Carl Crossman Blog

The Obama administrations bid to jump start the failing auto industry with its cash for clunkers program is showing results. Consumers who trade in their vehicles with poor gas mileage ratings can receive a generous credit from the Government for doing so. The only catch is that they must but a vehicle with better gas mileage. So far, the results have been good.

Many local car dealerships are reaping the benefits of the program. People who may be on the fence about buying a new car are being enticed into the showroom. This has resulted in somewhat higher vehicle sales that would be without it. Environmentalists say it’s a good start on lowering carbon emissions, but more work needs to be done.

One thing we have been working on at our house is improving the interior. We have repainted all the rooms and put in new carpets. We decided that since we had gone so far, we would do the kitchen next. We knew the hardest part of the kitchen would be redoing the cabinets that were old and outdated. The cabinets were from the 1960’s and they were really showing their age. We knew we had to do something with them first.

After looking into the situation, I decided that the wood was ok, but that the hardware needed to go. I also wanted to replace some of the drawers that were not aligned properly. I did some research online and found a pretty good site that I thought would help us along the way. It’s called cabinetparts.com and they had a wide selection of Cabinet Hardware to choose from. This was important because we had a specific look in mind for our new kitchen.

Now that we have installed the hardware onto our cabinets, we are very satisfied with the new look. The best part is that now we have a very functional kitchen where the drawers open without sticking and stay closed when you close them. All in all, we were glad we decided to make the change and I believe that we have increased the value of the house by doing so. Now, it’s on to the next project!

 With the economy still slumping, we all need to find ways to save money whenever possible. I ran across a few tips for doing so and I thought I would share them with you.
They are all easy ways to save a few bucks and nowadays, every dollar counts. First thing to do is to be sure to pack your own lunch for work. We spend way too much money at McDonalds’ and Burger King. Packing your own lunch from home will save you $$.

 The next best way to save is to reduce your water bill. This can be done by installing a low-flow valve on your shower heads. Another thing you can do is to share a ride with someone. Whenever possible, find someone who is going your way and go with them. The last big way to save is to eat at home more often. Eating out costs a lot of dough, while buying food from a grocery store (with coupons) can save you a tremendous amount of money. I hope these tips will help you save!

Every two or three months I fly down to Florida to check on my mom. She is living alone in a condominium and I worry about her. She is basically healthy, except for the fact that her hip is giving her so much trouble. She’s had surgery to relieve the symptoms, but it was only partially successful. This has made it difficult for mom to have the freedom of movement she used to have.

I noticed that she had a lot of trouble standing up. It took her awhile to do so and she seemed exhausted by the effort. I thought I would look into the situation to see what I could do. I did some research online and found a site called usmedicalsupplies.com that had a variety of equipment that could help. That’s when I decided that getting mom one of the Lift Chairs would be a great way to make her life more pleasant.

After ordering the chair and showing mom what I had bought, she gave me a look of surprise. After trying it out, she took to it like a fish to water. She enjoyed being able to get out of the chair with a minimum of trouble. Now she is all over the place and has no fear of sitting down to rest. I was glad to be able to make mom’s life a little better after all she’s done for me.

Some of the newest ideas coming out of Washington these days are concerning health care. The Obama administration is working hard to come up with a plan to provide health care to the millions without it. The problem is that there is not enough money and some people are going to take a hit. The special interest groups are lining up to avoid being the ones to pay for the new deal. Meanwhile, the people without health care continue to suffer.

We will have to see what the result of this debate concludes. A government run health care system seems to be unpopular with the masses, but is gaining support in absence of a better plan. I hope they are able to come up with some solutions in order to better provide for the people.