LifeStyle

Synthetic grass has been growing in popularity in the last years because people don’t have too much time for working in the garden, they live in a dry climate and don’t want to waste the water needed to keep it alive or they simply want their lawn to always look nice and tidy. Artificial grass has been around for some time now (since the 1960s, to be precise), but it used to be a sports thing only. Now, this low-maintenance alternative to a lawn may be encountered not only at stadiums but also in private gardens, balconies, playgrounds, pathways, staircases, and more. Here are some reasons why it’s so popular now and why it will still be trending in the future:

• It saves water and money

One of the main reasons why artificial grass is so trendy is the fact that it doesn’t need watering. Natural lawns, especially if you live in a climate when it doesn’t rain too often, require a lot of watering which may turn out to be costly at the end of the month.

• It saves time

It’s all about the looks – synthetic grass is always green and you don’t have to spend hours gardening to keep it this way. Some people like to get dirty and tired but those who don’t shouldn’t be deprived of the chance to have a nice lawn without hiring a gardener.

• It’s low-maintenance

You don’t have to mow it, as it’s not growing, and there’s no need to water it. Apart from that, you won’t pollute the air with your mower. The only situation when you will have to spend some time on it will be the cleaning time. It’s extremely easy and quick, though. To remove any bigger, organic materials, you can get a leaf blower or simply pick them up. You will only have to use some water to clean it from time to time, especially if you have a dog, but you will see when there’s a need for that.

• It’s free of pesticides and fertilizers

It’s not natural, hence it’s not growing so it doesn’t need any help to stay green and healthy. It’s not a friendly environment for any bugs, so you won’t have problems with pests. No chemicals mean that you will save money and do something good for the environment and your own help.

• It’s durable

Once it’s there, you don’t have to worry about your grass disappearing or getting seriously harmed. Artificial grass can last several years if there aren’t any major disasters. It’s designed and manufactured so that it can withstand different kinds of weather conditions and traffic. It also doesn’t need sun so you can have a lawn wherever you want, even in the deep shade.

• It’s weeds-free

Even the most enthusiastic gardeners hate weed control. You can fall all over yourself and you will still regularly notice weeds in your precious natural lawn. Getting rid of them takes both a lot of time and money, and it’s never permanent. Synthetic grass is not a real environment so there are smaller chances of anything growing there.

• It’s safer for kids

That’s why many institutions and local self-governments decide to use synthetic grass instead of a natural one – it doesn’t need any fertilizers or other chemicals, so it’s 100% safe for kids, whatever they’re playing. It’s not safe to eat it (we all know how children have to put everything in their mouths), but certainly safer than eating chemicals. It’s also proven that it actually reduces the risk of injuries – that’s why it works so well at football fields.

• It’s safer for dogs (and dog-proof)

It’s the perfect solution if you have a dog who loves to play outside (and all of them do). Many dogs get sick because they get so excited that they eat some grass which very often can be contaminated with chemicals; even if it’s not, it’s still not healthy to eat. Artificial grass doesn’t get eaten by any pets – they’re not interested in it – and they don’t dig holes there. And if they make a mess, you can get rid of it quickly with a little bit of water.

• It’s cleaner

There are less or even no by-products when it comes to synthetic grass, so the mud and the dirt won’t be scattered everywhere. No grass clippings or other debris can get inside your house or on your porch.

• It always looks good

Since artificial grass can withstand most weather conditions, there won’t be a situation when you go out some morning to see that your lawn is devastated. It looks just like the real lawn, but it stays green at all times. Even when there are many people walking in some areas, it will still need less maintenance than natural grass. It’s also more relaxing and soothing for people to see a green lawn even in the middle of the winter (providing there’s no snow). It can also boost your house’s value if you decide to sell it someday – it will look appealing at any times.

To sum up, synthetic grass solved a majority of the problems people had with their natural lawns. It’s low-maintenance, cheaper, good-looking and time-saving. It’s hard to be surprised that it’s still so popular, right?

Trends change every week nowadays, but there are specific colours that are considered classic and will never go out of style. White and blue is a colour combination that will never disappoint you. It’s like combining blue jeans with a white T-shirt, it always works. Let’s talk about why blue and white are most beautiful together and where should you put them.

Make your living room a relaxation centre

What is best about colour combinations is that when you choose to use only two colours, you can play with the patterns and shades as you wish. If you would like to choose a blue and white combination for your interior decor, you will find yourself in the middle of endless options to choose from. The good news is, with white and blue, it is tough to make the wrong decision, almost possible. You can add blue or white in your living room everywhere you want, pillows, tables, an armchair. And if you’re going to be precise and loyal to this colour combination, you might want to click here and ask to install a white TV or a dark blue satellite.

White and blue are both also symbols. White represents air and purity, and blue stands for water and calmness. To make sure you have proper energy on a daily basis, you need a place where you will find peace after a long day of work, and a white and blue living room can provide that.

You can choose from warm tones of blue, all the way to dark, mysterious shades of this colour. As for white, it is an excellent contrast to an intensity that comes with the blue and makes your rooms more bright, which comes in handy, especially during wintertime.

House that is visible from miles away

There is an interior, but do not forget about the exterior. You might get inspired by the architecture near the coast of Greece, where you can find many white houses with blue elements to them. It looks stunning and seems more original than to make it only one colour. Adding shades of blue around the windows, painting your address in shades of blue might seem like not a lot, but they will change the look of your house from boring to modern and creative. You can introduce a little bit of Mediterranean culture to your neighbourhood, why not?

Wardrobe for decades

Already mentioned before, a classic combination of blue jeans and a white shirt always looks nice. If you do not want to spend time in front of your wardrobe, wondering what to wear, white and blue clothes will save you. Forget the black mini dress. You want to look excellent and elegant and not predictable. There is only one shade of black, and thousands of shades of blue, go for the variety. Get yourself a dark blue suit of a dress. In the summer play with florals and different patterns. Prepare sets of white and blue clothes that work together. Then choose from complete outfits in the morning, rather than looking for single clothing items. You can also finally stop worrying if the blouse you bought will be fashionable next year. The white and blue combination doesn’t age, and that should save you some money if you take good care of your clothes.

Change your garden into an oasis

If you have a pond, a small fountain or just a lot of plants in your garden, add a white bench to make your backyard feel like a garden from a catalogue. By now, you already know that white complements blue, so in combination with any water attraction, white decor elements to your garden will look stunning. And if you have a lot of plants, so a lot of green in your garden, it must look beautiful out there. But you can make it breath-taking if you add white and blue elements to it. White and blue flower pots are also a good idea. And in the evening, when you light up your backyard a little bit, that is when you will see it is worth it.

White and blue is a colour combination that works for all kinds of products and surfaces. You can change the interior and exterior of your house, your wardrobe or garden, and this is not even a significant part of the whole list. Take something that is sure not to go out of style and play with it. Stop making money by trying to follow all current trends, who has even time for that?

The ability to not only save a good amount of money, but also gain an inimitable sense of satisfaction, makes the prospect of DIY an exciting one. In fact, even too exciting sometimes, to the extent of blinding DIY enthusiasts of the risks, downsides, and their own shortcomings.

Before you dive headfirst into a DIY project, there are a few essential questions you should ask yourself even if you already have a couple of projects under your belt. Those questions fall into two categories, the first one coming down to whether you’re capable of carrying out the DIY project. Those questions include:

• Do you have the know-how, the technical skills, and the necessary experience?
• Do you have the time? (and the money you’d sacrifice during it by not working)
• Do you have the energy?
• Do you know the risks and how to handle them?

Even if you answered “yes” to all of the above, there’s the other question category, which is actually just a single, ultimate question that can render the others irrelevant – “Is it worth it?”

And even if your answer was another resounding “yes,” here are a few types of jobs for which we strongly advise you to swallow your pride and call an expert anyway.

Plumbing

Sure, a lot of people might be able to unclog a drain or fix a leak, but that doesn’t exhaust all plumbing scenarios, let alone emergencies. The fact of the matter is, plumbing is a far more delicate line of work than it may seem on the outside, and if you’re surprised by this statement, then that’s a clear sign you’re an outsider.

For one, a botched plumbing job is not only bad in itself, but it can also trigger a chain reaction of problems that extend far beyond plumbing. Poorly sealed connections, for example, can cause leaks, which respectively invite moisture that unnoticeably creeps into the house, damages your property, and brings along mold which is bad for your walls, not to mention your health. All of that snowballs into a massive hassle you could have easily avoided with a simple phone call.

But besides the relatively trivial hurdles, you can bring down something much worse on yourself. For example, you could stumble upon a gas line, which is already bad since gas lines are not something you should stumble upon by accident. Even being unsure if a gas pipe could cross your DIY path is more than a good enough reason to call an expert.

Dealing with old piping and septic tanks are other endeavor you should simply leave to the experts. To find out about other risky plumbing jobs and emergencies that require far more expertise than you might think, visit https://www.plumbingforce.co.uk/emergencies/.

Electrical Jobs

Luckily, electrical jobs tend to inspire more fear than plumbing, even if it’s only because of mainstream movies. With that being said, there are still lots of DIY daredevils who think just because something happens in a film, it’s entirely fictional. Don’t be one of them, as simple as that.

And even if you think you’ve done a good job and make it out intact at first, you might have actually made a bigger mess that is simply yet to unfurl. Faulty wiring, for example, is like a ticking time bomb that won’t make a sound until it’s too late.

And while the safety risks of DIY electrical jobs are luckily quite well-documented, there’s also the more trivial side of things that isn’t. Even if an electricity task is by some chance risk-free, botching it will cost you dearly since a real electrician will charge you much more to fix your mess than he/she would have to simply do it in the first place.

Knocking Down Internal Walls

Knocking down internal walls sure may seem fun and bad-ass in films, but if it’s not done by a professional who can assess the load distribution of your house and the wall’s role in it, you might end up knocking down your entire house.

Roof Repairs

Even if you happen to have the skills in themselves to fix a problem in your roof, which quite likely you don’t anyway, it usually takes a professional to do it in awkward positions quite a few feet from the ground.

There are other tempting jobs out there that DIY enthusiasts should resist, but these are the four that are a hard “no,” whoever you are.

Planning your dream wedding is one of the most nerve-wracking and exciting things you’ll ever do. But if you’ve been to a fair share of weddings, every ceremony might start to feel the same. To wow your guests and make your big day stand out, here are some clever wedding ideas.

Design a Wedding Website

Wedding websites are a great way to provide your guests with a central hub of information about your big day. Guests can use your wedding website to find information about the venue, dress code, travel plans, and your wedding registry. Additionally, your wedding website can serve as a networking tool for guests. (Having a website also makes it easy for you to post important notifications regarding your wedding!)
With more and more technology available to help wedding planners, guests now expect soon-to-be-married couples to create a wedding website. To create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind wedding website, check out the Joy wedding website builder. Joy is a free, easy-to-use wedding website builder that can help you create a custom website for your dream day. So whether you’re looking to design a rustic website for your countryside wedding or a nautical layout for your beach getaway, Joy can help.

Create a Memorable Environment

After choosing the perfect venue for your wedding ceremony and reception, be sure to create a memorable environment. A memorable environment will make for picture-perfect moments, and guests will remember your wedding for years to come. If you’re not sure where to start, check out this unique table set up for inspiration. A gorgeous table set up will let your location shine while creating a serene environment for guests.

Additionally, provide comfortable seating for your guests. When your guests are comfortable, they’re more likely to be present during your ceremony and reception. Try creating a place for guests to mingle between dances with a lounge area. Fill the lounge with couches, chairs, and plenty of cushions for guests to kick back and relax. To take your seating to the next level, add some individual throw pillows and elegant lounge-style sofas. For bonus points, close off the lounge area with curtains.

Involve Your Guests

Make your guests feel involved in your big day by involving them in your wedding ceremony. Ask guests to read their intentions, or goals for the couple, before exchanging vows, or organize a group sing-a-long to one of your favorite songs. Make sure to inform guests of their expected involvement and post any needed materials on your wedding website.

If you’re hosting a big wedding party, involving guests in your ceremony might seem difficult. But you can still involve guests in your reception. Try setting up a DIY cocktail bar or even just allowing guests to serve their own pre-made drinks. If you don’t plan on serving alcohol, consider hiring a tarot card reader or a caricaturist.

Enjoy Yourself

If you’re enjoying yourself on your big day, your guests are guaranteed to remember you with a smile on your face. So don’t hesitate to treat yourself before the wedding with a spa day, massage, or a makeover.

If you’ve thought about getting false lashes, now is the perfect time to give it a go. False lashes from Lashes Direct will make your eyes pop, and they only take a half-hour to apply. If you’re not sure where to start, Lashes Direct offers real mink eyelash extensions for soft, light, natural-looking eyelashes. Mink eyelash extensions will leave you feeling luxurious, elegant, and sexy on your big day.
From designing a beautiful, one-of-a-kind wedding website to enjoying yourself on your big day, these ideas can help you throw a stand-out wedding ceremony that’s sure to wow your guests.

Buying a house is a big deal. Not only is this a big purchase that’s going to cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars, but it will also have a big impact on your life as well. Because of this, it’s important that you do everything in your power to ensure that you’re making the right decision before you finalize the purchase of a new home to live in.

To help you in making sure that you’ve covered all your bases and are making the best possible decision for you and your family, here are three things to consider before buying a new home.

Know What You Can Afford

One of the most important things that you’ll need to think about is the financial side of buying a new home. Since you’ll likely be paying on your home loan for decades, you’ll want to be sure that you get the right home loan from the start.

To help with this, Kelly Phillips Erb, a contributor to Forbes.com, recommends that you only buy a house that you know you can afford. In many instances, you’ll get approved for a loan that’s more than you think you can afford. Although a bank or other institution might approve you for this much, if your home loan would be a bigger percentage of your monthly income than you’re comfortable with, make sure you’re only getting a home that you know you’ll be able to afford without having to take a big cut in your lifestyle.

Give Yourself Time To Save

In order to be in the best financial situation as possible when you’re buying a house, you should try to put as much money down as you can for a down payment. But to do this, you’ll likely have to save your money for quite a long time.

According to Jeremy Vohwinkle, a contributor to The Balance, it’s ideal to put down 20 percent of the cost of the home as your down payment. Depending on how much the home is going to cost you, this could be a huge amount of money for the average person so save up. So in order to give yourself the best chance to do this, you should try to give yourself as much time as you can to save up the money you’ll need.

Make Sure The Neighborhood Fits You

While the financial side of buying a home will likely be one of the biggest concerns you have when buying a home, you also want to ensure that the home you buy is going to be the right fit for you and your family.

One way to know if you’re buying the right home, according to T. Lacoma, a contributor to the Family Handyman, is to check out the state of the neighborhood. If the neighborhood looks safe and like an area you’d be comfortable in, then buying a home there could be a great idea for you.

If you’re wanting to buy a new home in the future, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know what to consider when making this decision.

 

Great news for summer: there are some inventive, stylish, and highly wearable mani trends happening this season. With a range of colors and styles to suit everyone’s taste, here are three of the hottest looks from the runways to recreate with your manicurist.

1. Grown-Up Black Nails

Most of us probably associate black nails with teenage rebellion. You’re probably conjuring up images right now of the badly-applied, angst-fuelled black nails worn by at least one kid in your high school class. Move that thought to one side; black nails can look super-sophisticated, elegant, and are bang on-trend right now.

Tom Ford, Koche and Philipp Plein models all sported black nails on the Spring-Summer 19 catwalks. High-shine, extra-long nails looked spectacular and the height of glam at Philipp Plein. These manis were finished with a few simple jewels. However, Tom Ford and Koche opted for a shorter and simpler rounded nail with an immaculate, high-gloss finish.

Black isn’t a classic look for summer, but that’s what makes it so fun, edgy and totally this season.

How to rock this look:

• If you want to avoid the high school experimental look, high-gloss black nails need to be perfectly executed. Unless you’re super-confident at DIY manicures, it’s worth heading to a nail salon for this one.
• Unless you want to go for a retro or goth look, keep your outfits fresh and summery. This bright (or light) and dark contrast will help draw attention to your incredible nails.
• For the same reason, keep makeup light and neutral. Barely-there summer makeup for lips and eyes looks stunning alongside the statement black nails on this season’s catwalks.
• If you’re still not sure about black, go a few shades lighter with a dark blue or green. Emporio Armani rocked high-gloss dark blue on this season’s catwalk, whereas Georgio Armani opted for almost-black, dark green manis.

2. Adventurous Two-Tone Manis

In an update on the classic French manicure, two-tone nails were all over the Spring-Summer 19 catwalks as well. The nude-white color combination was gone and in its place were some really interesting contrasts.

We saw nude with a crimson tip at Kith; a bold orange with a black tip at Gareth Pugh and a more understated, playful pink and white look at Jeremy Scott.

With this season’s two-tone mani, any color combination goes; you can go bold and daring, pretty and whimsical or anywhere in between. This makes it a super-wearable look for everyone.

While the two-tone runway manicures largely went straight across the tip like a French mani, there were a few fashion houses that played with this tradition too.

Models at Sadie Williams sported nails with a gold base that reached a point, with black tips. And with the orange and black nails at Gareth Pugh, the border between colors was blurred with a spray-paint effect.

How to rock this look:

• This is one of the easiest looks to rock for SS19: anything goes in terms of shape, line, and color. It’s a great opportunity to experiment. Have fun playing and creating your own truly individual look.
• A two-tone mani isn’t the easiest look to do at home. The line between colors needs to be ultra-precise so it’s worth investing in a nail technician’s expertise. This also gives you the chance to step-it-up a gear and play with lines and shapes as well as color in your two-tone look.

3. A Spin on a Bare Nail

It wasn’t all high-impact and high-contrast nails on the SS19 runways. There were plenty of nude manis proving that clean and natural, well-groomed nails remain a classic look.

However, there were a few twists on the nude mani, too. Taking the bare nail as a blank canvas. There were beautiful designs drawn onto nail tips. Moschino, Kith and Nicole Miller all went for super-simple lines and shapes drawn on in black. The square spirals on the nail tips at Kith were stunning, as were the subtly different designs on each nail at Nicole Miller.

• For a basic nail shape, short-ish rounded nails are a classic look that always look well-groomed.
• It’s time to focus on the condition of your nails and the skin on your hands. Treat yourself to some time in the salon. For example, with this luxury mermaid-themed manicure, you can release your inner-child and totally destress. The treatment will hydrate, moisturize, and smoothen skin as well as ensure your nails and cuticles are in great shape.
• Nail art can be as whimsical or audacious as you like, but SS19’s hottest looks tended to use one color for clean lines and high definition. Opt for stick-on or drawn-on: the choice is yours.

Which look will you choose?

The most exciting thing about this summer’s nails is that there is an on-trend look for everyone.

You can go for high-drama or super-subtle; the choice is yours.

Which look for SS19 is inspiring you most right now?

 

AUTHOR BIO

Hillary Kozma is the Owner/Managing Director/Creative Director of Kozma & Kozma Salon. Having built the foundation of her skills with an apprenticeship under a direct protege of Vidal Sassoon, Hillary and her husband opened Glow American Salon in Qatar in 2007 before expanding to Dubai as Kozma & Kozma in 2016. Hillary is hailed by the media as a “pioneer in her field” for introducing new talents, concepts, philosophies, and techniques to the Middle East.

A no deposit bonus with slots is one where you can play a game and access the bonus without having to first lay down any of your own money.

Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on a few factors, like where you are choosing to game, and why, and then what that particular casino’s terms and conditions look like are also very important. So why don’t we come and play Viking Slots and experience it ourselves?

You do not for example, want to choose to play a slot with a no deposit bonus which offers a promotional code, that is because half of the time players forget to input this code and then there is no access.

What is a no deposit bonus and how do I get one?

To get your access to an entitlement of a no deposit bonus, you simply go online to the casino you like the look of and do a bit of research.

First, do check the terms and conditions of their no deposit bonus and the terms that are required for you to get a no deposit bonus so that you know exactly what you are getting yourself into before you get yourself into something that you do not want to be in in the first place.

Once you have done this, the next step is to check against what you think is the best idea for you and see if you have made the right decision by comparing these terms and conditions to a couple of other online casino websites.

After a thorough checking through of the online casinos, then you are ready to decide if you have made the right decision in choosing which of the casinos you want to play with, and whether or not you want to go with the option of a no deposit bonus.

The other thing that should be considered when you go into a game with a no deposit bonus is whether there is a term attached to the which states that you can only access the bonus if you pay to do so when the time comes.

Or worst still, if you do play with a no deposit bonus round and win. So this is another further more reason as to why it is so important to check out the terms and conditions before deciding whether or not a no deposit bonus is the right choice for you.

Do all games and casinos offer a no deposit bonus?

You can not get a no deposit bonus with every game and casino simply because not every body likes them and not every body benefits from them, and so not all offer them.

There are a fair few amount that do though, so if you are after a no deposit bonus you will not be missing out anywhere, it is literally just a case of hunting out the site that does offer them, and the game. Which is not hard as there are so many in this day and age.

So now you know how to decide if a no deposit bonus is right for you, why not head online to find yours now?

The best thing about online slots is the fact that players have endless options to choose from. The Internet has allowed developers to create games based on thousands of themes, tailored to a players every need. Common themes are often the luck of the Irish or the latest superhero from a Hollywood blockbuster, but slots can even revolve around adventures or precious jewels. So whether you prefer a fast paced, adrenalin pumping, action themed slot; or maybe something calmer and mellower; there’s a game out there for you. This even includes those who are looking for something simple and sweet, with the online slot, Fluffy Favourites.

Fluffy Favourites Features

Most players will instantly feel comfortable thanks the 5 reel, 25 pay line format. It’s fairly standard with most online slots and so is incredibly easy for anyone to get stuck right in. The bet range is also fairly broad, with a minimum bet of 1p and maximum of 25p per line, making the limits 25p to £6.25 per individual spin. The overall maximum bet works out at exactly £50 so it’s perfect for a wide range of players. Punters can adjust and base their betting amount to how lucky they’re feeling and whatever suits their budget best. The symbols are all things cute and cuddly which makes this slot game incredibly unique in the world of online casino themes. Slot symbols are take the form of soft toys and sweet baby animals like a rhino, monkey, lion, hippo and even the recognisable fish from finding Nemo. The cutest feature of all however is the adorable baby elephant that acts as a Wild and Scatter symbol and doubles any payouts when winning combinations are scored.

Fluffy Favourites Rewards

Now lets get down to business to the most important part of any online slot game – the prizes. Fluffy favourites may look adorable but it can still pack a serious punch and pay out some super jackpots. Players can achieve up to 25 free games, an amount which practically guarantees a free win. Then for those of you that are still not convinced, take note of the maximum prize of a whopping, £15,000. Not bad for an online slot that takes as little as 25p to play. However, our favourite part of this game has to be the bonus games that are on offer for any serious player. In triggering a toy box game by scoring a minimum of 3 claw symbols, players are propelled into a world of skill and excitement with this gamble feature. Players just need to try and pick up the toy by using a mechanical claw hand, exactly like you get to do at a real funfair. Every toy that is successfully bagged rewards players 100 times you original bet.

As one of the sweetest games around, it’s no surprise that too many people assume this game will be tame and slow. Whilst it’s not based on your favourite superhero, we can promise you this game is one of the most perfect ones to ease yourself into and really be challenged. Fluffy Favourites ticks all the boxes with huge rewards, surprise bonus games and jackpot prizes all making the perfect ingredients for a fantastic online slot.

As your teenager gets closer to driving age, you might be wondering what you can do to help keep them safe on the road.

While driving is relatively safe, car accidents still happen every day and can affect your child, too. Banning them from driving isn’t a smart solution, but looking for a car with extra safety features is.

There are countless new technologies available that can help keep your teen safe. Stereos now come with Bluetooth and some cars have automatic braking features.

Even if it isn’t feasible for you to purchase another car for them, you can still take action to help them stay safe on the road. We’ve outlined some helpful suggestions below to get you started.

Keep Them Off Their Phone

Above all else, your biggest priority should be on keeping your teen off of their phone.

This hasn’t always been an issue, but smartphones are incredibly prevalent today and serve as a major distraction while driving.

Because of this, you should do whatever it takes to make their driving experience hands free. GPS systems can be fairly inexpensive if powered via cigarette lighter power outlet. Do take advantage of a stereo system offering Bluetooth if they do need to take/make calls.

You can remind them to put their phone down all you want, but you can’t control what they do when they’re driving by themselves. What you can do is stress the importance of focusing on the road and making technology as hands-free as possible.

Collision Warning and Emergency Braking

Two features that more modern cars tend to have are frontal collision warning and emergency braking.

A focused and attentive driver should never need either of these functions, but even then they can still be helpful if any distractions do happen or if their reaction time isn’t quick enough.

Frontal collision warning involves the use of sensors to understand where a vehicle is concerning the car in front of it. If your car is getting too close, an audible or visible warning will be played to alert you to slow down.

As useful as this technology is, it becomes quite pointless if a driver does not quickly respond to it. In the scenario of texting and driving, your teen may be so wrapped up in writing their text that they don’t notice the collision warning in time to brake.

To make collision warning more effective, many models equipped with this technology also feature emergency braking. This combination is quite potent and is one of the best preventative safety mechanisms a car can feature.

As the name suggests, emergency braking will make a car automatically brake to avoid colliding with a car in front of it. In the age of heavily-distracted driving, this is almost an essential feature to keep teenagers safe.

Blind Spot Monitoring

Another useful safety feature includes blind-spot monitoring.

The classic way of approaching blind spots is to physically turn your head and look before changing lanes, but some drivers rely on their side mirrors.

To be clear, using your side mirrors to check your blindspot is a bad habit and will not keep you safe.

On the other hand, blind-spot monitoring systems are far more effective and will warn you when other cars are in your blind spot in either lane to the side of your car.

Blind spots will always be tricky, so it’s important to use this indicator as a backup rather than the primary method of checking a blindspot. Your teen should understand the importance of looking in addition to listening for warnings to keep them the safest.

Driver Safety Phone Apps

While smartphones are usually the problem when it comes to distracted driving, they can also be used as an effective tool to prevent it. This is done with the use of driver safety apps.

There are multiple different types of driving apps, but they all tend to function with one or two primary features.

The first allows you to monitor your teen’s driving habits, including if they ever get into an accident, speed, or need to brake hard. This will add some accountability to their driving and gives you peace of mind.

The other involves muting notifications while your child is driving. Some phone makers and service providers are planning to make this an automatic feature, but apps exist to provide this feature in the meantime.

Since smartphones tend to pose the biggest risk to teen drivers, finding a way to limit how impactful they are is the best way of keeping them safe.

Closing Thoughts

With so much technology available in modern cars, there isn’t a good reason to let your teenager drive unsafely.

If you can afford the purchase of a well-kept, used modern car, then look for one that has collision warning, emergency braking, and blind-spot detection. These are effective safety mechanisms that provide alerts to bring a driver to attention.

Beyond this, your main focus should be on limiting smartphone use. Whether this includes the use of hands-free technologies or dedicated apps to monitor their driving and silence notifications, you can find an effective solution to keep them safe.

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Grocery shopping for an entire family can be quite an ordeal. Especially if you have multiple kids who like all different kinds of foods and have all different kinds of personal and dietary needs, each trip to the grocery store can seem like an unwanted treasure hunt. But luckily, there are things you can do that will make these trips easier to make.

To show you how this can be done, here are three ways to make grocery shopping for your family easier and more convenient.

Get Items Delivered Straight To You

Thanks to modern technology, many people don’t even need to go to the grocery store anymore in order to get the items they need for their families.

According to Caroline Picard and Beth Kaufman, contributors to Good Housekeeping, by taking advantage of businesses that will deliver certain items or groceries straight to your door, you can avoid going to the grocery store completely.

To make this even easier, there are multiple services that you can subscribe to each month so you don’t even have to think about adding these items to your shopping list. Things like household products or certain toiletries like razors can come as a subscription so you never run out and never have to think about buying them from the store again.

Organize Your Shopping List By Department

For those times when you do have to make a trip to the grocery store, it’s wise to have a game plan so that you can get in and out of there fast. Not only will this give you more time to spend on more important things in your life, but it can also help you to save money by not making impulse buys.

To help you with this, Meghan Splawn, a contributor to TheKitchn.com, suggests that when you write out your shopping list before heading to the grocery store, make sure you’ve organized your items by department. By doing this, you’ll be able to grab everything you need in one fell swoop without having to loop back to certain departments or aisles because you forgot to grab something while you were there.

Don’t Go Down Every Aisle

One thing that can make grocery shopping that much harder is if you bring your kids along with you. At one point or another, you’re bound to be asked if they can get something or add something to your car. And usually, these aren’t the things that you planned on buying in the first place.

To avoid this, Dr. Dan Brennan, a contributor to WebMD.com, recommends that you don’t go down every aisle and that you try to stick to the outside aisles of the store whenever possible. This will ensure that you’re getting healthy foods, which are usually on the outside aisles of the store, and that your kids don’t see the unhealthy foods so as not to ask if they can have them.

If going grocery shopping for your family is one of your least favorite activities, consider using the tips mentioned above to help make this process easier and more convenient for you.