Quicken Keeps Extra Fees Down

Quicken Online was developed with the goal of helping people live within their means. In my conversation with Barron, he discussed how many people only have a little bit of money left over each month and can’t afford to pay late fees or bounced check fees and need to watch their money carefully.

Since Quicken Online is available from anywhere via a mobile device it’s setup to help consumers make quick buying decisions when they’re at the store. You can set it up so you can check your bank balance on the go so you know before you buy something what your balance is and whether you can afford it. Read the entire article.

Outdoor Kids Crafts

When the weather is nice, it can be a welcome change to create crafts that make use of ingredients from Mother Nature -- and ones that are meant to be enjoyed in the great outdoors.

Create a new Bird Feeder for the winged neighborhood. Use nature from the yard to create an artistic collage. Let the sun help you create lasting Sun Print memories. Or craft a Bug Box and Windsock. Get instructions here.

Make A Plant Trellis

Trellises are popular for growing climbing vines like morning glories or pole beans. But the ones sold at garden centers are often expensive. Saplings can be used, but these rot quickly. Using fairly cheap materials, you can make a very sturdy support on your own, and it should last for years. Get step-by-step instructions.

Snake Scare Tactic

To keep unwanted birds and squirrels from my garden, I take an old pair of pantyhose, tie knots in it to make it look like a snake and hang it in my garden. – Norma Jean Pettyjohn, Bement, Illinois

Source: Birds and Blooms

Watch What You Are Signing!

Doctors don’t like getting bad reviews, and now they’ve possibly found an antidote. So far, about 1,000 physicians have asked their patients to sign a legal form promising not to “publish or air” any unfavorable information about the doctor’s care, manner or office staff. The waivers mainly target online ratings sites such as RateMDs.com .

“We think bad information is harmful,” says Shane Stadler, marketing director for Medical Justice Services, the Greensboro, N.C., company that developed the waiver language and began licensing it for a fee to physicians about two years ago. He characterizes the document as a “mutual privacy agreement” good for both doctor and patient.

But patient advocacy groups disagree. “It’s critical that the doctor-patient relationship be open and Read the entire article.

Find Highest Interest Rates Online

Looking to stash your cash in a bank that offers the highest interest rate? At MoneyAisle.com, banks bid against one another to offer the best rate on savings accounts or certificates of deposit. Enter your location and the amount of money you wish to deposit and some nifty websites will point you to the bank offering the best rate. You have to register to follow through on an offer, which carries an expiration time, so you’ll need to think fast.

If a checking account is more your speed, consider CheckingFinder.com. Plug in your ZIP code to find banks in your area. Some rates may go as high as 6 percent but require a certain amount of activity each month, so be sure to read the fine print.

From AARP Bulletin

Proven Strategies For Beating Stress

Socialize. See friends, relatives, go to club meetings. Stay connected. This is paramount.

• Talk, laugh, cry, get angry. Let it out.

• Exercise regularly. Studies show exercise reduces anxiety, releases tension and spurs the brain to pump out endorphins, chemicals that create a sense of well-being. Try for 30 to 60 minutes three times a week.

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet.

• Block stress by losing yourself in activities you enjoy deeply—reading, playing music, gardening, visiting friends. Add these activities to your daily or weekly schedule. Be disciplined about this.

• Get perspective. Read the entire article.