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Looking for a greener way to clean your pool?
(BPT) - There’s no better way to enjoy the summer than by lounging by the pool. Unfortunately, this backyard family oasis requires regular maintenance throughout the summer that can include expensive and sometimes unhealthy chemicals. Have you ever wished there was an easier way you could clean your pool, that was also ...
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Recycled plastics in the garden: It's all about the 'green'
Our lawns and gardens seem to be all about the “green.” We spend a lot of green on our lawns and gardens – nearly $30 billion a year. We grow a lot of greens – nearly a third of us grow food in our gardens. And many companies now make outdoor gardening products with recycled materials, such as plastics – which contribut...
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Get ready to enjoy your home's exterior beauty
(BPT) - It’s time to make your home’s exterior shine with some added summer curb appeal. You can quickly do the easy stuff – wash your windows, plant annuals, install pathway lights – to spruce things up. But you should also consider those projects you’ve been avoiding. * Is your wood deck cracked, gray and seen better...
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Got student debt? How your credit affects more than just borrowing power
(BPT) - If you’re a recent college graduate, chances are you left school with more than just a diploma. You’re probably carrying debt, as well. You may already know how debt affects your future borrowing power, but it’s important to also understand how credit impacts other areas of your financial life, as well – such as...
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Time is short to prepare for the Obamacare metal plans
Millions of consumers will be faced with a choice to enroll in one of four different Obamacare “metal plans,” on Oct. 1. The metal plans are new categories of health insurance - nicknamed “metal” because each plan is named after a metal - created by the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare. Many consumers have littl...
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How stay-at-home moms can prepare for retirement
When women choose to leave the workplace in order to stay at home and raise their young children, they make certain trade-offs. For example, they usually give up the chance to earn more money in exchange for the opportunity to spend more time with their children during their formative years. “Sacrificing this income ca...
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Choosing the right financial products for all stages of life
(BPT) - No matter where you are in your life, you have a lot of decisions to make. When to buy your first house? What school to attend? Is it the right time for a job change? As things change in life, those changes influence your financial decisions, too. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has put together a high-level o...
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Dress your home to impress buyers this summer
(BPT) - Your home is a place to kick off your shoes, relax and enjoy precious time with friends and family. Nothing quite tops the feeling you get when you walk through your foyer, close the door behind you and forget the day’s troubles. But as families expand, promotions require unexpected relocations or a coveted resi...
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Take a stand on gout [Infographic]
The incidence of gout is on the rise. An estimated 8.3 million Americans are living with gout today, while only 10 percent of them are being properly diagnosed and treated. The Gout & Uric Acid Education Society is "Taking a Stand on Gout" for Gout Awareness Day on May 22. To heighten awareness about the disease, an infographic poster has been developed for usage in medical professional offices and waiting rooms to help educate patients who might be at risk for the disease and for medical ...
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Easy ways to make a difference this summer
(BPT) - Summer provides a much-needed break for families and a perfect opportunity to make a difference in the community. Depending on interest and time, there are many different ways to get involved or make a charitable contribution, including the following: * Participate in a fundraiser or food collection – The holid...
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Five steps to create a customized outdoor living space with railing
(BPT) - Railing can upgrade any deck from drab to fab – adding style, as well as safety and support. In fact, it’s often the one element that truly sets your outdoor living space apart from others in the neighborhood. Here are five steps to create the perfect perimeter for your deck. 1. Find ideas at your fingertips – ...
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Americans concerned about outliving their money
(BPT) - What concerns Americans the most as they look ahead toward the retirement years? One of their biggest worries is outliving their money, according to a recent survey by Prudential Retirement. A substantial 71 percent of survey respondents fear they may not have enough retirement income to last a lifetime. Only on...
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By Marice Richter GRAPEVINE, Texas (Reuters) - The Boy Scouts of America voted on Thursday to lift a century-old ban on openly gay scouts in a major victory for gay rights activists, but the decision means a sea of change for an organization that depends heavily on faith-based groups. More than 60 percent of the group's National Council, comprised of some 1,400 delegates, voted in favor of ending the ban, effective January 1, 2014, the group said in a statement. A prohibition on openly gay adult leaders remains in place. ...
(Reuters) - Tornadoes that struck the United States from May 18 to May 20 caused anywhere from $2 billion to $5 billion in insured losses, disaster modeling company Eqecat said. The firm said most of the losses were attributed to the tornado that devastated Moore, Oklahoma, last Monday. Eqecat said some 76 tornadoes struck across 10 states over a three-day span. The worst of it was in Moore, where the firm said about 13,000 structures were damaged. ...
By Jonathan Kaminsky OLYMPIA, Washington (Reuters) - A colliding truck may have triggered the collapse on Thursday of part of a four-lane freeway bridge that sent vehicles and drivers tumbling into a frigid river in Washington state, officials said. A U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into what led part of the Interstate 5 bridge to fall into the Skagit River 55 miles north of Seattle was expected to continue on Friday. Two of the three people rescued from the river were hospitalized with hypothermia, but no one died, officials said. ...