— Lifestyle —

Why You Should Include Your Funeral Plan As Part Of Your Estate Planning

June 23, 2021
Why You Should Include Your Funeral Plan As Part Of Your Estate Planning

The thought that one day in the future will be our last on this earth is not one that many of us will choose to dwell on, but it is so, and it brings into focus some practical realities that we need to address. Financial planners might often be more appropriate for someone whose life is in front of them, but they can benefit people of all ages, even if they have no plans to throw off this mortal coil anytime soon.

One of the specifics we can plan for, regardless of how old or young we are, is our funeral within our estate planning with Culshaw Miller Family Lawyers. We mention ‘young’ because, in reality, the earlier you have plans in place for your funeral, the less stressful and upsetting it will be. For example, compare the difference emotionally for someone aged 40 planning for their funeral, knowing it will be decades away, and someone in their mid-70s doing likewise, knowing it might be just a few years from now.

Apart from the emotional observation we have just made, there are several other reasons why you should have your funeral plans in place well in advance. Now, we accept that many of these benefits will accrue to your loved ones after you have passed away, but from the moment you finalise your funeral plans, it will give you peace of mind, knowing everything is in place. The specific benefits are outlined below.

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— Lifestyle —

6 Ways to be Plastic Free

May 19, 2021
6 Ways to be Plastic Free

We are committed to the plastic free movement.  6 Steps to Being Plastic Free:

1. Get your reusables ready! Place reusable shopping bags by the front door, a fork in your handbag, a stainless steel drink bottle or coffee mug and whatever else you need to make refusing single-use plastic as easy as possible.

2. Do a bin audit! That’s a fancy term for looking in your rubbish and recycling bin and seeing what you throw away. Which are the biggest offenders? Which will be the easiest things to switch? Make notes so you’re ready to look for alternatives when you go shopping.

3. Check your grocery receipt and see if there’s anything there that you could make rather than buy. For example, if you have a blender, you can whip up dips in a couple of minutes, plastic-free.

4. Ask the butcher / deli / fishmonger to wrap meats straight in paper if you don’t have your own containers and buy fresh bread in paper bags (if you don’t have your own bread bag).

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— Health, Marketing —

How SEO Can Help Your Local Health Food Store Compete For Better Rankings On Google

May 7, 2021
How SEO Can Help Your Local Health Food Store Compete For Better Rankings On Google

If you own or manage a local health food store and want to increase the number of customers who discover you whilst searching on Google, then at the top of your priorities you should have SEO as a means to achieve this goal. As the SEO specialists at www.seoperthexperts.com.au point out, the opportunities for smaller and local businesses to get to the top of the search results have never been greater.

The first point we must make here is with regards to many small and local business owners believing that they cannot compete with larger businesses for the top positions on Google. This is not the case, and in fact, for certain keywords local businesses often have a huge advantage when it comes to competing for the top positions on Google.

Obviously, larger health food companies have larger marketing budgets, but when it comes to assessing rankings, Google’s algorithm has barely any idea whether a website is owned by a multi-national company or a single local store. This means that your local health store’s website has as much chance of hitting the top positions as a large company, if your SEO strategy is set up and carried out correctly.

One of the reasons your health food store’s website can compete is that Google has a huge emphasis on local searches, and it has set up its algorithm to take account of geographical searches. What that means is, if someone is simply searching for ‘health food’ it is a general search and therefore Google is likely to have larger, generic websites in the results for this.

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— Lifestyle —

10 Fun Activities Everyone Should Have On Their Bucket List

January 28, 2021
10 Fun Activities Everyone Should Have On Their Bucket List

Whichever type of group you are trying to arrange fun activities for, be it your family, your friends, or your work colleagues, it can often be difficult to find something that is different from the norm. Whilst, most group activities will be fun to a degree, what really takes the enjoyment to a different level, is their uniqueness.

This list of unusual activities is one which with activities we believe EVERYONE should try at least once in their life, and thus they should be added to their very own ‘bucket list’.

#1 Crime Scene Investigation

Something a bit different within the ‘Whodunnit’ genre where the group gets to work a staged crime scene in the same way you would see on TV shows such as ‘CSI’. The goal is obviously to solve the murder, and have fun doing so.

#2 Axe Throwing

Compete with the others in your group to see who is the top ‘shot’ when it comes to throwing an axe at a target. Axe throwing centres offer a variety of options for groups including axe throwing lessons, team-building exercises, and competitions.

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— Lifestyle —

10 Helpful Tips For A Low Maintenance Landscape Design

October 12, 2020
10 Helpful Tips For A Low Maintenance Landscape Design

When discussing your new landscape design with landscaping experts from www.intreeglandscapes.com.au, there will be many requests and questions. This is perfectly normal because, after all, you will be living with and using that garden for many years to come, so you will understandably want it to be as perfect and as close to what you want as possible.

Whilst many of your requests will concern specifics relating to plants, features, and the layout, you may also request that we guarantee thousands of other homeowners will also make. That request will be for your landscaped garden to require as little maintenance as possible. There will be many reasons why that request is made, ranging from someone not being a keen gardener to potential mobility issues.

Whatever these reasons, if you want a low-maintenance garden, you will be looking for your landscape designer to advise you on what should and should not be included in the landscape design. To give you a head start and some ideas that you may wish to discuss with them, here are ten tips that will help your landscape designer produce a garden that is low Maintenance.

Low Maintenance Tip #1 – Leave Out The Lawn: You could eliminate the task that most gardeners would rather avoid, namely mowing the lawn, by having a garden that does not have a lawn by replacing it with artificial turf or paving, for example.

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— Beauty —

Key Benefits of Botox

May 30, 2019
Benefits-of-Botox

Many people read about celebrities getting Botox and wrinkle relaxers and believe they are out of reach of everyone else. However, Botox is something that can benefit many people, and in ways you may not have imagined. If you’ve considered a wrinkle relaxer at some time or another, then read on to discover what it could do for you.

It Smooths Out Wrinkles

Botox is an FDA-approved treatment method for wrinkles. It acts as a shield, with signals from the brain to tell your muscles to move not getting through. In 2002, it also became an approved method of treating crows feet. If you’re unhappy with either your wrinkles or crows feet, Botox and wrinkle relaxers could be for you.

Helps Eye Twitching

If you have an ongoing, permanent eye twitch, then it can be challenging to live a normal life. The twitching can result in spasming and muscle tension. Botox and wrinkle relaxers can relax those muscles and either ease the eye twitch or alleviate it for a few months until the Botox wears off.

Helps with Drooping Brows

If your brow has started to droop, then it can make you look angry even when you’re not. It can also make you look tired or depressed, even if you’re on top of the world. Botox relaxes your eyebrow muscles to make them fuller and more aloof than they were before. (more…)

— Health —

Benefits of Dentures

March 8, 2019
Benefits of Dentures

An alarming number of Australians are not happy with their smile. While stained teeth are a common problem, so too are missing or damaged teeth. The next time you visit your dentist, ask about dentures and what they could do for you. The benefits of dentures to replace your irreparable natural teeth may surprise you.

Improved Confidence

Do you make a conscious effort to hide your teeth when you smile? Do you shy away from photos? If you are missing teeth, then it can affect all different parts of your life. You may not feel confident in social situations, work life, or even home life. Missing teeth can also cause facial sag which changes how you look.

Seeing your dentist about dentures can change all that. They look like your natural teeth and fill the gaps in your mouth. You’ll be grinning from ear to ear in no time.

Suitable for Many People

The beauty of dentures is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. There are various options to suit people with different problems. If, for example, you only have a few teeth missing, you can get a partial set of dentures. These fit the roof or bottom of your mouth, filling the gaps between your natural teeth. You can take them out at your leisure as well.

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— Health —

Medical Plumbing Services

February 12, 2019
Medical Plumbing

Maintaining sanitary conditions in your house or business is of prime importance to ensure there are no safety and health issues. It’s also important to keep your environment free from germs and any transmittable viruses. Apart from private homes and office blocks, areas that demand the attention of expert plumbing services are hospitals and medical centres. By expert plumbing we mean medical plumbing.

Hospitals and medical centres treat many patients on a daily basis. Patients use the laboratories for urine, stool and blood samples regularly. It’s of paramount importance that the treatment of a patient is not hampered by clogged or blocked pipes affecting the waste disposal system. It’s important that these lines are always kept clear to avoid any damage to the sewer system.

A professional medical plumbing service works towards maintaining the safety standards and the operating devices and tools required in medical facilities.

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— Lifestyle —

Wine and Curry – Match Made in Heaven?

September 16, 2018
Wine and Curry

While most people would probably prefer to drink a large glass of milk rather than wine with a hot curry, in a restaurant, it’s not always a possibility. And, if you’re not a huge fan of Mango Lassi or a refreshing Lager, you will still be hoping that a glass of wine, or a bulk number of bottles if you buy online wine, can quench your thirst and relieve the fire on your taste buds.

However, as you will quickly realise – be it at home or a restaurant – not every wine you drink with curry is going to be suitable. Some, in fact, intensify the heat or change the flavour of your meal entirely. If you’re determined that you’ll be ordering something off the wine list, along with checking official wine reviews, here are a few tips and tricks to help you make the right choice.

Consider the Curry

There are so many different types of curry depending on the culture, country, heat intensity, and the protein you choose to include as well. Therefore, there is no “one size fits all” approach to choosing wine for curry in general. What works for chicken tikka masala, for example, won’t work for Thai red roast duck curry.

Therefore, before you go ahead and choose your wine, consider the heat levels, the protein, the richness of the spices, and the culture from which it comes. These can all help you make the right decision.

The Wine’s Aim

Because you’re sure to find your curry is a little on the spicy side, your aim is, of course, going to be to relieve some of that fire in your mouth and cleanse your palate at the same time. To achieve that, you’ll need a refreshing wine that contrasts against the heat of the curry, as well as a touch of sweetness. Wine with added sweetness is more than suitable for exceptionally hot curries such as Thai green curry.

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— Fitness —

Why Training with an Expert in a Group Could Be the Best Option Yet

August 21, 2018
Group Fitness Expert

How do you know your current exercise routine is working for you? How can you tell whether you’re on track, if you’re doing all the right things, or you’re even carrying out specific exercises properly? There are so many things that group fitness classes and trainers can offer that you may be missing out on through solo physical activity. With a lack of education being one reason for joining a group fitness class, here are even more below.

Motivation

When you are your only form of motivation, it can be so easy to fall victim to the lure of the sofa. Instead of pounding the pavement, you can find yourself curled up on the couch after a hard day of work watching TV. If you need motivation, then group fitness classes can be of assistance. Those who struggle to push themselves can benefit from courses such as BodyAttack, Sh’Bam, and even spin cycling. With a motivating and encouraging trainer, as well as like-minded people, you are more likely to turn up and get moving.

It Offers Variety

If you find yourself doing the same things day in, day out, then it’s easy to become bored with exercising and keeping fit. However, training with an expert in a group fitness class offers more variety than you may have ever thought possible. Every class and session will be different, with a range of exciting, sporting and exhilarating exercise options to suit all fitness levels and abilities.

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