Real Estate

Properties in Turkey considered as main investment, a critical analysis of the Turkish real estate market

Since Black February 2001, when the Turkish lira devalued against hard currencies by 45% overnight following an attack by parliamentarians in the Turkish parliament, actually due to a tired and unsustainable Turkish lira pegged to the US dollar, the Turkish economy and the Turkish real estate market in tandem. , have been exceeding expectations and turning things around.

Turkey’s credit note went down the drain in 2001 with the currency crash, which caused foreign companies’ balance sheets to wipe out half their asset values ​​when reported to their parent currencies, such as USD, Euro , GBP, etc. For at least 5 years afterward, foreign direct investment was too cautious to enter. That was until the mid-2000s when foreign investors, corporate and individual, saw that things were changing. So what exactly happened?

It could be argued that the main change has been one-party rule since 2002, when the current ruling AK party took power. Since then, Turkey has always been plagued by coalition governments, which found it too difficult to implement lasting fiscal and monetary policies. AK Party managed to do just that. Since 2002, a set of fiscal and monetary policies implemented by well-trained and capable economists have succeeded in reducing Turkish banks’ interest rates from around 25% per year to around 6% per year (as of December 2011), inflation that previously operating in excess of 90% per year now targeting 5% by early 2012. Favorable and stable economy has fostered international trade relations and exports, Turkish exports reached an all-time high in 2010, driven by Germany , US, UK and Middle East. The Turkish currency is no longer tied to hard currencies, however it has been fairly stable since 2006, indicating a strong economy and a positive investment climate. These are the summary changes in macroeconomic factors. Now, let’s take a closer look at property in Turkey from the point of view of foreign investment.

When analyzing the real estate market and the construction industry in Turkey, an important point to keep in mind is that more than 95% of real estate production in Turkey is absorbed by the Turkish domestic market. This is in stark contrast to what has happened in Spain since 2003, which is oversupply due to foreign property buyers who seemed to have no end in sight – clearly a fundamentally wrong assumption which it turned out to be!

Over 60% of Turkey’s population is currently under 32 years of age. Also, major cities like Istanbul, Antalya, Izmir, Bursa and Ankara attracted a lot of urban migration in the 1970s and 1980s. Istanbul’s population in 1970 was around 4 million, now the city easily accommodates more than 15 million. Similar growth rates apply in other major cities. This, coupled with the changing lifestyles of the Turks (i.e. rising individual occupancy rates compared to extended family structures) and increasing wealth, meant that available housing was simply not adequate or adequate. This led to a huge gap in demand and supply. In addition, during 2007, the Turkish government announced its plans for major urbanization projects, which consist of moving people from the shanties formed around the main orbits of the cities to structured and sustainable accommodation again in the suburbs of the cities but with adequate facilities and commuter lines. This led to many incentives being given to large developers and public associations to purchase land and build residences. With the availability of housing finance and extended payment terms, masses of Turks are now moving to developing towns around major cities. This is an important market in Turkey’s real estate sector providing around 80% of all new construction on the market. Some of these are currently being offered to foreign investors as low entry level properties in Istanbul and other major cities. We will discuss its investment value later in this article.

Now let’s take a look at Turkey’s coastal real estate developments. This is the segment of the Turkish real estate market that most foreign buyers are most familiar with due to the fact that the majority are second home buyers in Turkey, i.e. holiday home buyers in Turkey. Foreign ownership in Turkey first became possible in 2003, when the government lifted the ban on foreigners buying property in Turkey. At first, and given that there was already a well-known Spanish market that absorbed most of the European purchases, the main incentive for foreign buyers was the cost advantage. Turkish properties were as cheap as a third of their Spanish counterparts. Foreign buyers came looking for a cheap place in the sun. The era leading up to 2007 was primarily a cost-driven era. Towards the end of 2007, the credit crunch affected world economies. Most property markets were hit hard, however Turkey was not. The main reason Turkey was spared is simple, the Turkish real estate market was a “cash” market and not backed by credit. Developers built as they sold, not with promises of future sales orders. This meant that the global slowdown trapped Turkey with very little surplus real estate, except in a few isolated areas like Alanya. As a result, there were no sharp price cuts or sharp reductions to get rid of excess stocks in Turkey. Prices were maintained and there was no loss of market value.

That being said, the inability of foreign buyers in the 2008 post-credit crisis to free up capital in their home countries, as well as now the eurozone crisis, meant that the middle market, i.e. standard holiday homes, holiday apartments and small villas on the coast, slowed down significantly. This is the most affected segment of the Turkish real estate market that applies to foreign buyers. In stark contrast and possibly surprisingly, high-end real estate in Turkey became more attractive. These are waterfront houses in Turkey and exclusive houses in Turkey in elite areas like Kalkan, Kas, parts of the Bodrum peninsula. If we take a closer look at the reasons behind this trend, then it becomes more apparent. A waterfront villa in Turkey along the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, can be purchased from GBP 500,000 and with access to water. A similar villa in Spain and France costs no less than £2 million. In other words, the price gap at the high end is extremely high. And interestingly, most visitors would argue that the Turkish waterfront is not only prettier but also much less run-down. Sailors in particular are strongly drawn to Turkey beach houses and Turkey waterfront properties. So the high-end market is on the rise.

What about real estate investors in Turkey? There is a sharp increase in Istanbul real estate investments. Being outside the Eurozone and having stable economic indicators, Istanbul attracts real estate investors from all over the world. Most of these are buying low-end apartments in the suburbs of Istanbul, however there are also some serious corporate investors as well as real estate investment funds. So, investors have turned their attention to Istanbul. Are all Istanbul properties viable? Let’s answer this question.

Based on our experience, Istanbul real estate investors are attracted to the following segments:

  1. Low entry level suburban property in Istanbul, these are Istanbul apartments built for the low and middle income segments of the Turkish population. Typical examples are the areas of Beylikduzu, Halkali, Buyuk Cekmece. There are around 150,000 new residential units built in Istanbul every year, averages for the last 3 years. Of these, no less than 75% are built in suburban areas. It is estimated that there is an annual demand for 250,000 new residences in Istanbul. Clearly, the current supply falls short, however, this shortage has a cumulative decreasing trend. Furthermore, the government’s goal is to provide affordable accommodation for low and middle income groups, which are the target markets for these low entry level properties in Istanbul. In summary and for the foreseeable future, we hope that the prices of these suburban properties in Istanbul will not exceed the affordability barriers for the masses for which they are built. Given a GDP growth target of around 5.5% for the next 3 years in Turkey, we suggest that the maximum overall price growth investors can expect is capped at this level. These are of course averages and look at full unit prices. Therefore, we suggest that low-entry investors, who are promised double-digit annual growth, will be disappointed in this sector. Is it not possible to reach such high levels of growth? Yes, however, it is very selective and only at pre-launch prices, which are discounted from the market. Therefore, investors… be careful and be selective.
  2. Prime location projects, these are new and off-plan apartments in prime locations of Istanbul such as Sisli, Levent, Beyoglu, Kadikoy, Mecidiyekoy, etc. The target market for these properties in Istanbul is the wealthy and aspirational populations, which are on a strong rise. Due to limited supply, prices will continue to increase in the near future. Having said that, the entry prices are high, like USD 5,000+ per square meter compared to USD 1,500 for the previous low entry. We suggest that instead of purchasing multiple units in low-entry suburbs, Istanbul real estate investors should purchase single units in prime location projects.
  3. Historical buildings in the center of Istanbul and renovations property in Istanbul. We highly recommend this sector as a prime for investment. Istanbul’s growing elite, who do not want to live in luxurious high-rise residences, are increasingly drawn to authentic old Istanbul properties in Beyoglu, Galata, Cihangir and similar areas. Owners currently renovating for personal use; however, as demand increases, we anticipate this to be a high growth sector. Success in this sector requires experience and achieving good value when buying.
  4. Hotels in Istanbul. According to Turkey’s tourism board, existing luxury hotel accommodation in Istanbul is not enough to meet the growing demand, particularly in high-occupancy central areas such as Beyoglu, Taksim. The trend is for boutique hotels and, in particular, self-contained, aparthotel-style buildings. Room rates of 150 euros per night are considered a quality standard.

In summary, yes, Turkey’s real estate market is growing and it is rewarding for investors as the country as a whole is on an uptrend that far exceeds the European averages. Being outside the Euro Zone and the growing wealthy population are clear advantages. Foreign investors should be very selective and not get carried away by the hype surrounding the market, as not all real estate in Turkey is a good investment.

Shopping Product Reviews

Tips for buying the perfect sheet set

After another hard day at work, you’ll definitely be ready for some rest in the form of a much-sought-after sleep. A person’s bed is very important for getting the right amount of sleep. Therefore, investing in the right bedding accessories is the only natural thing to do.

Getting the right sheets is important, as they can ruin or complete your sleep and relaxation time. Therefore, when buying the perfect bedding, it is natural to take into account certain requirements and conditions. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when shopping for your next set of sheets.

– Before heading to your favorite home decor store or the home section of the mall at the department store, make sure you have the proper measurements for your bed and pillows. Sheets come in various sizes, widths, and lengths. Arriving at the shop with no idea of ​​the measurement would only result in wasted time, money and gas. Save yourself a wasted trip by being prepared.

– Know the thread count of the sheet you are about to buy. Generally, the higher the thread count, the softer and cozier the sheet. If you want really soft bed covers that almost feel like satin on your skin, then you should buy the highest thread count possible. But it is important to note that the higher the thread count, the more expensive the item will be. So if you want a luxury sheet, you better start saving now.

– With the crazy changes in weather that happen throughout the year, you need to be equipped with sheets of the right material. If you are in the height of the summer season, it is smarter to have cotton sheets. If the weather is cooler, silk fabric is the best option. Remember that it is good to invest in at least a couple of these fabrics to keep the relaxing vibe of your bed.

– If you have money to spare, why not buy 100% mulberry silk sheets? Although these are quite expensive, they are the most luxurious piece of material used for sheets and pillowcases. If you can’t afford them, you can also go for Egyptian cotton. They are almost the same quality but often at a cheaper price!

– When buying sheets, it is also good to look for the pillowcases that come with them. This, of course, saves him a hefty sum and he also keeps his bed uniform. Bedding is a big investment, but it also needs to be properly maintained, so make sure you can check the details of your sheets before cleaning them.

Technology

Thinking of Investing? Think the Bitcoin way

What is Bitcoin?

If you are here, you have heard of Bitcoin. It’s been one of the most frequent news headlines for the last year or so: as a get-rich-quick scheme, the end of finance, the birth of a truly international currency, as the end of the world, or as a technology that it has improved. the world. But what is Bitcoin?

In short, Bitcoin is arguably the first decentralized money system used for online transactions, but it’s probably useful to dig a little deeper.

We all know, in general, what ‘money’ is and what it is used for. The most important problem that was observed in the use of money before Bitcoin is related to its being centralized and controlled by a single entity: the central banking system. Bitcoin was invented in 2008/2009 by an unknown creator using the pseudonym ‘Satoshi Nakamoto’ to bring decentralization of money on a global scale. The idea is that currency could be traded across international lines without difficulty or fees, checks and balances would be distributed around the world (rather than just on the ledgers of private corporations or governments), and money would be it would become more democratic and equally accessible to all.

How did bitcoin start?

The concept of Bitcoin, and cryptocurrencies in general, was started in 2009 by Satoshi, an unknown researcher. The reason for his invention was to solve the problem of centralization in the use of money that depended on banks and computers, a problem with which many computer scientists were not happy. Achieving decentralization has been attempted without success since the late 1990s, so when Satoshi published an article in 2008 providing a solution, he was overwhelmingly welcome. Today, Bitcoin has become a familiar currency for Internet users and has given rise to thousands of ‘altcoins’ (cryptocurrencies that are not Bitcoin).

How is Bitcoin made?

Bitcoin is made through a process called mining. Just like paper money is made by printing and gold is mined from the ground, Bitcoin is created by “mining.” Mining involves solving complex mathematical problems involving blocks using computers and adding them to a public ledger. When you started, all that was needed to mine was a simple CPU (like the one in your home computer), however, the level of difficulty has increased significantly and you will now need specialized hardware, including a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). ) high-end, to mine bitcoins.

How do I invest?

First, you need to open an account with a trading platform and create a wallet; you can find some examples by googling ‘Bitcoin trading platform’; they usually have names involving ‘currency’ or ‘market’. After joining one of these platforms, you click on assets and then crypto to choose your desired coins. There are many indicators on each platform that are quite important and you should make sure that you look at them before investing.

Just buy and hold

While mining is the safest and in some ways the easiest way to earn Bitcoin, it is too busy and the cost of electricity and specialized computer hardware makes it inaccessible to most of us. To avoid all this, make it easy, directly enter the amount you want from your bank and click “buy”, then sit back and watch your investment increase according to the price change. This is called trading and it takes place on many exchange platforms available today, with the ability to trade between many different fiat currencies (USD, AUD, GBP, etc.) and different crypto currencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc.).

bitcoin trading

If you are familiar with stocks, bonds, or currency exchanges, you will easily understand cryptocurrency trading. There are Bitcoin brokers like e-social trading, FXTM markets.com and many others that you can choose from. The platforms provide you with Bitcoin-fiat or Fiat-Bitcoin currency pairs, for example, BTC-USD means exchanging Bitcoins for US dollars. Keep an eye on price changes to find the perfect pair according to price changes; the platforms provide the price among other indicators to give you proper trading advice.

bitcoin as stocks

There are also organizations created to allow you to buy shares in companies that invest in Bitcoin: these companies do the trading back and forth, and you simply invest in them and expect your monthly profits. These companies simply pool digital money from different investors and invest on their behalf.

Why should you invest in Bitcoin?

As you can see, investing in Bitcoin requires you to have some basic knowledge of the currency, as explained above. As with all investments, it involves risk! The question of whether or not to invest is completely up to the individual. However, if I had to give advice, I would recommend investing in Bitcoin for the reason that Bitcoin continues to grow; Although there has been a significant boom and bust period, it is very likely that cryptocurrencies as a whole will continue to rise in value over the next 10 years. Bitcoin is the largest and most well-known of all the current cryptocurrencies, making it a good place to start and the safest bet today. Although volatile in the short term, I suspect you will find Bitcoin trading more profitable than most other businesses.

Business

Essential types of office stationery products and their uses

Apart from elegant and stylish furniture, stationery is another important category that completes an office setting. Although most of these supplies are inexpensive, they are very important to the effective operation of a business. Each business requires specific types of items; however, there are elements that are universal.

Some essential items:

Paper: There are various types of business documents that are used in workplaces for the purpose of printing. A4 size papers are among the most widely used products. It can be purchased in bulk from most online stores at affordable prices. There are different brands of business documents available these days.

Folders and Documents: Folders and documents are quite essential for an organized environment. There are different types of folders available at most online stores. There are fixed files, simple files, etc., which can be purchased from online stores.

Visiting card: Another essential item required in a workplace is a business card. These cards are relatively small in size with company logo, contact information, email ID, name, etc. It is easy for potential customers to search and order products with the use of these cards.

Envelopes: In an office, different types of envelopes are also used to send documents, letters, invoices, etc. Nowadays it is easy to find a wide variety of envelopes listed in many of the online stores at affordable prices. There are stores that also offer bulk products at reduced prices.

Letterheads: It is quite essential to have letterheads for writing official letters. Any business letter should be written on letterhead for a professional appearance. Letterheads include the company name and logo.

Apart from these essential items, there are several other products that are quite relevant to the smooth running of a place of business. Items like staplers and pins, pens, markers, glue stick, and cellophane tape are also necessary in a workplace. Erasers, correction fluid, highlighter, and correction tape are also essential for smooth operation.

Various other small devices are also used in a workplace. Protractors, letter openers, scissors, and compasses are available at many of the online and offline stores at affordable prices.

Apart from these items, some of the most reputed online stores display a wide variety of products such as pencil holders, document holders, calendars, paper diaries, etc. There are several types of pencil holders that may be available at different prices.

Some of the stores also display a variety of notebooks and journals that can also be used as business organizers. It is possible to order these products personalized with the name and logo of the company in many of the online stores.

Business companies can also buy or order custom from online stores at different prices. Bulk purchases can be made at discounted prices from reputable online stores.

Home Kitchen

Why is matte gray so popular?

Advantages of gray

Gray is a common occurrence in modern kitchens. That is, because gray goes well with almost all the colors with which it is combined. In fact, some people think that adding a gray finish is one of the best methods of adding contrast and depth to a kitchen.

Gray is so clever that it gives the designer freedom in all categories, from transitional to modern and even traditional. The fact that there are more than 50 shades of gray (hehe) is what makes this color harmonize so well with others. By choosing the right shade, you can add elements of bright for a cozy vibe or keep it monochromatic for a more modern look.

benefits of mate

One of the benefits of a matte cabinet door is that blemishes, such as fingerprints and scratches, are much less apparent than on cabinets that have a gloss finish. This is not to say that they do not appear at all, they do, but it is much less noticeable.

Also, the color of something with a matte finish will often appear more uniform than a glossy finish. This is due to the fact that light is not reflected as much from a matte finish as it is from a glossy finish. Reflected light can often create the illusion of different shades.

Disadvantages of mate

A cabinet door with a matte finish absorbs light instead of reflecting it. This results in a less vibrant look. You should also take into account the fact that matte cabinet doors don’t reflect light, so they won’t help make your space feel bigger. This means that matte is often chosen for large spaces, while gloss is usually chosen for small spaces.

Matte cabinet fronts are not as easy to clean as their glossy counterparts, however they are not difficult. Just be sure to use a microfiber cloth so you don’t scratch the cabinets.

If you are using a laminate material for your cabinets, be sure to check the samples carefully and that the material has a smooth finish. Some matte finish laminates are textured, which means there are plenty of nooks and crannies for dirt and dust to hide. However, this shouldn’t stop you from buying textured laminates because they can look spectacular in the kitchen. Just keep in mind the pros and cons between them.

Digital Marketing

Profitable YouTube Channel Marketing Strategies to Boost Your Online Marketing Results

Nielson Net Ratings reported in 2008 that YouTube has more than 68 million unique visitors per month and has the sixth-largest visitor audience in the US (ahead of eBay, Amazon, and Wikipedia). More than 2/3 of the US population over the age of 25 have watched a YouTube video and 91% of users have purchased something online. YouTube represents a very powerful marketing channel and network exposure opportunity.

There are ways to tap into this huge audience with a huge ad spend, however I will focus on more profitable “organic” tactics. These require time but not an outright cash outlay. For the purposes of this article, I’ll assume that you’ve already built a branded YouTube channel and are now looking for ways to leverage your channel, expand your reach, and grow your subscriber base. (If you’re new to YouTube and haven’t created your channel yet, the YouTube Help Center is a great place to start.)

The first step in maximizing the effectiveness of your YouTube channel is to take a step back and examine your purpose for marketing on YouTube. Is it traffic, distribution, brand? Once you’ve established a firm purpose, you can begin to put together a specific plan of attack. Your channel design should reflect your purpose and you need to regularly review your design, logo, images and profile information. Make sure your design properly reflects your brand and message. Think of your YouTube channel as an extension of your website; therefore, it should closely resemble the appearance of your website and other business materials.

Include information in your profile that describes the type of content that can be found on your channel and website. Also, be sure to link to your website and include your contact information outside of YouTube. Also, indicate in your profile that you want users to comment, rate, share, add video responses, and subscribe to your channel.

When adding video content to your channel, make sure each video has a clear message and is not obscure or confusing. Keep your content fresh and upload a steady supply of 1-2 new videos per week on the same schedule so your subscribers know when to expect new content. Also, update featured videos frequently. You have the opportunity to feature nine videos on your channel and you can control the order and placement of your featured videos. Also, use the playlist feature as a way to organize your videos. Creating playlists by topic will help users and subscribers find the videos they are looking for, as well as expose them to content they might not otherwise see.

Also, pay attention to the quality of your videos. YouTube has the ability to display videos at a higher quality level. The quality of the uploaded video combined with the bandwidth of individual viewers will determine if the video is displayed at a higher quality. Higher-quality video means sharper, more visual clarity. The difference is especially noticeable in videos that contain text or fast movement and in full screen mode. When uploading a video, make sure your video resolution is 480 x360 or higher and a frame rate of 24 fps (frames per second) or higher.

Every time you upload a new video, pay specific attention to the types of videos that have done well in the past, as well as VSEO (video search engine optimization). Copy the format and theme of videos that have a lot of views, comments, and ratings to try to recreate success. Include specific keywords in the title that people will search for on YouTube as well as external search engines. Also, make sure your description is keyword-rich, specific, and give credit to the participants featured in the video (the same goes for placement). This way, people who don’t know the title of your video can search by the name or location of the participant and your video will appear in the search results. I would also recommend putting your video in the appropriate and relevant category (contrary to the belief that you can manipulate views by putting your video in a different category). If you’re trying to drive YouTube traffic to your website, include the link to your website at the top of your video description so that the link appears directly below your video title.

Another effective tactic you can use when uploading new videos to your channel is to use the video annotation feature. Video annotations are a new way to add interactive comments to your videos. You control what the annotations say, where they appear on the video, and when they appear and disappear. Annotations appear as pop-up word balloons (text boxes) as well as on-screen overlays. You can even link from an annotation to another YouTube video, channel, or search result. Annotations are effective at keeping users engaged by linking them to your other videos and channels so they stay focused on your content.

Once you’ve tweaked your channel design, messaging, organization, video frequency, video SEO, and site links, you’re ready to grow your subscriber base. The key to successful YouTube marketing is a large subscriber base. Subscribers will serve as evangelists for your content and validate your purpose. They increase your view count, rate your videos, comment, favorite, share with your friends, and ultimately increase traffic and exposure to your website/brand. Also, content submitted by a channel with a higher number of subscribers and friends carries more weight when it comes to video ranking and popularity.

YouTube has built its engine in such a way that subscribers have to be earned. To ask someone to subscribe to your channel, you must first invite them to become a friend. Once they’ve accepted your friend invite, you can invite them to subscribe to your channel. The key is to invite as many people as possible to become friends. To find these potential friends, stick to popular channels; these people tend to be the most active on YouTube.

Also, participating in the groups feature is another great way to find friends and increase exposure. Joining groups is an effective way to get in front of people who are interested in certain topics and ideas, which can ultimately lead to more friends and subscribers. It is also very easy to create a new group on YouTube to attract like-minded users. If you create a new group, make sure it’s open and doesn’t require an invite to join.

Now that you’ve added as many friends as possible, you can start using the sharing feature. The sharing feature allows you to notify subscribers and friends every time a new video is uploaded. This sharing functionality is very useful because it allows you to target specific groups (think marketing silos). For example, you can share with subscribers, friends, and people who have received a friend invitation but haven’t yet accepted or subscribed to it.

Another feature that comes in handy once you build your friend base is the newsletter feature. Newsletters are used to broadcast messages, and once published, the messages are sent to all contacts in the channel. Your contact list includes other users on the site that you are linked to through friend invites, as well as the emails of friends with whom you have shared videos. You can also create special contact lists by using a tag to describe the common theme of that list. You can then put specific contacts in different contact lists and send messages to multiple friends at once.

Due to YouTube’s relevance in the online video space, friends and subscribers need to communicate regularly. Whether it’s through a newsletter, sharing new videos, or direct communication, treat these contacts like they’re an important part of your business. Remember to respect their privacy and treat them similar to your subscription email list. Remember that people who subscribe to your channel are interested in your videos, but not in your spam, so be careful.

If you’re using YouTube as a way to drive traffic to your website to increase sales volume, think about the additional steps you might need to implement on your site to convert YouTube visitors into sales. Whether it’s landing pages, a personalized message, pricing, or any other strategy that helps convert visitors into paying customers, it pays to test, test, and test until you get it right.

Below I’ll outline specific tactics you can implement to increase activity within your channel and videos. Being an active participant in the YouTube community will help a lot. Networking can make all the difference in the world when it comes to being relevant or not. I mentioned participating in groups earlier and this definitely falls into the networking category. Here are some additional network tactics worth implementing:

o Search for popular videos that are relevant to your area of ​​expertise and post video responses. Video responses are not used much and there is a good chance that your video response will end up high in the results. The key to remember is that your video can only be used as an answer once.

o You can also post video responses to your own videos.

o Watch other people’s videos and comment on them. Keep your comments short, respectful, and on topic.

o You can also comment on your own videos to start the conversation.

o Mark other user videos as your favourites. This will most likely get their attention and show that you are participating in the YouTube community.

o Participate in the contests that are being carried out on YouTube. This is another great way to make your content and channel stand out.

o Add your most popular YouTube videos to video search engines and video sharing sites.

o Promote your YouTube channel on your other online outlets, such as your blog, Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.

YouTube is a factor to take into account; the most telling statistic is the fact that 10 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. If you implement all or some of the strategies outlined above, you will definitely see an increase in results from your YouTube channel. Like any other organic marketing strategy, it takes time and patience before you see measurable results. Hang in there and know that this is a worthwhile process and one that will pay off in the long run.

Relationship

3 tips for finding unique gifts for unique people

Finding unique gifts to buy for unique people is its own unique challenge. It’s often hard to find a single item that 100% suits your recipient, and it’s even harder when you don’t know them well enough. In these situations, it’s often better to receive more than one gift, increasing the chances that your recipient will really like your gift. This is where gift baskets come in.

Gift baskets typically come in generic combinations. There are baskets that contain sauces and foods suitable for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, while others contain chocolates and Easter eggs. In other words, most baskets are custom made for the season, and while they can make great gift items for most people, they may not be your best choice if you want to make your gift extra special.

Fortunately, there are many ways to create a fully prepared gift basket for a special someone. When you know the things your recipient would like, it will be easier to find a truly unique gift basket. Here are three of the most common ways.

Unique Gift Basket Tip #1: Look for stores that specialize in gift baskets.

There are many stores out there (and sometimes they aren’t even gift basket stores to begin with) that have baskets of their products on their shelves, offering them as gift items. These could be great places to look for gift items. For example, if you’re buying a gift for someone who likes to paint, you might visit a paint and craft store and see if they have any gift packages. A typical “painting” gift basket might contain brushes, paints, towels, books on painting, and other supplies a painter might find useful.

Remember that the best gifts that exist are useful and fun. Finding gifts that your recipient will use long after receiving them, like books and hobby supplies, will be cherished all year long. Your recipient will think of you every time they use their gifts, so giving a proper basket will foster good relationships more effectively than a single gift item.

This tip will work best when you have an idea of ​​what your recipient is interested in. If you know he/she is starting a business, then a collection of start-up business books might be appreciated. If they love chocolate, they might appreciate a basket full of chocolate delights, but if they’re trying to lose weight at the same time, you’ll naturally want to think twice before giving them something they might regret.

Unique Gift Basket Tip #2: Look for companies that can customize your gift basket.

If you know more than just your recipient’s interests and would like to give something even more special, then it might be a good idea to find stores or websites that can put together a gift basket for you. You can probably point out certain gift items you’d like to include in your gift basket, as well as give ideas for what you’d like the gift basket to look like when it finally reaches your recipient.

These stores and websites may submit a quote when you ask them to put together a gift basket. Making a personalized gift basket may cost a little more than buying one of the more generic, ready-made, over-the-counter baskets, but wouldn’t you be willing to shell out a little more money for it? to see the recipient smile a little more when they receive it?

Companies that offer custom sneakers often also offer delivery services. This can be a more cost-effective alternative to traveling to the recipient’s doorstep to deliver the gift, especially if they live out of town. For some of the best gift basket companies, delivery of baskets to locations outside of the country is not a problem.

Unique Gift Basket Tip #3 – Create your own gift basket.

If you want to make your gift basket as special as possible, you can purchase your own supplies and supplies and create your own basket. When you try this, you are free to decide how simple or how unique your gift basket will be. Your recipient will surely appreciate the gesture even more when they realize that he went to great lengths to prepare it yourself.

This tip may be the best option for you when you are preparing something for a loved one, such as a spouse, best friend, or parent. It’s also one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to build, maintain, and improve relationships with the people close to your heart. Plus, it can also be more enjoyable than searching for ideas at every store in your local mall.

If you like crafts, knick-knacks, collages, or are good with your hands, this could also be a great way to have fun while making a loved one happy at the same time.

Remember that any gift (sneakers included) is more appreciated the more attention you pay to it. This is particularly important when you are trying to give gifts as a way to build new relationships. For example, if you plan to build relationships with a customer at the business, you may want to get to know them better before putting together a gift basket. You could unexpectedly send the wrong message.

In such situations, it’s often best to start with one of the more generic baskets out there before sending out a more exclusive one. In a way, sending unique baskets is only reserved for those who already know each other well.

In either case, gift baskets give you a more flexible approach to gift-giving, no matter what time of year it is. All you need to know is what your recipient would appreciate, that way you can create a totally unique gift basket that will keep them thinking of you for a long, long time.

Health Fitness

The importance of using an appetite suppressant in weight loss

The constant feeling of being hungry can actually be seen as the biggest problem facing many people today who are trying to lose weight. This often causes many people to indulge in overeating and frequent snacking on unhealthy foods.

When a person finds themselves constantly struggling with feelings of hunger, either from feeling hungry in general or from following a low-calorie diet, it obviously becomes difficult to keep up with a weight loss exercise program or even regular daily activities. .

Why are people constantly hungry?

Blood sugar levels typically drop when a person’s stomach is empty, causing the hypothalamus (the center of the brain that controls appetite) to kick in.

A drop in blood sugar is somewhat of a stress signal to the brain indicating that the body is running out of energy and needs to refuel – eat. Hunger pangs are usually triggered by serotonin in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby stimulating muscle contraction in the intestinal walls. Upon receiving this signal, the hypothalamus consequently creates the feeling of hunger that forces you to want to eat so as not to starve.

A low level of serotonin is also interpreted as a sign of stress and usually leads to strong cravings for sugar. The body generally craves high-glycemic carbohydrate foods because it views them as its primary source of readily available and quick energy fuel.

It can be said that this is where many people start their journey towards being overweight and eventually obese, as they usually indulge in carbohydrate-rich foods to satisfy their hunger, which increases their serotonin levels, which creates a feeling of better mood.

This soon turns into an irresistible if unhealthy eating habit that, to say the least, is highly counterproductive due to an equally counteracting rise in counterregulatory hormones like insulin. The increased secretion of insulin signals the body to immediately begin the process of converting excess sugar in the bloodstream into fat for storage in adipose tissues (fat cells).

As a result of this, blood sugar levels drop once more and a vicious cycle of overeating can develop. “Sugar crash” is the term generally used to describe this constant rise and fall in blood sugar levels.

Why do you need an appetite suppressant?

The best way to overcome this problem is by using an appetite suppressant because even the most committed dieter can find it quite difficult to overcome this problem with willpower alone. Appetite-suppressing medications help reduce, or simply “suppress” your appetite, allowing you to feel fuller and more satiated for longer.

Appetite-suppressing weight loss drugs are designed to help you in your weight loss efforts and generally work in one of three different ways:

  1. Through stimulation of the part of the brain that creates the feeling of being full or satiated;
  2. Alternatively, they work by blocking the part of the brain that makes you want to eat; and
  3. They can stop the stomach from emptying the food eaten, making you feel fuller.

Normally, when a person finishes eating, the hypothalamus is notified of the increased serotonin level and the person eventually feels satiated with a generally improved mood, however this is not usually the case with many dieters.

It is more common to find people who frequently succumb to binge eating due to irritability and mood swings caused by low serotonin levels which, in most cases, distort their better judgment thus lowering their overall willpower. to resist the temptation to overeat.

Therefore, an appetite suppressant becomes useful by first overcoming the incessant feeling of hunger by making you feel fuller and more satiated and thus overcoming the propensity to overeat.

Therefore, it would seem more reasonable, and indeed highly recommended, for a dieter to supplement their weight loss efforts with an appetite suppressant in order to completely avoid the temptation to overeat and thus achieve best results.

Legal Law

Smart School Choice Strategy: Creating a Personalized School Scorecard to Build Strong Kids

Smart School Choice Creates Strong Kids

Develop a selection scorecard to place your student in the best school to meet their needs

I recently had dinner with my friends Bill and Nancy Palmer and the subject of school choice came up; mainly because at some point they had each of their five children in five different schools. If you think that schedule sounds crazy, then you’ve never met the five extraordinary young adults they raised and successfully launched into the world. It was extremely stressful at times to keep things organized, but they were committed to building strong children and creative enough to always find options to help each child grow in strength and confidence. How they did it? Simple, they chose the educational experiences that best suited each of their children at each stage of life, regardless of convenience.

Parents are often afraid of changing schools, or don’t realize that they have so many options available to guide their children into their strength zone. Let’s first look at what makes a ‘good’ school really ‘good’. Since it’s not really one thing, it’s a combination of many factors that, when combined, can create a learning environment that can bring out the best in your child. These are some of the most common items to consider when beginning the school selection process to bring out the best in your son or daughter.

-Key factors of a ‘good’ school:

Strong Parental Involvement As the old saying goes, a school is only as strong as the level of parental support it receives. Clear community support, especially from elected officials. Focused school leaders, especially in administrative roles. Well-structured academic programs to cover different learning styles. Committed and supportive teachers focused on the needs of their students. A safe and secure learning experience. Budgets that allow extracurricular activities to positively impact multiple areas of development, such as the arts, music, journalism, ROTC, languages, and sports. Guidance departments focused on a personalized plan to help students get “thinking outside the box.” Smart classrooms with access to current and latest-generation computer and Internet technology. A learning experience that honors your family’s faith and values, rather than attacking or shaming your child for holding on to a strong belief system.

Of course, any parent would want the best for their children, but in my experience, the word “best” actually floats in many variables throughout the different stages of childhood. So since ‘better’ isn’t really a single school campus, this opens the door to exploring many experiences that often accelerate the learning environment for children living at home.

This can only happen when you begin to see that the main objective is to find out what needs your child is facing and then select the school option that can guide him or her to a position of greater strength. This just goes along with what may have worked for your child last year. Remember, a child’s maturity changes from year to year, and for many children this means that their academic choices should change with it.

– Chart to solve the confusion of discovering the best schools.

Start making smart school choices to help your child be their best by creating a chart to literally ‘score’ the school options available to your child on a notepad, located at the top of the page . You should include as many options as you can think of to make a complete analysis of what is available to your child.

Even if you think you only have one option, really sit down and consider the school options available to your child in the upcoming school year. This way, you’ll be able to track the metrics to see a visual number at the bottom of the page to see how each school option contributes to best meeting the needs of your son or daughter at any stage of their educational development.

Here’s a sample of how to structure at the top of the page, except it’s more personal and more powerful if you actually put the name of each of the schools you’re considering in that particular column (for example, list the options you facing your child). such as: Orange County High, Mountain Prep, Holy Family, The Community School, Math Magnet Prep, Military Leadership Academy, or a virtual online school)

SmartSchool Options:

Public- College Prep- Christian- Home School- Charter- Boarding School- Private- Magnet- Military- Online or Virtual School, etc.

Once you’ve created a list on the page of all the options available to meet your child’s needs, then it’s time to add the list of variables (preferably in order of importance to you to meet your child’s unique needs). ), to rank or score each school option based on your own personal standard of what is most valuable to bringing out the best in your son or daughter. Create this list in the left margin of your notepad and include factors such as the following.

Smart School Features includes a combination of important factors such as:

Safety, Academic, Great Teachers, Strong Leaders, Parents Involved, PTA-PTF Groups, Location, Transportation, Cost or Tuition, Friends/Peers, Fits Child’s Personality, Fits Career Goals, Fits Goals Academics, School Size, Well-equipped Classrooms, Class to Teacher Size Ratio, Well-maintained Campus, Clean School Facilities, Hot Lunches and Cafeteria, Wide Variety of Sports, After-School Activities, Tutoring – Academic Help, Music , Choir, Band, Fine Arts and Drama, Bible, Worldview or Faith Building Classes, After School Activities or Child Care, Clubs, FCA, DECA, OJT, etc. for Social Connection, School Life – Social Events and Proms, Travel – Unique Learning Experiences, SAT or ACT Prep Classes, Strong Guidance Department, Tuition Assistance Programs, Partnerships with Community Groups (Boys & Girls Clubs, Scouting, etc.), Partnerships with business groups to develop early career success (such as Junior Achievement, career training)

TOTALS of all your Core Values ​​comparisons measured against each school choice: A higher score reveals a stronger school choice to meet your child’s needs.

Once you’ve developed as many categories as fit your child’s unique needs, then it’s time to go back and rate each school at the top of the page against your specific priorities listed along the left column on a numerical scale. out of 10, (best) to 5 (average) and then to 1 (terrible).

Be honest and don’t play favorites as you truly consider the needs of the students in your family as this process works from selecting a preschool through college. Please leave blank any areas you are unaware of, however, as this will greatly lower the score for that particular school, it indicates that you need to do more research to create a fair analysis of some of the schools you may have selected for your child.

Another technique you can use is to do a detailed web search on each school, however I recommend that you take your child with you to see the new schools with you in person. Walk around campus, talk to teachers or other students, or if possible, visit the school when it’s in session and ‘shadow’ a host student throughout the day to see what school culture is really like firsthand.

This school choice process can be repeated each year as needed based on the needs of your son or daughter. Add your child’s maturity level to complete the best-of selection process by identifying where you think your child is at during this stage of their academic career.

Child (up to 13 years old) – Dependent and Irresponsible

Adolescent (13-19) – Development, Maturation and Growth

Young Adult (20-25) – Independent and Responsible

It is wise to consider your child’s level of maturity as some school settings will require a higher level of responsibility or independent decision making. Once you’ve identified the maturity level, simply consider the scores from your school choice table to narrow your search and find the best school. Remember, the higher the score, the more likely you are to help your student achieve their best during this or any school year.

Strong students can often build strong lives, so the time you take now to guide your children in the best direction (even if it means making the sacrifice of carpooling with different children in different directions for several years) It will lead to a solid life. and confident young adults for life, and that’s a great exchange.

By Dwight Bain, Nationally Certified Counselor and Certified Life Coach

Lifestyle Fashion

Relationship Advice: How To Handle Love With A Narcissistic Person

I’m sure you think the ‘love is blind’ cliché is overrated, but neuroscience, this wunderkind of science, reveals with almost cruel satisfaction that some areas of our brains shut down when love hits us, blinding the ration of intelligent decisions that we must make.

The brain scans of people who were madly in love are very similar to the brain scans of people who used cocaine. There you have it: love is more or less a drug itself. In a way, we are all drug dealers: the drug of choice is love and other emotional enhancers.

Love could be a wonderful event if sometimes we don’t fall in love with the wrong person. If that person is a narcissist, his burden will reach heights worthy of better causes. Either way, you need to learn how to deal with this situation.

According to the American Psychological Association, people with narcissistic personality disorder display a chronic and pervasive pattern of grandiosity, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy.

Narcissists have a grandiose sense of self-importance, as if they have a special mission on this earth, and often have a “king style” type of personality, while everyone else must behave as humble servants of their desires.

They always exaggerate their achievements and talents doing their best to gain everyone’s attention and recognition. Most of the time they are arrogant and self-absorbed to fulfill their special destiny.

The narcissist will indulge in fantasies of tremendous power, success, or beauty, being addicted to the attention and admiration that others manifest. You will find a lot of snobbery among them who do not deny it but take pride in it.

They see themselves as one-of-a-kind masterpieces: God himself earned his Ph.D. when creating them. Complicated rather than complex personalities, they will find it difficult to empathize with other people.

They can’t really get out of the perimeter of their own personality, without understanding how other people don’t think the same way as they do. That is why many times you can have the feeling that you are talking to a wall because no matter how deeply you explain your point of view, the most likely thing is that a narcissist does not understand it. A brick and iron wall.

They cannot maintain relationships for too long, most of the time because the people around them give up giving explanations over and over again. The narcissist transforms his partners into beggars: you will beg for understanding and unconditional attention and most of the time you will only celebrate the leftovers of the feast that the narcissist gave himself.

You will find many successful individuals with this syndrome, because narcissism will drive them to achieve success and accumulate power to feed their self-admiration. Many achievers have a healthy dose of narcissism, or self-confidence, but healthy narcissism or selfishness will not ask the world to reflect their inflated self-image and ego.

A relationship with a narcissistic personality will require a lot of energy and work, because they constantly need external support and approval. Once these needs are met, they feel powerful, but many times this need will be very difficult to satisfy. They are left feeling vulnerable and alone, this is how they will explain their “cheating” behavior.

The genesis of this personality disorder dates back to childhood. Most of the time they will be the only child in a family, but even then they have been ignored or the parents had high expectations of perfection from the child.

The child will proudly begin this quest to win the appreciation of his parents, leaving him with an inability to understand other people’s needs, as his needs were not understood as a child.

How to detect a narcissist?

1. Beware of people who advertise too much. They will always want to be in the spotlight. Constantly seeking approval and admiration, they will take over “the stage” and monopolize discussion and action. They want to be the star in everyone’s movie.

2. Lack of empathy towards the needs of other people. They cannot pay attention to other people because they are in constant need of that attention. They are all slaves and subject to fulfilling their demands. Narcissists want all the love, all the attention, all the possessions for themselves – they will be jealous of other people’s achievements and find it difficult to acknowledge their success.

3. They cannot accept criticism: it appeals to their childhood memories and they will reject it with all their might. If you do the leze-majesty to criticize them, in addition to the fact that they will deny it, they will feel hurt and unloved. They will never accept responsibility for any wrongdoing and will be on a constant search to find people to blame for their mistakes.

4. Many will be workaholics: Driven by a great desire for achievement, they will put all their efforts into achieving massive success.

It takes time to identify all these character goodies, as many are camouflaged as attractive and successful people who will always be fascinating and attractive. They can be interesting personalities but very difficult to handle, almost impossible.

The bad news is that they cannot be changed. Read again: the narcissist cannot be changed! Since they reject any form of criticism, even constructive one, they cannot comprehend any wrong and give themselves up to their self-proclaimed image of perfection. Many of them will have secret thoughts of being like gods and will literally be blind to any mistake they make.

It is not advisable to give in to all their demands, you will only reinforce their grandiose needs and they will have the feeling that it is normal for all their wishes to be fulfilled without giving much in return.

How to deal with narcissistic couples?

Since they cannot be changed, you need to reassess your long-term needs and goals for a relationship; It can be interesting for a while to be around these types of people, but in the long run it becomes exhausting and anger and resentment will overshadow any feelings. of love and tenderness.

1. Do not give in to their incessant demands, maintain your independence from these types of people – if you are in any way dependent on them, they will blackmail you into giving in to their wishes.

2. Don’t be angered by their lack of empathy or understanding, they are not capable of it. Showing them their inability will do nothing, they will blame you for everything that doesn’t work.

3. Finally, decide when enough is enough. A relationship with a narcissist can take you to places you don’t want to be, it can cause you to behave in ways you don’t recognize. It can undermine your self-esteem and rob you of the attention you need to try to meet all your needs.

Many artistic personalities will be narcissistic and self-absorbed, self-centered. The fascination for them will make many of you fall in love with them, since their love will be the same as their personality: irrational, instinctive, possessive and overwhelming. Which will sometimes unlock that crazy, passionate behavior within you: fun for a while, but it will wear you down and leave you with nothing in the end.

Narcissists will become attached to those who meet their needs but will never treat them as partners but as followers. They have a need to constantly lead and be in control; they do not need equals but disciples or complacent. The worst that can happen is when a narcissist meets someone with low self-esteem: he will be the perfect victim and toy for them.

Stand up for yourself, do not give up your needs and do not believe all their explanations: their constant need for admiration and approval will make them flirt with many of the opposite sex and not infrequently even deceive to reaffirm their power of seduction.

Although they have a certain charisma and aura, the outrageous feeling of self-confidence is probably their most magnetic gift, they come with a lot of work. Enjoy while you feel like there is more to keep you together than to keep you apart, but know when to walk away as there is currently no treatment available other than brain surgery. I guess not, since they are considered so perfect.

Let them create if they are artists or achieve the success they desire, while you go ahead and meet your emotional and human needs. Love stories can be beautiful without drama and without self-proclaimed kings and gods around you.