Think bad odor, you think deodorizer. Deodorizers are used to remove bad odors from the damp and moist corners of your house or poorly-ventilated areas. They can also remove unpleasant odors from washrooms, shoe cupboards, service closets, sinks, and such. Another place where deodorizers work effectively is in refrigerators and freezers. An effective tip to keep in mind when picking odor eliminators and deodorizers to banish freezer and fridge odors is to ensure that they are non-toxic. This is because the scent may also affect the food stored, consequently affecting your health when you consume it. Similarly, they should not lead to any side effects. Listed here are some effective deodorizers, in no particular order, available for use in freezers and refrigerators to banish strong odors: ARM & HAMMER™ Fridge Fresh™ Refrigerator Air Filter Made using baking soda, it is one of the most popular deodorizes that comes enclosed in a compact container. You can place it in the door, freezer, or fridge, and each filter will last for about a month. It is also available in 2 or 4 set packs and costs $2.19 per unit. The deodorizer comes with an inbuilt indicator that shows you when it is time for a replacement.

Your credit score is very important for carrying out a financial transaction, which is why the internet is also full of tips and tricks to help you improve your score. There are the usual tips that advise you to pay your bills on time and not open too many credit card accounts. However, what if your score is still down after following all those tips? Are you still wondering how to improve your bad credit score? Here are some unusual tips to help you through it: Be an excellent tenant If you live in rented accommodation, the owners may or may not be sending a report of your monthly payments to the credit bureau. However, if you live in an apartment in a large building, you can be sure that your payments are being reported. This is good news if you pay rent regularly as it helps build your credit score. You can also ask your landlord to report your regular payments to help you build or improve your credit score. Return those library books You might have taken a book or two from the library and forgotten to return them. This might seem harmless at first, but it is not the same for your credit score.

Preserving food became easier with the invention of refrigerators as food remained fresh for longer, and deep freezers ensured that even meat did not spoil for months. However, this can raise questions on whether storing food for such long periods is safe. Also, are we storing food the right way, and is the stored food good for consumption? Could there be hidden risks that we cannot see with our naked eye? Here are some basic safety and storage tips to help you ensure that the stored food is safe for consumption: The 2-hour rule Refrigerate perishables immediately, and remember that the food that needs to be refrigerated all the time should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. For example, dairy items, meat, eggs, and seafood should not be kept out for more than 2 hours. If possible, buy these items from a grocery store near your house so that you can put them in the refrigerator quickly. The same two-hour rule applies to cooked food, leftovers, and takeaways. Sort your food Sort your groceries and place them in categories of fresh food, cooked food, dry food, condiments, and meat. Once the sorting is done, an effective safety and storage tip is to wrap the food and place it on the right shelves in the refrigerator.

Credit card debt is an unsecured liability that people end up with due to credit card loans. There are different causes that lead to people falling into a credit card debt. You may end up using your credit cards for surplus and luxurious purchases that you might not be able to pay off later. Alternatively, you may take out cash advances that lead to heavy fees and interest on your credit cards. There are many more ways through which you may end up with debt, but the following eight tips can help you to avoid credit card debt: Read terms and conditions carefully A lot of people avoid reading the fine print while signing up for credit cards, but it is important to understand your rewards and potential liabilities. Once you have all these details, you would not be caught by surprise. If in doubt, you can always speak to customer service and get your questions answered. Make a budget and stick to it We tend to let our hands loose once we get a credit card. However, maintaining financial stability requires you to make a budget for disciplined spending habits and stick to it accordingly. Avoid overspending at all costs.

Taking a mortgage is an extremely important financial transaction. One topic that needs more information out there is the topic of mortgage mistakes. A mortgage mistake can cost you a lot in the long run, including your dream home. Here are some common mistakes made when getting a mortgage . Steer clear of these and you will be on your way to a financial decision well made. Forgetting to check in with local companies This is a surprisingly common mistake made by many applicants. Experts recommend always checking the deals and rates available with a local mortgage company as these are usually the best for you. For instance, if you are searching for a home in San Diego, you should preferably not contact a mortgage company in Rochester. Mixing up pre-qualification and pre-approval These are two terms that mortgage applicants always mix up. Most buyers mistakenly take a mortgage pre-qualification and go about searching for the house of their dreams only to be met with a mortgage rejection or a lower amount approved. A mortgage pre-qualification is simply based on the information that a buyer fills up and gives a lender. This information may not always be accurate. On the other hand, a pre-approval sees the lender check your financial records and credit reports and give a clear go-ahead.

As a student, you probably have a checking account through which you manage your savings and your expenses. Yet, most financial experts recommend that students also open a savings account along with their standard checking account. If you are wondering why, let’s look at the benefits of savings accounts for students. Enforces savings The biggest benefit of having a savings account for students is that it makes sure the money is saved no matter what. While a checking account lets you withdraw as much as you need as many times as you want to, a savings account has a cap set at six withdrawals per month. This ensures your money stays in one place and actually grows. Safe from market fluctuations There might be people who tell you to try investing in the stock market if you want to earn more money. Yet, the market can fluctuate and you may even end up losing a lot. On the other hand, a savings account works best while you are still studying. It gives you space to freely invest your hard-earned money while letting you learn to manage your finances with no risk of losing any of your funds whatsoever. This is truly one of the benefits of savings accounts for students that stands out.

Spring is the most versatile season for cocktails. Some days are warm and some days are cold, but as much as you can you’ll be out enjoying the weather with a cocktail in hand on your porch or back deck. Therefore, it’s best to rely on the seasonal fruits and herbs to make the best of the spring months. Here are some classic cocktails re-mixed with some spring inspired fruits: Grapefruit margarita Ingredients White Tequila – 2 ounces Grapefruit juice – 1 ounce Lime juice – 1 ounce Agave Syrup – 2 tsp Simple syrup – 2 tsp Ice cubes Sea salt – 2 tsp (to rim the glass) Lime – 2 quarter slices (to rub the rim of the glass) Grapefruit – 3 slices (for garnishing) Method Rub the lime quarters on the rim of the glass. Then pour some sea salt on a plate and dip the rim so that the salt sticks to it firmly. Fill the glass with crushed ice and grapefruit slices and set aside. Add the tequila, lime juice, grapefruit juice, agave syrup, and simple syrup into a shaker. Shake the mixture until the surface of the shaker turns frosty. Strain the mixture into the glass without dislodging the salt on the rim.

Are you planning to dip your hands in your 401(k) and borrow from your retirement funds? As a part of 401(k) loan basics, you should look at this option and try to avoid any mistakes that might make this option costlier than it should be. Here is a list of some of the most common mistakes and misconceptions with regards to 401(k) loans. Delay your savings for retirement When repaying their 401(k) loan, many borrowers lower their contributions to the 401(k) account. If you use the entire retirement period of five years, this can be quite a setback. Remember that when you make lower contributions, the company’s matching contributions also lower down. This means you would just be delaying your retirement savings. Also, there are instances when your plan might require you to first repay the loan in full before you make any further contributions to the 401(k) account. In case your plan demands you to first repay the loan in full before you make any further contributions, you can always open up a traditional IRA for saving money. Not understanding the early tax distribution With borrowing loans comes the chance of defaulting. If you are planning to apply for a 401 (k) loan or have already taken one, you might not want to default the loan no matter what.

When it comes to different types of liquid assets, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are quite a popular choice among investors. ETFs are a type of mutual fund that offers the convenience of investing in a wide range of securities through a single transaction. Apart from the diversification involved, ETFs also give you the benefits of stocks. They can be bought or sold at any time during trading hours. All these aspects make ETFs quite a promising investment avenue among the different types of liquid assets available. ETFs are a valuable investment option for institutional investors who can utilize these investments to enter and exit from positions quickly, especially in scenarios where cash is needed urgently. Now that you have a basic idea of ETFs, let’s look at its types. Fixed-income funds Financial professionals recommend that you invest a part of your portfolio in fixed-income securities like bonds and bond ETFs. Bonds decrease a portfolio’s volatility and simultaneously provide you with extra income. Equity funds Equity ETFs perform as per the market scenario. If you plan to invest in these, you need to determine your objective: are you looking for value investing or growth investing? After you understand your objective, select the appropriate ETF to meet your goal.

A checking account is basically a bank account which acts as the base for your transactions. In many places, it is referred to as a transactional account too. You can use this account to pay your bills and make your financial transactions really easy. However, to make the experience better, here are three money-related tips for optimizing a checking account that you can use: Avoid the additional bank fees Did you know the one transaction that you may be overlooking the most is actually your simple bank fees? There are plenty of additional bank fees that may be eating up your money parked in the checking account. Some fees to keep a tab on include the following: Monthly maintenance fees Minimum balance fees Overdraft fees ATM fees Paper statement fees Keep a tab on all your transactions and don’t let your bank take you for a ride. Ask about all these fees in advance and ensure that you comply with the rules so no money is cut. Go for consolidation if needed Consolidation is not only for your credit card. In fact, you can simplify your finances by consolidating multiple checking accounts. Ironically, one of the tips for optimizing a checking account is not to have multiple checking accounts.