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Renting your spare room out to a lodger is a good option to help pay for your mortgage.

Following are certain tips that can help you to get most from renting a room:

It is advisable to meet the person before renting a room. A short introductory meeting with the person can help you in deciding whether or not you would get on with the person.

This introductory meeting offers you an opportunity to ask relevant questions such as those regarding their spouse, family, job profile, working hours, other habits, etc.

If you do not meet the person before renting a room, you might have to regret later. If you find difficult to get on with that person at a later stage, it might get difficult and embarrassing for you to get rid of him at that time.

Clear ground rules should be set right from the start. For instance, if you do not want the lodger to allow people for an overnight stay in his room, state the same at the outset. If you want the lodger to refrain from smoking or taking alcohol inside the house, make your point clear in the very beginning to avoid issues later on.

However, it is advisable to be patient and tolerant of small things. You are being paid by the lodger and constantly enforcing small rules can make it less harmonious to live with a new person.

Bear in mind that the income from renting can help you pay your mortgage and therefore, you cannot afford to let the current lodger leave. Searching for a new lodger who would hopefully abide by the rules and regulations set by you, will lead to wastage of time and money.

It is good to have a written agreement signed. A sample contract agreement can be obtained online. Do not rely on verbal agreements. They are legally invalid. The written agreement should include a statement about stipulation of monthly income, and how much notice is required to break the agreement on either side.

Advertising plays a major role while renting a house. Advertise in the best selling newspapers, best places as well as online.

Finalize a fair market value after carefully analyzing the market rent. Do not be greedy, or else, it will become difficult to find a lodger. If you fail to get a tenant, you will lose the rent money.

On the other hand, if you manage to find a good tenant, you will not only get then rent money but also an opportunity to make a new friend.

To conclude, as the people you live with greatly influence the quality of life, it is always advisable to wait patiently till you get a suitable lodger to move in.

Leasing and Renting versus Buying - Answers From a Las Vegas Buyer Agent - leasing and renting

If you want to be in a relationship, the first step to your search is getting into a dating state of mind. I call this Adopting Daters Mind. When you have daters mind, you think of yourself as someone who dates. Sounds silly huh? Not really. If you dont think of yourself this way, then you probably arent connected to your feminine allure either.

Now thats a problem. It makes dating much more of a struggle.

Without feeling attractive, knowing that you are worthy, that men will notice you, and approach you, its pretty hard to jump the gap to actually getting out there and meeting prospects. Im working with a woman right now who hasnt been doing her coaching homework. She claims she is too busy, but this is a smoke screen.

How do I know? From talking with over 1,000 women you catch on. Either she doesnt really want to date, its not one of her biggest priorities or in this case - she doesnt see herself as someone who dates!

Yikes!

The solution? Get connected with your allure ASAP. And heres how:
1) Pampering - from getting a new hairstyle, new color, highlights, facial, new makeup, make over, manicure and pedicure - anything that beautifies will increase your self-esteem and make you feel more beautiful. When you think you look good - YOU DO! 80% of your beauty is how you feel about yourself. Keep that in mind.

2) Is your underwear drawer filled with old cotton comfy favorites? Go get some new lingerie please! It doesnt have to be expensive. If you dont want to take a trip to Victoria s Secret, then try Marshalls or TJMaxx (two of my personal favorites). Im not talking about thongs or being uncomfortable. Get some color, satin or lace and wear them to work!

3) What do you like about yourself? Do you appreciate who you are? Pick out one feature and be thankful for it every day for 7 days. Then pick something else to appreciate. This builds your self-esteem and gets you in touch with what makes you attractive. And once again, feeling good about yourself shows - it becomes the non-verbal message you send out into the Universe.

4) Believe connecting with a good man is possible. If you doubt you can find one, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Chapter seven in my book MANifesting Mr. Right gives you 7 powerful MANifesting techniques that I used and plenty of successful clients have also used to start believing and attracting him into your life. Believing is crucial for your success.

All four of these tips will heighten your allure and keep the idea of being someone who dates front and center in your awareness. And that is just what you want. Whatever you put your attention is usually what you get. So start developing Daters Mind to attract the love you want. Do it for yourself today.

To get f*r*e*e advice on 10 Reasons Why Women Should Never Pay on the First Date, visit www.NeverTooLate.biz Check out the book MANifesting Mr. Right: Its Never Too Late to Find the Love You Want by Dating Coach and expert Ronnie Ann Ryan at ManifestingMrRight And for a Daily Dose of Dating Advice, read her blog

They had it even before we knew what was happening. My rod bowed in prayer to something below the tea-colored waters surface. The six-pound test line danced like a cat on a hot pavement. All hell had broken loose. Beads of sweat rolled down Doris' back. Her clothes were now a second skin, clinging to her every move. We panted for breath. We had fish on. The silvery oval-shaped body and red belly of a Piranha broke the surface. I reached for it. "Don't let a finger get near their mouths or you'll lose it", our native guide barked.

Minutes earlier, I shuddered from a breeze escaping from somewhere up ahead despite 85 degree-plus heat. The double-digit humidity didn't help either. A maddening buzz filled my ears, but thanks my coating of Vick's Vapor Rub, the blood-suckers wouldn't feast on me. My eyes burned. My nose dripped. A coffee-table-sized leaf or hanging branch slapped into me every few steps. Curses burst from my lips even with my best efforts to become as one with the rainforest, as the indian had.

Our fishing rods extended from 18" to five and a half feet. I'd hoped the light mono would suffice, although I'd squirreled away spools of twelve and twenty pound test as an afterthought. If we tagged into a 50-plus pound Tambaqui even that wouldnt be enough. Vines as thick as my wrist dipped into light coffee-colored waters making little ripples as it slid past roots and fallen branches. Tangled growth matted the gentle slope of the bank into tea-with-milk colored wetness. Id flicked a thumbnail-sized chunk of bloody chicken liver on a barb-less hook with a split shot into a dinner plate-sized swirl just beside a snarl of mangrove roots jutting upwards through the surface.

Minutes later, his tanned skin gleaming with moisture, our guide demonstrated the efficiency of the scissor-like teeth. A green leaf held near the gaping mouth instantly sported a neat, crescent-shaped bite. Three heavy blows to the head prepared the killer for cleaning. After cleaning, the Embera made a series of diagonal cuts along each side of the fish. Into these he carefully rubbed a mixture of salt, garlic, and ground roots from a small gourd he carried. A simple shaved branch frame held the fish over a smoky fire of glowing coals. The firm toasted flesh tasted smooth and a bit earthy, like a seasoned and mellowed catfish. With a wink and a sly nod towards Doris he said. Make these heads into soup and you will need many wives. She glanced at me with a puzzled look. I smiled.

The Perfect Killing Machine

The Amazon is filled with danger. Soldier ants march by the millions devouring all life in their path. Submerged up to the eyes, Crocodiles lie in wait for the unwary whatever or whoever that may be. Undulating its 20-foot length beneath the surface, the Anaconda, one of the worlds largest snakes, uses heat-seeking guidance to find its next meal. The barbed stinger in the tail of platter-sized stingrays can inflict a wound that takes months to heal. But none of these carry the fearsome mystique of the voracious Piranha. Ranging through South America from Brazil to the lowlands of Peru, they also inhabit waters in Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia. In the Amazon and Rio Negro rivers of Brazil and the Orinoco River in Venezuela, no creature is safe from the Piranhas razor-sharp teeth and powerful jaws. The serrated teeth fit together like scissors, enabling Piranha to cut the flesh from their prey. Like a shark, a Piranhas teeth are replaceable, when one breaks off a new one grows in its place.

The Yagua Indians of Peru often use the sharp edges between the teeth of a Piranha jawbone to sharpen the point of their blowgun darts. A fish that is dying or swimming erratically will be quickly attacked by a large school. Piranha will also attack without warning to defend their eggs and territory. A wounded animal that strays into the water will be stripped to the bone so quickly it seems almost to dance on the surface as its ravaged from beneath. A bird that falls into the water will be gone, feathers and all, in three minutes or less. A trapped fish struggling in a net will be chewed clean to the head in a matter of seconds. Attacks on large animals and humans are often dramatically portrayed, but are rare. In some regions Piranha are known as "donkey castrators".

"They will rend and devour alive any wounded man or beast. U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt said, adding, Piranha are the most ferocious fish in the world." Piranha, also called Caribe or Piraya only furthered their fearsome mystique when Roosevelt encountered them during his exploits in 1914. There are about 35 known species of Piranha but only five species represent a danger to man. Species range from the Red-Belly Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) with its characteristic red belly to the largest of the carnivorous species, the Black Piranha with its demon-red eyes and a 17 and a half inch long dark body weighing up to ten pounds. It could remove a mans hand in two or three bites.

Most species dine on fruit or seeds that fall into the water from overhanging trees. The fish are not always aggressive. Women wash clothes in knee-deep water where men spearfish while children bathe or swim in these same Piranha-infested waters without harm. Further adding to the Piranhas mystique, Indian men with half a dozen wives and up to a score of children attribute their potency to Piranha-head soup, although no scientific justification for the soups potency yet exists.

Fishing for Piranha

Piranhas are usually part of indigenous peoples diet in the areas where the fish are found. All you need to go Piranha fishing are lines with a metal leader next to the hook so the fish doesn't bite through the line, a supply of red, raw meat (worms or cut-up fish will do too) and a bit of luck. Piranha swim in large schools and are attracted by movement and blood. In May of 1999, hundreds of anglers armed with rods, reels, and raw steak flocked to the Brazilian town of Aracatuba near Sao Paolo for a one-Sunday piranha fishing tournament. The townspeople had declared open season on the flesh-eating fish, which had decimated other species in the local river. The prize for the tournament was an outboard motor. But most fishermen were content to go home with plenty of the reputedly aphrodisiac piranha, claimed then town spokesman Nelson Custidio.

Piranha, earning their notorious reputation by reportedly killing 1,200 head of cattle every year in Brazil, is some of the best eating in South America. Whatever name you call them and no matter where you try them, when cooked in a variety of ways, their firm light flesh with its smooth, slightly nutty flavor, is a taste youre sure to enjoy.

Larry M. Lynch is a writer and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines in print and online. He travels researching articles throughout Latin America and teaches at a university in Cali, Colombia. To get original, exclusive articles and content for your newsletter, blog or website, contact him at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Imagine with me, if you will, the image of football's future at a restaurant. Worry not, we are not looking at a fast food joint during a major tournament, the gaudy images of Disney characters doing scissor kicks is not welcome here. I am, of course, speaking metaphorically. Within our scene we see a top table, reserved for the best, the more sizeable contingent. Here we see our Real Madrid's and Barcelona's, our Manchester United's and Chelsea's, our Milanese giants. We look on as they stuff more into there already full mouths, chairs buckling beneath weighty posteriors, crumbs and excess falling to the ground around their feet. As we look down we see a sight that is unpleasant for anyone to view. The once great powers of Paris St Germain, Ajax and Celtic are scrambling to claim what they can from the slurry, enough maybe to see out starvation for just one more season. Is this the way our game is headed?

There is a gulf beginning to open; an expanse which will seemingly become harder and harder to bridge. The divide of which I speak is that between the various leagues under the weighty jurisdiction of the UEFA. As the big guns get fatter, those of lower stature become increasingly separated. The football associations of leagues such as Scotland, Belgium and Holland can only look on in awe as their bulkier neighbours enjoy increased sponsorship revenue, an influx of the cream of players from around the globe and as a result, greater worldwide coverage.

When the news of the English Premiership last week agreeing a television rights deal that will result in even the side finishing last at the end of the season pocketing 30 million, an equal sum to that which Chelsea received for their Championship winning term last year, the emphasis on the increasing gulf became all the more clear. So what does the future hold for side's in leagues aside from the 'Big 3' of England, Italy and Spain?

Scottish football has now reached a juncture at which the league championship has become increasingly insignificant. Without doubt there will be fireworks, champagne and Tenants Super a-plenty at Parkhead when the inevitable occurs, but by many Bhoys supporters will concede that the ease at which their side continually win the championship does diminish the achievement to an extent. It now seems that Celtic and Rangers now focus their attentions more upon European competition than domestic.

This in itself creates a vicious circle. A cyclone that reduces the worthiness a various country's domestic programmes, the upshot of this will ultimately render the teams effected occupying the unenviable position of having their finances, potential purchases and competitiveness marginalised. The effects of this, which many may argue we are already experiencing, could be catastrophic.

The richer the 'big three' leagues of England, Spain and Italy become, the harder it will become for those following to keep pace. Over the past decade this effect has become prevalent. Using the Champions League as an example, only twice in the past ten years have sides away from the 'elite' brought home the famous trophy. Taking this into consideration looking forwards, surely the chasm that divides will only widen, possibly to the extent to which long established leagues from countries like the Netherlands, Scandinavia and possibly even France become little more than feeder leagues to those who have established financial superiority.

The question that must be addressed is what can be done about this issue? Having recently succeeded UEFA stalwart Lennart Johansson, former France captain Michel Platini has many difficult tasks in his new role as president of the organisation, but I foresee this issue to be of huge importance in keeping the sport in the possession of the people.

The issue has been previously debated heavily in the Netherlands. At some point over the past ten years, all of the nations three most successful clubs (Ajax Amsterdam, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven have voiced their desire to potentially leave the Dutch Championship as, similarly to in with the Old Firm sides of Scotland, they feel that they can gain nothing more from this competition.

Although this has not yet materialised, talk has been apparent of a merger between such leagues. Using the working title of a 'Northern European Superleague' it was voiced that an alliance as the title confers could give teams in this predicament a new lease of life. The new league could theoretically be as strong as any other whilst simultaneously enabling the clubs involved to fulfil the potential they posses, a potential really only denied previously due to a geographical misfortune.

The Ajax's, Celtic's and Anderlecht's from across the continent would welcome this with open arms. It would instantly grant the prospective clubs money making opportunities that they had never experienced before. It has long been the argument of many Old Firm supporters that their beloved clubs would be as big as any south of the border if the competition so allowed, this could be the chance to prove this bold claim to be true.

Overall, bigger games week-in-week-out would produce more media interest, in turn gate receipts could improve, sponsorship deals fatten, and those who are now forced to sell to survive could begin to buy into a galactico class of player. Basically, everybody's happy.

Or so you would think.

On the other side of the fence, the side where the grass is lush and the lawnmower is shiny. The side of the fence onto which the ball has been kicked, on this side we will find that the current occupants would rather the status quo remains.

For starters, we must appreciate that the power in football is held by the mighty. UEFA remain the organising and decision making entity, but the English FA, the Spanish LFP and Italian FIGC and the recently formed G14 conglomerate of clubs hold many of the Aces.

If we look at the situation from this perspective, we can easily see why the fattest diners at the table would not wish for someone to cut in on the cake. A rival league such as the one mooted could claim a portion of what is essentially a market share that is currently held by the biggest leagues. With football clubs run today more with financial gain in mind than ever before, the big hitters will doubtlessly not wish to see what they perceive as being their money (money that is often already accounted for in these days of projective finances), as such it is unlikely that any such league will be formed without much protestation.

Also, and the key deciding factor from the perspective of the governing body, is the impact that a pan-European league could have upon the Champions League. The jewel in UEFA's crown can justly proclaim itself as being (aside from the World Cup) amongst the finest competitions in football today. A league combining different nations could potentially throw the famous tournament into disarray, with qualification processes requiring instant and dramatic overhaul.

As highly unlikely as the idea is to get off the ground is, the thinking behind the theory is the key factor that we must acknowledge. Quite simply, the divide between rich and poor in football today is widening to an extent to which I fear that domestic leagues outside of our decided elite will serve as little more than to develop and groom players for their 'superiors'.

Once proud leagues like Le Championat in France, the Scottish Premier Division, possibly even the German Bundesliga find themselves further and further behind and the struggle to keep up is not getting any easier. Surely the greed of the biggest will not destroy that which grants the stature initially? Without healthy competition at all levels, football will be an elitist pastime, further separating itself from the people. The fans who supply the fuel that powers our beautiful game could become yet further separated.

A pan-European league may not be the answer, but surely something should be done to prevent the bloated sides at the top table ultimately crushing the hand that feeds them.

The author is David Hardy who writes for http://www.football-rumours.com A large, frequently updated football/soccer web site dealing with all facets of the game