Blog

If you’ve just bought a house…congratulations! You’ve survived the offer, the home inspection, mortgage application, financing, closing! Now it’s time to make that house your home. Keys and Locks Many people don’t think of this, but it’s a great idea to replace the locks or “rekey” them so that the old keys no longer work. Changing locks is easy to do, but you can hire a locksmith if you’d prefer to leave it to experts. This is also a good time to find a great “hiding” place for a key so you don’t get locked out. Under the doormat is way too easy to figure out. You never know who has a copy of the old key. They may have left some with friends and family, or loaned it out to an ex-roommate. They might even have a spare for themselves. Even if you’re buying a new home, contractors who worked on the home might also have keys. Now, there are some fun options for door locks. They have Keyless Entry door locks, which allow you to program in codes for people…this eliminate…

Looking for a job is the easiest part of the process. Our classifieds offer several pages devoted to listing vacant job positions. Being well-prepared, though, is a little more demanding. There will probably be a lot of competition for the job, and you will need to find ways to be better-prepared than most. Resume Having a very good resume will immediately increase your chances of getting the job. Make sure you use good quality paper, a good font style and size, and write a very cordial and interesting cover letter. These documents are your introduction to the employer and will be their first impression of you. Therefore, you have to make sure you seem an organized and methodical person. Tailor every resume to the job you are applying for, a generic one will not do. Use a standard format and include all the relevant details of your education, training and past employment. Remember, you want to sound like the right person for the job, so show the employer why they should ch…

The classifieds are a great place to find a pet. Many pet owners and breeders use the classifieds to let others know their dog, cat, fish bird, turtle or snake needs a new home. Look for Adult Pets You can skip the house breaking puppy phase by buying an adult dog. When adult pets are sold, it is often because the owners are moving and can’t take the pet with them. This usually means the pet will come with its own toys, cage, or tank, even food. Also, ask for their vet’s contact info, so your vet can get your pet’s health information. As long as you are reading the classifieds, it’s a good time to look for additional pet accessories. Hamster cages, dog kennels, and cat trees can all be found in usable condition. Just be sure to thoroughly clean any used items before giving them to your pet. Find a Reputable Breeder When using the classifieds to find a pet, check that the breeder is running a good operation where the animals are in good health and not living in fi…

The best time to prepare your personal emergency plan and make sure it is up to date is before you need it. This doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some easy ways to be prepared for the next hurricane: The first step to being prepared for a Hurricane is to know the common terms used in forecasts. A “Watch” means that a hurricane or tropical storm are possible. A “Warning” means that the storm is expected. Hurricane warnings usually are issued 36 hours in advance of tropical storm force winds. The eye of the storm is a clear, sometimes well-defined center of the storm. While there are calmer conditions in the eye, this doesn’t mean the storm is over. The area surrounding the eye is where some of the most severe weather is with the highest wind speed and largest precipitation. Rain bands come off the storm and produce severe weather conditions, such as heavy rain, wind, and even tornadoes. A storm surge is the result of ocean water swelling as a result of the s…