Food & Entertaining

13 Must-Have Ingredients in your Pantry

If you love cooking, then you should know among all varieties of ingredients, spices, and food, there are quite some essential ingredients that you must have in your pantry, be it to create emergency hangover food, create brunch for you and your family, or just to create Friday night nachos night.

13 Ingredients That You Must Have in Your Pantry

Here are 13 essentials item and ingredients that you must have in your pantry at all times:

  1. Garlic

He is smeared to make garlic bread used to make a veggie stir fry, recycling day-old rice into perfect egg fried rice, garlic is essentially one of the best ingredients you need to always have in your pantry. From Asian cooking, Italian cooking, and fusion, to even European cooking, garlic is always the queen of ingredients and taste.

You can buy garlic along with the bulbs, and garlic braid or you can also buy it in cleaned cloves of garlic. You can also recycle the old garlic by using it to make garlic oil. You can see our other article on how to make tasty and long-lasting garlic oil here.

  1. Fish Sauce or MSG

Have you heard about MSG? It is said that it enhances the flavor of any cooking, without compromising its taste, the same goes for the fish sauce. Many people said that MSG is bad for your health, but the truth is MSG isn’t inherently bad, MSG makes food that bad for your health becoming tasty and addictive, that’s the reason behind this myth, so a little bit of MSG is safe.

  1. Cherry Tomato

Cherry Tomato provides a natural sweet, umami, and sour taste to the cooking, and it is perfect in a salad, for topping, and to add sour to your soup.

  1. Milk

Milk isn’t just for drinking daily, but it can also be used in a variety of dishes be it for dessert, an appetizer, or even be used for the main dish.

  1. Onion and Shallots

Both onion and shallots are the main components for many dishes from Asian cooking, to Italian cooking. Onion is used for its natural sweetness, while shallots are used for their fragrance and tastiness.

  1. Chili

Can you handle your spice? If you can handle it, then you won’t be able to leave your pantry empty without chili, chili powder, or better yet, authentic Sambal from Indonesia or Malaysia.

  1. Rice

Rice common staple for every Asian household, as every Asian household must have rice, or it is crime for them. Nowadays, everybody can enjoy this white delicious grain every day and everywhere.

  1. Potato

Potato, boil them, mashed them, cooked them, make a salad, fry them, bake them, and make chips from them. You can make dinner with just potatoes as an appetizer, and as a main course to the dinner.

  1. Pasta

Pasta is the ingredient every Italian family must have in their pantry, and can’t get enough pasta every day. Perfect for Friday night Lasagna, or a Pasta party.

  1. Noodle

Who wants some ramen, and noodles, but can’t be bothered with the hassle of a noodle bar, having noodles in your pantry can also be used as emergency sustenance?

  1. Kosher Salt

Kosher salt isn’t just any regular sea salt that you can find. The taste is lighter to your buds; however, it has more minerals and health benefits compared to regular table salt. It is now one of the most have ingredients in your pantry, especially for Western cooking.

  1. Ginger, Lemongrass, Galangal, Bay leaf, Oregano, and Other Herbs

If you are a home cook or a mom who always cooks for dinner and breakfast, then you already understand how important it is to cook with herbs like ginger, galangal, bay leaf, mint, oregano, and many more.

Not only it enhances flavor, taste, and smell, but it also has several uses such as reducing meaty odor, nice salad addition, and many more.

  1. Cheese (Especially Parmesan)

From parmesan to Mozzarella, to goat cheese, Feta cheese, or American craft Cheese, cheese comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and tastes. Cheese, especially Parmesan cheese is a must-have ingredient in the pantry, be it in the form of solid, grated, or powdered parmesan cheese.

It can be used in a variety of ways, used as a topping in your pasta, melted for your nachos or tacos for Friday movie night, melt in for your potato chips, and so on. The use is very flexible, and one of the most versatile ingredients for Italian and western cooking.

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Food & Entertaining

5 Easy and Perfect Weekend Night Recipes

A weekend night is a special occasion, because this time, you and your family could gather together as a whole, and enjoy amazing dinner, and beverages. Well, if you are looking for the best, freshest, Saturday night dinner and meal ideas, then you have come to the right place. We have amazing 5 ideas to make your Weekend night recipe and create a wholesome dining experience for you and your family.

Here, we share your complete recipes for appetizers, main courses, and desserts, all of these mouthwatering recipes would prove to make your family dinner enjoyable, and give you a whole new meaning to the Saturday night feast.

Try Out These 5 Best Weekend Night Recipes

It is a weekend night, a time for you to relax, ease up your tension, and enjoy the time you have with your friends or family. If you are planning to have a weekend party, then one thing you should always go for is, of course, good food! To make sure you have delicious food on your platter, here are some of the best 5 weekend night recipes you could try for your friends and family.

  1. Fillet Mignon and Mushroom Sauce

An all-time classic, the Fillet mignon and Mushroom sauce, is a hearty recipe for a hearty family dinner. It is an all-time famous recipe, so you can probably find several other recipes on the internet, or from any other cookbooks.

So, how does exactly make the most tender, juicy, and delicious piece of steak, that will make Gordon Ramsay approve your meat? Well, the key is that Medium rare steak is one of the best ways to cook your steak, but of course, it is all matter of perspective.

Topped with the Mushroom, white wine, and vinegar sauce, and voila, you will have Fillet Mignon that will make everyone goes for a second plate.

  1. Crab Cakes

Crab cakes, the easy to make, an appetizer that everybody loves, and perfect dishes for Saturday night snacks. It is awesome, and one best thing about crab cake is, that you can even use canned crab. Of course, fresh crab is the best if you can, but for the family Saturday night dinner, it is okay to use canned crabs.

Mix it with mayonnaise, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, or if you want some spices, you can add some Cajun spices, then fry them until they are golden brown and crispy.

  1. Pizza Bianca

Who doesn’t love Pizza? It is truly one of the best things a chef could invent and the pinnacle of Italian cuisine. You can of course order some pizza, however, if you want to try to get your hand on baking some pizza, then why not give new experiences to the Pizza Bianca or white pizza?

What makes Pizza Bianca different from any other pizza is that the pizza uses white cream as its base, different from the usual pizza that uses red tomato sauce. Adding some parmesan, mozzarella, and any other topping of your choices such as salami, olive, anchovies, mushroom, and many more then voila, now you have brand new pizza experiences for you and your family.

  1. Pad Thai

If you and your family love Asian cuisine, but can’t go to an Asian restaurant, or Thai restaurant, then why not whip up some of the easy-to-do, and guaranteed delicious dishes, Pad Thai? Now, if you are looking for a fresh taste, and delicate flavors from Thailand, then you should try Pad Thai in your Saturday dining.

Pad Thai is made from stir-fried rice noodles (it has to be rice noodles), shrimps, scrambled eggs, bean sprouts, and peanuts. It is cheap to make and considered one of the best, wildly popular street foods from Thailand that you can make yourself at home.

  1. Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings seem easy and boring but it is also one of the most comforting food you can for yourself and your family. It is chunky, complete with the fluffy dumplings and the richness of the chicken broth. Not to mention, you can always be creative and add more spices and variations, like Cajun spice, Marinara, or more creamy sauce.

If you want to add more depth of flavor, you can also add more vegetables, such as mushrooms, corn, carrots, and peas to your Chicken and Dumpling, the possibility is limitless.

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Food & Entertaining

Creamy Corn Chowder Recipe Worth Dying For

Summertime, is the season of seafood, fresh veggies, and nourishing drinks. One of America’s most beloved summer treats is Creamy Corn Chowder, loaded with the sweet and flavorful sweet corn, creamy texture, crispiness from bacon, and heartiness of potato. It is one of the most satisfying meals you can get, and the best thing is, that can be made as one pot meal for everyone.

Got leftover corn soup? Wanted to improvise, and make something much more flavorful than canned corn soup? Then you have to try out this creamy corn chowder recipe worth dying for, and definitely, everyone will start to ask for a second plate. See also our other various American beloved home-cooked meal recipes, from Cajun Grilled corn, Cajun fried chicken, and creamy corn pasta.

The Recipes for Creamy Corn Chowder

It is a fulfilling dish, with the delicate balance of sweetness from corn, crispy and saltiness from bacon, and heartiness from the potatoes. It offers the most robust broth, flavorful, and thick creaminess that is worth dying for, and irresistible.

You can use frozen corn, or canned corn, however, fresh corn is the best served, You can also add more seasonal or frozen veggies like peas, and carrots, alongside many other proteins like beef, and chicken. So, without further ado, here is the recipe for Creamy Corn Chowder:

Ingredients:

  • 3 Cloves of Garlic (Minced, or Crushed) – Essential, you will need at least 3 cloves, but if you are making more portions, or wanted more kick in the spice, feel free to add one more.
  • Onion – Basic soup stock for every classic American soup recipe.
  • Celery – Just like Onion, it is also a basic ingredient for the American Soup
  • Carrots – Diced or Julienne, the Carrots add more sweetness and texture to the soup.
  • 1 Ounce Flour – Thickening agent you will need for creamy corn chowder
  • Chicken Broth – Base of your soup, adding more depth of flavor to your soup, use at least one can, or 32 oz of the container, at least 4 cups.
  • Bacon – Strips of bacon, you can also alternate this between chicken meats, or beef if you want more variations.
  • Corn – Ideally fresh corn, but frozen or canned sweet corn works too, especially if you are trying to recycle some old leftover corn.
  • Cream – To further thicken the soup, and add more creamy consistency.
  • Potatoes – The best kind of potato to use in chowder is russet potato, as they are nice, starchy, and big enough, but all kinds of potato work too, even baby potato.
  • Cayenne Pepper – Additional kick in the spice, to add more warmth and spicy. If you like it, you can add more spice, like Jalapeno to create spicy chowder.
  • Italian Seasoning – Classic Italian seasoning, dried herbs, such as oregano, thyme, and rosemary that go well in many classic dishes. It should come in handy in various dishes such as this creamy corn chowder.

How to Make Creamy Corn Chowder:

Prep the ingredients first:

  • Peel the potatoes and carrots, peel the garlic, and chop the onion.
  • Chop the onion, and dice the carrots and potatoes to small bite sizes.
  • Slice the celery. And slice the corn.

Prepare all the vegetables in the bowl after finishing preparing and chopping them, minced garlic, onion, celery, carrots, corn, and potatoes.

Now, fry the bacon, cook it until the fats come out, and until crispy, use the soup pot for this. Now transfer the bacon to a paper towel, but leave the fat in the pot. We will use the bacon fat to sauté Garlic. Sauté garlic first, right until yellowed, but don’t let the garlic burnt. Now, add celery, onion, and carrots, then sauté them together.

Now, add in a bit of chicken stock as your base soup, then add flour bit by bit, and stir it well. Stir the soup until the flour dissolves. Make sure to check it for the correct creamy consistency, here add the cream too.

  • Scrape up the brown bits left by crispy bacon, and stir them well into the soup
  • Add all of the corn, potatoes, a bit of salt, Italian seasoning, and Cayenne pepper, then add all of the bacon.
  • Bring it to boil, then simmer it
  • Check until the potatoes are all cooked and tender.
  • Season it with pepper, and salt, don’t forget to check the taste
  • Garnish it with parsley and spring onion
  • Then serve it well.
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Travel & Leisure

The Case for Traveling Alone

Holidays are the most interesting agenda on everyone’s annual list of activities. The reason is that vacations can be a means to increase experience, relieve stress due to work, or just fill spare time. Holidays are a happy thing for everyone.

Usually, people will have a vacation agenda with their friends. Going on vacation together will be more exciting, fun, and less intimidating. On the other hand, many people are still hesitant to go on vacation alone with all kinds of haunting fears.

Vacation Alone, As A Form of True Self-Healing

Vacationing alone may sound strange to everyone. Most people will be afraid of getting lost, or meeting bad people until there are no friends to share joys and sorrows. However, it turns out that there is nothing wrong with a vacation alone.

Vacationing alone was not as scary as imagined. Because there are so many benefits that can be felt from vacationing alone. Here are reasons why solo vacations are highly recommended:

  • Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

His name is also a comfort zone, it will make people addicted and don’t want to get out of it. However, it turns out that taking a vacation alone can train you to challenge yourself out of your comfort zone. With your vacation, you have to think carefully about planning.

With a vacation alone you will also be trained to have the courage to explore the city of people calmly without fear. At that time, you will be trained to be sensitive in finding solutions to any problems encountered. So that it will form a strong, tough, and brave personality.

  • Train To Be More Independent

Maybe all this time while on vacation we always depend on other people for some decisions. However, during the holidays, we will learn to be independent and not depend on anyone. At that time, we will also learn to fight laziness, fear, and also some feelings that often inhibit us from developing.

With your vacation, you are required to be able to find everything yourself, from finding food, and lodging, to traveling alone. In this case, instincts will be trained to find solutions to every problem. So that you can have a steady belief to be able to conquer the world.

  • Find Your True Self

Many people often question their identity, their reasons for living, and what they have done so far. But most people will only keep it to themselves to cause feelings of insecurity and overthinking. If you feel the incident, it would be very appropriate to choose a vacation alone.

The reason is with a vacation alone will help you find your identity. When you are alone in this new city you will find what you need. Guaranteed there will be no more activities to compare yourself with others or lament the fate that is said to be heartbreaking.

  • Train Self-Confidence

Taking a vacation exploring a city on your own will train you to make important decisions. You will learn how to make decisions based on instincts, conditions, situations, and also needs. So, you will be forced to believe in every decision that has been made.

Not only that but going on your vacation will also make you confident to ask new people about things you don’t know. This is very suitable to try for those of you who may be shy during your daily life to ask new people. Guaranteed confidence will increase drastically after returning from vacation.

  • Learn From Nature and Travel

As the saying goes, nature is a place to learn every science. Having your vacation not only makes you learn from nature but also can learn from travel. In this case, you can learn about new cultures, read natural signs, be grateful for what has been achieved, to learn to survive in every problem.

  • Can Appreciate the Little Things

Many people are already comfortable when going with friends. There is someone who wakes up, everything reminds you, so there is always help when you are stuck in a problem. With a vacation alone, you will not find these things. So that we can appreciate the sincerity of the people around us all this time.

Vacation alone can indeed provide a million benefits for the formation of personality and character. So, it never hurts to try traveling alone. Guaranteed to find amazing things that have been hidden.

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Travel & Leisure

How to Get the Best of Travel

Living the days happily and full of enthusiasm is everyone’s hope and desire. How not, with a happy heart and enthusiasm can make heavy days feel lighter to live. In fact, in the right way, it can make it seem as if there has never been a problem in his daily life.

Many say a super day starts from the morning routine. If you start the day well and are full of energy, you’ll be in good spirits all night. Vice versa, if you start the day by complaining, then the days will seem to be harder to live.

Do A Fun Routine for Happy Days?

To have a fun day, you need to be well prepared in the morning. These routines can add to your positive energy in going through the day. Here’s the best way to bring positive energy to go through the day:

Enough Sleep

A day that is happy and full of enthusiasm is the result of preparation one day in advance. One of them is to have enough sleep. Adequate sleep for 8 hours can bring positive energy in undergoing tough days.

Unfortunately, most people prefer to delay sleep just to watch tv, play games, or even hang out and take a walk at night. Lack of sleep can cause the body to be unfit and feel sleepy throughout the day. This will make people tend to complain about carrying out their activities.

Bath

Bathing is the best and fastest way to regain the spirit that has been lost. Never skip a morning shower because it will provide a million positive energy for you to get through the day. especially if you take a shower using cold water which, will add oxygen to the body which and reduce stress.

Listening To Music

In addition to bathing, you can also listen to music in the morning to make your mind more relaxed. Play songs you like to start your day. Listening to music later can relax tense muscles and add thousands of enthusiasms to start activities.

Sport

Many people think that exercise in the morning is useless. Morning exercise is proven to increase enthusiasm and make blood circulation smooth. No need to do strenuous exercise, just do light exercise such as walking, jogging, or yoga and aerobics.

Breakfast

Today breakfast has become a habit that almost disappeared from civilization. Many people skip breakfast because they don’t have enough time or are even on a strict diet. Breakfast is a morning activity that should not be missed because it will provide a million benefits to the body.

With breakfast, it can help control blood sugar levels in the body and help control mood and add positive energy throughout the day. Breakfast can also make the mind more focused on doing something. So never leave breakfast because it can damage your health and daily mood.

As mentioned above, breakfast can bring a million benefits to the health of the body. However, many people do not understand how important breakfast is for health. The following is a description of the benefits that will be obtained with breakfast:

  • Improve Concentration

The first benefit of breakfast is that it can improve concentration. Breakfast ideally will provide good energy for the brain. So that it will encourage us to think more focused and faster in solving a problem.

  • Prevent Stomach Acid from Rising

No intake in the morning can be bad for health. The reason is that an empty stomach can make stomach acid rise uncontrollably. So, it is necessary to make sure to always have breakfast with nutritious foods and low sugar levels and rich in fiber to prevent stomach acid from rising.

Make The Bed

This habit is often overlooked by people. So don’t be surprised if many miss an important habit this morning. They think that making the bed is not a routine that must be done in the morning, it will be good to do it at night before going to bed.

However, it turns out that the habit of making the bed can add positive energy to get through the day. Many say that making the bed will make us feel ready to go through the challenges in the day ahead. Seeing a neat bed can also be a reference to keep you excited all day.

Making Plans

Many say that the preparation of a daily plan can help increase productivity during work. The reason is, that you already have an idea of ​​what work will be done, complete with the time allocation. So that the body will synergize to immediately complete the activities as planned at the beginning.

The preparation of this plan can be based on what needs to be prioritized. So that your precious time will not be wasted on useless things. However, it never hurts to occasionally entertain yourself with games or watch videos to relax your mind.

Avoid Checking Your Phone

Habits in the digital era seem to make it difficult for humans to separate from their favorite gadgets. How not, they will always check their cellphones regularly every day even if it has become a mandatory routine when their eyes have just opened. This habit can ruin your morning.

The reason is that when you open your phone you can see a series of piles of work. This will make the brain and body ready for work mode. Whereas in the morning the body should be focused on preparing itself to stay productive throughout the day.

The above method can be done every day in the early morning. A beautiful morning will have an impact on work productivity for one day. So never underestimate small habits that will make your day full of happiness and extraordinary surprises.

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Travel & Leisure

How to Save Money on Your Trip

Vacations are often a dream that many people write about. The reason is, that taking a vacation can entertain you from the busyness that sometimes makes prolonged stress. Vacations are also often the last answer when every entertainment that has been done feels boring.

Many people are constrained to take a vacation because of limited funds. It is undeniable that a vacation requires a lot of money. Especially if the intended destination is in a city of people or even a country of people.

Stay On Vacation When Money Is Limited

Money is not the main problem encountered when going on vacation. How not, holidays can be adjusted to the budget we have. We can arrange a vacation according to the budget at any time.

Don’t be pessimistic just because you don’t have money for a vacation. The reason is, that many people have proven that even vacationing abroad can be done with a small budget as long as it is carefully planned. Here are tips that can be followed to stay frugal while on vacation:

  1. Rent A Local Apartment or Villa

The first way to be able to save money while on vacation is to cut the budget on the lodging side. It seems that currently everywhere there are lodging options available in the form of villas owned by residents who offer cheaper prices. Now and then you can try to use it for a vacation on a budget.

The main purpose of the holiday is to get around the city while enjoying the atmosphere there. So, it feels no need to rent an expensive hotel that is too comfortable. The reason is that it will not be inhabited all day, so it will make you lose.

Besides being able to save money, renting a villa owned by residents will also allow you to mingle with the residents. You can ask the residents directly which tourist attractions are the best to visit. You can get accurate tips for vacationing in the area without having to experience it first.

  1. Choose A Big Airport

If you are on vacation to a city or country using airplane transportation modes, then a large airport can be an alternative to save money. This is because large airports are always integrated with various modes of public transportation, not only taxis. So, you will more easily reach the destination city at a low price.

  1. Choose The Morning or The Night Flight

Many people do not like the early morning flight. so, the price of plane tickets is much cheaper than daytime flights. even though leaving in the morning will allow you to enjoy the maximum of a walk in the destination city.

  1. Always Use Public Transportation

Public transportation is always the best choice when on vacation. The reason is, that the price offered is significantly different when using a regular taxi. So do in-deep research on which big cities have cheap and easy transportation access.

  1. Plan The Payment Method Used

These tips are so important because they can cut your vacation money sharply. Especially if you are on vacation abroad which has a different currency from our country. Payment options can greatly determine how much money you spend.

For example, for people who vacation in Europe. Where using the Euro currency, it will be cheaper to make payments MasterCard credit card when compared to using a visa. This is because the visa will charge a currency conversion fee so it will have a difference from the Mastercard

  1. Try Local Food

When on vacation, the cost of food is often the most confusing. Because the cost of eating can spend almost 50% of the total cost of a vacation. Especially if you are always looking for good food at expensive restaurants, it is guaranteed that the money allocation will only run out just for eating.

Instead, you can try local food on the roadside which offers cheaper prices. In this era of technological sophistication, you can look for good cheap food reviews on the internet. So no longer confused when it comes to choosing the type of food.

  1. Make A Detailed Itinerary

Traveling is often a spontaneous term without planning. it is believed to provide a much more enjoyable and unforgettable holiday sensation. However, when it comes to savings, it certainly doesn’t apply.

If you want to save money, then you have to plan everything carefully. If necessary, order flight tickets and lodging well in advance of departure. Considering the price will skyrocket so powerfully when ordering close to the time of use.

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Travel & Leisure

Best Packing Tips for Any Weekend Trip

Vacation is certainly a dream activity for everyone. The reason is, that taking a vacation can relax a tense mind due to work matters, unfinished tasks, to problems that accumulate constantly. The hope is that you can increase positive energy after a vacation to complete work and deal with any existing problems.

If you are an employee or worker, it will usually be difficult to determine a vacation schedule. How not, employees are required to work on certain days and only get leave for a few days in one year. However, now you don’t need to be confused and confused about choosing a vacation time, because you can take advantage of the weekend for a vacation.

Affordable Holidays on Weekends

Exciting vacations don’t always have to take a long leave in the middle of work. Sometimes, stealing time on the weekend can also be a fun vacation that is not forgotten. To get a memorable vacation you must follow these easy steps:

  1. Find Destinations That Are Easy to Reach

The first way to still get a fun holiday on the weekend is to find a place that is easily accessible. This is because you have very limited time, which is 2 days to enjoy the fun of vacation. So that the tourist destination will determine whether the vacation will end happily or leave only extraordinary fatigue.

You can choose a tourist destination that is close to where you live. The goal is not to have to spend too long on the road. So that you can maximize your time at the vacation spot.

  1. Limit The Destinations Visited

Because the time you have is quite short, you can’t visit many tourist attractions on vacation. Make the most of your time well in a place you’ve been dreaming of for a long time. This method will provide a maximum experience when compared to visiting many tours but with time restrictions.

Ideally, you can choose one or two tourist destinations for two days. This method will allow you to stay long enough at a tourist spot. So that you can enjoy the destination as a whole with a feeling of satisfaction and happiness.

  1. Do Transportation Research

Holidays on weekends do require careful preparation, especially transportation problems. Do a little research to choose the type of transportation that can get you to your destination quickly. If necessary, choose a strategic tourist destination so that it is easily accessible by all types of transportation.

Apart from transportation, accommodation is also an important thing to think about. Make careful planning regarding accommodation for two days. Starting from the selection of hotels, the selection of places to eat, to places to buy souvenirs.

  1. Take Advantage of Open Trip Services

If you find It difficult to make vacation plans, you can take advantage of the services of an open trip. This method is the best way to be able to enjoy an exciting vacation with a time limit. The reason that at travel agent gets usually provide complete packages ranging from pick-up, tourist destinations, lodging, to food matters.

Currently, many travel agents offer attractive itineraries at competitive prices. You can customize the package according to your wishes or previous plans. However, it must still be considered carefully about the reputation of the travel agent so as not to disappoint.

  1. Don’t Think Too Much

Making plans for a vacation is good, but don’t let too many considerations make your vacation fail. Moreover, holidays on weekends have very limited time so it must be carried out with feeling without too much consideration. If you are still in doubt, then just be sure that everything will go smoothly.

Sometimes it’s the unplanned vacation that will result in an unforgettable experience. Especially if vacationing with friends is guaranteed to be fun and not boring. Usually, you will find new and unexpected exciting experiences.

  1. Pay Attention to Health Protocols

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything. Especially regarding the rules of traveling to an area. Sometimes regions will have different health protocol rules from each other.

You can do a little research on what conditions must be met to be able to visit your destination city. Complete it in advance, from documents to physical health. Don’t let just one thing’s negligence ruin your precious vacation.

Research related to health protocols is important to be able to take care of yourself and your loved ones. Don’t let it be because a short vacation can bring illness to the family. Don’t forget to always provide the tool kit needed to maintain the health protocol.

  1. Book Tickets Ahead of Time

If you decide not to use tourist services, then you have to book tickets in advance. Starting from admission tickets to tourist destinations, airline tickets, to booking lodging. Especially now that everything is done online, it’s very easy to prepare ahead of time.

The above method can be used to able to enjoy tourism on weekends. A pleasant vacation will have an impact on a good mood in living the day. So don’t hesitate to take a vacation on the weekend because holidays can provide a million positive energy for the smooth running of all affairs.

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Home & Decor

Guide to Making AC durable and long-lasting

The house is not only defined as a mere building. More than that, home is the most comfortable place for everyone. To make the house more comfortable, people will usually be willing to do all kinds of ways.

One of the things that makes the house comfortable is the air conditioner (AC) which will cool and cool the entire contents of the house. A cool room will further add to the harmony of the whole house. So that makes the owner feel at home for a long in the house.

Caring For Air Conditioning to Increase Home Comfort

AC is an electronic item that must be maintained regularly. The treatment system cannot be done haphazardly. Maintenance errors can cause the air conditioner to not cool and not work optimally.

The use of air conditioners greatly affects the durability and performance provided. However, as long as you get the right care, the air conditioner can last a long time with maximum performance. Here’s how to care for an air conditioner that’s easy to do:

  1. Using The Timer

The first way to make your air conditioner durable and long-lasting is to use a timer. This feature serves to turn off the air conditioner automatically according to a predetermined time. You can set when the air conditioner will turn off by itself, so it will not reduce comfort.

The air conditioner will be better used for a maximum of 5 hours after use. After that, turn off the use of the air conditioner so that the machine can rest for a while. The temperature setting should not be directly set at a temperature that is too cold.

Adjusting the air conditioner with a temperature below 22 degrees is a big mistake because it can make the engine work optimally and heat up quickly. The reason is, that if the air conditioner has reached that temperature, the wind will be released. This can make the air conditioner to be damaged quickly and not last long.

  1. Do Regular Cleaning

The air conditioner that works every day will catch the dust in the filter. The dust will block the flow of air out of the air conditioner. This can disrupt filter performance, causing the air conditioner to be damaged quickly.

Not only the filter must be cleaned regularly, but the AC condenser must also be cleaned regularly. This is because dust does not only accumulate on the filter but also accumulates in the condenser. If it is not cleaned, it is feared that it will hamper the performance of the condenser when it absorbs environmental heat.

  1. Check The Thermostat

When using the air conditioner occasionally you should pay attention to whether the temperature regulator is working properly. A stable thermostat will ensure the air conditioner is working properly and will keep the room temperature cool. Sometimes it is also necessary to set a temperature that is not too cold to keep the thermostat’s performance stable.

  1. Check The Fan

AC performance is not only supported by the components in the room. Moreover, outdoor components such as fans also play a major role in AC performance. Make sure the fan used is still in good condition, it is not cracked or broken.

  1. Service Regularly

Doing a series of early detection and self-maintenance was not enough to keep the AC running cool. You still have to do regular servicing of the air conditioner with experts. This aims to prevent major damage to the air conditioner.

Maintaining an air conditioner is easy but difficult to do. However, with proper care, the air conditioner will work optimally. So, it must be trained from an early age to continue to treat.

  1. Check The Freon and Do the AC Washing

Freon has a very important role in the performance of the air conditioner. This is because Freon is responsible for cooling the AC. So, it must always be ensured that the air conditioner does not experience a lack of Freon by refilling it regularly with an expert technician.

  1. Turn off the air conditioner when not in use

This method can be said to be the most difficult way to do it. The reason is, that air conditioning has become a basic need that cannot be separated from daily activities. Start turning off the air conditioner when not in use to save electricity while preventing fire hazards.

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Home & Decor

A Question-and-Answer Home Buying Guide

Home is a need as well as a desire for everyone. The reason is, that the house is not only interpreted as a shelter from the hot weather or rain. More than that, home can mean comfort, a place to go home, and a place to get love.

So important is a house that you have to be extra careful when buying or building a house. Especially for the first house, it must be ensured that the purchase of a house is following the needs. Don’t let it end in regret because it doesn’t match your expectations.

The Most Frequently Asked Questions When Buying a House

For those who want to buy a house for the first time, you have to read a lot of tips about buying a house. Research is needed so as not to make the wrong choice. The following is a list of questions that will help you when buying a home to avoid losses:

  1. Total Budget Owned

Buying a house is always associated with the price of the house. How not, the house is not a cheap item that can be bought at any time. People usually take years to save up for a home purchase. So, the price is the first consideration in choosing a house.

Make a plan related to how much the price of a house that can be purchased must be adjusted to each financial condition. After getting the price range, then look for a house with a price close to your benchmark. However, you should ask some of these questions so you don’t get stuck later.

  1. Home Location

Asking the location problem turned out to be not only a strategic issue or being close to the center of human activity. More than that, you should ask about the risk of disasters such as floods or other natural disasters. It’s useless for a house with a strategic location and near the city, but floods or natural disasters often occur.

Do your research and find as much information as possible regarding the condition of the home environment during the rainy season. Ask directly the residents who have lived in the area for a long time. So that there will be no regrets in the future.

  1. Reason For Selling House

If you are buying a used house, then this question is a must. Is the sale of the house based on an inconvenient location or only limited to the financial needs of the seller? These reasons will help you avoid the trap of buying a home that is misguided and detrimental.

Because after the deal, buying the house will not be easy to sell it back to someone else if it is for reasons of inconvenience. However, if the reason for selling is due to the seller’s financial needs, you can use it to negotiate. Usually, for this second reason, it will be more profitable for the buyer because the seller needs funds in a fast time.

  1. What Facilities Are Included in The Sale and Purchase Contract?

It is very necessary to ask the seller so that there is no misunderstanding between the two parties. Don’t let yourself feel cheated because you are promised the purchase of a house including the furniture in it. Ask in detail about what facilities are included in the sale of the house.

  1. Home Offer Duration

Find as much information as possible about the timing of the house promotion. This is used so that you know for sure what the feasibility of the house is. It is suspect if a house is sold for a long time, is it because of environmental inconvenience or just a price issue that has not been able to find an agreement?

For reason number two this can be taken into account for profitable negotiations. Usually, the longer a house is sold, the lower the selling price of the house. So as a buyer, you have to be observant to find the right house price.

  1. Price Comparison with Other Houses

Understanding the local market will help you avoid being scammed. The reason is, that you can compare whether the selling price offered is by the market too high for the normal price. If you use the help of a property agent, it will usually be easy to find out how much the market price for houses around that location is.

  1. Environmental Conditions

Home is not just a place to live. More than that, a house is a place of comfort and tranquility. One of the factors that make it comfortable and quiet is environmental conditions.

Maybe you can change the condition of the house but not with the environmental conditions. You need to know how the interactions between people in the environment are. The method is quite easy, you can walk around the complex to see how the environmental conditions are.

Buying a house is not easy. Very observant observation is needed to get the dream home as needed. So don’t ever be lazy to find as much information as possible about the house you’ve been after so that you won’t regret it later.

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Home & Decor

Reasons for Using a Realtor

Is anyone looking to sell a house? Many people want to sell their homes on their terms without asking realtors for help. This is because they assume that using the services of a realtor will only incur costs and is a waste of time. However, if we know how to work and the benefits of realtor services, we will prefer to use services. Why Use a Realtor When Buying Or Selling a Home? Here’s an explanation in detail.

What Is A Realtor?

As we said earlier a realtor is a professional service in an activity related to land and buildings. The thing we need to understand is that the process of selling a house is not an easy thing, that’s why we need to use a service to help us sell a house easily and quickly.

Some of The Advantages of Using A Realtor When Buying and Selling A House

We get a lot of advantages or benefits from using a realtor when buying and selling houses, one of which is being able to simplify and speed up the process. Apart from that, there are many other reasons. Why Use a Realtor When Buying Or Selling a Home? Here are some of the main reasons:

  1. Give good directions

The reason for using a realtor is because usually we will be guided and given good directions. The directive usually includes several stages that must be prepared and completed. This of course will make it easier for us so that we don’t have to spend extra energy doing things that don’t need to be done. This is also because realtor services will have special buying and selling strategies regarding good marketing, so we only need to follow their directions.

  1. Have the ability to negotiate

A relator usually has good negotiating skills so this will make the buying and selling process easier. Lack of negotiation skills will lead to mistakes, especially issues related to price, with mistakes that can lead to regrets in the future.

By using the assistance of a realtor, we will be assisted in negotiating price issues so that a suitable price will be produced and agreed upon by both parties.

  1. Save time

Using the services of a realtor can save us time because when using the services, we don’t have to bother looking for potential buyers. So that we can do other things while waiting for news from the realtor services related to progress regarding buying and selling.

  1. Agents better understand the marketing process

With a good and professional marketing process, we just sit back and wait for the development of the realtor services. A good marketing process can speed up the buying and selling process, so we don’t need a long time to buy or sell a house.

  1. Not easily deceived

We can choose a realtor service agent who is already professional so it will not be easy to be deceived. If we don’t know the current price of the house, we can use the services of an agent so that we can get the normal price and don’t get a below-market price when selling, because if we don’t use the service, we can be cheated with abnormal prices.

The Risk of Using A Realtor to Buy and Sell A House

In addition to the benefits and advantages that we get, there are also some risks that we need to bear because there is no ivory that is not cracked. Likewise, using the services of this realtor, besides having advantages, there are also risks. The risks of using the services of a realtor are:

  1. Profits are reduced

The risk of using the services of the first realtor is of course the benefits will be reduced. This is because the fees or commissions that will be received by realtor services range from 2 to 6 percent of the selling price, so we have to give up the money to pay for their services.

  1. Bound to the deal

Furthermore, when we have decided to use the services of a realtor, at that moment we are bound by an agreement. This of course will make us not free to sell to other people. To avoid this, we can make detailed rules that contain permission for homeowners to promote and offer their homes to others.

  1. The sale of the house depends on the potential of the agent

The sale of the house will depend on the potential of the agent, so if we get an agent who is less qualified then the sale of the house will not be too satisfying. Therefore, we need to make sure that the agents who help us are professional agents and have good potential.

What is your response after knowing the various advantages and disadvantages of using the services of a realtor? Are you among those who agree to use it or those who are not interested in using it? All of this depends on different desires and principles.

Yes, that was some of the information we could convey regarding Why Use a Realtor When Buying Or Selling a Home? Hopefully, this article can be useful for readers, especially for those who want to buy and sell their homes quickly for some reason. Everything has its pros and cons, as well as by using the services of a realtor, we get two things at once. Good luck and hopefully your house can be as soon as possible.

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