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7 tips for hosting a yard sale
By Paula Pant · Bankrate.com
Got some unwanted stuff on your hands? Here are nine tips to help you save money by hosting a great garage sale or yard sale this summer.
1. Time it right Improve your odds of success by hosting a sale from Friday to Sunday in the months of June, July and early August.
Don't choose a weekend that conflicts with any major holidays or local events, such as fairs and festivals. Making such a mistake will cut down on potential traffic.
2. Advertise Most local papers have a section in the classifieds for advertising garage and yard sales.
You can also advertise for free in local penny savers, on community bulletin boards and on Craigslist. The more you get the word out, the more buyers you will attract.
3. Put up signs Put up easy-to-read signs at busy intersections near your house. Include sale dates and times, and your address.
Also include directions, such as an arrow that points to your house.
4. Set up a 'cashier' station Set up a card table and chair (separate from the main tables) where you can take money and mark down which items have sold.
Remember to go to the bank a few days in advance and get $10 to $20 in small bills and coins so you can make change.
5. Set up early Early birds and diehard frugal folks may hover around your driveway up to an hour beforehand. You don't need to let them in until your official opening time.
However, it is important to have everything ready to go the instant you open for business. You don't want people milling around as you frantically try to set up that last table.
6. Make a good presentation Group similar items together into attractive arrangements, and make sure they are displayed on clean tables. Do not crowd things together. Borrow tables from friends and neighbors if you need more space.
Clearly mark prices and label anything that may need an explanation. If something is particularly unique -- a rare item, a collector's item, etc.-- put a special card next to it to entice a buyer. |
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 Things to Keep in Mind as you Prepare for Vacation
USA,gov
AAA estimates that two-thirds of American adults plan to vacation this summer. If you are one of them, here are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare to get away.
- Put a hold on your mail. Mail stacking up is a good indicator to people that nobody is home. To be on the safe side, have your mail held at the post office until you return.
- Check for travel alerts / warnings for your destination from the State Department. The world can be unstable, and sometimes dangerous for visitors in certain places. Make sure the risks are minimal wherever you are going.
- You may not need a passport. A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. It can be used for non-air travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
- Be careful online. Announcing your vacation via social media channels also tells people you aren't home, and makes your house vulnerable.
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Renew Memberships Online
At the request of our members, RAUS is pleased to provide the ability to renew their membership online and pay by credit or debit card. Just go to our website at www.raushome.com and click on the Online Dues Renewal button. If you are considering converting to a Lifetime Membership, click on the Membership button and select Life Membership.  
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Want to lose weight? 3 fitness myths you should never, ever believe
Jenna Wolfe
TODAY July 1, 2014
 Fitness myths are tempting to believe, because if they were true it would be easy for everyone to get in shape! But falling for them can sacrifice serious results and keep you from finding an effective program that really works.
Here are 3 myths I hear all the time:
Ab exercises will help you lose weight in your midsection. FALSE! The only way to really trim belly fat is through diet. You can work your abs until you're blue in the face and you won't see results until you get rid of the belly fat-and that comes from a smart diet and cardio plan. This requires cutting out fast-food and junk food, going easy on the alcohol (sorry!) and eating lots of fresh (preferably organic) veggies along with lean protein (e.g. chicken, fish and low-fat cheeses). For cardio, make sure you're working hard enough (walk briskly, don't stroll) and aim for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
You can spot reduce. Everybody holds their weight in different places. FALSE! And no matter how hard you try, you cannot direct weight loss to a specific body part. I may hold my weight in my lower body, but it doesn't mean that if I lose pounds, it'll come off that region. Again, a healthy combo of diet and exercise will help with overall weight loss and a quicker path to achieving your goals.
There's always a shortcut. FALSE! It didn't take you 2 weeks to gain the weight, it won't take you 2 weeks to lose it. So toss out the idea that you want to drop 4 dress sizes in a month. Do it the right way and it'll last. You need to embark on a steady lifestyle change... reduce the caloric intake, increase the caloric output and watch the weight fall off. The foolproof recipe: cardio, strength training, cutting out the crap in your diet and patience. |
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 Keep Us Accurate
To be sure your benefits are properly recorded, please advise the association when you change your name or address. If you receive inaccurate membership cards or other correspondence, we want to know. We do not mind reissuing membership cards. |
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Keep your home free of summer pests without pesticides
USA.gov
 Summer temperatures can be pleasant, but the warm weather is also attractive to insects and rodents.
This is the time of year when ants, roaches, mice and other pests make their way into your home, especially if they find the right living conditions. All they really need to get comfortable is water, food and a place where they can hide or reproduce.
You can fight these pests without pesticides if you follow these suggestions:
Restrict access to food sources
- Tightly close any food packaging, like boxes and bags of cookies, chips, cereals or candy, so that ants or roaches can't get in.
- Store items such as flour, sugar, rice or pasta in airtight bags or plastic containers.
- Clean any food spills or stains off the countertop, floor, and other areas throughout the kitchen.
- Do not let crumbs sit in pet dishes, as this can attract cockroaches, ants or rodents.
- Remember to take out the kitchen trash frequently, preferably every night.
Limit access to sources of water or liquids
- Try not to leave water drops or other liquids in the kitchen or anywhere else around the house. Roaches can't live more than a week without water.
- Wash and dry your dishes immediately after each meal.
- Repair leaky faucets or pipes in the bathroom, kitchen, backyard and any other area of the house.
- When gardening or watering plants, don't leave puddles or excess water. Standing water encourages mosquito reproduction.
- Open the bathroom window after bathing to clear out the steam; these tiny drops are drinking sources for cockroaches and other insects.
Limit entry access to your home
- Seal cracks around pipes, doors and windows to stop insects from getting inside.
- Repair holes or tears on screen doors and windows.
- Close off the spaces underneath doors.
- Before coming home from a shopping trip, make sure there are no roaches hiding inside bags or grocery boxes.
- Throw away or recycle unwanted boxes or wrappers.
Put mouse traps inside and outside the home in areas where children or pets can't access.
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 Identity Theft Protection Service For RAUS Members
AllClear ID is the technology leader in the identity protection and credit monitoring market. The patented identity protection technology developed by AllClear ID makes it simple for you to protect your identity, and easy to take action if your personal information is compromised. RAUS members will enjoy a 20% discount off the regular monthly rate.
Just go to our website at www.raushome.com and click on the Discounts button and select Technology & Security. From there, go to the AllClear ID login page and input the following Activation Code: "raus". This will allow you to register and receive the discounted rate. |
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Sunburn blues: Relief, remedies and when to rush to the doctor
TODAY
 You can't be too careful in the sun. Parents and kids need to be aware of the risks associated with spending hours outside under the sun's broiling rays. If you end up with a burn even after taking precautions like slathering on the sunscreen and sitting under an umbrella on the beach, Dr. Susan C. Taylor, a Philadelphia dermatologist, has advice. Go to the doctor if: - Blistering covers a large part of the body
- The burn is accompanied by a high fever, extreme pain , headache, confusion, nausea or chills
- It doesn't respond to treatment within two days
- The burned skin shows signs of infection such as increasing pain, tenderness, swelling, yellow drainage
If your burn isn't bad enough to send you to the doctor, Taylor has some tips to help you feel better: - Protect your skin from further sun exposure
- If blisters form, don't break them
- If blisters break on their own, gently cleanse the area with mild soap and water and apply an antibacterial cream
- Drink extra fluids
- Apply a cool compress or wet towel on the sunburned area for 10 to 15 minutes several times a day and/or take frequent cool baths or showers
- Use a moisturizer that contains aloe vera or hydrocortisone cream to soothe burned skin
- Take an anti-inflammatory medication such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium
- Avoid products such as benzocaine, which may irritate skin or cause an allergic reaction
Not all sunscreens are created equal. A recent study from Consumer Reports found not every sunblock that promises a high SPF delivers the full protection. Of the 20 tested Consumer Reports says these provide "good to excellent" coverage: - Banana Boat
- BullFrog Water Armor Sport InstaCool SPF 50 - provides the full SPF promised on the label
- Coppertone Sensitive Skin SPF 50 - provides the full SPF promised on the label
- Equate (Walmart)
- Neutrogena
- Up & Up (Target)
- Well (Walgreens)
While most parents and kids recognize that sunburns can be dangerous, many don't realize that heat, all by itself, can be a hazard. Heatstroke occurs when the core body temperature rises to 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher due to prolonged exposure to high heat and humidity or exercising or working in hot weather. Symptoms of heatstroke include: - High body temperature
- A lack of sweating even though the temperature is hot
- Muscle cramps and weakness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Rapid shallow breathing
- Racing heart rate
- Throbbing headache
- Confusion, seizures, hallucinations or difficulty speaking or understanding what others are saying
- Unconsciousness or coma
If someone you know has these symptoms, you should seek immediate medical help and get the person to the nearest emergency room. If you need an ambulance, while you wait you should: - Move the person to a shaded location and remove excess clothing
- Try to cool the person off by placing ice packs or cold, wet towels on the person's head, neck armpits and groin
- Mist the person with water while a fan is blowing on him or her
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Membership Dues
| AGE RANGE | LIFE DUES | | 40 or less | $325 | | 41 to 45 | $300 | | 46 to 50 | $275 | | 51 to 55 | $250 | | 56 to 60 | $225 | | 61 to 65 | $200 | | 66 to 70 | $175 | | 70 and up | $100 |
 Annual dues are $10 per year. Discounts apply for multiple year memberships: 3 years for $25 and 5 years for $40. Like memberships are available based on the age of the member at the time of the Life conversion. A Life Membership is exempt of dues increase and covers both the member and the spouse. |
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About RAUS
We are a non-political military association organized in 1970 to secure quality benefits for our members at rates only available to groups. Qualified retired and active members of the United States armed forces and related departments may join.
Membership benefits include discounts and perks, self-help and financial calculators, time-savings and educational resources, along with TRICARE Supplement, CHAMPVA Supplement and other insurance products.
RAUS is partnering with other organizations to establish a long term win-win relationship based on mutual benefits and information available to military families.
For more information, visit our website at www.raushome.com.
RAUS Eligible Defense Departments
* AIR FORCE * ARMY * MARINES * NAVY * NATIONAL GUARD *
* COAST GUARD * NOAA * CIVIL AIR PATROL *
* PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE * COASTAL & GEODETIC SURVEY *
* ACTIVE & RETIRED * OFFICERS & ENLISTED *
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Sincerely,
DONALD T. RUCK, President Retired Association for the Uniformed Services, Inc.
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