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Saving Money with The Help Of an Event Planner

No matter the size of your party you are planning, it is bound to take a fair amount of time and yes sometimes a lot of stress to get to the finish line of a successful event. While in the planning process, it can be very easy to miscalculate time and your budget if not careful. One of the best options to take advantage of maybe hiring an event planner to help work all the details out more smoothly. The first thought many people have when the idea is brought up is they can’t afford one, but what if I told you, hiring the event planning company can actually save you money in the long run. Below we will discuss how this is possible and will make you change your mind for your next party planning.

Area of Expertise

As with other professions, event planners are specialized in their field of work and are experts in all event needs. Sure, many of us have attended weddings or company work parties and think that they should be able to figure out how to host one as well but sometimes there are a lot more details to the planning portion than one initially realizes. Event planners are familiar with the area, they may be able to recommend out of the box venue ideas that you may not have ever considered on your own. Catering services are also another large detail to decide on and not only with an event planner know the types of food they offer, but also the pricing so that they are sure to keep you in the budget you are aiming for.

Cutting Costs When Possible

As described above, Event planners are more aware of what items costs which dollar amounts more easily than regular consumers. Working with a set budget can be very difficult from the beginning and knowing which items to splurge on and which items can be neglected a little more. If your party spending becomes out of control, it can make it even more difficult to get back on track. An event planner can work with you and create a list of priorities and give advice as to which elements will make the event more unique and then from there they can help decide if upgrades can be removed in certain areas without making the event anything less than special.

Time Savings

Sometimes money is not always the best savings that you can get, but time is. As the saying goes “time is money” it couldn’t be truer when party planning. Event planning needs a lot of time and energy from the beginning to the end. Juggling your regular job while trying to make phone calls and running to appointments to meet with vendors can be a huge headache and cause a lot of unnecessary stress. Not only will your stress increase, but certain details can get missed or forgotten when so distracted which will cause even more problems down the road.

Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, wedding planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget. We pride ourselves on providing only the highest quality event coordination, giving you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events and milestone celebrations. More information can be found online at https://www.eventplanningdc.com.

Should I Replace or Upgrade My LINAC System?

Having a shiny LINAC system in your clinic entitles you to benefits and services other clinics lacking this technology do not. Such a system is imperative when dealing with minute cancer situations and can not only give the medical staff an edge but also give patients a guarantee of quality others cannot. That said, a proper LINAC system is, quite obviously, not a cheap system to not only implement initially but maintain over time. At one point a clinician or technician may decide the time has come to upgrade to what’s best out there, but such a decision is not so black and white. This article should briefly outline why so.

What Do You Have?

When making the decision to upgrade, you have to look at what you have already implemented. What you have may actually be satisfactory despite being old. LINAC systems themselves are as pricy as one may expect but are also modifiable with different parts that make up the whole. Linear accelerators can be classified as defined by their part status. Essentially, your linear accelerator can be classified from older and lacking upgrades, through newer but lacking and older and possessing upgrades, to newer and possessing upgrades. Where your system lies on the spectrum indicates whether or not making upgrades is worth the cost when considering the competency.

What is Your Budget?

Depending on the overall budget and success of your clinic you may find it smarter to simply upgrade certain parts on your older LINAC system. If money is no object you can naturally swap out your system – even if it’s new – for a newer, more modern and up-to-date model. Having an infinite source of funds is most likely not the case for most clinics, so you must take budget into effect and decide if your system is old enough to really warrant a true upgrade. Remember, upgrading certain parts of your system will always be cheaper than an outright replacement, and going with used upgrades is still a viable and more cost-effective option.

Do You Have Time?

When replacing a LINAC system completely, time is of great importance. Upgrading certain parts on a system can take hours and can be done overnight, but swapping out an entire system can take much, much longer. Are you able to survive with such an important machine out of the office for so long? If your system isn’t too old and has competent upgrades, then it can be hard to justify that absence. Any experienced clinician understands his or her own office enough to know whether or not that absence is detrimental to overall clinic success.

As an independent LINAC service company, Acceletronics is dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and services for linear accelerators and CT scanners across all major brands and models, as well as new and refurbished LINAC systems for sale. More information can be found online at https://www.acceletronics.com/.

Why Buying a Refurbished Linac Makes Sense for a Clinic

When deciding to add or upgrade a facility’s medical linear accelerator (Linac) many factors need to be thoroughly examined such as budget, location, time frames, and other personal impacts. One major decision to make is if to purchase a new or used/refurbished Linac and determining which will offer the best benefits long term. Depending on your situation sometimes a new Linac is required but most often a refurbished option will work perfectly, allowing you to save money as well. Below, are a few reasons to choose a refurbished linear accelerator for your next purchase.

Fewer Patients Being Treated

If your company is new or smaller in size, purchasing a refurbished Linac could be very beneficial. Pre-owned or refurbished Linac’s cost less and have lower monthly lease payments than choosing new equipment. Having fewer than 8 to 10 patients a day is generally considered a small medical facility. With fewer patients equals less money to help cover the costs of equipment fees so taking it low and slow maybe a better business option to guarantee that your clinic continues to grow at a steady pace, allowing quality and effective treatments for all patients. Veterinarian clinics or research facilities may also benefit from a refurbished Linac as they generally do not require all the advanced technologies provided in newer models. The use of linear accelerators may not always be for medical use; instead for industrial uses to image materials.

Operating with Only One Linac or Want a Backup

Often a dilemma will arise when a company is moving into a new location and cannot afford to have a machine down during the relocation process, which can take about 3 to 4 weeks for the transition. An option to avoid this situation is to purchase a refurbished replacement that is like the existing equipment and have it installed in the new location. Once the new facility is complete and open for business, the patients can receive treatment with the newly refurbished equipment and you can either keep the original linear accelerator as a backup or sell it. This solution prevents companies from losing patients from a lack of available machines.

Other Factors to Consider in Budget

Purchasing a used or new linear accelerator is only the first step in getting the proper equipment setup for your business. Other services that should be researched with your Linac is the warranty, service and maintenance plans. This information will help you decipher which options are best for your facility and meet your needs. Also, remember to consider the costs of equipment removal and disposal. The purchasing and planning process of linacs can be very overwhelming which is why choosing the right company for the job is key for a successful addition/upgrade to your facility.

Radparts is the world’s largest independent distributor of OEM replacement parts for Linear Accelerators and Radiation Oncology equipment. Radparts provides high quality, user friendly, low cost parts and support for linear accelerators and radiation equipment. More information can be found at https://www.radparts.com/.

Bathroom Remodeling Must-Haves

A bathroom remodel is typically on the top of every homeowner’s dream list of upgrades they would like to accomplish in their homes. Whether the upgrade is for resale value, or for personal enjoyment to have a place to come home and relax in there is a bathroom renovation for everyone. To begin the planning process of a bathroom remodeling project, it is important to have a design in mind along with a realistic budget. Choosing to hire a professional home remodeler is a great option that can help during the planning process to make things run more smoothly. Below are a few helpful tips when doing a bathroom remodel in your home.

Before Calling the Professionals

A bathroom remodel can be very daunting, and many homeowners are eager to call their licensed contractor right away to start the project. Before you pick up that phone to call, you should first begin the initial plan with the members of your home and get a firm grasp as to your needs/ wants for your bathroom. Think of a budget you would like to stay in proximity to and always plan for a little extra because, with any renovations, there is always the possibility of unexpected issues that can arise and will increase costs later. One of the other factors that can change your mind on several details to the project other than money is timing. Be sure to expect any renovation to range from 30-90 days to complete which can be tough since the bathroom is a main room in the house, we use daily for our hygiene needs so having a backup bathroom that will be used or other obstacles will need to be thought thoroughly as well. It is also important no matter how long the renovation is taking to stick to your original plan as best as possible. Even the smallest changes can add extra money and time to the project that will be sure to ass additional frustration.

Designing Your Space

Generally, a home will consist of 1 or more bathrooms in a home with the features of a toilet, sink, and bathtub. There are optional extras such as a separate shower, dual his/her sinks and other luxuries to add into your bathroom floor plans. It is important to keep in mind what the rest of your home layout and design looks like to keep them flowing nicely together especially if it’s a joining bathroom extension to the master bedroom. Sometimes from a design standpoint is not always functional and with a bathroom that will be getting used constantly, you will want it to be designed according to a usability factor since after all the bathroom will need to fit your lifestyle needs. In some cases, if you are considering renovations to your power room bathroom, your design choices will affect your house guests as well since this will be the bathroom that they will use when visiting as well.

Making the Most of Your Dollars

If you are trying to get the best bang for your buck, there are a few ways you can cut corners when designing your bathroom renovations. First, it is highly recommended to keep the new bath’s plumbing fixtures like the existing floor plan so that new pipes/ wiring does not need to be moved can save hundreds of dollars. However, in a situation where the home is very old or outdated, a professional contractor may find that the pipes and wiring may need to be replaced anyway which may be a good time to move them to a new location if purchasing new ones already during the project. If your budget is tight and you are looking to make your room feel larger than it is without expensive expansions, a few tricks can be done for this purpose. Installing pedestal sinks are a great space saver option when choosing counters. Another great option is installing a glass shower door to make the room feel more spacious since a shower curtain will block light making it feel more enclosed. Another visual item to increase the space of the room is choosing a larger mirror for the vanity as well.

JFC Remodeling, out of Howell, Michigan, offers a variety of construction services for the home including: kitchen and bath remodeling, flooring renovations, and home remodeling. You can find out more information at http://www.jfcremodeling.com or by reaching out to our home renovation specialists at 810.923.1123.

Pool Remodeling in The Winter

When thinking about pool remodeling, winter is typically the farthest time of year that most people think about repairs/ upgrades. It’s cold outside, there is snow covering the pool so why would now be a good time to explore a remodel? Surprisingly, winter is the very best time for your pool to get a little TLC and there are several advantages you can enjoy by remodeling your pool during the winter. Below we will discuss exactly why.

Better Pricing

Your budget is typically your largest factor when planning your pool remodeling and with winter being a less busy season for pool contractors, the pricing is much more affordable. With pool companies having more availability you will be able to choose a time in your schedule that works best instead of having to work around what they can offer during the spring or summer. Another great advantage is that many pool companies will offer better deals and pricing for swimming pool care during their less busy months as well.

Not Wasting Precious Pool Time

The frequency of using a swimming pool is safe to assume to be used much more in the summer than the winter months. Choosing to have renovations in the spring or early summer could be a risky decision since renovation can take longer and instead of being in the pool each day, you now may be waiting for the service to be completed. Summer is already such a short season that the main reason to have a pool is to enjoy it each day that is available. Getting the pool remodeling completed in the winter when you aren’t planning on using it anyway just seems like a much better option for you and for the contractors, win-win!

Better Working Weather

It may seem strange to have anything pool maintenance-related done in the winter but for contractors, it can be more ideal due to the temperatures outside while working will be comfortable for working as opposed to hot summer days. In the summer, contractors will struggle to work quickly because the risk of heatstroke are high and need to stop for breaks and stay hydrated which understandably will slow down their production. If choosing to have renovations for your pool in winter, the contractors tend to be more efficient and get the repairs done quicker as well.

Pound Pool Plastering offers several options when it comes to servicing your pool including plaster, caulk, tiling, cement decks, plumbing, and coping in both commercial and residential settings. More information can be found at https://www.pound-pool-plastering.com/.

Tips Before You Start A New Home Remodeling Project

Starting a new home remodeling project can be very exciting but a few costly mistakes can turn your excitement into feelings of disappointment and frustration if the process is not thought through completely from start to finish. Unexpected issues or surprising circumstances can stretch your budget, but the good news is many of these issues can be avoided if a person pays attention to warning signs. Below we will give a few helpful tips to consider before beginning a home remodel project and how to make your home remodeling process smooth and enjoyable.

Create a Realistic Budget

The first step when planning any home remodeling project is, to begin with a budget and a realistic one at that. It is important to have a budget to keep costs in check. One major mistake that is made is that many homeowners have a dream design in their minds that does not always add up to the same cost of what they planned for the remodel. Having a true understanding of the pricing of materials and labor if hiring a professional home contractor will help to diminish any false expectations that may come up during the process. Another piece of decision-making for a remodel is what items you wish to splurge on the most. Choosing these items before beginning will help to keep other details of the budget in line and in balance. It’s a good idea to think about which items you will use most frequently and may help you decide their worth with a higher price tag. If working with a tighter budget, knowing that cosmetic changes are easily changed in the future will also make the planning process a little simpler.

Understand the Timeline

Not only can false expectations of cost play a factor but also in timeframes on how long the remodel will take. A professional remodeler will be much more efficient and can get a job done more quickly than a standard DIY. Living in a home during a home remodel can be a very trying experience for many homeowners since after all the main areas that many people choose to renovate are their kitchens and bathrooms. These two rooms are used constantly in our homes so when a room can be all torn apart or dust flying everywhere, it is bound to be a little stressful at times. The construction for some people can be too much to deal with so it may be a good opportunity to go on a vacation, rent/ stay with friends and family for a few days or weeks if possible. If timing is going to be an issue, you must go over these details with your contractor so that you fully understand the complexity or decide if simpler changes can be made instead.

Keeping a Positive Attitude

No home renovation will be completely stress- free and keeping a positive twist on your perspective will make the entire process easier to complete. Being prepared for days of things not going as planned and knowing that not every detail of the remodeling project will be exactly as you imagined. Sometimes the cost will have to be adjusted, or the project didn’t finish when you were expecting but that doesn’t mean the world has to end. Keeping your eye on the prize and know that remodeling your home will not last forever. If you have concerns during the remodeling process, always talk it through with your professional contractor and know that they are there to help make the process as pleasant as possible and at the end of the day they have the same goal as you do to have your home looking its best.

JFC Remodeling is a full-service licensed contractor out of Howell, Michigan. Specializing in kitchen and bathroom renovations, flooring upgrades, and home remodelingservices. More information can be found online at https://jfcremodeling.com/.

Marketing Your Business Through Social Media

It is very important for a business to choose proper marketing strategies to invest in their company to be successful. One of the most useful and cost-effective marketing tools inside of digital marketing a small business can use to reach their target audience is through social media. What makes social media so powerful for marketing? It has been studied that over 97% of businesses are using it to reach their audiences, below are several reasons why.

Your Customers and Competition Are on Social Media

One main reason for small businesses to be utilizing social media for their marketing strategies is the fact that many of your customers are spending their time on these channels already. Studies have shown that 70% of the U.S population has at least 1 form of social media accounts created. With the great mass amount of people accessing these platforms, sometimes even multiple times each day, it creates a great opportunity for businesses that are wanting to reach online audiences. Not only are your potential customers using social media but so are many competitors. No matter what style of industry, or who the targeted audience is, social media can impact your business marketing. To remain competitive is important to build a presence online in social media to present your brand in a unique way to show your industry expertise and knowledge.

Social Media Marketing Is Cost-Effective

Choosing to use social media for your marketing needs will help you cut costs for advertisement without sacrificing results. Social media will cost you time that you invest in creating and posting content more than the actual dollar amount associated. Even just a simple few hours a week focused on your account can see great results. If your company decides to use social media advertising as part of your marketing strategy, depending on the goals of the campaign it can still be inexpensive to run paid ads on media such as Facebook and Twitter.

Improve Search Engine Rankings

When increasing your online appearance through social media, there is a good chance you are also, in turn, improving your search engine optimization at the same time. Search engines such as Google may use social media presence as a factor in website ranking. Brands that tend to be successful have healthy interactive social media accounts that can flag their accounts as valuable and trusting. Search engines also pay attention to behavior on social media that has content with links and social signals, such as likes, and shares associated with the posts as well. Ranking factors are in a constant change but having an updated and well-maintained social media account will typically always bring positive effects.

Creative Programs and Systems is an all-inclusive tech company that specializes in Custom Development, Managed IT Services, and Digital Marketing. All work is done in-house, we never outsource services from custom server builds and workstations, custom software programming and phone app development, to search engine optimization and paid advertising, our professionals provide results. For more information on CPS check out our website at https://www.cpsmi.com.

Treating Cancer with External Beam Radiation

Cancer treatment has continued to evolve with new technology and knowledge on new innovative techniques to increase the effectiveness with fewer treatments needed. External beam radiation therapy is a form of treatment that aims radiation from a machine called a linear accelerator. The beam of radiation is aimed at a targeted area where tumor cells are found. This type of radiation therapy is a local treatment and treats the specific area in a person’s body such as lungs and not their entire body. There are several options when using external beam radiation therapy with all the same goal to deliver the highest dose of prescribed radiation to a tumor while protecting the surrounding tissue. Below each treatment type is explained more in detail.

3D conformal radiation therapy

This type of technique is a common option in radiation therapy in which it uses images from CT, MRI, and PET scans to create a precise plan for the treatment area. The process allows doctors to sculpt radiation beams to the shape of a tumor and often used in instances where the tumor is oddly shaped or if the tumor lies close to healthy tissue/ organs. The radiation beams can then be directed at the target from several angles as needed.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is an advanced type of 3-D conformal radiation therapy to treat cancer and noncancerous tumors. IMRT is used by multiple small photons and proton beams aimed at targeted tumor cells with varied, controlled intensity. During each treatment, the beam shape and the beam strength will continue to change to give higher doses to certain parts of the tumor as needed. Due to the greater level of accuracy, IMRT is a possible treatment option for patients that may have reached the maximum allowable dose from conventional radiation therapy with reoccurring tumors.

Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)

Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) is a form of IMRT. What sets this type of treatment apart from IMRT is that it not only uses imaging scans before radiation sessions begin but also uses them during the actual radiation therapy session. Tumors can shift inside the body due to breathing or other body movements that can sometimes be hard to control. IGRT allows doctors to locate and track tumors during the procedure to deliver more precise radiation therapy. Technical adjustments can be made by the radiation oncologists when the tumor moves outside of the targeted area helping to limit radiation exposure that could damage healthy tissues nearby and decrease common radiation side effects.

The Difference of a Custom-Made Website

When owning a business, one of your top priorities is to find the best way for your customers to find your company and promote the desired appearance to provide a unique first impression to potential new customers and will create interest for them to reach out to begin working with. The way technology is today, it is important for your company website to display your company in a professional, creative, and responsive way that will set you apart from your competitors. Unfortunately, in the web design market, many phrases of “custom design” are used but not to its true meaning. What makes a website truly custom made? Let us take a closer look at web development and understand what will be the best website for your business needs.

Using Templates

One of the most common ways to start a website is by using a simple site such as WordPress or other companies such as Wix or Squarespace that provide a theme that allows a person to choose different templates that can be purchased and edited with their personal business information. These type of website creations are chosen mostly due to the low startup cost aspect as well as development times are much shorter. However, as with many things in life, you get what you pay for as it’s always said. There are disadvantages that should be considered when using these website creators as well. Many other businesses could be using the very same templates that you have chosen so this will remove the uniqueness and will not stand out as much from competitors.

Choosing A Custom Design

Quality web design is an art and science incorporated together. The placement of pictures, videos, shortcuts, etc is all arranged in a specific format that has been analyzed for industry trends and to better target a business audience. The main goal of a customized website is for the visitors to gain a complete visual representation of a company and what they have to offer. Having a custom website will also allow the possibilities for specific features to be utilized as well whether you are needing to incorporate e-commerce capabilities or be able to utilize CRM software to input data from a website. Another large aspect that will impact a custom-designed website is your SEO placement. Google can recognize a site’s uniqueness and in turn, will promote a higher rank than a standard template website.

Weighing the Options

Making business decisions is not always easy and of course, everyone is always hoping they are making the right choice based on the facts that they are presented with. A company that is just starting out and needs to get a website up fast and inexpensively may get away with a template or website with starter sites available. Keep in mind, these templates should be used as just a simple stepping stone and the only way to reach the top of your business’s potential is by choosing a custom design. Several websites will state that custom website design is dying however that is far from the actual truth. There is no doubt, as time continues on there are more templates being used each day but this will only give a custom-designed website even more of an advantage, it’s better to stand out than to blend in with the rest!

Why You Should Have A Water Filtration System

Without water, we could not live so it’s easy to see why choosing the best source for the cleanest water is an important decision to be made. Industrial chemicals, heavy metals, and pesticides are found in water supplies all over the world and it is up to us to protect ourselves and our families from the pollution we can potentially put into our bodies. The good news is there are many affordable options that are available to produce and improve water quality.

Knowing You Water

The first step to improve your water quality is to know exactly what type of water you are currently dealing with. There are several ways that water testing can be performed some more accurate than others. The most simplistic form of testing is by using your senses of sight, smell, and taste. With sight, you may notice cloudiness or particles that float or if the coloring of red, brown, or orange it could indicate rust from corroded pipes. As for the smell, certain aromas will inform you of chemicals that are in the water such as bleach type which could be chlorine from the local facility. Or perhaps you smell rotten eggs, and this may indicate somewhere through the water’s course there is bacteria growth. Lastly with taste, if the water instantly doesn’t taste normal it is best to never swallow it. The next option for water testing is to have a professional water treatment company to test your water supply or purchase an at-home water test kit. These tests can determine if the water contains harmful materials and reveal the water’s pH and hardness. If your water source is from a private well, it is advised to have the water tested twice a year.

Water Filter Options

Water filters come in a variety of shapes and sizes and each one has unique features that will benefit a home differently depending on your water quality needs. The first question to ask yourself is what impurities are you wanting to remove from your water? After reviewing your water quality report or speaking to your professional water treatment company, you can decide what type of filter you are needing to use.

Pitcher filter- The simplest water filters to use that fit inside a pitcher that can be kept inside the refrigerator. This style is inexpensive and easy to use but the lifetime is short and typically only removing few contaminants such as chlorine from the water.
Faucet mount filter- this style is exactly as its name implies and is located directly under your faucet. They require little installation with easy replacements and are an inexpensive option. These filters can remove a decent number of contaminants but be sure to research what exactly it can remove to be safe.
Countertop filters- These filters will not take up space under your sink but can however clutter your countertops. They work best for filtering large amounts of water without having to modify any plumbing. Installation can be done hooking to your faucet or be freestanding as well. An advantage is they do not clog as often as a faucet-mounted system but are not compatible with all types of faucets either.
Reverse osmosis– A process where water is forced through a membrane that filters molecules that’s are physically larger than the water molecules. This type of filter is very well at removing minerals however it cannot remove chlorine or volatile organic compounds which are more of a cause for concern so many ROS systems combine prefilters and carbon filters to help this issue.
Whole-house filters- This type of filter is installed directly in the water main and filter all water coming into the home. An advantage is they have a long lifetime and are an inexpensive option for removing sediment, rust, and sometimes even chlorine. Unfortunately, they can not remove most other contaminants, so it is important to pair this with another drinking water filter. They are on the pricier side in relation and must be installed by a professional water treatment company.

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your homes unique water quality needs including: arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.