Don't get Scammed by your Mechanic

Most of the time when you go to a mechanic, it is a smooth experience but every so often you can get scammed. Someone who is close to me, got new tires recently and they ended up doing something to her car battery. She had no choice but to purchase a new one. She never had battery problems before this. Of course the mechanic would not admit it was his fault. He blamed it on the “cold weather.” Cold weather meaning 50 degrees, which was not cold compared to what the car had been other times. They also set the tires to 40 instead of the suggested 30. Thankfully, she had an oil change and they fixed it for her.  It’s really important that you know what you are getting in to.  The mechanic can be intimidating when you don’t understand what they are talking about.  It’s easy to trust someone because it’s their job. Most of the time, they are trustworthy and don’t try and rip you off, but you need to be educated. Some prey on women or older people who may not know that they don’t need new brakes or that’s their engine is sound.

 Here’s an infograph by Active Insurance to help you know what the warning signs of auto repair scams.  It also gives you an estimate of what certain parts cost and just some good tips. I love the tip about asking for the old part when it’s replaced. I would have never thought of that. It’s to make sure they really replaced it. You are in the waiting room and you never know what they are doing in the garage. 

Are you comfortable with getting car repairs? Do you get them yourself or do you send your husband or dad to take care of it?  Did you learn anything new?

5 Great Tips for Playing Slot Machines

I thought I would share some tips about playing slot machines that I have learned over the years. I am not a huge gambler but I enjoy playing from time to time.

1. If you are flying in to Vegas or Reno and have change for the machines, don't put it in a Ziploc bag. This is really for any airport. It will look like a knife, I learned this lesson twice.

2. Speaking of change, you don't actually use coins or tokens at the casino. If you want to save change for gambling, take it to the bank. The cashiers do not want to count your change. Trust me. The airport cashiers want to cash you out and smile as your eyes get wide when you see the lights of the machines. Everything is on a card you insert to the machine. No change buckets needed.

3. There are several different types of machines. You have nickel machines, quarter, dollar, five dollar and twenty dollar machines. I call the nickel slot machines the play here machines because you get more bang for your buck.

4. Nickel machines sound cheap but you really pay more than a nickel. They are usually the kind with different lines each line costs a nickel. You can choose how many lines you want to use. Sometimes it will default to one line so pay attention.

5. Set your limit before you go to the casino. If you want to limit yourself to $40, only bring $40. Leave cards and cash at home. Sometimes you can win Starburst Touch Free Spins where it will spin all by it's self. Free spins are almost as good as cash. You know you will probably spin again anyways.

I hope you enjoyed the tips I shared with you. You can always play straight from your computer if a trip to a casino isn't in the cards. Check out  free play rainbow riches here. Good luck and have fun.

Secrets to Aging Gracefully

A lot of women are concerned about growing older; I think that some believe that if you get older you lose your beauty. I don’t think that is the case because no matter how old you are, you are beautiful.  I don’t think it matters how long you have been on the earth, or if you have wrinkles or grey hair you are still beautiful. My grandma Rose was beautiful until she passed away; she had grey hair and wrinkles. I used to gently pinch the loose skin on her hands when I was little.  Now in the days of plastic surgery it is like if you have one wrinkle you need to torture yourself to get rid of it.  I am not really sure what the point of becoming a human pin cushion to look beautiful is.  I believe you can age gracefully without the use of needles and being cut open and poked and prodded.  I thought I would share some ways for aging gracefully.

Always wear sunscreen when you are outside. You can get sunburn when it is cloudy. You can damage layers of your skin and get sunspots from the UV rays.  Not to mention you can get skin cancer. Sunscreen will also help you moisturize your skin.

Eat foods rich in antioxidants. The antioxidants can protect your body from diseases and help you feel good.  

Eat foods rich in vitamin A to protect your vision, as you get older your eyes are extra important as your vision can start to go.  Eating healthy is just plain important, I don’t think having a treat every now and then would be a bad thing.

Take a multivitamin or vitamin supplements to protect your body and your bones.

Drink a lot of water. I know that is simple advice but water makes you feel better. It flushes out your toxins and helps curve hunger.

Get some sunlight. I don’t mean lay out in the sun but get some sunlight. The sun makes you happy. If you live in an area where the sun doesn’t shine a lot when it is colder, you can get a machine that makes artificial sunlight. I know that when I am having a bad day if I spend some time out in the sun I feel better.

Get exercise. I believe that you are only as old as you feel. I think that getting out and doing those things you enjoy can be good for you. It helps you stayin shape, and if you sit around and do nothing you are going to miss out on those fun things. Please know your own limits but I don’t think age makes you destined to sit in a chair to grow old.  Even a walk with a loved one is fun. It helps create long lasting memories. I still remember walking to the store with my Grandma Rose when I was a little girl and I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything. One of my favorite quotes is “Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying” – The Shawshank Redemption.

Spend time with friends and family; surround yourself with your loved ones. You would be surprised how young you can feel when you are around those you love. Especially children, you can become a big kid in a matter of moments.  Get together with the girls and laugh until you snort or cry.  Make memories.

The most important tip I can give you for aging gracefully is simple. Enjoy life. My best friend’s dad is always saying enjoy. So, I ask you to just enjoy life.  Don’t worry about growing old, just enjoy now.

So what if you get wrinkles, in some cultures wrinkles mean beauty and grace.  Each wrinkle you have tells a story.  They are there for a reason. Instead of getting rid of them why not just love them.  They are a part of you.

The Waiting Game: Tips to Keep Kids Busy

MobiStories.com Guest Contributor Wendy Toone shares great tips on how to keep your kids occupied when you've got tons of errands to run!

As a mom of two, I know I'm not alone when I say how challenging it is to keep young kids occupied while doing any sort of waiting. And by challenging, I mean "grit-your-teeth, pull your hair out, I can't believe they're doing that in public" challenging. How many times have you had to stop in to the bank for a quick transaction with a toddler in tow, only to find a line so long you think you made a wrong turn and ended up at the DMV. What to do?? You look at your toddler...at the line...at the very important banking you need to do...at your toddler.... at the line. It may seem like a hopeless situation, but it's not. I'm here to help.

Here are a few of my tried and true tips and ideas to try the next time you find yourself in a queue, a waiting room, on a plane, or any other situation where you may need to keep your little ones quiet and at bay. They've worked for me; I hope they work for you. The basic premise is to keep your child busy. By giving them something specific to do you'll be combating boredom, and may have fun in the process. So, give your toddler a job...Part 1 offers Gross Motor Exercises. In my follow up article I offer some Fine Motor Exercises. And the series will finish with the all-important Cognitive Exercises, to keep your little one thinking all the time.

"Gross" Motor Exercises (exercises for the large muscle groups, not the yucky ones)

Youngsters need to be active. It seems as though they're wired that way. Running, jumping, rolling are all part of everyday life for toddlers - after all, physical and cognitive development is their job. So, since screen time may not be an option, how can we expect them to stand still for any length of time? That doesn't mean you can turn your little one loose in the lobby. But you can encourage the use of large muscle groups, keeping them active but in one spot.

1. Flamingo Stand - have your child extend his/her arms out to the side for balance, then pick up one foot and see how long they can stand on the other foot. Naturally you'll want to make sure you both have a bit of room in case of tips and tumbles. But the goal is not to fall down. The goal is to stay up...counting helps and creates an opportunity for improvement as each time they try they get to higher and higher numbers.

Once your child (and probably you as well) tire of the Flamingo Stand, move on to this one.

2. Little, Big - have your child do basic squats. For those of you who workout, you know how fatiguing it can be to burn those thigh muscles. Your child reaches as tall as she/he can, up on tiptoes, then squats down as little as they can, but staying on their feet. Think duck squat. In fact, you can even give a whispered little "quack, quack" if it helps. You can get big, now get little, as often as you'd like. Be certain not to go too fast.... otherwise you move into jumping, which may require more room than you have at hand.

We adults will probably feel the burning sensation in our legs much sooner than your child; however, you can probably stop at any time and watch your child go, go, go, go.

These are just a couple of gross motor exercises you can do with your child. By the way, why do they call them gross motor exercises? I'm sure you can now think of many others along these same lines. When it comes to waiting on long lines, giving your child something productive to do will make the waiting time pass more quickly. I look for anything to pass the time by. Whether it's Gross Motor, Fine Motor or even just watching digital picture books to exercise your child's brain. You know, whatever it takes. They're only this young once!

Wendy Toone is a child expert having owned and operated a leading franchise children's fitness center and now producing MobiStories, Virtual Books for KidsTM, as well as being a mom to her two children. To experience the world of digital children's picture books, visit MobiStories.com.

To download a free digital book for your PC visit MobiStories.com, click on Summer (in the Ages 2 - 4 category) add it to the cart along with Michelle Obama (Ages 6-10) then enter the code SUM0710 in the Coupon Code Box.

*This advertorial post is sponsored by the Role Mommy Writer's Network.

Last Minute Tax Tips from Dunkin' Donuts

Dunkin’ Donuts Retail Coffee

Tax Day Survival Tips

With the tax-filing deadline approaching, don’t panic if you haven’t completed your return. Here are some Tax Day Survival tips to help you avoid stress and enjoy a “delicious” return.

1. Set aside some quality tax time. Brew a cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee at home, find the materials you need to prepare your taxes, and retire to a quiet spot to get started. You can complete your return manually on paper, with Free File, or commercial software. If you use a tax professional, make sure to gather all your materials before sitting down with him or her.


2. Consider an extension. If, for any reason, you can’t file your income tax return on time, simply request a filing extension by April 15th. This gives you six more months to complete your return and avoid late filing penalties. Use Form 4868, which you can get at IRS.gov. But you still must pay now what tax you’ll owe to avoid late payment penalties.

3. Check out new tax breaks for certain 2009 purchases. If you bought a home, you may qualify for a tax credit. If you bought a new car, you may be able to deduct the sales tax. Find details about these new breaks at IRS.gov.

4. File electronically. To get your tax refund as quickly as possible, file your income tax return electronically and request that the refund be deposited directly in your account. You can have the deposit split among two or three accounts, including bank accounts, IRAs, health savings accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, and a TreasuryDirect® account for I bond purchases.

5. Adjust your tax withholding or estimated taxes. Is it bad to be owed a tax refund? It’s nice to have the extra cash now, but getting a refund means you’ve really made an interest-free loan to Uncle Sam. A better strategy is to adjust your tax withholding or estimated taxes for this year so you pay an amount that is closer to the amount of tax owed; this gives you the use of your own money throughout the year.

6. Contribute to your retirement fund. The tax year is over but it’s not too late to put money in a regular or Roth IRA for 2009. Assuming you’re eligible, a contribution to a traditional IRA made by April 15th is deductible on your 2009 return. If you opt for a Roth IRA contribution, you can’t deduct it but will build up tax-free income for retirement.

7. Reap eco-credits. If you added insulation, energy-efficient windows, or solar panels to your home, you not only reduced energy costs but also may now qualify for a tax credit. The credit limit for installing solar panels and other alternative energy additions is 30% of cost; for other improvements, there’s a $1,500 cap. The tax credit reduces your tax bill dollar for dollar.

8. The standard deduction isn’t standard anymore. If you don’t itemize, you may be able to bulk up your standard deduction by adding amounts for being a senior, paying property taxes on your home or sales tax on a car purchase, or for suffering a loss in a federal disaster. But you’ll have to complete a new form, Schedule L, to total up your standard deduction.

Barbara Weltman is an attorney, prolific author with such titles as J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes, J.K. Lasser’s 1001 Deductions and Tax Breaks, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business, and trusted professional advocate for small businesses and entrepreneurs. She is also the publisher of Idea of the Day® and monthly e-newsletter Big Ideas for Small Business® at www.barbaraweltman.com and host of Build Your Business radio. Follow her on Twitter at BarbaraWeltman.

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