Do you have a favorite armchair that really now needs replacing – but you hate the idea of getting rid of it? I do, or rather, did. My old armchair has special memories for me. I rocked all of our babies to sleep in it, even slept sitting up with them when they were sick. So yes, it has special memories, and so I really didn’t want to get rid of it.
If you check your local phone book, or online, you’ll find there are people who can reupholster your furniture. You can pick from their range of fabrics, or buy your own contemporary fabrics and get them to use that. The cost all up is less than a quarter of the cost of a new chair, and you still have your old chair – the best of both worlds.
Can you invest for fun? I would argue yes. As a kid, I collected stamps. I had thousands and whilst I new some were worth a little more than others, I really collected for fun. I know they had some value, our home was broken into and they were one of the few things stolen.
Over the years I have met a lot of people who have been collectors. Yes, at the back of their minds was the long term investment potential. In the short term, it was simply fun – a hobby. I know one lady who is an avid collector of coins, in particular, silver coins. She would buy morgan silver dollars, for example, not for their investment value, but because she liked what she saw. Her rationale? Her kids can enjoy the investment potential they provided after she was gone, in the mean time, it was a great hobby for her. A hobby and a nest egg for her kids.
There are a lot of weight loss offers in the market place today, and some of them could be quite dangerous, especially if they live up to their name. Losing 20lbs in seven days is pretty rapid weight loss. In many cases, this weight loss is more the loss of water than fat, so dehydration becomes a big problem, especially for the kidneys. If you want to lose weight,then you have to reduce the amount of fat you are carrying.
To lose fat deposits, you need a balanced program that includes diet and exercise. For some people, medical intervention in the form of drugs or hormone treatment is required. This requires a skilled doctor to supervise the process. One of the popular treatments is the hcg weight loss program. This can be very effective for some people, however, like all treatment programs, the supervision of a doctor is a must.
Long term investment strategies require a lot of careful thought. Gold is one of the standards at present and while it skyrocketed during the global financial crisis, it has come off the boil a little of late. That doesn’t make it a bad investment. Long term analyst predict it could still tip $2000 ounce so it is still a reasonable long term investment.
Where many people go wrong is in the purchase of gold stocks, or by playing the gold futures market. Yes, you can make big dollars on these markets, however, you can lose a lot as well. Often, the best option is to buy a commodity outright. You can buy gold and silver bars at reasonable prices (compared to the official price), then put them aside as investments. They don’t rust, go stale or in anyway deteriorate, and when your investment reaches your price goal, sell them.
I know a lot of families who have life insurance for the father, however, I often wonder if that is enough these days. We are all living longer, so when someone close to us dies, the effect can be devastating. It is often made worse by the expense – funerals are not cheap these days. What worries me is the six to twelve months after a death. Can the family now afford the mortgage, car payments, or even food on the table? That’s often why the male in the family takes out life insurance.
What about when the mom dies first. Who is then going to look after the children? Can dad work and look after the children, or will he need to quit his job? If he quits his job, he’s in the same boat as a newly widowed mom, no income to pay the mortgage, car or food. It makes sense these days to insure both mom and dad. You don’t need the top cover for mom, just enough to cover childcare costs while dad stays at work. To really protect your family, at least get a life insurance quote.
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