How The Student Loan Bubble Affects The Economy

Surpassing the market value of media giants Microsoft and Facebook combined, the national student loan debt ceiling is coming up on crisis levels. The United States is no stranger to financial disasters; the Great Depression still within living memory, the mistakes of the past are perhaps going unheeded as we approach yet another potential crisis.

Reaching $1.4 trillion, millions of Americans from recent grads to Gen X continue to struggle to make monthly payments. To make it worse, there’s only a lifetime ahead for this to go on.

What’s The Problem With All This Debt?

College graduates leave their hallowed halls of learning with more than just a degree to show for it. On average, recent college grads are in the hole for nearly $30,000 and just ten years to pay it all back.

Monthly payments come out to around $400 a month, not a small amount for fresh-out-of-college graduates. The burden of an extra, hefty bill every month doesn’t just put pressure on an individual’s bank account, it also has huge ramifications for the economy at large. This is especially true since many Americans struggle to make payments.

Millennials are spending less and less on discretionary purchases every year. Average daily spending by 18 to 34-year-olds is down by $19 since 2008. By the time they reach age 30, millennials are less likely to start their own business. 42% are citing that they do not have the financial means to enter entrepreneurship.

It takes a recent college grad, on average, 12 years to save enough for a down payment on a home. Over 80% of people aged 22-35 that have not yet purchased a home blame their student loan debt. On the other hand, 47% of Americans are putting off buying a car. One in seven American couples are waiting to get married as a result of financial roadblocks

From A Drag On The Economy To The Next Bubble

So, how are we going to manage this bubble that’s about to burst?

For those living and struggling with student loan debt, there are options to help make repaying these loans easier and faster. Income-based repayment, rather than fixed repayment base on loan amount plus consolidation options means lower interest rates, lower monthly payments, and avoidance of deferring loans. Deferment rates are highest amongst young and recent graduates, with 26% of millennials and 77% of Gen Zers choosing deferment.

Additionally, American graduates are given just one-third of the time to pay back their student loans in comparison to other countries. Extending the period of time in which to repay loans helps in the short term by lowering monthly payments. It also gives young people more options for saving money and stimulating the economy.

In 2013, Congress made moves that actually lowered the general interest rates for student loans, but these changes were not made immediately available to individuals who had taken loans out prior to the change.

• Repayment period in the US is ten years; in England, it is 30 years
• Extending the time provided to pay back loans will lower monthly payments, but may increase interest
• The pre-2013 rate was 7%; 2018 rate was down to 5.05%. Lowered interest rates even by just a few points can help save the borrower thousands of dollars over time and potentially help pay off loans quicker.

However, some experts agree that it will take more aggressive and even “radical” changes to make lasting progress. This calls for a massive overhaul to not only loan policies but educational standards as well. The outright cancelation of loans, while not entirely unheard of, is rare and only available to certain careers.

Nurses and public school educators have the option to cancel their loans after a period of time. However, canceling all student loan debt could change the game completely. Loan forgiveness would encourage consumers to spend more of their money on economic goods and services, rather than on repaying on debt and interest, to stimulate the economy. On the other hand, it could increase taxes for everyone.

How Could Less Student Loan Debt Affect The Overall Economy?

A step further from loans canceled outright, some experts suggest hitting the issue right at its source is the most effective solution: free public college. Existing in several European countries, the precedent for free college has already been set and acts as a living, working “experiment” in Germany and Denmark.

From Senator Bernie Sanders’s proposed 2017 College for All Act, it was estimated to cost $47 billion per year to manage free college and states. Things are looking up in such states as New York and Tennessee as they’re already working on free tuition for in-state students in public colleges.

Canceling student loan debt would increase GDP by up to $108 billion per year for the next decade. Canceled student loans would add up to 1.5 million jobs into the economy. No tuition costs would dramatically reduce the financial burden of earning a college degree, influencing the economy as a whole.

Learn more about the student loan bubble from this infographic.

Source: Student Loan Review

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The 2019 Top Tech Events to Attend for Your Business

How to Make The Most of Your Vacation

When you have an urgent need to use the toilet, there’s a smartphone app that will show you a map of the nearest public bathrooms. When you’re looking for a hotel or restaurant, there are countless review sites with thousands of ratings for local establishments. Websites even exist for globetrotting canines featuring guides with lists of dog-friendly beaches.

With so much information about travel available at your fingertips, it’s easy to forget about some of the most simple, easy, and intuitive ways to improve your travel experience. You don’t need an app or access to the Internet to change the way you travel or know how to enjoy your vacation.

Next time you need some vacation ideas, keep these tips in mind:

Slow down

One sure way to make your vacation miserable is to have an itinerary with too many activities crammed into too little time. You can also make the mistake of not creating a plan and expecting to do too much on the fly.

The solution to this problem is to create a vacation plan with the idea of less being more. Allow yourself a full day to do one particularly interesting thing. By spending more time exploring less destinations, you can get a really intimate look at truly fascinating locations.

Don’t rely too heavily on reviews

Fantastic locations can be found through travel reviews, but an obsession with reviews can really backfire. You could spend hours searching hundreds of reviews for the perfect restaurant in a city only to be disappointed with the experience when you finally make a choice. This can happen all the time just due to chance and different tastes.

It’s difficult to get an accurate perspective of a establishment through reviews and even pictures. You may go to a restaurant thinking you’re going to get an authentic, local experience and end up at a chain.

While traveling, you’ll usually be much better off by winging it and just picking a place you see while passing. Or, you could ask locals what they like and they could point you toward a place you would have never otherwise discovered. By being a bit more spontaneous, you may even be able to avoid having to make a reservation.

Hire a guide

Guided tours often get a bad reputation when it comes to independent travel, but being guided by experts at certain locations can really benefit your vacation experience. As a person who is new to a city or attraction, you don’t really know what you’re missing. This can be especially true on activities like nature hikes.

Alone, you may barely see any animals, but on a guided tour, experts would help you spot animals all over the place. A tour guide can help point out interesting things on all types of activities to walks through museums to riverboat excursions.

It may cost a bit more money than doing it alone, but the benefit is likely to be more than worth it.

Take the less-traveled path

Carving through a crowd can make the best destinations awful. Long lines at extremely popular locations can take away time you could be doing more fun and interesting things. Busy places are not only time consuming, but they add unneeded stress to the equation.

One way to solve this problem is to try and travel during the off season. While the weather may not be ideal, you’ll likely discover great deals on travel and accommodations. Best of all, you’ll get to see a lot more in less time.

If you do want to travel during a busy time, such as Mardis Gras in New Orleans, you can make the experience easier by planning. Call attractions ahead of time to see if there is a wait and make a schedule that includes mealtimes. If possible, get tickets online to avoid lines at certain locations.

Be polite

One of the most important things to remember while on vacation is to be patient. When you are in someone else’s city or country, you can’t always expect things to go exactly the way you want them to. You’re guaranteed to have a bad experience if you go into a situation demanding others accommodate your stubborn expectations.

A combination of language barriers, lack of sleep, travel, and cultural difference can try your patience, but you will have a much better time overall staying polite and patient.

That’s because the people you rely on to make your experience pleasant, including flight attendants and customs agents, will usually treat you well if you treat them with respect. Always make an attempt to take the high road and you will be rewarded.

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How to Meal Prep

While many people can access helpful information on choosing a healthy diet, just a few implement the tips. You should realize that acquiring healthy eating tips is futile if your execution is wanting.

We are not here to accuse you; in fact, we understand the difficulties that you undergo to choose a healthy diet for your family amid your busy schedules. For this reason, this article will give excellent meal prepping tips.

Meal Prepping: What Is It?

Meal prepping is the act of preparing all your meals in advance. You’ll have the opportunity to prepare the meals during your free time. Most importantly, you will have all the time to shop for healthy and unprocessed ingredients.

This exercise will save your time. It’ll also ensure that your family feeds on healthy meals, as opposed to the processed and prepackaged foods which could have undesired health effects.

How Do I Start?

While you may be enthusiastic about this exercise, you should be careful not to be overwhelmed. You shouldn’t start by trying all the new healthy recipes you’ve read about recently. Instead, use the recipes that you’re conversant with and you’ll progressively move to the newer and more complicated ones.

Follow the tips below for successful meal prepping:

Pick your Day

You need to determine the specific day that you’ll prepare your meals. We recommend that you pick a day when you don’t have work!

Most people prefer Sunday and Wednesday to prepare healthy meals for the entire week. You should take charge and independently choose a day that you’re comfortable with.

We recommend that you begin by preparing meals for a few days before you can expand the meal prepping to an entire week.

Pick the Meals

You need to select the meal that you’ll prepare first depending on your needs. A person with a family would give preference to dinner, while a single person may choose breakfast. When choosing, you need to ensure that you prepare meals that are easy to prepare in bulk but slow to prepare a day at a time.

After picking the meals, you need to choose the recipe. While you can cook using a similar recipe, we recommend that you use different recipes for each day.

You should never forget to consider the nutrients composition of each recipe. You’re obliged to ensure that your family gets a balanced diet.

Use Good Containers

This is the foundation of a successful meal prepping plan. Ensure you have separate containers for each type of meal to avoid a mixture that may scare your children.

What is a good container?

Make sure that the container is segmented to allow you to place different meals in different sections. This can help prevent cross-contamination. You can save by buying these in bulk around November, when they often go on sale for Thanksgiving.

Below is a checklist for a food container you should have:

• Divided and air-tight sections.
• BPA-free. Never compromise on this requirement! Check the bottom of each container. If it has a triangle with number 7 written in it, then you should avoid it. When it’s BPA-free, you can safely microwave your food.
• Clear containers. This will enable you to identify the contents easily.
• Reliable and safe. Your container must be stackable, microwavable, freezer safe, and reusable.

In the Kitchen

Before you become an expert in meal prepping, you should start with a few meals. These tips are helpful in achieving success quickly:

Begin with simple meals. Use meals that are easy to prepare, easy to store, and are freezable. Many starters prefer chicken!

Be ready to multitask. Remember that you’re cooking meals for several days. You will have to launch your multitasking skills to achieve this in a single day. You can use multiple ovens. If you do not have enough utensils and ovens to accommodate multitasking, you may need to shop for the items.

Fruits. Including fruits in your recipe is an excellent way of achieving a balanced diet. You will need to wash different types of fruits, cut them up, and store them just like any other meal.

While this is a great idea, you need to research the effect of certain activities on the fruits’ nutritional value. Cutting some fruits can deplete some nutritional components. Some will be oxidized which will cause undesirable color on the fruit’s surface! As such, you should only implement the ideas that will not affect the nutritional value of the fruit.

The Crockpot. While this may appear obvious, many people ignore it. You can use the appliance to prepare some meals for storage. You can use it for cooking as well as for storing the food.

Bottom Line

This guide offers excellent tips on how to start meal prepping. It’s your duty to research the best recipes to try out in your kitchen. However, you should always ensure that what you feed on is nutritionally balanced and healthy.

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Important Lighting Tips for Older Eyes You Should Know

As my grandma says, “Growing old is no picnic.”

Aging effects every aspect of your life, especially the eye sight. Some older people might read and watch TV without bifocals but the majority of them suffer from weak eyesight.

Once you hit 40, you will begin to note the difference in the clarity of your vision. While you can start taking multivitamins to improve your eyesight, it is almost impossible to avoid poor eyesight after 60.

It is estimated that the elderly need 2 to 6 times more light than 20-year-old people for their daily tasks. Improper or poor lighting causes old people to fall and that often results in a fracture. The fractures in old age can take several months to heal and, in some cases, can leave them completely bedridden.

Although you cannot restore your vision 100% in your old age, you can prevent those accidents by improving the lighting in your house. The tips below can definitely help you out.

But before that, let’s first talk about the most common eye problems old people experience.

Common Eye Problems Among Older People

Some of the common eye diseases are cataracts and glaucoma. Older people can also suffer from either nearsightedness or farsightedness.

When you get old, your visual clarity becomes affected because of the hardening of your lenses. You won’t be able to focus clearly and quickly as you’d like to. The lenses start getting yellow which can make it hard to differentiate between colors. They’ll be less sensitive to blues as well.

Your corneas will become opaque and fat deposits will scatter the light. With that, you won’t be able to easily distinguish objects. Your ciliary muscles weaken which can make it hard for you to recognize objects from a distance.

Lighting for Elderly: What to Do

Increased sunlight

The best source of lighting is natural light that is sunlight. Make sure you open all the curtains and blinds during the day, especially in the elderlies’ room. This natural sunlight is better than artificially installed lights. Plus, it’s free.

To increase the amount of lighting, you can increase the number of windows. Make them larger and install screen doors.

Artificial lights

Unfortunately, not all of us live in places where daily access to sunlight is possible. If that’s your case, you can install artificial lighting to make the spaces well-lit for the elderly.

As you grow older, you need bright white light to perform your tasks such as reading, cooking, sewing, and stitching. Poor eye sight can make it hard for you to see small obstacles in the way and assess the depth of spaces, causing you to trip and fall.

Using artificial lighting can brighten up spaces, allowing one to easily spot any hindrances. You can get different types of lighting, such as ceiling lights, bulbs, lamps, recess lights, and LEDs. Get them installed all over your house.

Task lighting

These are the brighter lights which are perfect for performing any daily tasks. Older people need them for tasks that require them to focus.

You can install these lights at their desks, kitchen or bathroom. You can also get portable desk lamps, which can be easily moved from one place to another.

Incandescent and ambient lights

These lights have yellowish hue which provides soft ambiance to the room. This light cannot be used for reading and other tasks that require more focus but these lights enable one to walk easily and safely.

These warm lights are very relaxing and mimic the circadian rhythm. You can install these types of lights in corridors, hallways, foyer, bedroom, porch, and staircases. These are not harsh. In fact, they can potentially reduce glare.

Add lighting layers

You can also increase the lighting by adding a layer, that is if you already have incandescent lights all over your house. You can enhance it by getting light bulbs and lamps.

If you have stark lighting in rooms, you can install wall scones and valences to switch it ambient. Maximize your light options so you so can switch from one source to another depending on your requirement.

Prominent switch boards

The switchboards often skip our attention but they are as important for proper lighting. Make sure the switchboards are accessible to older people, especially if they are on wheel chairs.

You don’t want them stumbling in the dark looking for switches and getting hurt in the process. The switchboards must be in their vicinity so that they can easily spot it.

Get dimmers

Dimmers allow elders to switch light to brightest when they are performing any task and then switch it low during the day. They can also save you the cost of installing different light sources.

Motion sensors

With increasing technology, you have now all these incredible options for the elderly, which can significantly make their lives easier.

People with arthritis have a hard time adjusting dimmers and light switches. Even though the switchboards are prominent, it can take them a while to reach them.

In this case, motion sensors work best. They automatically sense the presence of people and turn off and on accordingly.

Extra tips

• To increase the lighting, you can make sure that the walls are painted with light, pastel colors. Using dark hues can make any room appear darker. Also, use matte paint instead of glossy paints to reduce the glare.
• Older people’s eyes are more sensitive to light. So, install the light in a way that does not directly strike their line of vision. Also, put lampshades on bulbs to avoid direct glare.

Conclusion

I hope these points have helped you to understand how vital is proper lighting for the elderly is. Well-lit houses and spaces will enable them to perform their tasks with ease and also reduces their chance of falling and getting injured.

You can get different types of lighting from your local store or online. If you are on a tight budget, you can make use of your saving coupons to get discounts on your purchase.

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Top 10 Most Popular Sports Leagues In The World

Being in the most popular sports leagues in the world isn’t that easy for any athlete. That is one good reason why most athletes and personalities in the sports industry are working extra hard just to earn a spot there.

Today, we’re counting down our picks for the 10 top sports leagues in the world. In making the list, we’ve considered leagues from across the globe, their financial success, their atmosphere, and competition.

Australian Football League

Aussie Rules Football and Rugby may seem like very similar sports but apart from the shape of the ball, the two are totally different.

Aussie Rules is played on an oval pitch with four giant posts sticking out from each end. Eighteen players per team take the field in a game full of passing, kicking, and tackling. The league consists of 18 teams with each team competing in a 23-game regular season. It’s followed by a single-elimination playoff series.

Melbourne is the heart and soul of the league. In fact, 9 of the 18 teams call the coastal city home. With a country full of passionate fans, the AFL is a completely unique sporting experience.

Bundesliga

There are a number of incredible football leagues around the world. Considering Germany produces some of the best talents the game has to offer, it’s no surprise they offer one of the most exciting leagues as well. The top division of German football, the Bundesliga, is home to some of the best teams in the world.

Bayern Munich has won The Champions League five times while Borussia Dortmund boasts some of the most passionate fans in Europe. In addition, the Bundesliga is also arguably the best-run league in world football, pulling in $2.84 billion dollars in revenue while still offering some of the cheapest tickets available. Seriously, you can get your hands on Bayern Munich season tickets for as little as 104 Euros. Can’t beat that.

See Also: 3 Of The Best European Football Grounds

PGA

You may not have expected to see golf on this list, but those who’ve learned to appreciate the game know exactly why the PGA Tour is among the top sports leagues in the world.

The truly great golfers in the game test their mettle on the Tour, with the best of the best earning coveted ranked positions. The Tour organizes some of the biggest tournaments in the world, hosting championships like the Masters and The U.S. Open.

The PGA is tax exempt which makes the league’s total revenue unclear. However, with impressive television ratings, the Tour is probably pulling in some equally impressive sponsorship money.

Indian Premier League

Though this cricket league has only been around since 2008, it’s hard to argue against its unprecedented rise as a fan favorite and a hub for the best competition. The Indian Premier League includes eight franchises, each representing major cities in India. They play in a home and away round robin before the four best teams enter a playoff to determine a champion.

The IPL’s quick rise is due, in large part, to their adoption of the newest format of cricket, Twenty20 (20-20). It involves games that last around 3 hours instead of 3 days. It’s fast-paced and exciting. As a result, the IPL ranks fifth in the world in attendance for outdoor sports, averaging nearly 32,000 fans per game.

Formula One

NASCAR might be the tire-squealing champion of America but the world’s favorite and fastest racing sport is, without question, Formula One. Rather than having its drivers race each other on an oval, Formula One takes them on a ride through complex tracks where they’ll have to maneuver sharp turns.

This tests their skills to see which cars can come out on top. With Grand Prix events all over the world, fans of Formula One line the tracks to get a glimpse of the world’s best drivers in action.

NBA

The National Basketball Association is the world’s premier basketball league, drawing the top talents in the U.S. and from all around the globe. Right now, that includes the likes of LeBron, Curry, Durant, Westbrook and other popular names spread throughout a competitive 30-team league. It also has a storied past which includes legends of the game like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Magic Johnson. There are the classic rivalries, like Celtics/Lakers and Bulls/Knicks, too.

When it’s finals time, the whole world tunes in. Game 7 of The 2016 NBA Finals between the Warriors and Cavs reached 44.5 million viewers. Not bad, considering it was on at the same time as Game of Thrones.

NHL

There’s just something about hockey that gets people excited.

Is it the speed of the game? The tremendous goals? The fighting? Who’s to say?

What we do know, though, is that the NHL is special. It’s a testament to the sport that the league has recovered from two major lockouts since 2004. It only proves just how dedicated and passionate hockey fans truly are.

The NHL has seen legends, like Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr, grace the ice as well as current world-class stars like Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. When playoff season comes around and the beards start to grow, magic is in the air for one of the greatest and most competitive tournaments in sports.

MLB

This one’s all about history, folks.

Major League Baseball is about more than just baseball; it’s part of a Nation’s identity. America’s favorite pastime, baseball is a total experience. It’s about grabbing a hot dog outside the stadium, trying to catch a foul ball, getting up on the big screen, chanting, booing, and making signs. But, let’s not forget the competition.

We could talk about the ugliness of steroid abuse, but we’d rather talk about the Sox vs the Yankees or the Cubs and their curse or the Giants and Dodgers. And even though you may think baseball is losing popularity, in 2015 the MLB still pulled in nearly 10 billion in revenue, so they’re doing just fine… Batter up!

NFL

Are you ready for some football?

Baseball may be America’s pastime, but football is “America’s Game”. Despite having a short season, running from September to February if you count the playoffs, the NFL is a money-making machine. For its 17 weeks of regular season, Americans give up their Sundays to enjoy a day’s worth of televised pigskin and, come playoff time, football fever’s in the air.

This all leads to huge advertising bucks that don’t sacrifice any of the sport’s tradition. In fact, it’s added to it. Tailgating has created its own market for products, while tons of viewers check out the Super Bowl just for the commercials.

Before we unveil our top picks, here are a few honorable mentions.
– UFC
– La Liga
– NASCAR

Premier League

The world’s most popular sport deserves the world’s most popular league. Boasting some of the most exciting, fast-paced football from some of the best players on the planet, the Premier League is the gold standard for football.

Teams are solid from the top of the table to the bottom and on any given match day, you can witness an upset. With famous and storied clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal, Premier League rivalries are a sight to behold.

The Premier League boasts the most lucrative television contract in sports, securing its global reach and bringing in fans from anywhere and everywhere. In March 2015, Liverpool vs United drew 700 million viewers. By comparison, the Super Bowl only had 114 million.

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How To Find A Restricted Phone Number

When you see “Restricted” appear on your caller ID, you are receiving a phone call from a restricted or blocked number.

An individual can block the origination of the phone call by dialing *67 before he or she dials your number. This is used when an individual does not want the person whom he or she is calling to be able to trace the call back to him or her.

While finding a restricted phone number can be difficult, it is possible if you know what to do.

Check your phone records

At the end of the month, take a look at your phone records. Some home and cell phone providers list numbers on the bill that initially came through as restricted. Simply note the time and date of the restricted call as it happens and check your end-of-month statement to find that same time and date. You may find the full phone number listed.

Block restricted numbers

You may also put a block on your phone that lets callers know that you are not accepting calls from blocked or restricted numbers. By doing this, you force the individual calling you to unblock his or her phone number and try to call you again. While this may be a small headache for someone who truly wants to reach you, it can be an effective way of weeding out those unwanted spam callers or pestering telemarketers.

Ask the caller

If you answer a restricted call, you can ask the person who is calling for his or her phone number. While this does not always happen, you stand of chance of catching the caller off-guard in a moment of weakness and he or she may give you the information you’re looking for.

Ask family members

You may also consider contacting friends and family members to see if they are getting restricted calls around the same time. Someone else may have already obtained the restricted caller’s number, and he or she may be better able to guide you.

Have the police track the number

If you find that the calls are becoming harassing and you are finding that restricted calls come at all hours of the day, you may want to have the police track the number. They have the technology that can track the number and determine its origin and owner.

Install a toll-free number

You may also consider installing a toll-free number on your own phone to give instead of your actual phone number. This method will allow you to automatically receive the phone numbers of callers because you will be paying for each call that comes to your phone.

To know more about unmasking blocked or restricted calls, watch the video below:

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