2 Best Stainless Steel Cookware & 1 Brand I Do NOT Recommend

If you’re in the market for a stainless steel cookware set but find yourself confused by all the options, then this article can help you. I’ll give you my Top 2 Picks for the Best Stainless Steel Cookware Sets AND I’ll also give you a tip on one brand I am NOT currently recommending.

Best Stainless Steel Cookware Sets Summary

If you’re in a hurry and just want to know my top picks, they are as follows:

  1. Best Overall Stainless Steel Cookware Set (Any Price): All-Clad Brushed D5 Stainless 10-Piece Set
  2. Best Overall Stainless Steel Cookware Set (Under $500): Cuisinart MCP-12N Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set
  3. Brand I am NOT Recommending: Tramontina

Mike

Why Listen to Me?

Hi, I’m Mike, That Helpful Dad. As noted in my Trust Guarantee, when you see a product mentioned on my site, please know that these are products that I personally use and enjoy (many of them are ones I use every single day). I’m sharing them with you because they make a positive difference in my life and I’m hoping they will help YOU live a better life too!


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best stainless steel cookware

Is Stainless Steel the Best Cookware Surface?

It depends. Stainless Steel may not be the best option for everything you do in your kitchen, but Stainless Steel is often considered the best overall cookware surface because of it’s versatility. Consider the following…

The Benefits of Stainless Steel Cookware

Stainless Steel cookware is…

  • Long-lasting
  • Durable
  • Relatively easy to care for
  • Does NOT react with foods.
  • Beloved by chefs because it provides rapid, uniform heating.
  • Dishwasher-safe
  • Broiler-safe (depending on handle)
  • Doesn’t rust or scratch (unless you buy a mirror-finish)
  • Induction Ready – just be sure the type you buy is specifically magnetic so that it’s compatible with induction cooktops.
  • In short, stainless steel cookware is the workhorse of your kitchen.

That said, on this site, I always try to give you the pros AND cons of the topic at hand. When it comes to stainless steel cookware, you should be aware of the following cons:

  • food can stick to it if you don’t use butter, oil, or a similar fat;
  • it can be tougher to clean if you don’t know how to.

As you can see, the pros of cooking with stainless steel far outweigh the cons. So, if you are like me and want to cook with stainless steel, then let’s find the best stainless steel cookware sets and get busy cooking (and eating!) and not continue wasting time on idle chatter.


Best Stainless Steel Cookware Set Any Price

There’s a reason why people buy All-Clad Cookware: it’s American-made stainless steel cookware that offers a superior-quality and lasts a lifetime.

While certainly more expensive than most stainless steel cookware, it’s actually not the highest priced cookware on the market and in our opinion the price of All-Clad cookware does indeed match the quality.

Time and again, trusted review sites recommend All-Clad Stainless Steel cookware because it’s durable, heats evenly, are comfortable to hold, and clean up easier than other brands.

Recommended Set: All-Clad Brushed D5 Stainless 10-Piece Set

Why Buy the All-Clad D5 Stainless Steel Set?

The All-Clad D5 Stainless Steel Set is your “buy-it-for-life” cookware set. When you buy this set you’ll get a consistently highly-rated, top-of-the-line set that offers some of the most realiable even heat distribution, is extremely durable, and fun to cook with. You’ll feel like a chef cooking with these pans!

What Pots & Pans are in the All-Clad D5 Stainless Steel Set?

This set includes 8-inch and 10-inch fry pans, 1.5-quart and 3-quart sauce pans with lids, a 3-quart sauce pan with a lid, and an 8-quart stock pot with a lid. Each piece has flared edges for drip-free pouring and is crafted with quality materials, including the stainless-steel core, to hold and distribute heat evenly throughout the pan, so only medium heat is required for your searing, braising, sautéing and simmering needs.

Features & Benefits of the All-Clad D5 Stainless Steel Set

  • TIMELESS PROFESSIONAL APPEAL: Beyond the attractive brushed exterior, this set is a high-performance, durable kitchenware set, trusted by cooks of all levels for decades.
  • 5-LAYER PERFORMANCE: The Brushed D5 Stainless collection features five alternating layers of American-made stainless-steel and aluminum, bonded together all the way to the rim. The classic stainless-steel handles are uniquely designed for balance and control, stay cool on the stovetop, and are permanently secured with stainless-steel rivets.
  • CONVENIENT AND LOW MAINTENANCE: All items included are dishwasher safe. For anything stuck on, use a mixture of white vinegar and water, or a stainless-steel powder cleanser, such as Bar Keepers Friend.
  • Induction Ready? Broiler Ready? Each All-Clad piece is compatible with all cooktops, including induction, is oven and broiler safe up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.

What’s the difference between the All-Clad D3 & D5 Stainless Steel Sets?

The difference between the All-Clad D3 and D5 Stainless Steel cookware is the construction. The D3 uses 3 layers (stainless steel interior, aluminum, stainless steel exterior). The D5 uses 5 layers (stainless steel interior, aluminum, stainless steel core, aluminum, and stainless steel exterior).

The both the D3 and the D5 All-Clad Stainless Steel Sets are good and you really can’t go wrong with either. I have a D3 All-Clad Saute Pan and love it. People say the D5 takes longer to heat up but holds the heat better longer. For an Average Joe like me, I can’t really tell the difference and therefore I recommend BOTH the D3 and the D5 depending on what the best deal is for you and your budget.

Where are All-Clad Stainless Steel Sets Made?

ALL-CLAD IS MADE IN THE USA TO LAST A LIFETIME: All-Clad D5 Stainless cookware pieces are crafted in our factory in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. All-Clad products are rigorously tested to ensure that every item with the All-Clad logo offers a lifetime of beauty and performance.

What is the Warranty on All-Clad Stainless Steel Sets?

ALL-CLAD OFFERS A LIFETIME WARRANTY: To learn more, click here.

All-Clad D5 Stainless Steel Cookware Demo Video

Other All-Clad Stainless Steel Sets to Consider

If you don’t want the All-Clad D5 Set and want to look at other All-Clad options, consider these…

  • All-Clad D5 5-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set: a smaller version that offers you a great way to start to build your collection with essentials like 10-Inch Fry Pan, 3-Quart Sauce Pan with lid, and a 3-Quart Saute Pan with lid
  • All-Clad D3 10-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set: the 3-ply alternative to the D5, this set includes: 8-Inch and 10-Inch fry pans, a 2-Quart covered sauce pan, a 3-Quart covered casserole, a 3-Quart covered sauté pan and an 8-Quart covered stockpot.

Shop the All-Clad Store on Amazon

Click this pic to shop the everything All-Clad Store on Amazon…


Best Stainless Steel Cookware Set < $500

If All-Clad isn’t in the budget, that’s no problem. There are still other very good stainless steel cookware sets you can buy. In fact, we believe we’ve found a great set that is well below the $500 price point.

Best Overall Stainless Steel Cookware Set (Under $500): Cuisinart MCP-12N Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set

Best Overall Stainless Steel Cookware Set (Under $500): Cuisinart MCP-12N Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set

Why Buy the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel Set?

Despite it’s lower price tag, the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel Set is consistently highly rated by review sites and it earns our recommendation as well.

Like the All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel line, the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel Set triple-ply construction: an aluminum core between stainless steel interior/exterior. This ensures for heat retention and even heating.

What Pots & Pans are in the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 12-piece set.

The set consists of: 1-1/2- and 3-quart covered saucepans; 8- and 10-inch open skillets; 3-1/2-quart covered saute pan; 8-quart covered stockpot; steamer insert with lid. 

Features & Benefits of the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 12-piece set

  • Polished cooking surface does not discolor, react with food or alter flavors.
  • Cookware also features cool grip handles secured with stainless steel rivets and self-basting, tight fitting lids.
  • Triple-Ply construction includes the unsurpassed heat conductivity of a pure aluminum core. It insures maximum heat retention and even heat distribution, eliminating hot spots
  • Oven safe up to 550F, Rims are tapered for drip-free pouring.
  • Dishwasher safe and Covers are dishwasher-safe
  • Professional Triple Ply Construction features a core of pure aluminum and a brushed stainless exterior
  • Suitable for use with induction cook tops

Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel Set – Demo Vid

Shop the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Store on Amazon.

Click here to Shop Amazon’s Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Store

Tramontina Brand – Why I Don’t Recommend It.

If you are a regular reader of my site you know I not only give you tips for products I recommend, but also for products/brands I don’t.

The short answer for Tramontina is that I am not recommending it because I feel that the brand makes it difficult to find out where the products are made – specifically there is simply too much confusion on whether the products are made in China, Brazil, the US or elsewhere. When I see that level of confusion, misinformation, and consumer frustration, I just can’t recommend a brand.

The Tramontina brand of stainless steel cookware may well be great – I’ll admit I have not used it myself. But the horror stories of consumers who have used this brand are enough to scare me off.

Consider the following average ratings on Amazon…

  • All-Clad D5 Pans: 85% 5 star ratings, only 8% 1 or 2 star
  • Cuisinart Multiclad Pro Set: 89% 4 & 5 star ratings; only 9% 1 or 2 star
  • Tramontina Stainless Steel Sets: around 70% 5-star and 15% 1 or 2 stars with the #1 complaint being difficulty of manufacter location.

I am NOT saying that stainless steel sets made in China are necessarily bad. In fact the Cuisinart Multiclad Pro line is made there and numerous high end sets are also made in China. (But remember All-Clad is made in the USA if that matters to you).

But I am saying that Tramontina seems to make it difficult to find out where there products are made and to myself and many other consumers this raises a red flag enough that I don’t want to deal with the brand.

If you feel otherwise, let me know in the comments.


What Do Other Review Sites Say?

As always, I never claim to know everything, here are some other trusted review sites I recommend you check out if you want to further explore the topic of Best Stainless Steel Cookware Sets…


What To Read Next?

If you enjoyed this article, check out these tips too…

Big Green Egg vs Kamado Joe

Gifts for Dad – 10 Great Gifts Ideas for Men for Fathers Day, Christmas, Birthdays, and more

Gifts for Dad – Article Summary

Here’s a quick article to help you get some great ideas if you are looking for gifts to men. Whether it be Father’s day gifts, Christmas present ideas for men, or gift ideas for valentines, birthdays, or anniversaries – these will all work. 

 If you have Dad in your life and you want to get him a great gift he will actually use, then this page is for you.

I’ll recommend gifts for men that are great for all of the following Dad Themes…

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How do I know these are great gift ideas for dads?

Because I’m a dad myself and I can honestly tell you that I personally use every single one of the gift ideas for men on this page and can personally vouch for them – as I do with every product I recommend.


PIN ME To Save and Share These Ideas

Gifts for Dad – Coffee Lover Gift Ideas

1-The Aeropress

If your dad is a coffee lover, delight him with an Aeropress.

The Aeropress is a simple tool, inexpensive device but trust me when I tell you that will change his coffee life forever.

Not only will Dad enjoy a great cup of coffee, but he can treat himself to it anytime, anywhere. 

Bonus Coffee Gifts He May Also Like

This is the coffee grinder I use for grinding fresh beans. Sure there are $300+ dollar machines that may offer a finer cut but for  the Epica Grinder is an inexpensive grinder that will work just fine for all the but most snobby coffee connoisseur men. 

Speaking of a fine grind. You’ll find no better ceramic burr grinder for the price than the JavaPresse. It produces grains as fine as some of the most expensive grinders – the only problem is that it’s a manual device. If Dad doesn’t mind grinding his own beans by hand, then the JavaPress is the grinder for him. 

If Dad is going to use the Aeropress then he’s going to need a way to boil water quickly and consistently AND he’ll likely want to be able to control the temperature to get his perfect cup of coffee. For that I use the Epica Tea Kettle. In fact I use it multiple times every day — for coffee, tea, or any time I want hot water. The ability to easily control the temperature of my water AND the great price make this a must-have gift for Aeropress Dads. 

A great all around blend of coffee beans that most men will enjoy. 

One of the most popular coffee options on Amazon now. 

If your Dad likes to camp or do outdoor sports but still wants to use his Aeropress, then consider the JetBoil. It’s a convenient way to boil water on the go. 

Gifts for Men – Fitness and Meditation Gift Ideas

2-SPOONK Accupressure Mat

Does your dad deal with a lot of stress. Get him the single best thing I use to bust through my stress – an acupressure mat!

I use this ‘bed of nails’ every day and it works awesome. There are many to choose from and if you search for ‘accupressure mat’ on Amazon you’ll be able to browse quite a few.

The one I use the one is called Spoonk and I swear by it. 

Get the Spoonk!

3. Bowflex Fitness Products

Is your dad into fitness and looking for ways to build his home gym? You can’t go wrong with Bowflex fitness products.

The Bowflex brand has been around for years, they make quality products, and I’ve personally always had a great experience with them.

Here are a few choices that could work well as gifts for Dads. 

First option – Get him the Bowflex SelectTech Bench. It’s affordable and made of good quality materials. 

I have multiple reviews of the Bowflex SelecTech Bench because I’ve been using it for YEARS…

VIDEO REVIEW

If he already has the bench, check out the BOWFLEX ADJUSTABLE DUMBBELLS instead – these are the exact same ones as I use.

Video Review

https://youtu.be/o0tTDUxy51YBowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)

In the 552 Series, each dumbbell goes from 5 to 52.5 lbs. Perfect for the majority of men who do home workouts. 

Here are some variations on the Bowflex theme…

For heavy lifters, the 1090 Series goes up to 9o lbs for each dumbell – that’s a lot of weight per dumbell. 

If you want both the 552 DB’s I use and the workout bench I have, this is a great combo deal. 

This bundle gives you the DB’s I use and the official stand to hold them. 

Gift Ideas for Men who like to Cook and Outdoor Grill

4-The Little Griddle

Don’t overlook this one. If you have a dad who likes to grill then this is the #1 Must-Have grilling appliance to get him. Dad’s will LOVE this gift. 

I use mine pretty much every week, multiple times a week. It is the #1 way I grill now. 

See the Little Griddle on Amazon

Little Griddle GQ230 Professional Series Griddle


5-Grilling Cookbooks

If your Dad is always looking to up his grilling game so he can rule the neighborhood like me, then get him one of these cookbooks. Any one of them is sure to make a great gift for dad. 

This one is great if Dad likes to smoke or do slow cooking. It’s also one of the best manuals for BBQ SAUCE RECIPES!

An all-time classic and a must-own for any Dad serious about grilling. 

Here’s a cookbook specific to the Franklin Barbeque – a hot spot in Austin, Tx that you often see on tv. 

BONUS SECTION – does your dad have a Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe, or other ceramic style cooker? If so, this section is for you…

First off, if Dad is in the market for a kamado style cooker help him save time. 

  1. Recommend he read my article about Why I chose the Kamado Joe. 
  2. Buy him a Kamado Joe and put a GIANT SMILE on his face. 

Big Spender Alert – if you have the funds and you want to get him his first Kamado Joe, this is the one you want. It’s the latest model, the most popular one with the most accessories, and the one I personally have!

NOTE – this is the “Joe JUNIOR” – this is great for Dad’s who already have a Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe but want a SMALL TRAVEL VERSION. This one is perfect for camping, tailgating, and other dads who grill on the go!

6- GRILLING ACCESSORIES

If your dad already has the gril he wants but you want to get him some great ACCESSORIES, then check out my other article

Gifts for Men who Like to Read

7 – Books by Tim Ferriss

You may not know who Tim Ferrris is, but I’ll bet your Dad does.

Tim Ferriss is this generation’s Tony Robbins.

His books are wildly popular – and with good reason – they make people’s live easier and more productive and more fun. 

Here are 3 of his most popular books. Any one of these would make a great gift for Dad. 

If I could only recommend ONE book for your dad to read this year and guarantee you he will love it (because it will make his life easier) it’s Tim Ferriss’ Tools of Titans book. 

If he doesn’t already have a Tim Ferriss book, this is the classic that started the Tim Ferriss revolution. 

This is Tim Ferriss’ latest book. It’s a follow-up to The Tools of Titans. 

Gifts for Men who like to read – Must Have Gear

There are LOTS of different versions of the Kindle Reader. Thee reason you want the PAPERWHITE edition is because Dad can take it anywhere with him – even to the beach or outside and the ‘paper’ appearance  of the device makes it readable even under bright light conditions where other e-readers and tablets wouldn’t work. 

Gift Ideas for Dads who like Tech Products

8- WiFi Mesh System

If Dad is always complaining that the WiFi signal in your house is never strong enough – especially in areas farther way from your internet router – then get him a wifi mesh system.

These are super easy to set up and they make a BIG difference!

Ever since we got the Google Wifi System we’ve never had connection problems – no  matter how many devices and tv’s we are streaming video on. 

9- Cord Cutting Tools

Is your Dad always complaining about the cost of cable tv? Does he want to cut the cord and ditch cable forever? Then get him one of these cord cutting items…

This is a FREE Step-by Step Guide that will help your dad understand how to cut the cord in no time. It’s a 35-page ebook that you can download immediately when you visit my home page. This is one of the many free gifts I give away to my readers – enjoy. 

The simplest device Dad can use to cut the cord. 

The uber-popular echo series speakers. 

Gifts for Men who Like Tools

10-TOOLS

Let’s face it, every dad loves tools right? Here are a few unique tools he may not have yet that will make him happy and yet won’t break the bank for you.

Finally a TOOL for your dad’s tool box. This little gizmo is called the Eteckcity LaserGrip Thermometer and while it looks and sounds kooky for under $20 you can get your dad a tool that he’ll use over and over again for so many different things.

This magnetic stud finder is under $10 and yet it’s incredibly useful when Dad is trying to hang up pictures or tv mounts or anything he has to drill into the wall for. 

Super popular and with good reason – this laser distance measure is like having a tape measure that goes up to 65 feet!

What’s on YOUR list of Must Have Gifts for Men?

If you have any ideas, please share them with me in the comments below. 

Never Miss a Tip from That Helpful Dad



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Best Cooking Product DALSTRONG KNIVES | 2020 Editor’s Choice Award

It’s time for our next edition of That Helpful Dad’s Editor’s Choice Awards! Today’s category is Best Cooking Product and the winner is DALSTRONG KNIVES. In this article I’ll tell you why I chose Dalstrong Knives and tell you who my runner-up products were as well.

Dalstrong Knives

Mike, That Helpful Dad

About the Editor: Hi, I’m Mike, That Helpful Dad. As noted in my Trust Guarantee, when you see a product mentioned on my site, please know that these are products that I personally use and enjoy (many of them are ones I use every single day). I’m sharing them with you because they make a positive difference in my life and I’m hoping they will help YOU live a better life too! Additionally, Editor’s Choice Award winners are not necessarily newly released products, however they are on our list today because we firmly believe these particular products are the BEST products in their class and so long as they remain the best we will continue to recognize them for their efforts.


Best Cooking Product 2020 – Dalstrong Knives

Why did it win?

I’ve been in the market for some good knives for years but could never pull the trigger (mostly because the sets I always liked are so darn expensive). My friends and I have been watching the Dalstrong knives for a few years and after some research (and a great sale from Dalstrong), I decided to pull the trigger – buying the Dalstrong Knife Block Set u see in the pic along with a couple other knives (see below).

Dalstrong Gladiator Knife Set

First impressions?

Wow – Dalstrong Knives are incredible – sharp, durable, high quality, and great in appearance.

Dalstrong Knives - Gladiator Series

Although I always tell my readers I’m just an Average Joe, I sure do feel like a chef when I’m using a Dalstrong knife!


Dalstrong Knives – What to Buy First

Dalstrong makes A LOT of knives – if you shop on Amazon, you will quickly discover that they may well make most knives on the planet! They seem to have a knife and style for every taste.

If you’re just a regular guy like me and not a pro chef, and you just want a good set of knives, then I highly recommend the Dalstrong Knife Block Set because it pretty much has everything you need from a kitchen knife perspective. That includes a set of SIX Steak Knives that have a great weight/feel in your hand and include granton edges for smooth slicing through any meat on your plate. On top of that the knife block itself is a work of art and looks fantastic in your kitchen!

Dalstrong Knives Gladiator Block Set

If you don’t need a full set, you can get any of the knives individually or pick up a just a set of streak knives (they really are amazing!)

Other Dalstrong knives I recommend include:

Another quick tip: go for the German Steel Gladiator Series for your everyday kitchen use since they are more durable. Save the out of this world appearance Japanese Versions (ShogunPhantom, and Omega) for your special occasion knives like this DALSTRONG Carving Knife & Fork Set.

Dalstrong makes more than just knives…

Other useful cooking tools that Dalstrong makes and which I love are…

Whatever you choose from Dalstrong, I’m betting you’ll love it – I know my friends and I have all been very satisfied.


Best Cooking Products 2020 – Runner Up’s

Runner Up: AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker

Aeropress

I’ve written about the Aeropress many times before but the fact is that I still use this little gadget every day to make myself the best cup of coffee in the universe – it’s the best because, with the Aeropress I control the intensity of the flavor. I usually like it pretty bold and Aeropress allows me to do just that. Read more about Aeropress here or Shop Aeropress on Amazon – it’s the best value you’ll ever get in a coffee maker!

Quick Tip: if you do get an Aeropress, be sure to pick up an electric tea kettle (I recommend this inexpensive but high quality model from Epica) as well as a coffee grinder (although you could go with a popular hand grinder like the JavaPress, I like to keep it simple and use the inexpensive but high quality Epica Coffee & Spice Grinder).

Honorable Mention: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat Cookbook

If you read my blog, you know how much I love Samin Nosrat’s SFAH cookbook. You will learn so much as a home cook by reading this book. Here’s a list of her recommended kitchen essentials too.


What to Read Next?

50 Affirmations for Enjoying The Now Moments of Life

Affirmations are a form of positive self-talk that have the power to change what you believe to be true about yourself – over time affirmations can transform your reality. In today’s episode, I’ll be giving you 50 Affirmations that will help you enjoy the Now Moments of Your Life.


Mike, That Helpful Dad

Editor’s Note: We’ve discussed the power of affirmations on this site numerous times before. If you’re new to the topic, check out this article. If you want to know more about Living a Legacy Life, see this post. If you have a story about Affirmations to share, consider writing a guest post for the site – contact me here.


Why Affirmations about Now Moments?

I chose this topic because Time is a precious gift and nobody has enough of it. If we’re not careful, we can easily miss the precious moments of our life and not enjoy the good times God has blessed us with.

“Now Moments” the very essence of life and the more you recognize when a Now Moment is happening in your life, the more you will enjoy life and create the Legacy Life you’ve always wanted.

Today’s affirmations will reprogram your mind to help you recognize and enjoy the Now Moments of YOUR life.


How to Use Affirmations

Here’s a quick reminder on how to get the most of your affirmation session – just remember these 3 steps:

  1. Sit in a quiet space as you listen to this audio. I’ll speak the affirmation and then give you time to repeat it.
  2. If you practice meditation, using a simple breath meditation during the process is beneficial, otherwise you an just breath naturally. Whatever your preference, be sure to visualize each affirmation in your mind’s eye as you listen & repeat. — your goal is to see yourself LIVING the affirmation. When you do this over time, you’ll encode the affirmation into your psyche and over time it will become your reality. (This is the “Law of Attraction” concept)
  3. Choose 2-3 affirmations from this list that you like best and write them down – then repeat these affirmations throughout the day to further ingrain them into your mindset. If you do these 3 simple things, you’ll be well on your way to using Affirmations to attract the new reality you desire.

Ready to get started?

Let’s begin our Affirmations about Living a Legacy Life by focusing on our Now Moments…


50 Affirmations for Living a Legacy Life – The Video


50 Affirmations for Living a Legacy Life – The List

  1. I am fully present when I am with my family. I recognize and appreciate Now Moments. 
  2. My best years are ahead of me, I am entering them now, I am happy, content, and fully engaged in my life NOW.
  3. I am a great parent – I spend time with my children doing what they want to do and I am actively ‘in the moment’ when I am with them. 
  4. I love my life – I focus on the NOW moments and appreciate them for what they are – the marrow of life. 
  5. I am grateful for the blessings of God and for all the Good Things he has given our family
  6. I am a happy and I KNOW my life matters b/c I matter to my family and I am helping them find personal fulfilment.
  7. I am alive. I have hope. I am here, now, and that means I have still a chance to do good things  – I’m choosing to act now!
  8. I live in the present moment. I recognize and appreciate the NOW moments of life.
  9. I am a loving partner. My significant other KNOWS that I love and support them. I enable them to reach their dreams.and I am the rock from which they can soar.
  10. When given the chance, I dance – for my own happiness AND so that my family can see a role model to inspire them to have fun. 
  11. I am living a legacy life. Everyday is a step in the right direction. If I make just a little progress each day on my legacy goals it’s a positive day.
  12. I am consciously aware of my time and make sure to savor it.
  13. I live IN THE MOMENT – I suck the marrow out of life and ENJOY every drop.
  14. I am happy with my life – I don’t need lots of material possessions, I simply enjoy each day and cherish the NOW moments that I’m living.
  15. I love my children, they are the joys of my life. I CHOOSE to spend time with them today because I know that time is so precious.
  16. I trust the flow of life. I know that God has me on the path that is pursuing my Legacy Life. 
  17. My life is not complicated — I live it as it comes and find the beauty that is all around me.  
  18. I live IN The moment – I focus on THIS INSTANT – I understand the only ‘life’ I can live is RIGHT NOW – I savor the moments of my life. . 
  19. I am happy. I am content. I love my family, they love me & we are together – that is the recipe for happiness. 
  20. I live for The Now  — enjoying my life as I am living it & happily sharing my essence with the ones I love.
  21. I actively choose to spend time with my family and BE PRESENT with them – to ensure this, I continually ask myself ‘am I completely present right now?’ 
  22. I am happy. I am enjoying my life NOW. This is MY Time, OUR Time. 
  23. Regardless of what happens with ‘external world’, I know that my true happiness lies with the legacy I am creating with my family.
  24. I live for the NOW moments of Life.
  25. I am happy. I am content. I enjoy the Flow of Life and consciously recognize and cherish the Now Moments that occur every day. 
  26. I am happy with my life – I don’t focus on my troubles, instead I focus on what’s good and actively try to cherish the NOW moments that I’m living.
  27. I am content God – I am where I need to be right now and I am well-equipped to live my Legacy Life.
  28. In spite of obstacles, I always find a way forward on my Life’s journey. I keep running my race & living in this moment because I know NOW is LIFE.
  29.  I am consciously aware of my life’s focus and I spend my time on MY Life’s Path – it brings me fulfillment. 
  30. I am spending time on my legacy goals because I know that leads to life fulfillment
  31. I am consciously aware of my legacy goals and proactively make decisions about how I am spending my time 
  32.  My verse provides value to the world – I am vital to The Great Play.
  33. I am living my Legacy Life. I am happy and content. I keep going with eagerness. 
  34. I enjoy the moments that make up each day. I can find something positive about every day.
  35. I am full of vibrant energy. I am alive with life. I feel powerful, strong, and able to overcome any obstacle in order to continue on my Legacy Life Path.
  36. I am grateful for the good things in my life. I love living my legacy life.
  37. I am happy to be me and to live the Legacy Life I’ve been blessed with.
  38. I practice self-discipline. I maintain a clear focus on my legacy life goals. 
  39. I am a DOER. I am a finisher of the tasks that build my legacy. 
  40. I am a creator not a critic. I am an artist and my tapestry is my life. 
  41. I live IN THE MOMENT and I am fully PRESENT with whatever tasks I am currently doing. 
  42. I am happy. I am here and alive and healthy and THIS is my moment to let my light shine. 
  43. I am consciously aware of my legacy life goals and I work every day to live my legacy life.
  44. During periods of self-doubt, I focus on my legacy goals – I KNOW with conscious awareness that my legacy is my purpose & doing legacy work is the work of life.
  45. I create my own happiness by spending my time on Legacy Life activities.
  46. I am love. I am loved. I am a light to others that brightens their day.
  47. I live with an attitude of gratitude. My gratitude is contagious.
  48. I don’t take myself too seriously. I have the wisdom to know that it’s better to laugh at yourself and go with the flow than get frustrated over minor challenges.
  49. I am happy. I am content. I don’t crave riches. I am happy because I want what I have and have what I need. 
  50. My mind is a sea of happiness. I am grateful to be alive. I am full of joy and thankfulness. I welcome each day with an attitude of gratitude and hope.

I hope these affirmations were helpful to you and if they were be sure to share them with a friend too.

Until next time, remember…

“Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, but today is a gift – that’s why it’s called the present. Enjoy it!”

Bil Keane, American Cartoonist

More Articles on Affirmations

If you’re suffering from depression, check out this article from our friends at eCounseling.com titled “44 Positive Affirmations for Depression.

For even more affirmations…

Best Computer Google Pixelbook |2020 Editor’s Choice Award

It’s time for our next edition of That Helpful Dad’s Editor’s Choice Awards! Today’s category is best computer and the winner is the Google Pixelbook. In this article I’ll tell you why I chose the Google Pixelbook and give you a few more tips.


About the Editor

Mike, That Helpful Dad

Hi, I’m Mike, That Helpful Dad. As noted in my Trust Guarantee, when you see a product mentioned on my site, please know that these are products that I personally use and enjoy (many of them are ones I use every single day). I’m sharing them with you because they make a positive difference in my life and I’m hoping they will help YOU live a better life too! Additionally, Editor’s Choice Award winners are not necessarily newly released products and some of them have received awards from us in the past, however they are on our list today because we firmly believe these particular products are the BEST products in their class and so long as they remain the best we will continue to recognize them for their efforts.


Best Computer – Google Pixelbook

Why did it win?

I’ve written about Chromebooks in the past and in that article I talked extensively about the many benefits of the Google Pixelbook, including it being lightning fast, lightweight, not full of bloatware, always up to date, and more.

Nothing has changed since I wrote that article – I still use my Google Pixelbook every day.

In a house full of far more expensive PC’s and Macs, the Google Pixelbook remains my Go-To Laptop of choice – by far!

Pixelbook GIF

The Pixelbook is ultra fast, has a battery that lasts all day, is super light weight, and is high powered enough to replace most any laptop. I use my Pixelbook every day to manage 4 blogs, my numerous YouTube channels, and run my sales business. See the full specs here.

For the money, I firmly believe the Google Pixelbook offers the best value for a laptop today. Do yourself a favor and check them out on Amazon or visit a Best Buy and play around with some – I think you’ll like what you find.


Want Another Tip?

Best Gaming Monitor: ASUS ROG Strix 27” Curved Gaming Monitor

Once you try a larger monitor you will never go back! The ASUS Rog 27″ is the perfect size for me – not just for gaming but even more for PRODUCTIVITY – it easily allows me to keep 2+ BIG windows open at a time and do work reports, write my books, record vids while seeing my script, podcast, etc, etc. Best of all it’s a GREAT PRICE too – See it on Amazon.

Best Gaming PC Maker: CyberPowerPC Custom Computers

When my boys and I wanted a new gaming computer to play STEAM and Minecraft games I happened to come across a promotion from CyberPowerPC – the ability to customize a new PC AND get it for a great price was unbeatable. The only problem is that my 5-year JeeHo has claimed this ‘powerful computer’ as his own! Visit CyberPowerPC to learn more.


What to Read Next

Naked Greens – a healthy, organic Superfood Powder for a great price

When the company Naked Nutrition recently contacted me to review their supplements, I almost passed; I get tons of these requests and my time is limited so I am very selective on what I agree to review. That said, I took a moment to review their site and after seeing their focus on the use of pure ingredients vs marketing hype, I made an exception and had them send me their Naked Greens supplement. I chose Naked Greens Superfood Powder specifically because I was impressed by the ingredients they chose for this blend.

Superfood Powder
Click the Pic to Learn More

If you read my blog, you know I’m big into adding organic superfood supplements to the smoothies and shakes I drink daily. Some of my favorites are FGO’s Acai Powder, Manitoba Harvest’s Hemp Hearts, Cherie Sweet Heart’s Organic Beet Root Powder, and FGO’s Turmeric Powder.

I’m now adding Naked Greens to my list of favorite superfood supplements!

Why do I like Naked Greens Superfood Powder so much?

I don’t know about you, but when I am considering a superfood supplement built on GREENS, I want a product that has the following qualities:

  • Organic
  • Non-GMO
  • No Added Sugars
  • A specific list of only ‘whole food’ ingredients that is clearly described
  • No additives

Not a lot a lot of products meet that criteria, and for those that do, they usually carry a premium price (i.e. the uber popular Athletic Greens).

Naked Greens is an exception – it meets all my desired superfood qualities AND sells for a great price (about 1/3 the price of Athletic Greens!). That’s a GREAT DEAL!

Check out the ingredient list for Naked Greens…

  • Organic Greens Blend (Organic Broccoli, Organic Alfalfa Grass, Organic Kale, Organic Spinach, Organic Spirulina and Organic Wheat Grass)
  • Organic Prebiotic
  • Organic Ashwagandha
  • Organic Panax Ginseng
  • Organic Probiotics

That’s a total of TEN ingredients – all of which are Non-GMO, Soy Free, Gluten Free, and Dairy Free. It’s Vegan and has no Artificial Sweeteners, Flavors, or Colors.

There are a LOT of ‘green’ superfood supplements, but I haven’t found many (read: any) with this mix of ingredients – specifically the addition of not only pre & probiotics but also the Ginseng and Ashwagandha (two ‘brain’ foods that you usually have to source separately).


How do I feel when I use Naked Greens?

I add a scoop of Naked Greens to my morning smoothies – the flavor is so mild I can’t even tell it’s in there, but the impact on my energy is noticable – I get a bit of pep in the step and a clear focus. I also feel good about the day and that’s a winning combination in my book!


Check out Naked Nutrition for Yourself

If you read my blog, you’ve probably read my Trust Guarantee so you know I don’t endorse a company or become an affiliate unless I use their products myself. When I recommend Naked Greens to you it’s because I have seen the results for myself – therefore I feel good about telling you to check it out too.

Here’s a link to Naked Nutrition’s site so you can check out Naked Greens for yourself.

The company has more than just the Naked Greens Supplement, other products that intrigue me include…

Keto Fat Bomb
Collagen Powder
Peanut Butter Powder
Grass Fed Whey Protein

What to Read Next?

If you enjoyed this article, check out these related posts too…


8 Strategies to Improve Your website traffic

With the new year in full swing, you’ll want to improve your website traffic. But, how do you do it? What are some strategies to drive traffic to your website in droves? Read on to find out.  Here, we’ll give you some invaluable strategies you should be using to increase traffic to your website and get leads and conversions right away.

Why Traffic?

Traffic is very important for websites, and you should always consider working towards building traffic. 

With traffic, you get the following from it:

    • More interest in the site 

    • A higher ranking on Google and other search engines 

    • Conversions, which will give you money 

    • Leads, which can lead to conversions 

Remember, if you want people to show up, the best way to do it is to drive traffic. Granted, not every single one will convert, but if you want people to find it, you get that word out, and do it fast!

Performing On-Page SEO-friendly

If you’re not performing SEO tactics to get onto website pages and get more visitors, you’re going to not get traffic. This is actually one of the simplest ways to increase rank and get visitors to flock to you.  Some of the different actions you can use include the following:

    • Creating content that is of high quality 

    • Crete content the audience is looking for 

    • Using concise meta descriptions so that people can find the links and go to your site 

This alone will drive traffic to you. If you really want to get people to find your site, sometimes even just performing on-page SEO is the best way to do it, since ultimately it can help drive future traffic to the site, and get interest going.

on page seo

“Upside down” Guest Posting 

This is a different type of guest posting. Usually, when you look at a guest post, you see the author name, and maybe some info on them.  But, there is actually a different means to do this, and it does drive website traffic and increase it. it’s something that you should consider because it does build links, and get people interested. 

The steps to take this include the following:

    • Write the Guest post as you would 

    • Add “helpful resource sections throughout the post that will give resources to the topic just covered 

    • include your specific content in helpful resources 

    • Add the bio and author name at the top versus the bottom 

Creating links to your content throughout the posts is actually an awesome way to drive traffic. You can see an increase of about 80% on the traffic if you’re doing this right, and it does give you a lot more traffic to a site than what you’d expect. 

With guest posting, try to utilize this strategy, since it allows for more engagement, more people looking at your guest posts, and generally, more success. 

Social Media Success 

Social media is a great way to get content out there and to promote the content that you’ve got on your site. If you have a strong social media, you should start to utilize this. Social media is a big point of SEO, simply because you can generally put together an awesome campaign, and you can post it on different channels. That way, even people who may have not heard of your blog or content before can find you, which is what’s pretty awesome. 

To really get a social media campaign going, you need to do the following:

    • Promote the content on your social media site 

    • Create links that the followers can use to see and share your content 

    • Encourage content sharing at the bottom of the content 

    • Use hashtags to promote pages 

The final one is really what you should be working towards. If you use hashtags, you’ll get more traffic. Why is that? Well, with a hashtag, people will search for it, so fi they search for that keyword, they’ll find your content. it’s that simple, and that’s the main reason why people encourage hashtag use so much, simply because it gets people interested in the topic, and can help new users find out more information. 

Overhauling Guest Posts 

This is another very simple strategy, but your traffic will increase by manifold super fast.  

Old guest posts are good, but if you really want to get traffic to them, you should consider overhauling them.  they’re already out there, and usually, if there is something wrong with them, the traffic could decrease.  The best part about this is if you already have this type of content out there, you can literally change this in about an hour. 

How you do it is simple:

    • Find your old guest posts 

    • Look through to see what needs t be changed 

    • From there, add either more content, screenshots, or the like 

    • Change any strategies that are old and shouldn’t be used anymore 

    • If there are current strategies that are correct, work to improve these 

    • Choose to update them 

And from there, you’ll see the difference. If you didn’t have pictures of screenshots already, you’ll want to implement these, because it’s one of the best ways to really get people interested in this site, and it will help especially if you’re looking to change the guest posts that you currently have, and don’t want to pay any extra to publish new content 

guest posting for seo

Landing Pages 

If you don’t have landing pages already, put those in. they’re really the best source of traffic to websites, since many times, people don’t want to have to sift through a ton of content in order to get what they need.  Landing pages that have discount codes, a free guide, or even free trials will get interest, and people will choose to click on these. Plus, if you do have free offers, and people redeem these, they’re more likely to convert and from there, move even more forward. it’s very important to consider this since landing pages are really the best way to drive traffic to websites. 

“Click to Tweet” links 

If you want to increase social media, consider adding a click to tweet link. This is because people use Twitter a lot to share content. It’s where a lot of opinions and voices are, and people love to share links and content. The best thing to do is to find content that you currently have, create a click to tweet link, which you can easily google and create, and from there, you hyperlink it at the bottom of your content, or wherever you want to really get traffic going. 

Click to tweet is something that’s super easy, and you should definitely consider trying to implement this, especially if you haven’t already. Even just putting a twitter or Facebook sharing function into your content can change the way it is shared, and the overall result of this as well. 

Transform the content!

You want a simple means to increase traffic/ well, why not transform it.  Essentially, the way to do this is simple:

    • Choose a post 

    • Convert it into another format, such as an eBook, infographic, podcast, or even videos 

    • Share it wherever 

You can do this with so much content, and if you really want to get your name out there, and get hundreds of website visitors, a ton of views, and conversions galore, it is the way to go. The best thing about this is that if you want to, you can do this with older posts, and they will keep exploding as well with just this simple change. 

Join Podcasts 

Finally, let’s talk about podcasts. If you’re not using this already, you should consider doing so.  About 24% of Americans listen to podcasts, so that’s literally a quarter of the people. 

Now, I wouldn’t suggest starting your own, for a few reasons. 

    • It takes time and money you may not have 

    • It takes a while for the podcast to get popular 

    • It may not reach new people 

Instead, join others.  Joining podcasts is really the easiest way to drive traffic forward, since you can put together a bit of information, appear on there, and most people are decent enough to backlink to your site, so if they want more information on you, or even just more content, this is how. 

Driving traffic forward is a key part of Digital Marketing, and there is a reason why people are using driving traffic as the new means forward.  These ways allow you to put together new content and get more people interested, which in turn can get more people to your site. Traffic is power, and with these simple techniques, you can explode the traffic by so much, it’s not even funny, and it’s amazing just what it can do not only for yourself, but for your website, and for all of the sweet conversions you will make as a result of these efforts. 

About the Author

ThatHelpfulDad.com is pleased to present the work of Adriana Hamilton in this guest post. Here is a bit more about her…

Adriana Hamilton is a content marketer at a Wellfed company. A writer by day and a reader by night, she loves working in the ever-changing world of the food Industry and she really enjoys simplifying complicated nutrition messages so they are easy to understand and inspiring people to live healthfully one decision at a time.


What to Read Next

    Minecraft Dungeons Tips – 20 Strategies for Beginners to Level Up Faster and Defeat Bosses Easier with the Best Weapons!

    After a long wait, Minecraft Dungeons was released on May 26, 2020. In this article we’ll give you 20 Minecraft Dungeons tips beginners can use immediately to level up faster and do so with the best weapons so you can defeat the bosses easier and have a blast playing this awesome new Minecraft game!

    Minecraft Dungeons Tips

    [lwptoc]


    Still need to buy a copy of Minecraft Dungeons?


    Who Needs These Minecraft Dungeons Tips?

    Although you may be a pro at regular Minecraft, right now we are all noobs when it comes to Minecraft Dungeons and NOBODY knows everything yet.

    That said, for those of us who’ve already logged many hours on Minecraft Dungeons there are definitely some key strategies beginners can use to make the learning curve on Minecraft Dungeons shorter. Sure, you can slog your way blindly thru the game and learn as you go, but if you do that you may risk carelessly tossing out a ‘unique’ piece of loot you may never see again and you’ll take longer to figure things out. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

    Use the following Minecraft Dungeons tips, and they will help you play the game better from the get-go because you’ll KNOW what loot to keep and what to get rid of. The end result is that you’ll level up faster, find and keep the best weapons, defeat the bosses easier, and ultimately ‘win’ the game (at least as it exists now).


    Minecraft Dungeons – 20 Tips for Beginners

    Please note, that this article is NOT a complete ‘Guide’ to Minecraft Dungeons – plenty of websites have already published some comprehensive guides to the game and we’ve linked to some our favorites, below. Instead this article IS a list of quick actionable tips that you can immediately use to play the game better from the start – even if you are a new player. Use our tips now and then supplement your knowledge by reading through the more detailed strategy guides as you go.

    Let’s get started with a BIG one…

    Tip #1 – What are the Different Classes of Loot in Minecraft Dungeons?

    All items (weapons, armor, & artifacts) in Minecraft Dungeons come in three classes: Common, Rare, and Unique.

    The classes of the item is important because it not only determines the overall quality of that piece of loot but it also gives you an idea of its ‘rarity’ (i.e. how often you might find it).

    What’s the Difference between Common, Rare, and Unique Items?

    Common and Rare items can be found all the time and when you start running out of space in your inventory there is no real risk in getting rid of these types of items because you’ll likely to come across them a lot and and you’ll get more powerful versions of them later as you level up. (See Tip #10 below for more on Salvaging Items).

    Unique items are different – think twice before tossing out a Unique item because it could be a looooong time before you see it again.

    I love this Crossbow!

    Not only are Unique items ultra rare, but they also include extra abilities (a de facto ‘free’ enchantment) vs their more common relatives.

    Additionally, Unique Items are the Coolest Items in the Game – Venom Glaives are deadly melee weapons, Spider Armor looks amazing, and Fangs of Frost are deadly fast. My Lightning Harp Crossbow (like u see in the pic above) in combo with the Torment Quiver Artifact is my go-to weapon of choice in the game – it fires 3 arrows that can go through walls and knock back mobs giving you room to breath when mobs try to ambush you…AND it plays music every time I shoot it! What could be better?

    For more on the different classes of weapons see this comprehensive article.

    Tip #2 – Do NOT Save Your Emeralds

    Besides collecting loot (armor, weapons, and artifacts), you get rewarded in Minecraft Dungeons with Emeralds.

    How to you use Emeralds in Minecraft Dungeons?

    Emeralds are what you use to buy things with in the game. Not only can you get emeralds from chests within the levels of the game, but you can also find them in chests hidden around your camp so be sure to look around the camp map between your battles.

    You’ll spend your emeralds by trading with various villagers in camp – namely a Blacksmith and a Wandering Trader.

    The blacksmith offers you random weapons and armor, while the wandering trader gives you random artifacts. All the items they provide are at a ‘power’ level similar to your current level (thus the importance of trying to level up faster).

    There is really no reason to save your emeralds – you can’t buy specific ‘high priced’ items because trading is random so it’s best to just spend your emeralds early and often without fear – by doing so you’ll be able to acquire more weapons, armor, and artifacts that you can immediately use in battle during the game. And since you’ll get more emeralds when battling, you’ll always get more money to spend.

    Tip #3 – Learn WHERE to Find SPECIFIC Items

    Perhaps the most fun thing about Minecraft Dungeons is the quest to find cool loot. You want an Evocation Robe because you like being a Wizard or perhaps a Totem of Regeneration to protect you? You MIGHT be able to get them from the Wandering Trader or Blacksmith back in camp, but those trades are so random it’s a crap shoot. But you can DEFINITELY find them if you play the right level.

    If you want specific gear, play the level where they are located at and find them easier.

    How to you know what gear is on each level?

    You’ll know what gear is in each level when you look at the level summary before playing it. Here is an example – specifically I want you to notice the GEAR DROPS and ARTIFACTS section on the left (above the Start Mission button) – that what tells you what types of loot are most likely to be found on this level.

    For a complete list of loot tables for every level, see this totally awesome article.

    Tip #4 – Enchant Early and Often WITHOUT Risk

    How do Enchantments work in Minecraft Dungeons?

    As in regular Minecraft, Enchantments help you add power & abilities to your weapons and armor. In Minecraft Dungeons, enchantments are easy (no Enchantment Table is required) and you can start enchanting right away. The process is simple – for every level you get an enchantment point and you apply those enchantment points to your weapons and armor to add various abilities to them.

    The entire list of enchantments can be seen in this article, but the point of my tip is this…

    Don’t worry about wasting Enchantments early in the game – apply your enchantments to whatever your best gear is immediately and when you later get better gear, you can salvage that old gear AND get all your enchantments back!

    Bottom line: you never lose enchantments, the amount of enchantment you have is based on your level, and you should be applying all your enchantments at all times because it makes your weapons and armor better, which in turns makes it easier to defeat the levels, which in turn makes it easier for you to level up, which in turn means you get better gear faster and more enchantments faster, which keeps the cycle going!

    Tip #5 – Get Comfortable Using Melee, Ranged, AND Artifacts During Combat

    How does combat work in Minecraft Dungeons?

    If you think you’re just going to rampage your way through Minecraft Dungeons using a single battle style, think again. Yes, you might eventually be able to just grind your way through the game as a warrior using a war hammer but it won’t be easy. Instead you’d be better served to learn how to use each TYPE of weapon (melee, range, and artifact) and what they do or don’t do in battle. (To be clear, I’m NOT saying you have to learn EVERY SINGLE weapon, just the various types – swords, axes, daggers, bows, etc).

    It goes without saying that melee weapons like swords, axes, and daggers work well in close quarters, while ranged weapons are great for long range mobs. But all weapons (even those of the same type) are not created equal in terms of their function or ability.

    How are Melee Weapons Ranked?

    For melee weapons, in addition to their class (common, rare, unique), the amount of damage they do, and any enchantments you may add, they are ranked in terms of their Power, Speed, and Area covered. They are the right choice if you want to battle up close with mobs.

    How do ranged weapons work in Minecraft Dungeons?

    Use your ranged weapons too! No matter how much fun you’re having rushing into the middle of mobs with your Poisoned Venom Glaive that has a Freeze Enchantment, you’re life would be a lot easier if you (or at least your teammate) used your ranged weapons first (and during the battle). This is critical during the harder levels when Bosses will send large groups of mobs to try to swarm you – if you only use melee weapons there is a big change you’ll be overwhelmed. Instead use your ranged weapons to thin out the enemy ranks and make it easier to melee against fewer mobs. (This is especially true when you start getting to levels which have Enchanters and similar mobs that hang in the background and use their spells to make the melee mobs fighting you more powerful – use your bow or similar ranged weapon to take out those Enchanters, etc early in the battle!).

    How are Ranged Weapons Ranked?

    In addition to their in addition to their class (common, rare, unique), the amount of damage they do, and any enchantments you may add, Range Weapons are ranked by their Power, Speed, and Ammo.

    Finally, don’t forget to use your artifacts! Yes, if you are ‘buttoned-challenged’ it may be difficult enough to just try using your melee and ranged weapons, but you’ll do better in the long run if you remember to use those artifacts.

    Using your artifacts IN BATTLE is critical because they will either make your melee or ranged weapons more powerful, or they will feature a totally separate power in their own right.

    Artifacts in combat is such an important topic, we’ll talk more about later (Tip #16), for now the point is that, if you want to win battles in Minecraft Dungeons you need to be able to use melee, ranged, AND artifacts during the right.

    Tip #6 – The Best Weapons & Artifacts are often in CAMP

    How do you find the best weapons in Minecraft Dungeons?

    It’s not always during level play. Tip #3 is important because playing specific levels is the best way to find specific types of gear, however that does NOT necessarily mean that levels are the only place to find the best gear.

    We’ve actually found the most UNIQUE weapons in the CAMP – specifically by trading with the Blacksmith.

    Is it better to trade with Blacksmith or Wandering Trader?

    Not only is the Blacksmith more economical than the Wandering trader (Blacksmith’s trades are about 1/2 the cost of the Wandering Traders) but he’s given us UNIQUE items a number of times. Specifically we’ve been able to get Spider Armor, Doomsday Crossbows, Fangs of Frost, Nitemare’s Bite, and Venom Glaives from the Blacksmith, as well as that Lightning Harp Crossbow I talked about in Tip #1.

    I’m not saying you’ll get unique items from every blacksmith trade, and quite often you just get a lot of junk you end up immediately salvaging. But we’ve found that sticking with the blacksmith over time yields better results.

    Our strategy: between each level we do 1-3 trades with the Wandering Trader, and spend the rest of our money with the Blacksmith – it works wonders!

    Tip #7 – The MAP is your Friend

    How does the Map work in Minecraft Dungeons?

    If you really want find chests and secrets in the levels faster then you’ll need to get used to using your map. There are two versions of the map – the overlay you can use while moving around and a more detailed map that pops up by itself.

    The overlay map is great for finding all the areas you can possibly get to while playing the game – many of which are easy to overlook until you follow the nooks & crannies of the overlay map. It looks like this…

    Overlay Map showing chest location and all accessible blocks

    We recommend you keep your map overlaid on the screen at all times except when you are facing Bosses or large swarms of mobs.

    The popup map is what you’ll use to find out how many secret locations and total chests are available to find. It also shows you where you have been so far (see the green area on the map below). We recommend you occasionally check the popup map as you play through the level. It looks like this…

    Notice the Secrets Found & Chests Opened

    It’s important to note that if a block is showing on the map, then there IS a way to get to it.

    If there is no easy way to access the block, then you may have to use your ‘fast roll’ ability to ‘jump’ to it (for example if the blocks are separated by water) or you may need to find a hidden doorway or you may need to replay the level when you reach a higher rank, but if the block is on the map, it’s there for a reason and you should try to reach it because a Secret or Chest or an entirely new area could be waiting for you!

    Tip #8 – How to Get More Powerful Gear in Minecraft Dungeons

    As we said above, the way to get gear in general is by playing through the levels and trading back in camp. As you do those things and as you level up you’ll inevitably get more and better gear, BUT there is another way to get more POWERFUL gear too – especially if you want something specific.

    Remember Tip #3 (If you want specific gear, play the level where they are located at and find them easier). you can apply that same tip to getting more POWERFUL gear too.

    If you want a higher power version of a specific item, go back and replay the level where it is likely to be found but do it on a higher DIFFICULTY level.

    How do you change the Difficulty Level in Minecraft Dungeons?

    YOU get to choose the Difficulty Level Setting for each level you play and the higher the Difficulty Level Setting you choose, the more powerful the gear you’ll receive.

    The system will give you a Default Setting, but you can elect to move that setting up for down.

    • Lower the Difficulty Level if you want to practice a level – but get lower value gear.
    • Raise the Difficulty Level if you want to get more powerful gear – but it will be harder to complete.

    We’re not suggesting you increase the Difficulty Level to something far above your current skill level (because you probably won’t get far enough to any loot), but don’t be afraid to try one Difficulty Level above your current skill level because the risk-reward for better gear is worth it, especially because…

    Tip #9 – Die WITHOUT Fear of Losing Your Loot

    What happens when you die in Minecraft Dungeons?

    In regular Minecraft, we’re all scared to die because we fear losing the gear in our inventory, but one of the great things about Minecraft Dungeons is…

    When you die in Minecraft Dungeons you do NOT lose your gear – even if you die in the middle of a level!

    Additionally, there are a couple more things to know about dying in Minecraft Dungeons:

    • If you play with friends, so long as one friend is still alive, they can REVIVE you an unlimited amount of times.
    • Your team gets 3 lives each level AND you get an additional “Last Chance” life – that means the ENTIRE team has to die 4 times before you ‘lose’ that level. This is really helpful in difficult boss battles (see Tip #20)

    IMPORTANT – if you are playing with a team and 1 or more people have died, try to revive them as soon as you safely can, otherwise, “Night” will come.

    What is Night in Minecraft Dungeons?

    Additional mobs form all around you and AND worst of all a terrifying bat creature repeatedly swoops down and attacks you – savaging your health again and again until you die too!

    How do you avoid Night in Minecraft Dungeons?

    Revive your friends – so long as everyone is alive, Night will stop.

    Tip #10 – Salvage Your Unwanted Gear Quickly

    How does Salvage work in Minecraft Dungeons?

    You only have so many slots in your inventory and you can’t expand that in Minecraft Dungeons. Because of this it’s important to get rid of your unwanted items quickly. For right or wrong, Minecraft Dungeons does NOT allow trading between players so if you no longer want an item, the only option is to “SALVAGE” it.

    • Salvaging an item in Minecraft Dungeons gets you a certain number of Emeralds – you can then spend that money back in Camp.
    • Salvaging an items also gets you back any enchantments you applied to that weapon (see Tip #4).
    • Salvaging items clears up space in your inventory – don’t be afraid to salvage items you acquire during levels but don’t want even while playing that level. This ensure that you have space to keep new loot you find that you really DO want.

    Tip #11 – How to Build Your Character – Experiment

    If you read anything about Minecraft Dungeons during the pre-release phase you probably heard a lot of people talking about ‘building’ characters like a Soul Mage, Berserker Warriors, and Frosty Archers (to name a few).

    Archer, Warrior, Thief, Mage – It’s YOUR Choice

    How do you build a character in Minecraft Dungeons?

    The process of ‘building’ a character is neither difficult nor restrictive.

    You ‘Build’ your character by equipping it with specific types of weapons, armor, and artifacts AND you can change that as you play the game WITHOUT losing your Level Rank!

    Yes, it’s a good idea to know what build you want to play with (warrior, archer, thief, or wizard), because that gives you a plan for what equipment to keep as you acquire it or what levels to replay (Tip #3), HOWEVER you are NOT locked in to a specific build – you can easily change your character as you play the game if you decide you want to.

    Tired of playing as a warrior and want to switch to a wizard? Then get an Evocation Robe, some Soul-focused Artifacts & weapons and start casting spells. You just found some Spider Armor and now want to be an Ultra Thief? You can do that too.

    One of the best things about Minecraft Dungeons is the ability to create the Custom Character Build of YOUR choice AND to be able to change that as you go WITHOUT creating a new profile and starting over. It’s addictive and fun!

    Tip #12 – Pay Attention to Your Health Meter

    If you die (and run out of all your lives), then you lose in Minecraft Dungeons and get transported back to camp. If you don’t want to die, then you need to pay attention to your Health Meter – and if you are in the thick of battle it can drain…QUICKLY.

    Can you just retreat and regain health in a safe place? No. Unlike in regular Minecraft, (as it stands now) in Minecraft Dungeons you do not get a Health buff just for being idle and resting. Instead, if you lose health, you have to actively DO something in Minecraft Dungeons get it back.

    How do you regain Health in Minecraft Dungeons?

    Here are the current known ways to regain your health in Minecraft Dungeons:

    • Use your healing potion (limited by timer)
    • Eat Food (from animals, chests, or mob drops)
    • Activate an artifact (such as a Soul Healer or Totem of Regeneration) – doing this may also help your friends.
    • Have an active enchantment on some of your gear (such as Leeching, Health Synergy or) Explorer

    In addition to taking action to REGAIN your health, it’s also a good idea to use a battle strategy that will limit the damage (see Tip #20) and to use artifacts to PROTECT your health. Iron Hide Amulets, Totem of Shielding, and Ghost Cloaks are great for protecting you (and the 1st too help your friends too).

    Tip #13 – Choose the Right Weapon for the Job

    What are the most powerful weapons in Minecraft Dungeons? Are powerful weapons the best weapons in the game?

    That Doomsday Crossbow is cool, but used in the wrong situation it may get your killed. Same goes for the Heartstealer Sword, or the Sun’s Grace Mace.

    The higher “power” weapon is not always the best – it depends on the enemy.

    If you try to use a high powered, but slow weapon like a Great Hammer against a swarm of Enchanted Baby Zombies, those undead toddlers will eat you alive (literally) – in this case, daggers or another fast weapon (even if it’s low powered) is a better choice.

    Just like with the melee weapons, the highest ‘power’ bow may not always be the best choice – particularly if it’s very slow to re-fire like a Heavy Crossbow.

    Mob Swarms can Overwhelm you if u have a SLOW weapon

    How to Choose the Right Weapon in Minecraft Dungeons:

    • During level play, when you are NOT facing a boss, you’re better served using faster weapons (even if they are lower powered) so you can withstand the inevitable swarms. When battling zombie, creepers, spiders – sickles, daggers, and multi or rapid fire crossbows are a great choice.
    • During level play, when you DO face a boss or other stronger enemies, then one or more members of your team would be wise to have a more powerful weapon – because you’ll need that heavy firepower to take down the stronger opponent.
    • If you need/want to switch weapons, retreat to a safe area and make the change and you’ll be all set.

    Tip #14 – Chests are not always visible

    How do you find hidden chests in Minecraft Dungeons?

    As noted in Tip #7, the map will show you how many Secrets and Chests you’ve found so far. SOMETIMES (but not always) the map will show you where a chest is when you are near it, however there are numerous times where chests and secrets are NOT visible on the map.

    In these cases you will have to do one of the following:

    • Trigger the chest to appear by moving near it;
    • Open a hidden doorway to find a new area of the map
    • Defeat a mini-boss or boss mob.

    Tip #15 – You Don’t Have to Fight EVERY Battle

    When you’re in the thick of combat in Minecraft Dungeons, it’s easy to get caught up in trying to defeat every mob – that’s also a great way to die. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

    So long as it’s not a required boss you must defeat for that level, then you can run away from the fight and save your health if need be.

    Don’t lose a team life unnecessarily if you are having trouble versus low-level enemy swarms. If you can’t beat them, then simply run through them and move on to the next objective.

    Don’t just take my word for it, the Bible says so too! “Anyone who is among the living has hope –even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!” (Eccl 9:4)

    Tip #16 – Artifacts are your Best Friends

    What are artifacts in Minecraft Dungeons?

    In Tip #5 we talked about the importance of using your melee, range, and artifacts in combat and I said we’d revisit the Artifacts later. Well it’s high time we did that.

    Learning how to use Artifacts in Minecraft Dungeons is absolutely critical if you want to survive and win the game.

    Additionally, artifacts are FUN to use!

    Check out that cool WOLF companion

    How to use Artifacts in Minecraft Dungeons:

    • Combo a Death Cap Mushroom to savage faster with a melee weapon.
    • Enable Fireworks Arrows or (my fav) Torment Quiver with a multi-fire Crossbow and wipe out vast swaths of mobs before they reach you.
    • Increase your ranks by using the Tasty Bone to call in a wolf companion or the Wonderful Wheat to bring in a Llama to spit on the mobs.
    • Protect yourself with a Totem of Shielding, Iron Hide Amulet, or Totem of Regeneration.
    • Clear some space with a Wind Horn.
    • Run through Crowds with Boots of Swiftness.
    • Heal yourself and others with the Soul Healer.
    • And the list of artifacts goes on. To learn more, see this article.

    What’s the bottom line – ranged weapons give you room to breathe, melee weapons are your bread and butter, but artifacts are the key to winning the battle!

    Tip #17 – The More People You Play With the Harder the Difficulty

    Did you know – you CAN play Minecraft Dungeons alone? It’s true, you can play Minecraft Dungeons Solo and do just fine. In fact, sometimes it may be a wise move to play alone for a bit. Why?

    Minecraft Dungeons adjusts the game’s Difficulty Level based on the number of people you play with and the players skill level.

    Yes, it’s more fun to play Minecraft Dungeons with friends, however if you are a lower level than the friends you are playing with, and you don’t want to let them do all the work, you can play for awhile by yourself and level up on your own – then rejoin the party when you are at or above their level (and ready to show off some of your fancy new gear!)

    Tip #18 – There are Secret LEVELS that don’t appear until you play more.

    Although this isn’t necessarily something for Beginners, it’s important to know that one of the early complaints about Minecraft Dungeons is that some players feel the game is too short because they think there are only 10 levels. However, what they don’t realize is that…

    Minecraft Dungeons has numerous Secret Levels that don’t appear on the map and some are not accessible until you complete the game one-time through.

    The Secret Moo Level of Minecraft Dungeons

    Additionally, we know that Mojang already has plans to add more levels in by mid-late 2020 and given the fact that they continually added updates to regular Minecraft, it’s a good bet they will do the same with Minecraft Dungeons.

    For more on the Secret Levels, see this article.

    Tip #19 – Understand the Power of Souls

    How do Souls work in Minecraft Dungeons?

    One of the trickiest things for beginners of Minecraft Dungeons to understand is the concept of using “Soul Power” – in reality it’s not very complicated and it’s worth your while to understand because souls are a powerful weapon in Minecraft Dungeons.

    The basic gist is this – some very powerful artifacts use the collected souls of dead mobs to perform their ability.

    The Powerful Corrupted Beacon destroys Mobs

    What are the best Artifacts that use Souls?

    • Soul Harvester uses souls to create an explosion
    • Corrupted Beacon fires a powerful death ray
    • Soul Healer uses souls to regain your health (and your nearby friends)
    • Torment Quiver fire slow moving ‘soul arrows’ that knocks back mobs (even behind walls)
    • Lightning Rod shoots down lightning to destroy mobs

    How do you gather souls in Minecraft Dungeons?

    The process to gather the souls is easy – you just destroy mobs!

    That being said, there are certain things you can do to gather MORE souls. Here are some ideas:

    • Numerous weapons are designed to collect souls (examples include Soul Knife, Soul Bow, etc).
    • Certain Armor is better for collecting souls too (Grim Armor, Phantom Armor, Soul Robes, etc)
    • Using the soul-powered artifacts listed above also generates a small soul collecting ability too.

    How do you know how many souls you have?

    You’ll know you are collecting souls because you’ll SEE the souls (tiny white circle heads) floating to you after you destroy a mob AND you can look at your Soul Meter (the light blue line beneath your artifacts) to see how full it is.

    Soul Meter

    For more on the topic of how souls work in Minecraft Dungeons, see this article.

    Tip #20 -How to Defeat the Mini-Bosses in Minecraft Dungeons

    There are already plenty of guides on how to defeat the big bosses from the Corrupted Cauldron to the Arch Illager, but for players just beginning Minecraft Dungeons, you’ll want to focus on strategies for how to defeat the mini-bosses so you can survive long enough to reach the bigger bosses.

    Mini Bosses like Evokers, Enderman, Skeleton Horsemen, and the dreaded Redstone Golem can wreak absolute havoc on new players who aren’t prepared to face them. You think 4 team lives is enough when you’re getting swarmed by mobs AND the mini-boss? Think again.

    So what can you do to survive these fights if your new to the game?

    It’s simple – find a place to catch your breath and come up with a plan. Just like in life, when you have a plan, good things happen.

    When you enter an area that has a mini-boss or boss, before rushing in and losing one or more lives in a flash, stay back, and observe the situation. If need be, retreat to an area of safety and think of a plan. Only then should you enter the battle – this will ensure you save your team lives and don’t end up losing the game and having to start over.

    Best Strategies to Defeat Bosses in Minecraft Dungeons:

    • Clear out the trash first – if the mini-boss is surrounded by lesser mobs, use ranged weapons to thin their ranks, otherwise, that large group may overwhelm you before you get to the mini-boss or they may harass you while you are focusing on the bigger opponent and drain your health while you are not paying attention.
    • Don’t be afraid to HIDE – nobody said you have to stand toe-to-toe with a larger opponent and let them hit you. If you know the Redstone Golem is on his rampage or the Nameless One is about to attack, run away from them and hide behind something, until things calm down. This is especially important if you are low on health and need time to recover.
    • Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee – like a good boxer, strike with a purpose, then back away. For example, after hiding vs the Nameless One, send a few Fireworks Arrows his way then hide again. For the Redstone Golem, wait till he punches himself out and stops and then attack from behind. Repeat again and again until you defeat them.
    • Use those Artifacts – at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’ll say it again – artifacts are your friend. More than anything else they will help you defeat the mobs (big or small) in Minecraft Dungeons.
      • Totem of Shielding works wonders against missiles coming your way. Totems of Regeneration are a massive help to restore health when you’re low on health potions.
      • Iron Hide Amulets give you (and your nearby friends) a nice defense buff.
      • Wind Horns clear out space.
      • Anything involving Souls is a huge!
      • And the list goes on
    • When in doubt, use Ranged Weapons – nobody said you have to make the game harder than it already is. Nobody said you have to get close to the mini-bosses and use melee weapons. If you like fighting hand-to-hand, that’s fine, but it’s far easier to stay away and use crossbows and power bows to defeat mini-bosses in Minecraft Dungeons. It’s a LOT easier this way.
    • Be Patient – it takes time to bring down a boss or mini-boss. You’ll need to fight wave after wave of lesser mobs, wait for the mini-boss to go through all this attacks, and then be selective in your attacks to remain safe. Let the cycle play itself out, do your part and you’ll be fine.

    Minecraft Dungeons – Our Favorite Guides

    This website is all about seeking wisdom and sharing wisdom. As I’ve said many times, I don’t know everything and don’t pretend to. I’m just an Average Joe like you and I like playing video games with my family. When I find helpful articles I like to share them with friends. In the case of Minecraft Dungeons, here are the Strategy Guides on other sites we have found to be the most helpful so far.

    Do you have a helpful tip or site to share for Minecraft Dungeons? If so let us know in the comments below.

    There’s only one thing left to say – GO FORTH AND DEFEAT THE ARCH-ILLAGER!


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    If you enjoyed this article, please share it with a friend. Then check out these other great stories…

    How to Fix a Blank Amazon Fire TV Yellow Screen or Black Screen

    Are you seeing a blank yellow or black screen on your tv while watching via an Amazon Fire TV Stick? This very problem happened to me while watching Netflix on my Firestick. Luckily I found a fix for the Amazon Fire TV Blank Screen dilemma – the solution worked for me and I wanted to share it with you.

    Before the problem, my Amazon Fire TV was working just fine…

    This is normal

    I was watching a Netflix show and then suddenly the screen went completely yellow and looked like this…

    Amazon Fire TV Yellow Screen
    This is NOT good

    Is it a TV, HDMI, or an Amazon Problem?

    When the Amazon Fire TV Yellow Screen problem first happened, I thought maybe the issue was with my Samsung TV or the HDMI cable.

    • First I checked the other ‘source/inputs’ on the tv and since they were working fine I figured it wasn’t a tv problem.
    • Then I checked the HDMI cable and inputs on both ends and that too seemed fine.
    • It was during the process of checking both the tv source/inputs and the hdmi cable that I discovered that the problem was related to the Amazon Fire TV itself.

    Here’s how I learned it was an Amazon Fire TV issue – when I unplugged and replugged the Fire TV Stick into the tv’s HDMI port I noticed that the Amazon Fire TV Home Page came up briefly and then a few seconds later the screen went completely yellow. I repeated the test and the same thing happened.

    Now that I knew it was an Amazon Fire TV issue I went online to search for answers. Luckily I found one!


    Amazon Fire TV Yellow Screen or Black Screen Fix

    Apparently the Amazon Fire TV Blank Yellow or Black Screen is related to screen resolution settings that manage the resolution “communication” between the Amazon Fire TV and the TV itself. For whatever reason that communication got interrupted and needed to be reset. The fix for that is easy to do but not something you’d likely figure out on your own.

    Under normal circumstances, when there is a problem with the Amazon Fire TV, the fallback fix is to simply ‘reset’ the Fire TV from the Settings Menu. Unfortunately you can NOT get to the Settings menu when your entire screen is yellow!

    So how do you fix it?

    Luckily there is a hidden solution you can do with your Amazon Fire TV Remote…

    Press and hold the ‘up’ & ‘rewind’ buttons in your Amazon Fire TV Stick remote for 5 seconds

    Here’s where the buttons are…

    Amazon Fire TV Stick Up and Rewind Buttons
    Press Up and Rewind buttons at the same time for 5 seconds

    When you press the Up and Rewind buttons on the Amazon Fire TV Stick for 5 seconds you will trigger a reset of resolution ‘communication’ between the Fire TV and your TV. You’ll know it happens when you get a screen like this…

    Amazon Fire TV Yellow Screen Fix

    And that my friends is the fix for the dreaded Amazon Fire TV Yellow Screen. It worked for me and I suggest you give it a try too if you are facing this issue.


    Amazon Fire TV Blank Screen Fix References.

    I didn’t discover this fix on my own and instead found it on the internet. Here are the helpful sites I learned it from…


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    Advice for Dog Owners: Costs, Responsibilities, & Pet Insurance Options

    Getting a dog is a big deal – this cuddly ball of fur will quickly become a beloved member of the family. Before you make the leap to dog ownership, though, make sure you’ve thoroughly planned for the financial responsibilities of giving your pet a good home. You’ll need to make sure you have enough money to provide your pet with food, health care, training if needed, and insurance.  

    pet insurance

    Responsibilities of a Dog Owner

    Dogs need plenty of love, but animals can’t survive on only that. They’ll need much more, and as their owner, it’s your job to supply everything they need to grow and thrive.

    You may be surprised at how much your dog eats and how much top-quality dog food can cost. You’ll also need to consider grooming, and if you have a puppy or an untrained dog, you might want to have them trained. If you don’t have the money to hire a trainer, you can do it yourself by reading articles and being willing to put the time and effort into it.

    Your dog will have to be walked – they need plenty of exercise. You must have your pet on a sturdy leash in public places and take supplies with you to clean up after them when they need to relieve themselves. 

    For a nice article on pet exercise, check out “How to Choose the best exercise for your dog” from our friends at YourDogAdvisor.

    You might also want to give your dog some toys. That can provide a lot of entertainment for both you and your dog. 

    The Basic Costs of Owning a Dog

    Wondering how much pet ownership will cost you? It’s more than simply paying for their food, so you’re wise to consider money ahead of time. It shows you’re willing to put in the effort to be a responsible pet owner.

    Some of the things you’ll have to pay for may include dog walking, collars, leashes, beds, food, treats, medical care, etc.

    Let’s look at four of the basic costs in more detail:

    • Medical care preventatives: This varies quite a bit depending upon your dog’s health and conditions. It’s important for dog owners to recognize the differences in policy coverage restrictions before selecting the best pet insurance. The average starting premiums for dog insurance coverage is roughly $32.
    • Food: This is going to depend upon how energetic your dog is, the quality of food, and what size your dog is. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $60 per month for one dog. Food cost can be as much as $100 per month if they require certain diets.
    • Grooming: Dog grooming will vary in price depending upon your location, the scope of the grooming, and the size of the dog. Typically, you can expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $90 per session. 
    • Dog walking: If you can’t do it yourself, you’ll have to hire someone. Depending upon where you live, expect to pay $10 to $30 dollars for a half hour of walking. A daily walk could add up to $70 to $210 on your budget per month. 

    Here’s a good infographic on this topic…

    Source: InfographicsShowcase.com

    Pet Insurance Costs and Coverages

    Pet insurance is optional, but with the rising cost of veterinary care, it may pay off big time. Not only will It help protect your dog, but it will also guard your wallet. 

    Basic Costs of Pet Insurance

    Pet insurance works primarily like your own healthcare plan. You’ll pay a monthly premium, which will cover certain things under the plan. For moderate coverage, you should expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $60 a month. To get the best plan available, for certain breeds, you may pay as much as $100 per month.

    What Does Pet Insurance Cover?

    Usually, things like annual wellness checks, screenings, and preventatives are included, but it will depend on your plan and the company you buy insurance through. 

    pet insurance

    Types of Pet Insurance

    You’ll commonly see companies offering different types of pet insurance plans. Some common ones are:

    • Wellness plans: Wellness plans cover things like annual exams, vaccinations, heartworm prevention, flea control, and more. 
    • Accident and illness: You might see this one referred to as a comprehensive plan because it’s your most complete and expensive option. It covers accidents, like bone breaks, and illness like infections or cancer. Though it won’t cover pre-existing conditions.
    • Accident only: This coverage won’t cover illnesses but will cover accidents such as bites from other dogs, accidental poisoning, or injuries from car accidents. 

    Bottom Line

    Before becoming a pet owner, you should take a look at your budget and time. While you don’t need to spoil your dog, you should provide them with their basic needs and properly budget for pet ownership. 


    About the Author

    ThatHelpfulDad.com is pleased to feature the work of ANDY KEARNS in this guest post. Here’s a bit more about him…

    Andy Kearns is a Content Associate for LendEDU and works to produce personal finance content to help educate consumers across the globe. When he’s not writing, you can find Andy cheering on the Lakers, or somewhere on a beach.


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