How to protect yourself from identity theft with your purse

Identity theft is the fastest growing criminal activity in the 20th Century, replacing illegal drug sales.

How BIG is this Problem?

Banks, credit card companies and businesses that house servers storing passwords or other sensitive information all report “break-ins”through Trojan viruses or other online hacking methods – resulting in the loss of millions of pieces of information. Instances of lost information are employees selling it and other lax security measures resulting in thieves having access to your identity.

Thieves Want

- Your Name

- Date of Birth

- Home Address

- Phone Numbers

- Social Security Number

- Driver’s License Number

- Credit Card Numbers

- CW2 Security Code (the number on the back of your credit card)

- Your Credit Report

- ATM Cards

- Telephone Calling Cards

- Mortgage Details

Where Are They Getting Your Information?

- Banks

- Credit-Reference Agencies

- Retailers

- Credit Card Networks

- Data-Brokerage Companies

- Payment Processing Companies

- Phone Companies

- Schools

- Your Employer

- Doctors, Clinics and Health Departments

- Government Agencies

There are other effective methods:

- Dumpster Diving

- Mail Theft

- Retail Theft

- “Phishing”/pretexting/pretending

- Purse/Wallet Theft

What are Thieves Using Your Information For?

- Making charges to your existing credit cards

- Opening new credit cards in your name

- Having phone or utilities turned on

- Withdrawing money from your existing bank accounts

- Employment purposes

- Driver’s Licenses

- Tax Fraud

- Social Service benefits

- Student loans

- Business or Personal loans

- Health care

- Mortgage loans/leases

- Auto loans

- Using your ID when caught committing a crime

How Can You Protect Yourself?

- Keep a photocopy of your credit cards, bank account numbers and investment account numbers in a safe

place

- Keep your credit card receipts

- Put a “fraud alert” on all your credit reports

- If you apply for credit and the card doesn’t arrive on time, call the card issuer

- Choose difficult PIN numbers or passwords. (Don’t use birth dates, your mother’s maiden name, etc.)

- Never give personal information to anyone who sends you an email, a letter or calls you asking for it

- Shred personal information

- Don’t use the ATM machine if someone is watching you

- Pay attention to what’s going on around you – cell phones often have cameras in them. If someone is standing by you with a cell phone while you're entering a PIN number, block their view

- Review your bills each month. If there’s something you don’t remember, call the creditor.

- Check your credit report at least once a year

- Store your cancelled checks safely.

- Don’t leave your purse in plain sight when driving

- Keep your valuables locked in the trunk or glove box when driving

- Make all personal information on your computer password protected

- Don’t carry information about your PIN numbers, passwords and account numbers in your purse or wallet

Warning Signs that Your Identity Has Been Stolen:

- A loan application is denied, or you’re refused extended credit requests

- You are contacted by a debt-collection agency

- Your purse or wallet has been stolen, or your house broken into

- Unfamiliar activity on your credit report

What to do if it Happens to You:

- If your purse or wallet is stolen, call the police

- Contact your bank, credit card and other credit extending companies and report the theft

- Close accounts

- Contact the credit-reporting companies

- Have fraudulent activity removed immediately and monitor your credit report every 90 days for the next year

- Put everything in writing

- File a report with the Federal Trade Commission

- Change passwords on your existing accounts and create new ones for new accounts

Identity theft is real. There are no guarantees you can keep your information safe, by taking proactive steps to protect yourself, you can minimize your chances of having an “identity crisis”.

Jets buzz holiday island

With visitor numbers static in recent years and facing new competiton from former Eastern Bloc countries offering cheap holidays, the recent announcement by the Maltese government that negotiations were at an advanced stage with two low cost airlines has sparked hopes that the island will see a rise in visitor numbers - much to the relief of some in the travel industry worried about the future of Malta as a holiday destination.

Even before the new carriers to the island land the existing airlines have been offering return flights at prices seemingly much lower than in the past to try and hold on to their share of the market.

According to on-line travel guide YourMalta. com the airline negotiations have been tempered with the need for the island’s government to see that the national carrier, Air Malta, isn’t damaged as it is one of Malta’s major employers.

Traditionally the UK has been Malta’s biggest market for incoming tourists, often making up over half of the island’s visitors in any given year, but some on the island see even this market as under threat. And property buyers from the UK have accounted for seventy per cent of Malta property sales to overseas buyers in recent years.

A good portion of UK visitors and property buyers for Malta in recent years have been ex-forces who served for the British during WW2 when Malta held out against Hitler’s Luftwaffe, and then in peacetime through to 1964 when Malta became independent, who returned for holidays.

But with the inevitability of this market declining a new breed of Malta’s holiday and hotel entrepreneurs see Malta’s future as less dependent on the UK tourist, and being more cosmopolitan in her outlook.

Declining Market and New Opportunities

Tribune Properties, a UK company specialising in Malta properties, say they have noticed more buyers making enquiries from other countries over the last year. In particular they say they have been receiving enquiries from France, Italy and Germany.

‘The UK remains the foundation for overseas property buyers considering buying property in Malta, but the overall percentage is reducing as more and more people in mainland Europe have visited Malta, and liked it so much they want to either move to the island full time or buy a holiday home.

The arrival of low cost flights to Malta though could reignite British interest as three and four day breaks a few times a year becomes financially viable. If the airlines fly to destinations in Europe too the number of buyers for Malta property could rise in the immediate and medium term’ explains Tribune’s Managing Director, Roger Munns.

For Malta’s tourist industry three and four day visitors in increased numbers will be a welcome boost. There is discussion on the island about extending club’s opening hours beyond the current 4am.

Clubbers in the UK are used to 6am closing, and might be deterred from making a weekend trip with a three hour flight only to find shorter hours available for partying.

‘There are new opportunities for Malta, and it’s for the island to decide whether to embrace them and gain a new generation of visitors – or ignore them and lose an asset for the economy’ agree YourMalta. com

‘Malta has a lot to offer the visitor apart from being a Mediterranean holiday island. Malta has a rich culture and history, and can easily appeal to all generations from toddlers to pensioners. More Italians and other nationalities are discovering Malta as a destination. Malta will become more cosmopolitan. And while some of the older more conservative residents are likely to be against a younger and more diverse mix of visitors from what they have been used to and see change as something to be afraid of, we believe the island will embrace the more cosmopolitan feel, while retaining the features that make Malta a unique visit among her Mediterranean island competitors.’

Buying car insurance for the first time

When it comes to buying car insurance it can be a very daunting task. For those buying car insurance for the first time this is especially so, any type of insurance can be confusing to the majority of people and car insurance is no exception. Not only are the policies hard to understand but there are many different components to them and for the majority of time these aren’t always clearly explained. For example one of the types of insurance is called “fully comp”; the very title of this is confusing because not everything is included in this type of cover.

When buying car insurance for the first time it is essential that you shop around for the best deal and cheapest premiums, car insurance premiums are always cheaper when bought online because the overheads are cut down, along with the staff needed to run them.

Of course when it comes to buying your car insurance you will first have to decide on the type of insurance that will be more suitable for your needs, the three main types of car insurance are fully comp, third party, fire and theft and third party only.

Third party fire and theft will cover you if you should be in an accident and this causes damage to the other party’s car, it will also cover your car in the event that it is stolen or should be damaged in a fire.

Fully comprehensive is misleading but while it doesn’t cover everything, it does include all that the third party cover does, along with accidental damage to your car and will also cover any belongings, personal accident cover and medical cover.

Third party only as the name suggests will only cover claims made by others against you, for example any damage that is made to their property or injury to themselves.

Of course these aren’t the only types of insurance you can take to cover you and your car and those buying car insurance for the first time have to take this into account. What you also have to take into account however, is that if you choose to add extra cover then this will of course boost up your premium.

Ways that you can cut down when it comes to saving on your car insurance include making sure that you have a clean driving record. This is essential and can save you a huge amount of money; you should also make sure you have equipped your car with the latest security features such as window etchings, alarms and steering locks.

Cancun mexico a little something for everyone

A sleepy island area in the 1970s, Cancun has been transformed into a mega tourist destination. Located on the Caribbean side of Mexico, this resort area has something for everyone.

Cancun

Make no mistake, Cancun is a very tourist friendly destination. Located on the Yucatan peninsula, Cancun is populated with mega resorts and over 20,000 hotel rooms. The economy is based on tourism and the people go out of their way to show tourists a good time.

Cancun proper is actually two distinct areas. Cancun City is located on the mainland and Cancun Island is just off the coast. The island is the stuff of legend.

Cancun Island the classic example of Caribbean beach paradise. Incredibly blue water laps slowly onto insanely white beaches. Light breezes roll in off the water as you lounge on a beach chair and contemplate important things like what you will eat for lunch.

One of the slight downsides of Cancun involves beachfront hotels. They tend to be a bit possessive about the sand in front of them. Put another way, you better be staying at the hotel if you intend to plop down in front of it. Hey, it can’t all be great!

Getting To Cancun

As with any mega resort area, getting to Cancun is very easy. Most major airlines fly into Cancun City and the airport is very modern. You are required to have a passport and must fill out a tourist card at customs. The customs agents are easy going and I’ve never heard of anyone having any problems with them.

If you want to experience a beach vacation in Mexico, you can do worse than Cancun. You will not get much feel for the local culture, but you will definitely enjoy yourself.

Why your diet may not be working

Jennifer, a middle-aged single mother with one six-year-old daughter, has been skipping sweets for a few weeks now. She’s also become a stickler for portion control. She feels as if she’s eating less than ever, and she’s been diligently exercising for an hour at a time at least four days a week. Yet, she hasn’t lost a single pound. The question is, “Why?”

This is a dilemma which affects dieters the world over. They think they are taking the steps necessary to lose weight, but nothing seems to be happening. In essence, they are trapped in a dieting rut and they don’t know how to free themselves. As a result, they become frustrated and depressed and may then engage in binge eating.

One of the problems with diets is that they are often standardized. As a result, they don’t take into consideration your individual physiology and metabolism. They provide a cookie-cutter approach to weight loss—an approach which may not work in your individual case. As a result, an increasing number of people are turning to dieticians to formulate a person weight loss strategy for them. This process has been made easier through the Internet, where you can correspond with a dietician any time of the day or night via e-mail. The dietician can also act as your personal coach, helping you through your dieting dilemmas.

Another reason that you may be failing at your diet is because of a lack of support. You may have family members who can eat whatever they want and seemingly not gain a pound. As a result, they may fill your refrigerator with junk food, leading you into temptation. Also, you may feel as if you have no one to turn to in order to discuss your weight problems. In order to solve this problem, many individuals look to psychotherapists to help them with their food-related issues. This can be particularly important if an individual has turned to purging in an effort to combat their weight problems. Bulimia is a serious disease which must be treated in order to ensure the good health of the patient. Thankfully, there are a number of treatment programs throughout the U. S. specifically focusing on bulimia.

Yet another reason for diet failure is hidden calories. You may literally be consuming calories and not even realize it. For instance, the frappucinos that are so popular today are loaded with calories—as many as 600 in a single serving! You may also be indulging in sugary sodas—another source of extra calories. By taking a few simple steps, such as eliminating the exotic coffee drinks from your diet and substituting skim milk for whole milk, you may be able to eliminate the hidden calories that are denying you dieting success.

Lack of consistency can also be a diet-killer. You might go on a diet for a while, then quit before you’ve made any measurable progress. It’s only natural to want to see quick results. The problem is that healthy weight loss involves losing only a couple of pounds a week. That means you’ll have to stay on your diet for months before you see appreciable weight loss. Discouraging? It can be, but if you keep a positive attitude you can achieve your ideal weight.

You may also be more successful in your dieting if you consider it to be a lifestyle change. Therefore, your diet becomes a meal plan for life. This means that you must change the way you look at food. It is designed to be fuel for your body, and nothing more. As a result, you should not turn to food to make you feel better or to provide you with a sense of comfort. A lifestyle change implies commitment; it means that you are prepared to follow the plan for the long haul. If you feel as if you cannot be on your diet for any appreciable length of time, perhaps it’s time to consider a different diet. Your aim ultimately should be not simply to lose weight, but to become healthier. A fad diet will not allow you to reach that milestone. Therefore, you must choose your diet carefully.

Objects of desire

People whose investment horizons are limited to the likes of stocks, real estate or gold may not give a second thought to amulets, but in Thailand it's a flourishing trade with an estimated market value of 10 billion Baht.

Collecting amulets and other sacred items is a centuries-old tradition, some of it founded on Buddhist religious beliefs, some of it linked to superstitions. In the past it was a low-profile activity but in recent years it's become very mainstream.

Watcharapong Radomsittipat, a well-known amulet expert, says the trade is being fuelled by widespread media coverage _ radio, television, magazines and, more recently, websites that make news and information easily accessible to the general public and seasoned collectors.

There's no denying, he adds, that the general unease in the country at the moment has people looking for hope in places they hadn't looked before.

"The lack of happiness and confidence of people in society is a key factor driving them search for something divine, which they believe they can always depend on as it can take away their fear," says Mr Watcharapong, who owns an amulet booth at the New World amulet center. He is also an owner of a magazine two websites.

According to Mr Watcharapong, there are now 20 to 30 websites that offer amulet information and e-auction or e-market services. His own two websites handle about 10 million baht worth of e-auction transactions per month, with as many as 100,000 items up for bid.

The amulet boom has spread into related businesses including coin manufacturing, amulet frame and container making and other fields. That's good for the economy because it creates jobs, says Mr Watcharapong.

But he cautions that it should not get too commercialised. Collectors who really care about amulets should remember what attracted them in the first place, which is their spiritual value and the peace of mind amulets bring. "Things could get dangerous if people do it only for investment or speculative purposes."Mr Watcharapong compares the concept of investing in amulets with an investment in stocks _ a fundamental approach is safe while price volatility is often the result of rumours or even manipulation by unscrupulous traders.

"The price in the market should reflect the true fundamentals of the sacred items. But if the price surges too high and too quickly, then it is probably be something like stock price manipulation."

Yet, unlike stocks, there is no hard and fast rule to determine the price of amulets. There are no any mathematical approaches to determine future or target prices of amulets, which can often be totally unpredictable.

There are a number of cases, Mr Watcharapong says, in which prices have gone up by 1,000% or higher within just a year or a few years. "I once bought a Jatukarm-Ramathep (a well-known amulet) in 1995 at only 49 baht. Now, 12 years later, the price has gone up to over one million baht," he says.

"However, many of my friends used to buy some amulets at prices that were too high, and then the prices took a nosedive after only a short while."

One well-known collection, Benjapakee, used to command prices of five million baht or more but they fell by half during the economic crisis, he recounts.

Generally, older amulets are more costly than new issues. The most popular item among collectors today is Jatukarm-Ramathep, named for two great warrior kings of the Srivijaya Kingdom.

The amulets were created more than 20 years ago but they have lately attracted huge amounts of media attention for miracles claimed by their holders. The tales have fired the imaginations of the general public and celebrities alike.

"It's a simple rule of demand and supply," Mr Watcharapong says. "And the media play a big role in driving the demand in the market."

Other factors affecting prices include the model, scarcity, beauty, condition, the ritual ceremonies performed to make an amulet sacred, and the popularity of the temples where the rituals are held.

"The ritual done to bless the items must be done by highly revered monks who are admired by a majority of Buddhist adherents. The more venerable and well-known the monks are, the higher the demand will be in the market. Likewise, the more well-known the temples are, the more popular the amulets will be."

For the novice collector, however, it may take time to get a fix on what acceptable par value prices are for amulets.

One more caution is that there are a large number of counterfeit items in the market _ few amateur collectors can tell the difference. Charoen Prachuabchai, a 33-year-old grocery seller who has been an amulet enthusiast for the past six years, says that, like many beginners, he learned his lessons the hard way _ buying amulets at higher prices only to find out later that they were fake.

"That was only a loss of several thousand baht. Yet, I learned my lesson that I needed more time to study and get to know them better," Mr Charoen says.

Today he has more than 50 amulets on his shelves at home, most of them the well-known Jatukarm-Ramathep models. One of them, acquired in 2004 for 300 baht, is worth more than 20,000 baht in the market now.

Mr Charoen says that the materials used to create amulets are also very important price determinants. The more special the material, the higher the price. For instance, some amulets are made of soil from holy lands, 108 types of filaments or bear's canine teeth _ all can be set at high prices. Of course, the fewer copies there are of any item, the better the chances of price appreciation.

In the end, though, Mr Charoen says it's not about money. The essence of amulets should be to help people calm their hearts and minds during times of trouble _ " a guiding light in a tunnel," he says with a smile.

What you should eat for optimum health

We often wonder what we should eat for optimum health and even the government has recently flip flopped its food pyramid which you can see at MyPyramid. gov.

Here’s an overview of the 2005 dietary guidelines from the government.

First off, according to the new government guidelines a healthy diet is one that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products and will include lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts.

The diet will also be low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.

The main theme the government is proposing now is to eat a diet rich in grains and to make half of the grains you eat whole grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel -- the bran, germ, and endosperm, some examples would be:

• whole-wheat flour

• bulgur (cracked wheat)

• oatmeal

• whole cornmeal

• brown rice

Next you should “vary your veggies” and in general buy fresh vegetables in season, stock up on frozen vegetables and buy vegetables that are easy to prepare.

For the best nutritional value, choose vegetables with more potassium such as sweet potatoes and spinach and limit sauces which can add fats, sodium and additional calories.

Prepare more of your foods from fresh ingredients to lower sodium. Most sodium comes from packaged and processed foods.

One suggestion for a healthy diet is to try using a salad as the main dish for lunch and go light on the salad dressing.

Focus on fruits. To help you keep focus, have a bowl of fruit always available on the table, counter, or in the refrigerator. Keep cut fruit in the refrigerator and buy fresh fruits in season whenever possible. Buy frozen, dried, and canned fruits as well so you will always have some kind of fruit on hand.

Choose whole fruits or cut fruits over juices whenever possible for the fiber benefits. Choose fruits high in potassium such as bananas, apricots, and cantaloupe. Put cut fruit on your breakfast cereal. At lunch, take a tangerine, banana, or some grapes. For dinner, add crushed pineapple or mandarin oranges in a tossed salad.

Get calcium rich foods and include low fat or fat free milk as a beverage at meals. Have fat-free yogurt as a snack. Use low-fat cheeses on salads and casseroles.

For those who cannot consume milk products due to lactose intolerance choose lactose free alternatives to get your calcium such as cheese, yogurt, and lactose-free milk.

Go lean with protein. The suggestions for your protein intake are to use the leanest cuts of meats such as top sirloin and pork loin and whenever choosing ground beef go with extra lean that is identified as at least 90% lean.

Buy skinless chicken parts as the fat is in the skin. Choose lean turkey and all kinds of fish.

To keep your meat intake lean and as free of fat as possible, broil, grill, roast, or boil your meat choices instead of frying and drain off any fat that appears during cooking.

Choose dry beans such as kidney beans and use them as the main part of a meal often. Make use of nuts for snacks and use them to sometimes replace meat or poultry.

Knowing sinusitis and how to deal with it

Sinusitis to our knowledge is very common for most people. Even though being such a common problem it tends to cause too much trouble. There are three types of sinusitis which affects our life Acute, Subacute and Chronic. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinus membrane which can either be infectious or non-infectious.

Sinusitis means that sinuses get affected due to infection of sinuses. This inflammation affects the sinuses which block the air passage causing pain around your eyes and forehead. The reasons can also be viral, bacterial, fungal as well as allergic reactions.

As there is a direct connection between the nose and the sinus, it gives out signs in the form of stuffy nose and constant watering from the nose. This case of stuffy nose and pain in your forehead can get serious very easily and can complicate matters for you. Such kind of sinus infections causes breakdown in the functioning of your bodily functions.

Sinuses help in providing proper insulation of the skull which reduces its weight, letting the voice to resonate within it. To disallow any foreign bacteria sinuses has a able defense mechanism. When this mechanism fails bacteria present in nasal passage enters the sinuses causing sinus infection.

Some of the common sinuses which are affected by infection are

- Frontal Sinuses (pain in the forehead)

- Maxillary Sinuses (pain behind the cheek bones)

- Ethmoid Sinuses (pain between the eyes)

- Sphenoid Sinuses (pain behind the eyes)

Some of the common reasons which can increase your chances of sinusitis

- Smoking

- Swimming

- Diving

- Alcohol

- Pets

Some precautions to be taken

- While blowing your nose, do it gently

- Stay away from people who are already suffering from cold or other allergies

- When suffering from cold it becomes essential to have a good night's sleep

- Keep removing the yellow mucus because, the more it stays in your body the more it causes problem

Some remedies when under a sinus attack

- Drink hot tea or soup to open the nasal passage

- Take hot compresses for your sinus area

- Good amount of rest and relaxation is very necessary

- Take hot showers

- Minimize consumption of dairy products

- Maintain a good hygiene which would avoid any formation of bacteria or fungal infection

- Be away from extreme temperatures

- Avoid polluted areas and keep your home moist by the use of humidifiers

- Check up with your doctor and get treated for the cold

- Paste of dry ginger with little water or milk when applied on the forehead may provide relief

- Make a paste of 10-15 Basil leaves with 4 cloves and 1 tsp dried ginger. Apply this paste on the forehead for relief

Out of africa

Exploring the wildlife in Africa could be the greatest and the most exiting experiences of your lifetime. People, who get used to living in a big city will be really astonished be the grandeur of the African nature, its flora and fauna.

If your aim is to sink deep into this world – your choice is safari. There are several kinds of this sort o tour. Your decision will depend on what you would like to see and how much time do you have. The significant part of safari ways is situated in the Eastern and the Southern parts ot the continent.

During walking safaris you usually will use temporary bush camps or permanent lodges as a base from which vehicles and sometimes boats will get you into areas of activity or specific interest. It’s the closest to nature way to see and to feel the African wilderness areas.

If you lie to see more in a shorter time, then mobile safari is for you. Mobile safaris make use of 4x4 vehicles usually to cover larger areas or a variety of different habitats in a single trip. The diversity and relatively large distances between the prime spots in Botswana and Namibia make mobile safaris the preferred means for covering these destinations.

In case you want to see all that’s possible – then flying above Africa will the right way. Fly-in safaris are regularly done in Botswana and Namibia in order to cover a large amount of territory with some very specific spots on the agenda in as short a space of time as possible.

One of the more popular means of experiencing Africa's wilderness is a canoe safari. Several of the large African rivers are run by canoe but it's the lower Zambezi that really holds the leadership. Mana Pools National Park is on the southern bank - the remote Lower Zambezi National Park is on the northern shoreline in Zambia. You can choose the class of your canoe and travel with the maximum convenience.

Self-drive safari is the most flexible type of trip that you'll find. In this variant you hire a vehicle, plan your own route, pre-book accommodations of your choice and explore the region on your own. Namibia is the easiest to on a self-drive basis even if you travel for the first time.

Privately guided safari is your variant if you're looking for exclusivity, special attention. Some excursions are into the remoter parts, others are on well trodden trails simply exploring on a more casual and relaxed basis.

Your trip can be a combination of all these types of safaris. Anyway don’t forget to receive all the possible information about the destination you are going to. The more information – the better. Also, don’t forget to make all the necessary vaccinations. In Africa it’s a must, if you do not intend to spend your holiday in the hospital.

Getting kids to brush up on proper oral hygiene

Though parents may have reason to smile at the recent improvements in dental care in the United States, tooth decay is still one of the most common childhood diseases, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). It is five times as common as asthma in 5-17-year-olds, according to the association. And it affects more than one-fifth of American children aged 2-4, half of those aged 6-8 and nearly 60 percent of those aged 15, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Here are tips from the experts at HealthSaver, an emerging discount health service, and recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the ADA:

1. A Good Cleaning. Your children may think they're old enough to brush their own teeth, but until they reach the age of 6, make sure to take command and brush their teeth for them at least twice a day, using a pea-sized amount of ADA-approved toothpaste. After age 6, continue to supervise brushing to make sure they reach every tooth and brush properly. Tooth care starts with the first tooth-brush your baby's gums and emerging teeth gently after each feeding with a toothbrush designed for infants and toddlers.

2. Visit Your Dentist. Visit a dentist as soon as your baby's first tooth appears and no later than age 1.

3. Drink Fluoridated Water. Water fluoridation can prevent up to 40 percent of tooth decay. Drinking water with fluoride is still the easiest and most effective way to fight tooth decay. If you're among the 40 percent of families without optimal levels of fluoridation in your municipal tap or well water, talk to your dentist about fluoridation options.

4. Don't Forget in Between. A toothbrush can't get into every nook and cranny so it's important to floss. You will have to floss for them; it's the only way to reach lingering food particles lurking between your child's teeth.

5. Eat Well. Make sure your child eats a balanced diet, stays hydrated, and seeks healthy options for between-meal snacks. Do not put your child to bed with a bottle containing anything but water, and encourage use of a cup as the first birthday approaches.

HealthSaver is joining in the fight against cavities and promoting the benefits of a healthy smile. The health care discount service offers its members discounts of 10 to 35 percent off usual and customary fees for dental care services as well as discounts on prescriptions, alternative health care treatments and vision care.

If your marriage were a business would your spouse be looking for another job

If your marriage were a business, would your spouse be looking for another job?

Our most important and intimate relationships often don’t receive the attention, time and training that we give our business relationships. Here are two secrets from the business world to apply to your personal relationships.

1. Know Your Customer

To grow a business, it is critical to understand your customers and prospects.

People communicate in different ways. Some people are highly visual and the way they process information and express themselves is in visual ways. For example, a visual person would describe their spouse using descriptive words like: 6 feet tall, brown hair, blue eyes, handsome, etc.

Auditory people take in their world by evaluating what they hear. They would describe their spouse in this way: “She compliments me and says the sweetest things”, “He has a deep voice and sings out loud.”

Kinesthetic people typically rely on how they feel and they learn by experience. They would describe their spouse in this way: “I get butterflies when she’s around”, “She holds my hand”, “He’s cuddly & warm”, “I feel safe and comfortable in his arms.”

Each of us has all three of these traits in us, though one tends to dominate. To discover which one your partner is, listen to the words they choose, then you can “speak” their language.

Before my husband discovered I was visual, he would get frustrated with me because he would explain things over and over and I just didn’t get it. I kept saying, “I don’t SEE it. I can’t PICTURE it.” Now, when he wants me to understand something, like our finances, he gets out a sheet of paper and draws a graph. Ahhh…

Your life partner is your biggest customer. Don’t risk losing your biggest account by taking your communication for granted. Save yourself hassle and heartache by paying attention to how your partner communicates… and make an effort to communicate in a way that is most natural to your partner.

2. Ask for the order. Ask the tough questions.

In business, once you’ve determined that your prospect is qualified to buy from you (and that your solution will solve their problem), it’s time to ask for the order.

In relationships we don’t always ask for the order. We often don’t ask the really important questions that will make the biggest difference. We ask her if she’d like Chinese or Italian food for dinner. We ask him if we should stay home or go out. But do we ask our partner how they would know they are loved?

Remember the Neil Diamond/ Barbara Streisand song, “You don’t bring me flowers; you don’t sing me love songs”? They sang about two people with two different strategies for knowing the other loved them. One person used to bring flowers and the other used to sing love songs. They both stopped, when life got busy with responsibilities. Now what they notice is that the other person doesn’t do what they used to do to show their partner love.

When my husband and I were dating and he’d go on a trip, I would slip love notes in his luggage. After a few years, the travel notes stopped. I didn’t stop writing them because I stopped loving him; I stopped writing them because I didn’t know it was important to him.

One day I asked him, “How do you know I love you?” and he said, “When you write me little love notes.” So, I made a note in my planner to “write love notes to Dave” every few days. I created structure to support my overall strategy to make sure my husband knows he is loved every single day.

How would you know you’re loved? How would your partner know? When you find out their strategy, do it! Ask the tough questions, ask for the order.

There are many business rules that apply to our personal relationships. Knowing your customer and asking for the order are critical if a business is to be successful. If your relationship was a company, and your partner was your biggest account, would you be confident that you know how to speak their language in order to be able to ask for the order?

Top 5 freelance sites

Freelancing is a great way to work from home. Freelancers do anything from writing to graphic design to computer programming. They are often hired by businesses (small and large) for a particular project. It’s a win - win situation. The small business owner gets his website up and running, or his press release written without having to create a new position in his company to get the job done.

The Freelancer gets to do what he or she loves to do from home. The big question is how do the business owner and freelancer find each other? They do it through one of the freelance sites below.

On all five of these sites projects are posted and freelancers bid on how much they would charge for the work. It is up to the company / person posting the job to choose which freelancer they would like to work with.

1 )Guru. com

Guru is the largest freelance site out there. According to their site they connect over 520,000 freelancers with over 30,000 businesses and employers. Guru is organized into several categories and subcategories from Web and Graphic Design to Programming to Business Consulting.

2) Elance. com

Elance is the other big player when it comes to freelance sites that cover a wide variety of freelance work. Like Guru. com you can find projects from creative work like graphics and writing to computer programming.

3) Rentacoder. com

This freelance site caters primarily to programmers, coders, software engineers and IT professionals in general. You will find projects ranging from simple html pages to programming jobs that could last for several months.

4) Allfreelancework. com

In addition to finding projects posted on a variety of subjects, you will also find an extensive library of articles of interested to freelancers as well services and products, a forum and a newsletter.

5) Programmingbids. com

As the name suggest this site focuses mostly on freelance work for programmers. You will find projects from web and graphic design to flash to software development. They even have a new section that will allow you to sell scripts you have written.

Freelancing is a great way to get started working from home. You can easily take on a few small projects while keeping your day job. You can start gaining experience, add to your rйsumй and build a client base. This will make the transition to working from home exclusively much smoother. It is also a great way to test the water and see if you would like to work on projects from home in the long run.

Get reasonable interest rates with cheap secured loans

Interest rate on loans is a term which for a borrower is a determinant for deciding, which loan to take. There are various rates available in the market varying from lender to lender. Wrong choices of loan rate and you have to be ready to pay the damages in the form of large monthly installments. Cheap secured loans can be the best option for you to choose when looking for loans at cheaper rates.

Cheap secured loans are comes at lower interest rates and easiest repayment terms and conditions in comparison with other loans in the market. Easy repayment terms here mean the one which suits with your needs and repayment capacity in the most appropriate manner.

A cheap secured loan can help you get 125% of the value of your collateral. Collateral can be your home, real estate, your car, or any other property of yours. With growing competition among the lenders in the market, the interest rates are falling down. The lenders are attracting borrowers with longer repayment term and flexibility in repayment options.

What can a cheap secured loan be used for?

1.Buying a new car

2.Travel around the beautiful destinations

3.Your home improvements you really wanted

4.Pay off credit card or store card debt

5.Consolidate your debts to put you back in control of your life.

6.There is no restriction on the purpose of the loan

A cheap secured loan generally ranges from ₤5000 to ₤50000. The amount however depends upon the property offered by you rather than on your credit status unlike in the case of other loans. The minimum repayment period is 5 years and go up to 25 years. The approval rate for a cheap secured loan is also very high.

It is always advised to shop around in the market for a good loan deal as it may save lot of your money. There are also certain websites of brokers. You can input your details along with the required amount of loan and your repayment capacity. They will arrange the best offers in the loan market as per your demand. You can further negotiate with the lenders regarding the interest rate.

Cheap secured personal loans will help you get what you look from a loan to offer you. These loans take 12 -15 days for their approval. The time involved is for the valuation of the property you are offering as security to the lender. Give your thoughts and desires a place in real world through cheap secured personal loans.