In today's world, a lot of people are working full time and working side jobs to make ends meet. I think to myself if I am going to get a side gig, what will I do? I decided to sell Tastefully Simple and Pure Romance. Both companies are name brand, and both have a large audience and have great products I use. For Tastefully Simple, I love using the spices, sauces and mix kits to liven up my meals and bake cookies and cakes for special occasions or holidays. 

As for Pure Romance, what I love about their products is that it brings together women from all different backgrounds and age groups. It's about having fun, being open to discuss women's health issues and great products to use. I love using the lotions and skin care and body mists. My skin is extra soft, and I am always smelling great.  

If you see this post and want to order products feel free to shoot me a message and I will respond within one business day. Plus having a side business is fun and brings in extra cash for things like vacations, extra savings for emergencies or just fun money to have on hand when you feel like splurging. 

Buying a home and selling one at the same time and moving is not an easy thing to do. And planning to move across country is an adventure. Make sure you do your research before selling and buying. My advice for selling your home is to find an experienced real estate agent and discuss what you can sell your home for and if you should make any home improvements before selling. When moving across country to another state, find a realtor from the area you choose to relocate to and visit the area and look at a few houses, pre plan a vacation for a week if possible. And make sure you research moving companies, making sure to check out reviews, seeing if they are mdot certified and ask if they are a direct moving company or a third party (meaning they work with the near by movers and help facilitate your furniture being picked up and delivered.) I had to wait three weeks for the movers to deliver my  belongings. 
Always be prepared to wait a while and stock up on paper plates, plastic cups and air mattress to sleep on until you get your stuff. Try to keep the sale of your home close to your closing date for buying your home, in my case I did this because the people who bought my home gave me thirty days rent free to move out. 
If you can, try to find help if you can and rent a UHAUL to pack your stuff into, saves so much money and you have your items with you and do not have to wait to unpack. It can be stressful to move and relocate but if you can pre plan in advance, it will take so much stress off of your move. 

Major updates....I have recently moved and relocated to Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. I will still continue to keep my current clients from MI websites up to date. Looking forward to meeting new people down here and hopefully expand my services down in my new area. 

Who doesn't love a good book to read on a lazy day? I wanted to share a part of my hobby and it is writing books. To date, I have written three books. All of them can be found on Amazon and Kindle.  Below is the link to my books, all of them are short stories based on true events.

One thing that I have learned the past year is about crystals and their healing properties, but did you know you have crystals that match your zodiac sign?   Each zodiac sign has a certain set of stones for your birth month. Each stone can enhance and bring good fortune and happiness and healing into your life. Below is a list of information for each zodiac sign and which crystals/stones pair with your zodiac sign:


Zodiac Sign Dates Associated Stone or Crystal:

Aries Mar. 21 – April 21 Bloodstone, Diamond

Taurus April 21 – May 21 Sapphire, Amber, Emerald, Azurite

Gemini May 22 – June 21 Agate, Chrysoprase, Citrine, Moonstone, Pearl

Cancer June 22 – July 22 Emerald, Moonstone, Ruby, Pearl

Leo July 23 – Aug 23 Onyx, Carnelian, Sardonyx, Tourmaline

Virgo Aug 24 – Sept 22 Carnelian, Jade, Jasper, Sapphire

Libra Sept 23 – Oct 23 Peridot, Lapis Lazuli, Opal

Scorpio Oct 24 – Nov 22 Beryl, Apache Tear, Aquamarine, Topaz

Saggitarious Nov 23 – Dec 21 Topaz, Amethyst, Ruby, Sapphire, Turquoise
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Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 20 R uby, Agate, Garnet, Black Onyx

Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 18 Garnet, Amethyst, Moss Agate, Opal
​
Pisces Feb 19 – Mar 20 Amethyst, Aquamarine, Rock Crystal

If you have questions about certain crystals and their properties and what they do feel free to message me and I can provide more information.

​I am now expanding my business into the food industry. I am a huge fan of Tastefully Simple products. From the seasonings, to the different sauces and baking items available, it has made cooking more fun and taste great. If interested in wanting to order from me, I will be hosting an online party soon, demonstrating some of the tasty products you can try out. 

You can place an order on my personal website:
https://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/nvanhaaren1

One of the major bills that has to be budgeted weekly is the cost of a tank of gas. Depending on where you go to fill up for gas, different gas stations have their own pricing. There are several ways to save money on filling up your gas tank and keeping money in your pocket. The first step to saving on money for gas, is to find out which gas station has the best price for gas. I use an app called Gas Buddy. You can use this app to find out the competitive pricing of gas at different gas stations. 
The second way I also  save on gas is by using a discount rewards program through my local gas station. I fill up a lot at my local Marathon gas station, simply because it is close to my home. I will link the rewards program on here. 

MakeItCount Marathon Gas Rewards Program-
www.makeitcount.com

Gas Buddy-www.gasbuddy.com


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.Post Traumatic Stress disorder is defined as "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that develops in response to experiencing or witnessing an extremely violent tevent involving the threat of death or extreme bodily harm, such as a ssexual , physical violence, and military combat. It can occur in the wake of a car crash, fire, earthquake, or other natural disaster; or any sudden, disruptive event.PTSD is characterized by vivid, intrusive memories of the precipitating event, hypervigilance and reactivity to possible threats, nightmares, and mood disturbances," (Psychology Today, 2020). 

Too often ,many people who suffer from PTSD feel like they are misunderstood and have no one to talk to. Its like a battle going on inside your head and when you try to express to someone what is going on, they try their best to show empathy, but sometimes that person does not truly understand how it feels or can offer the right help to cope with the situation. And most other times people tell you to get over it and stop thinking about it and you will be fine. 

Someone by the name of Ryan Willard is spreading awarness on PTSD. If you go and visit:
https://www.tiktok.com/@immadiehappy304

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Image via Pexels

3 of the Most Essential Characteristics of a Small Business Website


When it comes to running a small business, few things are more important than maintaining a high-quality website. Whether your business is an e-commerce store, a brick-and-mortar establishment, or both, your website serves as your online headquarters. Not only will all of your marketing content lead consumers to your website, but more and more people are using the web to find local businesses and order products and services. For these reasons, among many others, investing in professional web design from an agency like VanHaaren Designs can benefit your business much more than throwing together a free template site.


If you don’t have the cash on hand to create a new website or upgrade your current one, you may need to research your funding options. From government assistance like SBA express bridge loans and the Main Street Business Lending Program to non-government loans and grants, there are likely some options out there that can provide you with the funds necessary.


Now, let’s discuss three characteristics that every effective small business website possesses, along with some secrets as to how you can accomplish them.

Looks



The way your website looks is the first characteristic that visitors will notice. If your site looks unprofessional, it will turn people away and harm your conversion rate. Choose one or two (no more than that) easy-to-read fonts, and separate your written content with headers and subheaders.


Also, be sure not to clutter your web pages with content. There should be plenty of white space on each page, meaning there are gaps between the page’s individual content and elements. And rather than using stock photos, which countless other companies will be using, hire a professional photographer to take top-notch photos for your site. This will help bring quality to your site while also making it unique.


Ease of Use


Simplicity is critical for web design. When someone visits your site, they need to know exactly how to get where they need to go or do what they need to do. For instance, they shouldn’t have to look for longer than a few seconds to find your blog, product page, or contact page. In fact, you might consider treating every page as a landing page, meaning that you include essential contact information and calls-to-action (CTAs) somewhere visible on the page.


Another thing to consider is that many small businesses hide their navigation links behind a single burger icon, usually in one of the top corners. However, this strategy isn’t ideal if you run a product-heavy business, such as an e-commerce store.


Content


If you look at most of the best-designed websites, you’ll notice that they have a blog where regular written content is posted. Keeping a blog page with quality content benefits your business in a number of ways, including:


It provides your customers with pertinent information and advice on various industry-related topics.
It keeps your customers informed of news concerning your company.
You can share your blog posts on social media pages, which will lead to more traffic on your website.
It will improve your company’s SEO results.


It’s worth mentioning that videos are another type of content that can benefit your business. As with photography, hire a professional videographer to make promotional, how-to, company culture, and customer testimonial videos for your website.


If you are starting or running a small business, creating a stellar website must be a priority. Making your site visually appealing and simple to use, as well as providing helpful and unique content, will result in exceptional user experience. Of course, there are other factors involved in
great web design, so keep learning about how you can take your site to the next level.


Article written by Lindsey Weiss
Outbounding.com
[email protected]