If you are a veteran, you will have the chance to enjoy a few benefits in life. From unique pension programs to veteran-backed mortgage rates. This article will explain the basics to you.

Start Saving Early

You should aim to save as early as possible. For example, if you are reading this article, and haven’t yet made a savings plan, you should change that. It’s one of the reasons that people save for their retirement in their 20s. Saving early, especially after a career in the military, is a great way to protect your future interests.

Understand How Much You Need To Save

Understand how much you need to save to purchase your new home. It is always a good idea to have money aside in general, but when you know what you’re saving towards, you will be able to gain more control over your finances.

As a veteran, you can take advantage of unique loan programs and initiatives. They are provided by veteran-specific lenders who are approved by the Department of Veteran Affairs, which has led to the VA Loan program.

This type of mortgage loan requires $0 for a down payment; you will not need as much of an up-front cost compared to traditional mortgage arrangements. You still need to pay monthly payments towards your home, which is the main thing you need to prepare for.

You will not need to save the same way as civilians would; you will be thanked for your service with this benefit. Veterans will also be able to look into other financial benefits from federal sources, as well as educational tools to reskill into other means of work. New work will mean veterans can earn more money away from the military.

Use tools like as a mortgage calculator, such as this one provided by VA specialists Hero Loan. This will help you understand how much you need for your mortgage, or at least what you could afford to borrow. Speak to a specialist via consultation to learn more about your finances.

Make A Savings Goal

Once you know how much you need to save, make a savings goal. A savings goal could be a fixed amount you set aside each week or month without fail, that is affordable. Or it could be a time or date you’ve set to reach a certain amount, with you putting in various amounts when you can afford it.

Reduce Your Expenses

Aim to reduce your expenses where possible. Look at your statements to find where your money is going. It could be for a subscription that you don’t use much, or it could be you find money is going on takeaways or parties that you could cut down on. Cutting down expenses is a great saving technique in itself.

 

If the roof of your home is getting to the age or the stage when you’re thinking that you’ll need to be replacing it soon, you may want to consider if using a different material than the traditional shingles could be beneficial to you.

To help you in making this decision, here are three reasons why you might want to switch to a metal roof on your home or business.

Long-Term Savings

Although getting a metal roof put onto your structure will be more expensive upfront, the cost savings you can experience overtime may prove to be more beneficial to you than if you chose to replace your roof with shingles.

According to Lee Wallender, a contributor to The Spruce, metal roof can last between 40 and 70 years. Within that time frame, you may be having to replace a roof with asphalt shingles multiple times. So if you’re planning on staying in your current home for a long time into the future, or even if you’re wanting to sell in the future but are wanting to use this as a selling point for potential buyers, switching to a metal roof could be a great move.

Better Stand Up To The Elements

In many cases, metal roofs have also been proven to stand up better to the elements that they’ll be hit with as they protect your home.

Laura Mueller, a contributor to Moving.com, shares that asphalt shingles can be ripped off of a house in strong winds or can easily be damaged by heavy rain, hail, and other inclement weather. But with a metal roof, you won’t have to worry about losing parts of it to a storm. And while it can be dented if heavy hail or other materials fall onto it, it can offer itself and your home better protection against very wet weather, as it won’t have issues with mold or mildew. Additionally, metal roofs are much more fire resistant as well.

Great For Hot Climates

For those who live in a very hot area of the world, a metal roof can help to keep your home cooler than other types of roofs.

According to Donna Boyle Schwartz and Bob Vila of BobVila.com, this is because metal roofs will reflect the sun’s rays and keep your home from getting too hot from that direct sunlight. And, if you choose to put a more reflective coating on the metal roof, you can have even more energy efficient benefits, too.

If you’ve been wondering whether or not switching to a metal roof from your current roof with asphalt shingles would be a good idea for your home and your bank account, consider using the information presented above to help you in making the best choice for you.

When you’re thinking about how to keep yourself safe, you’re also probably going to want to learn a bit about crime trends. Without this knowledge, it’s likely that you’ll be more worried about safety than you need to. The best way you can prepare yourself is to learn about the real crime trends in America. Here’s what you need to know about the United States’ crime trends.

All Types of Crime Are Decreasing

First and foremost, don’t lean into the idea that the United States is becoming more and more dangerous. As a matter of fact, it’s declined over the years. Here’s the overall national crime rate per 100,000 since 2010:

• 2010: 3,350.4
• 2011: 3,292.5
• 2012: 3,255.8
• 2013: 3,112.4
• 2014: 2,971.8
• 2015: 2,859.6
• 2016: 2,837
• 2017: 2,745.1
• 2018: 2,568.4

As you can see, every year, crime overall has decreased rather than increased. Even when it comes to specifically violent crimes, the trend has been going down overall. This is specifically violent crime per 100,000 since 2010:

• 2010: 404.5
• 2011: 387.1
• 2012: 387.8
• 2013: 379.1
• 2014: 375.7
• 2015: 372.6
• 2016: 386.3
• 2017: 382.9
• 2018: 368.9

Even though this is a bit more up-and-down, it’s clear that violent crime is going down. The homicide rate in 2018, for example, was half of the rate in 1991. People are becoming safer in general from both general crime and violent crime.

The Most Dangerous and Least Dangerous Places in the United States

It’s also important to learn a bit about where you might want to go to stay safe. These, for example, are the five most dangerous cities in America in terms of violent crime rate per 100,000:

• Detroit, Michigan: 2,007.8
• Memphis, Tennessee: 1,943.2
• Birmingham, Alabama: 1,911.5
• Baltimore, Maryland: 1,833.4
• St Louis, Missouri: 1,800.4

Contrast this with the safest cities in America in terms of violent crime rate per 100,000. These have a truly miniscule crime rate overall:

• Hopkinton, Massachusetts: Nearly 0
• Bridgefield, Connecticut: Nearly 0
• Madison, Connecticut: Nearly 0
• Harrison Town, New York: 3.5
• Bernards Township, New Jersey: 3.7

The Impact of Socioeconomic Status

Even just in looking at the most dangerous and least dangerous cities in the United States, you’ll likely already see that socioeconomic status has an impact. The 10 most dangerous cities in the United States have a poverty rate over 20% and high unemployment, whereas the safest cities have a median area income over $100,000 yearly. As you can see, the ability to make more money makes you more likely to be safe.

Conclusion

If you only get your information from the news, it’s easy to worry that the world, and the United States in particular, is extremely dangerous. As a matter of fact, the United States is safer today than it was 30 years ago. This is one of the most important things to remember when you’re trying to keep yourself and your family safe. Keep yourself up to date on the people around you and the people you trust – don’t just assume everyone’s out to get you.

Child custody cases can become a very personal and bitter battle if you think your lawyer is not doing a good job. Regardless of whether or not you want to settle the case amicably, the important matter here is that the children’s situation gets better when their parents are going their separate ways. Without further ado, here’s how to increase your chances of winning custody.

 

Prove That You Are A Good Parent

 

Sometimes, parents don’t have any idea what are they are getting into. They believe they are really good parents and will get full custody of their children. Unfortunately, these people end up getting minimal visitations. Being an excellent parent is different from demonstrating and proving you are one in court. So, your evidence has to be very clear, and you need to understand the process and the particular situation of your case with the attorney.

 

Prove Stability

 

Divorce processes can sometimes be very stressful. Not to mention that if in the process of a divorce, you are having a crisis, changing careers, or moving to a different house or city, this could affect the ruling. However, remember that your child is the only priority here, and the person who must be protected. If your child feels threatened or insecure, this will be used against you in court. The attorneys from https://familyatty.com/child-custody/ state that if you have a job and frequently travel to other states or countries, make sure to mention in court that your child is used to it. However, if you have a new job and need to travel during the period of your divorce, it will not work in your favor because you need to prove that you can provide a stable life for your child. Judges don’t like the idea of giving custody to a parent who will have an unstable life for a couple of months or even years. It would be a good idea not to make big life changes in this period, even if it is better for you and your child. It is a very hard decision to make, but it will reflect you as a good parent in court.

Hire A Good Lawyer

 

Hiring an experienced attorney is crucial to winning your case. , You’re encouraged to ask them how many cases they’ve won and how they handled them. As a prospective client, you have the right to check the lawyer and the firm’s experience. If you trust your lawyer completely, you can assume he will do everything to win the case for you. Ask any question that comes to mind and open up to the lawyer if you have any doubts.

If you don’t have the money to hire a good lawyer, the government will assign you one. Despite their poor reputation, paralegals are capable and do not necessarily lack experience compared to private lawyers.

Remember that you have to work with your ex or current partner to get a better deal for the sake of your child. You have to make sure you are willing to work on being a good parent no matter what the result is. If you win, you have to show your children that you are capable of handling custody. People who show a lack of effort to work with their former partner and refuse to collaborate at all tend to see negative results in court.

 

 

If you have an air conditioner, then you should feel fortunate. Believe it or not, there are people all over the world who are sweltering in heat while you are comfortably sitting in a nice 72 degrees.

However, along with the privileges of this luxurious appliance also comes a certain amount of responsibility. It’s important that you take care of your air conditioner by having it regularly serviced.

After all, you wouldn’t drive your car without having it serviced every now and then, would you? Why should the device that controls the air circulating your home be any different? Take a look at some of the reasons that you should keep up with getting your air conditioner serviced.

 

It Works More Efficiently

 

It’s true—your appliance will do a much better job at what it’s supposed to do if you take care of it. Getting it regularly maintenanced means that it will do the best possible job of cooling your home. You’ll notice that people who fail to call their air conditioner service person regularly have an air conditioner that doesn’t work as well as it should or needs to be replaced regularly.

 

Save Money

 

When your appliance works more efficiently, then it has to work less strenuously to keep your house cool. Every time that you schedule your air conditioner to be serviced, you’re saving yourself money. If you notice that your electric bill is unusually high, then you may want to ask yourself whether it might have something to do with your air conditioner. You’ll see a direct reflection in your energy bill by how often you take care of your air conditioner.

 

It Will Last Longer

 

You have more to gain than just a cooler home by keeping up with routine maintenance. Your system will last significantly longer, so you don’t have to worry about purchasing a major appliance more than twice a decade.

Your air conditioning should last ten years or more. The key to extending its life is having regular service done. Neglecting your air conditioner will lead to it eventually breaking down and ultimately having to replace it. Anyone that’s ever replaced an air conditioner knows that it doesn’t come cheap.

 

Better Quality Air

 

If you are an allergy sufferer, or if you have small children, then it’s important that you look after the quality of the air that you breathe. One of the best ways to do that is to perform routine maintenance on your HVAC system.

A professional service person cleans out everything, removing dust and particles that can aggravate your lungs. What better motivation to service your air conditioner than improving your health? So, what are you waiting for? Call your local service person today and schedule a service today.

 

Our organization, BCFS Health and Human Services, is a national leader in emergency management and medical sheltering. We provide emergency support services to local, state, and federal governments, as well as residential and emergency shelter services. We’ve responded to multiple natural disasters, including floods.

Flooding is especially damaging for families due to the destruction of property and the potential dangers. To help prepare families for a flood emergency, we’ve leveraged our years of experience to create several tips and strategies for managing a flood and keeping your family safe.

A first step we recommend for handling a flood emergency is to examine the risks. Use resources such as the FEMA Flood Map Service Center to estimate your risks and create a plan for monitoring those risks, like checking NOAA radio station broadcasts during heavy rains or using online resources to stay ahead of the latest forecasts and potential problems. For example, if you live near a flood-prone river that frequently crests over its banks, then an impending downpour should give you some warning time to prepare or evacuate the area in advance as a precaution.

While you gather information about flood risks and understand how to stay updated, it’s time to prepare your household. Gather important documents, photos, hard drives, and other items that are essential if you must leave quickly. Place these together in your emergency “go bag” that includes your emergency items. These should include flashlights, blankets, drinkable water, snacks, extra medications, baby formula, cash, external charging batteries, personal hygiene items, and other essentials. You can also set aside flood-specific clothing such as waders and waterproof boots to help you navigate flood waters.

At BCFS Health and Human Services, we advise parents talk to their kids about emergency flood planning, especially the steps they’ll need to take if disaster strikes. Talk to kids at an age-appropriate level, giving greater responsibility to kids as they grow older. For example, a five-year-old can understand some of the aspects of a flood and might be able to carry a jacket, while a 16-year-old can be provided much more context and tasks that can help the entire family. Discuss with kids the procedures they should take during a flood. Empty your emergency bags so they understand how to use the various contents. Provide your kids with their own copy of your emergency contact list of family members or neighbors and enter this information into their cell phones if necessary. Try not to scare kids with these conversations, but make sure they know it’s a serious topic and that you expect them to try their best to listen and learn so you can all work together to overcome a disaster, should it ever strike.

 

We have discussed writing a great dal on this blog in recent years and the reason as to why more of us should commit to working on our general writing abilities. Often we get some questions around the purpose of this, and what exactly one may be able to do as a writer, or if you have high level writing experience. The perfect example of this is a man named Roger Wolfson, who has used his incredible skill as a great American writer to forge a number of career paths for himself.

Let’s take a look at what Roger is able to do with his pen, and which careers that has helped him take on.

Speech Writer

Speech writing is about creating a clear and concise message, it is about delivering that message in a way which is easy to understand, and which evokes emotion. Some of the greatest speech writers in the world have this natural ability to utilize vocabulary and certain phrases, which really help the message hit home. This is not an easy craft, but the very best writers are able to do it with ease.

Scriptwriter

Whilst he may be much more than this, for the largest part of Roger’s career he has worked as a scriptwriter and that is something which very few people have the natural ability to do. If you are a great writer however and you have a grasp of how to report speech and how to use that to induce and provoke the emotions of your characters, then this is a wonderful gig to do. From film to TV, not to mention stageshows, scriptwriting is a rewarding and challenging area of writing to go into.

Author

When people think about an author they instantly consider the great authors of our time, but the reality is that writing a book is not about the fame or adulation, it is about the completion of a project. Roger himself has turned his pen to authorship on numerous occasions and used his abilities as a storyteller to create some great stuff. Even if you are only writing short stories, creating a piece like this is a perfect example of what you can do with your abilities as a writer.

Essayist

Given the blog culture which we have seen arise in recent years, there is once again a focus on those who have the ability to compose great essays. For many years these would be published in certain magazines and reviews, but the reality is that these days they are considered as lengthy online pieces which have something to say. Again Roger has compiled a wide range of essays, covering a wide range of political topics. If you have something to say, then this is the perfect way to deliver that message.

As you can see, as a writer there is an enormous range of areas which you can focus on that will increase our ability and showcase what you can do with a pen.

One of the biggest reasons why so many people like to blog is that it gives them free reign to talk about whatever they wish. What we often see with successful blogs is that there is a community which is built off the back of them, and this is particularly true when it comes to sports blogs. Stephen Stapinski Andover runs one of the hottest sports blogs out there and whilst he does discuss sports in general, he often talks about the important of focusing on a particular niche when blogging.

With this in mind, today we are going to take a look at the reasons as to why you are going to love blogging about sports.

Continuing The Passion

If you are a huge baseball fan then it is likely that your days are not only spent watching baseball, but also talking about it at every given opportunity. When you have your own blog you can take this passion to the max, and you can use all of your free time to talk about whatever you want to online. This is really a must-do for any sports fans.

Bring in Talking Points

If you have ever sat at home watching pundits on ESPN then you will no doubt have been screaming and shouting at them as they offer up their opinion. Well now that you have your very own blog you can use this space to put your own personal opinions out there and to have your say on the big talking points. The only reason that so many pundits get to say what they want is because they have a platform. Through your very own blog you too can create a platform to say whatever you like.

Community

The point which we mentioned in the intro is really important, the idea that you can build a community around your passion for sports. Fans of sports, just like bloggers, also want to have their say and you’ll get people who both agree and disagree with you. This community is what blogging is all about because you are literally attracting and connecting people from all over the world, who want to get involved and talk sports with you. This is a rewarding thing to do and it is cool to be part of such a community, especially if you created it.

Influencer

There is no point in doing this for money, it should very much be a passion project. Despite this however there is no getting away from the fact that if you are successful and you do have a large following, you can use that following to become something of an influencer. This means that you may get some offers from sports clubs or from those selling merch, to partner up with them on various projects and incentives. This is a great reward for the hard work which you will have put in on your own blog.

If you love sports, start a blog.

If you have a natural gift when it comes to writing stories and scenes, then a career in TV scriptwriting may certainly be for you. There are some sensational talents who have made their writing careers off the back of their ability to write a script, people like Roger Wolfson who have showcased their incredible talent to this industry in particular. Those like Roger however have had to depend on far more than just their natural ability to write, in order to find success within this industry.

There is a wealth of skills and characteristics which you’ll need to succeed in this field. There is much that people are unaware of about what TV writers face, and here are some things which you may not know.

Long Hours

The large majority of TV writers have to work incredibly long hours each and every day. TV shows are a constant, and that means that so too is the writing. This is not as simple as having a nice idea and then handing it over, this is very much shift work which has to be treated as such. It is for this reason why so many talk about the level of dedication required for success within this field.

Thankless

Despite the fact that he is one of this generation’s leading writers, there are many people who do not know who Roger Wolfson is. Even those who do know how great Roger is, may not be aware of the fact that he has written on some of the biggest TV shows which have graced the screen. The reason for this is that much of the work which scriptwriters create, are delivered by the actors and actresses on the screen. More often than not it is these actors and actresses who get the credit for the work of the scriptwriter. For this reason, those who do write scripts have to have thick skin, and accept that they will not get the adulation they may feel that they deserve.

Team Working Difficulties

Scriptwriting is something which simply has to be conducted by a team, and that is because you cannot expect individuals to consistently deliver high quality results on a daily basis. Whilst it is a great idea to have teams in place, there are some issues which occur as a result of this. For example ego can play a big part in these discussions, because everyone thinks that their idea or their line is the better one. Those TV shows which have won awards and cemented their place in history, they are the shows which have great teams working in sync with one another, and which leave ego at the door. Sadly however there are man shows which couldn’t reach the levels that they should have, because of these kinds of conflicts.

This can be a very rewarding position and if you thin that you have what it takes then you will fall in love with this career choice. It is important however to recognize that writing ability alone is not enough.

 

 

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After no one matched all six numbers in Tuesday night’s drawing, the jackpot for Friday’s drawing now stands at $970 million, or $716.3 million cash. It is for the third time in history that the Mega Millions jackpot is about to mark its height near $1 billion and the second time in the game’s history!

Why did it reach that high, you ask?

Because there hasn’t been a winner since the mid of September 2020 – that is almost four months and 36 consecutive drawings without a winner.

The $970 million payouts would be the second-largest Mega Million, after the $1.54 billion bonanza that was won in 2018. Based on the past multi-state lottery jackpots, the estimate may get much bigger by the time the drawing occurs on Friday night!

On Tuesday, the winning number was 10, 19, 26, 28, and 50 plus gold Mega Ball 16, which was, unfortunately, not matched with anyone’s number. The Megaplier number was 2.

However, eleven tickets still match five white balls to win at least $1 million. In this, two of those sold in Florida, won $2 million as they included an optional Megaplier purchase.

The game is likely to sport a jackpot of greater than a billion dollars by Friday.

According to the lottery officials, this is the longest stretch without a Mega Millions jackpot winner. The last time there was a jackpot winner was of $120 million on Sept. 15 by a Wisconsin player.

Mega Million tickets are sold in 44 states along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

On the other hand, the Powerball lottery jackpot has now gone up to an estimated $730 million, for which the winning numbers will be drawn on Wednesday night. This is the first time that both the lotteries have topped $700 million simultaneously.

The chances of winning a jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million for Mega Millions and 1 in 292.2 million for Powerball.

The number of customers of ticket sales over the next few days is going to go higher than ever before, so be sure to get your masks on and keep the distance because we don’t want the pandemic to last any longer now!

Or, you guys can buy lottery tickets online as well – that is a good option as well if you want to stay safe and get your tickets from the comfort of your home.

The following are ten of the biggest Mega Million jackpots ever, along with where the tickets were purchased:

• $1.54 billion – one winning ticket in South Carolina in October 2018.
• $656 million – three winning tickets in Kansas, Illinois, and Maryland in March 2012.
• $648 million – two winning tickets in Georgia and California in December 2013
• $615 million – it is not known if there were any winners in January 2021
• $543 million – one winning ticket in California in July 2018
• $536 million – one winning ticket in Indiana in July 2016
• $533 million – one winning ticket in New Jersey in March 2018
• $522 million – one winning ticket in California in June 2019
• $451 million – one winning ticket in Florida in January 2018
• $437 million – one winning ticket in New York in January 2019

The following are the top 20 United States Powerball lottery jackpots ever:

• Powerball: $1.5864 billion on Jan. 13, 2016, in California, Florida, Tennessee
• Powerball: $768.4 million, Mar. 27, 2019 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – Wisconsin
• Powerball: $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – Massachusetts
• Powerball: $730 million, Jan. 20, 2021 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) – Preliminary estimate, not won yet
• Powerball: $687.8 million, Oct. 27, 2018 (21 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – Iowa, New York
• Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 (13 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – Florida
• Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 (15 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – Arizona, Missouri
• Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
• Powerball: $559.7 million, Jan. 6, 2018 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – New Hampshire
• Powerball: $487 million, Jul. 30, 2016 (23 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – New Hampshire
• Powerball: $456.7 million, Mar. 17, 2018 (19 rollovers, starting at $15 million) – Pennsylvania
• Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 (12 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
• Powerball: $447.8 million, Jun. 10, 2017 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – California
• Powerball: $435.3 million, Feb. 22, 2017 (18 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – Indiana
• Powerball: $429.6 million, May 7, 2016 (18 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – New Jersey
• Powerball: $425.3 million, Feb. 19, 2014 (15 rollovers, starting at $40 million) – California

Here are the top 25 cash value jackpots – a good sign of what a winning ticket might be worth.

1. Powerball: $983.5 million cash (Jan. 13, 2016) in California, Florida, Tennessee
2. Mega Millions: $877.8 million cash, Oct. 23, 2018, in South Carolina
3. Mega Millions: $716.3 million cash, Jan. 22, 2021, not won yet
4. Powerball: $546 million cash, Jan. 20, 2021, not won yet
5. Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017, in Massachusetts
6. Powerball: $476.9 million cash, Mar. 27, 2019, in Wisconsin
7. Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland
8. Powerball: $396.2 million cash, Oct. 27, 2018, in Iowa, and New York
9. Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012, in Arizona and Missouri
10. Powerball: $381.1 million cash, Feb. 11, 2015, in North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Texas
11. Mega Millions: $378 million cash, Jul. 8, 2016, in Indiana
12. Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013, in Florida
13. Powerball: $352 million cash, Jan. 6, 2018, in New Hampshire
14. Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013, in California, and Georgia
15. Mega Millions: $340 million cash, Jun. 7, 2019, in California
16. Powerball: $336.8 million cash, Jul. 30, 2016, in New Hampshire
17. Mega Millions: $324 million cash, Mar. 30, 2018, in New Jersey
18. Mega Millions: $320.5 million cash, Jul. 24, 2018, in California
19. Mega Millions: $319.9 million cash, Jun. 9, 2020 in Arizona
20. Powerball: $284 million cash, May 7, 2016, in New Jersey
21. Mega Millions: $281.9 million cash, Jan. 5, 2018, in Florida
22. Powerball: $279.1 million cash, Jun. 10, 2017, in California
23. Powerball: $276.5 million cash, Jan. 29, 2020, in Florida
24. Powerball: $273.9 million cash, Mar. 17, 2018, in Pennsylvania
25. Powerball: $263.5 million cash, Feb. 22, 2017, in Indiana