Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

10 Tips To Reduce Your Exposure And Prevent Identity Theft

Identity theft is the country's fastest-growing financial crime. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that 27.3 million Americans have been victims of identity theft in the past 5 years, including 9.9 million people last year alone. Some ways to prevent becoming a victim could include avoid using credit cards or debit cards, stop filling out more credit applications, and cancel all of your cr. . .

Don’t Be Like Forgetful Freddy, The Absent Minded Gift Buyer

Don’t be like Forgetful Freddy, The Absent Minded Gift BuyerI have two short stories to tell you.Last Christmas, Forgetful Freddy forgot to buy Christmas gifts for one of his sons, his aunt and his grandmother. Sitting around the Christmas Tree with his entire family on December 25th was a somber experience for Freddy.In 2004 Forgetful Freddy’s memory was also not working too well. He did not r. . .

Seven Ways To Avoid Christmas Letdown

I was discussing Christmas letdown with a friend. After all the preparation and money and time spent for one day, she feels the day let her down. Instead of a day of joy and happiness, it is a day of exhaustion and depression. Here are some ways to prevent that lacking feeling. Have realistic expectations. If all of our focus, for six weeks or more, is to make one day perfect, it is no wonder. . .

How to Beat the System and Actually Get Free Gifts from I...

We've all seen the flashing banners, annoying pop-up ads and junk emails with the too-good-to-be-true free gift offers, like “Free iPod!” or “Free Laptop” or “Free Digital Camera.” Many of us simply think to ourselves, nothing is free; this is just a scam, right?Not necessarily. The plain and simple fact is, many incentive programs actually do work, according to their Terms & Conditions. But wh. . .

8 Tips to an Easy Holiday Shopping Experience

The holidays can be one of the most exciting times of year and at the same time, one of the most stressful. To avoid unnecessary stress you can take a few simple steps to ease through the season with joy, ease and fun.1. If you are going to shop – pace yourself. You don’t have to get everything done in one trip. Set aside a short period of time over several days rather than trying to accomplish. . .

Am I Hurting My Child By Staying Home?

It's something many stay at home moms fear, that they are hurting their child socially by not putting them in daycare or doing a million activities with them from the time they are born. But it's not something you need to worry too much about, so long as your children do get some social time.Infants, of course, don't really play with each other, so that early in the game there is little to worr. . .

Gift Giving Ideas - That Won’t Break The Budget For That ...

Deciding what to give that special man in your life for Christmas can be frustrating and often difficult.Instead of going into debt each time you purchase a present, why not give a gift from the heart? Simple gift giving ideas are easy to make and with a little bit of know how look like a professionally created gift. By using your imagination and creating a gift tailored specially for that spe. . .

Bathroom Safety Tips for Your Family

Bathrooms are a particularly dangerous part of the home. It's a dangerous place for falls and injuries to occur. Common bathroom accidents include scalds, fainting from heat, falls on slippery floors, and head injuries from falling against bathroom fixtures. It is important to install devices designed to prevent accidents — such as grab bars, bath mats, and bath rails.Here are some tips to help. . .

Quick Guidelines for Holiday Etiquette Tipping

Many of us want to show our appreciation to those special service people in our life at holiday time via etiquette tipping. However, trying to figure out what we should tip them is sometimes puzzling. No one wants to be a cheapskate, but over tipping can put a dent in our budget. Then there’s trying to figure out who we should tip.According to Peter Post, director of the Emily Post Institute an. . .

Become organized this Christmas.

For most of us, we are so busy living our lives that we forget just how quickly Christmas is upon us. Here is a list of 6 simple strategies to help you be organized this Christmas and enjoy the festive season.1. Take the time to plan ahead this Christmas.Set aside a morning in the last week of December or first week in November. Get yourself a cup of coffee a notepad and pen. Take the phone. . .

Two Fantastic Personalized Gifts

More than ever before, people are looking for a special and unique way to express themselves when it comes to gift giving. With the internet putting the world at our fingertips, people are finding that they are able to give more personalized gifts than ever before. Let's take a look at tow of the most popular personalized gift-giving ideas: having a tree planted, and naming a star.Memorial Tree. . .

How to Put Your Picture On A Real US Postage Stamp

If you haven't seen a personalized postage stamp yet, you may be surprised to learn about this extremely cool new concept developed by the US Postal Service. For many years now, printing companies have offered the ability to put your picture on a "stamp" just for fun. Those weren't real postage though, they were just stamps made to look like a postage stamps and of course you couldn't mail them. . .

How to Give a Single Share of Stock As a Gift

Have you seen a framed single share of stock hanging in someone's house or office? Maybe you though it was pretty neat, or wondered whether it was even real. Believe it or not, single shares of stock are perfectly legitimate and they hold full equity as owner in the company for which it was issued. Some stock brokers and investment companies will give you the ability to purchase a single share . . .

Gifts for Dads

The holidays are just around the corner and you have to come up with some gifts for dad. Here a list of gifts for dads of all types and character. Gifts for Dads1. Daddy O’s Shirts – Retro is in and retro bowling shirts are hot, hot, hot. If you want to buy him a cool gift, get him one of these great shirts from Daddy O’s by just searching for them online. You can expect to pay between $35 and . . .

Tips On Organizing Your Scrapbook

You can create more scrapbooks in less time of you take a few moments to organize your thoughts and supplies. Before starting your newest scrapbooking project, plan out everything you will need and have it close at hand. This includes supplies such as tape, glue, and pens, photos and memorabilia you intend to use, and an idea of how you want your pages to flow from one to the next.Effectively o. . .

How to Make a Quick, Easy Baby Album

If you are creating a photo album for your baby for the first time, or are unsure where to begin in creating a scrapbook of your baby's first year, here are some tips to make it quick and easy to preserve your photos and memories:Rather than including every photo you take of your baby, organize your pictures according to the month they were taken and chose a few of your favorites from each mont. . .

Last Minute Gift Giving : The Truth About Last Minute Chr...

A word of advice. Try to plan your gift giving in advance. Don't wait to the very last minute. Last minute gifts would probably cost you more than you might anticipate.Take a calendar and your organizer. Circle every birthday, your wedding anniversary, christmas and all gift giving dates on the calendar for the entire year. For starters get an extra calendar just for your gifts to simplify your. . .

Wedding Cakes Galore

Wedding cakes can be the symbol of unity and the beginning of fun at a wedding reception. Images of a bride and groom smashing a piece in to each other’s face are not necessary.Going localOne of the easiest ways to pick a wedding cake is to go to your local bakery. Better yet, you can go to the bakery in the town where you will be married. When you go with an out-of-town wedding cake, you may n. . .

How to Build Mini Storage

The mini storage business can be very profitable and rewarding. If you choose to start a mini storage business, you can get a high return on your investment. Most people do not know how to build mini storage for maximizing their returns. You must know about how much it will cost to build mini storage. It is important to build a mini storage with a low investment to maximize the returns. The Imp. . .

Tips On Choosing Your Wedding Invitations

This is your big day and you want everything to be absolutely perfect, so the invitation is the best way to send the right impression to your guests. You want to show the theme of your wedding as well as give important details, so there’s a lot to consider.Setting the toneIf you’re a fun loving person, then there’s no need to pick a stodgy old wedding invitation. And why would you? You want . . .

Holiday Shopping On eBay

Whether we like it or not, the holiday season has become the shopping season. But there is a way to remove the traffic and hassles from your holiday gift buying -- eBay. Shop in the comfort of your own home, and have fun in the process. Perfect GiftsIf you know the kinds of things your friends and family like, then eBay's categories are ideal places to get ideas. And then a few clicks later, yo. . .

Want Christmas Day To Last FOREVER - Then You Need To Do ...

An ideal gift that you can give or receive on Christmas day has to be a token that holds affectionate meanings, and that being is a piece of ornate Jewelry.Jewelry can denote many things as in i.e. will you be my friend wife/husband or thank you for just being who you are. Occasions are to numerous to mention for the giving of Jewelry.Slippers become a habitual buy for dad, chocolates for mum a. . .

Teen Pregnancy Prevention

Since the early 1990s, teen pregnancies across America declined dramatically. However, it is a teen pregnancy fact that 34% of teenage girls in America still get pregnant before they turn the age of 20. This means that America has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the world. As does England; in which one in every five births in the country is from a teenager. These are shocking statist. . .

Not Air Mattress! Air Mattress Bed!

Many are still confused between the difference between an air mattress and an Air Mattress Bed. Air mattresses are great in a pinch but provide minimal comfort and support and are more for portable use rather than a permanent sleep system. Air Mattress Beds not only give you the feeling of sleeping on air, but with the right materials and construction, it can be a very comfortable and supportiv. . .

Shopping for a Mattress? Get In the NOW!

It still amazes me to see that in almost every walk of life, consumers are looking for the latest and greatest on the market. Except when shopping for a mattress, it still seems that people are drawn to the 'same old same old' one mattress fits all coils and springs. Ouch! But that's not the big kicker; the big deal comes when you actually price these mattresses. To get a top quality coils and . . .

Department 56 Collectibles: Creating Lasting Memories and...

Now that the Christmas season is here, decorating is a top priority. Department 56 collectors of lighted ceramic houses are no exception. Many wait all year to get their Dept 56 houses and accessories unboxed and displayed.But why is collecting and displaying them so enjoyable (and important)? Why do Dept 56 collectors go to such lengths to make displays that are beautiful, whimsical and memora. . .

The Quick And Easy Guide To Water Filters

I bet you are frustrated over constantly having to buy new water filters for your home. After all, you don’t want to drink the tap water straight- who knows where it has been. And, you certainly don’t want to pay keep paying for water filters that only last so long. Well, the good news is that there are a couple of tips to keep in mind when shopping for your new water filters at Walmart or Cosc. . .

Climbing Frames And Play Structures - Is Planning Permis...

As a retailer of climbing frames and other play structures to the UK market I sometimes get asked if planning permission is needed for putting a play structure in the garden. The answer to this is ‘generally no’. In fact, I have yet to come across anyone who has bought a play structure from my web sites and has needed planning permission. These are regarded as temporary structures and there is . . .

Identity Theft - One of Today’s Major Issues

Thieves out there want to be you, learn how to stop identity theft with these tips.Sam drops the last of his already paid bills into the trash. Down the street, a neighbor watches while Sam puts out the trash.Two weeks later, Sam is notified that loans, credit cards and bank accounts have all been opened in his name! Sam could spend the better part of two years trying to clean up the mess creat. . .

12 Steps for a Stress-Free Holiday

Do you feel like Clark W. Griswold trying to make a perfect holiday and stumbling through mishaps? Everyone faces challenges of juggling their time effectively during the hectic holiday season. We all have to carry on our normal activities plus shop, wrap, cook, clean, bake, decorate, travel, etc. Here are 12 ways to manage your time so you can feel relaxed, happy, and joyous during the holiday. . .

Thanks Mankind!

I got to thinking today and i have to say, we rock! Humans I mean. For some reason, as I sat there, eating my McDonalds, I started thinking about technology. Man was I impressed! We have so much, and we dont think about it enough. I suppose it really doesnt make much of a difference to think about it anyways, but life would just be so much harder if it wasnt 2005.We have evolved into quite the . . .

How To Buy An Air Filter In 3 Easy Steps

I’ve got a confession to make. I don’t like shopping for car parts. In fact, I always see it as an unnecessary expense that should magically fix itself. Guess what? Cars need air filters every 30,000 miles or so. I’m not a mechanic so I don’t have a way to sell you an air filter over the web, but I can save you some bucks on either replacing or cleaning your air filter when the time comes. I’ve. . .

How to Choose Your Diamond Wedding Ring

A favorite activity of everyone getting married is the incredible fun of going through a wedding ring selection process. But there are so many things to consider - and sometimes it can turn into a nightmare.I've got to be honest here, everybody secretly wants a monster stone in the most beautiful setting possible. Do most women get it? No, not really. A perfect, flawless 3K diamond (or bigger) . . .

"Wishing Big" For The Holiday Season

I am going to have to write to the big-wigs at Sears. Or call them.What's the idea, anyway? What kind of a message is that to send during the holiday season? Wish big?But that's exactly what the Sears television commercials are suggesting -- wish big. Then again, why not?People in this country are already living beyond their incomes and are charging all of those lovely 'extras' to their credit . . .

Live on Forever (Or Why You Need an Ethical Will)

In the movie “The Bachelor,” starring Rene Zellweger and Chris O’Donnell, a young man’s grandfather had himself videotaped reading his will, in which he directed his grandson would receive his $100 million estate only if he was married by 6:05 p.m. on his 30th birthday. If not, the grandson inherited nothing. The rest of the movie is about the grandson trying to overcome his fear of marriage an. . .

Why Even Cinderella Would Rate Style Above Performance Wh...

It has often been argued that if Cinderella had possessed a reliable wristwatch, she would have known when her time at the ball was up and would have escaped the catastrophe that greeted her on the stroke of midnight.However, despite this critical need to get as accurate an account of the time as possible, if you found her shopping for a watch at your local mall today, it’s almost certain that . . .

Home Insurance Price Factors

Here are some factors to consider when purchasing home insurance. All of these factors can and will have an influence on the price you pay for home insurance. The Condition of the Home Insurers factor in general wear and tear on your home when setting a premium. They will inspect such things as the condition of the roof, porches, decks, and the integrity of the home's wiring system. Because ne. . .

Bioterrorism Preparedness

Bioterrorism has a history like anthrax attacks and is the most dreadful of all the probable massacres by terrorists and prompts us to instantiate the first step in bioterrorism preparedness by choosing the right safety gear like gas masks for bioterrorism protection.Despite the safety measures imposed by the government, bioterrorism is a reality and it is essential that citizens be prepared fo. . .

Teach Your Children About Money

I firmly believe that if we'd been taught more about investing and basic money management in high school (and younger!) my generation wouldn't have some of the financial troubles that they do. I was lucky enough to have parents who taught me those lessons at home, but many of my friends weren't so lucky. I don't think much has changed for our own children. The schools just don't have the time o. . .

How to Find Affordable Health Insurance

Affordable health insurance - it seems, especially today, those words just don't belong together in the same sentence. Health insurance monthly premiums have become the biggest single expense in our lives - surpassing even mortgage payments. In fact, if you have any permanent health problems, such as diabetes, or have had cancer at one time in your family history, your monthly cost could easily. . .

The Art Of Getting Your Kids To Talk To You

Being a parent isn't easy. Some days just getting everyone in your family all together at the same time for dinner can seem like the "impossible dream". Between after school sports and clubs and working and errands and carpools, it's not surprising that almost half of the parents in a recent survey said they feel a growing distance between themselves and their children. Today's children have mo. . .

Table Centerpiece Ideas

For special occasions like a family dinner, or when you have business associates or friends over, little finishing touches can add a lot to the dining table where you sit down to share the meal, as well as conversation and each other's company.Table centerpieces are the favorite decoration, and in a pinch, you can always use the silk arrangement that you keep in the china cabinet, or get a fres. . .

Wedding Gowns – Getting The Wedding Dress Of Your Dreams

What bride doesn’t want to feel like a princess on her wedding day? Actually, the better question is why not feel like one?However, with the sea of white in every store that you walk into, you will need a little training in what you’re looking for.Before you goA lot of choosing the right wedding gown comes from your research. And don’t lie, you know that the second you got engaged, you found . . .

7 Tips For Holiday Gift Giving

Avoid the hassles of holiday gift giving this year by following a few simple tips.1 Make a list of all the people you would like to buy gifts for.2. Set a budget for each gift that you give3. Write down gift ideas, Consider holiday gift baskets, or gift certificates.4. Set a dealine to finsh your holiday shopping.5. Look online, catalogs, for great deals.6. Set aside a time and day for you to d. . .

How To Buy Christmas Presents And Not Break The Bank

I have kids that are 16, 13,10 and 6 years old. We all know that when kids get to this age that they want gifts that are expensive. All their friends have new mp3 players, high tech video games, cell phones, etc. As working parents we know how much these things cost.I work at a factory, so spending hundreds of dollars on the newest gadget isn’t in my Budget. But since we love our kids and want . . .

Yes Virginia, Even in the 21st Century There Is Still a S...

He is a figure known the world over, an endorsement for gift giving, the winter holiday season and cookie eating. At times he is called Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas or Kris Kringle and is arguably the most famous heavyset celebrity - well at least to precede Elvis Presley. Yes, he is the loveable, enduring and jolly old chap we call Santa Claus. In 1897 one little girl from Manhattan, at th. . .

Do You Have A “Universal Life Policy?” What You Don’T Kno...

What kind of life insurance policy do you have? Is it a “term” policy? Is it a “whole life” policy or “universal life policy?” If you don’t know what kind of policy you have, you could be in big trouble. Everyone needs to know what kind of policy they have, how much it is and the most important factor, how long it will last. But too many times in my career I have met with people that don’t know. . .

Family Entertainment

Family entertainment can be very exciting and a great way to spend quality time together in an excellent environment. Children and adults alike need this time together to learn about each other and be close as a family. Entertainment can be fun and enjoyable and some forms of entertainment can even be educational. Theme parks are a great form of family entertainment where you have thrilling rid. . .

Book Excerpt: Pete and Ole (A Horse Story)

Pete and OleFrom the book: "Cream of the Crop (More True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm)" by LeAnn R. Ralph (trade paperback; October 2005; 190 pages; $13.95; FREE! shipping) -- http://ruralroute2.com"Highly recommended reading" -- The Midwest Book Review"(Cream of the Crop) was extraordinary from the first story to the last. I laughed, cried and sighed at the way you bring the emotions of peopl. . .

Book Excerpt: Old Habits Die Hard (A True Story About Ani...

From the book: "Cream of the Crop (More True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm)" by LeAnn R. Ralph (trade paperback; October 2005; 190 pages; $13.95; FREE! shipping) -- http://ruralroute2.com"Highly recommended reading" -- The Midwest Book Review"(Cream of the Crop) was extraordinary from the first story to the last. I laughed, cried and sighed at the way you bring the emotions of people and animal. . .