Applying for an ITIN number can be a daunting task, so it’s a common occurrence that questions exist throughout the process. The information below should be helpful in answering some of the common dilemmas that arise.

What Type of Documentation is Necessary for the Application?

There are several types of identification that will be accepted by the IRS:

• U.S. Passport – this can be provided without additional ID.
• U.S. Driver’s License
• Foreign or U.S. Military identification card
• Valid Visa from the U.S. Department of State
• Voter’s registration card from another country
• National identification card
• U.S. State identification card

For applicants who are being claimed as dependents, school papers or a valid birth certificate are needed. Also, there are other documents that have to be included with the ITIN application. These include an original and legal U.S. federal income tax return, and, in some cases, the SSA letter of denial is also necessary.

How Long Does it Take to Get an ITIN?

Generally, the IRS processes all ITIN applications in under 10 weeks. The more common time span is between 6 and 8 weeks. If everything was in order, then the applicant’s assigned ITIN should have arrived in the mail by this time.

What is Form W-7?

The W7 form is the official government form which must be completed in order to be assigned an ITIN. It is not possible to apply for an ITIN without having first submitted this form.

Who is Required to Have an ITIN?

Those who do not already have a Social Security Number, and are ineligible for the same, should obtain an ITIN number. Many different circumstances require an ITIN. For example, dependents and spouses of a U.S. citizen, resident alien, or a Visa holder need to have an ITIN number. This is also true of resident and nonresident aliens who are required to file a tax return with the U.S. federal government.

There are many steps to securing an ITIN. The above details should help to clarify some common questions regarding the process and the paperwork. For more information, visit the  ITIN W7 application website today.

Recently I shared with you all How To Plan the Perfect Staycation. This summer we’re mostly going to be staycationing ourselves. Even though we’ve been in Texas for four years now we’ve barely scratched the surface of some of the things there are to do in our area, and I can’t wait to scratch some more of the destinations off of our Becoming A Texan Bucket List!

As a family we all love animals, so I was super excited to find out about Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch. Here’s a little about this amazing place that I can’t wait to visit this summer, along with how you can save!

Your next wild adventure!!!! Get ready to come face to face with exotic animals from around the world! Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch is a 501(c)3 non-profit, interactive educational wildlife ranch. Our unique facility sits on 126 breath-taking acres and is home to over 100 animals. Sharkarosa offers field trips, private tours, and birthday parties. Our facilities are perfect for company prarties, family reunions, club meetings or just a great day of family fun!!! Open to the public Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
$2.00 Off Child Admission – This coupon may be redeemed for $2.00 off one child entry with the purchase of an adult entry. Not valid with any other offer or coupon. Limit two discounted child admissions with the purchase of two full price adult admissions.

I’ll be back with a full detailed review with all my best tips and tricks for planning your visit soon! If you go before me be sure to come back and let me know what you thought!

Rosacea is a very common skin condition that affects a lot of adults. Also known as adult acne, it is often characterized by excessive redness and pimples at times over certain part of the face. It is also called adult acne because it is usually known to cause flare ups or outbreaks, just like acne. The condition is generally harmless until it reaches the eyes. It can cause burning sensation and soreness to the eyes. It usually starts around cheeks and continues to spread to around the nose and then to forehead. There can be redness on neck in severe cases. It is very rare for people with darker skin to have this skin condition.

Dealing with Rosacea Depending on Its Severity

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While rosacea might not be that uncommon, it does require you to find out ways to combat the condition. If you feel you are suffering from the skin condition, it is advisable to make an appointment with a dermatologist. You will be guided with ways of treating the condition.

Having said that, there are certain things you should consider doing before you actually decide to go see a dermatologist. You need to determine if the skin condition is severe enough for you to go to the doctor. Although exact root causes of rosacea are unknown and are likely to be an inherited condition, there are various lifestyle triggers that are known to cause the rosacea flare ups. Factors like stress, extreme changes to the temperature and even the beverages you drink and foods you eat can be responsible for worsening the skin condition.

Do You Have Rosacea?

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Before you decide to do anything about it, you must be sure that you actually have rosacea. It is basically acne like eruption that occurs in the central face and it usually affects adults. It is very common amongst women of ages 30 to 50. Fair skinned people are likely to have rosacea. The three physical components of rosacea include red pustules and pimples, flushing and also permanently dilated blood vessels. If you notice all three physical components, you are likely to have rosacea. If you simply have breakouts and other signs are missing, there are chances you just gave common acne. If you don’t have pimples or flushing but have visibly dilated blood vessels, you may or may not have the condition. In that case, you need to check with a dermatologist if you aren’t completely sure.

Why is it Important to Combat Rosacea?

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The thing with rosacea is that if you leave it untreated, it usually gets worse, with more pimples, redness and dilated blood vessels occurring. You must also know that that several products advertised to treat rosacea are usually not that helpful for the skin condition. These products generally contain anti-inflammatory agents but they are rather adjunctive instead of providing primary care. So, if you have persistent flare ups associated with rosacea, it is important you find out ways to deal with it. Otherwise, the condition might just get worse and worse.

Tips to Combat Rosacea

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• Avoid Triggers:

Rosacea flare ups may be triggered by alcohol, spicy food, stress, extreme temperature changes and even certain skin care products. You need to find out what exactly is triggering the symptoms of rosacea in your case. Once you find out the trigger, you should try to minimize the condition by avoiding. There are certain triggers that can be avoided, while others can’t. When you experience a flare, you should take a cool shower and clean your face gently with products for rosacea skin care. You shouldn’t scrub as that could worsen things.

• Moisturize:

When it comes to rosacea, moisturizer is a vital skin care product. If you are suffering from the condition, you should use moisturizers on a daily basis. They help controlling the symptoms by creating a barrier and locking out the irritants. However, if you choose the wrong moisturizer, the redness could worse. When choosing the best face moisturizer for rosacea, you should look for one that is fragrance-free, oil-free and hypoallergic.

• Gentle Cleanser:

Even the kind of cleanser you use can have its effect on rosacea. You should avoid astringents and harsh cleaners, as they are known to make it a lot worse. Rosacea might look like acne, but a lot of acne treatments can be irritating for rosacea. You shouldn’t use products that contain salicylic acid and retinoids. Just like your moisturizer, the cleanser you choose should be hypoallergenic and fragrance free.

• Skip Facials:

Things like chemical peels, certain treatments and even facials might be good for a normal person’s complexion, but they can potentially make rosacea worse. These treatments are known to irritate skin, which results in aggravating rosacea. You need to find an alternative skin care option that is safe for your skin.

• Be Careful with Your Makeup:

Makeup can be used for covering up the redness caused by rosacea, but it can even worsen the symptoms associated with the condition. You should opt for a makeup that is mineral based and fragrance free. Such makeups are likely to irritate the skin much less than a regular makeup.

• Be Safe from The Sun:

It has been seen that sun exposer is one of the top triggers of rosacea. Sun is known to trigger flares in most people having rosacea. You should avoid sun as much as you can. When you go out in the sun, you should apply a sunscreen, stay in shade as much as possible and wear a hat.

• Calming The Flares:

When you have rosacea, flares are bound to happen. For minimizing the symptoms of rosacea, you can place ice packs on your face for calming down the inflammation. Even green tea extracts are known to be soothing.

• Treat Rosacea:

There might not be any cure for rosacea, but you can still combat it with some tailored treatments. Topical treatments such as lotions and creams are known to help. There are even oral medications known to reduce the redness and inflammation.

Santanu Majumdar is a part-time blogger and currently blogs at healthresource4u.com . He is also a health and fitness lover who loves to share his ideas on health, fitness, and beauty. You can check him out on Twitter and Facebook

Who else is LOVING Summer?! *Raises hand and flings it around wildly* As you know we were so excited for the summer break this year, and are trying to make the very most out of it. Summer brings with it so many fun things. Vacations, staycations, outdoor adventures, and family time together. There’s just one thing that comes along with these, though, that I never realized in my blissful childhood summers.

Everything comes with a price tag attached.

Those days of fishing that should seem like one of the least expensive treats? Yepp-picnic lunches, gas money, poles, bait, drinks, and snacks all add up. The days to the amusement parks or zoos or flying to see Grandparents? What I ran into happily as a kid my eyes pop out at the price tag attached as an adult. Summer time and all its fun can quickly drain your bank account. So I wanted to share with you all some simple ways to make and save money this summer in your everyday life so that you have more money to put towards making those memories!

Simple Ways To Save & Make Money This Summer

I shared my huge How Anyone Can Successfully Work From Home post several years ago now. In it, one of my key points was Thinking Outside The Box and I shared how a big part of my strategy was to save and make money through saving online and using rewards programs like Swagbucks or loyalty programs to gather rewards and then cash them out for gift cards. I recently found out about a cool new website that helps you save money, help others save money, AND earn points for gift cards along the way. So, of course, I had to tell you about it!

Use Online Tools To Find Deals & Earn Gift Cards

The website I’m talking about is Dealspotr!

If you’re anything like me you do a lot of shopping online. It’s just so convenient and I love how I can easily compare all my options and prices from the comfort of home! If you’re also like me, anytime you see that little promo code/discount box at the checkout and it’s blank you’re not happy! I refuse to pay full price for anything online these days if I can at all help it. I used to just try to go and use Google to find codes, but more often than not I just wasted a bunch of time trying code after code from years ago and still ended up paying full price.

Dealspotr! was created to help that not happen! Think of Dealspotr as the Wikipedia of deals. All the deals are added by people just like you, ensuring accuracy. They actually have more codes and fewer expired ones than RetailMeNot, Coupons.com, Groupon, or any other coupon site. Want proof? you can check out the data of their test of 550 promo codes.

So using it to find codes and save money is a no-brainer! The cool thing is that if you want to, you can actually use Dealspotr to make money, too! It’s super easy to earn gift cards using Dealspotr, it’s even reasonably easy to earn your first $10 gift card on your first few days using Dealspotr. Plus, you’re helping shoppers save money (and saving money yourself) while you’re earning. Want to make it REALLY easy? If you sign up using my Referral Link Right Here you’ll get 5,000 points to start off with and be halfway to your first $10 gift card!

So how exactly do you earn points with them? By finding and posting deals, or validating and editing ones that are already there! This is actually not hard to do, and they have SO many stores and even restaurants to choose from. I actually used it to post my personal coupon code from my prAna post that I did recently. That’s another cool thing about Dealspotr, you can find those kinds of codes that you can’t find anywhere else because bloggers just like me are on there sharing them! You can also follow people on Dealspotr so you can see what they’re posting, or you can personalize your feed so you just see deals from the stores you’re interested in.

So sign up for an account and get to poking around, saving money, and helping others do it too!

Have a Garage Sale or Shop At Them

Growing up I never frequented garage sales but once we moved to Texas I discovered a whole new world! They are my favorite spots for finding household decor like picture frames, kid clothes, toys, and books.

They’re also so popular in many locations that you can make a tidy amount to put towards your summer vacation if you host one yourself!  My biggest tip for making it simple is to not host one until you’ve become a frequent garage sale shoppper. This will give you an idea of where your price points should be in your area. This way you won’t price so high nothing sells, but you won’t be giving things away for pennies, either. My biggest “keep it simple” trick for hosting a garage sale is to use wide, sweeping prices and put them up on signs. For example Hardback Books $3, Softcover Books $1. Only price items individually that are worth more, like tools or a bike. So much easier than going through and putting little round stickers on every.tiny.thing.

Like this idea but want to make it even less complicated? That brings me to my next trick:

Host A Swap With Friends

I did a whole post here on how you can host a Toy Swap with friends. Think of it like a multi-family garage sale but everything is free! You bring what you don’t want and grab anything you do, and invite anyone who might be needing those items.  This was always a big success for us. It doesn’t have to be a toy swap, the items are only limited to what your group of friends is into or what life stages you’re in!

Check For Discounts on Bills

Summer means you’re not spending hours in the car line or hauling kids back and forth to extra-circular activities. Use that extra time to do some research into different companies and their pricing options. We all have bills we’ll always have to pay, so make sure you’re paying the least you have to! The best place to start is with your phone bill, there are so many options these days that are affordable and reliable. You should re-evaluate your entertainment bills as well. Consider cutting back to the basic packages on services that you won’t be using as much with the nice weather.

Borrow On Vacations

If you hadn’t noticed, luggage these days costs an arm and a leg when you fly! If you’re traveling with kids to visit family try to bring as little as possible and borrow things once you arrive. This especially works great when you’re traveling with babies and toddlers. Most of the time a cousin or church friend are more than happy to pull a stroller, bouncy seat, or high chair out of storage for you to use during your visit.

Well, there are some simple tricks to help you Save & Earn money this summer! Don’t forget to sign up using my Referral Link Right Here to get 5,000 points to start off on Dealspotr and be halfway to your first $10 gift card!

Save

After deciding to visit the beautiful, vast and unique country that is India, the most important preparation you can make is to expect a total sensory overload. The sounds, temperatures, smells and sights can easily overwhelm new visitors who haven’t conducted thorough research.

No amount of reading up about other travelers’ experiences of the country can fully prepare you though – the best you can do is arrive with an open mind and expect the unexpected.

That said, we want you to go in with some idea of what you will find when you step off the plane into India. Here’s some of the immediate things you’ll notice, and how to deal with them.

1. The Noise

From the moment you leave the airport, there’s one thing you’ll be hit with straight-away: booming noise. You’ll be met with 100 vehicle horns per minute, people shouting, dogs barking, and music from all angles. Especially for night times, anyone who’s been to India will recommend that you bring stocks of earplugs on your travels with you.

2. The Heat… Or Lack Of

Of course, Indian heat in the day can be stifling. On crowded streets under the midday sun, the heat from food cooking, the baking sun and hoards of people equals sweat overload. Depending on the month of the year and the region of India that you visit, temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius. However: temperatures can steeply drop at night, and the winter in Northern India (October-March) can actually drop below freezing. When packing clothing for India, you’ll need a mix of garments.

3. How to Dress

It’s important to consider dressing for both the heat and the culture. Women especially should try to cover up all parts of the body while keeping cool – loose but long clothing is recommended for this. As per cold nights and chilly winter months, throwing a couple of jumpers in your luggage will not go amiss.

4. Spending Money

Being discreet with your money is essential when traveling anywhere, but pickpocketing is especially easy in India on very crowded streets – anyone could stick their hand in your pocket and swipe your wallet without you noticing a thing. Therefore, having hidden money pouches (ideally under your clothes) is a must.

The safest option when you plan to travel India for a month or more is to open a local bank account. This keeps your money safe from prying hands and means you don’t have the burden of carrying large amounts of cash with you. Plus, a bank card is much easier to conceal.

Opening an Indian bank account also allows those at home to transfer money to you – with money transfer apps like Pangea you no longer have to wait days or even weeks for funds to be sent from country to country. Visit their website to find out how cash can be sent instantly to India (and 14 other countries) from a smartphone.

5. Feeling Ill

Not only do you have to mentally prepare for India, but there are some physical symptoms you might want to prepare for! Differences in food, water and way of life can take its toll on new travelers. Here’s some of the essential ointments and treatments you’ll want to carry everywhere with you in India…

• Tiger Balm: soothes insect bites, cures headaches, eases muscle and joint pain, and masks unpleasant smells – the number 1 magic cure when traveling in Asia!
• Plasters: for making your feet comfortable from rubbing shoes when walking far.
• Peppermint oil: a few drops of this in some bottled water can help soothe an upset stomach; plus it works to make things smell a little better.
• Bottled water: never drink any water not from a bottle – and avoid raw foods and juices that may contain tap water.
• Insect repellant: hot countries are awash with biting bugs!
• Paracetamol: relief for mild aches and pains.
• Electrolytes: to rehydrate you after bouts of sickness – these are a lifesaver for recovering quickly.

Ever been to India? Share your top tips for other travelers with us!

How Do Custom Air Dancers Help Increase Store Traffic?

Custom air dancers are designed to make businesses stand out.   Yes, these huge inflatable puppets are fun to watch bopping up and down, but they’re also a mighty powerful marketing tool.  Do not underestimate their big grins to drive store traffic.

These guys (or gals?) are retail magnets, stopping potential customers in their tracks and compelling them to visit a store or remember a brand—all for a low out-of-pocket cost.  Some retailers report a 10% to 20% increase in sales over a 6 to 9-month period of daily 8-hour use.  Results will differ by location.

Custom Air Dancers Deliver Branded Messages

Every custom air dancer can be created to deliver a branded message or promote a special sale.  If possible, include a logo and select PMS colors to match it. Most custom air dancers can handle all sorts of graphics, gradients, and images to deliver your specific message.

How to Select Colors and Other Components for Custom Air Dancers

In general, pick vibrant colors that can be seen from a distance.  Differentiate the color of the body, arms, and hair for the best visual results.  For mostly solid color designs, select one solid color for the body and one solid contrasting color for both the arms and hair.

For example, choose red for the body and a bright yellow for the arms and hair. This type of color combination gets noticed and enables a message to be read easily. Constructing custom air dancers even means choosing a facial expression–happy and goofy looks attract the most attention.

How to Create the Advertising Message for Custom Air Dancers

The text should be concise to make the message quickly understood by passersby, even those traveling at 40+ mph.  Don’t use a script or fancy font. Do use a bold font such as Ariel Black or Futura.  Big is better than small, so the type should be a substantial size. You can even print on both sides of custom air dancers, so your message can be seen from two directions.

Remember, the arms are especially important as they move about and typically showcase key words. Design the arms with only a word or two and make sure the text and background colors work well together so the message pops.  An excellent example: “Sale” in yellow placed on an arm in solid blue. Again, contrasting colors, a light color on a dark color and vice versa, help to communicate the point. Put all these elements together, and custom air dancers will be hard at work attracting new customers for you.

By Sophia Grimes

Animals truly are a blessing for the mankind and there are several mental disorders where an individual requires all the emotional support that they can possibly get to remain healthy. There have been innumerable observations and studies that evince the positive effects of animals like dogs and cats on anxious or depressed individuals. If you feel that you are suffering from any of mental disorder, it is imperative to opt for an assessment by a qualified professional.

If they find that your condition can improve by an emotional support animal, a letter authenticating it would be issued. However, the registration steps to getting an ESA is a lengthy one. Mentioned below is a step-by-step guide to make your dog an emotional support animal.

Step 1: Understanding what an ESA is

An emotional support animal is one who would aid in improving an individual’s well-being. A dog is perhaps the most common type of ESA but it can be any other animal too and could be personally trained by the person. An ESA doesn’t necessarily need to accomplish a certain set of tasks but they must be well-behaved when in public and cannot cause any harm to those around them. You would require an ESA letter written by your therapist so as to make your pet an official ESA.

Step 2: Assessing your Own Condition

A lot of people these days suffer from emotional disorders but most of them are left untreated. As mentioned, if you suffer from any kind of mental or emotional issue, you could qualify for getting an emotional support animal. Disabilities where an ESA would be useful include PTSD, anxiety, depression, phobias and fears, panic attacks and others. If your therapist confirms that you suffer from any of these disorders and an ESA would be beneficial, the next registration steps would be to apply for an ESA Letter.

Step 3: Securing an ESA Letter

An ESA Letter would be required if you wish to live or fly with your emotional support animal. A licensed professional like a family therapist or a psychologist would be able to sign the recommendation letter. You could even consider seeking online help from an ESA Doctor. Whatever you choose, it is essential to ensure that the license of the therapist is in accordance with the laws of the state. Once you obtain the letter, it is legally affirmed that an ESA dog or cat can stay with you or fly with you in the cabin. They, in fact, can stay with you in apartments that do not allow pets.

Step 5: Get a Vest for your ESA

According to law, your ESA isn’t required to wear a vest to be identified. But, this is done more as a convenience option to avoid sharing the ESA letter with every housing or airport employee.

You could consider registering your own pet with an emotional support association or get dogs from companies that train dogs specifically to be ESA’s. Once all the details have been provided, you would receive a letter confirming to keep your ESA.