Online shopping is advantageous for several factors. Online shopping not only makes it easy to buy what you need when you need it from the comfort of your home, but it also lets you instantly compare prices, look for deals, or read reviews. Additionally, you can have your purchases delivered right to your door.

However, it can be too much! How do you identify trustworthy websites? What about storing your credit card information? Are you sure it's that safe? And would opening an account to make a purchase online be worthwhile, or will it only fill your inbox with tons of spam?

We've put together a helpful guide on how to begin shopping online to assist you in safely navigating the infinite aisles of online retail.

Step 1 – Finding the right website and product

Sometimes the hardest thing is not knowing where to begin. The simplest method is to enter the store or item you're looking for directly into your search field. The best results should then appear, and you may click through to them.

As an alternative, many search engines also include a useful "shopping" option that provides direct links to online shops that have the item you're looking for. You can occasionally view their customer service ratings in addition to their rates when conducting a search.

Top tip: Check the security of the websites you select to use for online purchasing. If you buy from more reputable companies, you can probably trust that their website is safer. Additionally, we advise looking for a "padlock" emblem in the search box and a website address that begins with HTTPS (the "S" denotes "secure"). Additionally, make sure the website's name doesn't include any weird characters or spelling mistakes.

Step 2 – Adding a product to your basket

You've put in the effort and discovered what you were looking for. You can choose your number, color, or size from here before adding the item to your basket. Occasionally, buying more than one thing or subscribing to a service can lower your delivery charges. If you anticipate using these things frequently, it's worthwhile to look into it.

Top tip: Many websites provide "wish list" or "list" functions that let you save products for later if you like something but aren't ready to make the purchase.

Step 3 – Completing your purchase at checkout

You can move on to "checkout" after adding the item to your basket. You might need to create an account using your email address depending on the website. This is helpful for routine purchases like groceries because you can save your card and address information for a quicker checkout the next time you make an online purchase. The website will now walk you through the payment procedures.

Top tip: Some stores provide one-click payments, which you may use to shop online without having to repeatedly enter your card information by setting it up and proving that you are the cardholder.

Step 4 – Pay it safe

You must input your card number, expiration date, and CCV (card verification value), which is typically printed on the back of your card and typically consists of three numbers, when paying at the checkout of an online store for the first time. Your bank may require you to provide your mailing address or merely the postcode as an additional means of confirming that you are the one making the purchase.

When using your card to make a purchase, you might have to go through an additional security checkpoint. By using two-factor authentication, your bank may confirm that the correct cardholder is making a purchase by requesting an additional piece of information. You won't need to register, download any software, or install anything; everything will be explained to you along the way.

Online payments ought to feel secure and safe. The majority of websites let you pay with debit and credit cards like your Visa. Visa and your banks work hard to ensure the security of your payments and employ several security measures to thwart fraud, safeguard your data, and assist you in getting your money back if your card is used fraudulently.

Top tip: Regularly checking your account and being aware of recent transactions are both wise decisions. You may even sign up for alerts anytime a payment has been made on your account with some mobile banking apps. In this method, you might be able to use Visa's "zero liability" guarantee to get your money back if you notice a fraudulent payment.

Step 5 – Taking delivery

Some retailers allow you to schedule a delivery time slot, while others notify you through email or text when your order has been shipped. Although it's difficult for delivery services to guarantee your arrival at a specific time, many of them now offer a window of time or the option to track your purchase, allowing you to organize your day accordingly. Whenever possible, attempt to select a time when someone will be home to receive the package.

Top tip: Check out the store's return policy before you pay. If you're unhappy with a purchase, many internet retailers will allow you to return it, and some even provide free shipping. Furthermore, you can typically cancel an online order within a specific time frame thanks to UK distance selling restrictions.

The process of purchasing a new car may be challenging, what with comparing prices and dodging pushy upsells. It also doesn't help to do it when a pandemic is going on. Inventory shortages and higher costs are the results of supply chain interruptions and a shortage of semiconductor chips. The model you want might not be available right now, and it can take months to get there. Consider purchasing a used vehicle if you require a vehicle immediately. The process is comparable but frequently more difficult. There are several tried-and-true processes you'll want to follow to avoid common auto-buying blunders in the present market, such as figuring out how much you can afford to spend, which car you want to buy, and the genuine market value (what other people are paying) for that car in your area.

1. Set your budget

Start by selecting if you want to buy your new car outright, obtain a loan, or lease it.

Paying cash makes budgeting quite easy, but don't blow through all of your savings. Also keep in mind that you'll need to pay for registration, insurance, and sales tax.

Taking out an auto loan is the most typical choice, but do your homework on financing in advance to ensure you obtain the best terms when negotiating. Calculate your monthly payment with a car payment calculator.

Here is some advice for getting financing:

• Verify your credit rating. If you need to improve your credit, you might want to hold off until you can obtain financing with reasonable terms.
• Apply to get preapproved for an auto loan if your credit score appears to be good. Take the loan if the dealer can match the rate and terms, but give them something to match.
• Choose the loan period with the shortest interest rate that you can manage.

2. Identify your car’s must-have features

The exciting part now is choosing the ideal car for you. Here are some insightful queries to consider:

• How do you plan to use your car? If you have a family, for instance, you'll need enough space for everyone and lots of cargo capacity.

• What’s on your list of must-have features? Maybe you want heated seats, a sunroof, or remote starting. Make sure to search for that as well. Check the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for crash test ratings if safety is your primary priority.

Find models that fit your requirements when you've established them. You may discover a car finder tool on several automotive websites and car-buying apps, together with thorough rankings and research recommendations, to assist you choose the best prospects. Filter your search based on your available funds and the features you want. Choose three to five target models that you want to learn more about in depth.

3. Check reliability and ownership costs

Models should be chosen for both their durability and inexpensive cost of ownership. Resources like J.D. Power and Consumer Reports, which solicit owner maintenance records and assign reliability ratings to vehicles, could be beneficial. Verify each model's total cost of ownership. Some cars are inexpensive to purchase, but they end up costing much more in the long run due to depreciation, insurance, upkeep, and repairs. To estimate these costs, use calculators like the Kelley Blue Book Five-Year Cost to Own or Consumer Reports' Cost of Vehicle Ownership. Sometimes it makes more sense to spend more up front for a car than to take a chance on future maintenance expenditures that will be high.

4. Locate and test drive the car

It's time to see the results of your selections. To get a clear sense of the various models, it's crucial to test drive every automobile you're considering. It would be best if you did these things quickly after one another so you could compare your impressions. Set up a morning or an afternoon to complete the process, preferably around the middle of the week when dealerships are less busy. Make an appointment over the phone. In this manner, the appropriate model will be retrieved and ready to use. Choose a test-drive route with a variety of terrain, including hills, uneven pavement, curves, and even a section of highway. It could be challenging to find what you want on the lot due to the lack of new cars. Dealership inventory can be found online, or you can use a website or app that enables you easily browse several dealerships at once. One of the vehicles you examined might have satisfied your requirements, but it wasn't the ideal color or had the wrong set of features. If there aren't any nearby options, try expanding your search area using a website that allows you to browse cars, such as Autolist or Autotrader, to include an entire region or perhaps the whole country.

5. Find the right price

You can quickly learn what others in your region are paying for the automobile you want by consulting pricing guides like Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds. Simply enter the desired car options on any company's website to view prices; in some situations, you may even enter the desired color because every element might effect the cost of the vehicle. Check to see if there are any incentives or rebates offered for the automobile you want. Current offers are often listed on manufacturer websites and typically vary every month.

6. Get dealer quotes

Negotiating can be made less stressful by requesting dealer quotations via email. You can email the dealership to obtain a price estimate, or you can use a third-party service like TrueCar to rapidly get pricing quotes from several dealerships. Assess the difference between the seller's asking price and the median market price you calculated using the pricing guides. There's a good chance that the seller is asking for more than the going rate. Here are some pointers to utilize on the car lot if you decide to bargain face-to-face:

• Don’t be a monthly payment buyer. You will be treated as a cash buyer if your loan has been preapproved. Instead of negotiating the size of the monthly payment, talk about the car's price.

• Be unpredictable. Avoid letting a salesperson lock you in a sales office while he "goes to talk with his boss." Instead, take a stroll through the showroom or buy a coffee.

• Negotiate slowly and repeat the numbers you hear. Go slowly and even jot down the statistics that are presented to you because it is simple to become confused. If you're discussing the "out-the-door" price, which includes all taxes and fees, or just the car's sale price, be sure to clarify.

• Ask about fees before saying yes to a deal. Some dealers could add fictitious charges to make up for the earnings they lose during negotiations. Before committing to any agreement, request a breakdown of any additional costs.

• Be ready to walk. Simply leave the meeting if you feel like you aren't moving the deal forward or you don't like how you are being treated. No need to say farewell.

7. Maximize trade-in value

Make sure you're receiving the best price for your car if you have one to trade in. You can estimate the value of your car using an online pricing guide's appraisal function. Fill out every field completely because some features and options may increase the value. The following are some words you might run into:

• Trade-in value: The amount you would get for trading in the car.

• Private-party value: What would you get if you tried to sell the car yourself.

• Dealer-retail value: How much the dealer will attempt to get for the car.

Even if you decide not to buy a car from the site, they will still make you an instant offer for your car that is good for a few days. This is another way to sell your automobile online. You'll be in a stronger negotiation position at the dealership if you have that as a point of comparison. The better offer is always an option if the dealer declines to match the offer.

8. Seal the deal

Ask to have the automobile delivered to you rather than picking it up at the dealership if you're negotiating over the phone or via email. It’s quick and stress-free. The majority of individuals still go in person to sign documents, albeit not all dealerships provide this option. Even if you have been preapproved for a loan, the finance manager at the dealership could offer to improve the loan's terms. To check if they can secure a lower interest rate for you doesn't hurt. Ensure that the loan's other conditions are all the same. The finance manager might make an effort to upsell you before the contract is drafted. At the proper price, an extended auto warranty might provide you peace of mind. But first, make sure you are familiar with the details of the warranty that came with your new car.

Along with a powertrain guarantee that normally lasts up to 60,000 miles, most new automobiles come with a bumper-to-bumper warranty that lasts at least three years and 36,000 miles. The engine, transmission, and suspension are just a few examples of the components that the powertrain warranty covers. Take your time reading the contract, and resist the urge to sign it quickly to get it over with. The agreed upon sales price and the following additional amounts shall be set forth in the contract:

• State sales tax. Based on your city and county, this percentage of the car's price may change.

• Documentation fee. The dealership really costs you for filling out the contract, as absurd as it may sound. In other states, this "doc fee" is limited. Some dealerships in places like Florida charge up to $700 in doc fees.

• Registration fees. Conveniently, a dealer has the capacity to register the vehicle on your behalf.

Dealerships could charge extra fees, some of which might be false. Knowing what is genuine and what is added merely to increase their profit is difficult. Ask to have a fee eliminated if the dealer's finance manager is unable to satisfactorily explain it in the contract.

We'd all like to leave something special to our children or other loved ones. We save and save in order to make life easier for the people we care about. Nobody likes to give the government a big chunk of their hard-earned money in the form of probate fees. We also don't want our loved ones, especially our husbands and children, to have to wait months or even years for a cent.

It is considerably easier than you think to avoid the delays and costs of probate. Here are some general guidelines to help you retain more of your estate in the hands of the individuals who matter the most.

1. Write a Living Trust

Simply establishing a living trust is the simplest approach to avoid probate. Just like a last will, a living trust is an alternative. A living trust places your property and assets "in trust," where they are then administered by a trustee for the benefit of your beneficiaries, as opposed to a will, which just transfers your assets upon death. Due to the fact that the property and assets have already been transferred to the trust, you can completely avoid probate.

You can also avoid the expense of probating a will by using a trust.

The expense of probating a will or having it approved by the courts is one of its principal downsides. Court costs are deducted from the gross estate during probate (the amount of the entire estate before the debts are paid out). This fee, which is frequently higher than 10% of the estate's value and would be better spent on trustee fees and funeral expenses. You can completely avoid these court fees by using a living trust.

2. Designate Beneficiaries for Your Bank and Retirement Accounts

Because a last will and testament is a simpler estate planning document, it may work better for some people than a trust. However, just because you have a will doesn't necessarily mean that all of your possessions must pass through the probate process. Most individuals are unaware that we can designate beneficiaries for many of our most important assets. In reality, you might not have known that you could name a beneficiary who will get money upon your death on the bank account you opened when you got your first job.

Despite the fact that doing so may seem straightforward, many people neglect to choose a beneficiary or beneficiaries for their bank accounts, investments, and retirement plans. Life insurance policies, pension plans, 401K plans, IRA accounts, equities, and bonds are all examples of accounts that are payable on death.

Requesting and completing the payable on death forms that your bank or brokerage firm can offer will get you started. Keep in mind that if you are married, your spouse may automatically hold a portion of some of these accounts. However, by spending the time to complete these paperwork, you can guarantee that the proceeds are instantly distributed after death without going through probate, saving a lot of time and money.

A last will and testament is frequently a great substitute for a living trust.

3. Hold Property Jointly

Consider keeping your property jointly if you want to keep your real estate out of probate. Owning jointly enables the property to pass to your significant other automatically without going through probate if you and your husband or other romantic partner are considering buying your first home together or even currently have your own home. Whether or not you are married is unimportant. The property will go to the surviving spouse of the pair if it is listed as a jointly held property.

Of course, you'll want to be sure to specify this ownership in great detail. If you're married and live in a community property state, you might want to consider designating jointly owned property as community property with a right of survivorship. You might also want to consider tenancy by the entirety.

For what they refer to as "small estates," some states even provide an expedited probate process. Of course, you should research the regulations in your jurisdiction regarding what constitutes a small estate. This designation frequently means that there is no actual property for the court to look at or that an estate is smaller than a particular amount.

If a woman does not already have diabetes, she may acquire gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes affects somewhere between 2% and 10% of pregnancies each year in the US. Taking care of your gestational diabetes will help ensure that both you and your unborn child have good pregnancies.

What Causes Diabetes During Pregnancy?

When your body can't create enough insulin while you're pregnant, you get gestational diabetes. Your pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which functions as a key to allow blood sugar to enter your body's cells for use as fuel.

Your body produces more hormones during pregnancy, along with other changes like weight growth. Insulin resistance is a condition where your body's cells use insulin less efficiently as a result of these changes. Your body requires more insulin if you have insulin resistance.

In late pregnancy, insulin resistance is a common occurrence in pregnant women. However, some females already have insulin resistance prior to conception. They require more insulin at the beginning of pregnancy and are more likely to develop gestational diabetes.

Risk Factors and Symptoms

Usually, gestational diabetes has no symptoms. Your doctor may suspect that you have gestational diabetes based on your medical history and whether you have any risk factors, but you must be tested to be sure.

Related Health Problems

Being pregnant with gestational diabetes increases your risk of having high blood pressure. Additionally, it may raise your chance of delivering a large baby that requires a cesarean delivery (C-section).

If you have gestational diabetes, your infant is more vulnerable to:

• Weighing nine pounds or more, which can make delivery more challenging.
• Early birth, which can result in breathing and other issues.
• A low blood sugar level.
• Later in life developing type 2 diabetes.

After your baby is born, your blood sugar levels will often return to normal. However, type 2 diabetes develops in roughly 50% of pregnant women with gestational diabetes. By regaining a healthy body weight after birth, you can reduce your risk. Visit your doctor to have your blood sugar levels checked six to twelve weeks after the birth of your child and then once every one to three years to make sure they are within the normal range.

Gestational Diabetes Testing

It's crucial to get diagnosed with gestational diabetes so you can start treatment and safeguard both your health and the health of your unborn child.

You'll likely be tested between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy because gestational diabetes typically appears around the 24th week of pregnancy.

Your doctor might test you early if you're at a higher risk for gestational diabetes. Early in your pregnancy, blood sugar levels that are higher than normal could be a sign of type 1 or type 2 diabetes rather than gestational diabetes.

Prevention

If you are overweight before becoming pregnant, decreasing weight and engaging in regular exercise may help you avoid gestational diabetes.

In the event that you are already expecting, avoid dieting. For your kid to be healthy, you'll need to put on some weight gradually. How much weight you should acquire for a safe pregnancy should be discussed with your doctor.

Diabetes Type 2 Prevention

There are things you may take to prevent type 2 diabetes, which develops in about 50% of women with gestational diabetes. Consult your doctor about risk reduction strategies and how frequently you should have your blood sugar checked to ensure that you're on track.

Gestational Diabetes Treatment

You have a lot of options for managing gestational diabetes. Attend all of your prenatal checkups and adhere to your treatment schedule, which may include:

• Ensuring that your blood sugar levels remain within a safe range by checking them.
• Eating nutritious meals at the appropriate times and in the proper amounts. Observe a diet recommended by your doctor or nutritionist.
• Being energetic. Regular moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking, reduces blood sugar and increases insulin sensitivity, reducing the amount of insulin your body needs. Always consult your doctor before engaging in any physical activity to see if there are any you should avoid.
• Monitoring your baby. Your doctor will assess the growth and development of your child.

Your doctor may recommend insulin, metformin, or other medications if a good diet and regular exercise are insufficient to control your blood sugar.

Microplastics are tiny plastic flecks that are less than 5 mm broad, or around the size of a fresh pencil eraser. Microplastics are present in all of the things we use and wear. While some microplastics are so minute they cannot be seen, others are so tiny they cannot be inhaled.

There are numerous origins for these tiny particles. Plastic microbeads used in some cosmetics as an exfoliant are an example of primary microplastics. Larger bits of plastic waste, such water bottles and pill bottles, that eventually degrade into secondary microplastics.

Although there are currently a lot of microplastics in the environment, more are being produced every day. Given the enormous growth in the manufacturing and usage of plastic since its introduction in the middle of the 20th century, this may not come as a surprise.

• In 1950, the annual production of plastic was 1.5 million tons.
• The annual production of plastic is 300+ million tons currently.

The key sources of primary microplastics detected in the world's oceans were examined in an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) study that revealed the rise in plastic manufacture.

• 35% synthetic textiles
• 28% tires
• 24% city dust
• 7% road markings
• 4% protective marine coatings
• 2% personal care products
• 0.3% plastic pellets

Additionally, microplastics are present all over the house. Residents of 32 residences in Sydney, Australia were requested to collect dust particles in a specific glass dish for a World Economic Forum study. 39% of the dust particles were microplastics, according to the study's analysis.

How to Limit the Use of Microplastics in Daily Life

Yes, there are microplastics all over, but you may take steps to limit how much you and your family are exposed to them. Even more action may be taken to lessen the spread of microplastics throughout the world. Here are nine pointers that demonstrate how.

1. Purchase organic apparel (or those made from organic materials)

Microplastics are heavily influenced by synthetic garments, such as polyester. When possible, go for sustainable, eco-friendly clothing made of natural fibers like cotton, silk, wool, hemp, and other organic materials.

All materials will eventually develop some microfibers, although those made of natural materials like cotton have a tendency to remain larger than those made of synthetic materials. This is due to the fact that cotton strands typically tangle, resulting in larger lint particles that are difficult to release into the air.

2. Alter your laundry routine

When clothes are washed and dried, they experience additional wear and tear. Washers and dryers produce microfibers from a variety of materials, but the microplastics made from polyester and other synthetic materials are the most worrisome.

With a single household dryer emitting up to 120 million microfibers into the air each year, dryers produce around 40 times as much microfibers than washing machines.

Your washer and dryer can discharge less microplastics if you do the following things:

• Ensuring you have microplastic-capturing filters of the highest caliber
• Let your clothes air dry
• Less water is used with each load.
• Avoiding the delicate wash cycle since it consumes more water than the regular cycle
• Less frequently washing your clothes
• Purchase fewer new items of clothing because they shed more microfibers than garments that have already been cleaned and worn

3. Steer clear of single-use plastics

Over time, eplastic materials degrade and release secondary microplastics into the environment. The retail sector uses a ton of plastic, particularly when it comes to plastic bags. Stay away from single-use plastics by:

• When shopping, use fabric bags or backpacks.
• Requesting paper bags rather than disposable ones.
• Shopping at supermarket stores that produce no trash and other environmentally friendly merchants.
• Substituting reusable metal, glass, or bamboo straws for disposable plastic ones.
• Reducing the usage of single-use plastic water bottles and replacing them with reusable ones.

4. Buy cosmetics free of plastic

A wide range of cosmetic and household goods may include microbeads. Look for wording on labels that suggest the use of microbeads as you carefully read them.

• Avoid products with the following ingredients:
• Polyethylene, sometimes known as PE
• Polypropylene, often known as PP
• PET or PETE stands for polyethylene terephthalate, a kind of polyester
• PMMA, also known as Polymethyl Methacrylate, Nylon
• Choose eco-friendly cosmetics and household goods that use substitute ingredients, which are frequently marketed as "natural alternatives" to microbeads

5. Decrease your seafood intake

Shellfish that feed at the bottom of the food chain consume microplastics that enter the water. The microplastics are subsequently consumed by you once you eat the shellfish. Your body's absorption of microplastics can be decreased by limiting or avoiding your ingestion of shellfish.

Typical shellfish consumed include:

• Mollusks
• Shrimp
• Lobster
• Crab
• Scallops
• Clams
• Oysters
• Mussels

6. Make use of alternate or public transportation

With 28% of the microplastics identified in the water coming from car tires, they are a significant source of the material. Driving causes the tires to degrade, releasing the minute particles into the atmosphere. There are many less microplastic-emitting tires on the road the fewer cars there are.

By eliminating one vehicle from the road, utilizing the bus, train, or another form of public transportation can help prevent this kind of tire erosion and plastic pollution (your own). You can choose to use a scooter, bicycle, or other form of personal transportation when it's practical.

7. Avoid microwaving food in plastic

Microwaves and plastic don't mix. When heated, plastic containers release plastics. This is true even for plastic containers that are marked as "microwave safe," since this only implies that they won't melt in the microwave, not that they won't leach chemicals into your food.

8. Dust and vacuum often

Microplastics make up a significant 39% of dust particles found in and around the home. By keeping your house as fresh and spotless as you can, you can lower that amount. To do this:

• At least once a week, vacuum and dust.
• Using air purifiers or filters that are designed to particularly catch microplastics.
• Choosing hard flooring over carpet since the latter emits more microplastics into the air.

9. Encourage environmental sustainability measures

It's great to take individual action to lower microplastics. However, you don't have to end there. You can back initiatives being made by groups, politicians, and policies.

• Vote for candidates who will put the health of their constituents first and tackle the plastic and microplastic pollution crisis head-on.
• Support initiatives aimed at reducing the global use of plastics and microplastics.
• Participate in the fight against microplastics in the environment by volunteering or making a donation to nonprofits and organizations.

There are a ton of groups that fight against plastics, just do a search. The following three are very potent:

Plastic Soup Foundation

The Plastic Soup Foundation does more than only remove plastic from the oceans of the world. It seeks to prevent the contamination from ever entering the water supply. They offer a variety of materials on their website to assist you in making wise product decisions, in addition to choices for contributions.

Plastic Ocean Foundation

The Plastic Ocean Foundation was established by the same persons who made the acclaimed documentary "A Plastic Ocean." Its ambitious goal is to drastically alter global perceptions of plastic within a single generation. According to the foundation's website, it is a global initiative that funds regional initiatives and partners who work to bring about change on a global scale.

The Story of Stuff

Award-winning documentary "The Story of Stuff" was released in 2007. Additionally, it serves as the foundation for the broader Story of Stuff Project, which has more than a million supporters worldwide. One of their key efforts is the fight against plastic, and on their website you may discover other campaigns, study materials, and movies.

As a First Step to Lowering Your Total Pollution, Avoid Using Microplastics

Part of the pollution puzzle

Although microplastics are widespread, so too are the campaigns, organizations, and activities to combat them. It is wise to take action to limit the amount of microplastics in your environment and house as it is a crucial element of the environmental puzzle.

Using cleaner energy and emitting less CO2

But there are countless additional pieces of the environment health puzzle that exist, and they all connect to the overarching objective of building a better world in the future. By trying to reduce all types of pollution, including plastic pollution and, more importantly, greenhouse gas pollution from fossil fuels, that world may be created. One effective strategy to combat global warming is to make the earth healthier overall. You may make a difference in addition to avoiding plastics by emphasizing sustainability and utilizing renewable energy sources, which do not emit carbon emissions that hurt the environment.

It can be easier and less expensive than you think to switch to cleaner energy—even easier than once a week vacuuming or dusting! Perch, please. We can assist you in changing the electricity source for your home to a greener one, such as solar or wind energy, to reduce your carbon footprint and perhaps even your monthly bill. We also assist locals and small companies with signing up for community solar farms, which contribute to the addition of clean energy to the overall grid in exchange for reductions in utility costs. It doesn't have to be expensive or difficult to go green.

As students, parents, and educators see the value of online education, an increasing number of institutions are opting to go online. Examine what makes online colleges an excellent alternative!

Students who attend online institutions can receive academic credentials that are recognized and accepted all around the world. Online classes can provide students with the opportunity to interact with a diverse, global, and intercultural group of students, as well as provide international students with a unique cultural experience, and studying online has become a legitimate pathway into world-renowned international universities.

Finding the perfect online school can expand a student's educational opportunities well beyond what they might be able to encounter in their immediate surroundings, and it can help kids who have struggled in regular institutions shine.

Students who attend online schools obtain academic credentials that are recognized and acknowledged all around the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened public interest in online high schools. While brick-and-mortar public and private high schools have adapted to intermittent remote instruction with different degrees of success, virtual schools and their teachers have years of experience offering highly structured, relevant, and engaging instruction remotely. College Transitions has compiled a list of the top 15 online high schools in the United States, along with their physical location, the year they were founded, their tuition rate, a brief summary of their course offerings, and five interesting facts about each school, including SAT/ACT scores and recent college acceptances, when available. There are links to the schools so you may simply discover more about each possible online institution.

1. Stanford University Online High School

Physical location: Redwood City, California

Year Established: 2006

Tuition: $28,160 per year

Course offerings: Many AP courses are available, as well as 25 post-AP and university-level courses.

Quick facts:

• 64% of professors have doctorates in their areas.
• The typical class size is 13 people.
• There are 903 students enrolled in total.
• Financial aid is received by 12% of students.
• Graduates have an average SAT score of 1482.

2. Davidson Academy Online

Physical location: Reno, Nevada

Year established: 2006

Tuition: $14,595

Course offerings: Students develop a Personalized Learning Plan (PLP). The courses are difficult but do not have AP credit. Many students continue to take AP exams.

Quick facts:

• This school is for pupils who score 99.9% or higher on nationally normed intellect exams.
• The average SAT at the institution is 1529, while the average ACT is 34.8.
• Students have gone on to study at universities such as Caltech, Rice, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Chicago, and Yale.
• At this school, there is no such thing as a class rank.
• In one recent graduating class, 14 students were dubbed AP Scholars.

3. University of Texas High School

Physical location: Austin, Texas

Year established: 1999

Tuition: Texas citizens pay no tuition; non-residents pay $3,600.

Course offerings: Courses are available in 60 subjects, including numerous AP and IB alternatives.

Quick facts:

• There are 800 full-time students enrolled.
• Graduates have gone on to attend universities such as MIT, Cornell, USC, NYU, and Johns Hopkins.
• Non-Texas residents can participate in an IB Program.
• The average SAT score for students was 1170.
• The courses are NCAA-approved for collegiate athletes who meet the eligibility standards.

4. George Washington University Online High School

Physical location: Ashburn, Virginia

Year established: 2011

Tuition: $12,000 per year

Course offerings: Provides 16 AP courses as well as education in five international languages.

Quick facts:

• All grads are accepted to four-year colleges.
• Swarthmore, Columbia, Harvard, and Stanford have all recently accepted students.
• Scholarships totaling $2.7 million have been offered to GW graduates.
• The average SAT score is 1221, while the average ACT score is 26.
• The typical graduating GPA is 3.22.

5. Laurel Springs School

Physical location: West Chester, Pennsylvania

Year established: 1991

Tuition: $1,175-1,775 (depending on course selection)

Course offerings: 22 AP courses as well as honors choices for the majority of areas.

Quick facts:

• Over 75% of AP test takers receive a "3" or higher.
• Georgia, UMich, Columbia, Cornell, and Dartmouth are among the colleges that have accepted him.
• The average SAT score was 1180, while the average ACT score was 24.6. Eighty-eight percent of instructors hold master's degrees.
• Laurel Springs students make up 72% of those enrolled.

6. CompuHigh/Whitmore School

Physical location: Morgantown, WV

Year established: 1994

Tuition: $1,599 per year

Course offerings: Does not provide AP courses, but does offer a wide range of courses (including honors alternatives) in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, the Fine Arts, and Computer Science.

Quick facts:

• Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Duke, Georgetown, Dartmouth, and Yale are among the colleges that have accepted him.
• Many serious athletes, singers, and actors/actresses are among the alumni.
• Students have the entire year to complete their courses at their own speed.
• You will meet with teachers and a guidance counselor one-on-one.
• You can pay more for extra arithmetic tutoring or guidance.

7. James Madison High School

Physical location: Norcross, Georgia

Year established: 1996

Tuition: $1,630-$2,300

Course offerings: A full high school curriculum as well as various online college dual enrollment opportunities.

Quick facts:

• Acceptances to colleges include NYU, Penn State, Pitt, Cornell, and Georgia Tech.
• James Madison works with a large number of adult students, athletes, and homeschoolers.
• The school's parent institution is Ashworth College.
• Students can transfer up to 75% of their credits, but a full year at JMHS is required to get a diploma.
• Every year, around 2,500 students graduate from the school.

8. Indiana University High School

Physical location: Bloomington, Indiana

Year established: 1925 (as distance learning school)

Tuition: $231 per course

Course offerings: Three AP courses are available, as well as language opportunities in French, German, and Spanish.

Quick facts:

• Graduates have gone on to attend Indiana University and Ivy League schools such as Harvard and Columbia.
• College Prep, General Education, and Academic Honors are the three diploma tracks available.
• Athletes with NCAA permission can train to play at a Division I or II school.
• Cognia fully accredited, which acknowledges "institutions that have demonstrated an excellent commitment to continuous development and learner outcomes."
• Courses have a time limit of 26 weeks.

9. Northstar Academy

Physical location: Southaven, Mississippi

Year established: 1997

Tuition: $4,315

Course offerings: Northstar offers 200 core courses, as well as 21 Advanced Placement Courses.

Quick facts:

• The average SAT is 1243, and the average ACT is 25.
• Approximately 70% of recent graduates enrolled in a four-year college.
• Hamilton College, Northeastern University, the University of Wisconsin, and Dartmouth College have all accepted students.
• The school is Christian in nature.
• Over 3,000 children in grades 4-12 are enrolled.

10. University of Nebraska High School

Physical location: Lincoln, Nebraska

Year established: 1929 (for distance education)

Tuition: $250 per course ($50 off for citizens of the state).

Course offerings: There are over 100 courses available, including AP and dual enrollment possibilities.

Quick facts:

• Students have been accepted to institutions such as Yale, Brown, Wellesley, Vassar, and Purdue since 2010.
• Cognia accredited, and the school satisfies NCAA standards.
• Justin Timberlake, Andy Roddick, and Brittany Spears are among the alumni.
• In 2013, the institution joined the University of Nebraska's online network and was rebranded.
• There is a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio.

11. Mizzou Academy

Physical location: Columbia, Missouri

Year established: 1999

Tuition: $300 per course (in-state); $500 per course (out-of-state)

Course offerings: 230 subjects, a variety of electives, 9 AP courses, and 23 foreign languages.

Quick facts:

• Currently, nearly 7,000 students from 50 states and 40 countries are enrolled in at least one course.
• MU High has graduated a number of Olympic competitors and rising sports stars.
• Graduates score a 25 on the ACT, which is more than three points better than the state average.
• The institution employs 10 course designers/developers in addition to 45 full-time instructors.
• Over the last five years, "A" and "B" grades were issued in 80% of cases.

12. The Keystone School

Physical location: Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

Year established: 1974 (for correspondence courses)

Tuition: $399-549 per class

Course offerings: There are 120 high school courses available, including eight AP subjects and five global languages.

Quick facts:

• The institution currently has over 10,000 pupils enrolled.
• At least one college accepts 80% of graduates.
• The average SAT score is 1114, while the average ACT score is 22.6.
• Maria Sharapova, the tennis great, is a graduate.
• Students have gone on to attend universities such as Notre Dame, West Point, Duke, and Stanford.

13. Florida Virtual School

Physical location: Orlando, Florida

Year established: 2009

Tuition: Free (Florida residents); $800 per course (non-residents)

Course offerings: 15 AP courses and a similar number of honors courses.

Quick facts:

• Last year, FLVS serviced 240,000 (not a typo) students.
• The average SAT score is higher than the national average.
• FLVS is a unique online high school that employs a ranking system.
• It follows the same calendar as a regular school.
• West Point, Harvard, American University, Barnard College, and Babson College are among the colleges that have accepted him.

14. Oak Meadow School

Physical location: Brattleboro, Vermont

Year established: 1975 (distance learning)

Tuition: $1,545 per course

Course offerings: There are numerous alternatives within each major discipline, but no honors or AP courses are available.

Quick facts:

• There are 600 students from all over the world registered.
• Bard College, Cornell University, Northwestern University, UCLA, and Yale have all recently accepted students.
• Standardized testing is ideologically opposed at this school.
• Oak Meadow is accredited by six separate agencies in the United States, and it allows dual enrollment and will accept credit earned at other universities.

15. Christa McAuliffe School of Arts and Sciences

Physical location: Lake Oswego, Oregon

Year established: 2009

Tuition: $6,495-$9,495 (depending on level of service)

Course offerings: Provides a wide range of honors and AP options, as well as an in-house curriculum.

Quick facts:

• Graduates from the University of Michigan, Bryn Mawr College, the University of Texas at Austin, and Purdue University have recently graduated.
• Science laboratories and certain AP courses have additional expenses.
• Courses are largely mastery-based, and students must score at least 80% to pass.
• CMASAS has its own chapter of the National Honor Society.
• The "Personal Learning Model" provides students a lot of freedom in their classes.

 

5 Places to Shop for Clothes

You can try clothing on, check how they fit, and feel the fabrics and craftsmanship of each item when you buy in person. Asking inquiries is another advantage of in-person shopping; don't be shy about approaching salespeople; they may provide a wealth of knowledge about various clothing designs. Depending on where you travel, there are different kinds of stores to pick from, and your shopping experience will vary.

1. 1. Boutiques: A curated range of apparel that adheres to a particular aesthetic is available at boutiques. Since they are typically small, you can get to know the staff members well. Boutiques typically feature a variety of designer brands and are a fantastic place to find locally produced goods. A terrific strategy to create your own sense of style is to choose a store with a look you adore.
2. 2. Department stores: A wide variety of goods from various brands are available in large department stores. From formal dress to swimwear to athletics to sleepwear, clothing is categorized. Since they feature the widest selection of products, department stores are a great place to visit if you're updating your entire wardrobe. Do you feel overpowered? Take a look at the dolls. Ask a salesperson to assist you in getting the exact look or feel of an outfit you want.
3. 3. Fast-fashion chains: Fast-fashion retailers sell stylish clothing for less money. Fast-fashion retailers function similarly to department stores and provide a variety of goods, from sweatshirts to blazers. Because fast-fashion retailers typically carry only one brand of clothing, sizing and cost tend to be more uniform.
4. 4. Thrift stores: Thrift shops come in a wide range of styles, from vintage boutiques to consignment shops to discount chain stores. Although you can get high-quality clothing as well as distinctive vintage things at thrift shops, you might need to sift through a lot of stuff to find your size and style. It's ideal to go thrifting without having a specific item in mind; instead, bring your wish list, mood board, and an open mind.
5. 5. Online: If you're looking for a certain item, shopping online is a smart idea because it allows you to look through a far wider range than you could discover in a single location. Search for the item you're looking for to get a wide range of possibilities, and then filter the results by color, size, material, and price. The benefit of online purchasing is the ability to compare products from thousands of brands. The drawback is that you won't be able to try on clothing before you place your order, obviously. Check the size chart and read the reviews to get a better understanding of how the items fit since every brand of clothing fits clothing differently. In the event that you want to order more than one size, always check the company's return policy to be sure that free returns are offered.