It's A Buyer's Market For Collectibles

Care For Those Trees: The Toronto Globe and Mail says add tree care to your to-do list in order to prevent property damage and injuries. "Everyone who knows trees emphasizes the need for regular inspection and care. A tree may look as strong as the Rock of Gibraltar, but it may be suffering from disease or have been damaged and susceptible to disease. A rotted-out tree will be more vulnerable."

Treasure Reduction: The Worcester Telegram says that antique and collectible retailers are experiencing a boom in their business as the economy worsens and people are turning family heirlooms into cash to pay medical bills and the like.

The company pays cash for antiques, jewelry and other items of value people bring in from their attics and basements and — in these times — cherished possessions that they wouldn’t otherwise part with. “Our shows have been pretty popular since the economy has taken a downturn,” said Ms. Thompson. “Our business has doubled, partly because we pay in cash.”

There are some pretty tough stories in that article. It's worth a read if you have the time.

Count Your Blessings: You know someone else who needs to complete a personal property inventory (besides you)? Churches! So says ChurchSafety.com, a public relations and marketing site of Brotherhood Mutual insurance company. Church buildings are every bit as much at risk of damage from fire and theft as residential structures, perhaps even more so since the buildings are unoccupied for longer stretches of time.

Farley Home Services produces home inventory documentation for homeowners, landlords, tenants, small business owners and even churches! Please visit EverySingleItem.com for details. Thanks for reading today!

Furniture Designs | Interior Design And Home Ideas

Modern Wall Units

Living room looking a bit dull? Go for the sleek, sexy and stylish Regolo Wall Unit Collection from Italian furniture maker Jesse to bring a little gloss and glamour to your living room. These modern wall units form a convergence of style and functionality and they can transform pretty much any space into a futuristic entertainment base.

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Where Does Your Money Go/Grow?

One of my favorite blogs, Down To Earth, is promoting a "No Spend Week", in which hubby and I are going to participate. Since yesterday was our once a month big grocery shopping trip, we're off to a good start to begin this endeavor tomorrow. What is a no spend week? Silly, it means you don't spend any money for a whole week! Why would anyone not want to spend money for a whole week? To drive home how much money a person/family can spend unconsciously/deliberately without much planning. The current economic situation has been partly a result of reckless spending. As Cindy at "Letters From Midlife" finds a cure for 'stuff-itis' (the awful habit of collecting too much STUFF), have you given much thought to your spending habits on stuff? (I have been weeding out closets for the past few years and donating stuff to local charities, or helping my adult children have needed items as they leave home). I think most families can (out of necessity) trim their spending habits and get themselves out of debt. Bad habits are easy to pick up and hard to break. Are you up to the challenge of a no spend week? Would you be willing to divvy up your money each payday and use an 'envelope system' to help develop good spending habits. Remember, sometimes less is more. We used this system years ago when our children were young. It was a great tool to teach them how delaying the purchase of an item and waiting until you had enough money saved is necessary to stay out of debt.