While you may enjoy spending a Sunday watching back to back episodes of your favorite TV drama, a long weekend calls for a getaway from the city. Weekend breaks rejuvenate a person and can give you the much-needed energy to get through the coming week. When you plan a weekend getaway, whether it's two days or three, here are a few ways you can make the most of your time and make your holiday seem longer. Get out the night before The best destination for a weekend trip is usually a place not more than a few hours' drive away from your home. If possible, try and head out straight from work and reach your destination the same night. This way, you can take it easy and rest the first night and wake up refreshed and ready to explore the new place. Leave work behind Let your colleagues and clients know that you won't be available over the weekend and leave your laptop at home. The whole point of a holiday is to relax. So if you decide to spend your weekend answering emails and returning phone calls, the essence of your holiday is lost. Switch off your phone Along with your laptop, switch off your cell phone. If you're worried about how friends and family would get in touch with you in the case of an emergency, give them the landline to the hotel you will be staying at. Switching your phone off can play a vital role in helping you reconnect with the people you are taking a holiday with, and help you enjoy every moment. Switching off your phone also helps you unplug from social media and the need to give people live updates of your holiday. Stay away from the television With today's technology, you don't have to worry about missing a TV show- you can always stream it later. So, don't spend your time in front of the television. Instead, try something new and spend the day exploring the place around you or playing games with your family and friends. Don't sleep in A late morning may seem like the perfect weekend but if you've traveled out of town for the weekend, sleeping in is a waste of time. Instead of lazing, get out of bed early so that you get more time to do the things you had planned. Avoid moving from place to place When it comes to short weekend breaks, don't hop from place to place. Instead, pick one place you haven't been to and explore it. Find an accommodation that is central to all the things you want to do, so that you don't have to move from place to place. Get the chores done early If you're staying at a hotel, don't bother with laundry on a weekend getaway. Instead, leave that for when you get back home. However, if you're staying in a service apartment, get all your cleaning done at the start of the day and get everyone to help out.

The American automobile market is flooded with a variety of cars to suit every budget, design specification and features. For many, who have saved for a long time to buy a car, an affordable small car is possibly all that they are looking for. While surely the cost factor is of the essence, there are several other factors that you must consider before you make your choice of affordable small car. First of all, be very clear about your budget. How much of your expenditure on buying a car comes from your savings, and/or how much of a loan are you seeking? Good financial planning suggests that at the most, you plan to allocate no more than 20% of your monthly expense budget towards automobile maintenance. This means that in choosing a car, you also take stock of its recurring monthly maintenance costs, apart from fuel efficiency. Whether you buy directly from the car manufacturer or the dealer, it is important to be aware of the manufacturer's suggested retail price and the dealer's actual retail price. It is also important to plan and arrange for the financing well in advance, whether you are spending your own savings directly or getting a loan. Do a thorough research of all available cars online using the manufacturer's site and also reviews posted by other users. Often, the dealer you are interacting may not have the specific model or color that you have shortlisted, so it helps to talk directly to the dealership in advance too. Remember that for the car salesperson, the bottom line is the commission received per sale. On no account must you feel pressured into hurrying up your decision. In making a decision to go to a specific dealership, do also ensure that you find out about and discuss the quality, consistency and the terms of the after sale service. There is no point in investing so much money in being the car you love if you are not assured of a hassle free post-sales service. Don't hesitate to ask for one or even more test drives for only this will give you a sense of whether this is the affordable small car that suits all your requirements. Also think about how long you intend keeping the car, for this can impact which features of the car you are prioritizing. Also, prioritize fuel economy based on your annual mileage and how much you actually drive every day. Over and above everything that will make your experience of buying and owning a car a smooth one, is your relationship with the car dealer. In any given city there are many dealerships selling the exact same cars. What determines your choice is how the dealership resonates with you, especially in terms of the trust.

A mailbox is a common sight in most houses in the country. The delivery of mail began in the year 1775 and has since come a long way. In 1863, the United States Postal Service (USPS) started its free city delivery service. The process followed was very simple. A postman would ring the bell or knock on your door and hand over your mail. In case no one is home, the mail is left outside. Mailboxes make things easier, as all your mails can just be put into them. Mailboxes have changed a lot over the years and now match USPS requirements and convenience. The various kinds of mailboxes now prominent in the country include the following.

• Wall mount mailboxes A wall mount mailbox is fixed on a wall in front of a building or house. These mailboxes are ideal for people that opt for a walk-up mail delivery service. Such mailboxes can easily hold a large amount of mail at a time. These cheap mailboxes are not only easy on the pocket, but also can be locked. So, only those with access to the mailbox can view its content. However, they do not offer an option to put in outgoing mail.
• Post mount mailboxes In postal areas where deliveries are made outside, without the postman visiting the house, post mount mailboxes are installed. These mailboxes are very useful, come with several features, and make it easy for postal workers, as they do not need to knock on each door. However, before opting for this kind of mailbox, make sure that the pole is cemented properly in the ground so that it does not fall over.
• Mail slots These are cheap mailboxes ideal for apartments and smaller houses. You only see this kind of mailbox where the delivery of walk-up mail is zoned. Mail slots offer various advantages. They are simple, economical, convenient for mail delivery, and all your mails and parcels are sent right into your home.
• Column mount mailbox Usually, mailboxes are pictured as long, rectangular-shaped boxes. However, column mailboxes are different. They are flatter recessed mailboxes that are mounted on columns made of stucco, concrete, stone, or brick. They are generally free-standing and give a professional look to your residence. If you choose a column mount mailbox, make sure that it is durable, weather-resistant, and sealed properly, or your mail might get damaged.

Rain boots are not just used for protecting feet during the rains. They are also used for manifesting individual style statement. Today, women all over the world wear these boots for both formal and casual occasions. Many women feel intimidated by the wide array of styles and designs that are available. Purchasing rain boots does not have to be a daunting chore. By following a few expert tips, you will be able to select the best rain boots. Choosing The Right Size You should note that choosing the perfect size of rain boots can be more difficult than you think for a novice. This is also because different manufacturers follow varying methods of sizing the boot. The ideal way of getting the exact measurements is with the aid of a ruler or a tape measure. For knee length boots, additional measurements will be required. This includes your calf circumference and length for ensuring a good fit. A reputed rain boots manufacturer will also offer a sizing chart so that you can decide better. You should check the measurements of the boots against the size chart which are provided by different sellers. Many people try a few pairs to find out which one will fit better. The general rule is to buy a half or a whole size larger to make sure that it fits well. Factors to Keep in Mind When you are buying rain boots, two issues play a critical role: usability and design. Here is a brief explanation of how these factors play their roles. Usability: Besides being fabulous and stylish, your pair of rain boots must have high levels of usability. Make sure that your rain boots are water resistant even if they are not waterproof. Water-resistant boots can block and repel moisture but may not be able to keep your feet entirely dry. Waterproof shoes are the only solace in places subject to perennial downpours. In these places, the ground remains slippery from the mud due to the perpetual rainy conditions. Rain boots offer good tread and prevent the wearer from sliding and skidding on the ground. Rain boots must be comfortable and should not cause any pain or swelling. Design: The design of the rain boots is definitely a personal preference. Some women own more than one pair so that they have boots to compliment all their outfits. If you are wearing any bright or flashy outfit, it is better to pair it with a straightforward and subdued boot. Styling the other way round can also create a remarkable effect. For instance, leopard-print rain boots with black jeans or leggings will make you look like a diva. Once you have finalized the design and style of the rain boots, find the ideal size for you. These factors will ensure that you have rain boots to tide you through the rains while you look stylish and feel comfortable.

Everyone must be reposing after facing the stressful process of taxation. It's high time to begin the discussion of taxation once again, but there are there millions of taxpayers who are eagerly expecting their refund checks from the internal revenue service. Still it may be hard to find out when they would actually show up in your bank account and mailbox. There is no definite and strict schedule followed by the IRS in getting people their refunds back, yet the tax agency provides some time frames that it tries to follow in getting returns and refunds. Here are few guidelines which will help you to figure out when your tax refund would arrive. How does IRS try to get refund to you? The IRS has managed to stick with commitments and providing the best services to achieve the goal by making 9 out of 10 refunds back to taxpayers in less than 21 days. However, they have set new rules and regulations that applies to many taxpayers which would result in delay of refunds for the earliest filers. Particularly, the new rules of IRS demand to hold back any refunds on returns that include claiming the earned income tax credit or additional child tax credit until at least February 15 after which the IRS will release the refund amount to get directly deposited to the back account in a week's time (by February 27). Tax refund schedule IRS used of follow a firm schedule with which you can predict when you would receive the tax refund. This option is long gone but based on reasonable calculations of reversal of time you can approximately determine when you are likely to get a refund. You will find various speculations on the tax return refund dates online on a number of websites. This data assumes that if you e-file your return, it would take 10 days to issue a refund and four weeks to get to the IRS and get processed if it a paper return. Finally, it would take 10 days for you to receive the check by mail. For instance, if you the date of filing is January 23, refund date in case of e-filing and direct deposit would be February 2. For mailed refund, the return date would be February 12. In case, you have done paper filing, the refund date for direct deposit would be March 2. For mailed refund, the return date would be March 13. These are tentative calculations and dates. The actual calculations may vary.

Desserts are a weak point in all our lives. However, at times, baking can become a tedious process. Incorporating techniques that reduce your work, or enabling less manpower, can be a boon when you must bake for a special occasion. Here are two baking methods that make those desserts yummy and easy to handle. Melting method A dense and moist cake, is always a delight to our taste buds. An easy and fast method of baking cakes by using the melting technique, often gives you some lip-smacking desserts. Fruit cakes and, our all-time favorite, ginger breads are also made through this method. The process begins by melting butter or any other form of fat. Next, the the eggs are added after which the dry ingredients are mixed. Baking powder or soda are essential ingredients when baking a cake using this method, because whisking isn’t possible. The precautions you need to take would be to ensure that you don’t overdevelop the gluten or over mix the mixture of your cake, it will only be dry and hard. This isn’t a tough method, and can be used often since it won’t harm your cake too much. To make a delicious gingerbread bundt you need to add butter, and sugar syrup in a pan, then mix in the dry items, fold the two until smooth. Rubbing in method Skill is something baking surely needs. A light touch coupled with that skill would make you master this method. Your fingers are your best tools for this method, where you rub butter in the flour and break those pieces well. This will create a sand-like texture and make crumbs. A bit of liquid and sugar is added to make it like any other dough. Like with dough, when you know the liquid is combined well, you will need to stop, it’s the same with this method. Once you’ve made it, you can create shapes that suit you best or your recipe and work with it gently. Pastries and scones use this method and so do crumble toppings. Sweet potato Scone, one dish we all love, uses this as a standard technique to bake. This technique can make the scone soft and moist, which makes it taste a whole lot better. Precautions in this method would be to not add way too much water, else the dough will be runny, and even sticky, which will make it hard to work with.