Before I even moved into my house I did a lot of independent research to make sure that this was a safe neighborhood. I looked up whether or not there were sex offenders near by. Of course what I found out about that is only the ones who have been caught are registered, but I digress. I also looked at crime stats because I didn’t want to live in an area with high crime.

But recently there have been a few break-ins in my area. People are getting their jewelry stolen mostly. Probably by meth heads who sell the gold jewelry for cash. And I am a little worried about my own personal safety now when I am at home. Of course I always lock my doors and windows. But if somebody wants in bad enough they can probably get in. So I decided it was time to buy a gun.

I went to the sporting goods store and started looking at handguns. Do you realize just how expensive firearms are? I guess some of it has to do with Obama getting elected and the ensuing fear that the right to bear arms will be taken away. Anyway, I did find a cheaper way to get a gun (legally too). I went to a pawn shop and picked up a used Colt 1911 .45 for a fraction of the price which I would have paid for a new one.

One of the questions that many small business owners face is whether they should rent or buy the equipment that they need to do their jobs. It’s a tough question to answer. In fact, figuring out the answer requires that you ask yourself some additional questions.

Questions to ask yourself to figure out whether to rent or buy include:

• How often do I use this equipment? If you’re a contractor who rents portable screening equipment on a regular basis then you may find that it’s more cost-effective to buy dirt screening plants than to keep renting the equipment on a steady basis. If you do work that only requires you to rent a screener once or twice a year then you shouldn’t bother buying it.
• How long will the equipment last if I buy it? If you’re someone who needs to use equipment that must regularly be serviced then you’ll have to consider the cost of service and repairs. If the cost is high then it may be smarter to rent the equipment from a company that does the servicing itself.
• How sure am I that I’ll stay in business for awhile? If you’re going to be in business for a long time then it’s worth it to invest in buying your own equipment. If you aren’t too sure then rent for awhile until you know for certain that you’ll be sticking around.

Recently, my 8 year old daughter determined that it was time for the family to get a dog. Knowing this was brewing, I decided that it would be a prime opportunity to impart some of the age old parental wisdom. Or at least that’s what I thought I was going to do. She initially decided that the look of the Miniature Schnauzer was what she was excited about, so we started looking for them.

photo credit: jb.atwood

At first, I wanted to find books and online destinations concerning dogs so we could all learn more about the joys of dog ownership as well as the responsibilities. She needed to understand that the bulk of the responsibilities were going to be on her, since her mother and I were bearing the financial aspects of pet ownership.

The more we studied about various dog breeds the more she changed her mind about what kind she wanted us to get. Once we went out to a local breeder’s farm and she got first hand experience of everything from Great Dane’s to miniature schnauzers.

The one breed that seemed to capture her heart was the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Like Queen Elizabeth II, a warm glowing smile came over my daughters face when she was introduced to the Corgi, and that was the dog we ended up bringing into our home.

Fiji is a popular tourist destination especially at this time of year. Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning to travel to Fiji:

• Dress for warm weather. It’s beautifully warm and sunny in Fiji. Pack a swimsuit! There are cool breezes at night though so bring a sweater too.
• It’s worth it to get a great Fiji hotel. Look for an amazing Fiji resort if you really want to have a wonderful vacation here.
• Bring your credit cards. Most major credit cards are accepted in Fiji. Speaking of money, you’ll need to change your money to local currency when you get there. The currency is the Fijian dollar.
• Passports are required; visas are not. As long as you’re staying thirty days or less then you don’t need any special visas for travel to Fiji. You do need a current passport of course.
• It’s okay to drink the water. You don’t have to worry about very many health concerns when traveling to Fiji.
• Plan your trip in advance. You can get good last-minute deals to Fiji but it’s the kind of place that offers so much to do that you may want to make plans in advance.

Fiji is an awesome destination. Have a great time!

Whenever I travel to a new destination, I always make a new friend. That’s because I always stay with someone in his or her home. I rent out home shares instead of apartments because it seems to be the best way to travel. Not only do I meet new people but I also get introduced to the area, learn new things and save some money in the process.

I love staying with strangers in a new destination because they give me information about the area that I can’t get from a tour guide. I learned about the best spaghetti in Rome and the best shopping deals in New York from the people that I stayed with when I visited.

I also learn about new things that don’t have anything to do with the area. One woman made handmade European toys and educational games so I learned about that while I stayed with her. Another invited me to stay on a farm with her where I learned about living the rural life.

I would enjoy this method of travel even if it cost a lot of money. It’s a nice perk, though, that staying with strangers tends to be even cheaper than staying in hotels!