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4 Ways To Save Big For Those Who Are "Big Spenders"

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If being frugal with your pennies rather than frittering them away on whatever tickles your fancy was fun, then surely Dame Shirley Bassey would have been singing ‘Hey Big Saver’ wouldn’t she? But she’s not; she’s singing and celebrating the fact that spending money is just plain fun. In the name of research lets pretend that the great Dame has fallen shy of the rent for a couple of months, and needs to find a fun way to curb her spending tendencies for a while.

Image courtesy of Jeff Belmonte from Flickr – http://www.flickr.com/photos/72236935@N00/8228640/

1)  Dining at Home

Instead of taking to the a la carte menu at the Raffles every night (or in more common cases the occasional buy one get one free Italian) Dame Shirley could try getting creative in the kitchen at home. Make cooking a social activity, get friends over, cook for a partner and test those culinary skills to the limits by riffling through recipe sites. For really cash-strapped times making a trip to the  green grocers may be more economical than the average supermarket.

2)  On Your Bike


Ethical travel is all the rage right now, so even a megastar can look hot on two wheels instead of behind the blacked-out windows of her chauffer-driven limo (expensive!) It’s surprising how much can be saved from avoiding the car whenever possible, take the money saved in petrol from short trips and pop it in a jar, the pounds will soon mount up and you can spend them on something even more fabulous.

3)  Home Screenings

Instead of attending that movie premier, or paying out an extortionate amount for cinema tickets with friends, try hosting a home movie night; pop your own corn, grab a bowl of chips and snuggle around a classic film. You could even pay out for a monthly download package and split the cost with friends, it’s likely to be less than the cost of one trip to the flicks. Make even more money sense by transforming your lounge into a screening room for the night, ask guests to bring a bottle of wine or some nibbles (cutting costs for you) and be the hostess with the moistest for the night.

4)  Swap Shop

Clothes swapping is one of the biggest sustainable trends around, and it’s seriously cost effective way of revamping the wardrobe. Bassey would only need to perform a quick Google search for clothes swapping events in her area (likely to yield some serious fashion potential, or she could play host and invite round all her most fabulous friends, just make sure people attending bring clothes of equal value or quality or there could be fisticuffs.

What Now?

So saving Vs. spending might not be the ideal, but in times of need even large-lunged megastars might need to cut costs a bit in order to get by. By planning ahead, getting creative and involving friends in frugal activities it means you don’t always have to miss out on fun times.

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Author Bio | Geoffery is a finance guru who specialises in instant access savings deals (http://www.fairinvestment.co.uk/instant_access_savings_accounts.aspx) and high interest savings accounts (http://www.fairinvestment.co.uk/savings_accounts.aspx)





Decorative Fypon Elements For The Whole Home

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Homeowners are often looking for new and affordable ways to update the look of the interior or exterior of their homes. As they investigate the different options, they may find that certain construction materials offer more convenience than others and Fypon urethane falls into that category. Environmentally conscious homeowners will appreciate an option that doesn’t deplete the amount of trees and forestation across the country. With many weather resistant qualities, Fypon products are ideal for exterior home improvement projects, and homeowners who are looking for a way to update the look of their entire home will appreciate the versatility of Fypon decorative elements.


Just what is Fypon urethane?

Fypon is actually the name brand for products made from urethane foam and forced into the decorative shapes and designs that are so popular in new homes and in remodeled older homes. These products provide homeowners an alternative to wood. Without needing to provide the continuous maintenance that wood products require and without feeling guilty about reducing the forests for their decorating purposes, homeowners may use Fypon elements on the exterior and interior of their homes. Some examples of decorative elements include:

                Exterior Elements

  • Louvers
  • Trim
  • Keystones
  • Door and window surrounds
  • Pediments
  • Crossheads
  • Pilasters
  • Balustrades

Interior Elements

 

  • Faux beams
  • Decorative trim moldings
  • Window trim and brackets
  • Ceiling trim and brackets
  • Interior balustrades
  • Ceiling medallions
  • Column wraps

While many people will think of these elements in the traditional white, there are also many other colors available for either exterior or interior applications.

Benefits of Fypon for Exterior Decorating

There are many decorative reasons to consider adding Fypon decorative elements to the front of the home or for any of the doorways and windows around the sides and back of the home. The framing around doors and windows creates a multi-dimensional look and enhances the existing beauty of the home. Adding extra details such as sunbursts, molding, rams head pediments and more will provide a fresh, new look to the exterior of the home and will also create an appearance that stands apart from the other homes in the area. Homeowners will also appreciate the use of these decorative elements as they work to seal up any areas around doors and windows that may have been a source of drafts or air loss for the home. With Fypon elements, homeowners can create a variety of different decorative styles and may be able to reduce the amount that they pay for their heating and cooling costs. Plus the weather resistant qualities make this decorative material a worthwhile investment.

Fypon Benefits for the Interior of the Home

Many of the benefits relating to the use of Fypon will be the same both inside and outside of the home. The added detail can frame an attractive display or may be used as a display in and of themselves. Molding full of grape bunches, twining leaves or other decorative patterns can increase the formal tone of a room or could be used to create a traditional and homey feel throughout the home. Cleaning and other necessary maintenance inside the home may be simplified when Fypon elements are used.

Whenever a remodel is in order or if the time has come for a complete change with a new home, Fypon decorative elements are an affordable and convenient alternative to wood décor. Both resistant to the elements and adaptable for many indoor and outdoor decorating, Fypon elements are growing in popularity in the building and reconstruction field.L

Lawrence Reaves writes for Accent Building Products, a home improvement company offering kitchen cabinetry, fireplace mantels and a wide variety of Fypon accents for your home.  Check out Accent Building Products and the productst they offer here.

Setting up your Yard Sale

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Having a yard sale can be a challenging, yet incredibly rewarding experience. While it’s easy to cling to items of our past, getting rid of the clutter can give us a fresh start and a cleaner and more organized house. One of the most difficult parts of putting together a yard sale is deciding what stays and what goes. Some things may just need a replacement part, such as a Kitchenaid food processor, Maglite bulb, or wick for your Zippo lighter. Here are some great tips to get you started on your yard sale and help to make it a success.

Weeding out the things you don’t need

The best approach to finding your yard sale inventory is to go through everything and ask yourself a few questions. Have I used this item in the past few years? Will I use this item in the future? Yes, it might be your wedding china, but if you haven’t pulled it out since the wedding to use it at least once a year— is it worth keeping? Go through boxes, shelves, cabinets, attics and garages to find items that haven’t been utilized. A few items might be exceptions. Other than coveted items in need of a little repair, most items that aren’t used should be placed for sale. If you find yourself clinging, try taking a picture. Many find it easier to let go of something they have a tangible memory of.

Don’t price too high (you’ll end up giving it away for free anyway)


Once you’ve gathered items for the big event, it’s time to decide on pricing. There is a fine art to pricing for yard sales. Price too high and you’ll put off the customers. Refuse to negotiate and you’ll end up selling nothing. Once you’ve cleaned everything out, chances are you won’t want to put it back in your newly organized home. Remember that one dollar is more than none and all items that are unsold will end up being donated for free. Do a little research for the going rate of high ticket items on EBay or Craigslist and price accordingly. Also it’s helpful to go to a few yard sales to see what prices keep the consumers buying.

Marketing, dates, and Signage

Choosing a weekend that has the potential to be high traffic is a great way to go. If you know people will be out and about for an event, optimize your advertising to snag those who will be driving by. Use the internet to list your yard sale for free, luring buyers by listing your top items, and consider that you can never have enough signage throughout the neighborhood. Target busy streets and display signs that lead yard sale fans straight to you.

Once you’ve had your sale, you can relax in your newly cleaned home. Take some of the money and put it toward the items you’re keeping. Kitchenaid food processor replacement parts, cleaning supplies for your freshly cleaned bookshelves, and cookbooks to go on them are just a few ideas. Repair what you are keeping, and clean things out on a regular basis to keep from having to have another sale soon!

Patrick Whalen is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow him @2patwhalen.

Neutering and Spaying Prevents Unwanted Dogs

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For those of us which have spent any time at all in an animal shelter, it is heartbreaking to watch dogs, which are put down just because they cannot find a home. There are more than 21,000 pets put down each day in the US alone, which totals 6 to 8 million deaths per year. This is due to the fact, their owners decided they could not or would not keep them.

There is an old belief, that if you let your female dog have just one litter of pups, she will be a calmer and more gentle dog, this is not so. In order to have a calm and gentle female dog, it will take training by the owners and maturating of the dog.

Another belief that we have all heard is, if you spay or neuter your dog they will become overweight, this is not so. By the time your dog is spayed or neutered they are around 6 months of age, by this time they are not growing at such a fast pace and their metabolism is slowing down. If you keep your dog on a healthy daily diet, without an overabundance of doggy treats and they get sufficient daily exercise they will maintain a healthy body weight.

When your dog is sterilized some health issues will be eliminated and it will reduce the risk of other health issues. Sterilization will spare your family emotional and financial stress caused by an illness, as well as sparing your beloved pet the pain of disease.

Spaying eliminates the chance of ovarian and uterine cancer, in female dogs, along with reducing the chance of breast cancer, the surgery needs to take place before the females first estrous (Heat) cycle.

Neutered male dogs will not have the risk of testicular cancer or prostate disease, due to the removal of their testicles.

Dogs which have been spayed or neutered, will make better companions, they are less likely to bite and be aggressive toward humans and other dogs.  You will not have to worry about taking your pet out for their daily exercise when your female dog, does not come into heat.

Before choosing a dog, think about visiting a shelter and checking out their dogs, shelters usually have a varity of dogs to choose from and you might be saving the dog from being euthanized as well.

It is wise to let the whole family be involved in choosing a new dog; it is not uncommon for the dogs in a shelter to choose their new owners. The shelter will have all the information you will need to make sure, the dog you choose will be suitable for your entire family.

Apart from being a veterinarian, Susan Wright is a freelance writer. Find helpful advice on being a caring pet owner and good neighbor on this website.

The Truth About Ticks and Why You Should Protect Your Kids From These Bloodsuckers

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Ticks are pests that plague animals, especially pets, like dogs. We don’t usually think that ticks can bite or harm our children. But ticks are actually pretty harmful. Infected bugs can carry and transmit grave illnesses, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Because ticks suck blood, they could easily obtain infected blood from other sources and transmit this while feeding on an uninfected animal or human. There are some species of ticks that also cause tick paralysis. This condition is not brought about by a harmful virus passed on by a tick. A tick can cause the paralysis because of a certain toxin that it injects as it bites and sucks blood. Luckily, the paralysis is not permanent; but it could last for a few days. Healthy individuals recover quickly. The most at risk are young children.

What to Do When Your Child Is Bitten

When you see a creature that has attached itself to a person’s skin, the image can definitely make your skin crawl. On top of that, the tick does not just bite; it sucks blood. Generally, ticks can bite on any exposed skin. Ticks that cause paralysis are usually those that have attached themselves on the back of the neck.

In case you see a tick on your child’s skin, do not panic. There are several ways to remove the tick. Here are two ways to remove ticks on the skin.

1. Use tweezers or forceps.

Get a pair of firm tweezers or curved forceps. Grip the tick firmly, and then, slowly but steadily pull it off. If you yank or twist, you’ll most likely leave its mouth part embedded in the skin. Furthermore, do not use your bare hands because it’s unsanitary, and you won’t be able to grasp the tiny critter properly as well. In case there are tick parts left on the skin, you can seek assistance from your pediatrician. He can give you instructions regarding removal.

2. Smother the tick with liquid detergent.

Another way is to use liquid detergent to remove an attached tick. First, immerse a cotton ball in liquid detergent. Then, place the cotton ball on the tick. Do not pull or twist. Let the liquid soap smother the tick. After a while, the tick suffocates and then it will release its hold on the skin. If you use this technique, you won’t have to worry about leaving mouth parts on the skin.

After removing ticks, make sure that you dispose of them properly. One way to do this is by preparing a jar or bottle with some alcohol or water in it. Simply drop the ticks inside. The creatures will drown in the liquid. Dispose of the water by flushing it in the toilet.

What about Antibiotic Treatment?

You can put a small amount of antibiotic cream on the site of the bite. But be sure to watch out for infection. In case there’s redness or swelling, consult a doctor. Also, doctors usually do not recommend a full course of antibiotic therapy for kids that have been bitten by ticks. However, if they suspect that a tick may have transferred a virus or disease, they could conduct further tests and also prescribe apt medication.

In order to make sure that the tick that bit your child wasn’t infectious, keep the dead tick in a jar and have this tested. By doing so, you’ll know if the tick was carrying dangerous microorganisms or not. You’ll have peace of mind if you know for sure.

Claire Brent is a freelance writer who regularly writes about common household pests and how to get rid of them using natural methods. She also blogs for Preventive Pest, a dependable pest control company that can take care of various kinds of nasty and damaging creatures.

photo by: Ernst Vikne

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