To continue this topic further, we bought a foreclosure in November and immediately replaced the original (1905) windows with energy efficient windows. Obviously, we were going to do this either way, but it was a surprise to us when we found out we didn't qualify for the 30% -up-to-$1500 credit for installing them, because we were getting a refund already. Apparently, you have to be paying in the money first, or you don't get it at all. This hasn't always been the case with other credits - we get a refund because of the child tax credits and our lower end income.
We've owned our home since 1999, but because we only lived in the last house for 3 years, we didn't qualify for the tax credit for repurchasers. We did, however, live in the house before that for almost 6 years. We only moved from the last house because of a cross-country job move.
While I agree the homebuyer credit would be nice if you were already planning the purchase, it's just another example of what previous posters said - money out of the tax payer's pocket. To the poster who said we could blame Bush and the republicans for the fiscal irresponsibility, I say the government in general is to blame. This isn't a partisan issue, overspending, and to make it such would be silly. However, it *is* a fact that this current administration has spent and spent and spent in this first year, and mostly on "incentives" and "credits" and other such that really haven't helped our economy at all. History has shown us that the presidents that helped turn the economy were those that tightened the belt of the gov't, not the ones that put us into debt.
Since when do we actually believe that to be fiscally sound, you must go into debt?
I worked as a vet tech for about a decade and had some additional training in companion animal nutrition. A couple of things to keep in mind regarding home made food and raw diets. Small bones and poultry bones are not good for a dog. Just because they may have consumed these in the wild doesn't mean that they didn't cause problems. Small bones can lodge in the GI tract or perforate it. The risk of death or a major emergency surgery are simply not worth the dietary benefit.
If your looking for a calcium supplement powdered calcium can be found at most health food stores that have bulk spices and natural food additives. Tums can also be added to food but it can throw off the taste if your dog is a picky eater. Raw food has its own risk. Our commercial food supply has higher instances of ecoli and salmonella than existed decades ago or even in the wild. So there is as much risk with raw food a there is in cheap commercial foods, possibly more.
Too much fat can also be a problem. Dogs can not digest fat as humans do. Excessive fat can inflame the pancreas and require hospitalization to get them through it. Make sure your trimming fat off of cuts of meat and not using something extremely fatty.
The dog food was not made in china. Wheat gluten that was made in China was tainted with melamine. That wheat gluten was then shipped to the US and processed into dog food. So US made dog food was poisoning animals, not Chinese made dog food. I would hate to have someone get a false sense of security.
We moved our dog to a home made food with a small supplement of a dry dog food we researched and felt had a lower risk. Even high end foods were wrapped up in the recall so price is not an indicator of safety. One food we fed after the recalls (Canidae) quietly changed their recipe without telling customers. Many dogs became sick from the change. They added dried pea hulls, this is basically useless junk in the food. Our dog refused to eat that brand after the change.
The biggest improvement we saw was when we switched to a mostly home made food. Our dog felt better and looked far more healthy. She also stopped constantly shedding.
To answer about why the property tax and insurance aren't in the mortgage payment, my stepson has no monthly payment because he paid cash for a foreclosure home. He had been stationed in Iraq as active duty military last year and when he came home he used his year's pay and bonus to buy the house since he was able to bank all his pay while overseas. But I agree, if you can't afford to pay a big mortgage or all the extra costs of owning a home, don't buy just because of the credit.
Now im not sure how this site is regulated but has anyone considered the idea that the site itself has its own people bidding on items? Example: There are 100 people bidding on item X. If the seller is in on the bidding he can essentially keep pushing the bidding therefore extending the time of the auction. The longer the auction the more money the house will make as more and more people continue bidding. Eventually people with smaller bank rolls will quit and the "the ringer" will win the item. The seller never really loses item X but still makes money off all the bids that were placed. Now again this is all a matter of how well this site is regulated which I honestly have NO IDEA about....For people who have won items how many have they won where they actually paid considerably less than what the item was worth? If what I am saying is right "the ringer" could simply stop bidding once the price of item X reaches a point where the risk of bidding now out weighs what the item is actually worth. Then when Joe makes that last bid that has him paying $200 for a $250 mp3 player...not really much of a deal...and still the house has made probably 5 0r 10 times more just from other peoples bids...who knows... Even if what I am saying isnt true, essentially only people with large bank rolls have a true advantage. With the BidButler someone can simply turn it on...set it to some crazy amount like 500 bids...and just walk away. I doubt most people bidding on these items are laying around in alabaster bathing vessels filled with gold and diamonds. The whole concept of this site appeals to people with not alot of money to spend hoping to get a deal on that laptop theyve always wanted. People who probably have 100 or so bids theyve purchased and likely dont want to use ALL their bids on just one item...so they bid 15...maybe 20 times...hoping...and then quit. And bank roll with BidButler on 1000 bids ends up winning. I havent taken the time to analyze but I wouldnt be surprised if 80-90% of the auctions end with a bidder who uses BidButler. Just my 2 cents.
Don't buy. I am returning to Microcenter Friday. Devide work fine at work. But at home it wants me to format, thus losing my entir 200 gb of music and video
My animals don't get sick either, and they eat kibble. :)
Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. They don't always, but they do sometimes and isn't sometimes enough?
Onions can cause anemia.
Raw salmon can be dangerous, as well.
Question for author of article -- can you give any guidelines for amounts to feed for different sizes of dog? Are you saying 2 cups a day is enough for your 60 pound dog? That doesn't seem like enough food, considering the amount of moisture in homemade dog food. Also, what size are the boxes of barley?
Our refund will finish off our last credit card (0% APR, but we want it gone) and kill most of the car loan. Two more months after that and we're debt free but the house!
I just have to ask, if your stepson has to use the $7900 towards this years property taxes and ins. how is he going to pay those next year?? Why did he not have those 2 items put into his mortgage payment. This is what hurt the housing market this last time, people buying homes they could not afford to pay on.
I see others have already covered the raw food. It's a waste of time, effort, and storage to make cooked grain-based food for dogs. Add in vet bills (we have none besides routine exams), and it's no bargain, either.
I recently helped my 23 yr old stepson buy his first house mainly because of the credit. The house cost $79,000 so he only got $7,900 but that 10% contribution by Uncle Sam sure helps toward paying this year's real estate taxes, his homeowners insurance policy, and several months of utility costs. I am now considering trading up to another home myself, since now "long-term owners" that have lived in their house 5 of the last 8 years can get a homebuyer tax credit of $6,500 if you sign a contract by 4/30/10 and settle by 6/30/10.
Make sure you really check all the fine print on the so called tax breaks on windows, etc. Hubby and I checked out the window situation. Here in MN the window have to be at least a 4 therm pane, under the "plan" they only cover up to 3 therm, which means the State of MN and the upper midwest does not qualify for this one. Many window companies here were really pushing it. I questioned several it was not until I stated about the therms that they admitted MN does not qualify. Unfortunately people did not find this out until they had their work complete. So, really check with your State because so many companies do not care that they are doing work for you that they know does not qualify for the tax rebates. Also these tax rebates are spread out over a couple years so you cannot take it as one lump write-off.
Very Useful information , this is both good reading for, have quite a few good key points, and I learn some new stuff from it too, thanks for sharing your information.
I just often question who all of a sudden decides what a dog can or cannot eat. I had a toy poodle growing up who pretty much ate what we ate---lived to age 14. He loved grapes! My next dog was a cocker spaniel who ate every veggie and fruit put before him! Grapes again were a favorite. He loved raw potatoes also, so when I would be peeling he would get a peeling or two and a chunk of potatoe. I cook with onions, alot. Again that meant he would consume cooked onions. He lived to age 16. We currently have a little shitzu/poodle. He got itchy from most dog food. My niece found for her dog that a formula with duck and potatoes worked for her dog. He is now itch free! Dick VanPatton puts it out. Again, note it has potatoes in it. He also eats, grapes, onions (cooked)and is in excellent health at age 10!
So, again who all of sudden decided these were bad for dogs? I know when we were giving grapes, etc to my cocker 7 years ago we had never heard then not to give these to him.
I just often question who all of a sudden decides what a dog can or cannot eat. I had a toy poodle growing up who pretty much ate what we ate---lived to age 14. He loved grapes! My next dog was a cocker spaniel who ate every veggie and fruit put before him! Grapes again were a favorite. He loved raw potatoes also, so when I would be peeling he would get a peeling or two and a chunk of potatoe. I cook with onions, alot. Again that meant he would consume cooked onions. He lived to age 16. We currently have a little shitzu/poodle. He got itchy from most dog food. My niece found for her dog that a formula with duck and potatoes worked for her dog. He is now itch free! Dick VanPatton puts it out. Again, note it has potatoes in it. He also eats, grapes, onions (cooked)and is in excellent health at age 10!
So, again who all of sudden decided these were bad for dogs? I know when we were giving grapes, etc to my cocker 7 years ago we had never heard then not to give these to him.
I just often question who all of a sudden decides what a dog can or cannot eat. I had a toy poodle growing up who pretty much ate what we ate---lived to age 14. He loved grapes! My next dog was a cocker spaniel who ate every veggie and fruit put before him! Grapes again were a favorite. He loved raw potatoes also, so when I would be peeling he would get a peeling or two and a chunk of potatoe. I cook with onions, alot. Again that meant he would consume cooked onions. He lived to age 16. We currently have a little shitzu/poodle. He got itchy from most dog food. My niece found for her dog that a formula with duck and potatoes worked for her dog. He is now itch free! Dick VanPatton puts it out. Again, note it has potatoes in it. He also eats, grapes, onions (cooked)and is in excellent health at age 10!
So, again who all of sudden decided these were bad for dogs? I know when we were giving grapes, etc to my cocker 7 years ago we had never heard then not to give these to him.
I'm a supervisor for the census and we do not (nor do our enumerators) have handheld computers. Maybe it's because I live in a pretty rural low-funded area but...just so you know. We're doing everything the old-fashioned way, with lots and lots of paperwork.
yeah..i have a peke like Andrea's, and he can't handle even just chicken. He seems to do better on this rice/meat mix that my mom buys for him from the vet. I guess pekingeses are just too inbred or something.
What fritters do you have in the freezer? I am looking for a recipe for apple fritters like the bakery has instead of going and buying them for my husband. I have looked and looked for a recipe at is just like what you buy at the bakeries.
Feeding a more natural diet is absolutely better for your dog, and can be done quite economically. I'd even suggest that you may save money over time with the liklihood of fewer vet visits and dental cleanings. Not to mention, most dogs just seem to really enjoy it!
Some sources/people will tell you that it has to be complicated. You can make it complicated if you want, but it's certainly not necessary.There are, however, some important things to keep in mind when feeding a home made diet to your dog.
I see two importnat things missing from your sample recipe: Firstly, bones. You've included egg shell, presumably for calcium, but what about the other minerals found in bones? what about the dental and mental benefits dogs get from eating raw --never cooked!-- bones? Secondly, no organ meat. Organs (especially liver and kidneys) are important to a health canine diet. They contain essential vitamins not found in other meats. Veggies are not a safe bet for vitamins for carnivores who are not as able to digest and utilize nutrients from veggies. There are other ways around it, but IMO meat, bones, and organ are the best way to achieve a well-rounded diet.
There is a really great, friendly, nonmilitant raw dog & cat feeding group on Yahoo groups. They are really encouraging and helpful to people just starting out, or even just looking for information to make a decision. I'd encourage anyone interested in exploring the possibility to check it out. Here's the link: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/RAW-lite/
We make homemade dog food for my dog, also named Murphy. I buy the natural dry dog food at a local pet store that carries a generic brand from a local dog food maker. It's a little pricey - $45 for a 30-pound bag, but it lasts at least two months because I heavily supplement it with homemade dog food. I buy my dog the cheapest cut of meat I can find. He loves eating pork shoulder, so I buy a big 7-8 pound shoulder and that lasts about two weeks. Just throw it in the Crockpot with some water and it's done and makes a nice gravy. I can find a pork shoulder for .69 per pound, so it's typically around $5. I was buying Science Diet for about $1.69 a can and that would last him about 3 days. So I'm saving about $3 every two weeks and this carnivore is eating his meat without all the crappy fillers and by-products.
The dog I had when I was a kid used to eat the Concord grapes right off the vines in the woods. She'd pick a bunch of them in her mouth then go off and eat them one-by-one, spitting out the pits.
To continue this topic further, we bought a foreclosure in November and immediately replaced the original (1905) windows with energy efficient windows. Obviously, we were going to do this either way, but it was a surprise to us when we found out we didn't qualify for the 30% -up-to-$1500 credit for installing them, because we were getting a refund already. Apparently, you have to be paying in the money first, or you don't get it at all. This hasn't always been the case with other credits - we get a refund because of the child tax credits and our lower end income.
We've owned our home since 1999, but because we only lived in the last house for 3 years, we didn't qualify for the tax credit for repurchasers. We did, however, live in the house before that for almost 6 years. We only moved from the last house because of a cross-country job move.
While I agree the homebuyer credit would be nice if you were already planning the purchase, it's just another example of what previous posters said - money out of the tax payer's pocket. To the poster who said we could blame Bush and the republicans for the fiscal irresponsibility, I say the government in general is to blame. This isn't a partisan issue, overspending, and to make it such would be silly. However, it *is* a fact that this current administration has spent and spent and spent in this first year, and mostly on "incentives" and "credits" and other such that really haven't helped our economy at all. History has shown us that the presidents that helped turn the economy were those that tightened the belt of the gov't, not the ones that put us into debt.
Since when do we actually believe that to be fiscally sound, you must go into debt?
The article was a little bit intense for me but I appreciate the idea. Haha.
I worked as a vet tech for about a decade and had some additional training in companion animal nutrition. A couple of things to keep in mind regarding home made food and raw diets. Small bones and poultry bones are not good for a dog. Just because they may have consumed these in the wild doesn't mean that they didn't cause problems. Small bones can lodge in the GI tract or perforate it. The risk of death or a major emergency surgery are simply not worth the dietary benefit.
If your looking for a calcium supplement powdered calcium can be found at most health food stores that have bulk spices and natural food additives. Tums can also be added to food but it can throw off the taste if your dog is a picky eater. Raw food has its own risk. Our commercial food supply has higher instances of ecoli and salmonella than existed decades ago or even in the wild. So there is as much risk with raw food a there is in cheap commercial foods, possibly more.
Too much fat can also be a problem. Dogs can not digest fat as humans do. Excessive fat can inflame the pancreas and require hospitalization to get them through it. Make sure your trimming fat off of cuts of meat and not using something extremely fatty.
The dog food was not made in china. Wheat gluten that was made in China was tainted with melamine. That wheat gluten was then shipped to the US and processed into dog food. So US made dog food was poisoning animals, not Chinese made dog food. I would hate to have someone get a false sense of security.
We moved our dog to a home made food with a small supplement of a dry dog food we researched and felt had a lower risk. Even high end foods were wrapped up in the recall so price is not an indicator of safety. One food we fed after the recalls (Canidae) quietly changed their recipe without telling customers. Many dogs became sick from the change. They added dried pea hulls, this is basically useless junk in the food. Our dog refused to eat that brand after the change.
The biggest improvement we saw was when we switched to a mostly home made food. Our dog felt better and looked far more healthy. She also stopped constantly shedding.
dogs also can't process chocolate, but I guess noone would be mixing chocolate into dog food anyway.
To answer about why the property tax and insurance aren't in the mortgage payment, my stepson has no monthly payment because he paid cash for a foreclosure home. He had been stationed in Iraq as active duty military last year and when he came home he used his year's pay and bonus to buy the house since he was able to bank all his pay while overseas. But I agree, if you can't afford to pay a big mortgage or all the extra costs of owning a home, don't buy just because of the credit.
Now im not sure how this site is regulated but has anyone considered the idea that the site itself has its own people bidding on items? Example: There are 100 people bidding on item X. If the seller is in on the bidding he can essentially keep pushing the bidding therefore extending the time of the auction. The longer the auction the more money the house will make as more and more people continue bidding. Eventually people with smaller bank rolls will quit and the "the ringer" will win the item. The seller never really loses item X but still makes money off all the bids that were placed. Now again this is all a matter of how well this site is regulated which I honestly have NO IDEA about....For people who have won items how many have they won where they actually paid considerably less than what the item was worth? If what I am saying is right "the ringer" could simply stop bidding once the price of item X reaches a point where the risk of bidding now out weighs what the item is actually worth. Then when Joe makes that last bid that has him paying $200 for a $250 mp3 player...not really much of a deal...and still the house has made probably 5 0r 10 times more just from other peoples bids...who knows... Even if what I am saying isnt true, essentially only people with large bank rolls have a true advantage. With the BidButler someone can simply turn it on...set it to some crazy amount like 500 bids...and just walk away. I doubt most people bidding on these items are laying around in alabaster bathing vessels filled with gold and diamonds. The whole concept of this site appeals to people with not alot of money to spend hoping to get a deal on that laptop theyve always wanted. People who probably have 100 or so bids theyve purchased and likely dont want to use ALL their bids on just one item...so they bid 15...maybe 20 times...hoping...and then quit. And bank roll with BidButler on 1000 bids ends up winning. I havent taken the time to analyze but I wouldnt be surprised if 80-90% of the auctions end with a bidder who uses BidButler. Just my 2 cents.
Don't buy. I am returning to Microcenter Friday. Devide work fine at work. But at home it wants me to format, thus losing my entir 200 gb of music and video
One more question -- do you have a nutritional breakdown for your recipe?
My animals don't get sick either, and they eat kibble. :)
Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. They don't always, but they do sometimes and isn't sometimes enough?
Onions can cause anemia.
Raw salmon can be dangerous, as well.
Question for author of article -- can you give any guidelines for amounts to feed for different sizes of dog? Are you saying 2 cups a day is enough for your 60 pound dog? That doesn't seem like enough food, considering the amount of moisture in homemade dog food. Also, what size are the boxes of barley?
Our refund will finish off our last credit card (0% APR, but we want it gone) and kill most of the car loan. Two more months after that and we're debt free but the house!
I just have to ask, if your stepson has to use the $7900 towards this years property taxes and ins. how is he going to pay those next year?? Why did he not have those 2 items put into his mortgage payment. This is what hurt the housing market this last time, people buying homes they could not afford to pay on.
I see others have already covered the raw food. It's a waste of time, effort, and storage to make cooked grain-based food for dogs. Add in vet bills (we have none besides routine exams), and it's no bargain, either.
I recently helped my 23 yr old stepson buy his first house mainly because of the credit. The house cost $79,000 so he only got $7,900 but that 10% contribution by Uncle Sam sure helps toward paying this year's real estate taxes, his homeowners insurance policy, and several months of utility costs. I am now considering trading up to another home myself, since now "long-term owners" that have lived in their house 5 of the last 8 years can get a homebuyer tax credit of $6,500 if you sign a contract by 4/30/10 and settle by 6/30/10.
Make sure you really check all the fine print on the so called tax breaks on windows, etc. Hubby and I checked out the window situation. Here in MN the window have to be at least a 4 therm pane, under the "plan" they only cover up to 3 therm, which means the State of MN and the upper midwest does not qualify for this one. Many window companies here were really pushing it. I questioned several it was not until I stated about the therms that they admitted MN does not qualify. Unfortunately people did not find this out until they had their work complete. So, really check with your State because so many companies do not care that they are doing work for you that they know does not qualify for the tax rebates. Also these tax rebates are spread out over a couple years so you cannot take it as one lump write-off.
Very Useful information , this is both good reading for, have quite a few good key points, and I learn some new stuff from it too, thanks for sharing your information.
regards,
handbags
I just often question who all of a sudden decides what a dog can or cannot eat. I had a toy poodle growing up who pretty much ate what we ate---lived to age 14. He loved grapes! My next dog was a cocker spaniel who ate every veggie and fruit put before him! Grapes again were a favorite. He loved raw potatoes also, so when I would be peeling he would get a peeling or two and a chunk of potatoe. I cook with onions, alot. Again that meant he would consume cooked onions. He lived to age 16. We currently have a little shitzu/poodle. He got itchy from most dog food. My niece found for her dog that a formula with duck and potatoes worked for her dog. He is now itch free! Dick VanPatton puts it out. Again, note it has potatoes in it. He also eats, grapes, onions (cooked)and is in excellent health at age 10!
So, again who all of sudden decided these were bad for dogs? I know when we were giving grapes, etc to my cocker 7 years ago we had never heard then not to give these to him.
I just often question who all of a sudden decides what a dog can or cannot eat. I had a toy poodle growing up who pretty much ate what we ate---lived to age 14. He loved grapes! My next dog was a cocker spaniel who ate every veggie and fruit put before him! Grapes again were a favorite. He loved raw potatoes also, so when I would be peeling he would get a peeling or two and a chunk of potatoe. I cook with onions, alot. Again that meant he would consume cooked onions. He lived to age 16. We currently have a little shitzu/poodle. He got itchy from most dog food. My niece found for her dog that a formula with duck and potatoes worked for her dog. He is now itch free! Dick VanPatton puts it out. Again, note it has potatoes in it. He also eats, grapes, onions (cooked)and is in excellent health at age 10!
So, again who all of sudden decided these were bad for dogs? I know when we were giving grapes, etc to my cocker 7 years ago we had never heard then not to give these to him.
I just often question who all of a sudden decides what a dog can or cannot eat. I had a toy poodle growing up who pretty much ate what we ate---lived to age 14. He loved grapes! My next dog was a cocker spaniel who ate every veggie and fruit put before him! Grapes again were a favorite. He loved raw potatoes also, so when I would be peeling he would get a peeling or two and a chunk of potatoe. I cook with onions, alot. Again that meant he would consume cooked onions. He lived to age 16. We currently have a little shitzu/poodle. He got itchy from most dog food. My niece found for her dog that a formula with duck and potatoes worked for her dog. He is now itch free! Dick VanPatton puts it out. Again, note it has potatoes in it. He also eats, grapes, onions (cooked)and is in excellent health at age 10!
So, again who all of sudden decided these were bad for dogs? I know when we were giving grapes, etc to my cocker 7 years ago we had never heard then not to give these to him.
I'm a supervisor for the census and we do not (nor do our enumerators) have handheld computers. Maybe it's because I live in a pretty rural low-funded area but...just so you know. We're doing everything the old-fashioned way, with lots and lots of paperwork.
yeah..i have a peke like Andrea's, and he can't handle even just chicken. He seems to do better on this rice/meat mix that my mom buys for him from the vet. I guess pekingeses are just too inbred or something.
What fritters do you have in the freezer? I am looking for a recipe for apple fritters like the bakery has instead of going and buying them for my husband. I have looked and looked for a recipe at is just like what you buy at the bakeries.
Feeding a more natural diet is absolutely better for your dog, and can be done quite economically. I'd even suggest that you may save money over time with the liklihood of fewer vet visits and dental cleanings. Not to mention, most dogs just seem to really enjoy it!
Some sources/people will tell you that it has to be complicated. You can make it complicated if you want, but it's certainly not necessary.There are, however, some important things to keep in mind when feeding a home made diet to your dog.
I see two importnat things missing from your sample recipe: Firstly, bones. You've included egg shell, presumably for calcium, but what about the other minerals found in bones? what about the dental and mental benefits dogs get from eating raw --never cooked!-- bones? Secondly, no organ meat. Organs (especially liver and kidneys) are important to a health canine diet. They contain essential vitamins not found in other meats. Veggies are not a safe bet for vitamins for carnivores who are not as able to digest and utilize nutrients from veggies. There are other ways around it, but IMO meat, bones, and organ are the best way to achieve a well-rounded diet.
There is a really great, friendly, nonmilitant raw dog & cat feeding group on Yahoo groups. They are really encouraging and helpful to people just starting out, or even just looking for information to make a decision. I'd encourage anyone interested in exploring the possibility to check it out. Here's the link: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/RAW-lite/
Rachel
We make homemade dog food for my dog, also named Murphy. I buy the natural dry dog food at a local pet store that carries a generic brand from a local dog food maker. It's a little pricey - $45 for a 30-pound bag, but it lasts at least two months because I heavily supplement it with homemade dog food. I buy my dog the cheapest cut of meat I can find. He loves eating pork shoulder, so I buy a big 7-8 pound shoulder and that lasts about two weeks. Just throw it in the Crockpot with some water and it's done and makes a nice gravy. I can find a pork shoulder for .69 per pound, so it's typically around $5. I was buying Science Diet for about $1.69 a can and that would last him about 3 days. So I'm saving about $3 every two weeks and this carnivore is eating his meat without all the crappy fillers and by-products.
I didn't know this.
The dog I had when I was a kid used to eat the Concord grapes right off the vines in the woods. She'd pick a bunch of them in her mouth then go off and eat them one-by-one, spitting out the pits.
She was an awesome dog.