coverings are a feature that can add design, comfort, and warmth to your home.

Did you know that asthma is the leading cause of chronic diseases and affects approximately 11-13% of the total population of children worldwide? For obscure reasons, the frequency of asthma in kids is consistently rising. 

While asthma symptoms can start at any stage of life, most people experience manifestations by age 5. However, many asthma cases get too critical due to late diagnosis. This gets quite challenging when spotting asthma symptoms. The main question here is, what are symptoms linked to the condition? Before we get to answer that, let’s first know what asthma is.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a lung disease linked to inflammation of the bronchial tubes with persistent production of tacky discharges inside the tubes, causing breathing difficulties. Most people associate asthma with wheezing. However, note that not all youngsters with asthma wheeze. 

Ongoing hacking might be the main clear sign, yet a youngster’s asthma might go unnoticed if the cough is credited to intermittent bronchitis instead.

Common Symptoms of Asthma in Children

Most kids with asthma show its symptoms before they turn five. In babies, little children, and preschoolers, the bronchial tubes that permit air to enter and leave the lungs are quite narrow. Common colds and the flu can inflame these airways, making them much narrower. So it very well might be hard for guardians, and even specialists, to perceive when asthma brings about side effects in little kids. That’s why you must get to familiarize yourself with asthma symptoms.

Below are the common symptoms that parents and guardians should be looking out for when attempting to diagnose asthma.

• A persistent cough which often occurs at night

• The wheezing sounds. This is the most expected asthma symptom. It is a whistling sound that is produced when the kid breathes out.

• Difficulties in breathing. This can be hard to notice in small children. However, watch out for abnormal fast breathing that sometimes causes the skin around the neck and ribs to pull in.

• Frequent Colds

Your kid might have just one of these manifestations or a few of them. You might believe it’s simply a cold or even bronchitis. However, if the above symptoms persist or recur, this might be a red flag that it’s asthma. Furthermore, symptoms might deteriorate when your kid is around asthma triggers, like irritants floating in the air like smoke, allergens like dust, pet dander, or dust mites. 

Why It Can Be Difficult To Spot Asthma

Did you know that a lot of people currently being treated for asthma may not actually have the condition? Misdiagnosis is common when it comes to asthma. This is based on the fact that symptoms associated with asthma are mostly misunderstood. 

Secondly, the disease is chronic and can affect anyone, right from childhood to old age. Asthma can be identified by frequent shortness of breath and wheezing attacks, with the seriousness and recurrence of attacks shifting from one individual to another. These attacks are related to variable airflow deterrent and irritation inside the lungs, which, whenever left untreated, can be hazardous.

How Can It Be Managed If a Child Is Diagnosed With the Condition?

Proper treatment of asthma is essential, and every child with the condition deserves to get the same – asthma can be deadly if left unattended. However, don’t be discouraged because the good news is that the symptoms and are very much manageable with appropriate treatment.

If your child is diagnosed with asthma, the following tips will help you stay on the right track during treatment.

Get an action plan from a specialist. An action plan is a set of written instructions on taking prescribed medicines to avoid the triggers. Follow these instructions to the letter for better asthma treatment of your child.

• Stick to the doctor’s prescription.

Do not deviate from the doctor’s instruction on the medication whatsoever.

• Please beware of any triggers and avoid them. 

Learn to identify the respective asthma triggers and keep your child away from them.

• Know what to do in case of a flare-up

Know when your kid has severe symptoms, and reach out to the doctor as soon as possible.

Note that asthma treatment works very effectively when done correctly and at the right time.

In the “old days,” if you needed eyeglasses, you booked an appointment with your optometrist and underwent an extensive eye exam. You were then given a prescription for new eyeglass lenses. You chose a pair of frames that looked good on you. Your eyeglasses were constructed, then fitted to your face, and off you went until you needed a new script. While seeing your optometrist is still of the utmost importance, since they not only examine the current state of your eyesight but can also test for early signs of other diseases like glaucoma and even diabetes, the digital age has ushered in lots of new online options for the seeing impaired. 

For instance, you can now choose frames online and be fitted by digital means right over your smartphone. There’s even an app for determining your precise eyeglass lens prescription. If you so choose, you never have to leave the house in order to have your eyes scanned and fitted for a new pair of eyeglasses. In a word, the business of eyeglasses has gotten “smart.”  

Now social media is getting in on the action. A recent report states that Facebook has partnered with the famous Ray-Ban eyeglass brand to launch a new series of “smart glasses” that come engineered with two tiny hidden cameras that can secretly record video and snap pictures while you go about your day.    

Coined, Ray-Ban Stories cost about $299 and are outfitted with open-ear speakers, a three-microphone audio system, and dual integrated five-megapixel cameras. The video captured can then be shared with social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and more. 

The new smart glasses are said to be a part of Facebook owner and founder, Mark Zuckerberg’s grand plan for a social media, worldwide “metaverse.”  

Metaverse

The term metaverse is said to have been coined from the 1992 dystopian thriller “Snow Crash.” It describes “immersive, shared spaces accessed across different platforms where the physical and digital emerge,” which is fancy speak for spying on people, recording their actions, then publishing it without their permission. 

  Zuckerberg, who has been the target of a congressional investigation in the past for stealing his user’s data, views the metaverse as an “embodied internet.” That said, his next experiment might be placing an internet chip directly into the human brain. 

Spyglasses

Eyeglasses and sunglasses engineered with built-in microphones and cameras are not a new invention. Snapchat is said to have released its own version of the spyglasses called Spectacles as far back as 2016. The glasses allowed users to record video secretly and snap pictures of their immediate surroundings and the people who occupied them.  Now, Facebook, in collaboration with Ray-Ban, has launched a line of far more stylish smart glasses and sunglasses that contain two hidden cameras and microphones. They will allow the user to secretly take videos and photos of other people while on the go. 

The captured videos and images will then be shared from a smartphone app to your favorite social media sites like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook. An invasion of privacy? Perhaps, but the legalities and illegalities of the smart glasses remain to be seen (pardon the pun).

Smart Glasses Specs

Said to be available in the Meteor, Round, and Wayfarer eyeglass varieties, smart glasses will allow the user to share video via a user-friendly, companion smartphone app. The glasses’ camera weighs in at 1.7oz or 50g. The sound is a Dual 5MP amp. The microphone is embedded while the speaker is open-ear. The glasses also come with a triple array companion app. 

Facebook View Price is said to be $299. As of early September 2021, the eyeglasses are available on the global marketplace. 

Marketing and Legalities

In terms of marketing, Facebook is shilling the smart glasses as a way to “seamlessly capture,” listen, and share your most original moments with your friends and family via social media. But some will argue that this might be your way of sharing other people’s most authentic moments without their being aware of it.  Says Andrew Bosworth, Facebook Vice President of Reality Labs, Ran-Ban Stories is engineered to assist folks with living in the moment and to connect with the people they are not only present with but people they wish they could be with.

However, some analysts believe that legal problems stemming from the smart glasses loom large for the mega social media giant since they will no doubt infringe on people’s civil liberties and make it difficult for innocent people to avoid being on camera.  The deputy executive director and general counsel for the Electronic Frontier, Kurt Opsahl, recently stated that the rising popularity of smart glasses and Ran-Ban Stories might further eat away at any sense of privacy you might get in a public setting.  

This is the perfect time of year to go on vacation with your children or grandchildren. The summer crowds have died down a bit, and the Florida weather is perfect. While you are thinking about where to take the grandkids or kids on vacation, there are some tips you need to keep in mind. Here are some vacation safety tips you need to know before you take your next trip with kids.

Pool and Water Safety

There is no better way to spend time with children than in the water. However, according to Stein Law, Florida drowning accident lawyers, 800 children in the United States die each year from drowning. Children can die in lakes, streams, oceans, or a pool. More children die in pools than in any other body of water. Therefore, you need to practice pool and water safety with your children or grandchildren. A great first step is to make sure the kids in your life have swimming lessons. Many organizations offer swimming lessons year-round, and the better your children or grandchildren swim, the less likely they are to drown. Also, you need to watch children or grandchildren in the water at all times because when children get into trouble in the water, it is nearly always silent.

Road Trip Safety Tips

Florida has more exciting road trip locations than nearly any other state. You can choose from screaming at Orlando theme parks, canoeing, and visiting manatees, or hanging out on any of the hundreds of Florida beaches the state has. Before you embark on the journey, have your car checked out by a mechanic to avoid blown tires, dead batteries, or –importantly–windshield wipers.
Your next step needs to be checking out the car seats your kids or grandkids use. If you have grandchildren that are infants, be sure their car seat is facing to the rear of the car. Children who are toddlers should be in convertible seats until they reach seven years old. Older children need to be in a booster seat until they reach 4 feet, 9 inches in height.

At Amusement Parks or Other Large Play Areas

If you are stopping at an amusement park, you need to keep these safety tips in mind.

First, be sure the kids or grandkids have snacks and water bottles. Many areas in the US are very hot and humid during the summer and early fall, and children can get easily dehydrated. Because children burn so much energy at parks, you need to keep snacks on hand as well. One of the most important safety tips at a park is to keep young children in your line of sight at all times. That can be not easy in a large park, so you may want to think about wearing matching t-shirts in bright colors to help you keep sight of your children or grandchildren constantly. If your children or grandchildren are older, you can make rules about traveling in groups and pick spots in the park to go when someone is lost. Older children have cellphones, so make use of them. Talk to your kids about finding a person to help them when lost, such as a mom with kids. The more you talk to your kids or grandkids about what to do at a park in case of emergency, the safer your family will be.

On a Boat

Many people think of boats or cruise ships for seniors, but many cruise lines are kid-friendly. If you are taking the kids and grandkids out on a boat with friends, everyone should wear a life jacket, even if they are able to swim. That’s because a boating accident can easily knock someone unconscious, which makes them unable to swim at all.

Also, you’ll want to talk to your children or grandchildren about boat safety before the trip begins, no matter how large or how small the boat is. Simple rules for boat safety include not running on the boat, wearing shoes on boats unless you are in the water, and avoiding ropes, masts, or poles while playing games. If you are on a large ship, be sure all of your kids know what to do in case of an emergency. For example, if an alarm sounds onboard, your kids or grandkids need to know where to go or how to find you. No matter where you decide to take your kids or grandkids, a little planning, and conversation with your loved ones can prevent a lot of future disasters. Don’t forget to pack a first aid kit, and then sit back, relax, and let the good memories begin.

You don’t have to worry if you’re shopping for an oven and are overwhelmed by the number of options available today. Instead, you need to determine several things to help you find out the type of oven ideal for your situation. 

Oven Size/Capacity and Kitchen Space

The size of an oven would determine how much food you could cook in one batch. If you’re cooking for one or two, then even the smallest capacity will do. However, if you’re going to cook for a family or for food service establishments like a coffee shop or restaurant, a bigger oven would save you time (because you’ll be cooking one batch instead of 2 or more) and reduce electricity consumption as well. 

Once you’ve considered this, you should then think about where the oven will be placed. Is it going to be a countertop appliance? Are you open to building a space for a commercial oven? How much is kitchen space available for your oven?

Oven Functions

Modern ovens have many functionalities and “modes” built into the device. You’ll find buttons for broiling, convection bake, defrosting, and others. Here are three functions that I believe is a MUST for any oven you decide to buy:

• Auto Function: An oven’s “auto function” has pre-set temperature and time for specific menus. For example, if you want to cook an oil-free recipe or explore how to ferment ghee or make curd. There are also cuisine-specific auto settings (such as Indian or Korean food) or technology-specific (like Tandoor tech) that would allow you to cook a wide range of recipes quickly and without having to guess the settings.
• Sabbath Mode: When you see “Sabbath mode” in an oven, this refers to a function that keeps food warm for an extended period. I love how you can prepare food for a group of people early and the meals will remain warm until everyone arrives.
• Child lock: If you have kids, this function will give you peace of mind, especially when you’re not at home.

Oven Wattage and Power Supply

Oven wattages differ from one oven to the next, usually between 800 to 1200 watts. Generally speaking, the higher wattage a stove has, the faster it could cook your food. However, if you’re planning to use an oven for reheating leftovers for two people, a low-watt oven will often do. 

Similarly, you’d also want to check the power supplies in your kitchen, restaurant, or other places you’ll be using the oven. This is especially true if the oven you’re buying requires higher amounts of power. 

Convection vs. Other Heating Types

When choosing between ovens, it is easy to get confused with similar terms. For example, a convection oven can broil and bake, but so does a toaster oven. Likewise, a microwave oven can defrost and reheat, but so does any conventional oven. 

An oven with convection heating is ideal because it saves time and energy costs. Its built-in fan circulates hot air inside the oven, distributing heat more evenly and faster. 

Convenience Features

There are oven features that aren’t prioritized in advertising but will be very handy for day-to-day usage. For example, not all ovens have glass doors. If you’re a visual cook/baker and need to see if your food is “done,” glass doors would be a convenient way to check doneness. 

Not only do glass doors help you see through the oven, but it also prevents heat from escaping the oven while cooking. Most of the time, when people open the oven to check if what they’re baking or cooking is done, the temperature reduces and as a result, requires additional time to cook properly.  

A timer (so the oven turns off once the time is up) and delayed start (a function that tells the oven to start cooking at a particular time) are two super convenient features. 

Dual Ovens

If you’re a first-time oven buyer, you probably think that any model is enough for your cooking needs. But wait until you host a Thanksgiving dinner, and you’ll be faced with a dilemma that is all too common: how do you cook a turkey AND another side dish in one batch? Unfortunately, the answer is, you can’t if your oven is NOT a dual oven. 

For those who see themselves multiple baking meals at a time, choose a dual oven with separate 2-3 cooking compartments (all with different temperatures and settings). This feature is an ultimate time-saver, but it isn’t a common recommendation. 

The considerations above are just some of the underprioritized items people should know before shopping for an oven. Other details you should look into prior to buying an oven include cord length, extra racks, rotisserie tools, accessories included, and an extended warranty. 

Budget travelers have always been concerned with their budget and yet they can not stop thinking about traveling. There are many people like us. However, many other supporting alternatives can help this dream to come true where you can travel within a budget. Well, all it takes is a plan and a decent budget to start with then comes the ticket booking and you may go for hotel booking with Tajawal as well.

Indeed, we have collected and described each of the tips below for travelers to explore the world while staying on a budget. So here we go!

MANAGE YOUR RESOURCES-BUDGET

Though it is fundamental, this is also a crucial part of traveling from start to end. Since budgeting and planning are the two core parts of traveling, so let’s start with a month or two months before you plan on going somewhere. This is the time from where you have to start saving for your travel budget.

 Plus you can also save by decluttering, where you have to sell the extra and unnecessary stuff from our home and you can save that money as well.

Somehow when it comes to savings, typically, people think they won’t be able to save enough for traveling ever, which is totally not the case but instead, you can start saving one by one and see the results just after a month.

FIND FREE ALTERNATIVES

Suppose you are traveling across the country by road, which is a real adventure and planning to camp somewhere. Here is a recommended tip. Try to look for the things that can help you the same way you need them so you don’t have to buy any stuff with money. Let us take the example of plates and cups that you like to use for dinners. Try to use plastic cutlery, which you can reuse after washing as well.

If you are planning to take a flight, then it is recommended to bring disposable things. So in case if you don’t have any cutlery around and need one, you can use the disposables without spending the money.

STOCK UP ON SNACKS/GROCERY

If you are planning to camp somewhere or hike, you should bring snacks with you. This way, you don’t have to spend enough money on the one-time food or meal when you can enjoy the snack or canned food on a hike. Sometimes the areas where people like to camp are remote and have very few shops around and if there are any, they charge quite a lot, which breaks down the budget of the whole traveling. So even if you are a coffee lover, try to bring the stuff along. 

LOOK FOR ECONOMICAL LOCKERS

The majority of the airport sites do not have self-service luggage lockers due to safety and security concerns. It is likely to cause inconvenience to you during your vacation, as you will not be able to enjoy your trip luggage free. Fortunately, you can find economical left luggage storage options in the famous tourist attractions. So, you should search about the same and make reservations in advance to save. These storage options also do not charge additional costs, especially if the luggage is larger than usual.

SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER

If you are not aware of this thing, here is the pattern. You can subscribe to the newsletters that pop up when you are searching for flights or even hotel bookings. This can help you to avail any discount or sales when you definitely need it. Any last-minute sale or discount or even sponsored tickets may find you… isn’t it mesmerizing? 

So, when you search for these sites try to subscribe to the top flight’s newsletters. Then, maybe next time you fly at a huge discount.

DON’T GO INTO A VACATION MINDSET; INSTEAD, TAKE WORK FROM HOME

If you are fed up with the working routine you are in and want to leave for vacations, it is very common, but try to go for working from home, as this will still save you from getting half income and you can work while enjoying the landscapes. But, on the other hand, taking vacations can eat up your wallet, and you are in no way to get the full compensation from your office or working premises. 

So on the other hand when you take work from home, you can take your home anywhere, especially from where you want to work. 

Safety Travel tips:

The best tip for traveling safely is to try to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings. This is only to save yourself from the things you may ignore to observe. Observing your environment can save you quite some money and let you avoid any inconveniences as well. Try to use safety alert apps and always share your location with your partners. Stay safe and travel healthy.