BusinessVoice News Network

These food hacks can make it easier to eat healthy. Create a lower-fat creamy tomato sauce by adding hummus instead of cream. Mix cottage cheese with your salsa for high-protein snacking and add white beans to your smoothies for a fiber-rich drink. Source Link

A vacation abroad is supposed to be a fun time but accidents can happen and that’s why travel medical insurance is a good idea. Most U.S. health insurance plans and Medicare don’t provide coverage abroad but a travel insurance plan can pay for emergency care, prescriptions and medical evacuation with single-trip or annual coverage. Source Link

What are some warning signs that an ATM, gas pump or payment terminal may have a card skimmer installed by scammers to steal your personal info? Watch out if the buttons on the PIN pad are offset or hard to push or if part of the pad feels loose. When this happens, use your card’s tap-to-pay option, or Apple Pay or Google Pay instead of your card. Source Link

You’ve heard of refinancing your mortgage, but how about your loan for that set of wheels? Auto loan refinancing may be an easy way to save money because many people don’t shop around for the best rates when buying a car. Refinancing an auto loan is much simpler than a mortgage and may take just one day to complete. Source Link

Furnishing a first home or a new bigger one doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Resist the urge to be “moved in” as quickly as possible using all your existing pieces. Instead, measure the space and consider how you’ll use it. Then choose furniture and accents that fit that plan, whether it’s what you already have or something different. Source Link

Keeping all of your credit cards active can improve your credit rating and you don’t have to overspend to do this. Take a current bill like utilities or a monthly subscription and put it on an automatic payment plan with a credit card. Pay the full balance every month and put one bill on each unused credit card. Source Link

Try this tip to get Google to cover the difference if that plane ticket drops in price after you buy it. Use the Google Flights feature to book your air travel and look for the Price Guarantee check box. You’ll get a refund through Google Pay but it’s limited to three flights per year and capped at $500 in annual savings. Source Link

Activity, eating and how you stimulate your brain can all help prevent memory loss. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, and healthy eating with plenty of lean protein and good fats will also help. And challenge your mind by learning a new language, taking up a musical instrument, or planning a day trip or vacation to a new place. Source Link

Scammers are taking advantage of the growth of smart TVs and streaming services to rip you off. If you turn on a smart TV or open an app and see an error message, don’t call a phone number or click on a web address. No subscription streaming service or device will ever ask you to pay an activation fee. Email a customer service rep and inform them of the error message. Source Link 

A few common household products may be all you need to keep your phone free of dirt and grime. Use a disposable wipe or a solution of 70-percent isopropyl alcohol on a microfiber cloth to clean the screen every day. And a strip of Scotch tape can pull up any lint or sand that’s struck in crevices on your phone. Source Link

Here are some fast and easy cleanouts for a few trouble spots in the home. Pull out all of the phone chargers and cords you have to see which you still need and recycle the rest. Empty everything from beneath the sink to discard old sponges or cleaners you never use. And only keep enough reusable shopping bags in your car for one grocery run. Source Link 

Teaching kids the value of saving now to enjoy a purchase later might start with one simple word on an everyday shopping trip. When you go into a store, remind them that you aren’t there to buy anything “fun.” If that’s what they want, they’ll need to save money for it. Do this along with creating a savings goal chart for that purchase. Source Link

Getting kids to brush their teeth doesn’t have to be a chore. Instead of setting a two-minute timer, try playing a fun song or reading a silly story to them as they brush. Don’t ever let kids skip brushing and encourage them by brushing your teeth together and offering rewards for good habits. Source Link

Your vacation budget can take you further with these tips. Look for lodging away from the city center and don’t assume that vacation rentals are cheaper than a hotel room. Be flexible with your travel dates to get the best airfares and consider affordable lookalikes like a trip to Montreal instead of visiting Paris. Source Link

Don’t let these mistakes shave years off the life of your dishwasher. Run a shorter Eco mode when your dishwasher is less than two-thirds full. Read the manual and regularly clean all of the filters. And don’t pre-rinse dishes because that can reduce the performance of dishwashers that are designed to handle tough food particles. Source Link

Plan to start your spring cleaning in the medicine cabinet by disposing of old prescription drugs that could be dangerous for children. Over-the-counter pills can be used beyond an expiration date but may be less effective. And liquid medications like cough syrup should be thrown out after the expiration date. Source Link

A simple hardware swap or modifying new low-cost cabinetry can give your kitchen a fresh look for a lot less. New basic IKEA cabinets can be customized with door fronts and brass or matte black handles and pulls. Or use that same new hardware and some paint to refresh your current cabinets. Source Link

One new habit could help you start the day with more energy. Waking up at the same time every day can stabilize the body’s circadian rhythm governing the release of hormones that wake you up in the morning and get you to sleep at night. Keep your wake-up time within the same 30-minute window each day and try to use that snooze button only once. Source Link