The Power of Affirmations and Music

Article Presented by:
Vin Bhat

You already have most of the knowledge in the self-improvement subject. Still, why are some people more successful than others? You might have been inspired by a book or tape in the past. Why doesn't that motivation last longer? Even if you already know the things, why weren't you able to apply them effectively as the time goes by? The answers to these questions are in affirmations.

Key point is you need to be constantly reminded of the positive qualities you already possess. It has been said that the repetition is the mother of skill. Affirmations provide an excellent way to accomplish that.

It's a well known fact that our beliefs create our reality. If we think we can win, we can. Affirmations are the best way to develop our belief system.


What is Affirmation?

The Official I AM University website defines Affirmation as A positive statement that has been specifically worded for the purpose of reprogramming the subconscious mind with positive and spiritual thoughts. One of the key tools of attitudinal healing and reprogramming our subconscious mind. This is a fundamental tool given that our thoughts create our reality! (http://iamuniversity.org/glossary/cv_glossarylist.php)

Affirmation is also known as: Pep talk, Autosuggestion, Positive self talk, Self-suggestion, Mental programming, Positive thinking, Self-hypnosis, Psycho-cybernetics, the Alpha method.

Affirmation is the medium for influencing the subconscious mind.


How Do Affirmations Work?

You know the commercials - same advertisements are shown over and over again. They know the importance of repetition. It takes repetition for an idea to sink in our minds. You need to do the same thing with the positive qualities you are aware of, for them to be absorbed and acted upon by your subconscious.

Napoleon Hill says in Think and Grow Rich - "Here is a most significant fact - the subconscious mind takes any orders given it in a spirit of absolute FAITH, and acts upon those orders, although the orders often have to be presented over and over again, through repetition, before they are interpreted by the subconscious mind."

Statistics show that negative news is broadcast 11 times more than good news. How can we positively influence our thinking in such a negative environment that we live in? Auto-suggestions help you stay positive even during adverse conditions.

The law of correspondence says our outer reality is a reflection of our inner reality. You attract what you are. It's true with your financial success or any other success.

Pat Riley, Coach, Miami Heat Basketball team, 2006 NBA champions, quoted - "A champion needs a motivation above and beyond winning" - When you find your purpose and commit it to your core through affirmations you can find that kind of motivation.

A coach motivates his team. Words motivate. You use the affirmations to motivate yourself.

Psychologists and scriptures affirm again and again the importance of having faith. One must have faith in self to achieve any amount of success. "... FAITH is a state of mind which may be induced, or created, by affirmation or repeated instructions to the subconscious mind, through the principle of auto-suggestion." - says Napoleon Hill the author of classic Think and Grow Rich - "... you may CONVINCE the subconscious mind that you believe you will receive that for which you ask, and it will act upon that belief, which your subconscious mind passes back to you in the form of 'FAITH', followed by definite plans for procuring that which you desire.

".... any impulse of thought which is repeatedly passed on to the subconscious mind is, finally, accepted and acted upon by the subconscious mind, which proceeds to translate that impulse into its physical equivalent, by the most practical procedure available."

Dr. David J. Schwartz, author of Magic Of Thinking Big says - "Build your own 'sell yourself on yourself' commercial. Think for a moment about one of America's most popular products, Coca Cola. Every day your eyes or ears come in contact many times the good news about 'Coke.' The people who make Coca Cola are continually reselling you on 'Coke' and for a good reason. If they stopped reselling you, chances are you'd grow luke-warm and eventually cold to 'Coke.' Then sales would drop.

But the Coca Cola company isn't going to let this happen. They resell you and resell you and resell you on 'Coke.' "

You got to sell yourself on yourself again and again to have faith, belief and confidence and then to succeed.

Mark Fisher and Marc Allen, authors of How to Think Like a Millionaire say - "Both authors of this book have experienced wonderful results by using a simple formula or affirmation developed by a famous French pharmacist, Emile Coue. ... which consisted of these words: Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.

The golden rule of self-suggestion is repetition, so this should be repeated daily - throughout the day - to have the best effect. A relaxed state, where the subconscious is most receptive to new information, is the best - though not essential. It makes the process effective much more quickly, however."


Affirmation Examples:

Suppose you want to work on increasing your self-esteem. Self-esteem is a self-image at an emotional level; circumventing reason and logic, a key factor in success. You can use the following affirmations to increase your self-esteem:

"I like myself. I am a winner."

"I am a valuable person."

"I have abundance of good things in my life and I am thankful."

"I am enthusiastic, energetic and full of hope and promise."

"I am tough, bold, strong and confident."

"Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better"

Similarly, about Goal Setting and taking action:

"I set long, medium and short term goals."

"My dreams and goals make me look forward to each day."

"I take an action step toward the attainment of at least one goal everyday."

"I create an environment that enhances my focus on my dreams and goals."

"I just write down what I want, prioritize them, and set them as goals with a date."

Affirmations must be in first person, present tense format to be most effective. There are also secondary affirmations that positively influence our environment favorable for success. They are, such as - famous positive, motivating, empowering quotes, pictures, our own notes and jots that remind us of the inspiring things.

One of the best affirmation tools freely available online is: http://beinglive.com/members/affirmations.aspx

I used it to improve my goal setting skills and self image. I could create my favorite list of affirmations and also add new affirmations or modify the ones I added. A nice thing about this tool is, it keeps track if I complete my affirmations on a day-to-day basis. I get 1 point for completing a session daily and I lose a point if I miss. I can gain only 1 point a day in each category, but I can work on as many categories as I want in a day. Goal is to achieve 21 points in each category, because it takes at least 21 days to develop a habit. After 21 days, I can move on to other categories, while revisiting the completed categories once a week. It's a good game to program yourself for success and to improve your self-discipline with fun.

I feel good & relaxed each time I complete a session and this is something I look forward to do everyday. I was able to see the positive results after about a week.

Also, the Affirmation tool effectively accommodates different learning styles, so it is effective for visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners.

As Deepak Chopra says in Affluence - you do not need to consciously think about the affluent qualities, you just need to listen daily. Similarly, just complete an affirmation session everyday and subconscious will pick it up eventually and do the work.

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." - Michelangelo


21 Days Make a Habit:

How can we develop good habits? Experts agree that after 21 days of repetition of positive actions you develop them into a habit. So, to start with, just pick only one category, repeat the affirmations and act on it. After 21 days you can move on to other categories.

We are the creatures of habit. 21 days make a habit. You can develop a good habit by working on it consistently for minimum 21 days. "Do one thing every day that scares you." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Why do people tend to forget? You need constant reminders. When you use it regularly, this tool can act as a reminder of positive qualities you already possess.


Music:

Studies have shown that slow (60 beats per minute) music brings the heart rate down to relaxing levels, calms the mind, and increases memory, learning abilities and effectiveness.

You must have experienced a good feeling while listening to an uplifting or melodious music. Listening to slow rhythmic music during affirmation may increase the effectiveness of affirmations though not necessary.

"It occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the result of musical perception." - Albert Einstein upon being asked about his theory of relativity.

"Music cleanses the understanding; inspires it, and lifts it into a realm which it would not reach if it were left to itself." - Henry Ward Beecher.

Anything is accomplished taking one step at a time and that starts with the first step. As Karen Lamb quoted - "A year from now you may wish you had started today." So, start using the Affirmations today.

Free online Affirmation Tool can be accessed by clicking here (http://beinglive.com/members/affirmations.aspx). You are free to reprint this article in your websites or e-zines. Another great source of free reprint articles is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Free-Reprint-Articles


About the Author:
Copyright © 2006 Vin Bhat. This article was written by Vin Bhat, at http://www.BeingLIVE.com/. BeingLIVE.com provides a simple and affordable Coaching Program, tips and techniques to help you to be creative, motivated and focused in life or in business. Access free self-help tools at http://beinglive.com/members . Free Reprint Rights: You are free to reprint this article without modifications, but must include this resource information and all links must be live.

Creative Real Estate Investing: 4 Basic Strategies You Should Know

Article Presented by:
Joel Teo, All Rights Reserved

Creative Real Estate Investing refers to those methods of purchasing and selling real estate that are considered rather unconventional. The answer to the question whether the techniques are unconventional largely depends on whom you ask. While professional investors argue that the techniques below are fairly commonplace, the naïve investor might regard them as avant-garde.

This article will highlight four ways to make more money from Creative real estate investing.

1. Start out Bird Dogging

One of the most prominent, and rather scientific, creative real estate investing technique is "bird-dogging". Birddogs are crucial in the current real estate scenario. They doggedly search for profitable deals for other investors in exchange for a petty referral fee. Though bird-dogging is not much of a lucrative career opportunity, it's still probably the best way to kick start one's real estate investment career. This is because, if an investor can master the art of finding profitable assets, he/she will always be a notch ahead of his/her contemporaries.

Thus, this strategy is best if you have very little capital to start with and want to learn how to invest in real estate without risking your own capital. The knack of spotting a great real estate investment comes with practice which you can gain in this manner.

2. Using Options to Control Property rather than own

Ever traded in stock options? Trading in options is also applicable to real estate. A property owner fixes a price for an asset, and then may sell an option for prospective clients to buy it on or before a set date in future. The buyer of the option pays a premium for it, hoping that the property will experience an increase in valuation. The buyer may then exercise the option by buying property, or he may sell the option to someone else. Options are a fabulous way to gain control over a property without the need to mete out scads of cash.

You would therefore realize that looking for a property that has a "bad luck" seller that is trying to sell as fast as possible and doing simple and cheap things to spruce up the property would provide the basis for healthy profits in this case. Note here you have not spent a lot of money to purchase the option to buy so it is not capital intensive.

3. Using Foreclosure investing to buy property on the cheap

Foreclosure investment is another creative real estate investing technique. When a property owner defaults on several successive occasions, the lender may foreclose the loan and opt for auctioning the property. The first step of the foreclosure process is the filing of the notice of default, which normally takes several months. During this prolonged procedure, a foreclosure investor might step in to stop the foreclosure. He may buy the concerned property from the owner who, being financially distressed, may sell it at a low price. The investor may then sell the acquired asset at a significant profit.

You would want to avoid purchasing the property without inspecting it prior to an auction since Real Estate Law presumes that you have constructive knowledge of anything that could be reasonably discovered upon an inspection of the property so you would want to spend some time to check out the property with a good property inspector before diving into the deal.

4. Rehabbing cheaply and selling the property at a huge profit

Another lucrative, talked over and creative real estate investing technique is termed as "rehabbing". This method involves buying a typical fixer-upper (a house that requires enhancement or refurbishing and usually sells at a below-market price). Sometimes the fixer-upper may not require much renovation, and slight ornamentation and paint could suffice. At other times, significant amount of work might be needed to convert a shabby house into a fine abode. Since this field intrinsically involves more risk, and often more work, it typically offers loads of profits.

The best way to learn how to do this is to spend some time watching the Reality TV shows that do an extreme makeover for properties to learn how people make run down properties look really great. If you are pleased with the new look of the property and the valuer thinks so to, then you can make more when you sell the property.

In conclusion, creative real estate investing when taken in the broader context involves you taking some time to learn all the various real estate investment strategies used by the best real estate investors out there and putting it to work. Always play to your strengths and choose a strategy that invokes the best in you and you will succeed in whatever you do.


About the Author:
Copyright (c) 2006 Joel Teo. All rights reserved. (You may publish this article in its entirety with the following author's information with live links only.)

Joel Teo writes on several financial topics and ways on making money including Property Investment. His website, http://www.realestateinvestment101.info/Property_Investment.html provides a wealth of informative articles and resources on everything you need to know about Real Estate Investing.

VOICE OF FREEDOM

1. The key to wisdom is this--constant and frequent questioning....for by doubting we are led to question and by questioning we arrive at the truth.---Peter Abelard (1099-1142), Sic et non, c. 1120
2. Liberty of speech invites and provokes liberty to be used again, and so bringeth much to man's knowledge.----Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) The Advancement of Learning, 1605
3. Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous.---Julius Caesar (100-44BC.) Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare)
4. The objector and the rebel who raises his voice against what he believes to be the injustice of the present and the wrongs of the past is the one who hunches the world along.----Clarence S. Darrow (1857-1938) Address to the court, People vs. Lloyd, 1920.
5. The real guarantee of freedom is the equalibrium of social forces in conflict, not the triumph of any one force.----Max Eastman (1883-1969), Reflections on the Failure of Socialism, 1955
6. We cannot choose freedom established on an hierarchy of degrees of freedom, on a caste system of equality like military rank. We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.---- William Faulkner (1897-1962) Harpers Magazine, June 1956
7. Under the Priviledg of the First Amendment, many, many ridiculous things are said. ----John Kenneth Galbraith, PBS Firing Line 9 December, 1989
8. You never hear about constitutional right, free speech, and the free press. Everytime I hear those words I say to myself, "That man is a red, that man is a communist." You never hear a real American talk like that.------- Frank Hauge (1876-1956) New York World Telegram, 2 Aug 1938
9. The spirit of truth and the spirit of freedom--they are the pillars of society. --- Henric Isben (1828-1906) Pillars of Society 1877
10. As long as our goverment is administered for the good of the people, and is regulated by their will; as long as it secures to us the rights of persons and of property, liberty of conscience and of the press it will be worth defending. --Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) --U.S. President
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

Sales Prospecting for Long-Term Success

Article Presented by:
Frank Rumbauskas

One of the biggest challenges facing salespeople when prospecting is that few, if any, new contacts become long-term possibilities for sales or networking. This is due to the fact that an initial contact usually ends at just that - an initial contact, and nothing more.

Could you imagine how much more successful you'd be if you could take each and every cold contact you make while prospecting, and transform it into a long-term connection that remains in constant contact with you for the long haul? Think about it. Let's say you currently make four hundred new contacts per month, in the usual manner, meaning you get a few appointments but nothing more. The first month you make your four hundred contacts and that's where it ends. Next month, you make another four hundred contacts and they vaporize into thin air. The third month, you go through the grind again. And so on, and so on.

Now, think of what it would be like if you could capture those four hundred contacts and keep them in constant contact with you. After the first month, you'd have your four hundred contacts done. The second month, you'd have eight hundred in your permanent pipeline. The third month, well over a thousand contacts are yours to own. At the end of a year, you'd have nearly five thousand permanent connections!

Can you see how your sales would absolutely explode if you were able to do this? The good news is that lots of salespeople are already doing it with great success, and you can too.

The key here is to forget about the old method of contacting someone, asking if they'd be interested in meeting with you, and then dropping them forever if they are not. What you need to be doing is asking for that person's permission to receive a free, monthly e-mail newsletter from you that provides the prospect with valuable content that they can use to improve their business.

Getting that content isn't too difficult at all. If you are not inclined to write helpful articles about your industry, or about general business tips - such as time management, or how to increase productivity - then you can obtain content for free on the Internet. Just do a quick search for 'Free Reprint Articles' and you will find thousands upon thousands of articles that you can use in your newsletter. And the newsletter itself is not difficult to manage. Services such as aweber.com that I use personally are very inexpensive, they automate the entire process, and they take care of CAN-SPAM compliance by including an automated unsubscribe link at the end of your newsletters.

What about snail mail? This is effective as well, but the problem is getting your prospects to open and read the newsletter. It's also expensive. Except for the twenty bucks or so a month that you'll shell out for the e-mail service, an e-mail newsletter is free.

The long-term effects of doing this are absolutely astounding. Imagine having thousands of prospects, in your target market, receiving your monthly newsletter. They will appreciate the useful content you will provide, and the best part is that your name will be constantly in their minds as the only person to buy from when the time comes! By publishing a quality newsletter, you are no longer just a salesperson in their eyes - you become a highly qualified expert in your field, they will begin to trust you as a business advisor, and that is what the very top of the top sales pros are to their customers.


About the Author:
Frank J. Rumbauskas Jr. is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Never Cold Call Again: Achieve Sales Greatness Without Cold Calling. (Wiley, 2006). Frank has taught over 15,000 salespeople how to become top producers without cold calling. For Frank's free newsletter, please visit: http://www.nevercoldcall.com

10 Simple Ways to Create Your First Back-to-School Fund

Article Presented by:
Darlene Arechederra

As a teenager, I discovered something really cool about my father. 'Pop' had a rule he lived by. And that was to pick one project on which he would focus each weekend.

When the weekend rolled around, Pop knew exactly which project he'd tackle. By deciding ahead, he was mentally prepared -- and had his tools gathered, ready to work. That was his way of 'keeping things caught up,' as he so often says.

And he really did keep things caught up. That's a lot of projects completed -- and doesn't even count what he finished during the week.

So, I got thinking... Why couldn't we take this idea and make it work for us? Like, what day of the week could we each designate as a *save money* day?

If you're looking for a *practical* reason to save, how about building a Back-to-School Fund? It can help you limit or even avoid using a credit card for back-to-school shopping.


Here are some ideas for finding the cash you'll need instead.

1. Deliberately reduce your grocery bill by ten dollars. Write a check for it and mail it in to your savings account.

2. Designate one day each week as a *spend-no-money* day. Tuck away a few dollars for every pitcher of tea you make at home and bring to work with you. How about bringing lemon pieces with you for refreshing iced water throughout the day?

3. Bring lunch to work one day this week. Simply cook a bit extra for dinner the night before to take with you.

4. Target an item you purchase on a regular basis. For example, if you buy greeting cards weekly, buy them in bulk for about fifty cents each instead. (If you can't find nice cards in bulk locally, call Current Inc. at 877-665-4458 for a free catalog.)

5. Challenge yourself to eating out only if you can spend less than five dollars (choose what your limit will be.)


And how about these...

6. Ask for cash back when using coupons -- and tuck away your savings.

7. Replace a dry-cleanable or leather item with an item that requires no special care. (Ask your family and friends to avoid gifting you with dry-cleanable items.)

8. Close your storage units. Sell the items inside (you're not really using them!) You'll save money for every month you no longer pay a storage fee. (Not to mention the extra money from the sale of the stored items.)

9. Replace a name-brand item with a generic. Try one new generic item each week. Many medicines can be purchased in generic form, too. For example, Claritin's active ingredient is the antihistamine, Loratadine. Loratadine can be found at Sam's Club and other places, including eBay (about $14 for one year's supply. Can't beat that!)

10. Look up one phone number or web address to cancel magazines, newspapers, books, etc. if you no longer have time to read them. Don't forget about mail order automatic shipments, like vitamins, which you may no longer want, too. You'll find money to put back in your own pocket.


Regardless of how you actually save more money, be sure to tuck away all money you save. That way, the money sponge in your checkbook won't absorb it.

*Tip* Keep doing what's working for you (even after school starts) -- and you'll have the makings of your Christmas Fund, already in place.

Now, how much money can you tuck away by the time school starts? Challenge yourself, and have some fun with it!


About the Author:
Darlene Arechederra is the creator of "Goodbye Boss, Hello Kids! -- A Mom's Guide to Coming Home From The Workplace." Moms who have considered returning home will enjoy her FREE Report, "5 Secrets to Coming Home" at: http://www.AffordToStayHome.com/5secrets.html . Please feel free to republish this article as is, with the above hyperlink intact and working.

Why You Arent Making The Money You Want To On The Internet And What To Do About It!

Article Presented by:
Dan Lok

Many clients come to me with problems...

The most common problem I hear from people is they arent making the kind of money they want to make with their Internet business. They dont know what the problem is and they want me to help.

Ill tell you what the problem is. Most of these people are what I like to call "opportunity seekers." These are people that have too many sites and dont spend any time focusing on ONE business. They may have 20 or 30 websites, with each site only breaking even or making a few hundred dollars every month.

Most opportunity seekers are not making the money they want or achieving their financial goals. Why?

They are making a common mistake. They have too many sites, too many interests. This prevents them from focusing their efforts and creating the six figure income they dream of.


Focus Is The Key To Long-Term Success

If you want to succeed on the Internet, you are much better-off staying focused. That means starting off with one site or idea and perfecting it before moving on to the next Internet adventure. Far too many people have a "get rich quick" mind-set. In fact, Id say almost all opportunity seekers have this mind-set. They jump from one program to another hoping one of them will lead to success.

Opportunity seekers are always the first to jump on the next "big" moneymaking bandwagon. It may be one thing one month, another the next month. They may try to concentrate on affiliate marketing then switch dramatically to e-book marketing the next. Whatever seems to be working for others they jump into with wild abandon, without considering their true talents, abilities and interests.

These people are looking for some easy way to make money. They think they can make money with Google AdSense or just a web page, or even with a multilevel marketing program. This is NOT how an entrepreneur thinks! However, this is exactly how an opportunist thinks. They always are looking for shortcuts, and then wonder why it isnt working.

It isnt working because you have no focus. You must have focus. You must think like an entrepreneur. Focus is one of the most vital aspects of your success. My advice to these newbies is shut down 29 of your sites and focus on one site, the one that best represents your interests.

Optimize it. Work on refining it. Refine your sales process and your back end on this single site and make it successful BEFORE you move on to the next site.

Yes, I have many sites. But I am Dan Lok. Youre not there yet. Perfect your one site. THEN you can think about moving on to other moneymaking ventures.


Horizontal Vs. Vertical Business

Many people have what I call a horizontal business. A horizontal business has many sites in many different niches, like hobby niches. People who own horizontal businesses have 20 or more separate business ventures. I recommend having a vertical business instead. A vertical business is a business that has depth and focus.

Having a vertical business means if you have a product in a particular niche, like stock trading, focus on selling products related to that and that only. Put all your eggs in one basket and create a funnel effect. This way youll have one group of customers and you can become a big fish in a small pond. Youll have all your eggs in one place yes... but youll become an expert egg layer and watch all your eggs hatch with great success. Make sense?

What is the problem with a horizontal business? You arent specialized. Its almost impossible to make a six-figure income with this kind of business because you dont spend enough time on any ONE business.

When you have a vertical business, you have fine-tuned your business so well competitors have a hard time keeping up with you. People cant compete. You also build a strong client base with satisfied customers.


Think Like An Entrepreneur

So, the biggest problem people have is they are opportunity seekers. The key is thinking like a true Internet entrepreneur. Dont jump on the trend bandwagon. Dont ask what the shortcuts are. An entrepreneur has a long-term vision. You have to have a one-year, five year and ten year vision. Find out what you want your business to look like in the long-term.

Ask yourself, "What do I want to accomplish ultimately?" Then decide whether your activities fit with your goals. Stop jumping from one program to another. Focus on one program, one site, and one great idea. This is what you have to do if you want to make six figures. It has nothing to do with your knowledge, skill set experience etc. It has to do more with your focus.

Sit down. Think about it. Stop jumping from one program to another and stop getting sucked into false moneymaking schemes. Find out what your goals are, what you want to accomplish. This is a far superior approach. Yes, it takes a lot of energy. But its worth it. In the long-term its much less tiring than diversifying your business.

Once you are an expert in your industry or niche, THEN you can think about diversifying your business.


About the Author:
A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself from a grocery bagger in a local supermarket to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web, as well as a best-selling author. His reputation includes his title as the World's #1 Website Conversion Expert. To find out what Dan is up to now, visit him at: http://www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

Overworking Can Lead to Burnout

Article Presented by:
Kent Jacobson a.k.a. Mr. Success

Do you work more hours than you should? Do you leave the office at night, just to find yourself picking up where you left off at home? Do you feel like you are stuck in a rut and you will never get out? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be suffering from burnout at your job. This often occurs when you work too many hours without taking time off. Many people feel like the only way to get things done is by working long days, and sometimes even longer nights. But this is simply not true. In fact, if you are doing work while you are tired or not at your peak performance, your work is almost always going to suffer.

If you feel like you are experiencing burnout at your current job, there are a couple of things that you can do to refresh yourself. The first thing that most people try is taking a vacation. This is a great way to relax your mind and refresh your body. Even if you do not go to a tropical island you can still benefit from this time off. A vacation does not necessarily mean that you have to go out of town. You can spend your time sleeping in, spending time with your family, or reading. It is up to you to decide how you spend your time. But the one thing that you must remember is that you are vacationing, which means no work whatsoever. This means no checking your email, or calling into the office five times a day to check your voicemail. If the temptation is too much for you to take, then you should schedule an out-of-state vacation and leave all of your work at home.

If you have tried the vacation route and you are still feeling worn out at your current job, it may be time for a career change. There is no reason to feel guilty if you think that changing careers might be able to rescue you from your current slump. Make sure that you explain your situation to both your employer and to anybody at home who may be involved in your decision. The first step to a career change is finding what you want to do. Remember that the reason you are making a change is to reenergize your career, so choose something that you are really interested in. If you have a degree in teaching, but have always worked in sales, maybe you want to contact some of the local high schools.

Do not let burnout control your life. Even though it is sometimes hard to break out of a rut, it can be done if the appropriate steps are taken.


About the Author:
Kent Jacobson, a.k.a. "Mr. Success" is a trusted authority in the success field and provides valuable success information for free through his website at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com . You can also read Kent's Success Blog to find more success secrets at: http://www.Shortcut2Success.com/blog

How Your Writing Can Have Impact For 2700 Years

Article Presented by:
Mark Silver

As taught to you by Homer. Not Homer Simpson, but Homer of that 2700 year-old ancient Greek epic The Illiad. You may turn up your nose at ancient texts, but a lot more people have read Homer than have read you.

And if you are trying to use your writing, on websites, in articles, or in advertising, to build your business, well... you'll want to listen to old Homer (in this case translated by Samuel Butler):

"Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another."

"And which of the gods was it that set them on to quarrel?..."

You might be as surprised as I was to see how engaging this classic is, right from the very first paragraph.


Why Is It Still So Engaging 2700 Years Later?

How many times have you picked up a book or an article, and just couldn't get into it? You got through a sentence or two, and then... you suddenly found yourself scrubbing the toilet, or eating a sandwich (but not at the same time, please), instead of reading.

The reading didn't hold you. Why not?

It has to do with some very simple truths about human intimacy and connection. Ignore them, and your writing may also be sent 'hurrying down to Hades' or left as 'prey to dogs and vultures.'


Everyone Needs Connection And Belonging.

'Belonging' is a simple need, that, if unfulfilled through your writing, will leave you without readers. How did Homer help you feel like you wanted to belong in his writing?


Bored Belonging = (Details + Familiarity)

The last time you felt like you belonged somewhere, I'm betting that many things felt familiar. And what felt familiar? The details. At a friend's house the couch is always in the same place, and you know where the bathroom is.

The problem is when too many details become too familiar- they become a little boring. You tend not to see them anymore, and, when someone brings them up to you- you don't care.


Connected Belonging = (Details + Familiarity) / Curiosity

Connection happens when you engage with something larger than yourself; the Great Unknown, the natural curiosity in your heart to learn and grow and adapt. And that's a key to avoiding boredom in your writing.

To make the leap from boring writing to belonging, you need to bring in familiar details. But to create truly connected writing, you also have to add a dash of curiosity.

How do you do this?


Keys to Writing a Classic

Dump the introduction- In media res instead

Homer just jumped into the middle of it all. He starts discussing the 'countless ills' and the 'anger of Achilles' without bothering to say: "Look, ten years ago this guy Paris stole King Menelaus' wife Helen." 'In media res' is Latin for 'In the middle of the thing.'

By starting in the middle of something, you treat your reader as if they are already an insider- they already belong.

Bring in just enough familiarity.

The truth is that Homer's Iliad may be a little unfamiliar to you, and so it may not engage as powerfully as it could. However, it's lasted as long as it has because enough people are at least passing familiar with the Trojan war, and the hero Achilles, if no one else.

Notice that even if the only person or thing you are familiar with is Achilles, it can be enough to keep you engaged through some of the other details. As long as people have one or two details that are familiar, they can tolerate a fair amount of newness.

Connection/Disconnection

Connect your paragraphs. Meaning, find an important word in the last line of the previous paragraph, and include it in the first sentence of the next paragraph. Notice in the Key above how I repeated 'Achilles' and 'familiar' in the last sentence/first sentence to create connection.

From time to time disconnect your paragraphs. In the first part of this article I was running along happily about Homer and the Iliad, and then suddenly I ask a question "Why is it still so engaging 2700 years later?" But the next paragraph has (apparently) nothing to do with the question, Homer, or the Iliad.

This disconnection, after providing a certain amount of familiarity and belonging, invites you to be part of something larger- to learn, to grow, to adapt. To be curious.

Try writing a short article, and put these three pieces into practice. Notice the -zing- that comes into your writing? You are on your way to writing a classic, the foundations of your business legacy.


My very best to you and your business,

Mark Silver


About the Author:
Mark Silver is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your Business: How Money, Marketing and Sales can Deepen Your Heart, Heal the World, and Still Add to Your Bottom Line. He has helped hundreds of small business owners around the globe succeed in business without losing their hearts. Get three free chapters of the book online: http://www.heartofbusiness.com

Creative Real Estate Investing: 4 Basic Strategies You Should Know

Article Presented by:
Joel Teo, All Rights Reserved

Creative Real Estate Investing refers to those methods of purchasing and selling real estate that are considered rather unconventional. The answer to the question whether the techniques are unconventional largely depends on whom you ask. While professional investors argue that the techniques below are fairly commonplace, the naïve investor might regard them as avant-garde.

This article will highlight four ways to make more money from Creative real estate investing.

1. Start out Bird Dogging

One of the most prominent, and rather scientific, creative real estate investing technique is "bird-dogging". Birddogs are crucial in the current real estate scenario. They doggedly search for profitable deals for other investors in exchange for a petty referral fee. Though bird-dogging is not much of a lucrative career opportunity, it's still probably the best way to kick start one's real estate investment career. This is because, if an investor can master the art of finding profitable assets, he/she will always be a notch ahead of his/her contemporaries.

Thus, this strategy is best if you have very little capital to start with and want to learn how to invest in real estate without risking your own capital. The knack of spotting a great real estate investment comes with practice which you can gain in this manner.

2. Using Options to Control Property rather than own

Ever traded in stock options? Trading in options is also applicable to real estate. A property owner fixes a price for an asset, and then may sell an option for prospective clients to buy it on or before a set date in future. The buyer of the option pays a premium for it, hoping that the property will experience an increase in valuation. The buyer may then exercise the option by buying property, or he may sell the option to someone else. Options are a fabulous way to gain control over a property without the need to mete out scads of cash.

You would therefore realize that looking for a property that has a "bad luck" seller that is trying to sell as fast as possible and doing simple and cheap things to spruce up the property would provide the basis for healthy profits in this case. Note here you have not spent a lot of money to purchase the option to buy so it is not capital intensive.

3. Using Foreclosure investing to buy property on the cheap

Foreclosure investment is another creative real estate investing technique. When a property owner defaults on several successive occasions, the lender may foreclose the loan and opt for auctioning the property. The first step of the foreclosure process is the filing of the notice of default, which normally takes several months. During this prolonged procedure, a foreclosure investor might step in to stop the foreclosure. He may buy the concerned property from the owner who, being financially distressed, may sell it at a low price. The investor may then sell the acquired asset at a significant profit.

You would want to avoid purchasing the property without inspecting it prior to an auction since Real Estate Law presumes that you have constructive knowledge of anything that could be reasonably discovered upon an inspection of the property so you would want to spend some time to check out the property with a good property inspector before diving into the deal.

4. Rehabbing cheaply and selling the property at a huge profit

Another lucrative, talked over and creative real estate investing technique is termed as "rehabbing". This method involves buying a typical fixer-upper (a house that requires enhancement or refurbishing and usually sells at a below-market price). Sometimes the fixer-upper may not require much renovation, and slight ornamentation and paint could suffice. At other times, significant amount of work might be needed to convert a shabby house into a fine abode. Since this field intrinsically involves more risk, and often more work, it typically offers loads of profits.

The best way to learn how to do this is to spend some time watching the Reality TV shows that do an extreme makeover for properties to learn how people make run down properties look really great. If you are pleased with the new look of the property and the valuer thinks so to, then you can make more when you sell the property.

In conclusion, creative real estate investing when taken in the broader context involves you taking some time to learn all the various real estate investment strategies used by the best real estate investors out there and putting it to work. Always play to your strengths and choose a strategy that invokes the best in you and you will succeed in whatever you do.


About the Author:
Copyright (c) 2006 Joel Teo. All rights reserved. (You may publish this article in its entirety with the following author's information with live links only.)

Joel Teo writes on several financial topics and ways on making money including Property Investment. His website, http://www.realestateinvestment101.info/Property_Investment.html provides a wealth of informative articles and resources on everything you need to know about Real Estate Investing.

Holistically Healing Heartburn

Article Presented by:
Wind Publishing Written by: Charles Stewart Richey

Millions of people suffer from the symptoms of heartburn every day. Those with acute cases of heartburn may have a condition called acid reflux or gerd (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

Any form of heartburn is an unpleasant experience, to say the least. The splashing up of stomach acid into the esophagus and throat can be quite painful and potentially dangerous. In extreme cases, where the esophagus is continually damaged by the reflux of stomach fluids, a condition called Barrett's Esophagus can develop. This condition is a precursor to esophageal cancer.

Barrett's Esophagus occurs when chronic acid reflux or esophagitis is not controlled. Through constant inflammation and damage, the normal cells that line the esophagus called squamous cells turn into specialized columnar cells. Columnar cells are not normally found in human beings and can become cancerous.

The physical cause of heartburn is the improper functioning of the LES (lower esophageal sphincter). This ringed muscle at the bottom of the esophagus, relaxes in order to allow food to enter the stomach. This muscle then retracts in order to keep the digestive fluids where they belong. It is when this muscle is too relaxed or damaged, that the stomach fluids can escape up into the esophagus thereby causing acid reflux.

There are many possible causes of acid reflux. The foods that we eat play an important role. Food that is too acidic can aggravate this ailment. Not chewing food properly, eating meals that are too large and lying down within three hours of eating can all contribute to acid reflux.

Certain foods and beverages can cause the LES to become lazy. These culprits include smoking, drinking alcohol and prescription drugs. Raw onions and garlic, fried foods, chocolate and foods that are too spicy can also cause the LES to relax.

There are two ways to treat this condition. They are the allopathic medical and the holistic approaches to disease. The allopathic medical way is to prescribe certain drugs such as H2 receptor antagonists, which include Tagamet and Zantac, or PPI drugs (proton pump inhibitors) like Nexium and Prilosec. These medicines slow down the production of stomach acid and are the two main types of pharmaceutical acid suppressors.

This pharmaceutical approach is dangerous in that it impedes the proper digestion and assimilation of food. There are also numerous harmful side effects associated with these drugs. Drugs only treat the symptoms of a disease or condition. They are not intended to cure. If the drug companies created drugs that cured they would soon go out of business.

The alternative way to treat acid reflux is holistically. Holistic by definition means considering a whole thing or being to be more than a collection of parts; Treating the whole person rather than just the Symptoms of a disease.

Using alternative remedies, which are natural and have no side effects, is certainly the safest and most effective approach. These treatments are also far less expensive than drugs. Holistic treatment, unlike drugs, can actually cure the condition or disease.

In order to develop acid reflux, we must first have an acidic system. By treating the whole body, acid reflux will disappear. What we eat and drink determines the PH of the body.

Vegetable juices, like raw potato, celery and cabbage are very alkaline in nature and are helpful in correcting an acidic stomach. Papaya juice contains the digestive enzyme papain, which has a soothing effect on the stomach and aids in the breaking down of protein.

Slippery Elm, bladderwrack and marshmallow, belong to a category of herbs called demulcents. These herbs aid digestion by decreasing inflammation and by soothing the affected areas. They form a protective barrier against stomach acid and other digestive irritants.

There are many holistic ways to cure acid reflux. Meditation can be of great help. Start by doing deep breathing exercises for ten minutes. Keeping the eyes closed, visualize you stomach, LES, esophagus and throat as young, pink, tender and perfect. Continue to breath and picture yourself in perfect glowing health. See yourself eating slowly in a relaxed atmosphere, enjoying your food. Picture the food being digested and assimilated in a perfect manner. Feel all the parts of your body working in perfect harmony together.

Yoga can also be very beneficial to the body as a whole. Loosing weight and regular exercise are important as well. Drinking copious amount of pure water not only flushes the system of toxins, but dilutes stomach acid during periods between meals.

The holistic approach to healing is the medicine of the future. We can all be a part of that future now.


(c) 2006 Wind Publishing

For more information on how to heal acid reflux the natural way, go to: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com


About the Author:
Charles Stewart Richey resides in Pike County, PA.
Mr. Richey is a self-educated expert on how to cure acid reflux disease, by natural means and has written an extensive report entitled, "REFLUX GONE FOREVER, Natural Acid Reflux Remedies". He explains how the proper application of herbs, health store items, meditation, diet and exercise can heal acid reflux, gerd and heartburn, without the use of drugs.
For information on how to heal acid reflux the natural way, go to: http://www.blogger.com/'

An Atlanta "Interior" Designer Goes "Outdoors"

Article Presented by:
Catherine Wilson

Catherine Wilson is a Residential Interior Designer who owns Catherine Wilson Interiors and lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She lives in the Morningside-Virginia Highlands neighborhood with her husband, two children and their dog. In her quest to refurbish her nearly 100 year old home, she stumbled upon a business dealing with the outside versus the inside of a home.

About 2-1/2 years ago Catherine wanted a wooden window box for her personal residence. Her landscape designer, Andre Theriot, with the Yard Post said "You don't want to put a wooden window box on your house-it will rot in 2 years and you will need to have your carpenter make another one. You should use wrought iron." Since gardening was not one of her hobbies, her experience with wrought iron was less than optimal. The wrought iron planter was not deep enough for the plants to establish a good root system and the plants constantly needed to be watered because the water ran right through the coconut liner. She also rotted the siding on a previous home with a wrought iron window box and her husband, Bill was less than thrilled! Despite Andre's forbidding she was determined to capture that purist look of wood. As she set out on her quest to renovate her nearly 100 year old home in the Morningside-Virginia Highlands area of Atlanta, she started investigating options for windows and stumbled upon a relatively new product, cellular PVC. With a bit of research she found the perfect product that looks just like painted wood but without the rot! In essence, a product that provides the low to no maintenance of plastic without the shiny, fake look!

With 2 pieces PVC trim board left over from her home renovation she had her carpenter, Alan Litt, craft her very own window box with decorative corbels. Neighbors strolling down the sidewalk would stop and ask "where did you get your window box?" One neighbor that she had never met took the time to leave her a note complimenting her wooden window box and asked where she might buy one. From those words of inspiration grew a business.

In the summer of 2004, in the middle of moving boxes, a partially renovated house and a very active family, Catherine put the wheels in motion for Mind Your Manors, Inc. Mind Your Manors, Inc. is now selling no rot window boxes, planters and garden furniture via retail and e-tail establishments up and down the east coast and growing daily.

Catherine, an Interior Designer, recognizes how much simple exterior changes can enhance curb appeal. Adding those "dress maker details"...the "accoutrements" set a person's home apart from another.

With the "no rot" material which causes the need for little to no maintenance on the box as well as the special hanging system almost anyone can have a window box. From the retiree with a green thumb but no green space... to the new college graduate who is renting a high rise apartment in the middle of an urban city... to the homeowner who wants another distinguishing texture on their home...to the business owner who wants to create a personal, inviting look to their storefront... Mind Your Manors offers the perfect solution.

Catherine is excited to be able to offer an architecturally beautiful product that does not rot to help create beautifully appointed homes. In fact, the exterior of a home should convey the personality of its inhabitants as much as the interior.


About the Author:
Article is written by Catherine Wilson, Interior Designer and owner of Mind Your Manors, Inc. makers of No Rot window boxes and planters. Visit http://www.windowboxesetc.com to learn more about Mind Your Manors, Inc. window boxes and planters.

Residential Builders Need to Re-create the "Leave it to Beaver" Lifestyle

Article Presented by:
Catherine Wilson

Do you ever wonder where the neighborhoods went that held the picket fences, window boxes brimming with flowers, uniquely designed houses, sidewalks, canopied streets shaded with 100 year old oak trees, front porches, swings and homes placed close enough so that neighbors can be neighbors?

In our fast paced, electronic, motorized world a simpler way of live is one that many desire. Often times, our worlds are so hectic shuffling from here to there, responding to this e-mail or that voice mail that we don't even know what we are missing. Americans are spending more time in their cars, taking their work with them on vacation and even opting not to go on vacation. We don't make the time to sit down, relax and soul search. However, we are a very visual generation and know what we like instantaneously when we see it. Everyone reacts to memories of a simpler day and time. Memories of our childhood, running from house to house, and our parents, visiting over the fence or on a collective front porch, sends a rush of calmness and serenity through our bodies.

You can see snapshots of this vision in various and sundry neighborhoods across America. Many of these neighborhoods are in old, established areas in small towns or nestled within thriving metropolitan areas. The character of these neighborhoods is apparent in the varied architecture of the homes as well as diversity of people with common goals of community and connectedness.

However, occasionally peppered across America you will find new construction neighborhoods that capture the essence of a lifestyle that people desperately need in this fast paced world that we live in. The homes look like they have been there for years. The architecture is varied and unique. There are sidewalks that lead not only to the neighbors but to the park, a restaurant, the neighborhood school and a store. After school, in the evenings and on the weekends the front porches are filled with people. At a glance it is hard to know who actually lives where because it is one big happy family. The lawns are lush, the window boxes are cared for and the hanging baskets are full and flowing.

These neighborhoods don't just happen. These neighborhoods are dreamed up and painstakingly brought to fruition by contractors and developers that care. These neighborhoods are orchestrated down to the last curb appeal detail to lure like-minded individuals to buy... to be a part of more than just a real estate investment...even more than the purchase of a home. If the contractors and developers do their jobs well, with pure reasons in mind, the money will come. In fact, these are typically the same developers and contractors in which the houses are sold prior to them even breaking ground. They have a reputation for quality construction but more importantly for perpetuating the American dream at a deeper level. They are the developers and contractors that are clear about the goal of creating homes and neighborhoods with souls...the details of the brick and mortar follow naturally.

Our homes should be havens and respites from the busyness of everyday life. Our homes and neighborhoods are where we need to get rejuvenated to face the next day. They should be extensions of who we are as well as who we want to become. Of course, it matters what type of people and families inhabit these homes but ideals, attitudes and good values are contagious. It has been said "if you build it...they will come". "They" are the people looking for a taste of a simpler day, a Norman Rockwell type-setting, a taste of the Leave it to Beaver life.

The challenge is on for all residential contractors and developers to dig deep within themselves to do more than build houses but embrace the growth of a dream that all families have...much like the growth of the array of colorful flowers filling the window boxes on each home!


About the Author:
Article is written by Catherine Wilson, Interior Designer and owner of Mind Your Manors, Inc. makers of No Rot window boxes and planters. Visit http://www.windowboxesetc.com to learn more about Mind Your Manors, Inc. window boxes and planters.

Secrets Behind Advertising Headlines That Sell (Step By Step)

Article Presented by:
Scott Bywater

Not 1 in 10 business owners understand the power of a headline. If you doubt me, just Flick through your local paper and notice how many company names you see at the top of ads. Or weak headings which don't grab your attention.

And yet, most people don't spend anywhere near enough time creating one.

And when you consider the fact many copywriting experts recommend you invest at least 80% of your time on the headline... you'll understand exactly why it's so important.

Because if the headline doesn't grab the attention of your reader... then you can be guaranteed - nothing else will.

So how many headlines should you write?

I always recommend generating at least 30-50 headlines to grab your customer's attention. Then choose the best of the bunch.

And how do you get ideas for headlines? The method I use is to base your headlines on proven and tested formulas.

You'll find a bundle of these formulas in

How To Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab (available from Amazon.com)

Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples (available from Amazon.com)

Or my own 180+ page home study course: Cash-Flow Advertising (email me for details)

But here's a few examples to get you started:

WARNING:

Announcing...

Who else wants...

How to...

7 good reasons why...

Let's make this practical with an example of how a mechanic could apply this to his business:

WARNING: Don't call any other mechanic until you read this

Announcing: The mechanic that guarantees he'll fix your car on time... or your money back

Who else wants a mechanic that specializes in fixing BMW's (perhaps this could be used in a BMW Magazine!)

How to instantly make your car as safe as possible

7 good reasons why you should call Scott's Mechanic's right now...

Remember, come up with 30-50 of your own... circle the 5 you like the best and then nut it all down to your one ultimate headline.


About the Author:
Scott Bywater is well known for getting results as a professional direct mail copywriter. And also the author of Cash-Flow Advertising. To get access to his highly prized complimentary copy of '7 Ways To Boost Your Turnover... No Matter What The Economy' (valued at $29.95) and a free subscription to his "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter where you'll discover the truth about why most ads and sales letters don't work (And how to make yours different) scamper over to his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au

Adding a Precast Concrete Stairway Bulkhead to Your Home

Article Presented by:
New Hampshire Concrete Cutting and Core Drilling, All Rights Reserved Written by: Robert Short

Nowadays it pays to be aware of the choices available in the market in order to make the right decisions when it comes to improvements in the home. And with the skyrocketing price of construction materials and services, it makes sense to know what options are available.

Take for example the installation of precast concrete bulkhead stairway to your home's basement. Whether you can take on the work yourself or coordinate it with a couple of sub-contractors, installing a pre-cast concrete stairway to your basement is actually a fairly straightforward project. Either way, it pays to have a basic knowledge on what a pre-cast bulkhead is.


What Is A Precast Concrete Bulkhead Stairway?

Simply put, a precast concrete bulkhead stairway is a horizontal or sloping structure, made of precast concrete, leading to a cellar or basement stairway. Precast concrete is concrete that has been mixed, formed in precast concrete molds, and vibrated in a very controlled "plant" type environment and then delivered or trucked to its final destination and then installed. There are many other kinds of pre-cast products available in the market such as pre-cast concrete box culverts, pre-cast concrete foundation wall panels, and others.

While some precast concrete products appear to be much thinner than conventional "poured in place" applications, this fact alone does not make the former of any less quality. Surprising as it may sound, precast concrete products are in fact much more durable.


Tips On How To Have A Pre-Cast Concrete Stairway And Bulkhead Installed

Basically, this project would involve digging a hole, cutting a doorway opening into the concrete foundation, and actually installing the pre-cast concrete bulkhead. Hence, getting in touch with a reliable precast concrete product dealer who can offer you the best price, quality, and reliable service would get the project going smoothly.

Your first step is to locate a precast concrete product dealer by going through the list of local precast concrete dealers in your local phone directory or by doing a search on your favorite search engine.


Once you have located a reputable precast concrete dealer you need to visit the pre-cast manufacturer's showroom, which usually consists of a giant grassy field full of stairs, bulkheads and culverts. You'll need to choose the size and style that is right for your project. A standard precast concrete bulkhead will generally cost less than $1000 and this includes the steel bulkhead cover and the installation.

Once you have chosen the right precast concrete product be sure to ask for a worksheet or specification sheet that comes with your particular product. This "spec sheet" will tell you how much digging needs to be done and what size doorway your concrete cutting contractor needs to cut in the foundation.

Next comes the digging of the hole for the bulkhead, which can be done using several methods. You can dig it by hand with a pick and shovel, rent a small excavator from a tool rental outfit, or hire the services of a professional excavation contractor who can do the work for you. The last two options would normally cost you between $300-$500. Considering the difficulty of this particular task, hiring a professional excavator who can complete the task of digging in less than a few hours is recommended. You can ask and shop around for the best price.

One important consideration is ensuring that you notify your area's "DIG SAFE" program and have the excavator come out and locate any hidden underground utilities before excavation work is started. Also, keep in mind that your excavator will have to remove and dispose of about 50% of the dirt that is removed from the hole because the concrete bulkhead to be installed will take up about that much volume of space. If this is not feasible, you may opt to use this dirt somewhere else on your property or give it to one of your neighbors who may have some use for it.

Once the precast concrete bulkhead hole has been successfully dug out and the portion of the concrete foundation that needs to be cut is exposed, you need to clearly layout your cut lines. You can do this with a measuring tape, a bright yellow lumber crayon, a 4' level, and other materials as may be instructed on the spec sheet.

This is the point where your Concrete Cutting contractor comes in. Having an estimate of the cost of services of a professional concrete cutter will be very helpful, considering that those who offer such services require different rates in cutting and dropping the concrete opening and to jack hammer the piece into manageable pieces, or to remove the pieces from your worksite.

A Quick Tip: Simply have your excavation contractor dig a "grave" for the concrete at the bottom of your excavation. This way you can just bury it and save you the time, money and the hassle. All you have to do is explain, and communicate your standard doorway specifications to the concrete cutter. Most precast concrete product manufacturers will do the installation for you at no additional cost or it may be included in the price.


About the Author:
(c) 2006 New Hampshire Concrete Cutting and Core Drilling, All Rights Reserved

Written by: Robert Short
New Hampshire Concrete Cutting and Core Drilling provides concrete cutting and core drilling services to the contractor and homeowner in New Hampshire or NH. Visit our website at http://www.affordableconcretecutting.net for more information on concrete cutting and core drilling.

How Disposable Medical Glove Standards Are Developed

Article Presented by:
Irene Perez

Medical gloves provide a critical barrier in clinical environments, protecting both workers and patients. In fact, the Center for Disease Control ( http://www.cdc.gov/ ) recommends that all healthcare workers wear gloves as a safeguard against HIV and other blood-and-fluid borne infectious agents.

To make sure medical gloves provide adequate protection, the Food and Drug Administration ( http://www.fda.gov/ ) enforces a variety of standards for glove manufacturers to follow when making and marketing gloves.


The FDA's Authority over Medical Gloves

Initially, the FDA focused solely on regulating drugs. But this changed with the May 28, 1976 introduction of the Medical Device Amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FFD&C) Act. Now FDA regulations provide for the safety, effectiveness, and proper use of all medical devices-including disposable medical gloves.

The FDA doesn't actually write standards for medical devices. Instead, it recognizes guidelines written by others, such as the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), the American Association of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and United States Pharmacopoeia (USP). FDA representatives do, however, participate in standard-writing committees.

Often, the FDA applies the established standards as baseline requirements when evaluating medical devices and supplies for the marketplace. As an example, the FDA requires all medical glove manufacturers to meet ASTM guideline D 5151 for the detection of holes in disposable exam gloves.


Medical Gloves and the ASTM

ASTM is a nonprofit organization that provides a common ground for consumers, manufacturers, organizations, government representatives, and academia, to meet and write standards for variety of products, services, and materials. Its guidelines are wholly recognized by the FDA. As a result, glove manufacturers must conform to these standards to meet FDA requirements for the particular types of medical gloves they market. Medical gloves, in fact, were some of the first products for which the ASTM developed standards.

Periodically, the ASTM revises its standards to respond to industry, consumer and regulatory needs. Otherwise, the guidelines are reviewed every five years, and then re-approved or withdrawn. Each year, the ASTM publishes more than 10,000 standards in a 70 plus volume set entitled Annual Book of ASTM Standards ( http://www.astm.org/BOOKSTORE/BOS/ ).


ASTM Testing of Medical Gloves

The ASTM requires different standards for different medical gloves based on performance specifications. Glove products are scientifically tested to accurately assess products made from a variety of manufacturing approaches, formulations and materials. Rigorous analysis is conducted in a variety of areas, including the following:

1. The Water Leak Test which consists of filling a medical glove with 1,000 ml of water, suspending it for two minutes and then inspecting it for any leakage;

2. The Air Inflation Test which involves inflating the exam glove with compressed air and visually inspecting it for holes;

3. The Chemical Permeation Test which measures the resistance of protective clothing materials to permeation by liquid or gaseous chemicals under conditions of continuous contact;

4. The Tensile Strength Test which measures the amount of force in pounds per square inch that is needed to stretch a medical glove to the breaking point;

5. The V-Tear Test which determines the force required to initiate a tear in the medical glove;

6. The Trouser Tear Test which measures the force needed to continue tearing once an initial tear has been made in the glove;

7. The Puncture Resistance Test which determines the glove material's ability to resist rupturing when stricken by an object and;

8. Skin irritation and sensitization tests which demonstrate the medical glove's potential for irritating the user's skin and possibly causing allergic contact dermatitis.


Most of these types of tests have specific Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) standards which the medical gloves must meet in order to pass FDA regulations.



About the Author:
Irene Perez is General Manager of DonTheGlove.com, the online division of Handgards Inc, a 45 year old company specializing in hand protection products. Irene is the company's expert in medical gloves and a frequent contributor to the website's resource centers. If you thought this article was helpful, explore additional articles now at: http://www.dontheglove.com/

Small Business Collections: Third Party Levy Power

Article Presented by:
Gene Allen

Walter Small Business: For years we had a great business relationship. We shared rental space, did joint promotions, and made money together... not a lot of money, but we made money. Then he got into trouble with the IRS, something about back taxes on some land. He was in a bind so I loaned him some money.

Gene Skiptracer: How much money?

WSB: $8,700.00! That was three years ago. When he got back on his feet again, he wouldn't talk to me about repaying my money, or even return my phone calls. So I went to court and got a judgment against him.

GS: What type of business does he have?

WSB: He owns PR Trucking Company. He has five trucks and his biggest customer is Stay Lowe Food Market

GS: Is your judgment against him or against the company?

WSB: Against both.

GS: I think you can get your money fairly easy. Who supplies his gas?

WSB: Reader Oil Company. He pays for consignments and has a storage tank almost as big as a gas station. They make two deliveries a month.

GS: This is how you can get his attention and make him pay. Have your attorney file garnishment papers requesting a third party levy. A third party levy is a powerful collection tool.. You can garnish the Stay Lowe Food Store and request that it surrenders all money being held for the judgment debtor. You can also use a third party levy to seize all products being held by a third party for the judgment debtor. If PR Trucking pays Reader Oil Company for a consignment of gas, you can petition the court to order Reader Oil Company to release the gas to you. Once it's in your possession you can auction it off to pay for your judgment. Third party levies can be used to garnish bank accounts, stocks and bonds, or any other valuables being held by a third party.


About the Author:
Gene Allen is a collection specialist with 11 years of experience in the industry. His new ebook "Powerful Secrets of Bounty Hunters & Lawmen for Tracking Deadbeat Cash...Guaranteed" gives practical tips on asset location. http://www.digenrecovery.com

Create a Home that Nurtures, Inspires and Enlivens

Article Presented by:
Barbra Sundquist

Quick, think of an amazing environment. A place where you feel totally alive and inspired. Got a place in mind? Now make a list of the attributes of that place. Is it indoors or outdoors? Quiet or lively? What colors, smells, sounds, objects, people are present?

You've just defined what aliveness feels like for you. Now think about your home. What clues to your personality, interests and values does your space provide? How close is that to who you really are?

Let's look at this another way. How many of the attributes from your "amazing environment" are present in your everyday environment?

If you're like most people, the answer is "not many". For many of us, our home environment is just there in the background. We haven't given it much thought since the day we moved in. Maybe we started out with some hand-me-down furniture, and over the years added some new pieces. And added, added, and added. Ever noticed how the amount of stuff coming in the door greatly outnumbers the stuff going out the door? That exercise bike that seemed like a good idea at the time sits collecting dust in the basement. The collection of Royal Doulton figurines that your mother has been giving you every Christmas since you were a teenager (lovely thought, but definitely not your taste). The cat scratching post that's seen better days.

So what's wrong with a "lived in" house? Nothing, as long as it works for you. If your definition of "amazing environment" is last year's camping trip family reunion, where the thing that made it amazing was the casual environment where everybody could kick back and relax... then the "lived in" look may be perfect.

But if your amazing environment involves spaciousness, quiet, and aesthetic beauty…then the casual cluttered family home will be a disconnect, and you won't feel fully alive there. You'll always have a vague feeling of wanting to be somewhere else.

I'll give you a personal example. When my husband and I built our first house 20 years ago, cost was our biggest consideration. Whenever the builder asked us "would you like x or y?", my answer was inevitably "which is cheaper?" As a result, we ended up with the perfect home for that stage of our lives - a modest home with a modest mortgage. We didn't need a lot of space anyways, we argued - we're never at home anyways.

Over the years, things changed. We became homebodies. Skiing and traveling were replaced by gardening and reading. We collected lots of books, paintings and even a few antiques. Our house started to feel cramped and a little boring. It didn't reflect who we had become. Clearly our environment had not kept up with us.

I started working with a life coach, and one of the questions he asked was "how do you define success?" I was somewhat shocked to realize that among other things, for me success means living in a beautiful home. Not for the status, but because it means that I have made "home" one of my highest priorities. So with my coach's help, I started looking for ways to make that dream come true.

Recently, my husband and I moved to an architecturally interesting house situated in a forest clearing, and are thrilled with our new environment. It reflects who we are now…a middle-aged couple who value spaciousness, privacy, and aesthetic beauty. Incidentally, our new house has many elements consistent with my "amazing environment" - which is a woodland path.

Of course, moving is a pretty drastic solution and not possible or even desirable for everyone. That's where taking a good look at your present environment and comparing it to your "amazing environment" can be instructive.

What I'm talking about is assessing whether your space reflects your current values and lifestyle. If your personal environment has not caught up with your life, there are lots of things you can do. Jan Addams, a Vancouver area interior designer and author of Inside Out Image and Design believes that the key personal elements that make up a home's character should reflect the occupant's personality and viewpoint. Jan says this is important be it is a symbiotic relationship: not only do our spaces reflect who we are, they also shape our behavior.

Jan gives an example of a dental office she redesigned. Originally a rather antiseptic gray and pink office, the owners wanted to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere. In keeping with the Deer Valley location, Jan established a woodland theme by replacing the institutional concrete sidewalks with curving woodland pathways, and installing oak paneling, low lighting and forest colors in the interior. She also hired an artist to paint a woodland mural in the children's area. Now when patients arrive they take their time walking along the attractive woodland paths and are more relaxed by the time they get to the dentist chair. And from a marketing point of view, the dental practice has branded itself as a warm, relaxed place that cares about the quality of people's experience.

So think about your space: does it reflect who you are? How does it shape you? Are there changes you want to make? Maybe the reason you don't use that exercise bike is because you never remember to go down to the basement. What would happen if you moved it up into the TV room?

Similarly, maybe your "amazing environment" involved walking on the beach. While you may not be able to move to oceanfront property, you could arrange some beach pebbles in a lovely aqua bowl on your coffee table. Then every time you looked at them you would be reminded of what nurtures you.

It's clear that our spaces reflect who we are, and that we are always adapting to our environment. Does your space pull you forward or hold you back?


About the Author:
Barbra Sundquist, MPA, IAC-CC is the founder of LowCostLifeCoaching.com where you can hire a professional life coach for only $50 a month. This article is excerpted from Barbra's ebook "Amazing Environments: How to Use Life Coaching Principles to Create a Home that Nurtures, Inspires and Enlivens". To get a free copy, please go to: http://www.LowCostLifeCoaching.com or email: home-ebook@aweber.com

Why and How-To Begin Building Business Credit

Article Presented by:
Alexus Abbott

When you are running a small business, you know that you are going to face challenges that the larger companies and corporations do not have to deal with or have already dealt with. If you are not only the owner of a small business, but one of its primary employees as well, then you may not have as much time to dedicate to analyzing your financial data as you would like.

Many small businesses fall into the trap of being more concerned with paying the monthly bills, meeting payroll, and acquiring new customers, and not paying enough attention to ways to improve the businesses' financial status.


What Is Business Credit?

Small businesses need to establish business credit in order to operate more efficiently and to better manage revenue. Many people running a small business do not realize that they can set up a credit rating that is separate from their personal credit rating, in the form of a business credit rating.

We are not talking about trade credit here. Trade credit is a totally separate matter. One of the big downsides on trade credit is that it restricts all of your purchases to the company who is offering the credit line. For example, if you get a trade credit account with one of your local office supply stores, then you will find that you have to pay whatever prices they are charging for their goods. It is entirely possible that if you were to shop around, you would find that the new office supply store down the street is offering better prices... but they are not offering trade credit. So, as a captive of trade credit, you are forced to spend more money than what should be necessary in order to keep your business running.

Instead of trade credit, we encourage all businesses to get credit cards and business credit lines. Both give you more choice on where you buy your goods and services. Both open your purchase decision options to reflect getting the best deal or hiring the best provider of the product or service.


Establishing The Legal Foundations

The first step in establishing business credit is to create a professional company. It is quite easy to turn your business into a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or into a corporation. These are far better options than operating your business as a sole proprietorship or as a partnership. The primary reason that businesses become incorporated or turn into an LLC is to protect the owner's personal credit and assets. If you operate as a sole proprietorship or a partnership, and your business runs into financial trouble or legal trouble, your personal assets and finances can be seized to cover your debts or to pay for legal proceedings.

Once you have set up your professional company, you can register your business with the business credit bureaus, but you want to make sure that you fully comply with all of the business credit market requirements. Basically, this means that you will run a professional above board business with all of the appropriate licenses and that you are meeting all of the typical government requirements in your local area.

You will also want to prepare professional financial statements and a business plan that will illustrate to possible creditors that your business is in good financial health. Once you start using your business' credit, you want to make sure that you make your payments on time and in full, just as you would with personal credit.


Getting Started With Business Credit

If you have recently incorporated your business or if you are a new business, and you do not have a business credit score to show other businesses, the you might find it difficult to locate companies willing to give you a credit start. Finding credit can also be a problem if you have had business credit in the past, and your business credit rating is negative.

An option to look at if either of these scenarios applies to you, is to look into business credit cards as a possible starting point. Business credit cards are a helpful and viable option for many companies. They are easier to acquire, and credit cards can help businesses get what they need, when they need it.


Business Credit Can Prevent Business Failure

Building business credit and assuring that you have access to needed capital, is critical if your business is to succeed. The statistics say that most small businesses fail within just a few years of start up. The primary reason for this is poor financial management and a lack of access to capital. All businesses run into times when they need large amounts of money fast. If you do not plan ahead for access to capital, your business will need to do exceedingly well financially, in order to survive.

Making sure that you build business credit and that your information is being submitted to business credit bureaus is a lot of work and takes a lot of time. Many small businesses are realizing that it is a smart investment to hire a company to take care of this for them. If you do not have the experience in financial management, or if your schedule is consumed by the day-to-day activities of running your business, it may make sense to hire a company to help you establish your business' credit.

Hiring someone to assist you is a small investment that will help to ensure that your business survives the long run, and that your business will have the financial potential to grow and expand as you move forward.


About the Author:
Alexus Abbott writes about business finance for Corporate Fast Track. Corporate Fast Track specializes in helping people establish new business credit. Their services have been used by thousands of small business owners across the United States to help them obtain major credit cards and lines of credit with major lenders without using their personal credit. They can even help business owners repair their business credit ratings. For more details, please visit http://www.corporatefasttrack.com/ 1-800-378-6288

10 Deadly Mistakes to Avoid When Applying For a Home Mortgage

Article Presented by:
Frank Oakerson, All Rights Reserved

Applying for a home mortgage goes well beyond filling out a few forms and awaiting approval for a conventional or jumbo loan. There are mistakes you must avoid when applying for a home mortgage and any one of the ten listed can wreak much havoc, even scuttle the loan. Let's take a look at potential mistakes and how you must avoid them to ensure that your mortgage is approved without a hitch.

1. Getting prequalified, but not pre-approved for a home mortgage. No matter whether you are seeking a home that will be conventionally financed or one requiring a jumbo loan, getting prequalified by a realtor is a waste of everyone's time, while getting pre-approved by a Texas mortgage broker is many times better. Prequalification really does nothing, while pre-approval means that you have a loan in hand. Better yet: get pre-approved and have a letter of approval with you when shopping for a home.

2. Letting credit problems continue unabated. Did you know that you could get free copies of your credit report from each of the three major credit-reporting bureaus? That's right, on an annual basis you can get one free report each from Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union and find out what is on your credit report. If there are errors or things that need improvement, you can address these problems ahead of time. For approximately $5 - $7 you can get your credit score too. The higher your score, the lower home mortgage interest rate will be. You could save hundreds of dollars per year with this little bit of extra knowledge.

3. Too much house, too little money. Perhaps you could get approved for a more expensive home, yet after calculating all of the other expenses in life, you learn that you will be stretching making monthly Texas mortgage payments. Don't jeopardize your future; if you cannot repay your conventional or jumbo loan, your home could be repossessed. Instead, purchase a home within your means.

4. No rate lock for your conventional or jumbo loan. As Texas mortgage rates rise, you can be assured of a low, fixed rate if you lock in the rate. Imagine getting a great rate only to see it get kicked up a half of a percentage point before you close, costing you hundreds of dollars extra per year! The higher rate could even cost you your loan.

5. Excessive closing fees. You may be able to afford monthly Texas mortgage payments, but can you afford the closing fees? If you aren't careful, you could pay thousands of dollars in extra fees before your home mortgage closes. Get a good faith estimate to find out the fees in advance of your closing.

6. No residual funds leftover. After buying a home, do you have enough money on hand to pay for maintenance costs? Utility bills? Other unforeseen expenses? With no cash on hand, you could soon see yourself running up big credit card fees to pay for expenses.

7. Not using a professional inspector. In some jurisdictions, using a home inspector isn't required. While tempting to not rely upon the services of a trained professional, you may miss an important structural problem and have little or no recourse at closing. Ultimately, by not using a professional inspector it could be one of the costliest mistakes that you make.

8. Waiting on home insurance. Before you can close on your home, you must have a home insurance policy in place. Don't wait until the last minute to get insurance as you could run into delays that may push back the closing date of your home.

9. Signing documents without reading them. Don't assume that the verbal agreements you made are the same as the written agreement you sign. If a problem arises, the written agreement will trump the verbal agreement, no matter how well intentioned either of the parties may have been.

10. Relying on a set closing date. Life happens and closing dates can shift. If you are renting and seeking to move on the same day that your home mortgage close, you could find yourself homeless if the closing date shifts. Build in a buffer of several days to a week to protect yourself.


There are other deadly mistakes that can occur after you have already moved into your home. Chief amongst them is bad mortgage refinancing where owners leap for a lower rate without calculating the closing costs. You may find yourself eligible for mortgage refinancing but learn too late that with all of the closing costs added in, your savings could be wiped out. Better to make certain that your mortgage refinancing plans are checked by an accountant specializing in mortgage refinancing options before agreeing to a new loan.

If you are looking for additional articles on mortgage and real estate for your web site or your newsletter, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Free-Reprint-Articles for the best selection.


About the Author:
Frank Oakerson is a licensed loan officer #56753 in the state of Texas. I am available to assist you in purchasing your first home, bad credit mortgage, FHA Loan, VA Loan, you name it. At YourMortgage123.com you will find a number of informative articles, mortgage calculators, info on VA loans, mortgage refinancing, stop my foreclosure, and getting pre-approved. Stop by and let me get started on a Texas mortgage for your property today. I have all of the information and tools you need to make your home buying dreams a reality. http://www.yourmortgage123.com

Buying Guide and Tips To Get More Life Out Of Your Clothes Dryer

Article Presented by:
Emerson Lockwood

Buying a clothes dryer for your home is a fairly simple decision process. Once you have read this report, your buying decision might even be a bit easier.

Four manufacturers produce the clothes dryers that account for 80% of dryer sales in America. Those four primary brands are: GE, Maytag, Kenmore (a Sears brand), and Whirlpool.

There are other generic brand names that are sold in the marketplace, and most of those are subsidiaries of the major manufacturing companies. Maytag makes Amana. Electrolux makes Frigidaire, Westinghouse, and White-Westinghouse appliances. GE makes Hotpoint. And, both KitchenAid and Roper are made by Whirlpool.

There are really only five choices to make when choosing your next clothes dryer:

1. Size of Tub

2. Gas or Electric

3. Thermostat or Moisture Sensor Shutoff

4. Quiet Dry

5. Other Gadgets


SIZE OF TUB

There are three basic size designations in washers and dryers. There is Extra Large Capacity, Super Capacity and Super Capacity Plus, or a variation thereof. The actual volume difference between each of these size designations is really quite small on the grand scheme of things. Usually, we are talking an extra pair or two of blue jeans for each size increase.

When selecting the size capacity of a machine, it might be all right (though not recommended) to mix up your machine purchases, but you do not want to have your dryer size smaller than your washer size. It would be a real pain to fill your washer, wash your clothes, and then not be able to get all of your clothes into the dryer!

If there are one or two people in your household, then the Extra Large Capacity could make sense. But, if you have a house full of children, you should go ahead and spend the extra money to get a larger-sized machine. If your wife has one of the smaller machines, she will certainly have to run more loads in order to wash everyone's laundry.

Generally, if you have four people in your home, you will have to do two extra loads of laundry using the Extra Large Capacity, instead of the Super Capacity Plus machine. More loads of laundry equates to more water usage, more heating fuel usage (electric or gas), and a grumpier wife, since she spends an extra two to three hours a week doing laundry. That $80-$120 you are saving now, may cost you well over that amount over the life of your washer and dryer.


GAS OR ELECTRIC

The person who built your house usually makes the gas or electric decision for you, whether you like it or not. Most homes have either a 240-volt plug or a gas connector in the laundry room. Few, if any, builders put in both options.

If your home is equipped with the 240-volt plug, I highly recommend that you look to see if your plug is a three- or four-prong plug, prior to going to the store. Appliance manufacturers sell the actual dryer cords separate from the dryer. So, the retailer will ask you which plug you need with your machine.

If you want to save the ten dollars or so, you can use the dryer cord that is on the clothes dryer you are replacing. If the dryer cord that is currently on your machine is flimsy or brittle, I would strongly suggest buying the new cord. To do otherwise leaves your home vulnerable to a fire hazard.

If you have the choice between gas and electricity for your clothes dryer, gas machines will generally run another $50 or so. If you have to change your laundry configuration from gas to electric, you may very well spend that much on the electrician alone. Additionally, it is a well-known fact that gas dryers use less energy than electric dryers. So, over the long haul, your gas dryer will be more economical than your electric dryer --- even Consumer Reports recommends that you buy the gas dryer for this very reason.


THERMOSTAT OR MOISTURE SENSOR SHUTOFF

Thermostat controlled dryers are the dryers that only give you an option for timed drying.

More expensive dryers give you the option for timed drying or Moisture Sensor Shutoffs. Each manufacturer describes the Moisture Sensor Shutoff in different ways. Whirlpool calls it AccuDry. Some manufacturers refer to it as Energy Saver. Whatever they call it, the concept is the same. It has a moisture-sensor in the tub, and when the humidity level drops below a certain level, the machine will decide that the clothes are dry, and the dryer will shut off on its own.

Consumer Reports deems this an essential feature on any dryer that you might buy. The reasons are many:

1. Overdrying can damage or shrink fabrics, and moisture sensors will minimize this risk.

2. By shutting itself off when the clothes are done drying, you are no longer forced to waste gas or electricity drying "already dry" fabrics.

3. By running the dryer for a shorter period of time, you can wash more clothes in less time. Your wife will thank you.


QUIET DRY

Some machines have an extra quiet motor. It made a big difference in my home, since our laundry room is less than twenty feet from our living room. With our old, cheap dryer, we would need to turn our television up, if we were running laundry while we were in the living room. Just the very experience of drying clothes was enough to give me a headache. With our new quiet dry machine, we are not even aware that the dryer is running, until the buzzer goes off telling us that it is done. Awesome.


OTHER GADGETS

Clothes dryers cannot really get that technical. The additional options that are available on some machines are: heat level and special fabric settings. Really, they are the same thing, but the fabric settings take a lot of the guesswork out of figuring out what temperature you can run for each your fabric types.

Some machines have a buzzer to let you know when the dryer is finished. This one is nice sometimes, especially if you are trying to do as much laundry as you can in a short time span.

Lights inside the drum are a nice addition, though not always necessary.


TIPS TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR DRYER

Keeping good airflow in your machine is the one, essential step you can take to get the most life out of your clothes dryer. There are several factors that can affect airflow, and we will cover those factors here.

Any reduction in airflow creates several problems.

1. A clogged dryer is less efficient and uses more gas or electric to dry clothes.

2. It puts additional wear-and-tear on the machine's motor.

3. And, most importantly, it creates a fire hazard.


EXHAUST VENTILATION:

All of the manufacturers and Consumer Reports recommend using either rigid or flexible metal ducting for exhaust ventilation tubing. They strongly recommend against using the plastic or foil exhaust ventilation tubes. The reasons are many.

1. They are notorious collectors of lint, and can get clogged easily.

2. The can be stepped on and crushed, preventing good airflow.

3. They can sag, also preventing proper airflow.

4. They can easily be torn and damaged.


Anytime the ventilation tube gets clogged or blocked, it can force lint to back up into your dryer causing additional blockages.

Even with metal ducting, you should clean out your ventilation tube once a year.


LINT FILTER:

Some appliance manufacturers put the lint filter in the door, while others put it on top of the machine. For ease of cleaning, it is a matter of personal preference.

It is very important that you should clean your lint filter between each use. If you fail to clean it between each load, you run the risk of having the lint fall back into the internal components of the machine.

Any accumulations of lint are always a fire hazard.

Excess lint in your dryer can ignite and catch fire. This could easily destroy your dryer, and very possibly catch your house on fire.

In fact, the Wall Street Journal suggested that dryer lint is the perfect companion for camping or hiking trips, since it is light and easy-to-carry, and it makes excellent kindling for your campfire.

For more fire prevention and safety tips in connection with your clothes dryer, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission website at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5022.html


THE ODD AND UNKNOWN BYPRODUCT OF DRYER SHEETS:

If you use dryer sheets when you dry your clothes, then you need to pay special attention to this tip.

Dryer sheets can reduce static and add a nice scent to your laundry, because they have chemicals in them. What few people realize is that these chemicals are released from the dryer sheet when they are heated, and they fill the hot air inside of your dryer.

As the machine is running, and after the cycle is finished, these chemicals settle on the various components inside your dryer, including the lint filters. After a period of time, these chemicals can create a clear, unseen barrier to your dryer's airflow.

Test this idea. Pull your lint filter from your machine and run it under water. Where the water pools and does not flow through, those chemicals have created an impenetrable barrier to your dryer's airflow.

Every few months, you should wash out your lint filter using soap, water and a sponge, to keep airflow at its optimum.


IN CONCLUSION...

Finding the right clothes dryer, for your own needs, does not have to be a difficult process. With a little knowledge, you can make a good decision. I hope this report has given you the information that you will need to make your decision easier.

Using the additional tips provided in this report, you should be able to keep your utility bills lower and to extend the life of your clothes dryers by another several years. If you take good care of your clothes dryer, your clothes dryer will take really good care of you for many years to come.





About the Author:
Emerson Lockwood specializes in Home Technology, Home Improvement and Home Financing topics. See more of his work at the Super Home Ideas website: http://www.SuperHomeIdeas.com .

You may co-brand and customize this report, and then print it out for your home appliance customers. The only requirement under the co-branding option is that you keep our URL in the advertisement at the end of this report:

This information is provided, courtesy of "Your Company" and http://www.SuperHomeIdeas.com . Written by: Emerson Lockwood.