I am a two-time identity theft victim. My ex fiancé was, I guess you could say, co-victim the second time around.

Why, then, should you listen to what I have to say about preventing it? It’s happened to me, twice, right? Right.

It’s happened to me, twice. I’ve recovered from it. Both times.

I, personally, tracked down the scumbag the second time; I traced their steps, I learned more about them than they knew about me. Then I turned that information over to the police.

How did I do this? Simple. I used the same techniques they used. That, right there, is what qualifies me to tell you how to protect yourself.

Before I take you online, let me cover the basics on how to avoid identity theft in the physical world, where I was first victimized.

The single, most important thing you can do to prevent identity theft is to keep your social security card (or equivalent, for non-US readers) and any credit cards you don’t use regularly locked in a safe location. Preferably, this would be a safe deposit box which requires photo ID and a key to access. Failing this, a fireproof safe bolted securely to a concrete floor will do just fine. If you lose a key, be sure to change it.

Shred any credit offers that you don’t intend to accept, as well as any piece of mail or other documents containing any personally identifiable information, unless you intend to keep it and file it in a locked cabinet (secured similarly to the safe mentioned above). Once shredded, divide each item into four piles. You’ll want to have four boxes, labeled 1, 8, 15 and 22, for this purpose. Place one pile in each box and empty each box on the day of the month for which it is numbered. This prevents all but the most dedicated identity thieves from reassembling and using your discarded documents. Yes, credit card companies will accept and process applications that have been shredded, reassembled, filled out, photocopied, wadded up and shipped to them in a jar of kool-aid. It’s a bit extreme, yes; just don’t ask me how I know this. You should follow this procedure, really, for any document you discard that contains anything more than your first name. You might not think there’s anything useful on that overdue notice from the library, but trust me, there is.

Again, if it has your personal information on it, secure it. Locked drawer in a cabinet that can’t simply be slid onto a dolly and wheeled away. Never carry anything on you that you don’t intend to use; my first incident was the result of armed robbery and the sale of my identification, including my social security card, which I had on me because I had just started a new job and my employer required a copy.

These are basic guidelines for protecting your identity in the real world. Beyond that, use common sense and don’t go around giving out your personal information to everyone you meet, even if you think they need it. You’ll eventually end up giving it to someone who does need it to steal your identity!

Protecting yourself from online identity theft, however, is a bit more complicated than protecting yourself in the real world. The most important step you can follow is very simple: NEVER TELL ANYONE YOUR PASSWORD, TO ANYTHING, EVER; NEVER WRITE YOUR PASSWORDS DOWN AND NEVER USE THE SAME PASSWORD FOR MORE THAN ONE ACCOUNT.

Nobody but you ever has a legitimate need to know your passwords. Ever. Period. I don’t care who they say they are, if they’re asking for your password, they’re lying. Service providers can access your account without a password, it’s their system and they have that access. I’ll repeat this one more time because it is the most important step you can take to protect yourself online: NEVER TELL ANYONE YOUR PASSWORD, TO ANYTHING, EVER; NEVER WRITE YOUR PASSWORDS DOWN AND NEVER USE THE SAME PASSWORD FOR MORE THAN ONE ACCOUNT.

There’s a ton more information that I’d love to dole out right now, but Sharon insists that I keep my articles short and sweet (shorter than this, even), so I’ve written more here.

Many of you have been following my recent series of posts regarding choosing paint colors. Those of you who haven’t should probably start from the beginning. Those of you who have, probably noticed that I’ve run out of alliterations for the titles of these articles. Sorry about that. If you’ve been following along, please, read on.

If you have a favorite place, be it somewhere you vacation, a store you love to shop at, even a restaurant you dine at frequently, you can pick your favorite colors from that place and incorporate them into your home. It will help to remind you of that favorite place, in turn helping you relax and making you feel more comfortable.

If you would like more color tips, please, read on!

While we’ve all become accustomed to going broke at the pump; you may have noticed that you came away from the pump with enough money to buy a cheeseburger this week.

That’s a good thing, of course, something we all want to see keep happening; that’s why it’s important to understand just why it is happening.

Speculation, the assumption of the risk of loss, in return for the uncertain possibility of a reward, is a common practice among investment bankers, typically hedge funds. In recent years, many investment bankers saw fit to buy barrels of oil which haven’t even been drilled for yet; thus, driving up the cost of those barrels as demand began rising much higher than the available supply.

The end result of all of this is higher prices for gas, along with many other petroleum based products, such as plastics, some paints and many solvents. This, in turn, has led to higher prices for any products which are made of plastic, make use of oil based paints or are manufactured using any of those solvents.
Now, the majority of this speculation began after 2005’s severe hurricane season caused oil shortages in some parts of the world. Many investors were banking on that keeping up in following years. When those hopes (sick as they may seem) were dashed, speculators began selling their oil, causing a sharp drop in price, which we have all seen at the pump.

For more information, refer to this CNN article.

Many of you have been keeping up with my recent series of posts regarding picking paint colors. If you’re just finding this blog or haven’t been by in a while, I might suggest starting from the beginning. If you’ve been following along, please, read on.

If you’re going to be bringing several sources of color into a room, maybe you should consider painting the walls one of the many hundreds of clean shades of white.

Furniture, bedding, accent pillows, photographs, paintings, sculptures, even a window with a view can bring all the color a room needs.

If you’d like more color tips, please, be my guest!

Recently, I began posting tips on picking the best colors for a room. If you’ve been following the series, good for you! If not, you can get caught up, by starting here, before reading on.
You’ve picked the colors you want in your house and, now, just can’t decide what color to put where. Don’t worry, this is more common for the average homeowner than you probably think. This simple guideline should help you decide!

You want to make a statement to people coming into your home. One way, perhaps the best way, to do this is by painting your entryway a bright color. Strong colors, which would be suitable for such an area, should be kept out of a kitchen, however. There, you should use white or a very pale pastel. Dark or extremely bright colors aren’t relaxing enough for use in a bedroom. You’re better off with a neutral or softer color where you sleep. Pretty much anything goes in the bathroom; it’s such a small space that you can get away with almost anything. Except dark colors, that is. They make small spaces look even smaller.

Interested in thinking bigger? Read on!

If you’ve read my recent post regarding choosing the right colors, you’ve begun to understand why it is important to pick your colors carefully. If you haven’t, please take a moment to do so before you read what I’ve written below.

If you’re thinking of a bright color but are hesitant to paint an entire room with it, consider painting one wall and keeping the others white or neutral. Not only does this ground the room, it becomes the focal point in what may otherwise be a boring room!

As always, stay tuned for more! This is only the second of ten color choosing tips I have to offer!

Want more? Don’t fret, I’ve got you covered!

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4. Homemade concoction – 3 parts fabric softener with 4 parts water in a spray bottle.

One of the most difficult and important aspects of interior design is choosing the right colors. I’ve got 10 tips you can use to make this crucial chore a lot easier!

One of the most important things to consider is how the color on a room works with the colors in neighboring rooms. One simple technique is to start with hallways and other common areas of the house, selecting a neutral shade, such as one of the many Freshaire Choice paint colors. Bedrooms, bathrooms, the kitchen and other rooms connecting to those common areas can be filled with similar shades of colors you like.

If you’re eager for another color tip, I’ve got more for you right here!

If you’re considering installing recessed lighting, it’s probably because you prefer to keep lamps off your floor and tabletops. When it comes to functional lighting, that’s a wise choice; after all, a table lamp can only light a small area of a room. One more thing to consider when making the decision to lift your lighting to the ceiling is the appearance of the fixtures. A substantial majority of recessed fixtures are just plain ugly!

If that’s not enough to turn you off, consider the fact that you have to cut large holes in your ceiling and hope you have enough open area to safely install those recessed cans for your new lighting.

Don’t worry, you can still enjoy light from above. Pendant lighting, lights that hang a short distance from the ceiling, can provide all the light of a recessed lamp, with less installation hassle and a lot more style.

If you already have some idea what style you are looking for, you can find some pendant lighting available to order online.

Nobody likes to feel like they’re in a closet, especially when they’re not. If you have a room in your home that gives the illusion of being the sizer of a shoe box, try a few of these tips to make your room look and feel larger!

• Move furniture closer to the wall.
  • Furniture that isn’t against, or near, a wall can block walkways and interfere with your view of a space, making it feel smaller.
• Light it up!
  • Brighter rooms look bigger! Let in as much natural light as possible; light is the only thing you can fill a room with that doesn’t take up space.
  • If that doesn’t work, replace any light bulbs in the room with a good quality, high output compact florescent bulbs. This will not only make the room brighter, it will lower your lighting bill!
  • If there is only one source of light in a room, consider adding a lamp.
• Keep it clean!
  • If you don’t need it in the room, get it out of the room! If it must be there, keep it neatly tucked out of the way. The more open space in the room, the bigger the room will feel.
• Use a simple color scheme.
  • Use colors from the same color family.
  • Cool and light warm colors on most surfaces will make the room feel more open, dark colors will make it feel more cramped.
  • If you have to paint any walls, we recommend Freshaire Choice paint for its environmentally friendly properties and premium durability.
• Soften up!
  • Again, dark colors make a space feel cozy and intimate; in a small room, this translates to cramped.
  • Lighter, cooler colors can make the same room feel more open and airy.
  • Soft blue and green tones give the best effect.
• Check your coordination!
  • Your furniture will appear to take up less space if it blends in with the rest of your decor.
  • Contrasting colors break up a room, making it look and feel smaller.

Take these ides and run with them. Apply them to your smallest room first, then try them in your biggest room. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that your house is bigger than it looked!