Bridesmaid Jewelry

Bridesmaid Jewelry that Dazzles - The bridal party is an important part to any wedding. Whether you just have a maid of honor, or an entire entourage of your closet family and friends, you'll surely want them to look their best.

By the time you pick out the bridal party jewelry as a finishing touch, you'll probably already have the dresses and shoes in tow. You'll want to make sure that the accessories coordinate and compliment the overall look.

First, you should decide how the hair will be styled. If it's in an up-do, then earrings are a must. Studs are a safe choice, but make sure that the stones are large enough to be noticed. You and your bridal party will be photographed many times throughout the day, so exaggerated make-up and jewelry is acceptable. Drop earrings are a beautiful way to make a statement. Choose rhinestones that are in the same color family as the dresses being worn. For an inexpensive and stylish look, consider Swarovski crystal dangle earrings. They pick up every color of the rainbow and their versatility means they can easily be worn again, long after the big day.

Many bridesmaid dresses are strapless or have thin spaghetti straps. This look almost always calls for a great sparkly necklace. Single stone pendant are a safe choice, but why not try something more modern and give your girls CZs by the yard. These necklaces can be wrapped multiple times to create several layers of jewels. If you're going to have your bridesmaids don pearls, then consider multi-pearl strands accented by a beautiful rhinestone flower. This contemporary take on a wedding favorite is sure to garner the attention and approval of audiences both young and old.

If you're looking for a great gift for your bridesmaids, then consider Resin Jewelry Supplies , which are a great value. And don't forget your sweet flower girl – she needs jewelry too.

Tips For Planning a Perfect and Memorable Wedding

Wedding parties planning is a very daunting and stressful task. But by planning for your wedding party effectively and strategically you can avoid all the stress. Before announcing about your wedding you must discuss and plan everything with your fiancé such as about wedding dress, how many guests will attend the party, wedding venue, decorations and entertainment, time and date and the most important thing what kind of food you will serve to your guests.

The first thing which you must do before you start wedding parties planning is to set your budget and you must think of the most important aspect of the wedding party because it is good to know about your priorities. Another most important thing is to set your date. Once you have selected the date for your wedding you can easily concentrate on other aspects of your wedding. And always remember that you must be realistic.

After deciding on the date you can search for the best wedding venue for your party. And once you got the perfect location for your wedding you must book the location as soon as possible. There are many places who give you the opportunity of booking in advance as a year. You can take advantage of this opportunity if you are completely sure that you will not extend or cancel the date.

But before booking your venue you must prepare your guest list because you have to book the venue according to your guest. Always remember that your guests can bring other guests with them. Hence you must keep your guests list small. Invite only those persons who are very close to you there is no need to invite everyone. By cutting down your guest list you can also save money on wedding caterers.

Hiring a good wedding cuisine caterer is very expensive and important aspect of wedding parties planning. Before hiring a wedding caterer you must be very careful because if your food is not good then your guests will start complaining about your food. And it is obvious that you will not want this thing to happen at your big day. You can easily find best wedding caterer by surfing the internet.

Another thing which you must think of is the decoration. Generally these days’ couples prefer selecting a theme for their wedding party such as Asian wedding. It is a very popular wedding favor and is a symbol of good fortune and double happiness. Selecting Asian themed wedding is a very good idea because it is the best way to thank your guests and to make your wedding party a perfect and memorable one.

The last but the most important is selecting your perfect wedding dress. Always remember that shopping for wedding dress is a very time consuming process of wedding parties planning. Therefore you should start your shopping from many days before your wedding but you should also enjoy this time. You can also surf internet for your perfect wedding dress.

If you want you’re wedding to be perfect and memorable that every girl dreams of then you must consider all these points or you can also take help from a wedding planner. Wedding planner will arrange everything for your party within your financial limits.

Stress free

With so many choices and so little time, it’s good to be prepared before handling to the supermarket.

*List down meal ideas for the week keep in mind which days you’ll have time to cook, and which days you’ll be pressed for time is short, opt for vegetable salad, steamed greens and ready to eat fortified food with low fat, cholesterol and sodium or salt.

*Organize the list check your menu options against the food guide pyramid to ensure that you have a variety of food that will provide all of your nutritional needs.

*Don’t forget snacks everyone enjoys a little boost between meals. Choose nutritious, great tasting snacks, such as low fat nuts, popcorn and fruits.

*Avoid going to the supermarket when you’re hungry. It’s easier to stick to the list if your have a full stomach.

*Set a routine establish a day and time when it’s easy for you to move quickly and easily through the supermarket.

*Save money buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season because these are cheaper…

Lessen your household budget

HERE ARE SOME TIPS:

CONSUME LESS ELECTRICITY - turn off light when not needed. Do less Ironing. Use less air conditioning.

DECREASE THE USE OF PRIVATE VEHICLES - plan trip carefully. Take public transportation, not taxi cabs, whenever possible.

EAT MORE OF FRESH FOOD - cooked at home and less of canned, bottled and junk food.

STOP SMOOKING - stop drinking alcohol. Take care of your health and stay out of trouble so that you will not need the services of doctors or lawyer.

THINK OF SIDELINES THAT WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR EFFICIENCY AT WORK - the last thing you want to happen is to get fired!

BUY ONLY ITEMS THAT YOU TRULY NEED - use only your passive income for your wants. No passive income? Then, you have a no "K" to buy anything you want.

NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT, KEEP PAYING YOUR SELF FIRST - set aside 10 to 20% of your monthly income for saving. Remember: Income less saving equal expenses. Spend only what is left after you pay yourself.

BE SMART IN INVESTING YOUR SAVING - remember: the best way to get rich quick is to get rich slow. There are so many ways you can do this without resorting to scams.

Should you get pay day cash advances?

These days you can breathe a sigh of relief with a pay day cash advance. There is a lot that you can do with it. Before you even decide to apply for one though, you have to find out first if you should really get one.


What it’s For

A pay day cash advance is essentially a loan. A lender will advance a certain amount if you pledge to pay your loan with your next pay. In other words the pay check following your loan is considered your collateral. This arrangement highlights the fact that pay advances are small, short term loans. As such, you also need to prepare yourself for high interest rates.

Loans of this type are often also called instant cash advances. This is because loan applications can be granted in as short as one to twenty-four hours. Cash can be deposited to your account right on the same day you asked for it. Simply put, this is the kind of loan you should make if you have unexpected expenses or emergency situations that don’t fit into your current weekly budget.

Where You Can Get One

There are now a lot of lenders who offer instant cash advances. You can choose the traditional method and choose a lender with an actual office near your area. Many borrowers however simply opt for the more convenient alternative which is to borrow online. Lenders or companies who match borrowers with lenders let you fill up online forms to apply for a pay day cash advance. After submitting a form, you can expect to be called for the confirmation of your application data.

Meeting Qualifications

Just because applications are quickly processed, it doesn’t mean that there are no set qualifications. You have to meet certain lender requirements to be able to get a pay day cash advance. Most of these requirements however are very basic and can easily be complied with. Many lenders do not even ask documents to be sent or faxed to them for approval.

Lenders do not all have the same set of requirements. Examples of general lender requirements for instant cash advances include citizenship, employment, salary limits and a direct deposit pay account. Many lenders do not require good credit scores.

Problems with Advances

Some lenders may ask for an advanced check so they can collect payment. Others however may simply ask you to allow them to deduct directly from your account on the appointed day of payment. This will ensure that you are least likely to default on payment.

Problems can arise though if you make more than one pay day cash advance. Remember that aside from having to pay your loans, you also have your regular budget to worry over. The key is to never make multiple loans at all. If you need more cash than instant cash advances can provide, you should consider making a long term loan instead.

A pay day cash advance can help save the day. Bear in mind though that this is a loan that can only be good for you if you know when you should make them.

Entrecard Dropper

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! My entrecard dropper!!! Happy Holiday....


Dropper # of drops

JoeTaxpayer 20

Tyson Chaney's Life 2000 20

Entreblogger 13

NancyAfink 11

Festival Mediarte 11

Carl Vine's 40th Parallel Universe 11

Go Las Vegas Baby! 10

Robot Armageddon 10

My Life's Perception and Inspiration 10

Travel Guides and Tips 9

How to find cheapest health insurance

Are you looking for the cheapest health insurance? You are not alone. Hundreds of people are out hunting too for insurance rates that won’t put holes on their pockets. The truth though is that, cheap options are never easy to find.

Despite the difficulties with finding affordable rates though, one thing is certain. Having no health insurance is not an option. You can never tell when you might get sick and have a need for immediate medical attention. If you aren’t insured, you could face the prospect of having to deal with steep medical bills. Getting well could mean having to work even harder just to pay for past treatment.

So how do you find the cheapest health insurance that can save you from financial ruin? There are a couple of basic tips that you can follow.

• First of all, if you are young and you still have no health insurance, it’s about time you get one right away. Being young and generally healthy often means you can take advantage of easily affordable rates. Older people who are likely to get sick or who may already have some form of illness may not be able to find cheap offers.

• Group coverage is also most often more affordable than individual coverage. Consider getting an insurance package for the entire family to save yourself from significant costs.

• Insurance companies have to compete with each other to get customers. If you are a patient searcher, you are bound to find one that has the best offer of all. The best step to take is to compare rates using online tools. Many companies and third party services can provide you with free quotes. Take advantage of this service to compare insurance programs and packages.

With cheap options, there is no reason for you to have no health insurance. It’s important to understand though that there may be some risks with this option. Common sense will tell you that many cheap options do not come with the bells and whistles of more affordable alternatives. Cheap packages for example may not include dental work, mental health and preexisting conditions in their coverage. Some companies may also start out with cheap rates because they are still new and do not yet enjoy the strong reputation of more established companies.

It is never impossible to find the cheapest health insurance. Always be mindful though of the options that you consider. Cheap could mean an incomprehensive policy with a lot of loopholes

Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half

Today, I read a government report stating "a middle-income family with a child born last year will spend about $221,000 raising that child through age 17." Housing was the biggest expense followed by food. Why they stopped at 17, I don't know...the child is still in high school at that age and the parents are still looking at college tuition! With that kind of expense looming, how can you cut costs? As soon as someone brings up the topic of saving money, you know the "B" word is not far behind - budget. OK, I said it! And the first step in creating a budget is finding out where the money is going now. So, for one month, collect all of your receipts from all of your meals. Even two weeks worth of receipts will be revealing. Not only will you find out how much money you are spending on food, you will also discover where you are spending your money.

Don't believe what I say about which food is cheaper, your receipts will tell the story. A part of this exercise is to not only look at the total bill, but also what VALUE you gained. What did you get for that $30 at the drive through - 1 meal for 3 people? What about the $30 at the grocery store - probably2 or 3 meals for 3 people. Once you know where you are spending your money, you can make changes that will affect your "bottom line." My first suggestion is to start cooking at home. I know, you..."don't have time", but "convenience foods" are ultimately not doing you or your family any favors. We all know that fast food is not cheap, it's not slimming, and it's not healthy, it's just fast, fried fat. Cooking at home with your family increases your "quality time" together. Perfume your home with aromas from the kitchen. Isn't that what makes a "house", a "home"? You can also control what you eat, and that is who we are, right?

Save money on Home repair

Anyone who owns a house will tell you that there's always something to fix. Someone said once that when you own a house, every year you fix something small and every four years you fix something big. The problem is that if you have to pay for all those small fixes and that big one when it comes along, at the rate that contractors charge, it's going to cost an arm and leg. Maybe a lung too. You'll long for those days when all you had was a small apartment.

Even before you fork over the cash you have to make sure the person you hire is honest and reputable; a combination not easily found. There are horror stories of people hiring someone to do a job and the person takes half the money either up front or halfway through the job they're never seen again. Others complain that when the job was done and they paid their money, things start falling apart not too long after and the contractor is nowhere to be found.

You can save yourself all this mental anguish and your hard earned money simply by learning to do some things yourself. While a lot of people find it intimidating to fix a leaky faucet or repair the deck, those things are not that difficult. In most cases the first one just needs a new washer(for those of you with older faucets). Sure you're going have to set some time out of your day and get your hands dirty but when it's over, you get a great deal of satisfaction from a job well done(if you do say so yourself) and the fact that you saved a ton of money by not hiring somebody. In fact that last point is where the majority of the money on home repair bills go. There are some plumbers and electricians out there making almost as much money as doctors.

A few years ago I had to rebuild my deck and just looking at what had to be done made me want to bite the bullet and hire someone. In the end I did it myself over about four weekends(I have a 9 to 5 job) and it's still standing very strong and looking good. It took me about two hours to knock out all of the old wood but once I started I was motivated to finish it and have a nice deck. Now I'm not suggesting that you start rewiring your entire electrical system because that's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. In fact the farthest I ever go with anything to do with electricity is change a light bulb. For any other job that won't send a thousand volts through your body, there are a lot of easy to follow books you can buy to do your own repairs. It only seems hard at first because it's new to you; but once you get going and finally finish you'll be bragging to the neighbors and making your wife(or girlfriend) roll her eyes.

Reduce Your Gas and Electricity Costs

Maintaining a home can often prove to be a costly business. Gas and electricity prices in the UK often change readily but there are numerous measures you can take to ensure that you don’t end up out of pocket. To help you along the way, here is a handy guide detailing a few tips to reduce your bills.

The first thing to do is to make sure that your gas and electricity suppliers are indeed the right company to be with. Ofgem estimate that simply by comparing gas and electricity tariffs it is possible to reduce bills by up to £150. Now while this may seem like a potentially time-consuming task, using a price comparison site can take a lot of the hassle out of looking up quotes for gas and electricity companies.

The next step would be to check if your home is optimised to ensure minimum gas usage. Insulation is a great way to cut costs. The Energy Saving Trust says you can save around £120 on yearly gas bills with the correct insulation. Of course, another great way to save money is to simply turn down the temperature! By lowering the thermostat by just one degree Celsius, you can reduce gas costs by around 10 per cent. You probably won’t even notice the difference! Using energy saving light bulbs is a great way to cut down on your electricity bills saving you even more money and the environment.

Little things that don’t seem like they could help often make a world of difference. Make sure you completely switch appliances off and don’t just leave them on standby, don’t leave the heating on whilst out, and even closing your curtains during sunset can trap heat thus enabling you to ease off the radiators.

The kind of domestic appliances that you use within your home will also make a big difference on your bills. Gas hobs on a cooker for example, will add up to 15 per cent on your gas bills. Fridges and freezers account for 18 per cent of the average electricity consumption, so choosing the right fridge is extremely important when it comes to saving money. By choosing energy saving appliances when making new purchases you could again reduce the amount of money spent on gas and electricity bills per month.

Lastly it is worth noting that insuring your boiler can be very handy in the event of a breakdown or malfunction. Emergency repairs can cost up to £76 an hour! Most gas providers will offer insurance, so it’s definitely worth checking out.

Sale Effect on your Credit Score

In real estate, a short sale is considered a gray area. For sure, it will give you a negative effect when it comes to your credit score. However, its effect is better than an effect of foreclosure. In dealing with a short sale, the important thing is that you make sure to pay your monthly dues on time. Any delayed payments will appear on your credit score and will get your score to plunge down dramatically.

In a short sale, you will lose a 75-125 FICO point from your credit score. If you previously have a 750 credit score, after short sale, it will go down as much as 400 to 500. Your credit report will also show the sale as a ‘pre-foreclosure in redemption. In FICO scoring, three major credit events will be affected such as derogatory public record, serious delinquency and collection filed.

When it comes to a purchase of a new home, a short sale is shorter than that of a foreclosure. A foreclosure record remains as long as ten years, while in a short sale, it will take you about two years to e able to get a new mortgage loan, depending on your credit report and the status of your other account payments. It will take a considerable time to get your scored back on the track for you to be able to earn the confidence once again of a mortgage lender.

When you deal with your mortgage lender or a bank, it is important to establish an agreement with them, otherwise the report will appear as closed and loan not paid in full. This will further lower your credit score. It is best to consult your lawyer; he can help you negotiate with the mortgage lender or the bank on how the short sale is going to be reported to the credit reporting authorities. For tax purposes, check out how the short sale report appears to the IRS. Typically, money forgiven in a short sale will be considered as your income and you will be required to file an income tax for it. Your accountant will come in handy when it comes to tax matters. He will be able to help you structure the deal to minimize your tax dues.

Financially, a short sale can give you quite a difficult time. You must work hard on making positive credit activities to soar up your credit score. Repairing your credit score may get some time. If it is possible, you should avoid a short sale. In case you are faced with no other alternative, it is reassuring to know that your credit score will not suffer terribly compared to a foreclosure.

Consult your accountant or your lawyer to give you more ideas and information on the effects of a short sale on your credit score. Remember that a second chance is always possible as long as you are being honest with yourself and you do your deals in good faith.

Energy Saving Guarantees

There is a lot of talk about going green, saving energy and being environmentally friendly and such, but what really works? Really - what energy saving tips or ideas for going green work? Which energy conservation ideas work fast and are virtually guaranteed to save money while also being affordable for most people to do?

Here's my list of what I call the Top 10 Energy Saving Guarantees that have been proven to save energy and save money while also being affordable enough for almost anyone to handle. I provide these guarantees because I know that many people want to be green, but have a hard time finding a place that is affordable to get started.

1. HOME LIGHTING

Recent increases in electric utility costs have us either cutting back or changing how and what we light. To get the most from your lighting:

a. Replace all incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient CFL's ( Compact Fluorescent Lights )

b. Reduce outdoor lighting loads by using solar powered path lighting and super bright solar lamps

c. Install solar skylights to allow natural light into normally darkened areas of the home.

Changing your lighting to use CFL's and allowing more natural light to enter the home is guaranteed to save energy.

2. DOORS AND WINDOWS

To improve the efficiency of the doors and windows in your home or apartment, the following suggestions are affordable enough to consider, whether you own or rent:

a. For drafts blowing under an exterior door:
- on modern doors, adjust the threshold to reduce the gap between the bottom of the door and the threshold.
- on older doors, install weather stripping that seals the crack at the bottom of the door when the door is shut.

b. Install weather stripping around the sides and top of all exterior doors.

c. To improve the efficiency of windows:

1. Install any available storm windows.
- If storm windows are not available, but removable screens are installed, remove the screens and then wrap them with plastic and replace the screens.

2. Caulk all exterior cracks around the window frame and home siding.

3. Install heat shrinkable plastic on the inside of the window.

If you follow the guidelines provided for better sealing your doors and windows, you are guaranteed to save energy.

3. ELECTRIC CLOTHES DRYERS

As much as a clothes dryer is essential, it is also one of the primary sources of wasted energy. The energy fix for the dryer includes:

a. Install a dryer vent seal. This eliminates any back drafts from entering the home when the dryer is not in use and could easily reduce your homes heating and cooling costs by up to 10%.

b. Don't run the dryer on frigid winter nights or on hot summer afternoons because whenever you run the dryer and exhaust the air outdoors, the same amount of air is being sucked into your home.

By installing the dryer vent seal and by not running the dryer when outdoor temperatures are at extreme odds with your indoor temperature, your energy savings are guaranteed.

4. BATHROOM EXHAUST FANS

Exhaust fans are very helpful in removing moisture and foul odors from your home, but they are also a primary source of energy waste. To improve their performance:

a. Install an Intermatic, thirty to sixty minute timer for each exhaust fan switch. This will guarantee an exhaust fan is not running longer than necessary.

Exhaust fans are pulling in unconditioned outside air into your home while also exhausting air you paid to heat or cool. This process is necessary, but the focus is to reduce the amount of time to only what is necessary.

By performing these simple steps, you are guaranteed to save energy.

5. COMPUTERS AND PERIPHERAL DEVICES

Computer may be able to shut down or hibernate when it detects it has not been used for a while, but your printer, sound system, backup drives, etc, keep chugging away at your homes energy, 24 hours a day, forever. To resolve these issues or to at least reduce their impact:

a. Install an energy saving smart strip for your computer and supporting devices. The smart strip device senses when you have shut down your computer and then shuts down all your other peripheral devices automatically.

b. If you have the habit of leaving your computer on when it is not being used, you could work on improving your awareness of your habit and turn your computer off more often or set your computer to hibernate or sleep after two hours or so.

Tests I ran have shown that the simple habit of turning off the computer more often while also using a smart strip, will reduce yearly energy costs by at least $25.00. Install a smart strip for your computer and you are guaranteed to save energy.

6. REFRIGERATORS AND FREEZERS

Your refrigerator and freezer runs twenty-four hours a day, forever, so even a little improvement makes a difference due to how often these items run. The energy saving fix for these items is two-fold:

a. Remove the vent cover at the bottom of the unit and clean out all the dust and dirt from the refrigerator coils.

b. Keep the refrigerator and freezer as full as possible. Using a combination of zip-lock bags or Tupperware bowls, store extra ice, frozen vegetables, frozen fruit, bread, pitchers of water, etc, so that there is less empty air space.

By cleaning the coils, the unit will run slightly less, and by filling empty air space with solid objects, the unit will run even less. When these two ideas are used together, the unit runs less, emits less heat into your kitchen and even lowers your air conditioning load on the house. The energy savings are guaranteed.

7. HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

To reduce the amount of energy being wasted by your heating and cooling systems:

a. Seal the Leaks

- 1. Forced Air Systems - while the system is running, follow the main duct line and use either the back of your hand or a smoke stick to locate areas where air is escaping from the duct system and seal those leaks with foil duct tape...not that sticky gray tape.

- 2. Hot Water or Steam Systems - Insulate the pipes with foam insulation, being especially diligent where piping crosses near basement window and door areas.

b. Perform yearly cleanings.

- 1. Oil and coal heating systems have the capacity to create a lot of soot. It is vital that your boiler be cleaned yearly and the chimney cleaned every other year. By removing the soot from the boiler, you improve the boilers capacity to absorb the heat and by keeping the chimney clean, you improve air flow which allows the fuel to burn hotter and cleaner.

- 2. Air conditioning systems, as well as air source heat pumps require yearly maintenance. Coils need to be cleaned, refrigerant charges need to be adjusted and routine maintenance needs to be performed.

Being diligent about performing preventive maintenance on your heating and air conditioning systems will not only lengthen the systems life time, but your energy savings will be guaranteed.

8. WATER

Your savings can really grow by learning how to better conserve your water. All the energy saving benefits of reducing water usage are even greater for those who have wells and use a pump to extract their water in the first place.

a. Replace your shower head with an energy saving shower head that uses less than the standard 2. 5 to 3. 5 gallons of water per minute. Many models are available that use 1. 5 to 1. 75 gallons per minute while still providing full body coverage and pressure while showering.

By reducing the amount of water used while showing, the energy you use to heat your water can be dramatically reduced, plus it will help eliminate your water heater or furnace from running out of enough heated water so that another person could shower right after you.

b. Locate the sink closest to your water heating source and use that sink whenever you need to wash your hands. You'll have hot water quicker and will leave less heated water standing in the pipes.

By becoming more aware of how you may have been wasting your heated water by using too much during showering or by leaving much of it to just cool down in your pipes, you can easily change a few habits that are guaranteed to help you save energy.

9. CEILING FANS

Fans are often only associated with cooling things, but they can better be defined as devices that help move air from one place to another. This works for both cool or hot air.

a. During the winter, set your fan reversing switch in the upwards position and keep the speed setting on low. What this will do is to gently push any heated air off the ceiling and force it back down along the walls to the floor where you want it. Since the fan is pushing the air around the perimeter of the room, you wont feel any breeze or draft during this process.

b. During the summer, set your fan reversing switch in the downwards position and use the low or medium speed setting. This will help keep the room from becoming stagnant and will prevent hot air from building up near the ceiling and will allow the air to mix better and cool more naturally. Meanwhile, since the fan is blowing air down directly, you will feel this breeze and you will feel cooler as the wind from the fan helps your perspiration evaporate from your skin.

When we take advantage of using ceiling fans to better distribute our heated or cooled air, our overall comfort level increases while the amount of energy we use decreases. This more comfortable situation is guaranteed to save energy.

10. CLOTHING AND ATTIRE

By learning how to better dress ourselves, we could learn to live more comfortably in our homes while using less energy to condition the air within our homes.

a. During colder weather conditions, be sure to wear socks, full length pants and long sleeve shirts in your home. It's not necessary to add multiple layers (unless you want to), but by simply ensuring you are protecting your exposed skin from "drafts", you will feel more comfortable at a lower temperature setting. Then, by lowering your thermostat by 5 to 10 degrees, you can save from 10% to 20% more energy.

b. During hotter weather conditions, and especially at night, remove your socks, wear shorts and short sleeve shirts. If you exercise in the home or come home hot and sweaty, give yourself a few minutes to cool down a little and then change your shirt or pants with something fresh and lighter. Doing so will allow you to maintain a warmer temperature in the home and reduce your air conditioning costs.

There is often too great a tendency to up the thermostat during winter months instead of dressing more efficiently. If you are walking around your home in the winter in your shorts, you are going to be cooler and you will either raise the thermostat setting or put on more clothing. One choice will waste energy and the other is guaranteed to save energy.

The overall message is no different than what our grandparents used to say in that 'a penny saved is a penny earned'. As we learn to stop wasting, we are effectively giving ourselves a raise in salary. That's great motivation, so whether you agree with the reports on global warming or believe we should keep drilling or not, most of us already agree that we'd like to have more money, so by reducing what we waste, we will all have more money left to enjoy on things that matter to us.

Important Money-Saving Accident and Health Insurance

The number one thing that you can do to make sure that you get the best price for your health care insurance plan isn't to shop around or to select the right plan. The most important thing is to stay healthy. If you don't meet the health qualifications for a plan with a good rate, the other important things become moot.

Your present health and accident insurance company cannot cancel your health plan simply because your health took a turn for the worse after you applied. However, chances are, you will need another medical insurance plan at some point in the future. If you do and if that insurance policy is underwritten the will look at your state of health and medical history very carefully before they decide whether or not to insure you.

Every medical insurance company has price increases, but not all the price increases are equal. The health plan you have at the present time may have a larger percentage increase than the plan of another carrier. At some point you may want to switch to a cheaper health and accident insurance policy, but may not be able to because of your health.

Every few years insurance companies will retire certain policy series to new clients. With no new healthy clients coming in to offset the older clients who are starting to develop medical problems, these retired plans go up in price faster than plans open to new clients.

Those clients who want to get another policy that is experience less steep price increases will need to be healthy in order to switch to a new policy.

The second most important thing is to shop around. You can compare policies from different companies by visiting multiple medical insurance websites or you can find one that works with all or most of the health insurance carriers in your area.

When shopping around, the financial strength of an insurance company is more important than whether or not the company is well-known. Many of the high profile companies are excellent, however, you shouldn't rule out lesser known companies that are financially stable and if they offer good plans and have a network of doctors and hospitals that will serve you well.

Very often there is a major difference in price for similar policies offered by different carriers. Some of the cost difference may have to do with the method they use to calculate their rates. For example a company that charges a flat rate for families may offer a better rate to a large family than a carrier that charges more for each person. In many instances a difference in price is not caused by a difference in quality.

The third most important thing is to understand how each insurance policy works so that you can compare them. You should know what a deductible is and what deductible each health plan has. You should also know if there are co-pays or coinsurance and how each works with each medical policy.

Unless you understand the major parts of a insurance policy, you cannot compare them well. Also it is important that you consider moderate deductible and possibly high deductible plans. Often these policies are priced low enough that it makes sense to pay the higher deductible.

Do what you can to stay in good shape. This can mean halved premiums if you ever need to switch policies. Shop around for coverage either by looking at different options on your own or by working with a broker who will check your rates with various companies. Make sure you know how your policy works before you get it. Stragies like the above may allow you to keep some of the money otherwise spent on medical care and medical insurance.

ranks 4th in child-abuse death rate

A national report released Wednesday shows 16 Nebraska children died from abuse or neglect in 2007, placing the state fourth in the country in the rate of those deaths.

Between 2001 and 2007, 86 Nebraska children died from abuse or neglect, according to a report from the nonprofit Every Child Matters.

The report also showed Nebraska ranked 13th in per capita spending to address abuse and neglect, with a $166 million child welfare budget.

The report said the state substantiated 4,108 cases of child abuse and neglect in 2007, although the state put that number at 2,894.

Todd Reckling, director of Children and Family Services, couldn't verify the accuracy of the Every Child Matters report.

But he said any child death is one too many. They are all heartfelt, he added, and the state tries to learn from each one to prevent future deaths.

Recent records from the state Department of Health and Human Services showed the state sometimes has prior contact with the parents of children who die.

In a six-week period this year between June 21 and Aug. 2, for example, there were at least seven deaths in which Child Protective Services was previously involved. In some cases, families had more than 10 prior reports filed with CPS.

The children in the six-week period ranged in age from 2 months to 14 years. Three were infants, two were toddlers and two older children.

One was Michael Belitz, 12, whose decomposed body was found in the bathtub of his north Omaha home, his hands and feet bound with duct tape.

Family members had reported their concerns to HHS before his death, and his mother, who has been charged with his murder, had left messages with a state caseworker earlier in the year seeking help.

In one of the infant deaths, co-sleeping with an adult was a factor. One toddler died in the family's pool, and a 14-year-old was killed in a rollover crash in a truck he had taken without permission.

In June, the state's Child Death Review Team issued a report of deaths in 2005 and 2006. During that time, 16 children died from child abuse or neglect. Ten were infants.

Among those deaths, four infants died from shaken baby syndrome. Nine died from blunt force trauma.

Five additional deaths were attributed to caretaker neglect, including three cases resulting from guardians' lack of supervision and attention to a child in a bath or pool.

To address abuse and neglect, Reckling said, the state teams with other agencies for such programs as home visitation by public health nurses or social workers, and Project Harmony, which coordinates child abuse assessment and investigation with law enforcement and the courts.

The state also sponsors public service campaigns to alert people to recognize and report abuse.

And the state Legislature this year expanded the child health insurance program to cover more children.

Kathy Bigsby Moore, director of Voices for Children in Nebraska, said everyone should pay attention to child safety, to ensure agencies are responding, that there are sufficient mental health programs for parents and that lawmakers and state administrators are reacting.

The economy will drive spending decisions in the upcoming special session of the Legislature and in the regular session that begins in January, Moore said.

Policymakers should connect the state's child deaths to the need for good decisions about child welfare reform and spending, and programs to prevent deaths, she said.

Richard Wexler, director of the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform who spoke recently in Omaha, criticized the Every Child Matters report, calling it hype and hysteria, even if well-intentioned.

Seventy-seven percent of child abuse allegations already turn out to be false, and many more involve cases in which poverty is confused with neglect, he said.

And yet, Every Child Matters wants to start still another campaign urging every American to turn in his or her neighbor based on the slightest suspicion of maltreatment.

States Move to Defend Individual Health Care Choice

Regardless of what the U.S. Congress decides about health care reform, a growing number of states are standing up for individuals’ freedom of choice when it comes to purchasing – or not purchasing – health insurance.

Several Kansas Republicans have introduced a state constitutional amendment that would protect the right of Kansas residents to make their own health care choices. That makes Kansas the 19th state where legislators have introduced, or will introduce, such legislation.

The proposed Kansas amendment preserves the right of individuals to pay directly for medical care -- something that is not allowed in single-payer countries such as Canada. It also prohibits any individual from being penalized for not purchasing government-defined insurance.

Under the amendment, any state attempt to require an individual to purchase health insurance--or forbid an individual from purchasing services outside of the government-established health care system--would be rendered unconstitutional.

The legislation is modeled after a bill written by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a membership association of state lawmakers.

"Federal health care reform efforts may include a requirement that individuals purchase health insurance, and a so-called 'public option' which will result in less choices for consumers and new government mandates," said Iowa State Rep. Linda Upmeyer, who chairs ALEC's Health and Human Services Task Force.

"Americans don't need more government mandates, we need real consumer choice. ALEC's Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act is designed to protect individual rights and our freedom to purchase health insurance of our choice, or not," she added.

Kansas now joins legislators in seven states (Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Utah) that have publicly announced their intention to file legislation to protect their citizens from any government health-care mandates.

Another 11 states have already filed or pre-filed similar legislation (Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Mexico, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wyoming). Arizona's measure, which passed the legislature in June, will be put before voters on the 2010 ballot.

Democrats in the U.S. Congress are now finalizing legislation that will make major changes to the nation’s health care system, and they are doing so without Republican input.

Republicans say they’re all for health-care reform, as long as it’s the result of true bipartisanship. Republicans say their ideas – including medical liability reform, tax credits to help individuals buy private insurance, and allowing families and businesses buy insurance across state lines – are a better approach than adding a huge new government-sponsored insurance plan into the mix.

slow down health reform train

A Washington Post poll this week showed that Americans have warmed to a public option in health insurance overhaul (57 % supported it) and liberal lawmakers are pressing to insert a government-run plan in legislation being hashed out.

But the message was much the opposite this morning on the U.S. Capitol lawn from a trio of Missouri physicians, accompanied by a fearful patient, aligned with the Coalition to Protect Patient Rights.

The coalition, which calls itself a nonpartisan grassroots organization and claims 10,000 members, has delivered a consistent anti-public option message and urged a deliberate pace in altering the health insurance system.

“This sure looks like a fast train to nowhere,” said Dr. John Krause, an orthopedic surgeon from Chesterfield, noting that his nine years in the military (Air Force) left him aware of potential problems of more government involvement in health care.

Echoed Des Peres dentist Dennis Munson: “The government wants you to step aside from your personal responsibility and they will take care of you.”

Concern about care is what prompted Michelle Burke, of St. Louis, a heart patient for nine years, to join more than 100 physicians and nurses, many clad in their professional whites.

“I have a great relationship with my doctor,” she said, adding her worry that deeper government involvement in medicine could end it.

Dr. Geoffrey Beale, a radiologist from Columbia, said he understood one of the speaker’s exhortation for Congress to start all over in crafting a new health insurance system.

“So what?” he asked. “Isn’t it more important to get it right than get it fast? We know that if we don’t get it right, government is not going to turn right around and fix it.”

Beale and the others planned to take their messages to offices of Missouri senators and several House members.

Negotiations are underway that could lead to legislation with a public option — an as-yet undefined government entity that would compete with health insurers. A much-publicized Senate bill that passed the Finance Committee earlier this month did not contain a public option.

But a move is afoot to add the public provision in negotiations, and moderate Democrats are being pressured to accept a version of a public plan perhaps with a provision allowing states to opt out.

Are You Ready to Win?

Like most dog players, I struggled at first to pick winners. It didn't take me long to learn the basics of handicapping. They haven't changed in centuries. But even when I got to where I could pick winners some of the time, I didn't make money.

Luckily, I had the guidance of an older handicapper, a man who cashed tickets on a regular basis. He gave me some little tips and hints and they helped but I was still in the dark for the most part. It seemed like I'd just get a handle on how to pick dogs and some other dog would surprise me by being better than it looked like it was.

Then, one day, my friend asked me if I was serious about making money at the dog track. I told him it should be pretty obvious that I was. He laughed and said, "Well, answer this question and I'll be able to tell if you're a good handicapper or not. Can you eliminate four dogs in at least 3 races on each program and then handicap the race so that you make money?"

I didn't even have to think about my answer. It was "NO." For one thing, I didn't handicap that way. I looked for winners; I didn't look for losers. What the heck way was that to handicap a dog race? I thought the guy was losing it.

Then I started thinking about how often he went to the window to cash while I tore up my ticket because my best bet hadn't come in. Maybe he wasn't so crazy after all. Maybe I'd better start thinking, at least, about trying to handicap his way. So I did.

At first, it was weird. I mean, who wants to look for losers? But I did it and after a while, it started to make sense. Not that I could make money with it at first. I still lost my shirt.

But after a few weeks, I realized that I was going home with more money than I came to the track with. And, better yet, I was getting good at picking four dogs to throw out and then betting the rest in a quiniela box or a trifecta key and having it come in.

Within six months, I was going to the window to cash almost as often as the guy who told me to handicap by throwing out dogs, instead of looking for winners. Now, it's automatic. If you want to win at the dog track, you might want to think about handicapping this way.

Do it on paper first with old programs, where you know the results. Then try it for real, but only with small bets. Don't bet every race on the program. Only bet when you feel that you really have an idea of who the first four dogs over the finish line are going to be. If you can figure that out, you're ready to win.

To win at the dog track, you need a winning system. You can learn the basics of handicapping from a program or online, but to really make good money at the dog track consistently, you need proven Greyhound Handicapping Systems.

Buying Gifts Online

Nothing beats the convenience of shopping online. It is a convenient way to be able to buy things you need such as grocery, things you want such as clothes, shoes, bags and toys and things you want to give as gifts.

There are so many advantages of shopping online. It will save you a lot of time and money by shopping online right in the comforts of your home wearing your pajamas! For one thing, no more hopping in the car to go to the store. You also have all the time you need to browse aisle after aisle in an online store without the pressure from sales clerks. Lastly, shopped items come with free gift delivery philippines! If you are shopping for gifts for other people, you can even have gift delivery philippines options right to their doorsteps.

As with personal shopping, there are tips to follow to be able to get great deals when shopping and there are more tips to follow to avoid being scammed. The internet is a huge place for everybody and while most web sites are secure, there are always hackers trying to get into their web site's back end to do some serious damage.

To be able to make sure have a good experience shopping online, here a few tips to follow:

As with personal shopping, there are tips to follow to be able to get great deals when shopping and there are more tips to follow to avoid being scammed. The internet is a huge place for everybody and while most web sites are secure, there are always hackers trying to get into their web site's back end to do some serious damage.

To be able to make sure have a good experience shopping online, here a few tips to follow:

• Know your prices. It is always best to do some comparison shopping of prices before finally deciding where to place your order. Unlike shopping in a store, comparison shopping just includes a few clicks and you are now able to see prices among stores.

  Do not get easily swayed by the discount prices telling you can save more by buying two more items. The key to online shopping is doing your research.

• Use coupon codes. There are an abundance of coupon codes online. There is usually a coupon code for every store you shop at online. Use a search engine to find sites that have updated coupon codes before placing your order.
• Use credit cards which can give you the opportunity to make money through rebates. Paypal is a safe way of paying online, and their Visa debit card earns you points at every store you shop at. There are also sites you can sign up that offers rebates called ebates.
• Make sure to shop with a lead time. Shopping online is faster and easier but you have to give allowance for shipping, especially for gift delivery philippines. Holiday season is a crazy time, so make sure you shop at least two weeks ahead. Express shipping can be expensive.

Pay Off All of Your Bills

Now is the time to take action on your credit card bills and find a solution that can help you get them paid off for good. People are finding that using a government grant and help them to eliminate their debt and have less stress in their lives. You may be unaware that free grant money is available for you to use to get debt-free. It is important to know that a lot of the money that is available does not get used. This is mainly due to the fact that so many people who are in debt now are aware they can apply for and be approved to get a government grant.

Find: Government Grants Now

If you are like most people you hate dealing with creditors so find a solution so you can eliminate your bills. Using a government grant to pay off your new and old credit card bills is a great way for you to have a new financial start. Eliminating your bills will also help you to reduce the amount of stress you have and worrying about how to pay your bills each month. The most important thing you can do is take action now so you can be well on your way to having zero debt. It is not hard to do but make sure when you search online you find free grant money that fits your particular situation.

Get: Free Grant Money Today

Remember that if you are drowning in debt getting a government grant makes sense. It is not hard to do but you need to find a specific grant that fits yours specific needs. Once you have the money you need then you can get a grant to pay off your bills. You will be happy once you have reduced the amount of stress you have in your life dealing with monthly payments.

Writing For Excellence and Profitability

Writing lately has grown to an industry that can help you earn enough money without ever leaving your house. It’s simple and inexpensive as it only requires an internet connection and a computer. There are however some limitations on the capacity of one writing excellently and increase their profitability. My 10 tips for article writers is a sure way to boost your impact online. I guarantee maximum turnaround on use of the following tips.

1. Be Personal
Write as if you are referring to that one person who is reading. This will make it look more personal thereby the readers enjoy reading your article as you converse to them.
2. Be Professional
Use of white spaces makes articles presentable and professional and makes readers be able to read although at ease making them glued to it. Make use of paragraphs too as it helps break boredom.
3. Check for errors.
Always ensure your articles have no grammatical or spelling error, proof read to ensure that the sentences make sense and no words are omitted or used incorrectly. You can have a friend go over it too to avoid using the same mindset employed during writing as you are likely not to observe any mistakes.
4. Attend to feedback
Pay attention to feedback you get from your readers. This can help you become better in your writing especially after a negative criticism or just help you come clear of your view on the article where a reader doesn’t understand. Suggestive feedback can also give you ideas on which other topics to write about next.
5. Be ready to try
To become an article writer whose artwork is profitable, Trying different writing skills and incorporating more article types is not an option but a necessary move to stay new. Also try writing on different topics but still within your niche so as to be relevant to a larger audience.
6. Keep Copies of your work
Always keep files of published, unpublished and unfinished work. You may need to rewrite them latter or just have time to finish. Incase of online publishers, the old soft copies of your work can be printed out as hard copies and be more profitable.
7. Develop Affiliates
As an article writer who wants to excel and be profitable, running an affiliate program where you let them publish with their url on your resource box enables them promote your work to their visitors hence increasing your sales and referrals to your site.
8. Create E-books
By creating e-books from your published articles and creating affiliates to increase sales will make you excel as profitability sores up. Subscribing to eZine will distribute your work and url to new readers and help you market and brand yourself online as a professional article writer.
9. Try article Swaps
Swaps for article writers are important as it helps in getting reciprocal links and more useful content for your site from other writers. By doing this, you not only get new content but also reach a wider audience than if solo. Participate in article swaps.
10. Allow subscription
Excellence in article writing is greatly determined by readers, create a list that people can subscribe to that announces when you've written a new article or published one.

How to make money online

Blogs are completely free to set up. They are hosted on free web space and usually come with a free domain name. This is the reason why there are so many blogs on the internet. They have become so popular nowadays because of their erase of setup besides being affordable to everyone.

To start making money online, you will need to create a blog. I would recommend using blogger.com to make your first blog. You can also use other blogging softwares such as b2evolution. An example of a blog made with b2evo can be found at brooger.com Introduce interesting and good content to your blog. You will make good money if you come up with an interesting, entertaining and unique blog that will outstand from other blogs.

How to Make Money from a Blog

There are various options that you can employ to make money online once you have gained good traffic to your website or blog. There are some content based advertisements that you can introduce into your blog to start making money. You can join one of these money making programs like Google ad sense, Kontera, Bidvertiser, adbrite or Adengage. These programs work by implementing their advertising code on your blog so that advertisements that relates to the content of your blog can be shown. When a visitor to your blog clicks on one of these advertisements you will earn some money. So the greater the traffic to your website the more you will earn.

Another money making way is to join affiliate program. Once you join these affiliate programs you will be give a referral link such that if a visitor joins the program through your link you will earn a commission. You can monetize your blog by adding some of the affiliate links

Once you get good traffic to your website, you may get ranked high by Google. Google assigns page ranks to website and they range from 0 (poor ranking) to 10 (high ranking). Having a good page rank may result in other website buying text links from you and thus you will end up making money from these text links you sell.

Money Save

When you were a kid, it was as easy as dropping spare change in the piggy bank. Now that you’re older, saving money is way harder that spending it.

>Eat at home and bring your own launch, when you’re leaving a house 30 minutes before breakfast, lunch or dinner, just eat your meal at home. It saves you from spending an extra hundred or two at the food court, cafeteria or whatever it is that you’re heading. Eventually, you’ll have a happy bank account and a more financially secure future.

>When in doubt, don’t! The next time you feel the urge to buy that really cute dress or that super cheap accessory, think twice before pulling out your wallet. If the small part of your feels unsure about the item, drop it and walk away.

>Water please! Most restaurant goers don’t realize that most of the profit is raked from drinks. Beside; water is healthier that those sugary beverages.

>Upsize me, Most people grew up with the tinge mentality, where you buy thins in sachets and small packs because it’s cheap. The next time when you go grocery shopping, buy your favorite items in the biggest size, especially if you’re using it for long term.

>Make a shopping list, whether you‘re going to the grocery, mall or bazaar, list down the things you really need to buy and go through it twice. Then give your self this strict mental rule: If it’s not on the list, I ain’t buying it! It save you from giving in to tempting sales and bargains on a whim.

>Don’t be a sucker for freebies, freebies are great, but sometimes it lures us into buying things we don’t need. Purchase something because you need it, not because you want the freebie.

>Avoid convenience stores; their price tags are significantly higher than groceries and markets. Next time, if the grocery store is nearby, just get your items there. However, if you’re just buying one or two items and you don’t have time to walk a few more blocks, then the convenience store will do.

Clean your wallet

Warm weather allows you and your family to complete certain chores and participate in seasonal activities. Throughout your neighborhood, you may see people planting gardens, washing cars, and children playing in backyards. Below are some debt settlement money-saving tips that may help cool your wallet as the temperature heats up.

Save Money On Your Air Conditioner

You may want to prepare your air conditioning unit for hot and humid days. For example, keep all objects away from the air conditioning unit. Make it a habit to routinely remove grass and leaves from vents. These items will block airflow. For more tips, visit the Department of Energy's web site at www.energy.gov.

Consider Inexpensive Ways To Have Family Fun

Some families plan vacations during the spring and summer seasons and these excursions can be costly. Just because an elaborate vacation is not in your budget does not mean that you can't have fun. Discover the many activities that you can enjoy in your local community. Most libraries offer summer reading programs for children and adults. You can also rent movies at the library for free. Call your local zoos, museums, and amusement parks to see if they offer discounted rates on certain days or during specific times of the day.

Spring Clean Your Vehicle

Extreme temperatures may be difficult for your car to handle. Routine maintenance on your vehicle may help its performance and improve gas mileage. For example, have an oil change performed regularly and keep your tires properly inflated. Visit the Car Council's educational web site at www.carcare.org for more auto maintenance tips. Also, keep in mind that gas prices tend to skyrocket during the warmer months. Web sites such as www.gaspricewatch.com and www.gasbuddy.com track gas prices in your area and are updated by local volunteers. You can also save on gasoline by carpooling. Visit www.erideshare.com to search for local commuters that are going the same way you are or you may post your own listing.

Sell Items That You No Longer Use

During the spring season, some people shed all of their unwanted and unused items. Ebay is the largest online auction site and a good source to sell items that you no longer use. Visit their web site for more details on how to begin selling. You can also try your local Craigslist site to place an online classified ad for free to people in your area. Also consider placing ads in your local newspaper, host a garage sale, or check with the recreation department in your local community to see if there are any neighborhood flea market days. You may be able to reserve a table.

Save Money On Home Improvements

Many people perform home improvements in the spring and summer months. Although you may have to hire a professional for some complicated projects, you may be able to tackle some tasks yourself. A wealth of informational resources exist to teach you how to do home improvement jobs such as cleaning your gutters, painting, and installing a ceiling fan. Visit your local bookstore or library to find a comprehensive guide on do-it-yourself home improvements.

The Internet and television are also great sources. DIY Network brings you such cable shows as "DIY to the Rescue" and "DIY Be Your Own Contractor." You can also visit their information-packed web site located at www.diynet.com. This site features a wide array of do-it-yourself projects, with topics that range from home improvements to decorating.

Home Depot also offers free Do-It-Herself Workshops, Weekly Clinics, and Kids Workshops. Visit www.homedepotclinics.com to register at a Home Depot near you.

Making Money with Blogs

In the last article, we talked about how getting top of the range links from authoritative sites in your field can boost your search engine rankings. This time, we are going to explore further into linking methods, and the way to identify and get "high quality" links. We're also going to chat temporarily about Google's Page Rank.

First, let's inspect a regular link. It's a chunk of text ( or image, but we are going for text ) that links to your blog, and some of the factors that matter are

1 ) The address which it links to

2 ) The text of the link

3) The Page Rank of the page on which the link resides

Let's research this information one at a time. First, you'd naturally want the link to link to your blog, but to which page of your blog? To an individual post or to your blogs home page? Since your blog is a consistently updated website, it is always wise to accumulate all the links to point to your principal page instead if individual posts because they have a tendency to be very time-sensitive.

The text of the link also is affecting your rankings for a certain keyword. Shall we imagine your blog is about technological gadgets and another site has a link that announces "Barbie dolls" and links to your blog. Does not make much sense, right? If a lot of links that link to your site contain the terms "technological" or "gadget", it will significantly increase your rankings for those keywords. Thus , it's crucial to put some thoughts when requesting links from other webmasters as you want them to link to your blog with appropriate keywords.

Now, about Google's Page Rank. It's fundamentally a scale set by Google to determine the popularity of web sites. You can read more about it on http://www.google.com/technology/. What's interesting is that the higher the Page Rank of a certain site, the more frequent Google's androids shall visit the internet site to index it. of a page will also help it to rank higher in Google's search engine results. In brief having a high Page Rank will bring you various benefits SEO-wise.

Your blog will commence with no Page Rank (which is dissimilar to Page Rank 0) because Google has not yet indexed your blog. Once Google's robots find your blog thru links on other sites, your blog will show a Page Rank of zero and depending on the Page Rank of the referring page, your blogs Page Rank will also rise eventually.

Getting fine quality links to your blog will help direct targeted visitors who have an interest in your niche to your blog, enable search engines to find and index your blog and eventually rank higher in search engine results.

Find a Pefect Lodger

In this article I show you how to make your spare room instantly more attractive than the vast majority of those available on the market. Follow these simple (but often overlooked) steps, and you should have an army of potential lodgers eager to move in.

1. Write a killer advert. Potential lodgers will be reading a lot of them, so keep your advert short, clear and informative.
2. Set a realistic rent. If you charge a little less than the market rate you will widen your market considerably, set it too low however, and people will perceive the property as being down-market.
3. Include most bills in the rent. A fixed cost is attractive to anyone on a budget.
4. A potential lodger will simply drive past if your property does not appear clean and well maintained from the outside. Make sure the parking facilities match those stated in the advert.
5. Ensure your property is spotless. No dust, clutter or odour. If you have pets, mention them in your advert and make sure that they are well behaved. The first hint of a pest problem is guaranteed to sent any potential lodger running for the hills.
6. Give a good personal impression. You are under scrutiny just as much as the room. Being well organised says this is a hassle-free place to live. Draw up a short document anticipating everything a potential lodger is likely to need to know in making a decision. Include such things as:
   1. the room - dimensions, inventory and photo
   2. estimated cost of bills per month
   3. house rules such as out of bounds rooms
   4. special considerations such as parking permits
   5. do not include sensitive information such as alarm codes.
7. Make sure the room is ready for immediate occupation. A lodger will want to see exactly what they will get. Do this even if you are not ready for someone to move in just yet.
8. Make sure that the property is safe. Have up to date regulatory documentation. In the UK, you will need a CORGI gas safety certificate, and it’s a good idea also to have a full electrical safety check of your appliances (“portable appliance test”). Other things to consider are your home insurance, fire safety, and smoke/CO2 detectors.
9. Take an interest in them. Where do they work, what do they do? What do they like to do with their spare time? This will help you determine if you are likely to get on and if your lifestyles are going to conflict with one another.
10. Follow up. You are likely to already have an email address or telephone number, but if not, it does no harm to ask for them as the lodger is leaving. If they like the place they will most likely give it to you. Follow up with a call a few days later, and find out what they thought. Any negative comments can be worked on for the next lodger.

If you follow these simple steps, you will have differentiated yourself and your property from 90% of those on offer in the marketplace, and have your pick of who to offer the room to.