Time for a Vacation

No, we're not going on a vacation again yet but I sure want to. While we plan on visiting New Orleans again on our next trip, I miss the Caribbean. I've been doing quite a few articles on areas in the Caribbean lately and it makes me miss it. Whether it's the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, or Mexico, all of those areas are places we've visited and want to return to.

I do believe we'll go in a couple of years and hopefully money isn't an issue. In the past, we were able to save up and go but this year it's been harder to try to save. However, at least you can pay for your cruise in advance and make payments if you need to. Then, all you need is your spending money and money to get to the port.

Now we are lucky enough to live in Florida and can drive to the ports at least but if you're looking at going, check out vouchersky.com where you can save on a variety of things, including airfare.

SnapLeash - Innovative and So Very Helpful

If you have dogs like we do, then you know how difficult it can be to take them places. Say you want to sit down at a park bench and have an iced coffee but don't want to hold on to the leash or attempt, and the key word here is "attempt," to try to tie the leash to the bench, then you're pretty much out of luck. Out of that same scenario, this perfect solution was born - SnapLeash.

SnapLeash is different than any other leash around. You can simply snap the grommets with the double ended snaphooks and you're ready. There are eight different uses for the SnapLeash such as:

• A hands-free waist leash
• A quick and convenient tether
• The ability to adjust to multiple lengths so you can walk any size dog with ease
• The double handle traffic lead so you can walk two dogs at once
• and more!

Each leash comes in blue, black, or red and in two sizes for your furry friend - large for pets over 40 lbs and small for pets under 40 lbs. It's so simple to use that there's no learning curve and you don't have to read through instructions to figure it out. You can see how it works here:



We've used it and love it. Right now if you order before August 31, 2014 you not only save 25% but you get free shipping as well. Just use this link and check it out for yourself. 

Earned Income Credit Calculator

Now while we never qualify for earned income on our taxes, many people depend on this deduction in order to help them out when it comes time for a refund and the Earned Income Credit Calculator is a perfect way of finding out just how much you may be getting.

What many people may not know is that with a certain amount of earned income deductions, they may also be eligible for free tax preparation too and this is very helpful in getting the most money you can.

What is great about this Earned Income Credit Calculator is that it is not only easy to use but it's free as well. You simply enter the usual information such as your filing status, how many children you have, your state, and your estimated earnings. You get in return an estimate of how much earned income credit you may qualify for. While this isn't a number that is set in stone, it will help you gauge how much you may be getting back and if you're like me, you always want to know that number as soon as possible. Check it out!

Just for Those Who Vape

I just joined this awesome new club and I love it. I get a sample box of e-liquid each month and I was amazed at my first box. While it varies from around 60-110ml in the size I chose, I got around 100ml - far more than I can use in a month and best of all, the flavors are awesome. It's also top quality e-liquid. Check it out here http://join.zamplebox.com/7RmRL

I honestly love it, it's kind of like getting a surprise each month. :)

Photo credit to guidetovaping.com

Mad Hatter

If you love hats, tea, or all things whimsical then Mad Hatter in Fuquay-Varina, NC is the place to be. Not only do they have a variety of things but their teas are pretty awesome. You can even get local loose leaf teas, along with anything tea-related for the tea connoisseur. From iced tea to hot tea; it's all there. 

For those of you who love a gorgeous hat, Mad Hatter has a variety of choices in hats and fascinators (the unique head wear you may have seen on the British women during the Royal Wedding, which are becoming quite popular) - and not one is alike. 

The shop also carries a variety of items such as hand-made soaps, hand lotions, specialty foods such as unique barbecue sauces, and more.

No matter who you are, you'll find something for almost everyone in this quaint little shop that has a big selection.

Turbo Tax Discount Code

I honestly use Turbo Tax each year. Why? It's easy to use since I have a business and with the Home and Business version, I don't have to worry about hiring an accountant (although I do have a friend who is one and helps me out if there's something major I need to know) and I can get it done faster without paying a boatload to someone else.

However, every dollar counts so that is why this Turbo Tax discount code really helped me out. With this coupon you save up to $20, which really helps out. The great thing about Turbo Tax is that you don't pay till you file and if you have a refund coming, you can have the fees taken out of that. However, it's not exactly cheap so saving up to $20 is really helpful so that you get more back and of course if you owe, then you save money from the start as soon as you file.

I'm probably one of the few people who doesn't mind filing taxes because it's pretty easy with Turbo Tax so this coupon is just icing on the cake. Check it out here: http://bestirstaxrefund.com/turbo-tax-discount-coupon-code

Recipes for the Grill: Sliced and Loaded Grilled Potatoes

There are many ways to cook a potato but one of the best recipes for the grill is something a little different, a sliced and loaded grilled potato. This recipe gives you a side dish similar to a baked potato but full of that grilled flavor you love. Not only is it an easy dish to make but your friends and family will love them.
Sliced and Loaded Grilled Potatoes

Needed:

• Baking Potatoes (choose the size and amount you want)
• Butter
• Fresh Herbs of Your Choice (Dill, Rosemary, Chives, etc are excellent choices)
• Seasoning of your choice
• Grated Cheddar Cheese
• Aluminum Foil

Take your potatoes,wash them well, and place each one on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to wrap the potato when done with preparation. Make slices into the potatoes as if you were cutting them up but do not make the slice go entirely through the potato. Fan the potatoes out so you can add your ingredients and start with your seasoning, herbs, and cheese first. You can add a pat of butter between each slice and/or add melted butter over the entire potato. Wrap each one in aluminum foil and grill until tender.

The butter makes the potatoes nice and tender and the seasoning and herbs integrate into the potatoes to give them a wonderful flavor. Finally, the cheese melts and creates the perfect grilled, not baked potato.

It can take up to 45 minutes for your potatoes but it's well worth the wait to get one of the most delicious side dishes there is. These go perfect with most any kind of meat but if you're a steak and potatoes guy or girl, you'll especially love this with a juicy, grilled steak.

Bottle Service Sparklers

If you own a nightclub or bar then you're not boosting your profits as much as possible if you don't have a VIP bottle service and one way to make it stand out is with bottle sparklers.

Bottle sparklers make the entire presentation more eye-pleasing and exciting. It allows you to showcase your bottles on an entirely different level - with class and elegance. They're 100% food safe so they can even be used for other occasions and events such as birthday parties or weddings.

You can choose from colored bottle sparklers or gold bottle sparklers but keep in mind that Sparkle City is the only place in the United States where you can find the colored sparklers so you get something that is not only exciting in the first place but unique, and stands out from the crowd.

In today's competitive world, don't let the competition gain an edge on you and with these awesome bottle sparklers, you can give your guests something they won't see anywhere else.

Wedding Sparklers Made Your Special Day Even More Exciting

As a photographer, I love weddings. The cake, the dress, and especially the decorations; heck, I even watch those wedding shows and fawn over the decor. One thing that can make your day even more special is wedding sparklers.

First of all, imagine how they'll look in photographs. Lighting is one of the most important aspects of a good photo and let's be honest, who wants a plain wedding that looks like every other get-together? Not only that, they're fun. It's the perfect way to include your guests in something unique. You can place them on the table in a pretty vase or bowl and allow your guests to grab a few when you're ready to walk out or take some spectacular photos. They get to have fun and you get something that is an awesome idea but is still elegant so that your photos will make memories that last a lifetime.

The ideal amount is to have five sparklers per guest so that if their sparkler is lit early or runs out before you're ready, they have another one to use.

Check out this great idea. It's not only affordable but it's fun and elegant all at the same time.

Road Trips

We took a little road trip on Sunday and went to an abandoned bridge, and I do mean abandoned. It's in the middle of nowhere in a town where there's not much going on. In fact, the restaurant we had planned on eating at afterwards, was closed.

However, we were really happy with how the photos have turned out so far, so for that I cannot complain. I wouldn't mind going back but it's not exactly around the corner. However, we did get some local honey on the side of the road so that was awesome. Here is one of the photos and PS this bridge is also supposedly haunted.

New Business? Learn How You Can Reach Your Customers

If you're a new start up business, you may be unfamiliar with things like search engine optimization, known as SEO, how to market, or how to grow your business. It doesn't matter if you have the talent in whatever it is you're doing, if you don't know how to get people to see your business then you can't grow as fast.

For instance, you have talent in taking photographs and have decided to start a business selling portrait sessions. No matter how well you take photographs, if potential customers don't know how to find you, you won't every come close to selling as many sessions as possible.

You see, the World Wide Web is so vast that your listing or website can get lost amongst all of the others. Even if you're the only photographer in town, which is quite rare these days, you still have to get the word out that you are available and that can be difficult for someone who isn't familiar with online marketing.

KASHIF DIN specializes in consultancy for new businesses and start ups and best of all, it is ideal for those on a budget. It doesn't matter if you're a business to business (B2B) company, you deal directly to consumers, or if you deal in any other kind of online industry because they can help in all of those areas. Their business to business team are experts in organizations such as yours, reach government entities and large corporations and actually engage them. It's not just enough to be seen, engagement is what turns those potential customers into actual customers.

So if you have a new business and don't know enough about how to reach new clients, this is the answer to your problems. You can take the burden off of you and place it on the experts.