Good little article in the health section of our paper on how to change doctors. Why would you want to leave your doctor? If you feel any of the following is happening to you when you visit your doctor then you might want to find a new doctor:

Feel ignored.

Friends or family don’t understand what is going on with you medically because you can’t explain it.

Many people hesitate to change doctors because they fear will have go through testing all over again. But that is not always the case. With your permission your new doctor can request your records, look at your history and formulate a plan of treatment without having to re-test.

Here are some recommendations on how to find a new doctor:

Ask someone you trust for a recommendation

Research reputable web site for information on your condition.

Want another great health tip read our post How to Have Healthy Eyes

Credit Card Cash Advance Rates

New law passed in May 2009 which went into effect in the beginning of this year will require credit card companies to make bills easier to understand.

For instance, they will need to provide a table showing how much interest charges will cost if only minimum payments are made. Cardholders will also be shown how much they need to pay each month to erase a balance within three years.

Available credit – Credit card companies don’t have to stop you from exceeding your credit limit. But they will charge you a fee for doing so - about $29.00 on average.

A transaction can still be denied before your so –called available credit is used up. This might happen if your spending habits are deemed risky or out of character.

For instance say you start carrying a balance after years of paying off bills in full that could trigger a clampdown. Another red flag might be if you get too close to drying up your credit.

Another common mistake is confusing your available credit with your cash advance credit line. To understand credit card account terms you should know the two different types of credit will be listed separately, with the advance credit line coming with a significantly higher interest rate.

Average daily balance – It is easy to dismiss this amount because the purpose is not clear but this is the amount used to calculate finance charges

To determine your interest charge, the card company starts with the average daily balance – which is your balance at the end of the day during a billing period, divided by the number of days in that billing period.

That number is then multiplied by a monthly period rate, which is the annual interest rate divided by 12. Some banks use a daily periodic rate, meaning they divide the annual rate by 365.

So what does that mean for you? Now that you understand credit card account terms you realize paying off bills early – even before the due date will lower your average daily balance and subsequently your financing charges.

Due date – Even if you mail your payment so it arrives by the due date, don’t be surprised if you’re hit with a late fee.

One reason is that deadlines can be for a specific time, sometimes as early as 1pm so if your payment is not processed until later in the afternoon – you get hit with a late fee. The time your payment is due is usually buried somewhere in the terms on the back of your bill.

According to Consumer Action, most card issuers 78% immediately charge late fees if payments aren’t received by the due date. The majority 90% also said a late fee is levied even if the due date falls on a Saturday or holiday.

Online and phone payments aren’t always instantaneous either, so give some time for the payment to be processed and cleared.

The new law will push due date deadlines back to 5pm and require that they don’t fall on a holiday or weekend.

Residual interest – Let’s say you pay off a $1000 balance you’ve been carrying. You are not debt free because the following month you will get a bill for interest charges on the 1,000 dollars – this is called residual interest.

Interest continues accruing on debt in that window of time between when your statement was issued and when you make your payment. By the time you get your statement and submit the payment, you’ve racked up more interest.

If you understand credit card account terms you will now know to one way to avoid residual interest is by paying off your balance in full each month, since this gives you a grace period in which you don’t rack up any charges. Carrying a balance for just one month, however, can result in charges.

Another good way to avoid residual interest is to check your statement online and pay off a balance as soon as the statement is issued.

Learn more about what you need to watch out for on your credit statement. See our sister site =>

Bad Credit Blues

and find out about what credit card companies hope you won’t notice on your statement. See the post

Credit Card Balance Smackdown higher fees lower limits

You see so many advertisements on raising your credit card score but you really don’t know if these people are telling the truth. There are some things you can do on your own to raise your credit score. So here is your self help credit repair guide.

Bill Hardekopf author of the Credit Card Guidebook and chief executive of LowCards.com offers these tips on raising your credit score. Your credit score is what lenders use to decide if they should give you credit and at what interest rate you will be charged for your credit.

Pay your bills on-time. Make at least the minimum payments on your credit cards and loans each month.

Keep your oldest accounts open. Longevity looks good on a credit report.

Don’t use more than 30% of the credit you have available to you.

Pay off your balances. Don’t keep transferring your balance. If you can’t pay your bills contact your creditors to work out a payment plan or see a credit counselor. Try going to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

Want more good tips on Self Help Credit Repair go to Bad Credit Blues and find out how mistakes on your credit report can hurt your score.

How to Organize Your Kitchen

Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

Want to know how to organize your kitchen pantry?  It is not really hard to do. There are basically two things you must consider when organizing your kitchen pantry. One, make sure you can easily see what is in the pantry. Two, make sure you have it stocked with the right ingredients. Read on for some very simple ways about how to organize your kitchen pantry.

Throw away anything past its expiration date and consolidate multiple items that are half used.

Transfer dry goods to airtight containers to prolong their shelf life.

Label shelves so that everything has its place. Knowing where to find items makes cooking more efficient.

Group like items together. For example, make sure all your spices are together on one shelf or two if you they won’t all fit. Put all cereals together etc.

Use clear containers whenever possible so you can easily see what is in them.

Stock your pantry with dinner essentials so you will always have something to make a meal with. Here is a very basic list:

DINNER ESSENTIALS

Baking powder
Baking soda
Beans, canned
(black, garbanzo, Mexican-style chili, white)
Bread
Biscuit Mix
Bread crumbs (dry)
Broth or bouillon
(beef, chicken, vegetable)
Catsup
Cornmeal, yellow
Cornstarch
Dressings (honey-mustard, Italian,
vinaigrettes)
Flour (all-purpose white)
Fruit, canned (pears)
Garlic (bulb, bottled)
Graham crackers (crumbs)
Honey
Hot pepper sauce
Milk (evaporated skim, sweetened condensed)
Mustard (Dijon-style, honey, spicy brown, yellow)
Nonstick spray coating
Nuts (almonds, cashews, dry roasted peanuts,
pecans, walnuts)
Oats (quick-cooking, rolled)
Oils (olive, roasted garlic, vegetable, peanut)
Olives (green, kalamata, ripe)
Onions (green, red, yellow)
Pasta, dried (bow tie, orzo-rosamarina, ramen noodles,
shells, tortellini)
Pasta (angel hair, fettuccine, macaroni, spaghetti)
Peanut butter
Potatoes (red, russet, yellow)
Rice (brown, instant, long grain white, pilaf mixes, wild)
Salsa
Soy sauce
Spaghetti sauce
Sugar (brown, granulated, powdered)
Tomatoes, canned (Italian-style stewed,
stewed, tomato sauce)
Tomatoes, fresh (common, roma)
Tortillas (flour)
Tuna, canned
Vinegar (balsamic, cider, distilled white, red wine,
rice wine, white balsamic, white wine)
Worcestershire sauce

Want a great quick easy breakfast recipe? Check out The Frugal Pig for their recipe for homemade kolaches.

[tag]organize your ktichen,how to organize a ktichen,how to organize a small kitchen,how to organize your kitchen,organize my kitchen,how to organize kitchen cupboards,how to organize your kitchen pantry[tag]

How to Grow a Container Garden

Supplies you will need:

Pots (terra cotta or ceramic are best, plastic gets too hot)

Peat-based potting soil which will drain easily and let roots spread (ex. Miracle Grow)

Raw Eggs, in shells

Seeds - Use herbs such as sage, thyme, basil, and rosemary and vegetables such as lettuce, green beans, peas, eggplants, peppers, summer squash, and tomatoes are good for containers. When buying seeds look for packages labeled “compact” or “space saver”.

Plant markers

Gardening Gloves

Trowel - something you dig with

Screwdriver

Step 1 - BEFORE YOU PLANT

Look for a location for your container garden. You need a place with at least six hours of sunlight. You can’t get by with less. You can group plants in one large pot or use several small ones.

Step 2 - PREPARE THE POT

The size of your pot depends on the size of your plant. 20 inch diameter pots and good for tomatoes and eggplants, 4 inch pots are fine for herbs and 6 to 8 inch for lettuce. Fill the pot with 2 inches of potting soil. Place one uncracked raw egg in the pot - as it decomposes it will serve as a natural fertilizer and cover with soil.

Step 3 - MAKE HOLES

Using a screwdriver or your finger, create five to six holes that are i inch deep. New seeds tend to have more successful germination rates than leftover packets from last year - check for dates on the package. You can purchase seeds at your local nursery or order from a seed catalog. Expect one plant to grow for every five seeds planted.

You need your back for so many things - sitting, standing, lifting and bending. Having a strong back can help prevent back injuries and can improve your posture. Back injuries are painful and the treatment is often lengthy and expensive. So do yourself a big favor and get your back muscles in shape. Here are some easy and inexpensive ways to strengthen your back:

Work your core muscles 3 days a week -

Core muscles are those muscles that stabilize the spine and pelvis and run the entire length of the torso. These muscles stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder and provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities. Pilates exercises emphasize core muscle strength. No need to go for expensive classes - get yourself a good DVD (I like Denise Austin’s Pilates) with a 20 minute workout.

Leg exercises - Exercises such as lunges and squats help your back placing your core on a firmer foundation. Strong legs also mean your heart does not have to work as hard. Strong legs also help you pick up things properly. When you bend your knees to lift an item your legs will take the stress not your back. Squats and lunges can be easily done at home. Look online for the proper technique. A good way to begin is to get one of those big exercise balls and put it between your back and the wall as you squat.

Elevate your feet - I remember reading this tip as advice for pregnant women but it is good advice for anyone. If you have to stand for a long time you can take stress off your lower back by elevating one foot on a step or curb. When sitting, put your knees up highter than your hips

back exercises,back health exercises,back strengthening exercises,exercise for the lower back,exercises for the back, exercises to strengthen lower back,lower back exercises, strengthen the muscles in your lower back

Technorati Tags: back exercises, back health exercises, back strengthening exercises, exercise for the lower back, exercises for the back, exercises to strengthen lower back, lower back exercises, strengthen the muscles in your lower back

Small banking fees can cost you a small fortune if you don’t pay close attention. An article in Parade magazine discussed how to avoid bank fees you probably aren’t even aware of:

Transfer fees - When you move money around between linked accounts, watch out! Some banks now charge $3 or $5 for each transfer you make online. Consider making only one transfer a month or redirecting a direct deposit.

Annual fees - If the balances on your checking or savings accounts drop below a required amount, you may be charged a fee. Make sure you know what your balance needs to be. Some banks also require you to make a specific number of transactions during the year. If you fail to do so, you may be charged with an annual “inactivity fee.” Read the fine print on your account terms, and move your money elsewhere if you don’t expect to reach the minimum number of transactions.

Account-maintenance fees - You can get charged as much as $12 a month for simply keeping your checking or savings account open! Unfortunately, it’s become more difficult to avoid these fees, so know the terms of your account and since terms change, call your bank if you see an unusual charge that wasn’t there last month. Bank with the right bank for you - the one that suits the way you use your account.

If you do have a fee on your statement that you feel is unfair, contact your bank. Sometimes just a phone call will get the fee removed.

Having trouble with your credit car company? Check out our sister website Bad Credit Blues and get some tips to help you reduce credit card debt or negotiate with your credit card company.

bank account fees,bank fees,bank of america overdraft fees,bank overdraft fees,rising bank fees,unfair bank fees,reclaim bank fees,compare bank fees

Technorati Tags: bank account fees, bank fees, bank of america overdraft fees, bank overdraft fees, rising bank fees, unfair bank fees, reclaim bank fees, compare bank fees

Here is what Patricia Weber creator of the website Motherinlawhell.com has to say on the subject. Weber created the site to vent about her own mother in law. The site is interactive so you can post stories and get feedback quickly. The two biggest complaints are: My MIL (mother in law) is interfering with child-rearing and my MIL competes with me for her son’s attention. Patrica says if you can’t get along with your MIL treat her like a colleague. Be amicable but to the point.

Here are some ways to get some perspective on the situation:

You’ve won: Remember that. Her son lives with you.

Good terms: If you cannot be loving, treat her like a co-worker. Be friendly but to the point.

Turnaround: Remember you could be a mother-in-law yourself someday.

A thick skin: Try not to take every comment as a criticism.

Include her: If she offers to help - with cleaning, cooking or her grandkids - let her. You could probably use a break.

Now here is advice for mother in laws

The boss: Remember that she who runs the house sets the rules.

Take a holiday: Don’t get attached to outcomes; just focus on having a good time.

No contest: Remember love is not a competitive sport.

Think back: Remember when you were a daughter in law.

Smile: Speak authentically and kindly; season with humor.

mother in law problems,daughter in law problems,mother in laws

Technorati Tags: mother in law problems, daughter in law problems, mother in laws

Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Mike Roizen recently published an article titled “Nature’s Best Stress Busters.” Here are their suggestions on how to relax and reduce stress:

Tighten your muscles: Then let them relax. By doing this muscle by muscle, you can help push the physical stress that is stored in your body out of your body. Start with your feet. Tense the muscles for about ten to fifteen seconds and then relax them. Then move up your body, doing the same with each muscle group (calf muscles, thigh muscles etc.).

Deep breathing: Deep breathing helps modify the messages sent from your body to the brain via the vagus nerve, the longest nerve coming directly from your brain. Relearn how to deep breathe by lying down, putting your finger on your belly button and making it move away from the floor when you inhale. You want to make your stomach rise as you fill it up with air. Deep breathing starts from your stomach not your chest.

Yoga Poses: Try a few yoga poses. Focus your mind on the movement you’re doing or holding. This frees your body and helps you free your mind to allow ideas to pass through it without attachment. Check out this linkBeginner Yoga Poses if you want to learn how to do some of the beginner poses. If you really think yoga is not for you read our post How To Do Yoga Without Having To Turn Yourself into a Pretzel

yoga,how to reduce stress,how to reduce stress naturally,relaxation techniques,dr mehmet oz,deep breathing,stress reductions,beginner yoga

Technorati Tags: yoga, how to reduce stress, how to reduce stress naturally, relaxation techniques, dr mehmet oz, deep breathing, stress reductions, beginner yoga

Tie dye is always cool and always unique. Tye dye t shirts make great Christmas gifts and are inexpensive to make. It’s a fun activity to do with kids or just get a bunch of your friends together and have a tie dye party. You can serve tequila sunrises a sort of tie dye drink. If the weather is nice you can do them outside and not have worry about the mess.

So here are the materials you need to have on hand to get started tie dying:

Materials

Disposable plastic gloves

3 or 4 plastic buckets, depending on how many colors you are using

Rubber bands

Smocks or clothing you don’t mind getting messy.

Dye - such as RIT Powder, which can be found at craft and some grocery stores.

T-shirts or other items you want to dye

Instructions:

1. Wash an old t-shirt or soak a new one, and leave wet.

2. Twist t-shirt or tie knots, securing with rubber bands.

3. Mix 1 package powdered dye with 1 quart hot water and 5 tablespoons salt.

4. Let water cool to room temperature, then soak the t-shirt in each color for 20 minutes.

5. Rinse shirt in cool water until water runs clear. Undo knots, then rinse again. Hang shirt to dry.

tie dye,how to tie dye,how to tie dye shirts,tie dye shirts,tie dye techniques,tie dye t-shirts,tie dye clothes

Technorati Tags: tie dye, how to tie dye, how to tie dye shirts, tie dye shirts, tie dye techniques, tie dye t-shirts, tie dye clothes