Latest tech, social media and lifestyle articles for June 2020
Here is a roundup of some of my latest articles in the tech, social media and lifestyle categories.
Here is a roundup of some of my latest articles in the tech, social media and lifestyle categories. Feel free to read and share!
How To Boost Charity Results Under Lockdown
As much as we all know how important it is to respect social distancing restrictions and avoid large gatherings during the pandemic, the situation can affect fundraising strategies for charities. Fundraising events are some of the most effective strategies to increase donations and support your community.
Unfortunately, charity businesses can struggle to gather the funds they need when all events are canceled for health and safety reasons. If you run a nonprofit organization and are wondering how to boost your efforts as safely as possible, here are some ideas to get you started.
Start by making your website more performant
The main reason why charity events are so effective is that it maximizes your presence in your community. People who may not have heard about your nonprofit organization discover it through the engaging fundraising event. Consequently, your first improvement point to remain relevant under lockdown is to boost your visibility.
When people are stuck at home, you need to focus on platforms they are likely to notice, aka the digital world. It’s imperial to understand how to perform SEO to market nonprofits effectively, as it increases awareness about your work. Local SEO, such as your Google My Business page, and optimized content can attract further donations and support.
Get your voice heard on social media
Social media platforms are recording a lot of activities under quarantine. People are reaching out to each other for company, tips, and sharing information. As such, managing your social media presence is detrimental to getting noticed. The coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone, and encouraged individuals to find new ways of helping those who are vulnerable. As a result, nonprofits are likely to record positive attention.
You can branch out your activities across multiple social media platforms to share your message. Don’t be shy about content. On the contrary, sharing multiple kinds of content online will help attract the attention of your audience.
Image by the United Nations
You can create safe fundraising events
You can’t plan a live fundraising event IRL. But nothing is stopping you from planning virtual fundraising events. If you have a Facebook page for your charity, you are eligible for the birthday Facebook donations, for instance.
You can also encourage people to donate with an isolation challenge. The challenge could help raise money rapidly to support a cause, such as growing a beard in isolation, painting, knitting, or even recording miles on a fitness tracker. Individuals are more likely to join a virtual challenge as it also gives them plenty of content for their social media feeds!
Find a supporter who can influence your audience
You don’t have to support a good cause by yourself. You can reach out to influencers for help. A blogger who agrees to write about your charity organization can create a lot of positive attention around your cause. Instagram influencers who join a life fundraising event can also boost awareness for nonprofits. Influencers carry a lot of weight in the conversation with charities as they can encourage their audience to support the community in need.
The coronavirus pandemic is slowing down businesses and the world economy, but it doesn’t have to stop you from supporting those who need your charity. Remaining relevant as a nonprofit means adapting to the current situation. Focus your efforts on the online sphere where you’re most likely to find a new audience that can boost your support.
Get Your Garden Ready for Spring with These 6 Tips
The days are getting longer, and the warmth of spring is right around the corner. If your green thumb is already itching to get back out into your garden, good news—you don’t have to wait.
There’s plenty you can do now to get your garden ready for the new growing season and make sure it beautifully comes back to life. Here are six tips to help you get your garden ready.
1. Order your bulbs and seeds
First thing’s first, it’s time to order your summer-flowering bulbs and seeds. This is a perfect job to do on a chilly, rainy day as it involves planning out which flowers you want to include in your garden. Flowers like gladioli and lilies are ideal for early-spring planting so if you haven’t ordered these yet, now is your chance.
2. Tidy up your flowerbeds
Once the weather is nice enough to venture outside so you can do some actual work in your garden, the next step is to clean up your flowerbeds and remove any debris that’s collected over the winter months. Pull every weed you can find, rake up any dead leaves and clear away any fallen sticks or other debris. If you haven’t already cut back old dead growth from your perennials last fall, clip away all the brown foliage now to clear space for new growth come spring.
If you have any shrubs or trees in your yard, now is also an excellent time to inspect them for winter damage and remove any broken, dead or storm-damaged branches. If you have evergreens, cut off the tips that died or were damaged from the winter frost.
3. Fertilise your flowerbeds
When the ground has thawed, it’s time to apply some fertiliser to ensure your flowers will grow big and healthy. A granular fertiliser should be spread around trees, shrubs and perennials, but be sure to match the fertiliser type and strength to the plant to avoid damage. If you’re unsure what kind of nutrients your plant needs, you can do a quick soil test to check.
4. Add something new
While you’re planning your garden and cleaning it all up, why not take the opportunity and add something new this year? Maybe you’ve been thinking about adding in some garden lights or even installing a water feature to turn your garden into an oasis. If you’re considering the addition of a water feature to your garden, water-garden.co.uk has lots of options.
5. Divide your perennials
The ideal time to divide your perennials is right before new growth sprouts up from the ground. Go ahead and dig up your flowers if they’re growing in areas you don’t want them to, like if they’re reaching and spreading outside of your garden area or crowding into other flowers. You should replant the divided plants as soon as possible and then give them a good watering. If you have early-season perennials that have already started blooming, it’s best to wait until after they’ve bloomed to divide them.
6. Clean and sharpen your tools
Another quick chore you can get out of the way that will help you prep for spring is to clean and sharpen all your gardening tools. Maintaining your tools will help preserve them and curb the spread of plant disease. To clean them thoroughly, use a strong detergent with hot water and scour the blades.
How to Ensure Your Property is Ready for Extreme Weather
You never know what’s in store with winter, sometimes all the winter brings is a icy car in the morning, but sometimes winter can bring a lot worse, in the form of extreme weather. Taking note of the following steps will save you a lot of costly repairs down the line. This will give you peace of mind for the last few months of winter.
Be Prepared for Power Outages
You never know what can happen to your energy supply in times of extreme weather and so it never hurts to be prepared. Make sure you have a flashlight with fresh batteries in an accessible place, as well as a good supply of candles. It is also wise to have the details of your electricity provider on hand in case you need to contact them.
Have the Right Insurance
Strong winds, heavy snowfall, and flooding can all cause significant damage to your home, so it is wise to ensure that your home and contents insurance provides cover for standard weather-related perils, including damage caused by flood, storms, and falling trees. When it comes to making the best call, you should determine if it is only your home that you want to be insured or try a home and auto insurance instead. After choosing an appropriate insurance agency, this will make things a lot easier for you
Put Away or Secure Garden Furniture
You don’t want to be wrangling your trampoline back from five doors down in treacherous winds. Make sure any furniture is put away in a sheltered place or secured down before it becomes a missile! The last thing you want is for someone to accuse you of criminal damage to their property due to your negligence in securing outdoor furniture or equipment. While criminal attorneys can help you if this is the case, you want to avoid this scenario entirely.
Check Your Roof
Start on the inside, or in the loft, and check for any sagging, watermarks or rot. See if you can spot any sunlight poking through which would indicate holes. Look for loose and damaged roof tiles.
Of course, there is a safety issue when checking the roof and, unless you have all the appropriate safety equipment, you may be better off employing the services of a maintenance company like urban-propertymaintenance.com who offer a professional and reliable service for your peace of mind.
Clear Your Guttering
Blocked or damaged guttering can cause significant damage to your property. Check your gutters are clear of leaves and make appropriate repairs to any sagging gutters. The best way to ensure your gutters are functioning optimally is to don your wet weather gear and head outside in the rain. This way, you will soon be able to spot any leaks in the joints or downpipes that could potentially cause water damage to your property.
Trim Your Trees
Make sure that you remove any branches that could otherwise cause damage to structures or power supplies. For large trees, it is wise to employ the services of a tree surgeon, who can safely remove offending branches while also looking after the health of the tree.
Frost Proof Your Pipes
Burst pipes are the most common cause of property damage, so it’s essential that you take appropriate steps to prevent this from happening. The pipes most at risk are in unheated interior spaces such as basements, attics and garages. Pipe insulation is available at very reasonable rates and should be used in these areas. If you plan to go away, make sure you set the thermostat at a constant temperature to minimise risk.
How to get refunds for flight delays, cancellations or lost luggage
Airlines have been in the news a lot lately for losing baggage, kicking people off of flights and overbooking. If you feel like you’ve been treated unfairly during a trip, these tips will help you get you what you deserve.
Check with your credit card company
If the airline is giving you the runaround, there may be an easier way. Some credit card companies cover unexpected travel expenses if you booked using their card. To see if you have this option, check your card through the Sift app (iOS) or website. You can also call your credit card company to ask about benefits. A free hotel room to wait out your layover, reimbursed tickets and more may be in the cards.
Document everything
Remember, your phone is your best friend during trips, so be sure to use it. Before your trip, take photos of your bags and their contents, just in case your bags are damaged or lost.
If you’re denied boarding due to overbooking or are asked to disembark a flight for a bizarre reason, document everything with your phone, including:
Extra expenses that result from the disruption, such as fees for hotels, new tickets and meals
Boarding passes
Baggage claim tickets
Original booking confirmations
Submit a PIR (Property Irregularity Report)
A good scanning app like Abbyy Fine Scanner or Evernote Scannable or CamScanner can help you make clear, readable copies of all of your documents.
Know your flight rights
No matter what the airlines may tell you, you have the right to a timely trip and there are rules that govern this concept. For example, US law says that you’re covered when a flight is overbooked, though how much is owed to you depends on the discretion of the airline. The European law EC 261 also requires airlines to compensate within 14 days of the departure date. The Montreal Convention provides airline passengers with certain rights to compensation on international flights between more than 120 nations, including the United States and Europe. You’re covered for extra hotel night stays, canceled reservations and more.
To get compensated, talk to the airlines at the gate desk as soon as you find out your flight will be delayed or the flight has been overbooked. Airlines have built-in compensation plans for when things don’t work out like they should.
Some things they may offer are:
Free rental car or shuttle service
Free hotel stay
Upgrade to a first-class flight
A ticket refund
Payment for time lost
…And your luggage rights
So the airlines got you there, but not your luggage? Here’s what to expect:
· If your bags are damaged the carrier is responsible, but they will go about repairing, replacing or compensating you for the bag as they see fit. Be sure to ask for a copy of their policies upfront. No matter what, be sure not to leave the airport without filling out and turning in a Property Irregularity Report (PIR).
· If your luggage is late, the airline must provide you with up-to-date information on where your bags are. They can also replace essential items that were in your bags, like toiletries, according to National Association of Citizens Advice, to help you out until your bags show up.
· If your luggage is lost and you’re flying domestically, your airline’s liability under the US Department of Transportation regulations is thousands of dollars per passenger. You’ll need to fill out an initial lost-luggage form and a second claim in which you show proof of your loss to collect.
Get Your Dream Job: A Quick Guide
If you want to stop wasting your time in a post that you don't love and where are underappreciated, you have come to the right place. In fact, below, you can find some simple, actionable advice about how to find your dream job. Read on to find out more.
Picture sourced at Pixabay - License CC0
Step 1: Know what you want
First of all, you really have to know what you want out of a job. A task that may seem a lot easier than it actually is. After all, there are so many different factors involved included salary, the skills you use, the type of people you will work with, the working environment, and even the hours. You must have a very firm grasp of what you will and will not accept before you start your job search.
Step 2: Know what you need
Once you have begun to narrow the field, establish what skills and qualifications you will need as a person to be able to get your dream job. For example, if you want to be a surgeon, it's no good dropping out of high school and not completing your GED. In fact, you will need many advanced qualifications and training for this role.
Of course, if you aren't willing to commit yourself to the education and cost needed to get it, it may mean that your choice isn't quite a dream job after all. You may need to go back to step one and rethink your options.
Step 3: Utilize helpful resources
After making sure you have all of the skills and qualifications, you will need to land your dream job, you’ll need to find some vacancies to apply for. Happily, this is a particularly easy step as there are lots of resources that can help you do this.
One is to use social media sites like LinkedIn to build a network of people already working in your dream field. You will be one of the first to know when a new position becomes available.
Additionally, use an agency that specializes in the area in which you are looking. For example, if your dream job is to drive a big rig up across the country, all you need do is use search terms like 'trucking jobs near me,' and you can find agencies that will be able to help you.
Step 4: Brush up on your interview skills
Finally, don't forget that even when you have found that dream position to apply for, you will at some point need to succeed in an interview. To that end, be sure to brush up on your interview skills such as active listening, and think up a few questions to ask as well.