Everything is more expensive today, especially in the arena of baby strollers, cribs, playpens, highchairs, and a host of other necessary equipment. The same is true for toddler toys and sports equipment for older kids. As prices rise, garage sales and thrift stores become more and more attractive.
Are Garage Sales and Thrift Stores a Bargain?
At first blush, one would think so. Prices are certainly cheaper, aren't they? But consider this: Short of throwing out absolute junk, no one reviews the quality of things sold in a garage or yard sale. At thrift stores, only those items that are broken or otherwise severely damaged will be sent to the garbage heap. A few thrift stores are slowly trying to set some standards for what will be offered for sale, removing some toxics and any dangerous goods (e.g., weapons, ammunition, powered tools and equipment.
Even so, there isn't always someone trained to check for broken straps on highchairs and strollers, damaged slats in a crib, or torn netting in a playpen. So, that shifts total responsibility to the parent or caregiver. If you're going to buy safely for a reduced price, then it's imperative that you inspect items carefully.
What To Look For Before You Buy
For details on standards for various pieces of baby and toddler equipment, or bicycles and helmets, please check other articles on our blog and the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). Meanwhile, here are a few points to remember:
1. Straps on child seats, baby carriers, strollers and highchairs should be sound and not torn or worn.
2. Ask to have a crib or playpen actually assembled before buying it. Otherwise, it is too easy to have a broken crib slat, torn side mesh on a playpen, or parts that don't work right or at all. You can't afford to compromise on these issues.
3. Don't accept bedding and mattresses unless they have been thoroughly washed and fumigated (in the case of mattresses). Ask for a certificate or letter documenting this latter process (Obviously, a homeowner won't be able to provide a sanitized mattress so you may want to consider purchasing a mattress from a retailer).
4. Of course, look for any broken, worn or damaged parts on everything. Look for corroded metal parts that may not work properly or fail altogether.
5. Look for the Junior Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) seal on all products, especially cribs, strollers, car seats, playpens and related goods. If the previous owner has been kind enough to save the owner's manuals, that is a great source of parts lists, setup instructions and safety guidance. This will save hours of time if you need to replace a part.
6. If you're buying toys, be sure they are undamaged and age-appropriate.
7. Clothes you are considering for small children, toddlers and babies must meet U. S. standards for flammability (a label should tell you that).
8. Avoid old chemistry sets and the like for older kids. Chemicals deteriorate over time and could produce unexpected and unwanted results.
9. Metal objects (especially toys and jewelry) made in China or other underdeveloped countries should be checked for lead or avoided altogether. Lead affects major organs and intelligence/developmental issues in children six years of age and under.
10. Inspect toys, furniture (especially antique pieced) and any other painted items for lead-based paint. Paints manufactured before 1978 often contain lead-based paints. If a child ingests any lead dust or scrapings, they can develop severe health problems.
So, while thrift stores and yard sales look like a great deal, they may not always be. Check for lead-based paints and metal objects, flame-retardant clothes, broken or damaged pieces, and baby equipment marked with the JPMA seal.
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Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Make Moving House As Easy As Possible
It is said that moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do. It's no wonder. Even if there is excitement at the thought of a new home, or despair at having to leave the current domicile, the thought of packing up and moving fills even the bravest souls with dread. And, it isn't just the packing, there's all that unpacking and sorting out to be done at the other end.
For the student or the person leaving home for the first time, it should be a relatively pain free experience; one that can usually be accomplished with a good few boxes, a few suitcases and maybe a couple of trips in a car. For the modern couple or family however, the story is very different...
Over time, people expand to fill their homes. Families especially, generally have a ton of 'stuff'. Even the neatest of homes are packed with the accoutrements of modern living - there are just stored nicely. For people who think moving is best done with the aid of friends and family, they might want to reconsider. Moving yourself means hiring a van, and this usually means multiple trips, because you can't fit a family home into a Luton van. It means getting hold of packing boxes (although they are easily sourced online), bubble wrap or masses of newspapers, and lastly, entrusting your prized possessions to people who don't care about them as much as you. Even if you have insurance, no amount of money will compensate if someone drops the vase that was a family heirloom that came from granny. Moving yourself also means you might cause furniture damage. Fitting large sofas and wardrobes through small or awkward spaces can result in gouges in walls, and scuffed, damaged possessions.
Professional Moving Company
Although moving yourself may seem attractive financially speaking, there is a lot to be said for hiring a professional removal company. Firstly, unless you live a country pile, they will have lorries big enough to move you in one journey. Secondly, they will, if required provide all the packaging materials required. Most removal firms offer boxes, tea crates, bubble wrap, and even brown tape with easy dispenser. Professional firms also offer a packing service. They will come to your home and seemingly by magic, your home is neatly and safely stored in labelled crates and boxes ready to be put on the van and transferred directly to the right rooms in the new home. Insurance is also part of the professional removals package (although the issue of granny's smashed vase remains should it occur). Lastly, removal men are used to manoeuvring furniture through all manner of rooms, corridors and spaces. There is less likelihood of your leather sofa arm being torn or your 42" Plasma TV being scratched when being shifted by men who should know what they are doing.
Store Your Items
There is also one other advantage to opting for a removal firm over moving yourself. Should the vagaries of the housing market mean your moving out date and moving in date do not conveniently coincide, removal firms may have storage facilities. This means you and the family can book into a hotel or B&B, knowing your possessions are safe and secure, until you get the keys to your new home. This is also a helpful option if you are moving abroad and need storage before your container is available.
For the student or the person leaving home for the first time, it should be a relatively pain free experience; one that can usually be accomplished with a good few boxes, a few suitcases and maybe a couple of trips in a car. For the modern couple or family however, the story is very different...
Over time, people expand to fill their homes. Families especially, generally have a ton of 'stuff'. Even the neatest of homes are packed with the accoutrements of modern living - there are just stored nicely. For people who think moving is best done with the aid of friends and family, they might want to reconsider. Moving yourself means hiring a van, and this usually means multiple trips, because you can't fit a family home into a Luton van. It means getting hold of packing boxes (although they are easily sourced online), bubble wrap or masses of newspapers, and lastly, entrusting your prized possessions to people who don't care about them as much as you. Even if you have insurance, no amount of money will compensate if someone drops the vase that was a family heirloom that came from granny. Moving yourself also means you might cause furniture damage. Fitting large sofas and wardrobes through small or awkward spaces can result in gouges in walls, and scuffed, damaged possessions.
Professional Moving Company
Although moving yourself may seem attractive financially speaking, there is a lot to be said for hiring a professional removal company. Firstly, unless you live a country pile, they will have lorries big enough to move you in one journey. Secondly, they will, if required provide all the packaging materials required. Most removal firms offer boxes, tea crates, bubble wrap, and even brown tape with easy dispenser. Professional firms also offer a packing service. They will come to your home and seemingly by magic, your home is neatly and safely stored in labelled crates and boxes ready to be put on the van and transferred directly to the right rooms in the new home. Insurance is also part of the professional removals package (although the issue of granny's smashed vase remains should it occur). Lastly, removal men are used to manoeuvring furniture through all manner of rooms, corridors and spaces. There is less likelihood of your leather sofa arm being torn or your 42" Plasma TV being scratched when being shifted by men who should know what they are doing.
Store Your Items
There is also one other advantage to opting for a removal firm over moving yourself. Should the vagaries of the housing market mean your moving out date and moving in date do not conveniently coincide, removal firms may have storage facilities. This means you and the family can book into a hotel or B&B, knowing your possessions are safe and secure, until you get the keys to your new home. This is also a helpful option if you are moving abroad and need storage before your container is available.
Job Security for Those With a Compassionate Heart
Are you tired of working that dead end job that will never give you the financial security you crave? Do you wish you could get paid for doing something that makes you feel good? If so, you may be perfectly suited to a career working directly with others. With a short certificate program or a two-year Associate degree, you could find yourself helping others, feeling better about yourself, and enjoying the financial security that you know you deserve.
It may seem like a dream at this moment, but it is possible to start a new career and find the security that you desire. You won't necessarily become a millionaire after completing a short course and starting a new career, but you can find more personal satisfaction and perhaps a higher salary after making such a move.
If you have a big heart and want to make a living while helping others enrich their lives, then the fulfillment you dream of may be just one short course away! You just need to determine what population you would like to work with, and how you would like to help them make their lives better. This type of career is very rewarding so you will make your own life better in the process of helping others. That satisfaction combined with job security in a field that will always be in demand will reward you in ways you cannot imagine right now.
Working with the Elderly
There are some aged care courses that allow you to work directly with the elderly. For the most part, these jobs will put you in daily contact with people who are no longer able to care for themselves completely. Some may live independently with the assistance of professional caregivers. Others live in residential facilities and receive varying levels of care on a daily basis.
After completing coursework in aged care you can receive a professional certificate that allows you to work as personal care provider in a variety of residential homes. You may also qualify to serve as a companion or other entry level positions working with in-home services. You will not be able to deliver any medical care that would legally require a nurse or doctor, but you can do any of the following with a basic certificate:
Cooking and cleaning, general house care
Grooming and body care
Basic companionship or supervision
Transporting to and from appointments
There may be some other things that you can do with an aged care certificate. Consider this the starting point for your new career. You can always further your education with a nursing degree if you want to make even more money and enjoy even more job security.
Working with Children and Teens
There are also a lot of jobs to be gained if you take child care courses and earn a certificate in a related field. You can work in a nursery or start your own nursery in your home. You can work in residential facilities for troubled youth in introductory positions. There may be other child-focused facilities in your local community looking for someone with this type of education as well.
All of these courses can now be taken online, so you don't have to quit your current job to switch to a more rewarding career!
It may seem like a dream at this moment, but it is possible to start a new career and find the security that you desire. You won't necessarily become a millionaire after completing a short course and starting a new career, but you can find more personal satisfaction and perhaps a higher salary after making such a move.
If you have a big heart and want to make a living while helping others enrich their lives, then the fulfillment you dream of may be just one short course away! You just need to determine what population you would like to work with, and how you would like to help them make their lives better. This type of career is very rewarding so you will make your own life better in the process of helping others. That satisfaction combined with job security in a field that will always be in demand will reward you in ways you cannot imagine right now.
Working with the Elderly
There are some aged care courses that allow you to work directly with the elderly. For the most part, these jobs will put you in daily contact with people who are no longer able to care for themselves completely. Some may live independently with the assistance of professional caregivers. Others live in residential facilities and receive varying levels of care on a daily basis.
After completing coursework in aged care you can receive a professional certificate that allows you to work as personal care provider in a variety of residential homes. You may also qualify to serve as a companion or other entry level positions working with in-home services. You will not be able to deliver any medical care that would legally require a nurse or doctor, but you can do any of the following with a basic certificate:
Cooking and cleaning, general house care
Grooming and body care
Basic companionship or supervision
Transporting to and from appointments
There may be some other things that you can do with an aged care certificate. Consider this the starting point for your new career. You can always further your education with a nursing degree if you want to make even more money and enjoy even more job security.
Working with Children and Teens
There are also a lot of jobs to be gained if you take child care courses and earn a certificate in a related field. You can work in a nursery or start your own nursery in your home. You can work in residential facilities for troubled youth in introductory positions. There may be other child-focused facilities in your local community looking for someone with this type of education as well.
All of these courses can now be taken online, so you don't have to quit your current job to switch to a more rewarding career!
Tuesday, 30 October 2012
My Romance With Mills and Boon
This morning I was quite thrilled to note that Mills & Boon will be releasing a book with Indian characters. I presume it was a final acknowledgement that India is a big market for western publishers. I will come back to M&B a bit later.
My early life in Delhi was in the tony Chanakyapuri area, with predominantly children of senior central government officers as gang mates. Added to that was my schooling in an Irish Christian brothers school. This skewed my reading habits completely towards books written by British authors aided and abetted by British publishers who made sure that their books were prominently placed in well-known book shops,including the leader of the pack, B D Galgotia & Sons in Connaught Place.
My first memory is of being addicted to Noddy books by Enid Blyton. I followed his adventures in Toyland along with Big Ears. I then graduated to The Five Find-outers, Famous Five and the Adventure series. This ended my 'kid' phase. I loved the misadventures of "William" by Richmal Crompton, closely followed by "Billy Bunter." A little later I got hooked on to "Biggles" by Capt. W E Johns.
By this time I was big in to American comics, particularly the cowboy ones like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Rex Allen and the Lone Ranger. As my comic reading habit ate a lot in to my school homework time I used to hide them under my pillow so that my dad wouldn't find them. My friends and I would also exchange comics regularly. I remember reading my first Beetle Bailey comic on the train from Delhi to Bangalore at the beginning of my school summer holidays. Travel time was good fun as we would be allowed to buy comics for the journey. In the north the station bookshop would be run by A.H. Wheeler while Higginbothams took care of the south.
However, I was not very fond of American authors. Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer were just names to me. Even in later years Mark Twain came in to my life as only a college quiz question when I correctly answered the question, "By what name was Samuel Clemens better known?"
America came back in to my life via Erle Stanley Gardner. I devoured Perry Mason books till I finished every one of them. I remember once I was traveling alone by the Deluxe Express from Madras (Chennai) to New Delhi. There were two anglo Indian women (they looked like school teachers) in the seats next to me. When I took out three Perry Masonbooks they looked pretty disapproving. Presumably they thought that these books were not suitable for someone as young as I was. This was also the time for "The Saint" series by Leslie Charteris. I was not too fond of Agatha Christie as I thought the pace was too slow
When I was in Senior Cambridge I started a love affair that continues till this day, even though my 'partner' has been dead for several years. I am, of course, referring to P G Wodehouse. I have his complete collection and every time I get bored I take out a tome from my book shelf and read it at one sitting.
When my father was based in Guwahati our bungalow was inside the office campus. The library there per force had to stock English books of Indian authors. My reading list got upgraded to Manohar Mulgaonkar, Anita Desai, and Raja Rao.
Over the last several years I am hooked on to Jeffrey Archer, Sidney Sheldon,Frederick Forsyth, and John Grisham. They are comparatively easy reading and required very little intellectual calisthenics to understand, unlike Robert Ludlum whose books are beyond me. For quality literature I turn to Asterix and Iznogoud comics.
Now back to Mills & Boon...
Till I got married I had never heard of them. One day I saw my wife reading a book published by M&B. As I was comparatively free I decided to give a shot at reading the book by some unknown author called Penny Jordan. It was like opening a Pandora's Box. I got sucked in to a whirlpool I have not been able to get out of. There was a circulating library near Commercial Street which stocked the complete series of M&Bs. I knew the kind of stories each author would write. The scenario would shift from England to Greece to Brazil to Spain and Italy. Sometimes to the US and Australia. I knew that Betty Neels would write Doctor/Nurse stories based in Holland.
The heroine would generally be a self-sacrificing virgin of modest means whose first boy friend would be a good-natured blonde. The hero would be older, rich, mostly dark-haired with graying temples and a rather disapproving type. In the Italian setting the hero would say 'cara
' instead of 'darling'. The European setting ones would generally have a grandmother who controls the family and is the first one to realize that the heroine is the perfect choice for her grandson, irrespective of the social mismatch. The 'villi" would be modeled on our Hindi film Bindu type. In the early years sex was a no-no. However, to keep pace with modern times the Victorian attitude has made way to ground reality in the recent books. They now come with such alluring titles as "Lessons in Seduction", "Revealed: His secret child"...
Just like Jeffrey Archer has realized that his future millions will be earned from India, Mills & Boon have also joined the bandwagon. Their books are now available for less than Rs 100 through online stores.
I need to find more place in my book-shelf.
My early life in Delhi was in the tony Chanakyapuri area, with predominantly children of senior central government officers as gang mates. Added to that was my schooling in an Irish Christian brothers school. This skewed my reading habits completely towards books written by British authors aided and abetted by British publishers who made sure that their books were prominently placed in well-known book shops,including the leader of the pack, B D Galgotia & Sons in Connaught Place.
My first memory is of being addicted to Noddy books by Enid Blyton. I followed his adventures in Toyland along with Big Ears. I then graduated to The Five Find-outers, Famous Five and the Adventure series. This ended my 'kid' phase. I loved the misadventures of "William" by Richmal Crompton, closely followed by "Billy Bunter." A little later I got hooked on to "Biggles" by Capt. W E Johns.
By this time I was big in to American comics, particularly the cowboy ones like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Rex Allen and the Lone Ranger. As my comic reading habit ate a lot in to my school homework time I used to hide them under my pillow so that my dad wouldn't find them. My friends and I would also exchange comics regularly. I remember reading my first Beetle Bailey comic on the train from Delhi to Bangalore at the beginning of my school summer holidays. Travel time was good fun as we would be allowed to buy comics for the journey. In the north the station bookshop would be run by A.H. Wheeler while Higginbothams took care of the south.
However, I was not very fond of American authors. Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer were just names to me. Even in later years Mark Twain came in to my life as only a college quiz question when I correctly answered the question, "By what name was Samuel Clemens better known?"
America came back in to my life via Erle Stanley Gardner. I devoured Perry Mason books till I finished every one of them. I remember once I was traveling alone by the Deluxe Express from Madras (Chennai) to New Delhi. There were two anglo Indian women (they looked like school teachers) in the seats next to me. When I took out three Perry Masonbooks they looked pretty disapproving. Presumably they thought that these books were not suitable for someone as young as I was. This was also the time for "The Saint" series by Leslie Charteris. I was not too fond of Agatha Christie as I thought the pace was too slow
When I was in Senior Cambridge I started a love affair that continues till this day, even though my 'partner' has been dead for several years. I am, of course, referring to P G Wodehouse. I have his complete collection and every time I get bored I take out a tome from my book shelf and read it at one sitting.
When my father was based in Guwahati our bungalow was inside the office campus. The library there per force had to stock English books of Indian authors. My reading list got upgraded to Manohar Mulgaonkar, Anita Desai, and Raja Rao.
Over the last several years I am hooked on to Jeffrey Archer, Sidney Sheldon,Frederick Forsyth, and John Grisham. They are comparatively easy reading and required very little intellectual calisthenics to understand, unlike Robert Ludlum whose books are beyond me. For quality literature I turn to Asterix and Iznogoud comics.
Now back to Mills & Boon...
Till I got married I had never heard of them. One day I saw my wife reading a book published by M&B. As I was comparatively free I decided to give a shot at reading the book by some unknown author called Penny Jordan. It was like opening a Pandora's Box. I got sucked in to a whirlpool I have not been able to get out of. There was a circulating library near Commercial Street which stocked the complete series of M&Bs. I knew the kind of stories each author would write. The scenario would shift from England to Greece to Brazil to Spain and Italy. Sometimes to the US and Australia. I knew that Betty Neels would write Doctor/Nurse stories based in Holland.
The heroine would generally be a self-sacrificing virgin of modest means whose first boy friend would be a good-natured blonde. The hero would be older, rich, mostly dark-haired with graying temples and a rather disapproving type. In the Italian setting the hero would say 'cara
' instead of 'darling'. The European setting ones would generally have a grandmother who controls the family and is the first one to realize that the heroine is the perfect choice for her grandson, irrespective of the social mismatch. The 'villi" would be modeled on our Hindi film Bindu type. In the early years sex was a no-no. However, to keep pace with modern times the Victorian attitude has made way to ground reality in the recent books. They now come with such alluring titles as "Lessons in Seduction", "Revealed: His secret child"...
Just like Jeffrey Archer has realized that his future millions will be earned from India, Mills & Boon have also joined the bandwagon. Their books are now available for less than Rs 100 through online stores.
I need to find more place in my book-shelf.
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Online Classified Ads Save Time
For anyone looking to buy or sell anything using online classified ads is one of the best ways to go. You can go through the classified ads in your local newspaper, but you must remember that in order to get your ad in the newspaper, the seller must pay to have the ad placed. With online ads, the majority of the sites do not charge the seller or the buyer any money to place an ad or view an ad. This means that more people would rather place an ad online than pay to have it in the local newspaper.
Another great reason to use classified ads as a seller is that more people will view the ad which means you will also have better chances of selling the item. When you place an ad online it will be viewed by more people than it does in a local newspaper which can be a huge benefit if you are selling a big ticket item such as home, car, or even a computer. For those looking for such items, traveling a long way from home is not a huge problem.
How does it save time to use classified ads?
For sellers, it is much easier to add their items to an online classified ad website than it is to order an ad online. Online all you have to do is add the information and you are finished. Your ad will be published and you just wait for the calls or emails to come in. If you are buying an ad in a newspaper you will need to call them, pay for the ad, and then wait until the paper is printed before you start getting calls.
For those looking to buy, there are usually more ads online than in the local newspaper. This means they will be able to see more ads from all across the area selling the items they are looking for which will certainly save time. You may be able to find more than one person selling the items you want which allows you to compare prices and features of the items and get the best deal ever.
Classified ads online are normally divided so you can find all the items you want instead of searching through the entire selling products. Too many times, in a newspaper the category are not divided so you can easily find the exact items you need, whereas online the categories are usually very exact so you will be able to save more time looking online than scouring through several newspapers for the best deal.
Another great reason to use classified ads as a seller is that more people will view the ad which means you will also have better chances of selling the item. When you place an ad online it will be viewed by more people than it does in a local newspaper which can be a huge benefit if you are selling a big ticket item such as home, car, or even a computer. For those looking for such items, traveling a long way from home is not a huge problem.
How does it save time to use classified ads?
For sellers, it is much easier to add their items to an online classified ad website than it is to order an ad online. Online all you have to do is add the information and you are finished. Your ad will be published and you just wait for the calls or emails to come in. If you are buying an ad in a newspaper you will need to call them, pay for the ad, and then wait until the paper is printed before you start getting calls.
For those looking to buy, there are usually more ads online than in the local newspaper. This means they will be able to see more ads from all across the area selling the items they are looking for which will certainly save time. You may be able to find more than one person selling the items you want which allows you to compare prices and features of the items and get the best deal ever.
Classified ads online are normally divided so you can find all the items you want instead of searching through the entire selling products. Too many times, in a newspaper the category are not divided so you can easily find the exact items you need, whereas online the categories are usually very exact so you will be able to save more time looking online than scouring through several newspapers for the best deal.
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