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How Do Postal Rate Trends Help to Manage Cost Effectively for Businesses?

Postal Rate Trends
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Postal rate trends provide businesses with the opportunity to plan their mailing budgets in advance. By tracking trends in postal rates, businesses can better manage their costs and ensure that they are taking advantage of any available discounts. Additionally, businesses can use this information to better manage their inventory and operations, as they can adjust their mailing schedules based on the current postal rates.

What are Historical Postal Rate Trends?

What are Historical Postal Rate Trends
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To effectively forecast future postal rate trends, it’s essential to first examine historical data to identify patterns and understand the factors influencing rate changes. Historical postal rate trends often reflect economic conditions, changes in postage regulations, advancements in technology, and shifts in consumer behavior.

By analyzing past rate adjustments, businesses can gain valuable insights into the underlying dynamics shaping postal pricing and anticipate future changes accordingly.

Analyzing Current Market Dynamics

In addition to historical data, analyzing current market dynamics is critical for understanding the factors driving postal rate trends. Factors such as changes in shipping volumes, fuel costs, labor expenses, and competitive pressures can all impact postal rates. By monitoring market trends and staying informed about industry developments, businesses can proactively adjust their strategies to mitigate the impact of rate changes and maintain cost efficiency.

Forecasting Future Postal Rate Trends

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While predicting future postal rate trends with absolute certainty is challenging, businesses can utilize forecasting techniques and industry insights to make informed projections.

Factors such as inflation rates, regulatory changes, technological advancements, and shifts in consumer preferences can all influence future postal rates. By leveraging predictive modeling and scenario analysis, businesses can develop contingency plans and strategies to adapt to potential rate changes and minimize their impact on operating costs.

What are the Different Strategies for Navigating Postal Rate Changes?

Navigating postal rate changes requires a proactive and strategic approach. Businesses can implement several strategies to mitigate the impact of rate increases and maintain cost efficiency:

1. Optimize Packaging and Shipping Practices

Efficient packaging and shipping practices can help minimize shipping costs and mitigate the impact of rate changes. Businesses should optimize packaging to reduce dimensional weight charges, utilize flat-rate shipping options where applicable, and negotiate discounted shipping rates with carriers to maximize cost savings.

2. Leverage Technology Solutions

Leverage Technology Solutions
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Technology solutions such as shipping software, address validation tools, and order management systems can streamline shipping processes, improve efficiency, and reduce shipping costs. By automating shipping tasks and optimizing route planning, businesses can minimize shipping expenses and navigate rate changes more effectively.

3. Negotiate Favorable Contracts

Negotiating favorable shipping contracts with carriers can provide businesses with discounted rates and favorable terms. By leveraging volume discounts, negotiating rate caps, and exploring alternative shipping options, businesses can secure cost-effective shipping solutions and mitigate the impact of rate increases.

4. Diversify Shipping Partnerships

Diversifying shipping partnerships and exploring alternative carriers can provide businesses with flexibility and leverage in negotiating shipping rates. By comparing rates, service levels, and delivery options across multiple carriers, businesses can optimize their shipping strategies and minimize costs in the face of rate changes.

5. Monitor and Adjust Strategies

Monitora and Adjust Strategies
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Continuously monitoring shipping costs, analyzing shipping data, and tracking performance metrics are essential for identifying cost-saving opportunities and adjusting strategies in response to rate changes. By staying vigilant and adaptable, businesses can optimize their shipping operations and maintain cost efficiency in dynamic market conditions.

6. Sustainable Shipping Practices

Adding sustainable shipping practices not only benefits the environment but can also lead to cost savings in the long run. By reducing packaging waste, optimizing shipping routes to minimize fuel consumption, and choosing eco-friendly shipping materials, businesses can lower their carbon footprint and potentially qualify for discounts or incentives from carriers that prioritize sustainability.

7. Educate Employees and Customers

Effective communication and education are key to successfully navigating postal rate changes. Businesses should provide training and resources to employees involved in shipping and logistics to ensure they understand cost-saving strategies and shipping guidelines.

Additionally, educating customers about shipping options, delivery expectations, and potential rate changes can help manage expectations and minimize customer inquiries or complaints related to shipping costs.

Conclusion

Staying informed about postal rate trends and implementing proactive strategies is essential for businesses to effectively manage shipping costs and maintain competitiveness. This provides valuable insights into historical data, current market dynamics, and forecasting techniques to help businesses navigate rate changes strategically.

DIY or Hire Professionals for Composite Decking – 2023 Guide

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A house deck is a great investment, especially nowadays when most of us are forced to stay at home and limit our social activities. It’s quite boring to be surrounded by four walls all the time so a deck allows you to view the outside world while still technically remaining at home, except you’re outdoors.

When it comes to building a deck, some people choose to do it on their own while others think it’s safer to hire a team of professionals for the task. Which one is the right choice? Find out in today’s article.

Composite decking and the meaning behind it

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We’re not going into the significance of decking and how important of an investment it can be since you’re probably already familiar with that. But, we’ll focus on composite decking rather than using traditional wood materials for it. What the advantages are, why people choose this method and all else that’s worth knowing.

So the materials used in composite decking are of higher quality, they are sturdier, and most importantly resilient to termites. As we all know, termites are the number one enemy of anything that’s made out of wood. Over time they can be the cause of huge holes in your deck, and that’s not what you want. Composite is a material that is a mix of wood and plastic. It’s heavier and just feels more solid when you touch it or walk over it. A pretty modern solution for those who want durable decks.

So, this already seems like a great project. Should we build it ourselves or hire a team of professionals to do it instead? Let’s take a look.

DIY or Hiring Professionals for Composite Decking?

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We’ll start with the answer you were all probably expecting, but that’s not the only answer you’ll get. First of all, we’d like to begin by saying that it depends on whether you want to build your composite deck or not. By “it depends” we mean weighing in the difficulty of the task with your previous experience with something like it, as well as the budget you have for the project. If you are a professional deck-builder, what’s stopping you from achieving the same quality of build you’d get from a team of professionals? However, how many of us is a professional deck-builder? I’d say just a few, and I’m probably right.

Now if you’ve saved money for some time and you want a solid deck that’s going to last for a long time and endure all sorts of things, it’s better to hire a team of professionals. Not only they’ll make it better, but they’ll do it faster and with much more convenience. You won’t be risking injuries and you won’t be running into any hidden costs such as tools for example that you thought you had but it turned out you didn’t.

The next question is, are you physically fit for the job? Maybe you’re an older, already-retired individual who wants to spend the rest of your life relaxing and not worrying about a thing. In such a scenario, hiring someone to build the deck for you is the best idea. In case you don’t know where to start but you are already considering this as an option, decksforlife.ca is a website where you can learn some more about such projects.

What will save me more money? DIY or Pay-For-Project?

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The obvious answer to this question is Do-It-Yourself, but is it really like that once you begin the process of building your composite deck? As we said above, you’ll realize you’re missing tools, and then you’ll most-certainly mess something up during the material-cutting and re-shaping part, which adds a few extra costs as well. And, you can’t forget the most important part, which is the time you spent working on this project. Could you use that time to earn money instead? Of course. If you took a week off work to build a deck it doesn’t mean you saved because you lost five working days that would otherwise earn you money, but now they didn’t.

Do the math and choose based on that. In a conclusion, if you are someone who has a lot of expertise in building decks, the right set of tools, and is physically fit for the job, then sure, building on your own is probably better. If you lack any of the things we just mentioned, it’s almost always better to hire a team of professionals to complete the project for you. Money is just a resource, and so is time, so keep that in mind at all times.

How do I find the best composite-decking company?

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If you’ve realized that it’s better to pay for the completion of this project, then you’re probably wondering how to find a trustworthy and reliable company that you can rely on. Well, one of the methods we prefer when doing such research is taking a look at customer reviews and the overall experience and reputation of the brand. The best way to know this however is to ask someone for a recommendation. So, if any of your close friends or family members ordered a deck from a company and they were satisfied with the result, you are already headed in the right direction. If not, proceed with reading customer reviews and go for the company that has the best reputation amongst customers.

Conclusion

A composite deck can improve your quality of life, especially if you are the type of person who enjoys drinking your morning coffee outdoors or watching the sunset in the evening. Building a deck is something that people are doing themselves for a long time, but it’s a tough job and one that requires certain skills and qualities, as well as the right set of tools. In today’s article, we compared the efficiency of building a deck on your own or ordering one from a reputable company.

How to Write a Financial Statement – 2023 Guide

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A complete and well-researched guideline on some of the most important steps you should take towards completing a well-written financial statement.

A financial statement is a document containing a written record of the financial activity and record of a company or a business enterprise. A financial statement contains several contents: a statement of retained earnings, statement of cash flow, income statement, and balance sheet. A company or an industry may decide to generate their financial statements monthly, quarterly, or annually within a financial year. Generally, people always believe that producing and after that, reading financial statements entails an overwhelming process as well as a vast amount of information. Although the statement is true, there is no need to be scared, since once you master all the required skills, you will be able to save a lot of cost and time for your business. People struggling to write their financial statements can always seek assistance from this website.

A financial statement plays a significant role in a business, both internally and externally. The investors of any company use the financial statements to make important decisions since those statements aids in better understand the opportunities for growth and the progress of a business. Furthermore, financial statements are a requirement by external stakeholders such as creditors and investors. The statement provides significant insights into a company’s current financial position, cash flow prospects, and resources. Essentially, financial statements aid businesses in making important decisions since they provide a clear visual representation of the enterprise’s current financial status.

To learn how to create a financial statement, you need to have the potential financiers, shareholders, and your personal insights. The financial statement created for most businesses contains an income statement and a balance sheet. Most financial statements are prepared by an accountant. Currently, the advancement of technology has made it possible for people to make use of computer software in preparing their financial statements. The first step in preparing a financial statement is creating a balance sheet.

Balance sheet

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A balance sheet is also known as a statement of financial position since it provides an accurate financial position of a business at a particular time. A balance sheet lists the assets, liabilities, and the differences between the two, which is known as the net worth or equity. The accounting equation of a balance sheet is that (Assets = liabilities + owner’s equity).

An income statement

On the other hand, an income statement indicates the loss, income, or expenses for a particular duration. In other terms, a financial statement indicates the balance at the beginning of a certain duration, the outflows and inflows of finances, and the ending cash balance.

When creating a balance sheet, the first important step is acquiring a good understanding of a balance sheet’s basics, which entails the assets, liabilities, and shareholders’ equity. The general equation for a balance sheet is that Assets = liabilities + owner’s equity. When rearranging the equation, an individual will notice that the shareholder’s equity equals assets minus liabilities. In essence, a balance sheet demonstrates the relationship between liabilities, assets, and equity.

The second essential step is determining the assets in your business. Assets are normally divided into fixed and current assets, and they include anything that can generate income for the business. Current assets entail anything that could be liquidated easily, such as insurance and prepayments. Fixed assets, on the other hand, are divided into tangible and intangible commodities. Whereas tangible fixed assets include equipment, plants, and property, intangible fixed assets include copyrights, brand recognition, and patents.

The third step involves writing all the information and determining the liabilities. Liabilities, which can be divided into current and long term, entail the debts of the company. The long term liabilities include the bonds payable, long term loans, or any other loans, which are to be paid after a particular duration. On the other hand, the current liabilities entail things like the things the company owes or has paid to other companies.

The following step is listing the company’s operating expenses. In a balanced sheet, the operating expenses are normally divided into operating and non-operating expenses. Whereas the operating costs involve the cost of goods that have been sold, the non-operating expenses, on the other hand, are not related directly to the operations of the company.

A personal financial statement

Source: businessinsider.com

The format of a financial statement is standard in the sense that it shows the liabilities on the right and assets on the left side, similar to a balance sheet. When creating your financial statement, you first need to gather all the relevant information about the assets and liabilities. The following are some of the common assets and liabilities that should be included in your financial statement;

The unpaid taxes from the previous years

The money owed from outstanding liabilities, lien, or small claims

Credit card debt

A copy of the latest statement on the various loans an individual has

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It is important to note that whereas there are some loans, such as stocks, which have a specific monetary value, there are others that cannot be accounted for easily. In situations where an individual is not sure about the value of the assets, they should try as much as possible to identify a reasonable and realistic price. Part of creating accurate financial statements is being familiar with the common misconceptions surrounding the topic. Having a good understanding of these misconceptions in financial statements will assist you in avoiding most of the common mistakes. One of the most significant financial statement objectives is accuracy, which can only be achieved by avoiding common mistakes.

Things that you should consider

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The financial statement, which contains several contents such as a statement of retained earnings, statement of cash flow, income statement, and balance sheet, is considered one of the most important documents for any business. Viewing all these elements, holistically can help an individual make wise financial, investment, and management decisions for a company. At times, you may encounter diverse challenges when creating your financial statement. As a result, you should be open to seeking assistance from an accountant or any other person with finance knowledge.

5 Things That Make Plunge Pools So Different – 2023 Guide

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Building a swimming pool in your own backyard is an expensive, stressful, and very time-consuming process. It can take up to US$50,000, several months to build, and a lot of your free time. Because of this, it is so stressful. Fortunately, if you just want the benefits of relaxing and water with friends or family members, you do not have to go down the regular expensive path. Nowadays, plunge pools have become much more popular and there is a good reason why. They are very different than what all of us are used to.

But, what makes them so different, and why you should consider this over the alternatives? Well, there is no straightforward answer to this question because it all depends on your needs and your situation. If you have a large backyard, a big budget, and enjoy swimming, I guess you can just go with the regular and more expensive option.

However, for those that want to properly landscape their backyard and to maintain the luxury of the property, a plunge pool is a much better option. If you do not really care about swimming or exercising, why not go with this alternative?

To help you decide whether you need such a luxury on your property, I decided to write this article and explain what exactly makes plunge pools so different.

1. It is much more affordable

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Since you are here reading this article, I assume that you already know the costs of building an average-sized or a large swimming pool. It does not matter whether you are in the United States, Australia, or in Europe, the cost is always summer between $30,000, or $50,000. Of course, there are always cheaper alternatives, but when working on such a project, I think that it is always best to go for higher quality materials to ensure a longer lifespan.

However, what if I told you that you can save some money if you pick a plunge pool instead of the regular option? Keep in mind, you will not save an incredible amount of money because the entire construction process is still the same. The way you will save money is by using fewer materials. Nevertheless, even those savings cannot be ignored. You could save $5000, $10,000, or even more.

I guess it depends on the size or shape that you have chosen.

2. It is not exactly for swimming

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If you have been wondering what exactly makes plunge pools so different than the rest, it is the fact that they are not made exactly for swimming. Most of the time, they are built for a much more relaxing and calm atmosphere. It is not for swimming, exercising, or letting your children splash around. It is more about sitting down in the water with your friends or close family members and enjoying the calm atmosphere. Here, you can enjoy some drinks, snacks and you can even watch a movie.

Another main difference is the fact that most plunge pools also have a bench or a place to sit down while inside of the water. This allows for a much more relaxing experience instead of having to stand all the time.

It is basically the perfect place where you can just escape from the real world and forget about your stressful day at work or any other troubles. There are actually quite a few mental and physical benefits of relaxing in such a way. If you want to know more about those benefits, you can learn more here. Maybe learning about those advantages could help you make a decision.

3. You can still swim in it

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Just because I mentioned previously that plunge pools are not exactly made for swimming that does not mean that you can use them for that same purpose. You just have to remember that it will be much smaller and it may not be as comfortable for such an exercise.

If there is someone swimming in it, it will be limited to one or two people max. However, if you have young children, this is the perfect place where they can get comfortable with water and where they can learn to swim.

It is very easy to oversee what your children will be doing since it is so much smaller than any regular pool. In other words, this investment may also make your life as a father or mother much easier. It can help you relax even you, yourself, are not using it.

4. More energy-efficient

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All the points I made above are great advantages in reasons why plunge pools are so different than the alternatives. But, this article would not be finished if I did not mention the fact that they are much more energy-efficient.

Since the body of water is so much smaller, the pumps have to spend a lot less energy to keep it moving. Some would say that the pumps use 35% less energy than huge pumps that are used for regular-sized swimming pools. If you care at all about your carbon footprint or your energy bills, I think that this is a huge advantage that should not be ignored.

All of us should aim to lead to much more energy-efficient lives. A greener lifestyle will help planet Earth stay green.

5. Less maintenance

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Another thing everyone hates about swimming pools is the fact that you have to waste so much time maintaining them. Cleaning the filters, cleaning the water, adding chemicals, scrubbing the walls and other maintenance tasks can be very frustrating.

Fortunately, plunge pools require a lot less maintenance. Since there is a small amount of water, the pumps can easily keep it clean. Using a skimmer to grab all those leaves, bugs or any other debris is much faster and simpler. The filter will also stay cleaner for longer periods of time. Since all of these tasks can be performed much faster, you could save a lot of time on maintenance.

On the surface, plunge pools may not seem so different, but as you can see, they are actually quite different.

5 Reasons Bitcoin Casinos Are The Future of Online Gambling – 2023 Guide

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With the recent news of Bitcoin hitting $40,000, speculations emerged as to what we can do with it. Partly for the success of the cryptocurrency has to do with the acceptance of Bitcoin in our daily lives.

Namely, more and more services are using Bitcoin as a means to pay for goods. And one industry that has been using Bitcoin for quite some time now is the gambling industry.

Online casinos are one of the first to implement Bitcoin as a means to deposit funds. Not only that, but some even allow you to gamble with the cryptocurrency.

So that asks the question, will we see a world with Bitcoin casinos? The answer is not only a big yes, but there is talk that these casinos will be the future of the online gambling industry.

As to what these claims are based on, well that’s something that we will talk about in this article about.

So with all that said, let’s start.

1. The Decentralized Nature of Bitcoin

Source: information-age.com

If you’re a complete rookie when it comes to cryptocurrencies, then there is one thing to know. Bitcoin, as well as many other currencies, are decentralized. This means that there is no single entity or individual that controls it.

Instead, every holder shares a piece. Another thing to note is that there is no third-party control. If an online casino accepts Bitcoin as a deposit method, then there is no one that can reject your deposit since no one has any control over it.

Many online casinos accept the cryptocurrency as a means to get around certain banking laws that can be quite destructive and restrictive. And if a particular online casino accepts crypto as a means to deposit funds, then there is nothing stopping them from continuing the trend.

2. Low Fees

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The low fees are something that makes Bitcoin highly attractive. If the decentralized nature of the cryptocurrency wasn’t enough for online casinos, then this one certainly takes the cake.

Whenever depositing the crypto on any platform, you usually pay fees lower than 1%. And might think that this is nothing special, but it certainly is as most payment methods such as Visa, Mastercard, Maestro card, Skrill, etc, take 3%.

You might think that these are very small margins. And you’d be correct. But what you don’t know is that you’re not the one paying these percentages. It is the online casinos doing it as a service for the customer.

So the cryptocurrency not only benefits customers, but it most certainly benefits the online casinos.

3. Fast and Reliable Transactions, Withdrawals, and Deposits

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While Bitcoin doesn’t have the lightning-fast transaction speeds of some of its competitors, such as Ripple and Litecoin, it is still fast none the less.

Recent data shows that, unfortunately, Visa is still king in this regard. Visa cards allow 24,000 transactions per second, making it the fastest service out there. In comparison, Bitcoin makes only 7 transactions per second, although it depends on the miners.

But what people don’t seem to understand is that you cannot get rejected with the crypto. Miners are the people responsible for approving every transaction on the Blockchain, so you don’t have to worry about a miner rejecting your deposit.

Banks on the other hand can reject your deposit, leaving you angry and frustrated. Although you might have to wait a few minutes for the deposit to arrive, the fact that it will is something that appeals to many in the online casino industry.

Numerous online casinos that accept Bitcoin, such as Playamo, implement the cryptocurrency solely because it provides users with an easy-to-use method of depositing.

4.  Anonymity

Source: coininsider.com

Yet another thing we know about the Blockchain is that it is completely anonymous. This means that people can use it without anyone knowing it’s them.

And this is what makes it such a popular payment method with online casinos. If people are worried about online privacy, then rest assured as Bitcoin has you covered.

A lot of people fall into the trap of making fake details to create accounts with online casinos, and that creates a problem in its self.

With cryptocurrencies, everyone is anonymous. The biggest problem with online casinos is that they ask for your ID as a verification means. This is a problem for many people that don’t really trust the service they’re using.

This isn’t the case with online casinos that accept Bitcoin. All you need to do is simply create an account and you don’t even have to use your main email address.

The anonymity factor is that makes them so highly popular and perhaps even the future of the online gambling industry.

5.  Greater Implementation

Source: medium.com

The sudden resurrection of Bitcoin will certainly have a positive, long-lasting effect on the online gambling industry. Namely, everyone wants to get on the Bitcoin hypetrain, including online casinos.

While there were only a few establishments that accepted the cryptocurrency back in 2010, now there are thousands.

This is what gave birth to the term “Bitcoin Casinos”, as it refers to online casinos that mainly accept the cryptocurrency as a means to deposit funds. And the security, anonymity, fast deposit & withdrawal speeds and availability are what make them so popular with users.

Since more and more online casinos emerge, the ones that are regulated will lose more customers than they actually gain. And since no one can track or own the Blockchain, that means no bank or government can control the revenue.

Conclusion

The more services and industries accept Bitcoin, the more we’ll see its use first-hand in our daily lives. And for many people, online gambling is a great way to relax after a hard day’s work.

Since the currency has gone a long way from its initial $0.1 price back in 2009, more and more people are looking for ways to invest in it. And for the smart folks, gambling with Bitcoin might just be the way to increase their portfolio.

But for online casinos, it presents a unique opportunity to become the most trusted “Bitcoin Casino” once things start to get moving in the near future. If you want to learn more about crypto trades visit https://criptoeconomia.com.br

6 Reasons You Need A Social Security Disability Lawyer – 2023 Guide

Source: benefits.com

Being unable to work and provide for your family or yourself is one of the hardest things that can happen to a modern human. Luckily, there’s a thing called Social Security Disability Benefit or SSDB, that helps people who are affected by a disability in any way and are therefore unable to work.

However, the application process can be quite complicated and stressful, so a helping hand is always welcome. One of the worst things about applying for an SSDB is that the chances of being denied are almost 60%. So, what can you do about it? Well, the best thing to do would be to hire a professional attorney that can help you with the application and the whole process. On that note, let’s take a look at a couple of reasons as to why you should hire one.

1. They Can Help You Understand What Benefits Are You Entitled To

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As we’ve already said, the process of applying for a disability benefit is quite complex and it’s not helping that there are two different disability benefit programs offered through the SSA. SSI or Supplemental Security Income is designed for those people with a low annual income or no previous work experience along with limited resources (less than $2000 in assets). SSDI or a Social Security Disability Insurance is not designed for those in need, but for those people who have previously worked and qualified for a sufficient number of work credits (contributions to Social Security trust fund through taxes).

The main difference between the two lies in the origin of the funds. SSI comes from general tax fund and SSDI comes from the Social Security trust fund. That’s why some people are eligible for one or the other or in rare cases both. Knowing in which group you belong and which option provides you with the most benefits can be a little tricky. That’s where a lawyer comes in play. They can and will evaluate your work history and overall financial situation (assents and income) and then advise you which route to take.

2. They Will Make Sure Your Application Is Thorough And Satisfactory

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As we’ve said, the chances of being denied are greater than being approved, so you’ll have to ‘stand out’ based on your application. When you do apply for an SSD benefit, you ought to ‘prove’ that you’re, in fact, disabled. We’ve put special emphasis on ‘prove’ because SSA’s definition of ‘disabled’ is quite narrow. The general rule of thumb is that you have to prove that you have a severe medical issue that’s been present or is expected to be present for at least a year. It’s becoming clearer as to why most of the applicants end up being denied, right?

In addition to proving you’re disabled by the SSA’s standards, you absolutely must make sure every piece of paperwork and documentation is complete and properly filled out, which is what the attorney would help you with. On top of all that, make sure your medical records come from a licenced medical professional. You wouldn’t want to get denied on a technicality, so cover all of this with your attorney as well.

According to reputable SSD lawyers like www.savinosmollar.com it’s in your best interest to seek professional legal help with your application because even a single, minor, technical error could result in you being denied the help you absolutely need.

3. They Will Keep The Application Moving

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One would think that after strenuous application filing you would be finished, but one would be wrong. For starters, once you apply, you have to wait. The average waiting period is anywhere from four to six months and that’s just to hear whether you’ve been approved for a disability benefit or not. Unfortunately, more often than not you’re denied and that just means you’ll wait even longer.

What you don’t want to do is make the waiting period even longer because you’ve failed to submit all the required documentation or you haven’t responded to a request from the SSA. To make sure errors like that never happen, an SSD lawyer will stay on top of the case and help you out with all things SSA. Some attorneys can even help you speed up the process of getting medical records from the physicians that have treated or diagnosed you.

4. They Can Help You Reap All The Benefits

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A solid, reliable SSD lawyer will do all in its power to help you get all of the benefits available to you based on your disability when it began and how long will it last. In case of an SSDI benefit, you may even receive retroactive compensation starting from the time the disability started, not based on when you filed the application.

However, that’s going to be challenging – proving when the medical issue started that is. In most cases, if without legal representation, you won’t be able to prove when the problem initially arose and you might lose out on the benefit for that period. With the help of a lawyer, however, the odds are shifting in your favour.

5. They Will Represent You In Case You Need A Hearing

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As we’ve said, more often than not applications are being denied by the SSA. If a situation like that occurs, you have the option of requesting an SSD hearing with an administrative law judge. It would be an informal meeting, where the aforementioned judge will review your claim and ask you a serious of questions in order to determine is there a ground for the case ruling to be overturned. How you respond to those questions is crucial here and it would be highly advised to have a legal representative by your side so you can avoid any mistakes that could jeopardize your case.

6. You Only Pay If You Win The Case

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The best thing about SSD lawyers is that they won’t charge for their services unless you win the case and you get your benefits. That makes the whole thing less stressful, as you know that the outcome of the case won’t affect your already tedious financial situation in a negative way. On top of all that, you can expect your lawyer to be motivated to win the case for you because it is also in his best interest.

Hopefully, this article has shed some additional light on the SSDB situation and has helped you realize how you can benefit from a legal representative in these cases.

Is Your Yard Too Small For a Swimming Pool – 2023 Guide

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A swimming pool is a luxury that not many people can afford. A lot of the people that cannot enjoy such luxury is mostly because of the very high cost of these kinds of projects. However, the factor that is commonly forgotten is the size of the backyard. Sure, it may have enough space to fit one average-sized swimming pool, but will it leave enough space for some other objects or enough room for certain activities? This is the question that you have to ask yourself before committing to this type of project.

So, how can you determine whether your yard is too small or large enough to build a swimming pool in it? Well, there are a few factors that you should go through and some things to consider to get an answer to that question. Keep in mind, this is a very important process of this project. If you do not go through this question, you might end up with very disappointing results.

To get the answer that you need, I am going to provide you with a few tips which will show you whether yhour backyard is too small.

Find the location for the swimming pool

Source: wikipedia.org

Before you can even consider doing any of this, you will first have to find the perfect location for the swimming pool in your backyard. You probably think this is an easy part of the process, but believe me and that it is not. It is important to consider every single possibility before you make any kind of decision.

First, you will need to find a location with enough distance from the house. Once you find the perfect spot, you should start working on the positioning. Should it be completely horizontal? Should it be vertical? Or maybe even diagonal? I guess it all depends on the shape and size of the pool.

Most of the time, experts recommend that the positioning is proportional to the house. Honestly, I think that is the best-looking choice out of all the possible options.

Type of pool

Source: pinterest.com

Once you have finally found the perfect location, it is time to start thinking about what kind or type of pool are you planning on building. This is another very important factor because it will have a huge influence on the final outcome and even your bank account.

The most common type that is built nowadays has to be the ones made out of concrete. Too many people, this is the best looking option and it might be true. But, usually, it is also the most expensive option when compared to some other alternatives such as fiberglass or vinyl.

Although, if you have an unlimited budget for this project, I guess the pricing does not really matter to you.

However, what matters is the fact that regular concrete swimming pools cannot be made into any shape or size. They are much more complicated to build. Certain shapes are even impossible. This is why it is recommended to go with the fiberglass option because it is the best solution when trying to save space in your backyard as suggested by littlepools.com.au.

Basically, the fiberglass can be made into any shape, size, and depth that you want. It does not have to be square or rectangle. It can be a triangle, it can be curved, it can be a circle, or whatever else you can think of. The options are basically unlimited.

You should also consider the fact that fiberglass swimming pools also require a lot less maintenance and can last for an entire lifetime. For concrete, you may have to spend up to tens of thousands of dollars for maintenance every five or 10 years.

Shape

Source: leisurepoolsusa.com

Assuming that you have determined to go with the fiberglass option, it is time to start thinking about what kind of shape your swimming pool is going to take. There is a variety of options, but in this article, we are going to try to focus on the shape that is going to take up as little space from your backyard as possible.

Nowadays, the kidney shape is very popular amongst people with smaller backyards. Of course, this is going to cut down on some water space, but if you want a patio or if you want to put up some tables or chairs next to the pool, you will need to make some compromises.

You could also go with the most common rectangular shape, but only if you put it in the corner of your backyard. It may not look the best, but it is going to save a lot of room.

In the end, it all depends on your specific situation. Every backyard is different in its own way, so it is up to you to decide which shape will fit the best on your property.

Talk with a professional

Source: origin.la

If you have already considered all the points above and you still cannot come to any concrete solution, your next best option would be probably to consult with a professional. An experienced builder will probably be able to tell you whether your backyard is big enough to fit a swimming pool comfortably.

They can also go through all the required regulations and compliance is to ensure that you are illegible to start building this kind of project. Of course, a professional will be willing to do this for you for no cost at all. Although, I guess that depends on the business. Some may require you to pay a certain fee.

Keep in mind, you should be ready to take on some bad news from the expert. They might believe that there is not enough space in your yard for that kind of construction.

Although, it all depends on whether you are going to listen to them or not.

This is a very difficult topic and it requires a lot of thinking before you can make a solid decision. I hope that you can use this article to your benefit and that it will help you in making your final decision.

Best Privacy-First Apps for iOS – 2023 Guide

Spurce: sputniknews.com

iOS users are trying to fight online tracking as best as they can. Mobile devices stand at the center of the surveillance problem. We carry them everywhere and take advantage of the constant connectivity in many ways. However, the apps we use daily might not always be up to the task of protecting our data. Let’s take a look at the iOS apps that can change the way you browse and communicate online.

A brief note on selecting apps for your smartphone: install products from reliable sources only. It is common for cybercriminals to build fake or dangerous apps. Their purpose will not be to give you entertainment or protection. Instead, their objective could be to steal data or spy on your activities. Hence, the golden rule here is to stick to reliable apps. If you encounter a little-known app, take the time to do some research. Find out whether other netizens have reported any red flags. If the problems seem to persist in all reviews, it is best to drop the idea of installing such apps.

Security and Antivirus

Source: gsmarena.com

iOS users often suffer from the false notion that their devices are secured from external threats like virus and malware attacks. Irrespective of whether you’re adhering to the security best practices or not, your phone is still vulnerable to external threats. Apple has robust security protocols for all the apps, and the screening process is strict enough to weed out threats. Nevertheless, your iPhone can be harmed by threats such as malicious apps that can give the slip to the standard security checks. If you’re using an unsecured Wi-Fi network, chances are higher that hackers break into your iPhone and steal your data.

Thus, it’s essential to have standard antivirus apps like Avast Mobile Security for iOS, Avira Mobile Security, Lookout, Barracuda CloudGen Access, Trend Micro Mobile Security, F-Secure Safe, McAfee Mobile Security, etc. All these apps have been built to secure your devices against the latest and rarest threats. You get plenty of features to control your data and run regular scans to find out what’s wrong.

Private Browsing and VPNs

Source: forbes.com

You can’t achieve absolute digital privacy with the private window feature offered by browsers. Smartphones serve as our second computer, and we often end up storing sensitive personal and financial information on our iPhones. If a hacker manages to gain backdoor entry into our iPhone, we can easily imagine the damage that could be done. It is where secure online surfing options such as private browsers and VPNs step in.

Irrespective of whether you’re using public or shared networks, you can easily experience a private and secure connection by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Now, this is immensely helpful when you’re using unsecured public Wi-Fi, where all personal data is exposed to other users on the network.

The biggest advantage of installing a VPN app on your iOS device is that it conceals the IP address. These apps offer encryption features, which prevent any attempt to trace back your online activity using the device’s IP address.

For instance, Atlas VPN has a user-friendly interface, and everything is organized to let you set up and run the app without much hassle. From AES-256 encryption to automatic connection, VPNs offer some of the most advanced features to provide a secure channel for communication between our iOS devices and the internet.

As far as secure and private browsing is concerned, you’ll be spoilt for choice; however, some of the popular options include Tor, DuckDuckGo, Firefox Focus, Ghostery Privacy Browser, Brave, and Aloha. These browsers are meant to improve your online security while ensuring the safety of stored data.

Since the encrypted traffic facilitates anonymous browsing, you can easily avoid the content blocks and targeted ads. Even your IP address is concealed, and depending on your preferences, it can clear the browsing history, cookies, and even tabs from the cache while exiting the apps.

Call, Message, and Email Encryption

Source: starlightmedspa.com

You can keep your personal information safe using a mix of apps, but none can provide complete security. Protecting information on your call, message, and email is possible through encrypted messaging apps like Signal, Wire, WhatsApp, ProtonMail, Keeply, etc. They scramble the text and audio messages. However, giving people a clear-cut answer to which app is the best seems difficult. But, typically, people recommend using Signal, which is the most privacy-focused app for instant messaging. If you use other apps, find out whether they have options for end-to-end encryption. Some might require you to enable it manually.

Encryption is not trivial, and people should pay attention to the options available to them. All these encryption apps offer military-level encryption, where you’ll be able to achieve secure communication on a variety of networks. You can also turn your online activities untraceable and prevent all your private information from falling into the hands of unauthorized people. The biggest advantage offered by these apps is that they allow you to stream or watch all your favorite shows and movies without worrying about hacking attempts or data theft.

More control means more privacy and security

Source: digitaltrends.com

It is common for people to have dozens of apps. Some of them just sit in your smartphone without being opened for weeks or months. While you might believe that a specific app might come useful, deleting unused apps is a necessity. In addition to saving space, it could also mean that you will prevent common dangers. For instance, a secretly malicious app could compromise your activities without your knowledge. Hence, give yourself more space to install legitimate apps that will be valuable additions to your scrolling.

If you hesitate to delete apps, there is a workaround to ease this process. Dubbed as offloading, this practice (specifically for iOS users) can make you more comfortable with removing apps regularly. Offloading means that you delete apps’ program data but retain files and settings associated with them. Long story short, you can reinstall such programs whenever you want, and they will work just as before. For users hesitating to uninstall apps, this can be a handy solution.

By following the recommendations above, you can achieve more privacy. Apps are highly beneficial, and some of them are even critical for maintaining a safe digital lifestyle.

Raid: Shadow Legends – What is This Game – 2023 Guide

Raid: Shadow Legends is truly a game that won millions of gamers’ hearts. What features make this MMORPG so special — we are ready to answer this question and provide some useful tips for the newcomers.

What You Should Know Before Starting a Game

It’s important to find out some key features of the game, making it unique and engaging for the numerous players. While reading the Raid: Shadow Legends Review by Insider.Games, you can find some useful tips or interesting facts that can help you succeed in the game process.

Clans

Clans features are of the same importance as Dungeon battles and the Campaign, which are the game’s central modes. The primary aim of the Clan is to unite the forces of the gamers with a common goal. In Raid: Shadow Legends, like in a classic MMO, Clan is the place where all the teammates gather for getting new achievements and boosting their level. Also, participation in some campaigns and missions requires to be a part of a certain Clan.

Clan Boss Mode

Maybe, the most crucial cause for joining the Clan is the special game mode known as Clan Boss mode. This game mode is available only for members of the particular Clan. Thus, Clan members can get a unique cooperative experience in the battle with a dreadful enemy. The Clan Boss involves five difficulty tiers with skills, stats, and Health Points. The full defeat of the Boss requires the common efforts of the teammates that can take several hours or even days.

Clans Activity

Raid: Shadow Legends collective experience includes two critical aspects: Clan Activities and Clan Achievements. The Clan Leaderboard is also a useful thing where the players can find information about a Clan and the members’ achievements. In Review Raid: Shadow Legends, you can find some additional information about the Clan Power and Ranking Points, which help get more achievements for the teammates.

Tips for Beginners

Here you can find some useful tips for the newcomers to be beneficial for quick success and constant progress.

Get Ready for Adventure and Get Acquainted with Affinity System

Raid: Shadow Legends is going to become an exciting and spectacular adventure. Let’s get acquainted with four affinities, three of which are in balance, and the fourth one has no particular advantages or disadvantages for the player:

  • Blue – Magic (Beats Spirit and weak to Force);
  • Green – Spirit (Beats Force, weak to Magic);
  • Red- Force (Beats Magic and weak to Spirit);
  • Purple – Void (no weakness and no counter).

Understanding how each of the affinities works and interacts with each other is the key to success during a battle.

Turn Off Auto-Battle

It’s better to start with a Manual mode, which can help to discover the world of Raid: Shadow Legends, figure out the ability of the Champions in the fight, review the capabilities under the Skill tab, and understand how all works in the game. The Champion’s profile can help to find all the necessary information about the skills of your game character.

Progress Missions is a Key to Succeed

If the basic tutorial isn’t enough for you, Progress Mission is the thing that is really helpful for the newcomers. These missions are created for the new players of the game to acclimate the gamer to the world of Raid: Shadow Legends and its numerous options and systems. Also, the players can not only learn how to play but also get some exclusive rewards for completion of Progress Missions.

Take the Campaigns First

Experienced players in the Review Raid: Shadow Legends suggest to start with a campaign and then continue with dungeons. There are a lot of important things and specificities to discover in the campaign. The natural pace of campaigns can help the newcomer learn the game’s potential through resolving the mysteries of the Raid: Shadow Legends world and overcoming all the challenges. Also, equipping the Champion with the gear is necessary to succeed during further battles and fights within the dungeons.

Join the Clan

It’s recommended not to join a random Clan in Raid: Shadow Legends just after uploading a game. It is better to discover some information about each Clan and understand the sense of the preferred community. Besides, you should better join a community where teammates are willing to give a helping hand to the freshman. It will be more beneficial for you, especially at the beginning of the path in the game.

Equip your Champion

The gear system of the game makes equipping the Champion crucial for succeeding in the battle. The proper set of tools can make a Champion strong and resilient during the fight. That is why newcomers should pay special attention to the equipment and participate in different missions for getting not only rewards but also new life-stealing items to win a battle.

Don’t Forget to Update your Gear

To get new items isn’t enough for the constant progress in the game. It is also necessary to upgrade each collected item to a maximum level. Besides, updating a gear opens new stats and unlocks bonuses every 4 stages of upgrade (the maximum level is +16). Although upgrading of items becomes more and more expensive with the increasing level, the resources won’t be wasted, as far as it boosts your chances for a win.

About the Latest Update

In the latest update, 1.5, the players can find some new game features:

  • Clan Chat — all members of the Clan have access to the special chat available only for the teammates; now, gamers have a place where they can discuss strategy, plan missions, and share the experience;
  • Global Events — the players can participate in the time-limited events with its exclusive tasks — just follow the guideline and get new points and rewards;
  • Balance — enemies have been adjusted within the Campaign Stages; some gained levels, and some lost their ranks.

Besides, new Champions and Artifacts were added to the game, and, of course, numerous bugs and issues were fixed. All in all, new updates are beneficial for making the gameplay more engaging and spectacular.

5 Tips For Improving Your WordPress Development Workflow – 2023 Guide

Source: cloudstaff.com

There are almost half a billion WordPress websites nowadays, and this is one of the most popular platforms to build your site on. It is easy to use, and you can also modify and develop your site depending on your needs and knowledge. In this article, we are going to give you some tips on how you can improve your development workflow when using WordPress, and we will tell you how that is going to improve your business and services. Continue reading to learn something new, and to learn how this process will save you a lot of trouble, time, and money in the long run.

1. Never develop on-site

Source: sainiwebexperts.com

One of the biggest mistakes people make is letting their site be a published work in progress. Your clients don’t want to see the stages in which you are developing your WordPress, and they are interested only in seeing the finished result.

Even though it is human, and it is normal to get things done, it is always best to do all the changes and development process off-site. Know that you can create a local environment, test things out, change them, add themes, experiment, and everything else you want to do until you are done. On the same note, you should also do this when making huge changes.

When you use a local environment, you will be able to keep all your data safe, and no matter what happens, your files, blogs, products, and everything else will stay intact. Take your time to learn how to do this, and know that when the whole process is done off-site, you can take your time to finish everything and make it perfect before you publish it on your site.

2. Mobile-friendly websites

Source: atomic74.com

Nowadays, most users use their smart devices to browse the internet, and we want to be able to see everything in a mobile-friendly interface. We don’t want a desktop view on our phone or tablet, and we don’t want to have to zoom in, zoom out, or hope for the best when we click on something.

No matter what type of app you are building, you should be aware that most of your users will use something else than their PC or laptop, so you should give them the best user experience. No matter if it is just the interface, the theme, apps, how the products are listed, or even widgets and additional information, people should be able to browse and read your site without any issues.

Know that when you are using the official WordPress themes, you will be getting a mobile-friendly interface, but if you are developing something on your own, you need to be aware of all the things. Because of this, you should test things out, use different devices, and know that you should also test them on different operating systems.

In addition to this, if you plan on creating your own app, you should pay attention to this as well. According to fyresite.com, an expert company will be able to help you not only with the themes and design, but also with the CMS integration, mobile apps, and even with e-commerce website development.

3. Don’t skip important steps

Source: webleodesign.com

When you are configuring your website, you need to know that there are important steps you need to follow. Doing things correctly will help you and your clients get the things you want. Things need to be in sync with one another, and if one thing is lagging, or not working properly, chances are, it will negatively affect the whole website.

Because of this, you should use an approval environment, and you should test things out off-site. Things may all seem perfect to you, as a developer, but you should also ask others for their opinion. When different sets of eyes see things, you will be able to tackle issues even before they appear. Always have a team who will check if things are working properly, and have a team that will be looking for mistakes and errors.

It is always better to do these things in the production process, and fix issues as they appear than to risk publishing your site, and waiting for users to leave, or report mistakes. Leave it off the air until it is perfect.

4. Don’t fix things that are not broken

Source: tech101.in

Now let’s talk about something we all tend to do – try to improve things that are working perfectly. Yes, we want to give a better experience to our customers, but some things are perfect as they are.

If you created a great WordPress site, and if things are functioning as they are supposed to be, then don’t change them until you want to do a rebranding or make huge changes. Changing minor things here and there can be as bad as they can be good.

When making changes, try to do everything at once, and don’t try to improve everything. Yes, there are a lot of great things on the market, but you don’t need all of them. Focus on what you need on your website and don’t make it too crowded.

5. You don’t have to pay for everything

Source: apptension.com

The last thing we are going to talk about is paying for everything. We are taught that if it costs a lot, it is good, and even though that is true in most cases, it does not mean that you cannot have something great for free.

You can choose to build your own theme free of charge, and you can even sell it later on to make some extra profits. The same goes for apps, interfaces, and CMS. Take your time to improve your skills as a developer, and if you don’t have any skills when it comes to this, know that it is far better to hire one company that will do everything for you than to pay for individual things.

Make sure you establish a flow in your site so that your customers and clients will have no issues navigating through it. Help your team work together, and know that synergy will save you a lot of time and effort.

By following our tips, you will be able to build an amazing site on this platform, and you can easily customize things depending on your need. There is a reason why this is the most popular platform, and it will give you a lot of freedom. By improving your WordPress development workflow, you will improve all the things in your business, so don’t wait until things fall apart to do something about it.