chicago neighborhoods Archives - ParqEx

5 Steps To Wax Your Car Like A Pro

PJ Filipowicz — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 15:26:36 +0000

5 Steps To Wax Your Car Like A Pro

ParqEx loves featuring guest writers, especially when they have a mission to share on the nature of the car industry. If you’re interested in finding some travel preparation regarding a road trip you’ve come to the right place! This week, we’re proud to feature a blog on Steps To Wax Your Car Like a Pro from Dan at Carbibles. Car Bibles discusses an array of topics regarding vehicles ranging from the best products and care for your car. If you’d like to author a guest piece for ParqEx, let us know at marketing@parqex.com

Spending too much will not be necessary in order for you to get a desired great looking finish for your vehicle. The process of polishing your ride with a rotating wheel is called “wheeling”. This process involves heating the car paint’s outer surface, wherein blemishes will be removed. It is advised by professionals and auto detailing shops to limit this process to once a year. This is to avoid permanent damage to your vehicle’s paint surface. The following procedures below will aid you in waxing/polishing your vehicle the way the experts do in a very short period of time.

First Step

Let’s start by first washing your ride which is preferably in a shaded area. Make sure you wash your vehicle appropriately to avoid further scratches when the wax will be applied later. After washing, please take note not to thoroughly dry your vehicle yet.

Second Step

Get a slightly damp pad that is clean and place it on your polishing wheel. Apply a sufficient amount of compound on you’re a single body panel. Evenly spread the polish using the polishing wheel using only moderate speed. Take note that the wheel should be parallel to the car’s body surface to avoid swirl marks and maintain constant pressure. Repeat this motion back and forth over the body surface of the panel. In continuing this process, the clear coat would heat up. Eventually, you would notice that certain light scratches or damages would start to go away. Right after, the desired finish would also be visible. Apply this process to the rest of the panels of your vehicle as well.

Third Step

You would notice that the foam pad accumulates compound. Wash it with a power washer, if you have one on hand, so that optimum results would be attained. Make sure, of course, that the whole vehicle is polished evenly and avoid burning finishes on certain edges of your vehicle.

Fourth Step

You may wash your car with a power washer lightly, or as recommended – wash it by hand and dry it entirely.

Fifth Step

Now, put a soft, clean foam pad on your orbital sander. Place the appropriate amount of paste wax and finishing polish. In addition, make sure you are using a good wax for best results. Work it at moderate speed, and with light pressure, spread it on to your car or vehicle evenly. Once this is done, it is advised that you use a microfiber cloth or towel to finally wipe the entire body surface of your ride.

SaveSave

The post 5 Steps To Wax Your Car Like A Pro appeared first on ParqEx.

Auto Care Steps For A Stress-Free Road Trip

PJ Filipowicz — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 22:46:03 +0000

Auto Care Steps For A Stress-Free Road Trip

ParqEx loves featuring guest writers, especially when they have a mission to share on the nature of the car industry. If you’re interested in finding some travel preparation regarding a road trip you’ve come to the right place! This week, we’re proud to feature a blog on Auto Care Steps For A Stress -Free Road Trip from Peter at Car Ninja. Car Ninja discusses an array of topics regarding vehicles ranging from small compact vehicles to SUV’s. Peter as a writer is an ardent car lover, he writes almost everything about cars ranging from Product Reviews, Automobile News & Beginner Tips for learning any new Car Technology. If you’d like to author a guest piece for ParqEx, let us know at marketing@parqex.com

How about going on a road trip to celebrate the summer, school is finally out and you need a break from the normal routine. Sounds like a plan but what would even be better is taking the necessary steps to take care of your car so it does not become a bother or a hindrance to you during this period. Issues of flat tires and dead batteries can be prevented by an inspection of your vehicle before the trip. This can be done by regularly servicing and maintaining the vehicle. Whether you do it on your own or you give it to a trusted service provider, just ensure to get the inspection done on your vehicle.

The following are some of the steps that you need to take care of when inspecting your vehicle;

Check The Battery

Check whether the battery is properly functioning that means it should not be undercharging or overcharging. Excessive heat on the battery will shorten the battery life.

Check The Tires

Check the tires to ensure they have enough pressure or increase it in case it is running low to decrease instances of getting a puncture. Also, check the treads from the tire to ensure they are not worn out. This is to provide a great grip and stability in poor weather conditions. Also, perform a wheel alignment on the wheels and check for bulges and bad spots.

Check All The Fluids

Check for the liquids that are used in the car such as the engine oil that is used to service the engine. The brake fluids should also be in check to ensure there is no friction within the brake pads, therefore, reduce instances of accidents that driver cannot be held accountable for. The coolant should also be filled regularly to ensure that the engine does not heat up. The windshield washer solvent should also be filled, this is to ensure that the windshield is clean at all times so as to ensure visibility for the driver and clarity.

Check The Wipers And Lighting

Check that all the lighting is properly functioning in the vehicle, this will actually be of utmost importance especially when driving at night to be able to see road users and to also be visible to them. Be it the headlights or the parking lights both are essential to the proper functioning of a vehicle. The wipers also need to be in proper condition and should be replaced whenever they are worn out so that you can clearly see the windshield in moments when it is misty.

Check The HVAC

That means check the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system to ensure they perform their functions properly. They should cool the car to ensure interior comfort when driving.

Check Emergency Kit

Check to ensure you have a first aid kit and a lifesaver hazard sign well placed in the vehicle in case of any emergencies that may occur.

It is therefore imperative to ensure that the above steps are followed before deciding on going for a road trip to the Aberdares with your loved ones or colleagues at work. They are very basic steps such as checking your battery, checking the tires and checking the fluids in your car. These are important as they ensure the safety of your engine thereby preventing you from a number of accidents that may occur. You will be able to ensure these checks are done by visiting your trusted garage for your regular servicing and maintenance of your vehicle. When all these are done you can now enjoy the trip.

SaveSave

The post Auto Care Steps For A Stress-Free Road Trip appeared first on ParqEx.

Best Alternative Ways To Celebrate Valentines Day

PJ Filipowicz — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 17:52:55 +0000

Best Alternative Ways To Celebrate Valentines Day.

Valentines Day is a holiday that is about celebrating time with loved ones. The toughest decisions usually faced by individuals is how they will show their affection whether by giving a gift, taking their significant other out for dinner, or just spending quality time in their humble abode. Valentines Day has become an almost $20 billion dollar industry and it will not be getting any cheaper any time soon. We have provided some cost alternative ways to be the best significant other you can be. Impress this Valentines Day without breaking the bank.

Flip The Script

Did you wait until the last minute to look for a place to take your significant other out and everything is now booked? That’s honestly okay for this holiday typically couples who choose to dine out for their Valentines Day spend around $170 dollars. A great alternative to this would be staying in and cooking dinner for that special someone. There are hundreds of simple recipes that you can follow for both to enjoy. You dont have to be an all-star chef to create an all-star dish.

We have handpicked some of the best ideas on a Romantic Menu For Two from Delish. Fan of Sea, it looks like the dishes prepared to wow are going to be Lemon Garlic Shrimp, Crab Alfredo, Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta, Linguine With Clams, and Cheesy Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip. All of these recipes can be mix and matched with ingredients of choice, you typically see that purchasing pre-cooked or frozen shrimp will be much more ideal and health safety conscious.

For the meat lovers in the room you can never go wrong with a steak or tenderloin roast. Indulge in the buttery, delicious beef tenderloin roast of your dreams with simple spices and rosemary prepared in less than an hour. Want to cut the cost of having to order or what would be to prepare and appetizer? A Caprese steak offers you the best of both worlds add your favorite seasonings and spread some fresh mozzarella, Roma tomato, and basil on top and you will be good to go. Need to spice it up combine spinach and artichoke into a roll up with a nice skirt steak.

No meat, no seafood, vegetarians rejoice! Explore some great tasting options with the 5 Cheese Marinara, Cheesy Lemon Garlic Pasta, Toasted Garlic Butter Ravioli with crushed red pepper. These options are something spectacular and give you an alternative if your dietary restrictions or personal choices guide you in this direction. But don’t worry all of these recipes are flavor packed and sure to not disappoint.

But saving the best for last would lead you to baking the delectable delights. We found the tastiest and eye popping bites are going to be the Red Velvet and Skillet Cookie and the Mocha Truffle Bars. These recipes are simple enough for the most novice of cooks but can far exceed your loved ones expectations. All of these recipes may keep you in the kitchen but something original and home made can make it that much more special.

Catch A Movie

Dinner is always the cliche for Valentines Day, but what if you could find the two for one deal dinner and a movie you have found a winner. There are multiple theaters around Chicago that will offer this combo deal.

AMC DINE-IN Block 37 – In the heart of the loop you can experience the latest movies to be released with a full menu to dine in as well. They offer anything from the traditional popcorn and candies to a full menu which includes the likes of Loaded Brisket Fries as an app. Enjoy an entree in the shape of a Artisan Pepperoni flatbread, an Asian Steak & Shrimp bowl, a Smoky Jalapeño Burger, or a healthy alternative Chopped Cobb salad. Reclined assigned seating gets you in the right spot and in your acoustic zen. Don’t worry about parking we have you covered here.

AMC DINE-IN 600 N Michigan 9 – In the bustling River North area take time to relax in the reclined assigned seating. Splurge on the evening with an appetizer of Loaded Bacon Tots, feed your wild side with a Philly Steak flatbread, or enjoy a Avocado Chicken Grilled Sandwich. Prices for movie theathers of this caliber you will see it make a slight dent into your pocket but not near the impact it would have attending one of the restaurants in the area for a Valentines Day out.

Something that we forget when we are wrapped up in social media influences, we need to put down our phones to spend the time with the ones we care about even if it is for a special occaision. It does not have to be about a significant other per say, it can be spending time with your favorite pet or enjoying the company of family and friends. Most of all invest in yourself and celebrate all of your accomplishments to this point!

SaveSave

The post Best Alternative Ways To Celebrate Valentines Day appeared first on ParqEx.

Q & A: How Chicago’s ParqEx Found Its Perfect Space

PJ Filipowicz — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 17:31:59 +0000

Q & A: How Chicago’s ParqEx Found Its Perfect Space

ParqEx loves featuring guest writers, especially when they have a mission to share on what ParqEx is and how it is great for communities. If you’re interested in finding workplace Q & A stories you’ve come to the right place! This week, we’re proud to feature an interview with Vivek from Ioana Ginsac at Commercial Cafe. Commercial Cafe discusses Real Estate News and Q & A sessions with Founders or C-Level Execs to its readers from stories across the country. Commercial Cafe is apart of the Yardi Network Systems spanning multiple cities across the United States. If you’d like to author a guest piece for ParqEx, let us know at marketing@parqex.com

Most new companies are the fruit of a problem-solving idea. Whether it’s keeping their healthcare spending orderly or providing high-schoolers with tailored guidance and test prep, entrepreneurs have to go through the hurdles of building a company, before they can deliver their idea as a solution to others.

We’ve been conducting a series of Q&As that address what is possibly the most common problem new companies face: finding the best space in which to operate. We sat down with several industry professionals, in order to gather insight on the modern challenges faced by small-to-medium-sized businesses looking for office space. We also wanted to gauge their opinion on which is best: traditional office or modern co-working space?

Parking a Start-up in Chicago’s Busy RiNo

Our series continues this week with tips and observations from ParqEx, a technology company that caters to car owners driving in urban areas where parking demand is high, yet supply is considerably scarce and/or expensive. We spoke to CEO & Founder Vivek Mehra and Marketing Associate Alan Foresta about their quest for the best office space.

The company launched its app in 2015, and gathered 600 subscribers during its first month, initially only covering residential parking spaces in Wrigleyville and the West Loop.

While it started out in a co-working office, the company now operates out of 325 W Huron St. in Downtown Chicago, with 12 full-time employees and a few part-time contractors. The ParqEx database now also covers Milwaukee, Madison, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, with plans to further expand in 2018.

Read the interview below to see how they managed to keep ParqEx in Chicago’s busy River North.

Q: Tell our readers a little bit about your business: what industry are you in and what services do you provide?

A: ParqEx is a technology platform that unlocks the hidden value sitting idly in privately owned parking spaces. Most people typically think we’re in the parking industry because we deal with parking spaces, but we actually consider ourselves part of the real estate ecosystem. Parking spots are really just small pieces of real estate, and our goal is to help maximize the value of those pieces for all the entities that own, manage, or use them.

We do this by providing a set of services, which can be applied depending on the circumstances of the property in question. For locations that have underutilized parking spots, we offer the ParqEx Private Parking Marketplace, which monetizes these by connecting the owners with drivers in need of a place to park—a concept similar to Airbnb, but for parking.
Since many private parking spots are securely located behind garage doors or gates, ParqEx also offers a unique IoT-powered solution called Access+, which controls these entryways using the ParqEx app. The Access+ service helps fuel the Marketplace by making it easier to rent secure parking locations, and it also offers great value to property managers, by removing the costs and headaches of traditional entry methods such as clickers, fobs, or codes.

Finally, the third offering in our platform is a full-service guest-parking suite called GuestParq. It is designed to provide multi-family condo and apartment buildings with an improved way to offer, manage, and enforce the parking offered to guests.

Q: Where is your office space located and what did you consider when searching for it? Did you use a third-party company?

A: Our office is located in the River North neighborhood of downtown Chicago. As a startup, cost and flexibility were our most important considerations. We were previously based in a co-working space, which was ideal for our earliest stages. However, it started to become too expensive and unwieldy, as our team grew. We, therefore, needed to find something that was furnished and wasn’t a long-term commitment, on relatively short notice. In other words, we needed to find a quality sublease. Location was also part of the equation, but the other factors were always going to dominate.

We used Transwestern to help us with the search and to negotiate the sub-lease terms. They helped us identify an office that met all of our immediate needs, and, luckily, it was also located in a great part of the city.

Q: What do you think is the most important thing when searching for office space?

A: It is really important to have a clear understanding of the difference between your “needs” and your “wants.” We knew what we needed in terms of size, cost, and timing, and those factors drove the decision process. When you’re out looking at potential locations, it is easy to visualize how a certain space could work or how certain features would be really neat—so if you’re not grounded in the couple of key needs for your organization at that time, it is easy to make a decision that you may later regret.

Q: What challenges did you encounter in the process of leasing/buying the office space and how did you deal with them?

A: Timing was difficult for us because we needed the process to happen much faster than it usually does. We had to be out of our co-working space by a certain date and had started our search process late, so we were under the gun. This is where our Transwestern broker was extremely valuable because he brought relationships and knowledge that helped streamline the process for us.

Q: How do you feel about co-working spaces?

A: Co-working spaces are a great option for certain working situations. They provide smaller organizations with a “plug-and-play” setup that offers the type of flexibility that a traditional office lease simply cannot. That is huge for early-stage startups, independent contractors, and regional expansion teams of larger companies. Many co-working spaces also help to foster the type of collaboration that these smaller entities crave, by encouraging both social and professional interaction. We both enjoyed and benefited from our experience at WeWork and would do it all over again if we could.

Q: What would you recommend to other start-ups looking for office space?

A: Early-stage start-ups should really think hard about whether they’re ready to take on the commitment of signing a lease of their own, or whether the flexibility of co-working is a better option for them. If they know they’re ready to take the plunge, they should be careful not to bite off more than they can chew, because the monthly lease payments can add up quickly and shorten the company’s runway.

SaveSave

The post Q & A: How Chicago’s ParqEx Found Its Perfect Space appeared first on ParqEx.

Next Companies to Check Out From Quarles & Brady LLP

PJ Filipowicz — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 16:25:13 +0000

Next Companies to Check Out From Quarles & Brady LLP

ParqEx loves featuring guest writers, especially when they have a mission to share the belief on how ParqEx is great for people and communities. If you’re interested or have legal questions, need consultations, you’ve come to the right place! This week, we’re proud to feature Adam Falkof from Quarles & Brady LLP. Quarles & Brady LLP assists emerging growth companies and startups across the U.S. with their legal needs. If you’d like to author a guest piece for ParqEx, let us know at marketing@parqex.com

Happy New Year!

For those new to this newsletter, it has three sections. First, I detail three events that, in my opinion, are worth attending this month. Second, I describe three startups that impressed me, either because of the uniqueness of their ideas or the strength of their leadership team. Third, I feature one of Chicago’s prominent startup leaders or organizations.

Additionally, I’m continuing to feature a section to support the Garage’s startup companies from Northwestern. If interested in learning more about the accelerator, whether in mentoring opportunities or otherwise, please check out their website here.

I’m also featuring a section publicizing Impact Engine’s startup companies, which is a terrific social impact venture fund. Special thanks to Laura Buchanan, one of my colleagues, who authors this section.

I’m additionally promoting the portfolio companies of the Good Food Business Accelerator. The Good Food Business Accelerator is an excellent Chicago food startup accelerator based in 1871 that is focused on building supply chains for sustainable local food.

January Events:

Chicago Tech Happy Hour at Joy District, January 10^th: The Chicago Tech Meet-up group is hosting a happy hour at Joy District that is open to a wide swath of the startup community. Chicago Tech’s events tend to draw a variety of startup founders, job-seekers, and service providers. The event should be a good opportunity for readers looking to meet with a broad cross-section of the startup ecosystem in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

Here’s How Startup Marketing Conference, January 16^th: Propllr PR is hosting its fifth annual marketing conference focused on marketing for startup companies. The event will feature the marketing leaders of a number of major Chicago tech companies, including M1 Finance, Shiftgig, and Regroup Therapy. The conference should be a great chance for startup leaders to learn best marketing practices and tips from top Chicago tech companies.

The Future of Blockchain, Presented by TechinMotion, January 17^th: Tech in Motion is presenting an interesting event covering cryptocurrency developments and the future of blockchain. The event’s panel features several blockchain thought leaders both in the cryptocurrency industry and other industries looking to apply blockchain to their businesses. The event should be a fantastic opportunity for readers interested in gaining a better understanding of the blockchain technology underlying Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Companies to Check Out:

TimeDoc: TimeDoc is working to revolutionize the delivery of chronic care management for medical practices. The company’s platform allows doctors to better track their time with chronic care management in order to obtain accurate reimbursements and to more efficiently deliver chronic care services to their patients. TimeDoc is led by an impressive team of experienced founders and is well positioned to grow as chronic care needs continue to increase with the retirement of the Baby Boomers.

ParqEx: ParqEx is a fantastic Chicago startup that is working to transform urban parking. ParqEx connects owners of private parking spaces with users looking for a place to park via the company’s mobile application. The company has had terrific traction so far, and if you’re always looking for a place to park, check out the company’s application on the App Store or Google Play.

Booksy: Booksy is an innovative startup working to make it easier and faster for consumers to book health and beauty services, such as hair salon, make-up, and skin care appointments. Booksy’s online platform allows users to both book and rate a wide variety of beauty-related services from the Booksy mobile application. The company is operating in over a dozen different countries and primarily teams based in Chicago and Poland.

Good Food Business Accelerator Company of the Month:

Tempo Beverage: Tempo Beverage is a terrific Chicago beverage startup focused on sparkling teas. The company currently has two flavors, green tea with ginger and turmeric and black tea with grapefruit and ginseng. The teas are delicious (speaking from personal experience) and have no sugar, calories, or artificial sweeteners. If interested in trying one of teas, they are available for purchase on Tempo Beverage’s website.

Garage Company of the Month:

PedalCell: PedalCell is an innovative Northwestern startup that is working to create a device that can convert and capture electrical power from the pedaling of ordinary bicycles. The concept aspires to allow bicycle riders to charge a battery while they pedal, which could be used to charge their phone or other electronics. If interested in learning more, PedalCell has an interesting video on the technology on the landing page of their website.

Impact Engine Company of the Month:

Wala: Wala is an exciting financial platform startup that bridges the gap between the 2.5 billion unbanked consumers in emerging markets and financial institutions. This personal financial management app incentivizes users to start tracking and saving money while providing a social, community aspect.

PeopleOrganizations to Know:

Dan Parsons and Chris Elipas: Dan Parsons and Chris Elipas are the two founders behind Dryv, which is a top Chicago start-up that provides on-demand dry cleaning. Dan and Chris are emblematic of a great founding partnership and have substantially grown the company from their original two-person team. Both are also great guys and are on-demand technology and logistics leaders in Chicago.

SaveSave

The post Next Companies to Check Out From Quarles & Brady LLP appeared first on ParqEx.

Winter Parking In Chicago and Safer Driving Habits

PJ Filipowicz — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 21:27:10 +0000

Chicago has found such a unique way to hold parking spaces articles and pictures books have been created. It’s not only about avoiding the crackdown from “the man” every winter but outsmarting your neighbor along the way. Winter parking is upon us here in Chicago and it is not going away anytime soon. Furthermore, practicing safe driving habits will create a safer opportunity for everyone to find their ideal parking spot.

Infographics

Follow this infographic from msn autos for practical information on what it means to be prepared for a cold Chicago winter. These tips are not only preparation for on the road but inside your vehicle as well this season. Be prepared and most of all be safe.

Parking technology has exploded and made one of the most difficult things (parking) a little less hassle-free. Private Parking Technology Platforms like ParqEx provide the opportunity to pre-book available parking prior to arrival. In addition, reserving your spot before you walk out the door. It reduces one avenue of parking woes when making the trek into the heart of winter to battle the beast of Chicago parking.

Finally, please read more for additional tips on driving and parking in Chicago during the winter, and for more information on how our ParqEx app can help you find winter parking in Chicago.

The post Winter Parking In Chicago and Safer Driving Habits appeared first on ParqEx.

Tips for Enjoying Fall in Chicago

Vivek Mehra — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 17:15:56 +0000

Fall is one of the best times of year to enjoy everything Chicago has to offer. With comfortable temperatures, lots of activities and special events, the period between summer and the holidays lets you experience the very best of this vibrant Midwestern city. Let’s look at some of the best ways to enjoy Chicago in the fall.

Autumn Activities and Events

Exploring Chicago’s Parks and Museums – This is something you can do any time of year but it’s especially pleasant to walk around Chicago during the fall. The Field Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, and Chicago Cultural Center are just a few of the amazing museums you’ll find in the downtown Loop area. Enjoy a walk around the park and the 10 museums that comprise Museums in the Park.
Fulton Market Ocktoberfest – This autumn festival, on the weekend of September 30 to October 1 on Fulton Market and Halsted Street, is curated by some of the city’s leading chefs and restaurant owners so it’s a great place to sample some great food. Remember that West Loop parking is scarce during popular events, so it’s best to leave your car somewhere else.
Nobody Sleeps: A Monster’s Ball – This pre-Halloween event is at the Palmer House Hilton on Saturday, October 7 and features live entertainment, a costume party, adult trick-or-treating, specialty cocktails, and a good selection of chocolates and other savory sweets.
Arts in the Dark – A celebration of the arts and Halloween parade on Saturday, October 21 on Columbus Drive.
SOFA Art & Design Fair – November 2-5 at the Navy Pier. This art and design expo features a variety of exhibits, lectures, and presentations showcasing some of the most innovative designs.
BeerHopTacular – November 4 at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios. This is Chicago’s original craft beer festival with food, competitions, and 150 craft beers to sample.
Christkindlmarket – November 17-24. A traditional German holiday market where you can enjoy a festive atmosphere with unique gifts, entertainment, food, and beautiful decor.
Fall and Holiday Shopping – Fall is always a popular time for shopping as you look for outfits to prepare you for cooler weather and start seeking holiday gifts. Chicago has lots of choices from malls to independent shops. Some of the best shopping choices include the Magnificent Mile Shopping District, State Street, and the Shops and North Bridge.
Concerts at the Riviera Theatre – Just because the summer season has come to a close doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite bands at one of Chicago’s finest event venues. JAM productions is able to attract worldly talent from all over to perform in the Uptown neighborhood. The concerts are typically hosted from early September through the end of February.

This is just a sampling of the fall events and activities you can enjoy in Chicago. Keep in mind that this is an incredibly diverse and exciting city with a wide selection of restaurants, shops, concerts, sporting events, and other activities that are particularly enjoyable in autumn.

Chicago Parking Options

In addition to finding the best places to explore, it’s also important to get the logistics right. Chicago parking is frequently challenging so it’s good to form a plan for your transportation needs as you make your way around the city this fall. Looking for a parking place at the last minute often results in frustration as you’re competing with so many other drivers. Whether you’re visiting or live in Chicago, it helps if you find parking options that let you avoid wasting your time searching for a parking place.

Lastly, monthly parking in a convenient location ensures that you have a regular place to park. Keep in mind that Chicago is a pedestrian-friendly city with lots of options for getting around, such as buses, trains, taxis, and Uber. In many cases, it’s more convenient to drop your car off at a long term parking spot and get to your destination by other means.

If you frequently find yourself asking “where is parking near me?” it’s worth considering ParqEx, a peer to peer parking option that connects people who need parking and those with spaces to rent. This Chicago startup provides a convenient sharing economy parking solution that makes it easier to enjoy the city without worrying about where you’re going to park. Finally, for more information, contact us.

The post Tips for Enjoying Fall in Chicago appeared first on ParqEx.

What to do with the Extra Cash you Make through ParqEx

PJ Filipowicz — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 20:59:39 +0000

What to do with the Extra Cash you Make through ParqEx

ParqEx loves featuring guest writers, especially when they have a mission to share strategies for making money and growing your net worth – all from your laptop. If you’re interested in living a financially independent, location free lifestyle, you’ve come to the right place! This week, we’re proud to feature Drew Mentock from Money Nomad. Money Nomad discusses the location independent lifestyle and how to make a living remotely. If you’d like to author a guest piece for ParqEx, let us know at marketing@parqex.com

As a ParqEx owner, at the end of each month, you get a nice chunk of supplementary cash for renting out your unused parking space. Sure, it might be tempting to spend this on a crazy night out, a fancy dinner, weekend getaways or even that pair of shoes you always thought cost too much.

On the other hand, this may not be the smartest way to use your money. If the money you get simply gets transferred into your bank account and is then considered disposable, it won’t really add that much value to your life. Eventually, perhaps at the end of the year, you will look back on all the money you made from ParqEx and wonder where it went.

The best thing to do with this extra cash is to have a plan for it—make sure every cent is allocated in a specific way. In the end, you may still decide to put it towards an out of town vacation, but at least you will have thought about what to do with it as soon as you get it.

Pay Off Debt

A large portion of Americans are in debt. In fact, the average individual owes over $7,000 to credit card companies, so why not use some of the money you make from ParqEx to get your net worth into the positives.

Even paying an extra $20 per month towards what you owe can make a big difference. For example, say you have a $5,000 credit card debt, with an interest rate of 18%, and a minimum payment of $80 per month. By only making the minimum payment, it will take you over 15 years to pay off your debt (provided you’re no longer making purchases with that credit card). By adding an extra $20, which makes your total monthly payment $100, you will be out of debt in less than 8 years and have saved yourself thousands in the long run.

In all actuality, the average ParqEx parking space owner makes about $350 per month — much more than $20 — so they have the potential to get out of debt even quicker.

Invest

People often say “I want to invest but I’m broke—if only I had extra money to put in an investment account.”

Well, the good news is that when you’re renting a parking space with ParqEx, you will no longer have this excuse. The bad news is that now you will have to figure out how to invest.

There are so many different ways to invest and, contrary to what you may think, you can effectively and wisely invest smaller amounts of money.

There are also several apps that allow you to invest a very small amount of money—some that don’t even have a minimum deposit.

What’s important to remember is that you shouldn’t take a bunch of huge risks trying to get rich quick. If you’re patient and willing to learn from your investing mistakes, you’ll eventually learn how to make your money work for you.

Put it Towards one of your Goals

Do you hope to one day own your own business? Go back to school? Or do you need a nest egg to support you while you try your hand at freelancing? Well, why not use what you make from ParqEx to save towards your goals.

You can do this by setting aside a percentage of your total ParqEx earnings at the end of each month. This way, ParqEx will be doing more than giving you some extra cash. It will be actively helping you to pursue your dream, which adds a lot more value to your life than another night out on the town.

Make Sure You’re Putting Money Aside for Taxes

When you make money u

sing ParqEx, you need to be prepared to claim it when you file your taxes at the end of each year. This is really important to keep in mind every time you get paid from ParqEx. If you’re not actively putting a portion of your earnings aside, you’ll end up owing money at the end year that you aren’t prepared for.

How much you owe will depend on the tax bracket you fall in, which is based on your overall household income for that year. Either way, a good rule of thumb is to put aside 30% of what you make. This will likely be more than what’s necessary but at least you’ll know you have enough to cover yourself.

Plus, if you put aside extra m

oney, that will just mean you have more to spend at the end of the year. In a way, it’s kind of like an extra refund.

Use Apps to Help You Save

Now that you have an idea of what you want to do with the money made from ParqEx, you’ll want to figure out how you’re going to allocate money towards each of your financial objectives. Since ParqEx’s is an app that’s helping you make extra money, it makes sense that you also consider using an app to help you save money.

Apps such as Qapital, Acorn, and Digit are designed to help you automatically save money. They all work in their own way, so you should review each and decide which one works best for you.

SaveSave

The post What to do with the Extra Cash you Make through ParqEx appeared first on ParqEx.

5 Chicago Events to Attend in Late-March

Vivek Mehra — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 17:26:24 +0000

There’s a Chicago event to satisfy nearly everyone in the early spring month of March, 2017. Visitors and the 2.7 million residents of Chicago have some great options to choose from this year, in addition to the many other recreational events and activities available all year-long. In an effort to inspire some ideas, here are 5 exciting and varied Chicago events to attend in March 2017.

Chicago Blackhawks Game
Chicagoland Family Pet Expo
Neighborhoods of the World
Chicago Flower and Garden Show
Chicago Bulls Game

#1. Chicago Blackhawks Game:

If you’ve never been to the United Center for a Chicago Blackhawks game, this is the time to go. The Blackhawks are currently in first place in the Western Conference and have 3 more home games at the Madhouse on Madison in March.

Now, if this is your first time attending a Blackhawks game in Chicago, you’re going to be in for quite the surprise during the national anthem (bring your earplugs).

The Blackhawks home schedule the rest of March:

Tuesday, March 21 vs. Vancouver (7:30pm)
Thursday, March 23 vs. Dallas (7:30pm)
Friday, March 31 vs. Columbus (7:30pm)

Before the game, make sure you head to the official bar of the Chicago Blackhawks, The Ogden!

ParqEx has $9 daily parking available just blocks from the United Center! Make sure you book your spot in advance on the ParqEx website or app!

#2. Randolph Street Market Festival:

Vintage and antique consumers won’t want to miss the March 2017 edition of the Randolph Street Market Festival, which has 125 vendors to choose from this month, according to their website. This two-day weekend event occurs at 1340 W Washington St. on March 25 & 26 from 10am to 5pm, there’s a $8 general admission fee and kids under 12 get in free.

This is an exciting event to attend to find unique: trinkets, clothes, rugs, furniture, crafts, and many other varied treasures. There’s also a vinyl swap meet and a fancy food market to enjoy as well.

Parking may be a problem with thousands of shoppers converging at the festival at the same time; in order to park close, so the goods can be easily transported, attendees can use ParqEx to find and rent a nearby private parking spot for the day or weekend.

#3. Neighborhoods of the World:

This event occurs on Sunday of every week in March, giving more people a chance to attend and experience the different cultures showcased. Over a seven week period from February to the end of March, Navy Pier is celebrating the different cultures found in Chicago, from 12pm – 4pm in the Crystal Gardens.

This event is free to attend and will have music, traditional dance, arts, crafts, and cuisines from various cultures; the rest of March’s schedule includes: 12th Lithuania, 19th Mexico, and 26th Greece. To make sure parking isn’t a problem when attending this exciting event, attendees can use the ParqEx mobile app to find the perfect parking solution.

#4. Chicago Flower and Garden Show:

Really, who wouldn’t enjoy attending the Chicago Flower and Garden Show being held March 18th – 26th. This is another event being held at the Navy Pier 600 E. Grand Ave. in Chicago, which is sure to be exciting for the entire family. The times are from 10am to 6pm Sunday-Wednesday and 10am to 8pm on Thursday-Saturday, admission is $16 to $17 for adults and $5 for children 5-12.

For those who make it to this 9 day event, they’ll be able to enjoy: kids activities, featured gardens, speakers and seminars, fresh garden cooking demos, cake decorating competitions, and a garden supply market. The sights, smells, and tastes are sure to be worth attending this annual event, and attendees may learn valuable lessons about gardening as well.

#5. Chicago Bulls Game:

Interested in seeing Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler and the rest of this year’s Chicago Bulls team? The Bulls are currently fighting for the Eastern Conference’s 8th and final playoff spot and have a couple big game coming up at the end of March.

Head down to the United Center on Wednesday, March 22nd to watch the Bulls play their division rival Detroit Pistons at 7:00pm. The Bulls then face-off against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, March 24th at 7:00pm. Last but not least, LeBron James and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers will be in town on Thursday, March 30th at 7:00pm.

Secure your tickets here.

Summary

Many will be attending these Chicago events in March 2017, the variety of choices gives residents and visitors great options to have an exciting time this early spring. These 5 events are only scratching the surface of all the exciting events to attend in Chicago this March or anytime; that isn’t to say that these aren’t the best ones, especially, if these are the ones attended.

Just keep in mind, all of these events are located in or near the heart of Chicago, which means effective transportation and lodging planning is at a premium. Using the ParqEx App will help attendees find and rent private parking spots near their destinations; this helps logistically when thinking of: lodging, transportation, costs, etc.

With ParqEx’s help and the right planning, attendees can focus on enjoying themselves at their chosen event, rather than how to get there and find parking. If interested in learning more please contact us today.

The post 5 Chicago Events to Attend in Late-March appeared first on ParqEx.

Smart cities – smart data – smart parking

Vivek Mehra — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 15:36:24 +0000

Recently, the idea of using data to create smart cities has grown tremendously. From incredible LED lights that could be fixed in a matter of moments (should they break) to better building designs and more efficient energy usage, there are a number of wonderful reasons using big data to create smart cities would be an amazing step into the future.

One of the most amazing things this data could do for us would be to predict to the rise and fall of crowd levels in any given location.

This newfound ability would be profound in that it would provide cities the opportunity to cater to the needs of rising numbers of people in a particular place. For instance, an area that is predicted to see a sudden spike in residents could be prepared with places to acquire food and drink, as well as additional security measures. Moreover, buildings and outdoor spaces could be designed in such a way as to better accommodate and control crowds.

Crowd and population prediction is an enormous step in the right direction and could help communities around the world better distribute their resources. This is something that will become more and more important as the population grows and resources become more scarce.

Besides food and drink, another resource that could be better distributed based on this data is space. As populations grow, land becomes harder to come by. From new apartments and houses to additional parking lots, land is snatched up left and right, and the new homes and parking spaces are filled more quickly than they can be built.

One way to help alleviate this problem is through the use of big data and smart city design. If we had a way to predict where people would need and want to be in the near future, we could add living spaces as well as parking spaces in the places they will be needed most. Obviously, this would reduce the number of issues we see with lack of living and parking space.

ParqEx is a perfect example of a business that is set up to take full advantage of this smart city data and provide people with what they need, when they need it. With the right data and predictive systems, ParqEx would have the ability to relieve parking issues by adding parking solutions in the neighborhoods and other parts of cities that need them most.

Additional parking would solve more than one problem. In addition to opening up more options for the growing crowds, it would also relieve traffic congestion that is so often caused by individuals searching — sometimes in vain — for a decent place to park. This is due to the fact that parking places found on ParqEx are found and reserved online, therefore completely removing the searching aspect of parking a vehicle.

As we move into the future, it will be interesting to see where data-driven smart cities will take us. The ease of parking offered by ParqEx and improved flow of traffic in public spaces are just the beginning of what could happen should we continue to improve upon the idea of the smart city. Who knows? The smart city may be just what we need as we move into the future of our world.

If you are interested in putting ParqEx to work, or if you would like to learn more about how we believe we could use big data and smart cities to the advantage of our customers, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are always happy to chat about the future of both our business and the world.

The post Smart cities – smart data – smart parking appeared first on ParqEx.