There are two stressful things about moving, and the biggest one is the cost of moving. So it’s no wonder that somebody about to move to Dallas from Phoenix would want to save money in every possible way. Unfortunately, you can’t just throw everything you own into your trunk and hit the road. You need the help of a moving company.

Here is where many people make the mistake of assuming that you can save money by ‘doing it yourself’ and just renting a moving truck. Surprisingly, the cost of renting a moving truck can cost far more than using a full service moving company.

If you compare rates between a moving truck rental company and a full service moving company, it may appear at first glance that the DIY option is cheaper. Yet if you dig a little deeper into the comparison, using a calculator, you will find that the numbers add up in favor of a full service moving company.

When you rent a truck, the base rate is the fee charged for the truck size that you need. If you are moving a very small load (often referred to as a studio apartment) you can definitely save money by renting a trailer that you can tow behind your vehicle.

However, anything larger (including a ‘one bedroom apartment’ size load) requires the use of a bigger truck. The base rate increases on the size of the truck that you need, but here is where you can be fooled into thinking that moving truck rental is cheaper. The numbers appear cheaper.

In reality, the base rate for the truck you are renting is usually per day. So expect that ‘affordable sounding rate’ to triple, at a minimum.

Considering loading the truck, unloading the truck, and the 15 hour drive… you are looking at a minimum of 4 days for a move from Dallas to Phoenix. So multiply that rate by 4, and expect to bust your butt to achieve that rate. But wait, there’s more!

Moving truck rental companies will also charge you mileage. While this may also sound affordable, the mileage from Dallas to Phoenix can add up to over a hundred dollars, at only 10 cents a mile.

One last number to add to that rate is fuel… because you will be paying out of your own pocket for gas. Consider the mileage from Dallas to Phoenix again, and of course the rising prices of gas. (Those rented moving trucks really don’t have the best gas mileage either, so consider that fuel estimate to be a very rough estimate!)

Now that you have estimated what it will cost to rent a moving truck, and how exhausting it will be to do it yourself, compare this to the services that a full service moving company will do for you. Packing (the second most stressful thing about moving) can be handled in less than half the time it would take you to do it yourself, if you let a professional packing team handle your dirty work.

Within hours, your possessions can be packed and loaded into the moving vessel. In this way, you will be saving both time and money!

Another option that a full service company offers is insurance over your shipment. While you may view this as ‘extra spending’, consider the loss in case anything were to happen. The insurance offered by a full service moving company will cover that ‘just in case scenario’, where as if you simply rent a moving truck you are risking the liability for both your shipment and the truck itself.

All in all, a full service moving company saves you far more than time and energy. With a full service moving company, the fuel is included in your rate and there are further services available, such as storage units (in case your new Phoenix home isn’t ready when your shipment arrives.)

Choosing a full service moving company will save you money!

International Moving 

Flooded vehicles being sold without telling the consumer that they have been flooded is a bit more common than you might think.  Unfortunately, most of us who go to purchase a used car do not think to ask about this or even check for signs of water damage before we sign the final sale papers.  There are a few things that you can do to check and make sure if a vehicle has been flooded before. 

Check the upholstery.  If it does not appear to match the rest of the vehicle, such as the dashboard and other interior parts of the car, it may have been taken up and replaced due to water damage.  If you think it has been replaced, do not hesitate to ask if it has and why the replacement was necessary.  If it was due to the vehicle being submerged in water, then this is a vehicle that you probably do not want.  You could have a full inspection done by a mechanic that you trust, however, if this is the exact make and model that you want.

Check the trunk and inside the dashboard for signs of rust.  Checking around the taillights in the trunk is especially advised, because this is a typical spot where rust will build up if the car has been submerged. 

The engine also needs to be checked.  If the car was driven into a lake or a river, then the possibility that silt, sand, or mud has gotten into the engine is pretty large.  These items can completely ruin an engine beyond repair, even though they may run for a short period of time.

If mold has started to grow in the interior carpet or upholstery, then the vehicle will have a fairly musty smell to it.  If you stick your head inside the car and smell air freshener, however, you might want to be careful from that point forward.  Air freshener is sometimes used to cover up undesired smells and give you the impression that the car is in better condition than it really is.

Wpb Water Damage Restoration

Clean up as much of the spilled water as you can.  If you have carpet, soak up all the water on the surface that you can and after that, pull up the carpet so you can get underneath it.  Drying the carpet as thoroughly as possible is the most important thing.  Mold and mildew grows in carpet and once it starts to grow, there is not a whole lot that you can do to remove it.  Carpet is a bad thing to have inside a bathroom and most people know that.  If you do have carpet there, remove it and install tile or laminate that is caulked around thoroughly. 

You need to have a vent installed in the bathroom, preferably above the bathtub or the shower stall.  This will allow the steam and heat to escape the bathroom, go through the attic, and outside into the atmosphere.  Letting the steam stay locked up in the bathroom with the door closed while you are bathing or showering is a bad idea because the ceiling and walls soak up the moisture and then dry that way.  This is another cause of mold growth.

Keep a check on the plumbing that goes to your dishwasher and to the washer in your laundry room.  Either of these household appliances can malfunction and leave your kitchen or laundry room floor flooded and if it happens while you are not at home, you will have lost quite a lot of time that could have been used cleaning it up before your floor has a chance to absorb it. 

Any plumbing underneath the bathroom and kitchen sinks should also be examined for leaks on a regular basis, around once a month just to be safe.  A leak can spring up overnight, so it is important to catch these as soon as you can to prevent any damage from occurring. 

A leaking roof is also another regular cause of water damage and the signs of it are well known, especially when the water seeps through the sheetrock and stains the ceiling.

Fire Damage Restoration

Even though mold has been around for thousands of years and will continue to be for thousands more, the amount of mold claims that have been submitted to insurance companies have increased significantly.  Insurers are beginning to insert some language into their policies that is very specific as to what is covered and what is not.  Some companies may soon decide to offer to cover damages caused by mold and will raise the price of the policy and others may choose to continue to completely exclude mold from the homeowner’s insurance policy.  In order to guard against the failings of your homeowner’s insurance, removing mold and preventing it from returning is essential if you wish to retain the value of your home and your health.

Anyone who owns or rents property should be aware that mold should be cleaned up as soon as it is discovered and that mold cannot grow without a decent access to moisture.  Repairing water damage, the cause of excess humidity, and other leaks should be done immediately in order to minimize the amount of mold that will grow in that area of the property.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that people take measures to safeguard not only their properties, but also their health by making swift work of the mold growing where they live and/or work and taking appropriate measures to make sure it does not return. 

Your home should not be completely air tight and a home that is cannot breathe.  Homes that air cannot flow freely through are breeding grounds for mold because the air is allowed to become stagnant.  You should have vents installed in the bathrooms, laundry room, and kitchen in your home.

Wood and other cellulose-based debris should not be placed in any crawl spaces or against the side of the home because mold eats these and any other organic-based material.  

Carpet shouldn’t be installed anywhere in the home where moisture should be a problem such as the bathroom where toilets or bath tubs can overflow or in the laundry room where the washer could leak out into the floor. 

Commercial Flood Cleanup

How Embroidered Polos Can Make a Customer for Life

Name Association: The first time many consumers hear of a company, they think of the name of the company and/or the salesman/account manager they deal with. This is the first step in building a relationship with the client.

In the beginning stages, the corporate apparel of many companies may not even have a logo; just the company name and the name of the customer service representative. And this is fine. But, when companies expand, one of the first things they should do is create a company logo. In fact, this is a hallmark of large companies.

Brand Association: A company truly knows that it has moved beyond a mom and pop shop when its corporate shirts, for example, are embroidered polos with the company logo. What’s the significance of a logo? A logo represents many things on many levels to a company – its product, its target market, its values, etc. This is why many companies spend thousands getting it designed and thousands more protecting it via copyright.

Can you think of McDonald’s without thinking of the “M” arch? Or, Starbucks without the sea nymph in the green and white circle? No, of course not. All of their company clothing has this logo. And, this is where the second level of branding comes in – choosing the right logo. All major companies have logos, and when you see them on embroidered polos, custom company shirts and/or any company clothing, you know you’ve arrived.

3 Ways Custom Embroidery on Company Shirts Can Increase Customer Spending

Security: Embroidered logo shirts inspire confidence in your customers by literally dissolving the fear of interacting with strangers. One of the most touted pieces of safety advice touted by experts is look for company uniforms, name badges, etc., when you are approached by workers at your home.

There are literally thousands of small businesses who fit this profile. Lawn care service providers, painters, movers, gardeners, roofers, etc. can all benefit from embroidered logo shirts. As these types of businesses tend to be micro businesses who can really grow, embroidered logo shirts and company apparel can be an an inexpensive first step in the growth process.

We’re Professional: The best way to make your business stand out among the crowd is a uniform, professional presence. Custom embroidered company shirts can provide this easily. Your company will beat out the competition easily as your embroidered shirt will make it easier for customers to remember you.

While many very small, micro business operate without so much as a business card, you’ll can be a two or three steps ahead, branding your business and priming it for growth. Many small business experts advise small business to figure out what the big boys are doing, and copy them. There’s no need to re-invent the wheel. To be big, act big, and you’ll grow big that much sooner.

We’re Organized: Why do business men and women wear suits? A major part of the reason is the perception is everything. If you present a pulled together, professional appearance, you are thought of as an expert, someone who knows their stuff, someone who’s organized. And, who doesn’t want to do business with someone like that? Custom embroidered company shirts are much more than attire, they are your business image.

Embroidered Logo shirts can help you grow your bottom line effortlessly. Customer loyalty is built via branding. Meaning, customers buy - and continue to buy from - companies they’ve come to know and trust.

Get Your Candidate’s Message Out with Political Yard Signs

While the reputation of political yard signs may be low on the totem pole compared to other forms of political campaign marketing, they are a time-honored grassroots political marketing tool. Local and national, and large and small campaigns alike benefit from them. Inherent in any type of marketing or advertising is the design of the message.

Given how effective Campaign yard signs can be, the design of them is extremely important. They can literally sway a “Nay,” vote to a “Yay” vote, and vice versa. Design speaks to the image of a candidate and his or her message. It allows a candidate’s message hit a nerve. But, it must first get through. When you consider that the American public is assailed by thousands of marketing messages every day, yours has to be something special to get through. How do you make that happen?

2 Tips for Designing a “Vote-Getting” Political Yard Sign

They have to see it to believe it: Many are so eager to get their candidates message across that they try to crowd everything onto one sign. This has the opposite effect, as most passersby won’t have the time, or inclination to take in the whole message. So, make your campaign lawn sign readable. This is best achieved by stick with a simple, powerful message.

Decide on Its Purpose: Campaign yard signs generally serve one of three purposes: to garner votes for a particular candidate, to encourage voters not to vote for a candidate or to heighten the awareness of a candidate. Decide which purpose you want before you set out to design your Campaign yard signs.

Do you need Political Yard Signs, then look no further then PrecisionSignz.com? We have the widest selection of Yard Signs on the Net at very affordable prices. Put in your order today and cheer your favorite political candidate to victory!

ProVia Door is committed to making doors the professional way. Our entry doors are energy efficient, built to the highest quality standards and give you a superior alternative to consumer-grade doors that are sold through home improvement retailers.

All ProVia entry doors qualify for the ENERGY STAR® program. ENERGY STAR was created by the U.S. EPA and Department of Energy to help consumers identify products that save energy and money and protect the environment. ProVia is proud that each door it produces is an ENERGY STAR door.

Installing these energy efficient doors will save you money on heating and cooling costs, improve interior comfort and increase the value of your home. To learn more about our ENERGY STAR doors, visit our fiberglass and steel door product page.

ProVia’s professional class doors are made from the highest quality materials, starting with 20-gauge galvannealed steel that gives you 49% more steel than a consumer-grade door. This exceptional durability is endorsed as “the door preferred by America’s top remodelers” and is backed by a lifetime limited transferable warranty.

State-of-the-art methods of customization make it possible for you to create entry doors that are made to order for your home. Visit our design center and choose the size, color, glass and hardware of your choice for an end result that will set your home apart for years to come.

To see these Door Replacement Maryland and more visit Medallian Security online

It is not hard to understand why home buyers are looking at the Jacksonville Real Estate market. The climate, recreation, and job growth in North East Florida is flourishing. Homes for sale in Jacksonville are very popular with home buyers from all around the country. Although it seems it has been awhile since the Super Bowl was in Jacksonville, the city has not stopped growing and building new homes. All of these factors continue to draw people and businesses to relocate to Jacksonville, making for a solid real estate market.

The abundance of land on the Southside of Jacksonville and on the Westside of Jacksonville has led many developers to create some very wanted new neighborhoods. Along the J. Turner Butler corridor toward the beaches on the Southside, there is a large selection of new homes for sale. The more popular neighborhoods on the Southside include Jacksonville Golf and Country Club, Deercreek Country Club, Deerwood Country Club, Hampton Glen, East Hampton, Hampton Park, Reedy Branch, Old Mill Branch, Pablo Bay, The Woods, and Timberlin Park just to name a few.

On the Westside, Jacksonville’s southern roots sometimes become a little more apparent. The development of the Westside of Jacksonville, took off when the Cecil Airfield Base closed. Oakleaf Plantation is a DRI (development of regional impact) that has had tremendous sales. Two other very popular areas that buyers tend to look at are Argyle Forest and Eagle Landing.

Jacksonville also has some historical neighborhoods as if San Marco, Avondale, Riverside, Springfield, and Ortega are undergoing revitalization. Many of the older homes in these neighborhoods feature distinctive architecture and style. Government incentives and renewed interest of these homes in these neighborhoods are allowing them to be restored to their original splendor.

It is often a struggle for parents to find a home in a neighborhood with quality schools and not having to settle for less of a home. This is the time you would want to seek out a Jacksonville real estate agent. These very important factors of schools and local businesses make living in Jacksonville very desirable.

The negotiation process we recommend at ITS is easy to use. Based on our thousands of negotiations, it was carefully developed to be easy to use. It is based on common sense and the art of soft selling, so that you get what you want without offending the employer in any way.

There are five key areas you want to consider:

(1)   The initial offer, can you get it increased by 10% to 30%;

(2)   The responsibilities, can you expand them to a larger job that would pay more;

(3)   A signing bonus, which can be 10% to 30% of the salary in some cases;

(4)   The benefits, is the company willing to extend;

(5)   Stock options, whether they are available, and under what terms.

ITS gives job hunter’s guidance in each of those areas. There is also a lot of information on salary surveys to give you current information on which to base negotiations, and a cost-of-living comparison of various areas for those who are relocating. Senior level job seekers will be especially interested in the discussion of the various types of stock options and grants, exit strategies and severance agreements, and a dozen or so other benefits that can be a significant part of the total compensation package.

ITS offers Personal Marketing Services that goes far beyond Outplacement Career counseling. ITS uses its own unique technology to give job seekers access to as much as 85% of the advertised openings, including those from newspapers, recruiter openings, job boards, employer sites, and trade magazines. It also provides access to the unadvertised job market among employers, recruiters and growth companies.

For additional information: pr@changingcareers.com or contact Tom Mortenson at 800-320-1277.

Article By: ITS