Home Environmental Tips 11-15

These informational tips have allowed me to saves hundreds of dollars in home repairs and improvements and I'd like to share some of these tips with you to get you into the mood to do 'stuff' around your home!

#11 Poly-Wrapped Insulation - Decreases Air Infiltration - increases handling comfort.

#12 Cellulose Insulation - Alternative material with high content of recycled paper.

#13 Reinforced Gypsum/Cellulose Underlayment - Dimensionally stable, recycled content, tropical wood alternative features smooth surface, no paper to delaminate, no swelling, and no bleeding from wood fibers.

#14 Cedar Closet Liners - Naturally repels insects and smells quite nice.

#15 Marble Tiles - Natural, indoor air quality flooring alternative.

Every so often I will bring some more of these valuable tips for you to read and enjoy.

Debt Consolidation Can Work For You!

Regular readers are aware that we try to find helpful information on this site to help with saving and earning money but if you have debts piled up, this can be daunting. There is a web site that can, and will, help you with your debt consolidation and debt settlement issues, depending on which way you choose to go about it. One way for you and Fast Debt Freedom Now to address your immediate debt issue is through a debt loan that takes care of your debts and you pay one low easy payment to Fast Debt Freedom Now, which covers your listed debts. The following points show you how this program can benefit you.

# Reduce Balances up to 50% - Save Thousands!
# Have One Easy, Low Monthly Payment
# Avoid Bankruptcy
# No Credit Checks - Bad Credit OK
# Home Ownership Not Required
# Consolidate Debt Payments
# Debt Free in as Little as 12-30 Months

When your debt stress levels get too high, relief can be just a click away!

Caring for your Septic System 101

Your septic system, specifically a septic tank, must be cared for if it is to work trouble free. When trouble does arise it does so in a very expensive and ugly way. Mistreatment of your tank can lead to a very costly replacement tank, a torn up yard and destroyed lawn. When a tank goes bad the first signs are subtle, drains move more slowly, toilets don't completely flush and your yard gets soggy where the tank has been overflowing underground. Put these tips to use for a clean and trouble-free septic system.

Don't Overload the Septic Tank and Drain field

* Check faucets and toilets for leaks; make repairs if necessary.
* Use aerators and flow reducer nozzles on showers to lower water consumption.
* Reduce water levels for small loads of laundry.
* Wait until the dishwasher is full to run it.
* Use a displacer to reduce the amount of water needed to flush the toilet.

Keep Trees Away from the Septic System

* Keep trees and roots at least 100 feet away from the septic system.
* Trees with very aggressive roots should be even farther away from the system.

The Toilet Isn't a Garbage Disposal

* Never flush cat litter, disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, tampons, paper towels, facial tissues, coffee grounds, or cigarette butts and filters. They'll clog your septic tank in less time than you might imagine.

Use Garbage Disposals Wisely - I don't think they should be paired at all!

Minimize Heavy Duty Cleaners - they can and will kill useful bacteria needed!

Do Not Pour Grease Down the Drain - it will clog your drain field and fail!

Perform Regular Maintenance - have it pumped every 3-5 years depending on the number of people living in the house. The fewer people the longer you can go.

Never attempt to open a septic tank yourself. Gases and bacteria in it are dangerous.

Registered Child Molester List.

There are few things that boil my blood more than offenders of children. People who permanently damage a child's mind do not deserve privacy and this site I found takes care of this. The Registered Child Molester List offers parents, and concerned citizens, access to a Child Molesters information and will provide you with instant access to the most complete database of Registered Sexual Offenders, along with real-time updates when offenders move in and out of your neighborhood.

Get Detailed Maps For Any Location Nationwide
Get FREE Child ID Kit
Get Color Photos To Identify Sex Offenders Near You
Get Conviction Information To Find Out When They Committed Their Offense
Get Home Addresses of Offenders To Identify High Risk Areas
Get Full Names and Aliases

Please read the section on Megan's Law which is designed to help protect your family.

Beware of Lawn Care Extras!

I recently got an interesting phone call from my lawn care provider. I will call them TG, to protect the innocent and all that. Well, I received the call just before dinner and TG stated he wanted to do the annual aeration and pot ash treatment to ensure my lawn looked good and was healthy. He also said the St. Augustine floratam grass I have needed this treatment yearly. I told him that I neither wanted or could afford the $155 price for said treatment. TG told me that if he went to $150 did I want to do it then? I gave him the same answer. I was told my lawn would suffer without this treatment since it has been a few years since it's been done. I have never had this done and he has been my provider for 2 of the last 7 years I've lived here. Hmm, must be a psychic! Two years ago when they called with this pitch the price was $99, I guess pot ash went up in price. He finally said, when I told him I did not have extra money for this, that he would call back next week and see if things have changed. That would be nice but I have more important bills than lawn poking! I have been told every month by the TG company tech that my lawn is very green and healthy. According to the guy one the phone it should be on the verge of a brown death! The bottom line is that you do not really need this treatment and if your lawn care professional tries to pressure you into getting it done just tell them you don't appreciate being pressured after saying no and that you may need to reevaluate your lawn care if this is how a good customer is treated. You will get an apology faster than a dog chasing a stick. They can't afford the loss of a monthly customer just for a once a year treatment. Oh, and watch out for the Red Ant treatment deal as well, that phone call comes in the springtime. I never get that one either and it's about the same price. Put that money towards a real bill or a vacation instead! Enjoy your new savings!

Reverse Mobile Phone Search

There was always one thing I never thought you would be able to do and that's a Reverse Mobile Phone Lookup. I knew you could go to the White Pages or something like that and do reverse look-ups but they NEVER included cell phone numbers, in fact the most I was ever able to ascertain was a Sprint ownership but nothing else. This site, Reverse Mobile Phones allows you to do the look-up of cell numbers! It will provide name, address, background, carrier and state. You can get as much information as you want, or as you need! Give them a look and you decide. The information is there if you want it!

Home Environmental Improvement Tips 6-10

These informational tips have allowed me to saves hundreds of dollars in home repairs and improvements and I'd like to share some of these tips with you to get you into the mood to do 'stuff' around your home!

#6 Hardboard or Simulated Rain Forest Wood Doors - High performance alternatives that maximize wood alternatives.

#7 Whole House Attic Fans - I wrote about these before.They are an energy saver that also increases comfort.

#8 High R-Value Attic Insulation - The higher the R-Value the greater the insulating performance.

#9 Light Colored Roof Shingles - Reflects radiant solar heat. Energy saver in most climates except in areas with long cold spells. Darker colors are preferred there to bring heat into the house from the sun.

#10 Low U-Factor Windows - Look for this measure of glass performance.. The lower the U-Factor, the greater the heat transmission savings.

Every so often I will bring some more of these valuable tips for you to read and enjoy.

Night, Night! Sleep Tight! Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite!

In previous years and unknown to most people, the bed big was once almost a thing of the past. The belief that only 'dirty, sloven' people of lower class were the only group of people to have them. This is simply not true as anyone can acquire these pests in their homes. At one point we were almost rid of these devils but they have returned, almost like getting the measles. People thought it was gone for good so no one took preventive steps. That has since changed and proper steps will keep your house free of them. The bed bug is a tiny insect that most commonly lives it's life in or around bedding and mattresses, getting themselves into the fibers. There are several ways to keep them in check, if not eliminate them as best as you can. Just click the link and you will be taken to the Bed Bugs Guide which will demonstrate several ways to remove hospitable living spaces that they like. If your situation is severe you may need the help of a professional exterminator to work with you to control these bugs. It's not an impossible task so long as you follow the proper steps. Check them out, what have you got to lose? Oh yeah, that's right! Keep your home environment free of nuisance infestations and incursions.

Keep Those Pests Away!

The colder weather is coming and you'll be closing up your windows and doors soon. You'll also be closing in those summer time pests that managed to get themselves into your house as well. There are some simple steps that can keep some of the peskier pests at bay. The one pest I'm thinking of is the spider. There are many spiders that are very beneficial to have around that eat all those other nasty bugs that still roam around. Unfortunately, they have to leave the house because you also have the risk of the nastier spiders that you don't want in your house AT ALL!! Three such spiders are the Black Widow, Brown Widow and the worst one of them, the Brown Recluse (pictures from left to right). I was raised in the Northeastern United States and had only heard of the Black Widow. Since moving to Florida I have heard the stories of the Brown Widow and Brown Recluse (aka Fiddleback). The Brown Recluse can cause Necrosis of the flesh which is a deadening of the flesh which must be removed or it will get worse, up to and including death. I want to state that these three spiders are small in size. It seems as though the smaller they are the more deadly they are. Aside from a professional pest control company coming in to your house and spraying (spiders walk on to of the pesticide and are killed only by a direct hit) the best method of prevention is to never leave any area of your house unmoved. That's right, unmoved. By keeping your house vacuumed and clutter to a minimum the only thing left to do is to move boxes and bags frequently from spot to spot. Spiders do not like movement and will seek solace elsewhere, preferably outside! Keep an open eye out in porch areas and garages. If you have below house/porch access be very careful there as well. Spiders are very resilient and are able to survive many environments and as I stated earlier, most are beneficial to have around!

Reverse 50 State Caller Lookup!

Do you get a lot of calls with hang-ups, dead lines, sales calls or people talking gibberish? The problem has been, up until now, how to identify the caller that's disturbing you and your family. You can now get a Nationwide Phone Lookup at your finger tips that can supply that elusive information. This is especially useful for abusive or threatening calls you may receive. Their thorough reverse phone search directory includes thousands of cell numbers and landline telephones. Information is constantly kept up-to-date and accurate. Telephone lookup results include owner's name & address, phone carrier, line type, zip code, city, state and more. Why put up with tons of banner ads or annoying pop-ups when you get the same information free in a simple, easy-to-use format? This is what I'm talking about, a free listing. That's more money saved for you. Make sure you bookmark this site for easy retrieval later!

Pressure Treated Lumber.

I have a recent post about home improvement where I mentioned pressure treated wood and how you really should was your hands after handling it. There is one other thing about pressure treated that you should be aware of - paints and stains. For the most part these are things that you won't be able to apply to your wood until it gets 'seasoned' and dries out a bit. If you apply paint or stain too soon to PT it will not create a tight, cohesive bond to the wood. This is due to the chemicals that make the wood 'pressured'. A general rule of thumb would be to install your improvement at the beginning of the season and dress the wood at the end of the season. This may not apply to all situations as individual environments will differ. The amount of chemical absorbed by the wood will vary based on the size of the lumber as you can see by the above picture.

Home Environmental Improvement Tips 1-5

These informational tips have allowed me to saves hundreds of dollars in home repairs and improvements and I'd like to share some of these tips with you to get you into the mood to do 'stuff' around your home!

#1 Pressure Treated lumber - Chemical preservatives help to prolong the life of the wood. Remember to cut this wood outside, wash your hands after handling, and do no burn!

#2 Engineered Lumber - Maximizes wood resources, often is recycled wood content.

#3 Steel studs - Alternative building material with recycled steel content.

#4 Roof windows and skylights - Natural light saves on lighting costs; roof windows provide ventilation and light.

#5 High-efficiency fireplace inserts - The most efficient air quality and heating alternative to wood, wax or gas logs. Fan log stands can add several degrees of heat to your room as heat blows out through tubes.

Every so often I will bring some more of these valuable tips for you to read and enjoy.

5.11 for your Tactical Needs.

Law Enforcement, security and fire protection personnel are at a disadvantage when it comes to equipment. Everything they need has a fairly hefty price tag around it. I like to make mention of web sites for these men and women who protect us where they can obtain the equipment and clothing they need at affordable prices. 5.11TacticalOutdoors is such a place. They sell everything from specially stitched clothing to flashlights, holsters, knives, jackets, watches, footwear - the list goes on and on. Look for the Closeouts on their site as these offer extra savings over their regular low prices. 5.11 is not solely for the protection industry, anyone can purchase goods from the, especially outdoors people who need extra tough for the terrain they trek. While your looking around their site I encourage you to look at the Freebies section for bonus values. We try to save your hard earned money on this site and hope that you can take advantage of some exceptional offers here. Bookmark their site and check back often for new values!

Winter Driving Tip - Self Preservation

I've been hitting a lot of winter topics and I've gone over some driving topics for the winter, except one. What happens if you break down during a snowstorm? Will you be able to get help? Can you tell someone, such as the police, where exactly you are? Will you be dead when they finally get to you because you let the engine run for heat, or you froze from the cold? Your probably chuckling right now, I know I probably would be if I were reading this instead of writing it. They're valid points however. What would you do and how would you do it? Let's take it by the numbers, shall we? The first thing you want to do is prepare for the worst for the ENTIRE winter! Keep an emergency pack in your trunk as a 'just in case' provision. It doesn't have to be a suitcase, just a package. The contents should include a blanket or two(two is better, you may not be alone), a few water bottles inside the car (frozen water is hard to swallow), food (crackers are shelf stable), flashlight (with a strobe is best), hat and gloves(mittens are better), cell phone car cigarette lighter charge cable as well as an emergency cell phone charger (Eveready makes a good one) in case the car battery is dead. One other item I really do recommend, if you can afford it, is a GPS unit. These are great year round but if you get stuck somewhere your not familiar with the GPS can give you enough information to relay to the police to find you faster. Secondly, if your car is stuck and won't be getting out on it's own, bundle up while the car is still warm. Warm clothing is better than cold since it doesn't have to use your body heat to get warm. Keep water where it will not start to get frozen like a coat pocket or even sit on them. Ration food wisely, you don't know how long you may be stuck. Third thing- Do Not Get Out Of The Car and Walk Around! If you are stuck in a major way you will not be able to dig out before you lose too much body heat. The dig out method should only be done when you didn't take any of the other precautions, in which case you better make sure you at least have a strong shovel in the trunk. Walking around looking for a car or truck to help out can be fatal. During a snowstorm visibility is bad at best and you'll probably get hit by a car, truck or snowplow before they even knew you were there. Stay in the car and try to retain the interior heat. If the engine has stalled try not to let the lights run when they don't need to. Turn them on if you see lights coming at you or see emergency lights coming. Killing your battery could mean being found or missed when it counts the most. If the lights fail, hopefully you have that flashlight to use!

Communicate on the Web the Right Way.

I started reading an article on VebLogs that I found very informative. In fact this article told me more about links and linking than a Google search did. I'm being serious too, I learned a lot in a short span of an article. Now I know what I have to do to increase my presence on the net and increase my PR. Pretty much what they discuss there is a Blog About Blogging. I know it sounds funny but once you start reading it makes sense. They'll take you through the basics of home based businesses, blog design, merchandising and even how blogging can help a regular non-net business. That's a bit different since everything I've been reading is about net businesses. The predominant theme of this web site is communication, or dialogue, and how you can project your business to others and bring in those dollars! Sounds good, save money and earn money, just the way we like it here!

More Winter Tips!

Since I'm on a roll here with the winterization of your house I figured I'd touch on a few overlooked items to be aware of. Let's touch upon lawn and garden items, shall we? First off, it's not a no brainer but, make sure you drain your garden hose completely before bringing it indoors to either your basement or garage. Removing the water will ensure no ice will form inside the hose to potentially rip it open if it's against a frigid wall in an unheated area (ie: garage, shed). Next, if you have a plastic hose cart or reel I would bring that in also to avoid cracking if accidentally hit by something hard, like a big icicle, in freezing temps. I don't know if you've ever hit a piece of plastic with something when it's in a really cold place but it doesn't break, it shatters! Hey, maybe one of those icicles might hit it! Give all your garden tools that are metal a light spray of WD40 to help fight rusting for a few months of non-use. Store long handle tools handle side down on some kind of barrier to keep out moisture from wooden handles if you are unable to hang them up. If you keep the tool end up it is less likely to acquire moisture from the floor or deck. This is also a good time to clean out that shed or garage. The cool temps make this job easier than in the summer.
Once all the leaves are taken care of you should put all your tools away as I have shown, you won't be using them for months. Put your snow shovel in a convenient location but not under foot. Keep it where, if you get a bad sudden storm, you can dig your way out of the house. A shovel in the shed is no good if you can't get to it. Lastly, your gas powered yard tools. Your lawnmower, string trimmer, power washer, etc. These need to be winterized. The lawnmower, trimmer and stored gasoline just need a fuel saver to keep out moisture during the long period of non-use, the power washer also needs this treatment as well as a moisture resistant flush of the pump system. This treatment can be obtained at any Sears store in the Lawn & Garden area, it's not cheap but it will prevent hard water damage that could kill your washer while standing for a long time unused and that means lots of money saved. You can get a few treatments out of one can. Lastly, keep rock salt or pellet melters in an easy to get to location to eliminate ice during snow removal and to keep stairs ice free. Hospitals cost LOTS of money, avoid at all costs! Also, if you store items in a shed make sure you remove ALL cardboard, paper, rags, bags, etc. Field mice and rats like to burrow up into sheds for protection during the winter(I know first hand) and they look for bedding material from these items. Without these items the critters may look elsewhere for a winter home and take their droppings with them.
One last thing, for people who own one, make sure you can start your snow blower. If for some reason it will not operate, now is the time to get it to a repair station. I'm sure there will be more to follow!

Experience the 3D Comfort Masseuse experience!

Did you ever sit in a chair at work too long? How about a long flight on a plane where there was no room to get up and walk around? Get a restless nights sleep, just tossing and turning all night long? If you have had any of these situations, you are not alone! Millions of people have similar complaints and express a desire to feel relaxed again. Well, now you can feel normal again with the New 2009 Takemi Select 3D Jade Melody 12000 Comfort Masseuse chair. The 3D Jade Melody 12000 can reach the major organs and deep muscle tissue more effectively (LightSpeed) and safer than any other form of heat and light. This amazing light absorption level provides detoxification, moxibustion, and soothing relief all over the body from ailments. This unit, sold by Takemi Select Wholesale Outlet also has massage wheels and comfort inflation cells for the back, not to mention a built in MP3 player and tea table. You have to see it to believe it! I never thought that one unit could be so equipped. Takemi Select Wholesale Outlets massage beds and chairs are among the most successful line of massage products in the United States today. Get the benefit of a personal massage therapist anytime you want in the comfort of your home.

I gutter make sure it's clean!

Well, I did address the outdoor lighting issue, which is very valid. All it takes is one time with the lights burned out to make you a believer. Don't believe me? That's okay, but remember the "I told you so!" the time it does happen. This winter tip is a little trickier, depending on how high your house is. If you live in a 2 story house you will need to be very careful using a tall extension ladder. What am I talking about? Why, your gutters of course. You know, those half tubes that are usually full of leaves and pine needles. I hate pine needles! Probably THE most dangerous thing hanging around your house in the dead of winter is the icicle. No, not a 3 incher, I'm talking about the 1-4+ foot ones that hang from your gutters. It only takes one to hit your head to end your life or at the least cripple you. These can be very heavy with, of course, very pointy tips that descend like an arrow to the ground, smashing anything under them! Keep your gutter clean so the heat of the house that is present can allow any liquid to drain down the spout before it freezes. Leaf clutter in the gutter (that rhymes) holds back water and creates a weak hold for ice which will allow it to break away more easily than if the ice were attached directly to the gutter. I don't like the ice but I rather have it holding till I can break it away than have it fall off on it's own! During the spring thaw the water still frozen in the gutters will drain smoothly without jamming up the downspouts with leaves and dirt.

Movers, Not Shakers. Relocation.com!

Thinking about moving domestically or internationally? Why not trust your move to professionals that do these moves on a daily basis! I'm referring to Relocation.com, they're determined to provide you with all the necessary resources to assist you with your big move. Their detailed guides are uniquely designed so that you don’t leave anything out. As relocation professionals, they understand that making the right decisions can make all the difference. By browsing their extensive site you can find information on Real Estate, Mortgage, Moving, Apartment Hunting, Insurance, Careers, and Home Improvement. Anyone who's moved a couple of times knows that making the move can be very traumatic, especially for children and pets (okay, for you too!). That's what Relocation.com moving services is all about, relieving the stress and trauma from you to allow you to do the more important things you need to be doing. If you need an automobile shipped as well, CarMovers.com provides free auto shipping quotes and car transport resources & information. Leaving the country? No problem, Internationalmovers.com provides shipping quotes for international moves and relocation.
Please view their site and read their Consumer Bill of Rights, it's worth the reading!

Winter Outdoor Lighting.

I just thought about a big item that will go unattended by everyone until the timing is terrible. Your outdoor lighting and how you'll replace a bad bulb in below freezing conditions during a snow storm when you need to be shoveling but you can't see anything. Sound like something that ever happened to you? It sounds too familiar to me, that's one of the reasons I live in Florida now! :) I know it's not a thrifty thing to do but I'd do it anyways, just in case you end up in this situation, but I'd replace all your outside bulbs, especially the hard to reach ones that will be impossible when the ice is in place. Keep the old bulbs as spares you can always have on hand for the warmer months if they are needed, or even in the house for regular bulbs. Like I said, I know it's not the cheap thing to do but have you ever tried to shovel snow with a flashlight? Also, metal enclosures are easier to handle with bare hands when they're above freezing temps!

Worry Free Motorcycle Shipping!

Probably the biggest headache you can have when you are moving is getting your 'motorized' items to the new destination. I'm referring to motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATV's, etc that just are not allowed on moving trucks. Well, U-Pack Moving will drop off a 6'x7'x8' ReloCube(container) at your site, you secure the vehicle into the ground level container and call them when it's done and they come pick it up and deliver it to your new door. What could be easier? No having to worry about juggling car and bike and when this gets there and whatever. Motorcycle shipping, like I said, is stressful enough and U-Pack Moving can eliminate a lot of the hassle. Prices are comparable to rental truck prices for long distance moves - but ABF does all of the driving. Less expensive than a full service mover but more convenient than a rental truck.
ABF U-Pack is in good standing with the Better Business Bureau and has a great rating with consumer opinion sites like movingscam.com and epinions.com.

Barbeque Safety 101

I don't know about you but I love to bar-be-que in all seasons as well as smoke meats. I don't use the standard method of cooking because I don't think, after several close calls, they're all that safe. What I mean by standard method is propane. I don't trust it, I never will and I don't like the way it cooks. I am a purist who uses hardwood charcoal pieces, not briquettes because they're full of paraffin and other 'things' that I don't want in my food or taste buds. Cowboy Coals is one of the few brands I have found that I can buy easily at Lowes but not Home Depot. I don't know why. Wal Mart used to sell it until it didn't make enough profit for them. That's what the manager told me! This was supposed to be a safety tip for propane and I got side tracked again. Sorry! There are a few things you need to be aware of to safely use and maintain a propane BBQ. The first thing is the valve. The handle on the valve must be the three sided style and not the five sided. The three sided is the current fire safety code version and it was changed for a reason, don't debate it just upgrade the tank. Most refilling stations will not refill the older style anyhow, it's illegal to do it. Next you want to check your hoses and connections under the grill. All you need is a soft brush and a small bucket of very soapy water. Just brush the solution all over the tubing and connectors with the gas valve open and the grill knobs OFF! The pressure in the line will make bubbles if the line has a leak. If there is a leak just shut the valve, open the grill knob to expel the gas in the line and replace the damaged part. Check burners for metal scaling from prolonged heat which can damage lesser expensive units and cause seams to open up creating another safety issue while working over an unstable fire. REPLACE DAMAGED PARTS! It's cheaper than skin grafts. Lastly, if you use your grill in the winter where it gets snow and ice, make sure you cover the grill well so ice doesn't build up on the rubber hoses or bind up the valve from turning easily. I'll talk about the amazing benefits of using charred hardwood in another post! Enjoy and grill safely!

Control Your Traffic the Right Way!

The hardest part of running a successful blog or web site is getting traffic to you. There are many offers of links, posts, comments, backlinks, word of mouth. All tried and true methods of getting NOTHING! If you want to generate fast results and get hits right away, that's what it's all about isn't it, you need traffic direction like the kind FullTraffic Internet Traffic Solutions can provide. They can get you set up with In Country or International traffic as well as Search Engine services which can get your URL into the major search engines or get you on search engine sidebar advertising that show up with the search results. FullTraffic.net offers several packages depending on what you are looking to achieve and how fast you want results. They even have Specials that discount some existing services such as Global hits for $7 where it's normally $15. $7 for 10,000 hits? That's fantastic! Consider the amount of time it would take, on your own, to get even 10% of that number. How much is your time worth? I know there are other things I'd like to be doing instead of making links everywhere. Give them a look see and then decide. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I wasn't!

Is your Cold Climate house ready for Winter? part 2

Now, what are you going to do in a storm if you never got to go shopping? If you are a milk using household I strongly recommend Parmalat milk. This milk is sold on the regular store shelf and does not need to be refrigerated. That's right, no refrigeration until it's opened. I am honestly telling you that this milk (skim, 2% and whole) is nothing but milk and tastes like real milk because it is real milk. I drink it and I'm very picky about what I'll drink! The special packaging keeps it fresh for a long time. That means Emergency Milk in the cupboard. Keep a big loaf of bread in the freezer (it will last a long time tightly closed and frozen), peanut butter, jelly, mac&cheese mix (there cheap, buy a bunch), coffee, sugar, flour, etc. You know what you can and can't make from scratch if you need to. Just keep at a minimum the staples. Make sure that shovel is in good condition and make sure it's not over sized and has a handle as long as you need it to be to use comfortably. Big shovels cause more back injuries every year than they need to. Make sure you have good snow boots and a warm coat with a good hat for late night shoveling. Oh yes, don't forget the batteries.
I'll post more winter tips as the fall glides by but for now, start thinking about what you can do now that you won't have to do later!

Vistaprint Holiday Photo Calendar Coupons!

I'm bringing an offer to you before you run out to buy your 2009 calendars at some book store or kiosk somewhere. Vistaprint is one of the largest companies around and are able to offer substantial savings on your future calendars. They offer desktop style, photo desk, photo wall, poster, photo poster, calendar magnets, folded calendar cards and holiday calendars. To begin your Holiday photo calendar choose a photo calendar design template and proceed to their free online desk calendar design studio. Customize your 2009 calendars with text, or choose to use their photo calendars and upload your pictures. You can even customize individual custom calendar dates on your photo or desk calendar. VistaPrint also offers over 70,000 free stock images to help you create your perfect custom calendar. All holiday calendars have a spiral bound top and are self-standing for desktop or counter. You can even decide the month and year that you holiday calendar begins. I like to start mine with the next holiday that's coming up just before they get it so they'll use it right away! To get the most for your dollar, which I like to emphasize on this site, just use coupon code o67592fklv to get 25% off on your holiday photo calendar order. Actually, do yourself a favor and look around the Vistaprint site for additional bargains and nifty ideas!

Is your Cold Climate house ready for Winter? part 1

There are many things you should do to prepare for the harsh cold of winter in the colder climates. I remember them well after living in Massachusetts for many, many winters. Snow and sleet down the back of your neck while shoveling at 5 am so you can get to work, so long as the roads got plowed! Ahh yes, I love my Florida winters now! Cold, snow, ice, wind chill, sleet and the worst of them all - Black Ice! These can all be overcome except the black ice. For those of you that have never experienced this kind of ice, your lucky! Black ice gets it's name from the thin layer of very slick ice on asphalt roads, mostly highways. You can travel 5 mph and lose control of your car in an instant. Without chains or studded tires you are at the mercy of Mother Nature because once the car starts to slide, in ANY direction, it won't stop until it feels like it. Brakes and steering are useless, you just have to get past that area until you get to ice free highway. Enough of cars, I went over the basics of cars a couple of posts ago. Your home has winter needs too. First thing you need to do, if you don't have an automatic plan, is to have your heating contractor (oil man, gas co., chimney sweep) come to your house and service your heating system. I can't tell you enough how important this one step is because a repairman may not be able to get to your house in a storm if your system fails and it's very cold out. If you use a wood burner (stove, furnace, oven) I do recommend getting your chimney cleaned out in case you have a creosote and/or ash build up. I covered this in my 9/07/08 post called "Fireplace Fireworks". If you have one of these items I recommend that you read it! Another thing is to check ALL your windows for drafts and seal them with a good quality caulking material, I recommend paintable latex caulk. The old way to check for leaks was with a candle but that isn't safe, why not try holding a piece of toilet tissue by the top and see if the paper fans away from the window, if it does you have air movement. Sometimes some foam or felt weatherstrip can be most effective. On north facing windows I would use a plastic sheet barrier to create an air chamber between the house and the outside. Stors sell kits but they aren't too cheap. North facing windows are always the coldest and will draw heat radiantly out the window. You don't need to heat the trees and grass! The space under doors can be addressed using fancy bead filled tubes. Right? Wrong, use an extra bath towel and cover the entire space under the door but don't pack it tight, someone may need to use the door in an emergency!

Is Your Car Ready for Winter?

Have you gone through your pre season checklist yet for your car? Why not? It's the end of September and some states have already had their first frost! For safe winter travel the vehicle must be in good mechanical condition, have clean motor oil of the proper viscosity (check your owner's manual), a cooling system with 50 to 100% antifreeze, and properly inflated tires with at least 50% tread. Drivers of licensed vehicles are responsible for preventive maintenance safety checks and ensuring maintenance and annual inspections are done. However, all drivers should do a short pretrip safety inspection. Turn on the headlights and emergency flasher and walk around the vehicle. Make sure all the lights work and are clean. Visually check the tires, check for body damage, and ensure all cargo is secure. Under the hood, check fluid levels, belts, and scan for leaks. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher, first aid (a bonus), tire chains (if legal in your state), a credit card, decent wiper blades, windshield washer antifreeze, and an ice scraper. Travelers need to be prepared with warm clothes, and possibly a blanket in case they become stranded. Adjust the mirrors, and familiarize yourself with the controls. With the engine running, apply hard constant pressure to the brake pedal for 5 seconds. The pedal should stop about half way to the floor and not settle. Set the emergency brake and gently try to move the vehicle. While driving, monitor the performance of the vehicle.

Trillion for All your WAN and VOIP Needs!

Trillion provides Priority One E-Rate eligible, secure broadband network services for education. Their services simplify the complexities of data, voice and video convergence, and provide network security, protection and Quality of Service. Trillion has become the largest national competitive service provider of fixed licensed wireless and fiber WANs for K-12 school districts in the United States, serving hundreds of school districts and over 1,500 schools. Trillion specializes in designing, installing, operating and maintaining wireless and fiber wide area network systems and providing value added secure network and voice services to help school districts deliver better educational outcomes. Trillion’s WAN and VoIP services have consistently received Priority One E-Rate funding. More and more schools, companies, and homes are migrating to Voice over Internet Protocol service as this is the fastest emerging telecommunication break through for not only service but price! Companies and schools are realizing that VoIP Managed Service is the way of the future. I even have my home phone on VoIP and have been using it for over two years without complaint.

Is it worth the cost of a battery?

How much is your family and house worth? The cost of a 9 volt battery? I hope not because that's all it takes to keep your family safe and your property less damaged than it could be. Part of your monthly routine should be to push the button on your smoke detectors to ensure they still work. You should get a quick ear splitting tone if it's working properly. In the event you begin to hear intermittent chirping in the house this is usually an indicator that the battery is losing it's charge. As a safety procedure every smoke detector, that I'm aware of, has a built in mechanism to sound the chirp when battery power deminishes, leaving you enough time to determine which one is low and replace it. The best thing you can do to stay on top of your batteries is to choose a particular date, such as 1st day of summer, Cinco de Mayo, Arbor Day, whatever as the day you change ALL smoke detector batteries each and every year. Doing this simple task will ensure you have a fresh battery in place in case the worst happens. You still want to do the monthly check just in case you get a defective or old battery by mistake. You may not save a lot of money buying 9 volt batteries each year but lives are a bigger savings!

Quality Sightseeing for Quality Sights!

I previously mentioned golf holidays but not everyone is a golfer. I know, that's hard to imagine, but it's true. I have family that spend all of their vacation time sightseeing. I tried it once on my own and was it a disaster. I went to Atlanta since I always wanted to see the second highest city in America and figured "how hard can this be?". You probably know what my answer was at the end of this 'trip'! I went in February expecting warm sunny southern weather. The 2nd highest city gets snow and ice in the winter. Don't get me wrong because it's only a tiny amount but it was cold and I brought shorts only. Aside from falling on my softer side a few times and looking rather funny to the locals and other visitors, I had a good time but I felt like I missed so much by trying to do it myself. I should have been smarter about how I spent my money to maximize my trip, and at the very least be told to have warmer clothes. I still look back and laugh at this. If I was smart I would have called a tour company like Trusted Tours & Attractions. I want to go back to Atlanta and see it the right way this time so I went to their Atlanta tour page and saw everything I missed, but won't the next time around. Trusted Tours & Attractions has a newsletter you can sign-up for as well as online travel guides for you to view. Trusted Tours and Attractions offers discounted tickets to the best sightseeing tours in 23 cities across America. I have inserted a link for Knotts berry farm tickets just so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about. Sign up for the Trusted Travels eNewsletter and enter to win their valuable monthly prize. The August winner received a $150.00 Magellans gift certificate. Come visit Trusted Travels and see what they can offer you in a quality sightseeing vacation and the cities they serve.