Almost all of us love when the warm weather of summer rolls into town, but we aren’t so fond of those higher energy bills that come with an air conditioner that’s running almost all day long.

With these 5 ways to reduce energy usage you can start to chip away at your utility bill and maybe have a little extra money at the end of the month to treat the family to a day at the water park.

1. Made in the Shade
Humans have understood that staying out of the sun is a surefire way to avoid overheating since the first cavemen took refuge in the first naturally cool cave. The same principle works with your home. There are a number of great strategies to keep the sun from cooking your house. On the easy and inexpensive side are window coverings. Don’t let the sun beat through that south facing window all day. Awnings and patio coverings, although more expensive, also do a great job if they are located in a way that shades the walls of your house. Shutters are also a good option for keeping the sun’s burning rays from heating up your home.

2. The Perfect Temperature
Most of us have become accustomed to keeping the thermostat a little on the cool side during winter to avoid higher heating costs. Apply the same idea in the summer. Set your thermostat a little warmer than you did last year. You’ll quickly adjust. And, if there are times during the day when no one’s home, get a programmable thermostat and set it to reduce your air conditioner usage during those hours. Further, when the family’s at home, avoid constantly tweaking the thermostat. If mom is always turning it down and sis is always turning it up, it greatly increases the stress on your unit and your electricity bills.

3. It’s Cook Out(side) Time
Doing your favorite macaroni casserole in the oven is a killer during the hot afternoons and evenings of summer. The oven heat puts your air conditioning unit on a real electricity bender. Also, those bowlfuls of piping hot pasta and cheese tend to make us feel more hot. Cook on an outside grill and add cool meals to the family menu whenever possible. You might also find occasions to make creative use of your toaster oven instead of the larger oven in your stove.

4. Maintain your Cool
Good home maintenance is critical to reducing energy bills. Clean or replace your air conditioning filters every month and have your unit checked by a professional each year. A small coolant leak will make your system work too hard. That boosts your energy bill and leads to the early demise of your AC unit. Also check your windows and doors for cracks. Replace worn or missing weather stripping. If you don’t have an attic fan, get one. You might check with your local utility. Occasionally they have programs that offer incentives for these kinds of energy saving projects.

5. Join the Fan Club
Ceiling fans can greatly reduce the work your AC unit has to do. In the summer, your ceiling fan should be pushing air down, spinning counter clockwise and creating a mini-wind chill factor in your home. This will allow you to raise the temperature on your thermostat and can reduce electricity to your air conditioning unit by 40 percent of more—and you won’t even feel the difference.

Chris Turberville-Tully is marketing strategist for Purely Shutters, a UK company specialzing in louvered and solid shutters for your home or business.

However, it’s not just a strange habit, but has some history and reasoning beyond the obvious. The following are six reasons for wearing your watch face inwards and why some people do so.

Damage

This, I personally feel, is the most obvious one. With many watches the most expensive and detailed part as far as showing off goes is the face and case. Having it facing outwards it is most likely to be seen by others and noticed (as many do use watches as status symbols) but some think it also makes it vulnerable to scratches and choose to wear it the other way round.

I’d also like to add that I feel this is inaccurate; dependant on what you are doing, how your arms are positioned and what the watch is coming into contact with (on the inside it could catch a metallic belt you’re wearing or the edge of a desk when typing for example) neither method is going to prevent wear and tear to a watch unless you take good care of it.

Wrist movement

Some motorcyclists often say wearing their watch on the inside of their wrist provides better comfort for opening the throttle, as wearing it on the outside can rub, cause pressure and be uncomfortable for such an upwards wrist movement.

Easier to view

There are many reasons some people find wearing a watch inwards an easier method to view, from fairly normal reasons such as being a nurse and needing to have the time sourced when taking a wrist pulse, to farfetched ones like being discrete when checking the time in a boring office meeting!

Military uses

It is often rumoured that wearing a watch facing inwards is a habit picked up in the military by soldiers needing to check the time with minimal movement or light reflection as to not give away their position to the enemy. However, most sources and accounts of this seem to put it down to personal preference as opposed to common practice.

An old saying

There is an old saying that “your watch is your time and nobody else’s”, which comes from people asking those wearing a watch what the time is (see also’ “Time you got a watch!” as a reply). Some people think wearing your watch inwards is a way of hiding it and avoiding being asked what the time is, whilst others do it based on superstition of the saying.

Personality and status

Again in reference to watches being used as a status symbol, some say wearing your watch on the inside is a sign of being busy (always needing to know the time and know it fast), whilst others say wearing a watch inwards was a working class trait of the 1960s.

Have you got your own personal reason for wearing your watch inwards or know of other explanations not mentioned in this post? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear them!

This post was written by April May, who is currently wearing her new Sekonda Party Time watch facing outwards as she likes the look of it! She  also writes for UK watch shop findwatches.co.uk.

1) Forza Motorsport 4

If you really want to feel like you are behind the wheel of a sports car, you need to get this game. This edition of Forza gives you brilliant graphics as well as the added bonus of being able to play it with Kinect. The motion sensing capabilities give this a reality you don’t get with other driving games.

2) Saints Row: The Third

This is not just a driving game; it also allows you to go on missions and get out of the car from time to time. This is basically a very well done alternative to the Grand Theft Auto series with enough originality that you could own both and be perfectly happy.

3) Midnight Club: Los Angeles

Drive like this in real life and your driving instructor is not going to be very happy. This title hit the Platinum series thanks to it allowing users to totally customise a huge array of muscle cars and then race them in “career mode” on the streets of L.A.

4) Dirt 3

Sometimes you just have to have a little off-road action. Dirt 3 gains a place on this list precisely because there just aren’t enough games that have you racing all over the world (including Europe) and doing so without the constraints of a track.

5) Cars 2: The Video Game

Obviously, this game is geared towards the junior set, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t quite a bit of fun for adults. Play as one of the characters from the movie series and race in contests straight from the film or pick the missions you want to run.

6) Need for Speed: Shift

It seems as if there are about a dozen different versions of the Need for Speed franchise. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, but Shift stands out thanks to its incorporation of real world physics and a design team that includes actual race car drivers to get a feel of authenticity.

7) Pure

For the truly driving-game addicted, Pure brings a whole different feel as it puts you behind the handlebars of an ATV. Off-roading is fun enough in this game, but the incredible stunts you can pull off, teamed up with eye-popping graphics, vaults this game into the 10 best list.

Project Gotham Racing 3

Another Xbox 360 game that not only made our list but also earned a spot on Microsoft’s Platinum Hits. This franchise has always been incredibly popular; the addition of being able to drive some of the prettiest cars in the world in locales such as London, New York and Tokyo makes this game a must have.

9) Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights

This game makes the list because it really is so much more than just a racing game. While Juiced 2 is affiliated with the HIN league and the driving and racing is fun, the fact that you can actually store your “driver DNA” and then download it on another Xbox 360 is just one thing that makes this game one of the best. The fact that gamers can use virtual dollars to gamble on the races in the game only makes it better.

10) Kinect Joy Ride

This game is certainly built more for the younger user but it gets bonus points for using the Kinect. At it’s heart, this is a Kart racing game, but without the ability for a steering wheel and with out-of-control jumps and spins and stunts.

Citations:

• Images via Wikipedia
• Images via Wikipedia

Content provided on behalf of PassSmart.com, the easiest way to find a driving instructor in your local area.

The mobile phone industry is constantly evolving into creating more efficient, user-friendly devices by flooding the market with mobile phone apps. You’re probably one of the billions of users who download apps to their phones, and you likely used one of the seven stores that sprang up since 2008. Take a look at the historical overview of where app store wars started, and where they are today, thanks to one really cool infographic.

 The Starting Point

It all started back in July, 2008 when Apple launched their new app store for their iPhone. A few months later, Google launches their app store for the Android market. Then over the next two years, four additional stores popped up. Then in 2011, Apple took charge again by opening an iPad app store, and now we’re waiting on everyone else to create their own tablet app store.

Store Wars Leaders

Since the dawn of mobile phone app stores, there are two major players in the industry: Apple and Google. Depending on which team you’re on, the iPhone leads the way in the number of apps that have popped up since 2008, while Android users come in as a close second.

Marketing Tactics

With new innovations coming out every year, app stores are struggling to keep a fresh to draw in and convert more customers to use their products. Today, mobile app stores are at war in trying to beat one another to get maximum exposure, using different online marketing tactics. You can bet any SEO company would want either account with how large the internet marketing budgeting must be for both.

It’s amazing just how much money is made from the app stores. At 5.2 billion in 2010, with an estimated 15.1 billion in 2011, this is serious business. If you haven’t thought about making some extra money by launching a mobile app, you may want to. The longer you wait, the harder it will to get yours to stand out from those created by everyone else who’s jumping on the bandwagon.

Now that you have become educated on the history of app store marketing tactics, you might find the need to learn more about what a SEO company can do for you. This guest post was written by Shane. 

There may be some variations on this theme, by the idea of expensive hotels, great weather, coastal locations and the opportunity to head to the beach, seem to be constants in the minds of many.

But what happens when you find that you don’t want to be going on this sort of vacation? In fact, it can feel somewhat strange when you come to realise that this isn’t your idea of fun. You may even feel that it would be boring to spend time in this way.

So what other options are open to you? It can be useful to think about the reasons for the feelings of boredom.

Try to visit multiple locations

One of the biggest issues that I have with vacations of the type described is that the boredom tends to grow. Initially, it may be attractive to think that relaxing by the pool is so much better than the stresses that are associated with daily life. You won’t have to worry about getting work done, for starters.

You have plenty of time to read a good book, or to listen to music. If it starts to feel a bit too hot, then you can always take a dip in the pool. Indeed, it may seem as if life couldn’t get any better.

But it seems to me that feelings start to change after a few days. There may be a real lack of variation. The added problem associated with many coastal resorts is that there’s often a lack of real scenery, culture and heritage. In short, there may be a lack of things to do.

One way to avoid such problems is by aiming to visit more than one location during the course of a single trip. You might do this by hiring a car, or thinking about a coach excursion. The advantage of such an approach is that it exposes you to more, different situations.

Many people like to hire a boat, which allows them to visit a number of different coastal locations. You can relax on the beach one day and then head along the coast to see a historic town the next day. Suddenly, you come to realise that you have many more options available.

If you’re finding that you’re bored of traditional vacations then why not think about changing your approach? It’s probably the case that you spend months planning a trip and that it’s something that you really look forward to. In this context, it’s a shame if you end up feeling that vacations offer disappointing experiences.

Keith Barrett enjoys boating holidays and frequently writes on a range of travel issues. He’s constantly looking for new ways to see the world.

But what happens once you achieve a significant market share? What kind of strategies can be employed to retain market share and continue incremental growth? After all, everyone is always looking for ways to dethrone the king.

In the world of tourism in the Southeastern United States, Myrtle Beach is certainly one of the top destinations. Almost 15 million people travel there each year. Stays vary from spending a night or two in a Myrtle Beach Hotel to relaxing for a week or more at an exclusive Myrtle Beach resort.

Myrtle Beach business leaders are highly organized and work hard to find creative ways to maintain the area’s position in the tourism market. Sometimes they put an online twist on a proven marketing strategy. Here are 5 online marketing strategies that everyone can learn from.

1. Broadcast yourself or your business.
Here’s the brainchild of local Myrtle Beach talk show host Jack Murphy. When Murphy got his first Roku device to stream Internet content to his television he saw the potential to create a channel that promoted Myrtle Beach tourism. He connected with others who caught his vision, and soon the Myrtle Beach Video Network was created. 8

2. Empower individuals and partners.
The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (MBACC) has an incredibly deep website of its own, and I’ll take a look at some of its features in a moment, but one of the most important things the group does is empower and guide its members in pursuit of their own online marketing strategies. The Chamber provides opportunities for individuals to partner with it through an ePostcards program, segmented e-mail blasts, coupons, and online advertising. The Chamber also direct members to third-party advertising cooperatives and speciality websites.

3. Make online features fast and easy.
Sometimes online forms require users to answer so many questions, they eventually get worn out pulling down menus and they abandon the process. Many prospective visitors looking for a Myrtle Beach hotel will appreciate the “Accommodations Quick Search” page at Visit Myrtle Beach South Carolina, the promotional website of the MBACC. With just one drop down menu, visitors can get an instant list of accommodations that will probably satisfy their most important needs.

4. But provide more in-depth info when needed.
Other folks want to have every “T” crossed and every “I” dotted right from the get-go, so the Visit Myrtle Beach South Carolina Website has a page for them as well. Here prospective visitors can put together a customized itinerary for, as the site says, “the perfect beach vacation.”

5. Combine online, real world and other notable elements.
Today, more than ever, it’s necessary to use every tool at your disposal to promote your business. For an area like Myrtle Beach it would be foolish to rely solely on Internet advertising, for example. When a marketing idea combines the digital world with the real world, it can be a winning combination. Here’s something that worked well for the Myrtle Beach area. They used an aggressive online promotional campaign to advertise a 5K run. But, it wasn’t a garden variety 5K run—it featured Bob Harper, a trainer from “The Biggest Loser” along with contestants from the television reality series. Think about it. This one event combined online banner advertising, with a real world event, with the buzz of a network hit television program.

The tourism market is particularly vulnerable to ups and downs and without vigilance, it’s easy to slip out of family vacation plans. The people in Myrtle Beach, SC know this as well and everyone, in virtually any area of business, can learn something from these varied online marketing strategies.

Google Answers

In April 2002, Google launched Google Answers, a webpage where users could ask questions and Google Answers would generate an answer. The answers were stemmed from the findings of paid researchers, and many people didn’t really jump on the Q&A bandwagon. Though it lasted for four years, most people didn’t really see much of a difference in using Google Answers versus Google as a search engine.

Google AudioAds

In 2006, Google acquired a radio advertising platform and planned on bringing radio advertising to the public that would allow for measured results. Google AudioAds was introduced shortly thereafter.

Google AudioAds didn’t mesh well with other radio stations, and Google actually couldn’t measure the results like they promised they could. After three short years, AudioAds went off the air, and Google hasn’t looked back since.

Google PrintAds

In 2006, while trying their hand at AudioAds, Google also entered the world of print advertising with Google PrintAds. Through this service, Google helped businesses place ads in newspapers. Unfortunately, this service didn’t generate much interest, let alone much revenue, so Google nixed it in 2009.

Google Wave

In 2009, Google launched Google Wave, a communication platform that allowed users to communicate in real-time with one another. Basically, it was instant messaging, but with a Google twist. Google had built up so much hype about this service that people were actually anticipating its release. Once it got into the hands of the public, though, nobody was very impressed, and most people weren’t even sure what to do with it. Needless to say, Google Wave waved buh-bye to the world shortly after its launch never to be heard from again.

Google Notebook

Google created Google Notebook as an online notebook that users could use to save clipped images, search results or text. These notebooks could then be shared with other users. The hype for these online notebooks didn’t really take off, so Google gave them the ax and claimed they were going to improve it. We’re still waiting…

Google SearchWiki

In 2008, Google launched SearchWiki, an application that allowed users to manipulate their search engine results. If a user didn’t like a result that was generated, they could delete it. If they liked one on page 3 the best, they could move it to be the first result on page 1. Many users didn’t like how these functions took up most of the results page, so Google removed it in 2010.

Google’s failures go to show you that in the process of creating brilliant ideas you will come across some failures. Google never let any of its failures deter them from continuing to create innovative and successful tools, services and devices. If you fail, continue to pick yourself back up and try again. One day, you may end up as successful as Google.

Andreas Svensson is a swedish-born IT specialist with a passion for writing. He always writes with a grammar checker to make sure his work is free of any embarrassing grammatical mistakes. He is taking his first vacation to the Caribbean this summer and couldn’t be more excited about his Bahamas vacation.

In the Kitchen

• Run the dishwasher only on a full load of dishes. If washing by hand, fill the sink up with water then turn the faucet off.
• Replace an old dishwasher with a new energy-efficient one. Look for the Energy Star label when shopping.
• Avoid foods that are processed or require lots of water to cook. Manufacturing food products requires water, so buy foods as close to the natural form as possible.

In the Bathroom

• Install a low-flow toilet. Alternatively, put weighted plastic bottles in the tank to take up space and raise the water level. A toilet needs only three gallons to flush properly, but some older toilets can use as much as seven gallons per flush.
• Turn off the faucet when brushing teeth or shaving. Instead, plug the drain and fill the sink up with warm water.
• Replace the current shower head with a low-flow model. These have adjustable settings that are designed to maximize water consumption. They can be adjusted for the different water needs during a shower to avoid excess water usage. A low-flow shower uses about two to four gallons per minute, as opposed to five to seven with traditional shower heads.
• Install an aerator in the faucet and shower head. An aerator is easy to install and inexpensive. It reduces water consumption by putting air bubbles in the water flow, which will make less water necessary.

In General

• Place a rain barrel at the end of the downspout on the house. Collect the rain water and use it to water the lawn and garden.
• Check faucets every few months for leaks. A single faucet that drips at a slow rate, just two per minute, will waste 70 gallons of water per year. Repairing or replacing leaky faucets is affordable and easy for any do-it-yourselfer.
• Insulate water pipes and water heater with pre-slit foam pipe insulation. The water will heat up quickly, reducing the time the water needs to run to get hot.
• Run the clothes washer only if there is a full load. If it is necessary to wash less than a full load, be sure to adjust the water level appropriately.
• Replace old washers with new energy star rated models. These use 35 to 50 percent less water than old machines.

Saving water is not only good for the environment; it is good for the wallet. With these simple steps, it is easy to start reducing water consumption and increasing savings.

Image by shutterbugpooja and licensed by Creative Commons.

Bath and Kitchen Studio is an online retailer offering name-brand, high-quality bath and kitchen fixtures, including energy/resource-saving fixtures, at affordable prices.

Self Guided Tour

The tour itself is based at the famous Warner Bros studios and opened in spring 2012. A self-guided tour, this means you can take things at your own pace and linger over the fascinating and jaw-dropping sights on display, of which there are many.

Perhaps the most breath-taking of them all however, is the painstakingly hand-crafted model of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The structure – which is an incredible 50ft in diameter – is further enhanced by clever fibre optic lighting which gives the impression of lanterns burning throughout the school.

You will be in awe as you walk through the tour, taking in sights such as the Hogwarts Great Hall, the shop fronts of Diagon Alley (including Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes!) and the curious and eclectic office of Professor Dumbledore himself.

Behind the Magic

The tour also promises to reveal some of the secrets behind the filming of Harry Potter. Exclusive video interviews with the cast and crew are on show, giving insight into some of the mysteries behind the magic.

With many different props and costumes on display, you can get a close look at items such as the Sorting Hat, Harry’s beloved Firebolt and the dining tables in the Great Hall which come complete with graffiti drawn and carved on by the ‘students’ of Hogwarts while filming the series.

You can even encounter some of the magical creatures from the world of Harry Potter thanks to the dedicated portion of the tour to the Creature Effects Workshop.

Tickets and Transport

Now, for the practicalities! Tickets for the Harry Potter Studio Tour must be booked in advance, either by phone or online.

The studio itself is located 20 miles outside of London, and there are regular buses from the centre of London as well as shuttle bus service from Watford Junction train station. If you are arriving in London by air, you may wish to consider using car hire from Heathrow airport for ease, as the studio is well signposted once you are off the M25.

Unlike many attractions, handheld cameras are allowed so make sure you remember to pack yours! For fans of the Harry Potter books and films, the Harry Potter Studio Tour will be an experience which you will never forget… unless you get hit by an Obliviate spell on the way home!

Catherine Halsey is a freelance copywriter based in Edinburgh and writes for a digital marketing agency on a wide range of topics.

1. Carpool: It’s the simplest way to avoid spending that extra large wad of money on gas. If you and a coworker split up driving days, you’ll be spending half the cost on gas. If you have more than one person to share a ride with, that’s even better! The state of California actually encourages carpooling and has set aside a lane designated for such use on major highways. Now that’s forward thinking.
2. Get Rid of Your Gas Guzzler: Invest in a vehicle that has great fuel economy; more and more brands are coming out with cars designed to get 40+ miles to the gallon. There are literally dozens to choose from, and most are quite appealing to look at. Plus, you may even qualify for a state refund during tax season for purchasing an economical vehicle. The extra cash in your pocket will speak for itself. Still not convinced? Smack yourself in the head with one of your gas-guzzler’s repair manuals. That ought to do it.
3. Bus It: Okay, so it’s not the most glamorous option, but hitching a ride with a bus that provides transit to your job is also an excellent way to save some green. Check local bus schedules to see when and where they’re headed. Just be careful not to step in that questionable brown slop next to you and you’ll be golden. Hey, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet in order to get ahead in life.
4. Trains/Subways: While the price of a subway ticket could add up every day, it does actually save you quite a bit in the end. Buying a month or year pass also has benefits- mainly the discount offered. Plus, you won’t have to sit in traffic or fight for a parking spot if you would have driven. That’s a bonus all its own.

Kristy Kravitsky is a freelance writer from Pennsylvania.