What Are Pressure Washers and Do I Need One?

Strange questions and the answer is ‘probably’. To many it may be no because some people still don’t know much about pressure washers. You see, I moved into my new house 6 months ago and discovered the complete patio and driveway was covered in a moss type material which I could have spent the next 10 years scraping away only for it to grow back again quickly. So I found out more about pressure washers by asking around. They are great cleaners that use high pressure jets of water to power through dirt and blast away those weeds, moss and other nasty things that grow in between the stones on your driveway best pressure washer surface cleaner.

Not only that, but these products are pretty cheap and they last many years. Karcher and Nilfisk are the most prominent manufacturers and their products are very reliable. They include many feature such as adding detergent (if you want to use it) and include various nozzles and garnishes to clean different types of surfaces. Patio cleaning is a breeze now, as most power washers will include splash back protectors so that you don’t have to worry about cleaning your clothes straight after! There are attention nozzles too, which help get rid of inflexible areas of grime. Machine strengths are measured in litres per hour i.e. how many litres are pushed through in a given hour. Some power washers are so powerful, they take out tiling grouting so you may need to adjust strength or use different garnishes for different surfaces.

Blocked drains are also a breeze for pressure washers. Our sewer was very hard as we share the connections with two eateries. Unfortunately they had spent years emptying food down the drains, which congested everything up. Once the pressure washer was out, there was no stopping us! The drain was clear within minutes (and prior to this, the neighbours had spent different hours with rods trying to clear it).

These models are usually fit with safety valves so you won’t need to worry about pressure building up if there is some sort of obstruction surface cleaner pressure washer

. Karcher (my favourite brand) usually offer a 3 year warranty with their power washers, so it’ll put your mind at ease.

For me it was a lifesaver. I cleaned the whole of my house external within a day or two, which perhaps would have taken months using more manual methods.

These power washers, in summary, reduce time and save money in the long run. In short, if you have to maintain patios, driveways and/or a garden, then it would be suitable to purchase one of these pressure washers.

 

Advice for Parents of International Students Studying in the US

Since the advent of the Internet, the world has grown smaller by the day. Obviously, not in size but in the reach that we have when interacting with other nations no matter where they are located on the globe. As a result, a growing number of parents are sending their children abroad to get an education that will help them become better acquainted with those nations they will most likely be interacting with in the world of business.
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As a superpower, the United States has a currency that is one of the majors on the Foreign Exchange, and there are few countries that don’t see the US as a major trade partner. If your son or daughter has enrolled in one of the many top-ranked universities here, there are a few bits of advice that may make the distance seem a whole lot nearer.

Give Them the Independence They Need

Although your kids have never been farther away than a vacation in a nearby resort area or backpacking across your own country, it can be a huge separation when sending them off to a nation far across the ocean. No matter where you live on this giant globe floating through space, even a few thousand miles can seem like a distance equal to that of travel to the moon. Bear in mind that with the current state of connectivity, those kids are just a Facebook chat or phone call away. If they suddenly find they are out of funds until the end of the month, there is always instant transfer with platforms like Ria Money Transfer. Try to let them budget out on their own, but if an emergency should arise, instant money can be in their bank in mere moments, so don’t fret! Let them become independent because this really is the beginning of that stage in their life!

Don’t Let Them Sense Your Angst

To outwardly show just how worried you are about sending them off on their own, this can have far-reaching ramifications. Some kids might then become fearful themselves while others may rebel and take their independence a bit too far. In either case, no matter how troubled you are about letting them go off to a faraway location, remember, this is the United States we are talking about and not some impoverished country where services are unavailable.

It All Begins with Preparing for Their Departure

The sooner you prepare for their imminent departure, the less stressful you will be. Besides helping them to get their student visa and all their documents in order, you can also begin researching other resources they may need while abroad. For example, you may want to have contact information for the nearest embassy of your country and hospitals and medical facilities that will either take your insurance or bill parents in another country. You may want to set up an emergency fund in a bank in the United States that can be accessed for medical emergencies if need be. The point is, the sooner you know that you’ve made all the arrangements you can make for things you’d do as a parent at home, the easier it will be to let go. You’ve obviously done a great job raising your kids if they’ve done well enough scholastically to qualify for a good university abroad. You didn’t do their studying for them, did you? So, take heart that your kids are ready to face their future. It’s time to let go. Author Bio: Tricia Lee is a contributing writer at Sparkwebs, a Digital Marketing Agency. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel, dance, and read non-fiction.

7 Things You Should Know About Self-Employment

Being self-employed has distinct advantages that aren’t too hard for most of us to imagine. So if setting your own hours and being your own boss sounds good to you, you might be considering self-employment. 

The ability to earn more money and experience more creative freedom can be alluring, to say the least. And there are a lot of successfully self-employed people. A 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics study on self-employment showed that 10% of all workers in the US were self-employed.

However, you should know a lot before you venture out on your own. So ask yourself these seven questions before you leap.

Should You Start a Business or Freelance?

There is a difference between starting a business and subcontracting out some work as a freelancer. Which method is right for you will probably depend on several factors, such as what skills you have and what your long-term goals are.

Freelancing is a great way to start out because you will learn some necessary skills that can assist you if you decide to take your career further and start your own business. 

In order to be a successful freelancer, you have to learn how to find clients, manage your finances and set your rates. These are all things that a business owner needs to know.

Do I Have the Right Skills?

One way to find out if you have the right skills is to try your hand at freelancing while you are still employed. You will need a variety of skills to stay self-employed, and not just trade skills. You will need soft skills, too, such as interpersonal and networking skills.

Other basic skills that will help you succeed are time management and technology skills. 

What Kind of Insurance Do You Need?

How do you know what kind of insurance you will need to be self-employed? It seems confusing at first, but with a little help from the right insurance broker, you can get all your questions answered and set your mind at ease. 

It’s a good idea to sit down and do some research to find out what you need. Don’t feel like you have to do this alone, though. Several online insurance brokers can help you develop a self-employed insurance plan

Your plan should protect you when things go wrong and cover you in the event of business disputes, property damages, and accidents. That’s why the best policies for self-employed workers include a general liability policy.

You’ll also want to get a professional liability policy that protects you from errors and omissions, as well as a policy to protect your commercial assets. Worker’s compensation policies also provide protection for you if you are hurt while you are working.

If this seems like more than you can handle, rest assured. You can easily get all of these policies bundled. It will cost you less, save you time and provide maximum protection. And once your policy goes into effect, it’s easy to get certificates, make policy updates, and file claims online.

How Do You Set Your Rates?

You should charge whatever people are willing to pay.

Since you might not know what that is when you first start out, you can calculate a weekly rate of pay based on how much you realistically want to earn per year, divided by 52 weeks per year. Then, take your weekly rate and divide that by 40 hours per week. That gives you a base hourly rate to work with.

Something to consider is that it is much easier to raise your rates when you have too much work than it is to lower your rates if they are too high. You should also factor in your business expenses.

What’s the Best Way to Organize your Finances?

A good rule of thumb when you are organizing your business finances is always to overestimate when it comes to expenses. Everything always costs more than you think it will.

You should use some kind of ledger system, whether that is software for tracking your income and expenses or an Excel spreadsheet. It is also much easier to track your self-employed business income if you have a separate bank account. This will make it easier to do your taxes, balance your books and make sure you are charging the correct rates.

What’s the Best Way to Pay Taxes?

If you have organized your finances as suggested, paying your taxes won’t be nearly as difficult. Most freelancers and self-employed workers set aside 20-30% of their income in a separate savings account so that they can pay their taxes when they are due. 

Whether you are comfortable filing your own taxes or need an accountant’s help, it is important that you file your taxes on time. Just remember, you need to pay estimated quarterly taxes on your earnings. For more information, visit the IRS’s self-employed tax center.

Where Do You Find Clients?

How you get clients depends largely on what business you are in. But there are several things you can do that will help no matter what industry you have chosen. 

Having a website is important, even if you don’t think you need one. As you build your website, consider adding some blog posts that showcase your best work. In addition, advertising, online searches, and using your social media are all ways to utilize your networking skills to get your skills noticed.