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Techniques of an Identity Thief

Shiva Brent Sharma, who is serving a two- to four-year prison term, describes the techniques he used as an online identity thief.

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Madlynn is Kid of the Month

The Milk Gap



The Times's Jodi Kantor looks at the class divide for nursing mothers in the workplace.

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Visits Don't Always Lead to Adoption



Programs that allow children available for adoption to visit American families often lead to happily-ever-after, but sometimes end painfully.

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Taking Prescriptions on the Road



It is not required to carry copies of your prescriptions with you when you travel, but business travel columnist Joe Sharkey says it might not be a bad idea.

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Consumer: top stories
 

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Single Moms - find here resources on financial aid, scholarships, help with basic needs, food, prescription drugs, health care, housing, legal info, and much more...


Single Mother Resources: Ways to Save on Pet Care

 

by Kelly Kennedy

Pets are great to have when you live alone. As a single mother you are bound to get lonely but with a pet you won’t feel as lonely, and you feel somewhat protected. If you hear a noise in the middle of the night you can simply blame it on your pet. They are also great with children. So if you are a single mother and considering getting a pet or already have one, here are a few pointers to save on pet care.

 

Buying a Pet

 

If you don’t already have a pet and are looking to add an addition to your family, there are several places you can search for the perfect pet. Start by searching in your local newspapers and on the Internet. There will be a lot of times where people have bred two animals and are just looking to get rid of the litter. You can also go to your pet stores and find a pet there but often times they will be extremely overpriced. A great option is to visit your local animal shelter or a Society for the Prevention of the Cruelty of Animals (SPCA). Here animals have been brought in or found and are in need of a home and some tender loving care. Most times, the fee for owning an adopted pet is very inexpensive and they often give the pets a check up and any necessary shots or vaccinations including being spayed or neutered.

 

Veterinarian care and medications

 

Not only do us single mothers need to stay healthy but so do our children and our pets. However, at times we all do get sick. Its important that your pet have proper vaccinations and physical check ups. When looking for a veterinarian, shop around. The one right around the corner may be more expensive then the one the next town over. This can help save costs if you are willing to take the time to shop around and travel the distance if needed. Consider animal shelters, which may have prices far below other veterinarians. You may find that animal shelters also provide free services such as spaying or neutering your pet. Once you find a vet, store the number in a safe place so in case an emergency arises, you will be able to contact them immediately.

 

If your pet is in need of certain medications or other supplements, find out if any can be purchased online at a cheaper price but same quality product. Be sure to listen to your veterinarian’s recommendations because some products may be less expensive but the place where they sell them may not be as convenient or up to date as your vet’s products. Also trained healthcare providers best handle vaccinations and antibiotics so it’s best to listen to your vet’s recommendations.

 

Pet Foods and Supplies

 

There are several different places to shop when it comes to buying pet food and supplies. Not only is there stores made specifically for you pets but also you can find supplies in most grocery, warehouse, and large discount retail stores. The Internet has also become an abundant source of supplies for pets. Once again you will want to shop around. Some pet toys may be on sale in certain stores while pet food usually remains the same price so you will have to see who sells it for the least expensive. If you find a cheaper price online be sure to include shipping and handling costs to see if you will actually make a savings.

 

If you are shopping regularly at a pet food and supply store they will often provide you with a customer discount store card where you can receive additional savings and more. Stores usually use these cards for a market research program to see what people are buying so this may benefit you by receiving coupons for future purchases since they know what you buy.

 

Check the classified ads of your local paper. Talk to other single mothers, and friends. You will find at time people are getting rid of old pet supplies they no longer need due to a loss of a pet or lack of use. You may find carriers, crates, and cages for reduced prices or being given out free.

 

A great single mother resource is to make your own items such as toys for your pets. If you own a dog, take some old socks and stuff them into one sock and you’ve got a soft stuffed ball with a tail. Take some old rope and tie it together and have a tug-of-rope with your dog. If you own a cat buy some cat nip and take a small amount and put it in an old small sock and tie it together, or take an old piece of carpet and a two pieces of 2X4 pieces of wood nailed together and nail the carpet around the wood. Nail this 2X4 onto a piece of flat wood and you’ve got a claw scratcher so you’re cat doesn’t scratch up all the wood and furniture in your house. These are just ideas, so I’m sure you can come up with some on your own as well!

 

With these great ideas to finding a pet and taking care of one, a single mother should be able to add a furry addition to your family giving it the love and attention it needs by adding only a slight change to your budget. Of course you should only get a pet if can afford one but most people make it possible to have a new cuddly friend!

 

About Author:

Kelly Kennedy is the Communications Specialist for MindComet Corporation, a full service marketing agency for Fortune 500 companies and international conglomerates. Kelly specializes in public relations strategies focused on single mother's financial guidance. Kelly has been author to hundreds of articles focusing on single mother financial concerns. She also acts as a contributing author for a wide variety of websites and newsletters. Kelly holds a Bachelors degree in Marketing from the University of Central Florida.

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Top 8 Tips for Reducing Kids Screen Time This Summer

Reducing time spent in front of televisions and computers is one of the easiest ways to improve your family's health. Here are eight simple ways to limit screen time so you can help crank up your kids’ energy, re-charge their minds, and improve their health.

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What would you change?

Weekly Column, by Annette Bridges

Change -- some people dread it, and others can’t get enough. It may be much like the idiom, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” When it comes to what we would alter or why we would make a modification, the answers vary because we all have different things we value, want, need and consider important.

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Being a Role Model

by Laurie Cesario-Overton

If I had to choose one sentence that would best describe what I feel parents need to learn, it would be this: Be your child's BEST ROLE MODEL in all the ways that truly count. Be your child's HERO. Whatever you do, do it for all the right reasons.

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How to Find the Best Car Loans for Single Moms

Financial Advice for Single Moms

The best car loans for single mothers might be just around the corner at your local car lot.

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3 Money Rules for Stay-at-Home Moms

As we all know, life is unpredictable. We lose jobs, get divorced and even become widowed...
Here are three steps stay-at-home parents should take to better manage their own and the family’s finances.

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You May Have Too Much Debt But You Also Have Options

How Life Works

If you feel like you're in over your head with personal debt, you're not alone. Millions of Americans have become overextended, many as a result of easy credit and the recessions. Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and raising interest rates do not make a good financial mix.

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Could fat babies mean fat toddlers?

A new study from Harvard Medical School found that babies who gained weight quickly had a sharply higher risk of obesity. The study followed close to 600 babies and found those in the top quarter of weight for their length at 6 months had a 40 percent higher risk of obesity by age 3 than smaller babies.

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Crystal Bowersox - A Single Mom And A Real American Idol

Read how the amazing Crystal Bowersox. the runner-up of American Idol Season 9, handles fame and life as a single mom, raising her 17 month old son.

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5 Ways for Single Moms to Save Money

Single moms are always looking for ways to save money, and for good reason... It’s important to find ways to cut corners on the little things that perhaps you don’t think about too often, because those are usually where your biggest money drains are.

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Suze Orman's Recession Rescue Plan - helps you survive in times of financial crisis

OPRAH.com

Do you know what your family would do if you lost your job - or worse, your home? Financial expert Suze Orman is ready to help you devise a recession rescue plan to survive - and possibly thrive - during this deepening financial crisis...

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Your Just-in-Case Emergency Plan

by RealSimple

Who do you call if you can't make it home in time to meet the kids' bus? Who do you trust to take in your mail when you're on vacation? Who do you trust with the extra set of keys to your house?

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How to save $10,000

By Liz Pulliam Weston

If you were hoping for a list of small tweaks you could make in your spending to save $10,000 a year, sorry. The reality is that $10,000 is a lot of money. And saving big money usually means making big changes in the areas where we spend the most, such as: Housing, Transportation, Food.

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The Super, Sexy, Single Mom on a Budget

by Renee Rayles

A quick reference guide designed for the busy, single mom who has

little time to read while running the mom taxi, cooking dinner, helping with homework, and trying to fit in a date night every now and then.

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Single Mothers &
Male Role-Models / Mentors

Single mothers carry an enormous load of responsibility, especially those having sole and/or primary custody of minor children. They nourish, they nurture, they teach, they discipline, they shelter, they protect, and they provide… all without the assistance of another equally-invested adult.

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Mom's Obesity Raises Newborn's Heart Risk

from the National Institute of Health

The more obese a woman is when she becomes pregnant, the greater the likelihood that her newborn baby will have a congenital heart defect, a new study suggests. The finding raises concerns because 1 in 5 women are obese at the start of pregnancy in the United States.

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The 10-Ingredient Shopping Trip

By Tara Parker-Pope and Mark Bittman

... In his latest “How to Cook Everything” segment on the Today Show, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman makes it surprisingly easy to cook a week’s worth of dinners with just a 10-ingredient shopping trip.

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Your 5-minute guide to protecting your identity

20 steps to protect yourself from identity theft, and seven ways to clean up things if you become a victim.

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TheOnlineMom.com offers parents and consumers a guide to the top-rated, age-appropriate, kid-tested and parent-approved tech toys and gifts.

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Single Moms in the News

6 Best Celebrity Single Moms
Read about Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Michelle Williams, Reese Witherspoon, Kimora Lee Simmons, Mary-Louise Parker... read more

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

by Jeff Kinney

For those wondering why tween boys don’t read very much, the answer is that more books aren’t like this...

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