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Consider the following
questions when deciding whether to replace or repair an
appliance:
1. How old is the appliance? Rule of thumb: If a repair will cost more than half the cost of a new appliance, and the unit is more than six or seven years old, you should consider replacing it altogether.
2. What would a similar appliance cost? Some types of appliances have gone down in price over the past ten years. check on new=prices before putting a lot of money into an old unit.
3. Are there hidden costs? Removal? Installation? Disposal? Tax? These fees can quickly make a good deal much more expensive. If the appliance has Freon in it, the disposal of the Freon will be expensive. Be sure to check with your local waste disposal organization.
4. How difficult is it to replace the appliance? Is it
built in? Even if it is built in, will you have to remove
doors, railings, etc. in order to get the appliance out
of the basement or other part of the hou=
se?
5. What energy savings will you get with the new appliance?
Some appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers, front-load
washers and dishwashers,=
can save a significant amount of energy. Others, such as
stoves, ovens, =
dryers and ice makers, change much in energy usage over
the years. =
6. What additional features will you get with the new appliance? Some features will give you greater flexibility and convenience and should be added to the value of a new appliance. However, donot give value to features you know you wont ever use. It might be nice that a washer has 20 water level settings, but few people ever use more than three.
Also:
Many people throw away appliances because they dont know
a repairperson they trust. They also fear the repair cost
will be so high theyll wish they had just replaced the
appliance.
Because 75% of the cost of repairing an appliance is in
the labor and related charges, and only 25% of the cost
is in the parts, many people can repair appliances themselves
and save a significant amount of time, money =
and hassle.
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Overweight
kids control
dinner Why it that so many children are overweight? Doctors
at Bassett Healthcare Research Institute in Cooperstown,
New York, say parental attitude is a factor. They often
disbelieve it or deny it when a doctor says their child
is overweight. Additionally, researchers for the Supplemental
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children in New
York State discovered that parents of overweight kids treat
mealtime differently from parents of healthy ones. They
often let the child choose the meal, usually something
less nutritious and including sweets as a reward for eating
it all. Club soda hits the spot When the editors of Red
Book tested stain removers, Carbona Stain Roller came in
first. But common club soda completely removed both coffee
and ketchup stains from a white cotton shirt. Pour a small
amount of club soda on the stain, let it set for 10 seconds,
and pat it dry with a paper towel. A message from Philip
Morris "As a parent, small gestures, like fixing your kids'
favorite snack, show you care. And little actions can help
make a difference when it comes to preventing underage
smoking. Seven out of 10 high school kids who smoke say
they obtained cigarettes from some place other than retail
stores. So if there are adult smokers in your home, please
ask them to keep an eye on their cigarettes. It's within
your reach to help keep cigarettes out of theirs." Cohabitation
communication A recent study of newlyweds found that living
together before tying the knot can actually hinder marital
communication. Videotaping couples in their living rooms,
researchers found that the spouses who cohabited, even
for as little as a month, displayed fewer positive problem-solving
skills and more aggression than couples who had not lived
together.
Overscheduled kids?Play is crucial Doctors at Harvard Medical School say unstructured play encourages independent thinking. And it allows kids to negotiate relationships with peers. Play time is important. Unfortunately, kids today have little time for it. So says a study of children ages 12 and under. It included youngsters from every ethnic background and all kinds of households -- rich, poor, single-parent and dual-income. The study by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research shows that today's kids are overscheduled, overworked, and running out of time for fun. Their leisure time has dropped from 40 percent in 1981 to 25 percent today. Working mothers, however, need not feel responsible for overscheduling. The results of the study were the same for dual-income families and those where only one parent worked outside the home. (Kids of single-parent families spent substantially less time with a parent than kids with two parents did.) All working parents are proud of their efforts to keep kids constructively busy while they are at work. Participation in organized sports and taking private lessons for music, ballet or karate are worthy pursuits. Homework is taking up a lot of kids' time as well, and many have more household duties. While organized activities help keep young people "busy" and out of trouble, parents, say the doctors, should make an effort to allow time for independent play. Some kids are scheduled for 12 to 14 hours a day. This should remind us that all work and no play do indeed make Jack a very dull boy, and the same is true of Jill.
Breakfast important
to success
What's the most important factor for school success?
Children who eat breakfast get higher grades and are
less likely to be described as depressed, anxious, fidgety,
or irritable by parents and teachers, says Dr. Debby
Demory-Luce of the USDA Children's Nutrition Research
Center. They also think faster and more clearly, concentrate
better, suffer less fatigue, and are less likely to end
up in the nurse's office complaining of tummy aches and
dizziness.
Some acceptable breakfasts, says the doctor, are a slice
of cold pizza and a glass of fruit juice; a slice of
whole wheat toast with peanut butter and a glass of milk,
or a carton of low-fat yogurt and an orange. If the school
offers breakfast, let your child eat there each day if
it's convenient.
Help kids help themselves
A few pointers from Child magazine:
* Keep bed-making simple. Skip the top sheet and use
a fitted bottom sheet and comforter.
* Put snacks, cereals and unbreakable dishes in an easy-to-reach
area so kids can serve themselves.
* Give each child a color-coded bath towel with its own
hook.
* Stack toys in clear plastic boxes so kids can see where
stuff belongs.
* Provide a basket in the closet for assorted items like
hats and gloves.
* Teach them to do their laundry.
Home sales: a whole new ball game If you plan to buy a home or sell one, be prepared for a situation that could be a lot different from doing it a few years ago. Selling: Home seller, beware. After the contract is signed, the real battle begins. At a time when houses in some areas are being sold at a premium (more than the asking price), deals fall apart more often. Buyers who feel they overpaid may present a list of demands for home improvements and price concessions. They are demanding new furnaces, roofs and decks, even when the existing ones are still quite functional. One wanted an additional bedroom built by the seller, say real estate agents quoted in the Wall Street Journal. Buying: In some neighborhoods, a good house can sell in a day or two, often after a bidding war and for more than the asking price. You should be prepared to act quickly. An escalation clause in the contract stating that you'll beat another written offer up to a certain amount does the bidding for you. Include wording that makes you a backup buyer in case the first deal falls through. No matter how eager you are to close on a house, don't give up the home-inspection contingency. It protects you from costly hidden problems that could come up after your closing.
'Don't
feed the bears' -- It's no joke Signs that say "Don't feed
the bears" are seen in all parks where bears share the
turf with people. In Smoky Mountains National Park, the
black bears have a natural fear of humans. That fear is
lost when they begin to think of people as the source of
a tasty free meal. Unfortunately, in losing that fear,
they often lose their lives. They have to be euthanized
if they become a nuisance or are too aggressive. Bears
that forage for their own food live 23 percent longer than
panhandler bears. Each year, bears are injured or killed
by vehicles. The National Park Service gives these tips
on how to avoid an unpleasant experience with a bear: *
Never leave garbage or pet food outside your tent. * Be
ready to put food away quickly if you see a bear. Scare
it off with loud noises, such as hitting pans with spoons,
shouting, or throwing rocks. * Campers should hang food,
toothpaste, soap, or anything with a strong odor 10 feet
off the ground and four feet from a tree trunk. * Don't
store or cook food near your tent. Don't put clothes with
food odors on them inside your tent. * Don't bury trash.
Take it out of the park. * At picnics, properly dispose
of food containers and garbage. Don't leave food or coolers
unattended. If a bear comes to your camp: * Never get between
a bear and her cubs. * Don't toss food to a bear. * Slowly
get kids and pets inside a camper or vehicle if it's close
to you. * Move slowly away and make loud noises like yelling
or clapping. A bear sometimes makes a bluff charge, a "woof"
and may even run past you. Stand your ground. Don't run.
* Make loud noises and use any object available to protect
yourself. If you hit the bear on the nose, it will probably
run off.
Here's how to make better decisions When you are faced with any decision, it's best to consider what you really need instead of what you may want. In his book, "Yes" or "No": The Guide to Better Decisions (HarperCollins), Spencer Johnson, M.D., says there is an easy way to determine the difference between needs and wants: Consider what you would like to have done when you look back at this decision later on. The next determining questions should be, "What would happen if I did this, and then what would happen after that?" Thinking through your options can be pretty helpful. Dr. Johnson (co-author of The One Minute Manager, William Morrow) says these qualities lead to the better decisions: Integrity: If it's an important decision, put ego aside and get advice from someone you admire. Then ask yourself if this is what you would advise a good friend to do. Intuition: Reviewing past decisions and their consequences is a good idea. But sometimes there is no given pattern. Only intuition will tell you if a decision is sound. It can make you see the answer more clearly and less stressfully. Insight: Without it, you may go with a decision that isn't the best one. Insight involves knowing yourself, believing you can succeed and knowing you deserve to succeed. The right decision lets you answer, "yes" to these questions: Does it meet my needs? Have I considered the options? Am I being honest with myself? Do I trust my intuition, and know that I deserve to succeed?
Walking or running with your dog-Your big pooch would make a fine running partner. But though your dog is anxious to go with you, there are some things you must consider. Breed: Oddly, dogs with flat faces (known as brachycephalic dogs) have a harder time breathing rapidly than others and may collapse from a run, say experts writing in Pets: Part of the Family magazine. They can't run for very long. Physical condition: Never run with a puppy, say veterinarians at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Their joints and muscles aren't suitable for running for more than a short time. And older dogs may not be up to it, so check with your veterinarian before taking an older pet on a jog. Equipment: Begin with a leather leash that is easy on your hands. If Fido gets in front of you, give the dog a shove with your leg. For going the wrong way or stopping to sniff, give a snap on the leash. Once the dog learns not to pull, you can try a hands-free leash. Water: On long runs, your dog needs water. Carry a bottle or get a dog pack so he can carry it. Walk or run the dog on grass at first until his pads are toughened.
Photographs: How to shoot like the pros You don't have to be a professional to take good pictures. Here are some tips from photojournalists. * Avoid camera shake. Hold it steady and press the shutter gently. Holding your elbows to your sides can help. Don't rush. * Get the subject out of the middle. Aim about one-third in either direction. Avoid large areas of dull sky. * Shoot at eye level even if it means getting down on the floor to snap the kids. Keep it simple and come in tight on the subject. * Hold the camera at a slight angle to avoid reflections and "pink eye." * Time it right. Wait for the best shot of your child's birthday, of a group in which everyone is smiling. * Take many photos. Remember that the pros take about 36 shots to get one that is really good. Never hesitate to say "just one more!"
The easy part of running is getting started. All you really need to begin is a good pair of shoes. The tough parts are sticking to it, keeping it interesting, and reaching goals.
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