The National "Salvage Car" Database

NMVTIS link. Your local DMV can also run a VIN report for a nominal fee, and it accomplishes the same thing without the "non-participating states" hurdle.

Just give them the VIN number of the car you're interested in buying, fill out an application (if any), pay a small fee (usually up to about $5), and get the same information this database can provide (for the same price).

If the report says "salvage" anywhere on it, RUN LIKE HELL! Also, if the seller and titled owner don't match up, RUN LIKE HELL because the car is either hot, or the so-called "seller" is trying to avoid paying taxes on the car by not claiming legal ownership (putting his/her name on the registration and title).

*Underground Economy note: you can buy and sell cars WITHOUT registering them--dealers do it all the time. As long as you don't plan on driving it around after the plates expire, it's legal to do this as long as you don't get pulled over for something. "Undergrounders" frequently buy cheap used cars (one at a time), clean them up, and re-sell them for a small profit, all without ever registering them in their own names--the title is still in the last owner's name, and the back of it has his/her signature "signing over" the vehicle interest to someone else (the new seller). Now the current possessor can sell that car to someone else without ever having to claim formal ownership, because he/she never signed the back of the title, never turned it into the DMV for re-registration, and his/her name is nowhere on the document pertaining to the car.

Meanwhile, the latest buyer is the one who actually fills in the "buyer" info on the title back, takes everything to the DMV, and pays registration and taxes due (in personal property tax states). So the car has gone from last legal owner to next legal owner (through you) with nary a fingerprint of yours on the transaction, except to collect the profits.

To learn more about the Underground Economy, check out Welcome to the Underground Economy.

Rethink the Value of College

From Yahoo Opinion. "Instead of a system based on the possession of a degree as a requirement for jobs, Mr. Murray proposes vocational training for students who lack the necessary inclination to pursue academic studies. They would receive certification for specific skills needed in the workplace. Anything else, he says, is educational romanticism."

My two cents on the whole college thing:
The College Conundrum
The NEW Lessons in Higher Education
"I Refuse to Sacrifice For You, Then Resent You For It"

Rerun: The Best of Everything

Originally written back in 2005.
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“The happiest people don't have the best of everything--they make the best of everything”—author unknown

Whether it’s a tight-budget Christmas, a too-small apartment, or nothing to wear, you learn to make the best of it. How? By working with what you’ve got.

The first place to look, and the usual trove of answers, can be found mostly in closets. Pick one, root around in there, and pull out every single thing until it’s completely empty. What have you unearthed from those bags stashed way back in the corner? What was harboring in those cute little decorator boxes on the top shelf?

The most important question: do you still need it?

Is anything re-useable in another form, such as fabric from old clothing? Is anything gift-worthy to give to someone else? Can something be dolled up with dye, new buttons, different accessories, or trim to make a new look? Is there another room this item can be used in besides the obvious manufacturer-designated one? How can you make the best of it?

Another good place for rooting around in is the kitchen. How many appliances do you have, still in boxes, unused, from holidays past? What do you really use a lot, and what can you get rid of (either by gifting, donation, or yard sale)? Take a closer look at seasonal things too—not just the everyday stuff. Do you really need Santa eggnog glasses taking up that shelf space when you only use them about 1/12 of the year? Won’t another regularly-used glass suffice?

I would be remiss if I left out the bathroom. Lay out and assess those cosmetics and medicine cabinet doodads, including under the sink vanity area too. What do you absolutely use regularly, and what can you part with? Is anything gift-worthy, donation fodder, or yard sale fodder? Can anything be used in another form or manner? I recommend sticking to one makeup/nail color scheme, one perfume, one shampoo/conditioner, one hair spray (if used), and as few stomach remedies as you can get away with.

Another idea for looking at: the walls. Is the amount of stuff hanging from your walls too little, just right, or too much? Perhaps some of your once-treasured art pieces, mirrors, and other hanging bric-a-brac could use a new home—whether it’s just a new location in the room, a whole new room, or a whole new address. Is any of it gift, donation, or yard sale fodder?

Then, there’s the living room. Something that really irritates me about furniture is how sales showrooms group living room sets together in couch-loveseat-chair scenarios, never acknowledging that some of us don’t have as much square footage for “living” as their well-appointed showroom partitions do. Display designers assume you have a house, and the living room to go with it, otherwise you wouldn’t be coming to buy real full-size furniture. The truth is that you DON’T need to have the usual 3-piece living room group when a loveseat alone will do. Sometimes a lamp and end table will suffice, instead of the coffee table-two end tables-sofa table group they WANT you to buy, plus the matched lamp set. Once again, you have to look around and ask if anything’s re-useable in another location, gift-worthy, donation-worthy, or yard sale fodder.

Conversely, there’s always the flip-side: not having enough (or not seeming to). How can you make the best of THAT situation? By making less do more with double-duty clothing, furniture, cosmetics, kitchen contents, art objects, you name it. Imagination and creativity are good friends to have around in this instance—don’t be afraid to call upon them often.

Instead of simply buying more or getting more, start innovating more. Make the best of everything you have, and quit trying to have the best of everything. You’ll be much happier!

Low-Cost Strategies to Maintain Health in Hard Times

From HealthDay News.

Fireproof Your Job

From CNN Money.

The CliffNotes version:
1. Stand out and step up
2. Be a money-maker
3. Don't be a Debbie Downer
4. Increase your value
5. Go beyond your job description
6. Make a sacrifice

I wrote my own versions of this list several times in the past:

Why Women Earn Less
Timeless Moves You Can Make to Maximize Earnings...
The New Flex Force
Making Pay Cuts Work FOR You
Working For Perks and Benefits (2008)
The Truth About the Economy and Job Creation
And lastly, Bail Yourself Out in 2009

Update: Tax Preparation Deception and Fine Print

Original article. Back when I was getting fan mail...

“I discovered last night that by visiting the official IRS web site www.irs.gov then clicking on the tax prep program link of your choice (TaxAct, TurboTax, TaxSlayer, etc..), the program and filing your taxes electronically are free! However, if you go directly to one of those sites without linking to it from the IRS site, you will be charged (around $15) for use of the program and charged again to file electronically! Isn't that amazing? Of course, none of the tax prep program web sites tell you this! Hope it helps someone else save $30! ”

Welcome to the world of reality—there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Not only that, but government agencies cannot secure their own websites enough for you to file something like a simple tax return online.

The sting: you can FILE with the IRS for free, but the document has to come from an approved tax form-completion source, such as the tax programs mentioned, or other commercial preparers (H&R Block, Jackson-Hewitt, etc.) for encryption reasons.

The IRS isn't in the business of online safety and security. They collect taxes--and badly at that (when Congress isn't tying their hands). You're paying the tax programs and preparers for secure transmittal as part of the fee structure. There never will be a free direct place for online tax submissions as long as the shaky, flaky internet system we have today is still in place (always vulnerable to hackers, spammers, and identity thieves), and individuals remain one step ahead of our own government in technology knowledge and how to exploit it.

UPDATE: Apparently now there IS a place where we can file electronically for free--I saw a commercial for it. The IRS also has their own version for federal taxes only.

Bail YOURSELF Out in 2009

From MSN Money.

Cliff Notes version:

1. Don't neglect your credit score.

2. Don't carry credit card debt.

3. Don't go overboard on home and/or auto debt.

4. Don't stiff your emergency fund.

5. Don't be a sucker.

To this, I add my CNN-sent response to the article "The Case for Doing Nothing":

"The case for doing nothing has always been here–we are just too stupid to see it or accept it.

We need jobs more than anything else, but BUYING jobs with federal tax dollars isn’t the way to do it. It must be a personal, individual endeavor, just like everything else in this world.

You out of work and want a job? MAKE ONE! If you still have a job, but live in constant fear of losing it, make yourself INDISPENSABLE! Can’t make your own job or make yourself indispensable? Marry someone who CAN!

Government SHOULD be doing nothing here–YOU are the one who should be doing something!

Anyone who relies on government to do anything else for them besides what’s laid out in the Constitution is an irresponsible, immature buffoon.

Uncle Sam is NOT your savior, even though you might put money in his collection plate!"

These are other ways to bail yourself out, as well as what's mentioned above.

Rerun: 5 Important Life Lessons

Sometimes junk e-mail can be useful. :) This came from my junk e-mail box years ago. Sometimes it pays to hang onto stuff in a good hard drive...you never know when you'll have the opportunity to whip it out.

Update: This will be the second whip-out due to a slow news weekend.
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Some Important Lessons Life Teaches You...

1 ~ Most Important Lesson
During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one:

What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. Absolutely, said the professor. In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'.

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.


Second Important Lesson~ Pickup in the Rain
One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride.

Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him.

Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read: Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others. Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.


Third Important Lesson ~ Always Remember Those Who Serve You
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

“How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked.

“Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

“Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. “Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins. “ I'll have the plain ice cream,” he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away.

The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.

You see, he couldn't have the sundae because he wanted enough left to leave her a tip.


Fourth Important Lesson ~ The Obstacle in Our Path
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.

Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road.

After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been.

The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand.

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.


Fifth Important Lesson ~ Giving When it Counts
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease.

Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, Yes, I'll do it if it will save her. As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “will I start to die right away?”

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Post-Holiday Commentary Update

Original post.

Update: only ONE tree this new year, and it was real and on the ground next to the dumpster. I guess there really IS a recession on!

In prior years, the dumpsters were clogged with both real and artificial trees, as well as bags of wrappings, some decorations, and so on.

The House Saga in its Entirety

House saga.