If you are planning on renting a home or apartment and have a past bankruptcy, there are some things you should know.

First, you need to determine who you are planning to rent from – meaning a private party or a property management company.

Why does it matter? Because each one usually approaches the rental process very differently. If you don’t know what their process is, you could end up being out $30-60 in credit report fees.

There are a number of strategies you can use to increase your chances of being approved for a home or apartment rental. I know, because I have used them when renting in the past – both from private parties and property management companies.

I’m not going to cover every single strategy here, as there isn’t enough room, but here’s one you can start with:

If you are applying for a rental with a property management company, find out what their rental criteria is. It sounds like common sense, but a lot of people submit a rental application, with a non-refundable credit report fee, only to be turned down because of their credit history.

Don’t let this happen to you! If you know what the criteria is in advance, and you find out by asking, you will at least have an idea of whether or not you can qualify.

If you have a bankruptcy it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be declined. Much depends on the property management company’s guidelines. For example, a property management company may still rent to you – but maybe they’ll ask for a higher security deposit.

In After Bankruptcy Credit Solutions I go into more detail on specific strategies you can use to increase your chances of qualifying for an apartment or home rental.

I do not have enough room in this article to discuss strategies when it comes from renting from private parties. However, it can be a much different experience than renting from property management companies.

In my experience, private parties tend to be less rigid in their rental screening process. This means there are some things you should NOT do during the rental screening process – otherwise you could end up being turned down pretty quickly. But I’ll save those for another article on renting after bankruptcy.

Copyright © 2005 Innovative Solutions Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

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By: R. Lawrence Anderson

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If you are looking for a unique party favor, guest soap, or maybe just a clever and crafty item to decorate the home with, try this very easy recipe for making a handmade decorative soap that will explode with a lush bouquet of floral fragrance and will impress your guests, gift recipient, or party goers.

You will need the following supplies:

2 lb Box – natural Glycerin soap found at most craft stores or online – We chose avocado cucumber Plastic soap mold – We chose both square & circle shapes with a flower motif Food coloring – We combined red & blue to make lavender Soap fragrance – We chose a pear berry scent, but you can also mix a variety of different fragrances 1 package of clear lollipop bags – We chose these because of the already built in ribbon 1 piece of decorative scrapbooking paper, 12in. x 12in. 1 piece of plain white scrapbooking paper, 12in.x 12in. – We chose to make our gift tags, but you can also use label stickers instead of making your own Raffia ribbon in a coordinating color – 1.5 to 2 yards, or 15 feet Crafts scissors Hole puncher Glass measuring cup – We used one with a handle for easy pouring Wax paper

Depending on the size of your mold, heat the desired amount of natural Glycerin soap in the microwave.  We used 2 small pieces of soap for a medium size mold.  So, for 2 small pieces heat on high for 10 seconds, then 5 seconds intervals until melted. Note: If you don’t have a microwave, a double boiler can be used.

Add food coloring, 2 – 3 drops per color.  Next, add your soap fragrance, 3-6 drops. Stir quickly and pour in to your mold and let cool (20-40 minutes).  While soaps are cooling, lay a piece of wax paper down on to your work space.  Using your thumbs, apply gentle, constant pressure to release from mold.

Wait 1-2 days until soaps are firm before placing in to the clear bags.  Now, for a few extra special touches, hand address paper gift tags or pre-made labels/stickers and set aside.  Using your craft scissors, cut decorative scrapbooking paper into strips long enough to wrap around the center of your soap.  Once you have determined the size of your strips, cut raffia ribbon the same length leaving enough so ribbon can be tied in to a bow.

If you are right handed, wrap a strip of decorative paper around the center of the soap & hold in place with your left hand.  Using your right hand, wrap the raffia ribbon around and over the top of your strip.  If you are left handed, just do the reverse.  Before securing the ends of the ribbon, we ran it thru the gift tag then tied a bow at the ends.  If you decide to do this step, punch a hole thru the top of your paper gift tag. 

Gently place your nicely wrapped soap in to the clear lollipop bags and nicely tie the ribbon to create a bow.  You now have a truly unique party favor, or unwrapped, an impressive and fragrant home décor item to add to the home. 



By: Linda M. Johnson

About the Author:

Everyone has done it. You back into a pole, rear end a stray shopping cart or drop a heavy object on the trunk lid. The result is an ugly dent or a scraped finish. Turning in small damage claims to your insurance can be costly and if you have gotten an auto body repair estimate, you know that parts and labor can be expensive to pay out of pocket. There is another option though, you can fix it yourself. That’s right. Armed with a plunger, a bottle of touch up paint and a few supplies, the average do-it-yourselfer can repair small dents and scratches. Here’s how.

Unsightly Dents

If your accident has not broken the finish and has damaged a larger body panel, you may be able to pull the dent out. Dump a bucket of soapy water over the dent and stick your household plunger over the area. The water should help create a good seal and you may be able to pull the panel back into shape. The soap will allow you to slide the plunger down the panel to break the suction.

If your dent is in a small area near a crease in the vehicle, you can place a small block of wood at the tip of the dent and gently tap the wood with a mallet to force the misplaced metal back into its original shape. Tapping gently around the edges of the dent may help pop the metal back into shape. Use care not to break the finish, chipped paint exposes bare metal which will rust.

Scratches, Scrapes and Stone Chips

Most body shops will sell you a bottle of touch up paint. They will also ask you what you are repairing and offer to fix it for a large fee. Kindly decline, and request just a bottle of touch up paint. They will need access to you vehicle to get the manufacturer’s paint code. This is most often found in the glove box or the door jam. If your vehicle has been painted a different hue than its original paint color, the auto body technician can use an educated guess to mix your paint to match the rest of the finish closely.

You will need a fine grit sand paper, a bucket of soapy water, some wax and buffing cloths in addition to your bottle of paint. Wash the scraped area well with soapy water, paying special attention to any bugs or tar in the area. Wet your fine grit sand paper and carefully sand the edges of the scrape or stone chip, making sure to keep your sand paper wet. Dry the area well and leave it sit for at least ten minutes to make sure it dries completely. Then, shake the bottle of touch up paint for at least two minutes. Brush on a light coat of paint over the damaged area. You can always apply a second coat after the first coat dries. Allow the paint to cure overnight then use a rubbing compound followed by a coat of wax to protect your finish

Paint repairs fare the best when done on a sunny day with low humidity. If this is not possible in your area, perform the repairs inside a heated building with a dehumidifier running. You can also use heat lamps or a hair dryer on its lowest setting to help cure the paint.

With a few tools and a little know how, you can save yourself some money by repairing small damages yourself.



By: Levi Quinn

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