How to : Upgrade Your Graphics Card

Upgrading your graphics card is a great way to further improve performance of your PC after you've already upgraded RAM to help out your computer addiction, specially for you gamers out there. If your computer still has integrated graphics, not only is it sharing your processor more than it needs to but it's also sucking up some of your extra RAM that you've just installed. Let's get into it and get it installed!

What kind of graphics card should I buy?!

An awesome one. Seriously, don't skimp. Get a reliable brand, and one a little better than you think you need but there's 2 very important things you need to determine first. The obvious is what kind of expansion slot do you have. You can determine this by removing the case and looking at your motherboard as we discussed in How to : Upgrade RAM. It'll look a little something like this.

 

The most common types are PCI-E and PCI-E 2.0 - if you can't tell from looking in the case(they all look different) then you can always consult your computers manufacturer website and look it up there with your model number. Also take note before you buy a card, some higher end cards require a higher power supply, take note of this and make sure you have an appropriate power supply!

Removal of old card(if applicable)

If you have a graphics card already installed, you will of course need to remove that first. Disconnect everything from the back of the PC and remove all power sources and open the case like we have done prior. Remember, ground yourself on the case and stay off of carpet or other static sources.

After you've located the card you're taking out, there's a small screw holding it to the back of the case. Grab yourself a phillips and remove this first. Some will also require moving a plastic clip out of place at the far end of the PCI slot, after you push it off to the side pull the card straight out. Try to avoid wiggling side to side so you don't break anything on it's way out.

Card installation

Installation is of course opposite of removal, push the card straight into the appropriate slot making sure it is firmly placed and even. Put the screw in on the back side of the card and if it requires it's own power supply, make sure it's hooked up appropriately.

After the card is installed, close up the case hook everything back up and power her on. Chances are your screen will look distorted at this point until the drivers are installed. Pop in your CD that came with the card for the drivers if Windows didn't auto-detect them for you and install everything it has for you. After this is done, restart, and you're done!

How to : Install RAM

As I mentioned in Tune Up Your Windows 7 PC upgrading or adding more memory to your computer is a great way to increase it's speed. The more programs you run, and the more difficult they are for your computer to run the more memory it takes.

What type of RAM do I need?

There's many different types of RAM available, and each PC has specific types it needs. There's a variety of different speeds and sizes to fit each kind. The easiest way to find out what you need is to look up your model on the manufacturers website. They will also tell you how many slots and how much memory you can put in. You can also look at one of the existing RAM sticks in the computer, we'll show you how to take that out a bit later.

Let's go shopping!

Now that you know what you need, it's time to shop around! There's a lot of different brands that you'll find out there but here's a list of the most reliable, well known companies so you can avoid stumbling onto a bad brand.

• Corsair
• Kingston
• Crucial
• Patriot
• OGZ
• G. Skill

Kingston 2x4GB

Each of these brands has anything you may need for your PC and even offer combinations of a couple different chips to get the best deal.

Installation

First things first, properly shut down the PC, shut off the power supply and unplug it from the wall. Unplug all your accessories so it's easier to lay on it's side and work on.

IMPORTANT During this entire process you want to make sure you are grounded often so you don't build up static electricity. Some of the components in your PC, including your new RAM are very sensitive to a sudden discharge and can be permanently damaged.

Moving forward remove the case from the side, you may need a phillips if it has small screw to remove but most have thumb screws. Some are stuck if they haven't been removed in a while and may need some persuasion to come off.

Now that we have it open, you can find where the RAM is located(see below)

There can be 2-4 slots depending on the computer, and will have at least one or more RAM chips already installed. On each end of the slot there are clips that you can push down on to pop the current chip out if you're upgrading. Do both sides at once to make it easier.

Now you can remove your new RAM from it's packaging, when you hold it be sure to grab it by the sides and not the contact points on the circuit board on the bottom. Place it into the slot, starting where the first one was you took out or next to the existing and going across from it if you're doing more than one at a time.

Be sure to tighten the clamp down all the way, they should be vertical when secured properly. While you have it open, it's a good time to clean out the inside of your case. You'll want to do this with a can of compressed air, but not too closely so you don't ruin any components inside the case.

 

Fast Blast Duster 10 oz. Can Air Removes Dust and Debris

After you're done cleaning her up, close up the case and plug it all back in. Turn the power supply back on and start her up. When she's up and running go to My Computer and right click/properties. You can check to make sure it's reading the appropriate amount of RAM. Keep in mind if you have an integrated graphics card it may set some aside for that and won't be included. Now your'e done!

How to : Soundproof your house

Annoying sounds from outside or other rooms irritate us all. Thanks to an excellent guide from BrightNest we can all sleep easier at night.

Plug sound leaks.

Pretend sound moves like water throughout your house. To stop the sound, you need to plug the leaks. To do this, buy some acoustic sealant and apply it around any gaps between your overhead lighting fixtures, door casings and switch boxes.

Use rugs and carpets.

Rugs, carpets and even drapes help reduce ambient noise. If you have a loud room that’s “naked,” consider adding a new throw rug or carpet. It will help dampen the noise and spiff up the room at the same time.

Add a layer of drywall.

Drywall is a dense material that stops noise, so it’s a perfect soundproofing addition. You don’t have to double-drywall your entire house. Just focus on the noisiest areas, like your kid’s room, or the areas you want to keep particularly quiet, like your office. For this project, we recommend hiring a contractor.

Install acoustic panels.

Acoustic panels absorb sound, which makes them a perfect buffer around particularly loud rooms (like a music room). You can even turn your panels into a work of art with these custom acoustical treatments from Soundproof Cow.

Switch your doors.

If your home has hollow core doors (these are light weight and inexpensive), there’s probably a lot of extra sound passing through them. To quiet things down, consider replacing them with solid core doors, which you can find at your local hardware store for about $60-$80.

How to : Pick an HDTV

So you want to pick yourself up a fancy new HDTV, but how do you know which is which? There's a millions brands, sizes, resolutions and prices...what do you really need? Obviously quality is an important factor to think about, but what else is there? What do all these numbers mean?!? I'm here to help and clear the air for you!

What size?

Do you REALLY need that 80" TV? Can you get away with a 32"? The size of a TV is how far across the TV is measured diagonally and there's really 2 important factors to think about here. First is your budget, obviously if you can't afford a 60" TV, it doesn't matter how big you wish it was. Second, is how big of a room will it be in, and how far will you sit from it?

80" Sharp LED : $3,995.00

THX recommends measuring where your TV will be to the center of your couch, and then using the following guide:

• 3.5-5 feet away: Get a 35-inch class TV
• 4-6 feet away: Get a 40-inch class TV 
• 5-7.5 feet away: Get a 50-inch class TV
• 6-9 feet away: Get a 60-inch class TV

If you want something more precise, take the screen size you're thinking about and divide it by 0.84 and that's the ideal viewing distance in inches. When in doubt and your budget allows, go bigger...you'll regret it if you go too small.

Resolution

More often then not unless you're looking for a TV under 32" you'll never even see an option for anything below 1080p. The other, newer option that's coming out is 4K. At this point in time, there's not many services offering anything higher than 4K but the future is coming faster than you'd think. 4K TV's are dropping in price, and if you're looking for something long term you might want to invest in it if you don't want to buy a new TV in the next 5 years to get the best picture.

Plasma or LED?

Realistically, LED is the way of the future. For a long time plasma was a great option and many(including myself) loved it for it's deep, dark blacks and the 600hz refresh rate, much faster than any LCD based TV has yet to achieve. Unfortunately, even Panasonic the leading plasma TV developer has announced it's no longer going to produce such devices. LED is lighter, brighter, better in high light situations and of course takes up much less energy.

Ports ports and more ports!

Most everything these days is through an HDMI port unless you're looking to connect up to the internet via ethernet(although most have built in WiFi in so called "smart" tv's).

6.5 ft HDMI cable - $5.79

Even Google Chromecast  hooks up to an HDMI port. Count up all your goodies you're going to hook directly into the TV - Games Consoles, Blu-Ray, Cable boxes - and make sure you've got enough to start. The time this doesn't matter is if you're going to use a surround sound  receiver that has all the ports you could ever need, which will then plug into your TV with a single HDMI cord.

Refresh rate

The refresh rate determines how fast the TV can update the image, meaning that in faster moving movies, sports or games it will have smoother motion without the blur. Most TV's now have at least 120hz, although some smaller ones still offer 60hz as well as some "off-brands". 240hz is a great upgrade, but when you reach 480hz it's very hard for the human eye to tell the difference. You'll also want to make sure it's a true refresh rate, and not a software system smoothing it out as these can make mistakes and ruin parts of your favorite daytime drama.

3D...or not

3D TV is cool now and again in theaters, but do you really want to sit on your couch and wear those horrible glasses to watch a 3D Blu-Ray movie on your 42" TV?

Probably not. Most companies have abandoned the idea of 3D programming at least for now, but if you'd like to invest feel free.

Final thoughts

In the end, it all depends what looks best to you. Hit up a few local stores and see what brands you like, do some research and pick what's going to be best for you. A lot of the times with TV's like most things, you can find better deals online.

Samsung UN50EH5000 50-Inch 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV (Black)

Get out there, snag yourself a great deal, and enjoy your new purchase!!

How to : Optimize Windows 7 for Better Performance

CyberpowerPC Gamer Ultra Desktop (Black/Blue)

A slow running PC is a terrible experience for anybody. I hate it, you hate it, we all hate it. We don'twant to wait for things to happen when we try and open a program, or click a link. Fortunately, muchof this is easily controllable by us as PC users. Here are some quick tips on how to speed things up.They are listed in the most efficient order to make the following processes go as fast as possible.

Delete programs you never use

The more stuff your PC has on it, the more stuff it has to search through to find what you want and even more of a problem, they may be running in the back round as well as checking for updates online every so often. Even with an older computer chances are there's tons of programs that were installed when your purchased your new machine and you never really wanted them anyways.

Limit startup programs

How many programs are running in the back round and every time you start up your computer? This can add a huge delay to both the startup process, and take up quite a big portion of memory with everything running in the back round. Microsoft offers a program called Autoruns for Windows that you can use to easily identify all the programs and processes that automatically start up with your computer. This program is designed for advanced users, to use it with care and make sure you know what the programs are before you disable them to make sure it isn't something important...unlike all those HP games and utilities nobody wants.

Clean up your hard-drive

All these unnecessary files you have sitting around slow down everything. Just like with un-used programs, old files will also clutter the hard-drive making things take longer. First, find all your old pictures, movies, music and the like and move it to a thumb drive or maybe an external hard drive. Not only will this ensure they will stay safe if your computer crashes, but it will speed it up too. Next you will want to run Disk Cleanup. You will find this in the start menu and searching for Disk Cleanup. You can run this for each hard-drive you have, and select all the files you'd like to delete after it searching through all the mess.

Defragment your hard-drive

Fragmentation makes your hard disk do extra work that can slow down your computer. Disk Defragmenter rearranges fragmented data so your hard disk can work more efficiently. This will sometimes be set on a schedule, but you can also run it manually the same way you searched for Disk Cleanup. Do this on each hard-drive to make the most of it.

Limit the programs you run at one time

Not surprisingly, running 12 programs and surfing 18 web pages at the same time has a bad effect on your computers performance. Make sure you close out of a program or a page when you're done, and if you absolutely need to run all these things at once then it would be a good idea to upgrade your memory.

Add extra RAM(Random Access Memory)

While I'm not going to run through the entire upgrade process in this post, upgrading your RAM is a great way to handle all those extra activities you can't live without while you Facebook/Twitter/Myspace/Skype all your friends at once. Adding extra RAM gives your PC the ability to handle all of these at once.

Turn off visual effects

Although things won't look as pretty, you can adjust the visual effect of windows 7 for performance rather than looks. This will free up some of that RAM you just installed and let you run AIM while you're doing all the other things.

To adjust all visual effects for best performance:

1. Open Performance Information and Tools by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type Performance Information and Tools, and then, in the list of results, click Performance Information and Tools.
2. Click Adjust visual effects. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
3. Click the Visual Effects tab, click Adjust for best performance, and then click OK. (For a less drastic option, select Let Windows choose what’s best for my computer.)

Check for viruses and spyware

Viruses and spyware can wreak havoc on your PC, and make your life suck. If your PC is suddenly runing slow, or has unexpected messages and pop-ups all the time you may be infected. Check into a free program like AVG, or if you want the best purchase yourself a copy of McAfee Total Protection 2014 and install it to make sure you don't have any future problems.

If you have any suggestions or comments add them below, thanks for reading!

How to : Crate train your puppy

Crate training a puppy can be a slow and painful process, especially if you go about it the wrong way. If you force the puppy into the crate and make him fear it, he will never want to be in it and whine or chew anything he can while he's in it. First things first, pick a crate.

The crate you pick should be just big enough for him to stand up in and turn around. If you give your puppy too much room he will be able to go to the bathroom in one side and then hide in the other, encouraging this habit. One tip is to get a crate that comes with a piece to block off the second half until your puppy has grown too large that way you only have to buy one crate.

Midwest Life Stages Double-Door Folding Metal Dog Crate, 36 Inches by 24 Inches by 27 Inches

Midwest life makes a great double door metal crate that comes with a divider so the crate can grow with your puppy, allowing you to expand the size as he or she grows large. It comes with a hard plastic tray, and easily folds down to a suitcase size for when you travel.

Another good thing to make sure you have for your puppy is a nice comfortable bed. Just as much as you don't like to sleep on a hard surface, neither will your puppy. I know by having this is my dogs crate he goes in there to sleep even when he isn't told to now that he is comfortably trained.

Midwest 40236 36-By-23-Inch Quiet Time Bolster Pet Bed, Fleece

Early in your puppies life an old blanket is probably best, since accidents will most likely happen but as he becomes trained a nice comfortable bed will work wonders! The more comfortable your puppy is, the easier the process will be.

After you have everything you need, our friends over at the Humane Society have a great process lined out on how to properly train your puppy.

The crate training process

• The crate should always be associated with something pleasant.

• Training should take place in a series of small steps. Don't go too fast.

Step 1: Introduce your dog to the crate

• Bring him over to the crate, and talk to him in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won't hit your dog and frighten him.

• Encourage your dog to enter the crate by dropping some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If he refuses to go all the way in at first, that's okay; don't force him to enter.

• Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If he isn't interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days.

Step 2: Feed your dog his meals in the crate

• If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate.

• If he remains reluctant to enter the crate, put the dish only as far inside as he will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed him, place the dish a little further back in the crate.

• Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat his meal, you can close the door while he's eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as he finishes his meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until he's staying in the crate for ten minutes or so after eating.

• If he begins to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving him in the crate for a shorter time period. If he does whine or cry in the crate, don’t let him out until he stops. Otherwise, he'll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so he'll keep doing it.

Step 3: Lengthen the crating periods

• Call him over to the crate and give him a treat.

• Give him a command to enter, such as "kennel." Encourage him by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand.

• After your dog enters the crate, praise him, give him the treat, and close the door.

• Sit quietly near the crate for five to ten minutes, and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time, and then let him out of the crate.

• Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you leave him in the crate and the length of time you're out of his sight.

• Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight, you can begin leaving him crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting him sleep there at night. This may take several days or several weeks.

Step 4, Part A: Crate your dog when you leave

• Put him in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave him with a few safe toys in the crate.

• Vary at what point in your "getting ready to leave" routine you put your dog in the crate. Although he shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate him anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving.

• Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged—they should be matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give him a treat for entering the crate, and then leave quietly.

Step 4, Part B: Crate your dog at night

Potential problems

Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog's age, temperament, and past experiences. It's important to keep two things in mind while crate training:

Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Take the door off and let the dog explore the crate at his leisure. Some dogs will be naturally curious and start sleeping in the crate right away.  If yours isn't one of them:

After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding him his regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate.

After your dog is eating his regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine him there for short time periods while you're home.

After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving him crated for short periods when you leave the house.

When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to him in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low key to avoid increasing his anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so he doesn't associate crating with being left alone.

Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night, and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when he whines to be let outside.

Older dogs, too, should initially be kept nearby so they don't associate the crate with social isolation.

Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with his crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog—even sleep time—is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet.

Whining. If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether he's whining to be let out of the crate, or whether he needs to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from his crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, he'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at him or pounding on the crate will only make things worse.

If the whining continues after you've ignored him for several minutes, use the phrase he associates with going outside to eliminate. If he responds and becomes excited, take him outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore him until he stops whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what he wants. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again.

Separation anxiety. Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won't solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but he may injure himself in an attempt to escape from the crate. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counter-conditioning and desensitization procedures. You may want to consult a professional animal-behavior specialist for help.

How to : Improve self confidence

I've never been one to be very confident in myself, but I've found myself down the road to fixing this lately in my old age and wanting to use that to improve my life. Self confidence makes a lot of stuff easier, and makes for a happier life. If you're out looking for a job, or a spouse, it's a great way to help that as well. Here's the best tips I've found.

1. Dress Sharp

Although clothes don’t make the man, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don’t look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. Use this to your advantage by taking care of your personal appearance. In most cases, significant improvements can be made by bathing and shaving frequently, wearing clean clothes, and being cognizant of the latest styles.

This doesn't mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. One great rule to follow is “spend twice as much, buy half as much”. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes. Buying less also helps reduce the clutter in your closet.

2. Walk Faster

One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about herself is to examine her walk. Is it slow? tired? painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. Even if you aren’t in a hurry, you can increase your self confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important.

3. Good Posture

Similarly, the way a person carries herself tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self confidence. They aren't enthusiastic about what they’re doing and they don’t consider themselves important. By practicing good posture, you’ll automatically feel more confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and make eye contact. You’ll make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.

4. Personal Commercial

One of the best ways to build confidence is listening to a motivational speech. Unfortunately, opportunities to listen to a great speaker are few and far between. You can fill this need by creating a personal commercial. Write a 30-60 second speech that highlights your strengths and goals. Then recite it in front of the mirror aloud (or inside your head if you prefer) whenever you need a confidence boost.

5. Gratitude

When you focus too much on what you want, the mind creates reasons why you can’t have it. This leads you to dwell on your weaknesses. The best way to avoid this is consciously focusing on gratitude. Set aside time each day to mentally list everything you have to be grateful for. Recall your past successes, unique skills, loving relationships, and positive momentum. You’ll be amazed how much you have going for you and motivated to take that next step towards success.

6. Compliment other people

When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and gossip. To break this cycle of negativity, get in the habit of praising other people. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to compliment those around you. In the process, you’ll become well liked and build self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.

7. Sit in the front row

In schools, offices, and public assemblies around the world, people constantly strive to sit at the back of the room. Most people prefer the back because they’re afraid of being noticed. This reflects a lack of self confidence. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over this irrational fear and build your self confidence. You’ll also be more visible to the important people talking from the front of the room.

8. Speak up

During group discussions many people never speak up because they’re afraid that people will judge them for saying something stupid. This fear isn’t really justified. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you’ll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.

9. Work out

Along the same lines as personal appearance, physical fitness has a huge effect on self confidence. If you’re out of shape, you’ll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic. By working out, you improve your physical appearance, energize yourself, and accomplish something positive. Having the discipline to work out not only makes you feel better, it creates positive momentum that you can build on the rest of the day.

10. Focus on contribution

Too often we get caught up in our own desires. We focus too much on ourselves and not enough on the needs of other people. If you stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the contribution you’re making to the rest of the world, you won’t worry as much about you own flaws. This will increase self confidence and allow you to contribute with maximum efficiency. The more you contribute to the world the more you’ll be rewarded with personal success and recognition.

Read more at 10 Ways to Instantly Build Self Confidence

How to : Increase fuel economy

These days, saving money any way we can is a blessing in its own. There's a few ways you can do this, some of which are free and easy to do on your own, some require the help of a professional mechanic.

If you picture your engine as a giant vacuum, sucking air in one end and(after an explosion of sorts) expelling it out the exhaust. The easier the engine can perform this the more efficient the whole process is. The other side of this is the easier it is to get the vehicle to roll the less work the engine has to do. Let's start with that.

Air pressure

The most obvious of these is air pressure. I'm never going to tell you to OVER inflate your tires for safety reasons, but you never want to run them under inflated. A soft tire doesn't roll as easy as a properly inflated tire. This is easy, and free to maintain. I would get myself a nice cheap air gauge to keep track if you don't have a tire pressure monitoring system on your vehicle.

Accutire MS-4021B Digital Tire Pressure Gauge

This is a simple to use digital air gauge, that's extremely reliable. They recently replaced the cheap plastic inner piece with a new metal design improving the performance and making sure this gauge will last you 5-10 years. If you don't have your own air compressor feel free to drop by your local auto shop, they will usually be able to do this for free for you.

Alignment

This is one you can't check yourself, but you can make a conscious decision to make sure you get it checked regularly. Depending on your roads and how much you drive per year, they recommend getting it checked 1-2 times annually. 

There are various angles involved, all of which make sure your tires are running straight between each other reducing the rolling resistance of your vehicle. This also has the added benefit of making sure your tires will last as long as possible and increasing your traction. When you do this, make sure you get all 4 wheels aligned. Older machines only align the front 2 wheels, but the newer more effective equipment aligns the front to the rear making sure you have a perfect alignment.

Air filter

This should be checked regularly and replaced when needed. This will make sure that your engine can breath(pull the air in, remember the vacuum) easier, making it more efficient. You can also find higher-end re-usable air filters.

K&N High Performance Replacement Air Filter

K&N is an extremely popular, and effective choice. While it will typically cost around $40, you never have to replace it assuming proper maintenance on the filter, and only have to clean it every 50,000 miles. It also has the added benefit of higher horsepower and acceleration, but you need to keep your foot out of the throttle or else it'll ruin the benefits!

Fuel and additives

First and foremost, don't cheap out on gas. Saving 2 cents per gallon to go to el cheapos bargain gas station vs going to the Shell station next door isn't worth it. Seriously. It WILL last you longer. The higher end gas has better additives and less ethanol helping it last longer. Also make sure you use the proper octane rating for your vehicle, using too high OR too low of an octane makes it more difficult to burn properly and ruins your efficiency.

Sea Foam SF-16 Motor Treatment - 16 oz.

While I don't use it every tank like some places advertise, I have had good luck with fuel additives. Sea Foam is one of the best and has been a quality product for years. Add it to your gas tank and then fill her up. Run the full tank through till you're almost empty for best results and enjoy!

Exhaust

First and foremost, make sure your exhaust is in one piece. Any leaks, clogged catalytic converters or mufflers reduce the efficiency by blocking up the flow of air and giving oxygen sensors bad reading. If you notice it getting louder or hear any leaks, be sure to get it fixed as soon as possible. For those of you willing too, some aftermarket exhausts that have a more open muffler do have an added benefit as long as you don't get lead food syndrome! 

Tune-up

Last but not least, don't forget your tune-ups! These are only required every 60-100k miles on most newer cars, but are just as important. Having good spark plugs and wires(as well as a good quality!) makes a world of difference!

NGK BKR5EIX-11 Iridium IX Spark Plug

NGK makes an excellent spark plug, be sure to look up your vehicle and use the proper plugs for your vehicle and pick up some wires to go with it!

If you follow these simple rules you'll be on the road for added fuel economy. There's a world of things you can do to increase it even further, but these basics will get you well on your way! Thanks again for reading, share and comment with questions or feedback!

How To : Treat Acne (Continued)

 

Neutrogena Complete Acne Therapy System

 

 

In this article I am going to delve further into the carious Over-The-Counter medications and treatments you can use if you'd like to expedite the process of getting rid of acne. Keep in mind, you aren't going to want to use all of these nor are you going to want to use the highest strength available, less is more! Let's start with some of the more common active ingredients in each medication. Each of these will be available in difference face washes, cleansers and creams.

Salicylic Acid - This is one of the most popular ingredients I've seen in all different sorts of treatments. salicylic acid helps break down black and whiteheads and helps prevent more acne by slowing down the shedding of cells that line the follicles of the oil glands. It also helps treat inflammation and swelling.

Benzoyl Peroxide - This is another very popular ingredient that kills bacteria and slow down oil production. It also works as a "peeling agent", basically making your skin turnover faster and cleans out pores helping reduce bacteria.

Retin-A - This ingredient helps to unplug pores and contains an acidic form of vitamin A. Similar to benzoyl it works as a chemical peel and is used to combat the aging of skin.

Azelaic Acid - This chemical help strengthen cells around the follicles, stop oil eruptions and reduces bacteria. It is commonly used for patients with darker skin who have dark patches or whose acne spots leave brown marks..

Types of treatments

There are various types of treatments that each of these ingredients can be used in, and they all work in different ways and will have varying effects depending on your skin type.

Gels - Gels are best for people with oily skin as they are usually alcohol based and dry up the skin. Neutregena makes a great oil free gel, and it's great to start off with. It contains 2% Salicylic Acid and is therefore less likely to irritate your skin then some of the maximum strength gels with a higher content level.

 

Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Gel Cleanser, 6 Ounce

 

Neutrogena makes a great gel cleanser, it comes in a 6oz tube and is great to wash your face morning and night to help treat and prevent acne.


Cleansing Pads - Cleansing pads are one of my favorite, but much more common to irritate skin. They typically come in a round container with 60 or so pads moistened with medication. Typically these contain Salicylic Acid and work well in areas that have chronic acne.



Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Night Cleansing Pads, 60 Count

 

These cleansing pads also contain 2% Salicylic Acid but are more direct and you don't wash it off leaving the treatment on the skin. Start with 1 treatment a day, as it can drastically dry and irritate your skin if it's too sensitive.

 

Soaps - If you are using the other treatments, soap is the one I wouldn't get any medication in. If you're using multiple treatments it's a lot of irritation in your skin and can make things much worse. Instead, I would get soap-less cleanser to use every day in the shower.

 



 

Aquanil Soapless Lipid-free Cleanser, for Sensitive Skin - 16 Oz (Pack of 3)

 

Soap-less cleanser can sometimes be difficult to find in smaller stores, and this is a great way to stock up. It's a pack of 3, and is eligible for Amazon Prime to save you on shipping.

 

These are just a few great examples of different types of treatments, give them a try but ultimately it depends what works best for you and your body. As always remember, less is more!

 

Thanks for reading, share with your friends and comment with questions!


For more information on acne and how to take care of it, click here!