TV has become an important form of entertainment for people all over the world, not just USA. It is believed that on average a person watches at least 45 minutes of TV in a day. Today, thanks to technology, we come across so many types of TV packages that we get confused when we try to make a choice. If you do not pay enough attention, it is very easy for you to get stuck with a wrong TV package. You need to be smart and find a package that every member of your family enjoys. Modern features The more you pay the better features you get. Most of the phone and cable service providers offer you different packages that come with different features. You do not have to worry about missing your favorite TV program because you get an option to record it in your absence. Once you are back, you can resume watching it. One of the other latest features includes, pausing the LIVE TV. If you want to get a cup of coffee or have to answer a phone call, you can pause the LIVE telecast. And once you are back, you can resume watching the program. Choose the right plan Different service providers offer different plans. With so many channels available, you need to pick a plan that suits your needs, tastes and interests. The plan must include the channels that you and your family love to watch. Compare TV packages offered by different providers in your area and choose the one that comes with maximum entertainment for the price you are paying. Customer service You also need to consider the customer service offered by the service provider. Do research and find out how is their customer service because you need to get good support from the customer care when you need help. The service should be available at all times to sort out the problems as and when they arise. Access You can watch on-demand programs not only on TV but also on tablets and smart phones, once you download the service provider's app. You can watch your favorite TV shows now from anywhere and anytime once you have access to internet and your device has the app. The High Definition-HD channels and ultra HD 4K channels enhance your TV watching experience. You can also watch 3D movies and programs on smart TVs at home. The array of options offered by the service providers can be overwhelming. So do your research, compare TV packages and make wise decisions based on your budget and requirements.

Business runs smooth with a help of good communication among the owner, agent and clients. Suppose you have started a home-based business or wish to have a cablet TV set up at your cabin you can avail your internet, TV and phone connection all in a single package rather than getting each connection from different providers which will cost you double the amount with a single provider it is easy, cheap and makes some sense as well. You need not waste time for individual installation and if you face any problems a single service man can rectify all the connectivity issues. When you purchase more lines from the same provider and pay on one bill you will be given special discounts and offers. There are a number of providers who supply bundle packages. Listed below are some great cheap cable TV services and chap cable internet packages: AT&T: AT&T is an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate, stands the second largest provider of mobile telephone and fixed telephone services in the United States. The company offer two bundle packages DirectTV + Internet is a double pay plan with DirectTV select package, 150 plus of your favourite channels, Unlimited data with 50Mbps internet speed, including free Wi-Fi gateway router to connect with all the devices. DirectTV + Internet + Digital Home Phone a triple pay package with same features of the double pay pack with additional digital home phone. Xfinity: Xfinity is a part of Comcast corporation which is the largest broadcasting and cable television company in the world by revenue. Xfinity extends separate individual and group packages of your choice. You can make your plan double or triple according to your need. Xfinity TV provides over 140 HD channels with OnDemand and PPV channels. Xfinity high speed internet provides up to 50 MBPS internet speed, security software and a home Wi-Fi. Xfinity digital voice comes up with unlimited nationwide calling, popular calling features and caller ID across your tablet, TV and smartphone. Charter Spectrum: Spectrum is highly flexible to use they have single, double and triple plans for its consumers. You get to mix TV, phone and Internet services of your choice. They provide 60Mbps internet speed the fastest and most reliable network available, unlimited worldwide calling and select upgraded triple package includes all the features of its basic packs in an affordable price. Cox Communications: Cox features bronze, silver and gold bundle packages with phone and home life assistance. Bronze bundle includes 200 plus HD channels and up to 300Mbps internet download speed with primary calling features. The Silver and Gold bundle offers the same with 300 plus HD channels, premium calling features with 24/7 professional marketing, battery and cellular network backup and assess to TV via web, tablet and smartphone.

Short-term investments may be a safer alternative for investors when the markets are unstable. Short-term investment allows investors to invest their money with little or no risk. Here are some short-term investment accounts that you can consider investing in. Which one is right for you depends on your particular situation and preferences. Cashback rewards offers Pursuing rewards may not automatically come in mind when thinking of short-term investments. The sign-up bonuses that credit card offers can actually appear lucrative. The catch here is that the more you spend, the more points you earn. You can use these points to book your travel tickets and redeem them at retail stores. Lending club The main aim of peer-to-peer lending websites is to allow investors to broaden their investment options by spreading them out, thus reducing the risk. These websites help investors connect with qualified customers in need to small amount of loan. The investors receive monthly income in turn. Roth IRA Roth IRA is usually is treated as after-tax income. You are free to withdraw any contributions (but not earnings on those contributions) at any given time. Although not recommended, it does give you the option to withdraw amount from it, if times get tough. Online saving accounts Online savings accounts makes sure that your investment will not lose any money. They help in generating a little bit of return. You might never lose principal on your investment as long as you keep your total deposit under FDIC coverage of $250,000. Certificate of deposits (CD) Various banks offer various terms for their deposit accounts. These can range anywhere from 3 months to 5 years. The way CD's work is that the more money you invest in for longer time, the more yield you get out of it. Online checking accounts Just online saving accounts, you can invest in online checking accounts. It offers no principal-loss, but the down-low here is that your interest rates might take a hit because it is a checking account at the end of the day. ETF's and short-term bonds Short term bonds are a product of the investment market and will pay according to the market's current condition. They will have fluctuating monthly payments. Short term bonds mature in 2 years or less. Treasury inflation protected securities Also known as TIPS, these are government bonds that are indexed to inflation. Although offering interest rate as low as 0.5%, but over a period of 5 years, the value of your bond might increase by 2.5% per year. Municipal bonds Riskier than TIPS, municipal bonds have a low interest rate risk. Thus, buy municipal bonds from a brokerage firm that is closer to maturity. Paying off a high interest debt Paying off a debt of $10,000 (for instance) on your credit card might offer you great return on your investment.

Target date funds are all about setting a date, and forgetting all about it until retirement. New to the concept, and looking for some great investment firms to help you out with your plans? What makes a great target fund is that it doesn't impede the retirement investment plan during its fund allocation processes. Growing your fund for retirement doesn't have to be hard. Approach the right firms with the right intentions. Here are a few great choices if you are looking to invest in target-date funds.

• Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund What makes Vanguard great is that it's an ideal mutual bond firm. It's similar to your own personal investments, and easy track of it. It works like a mutual fund company and is majority owned by its investors, hence the low fund fees.
• Their target date funds range in five-year increments (from 2020 to 2060) and they invest in only four indexes. The Total Stock Market, Total Bond Market, Total International Stock Market and finally, The Total International Bond. What makes it even more secure is that the plan is designed to create greater investment returns.
• If you're planning on buckling up and building your nest egg for your retirement years, then this one might be the best option for you.

 

• BlackRock LifePath Index 2050 This plan uses index funds to minimize expenses and pass on the returns to their investors. The LifePath fund manages their asset allocation by investing in the BlackRock & iShares branded index funds. There are about seven funds held together in their 2050 fund.
• This plan starts out aggressively, with its 2055 fund holding 94% of its assets in stock in the beginning. As the years go by, it starts holding reducing its assets in stock. Finally, when nearing the years of retirement, that number falls down to only 40% in stock.
• It's one of the most conservative target-date funding plans. BlackRock keeps the investor's retirement date in their best interests.

 

• T. Rowe Price Target Retirement Funds If you're close to retirement, then the T. Rowe Price Target Retirement Funds might be suitable for you. It's considered to be one of the most actively managed target date retirement funds.
• Stock holdings drop to 20% of the portfolio 30 years after the retirement dates have crossed. As a fund company, T. Rowe is an excellent choice for late starting investors. They charge a heavy expense ratio for their services, about 0.75% for its 2050 fund.

Advertised in the year 1952 as Chex™ Party Mix, an assorted blend of Chex™ cereals, chips, hard breadsticks, pretzels, nuts, and crackers were mixed and packaged attractively as a holiday treat. Millions of Americans enjoy this very popular snack even today. Munching on Chex™ Party Mix is a favorite pastime for children and adults alike. Chex™ makes these commercially in a variety of salty and sweet flavors to suit the masses. You can use online recipes of Chex™ Party Mix to make this at home with a variety of seasonings. A benefit of this is that you can customize your mix according to your preferences. Here we have shared an oven-baked Chex™ Party Mix snack recipe. Why wait for the holiday season to prepare this? Go on, try making this easy Chex™ Party Mix snack recipe today, and invite some friends over for a movie night to share this special dish. Or better still, go on a long car ride to enjoy this super delicious homemade treat. Ingredients

• 4 cups crisp Corn Chex™ cereal
• 4 cups crisp Wheat Chex™ cereal
• 4 cups crisp Rice Chex™ cereal
• 2 cups pretzel sticks
• 2 cups roasted peanuts
• 2 cups roasted almonds
• 2 cups roasted cashew nuts
• 1 cup bagel chips
• 1 cup cheese twists
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
• In a large bowl, mix the crispy corn, wheat, and rice Chex™ cereals. Also add the pretzel sticks, roasted peanuts, roasted almonds, roasted cashew nuts, bagel chips, and cheese twists to the same bowl.
• In another bowl add the melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and stir well to combine.
• Then, toss this blend into the bowl containing the cereal mixture and nuts. Keep stirring continuously and gently until the solids are evenly well coated with the delicious sauce.
• Transfer the contents of the bowl onto a large baking sheet and bake for about 80 minutes, or until it turns nice and crisp. Remember to stir the mixture every 15 minutes to prevent it from sticking together.
• Remove this from the oven, spread it onto paper towels, and allow the Chex™ snack mix to cool down completely.

Store this yummy delight in an airtight container. Or grab a bowlful of this fresh homemade Chex™ snack mix recipe and keep munching!

Washing machines are one of the hardest appliances to shop for, and the worst part is that it is going to stay with you forever, unless under rare instances, you consider changing it. Owing to the bulky size, they can be a real pain to transport. Plus the market is flooded with jargon that confused the most diligent shopper. If you are already confused with your decision about the right kind of washing machine, it is imperative for you to understand and make the right choice for your requirements and preferences. Selecting the right washing machine can come with a serious cost down the line regarding electricity and water bills, calling for the service engineers, worn out clothes or simple inefficiency when it comes to washing the clothes. Even though there are a good number of whiz-bang features in the modern washing machines, some of them are awesome improvements on the older technologies. Keeping aside these things, you should look for the washing machines, which will be an ideal suit to your circumstances and help you save money and energy in the long run. Front load vs top load washing machines Your first step to choosing the best washing machine is to narrow down the choices to find out whether you need to opt for a front loader or a top loader. You may already have some preferences based on your previous experiences in terms of the models you have used, available laundry space and even the mobility. But it is important to consider the pros and cons of these two options to know which one would you suit the best: Advantages and disadvantages of top loaders The best part of the top loader machine is that it requires fewer repairs compared to the front loaders. It also comes with faster normal programs and at a much lower cost. They are lighter, which makes them easier to move and you can even add clothes after the cycle has started. The rinse performance is also much better compared to the front loaders. But the top loaders can get harsher on clothes and use up more water compared to the other option. The machine may take up more energy, if you choose to wash in warm water. Pros and cons of the front loaders This type of washing machines can be gentler on the clothes, and they take up less water and less energy. You will get a range of washing options, programs and temperature settings in the wash options. The spin speed is much higher, and it would suit you even if you are running out of spaces. But the downsides of these machines include longer wash cycles, higher spin speed and heavy to move. Some machines can rinse poorly due to their reduced water usage.