Times Are Tough So Protect Your Identity

With the economy in bad shape, and more and more layoffs and foreclosures happening daily people are feeling all kinds of financial pressure. Because of this, there will be more than few online scams popping up on the Internet. Identity theft is one such scam. It will take on a new face with all the new sophisticated Phishing software that is now out there. Identity thieves have some new tools and ways to trick you. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States today and can seem like a never-ending nightmare if it happens to you. You need to be really careful now when doing anything online.

Here are a few things you can do to lower your chances of becoming a victim:

Protect Your Personal Information. Do not give out personal info either over the phone or via e-mails that you receive. Businesses usually will not call or e-mail you asking for this information. If you have any doubt, tell them that you will call them back to speak to them. Find the number from their website or the phone book and call them back. This will ensure that you are not speaking with a thief who is fishing for your personal information.

Check all bank accounts, credit card, and other financial statements on a regular basis. If you notice that something does not look right, the sooner you catch it the better. The damage will be smaller and the problem will be easier to fix.

Buy a shredder and shred all documents that have important information such as your social security number, date of birth, and account numbers. Trash is public property and still a popular method for crooks to get a hold of your personal information so that they can steal your identity. You should be buying a cross cut shredder. If you feel you cannot afford a shredder, try to do things like putting your trash out as close as possible to the time it is collected.

Get a copy of your credit reports at least once a year. It is essential that you are checking your credit report to make sure that new accounts are not being unlawfully opened in your name. Report anything that does not look correct immediately. The law is that entitled you to a free credit report once a year. Get your credit from each of the 3 major credit bureaus.

Protect Your Mail. The easiest way for someone to steal your information is to take it from your mailbox. To prevent this, you should consider getting a lockable mailbox if you don’t already have one. You can get a box at your local post office for about $20/year. Always have the Post Office hold mail when traveling.

Being a victim of fraud is never fun. By taking the time to actively protect yourself will save you a ton of headache and financial worry in the future.

How Much Power Does The President Have Anyway? My Editorial

I have been thinking about the past presidential election now that it’s a done deal and came away with these thoughts.

During the campaign, all the headlines either for or against the current president read like he would have total control once he got into office. We saw he is a terrorist, socialist, not enough experience, untrustworthy, has radical associations etc, who was going to ruin the country. For those for him it was basically we need a change. It’s a shame I can't think of any other pro Obama arguments. For the Obama supporters, he was going to change the country for the better. For someone with no knowledge of the American political system, watching the campaign trail would lead one to believe that this person will have free reign once in office.

Now that he is in office what change can he really bring all by himself without other political figures. Well I can only think of veto power. So how much power does a president really have, in my opinion not much. He really is just the current logo for the United States. The funny thing is this president actually has a logo. As I watch and read the news about the stimulus package that is trying to rescue the state of the economy, the only thing I can think of is that only 4 republicans voted for it. If there were not enough democrats to vote on it, it would not have passed. There would have been nothing the president could do but go back to the proverbial drawing board. The president is like the idea guy. He looks at what is ailing the country and comes up with ides to fix it. But when no one likes his ideas they don’t get put into action. So again how much power does the president really have?

I think when it time to vote for a president listening to his policy is good but it really doesn’t matter since he can’t implement it without help anyway. It can be use to get an understanding of the type of person he or she is. I think more important than policy, we should concentrate on character. Are they honest, self-explanatory. How have they run their own life. Have they over come adversity? Did they have to work for everything they got or was it handed to them because of their family or associations? Are they a leader? Can they get people to work together that probably wouldn’t? To me, these traits are more important than individual policy ideas. The problem with Bush was not his policy in my opinion; it was that he was divisive and not very convincing with his ideas.

I guess if you leave office and you were considered a president that got things done, either you were a good persuader or a congressional yes man. Think of who was considered a great president and they will fall into one of these categories.

In four more years we the people of the Electoral College will decide if we need to change the logo.

How To Get Started Finding Legit Survey For Money Websites

I'm sure you have seen plenty of ads for jobs making money online taking surveys. Some people are making a decent income doing this. The problem is getting started. You want to join a few reputable programs and Once you do this you will be on your way. The problem is finding the right one. There are more programs out there than you care to know. So you need to know which ones are good. There are a number of surveys you can take and the most you get for your time is a free entry into a sweepstakes. There are others with good cash payouts, but the survey is so long that its really not worth the time.

What most don't tell you is that the key to this is to sign up with many different companies. That way if your with 10 sites you can do the best few new surveys from each site. There are hundreds of sites out there. You could just sign up with one but some surveys you won't want to do because of the time and nature, and others you won't be eligible for. Here are two programs that you can start with. They will save you the time and effort of trying to find the good programs from the bad. They have been tested by myself and others. With these programs you can sign up with multiple companies with one form. There is a small one time only cost to join these programs but without them you would have to visit each site, sign up and then decide if that program will be worth your time and effort. Very time consuming. These are not memberships where you pay a monthly fee. Your paying to join many sites with one sign up. It does pay for itself after taking a few surveys. Click Here to sign up with Paid Surveys Etc, and Click Here to sign up with Make Money Taking Surveys.org.

Another one I use is Cash Crate. I like this one best of all. The ways you can get paid are much quicker. For example, you can simply set up a separate email account and just register with companies and get paid for each registration. There have to be hundreds of companies you can do this with. Basically getting paid for your email address. That is just one way to make money on this website. They also have pages and pages of surveys and offers you can do to make extra money in your spare time. The surveys and offers are nicely organized They show offer name description and pay. They also credit your account immediately and you get paid once your account reaches $10.00 Cash Crate is 100% free to join.

Any of these programs will save you a ton of time and effort finding the right marketing company to join. Check them out and try for yourself. You can try a few surveys and see if it's for you.

Car Saving Habits Every Car Owner Should Have

Ever notice how much your better your car drives after its been washed? Its almost like your car is rewarding you for taking care of it. Keep your car treating you nice as long as possible by doing these few things. The more consistent you incorporate these things into your routine the better. You wont save a ton of money, but these are good habits to have and will pay for them self over time. Plus they will keep your car running well.




Do’s

Do perform preventative maintenance. Follow your factory’s maintenance schedule. Get things replaced before they go. An example would be replacing your timing belt before it breaks or getting brake pads replaced so you don’t need a major brake job.

Do learn how to replace your air filter and wiper blades yourself. Don’t pay to get these changed. If you go to a Auto Zone, They will either replace them for free or show you how.

Do keep maintenance records. A record of every repair done will help you determine what action you need to take if something goes wrong. Is it something that is still under warranty or maybe its just time to get something replaced. A log of repairs will help you remember. It’s also a good to have this if you ever decide to sell you car.

Do learn how to change a tire. This one is really more of a time saver. If you do not have a service like premium AAA it could save you some money as well.

Do keep your tires properly inflated. Check them regularly to save on gas and get them rotated as scheduled to avoid unnecessary and uneven wear.

Do drive your car until it dies. If you don’t need to be seen in a newer car drive it as long as possible. You can start a car savings account after is paid and save until it dies.


Don’ts

Don’t over insure your car. Check your auto policy and reduce or eliminate coverage you do not need. Check you collision coverage. If you have an older car that’s not worth much more than the deductible, don’t carry collision. If you feel you can get by without a rental if your car went to the shop you can get rid of it. These are just a couple of examples. If you have Homeowners insurance, insuring both car and house with the same company can lead to extra savings. Ask what other discounts are available to you.

Don’t change your oil every 3,000-miles. Not every car needs to change the oil this often. If you have a newer car you can get away with 5,000 and in a few cases 7,500. Check your manufacturer recommends. You may read that changing every 3,000 will lead to fewer problems. I believe if you do the other small things here you can go a little longer in between oil changes.

Don’t use a dealer for oil changes. This is something that you can learn to do yourself if you have the space. If not use a local shop or gas station. It is always cheaper than the Dealer.

Don’t go to any repair shop for major repairs. Its always best if you have someone you trust who can recommend a shop. If not shop around. Ask or call a couple of different shops, take some notes and compare.

Don’t buy extended warranties. If you take care of your car it will take care of you.

Don’t buy premium gas instead of regular. Buy the lowest octane gasoline that does not make your car engine knock.

Don’t pay for car washes. Unless you live somewhere where it’s virtually impossible to wash it on your own, you should take the time to wash your car yourself.

You Got The Interview, Now Don't Fcuk It Up

With the unemployment rate increasing, and jobs becoming harder to secure I decided to put together a guide to polish up those interviewing skills. My feeling is if you do get an interview, you might as well ace it as they are less of them to be had. Even in times of low unemployment you should be prepared, so it really holds true now.

Before The Interview

Take some time to establish the purpose of the interview. Try to find out how the interview will be conducted and who you will be meeting with. It is important to get names. Everybody like to hear their name. Remember them so you can use them when meeting with those people. Lean as much about the company or organization as possible. A lot of people don’t really do this well enough. Find out something positive about the company that may not be very well known and bring it up. It will show your interviewer you looked past the first page of the website. Take time to think about the interview and what questions might be asked. Write down the questions with answers that you come up with. This way you can have them ready to study on the day of the interview. Be sure to have an answer to the what is your biggest weakness question. Count on this one being asked I always suggest giving no more than two examples. Use something like I work through my breaks, or I try to be a perfectionist all the time. Something that you can say in a way that won’t hurt your chances or be viewed as overly negative. Always try to use specific examples in your answers were possible. Prepare a list of questions to ask. There is nothing worse than not having questions for a interviewer. Stay away from questions around benefits and vacation time. Keep your questions work related. One of your last questions could be if you can speak with a rep from the benefits dept. Also don’t bring up the subject of salary . Practice interviewing with someone. Visualize yourself in the interview. See it going exactly how you want it to go. See yourself giving all the right answers and making excellent points. Believe that how you intend the interview to go is how it will.

Obviously do not be late for the interview. A big reason people are late is because of lack of planning. This includes when you schedule the interview and how you plan to get there. Make sure you know how long it will take to get there under bad conditions. Doing this should ensure you get there on time.

First impressions are everything. Make sure you dress appropriately for your interview. A plain business suit is what I recommend. You can use the shirt and tie or blouse to add color and show a little of your personality. Men should never wear jewelry. A wedding ring of course is fine and a watch, but that’s it. Women should us jewelry to accessorize. Such as pearls or a broach. Make sure you are well groomed and smell clean. Be sure to have extra copies of your resume and references.

All Through The Interview

Remember to use the plan you spent time preparing during your interview. When meeting you interviewer, smile and give a firm handshake. Make sure your on top of your courtesy game. Listen to what the interviewer is saying and the questions being asked. When listening nod and say “uh huh” when appropriate. Try to maintain eye contact. When someone is speaking, look at that person. This indicates that you are listening. When you are speaking vary your eye contact and speak with clarity. Interview the interviewer. You need them but they need you. Take the time to make sure this is the job you want. You should have addressed before the interview why you are there, now make sure the job is what you think it is. You can end up with a job you don’t want by not asking the questions you need to. Doing this decreases the chances there will be surprises once your officially on the job. Don’t say anything negative about your current or previous employer. This is like the what is your weakness question. If it comes up, you must put a positive spin on it. Don’t talk about your personal life. You do not want someone making any false judgments about you base on personal information such as, if your married or how may kids you have. Most seasoned interviewers will stay away from asking these types of questions. Be flexible and appear willing to make compromises. Always be yourself . Don’t try to be something your not as you may come across as fake. Be sure to get contact information like a business card or email address so you can follow up with them in the future.

After The Interview

As soon as you get home, take some time to think about the interview. Think about what you believe you did well and what you think you would have done differently. This could be the way you asked or answered questions. The way you acted. Were you nervous, to hyper, to laid back. Maybe all the planning had you overconfident. Write your feelings down so you can use them for the next interview if need be. If you do get an offer write it down with the notes. If you don’t be sure to try and get as much feedback as possible. If you say you want feedback to help you in your next interview, I’m sure you’ll get some helpful tips. Compare them to the notes you took after the interview

Visit one of the job boards like monster.com or hot jobs and find some examples of thank you letters. Find the best one that fits you situation and use it as a guide to draft your own letter to send to your interviewer. I recommend this if you have never sent one before. Its good to see the types of letters they will be receiving from other candidates.

Here is your guide to a better interview. Take it print it out and apply the practices

Carnival of Personal Money Management

Welcome to Ways to Survive Life's second blog carnival. This carnival in on managing your money. There are well over 50 articles here for you. There are a wide range of topics, everything from insurance, bank accounts, taxes, credit scores and wedding saving tips. Be Sure to check back as there will be other upcoming carnivals covering many different areas.

If you have a topic you would like to see covered in a blog carnival let me know and I will do my best to put it together.

Thanks and enjoy

financialnut presents Budgeting Tips: 5 Things You Must Do When You Go Over Your Budget posted at Financial Nut.

VC presents What is a 401(k)? posted at The Penny Daily.

Raily Arena presents Sell Your Own Home - Despite the Lousy Economy posted at How to Sell Your Own Home.

Jeremy J. Ulmer presents Do Not Give Up On Your Dreams posted at Sales Coaching Business Coaching Life Coaching.
Enjoy!

One Family presents Our Fannie Mae (FNM) Investment – A Case Of Escaping With Minor Wounds! posted at One Family's Blog.

PFCreditCards presents How to Beat Priceline and Get a Winning Bid posted at PF Credit Cards.

MBB presents Second Stimulus Check For Obama 2009 Economic Package? posted at Money Blue Book Finance.

MBB presents Best CD Rates posted at Money Blue Book Finance.

Abigail Perry presents Saving for retirement on $20 a week posted at Ms. Money Savvy.

Abigail Perry presents Are you a frugal fire fighter? posted at i pick up pennies.

Jacqueline presents Money-Saving Tips for a Wedding posted at Scraps of Life.

Matthew Paulson presents Beware the Insurance Sales Pitch posted at American Consumer News.

Ben presents 7 Things Your Insurance Company or Agent Won't Tell You posted at Money Smart Life.

CreditCardAssist.com presents Credit Card Habits and the Recession posted at Credit Cards Blog CreditCardAssist.com.

debt kid presents Why Budgets Don't Work For Everyone posted at Debt Kid.

Debt Free Destiny presents 3 Tips to Stablilize Your FInances posted at Debt Free Destiny.

Will presents Second Chance Checking Accounts: Banks That Do Not Use ChexSystems posted at Money Galaxy - Make Money Save Money Invest Money.

Chris presents House-hunting expenses and how to minimize them (part 2) posted at Home I Own.

DebbieDragon presents Things to Think About When Setting Your Prices posted at Freelance Sprout.

Raily Arena presents Sell Your Own Home: Can Be Very Difficult in Today?s Terrible Economy posted at How to Sell Your Own Home.

Deposit Accounts presents Should You Keep all of Your Accounts with One Bank? posted at Deposit Accounts.

Celestine presents How Rich Are You? posted at EmbraceLiving.Net.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents How To Make A Budget In 10 Easy Steps posted at The Digerati Life.

The Smarter Wallet presents The Basics of Home Financing: A Mortgage Loan Guide posted at The Smarter Wallet.

The Investor presents The main types of corporate bonds posted at Monevator.

nickel presents The Best High-Yield Online Savings Banks posted at fivecentnickel.com.

jim presents Ten Reasons to E-File Your Taxes posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Mr. Banker presents High Interest Savings Accounts posted at Best Interest Rate Banks.

CreditAddict presents New FICO Credit Scoring System in 2009 posted at Credit Card Addict.

Adam presents Swing Trading Strategy: Touch and Go! posted at Pimp My Trade.

Joe Manausa presents Safe Home Buying Process In Tallahassee Tallahassee Real Estate Blog posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog.

DebtLite presents What's the Difference Between Good Debt and Bad Debt? posted at Get Out of Debt.

KCLau presents Would you pay RM 1200 for a concert ticket? posted at KCLau's Money Tips.

The Shark Investor presents Strategies For Raising Funds: Saving posted at The Shark Investor.

Beno Varghese presents Ways to earn extra income posted at Beno Varghese dot-com.

Credit Shout presents Great Cards for Great Credit posted at CreditShout.

Solid Planning presents Savings Unplugged! posted at Solid Planning.

Isaac Yassar presents Why You Should Never Join MLM posted at Isaac Yassar.

Sarah Scrafford presents Is the Fed Hurting the Dollar in the Long-Term? posted at Currency Trading.net.

Brooke presents Dollar Frugal » Blog Archive » Planted Basil posted at Dollar Frugal.

Beef Up Your Piggy presents Beef Up Your Piggy: Are Matching Dollars Always Worth The Risk? posted at Beef Up Your Piggy.

Peter presents Be Mass Media Free posted at we overstep.

Peter presents Money Free World posted at we overstep.

Finance Tips 101 presents Answers About Home Equity Loans posted at Finance Tips 101.

Finance Tips 101 presents Alarming Identity Theft Statistics Are Cause For Concern posted at Finance Tips 101.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Loan Poem posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.

Mike presents Fixed Rate Mortgage Comparison: 15 Year vs 30 Year posted at Richer by the Day.

Matthew Paulson presents 7 Tips For Saving Money as a Renter posted at American Consumer News.

Debt Freedom Fighter presents How to Compare Mortgage Rates Online posted at Discover Debt Freedom.

Deposit Accounts presents Savings Accounts for Children posted at Deposit Accounts.

Lauren Rose presents Never Use Copy Paste for Your Credit Card Number and Internet Explorer No Debt Anymore .org posted at No Debt Anymore .org.

ChristianPF presents Do newlyweds need life insurance? posted at Money in the Bible Christian Personal Finance Blog.

Thursday presents Money In A Hurry: Your Options posted at Wealth Junkies.

FIRE Finance presents What Should We Do If Our Mutual Fund Goes Belly Up? posted at FIRE Finance.

Deposit Accounts presents Stimulating $400 Per-Worker Tax Credit for 2009 and 2010 posted at Deposit Accounts.

nickel presents How to Choose an Online Savings Account posted at fivecentnickel.com.

Tristan presents Tracker Mortgage Advice During Period Of Low Interest Rates posted at Find Financial Freedom.

CreditAddict presents What to Do if Your Credit Card or Wallet is Stolen posted at Credit Card Addict.

nickel@fivecentnickel.com presents Limit on Savings Account Withdrawals posted at Money Tipper.

Debt Freedom Fighter presents How to Get Out of Payday Loans posted at Discover Debt Freedom.

American Entrepreneurship presents Management and Coaching Go Hand in Hand posted at American Small Business News.

Mr. Banker presents High Interest Savings Accounts posted at Best Interest Rate Banks.

Abigail Perry presents Their math vs your math posted at i pick up pennies.

Monitor Bank Rates presents New Credit Card Regulations? posted at MonitorBankRates.com.

Josanne Anthony presents Money I'm Entitled To Throw Away posted at Brilliant Babblings.

Myscha Theriault presents Meat Money: Grocery Saving Tips for Carnivores Wise Bread posted at Wise Bread.

Investing School presents 30 Components of The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index posted at Investing School.

jim presents Best Money Market Account (MMA) Rates posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.
Enjoy!

Do You Think Like A Pessimist or Optimist.

How are optimists different from pessimists? The fundamental difference between optimists and pessimists can be found in explanatory style. In the process of daily living we automatically attribute the causes of the events that we experience. The habitual way in which we explain things is called explanatory style. Your explanatory style is what you tell yourself and others when dealing with success and when facing a setback.
A person with an optimistic explanatory style views a negative event as a temporary situation; that the negative event will not spill over and affect other areas of their life; and believes that negative events are due to external circumstances, not personal characteristics. Take the example of the marathon runner who is disappointed in her race. She thinks, “Oh well, I have another race to run in two weeks and I can finish in the top five.” (bad events are temporary);” I will be ready to train for that race day after tomorrow” (bad events do not affect other areas of life); “It rained today and that slowed me down.” (bad events are due to external circumstances, not due to personal characteristics).
When explaining positive events, the optimist makes opposite attributions. The optimist believes that good events will last, will affect other areas of their lives, and they are responsible for creating the conditions for the good event. If, for example, an optimistic person wins an award for writing an essay, he would say “I can write more award-winning essays” (good events will last); “winning this award will help me get a university scholarship” (will affect other areas of life); and, “I worked hard to come up with the right topic to help me win” (responsible for creating the conditions of success).
As a result of this positive explanatory style optimists tend to have a healthy sense of self-worth because they believe that they are responsible for the good things that happen and not responsible for the negative events. When people believe that they are responsible for what happens to them their perception is one of control. People who operate with the notion of being in control are happier, and less likely to suffer from depression. They don’t blame or put themselves down when things don’t go as planned.
As a result optimists are willing to take risks when trying to achieve their goals, increasing the possibility that they will get what they want. If it doesn’t work out, they try again, because their attitude is that lack of success is not due to their inability, it is due to external circumstances. When you believe that negative events are temporary and that good events will last your mood is usually positive and stable over time. If you are able to restrict the effect of negative events and allow the rest of your life to be influenced by a positive event you are able to manage your emotions. Being able to manage your emotions is an important skill that will help you to get along with others and help you to achieve your goals.

Article by Lucy MacDonald author of Learn to be an Optimist

Do People Still Buy Money Making eBooks

Back In December I had a post about making money with internet marketing and eBooks. I have decided to revisit it. The reason being is that I still see many ebooks out there trying to sell information about making money online that I am sure is not very useful. I'm in the process of trying to do some research if people still buy these types of ebooks and if they are having any success with them. I also plan to invest a very small amount on a couple to test them for myself.

The internet has changed the lives of millions of people around the world. This because of all the information is always available on any topic and is easy to find. Savvy internet marketers take advantage of this venue to try and sell us money making and many other types of information in ebook format. I'll assume that most of the information that internet marketers are trying to sell to you will be either mostly or completely useless. I'm sure there are internet gurus who are really willing to share their strategy with you, maybe even for free, but they are probably not many of them out there. You need to know how to separate the substance from hype when you are looking for a eBook especially if its about making money.

Learn what to look for when you are looking for an ebook.

1. Don’t believe the hype
The first thing that you will notice with ebooks is that they will all start with exagerated money making claims to get you interested. You should be skeptical of these claims and start to use common sense and ask yourself common sense questions. Really good internet marketers have become very good at catering your desperation and your want to believe. Don’t believe the hype or everything you read. If it sounds to good to be true....guess what it probably is
2. Free Does Not Mean No Cost
Another marketing strategy is to give away information, as long as you enter your email address. The reason they are giving free information is because it is outdated and useless. It’s usually an eBook that they used to make money from but no longer do. Maybe the system is obsolete. It’s passed on to you for your email address so they can flood your inbox with new offers. They may even sell these email address. I always recommend having a separate email address just for situations like this. That way the email you use everyday does not get filled with junk.
3. Use the money back guarantee
This is there because I would think 99% of the people who order eBooks never return them for their money back. Marketers know this which is why they have no problem offering them. If you feel you ordered a eBook that is not helpful, take advantage of the money back offer and get your money back. Be sure to carefully read the terms
4. The same information is probably online for free
Use google and do a search of the features or topics of the ebook that are of interest to you. It may not all be in the same place or on the same website, but if you search hard enough you will be able to piece together enough information to get you the knowledge you need. One suggestion is to use blog carnivals. A blog carnival is a collection of articles from different blogs and websites on a particular topic. I have some on this site. To find one on any subject visit http://blogcarnival.com/bc/. There you will find tons of free information
5. Do a Google search for information on the author or company selling the eBook
Look for the name of the eBook author and do a simple search for him or her on google. You will get pages of un-bias information to use in your decision making. The more information that comes up, the longer it's been out there on-line. If not much information comes up, it is probably a new eBook on the market. It may be wise to wait until others finds out about it instead of being the first one to buy. Doing some research or due diligence is the smartest and easiest way to avoid being ripped off.

New Friends Online? Check Them Out Before Getting Too Close

New Friends Online? Check Them Out Before Getting Too Close

The Internet has become one of the latest places to meet people. Whether you are looking for a casual friend or a romantic interlude, it can all be found on the worldwide web. Places like Facebook and Myspace give you a forum to express yourself to others, and the number of matchmaker sites these days is overwhelming.

If you have ever spent any time meeting and greeting on the web, you know that most people are not exactly what they make themselves out to be. Some of them have gone so far as to create an entire alternate identity.

Despite the dangers, the rewards of meeting online can be great. You have the opportunity to get to know others from all over the world. You make new and interesting friends from places you may never have visited. It provides an excellent opportunity for us to share our cultures and open our minds to new possibilities.

Who is really behind that screen name?


When you make new friends online, how do you know if they are trustworthy? Can you really afford to get close to them, or are Internet friendships best kept very casual?

As with any new relationship, go slowly and proceed with caution. Keep the topics of conversation neutral and safe never discuss anything personal with someone you do not know. Be instantly suspicious if your new friend begins questioning you about your finances.

If you have been conversing with someone for a while and feel a connection, you may decide you want to take the friendship a step further. You may begin to share more personal details of your life, or you may begin making plans to meet each other in person.

Take smart measures to protect yourself

Before taking this step towards increased intimacy, be sure to reasonably protect yourself. First of all, try to validate your new friend's identity and ensure they really are who they say they are. Search records from the Department of Motor Vehicles in your friend's area and see if you can locate a license or identification card that matches the name, date of birth, physical description, and address of your new friend. If you cannot find a matching motor vehicle record, try voter registration records.

One of the best ways to protect yourself is to conduct an online background check of your friend. Any court documents from judgments, divorces, or lawsuits should contain some sort of identifying information you can verify. Criminal history checks will normally provide you with a date of birth and physical description, including any major scars or tattoos.

There are also specialized background check companies, such as Net Detective, who for a small fee, give you the ability to search all of the above records and more. You must do a little sleuth work of your own, though, and find out some important key identifiers from your new friend so you will know when you have found him or her.

Meeting on the Internet can be exciting. You must just ensure you go about it prudently, and protect yourself until you have solid facts reinforcing your ability to put your trust into your new friend.

The First Edition Of A Carnival For A Better Life

Welcome to the February 1, 2009 edition of carnival of a better life.

There are 40 great articles here for you to gain all types of insight into how to better you life. The articles cover a wide range of topics so I am sure you can find something here of interest.

Look for other carnivals coming soon.

Joshua Seth presents The Top 3 Reasons People Don’t Keep Their New Year’s Resolutions Hypnotist, Speaker, and Author of The Weight Loss Hypnosis Solution: Joshua Seth posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, "‘Tis the season for goal setting isn’t it?

Year after year we all make New Year’s resolutions with the best of intentions…
despite knowing that in a few weeks they’ll be all but forgotten!

Why is this? Why do people vow to drop those extra pounds, even go so far as joining a gym, and then never do anything about it?"

Laura presents The Great Blog Experiment! posted at laurabeaudin.com, saying, "It's all about getting ahead of the rat race! :D"

Josanne Anthony presents Are You Ready For CHANGE? posted at Bathrobe Therapy.

GP presents Look for Your Landing « Manely Montana posted at Manely Montana, saying, "Landing in the last best place... started our lean and green lifestyle."

Kate presents Cherish the Time posted at Advice on Love, Life, and Everything Between, saying, "A story about cherishing the time with your loved ones and making lasting memories"

Malcolm Clarke presents You Should Start a Business Now! posted at Mal255 - Poker Strategy, saying, "Why everyone should start a business and take advantage of controlling their own futures today"

Carole Gold presents There's Only One of Us posted at Carole Gold, saying, "Here's how you can not only positively impact the economy but the quality of your life as well...and maybe even the planet as a whole."

Super Tubero presents BEFORE You QUIT Your DAYTIME JOB posted at Resigning?? Read This First!!!.

Aparna presents Kapalabhati Pranayam posted at Beauty & Personality Grooming, saying, "Persons doing Kapalabhati will be inhaling a good amount of oxygen which purifies the blood and in turn strengthens the nervous and brain centres. It also gives good massage to the internal abdominal organs. Incorporating Anulom Vilom Pranayam and Kapalabhati breathing exercises in your daily exercise regimen not only cures chronic diseases but also strengthens your immune system, thus, warding off many diseases. Those suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obstinate skin diseases, high blood pressure, obesity, chronic depression, constipation, flatulence, menstrual problems, kidney diseases, respiratory problems, allergies, sinus etc. have benefited tremendously from a regular practice of Kapalabhati pranayam"

Burak Bilgin presents Blogging: the Perfect Practice for the Beginning Writer posted at Distiller's Corner, saying, "Blogging is the perfect practice to prepare for a writing career. You can exercise your writing cycle, focus on your productivity, and interact with your readers. And as soon as you feel ready, you can take a step further to your writing career."

Anita Bern presents This year everything is going to be different... really! posted at Social anxiety disorder.

Suzanne presents Are you bored? posted at Without Dash.

Silicon Valley Blogger presents 10 Steps To Becoming A Millionaire posted at The Digerati Life, saying, "Thank you!"

Joshua Seth presents How To Make More Money This Year posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, "What is your income goal for this year?

Don’t know? Then how will you achieve it?
If you don’t target a specific goal then how will you ever be able to hit it?

Take a minute right now and figure it out. What do you want to earn this year? And here’s a little secret… that number is almost entirely based on your self-esteem."

Travel Advocate presents Air Safety Awareness Heightened Resulting from US Airways Miracle Landing posted at The Travel Advocate.

Debt Free Destiny presents 5 Ways to Save With Your Bank posted at Debt Free Destiny.

CreditCardAssist.com presents Don't Treat Your Credit Card Limit as Income posted at Credit Card Assist.

apply4-credit presents Is a No Limit Credit Card a Good Idea? posted at Apply4-Credit.

Destroy Debt presents It's No Secret Keeping Money Secrets From Your Partner is Not the Ideal Way to maintain a Relationship posted at Destroy Debt.

Deposit Accounts presents Money Management During a Recession posted at Deposit Accounts.

The Smarter Wallet presents Plan Your Vacation Well: Travel Tips For The Early Bird Traveler posted at The Smarter Wallet, saying, "Thanks!"

mybestme presents Author Elizabeth Gilbert coming to Denver posted at My Best Me, saying, "Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love will be in Denver Colorado. Mile Hi Church will host this event on February 15, 2009."

Broderick Allen presents Life is Short? posted at Broderick Allen - Personal Growth and Enjoying Life's Journey.

The Dough Roller presents Review of WT Direct Online Savings Account posted at The Dough Roller, saying, "Review of WT Direct's high yield online savings account."

Dwayne Tucker presents The Photograph That Made Me Fall In Love With Photography DwayneTucker.com Enjoy Photography posted at The Global Advertiser!, saying, "Enjoy Photography... Something to take your mind off things or just to help you enjoy life"

Erland Schulze presents Using Gardens To Fight The Recession posted at My Garden Blog, saying, "Learn more about gardening at: http://www.gardenintoolsworld.com"

Homespunhealers presents Keeping Hope Alive! posted at HomeSpunHealers, saying, "An inspirational article that promotes the science behind becoming wealthy."

Karen S Murphy presents The Lesson of Perfection posted at Polaris Rising, saying, "I have a confession to make: I'm not perfect. For that matter, neither are you. I'm totally okay with your non-perfection, and in fact I see perfection in your non-perfection—the very humanness that makes you the unique and loving person that is YOU. But in me it's another matter.

I "should" be perfect....NOT!"

Ralph Jean-Paul presents How To Make Important Decisions Quickly posted at Potential 2 Success, saying, "Quick decision making is critical in just about every aspect of life. Learn why it is sometimes difficult to make decisions and how to improve your decision making skills."

ELM presents From Rags to Riches…with only £2! posted at Extraordinary Like Me, saying, "From humble beginnings can grow amazing things – this is the tale of how one man’s dream company grew from just £2 he found on the street, but is now a large and thriving food company in the heart of London…"

ELM presents Team Helmut: Conquering the World's Coldest & Toughest Ultra Marathon posted at Extraordinary Like Me, saying, "On the 15th February 2009, four guys from London will attempt to complete the most extreme endurance footrace in the world? What inspired them to attempt a challenge only 47 people have completed in its history? And why are they doing it to raise money for Breast Cancer Care?"

Mike Salara presents How To Make Sure Your Marriage Is On the Right Track posted at Mike Salara.

Burak Bilgin presents Understanding Women posted at Distiller's Corner, saying, "If Sigmund Freud couldn’t understand what women want, who am I to do that? Apparently, some psychologists in North American universities didn’t have this attitude and tried their best to understand women."

Chase Stowers presents Thinking Win-Win posted at Super Duper Blog-O-Rama!.

Lisa Mitchell presents Saving On Your Grocery Bill -- Let's Talk Babies -- Tips for parenting, pregnancy, and all things baby posted at Let's Talk Babies.

Jim McGuire presents Are You OK? posted at The Reading Workshop, saying, "This list details questions to ask if you want to know, "Are You OK?""

Erika Collin presents 100 Fabulous iPhone Apps for Your Health and Fitness posted at U.S. PharmD.

TherapyDoc presents Planes, trains, boats and automobiles posted at Everyone Needs Therapy, saying, "It might be a sandwich gen thing."

Raymond presents MonaVie Acai Berry Juice Scam posted at Money Blue Book.

Raymond presents Best CD Rates For High Yield Certificate Of Deposits posted at Money Blue Book.

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