How to get more Twitter Followers?

It is also important to fill out your twitter profile’s ‘bio’ section (you can see this field on the right side of your twitter profile which describes what your twitter account is about). You had better put there some info about your twitter account or about you. When you fill out your twitter profile’s ‘bio’ section – number of people who will follow you back is much much greater then if you leave this field blank.

Another very important thing is putting on your twitter profile some custom image. I usually use red colored images instead of the default image, because it is much more noticeable then when that is in some other colors, and it will draw more people’s attention.

Internet marketers also suggest using custom twitter background image instead of default one – this way your twitter profile stands out even morel.

On this link you have websites on which you can download twitter background images for FREE: FREE Twitter backgrounds download

Then I find some other twitter profiles whose topic or subject is related to the subject of my twitter profile and which has at least several 10,000′s of followers (those twitter profiles are getting new followers quickly, and this way you will avoid following the same people again).

You can find those twitter profiles on many twitter directories. The best places where you can find those people are twitter directories like: wefollow.com, tweetfind.com, twitr.org, twellow.com, justtweetit.com, twitdir.com, geofollow.com and many others.

If you want to get ‘targeted’ followers (people who are interested in what you have to offer or are trying to promote) the best way is to find some twitter profile with the same subject like your twitter profile, and to follow his followers.

Try on your first day to follow 500 people, and then after 48 hours or every other day you should first follow (reciprocate) all those that began following you and then unfollow all those that do not follow you, and then again follow another 500 people on twitter and repeat this process every other day. It is not recommended to follow more than 500 people on twitter in order not to get your twitter account suspended.

You can also find those people if you already have at least few 1000′s of followers by logging with your twitter profile username and password into this service: MyTweeple.com, and by searching through your followers (you do this by clicking on link ‘Your Followers’ and by sorting them clicking on drop down menu in which you can sort them by number of followers; you can also see how many followers all your followers have and if their twitter profile is related to your twitter profile).

There is one automated twitter tool which can help you to automate this job (mass following/unfollowing). This twitter tool is called TwittAdder. With this automated twitter tool you can unfollow all those that don’t follow you with one single click and also with one click to follow someone else’s followers, and save your time and effort. This tool also has many other usefull features that can help you in your twitter business and with your twitter profiles

So… Post tweets about interesting things on twitter which might contain some gossips, tips and and breakthroughs. This will attract more twitter followers and keep your profile on top.

Source: besttwittertips.com

Avoid being a horrible investor

1. Do little or no research before buying a stock.
Would you trust a stranger to take care of your kids or drive your car? Then why would you entrust your portfolio, your hard-earned money, to the hands of management teams and businesses that you hardly know?

If you want to make blind bets, head to Vegas. It’s more fun losing money in a casino than in front of your computer. While you’re at it, you could do a little research on casino stocks, and you’ll see that the house always wins — especially when companies like MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM), Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS), and Wynn Resorts (Nasdaq: WYNN) dodge their financial problems for an amazing 2009.

Remember, every time you buy a stock, there’s someone on the other side of the trade. Consider these other people the “house.” If they know more than you about the stock, you’re at a disadvantage.

2. Buy stocks based on tips and rumors.
In my life, I’ve gotten two tips that could be construed as insider information, which I declined to act on. Both tips were of the “I have a friend, who knows a guy, whose cousin” variety. Anyways, I checked out the tickers about a year after hearing the tips, and both had plummeted.

3. Be an envious investor.
Charlie Munger often states that the worst of the seven deadly sins is envy, because other sins, like lust or gluttony, provide the sinner with pleasure. Envy, on the other hand, has no pleasurable aspect whatsoever.

I blame envy for a lot of things. I think envious investors bid stocks like eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) and Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO) up to amazing heights during the tech boom, and Crocs (Nasdaq: CROX) to over $75 a share two years ago. I think envy drove Shaq and Kobe apart and effectively dismantled the Lakers dynasty — at least temporarily. I also think envy causes the average investor to get swept up into bull markets and decimated in the subsequent crashes.

4. Invest with low conviction.
Doing a lot of research doesn’t help much if you don’t stick around to reap the benefits. I think investing without conviction is like marrying someone you just met a week ago. After the initial honeymoon phase, failure awaits after the first set of speed-bumps.

When investing in stocks, I can almost guarantee you won’t catch the bottom. There are just too many random factors involved in the collective buying and selling activities of millions of people around the globe.

In fact, I think investing without conviction almost guarantees failure. Let’s say you were smart enough to figure out that Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) was a bargain back in 2001, and bought in the $10-12 range. The stock had cratered more than 70%, so investors could reasonably think that was the bottom of the barrel.

Unfortunately, everyone who invested in Apple’s stock in 2001 would’ve seen their investment fall around 20%-30% over the next year. They’d also have to wait nearly two years just to get back to breakeven. Many investors would not have the conviction to ride out this storm, and would have bailed out at a loss. However, those with conviction who held on would be sitting on a 20-bagger, with the stock currently above $210 per share.

5. Fail to separate price from value.
Oddly enough, we have no problem distinguishing between price and value at the mall. We don’t say, this Gucci handbag is worth $3,000. We say, wow, that handbag costs $3,000. What a rip. At the mall, we know that the price people want us to pay, and the value we receive, can be two very different things.

The same rules apply to the stock market. For most companies, share prices move around a lot more than intrinsic value. Sometimes the two move together, sometimes they don’t — but they’re two very different things.

The investor who fails to discriminate between price and value fares no better than the tone-deaf contestant in American Idol. Both lack vital ingredients for success.

Final thoughts
So there are a couple of examples of what not to do. If you eliminate as many bad investing habits as possible, you might just turn into a great investor.

Source: Fool.com

Want to stop   getting sick?

My modus operandi when it comes to avoiding illness? I wash my hands whenever I get to my destination (the office, restaurant or home) and eat plenty of citrus and antioxidants in berries, oranges, salads and more. I also like to tell coworkers, “If you’re sick, stay home!” and I’m not above rescheduling a meeting with an especially sneezy editor.

So far, my methods are working—I caught a cold earlier this season, but it was the first time in years. If you hate getting sick as much as I do, try these strategies for a healthier winter.

Be a frequent hand washer
Your mitts transmit infections, particularly cold and flu, more effectively than any other part of your body, according to doctors. That’s reason to hit the sink soon after you arrive at work and home, as well as after any event that involves a lot of handshaking (meetings) or high-fives (the soccer game). Keep your hands away from your face until you’ve gotten to a faucet—and even then, refrain from touching your mouth, eyes and nose. Learn when you do—and don’t—need to worry about germs.

Don’t forget your hat!
Mom was right when she urged you to bundle up. While you can’t catch a cold purely from being outside in cold weather, feeling chilly may lower your immunity, says Ronald Eccles, Ph.D., director of the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University in Wales. Volunteers who submerged their feet in icy water were 20 percent likelier to come down with a sore throat and runny nose than those who kept their dogs warm. If you live in a cold part of the country, buy the warmest winter coat you can find (I just got a purple puffy I’m wild about) and keep your gloves in your pocket, and hat and scarf in your sleeve, so you’re ready to go on morning dog walks no matter how low the temps dip. Get tips for staying warm in style.

Carry your own pen
Signing that dinner bill or store receipt could come at a high cost if you use the provided pen—it’s loaded with germs and bacteria, says Neil Schachter, M.D., professor of pulmonary medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. Keep a ballpoint in your bag. Do the write thing in between signing bills, too—expressive writing may encourage the growth of white blood cells, which fight off infection, research shows.

Get moving!
Exercise helps your body look terrific, of course, but it can also help it work better, improving your immunity as well as your bone strength and circulation. Aim to work out for 30 minutes five times a week to feel as fantastic as you’ll look. Want to shore up your immunity even further? Spring for a massage post–sweat session (as if you needed an excuse!). People who follow intense gym sessions with a rubdown restore levels of molecules in saliva that stave off germs, a study from the University of Granada in Spain finds. Find a toning routine you can do anywhere.

Countdown to fun
Whether it’s a tapas dinner with pals or some well-deserved couch time with your pal Tina Fey, anticipating an enjoyable event lowers stress hormones and enhances your immunity, according to Lee Berk, Ph.D., a professor of pathology and human anatomy at Loma Linda University in California. Put fun first on your calendar—you might see fewer colds and more smiles!

Fill your cart smart
Your prescription for health is right in the produce aisle! Blueberries, green bell peppers, kiwifruit, strawberries and tomatoes all contain vitamin C, to help bolster your immunity. And avocado and spinach are major health improvers, especially when eaten together. Turns out that the monounsaturated fats in avocado release spinach’s nutrients: You’ll absorb up to 15 times more beta-carotene, which can strengthen the immune system and ward off infection, by pairing the two. A spinach quesadilla with guacamole might be just what the doctor ordered!

Source: Yahoo.com

Natural tips for gray hair and hair loss

GRAY HAIR
Here are recommendations for graying hair:

* Eat for hair health. The Chinese have long discovered that black sesame seeds, black beans, and walnuts reverse graying. For healthy and shiny hair, eat foods everyday that are rich in essential fatty acids and omega-rich nutrients: flaxseed oil, sesame oil, olive oil, virgin coconut oil, avocado, beans, nuts and seeds.

* Chinese herbs for graying hair. “Shou wu” (also called “fo-ti” or polygonum root) is a hair nurture supplement available in Asian herb stores, used to restore hair growth and reverse graying. Rich in vitamin E and the B-complex vitamins, Shou wu has many other health benefits: It supports healthy estrogen profiles in women, stimulates red blood cell production, builds your immune system, maintains healthy cholesterol levels, and improves intestinal regularity.

* Color your hair naturally. If you want to dye your hair, use the following natural colorants: Henna works well for shades of light brown and red, coffee or black tea may be used by brunettes, and chamomile and lemon juice can color light hair.

HAIR LOSS
Hair growth is affected by the hormonal system, in particular the androgenic hormones, which include testosterone and a derivative of testosterone called DHT. It is normal to lose around 100 hairs each day, which are replaced within days. However, as we age, our hormone levels fluctuate and start to decline. This reduces the stimulus to the hair follicles and results in hair loss. In Chinese medicine, hair loss is thought to be caused by activities that deplete your vital essence: stress, physical and emotional strain, an unhealthy lifestyle, and alcohol–all of which hasten your hormonal decline.

Here are some hair replenishing remedies:

* Ginger juice helps hair loss. Massage your scalp with fresh ginger juice. Squeeze a 1-inch chunk of ginger root in a garlic press to yield juice. Rub the fresh ginger juice into affected part of scalp. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse it out–or leave it on overnight to stimulate the hair follicles.

* Arbovita replenishes hair. Apply the Chinese herb arborvita to stimulate follicles, improve blood flow, and strip away root-clogging oils. I have used this herb for my patients over the last twenty years with very good success. It is found in Hair Tonic, a topical solution. Other Chinese herbs traditionally used for hair loss include eclipta, shou wu, ginger, and sesame. For a natural herbal blend that combines all these herbs to nourish hair follicles and promote healthy hair, try Hair Nurture Formula.

* Stimulate blood flow. Try this Dao In Massage exercise, which I recommend to all my hair-loss patients. This local stimulation can help invigorate blood circulation. Sit comfortably on a chair. Using the tips of all 10 fingers, gently tap the head all over, stimulating the scalp for about one minute. Begin with light force and gently increase to moderate strength. Then massage the scalp with both hands for 2 minutes, gently at first and then more vigorously taking care not to pull out hair. Straighten the fingers of your right hand, and with the palm side of fingers gently tap all over the scalp 36 times. Repeat with your left hand, another 36 times. To get the best results, do this exercise twice a day.

SCALP PROBLEMS
It’s normal to have some degree of dandruff. Your scalp undergoes regular regeneration and dead skin is shed to allow new skin to grow. This flaking can become worse when hormonal imbalances, stress, and improper diet come into play. Dandruff is at its worst during winter and fall, when the air tends to be dry.

Remedies for scalp issues:

* Apply aloe gel. Squeeze aloe juice directly from the stem of the plant and massage into the scalp once a day, preferably before bedtime, for an entire month. You can get better results by leaving the aloe on overnight and rinsing it out in your morning shower.

* A baking soda head scrub. In the shower, wet your hands and scrub baking soda vigorously into your scalp. After rinsing it out, massage Tonic Oil- containing the oils of wintergreen, eucalyptus, and menthol-into your scalp. Leave this on for 10 minutes before shampooing.

* Soak your scalp in green tea. Prepare a mild green tea, and soak your scalp in it for 10 minutes, shampooing out with olive oil, avocado oil, or hypoallergenic shampoo.

For extremely flaky dandruff and dry skin, I often recommend to my patients our Exquisite Skin Chinese herbal formula.

TIPS FOR SHINY, HEALTHY HAIR
Whatever your hair issues, these will boost your overall hair and head health:

* Nourish your hair. For shiny hair, mash a ripe avocado, massage it into your hair and scalp, and leave it on for 1 to 2 hours once a week.

* Brush bad hair days away. Be like a renowned Chinese empress who had a full head of beautiful hair at the end of her long life, the result of a daily 500-stroke hair brushing. Using a natural-bristle brush, spread your hair’s natural oils with full strokes from the scalp down the to tips, 100 strokes every evening. Studies show steady massage and brushing over time stems hair loss, promotes hair growth, and generally improves hair quality.

* Less stress. For all hair and scalp problems, a daily program of stress reduction exercises and meditation can help regulate your energy and strengthen your essence.

* Go natural. Eliminate hair care products that contain harsh chemicals, which can damage hair roots and strip vital nutrients from the follicles. Use only products with natural ingredients.

Source: Yahoo.com

Top 2 Stocks For Cashing In On Obama’s Stimulus Plan

While the politics behind President Obama’s stimulus plan are debatable…

The potential for making money from this rare $787 billion investment in America is undeniable.

Because unlike the nebulous “bailout plans” that are propping up the U.S. automakers and floundering financial institutions like Citigroup and Bank of America, this stimulus plan isn’t a bailout.

It’s a massive investment that will hand billions of dollars’ worth of projects to healthy, competitive businesses. (Like the companies you’ll discover just ahead…)

And this may be your one-time chance to invest in the companies that could see their revenues soar once the stimulus money rolls in…

But a quick word of warning — not all stocks will go up in the months and years ahead. There will be some big names that never recover from this downturn…

Just as the brutal bear market of 1973-74 sounded the death knell for many darling stocks of the day, like Bethlehem Steel and Johns-Mansville…

At the same time that it set the stage for historic run-ups by a handful of companies like Radio Shack (a gain of 1,557% between 1978 and 1983!) and Wal-Mart (a 1,900% surge from 1973 to 1983!).

The bottom line in all this: You can make a very profitable decision right now. By striking at this rare historical moment, you could build for yourself and your family a comfortable lining of wealth.

Of course, you need an edge. A trusted, independent resource. And that’s where The Motley Fool comes in!

Because while a lot of so-called experts are picking “Obama stocks” that might jump up a little bit in the months ahead…

The Motley Fool’s Inside Value investment advisory service team of researchers dug deeper…

They scoured the world of undervalued stocks… looking for those rare investments that change lives. The stocks that will be talked about decades from now…

And the only stocks that can deliver that kind of long-term performance are the ones with pristine balance sheets and high intrinsic values that sit smack-dab in the slipstream created by a monster trend — the multibillion-dollar trend of Obama’s epic investment in America!

So let’s dive right in… and take a look at the one company that’s in a prime position to cash in on the coming Internet expansion boom…

And take a look at our next investment… it’s a rock-solid company that’s in the sector the U.S. Department of Labor estimates will generate 3 million new jobs by 2016.

And by 2010, Americans will be faithfully handing over $2.6 trillion each year to companies in this industry. Discover how you can profit from this phenomenon…

Overhauling The U.S. Healthcare System

How about a quick quiz to test your healthcare know-how? Pencils, everyone:

1. Approximately what percentage of the U.S. population is uninsured?
1. 1%
2. 5%
3. 15%

Answer: C. The Census Bureau estimates that some 46 million Americans were uninsured in 2007.

2. In 2004 (the year for which the most recent data are available), which location had the lowest infant mortality rate?
1. Cuba
2. Detroit, Mich.
3. Russia

Answer: A. Cuba’s infant mortality rate was 5.8 per 1,000 births, compared with Russia’s 11.5 and Detroit’s 15.5.

3. Which product does Starbucks [Nasdaq: SBUX] spend more money on?
1. Coffee beans
2. Health insurance for employees

Answer: B.

You don’t have to be a neurosurgeon to realize that something seems awry here. When a nation spends more than $2 trillion a year (roughly 16% of the gross domestic product) on health expenditures yet has a healthcare system ranked 37th in performance in the world, according to the World Health Organization, or when “a doctor… can get more data on the starting third baseman on his fantasy baseball team than on the effectiveness of life-and-death medical procedures” — as stated in a New York Times op-ed — something certainly needs revamping.

To bring America’s health care up to speed, the government is investing more than $140 billion into the sector. Some of the money will update the industry’s technological capabilities, some will fund research, and the remainder will increase Medicare and Medicaid budgets. One company clearly stands to benefit: UnitedHealth Group [NYSE: UNH], the country’s largest provider of health care services.

UnitedHealth operates with four divisions, but the bulk of its business ($75.9 billion, out of $81.2 billion in revenue during 2008) comes from its health care services segment. It provides both fee-based and traditional risk-based coverage to small and midsize companies as well as to families and individuals. Under the fee-based plans, UnitedHealth simply acts as an intermediary, collecting fees for administering the plan and leaving insurers with the potential risks of higher costs. With risk-based coverage, UnitedHealth collects monthly premiums that are ideally 15% to 20% higher than the costs it will pay out in claims.

Government-sponsored health plans like Medicare and Medicaid also fall into this division. For these, UnitedHealth bids on contracts from the government and manages the program with the government’s funds. The size of UnitedHealth’s network gives it a competitive edge when bidding for these plans, meaning it’s likely to receive the bulk of the money coming from the stimulus plan.

And then there’s Obama’s campaign promise of universal health care. Bruce Berkowitz, founder of Fairholme Capital Management and manager of the Fairholme Fund [FAIRX], which owns nearly 1.5% of UnitedHealth’s outstanding shares, believes that if this promise comes to fruition, the government could only accomplish it in one way: by using the managed health care companies, of which UnitedHealth is the largest.

Its current share price more than accounts for the possible risks, meaning we believe there is significant value to be found, with high potential reward. This investment is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Our next company is smack-dab in the momentous effort to rebuild America’s transportation infrastructure. Find out the name of the company that’s in the perfect position to cash in…

Rebuilding America’s Highways

Any driver knows that our roads could use some TLC. But just how bad are they?

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, more than a quarter of our nation’s bridges “are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.” As for our roads, we “spend 4.2 billion hours a year stuck in traffic,” sucking some $78 billion out of our economy. Not only does this cause unnecessary damage to our cars, but these road conditions lead to 14,000 deaths a year.

Over the past two decades, as government spending skyrocketed to historic highs, infrastructure spending has plummeted to record lows.

So to bring our roads up to speed, the stimulus plan is slated to invest nearly $30 billion in our highways and bridges, which alone should help create more than 500,000 new jobs. It should also fuel economic growth because, as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California recently put it, “The faster we can move people and goods, the stronger our economy is.” Some have estimated that every $1 invested into highways generates $5.40 in economic benefits.

Vulcan Materials [NYSE: VMC] is one company whose products will see a significant spike in demand as our roads are revamped. According to company data, Vulcan is the nation’s largest producer of aggregates (think crushed stone, sand, and gravel), a top-five asphalt producer, and a top-10 concrete producer, operating with a strategically significant coast-to-coast distribution network.

About 20% of the company’s revenue comes from the residential market. Growth here will likely stay slow until the housing market recovers — but the overwhelming majority of Vulcan’s revenue comes from public projects such as highways, so the increased demand in this area should more than compensate for the residential slowdown.

This company has an enormously wide moat, with assets that are not easy to come by, making Vulcan a dominant player in a high-demand industry today. It’s trading more than 40% below our estimated intrinsic value, with a 3.8% dividend — now is as good a time as any to buy stock.

Next up is the smartest way to cash in on the coming “Green Energy” boom. Find out its name and ticker symbol…

The Smart Way to Invest in Green Energy

We’re willing to bet the phrase “energy-independent America” was one of the most-used taglines of both Senator McCain’s and President Obama’s campaigns. But it hasn’t disappeared — it just made an appearance in the economic stimulus plan, with nearly $79 billion allocated to this initiative in the form of tax credits, grants, and dedicated research.

Despite many experts claiming to know whether it will be specifically wind power or biofuels that ignite a green revolution, there is simply too much uncertainty and too many unknown variables to discern which technology will emerge as the most profitable. Not to mention that no green energy company has yet to dig a wide moat — heck, many aren’t even profitable at all.

But that’s not to say you should avoid this emerging sector in its entirety.

Rather, we think that if you want exposure, it makes the most sense to not put all your green eggs in one basket. That’s why we think an inexpensive ETF like PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy [NYSE: PBW] is the smartest way to go if you want to profit from green technology.

This ETF has positions in roughly 50 clean-energy names with business models ranging from manufacturing green-friendly auto parts to manufacturing solar energy equipment. Most of its positions are in small caps, with the weighted average market capitalization clocking in at just $2.3 billion. Even though the portfolio is relatively diverse, an investment in this ETF will likely be volatile. We certainly wouldn’t recommend overweighting your allocation here, but long term it’s sure to be a winner.

But if all this government spending has you worried about inflation, discover an investment that will help you protect your nest egg…

Inflation-Proof Your Portfolio

The stimulus plan’s passage brings the total price tag of the government’s intervention to an astonishing $9.7 trillion. Two Bloomberg columnists calculated that that’s would be enough to pay off more than 90% of America’s mortgages.

That many dollars added into the economic system, coupled with rock-bottom interest rates, means one thing is certain: Inflation is a-comin’.

Knowing that it’s inevitable, we have one final investment recommendation that will counteract the effect inflation could have on your portfolio over the long term: Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities [VIPSX].

This mutual fund is a cheap and easy way to get access to Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, or TIPS as they’re known in the bond world. The principal on TIPS is adjusted upward as inflation rises (likewise, it falls during deflationary periods), so your interest payments similarly rise with inflation (or fall with deflation). With inflation on the horizon, this is a smart way to ensure that a portion of your portfolio will keep up with it. It makes sense to have a significant portion of your bond allocation in TIPS, especially if you’re in or nearing retirement, and this Vanguard fund is the cheapest one out there to help you do so.
What to Do Now

There you have it — our five best ideas for how to profit from this momentous economic stimulus package, all arising from our in-depth analysis and independent research.

Truth be told, the same holds true for all the stocks recommended in Motley Fool Inside Value, the investment advisory service behind our top picks: Sprint Nextel, UnitedHealth Group, and Vulcan Materials.

But it doesn’t have to stop there. The Motley Fool just put the finishing touches on its brand new premium report highlighting the very best small-cap stocks, selected for you by some of the nation’s top independent equity analysts.

Source: fool.com

But I think we do a pretty good job of putting one on, as we consider it a bad day if we make less than $400. Of course we usually have lots of stuff to get rid of, old collections, etc.

I will often sell inexpensive collectibles, stuff I am paring down or not interested in anymore. Selling online is not always worthwhile to me, e.g. if I have a collectible or piece that might sell for $10. on eBay, I am happy to sell it at a garage sale for $4. to $5. No commissions to eBay and Paypal and no time spent wrapping and taking the box to the post office.

These are our top tips for having a terrific garage sale from years of experience, as well as ideas used from the forum, tips that have helped make a big difference.

Countdown to a Garage / Tag Sale — One Month to Go

* Go through closets, kitchen drawers, the kids toys, clothing closets and start filling boxes.
* Start saving grocery sacks.
* Scout out tables and clothes racks that can be borrowed to be used in the sale.
* Do a little arm-twisting for help on the big day, two people to working a sale is okay, three people working is much better.

Two Weeks to Go

* Decide where and how many signs you need, then visit an office supply store to pick up a few pre-printed signs (cheap and so much easier to use than homemade signs).
* Supplies: Buy (or gather up) colored price stickers, poster boards, masking tape, Ziploc bags and a few black markers.
* Find out if your city requires a permit to host a garage sale.
* Check the newspaper classified ad deadlines, look into your church or school bulletins that might also allow you to mention the sale.

One Week to Go

* Start saving newspapers to wrap fragile items.
* Wash and clean everything. Sounds simple, but many times I’ve seen garage sales where the stuff looks so yucky I wouldn’t even want to touch it, much less buy it.
* If you’re going to donate the leftovers, find out who will come pick them up or where you can take them immediately after the sale. Goodwill has a drop-off area just for that specific purpose a few miles from us. We bundle up our stuff and take it that evening. There are charities that will arrange for a pick-up the week after the garage sale, but make sure they know it’s from a garage sale. I always donated to the Salvation Army until the time they came for pick-up and wouldn’t take anything because some of the stuff still had garage sale price tags on it. I was not a happy camper when I had to move numerous boxes of stuff back into the garage and find someone else to pick it up.

Two – Three Days to Go

* If you are having the sale in an enclosed/covered area, start setting out tables and clothes racks and placing items out.
* Use Ziploc bags for small items that are hard to put a sticker on, such as little toys with extra pieces, also for jewelry that might be easily walked off with.
* Keep like items together, books on one table, kitchen stuff on another, etc.
* Get a large cardboard box or two for freebies. Label the box “Free for Kids Only”.Fun goodies like McDonald Happy Meal toys, balls, toy cars, crayons, etc, things that might sell for a quarter or so are put in the box. This keeps the kids busy while their parents shop and is always a big hit.

Pricing and Protecting

* Use colored stickers so that items don’t have to be individually marked. Post a legend on a prominent posterboard — e.g. orange sticker is 25 cents, red sticker is fifty cents.
* Also use the posterboard to put up prices of items that will all be the same price: e.g. jeans – 50 cents, hardcover books – $1., etc. That way they don’t have to be individually marked.
* Scotch tape two-piece breakables together, but not if it’s cold-painted, be sure tape won’t take off finish!
* Several years ago we started putting up a sign advertising everything left would be 1/2 price after 3 PM, with the exception of a few things marked firm. No more haggling during the day and we were surprised at how many folks did come back.
* Price things realistically, give folks a bargain, but don’t give it away. I vividly remember a scene a few years ago when we had a few mens golf shirts for sale, excellent condition for fifty cents. Someone wanted to pay a quarter each and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I finally grabbed the shirts and put them in a box to donate.
* You’ll never get book value or even close to it at a garage sale, but it’s still nice to know what something might be worth online. So if you’re not familiar with the value of an item, check online to see what it is selling for on eBay (checked closed auctions!). It might be worth holding onto and selling at a later date online.

Day of the Sale

* Get up early and have someone put the signs out (or do it the night before).
* Put on a pot of coffee — put out a few Styrofoam cups and offer it to those early morning shoppers (free).
* Designate one person to be in charge of the money box, as well as keeping a close eye on any small valuable items, remove the larger bills out of the money box periodically through the day.
* Open the doors at the time mentioned in the ad, we never open early, it annoys those who play “fair” and show up at the right time.
* Say hello and goodbye to shoppers, it’s not any fun to go to a sale where you are completely ignored by the seller who is reading a book or engrossed in a long-winded telephone conversation. You should never be too busy to say hello.
* When people purchase a breakable, be sure to wrap it up in newspaper before bagging it up. Or if you are super busy, give them the space and opportunity to pack it themselves.
* When it’s time to discount the stuff 50(or whatever) remove any items that were marked firm and put them away or on a special table.
* When the sale is over, pack away all your stuff, separating stuff you might want to keep from the stuff to be donated to charity.
* Fold up the tables and racks while you still have your helpers, then go inside and count your profits!

Source: collectibles.about.com/

1. Choose An Area Make a list of areas that you are willing to live in. If you are able to commute you may want to include suburbs or outlying communities. When choosing areas you will need to consider commuting times and costs to work to decide if an area is worthwhile. You should also consider crime rates in the area and anything else that is important to you. Such as nearness to a hospital, transit, or schools.

2. What’s Important Make a list of what’s important to you. Pets, two baths, security, extra parking, windows, dishwasher to name a few examples. Once you’ve made your list break it down into two categories. Gotta have and would be nice to have.

3. Check The Area Once you begin to look at suites be sure to do more than examine the suite. Check the hallways, the common grounds, the laundry facilities. Have a walk around and watch that everything appears well maintained, that the landscaping is done. Watch for dangers such as broken hand rails or dimly lit parking areas.

4. The Neighbors Once you find a place that seems to meet your needs, then start talking to neighbors. If you have to knock on their door and tell them who you are. Most will be willing to chat. Find out how responsive the manager is, how fast repairs gets done, and how they feel about the building overall. Let them chatter and see what they have to say. Be sure to ask them if there are things they don’t like.

5. Shared Facilities Ask the manager about shared facilities such as laundry rooms, gyms, swimming pools, or saunas. Find out who is allowed to use these facilities and if there are hours of operation that must be obeyed.

6. Security Check to see if the building has adequate security. Is there a security system at the entrance to the building. Is it adequate? Do all the locks work? Are the windows secured? If it is a gated community find out if there are hours of operation where there is an attendant and find out how you gain access after hours.

7. Costs Besides your rent or lease find out if there are additional costs. Do you pay utilities if so how much do they run. Are there additional charges for heating, maintenance, etc. Is the suite on its own thermostat, is there air conditioning. Ask the manager what the average utility bill runs in the summer and the winter months.

8. The Paper Work Ask the manager to see a copy of the lease or rental agreement. Once signed this is your legal obligation to pay the amount stated. But the lease will also detail other important issues such as the terms of the lease, what conditions can cause an eviction, the restrictions on pets, what the security deposit is, what charges are incurred if you do not clean the suite when you move, and the length of the lease. Read the lease or rental agreement thoroughly and make sure you understand it.

Once you have found the perfect suite you’ll need to sign the lease or rental agreement. If there are any changes made to the agreement be sure both you and the manager sign for these changes. All that’s left to do is determine your possession date, then get busy packing. Looks like you’ve found yourself a new home!

Source: articleclick.com

Best Home Remedies

There are two kinds of stomach problems. A chronic, long-term upset stomach is fairly serious and should be discussed with your doctor. Temporary stomachaches are usually less serious and tend to be caused by something you ate. There are some simple dietary changes you can make to avoid gas; and if you do find yourself with a bellyache, luckily, there are some simple home remedies you can use to alleviate discomfort. In this article, we’ll offer 18 tips that may help.

1: Take a Look at Your Diet
Avoiding unpleasant gas attacks just takes a little planning and some careful choices. Making educated decisions about what foods you eat, when and how you eat them and what you do after can make a huge difference in reducing stomach upset.

Here are a few suggestions to get started:

Upset stomach remedies

Pass on pepper. Red and black pepper are frequently identified as gastrointestinal irritants, so try skipping these to see if your stomach feels better. As far as spices, limit these only if you’re bothered by them. Some people can eat spicy foods without ever experiencing unpleasant side effects, and if you’re one of them, depriving your taste buds isn’t necessary.

Opt for less fat. If your stomach has been acting up, reach for foods that are easy to digest, such as whole grains and lean protein. Avoid foods that are fried or high in fat, which can cause or aggravate stomach upset.

Increase fiber gradually. A high-fiber diet is good for your health, but don’t go too high too fast. A gradual change of diet, with a slow but continual addition of fiber, will help your system adjust gradually.

Choose veggies carefully. You may love broccoli, but if you’re having a problem with gas, cut back. Too much of certain vegetables, namely broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts, can aggravate stomach woes. Cabbage can also cause trouble.

Limit problematic fruits. Some people experience stomach discomfort from eating apples and melon. Pay attention to whether your stomach upset follows eating either of these.

Eat moderately. Take time to enjoy your meal and allow your food to digest properly. Stuffing your stomach can irritate it. But don’t skip meals — it allows acid to build up in your stomach and can leave you with an aching tummy.

Cook gasless beans. If you throw out the water in which you’ve soaked the beans overnight, then cook them in fresh water, you’ll significantly decrease their gas-causing potential. Rinsing canned beans also helps reduce gas.

2: Watch What You Drink

Don’t count on milk. Milk often hinders rather than helps stomachs because many people can’t digest it easily. Though many people think milk can soothe an aching tummy, it actually may do more harm than good. People who are lactose intolerant have trouble digesting milk and end up with bloating, gas and cramping.

Ease up on coffee, alcohol and smoking. They irritate the stomach lining. Even decaf coffee bothers some people. And if you smoke, you can add this to the very long list of reasons to quit.

Drink plenty of water. Aim for six to eight glasses of water a day to keep your stomach and intestines running smoothly.

3: Investigate Your Medications

Stomach Remedies

Other things to try:

Switch antacid brands. Sometimes, a different brand of antacid may prove more effective than your old favorite.

Don’t take an antacid too long. Side effects from antacid use usually don’t appear unless a person has taken the medication for several days. But if your stomach problem has persisted that long, it’s time to call the doctor.

Avoid laxatives. If constipation has your digestive system out of whack, go the more natural route and take bran or a commercial bulking agent such as Metamucil (with plenty of water) to get things moving again.

Lay off the aspirin. Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, can irritate the stomach and have been known to cause ulcers. Choose acetaminophen or enteric-coated aspirin instead and make sure you are aware of over-the-counter warnings for analgesics.

4: Take Care of Your Body

Relax. Stress can cause or exacerbate gastrointestinal ailments such as indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and diarrhea. Relieve stress by reducing the commitments in your schedule, going on vacation, learning to meditate, exercising or taking up a hobby.

Exercise your body. Even a brief stroll, particularly after meals, may aid in digestion and help an overstuffed or crampy stomach feel better.

Check your calendar. Morning sickness is one possible cause of stomach upset in women who are capable of bearing children, so before you consider reaching for any medication or making any major changes in your diet to ease your stomach woes, you may want to make sure that pregnancy isn’t the culprit.

5: Snack on Caraway Seeds

These seeds act very similarly to fennel seeds. They help with digestion and gas. You can either make a tea from the seed or you can do what people in Middle Eastern countries have done for centuries — simply chew on the seeds after dinner.

Caraway seed tea: Place 1 teaspoon caraway seeds in a cup and add boiling water. Cover the cup and let stand for ten minutes. Strain well and drink up to three cups a day — be sure to drink on an empty stomach.

6: Get Things Moving with Cinnamon

This aromatic spice stimulates the digestive system, helping things move along the digestive tract smoothly. You can make a cinnamon tea by stirring 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder into 1 cup hot water. Let the tea stand for up to five minutes and drink.

7: Ingest Some Fennel Seeds

This remedy is one of the most prescribed for gas and stomach cramps by medical herbalists. Try a fennel tea for your stomach: Place 1 teaspoon fennel seeds in a cup and add boiling water. Cover the cup and let stand for ten minutes. Strain well and drink up to three cups a day — be sure to drink on an empty stomach.

8: Drink Ginger Tea

Ginger is a long-time helper for stomach ailments of all types — particularly nausea and gas. Ginger helps food flow smoothly through the digestive tract, allowing the body to better absorb nutrients. Drink a cup of ginger tea to get your stomach back on track. To make your own ginger tea: Add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger to a cup of hot water, let stand for up to three minutes, strain and drink away.

9: Eat Some Mint

A folk remedy for indigestion, mint (in the form of peppermint or spearmint) can soothe a troubled tummy. Mint helps food move through the intestines properly and eases stomach cramps.

Sip a cup of mint tea to let the herb work its magic: Put 1 teaspoon dried mint in a cup and add boiling water. Cover the cup and let it stand for 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to three cups of the warm tea a day. Be sure to drink it on an empty stomach.

10: Make a Thyme Cocktail

Thyme stimulates the digestive tract, helps with stomach cramping and relieves gas pressure. Try some thyme for your tummy trouble: Place 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves in a cup. Fill the cup with boiling water and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Strain and drink on an empty stomach up to three times a day.

11: Use Baking Soda

Make your own antacid with baking soda. (Remember to read the antacid instructions on the baking soda label before you take this home remedy.) Mix 1/2 teaspoon baking soda in 1/2 glass water and drink away. Also remember that baking soda is a sodium compound (sodium bicarbonate), so if you have high blood pressure or are on a sodium-restricted diet, don’t use this remedy.

12: Snack on Crackers

You haven’t eaten anything all day, and you can’t understand why your stomach is churning and burning. The answer is probably overactive stomach acids. And your best bet is to eat something, but to stick with something bland, such as nibbling on crackers.

13: Eat an Apple

Adding fiber to your diet will help alleviate stomachaches and keep your digestive system healthy. One study of fiber’s effect on the tummy discovered that people who ate fiber-rich foods at the first sign of a tummy ache cut their chances of getting a full-blown upset stomach in half. If you haven’t been eating much fiber, be sure to start slowly. Jumping in with loads of fiber-rich foods after living on burgers and fries will give you a mean case of gas. Add fiber gradually over a few months and drink plenty of water to avoid overloading your system. To get started, grab an apple and nosh away, but remember to eat the peel — that’s where you get most of your roughage.

14: Eat a Banana

If you have a sensitive tummy, bland foods such as bananas seem to ease the pain. One study found that half the people who took banana powder capsules every day for two months eased their tummy pain. You can get similar results by eating a banana — or better yet, a plantain — every day.

15: Try Some Soda

Soda pop, particularly ginger ale or lemon-lime and other noncaffeinated varieties, helps settle stomachs. This trick is especially useful if you’ve eaten too much. The carbonation in the soda causes you to burp, which is the quickest way to get relief from an overfull belly.

16: Drink Fruit Juice for Stomach Flu

If you have the stomach flu (which is not really a flu, or influenza, at all but generally some type of microbial infection, like food poisoning) and it’s accompanied by diarrhea or vomiting, fruit juice will help resupply the potassium and other nutrients your body is losing.

17: Take an Antacid

Antacids can help neutralize stomach acids, which can cut that burning sensation you feel when you have an empty stomach. Antacids are very effective in soothing stomachs, but they can have side effects. For example, magnesium-based antacids can cause diarrhea, while calcium-based antacids can cause constipation. Antacids with aluminum hydroxide can also cause constipation.

The dose in an antacid tablet is lower than in liquid preparations and therefore may be less likely to contribute to secondary problems.

18: Improve Digestion with Hot Water

Heat some water on the stove and pour it into a hot water bottle. Put the soothing heat on your stomach after you eat to help increase circulation to the abdominal area. The improved circulation should help improve digestion.

Source: howstuffworks.com

So if you’re looking for ways to accelerate your retirement, here’s how you can move the date of your retirement party up a few years:

1. Add cash.
Yes, it takes money to make money. So the first step in starting and growing your retirement nest egg is finding ways to get more cash into your retirement accounts.

When times are tight, saving more can be a tall order. But you may get some help. If your employer offers a matching contribution to your 401(k) plan, you might double those extra savings. Similarly, Uncle Sam offers benefits in the form of deductions for contributions to 401(k) plans and traditional IRAs, as well as tax credits for low- and middle-income taxpayers who contribute to IRAs.

It takes a little more than $550 per month in savings, earning a 7% return, to get to $1 million over the course of a 35-year career. But if you can add just $100 per month to that — including what your employer puts in and your tax savings — you can cut more than two years off your wait.

2. Embrace stocks.
Saving more is great, but there’s only so much you’ll be able to put aside. You have to make the most of what you have.

People are often too conservative in their retirement investments. Despite the sometimes violent ups and downs of the stock market, the long-term return on stocks far exceeds that of less risky investments like bonds and bank savings accounts. If you have all your money in cash, you won’t lose a penny — but you’re lucky to make 1%-2% right now. Even target funds and other balanced retirement options have sizable portions of their assets in bonds.

A 7% return is a reasonable average for a portfolio that has slightly more in bonds than in stocks. But throughout most of your career, you can afford to take more risk. Owning more stock could raise that return to 9%, lopping off almost five more years from your target.

3. Hit for the fences.
If you only want to match the S&P 500, buying index funds is easy. To get higher returns, however, you’ll have to find stocks that will outperform the index. Here are some examples from the past 20 years:

Those stocks have done particularly well, especially given how badly stocks have done since 2000. But you don’t have to belt all your picks out of the park to retire sooner. If you can eke out just another couple of percentage points on your average return — boosting it to 11% — then that’ll cut another 3 1/2 years off your target.

4. Become a cheapskate.
So far, we’ve only looked at half of the story. How much you spend plays just as important a role in retirement as how much you save. And while many expenses go away when you stop working, new ones quickly take their place — things like travel, entertainment, hobbies, and medical care.

But you have a lot of control over many of these expenses. If it’s worth it to you to spend less in retirement, you won’t have to save as much before you retire. Cutting 10% off your spending means you’ll get to your smaller goal a year earlier.

All in all, combining these four simple tips can let you retire as much as a decade or more sooner than you otherwise would. That thought just might be enough to make even a bad day at work seem brighter.

Source: Fool.com

Sell Your Stuff Online
Kiplinger’s senior editor Jeffrey Kosnett and his wife recently made $200 selling flatware they no longer used through the popular online auction site eBay. You, too, can unload everything from furniture and furnishings to collectibles and clothing on eBay or Craigslist.

Sell your old, unwanted books on Amazon. Kosnett’s wife, Deborah, says the key to selling your wares on the Web is to research similar merchandise that has been sold recently through the site and price competitively.

Be a Shopping Spy
You can get paid up to $20 if you agree to browse a store and provide feedback on customer service, merchandise quality, and other quality-control metrics. Start by visiting the Mystery Shopping Providers Association’s Web site (www.mysteryshop.org) to see a database of jobs with legitimate companies. Sign up with several companies because it can take a while to be contacted. If you like to shop, can pay close attention to detail and can be dispassionate, this could be a good money-making opportunity.

One word of warning: Watch out for scams that require you to pay a fee or wire a cashier’s check.

Operate a Call Center From Your Home
You might consider a job (for up to $14 an hour) with a virtual call center, such as Arise Virtual Solutions (www.willowcsn.com), West Corp. (www.west.com) or Alpine Access (www.alpineaccess.com). As an independent contractor (or, in some cases, an actual employee with benefits), you would provide customer support for companies such as Office Depot, Sears, J.Crew and even the Internal Revenue Service.

In general, you must provide your own computer, designated telephone line and high-speed Internet connection — and, in some cases, pay for your training to become a certified agent. But if you have the time, companies need “operators standing by.”

Tutor Students
Some parents are willing to pay big bucks to see Junior and Janie succeed. So if you speak a second language, such as Spanish or French, or have great math, science or writing skills, you might be able to earn extra cash imparting your knowledge to kids — even college students — for $20 to $30 an hour.

Check with local schools and universities to see if you can advertise your services on their bulletin boards. Or post your services on Craigslist.

Join a Street Team
This is a relatively easy way for young adults who are outgoing and articulate to earn some fast cash. Street teams promote products, films, albums, events and more by handing out samples, interacting with people on the street, or dressing as mascots.

To get a job at $17 to $25 an hour, sign up with a company such as Street Team Promotion.com or A.D.D. Marketing. Actually, if you sign up with several companies, you’re more likely to get a steady flow of jobs, says James Aquafredda, managing director of Street Team Promotion.com. Make sure, though, that the company has a contract that specifies when you’ll get paid.

Walk the Dogs
Why not get a little exercise while you earn anywhere from $15 to $30 an hour? Working folks will pay plenty for you to take Rover or Scruffy on a daily stroll while they’re at the office.

If you don’t want to brave the elements, you might consider pet sitting for people while they’re on vacation. Advertise your services in veterinarians’ offices and on Craigslist.

Be a Babysitter
Just graduated and can’t find a job? Retired and looking for a little extra dough? Like children? From full-time gigs to occasional stints, babysitting can be a fun way to put money in your pocket. In big cities such as New York and Washington, expect to earn up to $20 an hour as a babysitter or nanny. (In small and midsize cities, the going rate is closer to $7 to $10 an hour.)

Advertise your services on Craigslist, the bulletin board at your local house of worship, or by word of mouth.

Write for the Web

Sorry, Kiplinger.com isn’t hiring. But plenty of Web sites are looking for freelancers to write blogs, commentary, and reviews for about $15 to $30 an hour or article. For example, if you know a lot about a particular subject or region, you might be able to be a “guide” and write articles for About.com (http://beaguide.about.com/ ).

In all major U.S. cities, Craigslist has ads for writing gigs. Demand Studios (www.demandstudios.com) offers freelance work for writers, copy editors and filmmakers.

Make Your Hobbies Pay Off
Amateur photographers are in demand to shoot weddings and events, especially in a recession when people are reluctant to hire high-priced pros. If you’re a great cook, you could hold a workshop or prepare meals for a busy family. Tech-savvy? You could teach classes on Web design.

See what your services might fetch by checking out ads on Craigslist or in your local paper or community Web site. Then hang out a virtual shingle.

Sell Your Unwanted Gold Jewelry
Although the price has dropped a bit since the beginning of 2009, the going rate for this precious commodity is still near $900 an ounce. That’s a pretty penny for jewelry you no longer wear or bling that reminds you of a best-forgotten suitor.

Gold-buying shops are popping up at malls across America.

Adjust Your Tax Withholding
This is probably the fastest and easiest way to put more cash in your pocket. If you got a big refund this year, you’re not alone: The average refund so far this year is $2,700. But think about it: You’re letting Uncle Sam hold on to your money for a whole year and paying you 0% interest.

Source: Yahoo.com