I think all of you have very good points. I have spent the last four years growing a service company 4 times its size from when i joined on(with someone elses money I know). I have loved every minute of my job and I would not trade the stuff I have learned over these past few years for anything. But I have been telling myself for to long that I could do this for myself and I don't care what the economy is going through, if you have a good product that consumers need and you are honest and full of heart you will succeed. I plan on taking the plunge at the beginning of the year after I can arrange some finances for the first few months and then I am going to dive in head first. I heard the other day that if you think big than you shall recieve big but if you think small then that is all you will be looking for and the big oppurtunities will fly right by. Thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say and I hope everyone has a wonderful night.
Whenever I bake or cook in the oven during colder months, when I turn the oven off at the end, I leave the door cracked. All that residual heat comes out into the apartment and warms things up, when normally it would just hang out in the oven and not do anything.
Obviously, if you have small children or curious pets, this is not a great idea, but it is really nice for those cold fall mornings, especially when it's going to warm up later in the day and you don't want to turn the heat on!
it takes my gas oven a LONG time to get to anything above 300 degrees.
to save some time (a lot of time actually) i put the broiler on high and when i see the metal glow.. i know im at at least 325-350 degrees. all this in a few minutes..
im too lazy to do all the price comparisons regardin gas vs. electric.. but the time i save is worth it.
However, if I may suggest, one may not want to use the time-honored "political" word-twisting approach; i.e., "beat up Honda" vs "beautiful fancy......BMW".
What if the Honda was in mint condition or one of the new fancy racers the young folks create? Or, perhaps, the Beemer wasn't totally "up to par"? Your argument stills holds, but it is more fair comparison and makes your argument "stand on all four legs", and leaves no room for counter-argument.
They make something like the sound recorder but with a dog barking already. Not sure of all the details. Probably the same company could make the other one. I would think it would require a sound delay, unlike the dog barking. It's not like you'll have your gun out and ready when they are barely getting in the door.
I have a chihuahua and he's really loud also. And no treat will distract him as he could care less for treats.... but you could pick him up and stick him in your pocket even if he is going crazy barking!
Stay safe everyone.. There is a robber knicknamed the Kent robber recently breaking into homes in my area that ARE Occupied.
The police say he's very bold and everyone should be on Alert. I am using my car alarm as backup since a friend emailed me this information recently.
I Understand that we all have our favorite resources to go to for tech help, but I would NEVER consider "Kim Komando" a resource. She is nothing but a link farm. She charges the public for her podcasts, when there are other people who offer their shows for free. My personal choice for tech references and help is a gentleman called, Mike Smith. He is host of the Mike Tech Show. (http://www.miketechshow.com) He has YEARS of experience in the computer field. His show excels on email questions from his many listeners. He also does not charge for his podcasts. Ms. Komando could learn a lesson from him.
Well, here's my thing..We usually buy milk from a local dairy that is pasturized (not homoginized) and I have seriously suggested to my husband that we build some fences and just raise and slaughter our own cows, pigs, and chickens. My great-grandparents ate meat from animals that they themselves raised and vegetagbles out of their own gardens and drank whole, un-homoginized milk. One of my grandmothers even hunted deer and that was a great portion of their diet. Point being, my great-grandparents lived well into their 90s. I truly beleive that this country is full of obese idividuals (I myself tip the scale some) because we are too darn lazy to take proper care of ourselves and eat healthily. The fact that these big companies and growers are just out for the almighty dollar has taken a big toll on the average consumer and we are paying the price! It's sad but in these rough economic times, I find myself having to reach for the cheapest (unhealthiest) foods to feed a large family on a small budget.
@Andee You are right, Facebook is great at connecting with old friends and can open up your circle. The reason I left it out is because I feel it is still widely used more for social and personal connections opposed to networking. If you network and develop those contacts and it can work its way to Facebook that is great, but I don't think it should be a high focus for networking for jobs. Usually you have to reach a certain level of a relationship before Facebook comes into play.
I am confused, The things listed seem to be sure fired (ha ha!) ways to get Fired not "laid off". I was under the impression that benefits are hard to get when you have been fired.
THe dog idea is great I have a chihuahua that sounds like a german shepherd (weird, I know) so she is great for scaring off people. We live in a duplex and she can sense when someone is outside before I can. It is very cool!
Never knew there was a name for taking the 0% cash advances and depositing it in your account for interest. I did it for many years when the interest paid was higher and the transaction fees low or nothing. However, even I cant make it worth-while any longer. The cash advance fees have gone sky high, and the interest the banks pay on deposits is negligible. However, one year, about 5-6 years ago I made an extra $5500 dollars doing just that. It paid for a nice vacation for my daughter and I. I use credit cards to pay for everyhing that I can no matter how small the purchase. Just last week got a check for $125 as a reward and put it towards a plane ticket. College tuition, large appliance purchases and just about everything else gives me 1% cash back and I am very happy. I pay the balance off each month, and actually subtract the amount I spend for each credit card transaction from my checking account balance immediately, and thus never over-spend. Havent paid a penny in credit card fees or interest in over 20 years. I know this isnt possible for everyone to do, but for those of us who are diciplned enough, its a source of some extra spending money that we dont have to work an hour for. As for the rest of you who say they cant control their spending if they use a credit card, that just an excuse for continuing to overspend, which you probably will do whether you use plastic or not.
The only time I turn on my big oven is to cook a turkey or rib roast or a batch of cookies.
The reason I say "big" oven is because my "main" oven is a counter top oven. They are still called toaster ovens but are really a lot more than the the glorified toaster that would also heat a slice of pizza or two. A true counter top oven can bake a potato, cook a small pizza, bake cookies and even make toast. I've even baked cobblers in my counter top oven.
The initial price can be anywhere from $100 up but the savings in energy, time and comfort is incredible. I'm in Texas too and don't like to heat up my big oven in the summer.
Just be sure you get one that has the features you want and has an accurate temperature setting. I have a Krups and would highly recommend it.
It sounds like you don't own any dogs. If you did, you would probably find that most dogs will bark at the presence of someone outside your home. In order to distract the dog with the meat, the person would have to be inside, coming from the outside. Getting there leaves a good space of time in which the dog would be able to bark to wake you up before being distracted by any meat.
This was a very good post. Let me say too on the foil in the bottom of the oven. Some do it to catch drips, but in newer ovens the foil can become literally glued to the oven if used on the bottom. Instead if I am cooking or baking something that can splatter I will put a cookie sheet on the lower rack.
Since I cook all the time, and use my oven at least 4 days out of 7, it would not be economical to self-clean each time. Also, the oven get over 550 degrees so in the summer that would be a no for me. I just wipe with a damp sponge if something had dripped in the oven.
Also when cooking more than one item at a time, some may take longer than called for in a recipe.
just curious. Are there any good books out there on this subject? mostly I'm looking for things that also include minimizing living space (getting rid of clutter, etc).
One common misconception about dusters is that they move the dust around. This is true if you have inferior feathers. However, ostrich feathers do pick up the dust and hold it. My favorite demonstration is to run an ostrich feather duster over a chalkboard and then shake the duster out (outside, of course).
I make my own Swiffer covers that do a much better job of grabbing pet hair off the floor. I found the pattern on the internet; it's a simple crochet pattern that can be made with leftover yarn.
One thing I love about my cast iron is not having to think twice about putting these pans in the oven. I never have to worry if something is going to melt off. I purchased some excellent French cast iron pans from IKEA a few years ago.
Here's a thought, but it needs refinement, I know:
Whoever has a 12-gauge shotgun - how about if you record the sound when you rack it? Make copies of the sound to sell (CD? mp3? whatever else?). Someone else, figure out how to hook up turning on the sound to a motion detector, and place the contraption (player, speakers, motion detector) near windows or doors or whatever items are most attractive to thieves.
Also, figure out a way to turn it off when you get out of bed at night or when you return home after being away, so that it won't scare YOU and give you a heart attack in your own home.
Great article with comprehensive info about high deductible health insurance plan. I think many consumers of health care can benefit from such a plan. There is a better way to maximize savings potential though w/ a HDHP.
Combine: high deductible health plan + aggregate wrap + benefit administration and partially self fund the liability in excess by electing the higher deductible. Capitalize on your savings greater and save what you do not use in claims.
Great to see the discussion continued though! Congrats on your success!
My good friend purchased a home through Redfin, and had great things to say about the company. Following his recommendation, we also used Redfin to purchase our first home. We really liked the process. Individual agents do not get commission based on your buying/selling a home. Redfin gives them bonuses based on customer service surveys that you complete. It aligns the interests of the agent and the buyer/seller. If you are like I am, and already do a ton of Internet research, Redfin is the way to go. The cash back refund is also a sweet reward. We got back 1.5% of the home purchase price (1/2 the buyer agent commission.)
If you live in a Redfin served market, I highly recommend you at least check it out. Also, I am in no way involved with Redfin, I just can't stand Realtors.
I think all of you have very good points. I have spent the last four years growing a service company 4 times its size from when i joined on(with someone elses money I know). I have loved every minute of my job and I would not trade the stuff I have learned over these past few years for anything. But I have been telling myself for to long that I could do this for myself and I don't care what the economy is going through, if you have a good product that consumers need and you are honest and full of heart you will succeed. I plan on taking the plunge at the beginning of the year after I can arrange some finances for the first few months and then I am going to dive in head first. I heard the other day that if you think big than you shall recieve big but if you think small then that is all you will be looking for and the big oppurtunities will fly right by. Thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say and I hope everyone has a wonderful night.
Whenever I bake or cook in the oven during colder months, when I turn the oven off at the end, I leave the door cracked. All that residual heat comes out into the apartment and warms things up, when normally it would just hang out in the oven and not do anything.
Obviously, if you have small children or curious pets, this is not a great idea, but it is really nice for those cold fall mornings, especially when it's going to warm up later in the day and you don't want to turn the heat on!
HI, HOW CAN I CHANGE MY TOSHIBA HD-A30 PLAYER TO BE REGION CODE FREE, PLEASE HELP THANKS.
I've been eating (lower-sugar) instant oatmeal for an afternoon snack at work. It's cheap, filling, and comfortingly warm.
i have a gas oven but electric broiler.
it takes my gas oven a LONG time to get to anything above 300 degrees.
to save some time (a lot of time actually) i put the broiler on high and when i see the metal glow.. i know im at at least 325-350 degrees. all this in a few minutes..
im too lazy to do all the price comparisons regardin gas vs. electric.. but the time i save is worth it.
And don't forget the vendors' web sites.
Support newsgroups can also be very useful. The ones at forums.sybase.com that I support have won awards.
Nice work using statistics; Right on!!
However, if I may suggest, one may not want to use the time-honored "political" word-twisting approach; i.e., "beat up Honda" vs "beautiful fancy......BMW".
What if the Honda was in mint condition or one of the new fancy racers the young folks create? Or, perhaps, the Beemer wasn't totally "up to par"? Your argument stills holds, but it is more fair comparison and makes your argument "stand on all four legs", and leaves no room for counter-argument.
Again, nice work!!
They make something like the sound recorder but with a dog barking already. Not sure of all the details. Probably the same company could make the other one. I would think it would require a sound delay, unlike the dog barking. It's not like you'll have your gun out and ready when they are barely getting in the door.
I have a chihuahua and he's really loud also. And no treat will distract him as he could care less for treats.... but you could pick him up and stick him in your pocket even if he is going crazy barking!
Stay safe everyone.. There is a robber knicknamed the Kent robber recently breaking into homes in my area that ARE Occupied.
The police say he's very bold and everyone should be on Alert. I am using my car alarm as backup since a friend emailed me this information recently.
I Understand that we all have our favorite resources to go to for tech help, but I would NEVER consider "Kim Komando" a resource. She is nothing but a link farm. She charges the public for her podcasts, when there are other people who offer their shows for free. My personal choice for tech references and help is a gentleman called, Mike Smith. He is host of the Mike Tech Show. (http://www.miketechshow.com) He has YEARS of experience in the computer field. His show excels on email questions from his many listeners. He also does not charge for his podcasts. Ms. Komando could learn a lesson from him.
Well, here's my thing..We usually buy milk from a local dairy that is pasturized (not homoginized) and I have seriously suggested to my husband that we build some fences and just raise and slaughter our own cows, pigs, and chickens. My great-grandparents ate meat from animals that they themselves raised and vegetagbles out of their own gardens and drank whole, un-homoginized milk. One of my grandmothers even hunted deer and that was a great portion of their diet. Point being, my great-grandparents lived well into their 90s. I truly beleive that this country is full of obese idividuals (I myself tip the scale some) because we are too darn lazy to take proper care of ourselves and eat healthily. The fact that these big companies and growers are just out for the almighty dollar has taken a big toll on the average consumer and we are paying the price! It's sad but in these rough economic times, I find myself having to reach for the cheapest (unhealthiest) foods to feed a large family on a small budget.
@Andee You are right, Facebook is great at connecting with old friends and can open up your circle. The reason I left it out is because I feel it is still widely used more for social and personal connections opposed to networking. If you network and develop those contacts and it can work its way to Facebook that is great, but I don't think it should be a high focus for networking for jobs. Usually you have to reach a certain level of a relationship before Facebook comes into play.
I am confused, The things listed seem to be sure fired (ha ha!) ways to get Fired not "laid off". I was under the impression that benefits are hard to get when you have been fired.
THe dog idea is great I have a chihuahua that sounds like a german shepherd (weird, I know) so she is great for scaring off people. We live in a duplex and she can sense when someone is outside before I can. It is very cool!
It makes perfect sense.
Never knew there was a name for taking the 0% cash advances and depositing it in your account for interest. I did it for many years when the interest paid was higher and the transaction fees low or nothing. However, even I cant make it worth-while any longer. The cash advance fees have gone sky high, and the interest the banks pay on deposits is negligible. However, one year, about 5-6 years ago I made an extra $5500 dollars doing just that. It paid for a nice vacation for my daughter and I. I use credit cards to pay for everyhing that I can no matter how small the purchase. Just last week got a check for $125 as a reward and put it towards a plane ticket. College tuition, large appliance purchases and just about everything else gives me 1% cash back and I am very happy. I pay the balance off each month, and actually subtract the amount I spend for each credit card transaction from my checking account balance immediately, and thus never over-spend. Havent paid a penny in credit card fees or interest in over 20 years. I know this isnt possible for everyone to do, but for those of us who are diciplned enough, its a source of some extra spending money that we dont have to work an hour for. As for the rest of you who say they cant control their spending if they use a credit card, that just an excuse for continuing to overspend, which you probably will do whether you use plastic or not.
The only time I turn on my big oven is to cook a turkey or rib roast or a batch of cookies.
The reason I say "big" oven is because my "main" oven is a counter top oven. They are still called toaster ovens but are really a lot more than the the glorified toaster that would also heat a slice of pizza or two. A true counter top oven can bake a potato, cook a small pizza, bake cookies and even make toast. I've even baked cobblers in my counter top oven.
The initial price can be anywhere from $100 up but the savings in energy, time and comfort is incredible. I'm in Texas too and don't like to heat up my big oven in the summer.
Just be sure you get one that has the features you want and has an accurate temperature setting. I have a Krups and would highly recommend it.
It sounds like you don't own any dogs. If you did, you would probably find that most dogs will bark at the presence of someone outside your home. In order to distract the dog with the meat, the person would have to be inside, coming from the outside. Getting there leaves a good space of time in which the dog would be able to bark to wake you up before being distracted by any meat.
This was a very good post. Let me say too on the foil in the bottom of the oven. Some do it to catch drips, but in newer ovens the foil can become literally glued to the oven if used on the bottom. Instead if I am cooking or baking something that can splatter I will put a cookie sheet on the lower rack.
Since I cook all the time, and use my oven at least 4 days out of 7, it would not be economical to self-clean each time. Also, the oven get over 550 degrees so in the summer that would be a no for me. I just wipe with a damp sponge if something had dripped in the oven.
Also when cooking more than one item at a time, some may take longer than called for in a recipe.
That's my question as well. Would this be in addition to the sales tax we already pay on consumer goods at the state and local level?
just curious. Are there any good books out there on this subject? mostly I'm looking for things that also include minimizing living space (getting rid of clutter, etc).
One common misconception about dusters is that they move the dust around. This is true if you have inferior feathers. However, ostrich feathers do pick up the dust and hold it. My favorite demonstration is to run an ostrich feather duster over a chalkboard and then shake the duster out (outside, of course).
I make my own Swiffer covers that do a much better job of grabbing pet hair off the floor. I found the pattern on the internet; it's a simple crochet pattern that can be made with leftover yarn.
One thing I love about my cast iron is not having to think twice about putting these pans in the oven. I never have to worry if something is going to melt off. I purchased some excellent French cast iron pans from IKEA a few years ago.
Here's a thought, but it needs refinement, I know:
Whoever has a 12-gauge shotgun - how about if you record the sound when you rack it? Make copies of the sound to sell (CD? mp3? whatever else?). Someone else, figure out how to hook up turning on the sound to a motion detector, and place the contraption (player, speakers, motion detector) near windows or doors or whatever items are most attractive to thieves.
Also, figure out a way to turn it off when you get out of bed at night or when you return home after being away, so that it won't scare YOU and give you a heart attack in your own home.
Great article with comprehensive info about high deductible health insurance plan. I think many consumers of health care can benefit from such a plan. There is a better way to maximize savings potential though w/ a HDHP.
Combine: high deductible health plan + aggregate wrap + benefit administration and partially self fund the liability in excess by electing the higher deductible. Capitalize on your savings greater and save what you do not use in claims.
Great to see the discussion continued though! Congrats on your success!
My good friend purchased a home through Redfin, and had great things to say about the company. Following his recommendation, we also used Redfin to purchase our first home. We really liked the process. Individual agents do not get commission based on your buying/selling a home. Redfin gives them bonuses based on customer service surveys that you complete. It aligns the interests of the agent and the buyer/seller. If you are like I am, and already do a ton of Internet research, Redfin is the way to go. The cash back refund is also a sweet reward. We got back 1.5% of the home purchase price (1/2 the buyer agent commission.)
If you live in a Redfin served market, I highly recommend you at least check it out. Also, I am in no way involved with Redfin, I just can't stand Realtors.
What great insight. thnx!