Clipping fido s nails doesn t have to be a dreaded chore

Do you dread clipping your dogs nails? Don't worry you are not alone.. Even though it's not much fun most dog owners will have to make nail clipping part of their regular grooming. To clip your dogs nails you will need some basic equipment that you can pick up at any good pet supply store. Don't try to make do with human clipers. Special dog nail clippers have a different shape and are specially designed to make the clipping as fast and painless as possible. There are other items you can buy to make it easier to trim your dog's nails too - various products that encourage the blood clotting process are very useful in case of messy clipping accidents. There are many variations on the best way to clip your dogs nails. In general you will want to start with prolonged desensitization of your dogs feet. This will allow your dog to get used to having his paws handled regularly and will make it easier to have a calm clipping session. When clipping your dogs nails for the first time its important to ask someone who knows how to do it to show you. You can get many instructions and even some excellent illustrated instructions on how to clip your dogs nails but watching someone else clip your dogs nails will gie you a chance to ask any questions you might have. If your dog has dark nails (as many do) you will want to watch to get an idea of where your dogs "quick" is located. Most veternarians will clip your dogs nails for you and this is obviously the best way to learn. Starting young increases the chances of having a dog who doesn't mind having his nails trimmed. Puppies generally won't need to have their nails clipped but even if you only bring the clippers up to his paws and "play clip then" he will learn that it's just a normal part of life. Don't clip your dogs nails until you are completely sure what you are doing. Not only will your dog pick up on your anxiousness but he will most probably make things difficult for you. Many people find that one of the best ways to ensure a calm and easy nail clipping session is by walking the dog before you start with the clipping. Tire your dog out well and he might not be able to make as much of a fuss as he'd like. Some people resort to using tranquilizers to make nail clipping easier for their dogs nd them. This really shouldn't be necessary with some foresight. Even the simple act of massaging your dogs paws for a few minutes every day to desensitize your dog to being touched there. Of course the most important thing you can do to make nail clipping easier is to use treats liberally.

Why green is good for trucks

Today’s modern SUVs were originally based on trucks and with good reasons. Trucks are versatile machines, transporting soil from Home Depot; towing the yacht to the lake; to hauling family members, their belongings, and even a mid-sized car to use for jaunts to the local restaurant after parking the truck at one’s favorite camping spot. So it’s surprising that truck owners have not embraced hybrid technology. Who wouldn’t want phenomenally better gas mileage? But in some ways the reaction is understandable. The most well-known hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius, is not known for its power to go up mountains or tow even a small cart much less two tons of rocks. Trucks, to fulfill their duties, need power first. But ‘hybrid’ means merger and in this case, a gasoline engine and battery pack with the latter either supplementing or replacing the former depending on driving conditions. This combination can be tuned to emphasize power or fuel economy, many times providing both. The six-cylinder hybrid Honda Accord, for example, gets an additional fifteen ponies compared to its non-hybrid version while providing gas mileage like its four-cylinder Civic siblings. GM’s first full-sized hybrid trucks, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, are estimated to get an additional ten percent increase in their mileage. While this may not sound like much, it adds ‘high mileage’ to the pair’s already impressive list of features. But most importantly, neither truck suffers lost of torque for speed, hauling or pulling power with the hybrid powertrain. The batteries provide other advantages as well. The Silverado and Sierra can use their hybrid batteries to power equipment when on site, for example. Reviewers of the trucks for Automobile magazine found the feature heaven-sent when their computer equipment ran out of juice out in the middle of nowhere. Why haul miniature power plants or extra batteries when you drive one? Finally, some of the most powerful and popular trucks have diesel option which is not allowed in many states due to environmental concerns. Hybrids were developed to be environmentally friendly and hybrid pickups could be used in lieu of their diesel brethren in such states. Hybrids offer far more than just being friendly to one’s environment or better gas mileage. Truck owners, already driving one of the most versatile vehicles around, would have all those advantages magnified by a hybrid powertrain.

Job opportunities adrift in cyberspace

Those who truly believe they can make a living working on the internet may be right, but finding the right opportunity on the internet will take research and common sense. Most job opportunities listed on the internet are examples of how people make money working online. Convincing others to send money to receive information about how to find work on the internet is one of the biggest opportunities there are. However, since that’s what you were doing when you stumbled across that job prospect, you probably already know how it is done. Common sense is probably the most important thing you have that will save you time, money and disappointment. When reviewing job opportunities take an objective look at the promises and claims being made about the job and consider the possibility of being able to meeting the claims actually being made. For example, many internet positions promise that working only a few hours a day can yield an income equivalent to a year’s salary every month. Think about that for a minute. You are being told that you can sit at your computer, in your pajamas for three or four hours a day and make a six-figure income. Consider the odds of this being a real possibility before sending the sponsor of the ad money for a list of jobs making these claims. One of the biggest so-called job opportunities on the internet today is advertisements for secret shoppers. The ad talks about thousands of companies who use private individuals, “just like you” to go shopping, eat at restaurant and go to the movies and report back to them. Pay is promised to by upwards of $40 an hour for doing things you like to do and you get to keep everything you bought. Who wouldn’t want to become a secret shopper. You realize that you can’t possible do this job eight hours a day, five days a week, but heck at $40 an hour, working only 20 hours a week is a pretty good paycheck, so you fill out the “application” and enclose your fee and wait for the assignments to come rolling in. Usually what happens next is you receive a list of companies that at one point registered to use secret shoppers. However, they all have their own criteria and you will have to apply to each company before they will consider using you in their secret shopper program. That is if they still use them or if the company is still in business. A few applicants actually get hired by a couple of companies as secret shoppers and find out that part time work can be eight to ten hours a month, if not less. Yes, you usually keep what you buy, as the legitimate companies will reimburse you for the purchases, provide you comply with all the procedures they set down for you to follow. Failing that, you have just experienced a shopping trip and it was all on your dime. Always research internet opportunities fully and use your gut instinct to tell you whether it is the real deal or simply marketing hype. If it sounds too good to be true...It probably is. Once you find the right internet opportunity that feels right it will take hard work to get it off the ground. Find an opportunity that has a good step by step roadmap with superb customer support. The beauty of working for yourself is that every dollar you invest in your own business will be worth fifteen dollars a year from now if you persevere. Good Luck and Stay the Course!

The power of youth basketball coaching a personal review

If you really want to make a difference in the lives of youngsters, one must try coaching youth basketball. Well I gave it a shot, and boy am I excited about the whole thing. There are several places that will teach you how to coach youth basketball, from charities to workshops to who knows what else. My experience with youth basketball coaching begins for over a year now, and there has never been a more fulfilling experience in my life thus far. However don’t take my word alone for it, cause you should give youth basketball coaching a try to believe it. The wonderful thing about youth basketball coaching is you can with minimal experience or background in sports, be the one to keep children away from harmful and dangerous influences in their lives. It is a creepy world out there with crime, drugs, and all manner of other temptations which plague our youth nowadays. Why, when I was a kid, we did not even know what drugs were. But nonetheless, using youth basketball coaching especially when working with a good, well organized community center, you can help out kids to say no to crime, drugs, and any other bad or destructive influences in their lives. You have to see it to believe it. The difference it makes is amazing. At times I do not understand why my work with youth basketball coaching has helped so much for kids, but they have recounted all about it themselves. It is a fact. I have a kid – Mikey who signed up about when I started youth basketball coaching. Prior to joining the team, Mikey was bad news. His mother had a drug problem and he was getting drugs himself. Besides his friends was a very bad influence on him. I first decided to sign up for youth basketball coaching especially because of kids like Mikey. I really didn’t understand much about youth basketball coaching when I first got into it. Neither did I have any training. I just watched a couple of youth basketball coaching videos, and hustle to prepare for my first day as a coach. But boy was it worth it. I packed in all of those coaching aids, and soon I was directing the team like a pro. Now that I am an expert at youth basketball coaching, I'll tell you a secret. With youth basketball coaching, it does not matter where you begin, as long as you persist.

Formula drifting for women

Formula Drifting for Women Formula Drifting is a sport that first rose to popularity in Japan. While it is often termed as racing, there is actually little to no racing involved in the sport. Formula D involves taking a car, one that is ideal for drifting, and using certain driving techniques to cause the car to lose traction and drift. The goal is to keep control of the car and steer it to victory. Victory is, almost always, decided by a panel of judges, who are experienced in the art of drifting. Drifting sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Since it first came to the United States, drifting has rapidly increased in popularity, with all different types of individuals. Unfortunately, drifting is often referred to as a male dominated sport. That is because, in the past and still sometimes today, men where mostly the competitors. The problem with this is that, as previously mentioned, all different individuals enjoy the sport of drifting, including women. In addition to enjoying the sport as a spectator, many women also wish to compete in it. If you are woman who is interested in Formula Drifting, you may be wondering what to do. Despite what you may believe or may have been told, women do not have to stand on the sidelines or be a spectator in the stands. If you are interested in drifting, whether it be on a professional level or an amateur level, you have every right to enjoy the sport. Essentially, this means that if you want to participate in drifting, go right ahead. Not only do you deserve the right to participate in it, but you may even be better at it than you had originally anticipated. Perhaps, the first step in getting started in drifting is to famialrize yourself with the sport, if you haven’t already done so. This familiarization can be done a number of different ways. You may want to think about attending a professional Formula D event. If you are unable to attend a professional event, an amateur drifting event will do. At these events, you are advised to pay close attention. Not only will you be able to determine whether or not drifting is definitely something that you would like to do, you may also be able to learn some new techniques or tips. It may also be a good idea to purchase some printed materials or videos on the art of drifting. In addition to learning about the sport, by watching a live event or reading up on it, you may also want to enroll yourself in an instructional drifting course. Many of these courses, also commonly referred to as classes, are offered all across the United States. In addition to traditional Formula Drifting courses, you may even find drifting courses or programs that are designed just for women. One of those programs is Drifting Pretty. Drifting Pretty, which is based in California, acts as training course, as well as a support network for women that are interested in drifting. If you are serious about drifting, whether you want to become a professional Formula D driver or just drift for fun, you may want to think about taking one of these training courses. Although you may feel more comfortable in a program or training course that is designed just for women, there are co-ed courses and programs that are also available. You should easily be able to find these courses with a standard internet search or with recommendations from fellow drifters. Aside from taking a training course and familiarizing yourself with the sport, you will also want to insert yourself into its following. By actively participating in online discussions, you may be alerted to upcoming drifting events. As popular as drifting is, it is sometimes difficult to be informed of these events without inserting yourself into a social drifting network. In addition to being alerted to upcoming events, you may also find support from other female drifters. In a sport that is mostly dominated by males, female drifters need to be able to unite and stick together. Word Count 677

We only go through life once

Life has its ups and downs. We go through life everyday filled with uncertainty never knowing what lies ahead. We may never know that with just the snap of a finger we may lose our lives. We never know that today may be our last day on this planet. The great thing though about this so called life is that we make it. Everyday counts as we go through the journey of happiness and sadness, of feeling love and getting hurt, of obtaining success or falling hard. Life is indeed very colorful and you put the colors in it. As people say, life is like a wheel there may be times when you are on top, on the peak of your career, on the top of the corporate ladder, on the top of the list as one of the wealthiest. Sometimes, you may be in the middle having an average living, having a typical family. Quite often we may be at our lowest, when we suffer hard, when we feel down. I have to say that life has not been sweet for many of us especially those who suffer everyday may it be suffering in sickness, in lack of finances to buy even a single meal as well as suffering from fear, rejection and loneliness. I do not believe there is but a single person who hasn’t experienced any hardship in life. Life is precious and we should value every minute, every second of it. I always believe that since I will only be given one shot with this, then I should make the most out of it. We can never return to yesterday neither are we given the opportunity to go back through time in our lives to redo whatever it is that we thought we should have done. Always look at the brighter side of things. You may have failed, you may have been hurt and heartbroken, you may have been rejected but life goes on and tomorrow is another opportunity for you to do what you think and feels right for you life. We only go through life once so seize the opportunity of every moment. Savor both the good and the bad. Go through life knowing that you have made every single day count by doing what you want to do. Go through life with no regrets without feelings of wonder on the “what ifs” because you never gave it a shot. Knowing that you have lived everyday, as if it were your last makes waking up everyday more than worthwhile.

The source of mortgage money

Where does mortgage money actually come from? When you get a $500K mortgage, who actually writes the checks? Most people have no idea. Does it come from a bank? Does it come from the government or some large quasi-governmental agency like Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac? It all seems so confusing and the numbers are so big that they become abstract. But an understanding of where the cash comes from is the first step to understanding how the mortgage industry operates. You can effectively break down the source of money into two broad categories. On the one hand, you have banks that recycle money that’s been deposited into personal and corporate accounts. We all have bank accounts; checking accounts, savings accounts. That money all belongs to us and the bank pays us interest on it. But they, in turn, lend that same money out to people who want to borrow it. These banks then charge their borrowers a higher interest rate than they offer to their savers. That’s how they make their money. They charge what’s called “a spread” between their borrowing interest rates and their deposit interest rates. In fact, banks can even lend out more money than they physically have on deposit, based on ratios federally regulated by certain governmental agencies. But the details of that mechanism are beyond the objectives of this article. The point is that banks get money from our deposits and that’s what they lend out to their borrowing clients. The interest rates charged by these banks are heavily influenced by the decisions of the Federal Reserve. Most of us are familiar with Alan Greenspan who has been the chairman of the Fed since 1992. His term just came to an end on January 31 2006 and he is now being replaced by Ben Bernanke. At the time of this recording, the Fed has raised interest rates 14 consecutive times during the past two years to gradually tighten a highly accommodating monetary policy that’s been in place since 2001. The Fed manipulates interest rates by buying and selling bonds in the bond markets. During challenging economic times, the Fed buys bonds on the open market, and they pay for these bonds with cash. As the Fed continues buying bonds, it floods the market with cash. All of this excess cash makes money more available for people who want to borrow and interest rates naturally come down as different lenders compete for a limited number of borrowers. Think about it. If there’s excess cash out there, the interest rates to borrow that money gets bid down as different lenders compete for the business. Borrowers naturally go for the lowest rate. When the economy starts growing again, consumer confidence starts rising and people start spending money again. They buy cars. They buy stainless steel refrigerators. They buy computers. With rising demand, companies can start charging more for their products. Profits start rising and soon, workers start asking for raises and better benefits. That increases costs for companies and a vicious cycle of inflation begins. Inflation is a complicated phenomenon but suffice it to say, it can send the economy into a tailspin. So, to slow down that cycle, the Fed can start selling bonds on the market. Buyers pay for these bonds with cash and the Fed immediately puts that money away, taking the cash OUT of the economy. With less cash available on the open market, borrowers start bidding up interest rates which dampens the feeding frenzy and keeps the economic growth at a sustainable level. The interest rate directly affected by the Fed is what’s called “the Overnight Rate.” This rate is what the banks charge each other. You may or may not be familiar with the Overnight Rate but most of us are familiar with the Prime Rate. This rate is simply the Overnight Rate plus 3. Right now, for example, the Overnight Rate is 4.5% so the Prime Rate is 7.5%. Every time the Fed makes a change, the Prime Rate changes at the exact same time. There are also a number of indexes that are affected by these policy changes made by the Fed. Some of you have heard of the LIBOR index. If you’re curious, the acronym LIBOR stands for the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate. You may have also heard about the MTA index. It stands for the Monthly Treasury Average and there are others like the Cost of Funds Index and so on. All of these indexes are all heavily influenced by the actions of the Fed. So as you can imagine, they have all gone up significantly during the past two years. In 2003, the Prime Rate was at 4.00%. Today, it’s at 7.5%. In 2003, the LIBOR and MTA indexes were both around 1.00%. Today, they’re at 5.3% and 4.7% respectively. The Prime Rate and all these various indices govern the interest rates of all variable rate loan products. For example, a home equity line of credit is a variable rate product and is generally tied to the Prime Rate. There are also a lot of loan products these days that are fixed for the first few years, but that become variable after that. Once the fixed period expires, they are tied to one of the indices like the LIBOR or the MTA. Anyone who has a variable rate product has seen their payments go up significantly over the past two years. We started this discussion by saying there are two primary sources of mortgage money. The first is from bank deposits. The second comes from a wide variety of “investors” who provide money through Wall Street. But don’t think these are just a bunch of super wealthy individuals. They’re actually Money Managers that are managing our own money. Most of us have investment accounts like Insurance Funds, Pension Funds and various Retirement Funds. Many of the accounts that contain all these funds end up housing huge amounts of cash. You can imagine the Pension Fund for General Motors or some other Fortune 500 company. Think about Insurance Companies like New York Life or State Farm. These companies manage immense sums of money; money they have accumulated from all their contributors – people like you and me. These huge funds are managed by professional Money Managers. They are always trying to maximize the return they get on this money so they look for good places to invest. For the most part, they end up putting the cash into three main areas. They buy equities; stocks of various companies that trade on the stock exchanges – shares of General Electric or Google or Starbucks Coffee. They also buy corporate and government bonds. That’s the second choice. And they buy what’s called “mortgage-backed securities”. That’s the third choice. Well, those are mortgages! They’re bundled mortgage loans that are bought and sold on Wall Street every day. Essentially, these various Money Managers approach the mortgage business and say, “all right, you can lend out our money as long as you follow these guidelines”. The guidelines they’re referring to are the underwriting guidelines Mortgage Brokers have to follow when helping someone apply for a loan. The interest you pay becomes the return on investment for these Money Managers. So that’s where much of the money comes from. Now, within certain limits, many of these loans are insured by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac as long as they meet their underwriting guidelines. As you can imagine, most investors have guidelines that closely resemble the Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac standard underwriting guidelines. The Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines are the benchmark for the entire industry. Today, there’s so much money out there, money that has accumulated from Baby Boomers putting money aside for their retirement during the past 25 years, that a lot of investors have widened their guidelines beyond the standard Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac requirements. This is happening through the competitive process. There’s a lot of money out there. An economist might say, “there’s excess capital” out there. And what happens when there’s excess capital? Well, you can bet on two major results. First, you can bet that interest rates will get bid down as various investors compete for the business. Second, you’ll start seeing more and more innovative loan programs out there. You have all seen this in your own lives. You’ve seen interest rates get bid down lower and lower with the bottom just behind us, back in 2003. Interest rates are now slowly on the rise again and you can bet they’ll start rising faster when all the Baby Boomers start retiring in a few years and start drawing money out of those huge pools of investment capital. You’ve also seen a flood of innovative loan programs. First came all the different Adjustable Rate Mortgages, or ARMs. Then came the Interest Only options. Now, they have these Negative Amortization loans. You know the ones: the loans that start with an interest rate of just 1%. Interest rates were never that low and they never will be. These loans allow borrower to make payments that are not even enough to pay the interest. So the loan balance actually gets bigger each and every month. We’ve all seen these phenomena play out right in front of our eyes. On the surface, it looks like all these mortgages come from a few large well known players; companies like Countrywide Mortgage, Wells Fargo, Chase or Bank of America. Yes, these guys are huge players in the mortgage business. But that doesn’t mean the money is all theirs. Of course, Wells Fargo and Bank of America have all kinds of regular banking business but their mortgage divisions are generally in the business of packaging and servicing loans. They package the loans and sell them on Wall Street. In many cases, you may not even know because they continue to “service” the loans themselves. That means they do the customer service, they collect your payments and they pass them on to the investor that holds the actual loan, less an administration fee of course. So again, this is all a direct result of excess capital. There’s a lot of money out there and they’re all competing for your business; your mortgage. So they’re all offering different perks to try and get you to pick them. A lower rate. Looser guidelines. Flexible new loan programs. It’s all marketing, trying to get you to borrow their money rather than somebody else’s. Reviewing, there are two sources of mortgage money and both sources come indirectly from you and me. Your bank deposits get recycled and lent back out to the community. Your investment, insurance and retirement funds also get recycled and lent back out. It’s all a big circle from our savings to our debts. Obviously, there are some very wealthy people out there who have huge savings and few debts. Others have huge debts and very little savings. But in the aggregate, it’s the entire community that lends money to itself and it’s the total amount of savings in the community that determines the interest rates within it. If there’s lots of money available, interest rates are low. If there’s a shortage of money, interest rates rise. So the fact that we’ve enjoyed steadily dropping interest rates in recent years is a sign that the economy is healthy and that there’s lots of money available. And the fact that rates are now slowly rising is a sign that the pool of investment capital is slowly shrinking. The soon-to-be retiring Baby Boom generation will definitely shrink that pool of money and we can expect interest rates to continue rising as a result. In the meantime, it’s still a great time to borrow money and we should all take advantage of it while it lasts.

Maternity leave challenges in the us today

Although 163 countries provide guaranteed paid maternity leave for new mothers, the United States does not. In fact, this maternity leave statistic puts the US in the same boat with Lesotho, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland. Australia is the only other industrialized nation that offers no paid maternity leave for new mothers, but it does offer 12 months of unpaid maternity leave. So what does the US offer new moms today? Let us examine the laws for pregnancy and maternity leave up close. The first federal law that you should be aware of is the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. This Act makes it illegal for employers to fire, refuse to hire, or deny a woman a promotion because she is pregnant. However, it provides no job protection to new parents on maternity leave. The second federal law that you should be aware of is the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides millions of workers with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected time off for maternity leave or recovery from illness. If you happen to be so lucky, your company also may offer paid short term disability to help with your maternity leave and recovery from childbirth. Some companies are stricter than others in allowing a new mom on maternity leave to qualify for this paid benefit. Ask your HR representative if this is an option for you. While most of us can depend on FMLA to guarantee us a return to our jobs, some workers cannot. FMLA only applies to businesses with over 50 employees. The FMLA protects working women and men who have been with the same employer for at least one year and have worked for at least 1250 hours over the course of that year. 40% of workers do not fall within these boundaries. Still more workers who are eligible for FMLA coverage simply cannot afford to take maternity leave without pay. In one survey, 78 percent of workers who needed FMLA but did not take it said they could not afford the unpaid leave. So what does this mean for your maternity leave? It means that you may have to end your maternity leave before you are ready to leave your baby. To avoid this scenarios, start considering your options before you go on maternity leave. Job Sharing: You share your job with another person, cutting your hours to half of what they once were. This allows you to spend more bonding time with baby, while giving you some income. Telecommuting: Working from home may be a possibility if you have a computer, good Internet connection, and a telephone - at least while on a partial maternity leave Staying Home Full Time: Can you rearrange your budget to stay home - at least temporarily? Start Your Own Business:There are so many possibilities out there from starting your own childcare business to selling goods on e-bay. The US has a long way to go to protect working moms. Many families simply can’t afford to live on dad’s income alone, and many of us are single moms as well, with no choice but to work. With a little creativity and some luck, you may be able to work around the system, so you’ll have more bonding time with your baby and a longer maternity leave.

Emergency debt relief programs

There isn’t much in this world that is more frustrating than finding you are in the midst of a financial crisis. A crisis of debt is a burden shared by many Americans making them feel as if they are drowning financially. You will be happy to learn there are ways out of the sea of debt engulfing you. Emergency debt relief loans are a viable option and available to assist many personal circumstances. Administrators of such loans can consolidate your debt so that you have one payment instead of several. They can flat out help to pay off your debts while you make a payment to the loan company or program holder. This may be your best solution. High interest rates tend to increase, and low interest rates climb further up the ladder as well. The result is a domino effect of debt that needs to be addressed quickly lest your bills snowball into an ugly bankruptcy situation, forever destroying your credit. It is generally known that people who seek the help of an emergency debt relief program are those who have very high credit debt and most likely overspend well beyond their means. High interest rates are often a contributing factor, and your circumstances may no longer permit you the ability to afford them. You can get yourself out of debt almost very quickly by tapping into an emergency debt relief program. You will be offered several services that can aid in making your credit card and other debt significantly decrease. You can get involved in educational program services that will teach you how to both manage your expenses wisely and set realistic financial goals. If not sure that emergency debt relief programs may be a plausible option for you, then you should also be aware that a debt relief program will initiate settlements with your creditors and try to arrange easy repayment, which stops further escalating interest rates. They help to ensure that your finances are handled prudently. And if you’re worried about your personal information, there's no need; you’re protected under the fraud act in your state. Getting yourself out of a huge amount of debt is clearly challenging, but having the right information concerning an emergency debt relief plan will help you fulfill your goal of becoming debt free in a relatively short period of time. Here are a few tips that can help in your quest to become free from overwhelming debt: 1. Cancel your credit lines and choose a different plan that offers low interest rates for your credit cards. 2. If possible, it is wise to discipline yourself to pay cash for your purchases instead of using plastic. Just make sure to stay within your budget. 3. You know how much your payments are as well as how much you earn per month. Analyze your bills and income and, if possible, pay more than just the minimum requirement. 4. Be sure to pay your bills in a timely manner. It’s a good habit to get a jump on them before they are due. 5. Reduce the number of your credit cards. If you have five, then cancel four of them. You only need one. This is manageable and will reduce your payments and interest rates. Not all debt relief programs are created equal. Use your best judgment when settling with a company to handle your debt restructuring. You have to feel comfortable with them and able to accept their terms.

All about whey protein concentrate

You are standing in your local health food store; glasses perched on your nose, trying to read the tiny print on all of those containers of protein supplement powders. You keep seeing the words 'whey protein concentrate' and 'whey protein isolate.' You are getting a headache. Is it the whey protein isolate that you need, or the whey protein concentrate, and what about the powders that seems to have both? First, let's note the difference between whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate. Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey protein. It also has the least amount of fat and lactose. Whey protein concentrate, of course, is the exact opposite. It has less actual whey protein, and more fat and lactose. You will immediately reach for the whey protein isolate powder…if you can find one among these hundreds of powders. You will also immediately notice a great price difference. Before you pay that higher price though, there are some things to consider. You naturally assume that the whey protein isolate is better than the whey protein concentrate, because it is purer. Theoretically, this is correct. But you also need to hear some first person accounts on the results of the two different whey protein products. Believe it or not, most bodybuilders will go with a protein supplement powder that has a combination of whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate. Most will choose the one that has a higher level of whey protein concentrate than the whey protein isolate. If whey protein isolate is better, however, why would they do this? They choose this type of product because they have tried the pure whey protein isolate products, and paid that extra money for the pure product, only to find that the results were about the same. Now, note that the results are not the same if you use a whey protein concentrate that does not also contain whey protein isolate. But if there is a combination of whey protein concentrate with the whey protein isolate, you will still get good results, and you can pocket that extra money. With that said, however....Find out more by visting the site..

Music therapy

Music, they say, soothes the savage beast and this is so true when we consider how music in its magical way works on our body rhythms bring harmony, literally, back into the body. A story is told in the Bible of a King named Saul, who had an evil spirit that would torment him and make him feel terrible. It was suggested that they find someone who could play he harp and then the evil spirit would leave and King Saul would feel better. So they searched and found a young shepherd boy named David and he was commissioned to play for Saul whenever the evil spirit came upon him. Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. 1 Samuel 16:23(KJV) Researchers have found that certain types of music are more uplifting to the soul than others. Although you may think that a way to relax would be to listen to your favorite rock band, you are sadly mistaken. This will only rev up your engines and make you more stressed than when you started out. No, the way to personal harmony must come from a very specific kind of music. Not all music relaxes, you must personally feel more relaxed, your breathing must become slower and deeper for music to have a relaxing effect on you. According to composer and music researcher Stephen Halpern Ph. D., "Music is not all that meets the ear. If you were to have earplugs in your ears, you cold still 'feel the music'" he explains. "That's because music is vibrations. And these vibrations affect your heartbeat, blood flow, brain waves - your entire body chemistry. So it is by our body responses that we can tell if music is truly relaxing us or not. In order to truly enjoy the music it is best if you can get yourself focused on it by either sitting still or lying down and really soak it in. I realize that there are times when you just can't do this and just listening while going about your work is better than nothing, but it will not have the same effect as actually absorbing yourself in it. I personally love to just run a hot bath with my favorite aroma, lavender. Then I light candles around the bathroom and turn off all of the lights. This is my special time when I can relax and toss away the cares of the day. In the living room, right next to the bathroom, I have beautiful classical or new age music playing softly. As it permeates the room, mixed with the scent of my bath and candles, I am in another world, totally relaxed without a care in the world. Music, in my view, is the most influential and powerful therapy that you can provide yourself. It not only affects your soul, but your body and spirit as well.

Getting into the podcasting bandwagon

There are 22 million owners of portable mp3 players in 2005. 29% of them have tried downloading and listening to podcasts at one point in time. We’re talking about 6,380,000 people who have been exposed to podcasts during a period when podcasting was just in its infancy. These statistics alone will show you the vast potentials that can be found with the podcasting medium. As an online marketer, you’ll be able to reach a lot of people with downloadable podcasts. Not only this, but podcasting offers a slew of benefits that can only gain momentum in the coming months: • People respond more to what they could hear rather than what they simply read. • Podcasts offer a more exciting experience compared to conventional written works. • Podcasts will attract prospects that you will normally fail to tap. • Podcasts offer you more leeway in delivering your business message. • Podcasts would give your business an instant boost in credibility, as people will get to listen to a real voice instead of having to read mere words. The problem that many Internet marketers face when it comes to the prospect of creating podcasts is the seeming difficulty associated with their preparation. This is borne from simple unfamiliarity, however. The fact is, anyone – yes, ANYONE – can create their own podcasts without having to avail of special software programs for the same. Just follow the steps below: 1. Choose a subject. 2. Choose an engaging aspect of that subject, one which your target market would be interested to know about. 3. Prepare an outline detailing the important points you wish to discuss about the said subject. 4. Do some research, if necessary. 5. Prepare index cards which should contain some summaries of your points. You will refer to these to ensure uninterrupted recording that would streamline the process. 6. Attach a microphone to your computer. This is the only hardware you will need, aside from the PC terminal itself, of course. 7. Set up the Sound Recorder program that is bundled with your Windows operating system. 8. Begin recording. 9. Once you have finished your podcast, review the same using the Media Player which should also be bundled with your Windows operating system. 10. Enhance your podcast with the free tools that can be found at odeo/inbox 11. If you wish to earn from your podcast itself, enroll it with fruitcast They will include advertisements within your podcast, but you’ll get to earn a certain amount every time it is downloaded. 12. If everything sounds well, convert your file into. mp3 format. 13. Use Microsoft Front Page to upload the file to your web server. 14. Include your podcast link in website repositories like ipodder and podcastalley . Just like that, you could have your own podcast ready to be downloaded. You would want to limit the length of your podcasts to 10 minutes per episode, however, so that the file size can be kept at a minimum. Additionally, you would want to serialize your podcasts into installments to capture the continuous interests of your listeners. They will then become your leads for some marketing purposes. You could create podcasts for any topic you want. There is no limit, and each subject should command a healthy audience if the podcast is marketed correctly. Submitting the same to the websites we have mentioned above would be a start, but try to look for more avenues where you could promote your podcasts and you’re bound to reach more people in the process. Afterwards, you could sit back, relax, enjoy all the benefits that podcasting can offer, and realize that yes, indeed, podcasting is as easy as 1-2-3. NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-

Take online surveys from home and get paid

: The option of working from home has of late become much talked about the topics all over the world for the fact that it is done at the convenience of the home while earning the money required to run the household and at the same time spend time with the family. There are a lot of home-based jobs out of which free online paid surveys are gaining momentum these days. Unlike monotonous jobs like data entry and data conversion, online surveys provide satisfaction to the person who is taking them. It is dissemination of valuable information from the consumer to the company who seeks feedbacks for the betterment of the product and service it has been offering which in turn will help the business grow in manifolds. Also the information provided by the consumer helps in launching and conceiving the idea to make new products, services and concepts. A person with a basic knowledge of how to operate computers and who knows how to browse the Internet can take up free paid online surveys and earn that extra income needed. The online surveys are nothing but a list of questions, which helps the company to understand the consumer’s, wants and needs through the feedback he receives through the questionnaires. It helps in strategy formulation, marketing ideas, launching a new product and making a correction or improvement of the existing products. The person who takes the paid online survey will be paid a sum ranging from $1 to $150 for a survey for his or her valuable information and feedback. Secrets of making extra income from online surveys:b> The online survey sent to a particular person depends on factors like his educational background, income, age and sex. Hence, in order to get more surveys, one needs to provide the required information to the agency or website, that enrolls people for taking paid online surveys.. Since paid online surveys have become lucrative and popular, one can see many market research companies have emerged in this field of late and most of them make one to enter lucky draws, coupons etc, which are not worthwhile. The main secret is to find a reputable, cash paying company and also companies, which provide, mystery shopping and product sampling are worth the try. It is advised to go in for a long time established market research company as told earlier whose information are provided by survey brokers from time to time. The statistics are worth the time going through as scam companies are eliminated from the list. Using the list one can earn huge amounts. Next important secret is to enroll in as many market research companies as possible, as it will add to a good number of surveys taken in a month, which is nothing but earning money in multiples. There is software, which helps in filling forms for the market research companies. Filling the profile forms offered by the market research companies might be time consuming but then it helps in understanding the consumer and getting more surveys. Also be truthful in filling forms, as it might be useful to fill the answers quickly and with comfort. The most important thing is to stay away from market research companies who ask for a fee, which is not necessary when you can get the information for free. You can just do a search on the Internet and spend some time in finding the suitable and well established paid survey agencies to ensure that you get a regular monthly income while spending your free time by answering a few questions.

Golf course equipment that lasts using repower kits on small engines

Golf course managers have the difficult responsibility of keeping their fleet of golf carts, course mowers, trucksters and sand haulers running smoothly year to year. As these items experience wear and tear it is important that they be maintained so that they last as long as possible. Funding is not always available to replace bad equipment at a moments notice. Extending the life of your equipment is possible through proper oiling, electrical testing and cleaning. When major problems start to occur in areas like engine performance, it is not necessary to feel that the cart or mower is done for. Repowering the engine using a rebuild kit is an economical solution for extending the usability of equipment for several more years to come. You can reduce the long-term costs of golf cart repairs and replacement by opting to “repower” your golf carts with small engine rebuild kits by manufacturers like Briggs Stratton, Cushman, Kohler, and Honda. The manufacturers of these small engines have designed them to withstand both heavy workloads and light depending on the amount of use. These small engines come in a wide assortment of sizes, available horsepower, and different transmission set-ups, to meet all of your power needs. These engines also use a variety of sources such as gasoline, diesel, and electricity from batteries for their power. This makes them quite adaptable to the course-specific needs of every golf course. The largest manufacturer of air-cooled gas-powered engines is Briggs Stratton. A Briggs Stratton small engine is durable even under the harshest of conditions and doesn’t require a lot of maintenance to stay in peak running condition. Many golf courses utilize equipment by Cushman, who creates small engines for the Cushman Truckster and Cushman Haulster. The Cushman Truckster small engine can provide a golf cart with all the power it needs to traverse rugged terrains with the weight of passengers and equipment on board with ease. The Cushman Haulster is also built to handle heavy loads. The Kohler line of small engines for repowering golf carts are compact but durable and provide optimum power. These engines are built for longevity. Honda small engines power motorcycles, boats, and go-carts in addition to lawnmowers and golf course equipment. These engines are sturdy and can handle whatever task is put to them. These manufacturers are well-respected small engine builders that have reputations for producing quality products. By using a repower rebuild kit that uses one of these engines, golf course managers will get quality power, a sturdy machine that will stand up to the rigorous demands placed on them with less maintenance required, and a comparatively inexpensive solution to replacing equipment. You will find these engines are a cost-effective choice for the other equipment used for the maintenance of golf courses such as seeders and mowers. Golf course managers have the difficult job of keeping the fleet of carts and mowers running smoothly for a long period of time. By repowering their existing fleet when needed, they can save money on buying all new carts and still get the same tough, sturdy, dependable running engines they expect from top brand small engine manufacturers. ~Ben Anton, 2008

Natural aging skin care products

It is said that ‘beauty’ is skin deep and as such the skin care assumes much significance in today’s beauty conscious world. One may wonder whether any special care is needed for skin alone for a normal person. The answers may vary but the truth remains that, all are not normal skinned, and people with not so normal skin need give the desired care for their skin to look natural and feel good. The natural ageing process, exposure to sun light, regular smoking etc. may contribute for the lesser production of collagen and elastin, two fibers that hold the skin together and make the skin look young and smooth. Skin care products that contain Argireline derived from Amino acids helps relax facial tension. Extract obtained from edelweiss is another substance that acts as an anti oxidant and prevents the ultra violet light penetrating into the skin besides cleaning up of the free radicals getting damaged by metabolism and pollutants. Yet another natural product is shea butter a natural moisturizer that prevents dryness of the skin. The face is the first and the best part of the body that gets attention from others. Naturally one would like to present a good facial appearance for that first impression. There is no dearth for skin care or rather facial care products in today’ s market, with each product claiming to be better than that of the other. However the fact remains that, the best skin care product varies from individual to individual depending upon the type of skin one possess, the region where one lives, the food habits one follow among many other relevant factors. This article is to be used for informational purposes only. The information contained herein is not intended to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice regarding skin care treatments. Prior to beginning any treatment regimen, the patient must consult a licensed medical doctor or dermatologist for advice and/or to determine the best course of action for his/her individual situation.

Adobe photoshop changing the world

"To see is to believe" is what most people say. However, this old adage, like so many others, has been negated by technology. Today, with Adobe Photoshop, you can create any image you want and share it to other people. This way, Adobe Photoshop is changing the whole world's perspective on reality. For those who do not know, Adobe Photoshop is a program designed to let people edit various images on their computers. Its primary purpose is to let people perform touch ups on pictures before printing them. Of course, each succeeding version of Adobe Photoshop included more and more tools which let people add effects and do various other things to their photographs. The Adobe Photoshop of today actually allows people to add sound and animation to their photographs for sharing on the internet. In the past, people who took bad pictures were stuck with them. A lot of things can go wrong in a picture. There's the usual red-eye, skewed angles, shaky focus and others. Adobe Photoshop was the tool that made all of these things disappear. With Adobe Photoshop, people can take pictures like amateurs and still produce images like pros! However, Adobe Photoshop today has gone beyond image editing. Today, the software is labeled as an image manipulation tool. This somehow gives people the impression that Adobe Photoshop actually gives them a greater degree of freedom than other image-editing programs available today. In fact, it actually does. If sight is reality, then Adobe Photoshop can help you create any reality that you want. With Adobe Photoshop, you will be able to create images of other worlds. You will be able to capture the beauty of the universe inside a glass jar. Your creativity will be unleashed. That's how much Adobe Photoshop can change your life. In the world today, one can easily observe the impact that Adobe Photoshop has wrought on culture. Just like Google, Adobe Photoshop is now being used by people as a verb. When a person is said to be photoshopping something, it is always assumed that the person is editing an image of come sort, whether he or she is actually using Adobe Photoshop or not. Adobe Photoshop has also led to a whole new level of art and animation. Did you know that tablets were developed specifically with Adobe Photoshop in mind? Artists of today have gone beyond using paints and a canvas. Today's painters make use of tablet sensors and Adobe Photoshop to produce their masterpieces. With the technology of Adobe Photoshop, people are able to take the art of drawing, add a bit of computer technology, and come up with a whole new genre of animation. In the past, images had to be saved as specific file types in order to be usable for Adobe Photoshop. However, because of the proliferation of digital cameras and camera phones today, Adobe Photoshop can actually import the photographs directly from the sources. This means that the gap between taking the picture and sharing it is reduced. Adobe Photoshop might just be a tool for some people. However, you should know that tools, when used by enough people can change history. In this age where everything is defined by computers, Adobe Photoshop is just another tool which, in the right hands, can change the world.

The advantages of getting an online psychology degree

: The Advantages of Getting an Online Psychology Degree If you are a professional in human resources, counseling, social work, market research, advertising, sales or any job fields which need a lot of interaction with people and you need to enhance your psychology background in order to do a better job or enhance your job professionalism, a degree in psychology definitely can help you to achieve your goal. But, you may not want to on hold your current job in order to go back to college or university to earn your psychology degree. Then, you need to look for online psychology degree. The advantages of acquiring an online psychology degree is that you can acquire a degree in psychology without attending a regular class, you need not leave your job to enhance your knowledge in the field of psychology. You can even specialize in any field in psychology. Advantages of Having a Degree in Psychology Success in many jobs depends largely upon you, the worker, being successful in understanding, relating to, and working with, people. Thus, a psychology degree will enable you to start out with an above-average interest in people. After all, the understanding of human behavior has been one of the major goals of psychology for a long time. As a psychology degree holder you know something about people and you know how to interact with them. These are characteristics that employers value. Online Psychology Degree Programs As the online degree programs increase in popularity, there are many prestigious colleges and universities offer online psychology programs taught by the same faculty who teach in their classrooms. And psychology degree offers through online range from Bachelor to MBAs and Ph. Ds. Like the transitional degree, earning a degree online also has pre-requirement and it varies from one online university to another. For example, you can acquire a master's degree or doctorate online in psychology if you have a high school diploma or GED with age of 22 years or above and have worked in the field as a fulltime employee. In general, good in written communication skills are needed as online degree program need to do a lot of reading and writing. Earn Your Psychology Degree Online Since the introduction of online degree programs, the working or busy people can earn their degree online without the need to stop the current job or work. Various online degrees in psychology will help you to enhance your socialization into the field of psychology through foundational courses and interaction with faculty who are expert professionals in their field. There are many majors in online psychology which you can choose from, you can specialize in fields like clinical psychology, counseling psychology, general psychology, health psychology, organizational psychology or school psychology. Summary The online degree in psychology offers the flexibility to deepen your knowledge in psychology without the need to sacrifice you current work or life style.

3609

MONEY-MAKER'S SECRETS TO RENTING PROFITABLE MAILING LISTS As an entrepreneur involved in selling and/or promotion of something by Direct Mail, you should already know that most important aspect of your mailing have to do with the sales letter or circular you send out, and the mailing list you use. With these thoughts in mind, and assuming you've got what should be an order-pulling sales letter or circular, let's focus our attention specifically on the problem of finding mailing lists that produce profitable orders. Common sense should tell you that without a good mailing lists, the time and money you spend for market research, advertising layout and knowledge relating to the "rules of direct mail," will just be wasted effort. In other words, unless you get you offer to the buyers, you might as well save your time and money. In order to reach your most-likely buyer, you must first determine who your most-likely buyers are. This is not so hard as it might appear. Actually, it's just a matter of recognizing that automotive items will appeal to car-owners, while household gadgets will sell best to the homemakers. Regardless of how easy its is, this is the most-often over-looked part of the beginning entrepreneur's planning. suffice it to say that if you don't know who you're going to sell a product or service to, your product or service is going to be pretty hard for you to sell. The next thing to really look into, is the competition your product or service faces. If it has a limited market--not too many people would stand in line to buy--and you are competing with virtually the same product as supplies by other companies--then you're going to have to either come up with a strong "hidden angle" or else face defeat before you even begin... These are the "keys" to success in selling anything via direct mail--pin-pointing exactly who your buyers are, presenting your offer to them with an angle not being used by your competition, and concentrating all your sales efforts only on the most-likely prospects. Assuming you "know" who your most-likely buyers are; that you've got a "winning" sales letter or circular--and, a product or service these people "will stand in line to buy," then your problem is to get the message to these people. Do not think you'll "save some money" by renting or buying inexpensive mailing lists from advertisers in all those ad sheets and "mail order" type publications that seem to flood your mailbox. You'll waste a lot of time, and spend money chasing the wind with these lists. These list offered by "mail order" dealers are compiled from ad sheets, mail order publications, and/or incoming offers received by the list - seller...These people also compile lists they use...A lot of them compile their rental lists directly from the telephone/city directories...And even a few of them work the "envelope stuffing" scheme to compile their rental lists--They offer commissions to people who pay to join their envelope stuffing programs, and then sell or rent the names of the people who join their program...The people who join the program are advised to compile lists from any number of sources, send out a commission circular, and receive a commission for each incoming order. The names of the buyers are then compiled onto another list, and sold by promoters of this scheme to some of the larger list-brokers as bonafide mail order buyers...Any time you rent a list of 5,000 or more names from mail order type operator, you can almost certainly count on the lists that's 1) Five or more years old...2) Filled with names of people who have moved...3) Going to be dominated with names of other mail order sellers... Before renting or buying a mailing list from someone, use the same kind of common sense you use in deciding upon a doctor, lawyer or auto mechanic. something else to keep in mind--whenever you rent or buy mailing lists from someone who has or is advertising for dealers or mailing list brokers, you are going to end up with a list of names used by many mail order dealers, generally with the majority of them offering the same products or services. The best thing to do is to take a note pad and pencil to your public library..Ask the librarian to let you look at the Standard Rate & Data Service Directory pertaining to mailing lists. Within this voluminous directory, you'll find the names, addresses and telephone numbers of virtually all the reputable mailing lists brokers in the country. These brokers explain within the directory the different lists that are available for rent, what kind of buyers the lists are made up of, and the date the list was last cleaned--that is, the last time all the names on the list were verified relative to the correctness of addresses. Select a half dozen or so of the list brokers handling the kinds of lists that are made up of buyers of products or services similar to yours...Jot those names and addresses down on your note pad..then go home and call them on the phone... Tell the list broker about yourself, what you're trying to sell, how much you're asking for it, and your-long range plans. Almost all of them will want to see a sample of your mailing piece, and more often than not, a sample of your product as well. Don't be afraid to talk to these people--they're in business to help you, and if they "steer you onto" a list that doesn't make money for you, they figure you'll not buy from them again, so it's to their benefit to see that you get the "right" list for your mailing piece and offer. Most of them are will critique your mailing piece and offer, making suggestions for improvements when appropriate, and in general, act as a consultant to see that you realize a profit thru their services. Once you and the list broker have decided upon the mailing list best suited to your offer, he'll generally require you to rent a minimum of 5,000 names. The going price will range from $35 to $95 per thousand names. Expensive, maybe...But if you pay $475 for 5,000 prospective buyers, and end up with 1,500 buyers of a $20 "how-to" manual that you've written and printed at a cost of 50 cents per manual--that would mean a gross of $30,000..minus $750 for 1,5000 manuals, plus another 60 cents each to send each of these manuals out via 4th class mail witch would amount to $1,035. Add these figures together for a total of $1,785 and subtract this total from $30,000 and you stand a very good chance of netting $28,000 or more... So, you see, the important thing is to get your offer to your most-likely buyers. The only way to do this--the fastest, and least expensive way--is to work with a reputable mailing list broker and forget about all that "wheel-spinning" within the circle of mail-order-type people. Really, so long as you deal with " mail-order-type" people, small-time dealers and advertisers--you'll never achieve anything beyond a busy-busy, hand-to-mouth existence in this business. The bottom-line reason for most of the entrepreneurial failures in the mail order business is simply that the beginner tries to cut corners by using less that the most productive mailing lists available. Indeed, the years are littered with people from all walks of life who have had a good product and/or service ideas, but failed to "get their ideas off the ground." Generally, these people were trying to "save money" by compiling their own mailing lists, advertising in "all-seller" type mail order publications, and/or sending their offers out to "mail-order-type" people found in the ad sheets or to lists purchased from advertisers in these publications. In almost every case, the entrepreneur's efforts along these lines, and based upon a "saving money" philosophy, has always ended in heartbreak and great financial loss for the entrepreneur... YOU CAN SUCCEED, STARTING FROM SCRATCH! But, before you attempt it--before you "jump in and reach your own mail order fortune," be sure you arrange all the odds in your favor..Anything less than the "rules" stated within this report will surely be a waste of time, and result in failure... Remember: Your product has to be something you can buy or produce in finished form for pennies, and sell for dollars. There has to be an "eager" market for your product or service. You must project the most professional of all images of yourself as the "company" or supplier in all your sales letters, circulars, advertising and/or dealings with your prospective buyers. And you must "know" who your buyers are, and then concentrate your efforts to reach only those people with your offer...

Using credit cards to finance your business

It can be quite difficult to find financing when you are trying to start a business. Traditional channels such as banks and other financial institutions are normally not too eager to finance a new business, even if you have developed a sound business plan and are highly skilled in your market. Starting a business, especially an online business based from your home, can be difficult, and you will need a way to obtain financing. You may be considering using your credit cards to finance your business. While it is always better to avoid risking your own money when starting a new business, there are many people who have successfully financed a business with credit cards. If you have a sound business plan the ability to manage your finances wisely, you may be able to use your credit card to finance a business without risking your credit score and your financial future. Just as with all debts, it is important to pay as much of your balance as possible each month and never make late payments. There are advantages to using you credit card in financing a business. It is quick and easy and you will never have to wait for approval or funds when you are ready to make a purchase. Another advantage is that you can make purchases instantly, without having to write a check or supply vendors with check payment forms, as is often a requirement for a new business. It would make the most sense to use only one of your credit cards for business purposes. You will be able to track purchases easily and consolidate your monthly statement easily. You should know your billing date. You will be able to make larger purchases just prior to your billing date and prevent interest from accumulating for several weeks until you make your payment. Always try to pay off the majority of, if not all of your debt each month. You will save a lot of money in interest charges by paying as much as you can possibly afford each month. Using your credit card will also protect you from losses if you receive damaged goods or fail to receive merchandise you have paid for. Depending on the type of credit card you choose to use for your business, you can earn bonuses, frequent flyer miles, and cash back. You will need to monitor your spending carefully. Make certain you use the credit card with the lowest rate of interest and you may be able to contact the credit card company and ask about any possible rate reductions you can get. Financing your new business with a credit card is not the ideal situation, but for those who are having difficulty obtaining a traditional loan or alternate type of financing, this could be a viable option. You do not want to risk losing your profits by accumulating overwhelming amounts of debt on your credit card. Keep a close watch on your spending and pay most if not all your debt each month. With caution and a smart business plan you can finance your new business with a credit card and instantly find the funding you need. Depending on your credit situation and debt level, you may be able to apply for a credit card in your company name, separate from your personal finances. Accumulating credit card debt is never the best option, but with wise decisions and smart purchases you can finance your business and avoid the frustration of trying to obtain outside funding. Starting a new business is an exciting time. Make smart financial decisions and your business can be profitable in a short time.

The big pitfall of unsecured loans

There are allot of different types of loans available. In this article we'll take a look at unsecured loans and why it might be handy in the right situations. Unsecured Loan Definition: A loan in which no collateral is required. The only guarantee the loaner has from the borrower is their promise to repay. You can use unsecured loans for pretty much anything including a relaxing holiday, a wedding, debt consolidation or home improvements. Why most people prefer an unsecured loan: If you require money to solve any of your financial problems and do not want to give your home for security purposes then the best solution is to apply for an unsecured loan. The period and amount you want to borrow varies according to the terms and conditions of the lender. Some lenders provide loans as small as $550.00 and can offer up to a sum of $25,500. The repayment time can vary from one year to ten years depending on your credit rating and the lender you’re using. You can find unsecured loans from a variety of sources including building societies, larger supermarket chains and your local bank of course. You should consider few things before applying for an unsecured loan. The lenders have no claims with an unsecured loan. Unsecured lending is normally more risky in comparison of secured lending, which is reflected by the higher rates of interest. Unsecured loan is in reality a loan where lender has no claims on property or other guarantees in case the borrower fails to repay. The creditor solely relies on the ability of borrower for repayment of his loans. So naturally this higher risk loan will fetch a higher interest rate. With an unsecured type of loan you are not getting a loan against the value of your property. You will be offered an interest rate based on your need and the amount of money you are borrowing. This means that you will not repay according to the rates found in your local newspaper or media. Your interest rate will be decided according to your credit rating, for some of us this can be good but for others this can be bad. If the borrower fails to repay the unsecured loan, the lender cannot reclaim for the goods, but has a right to find other legal remedies to get the interest and outstanding funds from the loan. With an unsecured loan it's recommended that you borrow as little as possible and make a budget to specify where and how much money you need so you don't over borrow. Unsecured loans are usually for smaller amounts, thus if you are a homeowner and want to borrow more, you are recommended to apply for secured loan. The major disadvantage of unsecured loans is the cost of interest. Unsecured loans are usually more expensive in comparison to secured loans as the lender has no guaranty that you will repay the loan, and therefore they charge more interest from you the borrower. Depending on your situation this might be good or this might be bad. With a good credit rating you might be able to get an unsecured loan with a low interest rate, but if your credit rating is good you probly have access to other funding resources for low interest rates anyway. Whereas if your credit rating is bad an unsecured loan will cost you allot but if you don't have any other forms of collateral available, this may be one of your only solutions at this point, untill you build your credit rating back up.

The fifth key to having fun in your home business is facts you should know

The basic need for a home-based business to succeed includes a decent computer, a high-speed Internet connection, and a desire to be successful. These are things that most people already have and can capitalize on. Many companies involved in network marketing have spent tons of money learning the ropes of network marketing and have slowly become proficient at it and are now seeking others to help their business continue to grow. Some may cite noble reasons to wanting to share their methods and a few may simply say they want to grow bigger and make more money and need your help to do so, but the bottom line is their methods have been proven to work and if you follow their lead, you can be successful as well. All you need is time, the desire to be successful and the patience to stay with it and work hard. Home-based businesses are an excellent source of extra income as long as the facts of such businesses are known. In addition, there are certain aspects the Home-based business owner or the member of this type of business needs to examine from time to time. The Home-based business owner or the team member should initially examine the Home-based business statistics available on the Internet as well as to gain a better understanding of this type of business. The following is a detailed examination of those evaluation aspects concerning a Home-based business: 1. Denial - Most of the people involved with Home-based businesses lose money. This is a simple fact. If a team member or owner is spending more money than their producing on the Home-based business, the venture is a failure. This evaluation aspect takes into account that there are advertising, start-up, and other expenses as well. 2. Line Duplication - Certain members of an up-line have success placing an Internet wanted ad for distributors. This particular action cannot be duplicated in that it would not be effective for the entire Home-based business team to perform the same action. 3. Numbers - Most Home-based business owners or members don’t closely look at the numbers of their businesses. Pay particular attention to the various parts of the Home-based business (i. e. time value, sponsorship, down-line members, etc.). 4. Run it like a Ministry - Some people that run Home-based businesses believe their products depend on the world’s survival. This is an excellent mindset to possess for a Home-based business. All of these evaluation aspects must be positively confirmed to have the success and profits for a Home-based business. There are many MLM home-based business opportunities on the Internet and in paper publications as well. An interested person should carefully research a chosen Home-based business, and apply these evaluation aspects to it after a time experiencing the Home-based business. Additionally, the interested person should find the Home-based business that allows personal time investment, instead of large amounts of money for the venture. Essentially, a Home-based business idea that requires a person to utilize free time as capital along with a small monetary investment is a venture that’s less risky but has lots of potential for providing generous earnings.

Basset hound laid back and loving

The Basset Hound is a Medium/Large dog that typically weighs between 45-75 pounds. Their height averages between 11" to 15". It is long and low and their height/weight ratio makes their already short legs look even shorter. In fact, their name comes from the French word "bas" which means low. Their gentle, loving, patient nature makes them an excellent companion dog for the home while their keen sense of smell and hunting instincts continue to make them excellent hunting companions. Recognized by the AKC in 1885, the acceptable colors for the Basset Hound are a variety of hound colors, but they are typically white with chestnut or sand colored markings. The fairly dense coat is short, straight, hard and smooth. Their coat is easy to groom and only requires an occasional brushing and shampooing. This loving, gentle dog is perfect for family life. They are excellent and patient with small children, even when they are not socialized with them. They are affectionate with their family and love to be around their family. They are great with other dogs and pets as well, although early socialization is good for non-canine pets because they might chase them due to their hunting instincts. They are easy going and fairly inactive when they are inside, making them great for apartment life as they enjoy relaxing and laying around inside. They are more active outdoors and require regular play, exercise and time to run. If you don't have a yard, you should plan to at least take them on a daily walk. They are fairly easy to train, but if they are on the trail of a scent, they will not pay any attention to you. For this reason, a fenced in yard is best. They have a tendency to gain weight, so monitoring their food intake and giving them ample exercise is important. The Basset Hound originated in France and dates back hundreds of years. Their ancestry can be traced back to the Bloodhound. Originally used as hunting dogs, the Basset Hound uses its excellent sense of smell to track animals. Even though they can still be used for hunting, they are seen more as companion dogs today. Few breeds equal the Basset Hound's gentle, forgiving, laid back nature. They are perfect for active families and for those that just enjoy an occasional walk provided their Basset Hound can have daily outside time. Whether you have small children or other pets or dogs, the Basset Hound can fit into just about any type of family dynamic with little to no adjustment problems.

Spa covers why you need one

As expensive as it is to buy and install a home spa, many spa owners look for ways to cut costs. One of the most obvious places they look is with the spa equipment itself, and for good reason. By opting out of premium spa accessories like a wireless remote control system, consumers can save thousands of dollars on their spa purchase. While many spa extras can be trimmed away to save a little bit of money, one of the places that consumers should not skimp is on the spa cover. Even though spa covers can cost anywhere from $400 to $1,000 or more, choosing to not buy one can cost you all of that and much more. The reason why is because spa covers save energy, chemicals and lives. No matter whether your spa is outdoors or indoors, the majority of the energy it takes to run your spa goes toward heating your water to just the right temperature. As with any water that is left to sit, the water in your spa will cool down to room temperature or the outdoor temperature when the spa is not in use. This means that you will have to use even more energy to heat it up again before using it a second time, and a third, and so on. The colder you let your water get, the more energy that it will take to heat it up. Spa covers help conserve energy by keeping your water temperature consistent. You see, the spa cover is made with a layer of foam insulation that works the same way that a thermos does. It keeps the cold air out and the warm water, well warm. This means that it will only take you a little time and a little bit of energy to heat your spa to the desired temperature before use. Another way that spa covers help save you money is by conserving chemicals. Did you know that a gallon of chlorine will evaporate in a few hours on a hot day? With this in mind, just imagine how much chlorine you will waste if you leave your spa uncovered for the entire summer. A spa cover also helps keep rain, leaves, bugs and other undesirables out of your spa. This not only saves you money on chemicals but saves your back as well because you will not spend near as much time cleaning your spa as you would if it was left out with no barrier to protect it from the elements. Safety is another concern around any type of water. In fact, the leading cause of death for children less than five years of age is drowning. Sure, you can be diligent about not letting any children near your spa, but snapping on a cover takes away the risk and your worry. You may even be held liable if a neighbor’s child falls into your spa. So, let the remote control go; let the built-in snack bar go; but make sure that you purchase a spa cover and use it whenever the spa is not in use. You may save more than just a few dollars.

How to eat healthy when eating out at your favorite restaurant

: This article was written to answer a frequently asked question, "how to eat healthy at a restaurant". When you are eating out, you probably watch your calories very closely. So to assist you with your calorie counting when dining out, these tips will help you make the most of it. I hope you find this information about how to eat healthy at a restaurant helpful ... Restaurant Eating Out Tips: - Anytime you order pasta dishes, be on the lookout for tomato based sauces instead of the cream based sauces. Tomato based sauces are much lower in fat and calories, and tomato sauce can even be counted as a vegetable! - Always order salad dressings or sauces on the side, as this way you have control over how much you add to your meal. - When you order grilled fish or vegetables, you should ask that the food be grilled without butter or oil, or prepared with very little or either or. - You should always try to drink water, diet soda, or tea instead of soda or beverages that contain alcohol. - When you choose a soup, remember that cream based soups are higher in fat and calories than other soups. A soup can be a great appetizer, as most are low in calories and you fill you up pretty fast. - Choosing foods made with whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and dishes made with brown rice is a great way to eat healthy while eating out at a restaurant. - When ordering a baked potato, ask for salsa instead of sour cream, butter, cheese, or even bacon. Salsa is very low in calories and provides a healthy alternative with plenty of flavor and spice. - If you order dessert, share with a friend. Half of the dessert will equal half of the calories. - A simple eating healthy tip is when you are full, stop eating. Listen to your body and what it tells you. - If you get full, take half of your meal home. The second portion of your meal can serve as a second meal later. This way, you get two meals for the price of one. - If you're looking to eat less, order two appetizers or an appetizer and a salad as your meal. - If you get a choice of side dishes, get a baked potato or steamed vegetables instead of french fries. - Always look for food on the menu that's baked, grilled, broiled, poached, or steamed. These types of cooking use less fat in the cooking process and are usually much lower in calories. - Another way to eat healthy at a restaurant is to eat plain bread or rolls which are low in both fat and calories. When you add the butter and oil, you increase the fat and calorie intake. - As key ingredients to your meal, choose dishes with fruits and vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables are great sources of dietary fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals. - If you crave dessert, look for something with low fat, such as berries or fruit. I hope you found these tips on how to eat healthy at a restaurant helpful and you were able to get something out of it. And always remember, do not deprive yourself of the foods you truly love. All types of foods can fit into a well balanced diet.

The all important weigh in

Allowing your week to revolve around one event generally isn’t a good idea. If that one event turns sour, so does your week. When you are on a diet, your weigh-in can become that one event. If your diet is important to you, then your weigh-in will also be very important to you. A weigh-in will give you “thumbs up,” “thumbs down” or “hanging on”; it is your weekly progress report. I used to feel elated when I got a “thumbs up,” and dejected when I got a “thumbs down.” Sometimes those feelings would last all week until the next weigh-in, which would either confirm the feeling or change it. Please don’t make it this way for you. The weigh-in gives you feedback, and feedback is extremely important. Treat it as information and stay off the emotional roller coaster. What can you do to help yourself just before you step on the scale? Do you have any last requests? Is there anything else you can do to increase your probability of success? If you are thinking about taking fast-acting laxatives, I’ll give you a few bonus points for thinking outside of the box, but please do not rely on such substances. I certainly wouldn’t want to compound my problems by getting addicted to something else besides food. On certain weeks where I knew I would not have a favorable weigh-in, I wanted to clip my nails shorter than ever, get all the wax out of my ears and shave my head (anything to make me weigh less), but clearly I just needed to do better the following week. That’s about all one can do. Then there were the weeks when I knew I would have a great weigh-in. The night before weighing myself, I would lie in my bed, wanting to fall asleep as fast as possible so that tomorrow would arrive sooner. I couldn’t wait to get on that scale, much like a child cannot wait to open his birthday presents. I would mark down that one or two pound loss and glow with pride. My confidence rose on such days. My process of getting on the scale is by no means simple. I tried to get on the scale as lightly as possible rather than jumping on. I didn’t want to rattle the Fat Gods or anything like that. While both hands were pushing off of two different bathroom ledges, I would place my left foot on the scale. Slowly I would raise my right foot onto the scale while my hands were still responsible for cheating the scale reading by 30 pounds. Gradually, I would reduce the pressure from my hands and I would see the reading start to rise. How far would it rise? At the very point my hands would lose contact from the walls, I could see how I had done that week. If I gained a pound, I usually weighed myself again, but I always got the same result. It was worth a try. If I lost some weight, I did not weigh myself again. My thinking was that the second weighing might be higher. Why not leave a good thing alone? Many times before the weigh-in I used to starve myself for a day. I wanted to nail the weigh-in that badly. What would happen after the weigh-in? I would scarf down enough food for three people. I figured I could do this since I wouldn’t have to weigh-in for another seven days. I don’t think this was a good idea (no kidding, Johnny). Overall it just threw me out of balance. I think it is much better to be consistent day in and day out than starving yourself one or two specific days a week. You will just end up wreaking havoc with your metabolism. Remember that it is much more important to be consistent than carefree on your diet. This doesn’t mean that you can’t be carefree in other areas of your life. Why not wear fancy clothes but eat simply?

Bad credit payday advance

Suppose a person has a bad bank credit history. Will any lender – creditor come to his assistance when the person needs a Payday Advance? The answer is yes. There are many financial institutions that accept applications from such individuals. These institutions study the application without a credit check. Can they afford this approach? How do they view Bad Credit applications? Let’s imagine two people, Abe and Alison. Let both of them borrow $100 from a lender – creditor that charges $10 per $100. [Usually financial institutions charge at least $10 to $20 per $100]. Abe has no Bad Credit experience, as reflected in his bank statements and other relevant documents. Alison couldn’t repay a previous loan and has a Bad Credit history. How much will the lender charge them, say, by the ensuing payday? $110 from Abe and $125 from Alison. That is, the interest accrued on the amount lent to Abe and Alison would be $10 and $25. In other words, though both borrowed the same amount, Alison repays a higher amount. If for any reason, the repayment is not done on the due date, steps are taken to get back the entire advance amount [principal plus interest fee] from the customer. And next time the borrower approaches the lender, the latter will probably say, “Sorry, no credit from you, hence no credit from us.” Hence it is always better to keep your credit history clean, as this is the best approach for most economic payday borrowing during an emergency.

The perfect teen party

What is the difference between a teen party and a really great teen party? It probably is not something major, unless of course you have forgotten entirely to provide food! The secret to making any teen party perfect is in a few small details that most people do not consider. First, as the name suggests, a teen party is for teens. It is surprising how many teen parties turn sour because they are not suitable for teens at all. Consider the teens that you are throwing a party for. Think about their personalities and the things they like to do. Chances are that a teen party will be better if you plan a party that teens will be excited to come to. Do not host a teen party planning to show multiple movies to teens that are too active to sit still for an hour. Plan a teen party filled with fun and unique activities that will offer a variety of options but keep everyone happily busy. Second, no teen party will be memorable without the perfect menu. Everyone knows that teens love to eat, so there is no way to throw a perfect teen party without taking food into serious consideration. Depending on what time your party is going to take place you may or may not have to provide an entire meal to your guests. Perhaps snack foods and finger foods will do the trick. Whatever kinds of food you decide on, be sure that you offer a variety to choose from. Some teens will prefer pepperoni pizza while others would never dream of eating a slice. Have healthy and not-so-healthy options and you will probably be safe. Try to come up with creative food options and you will really have a teen party to talk about. Make icy fruit drinks in a blender and the teens will love feeling a little more grown up. A third important thing to remember when preparing a teen party is location. Since most teen parties are held in homes it could be fun to plan your teen party at a local park. Teens will enjoy the change and will probably love being outside. If you decide on an outdoor party you will be able to come up with suitable activities quickly and you will even be able to consider outdoor food as well. You can also choose to hold a great teen party at a special location to the teens like a local coffee shop or skate rink. Remember that any teen party can be special when you keep it focused on teens, filled with food and in a special location. Enjoy planning!

Failure is harder than success

Copyright 2006 Nikki Mhlanga For most people, the belief is that it’s easy to fail than to succeed! Well, I have great news for you – This is not true. It is actually easy to succeed than fail! The experience of being successful is simply wonderful – just the satisfaction and motivation you enjoy along the way will simply make your journey towards success very easy. It will be a fantastic ride that you will absolutely love! Planning for, achieving and enjoying success is very enjoyable. It also brings countless happiness and benefits to our emotional, physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. The taste of success is so sweet; it simply makes the process of attaining that success a lot of fun! What do you need to be successful? • Successful people always have a PLAN and objectives to achieve. How can you become successful and wealthy if you do not have a plan? Your plan must help you build your goals. Your goals must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed). With smart goals, you will be able to work towards your goals. Successful and wealthy people also review their plans to make sure that they are on course towards their goals. Do you want to be a better person, be wealthy and successful? Start TODAY. List your plan and vision and goals. • DO your BEST. Whatever you do, in your personal life and in business, give the best of yourself. If you apply your best effort in your business, success will easily come to you. Work hard dedicatedly, and you will be rewarded accordingly. • The most important thing that successful people have is confidence and faith. You must have confidence in your abilities, and you must believe that whatever you want, you will get it. These two traits will bring you a lot of courage to work towards your success – nothing will stand in your way. You will work towards attaining wealth and success constantly until you get that success. • Have PASSION in your life and in your business! Have you met some people who seem to have so much passion, energy and love around them that even if you spent 1 hour with them, they ‘touch’ your life in one way or another. You live only once – be full of passion in all the days of your life in everything you do in your profession/business as well as in your personal life. Successful people are successful in what they do because they are authentically passionate about it. Successful people do not simply work to have money or material success; they work because they adore what they are doing and are passionate about it. Materials success will come to you from your their passion. What are you passionate about? How can you turn that into a business opportunity? • Learn, learn, learn and learn again. Successful people have an insatiable hunger for knowledge! You must have a strong desire to learn about how you can develop yourself into a better person, how you can make money and become wealthy. The deadliest sin is to settle for less and stop improving your life. • Focus on the FUTURE. If you have made some mistakes in the past, learn from them and move on. If you want to be successful, you must treat life as a learning experience. If you face a temporary setback, never give up, find a way around it and keep on working on your goal. • Have a mindset that attracts wealth. Yes, you can attract wealth simply by thinking about it and visualizing it. Learn to feel abundant in your life – and you will soon have abundance. Negativity has no place in the mind of successful people. Be optimistic, empowered and strong to work towards your goals. Be wealthy and successful; and have a fulfilled life!

Google adsense rules surrounding invalid clicks and being in control 403

Google Adsense: Rules Surrounding Invalid Clicks and Being in Control What Is So Important About An Invalid Click and How Will It Affect Me? More than anything, an invalid click is a big no-no and it will get your account terminated faster than anything else. Having said that, an invalid click is when a publisher clicks on their own ads to add to their earning potential . It’s also when a publisher asks others to click on their ads just to raise their revenue. It also raises the advertiser’s costs and Google won’t tolerate this. Google Adsense has state of the art technology and they know what’s going on. Invalid clicks also happen when someone uses robots to click on ads or automated software. It is any deceptive practice used to click on ads. Invalid clicks are also unnecessary as there are plenty of money-making opportunities with valid clicks. With an optimized website, useful content, and attractive ads, there’s no reason for anybody to even entertain the idea of using invalid clicks. Having Control Over Your Adsense Account You the publisher, have complete control over the advertisement that runs on your site. You can choose to run only image ads, only text ads, or a combination of both. Google recommends that you choose a combination of both to maximize your earning potential, but the decision is yours. When making your ad decision, you also have the freedom to choose which type of ads run across your entire account (image or text) or you can narrow that decision to what type of ad might run on a particular page. As of right now, you are not able to differentiate your image ad click rate from your text ad click rate. You can of course, differentiate your click rate from one site as opposed to another site. Say, for example, you run only image ads on one site and only text ads on another site. By setting up channels to track both sites, you can see which site has the better click rate. Of course, you have to take into consideration there would be more factors than whether you were running text or image ads. The content, the placement of the ads in general, even the color could make a difference. Refer to the Google Adsense Support Site for specific instructions on how to enable or disable image ads. Remember, it’s all up to you! Word Count 403