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So… did you jump on that early bird special and register your child for summer camp back in January?

The economy is tough on summer camps. Not only can they be a “luxury” expense for many families, but with so many parents out of work and staying home we also know that summer camps no longer have the same role in child-care.

Since camps are in a yearly revenue cycle with huge dry spells and just a few peak sale months (March – May), it can take until June (for summer camps who are on the edge) to figure out if they can make payroll or pay for facilities through the summer. What? Really? Yep. Summer camp payroll is a huge expense for camps that do not run off volunteers, as are facility costs for any camp that doesn’t own its own site. And keep in mind, those that run off volunteers are generally non-profits relying on fundraising and donations; contributions that also dry up in slow economies.

What happens when a summer camp is in the red?

That depends on the summer camp company. Many summer camps are part of a bigger organization, and the camp can be a loss leader. To stay a float some summer camps will renegotiate terms or payment plans with venders or facilities. Some camps will turn to volunteer staff or cut staff ratios. And a few will run to the bank and hope they can get that loan to cover payroll. When those attempts are successful they squeak by. But it happens every year…. some summer camps will close mid-summer or just before they are due to run.

Will you get your money back if a summer camp closes?

That depends on the summer camp company. Most summer camps that are associated with a youth organization, to protect the reputation of the umbrella company or the facility they work for, will be covered by the latter. A summer camp run by a multi-program agency has other budget to draw on and can’t afford the legal entanglement from a Chapter 7 that leaves customer damages. But companies that only run camp… well, these are the ones that can fold up on you. (Don’t get me wrong, these are also some of the best camps because they devote full time to just running camps. But as a possible indicator of stability in tough economic times – a diversified company may be more resilient.)

Back in 2001 ACE computer camps, a nationally run chain of computer camps with over 60 locations nationwide stopped running mid-session. With estimated numbers at 10, 000 campers per summer – this was a big upset.

When campers came back from lunch some happened to search out the ACE website, they found this message: “American Computer Experience is going out of business immediately. All ACE computer camp locations are cancelled effective immediately.” So, the campers and staff went home. None of the families of that week or subsequent weeks were refunded. Camp staff who had worked at camp several weeks were not paid. The rented camp facilities also did not get paid. Lawsuits went on for years and financial restitution is still incomplete.

How can a summer camp customer protect themselves?

It can be hard to find out if a summer camp company has solid financial footing. In the 2009 camp season, you should assume all camps are struggling a bit so don’t be afraid to ask some pointed questions:

1) Assume your summer camp might have to close slow weeks and move everyone together to reduce the cost and maximize the profits. Ask your summer camp which weeks might they close if they have to consolidate?

2) If your summer camp is using a rented facility; ask if the camp has paid upfront (or are they past the point of canceling) where the camp would have really committed to the week? (In rental contracts there are dates by which payments become committed, if it’s past that point (or if they paid in full upfront), then they will run the week even if it’s lower in numbers.)

3) How many campers are registered in the summer camp? Ask for totals for each class as well as over-all camper registration numbers and ask what they had expected. Ask what happens to classes or registration numbers that are low? What is considered low? You are looking for a reasonable answer and a plan for how they will serve lower number. Do some simple math based on what you are paying for the camp and how many kids they say each staff will cover. And if you think because you pay $600 or $1000/week that they must have a ton of profit to play with… think again, summer camps just don’t operate on huge margins until they really have volume, it’s the “economy of scale” that work in this business – which is why every summer camp may be hurting right now.

4) If you hate your plans to change… avoid registering early for the first week of the camp season and the last week of summer too and the weeks on either side of the holiday. These are the most frequently closed summer camp weeks. The bookend camp weeks close to consolidate the numbers. The weeks on either side of the holiday close because families are taking more trips and enrollment is low. (If you wait and buy these weeks late you may find good deals, call the week before and make an offer … this may work especially well if you are paid in-full for weeks later in the summer as well.)

5) Know your summer camp leadership. Find out all you can about the camp owner. Are they from a summer camp back ground? Is this a passion that they will not give up on, even in bad times? Would they sell their summer camp today if they could? Also, if you have been at this summer camp for a while, do you sense any change in their approach to camp customers? Are they emailing you more or less? Are the notifications on time, is paperwork late, are they cutting back any services? In this economy, they should be making some adjustments but a “camp” committed owner will be guarding the customer experience from those cuts. Ask what adjustments they are making.

6) How long your summer camp has been around can be a good indicator, but only IF they have a great return rate. (A topic for another day… there are MANY ways that camps can compute a return rate). The summer camps with strong return rates tend to be camps that have either a strong “traditions-based” programming and/or an excellent progression for kids to follow as they age and/or develop in skills. Summer camps that offer a single topic can be fine, if they offer a strong progression. But keep in mind that trendy topics always come and go, so even in good economic years you will see ebb and flow in the numbers at any specialty summer camp. If you hear about some new cool summer camp focused on a topic that is ripped from the TV prime time… it might be fun, call early, but don’t drop your cash until just before it runs – and do your best to stop by and visit the program their first week, before you pay up in full… to avoid an unhappy camper.

7) You can check on them. If you are thinking of going to a summer camp that rents their space, call the facility and ask if the summer camp always pays on time. Verify they have been paid all appropriate fees for 2009. This can be very very informative.

8. Take “Fire Sales” as a warning sign. If your summer camp company is running “Fire Sales” (dropping prices like crazy) in the month of June, they are scrabbling for revenue. They have figured out that they have lost money and they are trying to fill all the seats as a tourniquet for the bleeding. They will likely try to up-sell to people already registered for weeks… “Since you bought early we’re offering you this amazing discount on your added weeks”. This can be a great deal… and using Fire Sales to get a great deal is wonderful… but if your week is in August, and Fire Sales start happening… it’s a warning that your camp company is already worried and is likely tightening its belt and scrabbling for last minute camp sales. This could mean reductions in staff ratio, tightening on supplies, or other cost saving measures, including cancelling weeks. It’s time to call and ask to make sure your week is still 100% a go. (Ok, in all honesty, if they are doing this at least they are doing something… some businesses can get so busy in summer they don’t even try to save themselves and end up folding post season).

9) Have key people in the camp company left? No, I’m not talking about the counselors – though they are “key” since your kids will be with them (but a % of summer staff always go before the season is out). But check into the company leadership, have they had any major turn-over, this can be a sign of financial troubles or major shifts in the company direction. Don’t just ask how long the company has been around, ask how long the main Camp Leadership has been in place.

10) Do they have a fall back position? A strong summer camp knows its numbers and knows what it will do based on those numbers along the way. If you can have a frank discussion with someone about the contingency plans you will likely get a gut feel for their business sense; of course that is if you get to speak with a leader in the company not just a sales person. Asking a sales person who is not trained handling these types of questions, may give you your first clues about how the numbers are. If you’re worried after that, as to speak to the director or business manager and go ahead and ask questions. Start form the basic assumption that sales must be low and let them know you plan to have a frank discussion.

The point is… Ask some direct questions and make yourself an insider. Your camp company should welcome your partnership!

Kat “Toes” Fitzgerald has been a leader in the summer camp industry for over 20 years. She currently is the founder of an educational summer enrichment camp at multiple locations that focuses on STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math.) You can read more tips for parents, counselors, administrators and campers at http://www.campydiem.com

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Introduction

Developing healthy peer relationships is critical for the normal development of a child. Peer relationships have been found to be an important predictor of positive adult adjustment and behavior. Difficulty in finding friends leads to feelings of low self-esteem and these feelings usually continue into adulthood.

Children with poor social skills are at risk for delinquency, academic underachievement, and school drop out. Even though the inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and restlessness frequently persist into adult life, these problems are of less importance as the child gets older. Rather, the main difficulty ADHD patients encounter as they reach maturity is their inability to interact appropriately with others.

ADHD children often lack the social skills that are essential to success in life. These children can be socially inept, and their lack of interpersonal skills may cause them a multitude of difficulties. In addition, positive relationships with friends in childhood provide a critical buffer against stress and help to protect against psychological and psychiatric problems. ADHD children lack these positive interactions and thus are at risk for a number of emotional problems.

Probably 60% of ADHD children suffer from peer rejection. ADHD children are less often chosen by peers to be best friends, partners in activities, or seatmates. As the children grow older, their social problems seem to get worse. Their inappropriate behavior leads to further social rejection and exacerbates their inability to relate to others appropriately. Long term these children are more likely to have difficulty finding and maintaining successful careers. This is not surprising since social aptitude can make or break careers and relationships in the adult world.

Causes of Poor Peer Relationships

ADHD children are frequently disliked or neglected by their peers. It is difficult to determine all the factors that make a child unpopular, but children who frequently display aggressive or negative behavior tend to be rejected by their peers.

Impulsivity and Aggression

ADHD children tend to be more impulsive and aggressive than other children. Teachers observe that the social interactions of ADHD children more often involve fighting and interrupting others. These children are more intense than others and behave inappropriately in social contexts. For example, ADHD children are more likely to yell, run around and talk at unsuitable times. They also tend to want to dominate play, engage in off task behaviors and engage more in teasing and physical jostling of peers. This sets up a process of peer rejection.

Academic Problems

ADHD children often do not do well in school. Poor school performance by itself does not result in social rejection. However, the way the child responds to his academic difficulties can contribute to inappropriate social behavior. Children who cannot engage themselves with classroom work assignments often disrupt and irritate their peers.

Inattention

ADHD children have difficulty with sustained attention. Deficit in attention seems to be related to peer rejection independently of the aggressive, impulsive, and hyperactive behaviors of ADHD children. These children become bored more easily than other children. As a result, they are more likely to become disruptive in the classroom.

ADHD children have difficulty in modulating their behavior and changing their conduct as the situation demands. They have apparent social-cognitive deficits that limit their ability to encode and recall rules of social cues. Children with ADHD pay less attention to others verbally in games and other activities.

Many ADHD children are aware that they are socially inept. Children who are anxious or fearful about peer relations are unlikely to behave in an effective manner. These children withdraw from peer interactions and, in this way, limit their ability to gain acceptance and friendship.

Children are rejected by peers when they appear to be different. Similarity fosters social acceptance. Because ADHD children do not learn social clues as well as other children, they tend to be viewed as strange.

Bad Behavior

One of the keys to your child’s social success is proper behavior. If your ADHD or ODD child frequently misbehaves, it is your obligation as a parent to teach your child how to improve his behavior.

If your child is aggressive or defiant, if he does not accept the authority of adults, or if he conducts himself in a such a way that children his age will view him as a behavior problem, then your child will have a difficult time making and maintaining friendships. The friends he will attract are other aggressive problem children, the type of child with whom which you would rather your child not associate.

All children need friends. Behavior problem children have trouble making friends with others, so these children tend to congregate together. They reinforce each other’s bad behavior. If you are an aware parent and you have control of your child you can put a stop to friendships with these children. However, you must have control of your child’s behavior in order to help him to avoid the trap of bad friends.

Conclusion

Helping children with ADHD build close peer relationships is an important goal to focus on, and is one that often may be over looked. You, as a parent, have the ability to help your child accomplish this important social goal. You should make every effort to help your child in this area. His psychological health and his happiness, both now and in the future, are very much dependent upon how successful he is at making and maintaining childhood friendships.

About The Author

Anthony Kane, MD is a physician, an international lecturer, and director of special education. He is the author of a book, numerous articles, and a number of online programs dealing with ADHD (addadhdadvances.com/childyoulove.html) treatment, ODD, parenting issues (addadhdadvances.com/betterbehavior.html), and education. You may visit his website at http://addadhdadvances.com. To sign up for the free ADD ADHD Advances online journal send a blank email to: subscribe@addadhdadvances.com?subject=subscribeartcity

akane@addadhdadvances.com

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About 60% of all aid is in the form of loans, and increasing.

Saving: For example, if you start saving when your child is 5 years old, you will have 13 years to save before your child enrolls in college. If you can put aside $167 per month – that’s $2,000 per year – you will have saved $26,000 by the time your child begins college.

With a 6% return over the thirteen-year period, your $26,000 will have grown into $40,000. That $40,000 will be available to help you pay for your child’s college expenses like tuition and room and board.

Borrowing:If you choose not to save when your child is young, it is likely that your child will have to borrow to help pay for college. For comparative purposes, let’s assume you borrow $40,000 in increments of $10,000 per year for 4 years. Assuming a 6.8% interest rate and a 10 year repayment period, borrowing $40,000 will ultimately cost your child $55,200.

Difference: The difference between borrowing and saving is nearly $30,000 ($55,200 ─ $26,000 = $29,200). Thus, saving beats borrowing hands down.

3. The tax system gives incentives to college savers.

Both state and federal laws allow families to earn tax-free interest on college savings. The following example illustrates the advantage of earning interest tax free:

Assume when your child is born you invest a one-time, lump sum of $18,000 in a state 529 plan (see Points 4 – 6 below to learn more about 529 plans). By the time your child is ready to enroll in college at the age of 18, you will have access to $63,000 in order to help pay for your child’s college expenses.

If the same $18,000 were invested in a taxable vehicle with the same rate of return as the 529 plan, after subtracting the federal and state taxes that would be due each year, you would have access to only $43,000 to help pay for college.

The difference, which is essentially a government subsidy to promote college savings, is $20,000, all else being equal. Furthermore, some states actually allow deductions for contributions, making the 529 plan even more attractive to college savers.

4. 529 plans are the most popular and convenient way to save.

There is approximately $100 billion currently invested in state 529 plans.

5. Not all 529 plans are alike.

Each state has its own 529 plan. Investment options and fees may vary from state to state, so it pays to shop around. A couple of useful sites for comparing the different state plans are savingforcollege.com and Morningstar.com.

Most state plans have websites that include free electronic college saving calculators to help you decide how much to save in order to meet your saving goals.

6. The money saved in a 529 plan is not forfeited if the beneficiary does not go to college or gets a full scholarship.

Money saved in a 529 plan may be used to pay the college expenses of other family members, including siblings, parents, cousins and stepchildren. The money can even skip a generation and be used for a grandchild in the unlikely event that became necessary.

7. There is no right amount to save. It depends on your financial situation.

8. Do not save for college at the expense of maintaining your normal lifestyle or your retirement.

You don’t want to short change the amount you set aside for retirement. If you run out of money, there is no such thing as a retirement loan. On the other hand, it is relatively easy to get a college loan.

9. Two ways to save are:

o Save what you can afford after taking care of family expenses.

As was stated in Point 5 above, most state 529 plan websites have free electronic college saving calculators. Other websites, like finaid.org, have them as well. By using these calculators you can periodically check to see how well your savings are keeping pace with college costs.

o Set a target figure. A number to shoot for is the tuition fee at the major public university in your state. For a more ambitious goal, you might use the out-of-state tuition charge. This higher figure would also allow you to accumulate enough savings to pay for a good part of the tuition cost at a private college.

Most college saving calculators found on state websites automatically include information on the current and projected (in-state and out-of-state) tuition rates for the state’s main universities.

10. If you save in a 529 plan and later apply for aid, you may be subject to a very light “penalty” in terms of how much the amount you have saved will increase your expected family contribution.

If the child’s parents are the owners of the 529 plan, they may be asked to contribute some of that money under the rules of the need formula. (There is no such “penalty” if the plan is owned by the child’s grandparents. See Point 12 below for more on grandparents.) Let’s look at the example in order to better understand.

If you, the parent, manage to have $100,000 saved in a 529 plan by the time your child is ready to start college, the first $50,000 will not be considered at all when calculating your child’s aid award. (This is one of the ways the system rewards you for saving.) Only 5% of the second $50,000, or $2,500, will be assumed to be available to pay for college. In other words, the amount of your need will decrease by that amount.

Thus, one could argue that by diligently saving $100,000, you are ultimately worse off by $2,500. However, if you consider that you are very likely to have earned around $35,000 in tax-free interest over the saving period, you will realize that by saving you are actually about $32,500 better off.

11. There are other ways to save besides 529 plans. To look into other options, it is best to consult with a financial advisor.

Remember to choose an advisor who in very familiar with all applicable aid rules. The need formula treats savings differently depending on whether the parent or the child is the owner.

12. Grandparents too can help through 529 plans.

Based on a recent poll, two-thirds of grandparents say they are interested in helping to pay for their grandchildren’s college education. It is worthwhile to know, that money saved in grandparent-owned 529 plans is not considered when calculating the grandchild’s aid award. Furthermore, grandparent-owned 529 plan savings are not counted as part of the grandparent’s estate for estate tax purposes.

College Financial Aid: Pre-High School Saving (transcript)

I’ve spent the last couple months videotaping myself giving advice on how to take the SAT, but I know that getting a good SAT score is not all that you need to do to get into a good college. There’s a lot you need to know about financial aid and admissions. While I’m not an expert in those fields I have some friends who are and I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Don Betterton.

Don is the former financial aid director of Princeton University. He was there for 30 years in that position. I got to know Don back in the late 80s when he was one of the assistant soccer coaches and I was on the varsity soccer team. Don and I have known each other for a long time, he’s a great guy and I asked him what I could do today before my kids are even in high school to help make paying for college easier when my kids finally do get to college.

So I grabbed my video camera and sat down with Don and hopefully you’ll enjoy the conversation.

Karl: So Don I’m excited, I’m about to learn the twelve things I need to know about saving for college for my children. Your first bullet is called putting aside money for college is a good idea, the earlier the better. My question for you would be, who is it a good idea for: me or my children?

Don: Actually it’s a good idea for both. What I like to do is compare “Savings vs. Borrowing” because if you don’t save now the chances are your child is going to have to borrow later on. So I have an example here, depending on how old your children are.

Karl: I have a 9-year-old, a 7-year-old, and a 6-year-old.

Don: Okay. Well my example is based on a 5-year-old. So let’s start with that. Thirteen years until college, you start putting aside money when your son is 5-years-old. You put aside $2,000 per year over that thirteen year period; you’ve set aside $26,000 dollars. The interest accumulation over that period of time means you’ll have $46,000 ready to go to college when he’s 18 years old.

Let’s say you don’t do that, you don’t put aside any money at all. You still need $40,000, now you have to borrow that money. He takes out a student loan, graduates with $40,000 worth of debt. He has to repay that at a 6.8% interest rate over a 10 year period. Guess how much he’ll have to repay?

Karl: $55,200. (laughs)

Don: I think you’ve been looking at that sheet! Anyway, so that’s a good point. Once you’re set with the savings, you put aside $26,000 for the $40,000. Borrowing, he borrows the same $40,000 and he has to repay $55,000. There’s almost a $30,000 difference in this example between savings and borrowing.

Karl: Right and I agree with you. I think that if you do the numbers it works out to be $167 per month for me right now. I think that if you start putting away that amount of money, you just get used to it, you learn to live without it, and before you know it you have this nest egg that’s ready for the children and their college education. So just to recap, you’re point number two was saving beats borrowing hands down – I agree with you 100%.

Can you explain for me point number three which is, the tax system gives incentives to college savers. What does that mean?

Don: Yeah it sure does, there’s something called the 529 Plan, which the government has set up and that’s the provision of the Internal Revenue Service. It says you do not have to pay taxes on money put in this particular college savings plan. Not only do you not have to pay federal taxes, but you don’t have to pay state taxes.

So what it means is this money accumulates without any tax payments over this thirteen year period we talked about. It’s a substantial difference if you accumulate money paying taxes every year versus not paying taxes.

An example I like to use would be, if you set aside at age 0 when your child is born, $18,000. If you have to pay taxes on that over a period of 18 years, you’ll have accumulated $43,000. If you do it in a 529 plan with all the advantages inherited in that, you’ll actually accumulate $63,000. So it’s quite a difference in your pocket, your out of pocket expense, and in savings in any way that’s taxable versus the 529 plan which are non-taxable in the federal or the state level.

Karl: So really what it comes down to is there is a $20,000 difference in your example that would go to me and my child’s education versus…

Don: Right, it’s a government subsidy for saving for college basically.

Karl: Okay, so your point number 4 is 529 plans are the most popular and convenient way to save. What are 529 plans?

Don: 529 plans are these government sponsored savings plan, which are now by far the most popular way to save for college. I think there’s like a hundred billion dollars in these plans as of the current time. They simply are I think the most convenient, easy way to save for college.

Karl: Now you say government plans, are they federal or state plans for the most part?

Don: The federal government puts in the rules as far as these tax advantages we talked about, but actually the plans are set up within each state, they establish their own. So when they look at 529 plans, you normally start looking at your own state plan because of certain advantages as far as state tax deductions, there may be some scholarship benefits. There’s also a very good website called savingforcollege.com and I think it’s worthwhile before one invests in one’s own state plan to at least go on that website and check some of the provisions of other state plans to see whether your state is offering the best deal for you or whether you might do even better by going to another state.

Karl: Okay, you just answered your point 5 which is not all 529 plans alike you should shop around. And the website was collegesaving…

Don: Savingforcollege.com.

Karl: Sorry about that! Savingforcollege.com. Number 6, what if the beneficiary doesn’t go to college or gets a full scholarship? Now you know all of my children are going to get full rides, so this is a complete waste of time for me, but let’s just pretend they’re not as special as I think they are!

Don: Well if you can’t use any of your children, do you have any nephews or nieces? I guess is my question.

Karl: I do, I do. Both of my sisters have kids, so I have two nieces and three nephews.

Don: Okay well, the way they’ve set up the rules is you initially establish a beneficiary. If he or she does not go to college, has a scholarship, you can then move the money around to other beneficiaries, including your whole family: your cousins, your first cousins, or if you want to go back to school you can use it yourself. You can actually skip a generation and it could even go to your grandchildren, but we won’t get into that right now!

Karl: Well speaking of different generations my parents have at times expressed an interest in helping me save for my children’s education. Is it first of all typical for grandparents to want to get involved? And if they want to, can they get involved?

Don: Yes. I read a recent pole that says two thirds of grandparents would like to help their grandchildren with college to some extent. A 529 plan is an excellent option for grandparents. We haven’t talked about the effect of the financial aid formula on these savings yet, but there’s kind of a light tax on savings that would be held in the parents’ name. If the grandparents save the money for college, they’re not part of the financial aid system at all. So one doesn’t even have to worry about that.

The other advantage of grandparents is as they’re building up their estate and they move this money, none of it counts even though their the owner in their estate. So it’s actually a good estate planning technique as well. And farther down the line, they’ll help their grandchildren, which I’m sure they really would like to do.

Karl: Okay now we talked a little before about what is the right amount to save. Now you threw out some examples of $167 a month and I asked you a question: what if I can’t save that much, what should I do? The other variable is I don’t know how expensive school is going to be when they get to that age. Is there sort of a right amount to save or how do you go about figuring out what the right amount is?

Don: The easiest answer to that is simply save what you could afford after you take care, as we talked about before your current living expenses and your retirement protection. If one wants to set a target figure, I think a reasonable one is the out of state tuition for wherever your flag ship public institution is. In New Jersey they use rectors as an example; the out of state tuition for a student that comes from out of state and attends rectors is about $17,000 a year currently. If you take that and you inflate it over a period of time that ends up being thirteen years using the same 5-year-old example. $168,000 is what you’re facing way down the line. You’d have to put aside about $450 a month to meet a target like that over that period of time.

So, some families can’t afford it. If you could afford that, it’s a very good number to shoot for because then if your student stays in state that amount of money would probably pay for tuition, plus room, plus board and if they go to a private institution, it will probably pay a good part of the private institutions tuition. So it’s a reasonable target figure. It can be expensive but if that’s not possible, any amount you save is better than not saving at all.

Karl: Don, one last question on a topic that we didn’t really cover I don’t think in the last segment. Will I ultimately be penalized if I’m a good person that saves and does everything I’m supposed to when I get to that financial aid award when my kids get to school?

Don: Yeah that’s a really good question and I hear that quite a bit. Am I penalized for saving? Whether it’s in a 529 plan or any other form of savings the financial aid formula is really fairly light on how they treat savings. Let me give you an example:

If by the time your son gets to college, you have $100,000 in some form or another savings, investments, 529 plans, the financial aid formula first said you can reserve $50,000 that we won’t even look at. So now they only look at $50,000 of your $100,000. What’s called a tax rate on that, the amount that’s added to your contribution is 5%. So going through the math 5% of $50,000 is $2,500. So you’re contribution is now going to be $2,500 greater because you have $100,000, so I think that’s fairly a light treatment of the savings. As a matter of fact, if the $100,000 gained some interest during the years, chances are you can simply pace some interest off the top of it and never actually have to touch the principal at all. So whether it’s 529 plans or any other form of savings, it’s a good idea enough that the financial aid system treats it fairly lightly.

Karl: Awesome! Thanks Don I really appreciate your time and your knowledge and your willingness to share with me.

Don: Thank you.

Karl Schellscheidt

ePrep

www.eprep.com

Copyright 2006 – All Rights Reserved, ePrep, Inc.

Don Betterton

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Many people believe that writing for children is easy, that anyone can do it. Having children doesn’t make a person qualified to write for children either. For example, just because I have a heart doesn’t mean I can do open heart surgery. Writing of any kind takes training, starting with reading the type of literature to be written, studying how to write and for a certain audience. In fact writing for children is harder than writing for adults because the length of a children’s story is shorter: the plot, characters, conflict, and action has to be concise and precise. Also a child’s attention span is shorter.

So how can a person learn to write for children? One way is to attend conferences and workshops about writing for children. Which brings us to today.

Hopefully you have a few children’s books with you to examine as we discuss what is needed to write successful stories (which hopefully can become books) for children.

Let’s look at some suggestions for writing successful children’s stories:

1. Learn how to write. Children’s stories should be well written, but they can’t be if the author hasn’t mastered how to write. Ways to learn include taking courses, reading books, joining a writing group that has discussions and/or workshops to help a person improve writing skills (there are online courses and conferences, too). Chasing a publishing contract comes at the end of a long journey.

Some people believe that writings for children can be about anything, written any kind of way, not necessarily of high quality. If anything, works for children should be of the highest quality.

2. Write a good story with a fast-paced plot. Write from the child’s perspective. Action is an important part of any story, but action close to the beginning of a children’s book is a must to grab attention and keep it. A plot is important for any story or book, and one should be included in any child’s story/book. A fast-paced plot with action hold a child’s attention.

In other words, a children’s book should have well-developed characters, plot, conflict, dialogue, a climax to the conflict, and resolution – all written for the audience’s perspective and maturity level. The younger the audience, the less likely an author should have sub-plots. The real difference between a story written for children and one written for adults is the interest level, the focus, and the perspective.

I’ve read stories and books written about children, but for adults. A child’s story should be written from the child’s perspective. We need to approach our writing from the reader’s frame of reference. We need to put ourselves into the mind of a child the age of our audience.

3. Use correct grammar, spelling, sentence structure. Too many “writers” believe that they do not have to be concerned about grammar because that’s the editor’s job. Wrong. If a manuscript has grammar, spelling, or verb tense problems, whatever, most times an editor will not read much more than a paragraph at most before discarding the writing. So what do editors consider problem areas? Let’s look at the handout, which includes a sampling of problem areas.

Avoid using all capitals. If a character shouts, show that with words and how they are said.

Then the use of exclamation points is a troublesome area in writing anything. They should be used sparingly and then only in dialogue.

Italics should be used to show a character’s thoughts.

Spelling words correctly and using the correct word are necessary. Computer spell check will find misspelled words but not homophones: their/they’re/there, to/too/two, our/hour, your/you’re, for example.

Since we don’t have time to do a complete English grammar lesson and if you’re not good with grammar and punctuation, use a good online grammar site, find a book about grammar that you find understandable, ask an English teacher. One website that is a source of easy to grasp grammar help is http://www.grammarnow.com/#resources.

4. Active voice and action verbs and show, don’t tell. Using active voice rather than passive was mentioned briefly in the handout, but action verbs need to be used more than state-of-being verbs. The stories need to have lots of action, and using active voice and action verbs helps develop action.

One way that action decreases is when a writer uses expository dialogue. Dialogue is need, in fact required, to write a good story of any kind, but it needs to move the story, the plot along. Expository uses dialogue to “tell” what is happening rather than “showing” what happens. When a character explains his actions or someone else’s actions to the reader, the author is telling, not showing. For example, if the character walks down the street muttering to himself, “I don’t know where I am. I’ve never been in this part of the city before. I think I’ll walk to the corner and turn left. Maybe I’ll see someone to ask for directions. It sure is cold tonight.” That’s expository dialogue.

But if the same scene is written as follows:

Josh looked at the unfamiliar buildings. “Where are all the people?” he asked himself. “Maybe I can find someone around the corner who can help me.” He blew on his hands, trying to warm them. “Mom told me to wear my coat. I hate it when she’s right.”

Using active voice and action verbs also helps an author show rather than tell. When reading scenes in a story, the reader should be able to see the action in his/her mind. The expository example is also an example of telling, or lecturing. The second example shows us what was happening.

Showing is good in writing. Telling, except in few instances, is not good writing.

5. Vocabulary. According to “experts,” a few challenging words in a story is fine. Picture books are often read to a young child, and the reader can explain what a word means. This increases the child’s vocabulary. Also when a child starts reading for himself, a few challenging words, especially if context can help the child understand the meaning.

However, the author should not use vocabulary that is too far above the reader’s understanding.

6. Insert humor, well-defined characters, and avoid clichés. Let’s start with humor. Making a child laugh helps build a pleasant association with reading. Therefore, where possible, a writer should use humor to help a child, especially a reluctant reader, want to read or hear more. Humor in picture books is broad and very visual. Easy readers (and some picture books for ages 6 and up) begin to introduce verbal humor. Chapter books start to work in jokes needing a setup and payoff played out over several scenes. Dialogue, how characters react to one another, or the situation in which a character finds himself may be humorous.

Well-defined characters are a must for any story. Many children want to identify with the characters in books. No mater how the character appears on the outside, the character needs to deal with situations that the reader can relate to or understand. Book characters should be rounded, have multi-dimensional personalities, not be caricatures or one sided. They should have strengths and weaknesses as people really do so that the reader will care about them and want to finish the whole story. To make children in a story realistic, observe children the age of the characters: note how they talk, act, react.

Clichés weaken any type of writing. Using them is lazy writing and avoids showing the story in a way that the reader “sees” what is happening. The brainy boy who can never attract the pretty girl but somehow saves her is a cliché. The idea that a blond is dumb or an athlete is, both are clichés. Use originality to make a story entertaining and characters believable.

7. Story should translate into illustrations. A story for a picture book should be written with paragraphs that translates into illustrations. This idea goes along with the show, don’t tell idea, too. Only paragraphs with action can be “translated” into illustrations.

8. Morals or lessons should not be “preachy.” A writer’s job is to entertain. If a story has a message, the author should tell it through the plot and characters, not by attaching a moral at the end.

9. Stories should be relevant to the age group. The text should be relevant with plot, approach, and language. Books for children don’t necessarily have a little kid in them. In fact, most children prefer characters to be a bit older than they rather than younger. The plot should be one that the reader can understand and follow without someone having to explain.

Children shouldn’t be “talked down to.” If a writer is condescending or patronizing, children will not want to read the story.

We want children to enjoy our books, not be frightened or exposed to ideas too mature for them, not should they be expected to read things that are stupid. Many children find bodily functions funny, but that doesn’t mean such functions make good topics for children’s literature.

10. The story shouldn’t be too long or wordy. Every word, every sentence should be needed for the story. Avoiding wordiness equals tight writing. If a description or narrative doesn’t move the plot along or isn’t necessary to the story, it should be deleted.. Extra words that add nothing to the story makes listening or reading boring.

Also remember, a child’s attention span depends on the child, but most the age of those listening to or reading picture books will not be interested in a long story.

11. Alliteration, meter, and rhyme must be used well or not at all. Many publishers no longer accept children’s books written in poetry or with alliteration. The reason is too many authors do not know how to use them well.

Alliteration tickles children’s ears, and they like the sounds. However, too much of even a good thing is too much.

Many who try to write stories in poetry form convolute wording to “force” a rhyme. The result is confusion for the one listening or reading.

12. Use talking animals carefully. Animal characters must be as well developed as a human character. They should have strengths and weaknesses, three-dimensional with quirks, failings, motivations, and personalities.

Many times a novice writer incorporates animals as characters in a story resulting in clichés: the ugly duckling that turns into a swan; shy creatures that suddenly become bold enough to save the day; apparently moral-filled stories that show it’s okay to be different.

According to Write4Kids.com, using talking animals isn’t all bad. “What’s important is that your animals have completely developed, unique personalities and characteristics.” Children will not be drawn to characters that are stereotypes, even if they are animals.

13. Use serious and/or controversial subjects appropriately. Children are bombarded with serious subjects every day, many times without understanding them. Television and video games, as well as web sites surfed, smoother kids with tragedy, even if death and violence hasn’t touched them personally. A story that introduces topics such as death and handles the subject in a realistic, sensitive way actually help children cope with the realities of the world. Often the plot of a book will open the door for parents to answer questions that disturb their children.

In one of my children’s story, the main character, Louie the Duck, doesn’t understand why Gus Goose has to live with his grandparents. Mrs. Goose tries to explain that hunters were allowed at the lake where Gus and his parents lived. Louie doesn’t completely understand, but he gets the message that hunters did something that left Gus alone.

14. Research material for a children’s book. Imagination gives some leeway in writing fiction; however, a writer needs to literally to have his facts straight when writing about anything factual. False information in a children’s story is as bad, if not worse, than if in a story or book written for adults.

15. Adults should not “carry the day.” Plots need to empower the young protagonist. Of course adults are needed, and their help may be required. However, the solution shouldn’t be an adult making a miraculous save, but the character or characters solving problems.

16. Use a large dose of imagination.

17. Illustrations. An author, unless a professional quality illustrator or artist, should not try to illustrate his own book. In fact, most publishers require that one of their illustrators do the work unless the author is a professional artist.

By using the tips and suggestions presented, a person can write a better children’s story/book.

After teaching composition for years and becoming an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ a site for Poetry, Vivian Gilbert Zabel produced Hidden Lies and Other Stores, Walking the Earth:, The Base Stealers Club, and Case of the Missing Coach, found on Amazon.com.

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Freebies delight many of us and computer users are lucky to be able to download free movies from the Internet. There are several hundred sites advertising downloads of free movies but some are in the business peddling illegal fare. The trend to download free movies has also irked movie studios that fear a Napster-like piracy of music and movies via the Internet.

The free movies available online are usually those in the public domain because their copyright has not been renewed. The latest full-length movies are seldom free and they require a small fee sometimes charged as membership or shipping or mailing fee by some companies. If a recent movie is completely free, most often the transaction can get you into legal trouble.

The websites ibiblio.org and archive.org have free movie downloads. These sites have a collection of public domain movies. You can even get full-length movies from the 1930s and 40s such as the Three Stooges. It is legal to download these movies because the copyright has expired and they are now in the public domain.

The major movie studios are worried about this trend of free movie down loads. They see a future scenario of movie piracy similar to the music piracy boom of a few years ago. New technology makes it more difficult to put free movies on the Internet. Microsoft is planning a new operating system that will have strong anti-movie piracy protection.

The software is being developed in consultation with movie industry. The studios are looking at controlling the movie downloading market. With broadband speeds, Downloading a movie may become as common as downloading a song. A new alternative is to rent movies online for a small fee.

The movie download business is still in its infancy and faces many hurdles. For one, most people prefer to watch a movie on a television screen and not on a computer. Also, the hard drive of a P.C. can store only a few movies.

Downloading a movie from the Internet requires the following items. First, there must be a 56K modem or a broadband connection, 64 MB of RAM, Windows (95,98, ME, 2000, XP, Linux) and a movie download player like Quick Time. If all these components are present, you can play videos by download or stream. Movies should start playing within a minute or two once you select a link to the page that supports your modem speed.

It is not at all a tall order to expect the movie industry to be completely transformed by the free download business just like when the iPod hit the music scene. A way will surely emerge for the present technology to shed its defects and to bring out a high-quality product.

Free Movies provides detailed information about free movies, free anime movies, free movie clips, and more. Free Movies is affiliated with Free Movie Downloads [http://www.i-moviedownloads.com].

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It’s all about sports say coaches and parents as they sign their children up for little league, soccer, swimming or youth track. Both parents and coaches alike realize that by teaching our kids sports we are instilling in them strong work ethic, competitiveness, team work, sportsmanship, striving to accomplish goals, and to win.

These are all such obvious life skills you’d wonder why any parent wouldn’t want their kids in sports. Still, some psychologists say that an underperforming young athlete can have their self-esteem hurt if they find that they are not as good as the other kids on the team or in the league.

True enough and yet parents say, that’s alright they can still be part of a winning team, if they will put forth effort they’ll learn what can be accomplished working together, and they will also learn that if they want to do good and win in anything in life they will have to rise to the occasion and train and work harder to accomplish their goals, dreams and objectives. Indeed.

Today however, we are finding more and more studies and research done by psychologists that say we are damaging our children by pushing them too hard and that we should back off in order not to hurt their psyche. Sure, we could do that, but what happens when they enter the real world say coaches and parents; “Things are not going to get any easier then are they?”

No matter what you believe on this topic, one thing is known for sure; Team Sports Build Character in Our Youth! And so, I hope you will consider this.

Lance Winslow is a retired franchisor – Lance Winslow’s Bio. Lance Winslow is formerly the CEO of WashGuys family of franchises for instance one of Lance Winslow’s favorite companies on the team; www.windowwashguys.com/links.shtml /.

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Hyper text preprocessor (PHP) and Active-server-pages (ASP) are the two standard programming languages for website application development and more significantly when it comes to produce database-driven websites to interrelating hugely with databases. PHP is an open-source programming language which is derived from lots of different languages. On the other hand ASP is such kind of programming languages which preferring Microsoft product mostly.

Both programming languages PHP and ASP are used to develop dynamic database oriented websites. Active Server Pages (ASP) is normally from Microsoft and is used only with Internet Information Server (I.I.S.) that runs on Microsoft Servers also. But on the other hand you can say PHP is platform independent programming languages and can connect with several kinds of databases.

There are a lot of differences between ASP and PHP.

Expenditure

To run ASP.net programs first need to install I.I.S. on a Windows server platform, this is not a free package. PHP programs can run on Linux, which is free package. Even the database connectivity is expensive for ASP, because it require ms-S.Q.L product of Microsoft that needs to be acquired. Same time on the other hand PHP generally uses My-S.Q.L for database connectivity, which is freely accessible.

The Simplicity in Coding

PHP codes itself are very light in weight, a contract programmer who begins his career into PHP, does not felt any pressure to look the source code to understand. Whereas In ASP codes are not so easy to quick understand.

Database Compatibility

PHP generally being extremely flexible as it uses My-S.Q.L for database connectivity, which is freely accessible. Same time on the other hand Database compatibility is expensive for ASP, because it require MS-S.Q.L product of Microsoft that needs to be acquired.

General Run Time

If we evaluate the running speed of PHP and ASP then PHP should gets the upper hand. Normally it is viewed that PHP code runs quicker than ASP code. Due to COM based architecture, ASP uses server space to run while PHP code runs on its own inbuilt memory space.

Background Language Support

ASP has a similar like Visual Basic type of syntax that also linked to Microsoft products as well. On the other hand PHP codes are based on generally C++ language and the syntax, which is used in PHP, is quite similar to C/C++ syntax. C/C++ is still considered by maximum software programmer is the finest programming language and people who love C++ language would certainly feel more relaxed with the PHP syntax.

Running Platform Connectivity

PHP codes can run on different platforms like UNIX, Linux, and Windows whereas ASP codes are mostly linked with Windows platforms. Though, ASP programs can run on a Linux platform with the help of ASP-Apache installed on the server.

Further Tools Cost

Several tools used in PHP are mostly free of cost in the market and as PHP is open source a lot of codes can be available in open source forums and blogs. PHP has inbuilt attributes like ftp, encryption methods, even email also from a web page but in ASP such attributes are not obtainable and for this reason only some more features are required which are not free that increase the total cost as well.

Larger Applications Support

PHP is just as protected as ASP from coding level. The main difference is only for private data like “social security numbers”; “PIN numbers” etc. ASP is more practicable option. Organizations like government firms normally don’t have much stipulated commercial budgets and looking for required security, they really helpful ASP.net.

At the end, we can make a conclusion that both programming languages have their advantages and disadvantages specific to user requirement. It can be said that both the programming languages have their own significance depending upon the users requirements and budgets. It is viewed that in any discussion board, ASP.net is similarly capable but many of them suggesting PHP for small business owners those who have a fixed budget and does not required superb security support. PHP cannot provide e-commerce application development, only for them ASP.net will be the best choice.

Joanna Gadel is working as a freelance programmer for GetAProgrammer.com.au. She gathers years of knowledge by handling programmer jobs and system administration for the “Get a Programmer” support team.

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Today, the available selection of furniture for children is innovative and unique and goes far beyond the basic beds and dressers that have filled children’s rooms in the past. When you decorate your child’s room, consider his personality and his interests as you choose the best pieces. If possible, allow your child to help pick out the childrens furniture he will have in his room.

First, decide on a theme or color scheme for decorating. Beds and other furnishings for children can be found to match a number of designs. Some beds are even available as race cars, fire trucks, or princess castles. You may opt for a bed that fits the theme you’ve chosen or you can buy a simple bed and match the room’s design with a children’s bedding set in a similar theme or color.

To ensure a good night’s sleep for both you and your little one, choose a bed and bedding set that your child likes. Also make sure the bed is comfortable, sturdy, and appropriately sized. Small children who have just graduated from a crib or cot may feel safer in a small bed that is low to the floor. Optional bed rails are a good idea until your little one gets used to sleeping in her new room.

A dresser or small chest of drawers is typically a useful piece of children’s furniture for storing clothing and accessories. Look for a dresser that is sturdy and made of a quality material like wood. Drawers that sit low to the ground are best for young children who may try to climb on the furniture and a model that is not easy to tip over will be safer. Many dressers can be found in a matching set of furniture for your child’s bedroom, including the bed and often end tables.

Children usually have a large collection of books. Find a short bookcase in a colorful design to hold his treasured books, as well as other toys and figures. A desk or small table with chairs can provide a good, solid surface for your child to play and work on. Child-sized chairs and surfaces are great for art activities, homework, or playing with puzzles. Many tables and desks are designed around themes that may fit your child’s bedroom decor, like primary colored animals or soft, pastel flowers.

Every child’s bedroom needs plenty of sturdy storage for toys. Todays toy boxes are just as varied and unique as children’s beds. Deep, wooden toy bins are perfect for storing large toys, while toy boxes with multiple bins of various sizes are good for smaller toys. Some toy boxes offer shelved storage as well for toys like puzzles or to display a favorite collection of cars or horses. Find a toy box that will make it simple for your child to clean his room and to find a particular toy after it is put away.

Consider your child and his activity level when you purchase furniture. Children often climb, so kids furniture [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYCAT&catid=64] that is low to the ground will minimize injuries. Many children can be rough on furniture as well. Look for quality built furniture designed specifically for children to stand up to a child’s wear and tear. Most importantly, decorate your child’s room with furniture he likes.

Gary Clay is an expert on

Nursery Furniture [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYCAT&catid=60] and owner of stylish kids store MonkeyShine an internet retailer of Childrens Furniture [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYCAT&catid=60] in the UK

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Colorado fly fishing is an adventure that you won’t want to pass up on your next vacation. Colorado fly fishing offer something for every angler. Mountain streams, river basins, lakes, and reservoirs fill the need of any fly fisherman.

Where to Fly Fish in Colorado:

Colorado offers fly fisherman miles of world class fly fishing streams where the waters are managed by the Colorado Department of Wildlife to guarantee you the populations of large trout that you are looking for.

You may be a crackerjack fly fishing angler and know all the hot spots for fly fishing in Colorado or you may be new to the state and need some expert guidance. When you get your Colorado fishing license, be sure to pick up your free copy of Colorado Fishing Season Information & Wildlife Property Discovery booklet or go to any of the local Colorado Division Wildlife offices and pick up the Colorado fishing map.

Colorado fly fishing is divided into five regions: Northeast Region; Northwest Region; Southeast Region; Southwest Region; and the Denver Metro Region. You can choose many fine Colorado fly fishing spots in any of these prime fly fishing regions. Your Colorado fly fishing experience can be divided into fishing the roaring streams and majestic rivers to fly fishing the many mountain lakes and large reservoirs.

Fly Fish the Northwestern Region of Colorado

The Northwest region of Colorado offers fly anglers a variety of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs to choose from. From the Yampa River and its tributary, the Elk river in the north to the prime Colorado fly fishing rivers of the southern part of this region, the Northwest region of Colorado is noted for fly fishing.

Colorado fly fishing is at its finest from Meeker and the White River to the grand Colorado River running through central Colorado from the high mountains. Fly fisherman will delight in the trophies they find fishing this region’s rivers. Most notably, the Green river, Blue river, Roaring Fork River, and the Crystal River provide anglers with the fly fishing adventure they are looking for.

Colorado fly fishing is found on the lakes and reservoirs of the region too. Grand lake and Grandby Reservoir are found on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park and are both noted for their fishing. Steamboat Lake is in the north of this region and is a picturesque place for the fly fisherman to angle. Other reservoirs include Williams Fork Reservoir, Willow Creek Reservoir, Stagecoach Reservoir, and Wolford Reservoir to name just a few.

Wherever you are looking for a fly fishing adventure, Colorado offers excellent fly fishing conditions and opportunities. Colorado fly fishing is constantly improved by the efforts of the fifteen Colorado Division of Wildlife hatcheries. The Colorado Division of Wildlife stocks over 4.3 million 10-inch fish a year, in addition to 43 million warm-water species and 11 million cold-water species. Catch and release fishing is popular and if you don’t plan to eat the fish you’ve caught, please help conserve Colorado’s precious fly fishing resource by returning the fish to the water.

What to fly fish for in Colorado:

The natural beauty of the Colorado fly fishing spots is distracting even to the most seasoned angler. But distractions not withstanding, and the proper fly fishing equipment, fly fishing anglers and enthusiasts are more than able to hook trout species like browns, brookies, and the rainbow trout in the rivers and streams that fly fisherman prefer. Fly fisherman may also stumble upon grayling and cutthroats too.

The other species that can be found here in Colorado’s fly fishing lakes and reservoirs are Walleye, Wipers, Yellow Perch, Crappie Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Tiger Muskies, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed. Colorado fly fishing provides any angler with an experience of a lifetime.

Various lures and worms work best during the spring runoff when the waters are high and streams running fast. Flies usually work best during late July, August and September. Watch for what’s hatching in the area where you’re fly fishing. This is the indication of which fly fishing flies will work best. Mayflies, caddis flies, midges, and stone flies predominate in this fly fishing area.

Colorado fly fishing is world class and you will find some of the best fly fishing in North America. There is no excuse not to pick up your fly fishing rod and tackle and set out on a leisurely Colorado fly fishing vacation of a lifetime.

Jim Bruce maintains a website on Colorado travel. Find out more about Colorado fly fishing and the fly fishing hotspots the state of Colorado has to offer by going to: http://www.coloradotravelexperience.com/Colorado_fly_fishing.html

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When purchasing New Jersey car insurance there are many decisions you will have to make. You need to understand what kind of car insurance coverage you need and how much you can afford to pay. New Jersey car insurance will have no trouble meeting your needs but you, yourself, must know what you need in insurance for New Jersey driving before you purchase. Just keep in mind that there are many options for Nj insurance available with all the different companies selling insurance.

When purchasing NJ car insurance, there are some things the agent is bound by law to inform you. For New Jersey car insurance you have three coverage choices called “Insurance Scenarios”. The car insurance agent this will let you know how each choice may affect your policy and what you pay for benefits if you happen to have an accident. He/She should tell you that you can cancel your car insurance anytime you want, for example, if you find better car insurance with another car insurance company.

You can also change the insurance coverage and policy limits for your car at any time, even if you are not close to your car insurance renewal. If you select options when you purchase New Jersey car insurance then it may pay off when you’re ready to cancel there may be a refund if you cancel early. All New Jersey car insurance companies must give you back the refund within thirty days from the day you cancel your Nj car insurance.

New Jersey car insurance is divided into different coverages, but this is based on the type of claim that will be paid out to you or others. One is personal injury protection – this protects you or others depending on who is in the car at the time of an accident, and will pay the medical coverage regardless of which driver is at fault. Then there is liability car insurance that pays for damages incurred when you are at fault in an accident. This also covers any legal help that you will need if you are being sued. Within liability car insurance, there are also two types of coverage – bodily injury and property damage. Most New Jersey car insurance companies carry the same policies. These insurance policies pay for anyone that is hurt or die as the result of the accident you caused. You may think the cost of car insurance is high when you take out a policy in New Jersey, but it’s nothing compared to what an accident would cost you if you didn’t have any NJ insurance on your car.

Here are a few things for you to think about when buying car insurance in New Jersey.

For a website totally devoted to Car Insurance visit Peter’s Website Car Insurance Answers and find out about Car Insurance Quotes as well as Cheap Auto Insurance and more, including UK Car Insurance, Car Insurance Rates and Car Insurance Quotes.

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Your flight landed an hour late. Now, you’ll be late for that important meeting. You can already imagine your customers sitting around a conference table waiting impatiently. You step to the front of the line at the car rental counter, with six other exasperated businessmen behind you who are late for their meetings, too. The rental agent plunks the contract down in front of you, and circles all the places on the contract that you’re supposed to sign or initial. Then she stares at you, as if to say, “Hurry up!” The print is small. The sentences are written in Legalese. You’d like to stop and read the fine print, but you can feel the people behind you getting more upset. You thought you were renting a car for $35.00 per day. With all the add-ons, the cost is now $70.00 per day.

Oh…the pressure…the panic! You cave in, signing and leaving your initials in all the right places. You take your contract and keys and head for your car, inwardly feeling like a failure and mad because you didn’t stand up for yourself.

If the preceding story is too familiar, there’s hope just ahead!

It doesn’t matter if you’re a regular car renter or just an occasional traveler who needs to rent a car, you’ll likely face these kinds of choices at the car rental counter. Some folks just decline everything. Some folks purchase all of the coverage offered.

But…are you wasting bunches of money on unneeded coverage or leaving yourself dangerously under insured? Before leaving on your trip, I recommend that you make two phone calls – one to your auto insurance company and another to the credit card company you’ll be using to pay for the rental car. You’ll need to find out if you have automatic coverage for your car rental from each company, and the various terms and conditions for that automatic coverage.

FIRST…CALL YOUR CAR INSURANCE COMPANY

In your personal or business auto insurance policy, there is coverage for damage to your auto. The Insuring Agreement in most policies says: ” We will pay for direct and accidental loss to ‘your covered auto’ or any ‘non-owned auto,’ including their equipment, minus any applicable deductible shown in the Declarations.”

Another phrase is VERY IMPORTANT!

“If there is a loss to a ‘non-owned auto’, we will provide the broadest coverage applicable to any ‘covered auto’ in the Declarations.” Here’s an example of how this would work for you:

You have two vehicles. One is a 2006 Toyota Camry with full coverage. It’s worth $24,000. The other is a 1980 Chevy S-10 pickup worth $1,500 that you only use for trips back and forth to the local home improvement store, and you only have liability coverage on the pickup. If you rented a car and it got damaged, your insurance company would provide the full coverage for the rental car, which is the broadest coverage in your policy.

If you normally drive an older car with only liability insurance on it, there will not be any property damage insurance extended to the rental car. In this instance, you should either use the credit card’s Collision Damage Waiver or buy the CDW from the car rental company.

Ask your insurance company representative how much coverage you have on your car. Ask if there is a limit of value on your Collision coverage. If there is a limit, and you drive a 7 year old Ford Taurus that’s worth $5,500…and you rent a new Cadillac Escalade that’s worth $55,000…will your personal auto insurance cover the damage to the higher valued vehicle? REALLY important to know this…you could owe the rental car company tens of thousands of dollars to repair or replace a high value rental vehicle if you’re not properly covered.

Find out the limits of liability. Make sure that your limits are higher than the minimum limits required by your state. Limits above $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident for Bodily Injury, and $100,000 for Property Damage are very inexpensive. Make sure that you limits are no less than that amount…higher would be better.

Find out what collision and comprehensive deductibles you have on your car, because those deductibles will apply when you rent a car and use your own insurance for rental coverage.

Make sure that you have Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist coverage on your personal or business policy. If you are in an accident with an uninsured motorist, and the accident is his fault, recovery will be practically impossible. Likewise with a motorist who is underinsured. Best to have your own coverage protection.

Q: What if I don’t own a car, and don’t have car insurance?

A: If you do not own a car, you won’t have an automobile policy. You should buy the rental car coverage, both the CDW and liability coverage. Or, you should use your credit card’s CDW and buy the optional liability coverage from the rental car company. If you’re a frequent car renter, however, you can still buy a “non-owner” liability policy. This solution might save you money over the coverage available through the car rental company.

Q: What happens if my personal property inside the car gets damaged or stolen?

A: Most Collision Damage Waivers provide coverage for theft of the vehicle, but not any personal property stolen or damaged inside the vehicle. Check your homeowners or renter’s insurance policy because you may have coverage through them for your stolen or damaged personal property. A deductible will likely apply.

Here’s a super important tip! Some people think that, if they purchased the Collision Damage Waiver or used the CDW from their credit card, and the rental car got damaged, they don’t have to report it to their own insurance company. They are hoping that because the CDW covers the damage, it won’t affect their own insurance policy….and they won’t get a rate increase. WRONG!!! Don’t be misled into thinking that you can get away without reporting your accident to your own insurance company. In most accidents, more things get damaged than just the rental car. Even if your accident is just you running into a guardrail, whoever owns that guardrail is going to look to you to pay for the damages. Also, other people might have been injured. You could have a large liability exposure, and you might need your personal or business auto policy to cover your loss. Your insurance policy includes legal representation if someone files a lawsuit against you for damages.

If you’re going to use your own personal or business auto coverage, decline the Collision Damage Waiver on the car rental contract.

NEXT…CALL THE CREDIT CARD COMPANY

Ask your credit card company about the benefits they offer. Each company is different, and each level of credit is different. For example, a regular card might have different insurance benefits than a gold or platinum card. Ask the card company to send you your benefits IN WRITING. If you’re in a hurry, ask them to fax or email it to you.

Some cards may only cover collision and comprehensive, and leave you uninsured for liability. Some cards only offer coverage when you rent from a certain rental company. Some restrict the number of days of coverage. Some cards don’t automatically cover you and require you to sign up for a particular program. Still others limit the kinds of vehicles you can rent. (see below for some exclusions)

If you have more than one credit card, call each one and find out the card with the best benefits. Then, use that credit card to pay for your rental car, and use their benefits.

If you’re planning on using the credit card company’s coverage, you must decline the Collision Damage Waiver shown in the rental car contract. Otherwise, the credit card company’s coverage will become excess to the coverage in the rental car company’s Collision Damage Waiver. “Excess” means that any other available coverage would pay first, and the credit card coverage would pay any remaining portion of the loss.

Credit card Collision Damage Waivers cover:

o vehicle damage

o theft

o loss of use

o towing

See your credit card company’s written CDW for all the details.

Collision Damage Waivers exclude:

o Injury to anyone or damage to anything inside or outside the rental vehicle.

o Loss or theft of personal belongings.

o Liability

o Loss due to intentional acts, like DUI, drug use or other illegal activities.

o Off-road operations. If you rent an SUV and take it off-road, no coverage.

o Rental periods of more than 15 days within your country of residence, or more than 31 days in a foreign country.

o Vehicles that do not meet the definition of “covered vehicles,” such as:

- expensive, exotic and antique vehicles

- certain vans

- pickup trucks

- other trucks

- motorcycles and ATVs

See your credit card company’s written CDW for all the details.

CAR RENTAL INSURANCE

Most major rental car companies offer these four coverages.

o Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). This covers a rental vehicle damaged by an accident, vandalism, theft or loss of use. Costs range between $9 and $20 per day.

The most misunderstood part of car rental coverage is the Collision Damage Waiver, or sometimes called the “Auto Rental CDW.”

Remember…the car rental CDW provided by the car rental company is not insurance. Insurance is regulated by each state. Collision Damage coverage is a waiver. The car rental companies agree to not hold the renter responsible if the rental car is damaged or stolen, and they guarantee that they will pay for certain damages listed in their coverage agreement.

In many cases, the waiver also provides “loss of use” coverage, which pays the rental company if the damaged or stolen car cannot be rented. In most states, car insurance policies don’t cover loss of use. So, if you choose not to buy the Collision Damage Waiver, you might have a loss of use exposure if the rental car gets damaged. But if you’re using your credit card’s automatic coverage, it will pay for that loss of use.

Some car rental companies will require you to pay for repairs or replacement costs out of your own pocket up front, and then you have to get reimbursed by your own insurance company. Being forced to come up with thousands of dollars in immediate cash could ruin a vacation. You’re protected from these up-front costs by the CDW. Read your rental contract CAREFULLY!

o Personal Effects Coverage. This provides coverage for theft or damage to personal items inside the rental car. Costs range between $2 and $5 per day.

o Supplemental Liability Insurance. This provides liability coverage up to $1 million. Costs range between $7 and $9 per day.

o Personal Accident Insurance. This covers you and passengers in your vehicle for medical expenses. If you already have personal health policies or travel policies, it won’t be necessary to buy this optional coverage. It usually costs between $3 and $5 per day.

Corporate Travelers. If you’re a frequent traveler for business, do one other thing. Check with your company to find out if they have a corporate travel policy. If they do, find out what that policy covers, and then simply don’t buy duplicate coverage on the rental car contract.

Car rental outside your country of residence. Some insurers exclude coverage if you’re driving in a foreign country. Some will cover you, but only a limited time. Some credit card companies cover car rentals outside your country of residence. Check with your insurance company and credit card company for specific details, and GET IT IN WRITING!

Q: Can I allow others to drive my rental car?

A: If you’re using your personal or business auto coverage to cover your rental car, the chances are all “authorized drivers” are covered. An “authorized driver” is anyone listed on the policy. However, here’s a BIG GOTCHA! If your teenaged son drives your rental car and he allows his girlfriend to drive the car, you’re covered. If the girlfriend allows another person to drive, NO COVERAGE!

Some car rental companies have exclusions for young drivers. Some charge extra for young drivers. Find out this information BEFORE you arrive at the car rental counter.

Q: How do I file a claim if I’ve had an accident?

A: When you experience the damage or theft, immediately get a camera and take lots of photos of the damage, including any other autos or property that was damaged. Keep those photos! Notify the rental company IMMEDIATELY of the damage.

Report the damage to your own auto insurance company if you have personal or business coverage.

When you return the vehicle to the rental company immediately ask for:

o A copy of the accident report and any claim documents, which should show the amount you’re responsible to pay, as well as any amounts that have been paid toward the claim.

o A copy of the initial and final auto rental agreements.

o A copy of the repair estimate or the paid repair invoice.

o A police report, if one exists.

So the bottom line is this:

If you have personal auto insurance, commercial auto insurance or corporate travel coverage, it is usually not necessary to pay for the Collision Damage Waiver or extra coverages offered to you by the rental car contract. Your situation may vary.

Get everything in writing, and make an informed decision. Then enjoy your car rental experience!

Now, I’d like to offer you two special reports at no cost. One is “5 Things To Do When Shopping For Car Insurance,” and the other is “5 Things To Avoid When Shopping For Car Insurance.” Each one is a $9.95 value, but free to you when you sign up for my newsletter at the website address below.

P.S. WARNING!! Do Not Buy Insurance, or Submit an Insurance Claim Without Visiting This Website!

check out: http://www.insurance-claim-secrets.com

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Nominated for Georgia Author of the Year Award 2008

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My blog is at: http://insurance-claim-secrets.blogspot.com

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Choosing the Right Career: And how to make a smooth career change!

Choosing a career or changing from one career to another can be a daunting task. However, with some well thought out career planning you can start in the right job field or make the transition into another career field with a minimum of fuss.

Why do so many end up choosing a career that is less than satisfying and some find themselves in careers where they are downright miserable? The short answer is many think they know the correct way about picking a career, yet there are a number of myths associated with choosing a career that you need to know about.

The number one myth about choosing a career is that the process is simple, takes little time and

once the career choice is make the book is closed. Actually, selecting the right career for you should be an ongoing process that involves career and employer research, learning about yourself and effectively using all the available career and job hunting resources available to you.

Career Planning for Great Future Results

Once you recognize career planning and selection is an involved process you need to spend the appropriate amount of time to get the best results.

Career ideas can come from many sources. Don’t let a career counselor or a friend tell you what career is best for you. They can give you a level of guidance on new career ideas but it’s never wise to rely entirely on their advice.

For example, many times you’ll get advice from professionals and friends that you can’t make a living from your hobby. In reality, this is the one area to start looking how you can take your skills learned from the hobby to a profitable career. Either, self-employed or working in the field for another employer can be an excellent career choice.

In addition, a part-time hobby that can be turned into a small money making business, while working full-time, can provide you with an additional level of financial security.

Learn about a Career without working in it

Many think the only way you can really learn about a career is to work in it. Not true. If you find a career that interests you, do the research to find others working in the field. Contact them to see if you can arrange a short interview. Or have questions ready for a short phone interview. Many times these discussions will lead to other valuable resources regarding the career. All will assist you in making the right career decision.

Another area where many go wrong is to only look at careers on the latest “hot careers” list. These are top ten lists of the hottest current and projected future jobs. Although interesting and a possible source for further research you need to focus on your skills, what are your top interests and what excites you about a particular career and not what someone predicts will be the outlook for a specific occupation.

Career Change is in your Future

In the course of a lifetime, if you are typical, you will change jobs and careers several times. The secret of making a successful career change is to spend time every week and month is career planning. A well though out plan researching jobs and employers will keep you attuned to changes in the economy, new careers in which you may qualify and other income opportunities.

Developing career related skills through training and self-study will make you more valuable in your current career and prepare you to open future doors of yet undiscovered career ideas.

John Groth is a Career Coach and former HR executive. On his site find Career Planning Ideas, valuable articles and a Free Seven Day Career Planning Guide. Discover up to date career and recruitment strategies at Employment and Recruiting Ideas all to assist you in advancing and managing your career.

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The sport of fly fishing has been around for years and years. In medieval times, anglers fished for food, but the sport has evolved over the years to become a real test of skills. Anyone who has become involved in the sport of fly fishing knows how addictive in can be – but in a very good way!

Fly fishing is markedly different from regular fishing. With plain fishing, you use lures and often live bait to bring fish to your line and hook them. When you are fly fishing, you use a fly that resembles a real insect that the fish feed on naturally. The line is longer and you mimic the movement of the fly or insect on top of the water so that the fish thinks they are biting at a real insect.

Casting is constant in fly fishing. You put the fly out in the water and then draw it back several times so that the fish thinks the fly is landing on the water and then taking off again. With regular fishing, you cast your line and let it rest until the fish bites making the bobber sink into the water.

You can catch some pretty hefty fish using either method, but when you are fly fishing, you have the opportunity to “battle” the fish for survival. This can be extremely satisfying as man battles nature for the top position.

Flies are made out of natural materials in fly fishing while regular fishing utilizes latex and plastic lures made out of man-made materials. Many avid fly fishermen say that the fish are much more attracted to the natural lure rather than the man-made ones. This, they say, makes fly fishing an amazingly satisfying sport.

You can fish just about anywhere – a local pond, a lake, or even a reservoir. When you are fly fishing, you will want to go where the fish are most plentiful. That means traveling (perhaps) to rivers and streams where fish like trout and walleye are known to live. The challenge in fly fishing lies in making the fly look real to the fish below water.

Fly fishing in remote places like Alaska and Canada are great vacation getaways. You can plan a fly fishing trip to many different spots including Mexico, South America, and even Russia. That can be a great adventure – much more so than just fishing your local lake or pond.

Chess has been called “the sport of kings”, but many avid fly fishermen consider fly fishing to be the real sport of kings. It takes skill, finesse, and a lot of patience to get good at fly fishing. Thousands of anglers couldn’t agree more. When you’ve been fly fishing once, you’ll want to go back over and over and over again. May the fish bite well for you!

Steve is the owner of [http://www.articleland.co.uk] and [http://fishing.articleland.co.uk] He is well known for his love of fishing and has travelled the world, always taking time to try out the local waters. He has written a book on the art of fly fishing which can be found at [http://fishing.articleland.co.uk]

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Free outdoor cooking recipes are there for everybody to enjoy and share besides providing the perfect opportunity for people to experiment and have fun while sharing jokes, recipe ideas and more by the camp-side.

While many people take up cooking as a hobby that is reserved for their spare time, others can also benefit from picking up the quick-and-easy methods of free recipes to have the confidence to participate in varied cooking events that occur on food network channels, online portals that advertise free outdoor cooking recipes besides other places. The charm of entering a cooking competition online or in person is exciting and cannot be stressed enough; however, there is definitely something for everyone as contests can include styles like grilling or Dutch oven cooking, besides free outdoor cooking recipes that are easy and fast.

In fact, much of the popularity of these recipes lies in their simple techniques of cooking that minimize preparation time and use of few ingredients that cook fast too. The menu selection and the technique of cooking one chooses for preparing outdoor meals also determines the fun, ease and simplicity factors for a great outdoor activity that can be shared and two best bets include Dutch oven cooking and grill-cooking, because they both give fast and nutritious results to whatever is cooked!

A wide array of dishes can be prepared using free outdoor cooking recipes that can include food groups like veggies, meats, breads, chicken, fish besides kebabs and sweet dishes too! Hassle-free, quick and using little heat, the appeal of free outdoor cooking recipes spreads far and wide to incorporate mealtime decisions for breakfast, luncheon and supper that can be either light or filling.

Salads and desserts are included in the cooking recipes that are comprehensive meal planning tools besides also leaving enough scope for introducing the meal with a tasty starter snack like grilled salmon or tenderloins. Roast, grill or bake, there’s a cooking method that is ideal for every family and outdoor cooking makes this experience even more enjoyable when free outdoor cooking recipes are shared among guests who have enjoyed the outing too! While the preferred way to have outdoor fun and meals is no doubt grill-cooking that fixes healthy and hot hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken in a jiffy, there’s much more fun to be had when menu-planning is done as group activity.

Latest advancements in the products available for outdoor cooking have furthered eased the activity for many hobbyists and technology being used in barbeque-stands, cookware tools, support equipment for outdoor cooking has become safety-conscious that users can look forward to having a good time with great meals that make partying an all-time option for large families as well as small groups of friends. Thus, these easy recipes for outdoors increase the scope of creative fun for everyone!

Abhishek is a cooking enthusiast! Visit his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com and download his FREE Cooking Report “Master Chef Secrets” and learn some amazing Cooking tips and tricks for FREE! Learn how to create the perfect meal on a shoe-string budget. And yes, you get to keep all the accolades! But hurry, only limited Free copies available! http://www.Cooking-Guru.com

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Making new friends can be a tricky process. When we first meet someone new, we often get the advice to stick to very safe small talk conversations. We are told that we should never discuss controversial topics such as religion or politics with people we have just met. Either of these two topics can result in a bitter argument if both people are passionate about their differing points of view. You can easily destroy all chances at a friendship if you discuss controversial topics too soon.

Is it always true that we should never bring up the topic of politics with someone we have just met? Is it possible to develop a good friendship or romance with a person if you hate their political beliefs? What if you are attracted to someone, but you hate their politics? Should you limit your friendships and relationships to people who share your political views?

Today in many countries, politics has become very intense, and differing political views can spark an intense argument.

In spite of this, the advice to avoid all discussion of politics with people that you don’t know very well is not always necessary.

For example, you might find yourself at a political convention surrounded by thousands of people you don’t know, yet you would have a good chance of having great political discussions with anyone of them. It’s very possible that most of the people you meet at such an event will love having political conversations with you.

There’s another time you might want to bring up politics right away, even when you don’t know how the other person will react. You might be one of those people who takes politics so seriously that you don’t want to get to know a person slowly and only later find out that their political beliefs don’t match your own.

In such a case, you might prefer to have your political discussions right away so that you decide whether or not you want to invest more time in this person.

Most of us are not that extremely passionate about our politics, yet politics still has the potential to break up relationships, especially in the early stages.

That’s why we are usually advised to stay away from discussing politics until we know a person better.

Many people who have very strong political opinions also dislike any people who have a differing point of view. They are not willing to be tolerant of people with other political views. This makes it very difficult to make bonds of friendship or love if the other person has different political beliefs.

Still, some people have managed to create successful friendships and marriages even though both people have differing political views. How do they manage this? It’s more likely that people with differing political viewpoints can make a successful friendship if neither of them are very passionate about politics.

Before you decide to bring up the topic of politics with a person you don’t know well, ask yourself how you will react if it turns out that their point of view is the opposite of your own. Then ask yourself whether you think it’s worth the risk.

In some cases, people with very different political opinions manage to stay good friends or even have happy marriages because they actually enjoy having passionate arguments about politics. They have enough respect for each other that they can overlook their differences. In other cases, friends with different points of view simply decide to avoid any political discussions altogether.

This article was written by Royane Real, author of the popular book “Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends and Keeping Friends” Discover many more interesting self help articles at her new website at http://www.royane.com

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Important questions to consider when buying a business in Thailand.

By now you have finally decided you would like to be your own boss and come to the conclusion that buying an existing business, versus being an employee or starting from scratch, is the best way to move forward. Unless you have been involved in a successful business start-up before, this is a very wise move. 

It is important that you now make the right moves, in the correct order, so that you can go through the process of buying a business in Thailand as smoothly and successfully as possible. The decision to purchase an existing business in Thailand can be big and life-changing for sure and you should make sure you begin from the best possible position in order to maximize your success in your new business.

What type of Thai Business are you looking for? Firstly, you should shortlist a couple, or at the most a handful, of different types of businesses you feel you would enjoy and have a good chance of success in. If you don’t do this simple exercise, you will waste a lot of your time looking at too wide an array of businesses. Chances are even if you come across an excellent opportunity, since you are all over the map as to what you are considering, you will not be able to accurately assess the business and miss the opportunity. If you cannot focus on, at most, a few different types of business, it is likely that you are not quite ready to buy a business in Thailand.

It is also worth noting that if you are using business advisors, business brokers, attorneys, or other professionals normally work either on success based fees or on an hourly fee structure. Rightfully, if a professional working on a success based fee does not feel you are ready to buy they likely will not be spending much time with you and label you as a “tire-kicker” or someone who is just looking. Alternatively, if you aren’t ready to buy and you are working with hourly fee based professionals, they can end up costing you quite a bit of your hard earned money even before you find a business buy. It’s best to take some time to think about what your wants, strengths, and weakness are so that you can be prepared for the business buying process.

Will you be a sole business owner or will you have a partner? Normally, buyers of businesses in Thailand have a partner for one of two reasons. The first reason is one, or both, of the partners does not have sufficient capital in order to purchase a business and/or run the business over the next year due to debt/financing issues, cash-flow position, or other financial stumbling blocks. Another reason to partner with someone, probably a better situation, is that each of the partners brings something to the business. Simply put, one partner has a skill/interest that the other lacks, and vice-versa. This is an ideal situation, however, it must be said that partnerships can be tricky and often the partnership is the reason why some businesses are for sale.

If you will be a first time business owner, the thought of managing the operation on your own can seem like a very daunting task. If you have chosen to go it alone, remember that while you have strengths in many areas, you will likely also have weaknesses in others. Look for business with employees who can compliment your skill set or if that is not the case, make sure you know what skills you will be requiring and that you do not possess, so that you can either recruit employees who can fill the gaps, or outsource those activities to other experts. One of the best advantages to being the sole owner of a business (other than keeping all of the profits!) is that you will never have to worry about a partnership dispute and the potentially devastating consequences they can bring.

What is your business buying style? According to many business intermediaries and business brokers, there are many different styles of business buyers. The majority of these types of business buyers never complete the acquisition of a business. For this reason, we can focus on the three types of business buyers who actually do in fact acquire businesses and those are 1) business buyers who are looking to acquire strong businesses that, with the addition of their capital, experience, industry knowledge, or synergistic existing operations, they can grow larger and make more profitable; 2) those buyers looking almost exclusively for high cash-flow businesses to reach a desired return on investment strategy, and finally; 3) those business buyers who will look at anything that is a bargain as compared to their asset/market value. Typically these business buyers are looking for business that are for sale for a personal/human reason (divorce, health reasons, partnership disputes, etc) or struggling due to mismanagement of the current owner(s). These types of buyers are often called turnaround or distressed business buyers. While this can be a potentially lucrative strategy, turnaround buyers must be skilled at pinpointing the areas of distress and being able to correct the problems quickly. 

Again, there are also the many non-buyers out there who, for whatever reason, are always “looking” for businesses to buy in Thailand, but never seem to acquire that perfect business they are looking for. These buyers are usually either uncommitted/unprepared or they are simply looking for information for one reason or another. We are striving to make you an informed and intuitive business buyer, so please keep reading.

How will you finance your business in Thailand? Bank financing in Thailand is quite different for foreigners than what you may be used to in your home country. Much of this has to do with the Asian economic crisis of 1997 and even though that was over 10 years ago, receiving any type of traditional financing for foreigners remains difficult to this day. So, just as in your home country, the fact that you are buying an existing business with positive cash flow does not necessarily mean the bank is going to hand you the cash to acquire it. This is not to say bank financing is impossible, but you must be prepared to pay the majority, if not all, of the purchase price of your Thai business in cash at closing.

Most businesses for sale in Thailand are sold on a “cash price.” This means that many of the business sellers have priced their business at a price that they feel it is worth with a one-time payment at the time of business transfer. While this means that many times a business buyer will have to come up with a larger sum of cash to get into the business, the overall purchase price will often be less than it would in a western country where bank financing and owner financing are more common. Most buyers would like to see banks and business owners offer more financing options for the acquisition of existing Thailand businesses for sale as it would allow larger businesses to be bought and sold, creating more opportunities for wealth than ever before. 

In case you are not familiar with the term “owner financing,” it means that a business buyer is able to purchase the business outright, while putting down only a portion of the sales price at closing. Often, a business with high cash flow or large amounts of valuable assets, can be acquired with 20-50% cash down and the remainder of the payments over an agreed period of time. This allows the buyer to leverage his investment while also helping the seller achieve much closer to his desired sale price. Obviously, this can be very beneficial, but risky, for the seller and a qualified Thai lawyer should be consulted before entering into a financing agreement. Also, it is helpful to consult your business broker and ask them to assist you in finding businesses with owner financing if that is what you’re after.

How much business can I afford? While there are many ways to value a business in Thailand, one of the easiest and most straightforward strategies that works the best is to base a valuation on a multiple of the cash flow or owner’s benefit. Typically in Thailand, business sellers generally are looking to receive around 3 times their annual owner’s benefit/cash-flow in order to transfer the business to a new buyer. Obviously this should be used as a rule of thumb as some businesses, depending on market position, number of years in business, location, market/revenue trends, and other factors, may be asking slightly more, or less, than that multiple. 

What this means for you is that you can begin to start focusing on businesses in Thailand that fit your available cash situation. Let’s say you have 12,000,000 Baht at your disposal to invest in an existing Thai business. Using a multiple of 3 times the annual owner’s benefit/cash-flow, you can expect to be looking at business making around 4,000,000 Baht annually. Conversely, if you feel you want to find a business that will provide you with 2,000,000 baht in annual owner benefit/cash-flow, then you should be prepared to spend around 6,000,000 Baht to acquire a business in Thailand. 

It is worth noting that the above figures are very general and some businesses, depending on their market position, number of years in business, location, market/revenue trends, asset/land value, and other factors may be slightly more or less than the multiple we have used. Also, normally if a Thai business for sale is being offered with owner financing, you can expect it to be priced accordingly and at the higher end of the market value. It is helpful to have your purchase and valuation strategy in mind when looking for businesses in order to save yourself wasted time and money looking at only businesses you can truly afford. Discussing these issues with a Thailand business broker is highly recommended and will help you be prepared to buy a business at a price you can feel comfortable with.

Be committed to Buying a Business in Thailand.The process of buying a business in Thailand can be a long and time-consuming process. If you are not committed to actually taking the necessary steps to prepare yourself for this process, you will not only be wasting the time of the seller and the broker, but your precious time as well. Brokers and seller work with many different people during the sale of a business and will spend as much time with you as needed if they feel you are as committed to buying a business and following the process. By demonstrating your commitment to the seller and broker, both will do whatever they can to assist you in getting the information you need and all your questions answered.

By now, you should be ready to begin the exciting adventure that is buying a business in Thailand. With the tools and steps set forth above, you should now be ready to act when the right Thailand business opportunity presents itself. 

For more information or to view business opportunities and Thailand’s best businesses for sale, please call us at 02-658-5588 or visit www.elitebusinessthailand.com.

Jon Molstad
Managing Director
Elite Business Group Co., Ltd
http://www.elitebusinessthailand.com

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A resume is a document which has to be written with great care. If the job being applied for is important to the applicant it is vital that he or she produces a good resume. However, most applicants lack the time and the skills necessary to execute a good resume. Therefore, putting together the perfect resume is a task which should be assigned to professionals. Not everyone is adept at producing well structured, well organized and well written resumes. The most competent persons capable of writing excellent resumes are the professional resume writers. This is why job seekers will benefit from selecting the best resume writer when it comes to writing a high caliber power resume.

Who is a Resume Writer?

When the task of resume writing is too much of a demand on the applicant, they can obtain the assistance of a resume writing service to do the task. These services allocate the applicants with an expert writer who will assist them through the resume writing process. These persons are called resume writers. In order to get the perfect resume, and the best out of the allocated write, applicants should know the tasks which the resume writer should perform.

Job of the Resume Writer

A resume writer should not only write a resume, but he should do it well. But this is not the only function which a writer is trained to do. A good writer of resumes molds the resume according to the job description. This however, does not mean that the resume is a lie. It simply highlights and aligns the qualities of the applicant with what the potential employers are looking for. This is something an average person with no experience is unable to do. They have no ideas as to how they should highlight their strengths to suit the employer’s needs. But a professional writer of resumes is aware of industry buzz words; the job related key words etc. and will be able to use these to the maximum advantage of the applicant.

Selecting a Good Resume Writer

The selection of a good writer is not as easy as expected. Unfortunately, there are too many online resume writing services which offer bogus information and as a result applicants are led astray. With the proper selection process, applicants will be able to select their writers easily.

• Writers should be certified. Certification is one way of assuring oneself about the writer’s experience and the quality of the work.
• Examine samples. When selecting, applicants should not hesitate to ask for samples of resumes previously written by the writer. If the resume samples are not impressive and look a repetition instead of being customized, applicants should reconsider and try other options.
• Communicate with the writer. This is important. If applicants are able to have a direct dialogue with the writers they will be able to asses how much the writer understands his job. A good writer will be able to discuss in depth the applicant’s career goals, education, work experience and history etc. before beginning the process of writing the resume.
• Find out the working process. If applicants are to hand in their job descriptions written on paper, it is a guarantee that the resume will be copied and written in a different manner. A good writer will converse with the client and obtain information out of the applicant which he would otherwise have not produced.
• Time to write. A good writer will take about two weeks to complete a resume. This however, will vary according to the writer and the types of resumes written.

Selection of a good resume writer is not easy. But the resume is what makes the difference between being accepted and rejected. Therefore, applicants will be greatly benefited by finding a good writer to write their resumes regardless of whether it is a sales resume or an executive resume. An effective resume doesn’t just get you a job. It gets you the perfect job.

Writing a high quality resume is your ticket to a top notched job. Writing it properly is not an easy task for average job seeker. This is why the services of a trained professional acting as a Resume Writer can be most useful. Nowadays there are many professional resume writing firms online that can offer assistance with any type of resume, be it a Sales Resume or a administrative resume. Author is a premium resume writers of one of the most well established resume support services that is available for aiding job seekers achieve their dream jobs

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Cooking is one of my specialties. While in the US Army Reserves I learned about Cooking. Indoor, outdoor and cooking using a utensil over an open flame was fun and easy with cast iron cookware. I remember the outdoors and the smell of cooking, accompanied by the chorus of the squirrels, crickets and birds, during bivouacs.

The most ordinary form of cooking is campfire cooking. For families it is particularly well fitting, it is an activity which presents an opportunity for pleasant evenings and outings. It has its own taste and fancy. Skill and knowledge is required, but both are easily acquired. Cooking is a tradition in itself and some cooks have years of experience both on safaris and at home. It is one of my favorite things in life. It is great; however, most open flame cooking is done in campgrounds. Credit to improvements in camping cooking gear and a horde of easy-prep and in-store ingredients, it need not be limited to burgers, dogs and smokes. Another unique way of cooking is to cook some food items inside of other foods. Another unusual cooking, using a utensil over an open flame method, is cooking in paper. An unfussy and simple way of outdoor cooking is to set a large coffee can on the coals. The days of utilitarian campfire cooking of yesteryear are gone. Try out a few odd techniques the next time you’re out camping.

For the tools and tips, place in your favorite search engines: campfire grill, campfire ring, propane in the ground campfire with a cast iron pot, campfire grill, campfire tripod, campfire in a can , California campfire fireplace, little red campfire , cooking steamer, induction cooking, cooking tripod, cooking strainer, cooking smoker, cooking station, cooking table, cooking pot, cooking twine, cooking thermometer, cooking rings, bistro cooking, plank cooking. Search for some prime cooking on the web or books on tips and tricks for Dutch oven cooking. Buy books which are specifically written for the camper who wants to make this method of cooking easier, safer, revealing how to make outdoor cooking grilling and RVing easy and fun in camping. I learned years ago from a relative that most pans will do well.

If you’ve never done any open flame cooking or camp cooking before, one of the things to be aware of is that you’ll need to monitor food closely from start to finish because it can burn quickly. Placing a marshmallow or hot dog on the end of a good stick and holding the food at just the right distance from the heat. One of the disadvantages to this kind of cooking is that cookware gets much dirtier than it does when cooking with a stove. So most likely open flame cooking will require less clean-up. Although campfire cooking can take a little more time than simply firing up the stove, it is more rewarding. If on the other hand you’re in the mood to take your time and enjoy the experience, cooking using a utensil over an open flame can be relaxing in a way that a stove can’t begin to match.

Here are some items that you will need to have to be prepared : Camping Cookbooks containing all the unique and fun camping recipes to make open flame cooking enjoyable. A large barbecue grill or rack will let you enjoy the full flavor and aroma, using either wood or charcoal briquettes. On a Campfire a simple and easy way of cooking is to set a large coffee can on the coals.

This method of cooking is the most common form of outdoor cooking. There is definitely more to It than just scorching marshmallows and making smokes. Have an outdoor party. Guest or spectators may soon become participants as the host or hosts divide their guests into teams and turn them loose for an afternoon of supervised scorching Spurred on, in part, as they are getting hungry. It is gaining in popularity because it brings friends and family together at the same time.

Attend a cooking using a utensil over an open flame class. There are conducted nationwide tours or clinics held every year at different campgrounds across the country.

While some view cooking using a utensil over an open flame as a survival skill, most people do it for other reasons. this method of cooking is a way to bring groups together. It is a method in which to lure kids away from their video games or as a way for divorced dads to entertain kids on weekends, It is an ideal way for families to reconnect. Everything tastes better roasted over an open fire. Maybe that is why with kids It is so popular. When you are done with your kid’s , make sure the fire is totally out.

How about Breakfast Muffins, fried or poached eggs, Chopped Ham, Shredded cheese, Diced potatoes, for example. Try cooking in a black skillet or even a 12 hole muffin pan. Salt and pepper half of muffin tin placing 6 eggs in 6 holes with 6 muffin mix muffins in the remaining 6 holes. Campfire popcorn can be popped in foil: Popcorn Kernels and oil or butter with salt for seasoning. Tear off an 18 inch square of tin foil. The first lesson to be learned about campfire cooking is that you do not cook over an open flame all the time. Try to have all the latest and greatest campfire gear on hand. Purchase only cast iron products. Browse products of campfire gear to find those goods that will work the best for you. Dutch oven Campfire Cooking is almost an ancient form of making food but is very prevalent today.

Select the relaxed comfort of your living room fireplace; staring into the embers as your banquet cooks, or watching the flickering flames dance and play while toasting your choice dessert; is a great way to generate memories with your family.

Whether camping with the family, hunting with friends or merely achieving that wood-grilled flavor at home is easier than you might think. Dutch oven cooking is one of the best ways to make meals on camping trips. The secret of any open flame cooking is to try and maintain steadily glowing coals, but once you have your fire in this state, you can gage its approximate temperature by using your hand. The single most indispensable piece of gear for open flame cooking is the cast iron skillet. open flame cooking is something of a science, much like cooking on the stove at home. In the days of automatic coffee makers and microwave ovens, it is somewhat of a step back.

If a departure from this method of cooking is your desire, There are some area restaurants which offer a wide range; from fast food right up to Traditional campfire cooking.

Please leave your comments.

Roger Hardieway is a retired Engineer and Amateur Radio Operator

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Before you begin to actually look at tractors you should know exactly what you are looking for.

Consider the following questions when shopping for a tractor.

What size of tractor do you need?

What are you going to be using you tractor for?

How often will the tractor be used?

Is the tractor going to be used to produce income? Of course, money is often a consideration when shopping for a tractor. Consider talking to people that own tractors and get their opinions.

Be an informed shopper and don’t let anyone rush you. Below are some other things to consider before you begin shopping for a tractor.

Tractor Size

This is obviously the most commonly asked questions regarding a tractor purchase. The average compact tractor consumer owns a 1-5 acre piece of property and uses the small compact diesel mostly for mowing The other tractor consumers usually have between 10-30 acres and needs about a 30 horsepower to complete the necessary tasks.

What are you going to use the tractor for?, is of course, the most important question to answer. Is it just for mowing or will you be using a loader or backhoe on it? Will you be working on rocky or uneven ground?

Dollars & Sense

You should definitely shop around, however, don’t forget that if you are comparing the prices of different makes and models of tractor it can sometimes be much like comparing apples to oranges. As with anything else, some makes and models are made better than others. A few more dollars upfront in price for a better quality of tractor makes more ‘sense’ than having to pay the cost of constant repairs and maintenance.

Different Makes and Models of Tractors

If at all possible, one of the best things you can do to make your life easier, is to purchase a tractor that is easy to get parts for. There are many foreign makes and models that are exact matches to domestic tractors. With that in mind, you can get a parts book for U.S. made tractor and purchase the corresponding part numbers that way. Some parts dealers don’t like to sell parts for a gray market tractor. In fact, dealers of some brands of tractors are being told by a higher authority that they cannot willingly sell parts for gray market tractors.

Diesel Engines

Make sure you get a tractor with a diesel engine. Diesel engines have better performance and usually last longer than gas engines. Implements also work better on diesel engine tractors.

Horsepower

Approximately how many horsepower will you need? One horsepower (hp) is the amount of energy required to lift 550 pounds, one foot, in one second. In a tractor the energy is produced from torque and engine speed. A 100 hp tractor is one with a maximum of 100 horsepower available at the power-takeoff (PTO) outlet.

PTO

Nearly all Japanese tractor manufacturers include the power take off (PTO) horsepower (hp) in their model numbers; however, they do not include the engine (fly) hp. The first two numbers of the model number is where you find the PTO hp. The PTO hp is important because it is telling you the equipment working power of the tractor. It tells you what horsepower that equipment requiring a PTO will get from the tractor. Click here for a more in depth explanation of PTO.

Cylinders

Consider getting a three or four cylinder tractor. Three and four cylinder tractors are generally newer tractors and run quieter and smoother than the two cylinder models. Transmissions

There are several different types of transmissions for tractors. If you are not knowledgeable about tractor transmissions, it would be a good idea if you familiarize yourself with the different types listed below, so that when you go out to shop for a tractor you will well informed.

Manual transmissions on tractors were made to be shifted while the tractor is not in motion. This will cause a grinding noise due to the fact the two gears that are trying to mesh are rotating at different speeds. Manual shift transmissions are known for their durability, however, they are not considered to be very user friendly. The sliding gear and the collar shift are two of the more common transmissions.

Synchro Shift transmissions are basically collar shift transmissions (a type of manual transmission, see above). The difference is the added synchronizers, which makes it so that the gears don’t grind if you are trying to shift while the tractor is in motion. Some synchro shift transmissions only have one pair of synchronized gears, while others have all speeds synchronized, including forward and reverse. The synchronization of forward and reverse is called the shuttle shift. This synchro shift is a dependable transmission, however, just like with automobiles, the more ‘tricky’ the tranny is, and the more chance there is of something going wrong or breaking.

A Power Shift transmission is an option well worth considering. Not those standard shift transmissions won’t work just fine; however, often power shift is a nice little luxury, depending on what you are going to be using the tractor for. With a power shift transmission you can choose different speeds while the tractor is in motion, without needing to use the clutch pedal.

Hydrostatic transmissions operate in a closed loop, the flow of the pump is reversed, which in turn causes the tractor to reverse directions. The hydrostatic transmission is considered to be very dependable and is able to defend itself against ‘operator difficulty’. Because this is transmission is controlled by a foot pedal, when you take your foot off of the pedal the tractor will stop, this is a nice safety feature. Hydrostatic is considered the best selection for such things as large mowing jobs because it allows for easy direction change and continual, unchanging speed.

Implement Adaptability

You will want a tractor with a Category 1, 3-point hitch and standard rotation PTO shafts. Most imported compact tractors are equipped with these items; however, there are a few that are not.

Implement Availability

Before you purchase a a tractor, make sure that good quality implements are available for it. It is a good idea to try to find a tractor with as many model-specific attachments as possible. These include things such as loaders and backhoes, which have custom-fitted mounts that are not interchangeable with other makes and models of tractor. You can often save money if you purchase the implements at the same time you purchase the tractor and some implements can be very expensive to add on at a later time.

Parts Manuals

Sometime parts manuals can be very hard to acquire. Make sure there is one available for the tractor you choose. Ask how much the manual is, sometimes the cost can be over $100.00 dollars.

Warranty

Find out what kind of a warranty comes with the tractor. Find out what it covers and for how long. Below is a checklist that you can print and take with you when you are out shopping for a tractor. Just check things off and take notes as you check over the prospective tractor.

Yes, it’s a very long checklist, but well worth your time if you want to get a good quality tractor at a fair price.

Some things on the checklist may not pertain to the type of tractor you are looking for; however, we believe that most folks will find the majority of information here to be very helpful.

Your goal is to ensure that the tractor you purchase is all that the seller says it is and doesn’t have any hidden problems. Make sure you know what you are looking for. Know what options you must have on the tractor and which ones you might be willing to compromise on or be able to add later.

Tractor Buyer’s Checklist

Make_____________________________ Model _____________________ Year _________ Hours

On Meter________ Asking Price $____________

Seller’s Name _____________________________ Phone ______________

Tractor Location _______________________________________________

Yes/No Notes

Visual Exterior Inspection

Does the overall appearance of the tractor look as if it has been cared for?

Why is the tractor for sale?

Is the paint faded?

Is the sheet metal straight?

Are there a lot of ‘dings’ in the tractor?

Are there any decaying rubber or plastic components?

Are there any structural cracks? Look closely for hairline cracks.

Is there anything that looks like a ‘makeshift’ repair job?

Are the tires in good condition with good tread left on them?

Is there a calcium mixture added to the tires for better stability?

Is there still good tread left on the tires?

Is the seat in good condition?

Does it have a standard 3-point hitch?

Are there any puddles of fluid under the tractor?

Are there any oil spots on the ground around the wheels?

Engine Inspection

Is the engine warm?

Are there oil and/or fuel on the engine?

Can you see any seals leaking?

Is there oil around the rear axles, near the rear wheel?

Is there oil around the PTO seals?

Are there oil leaks around the output shaft seals gearboxes? (4WD

Is the engine oil at or near the full mark?

Is the front axle dipstick at or near the full mark? (4WD)

Does the oil look clean? Black is ok for diesel engines.

Are there creamy white droplets near the top of the dipstick?

Are all the filters U.S. made?

Is the air filter intact?

Does the air filter have any tears or holes in it?

Is the fuel filter clean?

Is the fan belt tight and in good shape?

Does the air inlet tube have any cracks or holes in it?

Is the water in the radiator dark green? This is a good thing.

Does the radiator water have a milky looking scum to it?

Is there flaking or discolored paint around the radiator cap?

Is there moisture along the bottom of the radiator?

Is there any slop in the steering linkages?

Did you closely look over the tractor a second time to make sure you didn’t miss anything?

Running Engine Inspection

Does the oil pressure register when you just turn the key?

Start the tractor. Does it start easily?

Does the oil pressure light go off or the oil gauge go up to about 30-80 psi?

Do all of the other lights go off?

Is the voltage meter (if it has one) charging a full 13.5-14.5 volts

Did you rock the steering wheel from left to right? Do this with the engine running if the

tractor has power steering.

Does the PTO spin in all gears?

Does the 3-point hitch work properly?

Does the tractor continue to smoke after it warms up?

Driving The Tractor (This is the fun part)

Does the tractor work through all of the gears?

Does the power shift feel ‘weak’ when shifting?

Is there any slippage when you quickly accelerate into high gear?

Does the 4WD engage properly?

Does the clutch slip?

Do the brakes work well?

Did you check the brakes by pushing one pedal at a time in low gear?

Does the tractor make any clunking noises from inside the engine?

Does the charging system work properly?

Do the wheels wobble at all?

Hydraulics

Are the control levers in good shape and not flopping around?

Are the pivot pins badly worn?

Does any oil seep out of the extended spools (control valves)?

Are the hydraulic couplers capped?

Does the hydraulics work correctly?

Post Driving Inspection

Did the temp gauge ever get above the recommended temperature?

Did the temp light ever come on while you were driving it?

Did the tractor overheat?

Did the tractor run well even after it got hot?

Do you see any new leaks from the radiator?

Do you see any new oil and or fluid leaks?

Did you see excess smoke when you removed the oil cap?

Did you closely look over the tractor a third time to make sure you didn’t miss anything?

I Hope this has been a lot of information that you where looking for and you will use this information to your advantage and be safe with it.

Ebooks and Articles are the Love of my Life. Visit Me [http://www.macsebooksparadise.com]

Sherry Cochran [http://www.macsebooksparadise.com]

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A fish tank aquarium is not only beautiful, but it is fairly easy to maintain. Many people have fish tanks just because they feel that it puts them in the second world of our planet; that is the underwater world. It is a place that they can only go with special underwater equipment. Most people do not know that some doctors will recommend a patient to purchase a fish tank aquarium, for helping them cope with certain illnesses, for instance, watching fish swim in the aquarium soothes a person’s nerves, and can lower a person’s blood pressure. They even help calm down children that are hyper.

Fish tank aquariums come in many different shapes, sizes, and thickness. The smallest fish tank is considered to be a fish bowl, which can be as small as a glass, or as large as a kitchen bowl. Usually people keep gold fish or Chinese Fighting fish in these, due to the fact that these types of fish do not require artificial air to live, however, the water should be changed once a week. One good thing today is that the aquarium industry has designed artificial air pumps that are small enough to fit inside a small fish bowl, which makes it easier to help maintain the fish.

Larger fish tank aquariums are purchased more for improving the looks of a person’s home or office. The great thing about fish aquariums is that no matter where you put them, a fish tank will set off any type of décor that you have, and with a little imagination, you can purchase underwater plants, and toys that will go well with your decor. Office aquariums are usually seen in many office buildings, especially at the dentist office, because the dentist realizes the calming effect it has on people’s nerves.

There are two types of fish tank aquariums that you can purchase. The types mentioned above are fresh water, and you can also purchase a salt water aquarium for salt water fish. Salt water fish aquariums are a little harder to maintain because the PH in the water has to be at a constant reading at all times, plus the temperature of the water cannot be below a certain temperature for some salt water fish, and not above a certain temperature for other types of salt water fish. However if the fish aquarium is properly maintained you will not find a more beautiful, relaxing view of the ocean inhabitants anywhere.

You do not have to settle for just a rectangular fish tank any more. Today there are so many shapes to choose from. You can purchase inexpensive tanks that are circular, hexagonal, slim, and tall, and even fish tank aquariums that will fit in a corner of the room. Some people do not settle with the regular type of lighting that you get with a normal tank, but by changing the color of the light bulb, you can change the entire look of the aquarium. Some people have been known to purchase fish such as small neons and put a black light on the hood of the tank, just to see the effect of the blue or red streaks of light flashing across the aquarium in the dark.

No matter what type of fish tank aquarium you decide to purchase, you will have hours of enjoyment as you watch your fish swim and play in the tank. Some of the fish will become more of a pet and will come to the surface at feeding time, before you even begin to feed them. They may even follow your finger up and down or sideways, just to play with you.

For more insights and additional information about your many options for a beautiful Fish Tank Aquarium as well as finding a wealth of resources and aquarium ideas, please visit our web site at http://www.fish-tank-aquarium.com

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