I’ve never watched American Idol up until this season (I guess I’ve kinda been hiding under a rock) – but I’m glad that I finally tuned in.  From his first audition with “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5, to his amazing rendition of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” to Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar We’re Going Down”, this guy is simply amazing.  Here are a few videos that I found for those other Andrew Garcia fans as well.  I really hope this guy wins – either way, there’s big things ahead for him for sure… and I’ll be lined up to get his first record.

Related posts:

1. The Human Dog Hybrid – It’s kind of creepy No, this isn't some nightmare of human experimentation gone wrong....
2. Open House – An amazing real estate theme for WordPress As one of the most popular WordPress themes for real...

When looking at houses, condos, or apartments you may come across some properties that charge HOA dues (Home Owner Association fees).  These fees that are assessed by the property management association can cover a wide variety of things like trash service, yard maintenance, general upkeep, or any number of other services.   These dues will typically be outlined for you by the association for what they cover and the amount.

How often do I have to pay HOA dues?

Each association is different with the time frame of when HOA dues should be paid.  Often, you will see that they are to be paid either yearly or monthly – although quarterly, semi-annually, or some other time periods specified are not unheard of.  When looking for properties (townhomes, houses, condos, etc.) it is best to consult your real estate agent or the association itself to determine exactly what the dues will cover and how often they should be paid.

Keep in mind that HOA dues can vary wildly in price and when they are to be paid, so be sure to take these factors into account when determining the price that you can afford.

Related posts:

1. The hidden costs of Homeowner Association (HOA) dues Being a part of an homeowner’s organization provides many great...
2. Open House – An amazing real estate theme for WordPress As one of the most popular WordPress themes for real...
3. deCasa – A real estate theme for WordPress If you are in the real estate field, then the...

Too often people accept mediocrity from themselves and what they want to pursue or do in life. Life is too short to not enjoy and do the things that you absolutely love and have fun doing. Whether it’s work, business, or your personal life – you need to spend time doing those things that bring you pleasure.

Sometimes the day-to-day grind tends to slip in and start draining the things in life that each of us find fun. This is a great video that will help you bring some more fun back into your life.

Related posts:

1. Do what you enjoy One of life’s greatest lessons it to enjoy what you...
2. The financial impact of one soft drink per day It’s often the smallest things that can make a significant...

No, this isn’t some nightmare of human experimentation gone wrong.  This is a real photograph – however, it’s not a living human/dog or some type of hybrid.  This is an artist’s rendering (Patricia Piccinni’s) of what it might look like had the two bred entitled “We Are Family.”  While it’s certainly interesting art to look at, just looking at this kind of creeps me out.

Image credit: Tres Sugar

Let’s cross our fingers and hope that we never see something like this where two species are mixed and end up like this person slash dog hybrid being.

No related posts.

If you have never heard of the Birthday Paradox, what it says is that in a group of 23 random people there is a 50% chance that two of those people share a birthday.  That’s not it just yet, in a group of only 57 people, there is a greater than 99.99% chance that two of those 57 people share a birthday!  That’s pretty wild when you think about it, given that there are 365 days in a year, thus the paradox coming into play.

Image credit: soapylovedeb

Wikipedia goes further into detail, I’ve paraphrased a bit:

In a group of 23 people, comparing the birthday of the first person on the list to the others allows 22 chances for a matching birthday, but comparing every person to all of the others allows 253 distinct chances: in a group of 23 people there are 23×22/2 = 253 pairs. The approximate probability that two people chosen from the entire population at random have the same birthday is 1/365 (ignoring Leap Day, February 29), and presuming all birthdays are equally probable. Although the pairings in a group of 23 people are not statistically equivalent to 253 pairs chosen independently, the birthday paradox becomes less surprising if a group is thought of in terms of the number of possible pairs, rather than the number of individuals.

The paradox does not state that YOU will have the same birthday as someone else in a room.  It states that someone will have the same birthday as someone else.

The math gets somewhat complicated, but you can check it out in more detail: Understanding the Birthday Paradox and Wikipedia’s page.

Stuff like this is really amazing at how the numbers work out.

No related posts.

Several years ago I owned a full-service car wash.  Prior to owning the car wash I was absolutely clueless about the proper way to clean a car.  However, over the course of several years you learn many great useful tips that help make washing your car very easy and effective.  After detailing, cleaning, and washing thousands of cars, I ended up with many great tips that you may find useful:

Image credit: Sean Loyless

1. To remove smoke and other odors from your car get a hand-held steam cleaner and use it on the air conditioning vents.  Simply hold up the nozzle to the vents and run steam through them for a few minutes (longer if the smell still lingers) and your car will end up having  a fresh smell with no odors or fragrances
2. One of the most effective ways to clean floor mats is to pressure wash them.  This gets out all of the deep-rooted grime and dirt.  Be sure to do both sides and if they’re fabric mats, be sure that you don’t get the pressure sprayer too close if it’s somewhat powerful.
3. Tire shine makes a world of difference when giving your car a freshly-detailed look.  Invest in some tire shine product (I’m a huge Meguiar’s fan) and the ten minutes that it takes you to put it on will make a world of difference.
4. When using aerosol or spray-on tire shine, be sure to be very careful when you’re applying it (especially in windy conditions) as it can easily overspray onto the rest of your car leaving little dots of oil.
5. One of the easiest ways to clean rims is simply with water and a rag.  You don’t run the risk of ruining expensive rims this way either.
6. Simply Green works amazingly well at cleaning tires.  Just spray it on and let it sit for 5 minutes, then spray it off and you will see the dirt wash right off the tires.
7. For window cleaning, we found some of the most effective products are the aerosol glass cleaners as they seem to be quite a bit more effective than the spray-nozzle kind.
8. When washing your car start by spraying it from the bottom up and it won’t dry as fast on you (because the water keeps covering the vehicle as you move up).
9. If you are going to wax your car, try and keep the wax from touching any of the molding or bumper if it’s plastic as it can be extremely difficult (sometimes impossible) to get off.
10. Be sure to clean your door jams as they will make the car feel much better when you’re getting in and out.
11. If your car is starting to look a little faded or has some swirl marks, get a buffer and some very light compound to take the faded look and swirl marks out.
12. When washing your car with a mitt or sponge move in a circular direction to avoid swirl marks as much as possible.
13. Always ensure that your car is thoroughly wet before starting to wash it and you have gotten as much of the big dirt and mud off as possible, otherwise you will end up wiping the dirt around on the paint and scratching the clear coat and your car.
14. A very easy-to-use wax that gives a great look is Meguiar’s Yellow Wax.  Simply rub it on with an applicator and wipe off with a soft, lint-free towel.
15. To dry your car, I highly recommend picking up a California Water Blade as it will cut your drying time in at least half (these things are awesome!).
16. When drying your car try and use towels that are as lint-free as possible.  Doing so will give your car a clean finish and you won’t have to pick off fuzz for a half hour.
17. Be sure to get your middle console and door consoles as these are often overlooked.
18. For whitewalls and cleaning regular tires, use a wire brush as it will cut your cleaning time in (at least) half.
19. Don’t use tire shine on your pedals as they can make it very dangerous to drive.
20. A steam cleaner is your best friend when it comes to washing your car.  Not only can it do your air vents, but you can clean your carpet, seats, consoles, and even your headliner.
21. Try and not use brushes on your car except for the tires and wheels.

I hope these few car washing tips help you out the next time you want to give your vehicle that sparkling shine!

Related posts:

1. Professional Car Washing Tips: Part 1 – Your vehicle’s exterior Having a clean car can bring great satisfaction in your...
2. Professional Car Washing Tips: Part 2 – Your vehicle’s interior One of the keys to successfully cleaning the interior of...
3. The financial impact of dry cleaning Dry cleaning clothes is a conscious financial decision that we...

There are a multitude of reasons and excuses that many of us give for not investing. Whether we are strapped for cash, have bills to pay, whatever the reason, it is amazing how simply investing one dollar per day can change your life.

For those that are younger we have an investors greatest asset on our side – time. We use the power of compounding returns to grow the money we invest today over 10, 25 or even 50 years. However, you don’t have to be young to still realize the amazing effect that compounding has on your money.

Photo Credit: Gaspa

Investing $1 per day

Let’s assume that you start investing $1 per day. You set one dollar each day aside for investing and at the end of one year you invest that money into a high-interest savings account, a certificate of deposit, stocks, mutual funds or any of the many other investment vehicles available.

We will also assume that you receive a 5% annual return on your money invested (a very conservative growth rate). Here’s the impact that investing $1 per day has on your money:

• 1 year = $383.25 ($365 invested)
• 5 years = $2,117.70 ($1,825 invested)
• 10 years = $4,820.48 ($3,650 invested)
• 15 years = $8,269.98 ($5,475 invested)
• 25 years = $18,291.41 ($9,125 invested)
• 50 years = $46,296.51 ($18,250 invested)

You can see the amazing returns that compounding has on your investment of only $1 per day!

Getting started investing $1 per day

To start investing $1 per day, you simply need to set up and stick to a plan. Make yourself put aside one dollar per day that you are not allowed to touch. At the end of 6 months, go invest that money. Patience and perseverance is the key and the great part of this type of system is that it is only $1 per day, something that even the most frugal of us should be able to set aside. Make it a habit to set aside just one dollar per day for your future and you will look back and pat your young self on the back.

Related posts:

1. The importance of investing when you’re young It’s amazing the importance and impact that investing when you...
2. The financial impact of one pack of cigarettes per day Yes, smokers and non-smokers alike can attest to the fact...
3. The financial impact of one soft drink per day It’s often the smallest things that can make a significant...

One of the keys to successfully cleaning the interior of your car is knowing where to start and what to clean. This part of the cleaning process usually takes a little more time than the exterior, but once clean, it feels great!

The trash and accumulated stuff

Photo Credit: neoliminal

Over time our vehicles tend to accumulate a lot of trash and stuff that we probably don’t need to be lugging around everywhere we drive our car.

1. Throw away all trash
2. Grab a box or milk crate for all of the things you need to keep and put them in this container.
3. You will want to check your glove box, middle console, compartments in the side of your door and any other nooks and crannies where trash and your belongings tend to gravitate toward.

What you’ll need:

• A box or milk crate
• Trash bag(s)

Initial wipe-down of surfaces

Photo Credit: nikilok

Now that you have the main trash and “stuff” out of your car, you will want to do an initial dusting off of all surfaces.

1. Wipe down your dash and any other surfaces that you can. This includes the interior of the doors and your middle console.

By wiping down your surfaces first, this preps you for later steps. You don’t want to vacuum first as there will be debris and gunk (and little white fuzzballs from your towels) that fall on the floor when you are wiping down the surfaces.

What you’ll need:

• Paper or cotton towels

Windows

Photo Credit: Dan Zen

Now that all trash is gone and your surfaces are dusted, it’s time to move on to the windows. The best way to clean windows is with a mixture of ammonia, vinegar and water (Windex also works). This cuts through grease, grime, and smoke that might have accumulated.

1. Wipe down all windows with a damp rag that has been soaked in the above concoction.
2. Dry windows after you have wiped them down

I also suggest repeating this step at least twice. Although it may appear that you windows look clean, nothing is more aggravating than taking your newly-clean car on a drive at night only to see all of the spots you missed.

One final note on windows: Be very cautious if you have tinted windows as products and chemicals can ruin the tinting. For tinted windows you should just use straight water.

What you’ll need:

• Windex or a mixture of vinegar, ammonia and water
• Paper or cotton towels

Conditioning surfaces & seats

Photo Credit: 2757

You will now want to focus on getting your surfaces and seats treated.

1. For the plastic, leather and vinyl surfaces in your car (e.g. the dash, middle console, door interiors and steering wheel) you will want to condition these surfaces. I recommend Meguiar’s Quik Inerior Detailer Wipes.
2. Seats
   • Leather Seats – If you have leather seats you will want to condition these as well. For this step Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather Aloe Conditioner works terrificly.
   • Cloth Seats – For cloth seats you will want to scrub or wipe these down with a soap/water mixture that you will then want to vacuum off the excess.

What you’ll need:

• Several cotton towels
• A bucket of water and soap

Carpet & Mats

Photo Credit: merfam

Now that we have all of the other aspects of the interior of the vehicle cleaned, it’s time to move on to the floors.

1. Remove all mats
2. Thoroughly vacuum your floors, seats, in-between seats and the middle console, doors and even your air vents.
3. You can now spot-treat any stains that are left.
4. Clean your mats the same way you cleaned your carpet. If they are plastic/rubber mats you can get a scrub brush and clean them with soap and water.

Helpful hint: I highly suggest buying rubber mats for any vehicle you own as it greatly prevents wear-and-tear on your carpet.

What you’ll need:

• A vacuum
• Scrub brush
• Carpet cleaner

A few final tips

To get your car smelling new and fresh you may want to get some type of car air freshener (even dryer sheets work great). For stubborn smoke smells take a steamer to your vent system for about 5 minutes. For really stubborn stains, place a bucket of vinegar in your car overnight and you should notice the smells disappear.

You should now have a car interior that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor!

Related posts:

1. Professional Car Washing Tips: Part 1 – Your vehicle’s exterior Having a clean car can bring great satisfaction in your...
2. 21 Car Washing Tips For a Beautiful Car Several years ago I owned a full-service car wash. Prior...

Having a clean car can bring great satisfaction in your life. It not only gives a feeling of pride and accomplishment, but often boosts your self-esteem and even makes your car feel like it drives better.

Several years ago I owned a full-service car wash that specialized in interior, exterior, and car detailing. It was a great experience that taught me many lessons, and in the process of building this business I learned a great deal of information about car cleaning/washing.

After cleaning, washing, waxing, scrubbing and detailing thousands of cars, here are my car cleaning tips. This is a several article section on getting your car to feel as clean and new as you possibly can. We’ll start with the exterior.

Photo Credit: SqueakyMarmot

The pre-rinse

1. The first step in cleaning your car is to spray it down first with water. You will want to thoroughly soak the car so the water has time to penetrate caked-on dirt, mud and grime. Start from bottom to top and be sure to spray the wheels, tires, wheel wells and mirrors. Note: It’s especially important to start from the bottom up on hot, sunny days.

What you will need:

• A pressure-sprayer or hose to spray down your vehicle.

The wash

Photo Credit: sylvar

The key to a successful car washing is to keep your vehicle as wet as you can the entire time you are washing it. Here are the steps to ensuring the best wash possible:

1. The next thing that you will want to do is actually wash your vehicle. This removes all of the major dirt, mud, bugs, and other things that have accumulated on your car. Pay special attention to the lower half of your vehicle (running boards, bottom half of your doors and bumper) as the bottom half accumulates much more dirt and grime than the top half. You will also want to pay special attention to the roof as it is an often overlooked section of your car.
2. You will now want to rinse down the entire vehicle again to wash away the excess dirt and gunk.
3. After this second rinse you should spray your tires with some type of cleaning solution (Simple Green works great) so it has several minutes to soak in and thoroughly clean your tires.
4. Now that the vehicle has had the major dirt removed (and is still wet), you will want to focus on cleaning off the bugs from your side mirrors, windshield and hood of your vehicle. (If you want extra protection against bugs, chips, and road wear & tear I suggest 3M’s Paint Protection Film)
5. Rinse the whole vehicle again.
6. Here is the where you will want to focus on cleaning your wheels and tires. You will want to keep your tire/wheel cleaning products separate from the items you used to wash the rest of your car. A soft sponge for your wheels works best as you don’t want any scratches on your wheels. For your tires, I recommend using a wire brush as it cleans white lettering and whitewalls the best and can really scrub your tires clean.
7. Rinse the whole vehicle again.

What you will need

• 2 buckets (one for soap for the car, the other for the tires and wheels)
• Car wash soap
• Wire brush
• Car wash mitts or sponge
• Tire cleaner (Simple Green or something similar)

Drying your car

Photo Credit: Clearly Ambiguous

You will now want to dry your car. The key to getting a spot-free, smooth finish is to dry your vehicle quickly. A great product that allows you to quickly dry your car is the California Water Blade. After using a water blade, you will be hooked. This product allows you to quickly remove about 95% of the water on your car in just a few minutes.

1. Start drying your car from top to bottom.
2. 100% cotton cloths seem to work best at drying. You will also want to find cloths that are lint-free so you don’t end up with little white fuzzballs all over your car.
3. While you are drying your car here you should also open your car’s doors and wipe down the door jams (this makes a world of difference).

What you will need:

• California water blade (optional but highly recommended)
• 6 100% cotton towels

Wheels & Tires

Photo Credit: exfordy

Now that you car is dry and clean, it’s time to focus on your wheels and tires:

1. You now want to give your tires a shine. I recommend using one of Meguiar’s tire shine products. The easiest way to apply these products is with a sponge. NOTE: If you are using a spray tire shine be sure to be very careful and avoid wind, you can easily overspray and ruin your brand-new car wash.
2. After the tires are done, the easiest way to clean your wheels is to grab a damp cotton towel and proceed to clean the wheels.

What you will need:

• Sponge to apply to tire shine
• Tire shine product
• Several damp towels that you can throw away

Windows

Photo Credit: vice48sr5005

We’re almost done! It’s time to work on your windows:

1. Your wash will more than likely have left some water spots on your windows. The easiest way to clean your exterior windows is to clean them with a fresh damp cloth. If you cloth is too damp you may want to follow up with a dry towel. Keep in mind you will want to use lint-free towels for the windows too, otherwise you will end up with those little white fuzzy things all over your car.
2. You will want to apply Rain-X to your windows, this doesn’t make your glass noticeably cleaner, but it does make a significant difference when you are driving in the rain.

What you will need:

• 1 damp towel
• 1 dry towel
• Rain-X

You’re finished!

Photo Credit: Tyler Howarth

You should now have a car that looks like a million bucks! Your car will now look better, feel better, and be the envy of your fellow drivers. It shouldn’t take you more than an hour to do everything above, and you will feel much better that freshly-washed car!

Related posts:

1. 21 Car Washing Tips For a Beautiful Car Several years ago I owned a full-service car wash. Prior...
2. Professional Car Washing Tips: Part 2 – Your vehicle’s interior One of the keys to successfully cleaning the interior of...
3. The financial impact of dry cleaning Dry cleaning clothes is a conscious financial decision that we...

Being a part of an homeowner’s organization provides many great benefits. While the dues vary for each association, many HOA’s cover and provide for some really great perks that come along with being part of the organization.

While some associations are mandatory if you own a home in a subdivision or a condo in a complex, some operate under choice. In addition to providing benefits to all members, homeowner associations often carry rules and regulations that must be enforced on homeowners.

Image Credit: pnwra

The structure of homeowner associations

Homeowner associations are organized to prevent unwanted tenants, provide features and benefits to the residents, and build a community that is held to a certain standard. Being a part of a homeowner’s association often requires monthly or yearly fees that must be paid in order to keep the organization running and properties/land up-to-date. This association is often governed by a board of directors comprised by current homeowners that make the rules and regulations and establish the HOA fees.

Benefits of homeowner associations

Since the vast majority of HOA’s operate on a financial dependence of the residents to maintain the property, monthly or yearly fees must be assessed. These fees are intended to maintain and enhance the community that is under the homeowner association. While not a comprehensive list, here are some benefits that HOA’s often provide or take care of:

• Water/Sewer
• Cable
• Electricity
• Pool access
• Ground maintenance
• Exterior maintenance (roofing, siding, etc.)
• Golf course access

The list can go on and on, it is up to each HOA to decide what they will provide for their members.

The costs of homeowner associations

In addition to the costs of buying a home, houses that are part of homeowner associations incur regularly scheduled dues that must be paid (which are not optional in the majority of instances). These fees can add up over the course of time.

For example: You buy a house for $200,000 that has monthly HOA dues of $200. You live in that house for 10 years and end up paying the $200,000 plus ten years of HOA dues ($24,000) for a total of $224,000. While this seems like a lot to be paying, most HOA’s cover many unforeseen expenses like re-roofing, your monthly sewer/water bill, and possibly your trash collection.

On the other hand, had you purchased a home that was not part of an association you would have paid $200,000 plus monthly expenses and potentially costly repairs, such as re-siding or re-roofing your house.

Weighing the pros and cons

When you decide to purchase a home, weigh the costs of the HOA against the benefits that the association provides you. If the HOA states that they cover landscaping and major repairs, talk to some current residents or see how well you believe the landscaping is maintained.

Every homeowner’s association will be different, the value lies in knowing whether the dues are worth their cost.

Related posts:

1. Are HOA Dues Monthly or Yearly? When looking at houses, condos, or apartments you may come...
2. Homeowner Real Estate – A WordPress theme by Gorilla Themes Gorilla Themes has just announced a brand-new theme for those...