11 Ways to Save in 2011 (336) (NewsUSA) – If you occasionally struggle to balance your checkbook (or just want to be more frugal), a few simple changes can help you save. Coupon Mountain (www.couponmountain.com), the most trusted website for online coupons, discount codes and deals from major consumer brands, suggests the following tips: 1. Brew your own coffee. Home-brewed coffee costs about .12 cents a cup; buying your coffee will cost $1.50 to $3.50 a cup — you could end up saving between $500 and $1600 a year. 2. Drink filtered water. With filtered water, you will spend about 15 cents/gallon. Purchasing bottled water costs a lot more — about $10/gallon. 3. Use lower-wattage bulbs. Not only will less-powerful light bulbs lower your energy bills, they may also last longer. CFL bulbs can also save money long-term. 4. Shop online. Shopping online allows you to easily compare prices, plus you can use coupon codes from CouponMountain.com to gain additional savings. 5. Cancel your gym membership. Do bodyweight exercises from home to build up strength, or locate a recreation facility or park that offers free exercise equipment. 6. Invest in a vacuum sealer. Purchase your meats and veggies in bulk. A vacuum sealer will keep your foods fresher, longer. 7. Buy generic, store brand or discount. Generic brands will often use the same ingredients or materials. Shop discount stores to find name-brand items for less. 8. Shop out of season. Stores put summer and winter items on clearance at the end of the season — this is a good time to snap things up for next year. 9. Check your monthly bills and usage. Cancel all unwatched movie channels — or use sites like Hulu vs. cable. Use free VoIP like Skype or Google Voice for long distance calls. 10. Don’t overpay for cell phones. You probably rarely use all of your monthly cell-phone minutes, so reduce your plan. Unlimited texting is a good bet, though, because it’s very expensive to go over. 11. Get social to save. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter abound with discounts. Check out Facebook.com/couponmountain for savings tips, exclusive giveaways and more.

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Squirrel repellents do they really work? How can you stop these sometimes pest from getting into your feeders? Grey squirrels and eastern fox squirrels can keep you busy filling your feeders while your feathered friends are without feed. They can also damage or you may end -up with a total loss.
Despite efforts by home owners and bird-watchers, squirrels usually can gain access to your bird-feeders, even the experts with all their testing on bird-feeders and squirrel repellents have yet to find the “magic bullet” … So how or what can we do about these serenity takers?

The grey squirrel and the eastern fox squirrel can jump 8 feet sideways and 4 feet straight up from the ground, and can leap 15 feet down and hold on to where it land, “most likely your feeders” This some of the things I was told to try and have not tried them all but one is working just fine.

1. Avoid hanging feeders from trees, instead use a large post or pole and a baffle. Go to Lowe’s Home Improvement Center on 70 highway in Garner NC and get a fence post made of white plastic, its squirrel proof.

2. Elevate your feeder at least 5 feet off ground.

3. Hang your feeders by chain from the arm of the post with a baffle over it.

4. If you can’t beat them, feed them! Use food to attract them from feeders, corn, soybeans, nuts, or seeds.

5. Mix Fine Crushed Hot Red Pepper in with your bird feed. No it won’t hurt the birds or the squirrels but they will remember not to go to that feeder again. This works for me and most people.

6. Bulb booster with Bobcat Urine.

7. Hot Pepper Wax.

8. Ropel you can find ropel online from gardening catalog websites.

Buying Birdhouses And Bird-Feeders Things to consider and questions to ask before you purchase a bird-feeder or birdhouse. What is the product made of? Most handcrafted birdhouses and bird-feeders are made from the very best exterior grade woods, like cypress, western red cedar, eastern yellow pine, eastern red cedar, and plywood Baltic-birch or a very good grade from eastern Europe, these are all good for making birdhouses and bird-feeders.
Warning do not buy a birdhouse or bird feeder that’s been constructed with pressure treat lumber!

Ask how it was constructed? what kind of paints? what type of glue was used? a good polyurethane or marine glue is a good choose. Is your birdhouse or feeder guaranteed? There are some companies and crafters that do guarantee their products but as a rule you should not ask for guarantee if the product (birdhouse, feeder) is under $90.00.

For expensive birdhouses and bird-feeders don’t be afraid to ask, they just might include it with your purchase. Also get your guarantee in writing and full detail on how it works.

Ask where to hang it or the best place to put it? When to clean it and how to clean it? What type of food? Loaded with the right info you should be able to beat the squirrels and purchase a great bird-feeder or birdhouse.

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Handcrafted Wooden Birdhouses & Bird Feeders Made In Raleigh NC

Got a craft business idea you think could earn you extra income? Read how other craft artists have profited from James Dillehay’s craft business guides…..
Ready to increase your craft sales and profits? Just click here to learn more about our craft business guides. Click Here

(NAPSI)-A new online educational resource, www.BloodSugar Basics.com, has just launched to help people living with diabetes, their families and loved ones learn about the importance of understanding and managing low and high blood sugar. The website, developed by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and the American College of Endocrinology (ACE) and supported by Merck, breaks down information on blood sugar into easy-to-understand interactive features, downloadable resources and helpful tips on how to control blood sugar levels.

People with diabetes and their family members can get started by taking the interactive Blood Sugar Knowledge Quiz to test their blood sugar IQ. Do you know the answer to the question below? Visit the website to take the quiz and find out!

The website offers information about the causes, symptoms and risks of low and high blood sugar, as well as easy-to-download and-print resources like the Low and High Blood Sugar Checklists to help people understand, recognize and get through episodes of low or high blood sugar.

“While most people with type 2 diabetes recognize the importance of avoiding high blood sugar, they may not know the risks of extremely low blood sugar,” says Farhad Zangeneh, M.D., FACP, FACE, medical director and endocrinology consultant at the Endocrine, Diabetes and Osteoporosis Clinic (EDOC) and member, AACE Board of Directors.

Low blood sugar can make people feel dizzy, sweaty, hungry or tired and, if it’s not treated, may even cause loss of consciousness, while high blood sugar can cause frequent urination, increased thirst, fatigue or blurred vision. People with diabetes should discuss ways to best manage blood sugar with their doctor. To help begin this discussion, they can keep track of blood sugar levels with the AACE Diabetes Passport, and bring the Fast Five Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Blood Sugar to their next appointment.

“Skipping meals, drinking too much alcohol and changing exercise routines can all contribute to low blood sugar; patients may also need to adjust their medications and should talk with their doctor about any episodes of low blood sugar,” added Dr. Zangeneh.

If you or a loved one have type 2 diabetes, visit http://www.BloodSugarBasics.com to get started and learn how to control blood sugar levels to help manage diabetes successfully.

True or False?

In addition to insulin, some oral diabetes medications can cause low blood sugar, but there are diabetes treatment options that are associated with less low blood sugar.

http://www.BloodSugarBasics.com

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Free Appliance and Electronics pick-up for recycling, Stoves, Dryers, Heaters, Freezers, Refrigerators, Computers, Washers, Radios, TVs, Tools, Metal Furniture and other appliances that you are trashing or need recycling. We pick-up for free, no cost to you,and we dis-asemble and properly recycle all parts.
We also have a repair specialist to check for salvaging or repair, if repaired we give to persons free,or charge for repair cost and parts if needed only. We do not repair these appliances ourselves and not in the repair business, but we will try to salvage and donate appliances if repairs is not costly and is worth the effort and not just a delay to end up in landfills. Area we try to pick-up in: Raleigh, Garner, Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, Clayton NC and surrounding area’s Call 919-324-8905 OR 919-803-4425
If no answer please leave voice mail and someone will contact you and set-up a time at your convenience.

(NAPSI)-Homeowners looking to introduce color, texture and unique design elements to a house’s exterior may consider building an accent or garden wall. Fortunately, if the thought of a block-and-mortar wall seems a little daunting, there’s an easier solution.

Using dry-stacked concrete blocks and a surface-bonding cement, it can be easier than many homeowners realize to build a low-maintenance, affordable accent wall.

The one-coat application of Quikrete Quikwall Surface Bonding Cement provides structural strength and a textured “stucco” finish. The Surface Bonding Cement is also excellent for rehabilitating and waterproofing unpainted concrete walls.

Adding color to the wall can be simple with a liquid pigment additive available in 20 standard color choices, Quikrete Stucco & Mortar Color, that can be added to the mixing water during the mixing process.

To build the wall:

• Begin with the construction of a footing slab. Once the footing has cured, dry-lay the first block row on top of the footing and chalk mark the block positions using a level and mason’s line for accuracy.

• Remove the blocks and apply a 1-inch-thick bed of prepared surface-bonding cement on the footing to bond the first course to the footing and correct any irregularities. The mix should be stiff enough to support the weight of the first row of blocks.

• Place the first row, embedding the block to the mortar bed, to a final thickness of about ? inch. Remove any excess material.

• Check the alignment and level after positioning every three to four blocks.

• Start the second course with a half-block to create a “running bond” pattern. Continue dry-stacking the remaining blocks to the desired height; nonstructural dry-stack construction can go as high as six to eight feet for privacy.

• Add a cap block to the top course of block. For additional strength, fill the cavities with something such as Quikrete Concrete Mix.

• After dampening with a fine spray, apply an ?-inch-thick coating of surface bonding cement to the sides, top and exposed ends of the concrete block wall with a finishing trowel. Trowel to desired texture or finish.

• Moist-cure the wall after eight hours by dampening with a fine spray. Repeat spraying several times daily for three days.

For detailed application instructions or additional project ideas, visit www.quikrete.com.

Got a craft business idea you think could earn you extra income? Read how other craft artists have profited from James Dillehay’s craft business guides…..

“We couldn’t have imagined how much of an impact James Dillehay’s advice would make on our business. We thought after perfecting our product everything would just fall into place, but it didn’t until we started working with his suggestions. To our delight we are seeing results on a faster and larger scale than we expected in such a short period of time.” ~ Ken Kobrick & Angela Greene, www.Passchal.com, featured on the Today Show

“Since reading your books, I have implemented many of the ideas. I am now happy to report that I have had some surprising success here in Santa Fe. My hang cards, booth design, and even my products themselves have been changed by your books. I have only been there 5 partial days and have sold about 4 times what I sold in the equivalent time last year. I changed the color of the walls, the height of the tables, the displays, the hang cards, the pricing and more. So, IT WORKS!” ~ Julie Anderson, CostumeSalon.com

“After reading his books, my business took on a new life. I changed my product slightly and the response was remarkable! My first order was triple what I had planned for, and other orders are pouring in! I continue to look to James for inspiration and I love his approach. Because of the techniques I learned from him, my business is thriving.” ~ Cathy Marble, Chamisa Hill Designs

Ready to increase your craft sales and profits? Just click here to learn more about our craft business guides. Click Here

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A GREAT PLACE TO BUY PORK IN RALEIGH NC

Lots of people all over the USA just love a great pork steak,Country ham, center cut pork-chops.
For last 15 years I would shop at my local grocery store, and be very disappointed at the
quality and value of what you get in those store packed containers of meat.

A good pork chops that’s not too thin, not too thick, not too much fat and not a lot of bone.
That’s not asking too much, but after shopping at the grocery stores and seeing the nicely
packaged packs of pork on display at the meat counter, and buying and serving to the family
for so long and just dealing with the fact that in each package of 5 to 10 pounds 1/3 to 1/2 of the pork is fat, bone and mixed lean, fat, that looks like throw away scraps.

We went to 4 of the major grocery supermarkets in Raleigh and surrounding area’s and purchased 2 packages of pork chops about 7 to 10 pounds per package, from each store,
we found that all four stores was doing the same thing. Each package had the top of the package displayed very nice, the meat looked great through the plastic wrap but under the top layer was, what my sister calls, “scraps for dogs food” not what you want to eat.

Each package had only 1/2 to 2/3 of edible meat in them, this is a practice that’s been happening for years, and it could be an industry practice across the board.

Well what can you do? Write you grocery store, call your consumer BBB, your local government, complain to the USDA or don’t shop that store.

I found a place in Raleigh NC, at the North Carolina State Farmers Market.

PORK KING, Nahunta Pork Center (919) 242-4735

The State Farmers Market is conveniently located on I-40 and Lake Wheeler Road, exit 297. Covering 75 acres, the modern facility provides up to 225,000 square feet of covered, climate controlled, all season retail and wholesale spaces.

Also Find Handmade Crafts At This Same Market.

Sell Your Handi-Crafts Online Click Here!
WOODEN BIRDHOUSES THE GREEN WAY!

(NAPSI)-When buying a car, there’s more to consider than the make and model. Price, size, gas mileage–even the way it feels behind the wheel–affect your decision. You should also weigh your options when buying auto insurance. With many brands and features and price ranges out there, it pays to do your homework.

Here are some common questions people ask Progressive when they shop for insurance:

What type of auto insurance can I choose from? There are two types of auto insurance: Liability coverage pays for damage to other vehicles or injuries to other people that you cause. Physical Damage coverage pays for damage to your vehicle. These two coverages are the foundation of your policy.

How much coverage should I buy? The state defines the minimum amount of coverage required, but after that, the amount of coverage you buy is up to you. You choose based on your comfort level, budget and lifestyle.

Some people want as much coverage as possible for all of life’s “what ifs.” Others are satisfied with bare-minimum coverage. If you have a newer vehicle, you may want more coverage to protect your investment. If you can afford higher deductibles (the amount you’ll pay out of pocket in the event of an accident), you can raise them and pay less premium.

How is my rate determined? Rates are based on a combination of pieces of information about you, your driving record and your car. It’s important for you to provide accurate information to your agent or to the insurance company. It helps determine the best options and rates for you.

Can I get a lower rate? Many insurance companies offer discounts that can help lower your rate. For example, Progressive offers discounts for good student drivers, paying your premium electronically and having more than one policy.

Some companies offer rewards for renewing your policies with them. At Progressive, the longer you stay a customer, the more benefits you gain, such as lower deductibles and accident forgiveness. Ask your agent or customer service representative about available discounts and programs.

Where should I shop for insurance? If you prefer to look on your own, begin your search online. If you want to talk to someone about insurance, contact an agent. To find an agent, visit www.progressiveagent.com.

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Wooden Bird Houses

It 2011! Wow, how time fly, seems like 2010 only lasted a couple of months. I do remember most of the good, thanks to planning and getting things done on a schedule. As administrator here at City5nc I get to talk to lot of people from all over the world, and I get many thoughts and views, on how to make life better, as far as day to day living, some good and others not so good.

These are things we consider essential for most people, from low income to middle class trying to survive in this economy.

1. Try to pay your credit cards down or off, spend cash if possible, pay a few dollars more than the minimum, use only one card with low interest rate, and low balance for emergencies.
2. Eat healthy foods, buy local fruits and vegetables when you can, or grow your own when the seasons are in. buy food in bulk when appropriate, not just when it on sale.
3. If times are really tight, try turning your hobby or crafting idea into a money making venture. Do a search online for crafts and hobbies ideas, go to craft shows, take an online course from your local Community College, use what you already know as a starting point.
4. Remember that what goes around comes around, so don’t wait for someone to do something nice for you first, start by giving or helping someone along with an act of kindness, it just might come back to you when you really need it, or you just might feel good.
5. If you live in the City riding the bus a few days a week, could save you lots of money, gas, less traffic, and no headache.
6. Banking and Savings in the major banks is more expensive, with more fees and banking cost, using your debit card could cost you more at some banks, not just at the ATM but news fees. If you have a saving account and it’s been hard to keep the minimum balance that your bank have on that account, then you are paying the bank to save your own money. Find a bank that has a low minimum balance.
7. Make a plan to become debt free, it’s not impossible to do. Start paying a payment and a half each time you make a mortgage payment, credit card, car, medical bills and before you know it your bills are paid. Start small and test the waters, if you can do this without breaking your bank, then you’re on your way.
8. Down time, well it’s also important to get in your rest and relaxation, so budget enough for that special get away. Whether you are young, older, retired a break from the routine, same old same can can make Jack a dull boy and Jill too. Taking time off for that fishing trip, traveling, sight-seeing, visiting another Country or US State or just taking a break to pamper yourself is all good.
9. Small Businesses should try to invest in their companies, but don’t forget about the employees, before you pass out those lay-off or pink slips try working with your employees to maybe work out a salary or benefit compromise until the economy improves.
10. Don’t Complain about what you dis-like about your life, just add some things you do like, and the rest will fall in place.

Got a craft business idea you think could earn you extra income? Read how other craft artists have profited from James Dillehay’s craft business guides…..

“We couldn’t have imagined how much of an impact James Dillehay’s advice would make on our business. We thought after perfecting our product everything would just fall into place, but it didn’t until we started working with his suggestions. To our delight we are seeing results on a faster and larger scale than we expected in such a short period of time.” ~ Ken Kobrick & Angela Greene, www.Passchal.com, featured on the Today Show

“Since reading your books, I have implemented many of the ideas. I am now happy to report that I have had some surprising success here in Santa Fe. My hang cards, booth design, and even my products themselves have been changed by your books. I have only been there 5 partial days and have sold about 4 times what I sold in the equivalent time last year. I changed the color of the walls, the height of the tables, the displays, the hang cards, the pricing and more. So, IT WORKS!” ~ Julie Anderson, CostumeSalon.com

“After reading his books, my business took on a new life. I changed my product slightly and the response was remarkable! My first order was triple what I had planned for, and other orders are pouring in! I continue to look to James for inspiration and I love his approach. Because of the techniques I learned from him, my business is thriving.” ~ Cathy Marble, Chamisa Hill Designs

Ready to increase your craft sales and profits? Just click here to learn more about our craft business guides. Click Here Free Wake County Business Listings